After the SARS pandemic in 2003, a study was conducted on 129 quarantined people to find out the effects of the pandemic on their mental health. 28.9% of subjects were found to have PTSD, and 31.2% had symptoms of depression. And the longer the quarantine, the worse things got.

But chances are, you might not even remember the SARS pandemic; so imagine the mental and emotional toll of a pandemic with the historical proportions we are experiencing today with the coronavirus.

I have seen a pretty significant uptake in both depression and anxiety in the pandemic, says Laine DiStefano, a licensed therapist from North Texas.

Maybe you werent struggling with your mental health before the pandemic, but COVID-19 is hitting everyone's mental health in some major ways.

Wherever we were emotionally before the pandemic, the alarming uncertainty and rapid lifestyle changes it produced have negatively impacted us all, says Deborah Ann Davis, a certified personal trainer and award-winning self-help author.

People are really struggling with social isolation, says DiStefano. And naturally, when people get depressed, they tend to self-isolate, which makes them further depressed. And were all sort of thinking about mortality and death and loss and things like that at a higher rate.

So not only do we all have a pandemic to deal with, but we also have less access to the things that used to help us cope with stress, whether it be friends or family or fun activities outside of our homes.

The stress is cranked up really really high, and our access to coping strategies is cranked really low, adds Avery Hoenig, a clinical psychologist. People who normally dont struggle with depression are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety as well.

You might have already experienced this tug-of-war between your mental and physical health during the quarantine. Hanging out with friends may ward off depression, but it puts us at a higher risk of infection. So how can we practice self-care while being wary of the dangers of the coronavirus?

The biggest thing is just for us to be kind to ourselves... This is hard. And its not hard because were doing it wrong, its hard because its really hard. " Avery Hoenig, clinical psychologist

What Ive recommended for my patients is to just try to balance risk and benefit, says Hoenig. Theres a risk to go to the grocery store, theres a benefit of getting groceries. So I think especially with social interaction there is a risk, but there is a risk with lack of social interaction, too. Stress reduces our immune system and makes it really hard for us to fight things off.

Hoenig lists ways that she likes to take care of her mental health in a safe way, like socially-distanced picnics, exploring new hiking trails around Dallas, and phoning a friend while walking around her neighborhood.

A risk of a large gathering in tight quarters is pretty high, and I dont know if the benefit would be much higher than a one-on-one kind of socially distanced outdoor picnic, says Hoenig. So try to make the decisions based on possible benefit, and kind of eliminating possible risk can be a good guide.

DiStefano recommends having a social isolation bubble.

If [you] have a group of friends who are also being super careful, who are doing all the right things, wearing masks, people [you] can isolate together with, I think its important that we have social connection and we dont let those go to the wayside either so if you can do that in a safe way, that goes a long way with mental health too.

Deborah Ann Davis wrote about self-care in her book How to Get Your Happy On. She says, If you feel lower than before, reach out to someone with more energy, and let it boost you. If your negative self-perceptions are more pronounced, seek out a professional counselor for help. Find library books for guidance. Write in a journal. Confide in a friend. Scream into a pillow.

There are many practical things you can do to take care of yourself during this time, but there are also ways of thinking that could help you stay strong.

People who have higher levels of depression tend to attribute negative things to permanent factors. So saying to yourself, 'This is never going to go away, things are never going to change, that is absolutely not helpful and it is destructive to your mental health, says DiStefano. So keeping the faith and believing that this is going to get better and that were all going to adjust and the situation will improve is imperative to your mental health.

Hoenig also emphasizes self-compassion during this time. The biggest thing is just for us to be kind to ourselves, she says. This is hard. And its not hard because were doing it wrong, its hard because its really hard. Trying to kind of have that compassion with ourselves and people around us can kind of go a long way.

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Dallas Therapists Share Their Pandemic Advice for Patients - Dallas Observer

When talking about any bank, its important to remember that current bank sector valuations are far below normal and sentiment is lousy, as investors worry about the impact of the confluence of tight spreads, weak loan demand, rising credit costs, and limited expense leverage. Given all that, it may well not be until late next year before banks start trading on recovery prospects.

Even so, I continue to believe that Citizens Financial (CFG) is just too cheap at a double-digit discount to book value, particularly in the context of upside potential from balance sheet optimization, better operating leverage, and growth in fee-generating businesses. With annualized total return potential in the double digits, I believe this is a name worth considering, and I dont see much risk to the dividend unless theres a significant deterioration in the economy beyond whats already expected.

Most banks commented after second quarter earnings that they believed the bulk of their reserve-building was done, and virtually, every bank Ive seen update their views since has maintained that view although always with the caveat of if things dont get worse from here So too with Citizens, where management presented at Barclays recent bank conference and confirmed a reduced need for future reserve builds. This is perhaps one of the benefits of the new CECL standard in that it leads to earlier reserving ahead of actual losses.

Deferrals are of limited value in predicting credit problems, but evolution here has been positive. Citizens had below-average deferrals exiting the second quarter (6% in the 10-Q), and those have since dropped further to around 4.5%, with commercial loan deferrals at only 1.8% of loan balances at the end of August.

Exposure in the loan book to industries at high risk from COVID-19 is still elevated, though, at around 17% exiting the second quarter (managements estimate is closer to 10%). On a positive note, the exposures are pretty diverse, with no real concentration across areas like oil/gas, hospitality, and so on. Whats more, even the exposed areas arent necessarily at high risk, as the companys exposure in oil/gas is in less price-sensitive segments, its exposure in food service is largely to fast-food/quick-service, and its exposure to retail is largely to gas stations and convenience stores.

Id also note that criticized loan balances are accelerating, with criticized C&I loans up 45% qoq between the second and first quarters, and criticized CRE loans up 37%. In both cases, CFGs criticized loan levels are above-average, though not enough to concern me too much. Citizens also looks a little under-reserved relative to the Feds Severely Adverse scenario compared to other banks, but Id also remind investors that Citizens is challenging the Feds numbers, given that it doesnt factor in certain risk-mitigating items like loss-sharing obligations.

The general theme shaping for the third quarter on the revenue side of things is pretty similar to the theme from the second quarter. Higher levels of deposits are leaving banks with excess liquidity that they cant profitably deploy, given weak loan demand and low rates on securities. Thats going to pressure net interest margins. At the same time, though, fee-generating businesses like capital markets and mortgage banking remain healthy, and that should provide a boost to CFGs non-interest income in the third quarter.

Looking out a bit, Citizens is going to have to continue working on its self-help initiatives to offset secular pressures from weak rates and weak loan demand. Citizens has shifted toward a much more asset-sensitive position over the last few quarters, giving it meaningful leverage to rate increases, but with the Fed recently saying it intends to maintain low rates into 2023, thats not going to help much.

Management continues to invest in its fee-generating businesses like wealth management and capital markets, and Citizens has a pretty diverse array of businesses under its umbrella. The company is also pushing hard on its TOP 6 program, with an increasing focus on fin-tech investments meant to streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve (or at least maintain) customer experiences.

Balance sheet optimization is also still in the mix, with the company looking to make better use of its excess cash, exit low-return commercial relationships, and optimize its funding. On that latter point, $3.5 billion of CDs reprice in the second half of the year its not a huge number relative to the deposit base ($140B-plus), but were very much in an every bit helps phase of the cycle.

I dont see much prospect for higher spreads over the next three to five years, and loan growth is likely to be muted over the next few years, though I see Citizens having some market share growth potential. Of course, one of the most commonly-used words in conjunction with models and estimates is surprise, so there would be upside if the U.S. economy recovers at a stronger/faster pace, particularly with Citizens enhanced rate sensitivity. As is, though, I do believe that cost reductions and fee income growth will help, and I believe Citizens can generate mid-single-digit pre-provision profit growth in 2022-24, and that should be an above-average level of growth for banks of similar size.

Long term, I see Citizens growing core earnings at a low single-digit long-term rate. That supports a fair value in the $30s, as does the companys likely ROTCE over the next two years.

There are legitimate (or at least fair) concerns about Citizens' ability to offset core spread earnings pressure with fee income, operating leverage (lower expenses), and better balance sheet management, but I think todays double-digit discount to tangible book is still too much. Yes, banks are very much out of favor now and likely to underwhelm on core earnings for a while, but for patient long-term investors willing to collect dividends ahead of the eventual recovery-driven re-rating, this is a name worth considering.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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Citizens Financial's Discount Is Shrinking, But It's Still Too Wide Relative To The Opportunity - Seeking Alpha

(WORDINBLACK.COM) On Sunday, Sept. 12, the NY Times Magazine called 2020 The Lost Year for students across America and their families dealing with remote learning and the social, psychological and cognitive challenges it presents.

But since COVID-19 pulled the plug on live, in-school learning last spring, two predominantly Black charter school systems in Sacramento have turned negatives into positives, chaos into community.

Theyve made it clear that without sustained parental involvement, the horse wont run, the plane wont fly. When it comes to remote learning, Fortune School of Education and St. Hope Public Schools are making sure no child, parent, guardian or grandparent is left behind. In addition to free meals, the school systems are providing free Chromebooks, wifi hotspots, low-cost Internet, headsets, tech support, teaching assistants and behavioral and psychological counselors. They are also providing well-trained teachers who have learned to be patient with themselves as well as their scholars and families.

For generations, African Americans often felt that the education deck was stacked against them inferior schools, higher rates of discipline and suspensions, fewer resources, teachers that seemed not to understand or believe in them.

Black students remain the lowest performing subgroup in California other than special needs students, said Dr. Margaret Fortune, founder and CEO of eight predominantly Black K-12 charter schools in Sacramento serving 1,904 students and another in San Bernardino serving 395. Were 65 percent African American and 26 percent Latino and mixed race most of them low income.

St. Hope Schools serves a similar population at PS7 elementary and middle schools and Sacramento Charter High School in Sacramentos Oak Park neighborhood: more than 1,000 predominantly African American students, the majority low-income, said Chief of Schools Kari Wehrly. Both Fortune and St. Hope helped their teachers, students and families adjust to on-line learning in a matter of weeks.

At first, we had our teachers filming their instruction every single day, posting the video, and students had all day to complete their lessons, Ms. Wehrly said.

Dr. Fortune, too, saw video learning as a way to showcase her best teachers and share their lessons system wide. But both charter systems have come to realize that teachers and students need to meet in cyberspace in real time.

Students were telling us they needed more structure, and families said they dont want to be home-school teachers, so now our classes run live from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, Ms. Wehrly said.

A good experience in school now is not a normal experience; learning from your kitchen table is not normal, said Dr. Fortune, whose schools require their scholars to sign in remotely by 7:45 a.m. in their school uniforms for a half day of live instruction four days a week the rest of the time is spent on self-paced learning that relies on on-line programs such as MobyMax and Reading Eggs.

Both charters report that thanks to the demands of distance learning, theres more parental engagement than ever.

Its not uncommon for us to have 100 parents on a Zoom call with the principal to teach them how to use the curriculum, Dr. Fortune said. We dont expect you to become an overnight tech expert.

When Fortune Schools announced it was time to pick up free Chromebooks, there were lines of cars around the corner these are low-income Black folks, Dr. Fortune said. We also provide three meals a day. For some of our students, school is their refuge from troubles at home and now they dont have that refuge. In addition to teachers in virtual classrooms, technicians, counselors and special ed teachers often drop in to keep an eye on students who may be in trouble, Dr. Fortune said.

For students whose parents work and cant be home to guide them, the Oak Park Community Center is open all day to receive kids from a variety of schools. The community center staff tell me the Fortune (School) kids are on time in their uniforms and dont need to be coached, Dr. Fortune said.

Some families rely on older siblings to keep everyone on task. St. Hope parent Elesia Morris, a home health nurse from Elk Grove, has left her 13-year-old daughter EMyiah, a 9th grader at St. Hopes Sacramento High School, in charge of her younger brothers at PS7, Emare, 11, and Eric 13.

Shes always been bossy, she said its been in my DNA since I was three, Ms. Morris said. At first they told her, Youre not our mom, but now theyre so used to her waking them up since my husband and I are at work, they go to her for help with everything.

Ms. Morris, whose two oldest sons graduated Sacramento High School and went on to Berkeley and UCLA, said her three younger kids were thrilled when they learned they no longer had to get up at 5 a.m., be out the door at 6:45 a.m. and into the car for a traffic-clogged 14-mile drive to school.

Since they dont have to go to school that early and dont have basketball practice, they dont have to go to bed that early, either, she said.

For grandparents who may not use the Internet, Its really about getting the kids and the teacher together, said Ms. Morris. I believe my kids are learning just as much. My 6th graders teacher called and said he was kind of struggling with Spanish, and we were able to log into office hours.

The same goes for attendance both charters quickly follow up with families whose scholars arent logged in to class.

The key to engagement is to keep school fun and interesting. We had over 600 people view our virtual yoga class some of our parents are more engaged now than they were in person, Dr. Fortune said.

Meanwhile, students have learned to be more self-reliant and self-disciplined than ever because they can monitor their progress working through their online curriculum. This is more like college, Ms. Wehrly said. Nothing replaces getting to see your students in person every day and pulling them aside if you need to, and students get bored at home and are craving to be back in person with their peers. It requires a level of resilience how do you persevere and create your own routine? What does self-care look like?

About the only time they see their teachers and classmates in person is at drive-through events to pick up meals, materials or homework packets. One kindergartener saw her teacher and wanted to give her a hug.

Until students can be in class together, the use of Facebook Live to communicate and celebrate is creating a positive dynamic which weve never had before, Dr. Fortune said. When we held our kindergarten, 5th and 8th grade graduation ceremonies, instead of 100 parents we had 11,000 people from all over the country, and even got a shout out from comedian Tracy Morgan. Its a level of celebrating the individual scholar that goes beyond the four walls of the multipurpose room, and our parents are communicating with parents from all over the country.

Weve gone beyond our initial goal of keeping our school community together in a healthy and joyful way and now are adding to our academic rigor, so kids dont fall into COVID-19 learning gaps.

By Stephen Magagnini | OBSERVER Correspondent

The OBSERVER has joined nine of the nations leading Black publishers to come together to reimagine the Black press in America. Our first official initiative is the launch of Word in Black, a news collaborative unlike anything we have seen in the industry. The mission could not be more important: Word in Black frames the narrative and fosters solutions for racial inequities in America. The group will publish stories on important issues such as voter suppression, inequities in education and healthcare, reimagining public safety and more. The following story is part of the collaborative. For more information, visit http://www.wordinblack.com

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Learning In The Age of COVID: From Chaos Comes Opportunity to Build Community - Sacramento Observer

With the outbreak of the COVID 19 epidemic, the entire mankind around the world is suffering. Strengthening the bodys natural defence system (immunity) plays a significant role in maintaining optimal health.

As we all know, prevention is better than cure, although there arecurrently no drugs for COVID-19 treatment, it is best to take preventive measures to enhance our immunity during these tough times. The Ministrys guidelines on post-COVID management also recommend adequate sleep, rest, and a balanced nutritious diet; looking for early warning symptoms (such as high fever, breathing difficulties, unexplained chest pain, etc.), and regularly take medications as recommended for COVID-19 diseases, as well as for managing Comorbidities (if any). It said that a holistic strategyis needed to provide follow-up care and improve the health of all patients who have recovered from COVID.

Ayurveda, the science of life, spreads the gifts of nature in maintaining a happy and healthy life. The extensive knowledge of Ayurveda in preventive health care is derived from the concepts of Ritucharya(seasonal care) and Dinacharya(daily regimes) to maintain a healthy life. This is a plant-based science.

The simplicity of self-awareness and the harmony that everyone can achieve by improving and maintaining their immunity is emphasized acrossAyurvedas classical scriptures.

The following self-care guidelines for preventive health measures and immune improvement, with relevant reference to respiratory health, are recommended by theMinistry of AYUSH.These are also supported and recommended by Ayurvedic literature and scientific publications.

Ayurvedic Immunity Boosting Measures

1. Chyawanprash prevents COVID-19: Is it effective?

Earlier, the Ministry of AYUSH recommended that Chyawanprash should be taken in the morning with warm water/milk under the guidance of an Ayurvedic doctor. However, the question here is-Can taking Chyawanprash provides protection against COVID-19 infection?

Chyawanprash is enriched with minerals, vitamins, and effective antioxidants, which can help strengthen the immune system and prevent a series of health problems.It is believed that the high vitamin C content in Ayurvedic herbs can help you improve immunity,metabolism and prevent various viral and bacterial infections, including the common cough and cold problem.

Therefore, the idea is that taking this Ayurvedic product may help strengthen immunity against infectionsincluding COVID-19.It is important to note that no scientific research can prove that Chyawanprash can prevent or cure COVID-19. Chyawanprash can only boost your immunity.

Benefits of Chyawanprash

It is claimed that using Chyawanprash has some health benefits:

Heres How to Use Chyawanprash to Boost Immunity

According to the recommendations of theAYUSH Ministry, one teaspoon ofChyawanprashwith warm water/milk should be taken in the morning under the supervision of a registered Ayurvedic physician. It is believed that Chyawanprash is an effective remedy in the post-recovery phase in clinical practice.

Parents who plan to give Chyawanprash to their children should consult a doctor, as the dosage depends mainly on their digestion.

2. Drink decoction(Kadha) or Herbal tea made from Basil (Tulsi), Cinnamon (Dalchini), Black pepper (Kalimirch), Dried ginger (Shunthi ), and Raisin (Munakka). Add natural sugar (jaggery) and/or fresh lemon juice as per your taste.

3. Golden Milk Put half a teaspoon ofTurmeric(Haldi) powder into 150ml of hot milk-once or twice a day.

4. Simple Ayurvedic Procedures

General Measures

During Sore throat/Dry cough

These measures usually treat normal sore throat and dry cough. However, if these symptoms persist, it is best to consult a doctor.

In addition to this, the Union Ministry of Health issued a post-COVID-19 management protocolon Sunday, providing comprehensive follow-up care and well-being of recovered patients. Among the several suggestions,the Ministry of Health recommends healthy eating, moderate exercise, such as yoga, and seeking social support or counseling. The ministry also proposed several home remedies and Ayurvedic medicines to boost immunity.

Health Ministry statedthat it has been observed that after the acute coronavirus ailment, recovered patients may continue to report various symptoms and signs, including fatigue, body pain, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, etc. The recovery period may be longer for patients who have a more severe form of the disease and those with pre-existing illnesses.

It appended:The follow-up care and well-being of all recovered sufferers post-COVID needs a holistic method. Heeding this, the Ministry of Health has issued a post-COVID management protocol. This provides a comprehensive holistic approach for managing patients who have recovered enough from COVID for home care. This protocol is not intended to be used as a curative/preventive treatment method.

Heres the complete post-COVID tracking protocol:

1. At individual level

2. At the community level

3. In a healthcare facility setting

In the absence of specific treatment or a safe vaccine for COVID-19 illness, taking precautions in all possible maybe our best action against coronavirus infection.

READ Amazon, reeling from recent regulatory hurdles, pumps $404M into its India business

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COVID-19 | Ayurvedic Effective Measures For Self-Care: In The Absence Of COVID-19 Drug, Precautions Should Be Taken! Can We Use Chyawanprash To...

The Telegraph

Coronavirus was not the main cause of death for nearly one third of recorded Covid-19 victims in July and August, research by Oxford University has found. Analysis shows that around 30 percent of people included in the coronavirus death toll by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) over the summer months had died primarily from other conditions. It means someone who suffered a heart attack, or even died in a road traffic accident, may have been included in the figures if they had also tested positive for coronavirus at some point, or if doctors believed the virus may have exacerbated their condition. Throughout the entire pandemic, around one in 13 people currently classed as Covid-19 victims did not have the disease as an underlying cause of death. It means 3,877 deaths (7.8 per cent) in which coronavirus was not the primary cause have been included in the figures. In July and August, that number jumped to 28.8 per cent of all registered deaths, meaning Covid-19 was not the main cause of death in 465 of 1,617 recorded victims (listen to the podcast below, which discusses whether Britain's death toll could be set to increase again).

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Focusing on self-care and wearing face masks 'can help mental wellbeing during pandemic' - Yahoo News UK

After NXIVM, a personal development company founded by Keith Raniere, was exposed as a pyramid scheme and cult that forced its female recruits into sexual slavery, itwas soon discovered that there were many prominent, highly influential members from the worlds of business, politics and Hollywood. One of the most shocking and notable performers was former Smallville actress Allison Mack, who was a senior member within the organization and eventually pleaded guilty to racketeering charges.

In the years since the 2017 New York Times expos, its been revealed that cast members of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Dynasty crossed paths with the organization. A lot of young people who were in the film and television industry, lots of actors [were involved], former member and Canadian actress Sarah Edmondson says in the HBO docuseries,The Vow, which chronicles her and other members escape from the clutches ofRaniere and NXIVM.

We were all sort of in the same boat, struggling with our self-esteem, body issues, meaning and purpose, Edmondson says, explaining whythey may have been attracted to or susceptible to NXIVMs many promises around wellness and self-help.Heres a confirmed list of Hollywoods members or recruits.

As NXIVM expanded across North America, it eventually opened a center in Vancouver, Canada,where the CW superhero series wasfilmed. Former member Barbara Bouchey said in an interview with E! True Hollywood Story that she worked with Edmondson over several years to develop the Vancouver center and that led eventually to Allison Mack.

The actress, who was only 23 at the time, told the New York Times that she came to NXIVM when she was unhappy with her TV acting career. She reportedly asked Raniere to make her a great actress again. [More on Macks story via ETonline.]

Anthony Ames The Abduction of Zack Butterfield

A model and actor, Ames most prominent role was as Agent Quincannon in the 2011 film The Abduction of Zack Butterfield, which the New York Timesdescribesas a cringingly awkward tale of sexual predation and female lunacy.

More commonly known as Nippy, the actor was a prominent member of NXIVM, where he also met and fell in love with Edmondson. When the two got married, most of their wedding guests and bridal party were from NXIVM. While his wife continued to grow within the organization, Nippy became disillusioned by the experience and was unaware of her involvement with DOS.

Bonnie Piesse Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones,Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Piesseis an Australian actress and a singer-songwriter most famous for being part of the Star Wars film franchise. Piesse appeared in the second two prequels as a young version of Beru Lars, Luke Skywalkers aunt and surrogate mother.

She met director Mark Vicente (What the Bleep Do We Know!?), who was already a member of NXIVM, and turned to the organization as her music and acting career stalled. Eventually the two got married and became the poster couple for others to follow.

While Vicente remained dedicated to Raniere, even working closely with him on a documentary and screenplay about his story, Piesse eventually became suspicious of NXIVMs practices and wanted out. Despite trying to leave on good terms, especially since Vicente remained a prominent member, she was blacklisted. The couples marriage suffered as a result.But once Vicente decided to leave, the two got back together and teamed up with Edmondson and CatherineOxenberg to get others out.

Blue, who played General Zod during seasons nine and 10 of Smallville and also appeared on series likeProof and Royal Pains, found himself turning to the organization in 2011, after a personal tragedy. At the height of my popularity, I went through some trauma. My father took his own life and I continued working and I was caught up in this spiral of chaos cause Hollywood can be a chaotic and noisy place. And that really opened me up to looking to the outside world to find the answers, he said in an interview with E! True Hollywood Story.

Put off by Raniere and his experience, Blue quickly left NXIVM. I was in it for five days and I heard the same thing again and again and again, he recalled.

Catherine Oxenberg Dynasty

Oxenberg, a former Dynasty actress and the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, was able to get out -- but not fast enough to save her daughter, India, from the clutches of Raniere. I didnt sign my daughter up for a sex cult,Oxenberg told ET, explaining that sheholds herself accountable for what ultimately happened to India. Intending to help her daughter on her journey into adulthood, she inadvertently introduced India, then 19 years old, to NXIVM in 2011.

The truth is, what we went to was an intro for a leadership program, Oxenberg explained. It could have been any self-help program, and thats the truth. Nobody signs up to join a cult. These cults very often have consumer-facing companies offering real and viable resources and tools. And thats what this was I thought that she might benefit from some leadership skills because she was going into the business world.

Oxenberg has since recounted her story in the Lifetime film, Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter, which is based on her 2018 memoir, Captive: A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter From a Terrifying Cult. Her attempts to free India are also chronicled on The Vow. [More on Oxenbergsstory via ETonline.]

Chad Krowchuk Wayward Pines

After a number of small, episodic roles, Krowchuk appeared on Aliens in America before going on to bigger roles in Gracepoint and Wayward Pines.

He was initially recruited by Edmondson, but it was Mack, his girlfriend at the time, who convinced him to take a five-day training course. According to Vice, Mack and Krowchuk were about three years into living together when NXIVM became a thing in their group of friends, with Mack quickly becoming fascinated by the organization. That was the part that scared me the most, Krowchuk said. Before we had conversations about it, and we both thought it seemed kind of weird and creepy. I dont necessarily know if she thought it was creepy, but we agreed it seemed a little messed up.

While Mack became a prominent member, she reportedly wasnt the first Smallville recruit. That was Kreuk, who played Lana Lang. According to The Hollywood Reporter, shortly after joining the group in 2006, she brought Mack. Im excited to work with youguys. I dont know what else to say, Kreuk says infootage featured onThe Vow that shows her in a meeting alongside Edmondson.

Even though Kreuk was involved with NXIVM, she claims that she left before anything illegal or nefarious happened. I am deeply disturbed and embarrassed to have been associated with NXIVM, the actress posted to Twitter in 2018. The accusations that I was in the inner circle or recruited women as sex slaves are blatantly false.

How are we contributing as a society to the myth of celebrity? Cause a lot of people seem to be rather caught up in it, Park, who famously portrayed Sharon Boomer Valerii on Battlestar Galactica before starring on the CBS rebootof Hawaii Five-0, is seen asking Raniere in a promotional video initially posted to NXIVMs site and YouTube page. As seen in footage from The Vow, the actress was in the bridal party atEdmondsons wedding, which according to the bride, was mostly attended by members of NXIVM.

According to Vice, Park quietly left after the explosive New York Times article, which featured revelations about Jness and the sex cult practices.

Mark Hildreth Resurrection

Hildreth has appeared on everything from The Tudors to Resurrection to Hulus The Looming Tower. But his most prominent role, it seems, is being the one to reportedly have recruited Kreuk into NXIVM. According to Vice, the actor convinced her to attend her first session, which proved to be a turning point for the organization, which could now say it had a famous actress among its members.

Nicki Clyne Battlestar Galactica

I feel like the biggest limitation is that we judge ourselves, Clyne, who reportedly was recruited by Edmondsonin 2006, is seen saying during a NXIVM meeting in footage featured on The Vow. The actress who playedCally Henderson on the Syfy serieswas close to other Vancouver recruits, including Mack and Park.

In 2018, federal prosecutors claimed that Mack and Clyne were married, according to court transcripts obtained by People. The outletreported the union was at the behest of NXIVM co-founder Keith Raniere. A one-time publicist for the cult said, Nicki has been in the cult for 12 years. She quit her regular role with Battlestar to follow Raniere.

Samia Shoaib La Femme Nikita

After Mack was initially arrested, The Sixth Sense and La Femme Nikita actressrevealed to Megyn Kelly that she was approached by Mack to join NXIM after the two met at an audition in 2013. Soon after, Mack tried to get Shoaib to join a school for introspection.

We got close very quickly, and looking back, it was a very contrived effort, but at the time she seemed so sincere, Shoaib said at the time. While the actress never got involved, she was one of many that Mack attempted to recruit over the years. Others include Emma Watson, Kelly Clarkson and Beverly Mitchell.

Born and raised in Vancouver, the actress first appeared onscreen inthe teen soap Edgemont opposite Park. She eventually went on to appear in a number of sci-fi projects likeAndromeda, Continuumand Stargate SG-1. Her most notable role before leaving NXIVM was a recurring stint on Psych.

Once in NXIVM, Edmondson rose through the ranks to become one of its top recruiters, bringing in thousands of people, including some of the other actors listed here. She also met and married Nippy and when the two had a child, they named Lauren Salzman his godmother. It was Salzman who recruited her into DOS, where she became her slave and was branded with Raniere'sinitials.

Since leaving NXIVM, Edmondson has returned to acting and starred on season 2 of the short-lived series Salvation.

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NXIVM: Allison Mack, Grace Park and Other Actors Recruited by the Sex Cult - WFAA.com

Last week, I mentioned in this space that I had run out of words, so there were several big pictures of critters instead. I also mentioned that you didnt have to worry, because I had ordered some words on Amazon. That was kind of a joke.

Should have known better. Little did I know, but you can indeed order words on Amazon. Which, truth be told, is not surprising. You can find everything on Amazon. I suppose its kind of like the Sears catalog from way, way back in the day. (Kids: if you dont know about the Sears catalog, ask your grandparents.)

I found a Big Box of Word Chunks educational board game on Amazon. Seemed appropriate for a journalist. And it only cost $22.86.

Meanwhile...

Have you ever had a butterfly land on you? Twice. Until Labor Day, Im pretty sure that I had not experienced such a thing. Not even once.

Way back in the day, a praying mantis landed on me. They are kind of scary looking bugs. Dont remember how old I was, but the critter was scary. Still remember it.

The butterfly landed on me while I was taking a quick walk at one of the places in Union County which I visit on a regular basis. I think the butterfly, which was quite colorful, may be called a painted lady, but Im not for sure.

Turns out that having a butterfly land on you may be a bit of a spiritual experience, in a good sort of way, which would be much nicer than having a praying mantis land on you when you are a little kid.

A little bit of research online turned up fascinating tidbits about what might be happening when a butterfly lands on you:

...in some cases when a butterfly lands on you, it is a sign from your loved one in Spirit. A validation that their soul lives on...

...a butterfly landing on you can be a sign that your unconscious mind approves of something, probably related to personal development or service...

...it could very well be an angel sending you a message...

...you have a special connection with this creature, and it could be a sign that a butterfly is your animal spirit.

Ill be pondering these messages for a while...

Meanwhile...

I know you folks might be getting tired of hearing about our pandemic dates. But, I kind of figure these little adventures are part of the history of the pandemic. These dates have given us a chance to see and do something sort of normal during a time which is anything but normal.

We went on a date on Labor Day. Once again motored to the Trail of Tears State Forest and wandered around in a creek bed as the sun was quickly setting late on a summer day. We worked in another date last Sunday evening after dinner.

Sometimes, we get to see critters. On Labor Day, we saw a couple of frogs, including the one in the photograph which accompanies this column.

We also saw a raccoon, much more up close and personal than I would have expected on such an excursion. I could hear some rustling in the undergrowth along the creek bed, just a foot or two away.

At first, I could hear the noise, but could not see its source. Next thing I know, a raccoon meanders into sight. The critter didnt seem a bit concerned about us at all. It just kind of strolled up the creek bed.

In addition to frogs and a raccoon, weve seen lots of white-tailed deer during our pandemic dates. I think weve seen about 14 or 16 white-tails, including several fawns, during our most recent adventures.

Our dates may not seem like much, but, like I said, they offer opportunities to do something normal, and maybe even safe.

By the way...we didnt have any butterflies land on us...the frogs didnt either. Might have been an even more interesting story if the raccoon had landed on one of us...

Meanwhile...

Were going to finish up this week with a happy birthday message to my sweetheart. If you are a friend, you can tell her happy birthday, too. Today is the big day.

The rest is here:
A butterfly...a couple of frogs...and a raccoon.... - Annanews

Despite not holding events in 2020, the Bay State Games selection committee is still honoring athletes based on past participation in the Games and other athletic achievements. It selects an Athlete of the Year in four categories. The 2020 selections for Athlete of the Year are as follows: Female Athlete 18 & younger: Teagan Dymek (Osterville); Male Athlete 18 & younger: Reese Stevenson (Harvard); Female Athlete 19 & older: Ildiko Szekely (Beverly); and Male Athlete 19 & older: Seth Trahan (Sturbridge).

Beverlys Ildiko Szekely has competed in Bay State Games Masters Swimming since 2014, winning gold every year in the 200-meter butterfly. She holds the Bay State Games record in Women 35-49 200-meter butterfly.

As a member of New England Masters, Szekely has achieved many national and international accomplishments, highlighted by winning gold in the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly at the 2014 World Masters Swimming Championships in Montreal, Canada. She has also won several U.S. Masters Swimming National titles, and currently holds the U.S. Masters Swimming National record in the 400-meter freestyle relay.

Her swimming resume includes 10 individual and three All-American honors, and 59 Top 10 swims. Prior to becoming an accomplished Masters swimmer, Ildiko swam at Michigan State University, where she was a team captain and an Academic All-Big-10. She held program records in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly and 400-yard IM, all of which she still ranks in the Top 10 in program history.

Ildiko is currently the Connors Family Learning Center Assistant Director at Boston College.

The Bay State Games Athlete of the Year program was established to recognize individuals that excel above and beyond their athletic participation in the Bay State Games. Individuals are chosen based on overall achievements, involvement in the Bay State Games, involvement in their community, effort, sportsmanship, overcoming adversity and attitude on and off the athletic field of endeavor. The selection committee reviews nominations submitted by coaches, commissioners, parents, volunteers and other players.

Individuals chosen as Bay State Games Athlete of the Year have also been submitted for recognition as the National State Games Athlete of the Year. If chosen as the National State Games Athlete of the Year, recipients will be recognized at the National Congress of State Games annual symposium. National Athlete of the Year winners will be notified in October.

For more information on the Bay State Games Athlete of the Year program and past winners, go to http://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/GFyZC31rZ2hm6nNpjfgwxx8?domain=baystategames.org.

The Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation (MASF), an independent, non-profit organizer of the Bay State Summer and Winter Games, provides Olympic-style athletic competitions and developmental programs for amateur athletes of all ages. Founded in 1981, the MASF operates statewide and year-round to promote personal development, education, physical fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship and mutual respect. From a modest beginning of four sports and 300 athletes, the Games have grown to include over 30 summer and winter sports. The MASF is a member of the National Congress of State Games, comprised of over 35 states nationwide.

The rest is here:
Beverlys Ildiko Szekely chosen as a Bay State Games 2020 Athlete of the Year recipient - Wicked Local Beverly

GREEN RIVER Emmalee Skinner started her senior year at Green River High School as the Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming for the Class of 2021.

The honor isnt just for her, though. Its also for her classmates, her community, and people throughout her state.

Emmalee was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming after winning a statewide virtual contest conducted via video submissions and Zoom meetings during the summer.

Finishing in first place doesnt just mean scholarship money and recognition for Emmalee it means she has a job to do for the benefit of others.

Now and throughout the coming year, she will serve as a role model and spread the Distinguished Young Womens national outreach message of Be Your Best Self. The outreach program is designed to encourage self esteem and excellence in young people through its five principles: be healthy, be involved, be studious, be ambitious, and be responsible. She will also represent the state at various public events.

Emmalee is already passing on the Be Your Best Self lesson through example by working hard to achieve great things and encouraging others to do the same.

It is a full time job.

In addition to her studies, Emmalee is a member of the National Honor Society, competes in high school tennis, performs in the color guard for the marching band, and works at Arctic Circle. She plans to participate in theater as well just as she has in years past.

During the Distinguished Young Women contest, Emmalee earned extra points based on the difficulty of the courses shes taken in high school. This semester, shes enrolled in AP calculus her most difficult class.

So that has been a challenge, especially trying to recall all the math learned after not using it for months, Emmalee said. But after getting back into the swing of things, its been getting a lot easier. Other than that, the year hasnt been too difficult.

Emmalee decided her senior year would include competing on the tennis team for the first time. The experience has been great, according to Emmalee. She is learning a lot, the team is very supportive, and everyone gets along great, she said.

My partner and I are both new but we are having a great time and even won all our games against Rock Springs!

Emmalee is grateful to be able to attend school again. She has always loved learning new things, and she missed the social interaction when schools were closed in March.

I have enjoyed being with other students again and seeing people being excited to be back, Emmalee said. Usually, energy is low and people arent wanting to be at school, but the energy shifted after being away for five months. People seemed to really want to be back.

COMPETITION

Emmalee was familiar with the Distinguished Young Women contest because her mom and sister had both previously competed. Emmalee said the contest helps women obtain a higher education by awarding scholarships that can be used at any college.

Competing took a lot of time and work, but was an incredible experience, Emmalee said. She enjoyed meeting other top high school students and getting a glimpse into their lives, even if they had to connect virtually.

Seven Wyoming high school senior girls competed to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming for 2021. The statewide scholarship program was conducted virtually through Zoom and video submissions the week of July 27 with the finals and awards announcement on Aug 1.

Participants were evaluated in the categories of scholastics, 25%; interview, 25%; talent, 20%; fitness, 15%; and self-expression, 15%.

Emmalee finished in the top two in four of the five categories. She received a $3,000 scholarship for winning and $150 scholarships each for finishing in the top two in four categories for a total of $3,600 in cash scholarships.

For the talent portion, Emmalee choreographed her own 90-second dance to the song You Will Be Found from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen. She especially enjoyed the talent contest because it gave her the opportunity to challenge and express herself in a new way. It was a difficult yet rewarding achievement. She also choreographed her own routine for the fitness contest.

In the self expression category, contestants were asked how they intended to implement the Cowboy Code of Conduct, including such directives as keeping promises, in their lives. Each had 24 hours to come up with a 30-second answer.

Emmalee decided to give judges a concrete example to show how she was already implementing the code. She said just the night before, she took the time to help a neighbor even though she was busy and needed to prepare for the competition. She also told them that she intended to take notes and set reminders in order to help in her quest to fulfill the Cowboy Code.

THE FUTURE

Emmalee looks forward to getting the Be Your Best Self message out in the days ahead and publicizing the Distinguished Young Women contest so that more young women will participate.

In February or March of 2021, Emmalee needs to make a presentation to her community about the Distinguished Young Women Program and the Be Your Best Self message.

She also plans to go on to compete in the Distinguished Young Women national finals June 24-26, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. Emmalee and the 50 other representatives from across the U.S will participate in personal development activities and community service projects before competing to become the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2021. Emmalee said she is excited to go and meet so many other incredible young women from around the country.

Emmalee wants to work as a dental hygienist. She has not yet decided where she will attend college to pursue that goal. She is the daughter of Bradlee and Melissa Skinner.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. Its mission is to empower young women by providing more than $1 billion in scholarship opportunities and developing their self confidence to prepare them for success after high school.

Kentuckys Elif Ozyurekoglu was named the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2020 and received more than $33,000 in cash scholarships to be applied toward her college education. For more information on Distinguished Young Women of Wyoming, contact Sarah Robles at wyoming@distinguishedyw.org.

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An award that benefits others | Local News | rocketminer.com - Daily Rocket Miner

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, Marys Mercy Center celebrated the grand opening of Marys Village, San Bernardinos first transitional home for men, filling a need for the areas homeless that went unanswered for many years.

Marys Village is the first of four phases in the vision of Father Mike Barry, president of Marys Mercy Center, to provide housing and services to lift men out of homelessness.

Its successful completion was the collaborate effort of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, San Bernardino County, city of San Bernardino, Crestwood Communities and Southern California Edison. These partnerships made the $8.5 million project a reality with 100 percent private funding.

San Manuel invested $7.3 million in the project and Edison invested heavily to give Marys Village state-of-the-art utilities and appliances while making it a test bed for all-electric and net-zero energy efficiency in residential development. Crestwood developed and constructed the village.

The buildings were furnished with funding from Dignity Health.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman Ken Ramirez shared that the Tribes partnerships with the Marys Mercy Center and Loma Linda University Hosptial extend 100-year-old partnerships that began with the local Catholic and Seventh-Day Adventist churches offering services and support to the Tribe when it had very little and often went without basic needs.

This is still our homeland and it is up to us to make sure it is growing, sustainable and healthy, Ramirez said.

Marys Village

The village provides transitional housing and programs to lift men out of homelessness and into self-sufficient living in four buildings, a total of 30,000 square feet.

The four buildings are able to house up to 80 men and are designed for staged personal development. Each of the buildings includes communal living spaces including kitchens and dinning rooms. Two buildings include dorm rooms with several beds per room. When men first enter Marys Village they will live in these buildings. As they progress through educational and case management programs, vocational training and get jobs they will move into the other two buildings one in which two men can share a room and the other with private rooms.

We knew where the need was because for years our phones have been ringing with people asking for services for the men, but we had nowhere to put them, said Terry Kent, Marys Mercy Center boardman and vice president of operations for Crestwood Communities, referring to the services offered for women and children at Marys Mercy Centers Veronicas Home of Mercy.

While we focused in the past on the women and children the men went without, said Ramirez. It has finally come full circle.

According to Kent, Marys Village was designed to be a home and not feel like an institution. There is plenty of space in and surrounding the buildings.

The village is made up of single story buildings in response to concerns from neighboring residents who did not want a three-story building towering over their neighborhood. This also saved on the considerable costs associated with constructing, maintaining and safety inspecting elevators.

Kent pointed out that, as a totally private endeavor, Marys Village is able to provide transitional housing and services for the homeless much more efficiently than government-funded efforts. Marys Village provides housing for the homeless at a cost of approximately $85,000 per unit while a recent audit reported that Los Angeles city-funded housing projects cost an average of $350,000 per unit, with some projects reaching nearly $750,000 per unit.

Major cost savings came in the avoidance of red tape and other time consuming processes associated with government funding as well as the opportune purchase of the 10 acres on which the center is built. It was purchased at a bargain in public auction during a market downturn.

Moving in

According to Kent, the center is scheduled to move in its first two residents on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Due to coronavirus concerns, the center has created a plan to gradually move in residents working up to 25 percent capacity over a three-month period. Additional phases will be planned and initiated as appropriate for the developing pandemic.

The next phases

With phase 1 complete and ready for tenants, Father Barry and the other Marys Village partners are poised to begin the next two phases of the mens center.

Phase 2, the construction of eight duplexes on 2.89 acres, is scheduled to break ground within the first quarter of 2021. It will provide housing for 16 men as they advance out of the dormitory-style living of the early stages of Mary Centers 12-to-24-month program.

Phase 2 is projected to cost $2.5 million, with $1.8 million funded by San Manuel.

The third phase, scheduled to begin in 2022, will build a neighborhood of 16 affordable single-family homes for rent by men transitioning into self-sufficient living. This phase is projected to cost $4.5 million.

When complete phases 2 and 3 will provide housing for 16 additional men each.

Continue reading here:
First transitional home for men opens in San Bernardino - Highland Community News