In The Doors of Perception, Aldous Huxley points out that the Lords Prayer has 50 words, and six of them are dedicated to imploring God not to lead us into temptation. When I was a child sitting in Sunday school in west Texas, I often wondered why God would engineer these temptations into our environment in the first place much less lead us into them if he was only going to enjoin us to avoid them later.

Today I feel the same way about the creators of our technological environments. We are bombarded at every turn with persuasive design that exploits our psychological weaknesses and often leads us into temptation, habituation and distraction. At the same time, we are expected to take up arms against these distractions, to muster superhuman levels of self-regulation, just to adapt to this all-out war others are waging for our attention.

So far, the closest thing to a bible for designers who have been enlisted in that war for our attention those tasked with hacking human psychology to increase engagement with their products has been Nir Eyals bestselling 2014 book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. Eyal advanced a four-part model for exploiting triggers, rewards and other elements of habit formation to systematically manipulate user behaviour; he described the model as a new superpower for designers.

Now, five years later, as individuals and societies have begun to discern the extent to which distraction is a feature, not a bug, of the industrialisation of persuasive design, Eyal has returned with a self-help book. Here, as in Hooked, Eyal advances a four-part model and even describes it as a superpower again only this time its for users: it sets out how to be indistractable in a world thats angling for our attention.

It would be too uncharitable to dismiss Indistractable as merely an attempt to backtrack. It would also be a mistake to place it among the crop of repentant-tech-insider confessionals so fashionable lately those tragic narratives of grovelling and apology that the media gleefully stenograph for readers who instinctively click on them. In fact, a notable absence in Indistractable is any trace of regret or re-examination whatsoever, and for this Eyal deserves some credit.

This is a book with two souls. One is concerned with prescription, the other with persuasion. The prescriptive part offers techniques for resisting distraction. These include: scheduling your life so assiduously that you eliminate all white space in your calendar, beginning with prioritising and timeboxing You time; hacking back or changing the external triggers that distract you (for instance, disabling device notifications, or having a signal at work that tells your colleagues youre in a focus mode); and using precommitment devices such as pacts to motivate you to follow through on your goals (which in Eyals case consisted of agreeing to pay his friend $10,000 if he didnt finish Indistractable on time). There is some value in compiling these techniques in one place; readers might find some of them useful.

However, it is the persuasive soul of Indistractable that merits greater attention. At the books beating heart is a sales pitch for the blamelessness of technology vis--vis distraction. This argument is important in part because it carries significance for wider conversations about the ethics of persuasive design, and in part because it is so profoundly, yet so subtly, wrong.

Eyals argument is roughly as follows. Distraction is any action we take thats misaligned with our broader intentions. We often blame technology for distraction. However, because all human behaviour is motivated by the desire to minimise discomfort, the root cause of distraction therefore lies within us. Technology, by contrast, is merely a proximate cause. If we dont deal with the root causes, well continue to find ways to distract ourselves and will remain helpless victims in a tragedy of our own creation. On the other hand, if we do acknowledge that distraction originates inside ourselves, we can take steps to become indistractable and ultimately live the lives we want.

There are many curious contortions here. Eyals conception of distraction remains mercurial. His foundational claim that avoiding discomfort or dissatisfaction is our motivation for everything we do in life is simply asserted; no evidence is adduced. (Its a claim that, in any event, seems unfalsifiable cant any desire for change be framed as dissatisfaction with some status quo?) Yet the essential rhetorical move, for which Eyal gives no justification, is his separation of inner motivations from external factors and his conception of them as root causes. This root/proximate cause distinction comes from a diagnostic process in engineering and management sciences called root cause analysis. Why is this method appropriate for diagnosing human behaviour? No reason is given. Why cant a behaviour be the result of multiple root causes? The question goes unasked. Cant technologies, like many other external influences, increase our degree of inner discomfort and dissatisfaction? The issue is not even raised. What even counts as a root cause? Eyal leaves it undefined.

In fact, throughout the book he is inconsistent about what he treats as a root cause versus a proximate cause. At various points he is happy to construe all manner of environmental factors relational, organisational, psychological, and cultural as root causes of distraction, while treating as a ridiculous moral panic any suggestion that technologies that have literally been designed to distract many by designers he has influenced are themselves part of any structural problem. He seems to allow for any root cause of distraction, as long as it is not technology.

This is a fundamentally unserious way of approaching the question. Imagine weve just discovered that a facial recognition algorithm is amplifying some racial inequality. In response, we might ask: how could the algorithm be designed so that it promotes equality instead? Can it in principle be designed to do so? Should an algorithm even be used in this situation? And so on. However, it would not occur to us to say unless we were mired in anxious defensiveness about the fact that criticism is occurring at all that even though the algorithm amplifies inequality, it poses no problem worthy of immediate corrective action because it is not the root cause of that inequality. To say so would be a digital version of the odious Guns dont kill people, people kill people deflection. (Of course, neither side of that false dichotomy is correct; it is clearly the gun-person interface which is at issue.) Technology doesnt distract people; people distract people. This, in a phrase, is Indistractables persuasive soul.

I recently read that the pope wanted to alter a line of the Lords Prayer, from lead us not into temptation to do not let us fall into temptation. Indistractable is Eyals attempt at a pope-like pivot. Thankfully, he cant pivot by fiat. However, as the book Merchants of Doubt by Erik M Conway and Naomi Oreskes brilliantly chronicled in the domains of climate science and tobacco research, a smokescreen of doubt can be thrown up, which provides a cover for interests averse to systemic change, whether regulatory or otherwise. And Eyal can make people who get distracted by adversarial design less inclined to demand more from their technologies, and more inclined to demand superpowers of themselves that their all-too-human limitations render them unable to meet.

Technology exists to help us transcend our limitations. This book could have been a welcome recognition by a leading voice in the field that we cant fight distractions on our own that we shouldnt have to and that technology, properly designed and incentivised, is necessary for helping us do so. That is the book I wish I could have read.

In Hooked, Eyal wrote: It will be years, perhaps generations, before society develops the mental antibodies to control new habits. However, in Indistractable he writes: We have the unique ability to adapt to such threats. We can take steps right now to retrain and regain our brains. To be blunt, what other choice do we have? We dont have time to wait for regulators to do something and if you hold your breath waiting for corporations to make their products less distracting, well, youre going to pass out.

Its one thing to tell this to knowledge workers who ride electric scooters to work and stream productivity podcasts into their AirBuds. But tell it to the single working mother who can barely carve out enough me time to take a shower. Better yet, tell the tech designers its not their fault, that its ultimately their users responsibility to manage distractions, and that even if their products do distract, the root cause of it lies in users themselves.

To throw everything back on the individual and to ignore the structural causes of distraction is not only unscientific in its approach to human nature, it is unjust in its implications for society, and unimaginative in its capitulation to design. Such a position would be understandable, though still not acceptable, from someone who didnt know better. But to spend years building up those structural causes of distraction, and then to take such a position? That would be a spectacle of sophistry from which no amount of self-help pabulum could distract.

James Williamss Stand Out of Our Light: Freedom and Restriction in the Attention Economy is published by Cambridge. Indistractable is published by Bloomsbury (20). To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com or call 020-3176 3837. Free UK p&p over 15, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of 1.99.

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Indistractable by Nir Eyal review letting tech off the hook - The Guardian

Nationals fans celebrate on The Midlands's patio. Photo courtesy of The Midlands.

Its time for the Nationals to #finishthefight. The World Series starts Tuesday, October 22, and as youd expect, there are plenty of creative food and drink specials and watch parties that will help you root for the home team. You can munch on a Max Scherzer-themed hot dog, dive into a Howie Kendrick-inspired pizza, or drink a commemorative World Series IPA.A Nationals spokesperson says that Nationals Park may host watch parties for away games, but details havent been finalized.

Bardo Brewing25 Potomac Ave., SEWant to get your pup in on the #Natitude action? Head to this dog-friendly waterfront beer garden. Its set to host pregame parties on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with $7 pints until midnight. Bonus: wear a Nats costume to Saturdays Halloween party (6 to 11 PM) and you might win a prize.

Bluejacket 300 Tingey St., SEThe Navy Yard brewery will tap its 86 Years IPA just in time for Tuesdays game (the name refers to how long its been since a Washington team made it into the World Series). The double IPA includes hints of passionfruit, peach, and orange, and it may be bottled soon with a commemorative label.

The Brig 1007 Eighth St., SEThe popular pregame hangout is projecting every game throughout its German-style outdoor beer garden (after dusk, the game will be shown on a 25-foot projection screen). Brats, pretzels, and $28 buckets of tall-boys are on the menu. Choose from Natty Boh, Narragansett, PBR, Bud Light, and more.

Mission Navy Yard 1221 Van St., SERight across from the center field entrance, this Mexican spot plans to host hundreds of fans at its two-level bar. The bar will open two hours before each game, and will serve $25 buckets of beer and $5 margaritas and shots until 2 am. Plus, there are appetizers like chorizo sliders or quesadillas.

Nicoletta Pizzeria 301 Water St., SEOne of the top spots for pre-game pizza will celebrate with a limited time pie: Howies Grand Slam, with spinach, banana peppers, crispy porchetta, and a creamy white sauce ($20). Plus, theres cornhole.

Shilling Canning Company360 Water St., SEThe Mid-Atlantic-inspired restaurant will shell out (heh) $2 oysters, and host a special happy hour from 5 to 6:30 PM on Tuesday through Friday with wine, Oriole Park lager, and more. To wish Howie Kendrick good luck on his homers, order a special $9 cocktail with vodka, ginger, nutmeg, and bitters.

Walters Sports Bar 10 N St., SEThis fan favorite sports bar across from Nats Park offers 24 self-service beer taps and a 220-inch TV. The bar will serve up buckets of wings, Bud Light, and Truly seltzer for under $20 until 2 AM (or 3 AM on Saturday).

Bar Deco and Fish Market717 Sixth St., NW; 105 King St., AlexandriaSnag free popcorn at both spots, then dig into foot-long hot dogs with toppings inspired by players. Go for Maxs classic mustard-onion-pickle combo, Howies barbecue dog, Ryans spicy bacon-jalapeno frank, and Treas Tex-Mex version with avocado and chipotle aioli. There are drink specials at both spots, too.

The Blaguard 2003 18th St., NWThis two-story sports bar in Adams Morgan is serving up game day grub like chili-cheese hot dogs, along with $3 Bud Light and Natty Boh until last call at 1:30 AM (or 2:30 AM if its the weekend).

Duffys Irish Pub1016 H St., NEDuffys has some of the best wings in DC, and you can grab them for half price on Wednesday, October 23. There will be a $9 Budweiser tall-boy-and-shot special on each game day. The pub closes at midnight on weekdays, but it stays open until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday.

The Greene Turtle7879 Heneska Loop, AlexandriaHead over to the Green Turtles Hilltop Village Center location for a game 3 watch party on Friday from 8 PM to 1:30 AM. Watch the Nats on all the big screens, then sing your heart out at karaoke hosted by M.C. Big Swig until close. Wear your best Halloween costume for a chance to win over $300 in prizes.

MatchboxMultiple locations in DC, Maryland, and VirginiaAll locations of this pizza/miniburger chain are celebrating by offering happy-hour-priced food and drinks to anyone wearing Nats gear (hopefully you werent waiting to buy a Scherzer jersey).

The Midlands 3333 Georgia Ave., NWPark yourself at one of this Park View beer gardens fire pits and watch the game on the patio. Itll serve hot mulled cider with spiced rum, and all the games will be shown until closing time: midnight on weekdays, and 3 AM on the weekend.

The Occidental1475 Pennsylvania Ave., NWMore than 80 years ago, the Washington Senators celebrated their World Series win at this downtown dining room. Now, you can sip $10 bourbon cocktails named after the former team and watch the games on the patio while supporting a good cause: the Youth Baseball Academy Initiative.

Quincys South 11401 Woodglen Dr., BethesdaHonor Gerardo Parra with baby shark sliders, covered in provolone and blackberry habanero sauce, and dig into Howie Kendrick-inspired nachos, an MVP bacon hot dog, and classic wings. The neighborhood hangout will offer bottle buckets and pitchers during the games, too.

Rock and Roll Hotel 1353 H St., NEThe concert venue is hosting a watch party Tuesday, October 22, with multiple TVs playing the game in its rooftop bar and second floor. Theres no cover charge, and drink specials include $7 Devils Backbone Earned Run Ale and $1 off rail drinks. Doors open at 6 PM.

This post will be updated as new details become available.

Join the conversation!

Editorial Fellow

Emily Martin is an editorial fellow for Washingtonian. She previously participated in the POLITICO Journalism Institute and covered Capitol Hill for The Durango Herald.

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Where to Watch the Nationals in the World Series Around DC - Washingtonian

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

Caption

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There was plenty of pink at Self Help Enterprises in Sterling on Thursday: pink clothes, pink hair, pink firefighters there was even a pink mohawk, and there were a lot of folks tickled pink to see a brightly colored ambulance stop by for a visit. The Pink Heals Sauk Valley Chapters rolling reminder that what the world needs now is more love and less cancer stopped by Self Help to bring some smiles, raise awareness and let people battling cancer, survivors and those who have lost loved ones to the disease sign the Pink Heals truck. The truck is part of a national fleet of pink fire trucks that are on a mobile mission to deliver a smile and lend support to those whose lives have been touched by cancer. Trucks are manned by volunteers decked out in pink turnout gear, and the truck itself is a canvas for people who want to sign their names or offer words of support. Go to pinkfiretrucks.org for more information, or find Pink Heals Sauk Valley, IL Chapter for more on the local chapter.

Excerpt from:
A big roll in the fight against cancer - SaukValley.com

The short list for the prestigious International James Dyson Award has finally been announced, and a critical safety tool for managing seizures has risen into the top 20: Cocoon, a self-deploying, portable safe space for people affected by epilepsy.

The Dyson award invites entries that solve a specific problemand this particular innovator is intimately aware of the need for this solution because she has the condition herself.

Seizures are a part of life for the 50 million people worldwide that are epileptic, and they have a risk of death 3-6 times greater than the average population.

Many can sense the seizuress onset, giving them time to find a safe place to lie down. Doctors can only hope they are with a friend or caregiver who can time the seizure, call for an ambulance if it lasts longer than five minutes, and be there to reorient them as the condition subsides.

Uma Smith, the mastermind behind Cocoon says, I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 11. Since then, Ive been hospitalized four timesthree of them while I was away from a safe space and caretakers.

RELATED: Blind Man Develops Smart Cane That Uses Google Maps and Sensors to Identify Ones Surroundings

Seizure-sensors and protective headgear do exist, but nothing so far has combined all the safety elements into a single device. This new product has all of those requirements, plus more. It integrates soft protection that stays on the head and helps the seizing person stay on their side, plus clear instructions that automatically unfurl for strangers who may want to help, including the persons name and emergency contact phone numbers.

But what if the person is alone? In this circumstance, Cocoon features GPS to help caregivers find the person, seizure sensors, a timer, automated messaging to alert an emergency contact, and after 3 minutes of seizing, a 911 call for an ambulance. If the seizure ends early, the sensors will detect it and call off the emergency measures automatically.

WATCH: Thanks to Students Hunch, Seniors With Dementia Are Coming Alive Again With the Magic of Virtual Reality

The Cocoon rolls up and becomes a portable pillow and is compact enough to slide into a tote bag, giving those with epilepsy a new sense of freedom to explore and be out on their own.

The Brooklyn-based industrial designer who invented the device, is also a sculptor and photographer and has designed other innovations combining form and function. Information about her works, including the Cocoon, can be found on her website.

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This Ingenious Solution was Designed Specifically to Help People During Their Epileptic Seizures - Good News Network

Enforcement measures

Outline the basic repossession procedures following lease termination. How may the lessee lawfully impede the owners rights to exercise default remedies?

Turkey recognises the right of the lessor to use self-help for repossession on lease termination as provided for in the Cape Town Convention. This has been applied in a small number of cases where the former lessee did not try to physically prevent or legally challenge the repossession process. Use of self-help is not recommended where the former lessee tries to prevent or legally challenges the repossession. For this reason, it is advisable to seek a court order for repossession. It is also possible for the former lessee to obtain a precautionary injunction by claiming that the lease has not been terminated. However, these are theoretical conjectures, as Turkish courts currently have no experience of the Cape Town Convention, nor is there any precedent.

Outline the basic measures to enforce a security interest. How may the owner lawfully impede the mortgagees right to enforce?

Turkey recognises the right of the mortgagee to use self-help for repossession on default, as provided for in the Cape Town Convention. Use of self-help is not recommended where the owner tries to prevent or legally challenges the repossession. For this reason, it is advisable to seek a court order for repossession. It is also possible for the owner to obtain a precautionary injunction by claiming that there is no default. However, these are theoretical conjectures, as Turkish courts currently have no experience of the Cape Town Convention, nor is there any precedent.

It is also possible to start a mortgage enforcement action, which will lead to the sale of the aircraft by public auction. The debtor has a right to raise objections to this action. Depending on the mortgage agreement and documentation of the default, the objection may be set aside by summary judgment.

Which liens and rights will have priority over aircraft ownership or an aircraft security interest? If an aircraft can be taken, seized or detained, is any form of compensation available to an owner or mortgagee?

Aircraft manufacturers and repairers have the right to demand the registration of a statutory mortgage on the aircraft for their receivables. This mortgage will take priority over all other consensual mortgages. The demand must be made within three months of completion of the construction or repairs, otherwise it becomes extinct.

The government has priority only for the motor vehicle tax that is payable for the aircraft. This is usually negligible, as the amount will not exceed a few thousand US dollars.

Aircraft can be requisitioned only for general mobilisation in a state of war, in which case the owner will be compensated.

No other liens or rights will have priority over registered consensual mortgages.

How are judgments of foreign courts enforced? Is your jurisdiction party to the 1958 New York Convention?

The enforcement of foreign court judgments requires a recognition and enforcement decision by a Turkish court. The purpose of a recognition and enforcement action is not to retry the merits of the case, but only to determine whether the foreign court decision fulfils the requirements for enforcement in Turkey.

One of the important requirements for recognition and enforcement is the existence of a de facto or contractual reciprocity between Turkey and the country that issued the decision in regard to recognising and enforcing each others court decisions. Reciprocity exists between the United Kingdom and Turkey. It is unclear whether reciprocity exists between the state of New York and Turkey. As such, there are instances of New York court judgments being denied recognition and enforcement.

Turkey is a party to the 1958 New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. A foreign arbitral award will also require a recognition and enforcement decision from a Turkish court. An arbitral award issued in a country that is a party to the 1958 New York Convention will be enforceable in Turkey, provided that other conditions for enforcement are met.

Another important requirement for the recognition and enforcement of both court decisions and arbitral awards is that the claim has been duly and properly served on the defendant, and the defendant has been given adequate opportunity to defend itself against the claim. It is not necessary to prove that defendants have defended themselves. The decision may be given in absentia if they have been invited.

More:
Aircraft repossession and enforcement of security in Turkey - Lexology

A complete list of Bulletin Board items can be found at timesonline.com under the Lifestyle section. Events also can be found on and submitted to an online calendar listing at app.evvnt.com/users/sign_in.

CHURCH NEWS

COMMUNITY

Explore Your Future Job and Career Fair: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24, Beaver Valley Mall, 285 Beaver Valley Mall Blvd., Center Township. Employers and training providers with job opportunities; speakers, demonstrations, career paths, veterans resource center. Free admission; all welcome. 724-725-4860 or http://www.pacareerlink.pa.gov.

1940s Hangar Dance and Dinner: 5:30 to 11 p.m. Nov. 2, Air Heritage In, 35 Piper St., Chippewa Township. Features 1940s comfort food, dance and costume contest, prizes, live big band. Tickets, dinner and dance, $20; dance only, $10 at 7:15 p.m. 724-843-2820.

Jeff Daytons Salute to Glen Campbell, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, Beaver Falls Middle School Auditorium, 1803 Eighth Ave. Dayton, Glen Campbells bandleader and guitarist, toured nationally with the late singer. Tickets, at door, adults, $20; students, $5. Available by calling 724-843-2941, online at http://www.bvcommunityconcert.org or by sending check, payable to the Beaver Valley Community Concert Association, attention Peg Denhart, 604 Sixth Ave., Beaver Falls, PA 15010.

American Red Cross Blood Drive: 1 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 21, Darlington Township municipal building, 3590 Darlington Road; noon to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24, American Red Cross Building, 133 Friendship Circle, Brighton Township; 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 29, Lincoln High School, 501 Crescent Ave., Ellwood City. Eligible donors with all types of blood are needed, especially those with O negative, A negative and B negative. Platelets are also needed. Blood donor app available by texting BLOODAPP to 90999. App tracks health stats and donor record. RAPIDPASS - an online donor pre-reading and health history available. Appointments strongly suggested and are taken first. Donors will receive a $5 Amazon gift card via email. http://www.redcrossblood.org, 800-733-2767 or 724-775-9700.

National Drug Take-Back Day; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 26, The Mall at Robinson, (parking lot near Dicks Sporting Goods), Robinson Township. Dispose of unwanted prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications at no cost. Free. List available online at http://www.dea.gov.

Merchandise Bingo: 7 p.m. Oct. 21, St. Frances Cabrinis OConnell Hall, 115 Trinity Drive, Center Township. Door prizes, silent auction, bingo prizes. Lunch included in admission price. Information, call 724-378-1870 or 724-775-6944.

Handpainted Oils on Porcelain Sale: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Raccoon United Presbyterian Church, 2001 Crissman Drive, Raccoon Township.

Halloween Decorating Contest: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27, Beaver Meadows, 5130 Tuscarawas Road, Brighton Township. Residents may enter their decorated Halloween house. Community will judge. If interested, call or message 570-578-9839.

Halloween Wing Bash and Costume Party: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 26, Baden American Legion, 271 State St. Sponsored by Baden Sons of the American Legion Squadron 641. Wings, disc jockey, prizes. Admission, $20; all welcome. Benefits veterans. 724-869-9780.

St Felix Parish Fall Festival: 3 to 7 p.m. Nov. 7, St. Felix Parish, 450 13th St., Freedom. Includes roast beef dinner with potatoes, vegetables, bread, beverage and dessert, cookies and craft sale, silent auction, raffle.

Merry Mistletoe Marketplace: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 2, Woodlawn American Baptist Church, 2170 McMinn St., Aliquippa. Gift, makeup, kitchen, jewelry, book and more vendors, Woodlawn Praise Band and Night Shift perform; bake sale, kids crafts, free hot chocolate and coffee. 724-375-6653 or email woodlawnbaptist1910@gmail.com.

New Brighton Halloween Parade: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Third Avenue from 13th Street to Townsend Park. Groups or individuals may register by email to nbparade@gmail.com. Third Avenue will be closed to traffic from Fifth to 16th streets from 5:45 p.m. until parade ends. Side streets will remain open.

Halloween Parade 1-Mile Dash: 6 p.m. Oct. 23, New Brighton municipal building, 610 Third Ave. All ages, 1-mile run down Third Avenue. Sponsored by the New Brighton Area Recreation Commission. No fee; participants must register online at http://www.nbarc.net or at municipal building until 5:30 p.m. Costumes encouraged.

Halloween Spooktacular: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Moon Park, 1350 Joe DeNardo Way. Family-friendly event includes treat bag for first 400 children, pumpkin painting, trick-or-treat trail, a disc jockey, hay rides. Free; open to children age 10 and younger. 412-262-1703 or http://www.moonparks.org.

Habitat Zombie Festival and Trail Run: 4 p.m. Oct. 26, Bradys Run Park, Four Seasons Pavilion, 121 Bradys Run Road, Brighton Township. Festival includes trail run, apocalyptic maze, escape rooms, disc jockey, craft beer and watch party. Trail participants opt to be humans or zombies with aim to capture humans flag. Not a timed race. Others may participate in other activities. Trail run for ages 14 and older; zombie elixir area (craft beer) is over age 21 and additional cost. Registration, VIP (3 p.m. start), $60, includes trail run, festival activities,special effects makeup, craft beer ticket; festival and trail run, $35, includes all festivities and run; festival only, $25. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity of Beaver County. http://www.beavercountyhabitat.org or 724-843-7939.

Halloween Hustle 5K: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 26, Chippewa United Methodist Church Community Center, 118 McMillen Ave. Wear Halloween costumes to run or walk. Cost, $20 per person. Sponsored by and benefiting the Blackhawk Basketball Society to purchase youth basketball uniforms, tournament fees and gym time.

Halloween Haunting at Old Economy: Noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 26, Old Economy Village, 270 16th St., Ambridge. Costumed children age 10 and younger will go door-to-door throughout village and trick-or-treat. Costumed interpreters and guides will assist. Assorted activities and refreshments. Cost, $5 per person. To register, call 724-266-4500, ext. 101, online at http://www.oldeconomyvillage.org or email c-chlthoma@pa.gov.

Trick or Treat Trail: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, Green Valley Park, 184 Snyder Drive, New Sewickley Township. Family-friendly trick-or-treating along a paved trail to collect candy, treats and goodies. Anyone is welcome to set up and pass out candy along trail. Concession stand will be open. Halloween movies will be screened, weather permitting. Take lawn chairs. Sponsored by the New Sewickley Township Recreation Board. http://www.newsewickley.com or 724-774-7822.

An Evening of Tales and Hauntings: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. Oct. 26, Vicary Mansion, 1235 Third Ave., Freedom. Members of CUE (Center for Unexplained Events) and PROOF (Paranormal Research Organization of Freedom) present information about Big Foot, UFOs and local rumored haunted sites. Free. A 9 p.m. session explores methods and equipment used in paranormal investigations. Session cost is $13; registration required at 724-775-1848.

Ellwood City Spooktacular Halloween Parade: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 26, Lawrence Avenue between Fourth and Eighth streets. Sponsored by the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce. Participants wanted. 724-758-5501 or email info@ellwoodchamber.org.

Ghosts of Libraries Past: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, B.F. Jones Memorial Library, 663 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa. Darkened staircase leads to haunted happenings. For youth, ages 12and older; parental discretion advised. Free. 724-375-2900.

Beastly Haunted Trail: 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through October, Beaver County Humane Society woods area, 3394 Brodhead Road, Center Township. Features live actors, special effects and monsters. Youth ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by a parent. Tickets, adults, $15, children, age 12 and younger, $12, Benefits the humane society. 724-775-5801 or http://www.beavercountyhumanesociety.org.

Beastly Haunted Trail Jr.: 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through October, storefront of former Pac Sun store in the Beaver Valley Mall, Center Township. Appropriate for children ages 12 and younger. Benefits humane society. Tickets: children, $7; adults, free. http://www.beavercountyhumanesociety.org or 724-775-5801.

Freddys Haunts: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 27, and Blackout Tours on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 192 McCune Road, Independence Township. Indoor haunted trail, nightly bonfire, free parking. Blackout tours in total darkness except for a glow stick. Donors of canned goods and non-perishable food items for Faith Restoration Food Pantry will receive free ticket for a hot dog. Admission, $15. http://www.freddyshaunts.net.

Zombies of the Corn: Friday and Saturday evenings through October, also Oct. 20 and 27, Three Rivers Paintball, 282 Rochester Road, New Sewickley Township. Features blackout maze, halloween storytellers by bonfire, facepainting for kids. Tickets: adults, $34.99; kids, age 10 and younger, $29.99; includes 150 paint balls. Reservations and information online at http://www.ZombieOfTheCorn.org or call 724-775-6232.

Fearscapes Haunted Attraction: 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28, Fearscapes, 1503 Brentwood Ave., Ellwood City. Spooky classic circus sideshow perform fire eating piano solos, sword swallowing, bug munching with an escape maze. Black Out Nights, with a 50-room totally dark escape maze and chasing ghouls, are Oct. 28 to 30. Friday and Saturday admission, $15; Black Out Nights, $20. Information, online at Fearscapes page on Facebook.

Strategues for Successful Selling Workshop: 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, Nov. 6 to 20, Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, 127 S. Main St., Butler. Three-session workshop focuses on strategies to improve the business management skills, social media, pricing and winter sales strategy for farm and food businesses. Sponsored by Penn State Extension. Series fee, $30. Register online at http://www.extension.psu.edu/strategies-for-successful-selling or call 877-345-0691.

ServSafe Food Safety Manager Course: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 6 and 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 13, Beaver County Emergency Services, 351 Fourth St., Ambridge. Topics include sanitizing and on preventing contamination of food by properly receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, coolings and serving food. Successful exam completion earns a food protection manager certificate. Presented by Beaver County Penn State Extension. Cost, $185, includes materials and exam. Register online at http://www.extension.psu.edu/servsafe or call 877-345-0691. Further information, call 724-774-3003.

Lego Your Imagination! Fall Childrens Art Class: 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, Merrick Art Gallery, 1100 Fifth Ave., New Brighton. Children ages 5 to 12 explore elements and principles of art using shapes, textures and their imagination with Legos. Includes Lego brick rubbings, painting a Lego self portrait, and designing Lego characters. Cost, $65, all materials included. To register, call 724-846-1130 or online at http://www.merrickartgallery.org.

Beaver Falls Book Club: 10:30 a.m. Oct. 19 and Nov. 16, Carnegie Free Library of Beaver Falls, 1301 Seventh Ave. For children ages 3 to 5. Monthly storybook time with activity and craft; free book each month. Care and homework help available for older siblings. Parent or guardian must attend. 724-847-6683 or email beaverfallsbookclub@gmail.com.

Beginning Genealogy and Family History Classes: Beaver County Genealogy and History Center, 250 E. End Ave., Beaver. Focuses on how to begin researching family history, completing genealogical charts and form and research protection. 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 7 and 14; 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 8 and 15. Cost: $35, payable at registration. Limited spaces available for both sessions. To register, call 724-775-1775.

FUNDRAISERS

Trash to Treasure Sale: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 20, Van Kirk Lutheran Church, 106 Van Kirk Road, Center Township. Household goods, baked goods, drawing. Lunch available to eat in or take out. Benefits church. 724-775-7030.

Taste of Autumn Celebration: 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 2, Laughlin Memorial Library, 99 11th St., Ambridge. Fine wine, food, music, gift baskets, raffles. Tickets, in advance, $45; at door, $50; available at library, online at http://www.toa2019.eventbrite.com or call 724-266-3857.

Beaver County 4-H Benefit and Project Auction: 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 3, Monaca Turners Club, 1700 Old Brodhead Road, Center Township. Includes holiday decorations, handmade items, and homemade baked goods. Benefits Beaver County 4-H and 4-H members. 724-371-2064.

Beaver County YMCA Santa Run 5K, Relay and 1-Mile Fun Run: 9 a.m. Nov. 2, Bridgewater municipal building, 199 Boundary Lane. Registration, check-in and three-person relay begin at 9 a.m., 5K starts at 10 a.m., rain or shine. Awards for top finishers overall and age groups. Registration: 5K, in advance, $25; race day, $40; Fun Run, $20; race day, $30; three-person relay, $45; race day, $60. Benefits YMCA programs. http://www.beavercountymca.org or 724-891-8439.

Fall Craft and Vendor Show: 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Nov.16 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 17, Aliquippa Elks Lodge, 2655 Brodhead Road. Area crafters and vendors welcome to participate. Email jancatt@yahoo.com.

Holiday Extravaganza Craft Show: 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 1, the Club at Shadow Lakes, 2000 Beaver Lakes Blvd, Hopewell Township. Assortment of holiday crafts, raffle, silent auction. Raffle and auction proceeds will benefit, The Asservo Project which works to combat global human trafficking and sexual predators.

Traditions, Beaver Area Memorial Library Fundraiser: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2, Beaver Area Memorial Library, 100 College Ave. Celebrates special events and activities in life. Variety of raffle baskets and silent auction items. Also, a Unique Boutique includes new and used jewelry, accessories, useful and decorative household items, and hand-crafted hats, scarves, gloves, mittens shawls, baby items and more crated by the librarys Knit and Crochet Club. Tickets, in advance, $12, at door, $15. Includes variety of hot and cold appetizers, petite desserts, punch, coffee and tea. Available at library. Raffle basket tickets will be available at a later date. 724-775-1132 or online at http://www.beaverlibraries.org.

Fall Craft Show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 26, Chippewa Township fire hall, 2568 Darlington Road. Sponsored by the fire department auxiliary. Variety of items. Crafters wanted. 724-843-6885.

St. Frances Cabini 50+ Group: 1 p.m. Oct. 31, St. Frances Cabrinis OConnell Hall, Center Township. Catered buffet at 1 p.m. Costumes encouraged. Reservations required; 724-375-7216 or 724-378-7288.

GriefShare: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Chippewa United Methodist Church, 2545 Darlington Road, Chippewa Township. Caring group of people who share and provide help through the grieving process. Free. Information, online at http://www.griefshare.org.

GriefShare: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m Tuesdays through Nov. 19, New Brighton Christian Assembly Church, 1810 Valley Ave. Weekly support group to help adults through the grief process following a loss. Attendance at each session is optional, not required. Free. 724-846-8820 or http://www.visitnbca.com.

Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Family Meeting: noon every Sunday, Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver County, 697 State St., Beaver. Weekly meeting sponsored by Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver County. 724-728-8200.

Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners Meeting: noon every Tuesday, Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver County, 697 State St., Vanport Township.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Connection: noon every Tuesday, NAMI Support Group, 1229 Third St., Beaver. Weekly lunch and support group for people with a mental illness led by facilitators. Information, online at http://www.namibeavercounty.org; call 724-888-6877 or email rmattia@namibeavercounty.com.

Refuge Recovery Meeting: noon every Thursday, Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver County, 697 State St., Vanport Township. Buddhist-based addiction recovery program sponsored by Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver County. 724-728-8200.

Grief Share: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Faith Community United Methodist Church, 341 Jefferson St., Rochester. Weekly support group for those who have lost someone close. Each session is self-contained. 724-775-3447.

Compassionate Friends: 2 to 4 p.m. the second Sunday of each month through November, Westminster United Presbyterian Church, 115 N. Mercer Ave., New Brighton. Self-help support group for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents who have lost a child of any age and any circumstance. 724-847-1494.

Gamblers Anonymous: 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday, Chippewa United Methodist Church Community Life Center, 118 McMillen Ave., Chippewa Township. Fellowship of men and women who share experiences to help themselves and others recover from a gambling addiction. http://www.gamblersanonymous.org.

Pirogi: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays through Dec. 13, except Nov. 29, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 377 Linmore Ave., Baden. Potato, kraut, cottage cheese, and prune. $8 per dozen. To order, call 724-869-9758. Eat in, take out and bring own containers if youd like. Pick up from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ham Dinner: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 on the first Tuesday of each month, Bridgewater Presbyterian Church, 408 Bridge St. Ham, potatoes, green beans, applesauce, brownie. Benefits church. 724-774-1454.

Fish Fry: 3 to 9 p.m. every Friday, Monaca Turners, 1700 Old Brodhead Road, Center Township. Baked and fried fish. Takeouts, 724-774-7007.

Fish Fry: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday, Aliquippa Croatian Center, 2365 Concord St.

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Bulletin Board - News - The Times - The Times

Andrew Male and Trevor Lewis

The Sunday Times,October 20 2019, 12:01am

The School Of Life (YouTube Originals)Alain de Bottons self-help organisation has always been in the business of popularising philosophical thought. However, with this new series he seems to have edged close to self-parody. The concept is simple, yet odd, with De Botton asking a series of YouTube creators and influencers such puzzlers as What is the secret of happiness? and Is democracy dangerous? So, Canadian gaming YouTuber Azzyland talks Daoism, LA internet comedians Hannah Stocking and Anwar Jibawi explain capitalism by selling cupcakes, and prank bloggers the Martinez Twins tackling anxiety with aerial yoga. Both anodyne and infuriating, its also fascinating to see such pressing questions tackled in a manner so utterly detached from the real world. AM

Docn Roll TV (docnrollfestival.com)The UK music

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TV review: Giri/Haji; Dublin Murders; Living with Yourself; Charlotte Church: My Family & Me

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The best TV and films on Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer and other ondemand services, October 20 - The Times

"Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution," by Jennifer Block (St. Martin's, 324 pp., $27.99)

As I was writing this review, Alabama had passed a draconian law that bans abortion except in cases where a woman's health is at serious risk. The Food and Drug Administration had approved a new prescription drug injection to increase women's sex drive and end what some ads called the "tragedy" of low libido. And OB/GYNs around the country were offering"vaginal rejuvenation" through laser procedures that narrow the vaginal opening to create "a more youthful, pre-pregnancy state" - a technique that has prompted an FDA warning on safety.

If there was any doubt of an audience for Jennifer Block's advocacy book, those recent events should lay that notion to rest. In "Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution," Block reveals the travails of women trapped by a medical profession that poorly serves their needs. Despite the growing presence of female doctors, many women still suffer from the neglect and chauvinism of paternalistic male physicians, resulting in both undertreatment and overtreatment of symptoms and illnesses.

While advocating for women, Block also argues that the women's movement has not delivered the magnitude of change in female care that's needed. Fifty years after the start of the feminist revolution, American women are still second-class citizens when it comes to health care. In one of her opening vignettes, a 46-year-old woman undergoes a minimally invasive hysterectomy at a major medical center. Two days later she complains of severe pains, and her heart rate jumps. Her doctor's response is to send her home with a prescription for anti-anxiety pills. Two days after that, the woman is rushed into emergency surgery, and doctors find that her intestine had been damaged during the hysterectomy. She leaves the hospital with a colostomy bag. "You may already be familiar with this story," Block writes. "Woman needs medical care. Woman is ignored. Woman has to fight."

Block notes that "there are no sacred cows in this book," and that includes America's fertility industry, where women endure open-ended treatments for a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility." That leads to budget-busting artificial insemination, embryo freezing, repeated injections and surgery. Block tracks down a doctor in Pennsylvania, Danielle Miller, who produces better outcomes by taking the time to find the underlying reasons that women can't get pregnant. The difficulty could be linked to hormonal imbalances or endometriosis - a diagnosis, says Miller, that is "not difficult. It's just complicated." And, for the doctor, less lucrative.

Block, a former editor of Ms. magazine, was also editor of the revised "Our Bodies, Ourselves," the original women's health-care bible. Her 2007 book, "Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care," delivered a scathing critique of "medicalized" childbirth in the United States. In a 2017 Washington Post article, she detailed the controversy over the birth-control device Essure, regarded by some as a breakthrough in contraception and by others as a serious danger to women. After reports of many women suffering significant side effects, Bayer, the maker of the device, announced in 2018 that Essure would no longer be sold in the United States starting in 2019.

In blunt language, Block addresses the consequences of the movement to criminalize abortion and limit women's access to clinics. "Ninety percent of counties in the United States have zero abortion clinics," she writes. "Mississippi and six other states have just one for the whole state." The result: "Underground abortion is a thing again."

In her last chapter, "The Case for Home Abortion," Block meets with nurses, doulas and midwives in a secret place surrounded by specula, cannula and syringes to learn how an abortion can be safely performed early in pregnancy. "Over the past five years, a decentralized group of providers has multiplied to a few hundred," she writes. Her instructor wishes to remain anonymous out of fear of "law enforcement and anti-abortion vigilantes." Block practices on a sola papaya, a fruit that resembles a pregnant uterus and is apparently used around the world to teach a "method of modern reproductive health care: manual vacuum aspiration."

Block wants readers to understand that women have always had access to birth control and abortion - just in unconventional ways. "In Chicago," she writes, "the self-trained underground group Jane Collective performed thousands of at-home abortions without incident before Roe."

One of the most interesting people in the book is Carol Downer, a mother of six and co-founder of the Federation of Feminist Women's Health Care Centers. Downer was an influential activist in the 1970s and leader of the original women's self-help movement. She and others "hopped up on tables with a mirror, flashlight, and speculum to show other women how to view their own cervices," Block writes.

Downer and her camp believed that medical fluency and control over one's own biology were fundamental to the pursuit of civil rights. The radical arm of the women's movement led to the publication of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" and, Block explains, "to direct actions against high-dose birth control pills, diethylstilbestrol, the Dalkon Shield, the exclusion of women from clinical research, and the isolation of women in maternity wards."

Block uses Downer's saga to show how divisions within the women's movement played a role in women's loss of control over their health care. In 1971, Downer was ostracized at the National Organization for Women conference and told not to get too graphic at the meeting promoting self-exams. After abortion became legal two years later, self-helpers such as Downer were seen as "retro." Mainstream feminists were focused on expanding the role of women in health care:They should become doctors, not just play doctor with a plastic speculum.

Feminist health activists now "regret this turning point," Block writes. Today, about 60% of OB/GYNs in the United States are females. But about a third of women in the country will have hysterectomies before they are 60, nearly a third of pregnant women have C-sections, and maternal mortality rates are increasing.

The book's upsetting anecdotes, startling statistics and terrific interviews will leave you outraged or simply sad.

Block concludes with a call for "physiological justice" and a new feminist health-care movement. This is the book's weak spot. Block doesn't explain how a national movement to help women take back their health care would coalesce. Telling women to question their doctors and research their options sounds like former special counsel Robert Mueller telling Americans to read his 400-plus page report. Good idea!

Still, "Everything Below the Waist" is a must-read for women, especially any woman who might ever need to see a doctor.

Mundy is the author of "Crystal Mesh: How Addiction to Money Turned Medical Device Makers and Doctors Into Street Dealers."

See the article here:
Book World: The health-care system's second-class citizens - The Oakland Press

They can be expensive, noisy and annoying, yet todays pampered pets have never been more cossetted and adored. Now new research reveals that it is the Victorians who were responsible for changing attitudes towards domestic animals.

Historians are combing the historical archives for evidence of when familial, emotional attachments to pets became commonplace and socially acceptable in Britain. The work is part of a five-year project that will culminate in a book and an exhibition at the Geffrye Museum in east London.

We thought we would find that there has been an increase in peoples emotional investment in pets in recent times, but what weve actually found is that people in the early 19th century were also very emotionally invested in their animals. They just expressed that in a different way, said Jane Hamlett, professor of modern British history at Royal Holloway, University of London, who has been leading the study for the past three years along with Professor Julie-Marie Strange at the University of Durham. They had a different cultural sense of what a pet should be.

Until the 19th century, keeping pets was frowned upon and would crop up in satirical prints criticising the elite and aristocracy. Quite often, you get pictures of 18th-century ladies dressed in ostentatious, over-the-top costumes with a lapdog, Hamlett said.

Pet owners, particularly when they were female, were seen as frivolous consumers who spent their money in absurd ways: animals were generally expected to earn their keep or be eaten by their owners.

What seems to happen in the late 18th century and early 19th century is that pet-keeping becomes culturally more acceptable, Hamlett said. Writers and artists in the 19th century assigned a new moral value to pets, and consequently saw keeping them as beneficial for children.

Pet ownership began to be seen as character building, particularly for boys, because it taught children to be caring and responsible. Pets were also thought to enhance the domesticity of a home for a potentially valuable social purpose.

The Victorians were very interested in the home and domestic life, and bringing up children was seen as very important for creating the right kind of morality in society, Hamlett said. And one of the things that children could do to develop morality was to keep a pet so you get quite a lot of advice manuals from the mid-19th century onwards suggesting that children should keep pets to improve themselves and their moral qualities.

Even poor working-class families would capture wild birds like blackbirds, linnets and thrushes to keep as pets, often hanging the cages outside their windows and feeding them scraps, while aspirational middle-class families would buy more expensive pets, such as pedigree dogs, to signal their higher wealth and status.

Pedigree dog breeding really takes off in the Victorian period. Dogs were very popular for Victorians, partly because they embody cultural values Victorians were really keen on: theyre seen as steadfast, loyal, plucky and courageous, Hamlett added.

Wild parrots and monkeys imported from the colonies were popular choices for the wealthiest families, as the Victorians did not perceive anything cruel or immoral about keeping such pets.

Rabbits were popular too boys could be expected to build hutches from scratch and look after the animals single-handed but cats were viewed less positively. Many people kept cats during the Victorian period and felt affectionate towards them, but they were still very much seen as utility animals, which kept mice and vermin down, Hamlett said.

As a result, cats werent as well-fed as other pets and developed a reputation for being sly and calculating. This wasnt helped by their traditional association with witches. Its only in the 20th century that cats start to be seen wholeheartedly as pets.

As pets became integrated into family life, contemporary publications and handwritten diaries show just how emotional the Victorians could be about their pets, triggering a new form of consumerism well-known to animal owners today. Self-help books on how to care for specific pets, particularly difficult exotic ones, such as monkeys, began to be published from the 1850s onwards. Health remedies such as cough pills for dogs and cats were sold widely and pet food began to be manufactured. Pet cemeteries were even created in London.

Surprisingly, the love Victorians felt for their pets and the role of pets in family life has been largely ignored by historians in the past. No historian has written about that topic and no research had been done specifically on the history of pets in peoples homes, said Hamlett. Some of the historical documents her team has looked at have never even been studied before. But actually, people wrote about their pets quite a lot.

Link:
How the Victorians turned mere beasts into mans best friends - The Guardian

Earlier this month, the Trump administration appointed George Mentz, an author and consultant with a penchant for unsettling power poses, to the Commission on Presidential Scholars. In the scope of things, this is a small matter: nominees dont have to be confirmed by Congress, and the groups essential function is to anoint 161 schoolchildren, name them presidential scholars, and give them a medal for being such good kids. Whats notable about Mentz is that he isnt much of a scholar of anything, besides unlocking the infinite mystical power of The Illuminati, which honestly sounds about right.

According to his website, Mentz is an author, speaker, lawyer, consultant, and global education pioneer. Writing under the pen name Magnus Incognito, he writes self-help books about the secret powers of the mind and Masonic spirituality and secrets. For those not familiar, the Freemasons are a secretive, quasi-religious fraternity that in its contemporary context is mostly about aging men wearing a big ring on their meaty fingers. Under his real name, Mentz blogs prolifically for Newsmax, a website owned by a friend of Donald Trumps. And his volume of work might be impressive, if his posts on investment strategy and the economics of diversity didnt read as if they had been written by a poorly trained bot.=

In a good story this week from the Denver Post, a reporter noted that Mentz is also the owner of something called the Global Academy of Finance and Management in Colorado, as well as the former CEO of the American Academy of Financial Management. Like most online credentialing companies with vague names comprising of strung together management concepts both companies are technically legal but also a scam.

The Global Academy offers more than 100 credentials that sound alternately like positions you might hold in the Ku Klux Klan or WeWork, such as Master Corporate Banker, Certified Chartered FinTech Professional, and Registered Islamic Financial Specialist. As Huffpo pointed out, the online coursework and certification costs nearly $400 dollars a piece, and certificates expire after two years, forcing a potential FinTech Professional to re-apply and shell out another $378 every few years to remain a member. In the early 2000s, the Wall Street Journal found that the American Academy actually wasnt doing much in the way of coursework, reporting that a number of its graduates had never taken classes, or even a test. In 2010, another Journal article revealed that even the companys board of advisors were made-up or had their names attached without their consent.

But perhaps most thrillingly, George Mentz, or Magnus Incognito, writes books with titles like The Illuminati Secret Laws of Money, The Illuminati Handbook, 50 Laws of Power of the Illuminati, 100 Secrets and Habits of the Illuminati for Life Success, and Success MagicThe Prosperity Secret to Win with Magical Spiritual Power: How to Grow Rich, Influence People, Protect Your Mindset and Love Yourself Like a Warrior Using Timeless Abundance Secrets.

As Mentz explained to the Post, however, all that Illuminati stuff is really marketing: these books arent about the shadowy cabal pulling the strings from inside the Deep State. Theyre about, in the words of one book blurb, how to be a BADASS with Spiritual Magic. It continues:

This is your chance to learn the Secrets of the MASTERS. This book is LOADED with Secret Nuggets of Power. Read this book and you can Harness the Mindful Warrior Power needed to find purpose, happiness, relationships, and financial success. If you want to learn the basic truths to become a Spiritual and Metaphysical warrior, then you have found the secret manuscript that will get you on the path to success and power.

Just because I use the word Illuminati, dont let that get you too excited, Menz told the Post. If you look the word up, it means illumination. Equally illuminating is that the newest member of the Commission on Presidential Scholars donated more than $10,000 to Trumps various campaigns and organizations, and has been planning to write a blockbuster book about the presidents success principles for some time.

Cant wait to read it, Magnus.

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The Trump Appointee Who Loves 'Badass' Spiritual Magic But Can't Use the Word 'Illuminati' Right - Jezebel