Photo courtesy Richard WholfPagosa Springs resident Patsy Troutner is the first recipient of the new Star of the Year award. She received the honor at the 127th annual session of The Grand Chapter of Colorado, Order of the Eastern Star, held Sept. 19-21 in Aurora, Colo.

By Richard WholfSpecial to The SUNPagosa resident Patsy Troutner was thrilled to be the first recipient of the new Star of the Year award. She received the award at the 127th annual session of The Grand Chapter of Colorado, Order of the Eastern Star (OES), held Sept. 19-21 in Aurora, Colo.Troutner was recognized by the Worthy Grand Matron Lydia Wingate and Worthy Grand Patron Mike Brewer for her outstanding leadership in organizing and inspiring men and women to establish a new Eastern Star Chapter in Pagosa Springs.More than 240 representatives of the 4,600 Colorado OES members gave Troutner a standing ovation during Saturdays administrative session. The last Pagosa OES chapter ceased to exist about 20 years ago. In addition, the Pagosa chapter, Peace and Harmony No. 158, is the first new OES chapter in Colorado in over 16 years.Troutner said, I did not do this by myself. I feel that the award is recognition of all the Peace and Harmony Chapter members, their hard work and dedication. They worked very hard to meet all the requirements for the chapter to be instituted under dispensation and then receive its charter.OES is the largest fraternal organization in the world to which both men and women may belong. Worldwide, there are currently more than 1.2 million members under the General Grand Chapter. It is believed to be the fastest-growing fraternal organization in the world.From the website of the OES Colorado: Although not a part of the Masonic fraternity, membership is based on a Masonic affiliation or relationship, a belief in a Supreme Being, and a desire to acquire additional knowledge and self improvement. While this is an Order composed of people of deep spiritual convictions, it is open to all faiths, except no faith The degrees of the Order of the Eastern Star teach lessons of fidelity, constancy, loyalty, faith and love and build an Order which is truly dedicated to charity, truth and loving kindness. The stated purposes of the organization are: Charitable, Educational, Fraternal, and Scientific.The Grand Chapter of Colorado supports the statewide community though the collection of stuffed animals for traumatized children, annual youth scholarships, young womens organizations such as Jobs Daughters, the Order of Rainbow for Girls, along with DeMolay for Boys. Collectively, millions of dollars are raised by OES members throughout the General Grand Chapter for its various charities each triennium. Colorado OES supports Service Dogs.The Eastern Star is also a social organization with frequent formal events and ceremonies. Being a member is a wonderful and fulfilling way of life. If this sounds interesting to you, or for more information, contact: Troutner at (505) 927-9182, Gayle Hawkins at 731-2028 or Donna Kummer at 946-8201.

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Pagosan receives special award from the Order of the Eastern Star - Pagosa Springs Sun

Published 4:00pm EDT, Monday, September 30, 2019

Van Gogh Seen Through the Artists Eyes lecture, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m. workshops, Oct. 7 and 8, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Lecture and two-day intensive oil painting workshop led by plein-air artist Jill Steenhuis. Cost: $500. Talk only: $10. Registration/Info:silvermineart.org, 203-966-6668, ext. 2.

Van Gogh Seen Through the Artists Eyes lecture, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m. workshops, Oct. 7 and 8, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Lecture and two-day intensive oil

Photo: Silvermine School Of Art / Contributed Photo

Van Gogh Seen Through the Artists Eyes lecture, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m. workshops, Oct. 7 and 8, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Lecture and two-day intensive oil painting workshop led by plein-air artist Jill Steenhuis. Cost: $500. Talk only: $10. Registration/Info:silvermineart.org, 203-966-6668, ext. 2.

Van Gogh Seen Through the Artists Eyes lecture, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m. workshops, Oct. 7 and 8, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Lecture and two-day intensive oil

Literature, science or art theres a lecture coming to Fairfield County

Art & Architecture

Artist talk: Artist Torrance York and Art Historian Arianne Faber Kolb, PhD, Oct. 3, 6 p.m, Gores Pavilion, Irwin Park, New Canaan. Closing reception, Oct. 18. Discussion will focus on Yorks current solo exhibition, Common Ground: Irwin, on display until Nov. 3. Info: info@nchistory.org, 203-966-1776.

Van Gogh Seen Through the Artists Eyes, lecture, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m.; workshops, Oct. 7 and 8, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Silvermine Guild Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan. Lecture and two-day intensive oil painting workshop led by plein-air artist Jill Steenhuis. Cost: $500. Talk only: $10. Registration/Info:silvermineart.org, 203-966-6668, ext. 2.

ArtScapades lecture: Abstract Expressionism: The Colorists, Oct. 17, 6-7:30 p.m., Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Info: ArtScapades.com, 203-899-2780, ext. 15133, clahey@norwalkpubliclibrary.org.

Crafts

Paint Along with Mari Gyorgyey, Oct. 8, 6:30-9 p.m., Rowayton Arts Center, 145 Rowayton Ave., Rowayton. Participants create a Matisse-inspired painting. Fee: $45. Info/Registration: rowaytonarts.org/registration, 203-866-2744, ext. 2.

Ladies Night Out: Glass Jewelry Making Workshop, Oct. 11, 7-9 p.m., Darien Arts Center, 2 Renshaw Rd., Darien. Fee: $70. Registration/Info: darienarts.org, 203-655-8683.

Brookfield Craft Center, 286 Whisconier Rd.; brookfieldcraft.org: classes, open studios in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal. Gallery Shop open Sat., 11-6, and Sun., 11-5. To learn more, visit brookfieldcraft.org or call 203-775-4526. Gallery hours: Tues.-Fri., 12-5; Sat., 11-5, Sun., 12-4.

The Nutmeg Woodturners League, local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners, promotes woodturning as craft and art form. Meeting at Brookfield Craft Center on second Monday of every other month (January, March, May, September, November). All welcome.

Dance

Beginner Square Dance Lessons, Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m., Wilton Congregational Church, 70 Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Enrollment period for new students ends Oct. 2. Cost: $5. Info: squarebears.net.

Film

Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Subsequent programs: Oct. 4 and 11, 6:30 p.m., main library. Info: 203-899-2780, ext. 15133, clahey@norwalkpl.org.

Norwalk Public Library offers Kanopy, a cinema streaming service, which has 30,000 award-winning films, including The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, PBS and thousands of feature and festival films. Kanopy can stream on your phone (Apple or Android), tablet, computer or Roku device. You can stream up to 6 films per month. For step-by-step instructions, visit Kanopy page on NPLs website, norwalklib.kanopy.com/welcome/frontpage, or stop by library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Info: Cynde Bloom Lahey, director of library information services, 203-899-2780, x15133, or clahey@norwalkpubliclibrary.org.

Gardening

Greater Bridgeport Mens Garden Club monthly meetings, Sterling House, 2283 Main St., Stratford. Members normally meet third Wednesday of each month to discuss various gardening issues, share in plant swaps, DVDs or speaker presentations. Beginner gardeners and anyone with interest in gardening, plants and landscaping welcome. Info: Joe, 203-339-2701 or Art, 203-261-9771.

Seed Library at Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Now, everyone from avid gardeners to newbies can check out free vegetable, flower and herb seeds along with getting support for growing and saving seeds. Brochures available on how self-service procedure works. Info: Laurie Iffland, reference librarian, 203-899-2780, x15114 or iffland@norwalkpubliclibrary.org

Health

St. Vincent's Breast Health Center in Bridgeport offers free and low-cost digital mammography screenings through its mobile mammography coach for women age 40 and older. No prescription needed but appointments are required. Walk-ins welcome. For those who have insurance, bring card and photo ID at time of visit. Appointments: 203-576-5500.

History & Antiques

From Corsets to Suffrage: Victorian Women Trailblazers exhibit, through Nov. 3, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 299 West Ave., Norwalk. Admission $6-$20. Info: lockwoodmathewsmansion.com.

Keeler Tavern Museum, 18th century historical building at 132 Main St., Ridgefield, 203-438-5485, keelertavernmuseum.org. Museum has begun docent training sessions.

Weir Farm National Historic Site, 735 Nod Hill Rd., Wilton, 203-834-1896 or http://www.nps.gov/wefa: grounds open daily dawn to dusk.

New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave.; newhavenmuseum.org or 203-562-4183.

Literature

Demeter and Persephone: The Message and Meaning of a Myth From Ancient Greece to Modern America, Oct. 3, 10:30-noon, Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Advance registration required. Registration/Info: 203-762-6334, wiltonlibrary.org. By registering for the first session you will automatically be registered for all eight sessions.

Author Talk, Oct. 3, 1 p.m., Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. Award-winning NPR correspondent Aarti Shahani talks about her newly released memoir, Here We Are. Light lunch. Registration required. Info: fairfieldpubliclibrary.org.

Debut Authors Night, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Rd., Fairfield. Featuring Neile Parisi, Stevie Fischer and Laura Del Gaudio, all published authors with Green Writers Press. Info: 203-255-7756, fairfieldbookstore.com.

Author Talk: The Making of a Racist: A Southerner Reflects on Family, History and the Slave Trade, by Charles Dew, Oct. 5, 3-4 p.m., Mark Twain Library, 439 Redding Rd., Redding. Registration/Info: marktwainlibrary.org/read-together-lead-together/, 203-938-2545.

Maurice Sendaks Truth in Fiction, presented by Jen Mathy, Oct. 6, 2 p.m., Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. Info/Registration: ridgefieldlibrary.org, 203-438-2282.

Sendak Books Merit Grown-Up Conversation, Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m., Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. Casual presentation and book discussion for teens and adults presented by Kristina Lareau the librarys head of childrens services. Info/Registration: ridgefieldlibrary.org, 203-438-2282.

Clinical Psychologist Adelia Moore, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Rd., Fairfield. Book discussion on Being the Grownup: Love, Limits and the Natural Authority of Parenthood. Free. RSVP: FairfieldUBookstoreEvents@gmail.com.

Author Talk: Truth Worth Telling: A Reporters Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times, Oct. 17, 7-8:30 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Former CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley recalls and reflects upon some of his most dramatic, moving, and inspiring encounters in the field. Free. Registration/Info: 203-762-6334, wiltonlibrary.org.

Author and Stage IV Breast Cancer Survivor, Caryn Sullivan, Oct. 17, 7 p.m., Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Rd., Fairfield. Sullivan talks about her cancer guide journal, Happiness Through Hardship: A Guide and Journal for Cancer Survivors, Their Caregivers and Friends During an Initial Diagnosis. Free. Info: 203-255-7756. RSVP: FairfieldUBookstoreEvents@gmail.com.

Book Discussion: Motherland, by Elissa Altman, Oct. 18, 7-9 p.m., Bethels Byrds Books, 178 Greenwood Ave., Bethel. Info: byrdsbooks.indielite.org, 203-730-2973.

Senior Center Book Discussion: Jack London: An American Life, Oct. 22, 11-noon, Comstock Community Center, 180 School Rd., Wilton. Registration/Info: 203-834-6240.

Wilton Library Readers Less, by Andrew Sean Greer, Oct. 23, noon-1:30, Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Professional book discussion leader Susan Boyar discusses Less, by Andrew Sean Greer. Registration/Info: 203-762-6334, wiltonlibrary.org.

Booked for Lunch: Bringing Down the Colonel: A Sex Scandal of the Gilded Age and the Powerless Woman Who Took On Washington by Patricia Miller, Oct. 24, 12:30-1:30, Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Rd., Wilton. Free. Registration/Info: info@wiltonhistorical.org, 203- 762-7257.

Author Talk and Signing: Architect Donald M. Rattners My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation, Oct. 24, 7 p.m., Darien Library, 1441 Post Rd., Darien. Info: darienlibrary.org.

Book discussion groups at Cos Cob Library, 5 Sinawoy Rd.; info: 203-622-6883.

Miscellany

YWCA Darien/Norwalk, 49 Old Kings Highway North, Darien; ywcadariennorwalkk.org or 203-655-2535: Job Search Support Program for Women, incl. computer classes, info., katefywcadariennorwalk.org.

Meditation Sessions, Sat. and Sun., 10-11:30 a.m., open sessions; Mon. and Wed. eves., 7-8:30 p.m., Tues., 12:30-2 p.m., Thurs., 9:30-11 a.m., open sessions; Family Program, ages 4-12 yrs., usually 2nd and 4th Sun. of the month, 10-11:30 a.m.; Redding Center for Mindfulness & Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd., West Redding; info., 203-244-3130 or visit reddingmeditationsociety.org.

The Compassionate Friends, Stamford Chapter, non-denominational selfhelp group for bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings; meets 2nd Mon. of each month at 7:30 p.m.; Tully Center, 32 Strawberry Hill Ct., Stamford, main floor; info., 203-329-2796 or 203-323-2617.

Music

The Ridgefield Songwriters Circle, monthly gatherings to play new songs and discuss them; for info, call Dave Goldenberg, 203-438-4521.

Nature & Science

The Mt. Kilimanjaro Experience with David Mestre, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m., Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. Free. Registration/Info: fairfieldpubliclibrary.org.

Back Yard Beekeepers Association, last Tuesday of the month, 7:30 p.m., Norfield Church Community Room, 64 Norfield Rd., Weston. Free. Info: backyardbeekeepers.com.

Planetarium Show/Telescope Viewing at the Westside Observatory and Planetarium at Western CT State U. Westside Campus, 43 Lake Ave. Ext., Danbury; wcsu.edu/starwatch/ or 203-837-8672.

Woodcock Nature Center, 56 Deer Run Rd., Wilton; center open 9:30-5, Tues.-Sat., two-plus miles of trails open daily, dawn to dusk; reg. in advance for programs, 203-762-7280.

New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, 203-966-9577; satellite site for NY Botanical Garden programs (800-322-6924 or nybg.org/adulted); buildings open Mon.-Sat., 9-4 (closed major holidays); Programs for Kids & Families: First Saturdays, 1st Sat. of the month, free guided activities for visitors, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Free Live Animal Presentations, Sat. at 3, lasting 15-20 min., different animal each week.

Audubon Greenwich, 528 Riversville Rd., Greenwich; 203-869-5272: program fees: $3/adults, $1.50/children, srs. (incl. adm. to Center & Grounds); trails open dawn to dusk weekends; Kimberlin Nature Center open daily, 10-5; trails and grounds open daily sunrise to sunset, occasionally unavailable till 9 a.m.; 203-869-5272 or email greenwichcenter@audubon.org.

Connecticuts Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport; adm. $14/adults, $11/children 3-11 and seniors, free for children under 3; open daily 9 to 4; Carousel and Peacock Cafe, winter hours: Gift Shop, daily 9:30-4; New World Tropics Building, daily 10:30-3:30; 203-394-6565, http://www.beardsleyzoo.org.

Wolf Conservation Center, 7 Buck Run, South Salem, N.Y.; 914-763-2373, nywolf.org. Live webcam at website shows either Ambassador, Mexican gray or Red wolves.

Self Improvement

SCORE, Service Corps of Retired Executives, offering free seminars and workshops to entrepreneurs. SCORE offers Free Business Counseling bit.ly/SCOREMentor Questions/Comments: score.fairfieldcounty@gmail.com or call 203-831-0065 or visit https://fairfieldcounty.score.org.

Theater

Darien Arts Center, 2 Renshaw Rd., behind Town Hall in Darien. Info: darienarts.org or call 203-655-8683. Educational programs, including many new offerings, in theatre this fall for children, teens and adults, such as Creative Dramatics, Beginning Acting, Improv for various age groups, etc. Reg. at website or call for details.

Writing

Indie Author Day, Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Authors are invited to speak and read for a 10-minute slot, beginning at 10:30 a.m.; childrens authors will be scheduled to read in the Childrens Library. Space will be available for authors to display and sell books. Registration/Info: 203-899-2780, ext. 15133, clahey@norwalkpl.org.

CT Poetry Society Workshop, Oct. 12, 2-4:30 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Registration required. Registration/Info: 203-762-6334, wiltonlibrary.org.

Writers Group workshop, Saturdays, 1-3 p.m., Stratford Library, 2203 Main St., boardroom. New writer's workshop group open to both new and experienced writers in all genres. Workshop will support the creative process through writing prompts, offer opportunities for participants to share their work and gain feedback and provide some introduction (or for experienced writers, refreshers) on essentials in crafting poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction/memoir. Jennifer A. Hudson, who has MFA in writing with honors from Albertus Magnus College, to work with group. Free and open to public.

Send listings to tinamarie.craven@hearstmediact.com at least two weeks in advance of desired publication date.

Original post:
Literature, science or art there's a lecture coming to Fairfield County - The Ridgefield Press

The motivations of Chinese luxury travellers are not very well understood, and little studied, but with persistence they can be determined. Having reviewed the literature on the topic in a recently published study, Ph.D. student Elaine Yulan Zhang and Dr Tony Tse of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University argue that "a subset of relatively wealthy Chinese luxury travellers" are driven by the desire for "status, interpersonal relationships, relaxation and hedonism, self-improvement and perfection". These may seem incompatible with traditional Chinese Confucian values, but by examining the motivations behind the desire for luxury the researchers explain how such values shape the differences between Chinese and other luxury travellers. With such information in hand, tourism practitioners will be much better able to understand this under-researched market segment.

One of the key features of the global hospitality and tourism industry is the rise in spending power of Chinese travellers abroad. Indeed, the researchers note that China is the world's "number one tourism source market in the world" in terms of expenditure. In 2016, for instance, Chinese international tourists spent more than US$261 billion, "way ahead of Americans" at US$122 billion. Many Chinese tourists are what can be termed "middle to high-end" consumers, including wealthy tourists for whom luxury travel is a popular activity as well as a growing number of less wealthy tourists who save up to enjoy luxury holidays and customised travel services.

This increase in spending on luxury travel has been accompanied by an expansion in the development of travel agents providing dedicated high-end travel services in China. The researchers provide several examples of the kinds of trips offered by such agents, including a round the world trip for RMB1,280,000 and a package tour via private jet for RMB972,000. These luxury travel agents also attend the increasing number of "luxury travel themed events", such as the International Luxury Travel Market Shanghai, and participate in preparing industry reports such as The Chinese Luxury Traveller.

It is clear, then, that the tourism sector is strongly interested in Chinese luxury travel, but the researchers reveal that there has been "very little discussion" of this market in the academic literature and no adequate explanation of the "new trend of luxury travel among Chinese". Nevertheless, there have been numerous considerations of the motivations for travel and for luxury consumption in general, so the researchers suggest that our understanding of the Chinese luxury travel market can be "enriched by integrating knowledge" about luxury consumers, travellers and Chinese.

Luxury consumption, they note, refers to products such as "haute couture and accessories, perfume and cologne, jewellery" as well as "boutique hotels, fine dining, great wines, champagne and cognac". Luxury travel can thus be classed as a type of luxury consumption, and it presumably has similar motivations. Hence, the researchers sought to analyse the "motivations of luxury consumers together with travel motivations" while considering Chinese cultural influences to offer a deeper understanding of Chinese luxury travellers' specific motivations.

To identify relevant previous studies, the researchers searched various online databases using the keywords "luxury", "travel", "motivation", "tourism", "conspicuous consumption" and "Confucian", identifying 299 articles from 135 journals, 7 conference proceedings and 3 book chapters.

After an initial review, these were sorted into three categories according to their topics: luxury consumption, travel motivations and Chinese travellers or consumers. As some of them could be grouped into more than one category, three overlapping categories were also identified: luxury consumption by Chinese, motivations of Chinese travellers and luxury travel.

The researchers found that status was the most frequently mentioned motivation for both travel and luxury consumption. The term "conspicuous leisure" was coined in 1899 to refer to a small group of people (the "leisure class") who were so wealthy that they had no need to work and "signalled their status by spending their time on non-utilitarian leisure activities". The concept gradually expanded to "conspicuous consumption", reflecting the increasing trend toward spending on unnecessary luxury goods "for display purposes".

Status is a strong motivation for luxury tourist activities such as bird watching, extreme sports, cruises and shopping. As the researchers explain, birdwatchers are driven by status and they will "travel long distances to see a rare bird" that their peers have not seen. Similarly, extreme sports enthusiasts seek out dangerous activities that give them high status among like-minded travellers.

Uniqueness motivates luxury consumption because luxury goods tend to be unique and highly exclusive travel destinations are considered the most prestigious. The uniqueness dimension is also related to status, the researchers note, and Chinese luxury travellers in particular may seek "unique and exclusive" travel experiences that set them apart from other tourists.

Interpersonal relationships are also a strong motivation for travel, such as visiting friends and family, socialising with other travellers and making new friends. Relationships have been shown to provide motivation for luxury consumption, as some consumers seek what the researchers term a "sense of belonging" when purchasing luxury goods and consider their families' opinions about their purchases.

Relaxation is, of course, a strong motivation for travel, as people seek to escape from the stress of daily life. The researchers also note that relaxation has been identified as a motivation for purchasing luxury goods, which can serve as a means of stress release. Luxury travel, then, is likely to be motivated by a "desire for optimal relaxation" and the enjoyment of "hassle-free facilities and services". Similarly, hedonism is an important dimension of both luxury consumption and travel, which provides opportunities for "excessive indulgence and comfort".

Some forms of motivation described in the studies were related only to travel, rather than to luxury consumption. Self-improvement, for instance, has been shown to be a strong motivation because many travellers are interested in finding out about different cultures and ways of life, or in learning a foreign language. Novelty and curiosity have also been linked to self-improvement, and to inspiring travellers to seek out new and unusual places and experiences.

Focusing a little more, enjoyment of nature has been identified as a particular motivation for Chinese travellers, who the researchers note are inspired by the Confucian tenet to "seek inspiration from the landscape" and its connection to Chinese poetry, paintings and calligraphy. As all three of these motivations - self-improvement, curiosity and the appreciation of nature - are likely to be best satisfied by luxury travel services and products, they may be equally relevant to Chinese luxury travellers.

Yet how can Confucian values match with conspicuous consumption? Confucianism advocates frugality and the avoidance of extravagance, to be sure, but the researchers offer several explanations for why this does not stop Chinese people buying luxury goods.

Status, for instance, may be a particularly important motivation for Chinese luxury travellers because of the importance of "face" in Chinese culture and daily life. Rooted in Confucianism, face is a measure of social power and status, which can be signified by luxury consumption. It is an important cultural concept that explains some of the differences between Chinese and Western consumers and travellers.

For instance, some customers may seek good value, but face-conscious Chinese customers are willing to pay more for luxury products and may be put off by discounting on luxury goods. Similarly, while some customers, particularly in the West, dislike luxury products once they become too popular, in China popular luxury brands are considered indicators of social position and prestige.

The researchers also argue, for instance, that luxury consumption contributes to the Confucian ethos of "wealth equalisation", because spending on luxury goods benefits the poor. Confucianism also values group orientation and conformity, which are motivations for luxury travel. Such conformity, the researchers argue, is evident in the "bandwagon effect", or how people tend to follow other people's brand choices. Finally, they note, travel is "promoted in Confucianism" as a way of learning and enriching oneself.

Chinese luxury travellers share many of the characteristics of other luxury travellers, but distinct cultural differences do leave very important marks. Tourism practitioners should be aware, in particular, of how Confucianism underpins Chinese luxury travel motivations. Yet the researchers emphasise that these are preliminary findings, and empirical research will be needed to draw "more robust and generalisable conclusions".

Zhang, Elaine Yulan and Tse, Tony S. M. (2018). Tapping into Chinese Luxury Travelers. Journal of China Tourism Research, 14(1), 71-99.

For close to 40 years, PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Rated No. 1 in the world in the "Hospitality and Tourism Management" category according to ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017 and 2018, placed No. 1 in the world in the "Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism" subject area by the CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017 and ranked among the top 3 "Hospitality and Leisure Management" institutions globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017 and 2018, the SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism.

With 75 academic staff drawing from 22 countries and regions, the School offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate degrees to doctoral degrees. In 2012, the SHTM was bestowed the McCool Breakthrough Award by the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (I-CHRIE) recognising its breakthrough in the form of its teaching and research hotel - Hotel ICON - the heart of the School's innovative approach to hospitality and tourism education. A member of the UNWTO Knowledge Network, the SHTM is also the editorial home of Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, Journal of Teaching in Travel and Tourism and Journal of China Tourism Research.

Read more:
Recently Published Study: The Differences Between Chinese And Other Luxury Travellers - Hospitality Net

Most people know fruits and veggies are healthier choices than chips and cookies, and yet most Americans aren't applying that common knowledge to their lives. Nonetheless, some may be catching on, a new report suggests.

Thefindings, published in September 2019 in theJournal of the American Medical Association, analyzed 44,000 American adults eating habits from 1999 to 2016. Researchers found that refined carbohydrate intake fell by 3 percent, but low-quality carbs, including white bread, white potatoes, and processed snack foods like crackers and cakes, still accounted for about 42 percent of the typical Americans daily calories. Healthy high-quality carbs that come from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, including brown rice, whole-wheat bread, and whole-wheat pasta, made up only 9 percent of calories consumed.

Im not at all surprised by these findings. We need to make some fundamental changes if we hope to fix our current diet, says David L. Katz, MD, MPH, founder and president of the True Health Initiative, who is based in Derby, Connecticut, and was not involved in this research. The simple fact is our culture does nothing to make eating well easy to understand, or to make healthy food choices the readily available default.

RELATED: 5 Tricks for Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies

Authors used information gathered from a nationally representative group of people ages 20 and older from nine National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles. Using information on race, gender, age, education, and family income, researchers sought to identify whether they could identify any trends in segments of the population.

To evaluate individual diets, researchers relied on people to self-report what they ate in a 24-hour period. They used a multiple-pass method, which means after the respondents made an initial list of what they remembered eating, the interviewers probed for forgotten foods and gathered details of foods they consumed.

They categorized foods accordingly:

Authors assessed the quality of a persons diet using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)from 2015. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the HEI in 1995 as a way to measure how well Americans are following dietary recommendations. Scored from 0 to 100 (with 100 being a perfect diet), its composed of 13 components that incorporate different food groups and key recommendations, and the USDA has periodically updated it when guidelines have changed.

RELATED: 10 of the Best Plant-Based Protein Sources

Over the 18-year study, researchers observed the following trends:

Authors also noted trends in different populations:

RELATED: Whats the Difference Between Good and Bad Carbs?

The results show that Americans are still consuming too many calories from low-quality carbohydrates, and more than the recommended amounts of added sugars and saturated fat, saysShilpa Bhupathiraju, PhD, co-senior author of the study, who is a research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and also with Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. Our study gives us insights into where we can improve our diets, where we can make further gains to optimize diet quality, and which subgroups to target so that we can eliminate disparities in healthy eating, Dr.Bhupathiraju says.

The popularity of the ketogenic and paleo diets could help explain why carbs went down slightly and saturated fat intake remained high, says Ariana Cucuzza, RD, at the Center for Functional Medicine at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, who was not involved in the study. A Mediterranean diet would have higher polyunsaturated fats, which are the healthy fats, she says.

Self-reported recall of diet is a limitation of the study, which is a shortcoming that the authors point out, says Cucuzza. It can be hard to remember everything that you eat you can have a bite or two here or a snack there that you forget to include, she says.

Right now, much of the food supply (like low-quality carbs) in the United States are manipulated to be addictive, says Dr. Katz. Theres a lot of profit for some companies to keep the status quo when it comes to our current diet, but it comes at a massive health cost to the American public, he says.

RELATED: A Complete Mediterranean Diet Food List and 14-Day Meal Plan

Making the grade with your food choices doesnt have to be complicated. Bhupathiraju offers a few tips to get you started:

If you really want to get an idea of what youre eating, write it in a food diary or record it in an app in real time, she says. Tracking what you eat with a food diary or app can help you see where you need to improve, says Cucuzza.

RELATED: The 14 Best Weight Loss Apps to Help You Torch Calories

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Americans' Diet Is Improving, But They're Still Overdoing It on Unhealthy Carbs and Fat - Everyday Health

Since his narrow victory last year in the DAs race, Yolo County DA Jeff Reisig keeps trying to make the claim that he is a criminal justice reformer. Indeed, some have bought into the rhetoric but time and time again, we see why he is just not what he says.

When NYU Law Professor Rachel Barkow spoke at the Vanguards event at the law school, she argued that criminal justice reform is barely scratching the surface of what needs to happen. In her book, Prisoners of Politics, she noted that the Sentencing Project recently documented, at our current pace of reform and decarceration, it will take 75 years to cut the prison population in half.

What we have to do, she argued, is not simply go after non-violent drug offenses, which account for a relatively small percentage of those in prison, but actually change the way we charge and handle all cases.

Jeff Reisig, whether it has been on reversing cannabis convictions (as required by the state) or a recent op-ed on transparency, has tried to seize the mantle of reform.

But at the end of the day, he forgets to acknowledge that, for one thing, he opposed reform efforts like Prop. 64 (one of less than a handful of DAs to oppose that) and his own policies are anti-reform policies.

A good example parole.

The case of Tim Wilson is a prime example. The state Board of Parole granted Mr. Wilson, who was incarcerated in 1994 at the age of 23, to a 15 to life sentence. Yolo County opposed it.

According to the DAs press release, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven appeared at the hearing on behalf of the Yolo County Districts Attorneys Office.

Mr. Raven argued against Wilsons release, stating, If Mr. Wilsons trauma is his excuse for the murder, then clearly he should resolve this trauma before being allowed back out. He has made progress but has more work to do.

The parole board disagreed.

The Yolo County Public Defenders Office assisted Mr. Wilson. Contrary to the DAs claims, they found Tim Wilson is low risk to reoffend and does not pose a danger to society.

Mr. Wilson committed a horrible crime. But he was also 23 years old at the time of that crime, and he is now in his late 40s. Moreover, he has had a great record in prison.

Public Defender Tracie Olson and Paralegal Sara Johnson write in an op-ed on the Vanguard: It is no easy task to gain a recommendation of release from the Board of Parole Hearings. The purpose of a parole hearing is to determine if or when an inmate can be returned to society.

They add, By law and in practice, the Boards priority is to safeguard the public. If the Board believes an inmates release will jeopardize public safety, the Board does not recommend release.

But the case for Mr. Wilson was strong. They write that the Board of Parole Hearings heard evidence that an expert administered a psychological evaluation that focused on dangerousness and found Mr. Wilson to be in the lowest category of risk to the community.

They continue: The Board of Parole Hearings additionally heard evidence that Mr. Wilson had zero prison disciplinary write-ups for the last decade-and-a-half, obtained his GED, obtained vocational training in multiple subjects, committed to sobriety resulting in 21 years clean and sober, attended numerous self-improvement programs to include anger management, substance use, and recovery classes, attended a victim impact course in an effort to further process the pain he caused, committed to a continued Christian faith, and successfully held numerous jobs while in prison.

Further, the Board of Parole Hearings heard evidence of Mr. Wilsons positive mentoring of other inmates and his sister outside of prison. Mr. Wilsons work supervisors at CDCR praised him for his leadership qualities, competency, consistency, willingness to help others, sincere remorse, insight, integrity, and principle.

None of his accomplishments are in dispute.

Aside from the personal characteristics that suggest that Mr. Wilson is not the same person as he was in 1994, there is also research. At the age of 50, the research indicates that someone of Mr. Wilsons age is extremely unlikely to commit any further crime of violence.

Unfortunately, Mr. Reisig and the family remain opposed and are not giving up.

An NBC News article indicates that the family is now calling on Governor Newsom to reverse the parole.

When he murdered John, he had what I called dead eyes, said Carol OFriel, who now lives in San Bruno.

It was a horrible crime, but he was sentenced to 15 years to life and served 25 of them. His record in prison suggests he has earned a shot to make amends and a second opportunity.

Here is the thing that struck me I have never seen a case where a person up for parole, granted or opposed by the parole board, had the support of the DAs office in Yolo County.

When I inquired I was told that he has opposed all but one of the recent parole cases. That one was kind of a no-brainer and, even there, he did not support the parole, he simply did not contest it.

David M. Greenwald reporting

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Sunday Commentary: Parole Opposition Shows Once Again Reisig Just Not a Reformer - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

North Koreas UN ambassador bemoans lack of progress with the U.S., South Korea

Washington continuing "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang, Kim Song tells UN General Assembly

North Koreas ambassador to the United Nations on Monday said his country regretted the slow progress made in talks with the U.S., in a speech in which he also slammed South Korea for the lack of improvement in relations.

Accusing Washington of continuing its anachronistic hostile policy against his country, DPRK ambassador to the UN Kim Song said North Korea and the U.S. were yet to end what he called the vicious cycle of increasedtension.

More than one year has passed since the adoption of the historic June 12 joint statement, however, the relations between the DPRK and the U.S. have made little progress so far, he said in a speech to the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

This situation, he told UN delegates, isentirely attributable to the political and military provocations perpetrated by the U.S.

Citing leader Kim Jong Uns April policy speech, in which he said he would wait for the U.S. tomake a resolute decision about the future of diplomacy, ambassador Kim reiterated recent calls by Pyongyang for the two countries to hold working-level talks.

Those calls have, however, frequently urged the U.S. to produce a new proposal for their North Korean counterparts that moves beyond that presented at the failed summit between the two countries in Hanoi in February.

Assuming that the U.S. has had enough time to find out a calculation method that can beshared with us, we expressed our willingness to sit with the U.S. for comprehensive discussion ofthe issues we have deliberated so far, Kim said on Monday.

It depends on the U.S. whether the DPRK-U.S. negotiations will become a window ofopportunity or an occasion that will hasten the crisis.

Despite these challenges, Kim also hailed recent progress in North Koreas economy and military developments, he said, the country would not negotiate away.

We have solid foundations of self-supporting economy, reliable scientific and technicalforces and invaluable tradition of self-reliance; these are our precious strategic resources whichcannot be bartered for anything, he said.

Kims speech, while relatively moderate in criticism of the U.S., reserved some of its harshest comments for South Korea, blaming the Moon administration for the lack of progress in implementing last years agreements between the two.

The historic inter-Korean declarations are now in the standstill without even advancing into the main phase of implementation, he said.

Reiterating frequent recent North Korean complaints about the Souths decision earlier in the year to acquire and deploy new stealthfighterjets andto push ahead with a round of joint military drills with the U.S., Kim accused Seoul of double-dealing behavior.

These measures, Kim said,represented a flagrant violation and challenge to an inter-Korean military agreement signed in Pyongyang last year.

The improvement of inter-Korean relations can only be achieved when the South Koreanauthorities put an end to the big-power worship and the policy of dependence on foreign forces, he claimed.

Ambassador Kims appearance on the UNGA stage was noteworthy, with this week marking the first time in several years that the countrys foreign minister haschosen not to address the assembly.

NK News learned last month that North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong Ho would not be attending the UNGA, partly dashing hopes that the U.S. and the DPRK might use the forum as a chance to kick-start long-stalled working-level talks.

Those talks are now expected to take place in October, though a concrete time and location is yet to be confirmed.

Edited by Jeongmin Kim

Featured image: UNTV

North Koreas ambassador to the United Nations on Monday said his country regretted the slow progress made in talks with the U.S., in a speech in which he also slammed South Korea for the lack of improvement in relations. Accusing Washington of continuing its anachronistic hostile policy against his country, DPRK ambassador to the UN

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North Korea's UN ambassador bemoans lack of progress with the US, South Korea - NK News

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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN SEPTEMBER 26: Nigel Bradham #53 and Zach Brown #52 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrate after Bradham made an interception in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 26, 2019, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Against all odds, the Philadelphia Eagles walked into Lambeau Field and left victorious over the previously-undefeated Green Bay Packers on the most recent edition of Thursday Night Football. It was easily the most impressive win of their young season, but to say that the Birds are right back on the path to another Super Bowl appearance may be a little premature.

We saw some great things on both sides of the ball. Theres no denying that. From Jordan Howard and the running game finally taking flight to Carson Wentz showing out with his best performance of the year, fans have a lot to talk about during the current ten-day layoff.

Its hard to deny some of the glaring holes that have plagued this team throughout the season, and many of those almost cost them the win in Week 4.

Most of the self-inflicted issues that the Eagles have dealt with this season were corrected against the Packers, which is a good sign. Still =, Philly needs to focus on are some of the problems that may hurt the Birds throughout the remainder of the season. Here are three things the Eagles need to improve upon if they want to make another push at the Super Bowl.

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Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Areas that must improve immediately - Inside the Iggles

Do you see the same qualities in yourself that you dislike in others? I say with love; stop bitching and start focusing on yourself. Our relationships often provide us with a mirror to our own faults, traits and qualities. This week, the new moon urges you to take note of what is irritating you about someone else. Allow your insights to guide you towards self-improvement..

Youre at risk of falling victim to someones unfair judgement. A friend, coworker or relative is throwing shade in your direction. Dont take it laying down Pisces! Pluto will give you all the help you need to set the record straight, but you must speak up. Be assertive, and youll come out sparkling. I cant say the same for your critic, though.

A self-confessed astrology nerd, Natashas horoscopes, research and articles have been published in Todays Astrologer, in addition to international publications across the globe. A senior member of the Australian Academy of Astrology and Cosmobiology and a member of the American Federation of Astrologers, she has presented cosmic updates for Your Life Naturally and has appeared as a special guest on podcasts, including Sivana and Healthy-ish.

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HOROSCOPES: How Sundays new moon will affect your week, according to your star sign. - Mamamia

Working on a flexible ecommerce platform, Cargill Inc. is improving how it serves customers and works with channel partners, Taye Mohler, founder of Cargills Digital Experience Office, said at a B2B Next 2019 workshop.

Cargill is building out its ecommerce connections on a Salesforce Commerce Cloud platform, which integrates with the Salesforce customer relationship management system, Mohler said at the workshop, Winning with Digital Commerce in the Age of the Connected B2B Customer. The workshop was sponsored by Salesforce.

Among its improvement projects, Cargill is working with its sales reps to improve how customers can place reorders through reps or via self-service, and how reps can help customers and channel partners with information ranging from innovative food recipes to how to deal with tariffs resulting from trade wars.

In addition, Cargills vision is to build out a flexible ecommerce platform that can support direct sales to customers, B2B2C sales to major retailers who then sell to consumers, and sales to major distributors who sell to other businesses.

Were still learning and testing, Mohler said. She added that Cargill has initially focused on the more simple transactions before taking on more complex orders.

Sign up for acomplimentary subscription to B2BecNews, published four times per week, covering technology and business trends in the growing B2B ecommerce industry. B2BecNews is a publication of DigitalCommerce360.com, whose titles also include Internet Retailer and Internet Health Management. Contact B2BecNews editor Paul Demery at[emailprotected]and follow him on Twitter @pdemery.

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How Cargill is improving digital commerce - DigitalCommerce360

For the first month he spent in a cell by himself, Marcus Bullock was mostly concerned with how his mum would punish him when he got out.

The then 15-year-old had found himself in the bowels of Virginia's Fairfax prison, locked away by himself so he couldnt collaborate with his co-conspirator in the institutions one youth wing.

As he waited to stand trial for stealing a car, a low-watt bulb kept on 24 hours a day ensured guards could periodically look in at the increasingly sleep deprived teenager.

When he was eventually sentenced to eight years in prison, Marcus was left in a state of disbelief and shock.

In those first few months I would dream about what I would do when they released me, he explained.

I thought I was going home and that I would be with my mum and girlfriend.

I assumed I was going to my homecoming so I thought about what I would get for my girlfriend for Valentines day.

I was also nervous my mum would put me on punishment. That was going through my brain.

It wasnt until two years after he was first locked up that the reality of his life inside sunk in for Marcus, when fellow inmate Danny Brown told him hed spent 30 years behind bars.

The realisation that he was totally confined hit like a tonne of bricks, making him feel as if his life was over.

Before, the 6x9ft dimensions of his solitary cell were too little to contain a teenager full of energy.

He would do push-ups, jumping jacks and flips off the wall before erecting an imaginary basketball hoop and practicing invisible jump shots.

After his chat with Danny, Marcuss high spirits mutated into fury.

It was a very dark time, he said. I got very angry and frustrated and began using my very high levels of energy for violence.

The more he fought and rioted, the longer he was locked up alone in the hole with no entertainment beyond a toilet/sink combi and a blanket half the size of his body.

Marcus's predicament and descent into anger fueled depression is not unique to him, but shared by many of the 80,000 inmates a Yale Law School study estimated are kept in solitary by the US authorities.

One such person is Abdul Latif Nasir, a Moroccan national who has been kept in a solitary cell in Guantanamo Bay since his capture in 2001.

While the US Department of Defence alleges he was a Taliban fighter, no charges have ever been levelled against Abdul, who human rights charity Reprieve believe was sold by the Northern Alliance to America for a bounty.

Fourteen years after he was locked up in a cell with nothing but a chequers board to entertain him and no one to play it with, Abdul was cleared for release.

In a bid to break the monotony Abdul wrote a 2,000 word Arabic to English dictionary.

The fact he remains inside three years later has left him in a state of purgatory Reprieve's founder and Abdul's lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith described as "devastating".

"The problem with all prison but in particular with Guantanmo's really rigorous isolation is that the whole experience is designed to destroy your sense of ego," the Gandhi International Peace Award recipient explained.

"Our ego is built on the notion that you make choices, you choose when to do this and that. What prison is designed to do is to reduce you to an automotom."

Realising that he was slowly being stripped of his sense of self, Abdul decided to follow in the footsteps of Hurricane Carter.

The celebrated boxer was wrongly convicted of murder and spent 20 years in prison before being immortalised by Bob Dylan.

Like Carter, Abdul fought against the ego crushing unfairness and loneliness of his predicament by breaking the rules.

"He decided to do exactly the opposite of what the guards told him to do," Stafford-Smith explained.

"If they told him to go to bed he would get up. He stayed up all night writing a book about his treatement."

Another Guantanamo inmate held without charge was British citizen Shaker Aamar, who spent 13 years in isolation before his 2015 release.

"He got the idea that to maintain his sanity he had to make his own choices," explained Stafford-Smith.

"We came up with this idea that if he was out on the rec yard, which was a little square, he would ask the guards a question.

"If they got the answer right he would agree to go back to his cell, if they answered wrong he would stay.

"The thing is if you disobey the guards in Guantanamo they beat the shit out of you.

"One time he tried asking 'what's the name of the vice president of the United States?' They didn't know their own vice president so he refused to go inside."

While this form of self-harm probably isn't for everybody, one might imagine a man locked in a blank room with no entertainment might resort to another form of self-flagellation to break the monotony.

Stafford-Smith claimed this is not the case, suggesting the combination of depression and stifling isolation is a near total turn off.

Instead, to keep the mind busy, solitary inmates often invent strict schedules.

Kris Maharaj, a Brit convicted of gunning down father and son Derrick and Duane Moo Young in Miami in 1986, sat on Florida death row in a solitary cell for 21 years.

Because educational materials are not given to those destined for execution - primarily on the logic that it's pointless to educate someone you are going to kill - Kris built his own imaginary institution within the four walls of his cell.

"He used to have a total regime," Stafford-Smith continued.

"Get up, say his prayers, have the breakfast they thrust through the doors, walk up and down the cells for miles.

"Push-ups and sit-ups. Take an hour to write letters. It was a total regime."

There are others who turn away from the self improvement path and take a more disruptive route.

"A lot of people do dirty protests," explained Dr Sharon Shalev, who has written extensively on solitary confinement in the US, UK and New Zealand.

"People throw excrement. They eat it and smear it, mostly on the walls and doors.

"It is often anger at the system and frustration that motivates them. It's an attempt to get the system to move on, to find a resolution."

One man Shalev wrote about suffered from serious mental health issues, but not enough to have him admitted into hospital care.

"He would occasionally smear himself because of his mental health," she continued.

"They would take him out and clean him. It stinks. It is horrible for everyone, but it is a form of control."

Although dirty protests are not unheard of in British prisons - where 50 to 60 people are locked in solitary at any given time - the relatively short stays and availability of books make it a somewhat tolerable experience.

That is, unlike in the USA, where thousands of people are kept in near total isolation in the vaults of Supermax prisons.

With no stimulus, sentences that can run into the hundreds of years and stints in solitary stretching, in the most extreme cases, to 40 years without respite, the mental health effects can be devestating.

"There are people that have a lot of rage and direct it at themselves," Shalev said.

"I have come across some real extremes in self harm.

"One person in the Supermax took their eye ball out and then ate it.

"One prisoner told me he self-harms because seeing blood feels like a form of control."

Although she is quick to argue that solitary standards in UK prisons do not constitute torture, Shalev said the practice earns the label elsewhere in "extreme conditions".

While the length and totalness of isolation in the US might earn it the badge following the Oxford academic's suggestion that "mental torture is worse than physical torture because your mind doesnt shut off", one unlikely country certainly makes the grade.

New Zealand, a country which recently prioritized gross national well-being over economic growth, is responsible of possibly the worst form of solitary - certainly of a western country.

"In New Zealand people were getting tied up by all four limbs," Shalev said.

"They would have a helmet on their head. I saw this when I was invited by the government to do a review back in 2017.

"A lot of high security prisoners have tie down beds. They would be left on there for days at a time."

In the United Nations funded report Shalev found one prisoner was tied-down on a bed in a solitary cell for more than a month to stop him self-harming.

While interviews with these prisoners have so far proved impossible, it is fair to assume the mental toil of physical restraint and complete isolation is fairly gruelling.

As much as Marcus's regular trips to the hole were less extreme than for those who suffered at the hands of a practice now banned in New Zealand, they took their toll.

The dad lives in Washington DC with his wife and two kids and has found a purpose in campaigning against the use of solitary confinement - a practice he considers an "ineffective and inhumane means of social management".

Yet he is not free of his eight years inside.

"Im still affected," he said.

"When I first came home it was bad. I would get in cold dark spaces and say 'dont be around me'.

"Now its more macro. Im able to easily detach from humans and be okay being by myself.

"I know how to talk to myself. I dont feel the need for human interaction, which is not the best way to manage yourself as a family man."

As much as a less isolating, more emotionally holistic prison experience might have served to rehabilitate Marcus rather than leave him with deep rooted mental health issues, he could have been left worse off.

"When I was very dark my mum would visit, write me and talk to me on the phone and she began to see I was not okay," he said.

"One day she promised to write me a letter every day from that day forward. She did that.

"That decision saved my life.

"She would send a picture of everything from the wallpaper her office had installed or what she had eaten for lunch.

"She would attach anoteto the photo and say 'it's a little more cosy now' or 'I need to get some groceries.'

"It was three page letters about nothing but it made me a part of her day, every day. No one else in prison had that.

"It gave me a window to the world no one had.

"Instead of living in a constant state of depression I had my church and I could see my niece and nephew growing. I knew that someone cared about me.

"I knew there was a big bottle of love that was waiting for me when I came home.

"My mum was Instagram before Instagram was Instagram. It gave me access to the world I so wanted."

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Prisoners 'buried alive' living in 24/7 silence and darkness in solitary confinement - Mirror Online