Son of 9/11 victim addresses Ilhan Omar during memorial: ‘Show respect in honoring them, please’

Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY

During Wednesday’s 9/11 Memorial and Museum ceremony in New York to honor the lives lost 18 years ago, one victim’s family member had a message for freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

Nicholas Haros Jr., whose mother Frances Haros was killed in the World Trade Center at age 76, wore a black T-shirt with the words “Some people did something” as he read a list of victims’ names, including his mother’s.

“Today I am here to respond to you exactly who did what to whom. Madam, objectively speaking, we know who and what was done,” Haros Jr. said on Wednesday. “There is no uncertainty about that. Why your confusion?”

Haros Jr.’s comments are a reference to a controversial statement made by the Minnesota representative, who said while speaking about the Muslim community’s resilience in the face of discrimination that “[Council of American-Islamic Relations] was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties.”

DATA: 309 reported killed, over 100,000 displaced due to xenophobia in SA since 1994

These figures may, however, be inexhaustive because ‘many violence incidents are not reported and therefore not recorded on Xenowatch’.

Source: DATA: 309 reported killed, over 100,000 displaced due to xenophobia in SA since 1994 | The ICIR

The Key To A Change-Prepared Workforce

The following is a guest piece by Daniel Lock.

Change is the one constant in business. Factors causing change include digital disruption; legislative and regulatory changes; and changing customer needs and desires. Whatever the reason, organizations are always changing.It is essential to regulate them with professional coaching for change initiatives to ensure a seamless and streamlined transition in existing processes.

Whatever the reason, organizations are always changing. Some changes are evolutionary – a piecemeal process and almost part of everyday business. Other changes include large-scale initiatives that involve whole teams, divisions, or entire organizations.

Recent research shows that most companies are ill-prepared to manage change. A coaching culture will help you achieve the goals of change management. You must provide employees with the tools to take part in the change process.

The world of business is not prepared for change

In September 2018, a study conducted by the Human Capital Institute (HCI) and the International Coach Federation (ICF) found that fewer than a quarter of companies are confident in the ability of their employees to manage change. This statistic aligns with the often-quoted 70% of change projects that fail to achieve their change objectives. The HCI/ICF study uncovered an even more alarming statistic. 85% of organisations reported an unsuccessful change initiative in the last two years.

HCI/ICF then segregated the study group. When they did this, they found that change management at high-performing companies was more effective. They are more likely to meet or beat expectations. experience their change initiatives meeting or even beating their expectations. So, what is it that these companies do differently?

High-performing companies have change-prepared employees

In high-performing companies, employees can plan for, execute, and sustain change. The following table shows this:

How do you create a change-prepared workforce?

Employees aren’t hired change-prepared. It is not a natural talent, possessed by some and not others. To prepare employees for change, you must coach them. This requires an organization to empower a coaching culture. All of this requires social awareness.

The HCI/ICF study found that only 15% of respondents said they have a coaching culture. But of these, high-performing companies constituted an impressive 61%. In short, coaching is key to the creation of a change-prepared workforce.

Why does coaching aid change management effectiveness?

The value of coaching is evident to all business leaders. Without coaching, your employees will be less effective. Your business will be less effective. One-on-one coaching is the most effective method of upskilling employees. The benefit is an improvement in productivity.

Case studies show that where you add coaching to training activities, productivity rises by 88%. On their own, the same training activities led to a productivity increase of only 22%.

Coaching for change management can take several forms. You can use it to communicate the need for change, or to train people in new processes and procedures. Perhaps the biggest benefit is the way in which coaching helps you break down resistance to change.

Where does coaching start?

The most successful change initiatives are those you lead from the top down. Change management legends such as Lou Gerstner at IBM, and Jack Welch at GE, completely transformed fading companies. They instilled a desire and hunger for change in their managers. This enthusiasm fed down the line. Managers had an equal impact on their people.

Yet, without coaching the management of change is likely to be less effective. Miscommunication leads to ambiguity, reticence and resistance.

What does change management coaching look like?

Change management coaching is more akin to an exchange. The ‘student’ learns about the factors and elements of change. The coach also learns from the student. You can use this information to shape the future. Especially to identify potential resistance. This helps you to develop strategies to avoid resistance to change.

Coaching is not an opportunity to instill and reinforce change. It helps the student to discover, discuss, and even improve new procedures and processes. Coaching encourages greater trust between manager and employee. It develops and affirms a coaching and change culture.

Most managers are not good coaches

The default position of most organisations is to delegate coaching to managers. It is considered as a management functionality. Yet, managers are rarely as good at coaching as they believe themselves to be. Yet, poor coaching can be detrimental to change-preparedness.

A survey from Betterworks highlighted the gap between managers’ own perceptions of coaching ability and HR evaluation of their skills. Almost 90% of managers surveyed said that they believed they were good coaches. Less than one third of HR managers agreed.

This disparity may be because of the mistaken belief of how coaching achieves its aims. The default is to focus on problems and processes. This approach serves only to ignite frustration and resistance. Instead, managers should take a conversational approach when coaching change. They should empower employees to make sense of the change for themselves.

How effective is coaching in change management?

Turning back to the HCI/ICF study. It found that coaching of all types beat all other activities for achieving the goals of change management initiatives. When asked how helpful an activity was, responses in the ‘very’ and ‘extremely’ measures are:

• One-on-one coaching with a professional coach scores 78%. The next highest is 74% for face-time with senior leaders
• Group coaching with a professional coach practitioner scores 78%. The next highest was 72% (learning labs)
• Access to a manager with coaching skills scores 70%. Stretch assignments score 67%
• Team coaching with professional coach practitioner scores 67%. Web-based learning scores 34%

Classroom training and micro learning content score 49% and 44% respectively. Formal mentoring programmes only score 65%.

Key takeaways

Empirical evidence suggests that coaching-related activities are most helpful to achieve change goals. High-performing companies wrap such activities into the organisation’s culture.

High-performing companies are twice as likely than poor-performers to have a coaching culture. They are more likely to meet or beat the objectives of change projects. This confirms the link between change management success and coaching culture.

One-on-ones, work groups and team coaching are rated as the most helpful coaching tools. They help to achieve the goals of a change management initiative. Most managers believe they are good coaches. Yet many would benefit from training to improve their coaching and mentorship skills.

How much plastic exists on Earth right now

[Image: Reuters Graphics]

By Mark Wilson

Humans buy 1 million plastic bottles every second. Every. Second.

That equates to 1.3 billion bottles per day, 40 billion bottles per month, 480 billion bottles per year, and 4 trillion bottles over the last decade. The numbers are nauseating to confront. But what do they look like? Thanks to Simon Scarr and Marco Hernandez, two data visualization specialists working for Reuters, we know. Because they stacked up all these bottles next to some of the world’s most iconic structures as part of a feature called “Drowning in Plastic.”

Explore the complete animated graphic here. [Screenshot: Reuters Graphics]

It’s one thing to hear a stat like “40 billion bottles per month,” but it’s a whole other thing to see this gargantuan mound of plastic engulfing the Eiffel Tower like the Blob. There is simply no contest between our consumption and this famous landmark. It gets worse when the bottles produced over the last decade are stacked in a pile next to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Never before as the 2,730-foot building looked so tiny as next to this literal mountain of trash.

While the concept behind these graphics is simple by design, the visuals were quite tricky to build from a technical standpoint. Over on Hernandez’s personal website, he chronicles putting his off-the-shelf laptop through the paces of rendering 1 million bottles raining into a giant pile. “Testing with a few objects was okay, but then I wasn’t able to load more than a half-million before the computer crashes so . . . big fail,” he recounts. The animation he was eventually able to produce—featured on the top of the Reuters story—necessitated some clever technical workarounds, but still required an entire week for his computer to render. Also tricky was getting the concept just right. In early versions, Hernandez rendered the bottles spilling through Manhattan like a giant river, flooding the city several stories high. The team ultimately opted to go another direction—a single, giant pile of freakin’ bottles.

I can’t say it’s the most beautiful data visualization of the year, but it’s in the running for most effective. I’ll never look at that desperate gas station Dasani the same way again.

Trump At 9/11 Commemoration

September 11, 2019 by sundance

Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks during a Pentagon 9/11 observance ceremony. [Video and Transcript]

[Transcript] THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much, Secretary Esper. Today, our nation honors and mourns the nearly 3,000 lives that were stolen from us on September 11th, 2001. On these grounds, 184 people were murdered when al Qaeda terrorists overtook American Airlines Flight 77 and crashed it into the Pentagon.

For every American who lived through that day, the September 11th attack is seared into our soul. It was a day filled with shock, horror, sorrow, and righteous fury.

I vividly remember when I first heard the news. I was sitting at home watching a major business television show early that morning. Jack Welch, the legendary head of General Electric, was about to be interviewed when all of a sudden they cut away. At first, there were different reports: It was a boiler fire, but I knew that boilers aren’t at the top of a building. It was a kitchen explosion in Windows on the World. Nobody really knew what happened. There was great confusion.

I was looking out of a window from a building in Midtown Manhattan, directly at the World Trade Center, when I saw a second plane, at a tremendous speed, go into the second tower. It was then that I realized the world was going to change. I was no longer going to be — and it could never, ever be — that innocent place that I thought it was.

Soon after, I went down to Ground Zero with men who worked for me to try to help in any little way that we could. We were not alone. So many others were scattered around trying to do the same. They were all trying to help.

But for the families who join us, this is your anniversary of personal and permanent loss. It’s the day that has replayed in your memory a thousand times over. The last kiss. The last phone call. The last time hearing those precious words, “I love you.” Then the attack. The anguish of knowing your family member had boarded one of these flights or was working in the World Trade Center or serving right here at the Pentagon.

You waited, you prayed, you answered that most dreaded call, and your life changed forever. To each of you: The First Lady and I are united with you in grief, we come here in the knowledge that we cannot erase the pain or reverse the evil of that dark and wretched day, but we offer you all that we have: our unwavering loyalty, our undying devotion, and our eternal pledge that your loved ones will never, ever be forgotten.

Eighteen years ago, the terrorists struck this citadel of power and American strength. But the enemy soon learned that they could not weaken the spirit of our people. In times of distress, the heart of the American patriot only grows stronger and more determined.

Even in the midst of the attack, the world witnessed the awesome power of American defiance. Forty passengers and crew on Flight 93 rose up, fought back, and thwarted the enemy’s wicked plans. In their final moments, these American heroes thunderously declared that we alone decide our fate.

We saw American perseverance in the valiant New York firefighters, police officers, first responders, military, and everyday citizens who raced into the crashing towers to rescue innocent people.

One such American was retired Army Colonel Rick Rescorla, who gave his life on 9/11. Rick earned the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his service in Vietnam. He later became the Vice President for Security at Morgan Stanley in the World Trade Center. On the day of the attack, Rick died while leading countless others to safety. His selfless actions saved approximately 2,700 lives.

Today, I am honored to announce that I will soon be awarding the late Rick Rescorla the Presidential Citizens Medal for his extraordinary sacrifice. Though Rick has left this Earth, we will ensure that the memory of his deeds will never, ever be forgotten. His memory will forever endure. Thank you. Thank you, Rick. (Applause.) Thank you, Rick. Thank you, Rick.

Here on the western side of the Pentagon, we saw brave men and women rush into the fire and race into the scorching flames to rescue their colleagues. When evil seeks to do us harm, the incredible men and women of the United States military answer with unyielding valor and unstoppable resolve.

Navy Admiral David Thomas crawled through live wires and helped lift a wall of debris to save the life of a colleague. As Admiral Thomas remembers, “It was the worst day of my life, but the heroism and selfless disregard I saw that [horrible] morning is forever burned in my heart.” Admiral Thomas, America salutes you and every patriot who defied evil that day. Thank you very much, Admiral. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you very much.

Army Ranger Chris Braman repeatedly went back inside the burning building, rescuing one injured person after another. Before he entered, he said a prayer and asked God to give him strength, and then he dove into the suffocating smoke and fumes and flames. At the same time, Sheila Moody had just prayed that someone would find her. Then, she heard Chris’s voice. As Sheila says, God sent Chris as her guardian angel.

To Sheila and Chris, America is strengthened by your goodness and your grace and your bravery. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much.

To fulfill our unbreakable promise to every survivor and family of 9/11, earlier this year, we fully reauthorized the Victims Compensation Fund to the tune of billions and billions of dollars.

Since September 11th, nearly 6 million young men and women have joined the United States Armed Forces. They have crossed seas, climbed mountains, trekked through deserts, and rushed into enemy compounds to face down the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.

Nearly 7,000 service members have laid down their lives to protect our home, our flag, and our American way of life. American freedom survives only because there are patriots willing to sacrifice everything in its defense. No tribute is sufficient to convey the infinite depth of our nation’s gratitude.

On this solemn day of remembrance, our thoughts also turn to the 200,000 valiant soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and Marines who are now, at this very moment, stationed overseas.

We do not seek conflict, but if anyone dares to strike our land, we will respond with the full measure of American power and the iron will of the American spirit. And that spirit is unbreakable.

We had peace talks scheduled a few days ago. I called them off when I learned that they had killed a great American soldier from Puerto Rico and 11 other innocent people. They thought they would use this attack to show strength. But actually, what they showed is unrelenting weakness. The last four days, we have hit our enemy harder than they have ever been hit before, and that will continue. (Applause.)

And if, for any reason, they come back to our country, we will go wherever they are and use power the likes of which the United States has never used before. And I’m not even talking about nuclear power. They will have never seen anything like what will happen to them.

No enemy on Earth can match the overwhelming strength, skill, and might of the American Armed Forces. And we have rebuilt and strengthened the last two and a half years, spending $700 billion, $716 billion, and now, just approved, $738 billion — more money, by far, than ever spent on our armed forces. You are the fearless sentinels who stand watch over all that we cherish and everything we hold sacred, priceless, and dear.

This morning, we also give thanks to the dedicated men and women at the Department of Homeland Security. Their Department was created after 9/11 to help secure our immigration system and ensure that those who threaten our people are denied entry to our shores. We’re indebted to every law enforcement official — state, local, and federal — who devotes their life to keeping America safe.

As we gather at this moment, and at this incredible memorial, we are reminded that there is no greater testament to our fallen heroes than the presence of their families who knew and loved them so much.

Among the family members here today is Stephanie Dunn. Her husband, Navy Commander Patrick Dunn, was one of the patriots who gave his life, right here, 18 years ago. Before he left that morning, Patrick gave Stephanie a big, beautiful kiss. Then, for the first time, he leaned down and kissed her pregnant stomach. Stephanie was just two months along with their first child. Earlier this year, their daughter Allie celebrated her 17th birthday.

Allie grew up into a strong, truly remarkable young woman. She mentors the children of our nation’s wounded warriors, and recently, I was honored to give Allie the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her hundreds of hours of community service. We are blessed to have Allie here with us at today’s ceremony. Thank you, Allie. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you.

And, Allie, I know your dad is watching over you. He’s right up there. He’s watching from Heaven, looking down right now with love and pride. He is so proud of you. Thank you very much. Incredible. (Applause.)

Also joining us is the Vigiano family. For generations, the Vigiano family has served in our military and in the New York City Fire and Police Departments. These are two great departments. I grew up with them. I know. On September 11th, NYPD Detective Joseph Vigiano rushed into the World Trade Center, and died rescuing his fellow citizens. His brother, John, was a New York firefighter. He also gave his life that day at Ground Zero.

At the time, Joseph’s three sons were just young boys, ages eight, six, and three months old. This morning, they are with us. The youngest, John, just started his freshman year of college at SUNY Maritime College, and he plans to join the military. Joseph, Jr. is a Marine reservist and, just like his father, he is a proud member of the NYPD. And James is a corporal in the Marines. On his last deployment, James was stationed on the USS New York, a ship made using 24 tons of steel from the World Trade Center. Every time he left the mess hall on his way to his bunk, he passed a picture of his dad.

To John, Joseph, and James, and to the Vigiano family, you have sacrificed beyond measure, and you will never, ever stop giving back to this country. And thank you very much for being here. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Very proud of you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

The heroes present today remind us of an immortal truth. The future of our nation is secured through the vigilance of our people: The brave men and women who tore through the gates of hell to save the hurt and the wounded. The service members who honor the friends who perished by continuing their exceptional life of service. The moms and dads who endure the loss of their soulmates, and fill their children’s lives with all of the adoration in the world. The sons and daughters who suffered grave loss, and yet through it all, persevere to care for our neighbors, defend our homeland, and safeguard our nation. Each of your lives tells the story of courage and character, virtue and valor, resilience and resolve, loyalty and love.

This morning, we make a sacred vow to carry on this noble legacy. Today and every day, we pledge to honor our history, to treasure our liberty, to uplift our communities, to live up to our values, to prove worthy of our heroes, and above all, stronger than ever, to never, ever forget.

We are now, and will forever be, one American family united by patriotism, bound by destiny, and sustained by the faith of Almighty God.

Thank you. God bless you. God bless our military. And God bless the United States of America.

Atiku loses as tribunal dismisses election petition against Buhari – Not unexpected

The presidential election tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Source: Atiku loses as tribunal dismisses election petition against Buhari

Violence in Nigeria: ‘Three Killed’ As Students Attack Convoy Of Ekiti Governor’s Wife

By checkpointcharley on 10. September 2019 • ( 0 )

Two students of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) and a policeman have been reportedly killed in a clash between the police and students.

The students who were protesting insufficient supply of electricity had marched to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) substation in Oye Ekiti, barricading the express road.

The protesters reportedly vented their anger on Bisi Fayemi, first lady of the state, whose convoy was prevented from passing.

Policemen in her convoy were said to have opened fire which annoyed students who in turn shattered the windscreen of vehicles in her convoy.

“They started the protest from the school gate around 9am, and then moved to the PHCH substation,” a source told TheCable.

“They were trying to force their way into the facility when a dispatch of policemen came. The students appeared to have outnumbered the policemen and before we knew it, gunshots were exchanged between the policemen and some of the students who are suspected to be cultists.

“One of the policemen and two students were killed and others sustained injuries.”

The source said the protesting students were yet to leave the scene as at 8pm on Tuesday.

Reacting, Caleb Ikechukwu spokesman of the police in the state said it is not true that police shot at the protesting students.

He said the police removed the blockade and dispersed the students peacefully.

“The protesting student took to the Federal High way away from the perimeter wall of University and Blocked the Oye-Ikole-Lokoja Federal Roads, their by causing the breach of Peace and grid lock to motorist plying that route,” the statement read.

“The protesting students also invaded the office of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) in Oye Ekiti.

“It took the quick intervention of policemen deployed to the scene to prevent further damage of the office complex.

“The Police Officers at the scene pacified with the protesting student, removed the blockade and dispersed the protesting student peacefully.

“However, the protesting student turned around in their numbers and took their plight to Her Excellence, Erulu Bisi Fayemi, The Wife of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State who was at an empowerment program.

“The protesting Student suddenly became unruly, hostile and took laws into their hands, also vandalized the motorcade of her excellency.”

The police said the protesting students did not stop at that, they also assaulted the policemen who were at the scene to maintain law and order and damaged their vehicle.

Romans 11:26-31

Arlin Sorensen's Thoughts on Scripture

In Romans 11:26-31 Paul continues his discussion about what lies ahead for the people of Israel. God is not finished with Israel as a nation or a distinct ethnic group. Though God has turned the focus of His saving mercies away from Israel specifically and onto the Gentiles generally, He will turn it back again. “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” This does not mean there will be a time when every last person of Jewish descent will be saved. Instead, this is a time when Israel as a whole will be a saved people, and when the nation as a whole embraces Jesus Christ as Messiah.

Even though it seemed that in Paul’s day…

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3 Simple Habits for Daily Mindfulness

by Henrik Edberg September 11, 2019

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
Buddha

“The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness. Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn

One of the most common habits that make life miserable is to not be where you are.

What do I mean by that?

That your body is right here, right now. But that your thoughts are elsewhere in time and space.

They are in the past, reliving an old, painful memory. Or replaying an argument – that you still want to win – for the hundredth time.

Or your thoughts are in a possible future. Worried and stressed about what may happen at work or in your relationship. Or trying to plan for every possible scenario and through that hoping to fully control the future.

And the more time you spend in the future or past, the more you – in my experience – tend to also:

• Be ineffective. Making decisions becomes very hard if you second-guess yourself all the time or become paralyzed by all the possible outcomes. And overthinking zaps so much energy that you lose motivation to take action.
• Miss life as it happens. If you are not fully here in this moment then it is very easy to miss and to not fully enjoy a victory or simply a beautiful, fun or small moment in life.

Maybe you cannot spend all of your time in the now. Because there are things you can learn from reexamining your past. And there are things you sometimes need to plan for in your future.

But the kind of obsessive or addictive way to spend so much time in a regular week in the past or future can be replaced with something smarter, more helpful and happiness-friendly.

Three habits that have helped me a lot to make that shift into being much more mindful are to:

1. Slow down.

Start your day with doing whatever you do first in your morning slowly.

This will make it easier and more natural to keep a slower pace and to focus fully on what you are doing for the rest of your morning.

And starting your day in this way will often prevent you from going into your own most common thought loops that cause worry, anger or sadness.

Plus, doing something in a calm and relaxed manner is often the quickest way to do something well.

And you can of course slow down what you are doing at any time during your day to get your mind back to what your body is doing.

2. Tell yourself: Now I am…

I often tell myself this silently in my mind: Now I am X.

And X could be that I am brushing my teeth. Doing the dishes. Taking a walk and listening to the sounds around me.

Just reminding myself of this helps my mind to stop wandering and it brings my focus back to just that one thing I am doing right now and nothing else.

3. Disrupt your thoughts + quickly reconnect with the here and now.

If you are a regular reader then you know that I like to use a stop-word or phrase to silence the inner critic.

This works well for getting back to the present moment too.

When you catch yourself going somewhere else in the past or future with your thoughts then – in your mind – shout: STOP!

Or: No, no, no, we are not going down that road again!

Then, right away after you have disrupted those thoughts find your way back to the present moment by either focusing only on what is going on around you right now with all your senses – the sights, the sounds, the smells and so on – or by focusing 100% on your breaths going in and out of your body.

The Religious Left Just Doesn’t Get It: Socialism is Anti-Christian – Crisis Magazine

“If someone calls it socialism,” said Rev. William Barber at the August meeting of the Democratic National Committee, “then we must compel them to acknowledge that the Bible must then promote socialism, because Jesus offered free health care to everyone, and he never charged a leper a co-pay.” Barber’s statement brought secular progressives to their …

Source: The Religious Left Just Doesn’t Get It: Socialism is Anti-Christian – Crisis Magazine