Professor Arthur R. Jensen of the University of California at Berkeley, whose research published in 1969 reopened the question of racial differences in mental capacities and theories of intelligence stated that:
“When I worked in a psychological clinic, I had to give individual intelligence tests to a variety of children, many of whom came from an improvised background.
Usually I felt that these children were really brighter than their IQ would indicate. They often appeared inhibited in their responsiveness in their testing situation on their first visit to my office. When this was the case I usually had them come in on two to four different days for half-hour sessions with me in a “play therapy “ room. In this room we did nothing more than get better acquainted by playing ball, using finger paints, drawing on the blackboard, making things out of clay, and so forth.
As soon as the child seemed to be completely at home in this setting, I would retest them on parallel forms of the Standford- Binet test. A boost in IQ of 8 to 10 points or so was the rule, it rarely failed, but neither was the gain very often much above this.”
Apparently “8 to 10 points “ is more than half the average IQ difference of 15 points between black and white Americans, which helps to concrete the argument that most ambitious individuals, if given the right education and opportunities, are just as likely to be successful.
Do you believe this applies to the rest of the world?
I therefore ask, is our IQ a blank check for gainful employment opportunities, college admissions or other social decisions?
Professor Jensen
also stated,
“Whenever we select a person for some special educational purpose, whether for special instructions in a grade school class for children with learning disabilities or problems, or for a “gifted” class with an advanced curriculum, or for a college attendance or for admission to graduate training or a professional school, we are selecting an individual and we are selecting them and dealing with them as individuals for reasons of their individuality.
Similarly,
when we employ someone, or promote someone
in their occupation, or give some special award or honor to someone for
their accomplishments, we are doing this to an individual.
See my previous articles for detailed information:
The variables of social classes, race, and national origin are correlated so imperfectly with any of the valid criteria on which the above decisions should depend, or, for that matter, with any behavioral characteristics, that these background factors are irrelevant as a basis for dealing with individuals- as students or as employees.
Furthermore, since, as far as research suggest, the full range of human talents is represented in all the major races of man and in all socioeconomic levels, it is unjust to allow the mere fact of an individual’s racial or social background to affect the treatment accorded to them.”
So once again I ask, is our IQ a blank check for gainful employment opportunities, college admissions or other social decisions?
Is it helping or hindering us?
In short, even though much research has shown that IQ
differences matter for educational, occupational and other achievements, the
magnitude of those differences also matters, and in particular cases other
factors may outweigh IQ differences in determining outcomes.
However, the importance of other factors beside IQ is not a blank check for downplaying or disregarding mental test scores when making employment, college admissions or other social decisions.
Predictive Validity
Author Thomas Sowell, in his book, Intellectuals and Race stated that IQ test or college admissions tests may not accurately measure the “real” intelligence of prospective students or employees- however “real” intelligence may be defined.
The practical question is whether whatever they do
measure is correlated with further success in the particular endeavor.
Where is the corporation heading? What standards are the
colleges and universities striving for?
Does the individual have the capacity to grow and develop? Do they even want to grow? Is the individual’s dreams and aspirations mutually aligned with the vision of the company?
Our Father, God in heaven, is the ruler over all the earth and as His children, adopted into His royal family through our faith in Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, we are all royal heirs to all of God’s promises.
We were designed by our creator to be the glory of men and the mothers of all living things.
At the end of creation, we were the final “cherry on top” as I’d like to say to the problem of loneliness in mankind.
Why, I repeat, why have so many of us women allowed ourselves to fall from that place of honor and esteem?
It grieves me to see women hiding in the shadow of their churches, shamed and saddened by secrets that they wish they could conceal from their past.
Christian women should be restored to their place of wholeness. Their place of dignity, quality and honor before God so that their testimony may be a true blessing and will draw all women back to the Lord.
Unfortunately, many Christian women are still hiding, still carrying heavy baggage’s of hurt, fear, guilt and shame.
They go about their daily routine concealing their true royal identity, pretending not to notice their filthy condition.
Their light isn’t shining, and no one can see the Queen within them whom their Father created them to be.
All signs of their royal inheritance have been covered with the degradation of abuse, mistakes and unfortunate incidents that happened sometime in their lives.
Love works like a magnet since everyone wants to be loved. Jesus shared a big secret with His disciples-the secret to winning more souls for Him. When Christians love one another, anyone who sees them will want to join them because everyone is looking for love.
When they find it, they will want to stay there. This is the very thing the enemy hates!
The devil and his cohorts of darkness will do everything possible to put confusion in the midst of those who love one another. This is why the church should be on the look out to identify the strategies of the devil when members who once loved begin to do otherwise.
The devil will want to use talebearers, backbiters, and critics to cause love in the church to fade away. These groups should be identified and prayed for as well as counseled so that the love in the church can remain active.
Charity within the church must also be encouraged as it encourages kindness. When we back up our love with action, those in the world will find it easy to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
How do You identify Yourself?
How do you identify yourself? Are you just a boy or girl, or do you see yourself as a Queen or King?
Your gender identity is a deep-seated, internal sense of who you are as a gendered being. It is the gender with which you identify yourself.
The National Geographic(www.nationalgeographic.com) has done research on what’s being called the “gender revolution”.
Some people identify themselves as LGBTQ an acronym used to refer to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals in our community.
Affirming pronouns however or the most respectful and accurate pronouns for a person as defined by that person.
It’s best to ask which pronouns a person uses to avoid offenses.
Gender Identity in Children
Once young children learn to talk, most will declare a gender identity, boy or girl, that aligns with their biological sex.
According to research drawn from www.HealthyChildren.org around two years old, children become conscious of the physical differences between boys and girls.
By age four, most children have a concrete sense of their gender identity.
During this same time of life, children learn gender-role behavior-that is, doing “things that boys do” or “things that girls do” when they choose toys, clothes, activities or friends.
There are many paths to becoming a woman or a man.
The History of Miss Universe
In 1952, Catalina established the current Miss Universe as we know it. The first competition was in Long Beach, California. It was an instant hit.
Armi Kuusela of Finland was the first winner. Before her reign was over, she had to give up her title to get married to a Filipino tycoon, Virgilio Hilario
The Miss Universe beauty pageant has come a long way since 1952, but its ethos has remained the same:
Finding the most beautiful woman in the entire universe.
Who was Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018?
According to Rappler.com, The Miss Universe 2018 coronation night on December 17, 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand saw fan favorite, the Philippines’ own Catriona Gray bringing home the coveted crown.
Catriona Gray, succeeds 2017 titleholder Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa, and is the fourth Filipina to wear the crown. Even before her pageant run, she has been advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness, and education, particularly for impoverished youth.
Every person brings unique characteristics to dealing with illness: a particular personality, a way of coping, a set of beliefs and values, a way of looking at the world.
Being ill makes a person feel alone and we should never place blame as this only adds more feelings of distance and isolation.
We know a lot about the ways that our personality and emotions leads us to engage in habits or behaviors that increase our risk of getting cancer.
Good examples are smoking and lung cancer, or sunburn and malignant melanoma.
People today have many questions based on what they’ve read and what their friends tell them about cancer.
Questions
Some questions are:
1. Did my personality or emotions cause my cancer? 2. Did stress alter my immune system and caused my cancer? 3. Did grief or a loss cause my cancer, and could it make the cancer come back? 4. When I get down and depressed, am I making my tumor grow faster? 5. How important is support from others? 6. Can support groups help me live longer? 7. How can I help to make my treatment work?
Many people’s first experience with cancer begins with the discovery of a symptom or sign known to be a possible cancer indicator.
A breast lump, a sore that has changed in appearance or hasn’t healed properly, any persistent severe pain, blood in the stool or urine, a sore throat or cough that persists-these are several of the most common signs.
Many people who notice a “suspicious” symptom have encountered cancer before through the illness of a loved one, such as a parent or grandparent.
Others have not had such a personal experience but have seen cancer statistics in the media or heard about it within their community.
The mission of the Society is to increase awareness among the people of the Cayman Islands of cancer as a major health concern, to initiate positive change in all areas relating to cancer, to prevent the development of cancer and to counsel and support cancer patients and their families.
Made with the Famous 7 Mile Beach Sand
American Cancer Society
According to the American Cancer Society, about one out of eight invasive breast cancers develop in women younger than forty-five.
About two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women fifty-five or older. In fact, the aging process is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer.
That’s because the longer we live, the more opportunities there are for genetic damage to occur in the body. And as we age, our bodies are less capable of repairing genetic damage.
That’s why it’s so important to take care of ourselves by eating right, exercising several times a week, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and living a healthy lifestyle as we age.
Made with the Famous 7 Mile Beach Sand
Dense Breast Tissue
About 45% of women age forty to seventy-four have dense breasts. The younger you are, the denser your breast are.
Dense breast has been known to have more fibrous and glandular tissue than fatty tissue, which can make it difficult for a radiologist to detect cancer on a mammogram. Fatty tissue is dark, so any cancer is more visible.
Made with the Famous 7 Mile Beach Sand
National Cancer Institute
According to the National Cancer Institute, specific inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of female breast and ovarian cancers, and they have been associated with increased risks of several additional types of cancer.
Together, BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations account for about 20 to 25 % of hereditary breast cancers and about 5 to 10% of all breast cancers. In addition, mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for around 15% of ovarian cancers overall.
Breast and ovarian cancers associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation can be inherited from a person’s mother or father.
Each child of a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes has a 50% chance (or 1 chance in 2) of inheriting the mutation.
Here’s another interesting fact-Studies also show that lack of regular exercise can impact the likelihood of developing breast cancer.
Remembrance Day is a Memorial Day observed in Commonwealth of Nations member states since the end of the First World War to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.
I was pleased to do a more detailed research a few years ago of the story behind Remembrance Day and it can be found if you read my previous Article, Remembrance Day: Forget Them Not
As we approach the centenary commemorations for the Armistice, the world will once again turn its attention to the events of 100 years ago.
The Imperial War Museum records and tells the stories of those who have lived, fought and passed in battle since 1914. As the 2 world wars that defined the twentieth century slip from living memory, war memorials maintain their tradition, a roll call of the fallen that reminds us of the fragility of peace. On Remembrance Day, 2 minutes of silence forms a bridge to the past. Gone however not forgotten, we will constantly remember them– those who given a lot for the freedoms we take pleasure in today.
Approximately 1.1million Commonwealth servicemen and women are still commemorated at 23,000 CWGC sites today. Imagine that!
But for the Commission, it is also a time to look to the future. How will they continue to maintain those sites? What are the challenges they will face for the next 100 years?
The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation (CWGF) is a charitable foundation that highlights the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) by telling the stories of the 1.7m people the CWGC commemorates. Visit the following link for more information on how you can help: https://www.cwgc.org/
Technology and Globalization
Even though I have not been able to visit many of the places I have written about, due to today’s technology, I am able to experience and understand the world a lot better.
Technological advances have fueled globalization. Most people would agree that we can still get things done around the world more quickly than we previously were able to.
However due to technological pressures to streamline operating standards and procedures, we now run the risk of threatening individual’s livelihood and our societies most precious traditions, values and beliefs.
The fear of oblivion is like a turbulent storm seen from the distance but fast approaching.
Perhaps the most powerful of the global changes we now face are the incredibly swift and increasingly rapid advances in telecommunications.
The founders of the Innovative Hardiness Institute in Newport Beach, California, stated that more than experience or training, resilience in the face of stressful situations and rapid changes determines whether you ultimately succeed or fail in the workplace.
It allows you to thrive even in tumultuous (I like that word) conditions and to turn potential disasters into growth opportunities.
So where does resilience come from?
Resilience At Work
According to Deborah M. Khoshaba, who was already a professional psychologist for fifteen years at the time the book “Resilience at Work” was published, and was also a Director of Program Development and Training at the Hardiness Institute, you can learn to be resilient.
Deborah M. Khoshaba
Deborah M. Khoshaba (Newport Beach, CA) is Director of Program Development and Training at the Hardiness Institute.
When a person is under stress or find themselves in a stressful situation, if they are able to cultivate a group of attitudes and skills that help them to build on their stressful circumstances and not to be undermined by the situation, Deborah called that “hardiness”.
Hardiness emerged as the basis for resilience in their twelve-year, longitudinal study of the employees at Illinois Bell Telephone (IBT), as the company and its parent, AT&T, experienced a catastrophic upheaval when telephone services went from being a federally regulated monopoly to being a competitive industry.
Unfortunately, the massive, disruptive changes that followed greatly affected the performance, conduct and heath of two-thirds of the employees in their research at the time and many people fell apart.
However, in strong contrast, the resilient third not only survived, but also thrived! They rose to the top of the heap, and felt more enthusiastic and capable than before, as they turned the changes into opportunities.
They found that the resilient group had the hardy attitudes of commitment, control and challenge (CCC or Triple C) Lol!
These 3 Cs gave them the courage and drive to face the disruptive changes and because of their courage, bravery and motivation, the resilient group was better able to cope with the various challenges by finding solutions to the problems that arose and interacting supportively with those around them.
In the twenty years since the IBT project, more than four hundred studies around the world have further validated “hardiness” as the key to resilience.
Salvatore R. Maddi
Founder of the Hardiness Institute
Salvatore R. Maddi, who at the time the book “Resilience at Work” was published, had already obtain his doctorate in clinical psychology from Harvard University in 1960 and began developing the resilience and hardiness approach in 1975.
He later founded the Hardiness Institute in 1984.
He has been the author of over 100 papers and is internationally recognized as a leader in psychology, and continues to win prestigious awards for his hardiness-based consulting and research work. An international survey done in 1986 named him among the top 175 psychologists in the world.
Considering that it is now 2019, I am “tickled pink” to be learning from the wealth of knowledge he was kind enough to share with the world.
He clearly has no reason to fear oblivion. I fervently believe his research will stand the test of time.
“All knowledge cannot be expressed in words, yet our education is based almost exclusively on its written or spoken forms…. But the artist, dancer or spiritual person have learned to develop the nonverbal portion of intelligence.”
Speaking of spirituality, do you know who and what else will never have to fear oblivion? The Bible and the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible has always been and I strongly believe, will always be the best-seller year after year until the end of time and is peppered with many prophecies.
Prophecies
In our fallen and double-minded world, we can either be encouraged or terrified by prophecy.
In 2 Peter 1:19 of the New International Version (NIV) it states,
“19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shinning in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts”.
And it continues to solidify verse 19 in verses 20 and 21 by saying the following:
“20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.
21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”.
In the Old Testament there are many stories of the prophets of Israel. One story in particular features the Priest Ezekiel who was among the Judeans that Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon in 597 BC.
Five years into their exile, God called Ezekiel to go to Israel and “speak my words to them” or prophesy.
The Priest Ezekiel often spoke his messages by composing exceptionally polished poetic oracles which he would either speak or perhaps sing to the public.
He was also known to be a very talented and creative individual and told many of his stories with symbolic meanings, symbolic actions and often described and demonstrated his extraordinary visions that he had received to the public using his various abilities.
It’s interesting to note however in Ezekiel Chapter 2 verses 14, that when he was called to be a prophet, he wasn’t exactly jumping with joy. It says he went on his mission in bitterness and anger. Lol!
I believe there are still true prophets among us today, however we need to be cautious of people- even those inside the Church, who astonish us with their exploits.
Astonishment or amazement is not enough. I sincerely believe it wise for us as believers to observe their lives and determine if they have truly been transformed. Many people agree that we should be able to see conviction, repentance, love and unity taken place within their lives.
I strongly believe that people can be very susceptible or naïve when they have never experienced the power of the Lord. When supernatural things take place that they don’t understand or can not explain, they may call it divine or of God. But watch out!
Just because a person believes in Christ does not automatically qualify him or her to receive everything that is divine.
See my previous article which also speaks on prophetic truth:
I believe spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy is very much needed in the church today, but many who are ignorant regarding how God choses to deliver the Spirit, may feel that they can imitate the Spirit. They may even believe it’s a gift that can be purchased!
But the bible said that for every supernatural gift that comes from God, satan has made a substitute. Ancient diviners or psychics have foretold events by countless methods but the Priest Ezekiel has warned us against this in the entire book of Ezekiel Chapter 13. It reads as follows:
Book of Ezekiel Chapter 13
1 The word of the Lord came to me:
2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imaginations: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’
3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins.
5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.
6 Their visions are false and their divination a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.
7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares”, though I have not spoken?
8 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words, and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.
9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
10 “Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with white-wash,
11 Therefore, tell those who cover it with white-wash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth.
12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the white-wash you covered it with?”
13 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury.
14 I will tear down the wall you have covered with white-wash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord.
15 So, I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it,
16 Those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
17 “Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them
18 And say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?
19 You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have sparred those who should not live.
20 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.
21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,
23 Therefore, you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord”.
Wow! That’s some serious revelations right there!
However, as I stated previously, the Apostle Peter calls prophecy a “light that shines in a dark place” (II Peter 1:19).
I also believe that even though their may be different interpretations of prophetic theories, some things are still held in common by all legitimate people involved:
1 Jesus Christ, Son of God, is Savior and Lord 2 The Bible is the Word of God 3 Jesus Christ is coming back again (Titus 2:13, 1 Peter 1:3 and 3:15, John 3:2-3 etc.)
Do you fear oblivion?
So, I ask these simple questions. Do you fear oblivion? Are you living your life with purpose and would you classify yourself as resilient?
Once again, we see in the Bible, around 65 AD, where the Apostle Peter, who was an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus, was imprisoned in Rome by the Emperor Nero.
During that time, he realized that he would soon be executed, but he knew it was of great importance that the ministry of Jesus be confirmed and therefore he once again wrote another letter to the believers, confirming Jesus’ ministry and warning against false teachers.
In powerful imagery Peter describes the false teachers’ destructive effect on the community and the judgement that awaits them.
Peter knew that the Messiah’s return had only been delayed because God wanted everyone to repent and I still believe that to be true today. So in 2 Peter Chapter 3:1-9 it reads,
“1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation”.
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Wow!
Mentorship
61462087 – mentoring. chart with keywords and icons. flat design
As I have become more involved in the mentoring of young Caymanians in the Cayman Islands, I have come to realize that in order to become a more effective teacher and mentor, I will need to get deeper in the word of God.
And guess what else has also become apparent? Mentorship and discipleship go hand in hand.
Discipleship
Discipleship teaches us how to understand God’s word and pray, while mentoring demonstrates how to live life.
The Bible is full of mentoring examples: Elijah mentored Elisha, Moses mentored Joshua, Jesus mentored the disciples and there was even the story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth.
You know what else I found out? The Lord created women to desire to be in relationships. Not only passionate coupled relationships, but sibling relationships as well as close friendships.
I believe He felt it was healthy and beneficial for us to partner with each other and offer support and assistance, when necessary, along life’s journey.
I pray that the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ will continue to see it beneficial to guide and protect me and my family as we blossom in grace and love and grow from strength to strength in faith.
Author Kim Clement stated in his book, “Secrets of the Prophetic” that a promise is not as effective as the product. A promise lingers in our thoughts and minds but the product of that imagination is what will shift our lives and the lives of those around us.
He also states that we are always living in some form of process
and this spiritual process is the space between the promise and the product.
The process of re-evaluating what was once considered “Godly
practice” will result in the rejection of a powerless tradition that has no
application in this present generation.
Tradition is simply continuing the old franchise of the past but
essentially that old franchise becomes irrelevant.
Chained to tradition, the church will never be able to discover
the creative forces they were meant to possess.
Louis Dupre, professor of Philosophy at Yale University wrote that
“Christianity has become a historical factor subservient to a secular culture,
instead of functioning as the creative power it once was”.
It is clear that too much of Christianity has become absorbed by
the culture, rather than functioning as the creative power of the culture.
Let us become the creative power that is affecting the culture,
rather than a mountain of garbage consisting of boring nonsense that has no
relevant word for a dying culture.
There are enough people in the church to infiltrate and shift the
whole course of our present culture.
But first we must be willing to give up all our religious,
traditional nonsense and allow ourselves to become God’s creative word to the
world.
Historic Truth vs. Creative Truth
There is a difference between historic truth and creative truth. Think on this! It was truth at one time (maybe) and it had its effect but now it’s dead; it is not truth that is creative. It has no potential unless it was transferred into this hour by the creative power of birth- which we now call re-birth.
Creative truth is lacking in the church today. We are all
hanging on to what we used to do rather than doing what we should do.
It might be a comfortable place but it is not a spiritual
place.
Historical truth is not as important as creative truth.
Inside of you is a creativity to bring something forth-not to re-invent the
wheel, but to do something that has never been done before.
Its call the power of invention.
Truth resurrected has a whole lot more to say. In the name
of the older and more cherished people, we will do greater things!
Creative truth means we are going to do greater things than
were done yesterday. Authors, Poets, Entertainers, Musicians, Presidents,
Senators, Kings and Queens, they are all going to feel the Kingdom in its
dominion.
We need a bunch of Daniels and Esther’s who will reach up to heaven and bring down God’s creative power in the midst of an alien culture and shift the balance of power towards the righteous.
The Bible calls Divination an
Abomination
In Leviticus 20:6, and I paraphrase, God told the children
of Israel that “the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute
himself/herself with them, I will set my face against that person and cut them
off from his people.”
Also the priest Ezekiel condemned false prophets in the book
of Ezekiel Chapter 13 as follows:
False
Prophets Condemned
13 The word of the Lord came to
me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the
prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out
of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! 3 This
is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who
follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your
prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You
have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people
of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord. 6 Their
visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has
not sent them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to
fulfill their words. 7 Have you not seen false
visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,”
though I have not spoken?
8 ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divination's. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
10 “‘Because they lead my people
astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a
flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, 11 therefore
tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come
in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent
winds will burst forth. 12 When the wall collapses,
will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”
13 “‘Therefore this is what the
Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and
in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with
destructive fury. 14 I will tear down the
wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so
that its foundation will be laid bare. When itfalls, you
will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So
I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with
whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who
whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who
prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no
peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’
17 “Now, son of man, set your
face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their
own imagination. Prophesy against them 18 and say,
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic
charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in
order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve
your own? 19 You have profaned me among my
people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my
people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and
have spared those who should not live.
20 “‘Therefore this is what the
Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare
people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the
people that you ensnare like birds. 21 I will tear
off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall
prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 Because
you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no
grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways
and so save their lives, 23 therefore you will no
longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my
people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
No power on earth is able to overcome the children of the
Lord. When we confront the powers of darkness, the Lord is there to shine His
light and confuse our enemies.
Isaiah 44: 24-25 states:
24 “This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself, 25 who foils the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,
who overthrows the learning of the wise
and turns it into nonsense.
Remember that not only has God given us a creative nature, he has
also given us His divine nature and power.
When we are confronted by the powers of darkness, we must use the
power of his word and be sensitive to the Spirit of a person’s heart.
One of the gifts God has made available to us is the “discerning
of spirits” (1 Corinthians 12:10).
However, sometimes we may use the wrong measuring stick to judge
people. They may have personalities that do not please us. They may have a disposition
that is usually angry or calm. They may have voices that we find to be too loud
or soft or maybe we find them to be too colorful or conservative. Lol!
But that is not what counts. What really counts and the question we should be asking ourselves is, what about their hearts?
Some women feel unseen and invisible. They feel like their taking care of everybody else, but nobody is taking care of them.
Most women can barely get through the day, let alone find time for pleasure or intimacy.
Elizabeth Davis is an author, women’s health care specialist, educator, consultant, and Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). She is a resident of Sebastopol, California and a mother of three children.
Author
Elizabeth Davis states that women of today are beyond busy. They precariously (love
that word!) juggle the demands of work, their primary relationships, their children,
their friendships as well as their personal needs.
In her book
as seen above, she also highlights the additional duties included in a woman’s
household.
Running
errands
Paying
bills
Purchasing
groceries
Shopping
for clothing for the family
Supervising
household repairs
Cooking
Doing
the Laundry
Helping
with children’s home work
These are
just a few of the many responsibilities in a home for a woman.
However,
imagine also adding a full-time job to that ever-expanding list of
responsibilities. I’m flustered just thinking about it. Lol!
Even if a
woman is blessed to have a loving and supportive partner, it usually takes two
wage earners to make it in today’s economy.
Equality, this is even more difficult in a society that may refuse to grant women equal rights and privileges to those of men.
It is
therefore now extremely stressful and frustrating for women as the society has
already precast their gender roles.
Men as a
group have a higher pay scale, greater benefits, more travel and free-time and more opportunities to play than women.
On the flip
side, women’s role as “Servant to all” in our social structure is greatly
evident in the institutions of marriage, education, health care, business and
even religion.
For years we women have been taught to be the peacemakers, to soothe and heal the emotional problems of others to the exclusion of our own.
We are
constantly being accused of being angry and reactive and let’s not forget “thin
skinned”.
However, how
many of you realize that our angry really stems from inequality, injustice,
being overwork and maybe an unsupportive social structure?
For men,
society is basically supportive and therefore they are not the target, but we
women frequently are.
Rape is a prime example of this as well as the promotion of violent pornography.
The stress of competing in a man’s world has led some women to adopt male characteristics almost to the exclusion of their own. Women no longer want to be stereotyped as weak, indecisive and irrational.
The Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation was set up on 31 October 2008 by the husband (Rayle Roberts) of the late Estella Scott-Roberts.
He created the foundation with the intention that it will carry on her work of creating a country free from violence and the advancement and empowerment of women.
Mr. Roberts has requested that any initiatives being formulated by individuals or groups that are considering using Mrs. Scott-Roberts name or image in relation to their project to contact the foundation prior to finalizing any plans.
For more information on the foundation, call 938-6300, email: esrfoundation@gmail.com or mail correspondence to P.O. Box 84 Grand Cayman KY1-1501, Cayman Islands.
Becoming
Lover’s not Fighters
I take great
pride in being a lover and not a fighter. I also have great respect for the
many roles that men play in our society today.
It is my
intention to remind my readers about the positive features of a woman and why
God made us the way he did.
Let’s
remember our sensitivity (which is so needed in our society today), our
flexibility and our creativity to discern and chart our own course.
I strongly
believe as a mature woman that it is time to reincorporate those feminine aspects
back into our way of life, our approach to problem solving and our intimate
relationships.
The Art
of Loving Another
People are
different. In practice however, we do not fully acknowledge that people are
different from us. Instead we are bent upon changing one another. We resent, resist, and reject each other’s
differences.
We tend to demand that the people in our lives feel, think and behave as we do. When they react differently, we make them seem wrong or invalidate them. Many times we try to fix them when all they really need is understanding and nurturing.
What is
Love?
Some people
believe that love is only the acceptance and appreciation of a person only when
they have fulfilled our expectations.
Some people also believe that love is the act of changing a person into
what we want them to be rather than what they choose to become.
Is love
caring for or trusting a person because they think and feel the way we do?
It may feel like love to the giver but not to the receiver. Real love is unconditional. It does not demand but affirms and values.
Unconditional
love is not possible without the recognition and acceptance of our
differences. As long as we mistakenly
believe that our loved ones are better off thinking, feeling and behaving the
way we do, true love will always be obstructed.
Once we
realize that not only are people different, but they are supposed to be that
way, the obstacles to real love begins to fall away.
To love
someone is to acknowledge the goodness
of who they are. Love is also a connecting feeling. Love relates you to another. It says you are
like a part of me. Love is an attitude that embraces another as one would
embrace oneself. It upholds, nurtures, and
supports.
I strongly
believe that whenever we are truly feeling loved, there will also emerge a
selfless desire to serve the well-being of the loved one.
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Unity in Diversity
According to author John Gray Ph.D., accepting our psychological differences frees us to experience an underlying oneness that permeates our relationships.
He believes in
an abstract way, we are all the same. He also believes that in every spiritual
teaching is an acknowledgement of that oneness.
Deep within we feel a spiritual oneness with our fellow humans. When we read of children suffering from hunger, we feel in our hearts the pain we would feel if they were our own children.
Dr. John
Gray also believes that the quest to open the heart takes a variety of forms:
The
path to enlightenment
The
quest for God
The
dream of a happy marriage
Finding
one’s soulmate or
Creating
a loving family
The
Seeker of Enlightenment
The Seeker
of Enlightenment is drawn to a teacher because the teacher embodies something
within the student that the seeker is to realize. Through loving and
understanding the teacher or the teaching can indirectly assist the seeker in
loving and accepting those very qualities within themselves.
Gradually
the seeker finds what they seek within their own being. In this way, they are
inevitably drawn to that which they need to awaken within themselves.
Union
with our Soulmates
Dr. John
Gray also believes we may seek to find yet a deeper union with our soulmate, a
special person with whom to share our lives, as if ordained by the heavens.
We are drawn
to this person not because they are similar to us but because they are
different.
He believes our soulmate embodies qualities and attributes that we unconsciously seek to find within ourselves.
Through
loving this person, we begin to accept and awaken those same qualities hidden within
our own beings.
This
discovery of self brings us greater fulfillment.
Attraction:
White and Sizzling Hot!
Intense
attraction to someone is a sign that there are many differences to harmonize and
many conflicts to resolve.
We are drawn
to that which is different. Therefore
our challenge is to understand, accept and appreciate those differences.
Who we find
ourselves attracted to is beyond our control. We can be sure we like a person,
but when there is attraction; rest assure that there are lessons to learn and discoveries
to be made!
Let’s
talk about Men
His complexion
Fair, dark,
ruddy, pale as the moon, dark as the night or caramel, men come in many shades
and flavors that are appealing to various women.
Do not
despise what someone else may celebrate!
His Hair
Now they all
have different textures, lengths and colors of hair.
I find it fascinating sometimes to watch a
beautiful head of hair being set a fire by the sun’s morning light.
Sometimes their course textures are artfully designed and inspiring.
Or we may
prefer the rich, silky waves that are tenderly groomed.
His Body
Let’s be real,
we all have different parts of the body that we like. Me especially! My thing
is to accentuate the positives and downplay the negatives.
He may be
tall, short, pleasantly plump or athletically slender. A man who is confident in himself knows how to
work with his God-given package.
I find a
confident man to be very attractive.
Almost irresistible.
He’s
Enjoying Life
Everyone
loves to see a parade. To go to a party. To share a joke or to just enjoy
life. Everyone wants to be a part of a
celebration.
When a man
enjoys life, it is the greatest way to attract interest. From the simple pleasures to more complicated
delights, a man who embraces opportunities and experiences that put a spark in his
eye and a bounce in his step is intensely appealing.
Joy is irresistible!
Everyone is always seeking more, and if you have a surplus to pour out, believe
me, someone will come for a drink!
Joy speaks of more than the ability to amuse yourself. It speaks of wholeness, confidence, a settled heart that is comfortable.
Sean John Combs (P. Diddy)
Puff Daddy, also known as ‘Diddy’ or ‘P. Diddy’ is a three time Grammy Award winning American rapper, record producer and entrepreneur. He is one of the biggest names in the American music industry, who has successfully carved out a niche for himself. Born in Harlem, New York, tragedy struck his family when he was still a child. He lost his father who was shot dead and was later raised by his single mother. After dropping out from Howard University, where he was studying business, he later established the Bad Boy Records, a record label, which launched the careers of many successful artists in the music industry. After a series of successful productions, he came out with his debut album titled, ‘No Way Out’, which became a massive hit. With the success of his debut album, he reached the pinnacle of his music career and went on to produce more hit albums and also launch his own albums. Some of his albums include, ‘Forever’, ‘The Saga Continues.’, ‘Press Play’ and ‘Last Train to Paris’. He also owns a clothing line.
F.Y.I.(411)
P.Diddy’s birthday is on the 4th November
Joy acts
like a magnet, drawing others to itself.
When a woman sees joy in a man’s eye’s, this is translated as promises
or pleasures that have yet to be revealed.
Promises she
will be determined to discover.
His
Originality
Even though
there are many men out there, they are all different. The question is how do they stand out?
Everyone
should embrace their originality, especially men.
There are
unexplained things that every woman
likes in a man, from the way he unconsciously
rakes his fingers through his hair, to
the colorful and fun-loving socks he wears.
Why? Because
his quirks make him unique. There is no one else like him, and every other man now
seems boring in comparison.
His
Willingness to Grow
Don’t expect
perfection from him, we are all unfinished products. It is the experiences in life and our
interactions with others that cause us to grow and become better people.
Accepting a
man for who he is, seeing his vast potential, and allowing him to grow into it
is a rare gift that delights a man when he finds it.
Why? Most
men are not really expecting this. They
have grown used to women and even the society judging them. Their judged by what
they do and what they have acquired.
If he is
already wealthy, they society might not be as supportive of his dreams of
acquiring more wealth. Many may even be deceitfully envious.
If he is
highly intelligent, they may not understand his continuous need to acquire more
knowledge.
If he is a
philanthropist, they may scrutinize and critize his motives for all his
charitable deeds.
The bottom line is most men want to build a future filled with all the people and things they desire and a life they can share.
Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.
Anton Ego, in Pixar’s Ratatouille
It is becoming more and more evident that group creativity is becoming more and more necessary.
We now live in a world of very complex and global challenges. Many of the most important and pressing issues exceed the capacity and capability of one individual.
As a result, it is clear that in order to find solutions, collaboration with other people has become increasingly necessary.
Concepts of Intelligence
Most of us grew up with a concept of intelligence based on the traditional IQ test. The IQ test was originated by Alfred Binet (1857-1911) to measure, objectively, comprehension, reasoning and judgement.
Alfred Binet was motivated by a powerful enthusiasm for the emerging discipline of psychology and a desire to overcome the cultural and class prejudices of the late nineteenth-century France in the assessment of children’s academic potential.
The Past vs. The Present
The Past
Research indicates that many studies in different fields were done by single individuals who made significant strides and produced inventions, works of art, formulas, and other various pursuits.
A great example of a man that history has crowned as one of the “Great Renaissance Men” was Leonardo Da Vinci.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, military engineer and draftsman — the epitome of a true Renaissance man. He is famously known for paintings like “The Last Supper” and “Mona Lisa,” and for inventions like a flying machine.
Gifted with a curious mind and a brilliant intellect, Leonardo da Vinci studied the laws of science and nature, which greatly informed his work. His drawings, paintings and other works have influenced countless artists and engineers over the centuries.
Mona Lisa
In 1503, da Vinci started working on what would become his most well-known painting — and arguably the most famous painting in the world —the “Mona Lisa.” The privately commissioned work is characterized by the enigmatic smile of the woman in the half-portrait.
The Present
The best research now emerges from groups and many science papers are co-authored, many works of art-creatively collaborated among individuals, even recent inventions and great ideas bear testament to the “great minds” behind them all.
Why is this you may ask? The reason is simple: many of the biggest problems that we need to solve now require the expertise of many people from different backgrounds who can bridge the gap between each discipline.
Creative Thinking and Accelerated Learning
Michael J. Gelb is a world-renowned innovator in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning and leadership development. He is also the author of How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci- Seven steps to Genius Every Day.
In his book, he states that at the time of the IQ test conception, the concept was considered a breakthrough, however, contemporary research now shows two significant flaws.
Flaw 1
The idea that intelligence is fixed at birth and immutable (unchanging overtime or unable to be changed).
He believes that although individuals are endowed genetically with more or less talent in a given area, researchers such as Buzan, Machado, Wenger and many others have shown that IQ scores can be raised significantly through appropriate training. Yeah!!
Flaw 2
The second weakness is the idea that the verbal and mathematical reasoning skills measured by IQ test (and SATs) are the sine qua nons ( an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary) of intelligence.
Managing and Growing your Creative Dreams
How Management relates to growth
One of the most powerful things about growing your creative dreams is that growth requires management. This especially applies to you if you plan on making your creative dreams public or bringing it to the marketplace.
The manager part of you is different from the creative worker part of you. The creative worker only knows how to physically work directly on the creative dream. It’s the part that sews, paints, sings, dance, write or physically does something.
The manager part of you is the one who looks ahead, designs a system, or hires assistant for the creative worker.
Growth involves change, focus and strategy. Growth isn’t necessarily good if the system that supports that growth is faulty or becomes strained.
Also remember that growth in business doesn’t always match human growth.
Camana Bay
Farmers & Artisans Market
As a vibrant town center constantly growing, Camana Bay is a must-visit for international visitors and locals alike. This event, taking place on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., will allow for 40 local vendors to showcase and sell a mix of their produce, local specialty food items and artisanal and craft products.
CAMANA BAY
A destination within a destination, Camana Bay is a vibrant town located in the heart of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory.
Situated on 685 acres between Seven Mile Beach and the North Sound, this mixed-use master-planned community is one of the first examples of New Urbanism in the Caribbean.
Developed by Dart Real Estate, Camana Bay offers more than 650,000 square feet of commercial office and retail space as well as 63 luxury apartments available for long-term lease, public spaces for all to enjoy, world-class shopping and dining, as well as family-friendly entertainment, events and attractions.
Another part of managing and growing your creative dreams is assembling a team to help you. We form teams all the time without calling it that. The dictionary states that a team is: “A group of people working or playing together as a unit”.
Did you also know that families are a kind of team? Growing creative dreams calls for us to form teams because we can create more in a community than we can by ourselves.
When you make a creative dream real, it is then separate from you and needs support in order to grow.
A team is an excellent kind of support, and the right kind of team is the best type of support.
Marketing
Growing your creative dreams may involve marketing. If you are at a public stage with your creative dreams and wish to share it with more people, you will need to know something about marketing.
If you choose to involve your creative dreams in the world of trade and commerce, use some of your energy to become informed about what that means.
Marketing Essentials by Michael Ferrier
It can be extremely exciting and rewarding to share your creative dreams with the world and receive compensation in the form of money.
You can then use that money to fund more creative dreams.
Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney World
Types of Success
Success can: • Isolate or remove you from friends or familiar things • Distort your values • Overwhelm you • Cause you to quit your creative dream
The dictionary defines success as: “The gaining of position, fame, wealth, achievement or satisfaction.
Tyler Perry
Success however is not the answer or the solution, but part of a greater system. Your response to and management of your success is pivotal in nourishing yourself and your creative dreams.
Success can also: • Expand and accelerate your creative dream • Cause you to choose to be apart of a team • Bring you in contact with wonderful people and things • Assist you in making your other creative dreams real • Support other people’s creative dreams • Activate brand-new creative dreams
Success can also activate arrogance, egotism and entitlement.
Teachers and Mentors
We can be self-taught and taught by others. Teachers can appear in books, videos, films or by our experiences.
Micheal Jackson
Michael Jackson ruled the 80’s so dominantly, it’s easy to forget that the adorable pre-teen Jackson was a Motown sensation in the 70’s.
A child prodigy with cheerful charisma and natural dance talent, he led his band of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon.
With four singles hitting the top of the Billboard charts, the Jackson 5 were among the first black groups to appeal to a racially diverse audience. With hits like “ABC” and “I Want You Back,” Jackson established his path to global stardom.
So remember, being teachable is important. We can need or want to learn, yet be essentially unteachable. If we are stubborn, or unwilling to listen or change, we can be unteachable.
However we receive teachings, our creative dreams will benefit from learning.
A Mentor
A Mentor is already doing/living something you want to do or live. I’ve learnt that the mentoring process is both a practical and alchemical process.
Practical, because you can imitate or practice what he or she has done and apply it to your own life.
Alchemical, because his or her energy and your energy merge and change both of you.
Mentors can mentor very briefly or over a lifetime. It is a gift that continues to give throughout generations.
Pyramids at Giza
Multiple Intelligences
In his modern classic, Frames of Mind (1983), psychologist Howard Gardner introduced the theory of multiple intelligences, which concluded that each of us contain at least seven measurable intelligences.
And guess what else I learnt? In Gardner’s later work with his colleagues (another prime example of group effort), they catalogued twenty-five different sub-intelligences. Wow!
Let me add my own intelligence to the following prime examples (7 being a prime number after all. Get it? Lol!).
Seven Types of Intelligences and Genius Exemplars other than Leonardo da Vinci
Meaning of Genius Exemplar: 1 : extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity. 2 : a person endowed with transcendent mental superiority specifically : a person with a very high IQ.
7 Types of Intelligences
• Interpersonal/Social- Queen Elizabeth I, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi • Musical- Mozart, George Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald • Verbal/Linguistic- William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Jorge Luis Borges • Logical/Mathematical- Stephen Hawkins, Isaac Newton, Marie Cutie • Spatial/Mechanical- Michelangelo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Buckminster Fuller • Interpersonal (self-knowledge)- Viktor Frankl, Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Teresa • Bodily/Kinesthetic- Morihei Ueshiba, Muhammad Ali, F.M. Alexander
The theory of multiple intelligences are now accepted widely and when combined with the realization that intelligence can be developed throughout life, offers a powerful inspiration for aspiring Renaissance men and women.
The patent system is the oldest form of intellectual property right. Since its development, the concept has been featured in many of the world’s major political upheavals.
Testimony of this fact can be traced back as far as the late Middle ages where the element of monopoly conferred upon the holder of a patent has at least the potential to provide very significant economic benefits.
Brunelleschi’s Dome: The story of the Great Cathedral of Florence
Brunelleschi’s Dome
The first recorded patent was issued in Florence in the fifteenth century. According to the 5th Edition of Information Technology Law by Ian J. Lloyd, Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect of Florence’s remarkable cathedral won the world’s first patent for a technical invention in 1421.
Filippo Brunelleschi was a classic man of the Renaissance: tough-minded, multi-talented and thoroughly self-confident. He claimed he had a new means of conveying goods up the Arno River (he was intentionally vague on the details), which he refused to develop unless the state kept others from copying his design.
Florence complied and Brunelleschi walked away with the right to exclude all new means of transport on the Arno River for three years.
When adopted in England, the purpose of the patent system was somewhat different. Unlike Brunelleschi’s patent, the technology covered by the patent was new to the country rather than new in itself.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the system fell increasingly into disrepute because unfortunately the system was frequently being used to boost the Royal revenues by conferring a monopoly in respect to basic commodities for a fee.
It was another hundred years however, before it was settled that in return for the award of a patent, the inventor was required to specify details of the manner in which the invention functioned and not until the enactment of the Patent Act 1902 that even a rudimentary form of examination of the patent applications was made with a view to establishing novelty.
In recent United kingdom statutes, it has been made absolutely clear that the element of invention is critical for any award and that a balance is to be struck whereby in return for putting details of the manner in which the invention functioned into the public arena, the inventor is to receive a temporary monopoly in respect of its exploration.
Description of the Modern System
The basic theory of the patent system is simple and reasonable. It is desirable in the public interest that industrial techniques should be improved. In order to encourage improvement, and to encourage the disclosure of improvements in preference to their use in secret, any person devising an improvement in a manufactured article, or in machinery or methods for making it, may upon disclosure of the improvement at the Patent Office demand to be given a monopoly in the use for a period of years.
After that period it passes into the public domain, and the temporary monopoly is not objectable, for if it had not been for the inventor who devised and disclosed the improvement nobody would have been able to use it at that or any other time, since nobody would have known about it.
Furthermore, the giving of the monopoly encourages the putting into practice of the invention, for the only way the inventor can make a profit from it (or even recover the fees for his/her patent) is by putting it into practice, either by using it themselves, and deriving an advantage over their competitors from its use, or by allowing others to use it in return for royalties.
United Kingdom’s Patent System- Patent Act 1977
Today the United Kingdom patent system is based primarily on the Patent Act 1977. This statute was enacted in part to reform and update the United Kingdom law relating to patents but also in order to bring domestic law into conformity with the provisions of the European Patent Convention, opened for signature in 1973, which provides for a measure of harmonization in matters of substance and procedure amongst signatory statutes.
There is no doubt that inventiveness is a key requirement of the patent system, what has been more debatable has been the application of the system to soft-ware related inventions. these are innovations where novelty resides primarily or exclusively in software components.
Concerns:
1 Does the software developments fit conceptually into the industrial nature of the system?
2 Does the library and related resources exist to allow claim to novelty to be adequately assessed?
Patents in the International Arena
According to the 5th Edition of thew Information Technology Law by Ian J. Lloyd, the patent systems tended to be found only in the developed world. However, since the introduction of the World Trade Organization (WTO), it has resulted in many more countries introducing systems of patent protection.
The oldest international instrument is the Paris Convention, an instrument signed by ninety-six states, including all of the major industrial states. This provides that the submission of an application in one signatory state will serve to establish priority for the applicant in the event that equivalent applications are submitted in other signatory states within twelve months.
Although such a facility is of considerable value for inventors, the practical problems involved in obtaining patent protection on anything like a worldwide basis are immense, and a number of subsequent agreements have sought to ease the task facing applicants.
For a good description of the history of the United Kingdom Patent System, see the Patent Office Website at:
The Convention was first opened for signatory on the 20th March 1883, with the most recent revision occurring in Stockholm in 1968.
Intellectual Property in GATTS and WTO
Shortly after the end of the Second World War, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade has provided a legal mechanism for international trade. Reform to the system in the 1990’s brought service into the international agreement for the first time and also introduced provisions relating to the intellectual property rights.
The Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Protocol, which was adopted in 1994, entered into force on the 1st January 1995. For more information on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) requirements and signatures to make patents, visit:
A patent may be awarded in respect of an invention. The invention may relate either to a new product or to a novel process (perhaps Blockchain Technology?).
The Patents Act 1977 does not define the word ‘invention’, but it does specify attributes that any invention must possess. These require that:
Software-related inventions can be patented. In the United Kingdom, approximately 100 patent applications in their name are published each year. In proceedings before the European Patent Office, this figure rises to 100 per month.
The report of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology on Patents, research and Technology indicates that in the last 10 years the (EPO) European Patent Office has granted around 10,000 patents for software-related inventions, and has refused only 100 applications.
In 2003, it was estimated that up to 30,000 software patents had been issued by the European Patent Office, although, in part because the existence of the statutory prohibitions requires that software-related inventions be cataloged by reference to their field of application rather than the software component.
Matters excluded from patent protection
In addition to defining the elements that most be found in an invention, the Patents Act 1977 lists a number of features which will not qualify for the grant of a patent.
Section 1(2) which mirrors Article 52 of the European Patent Convention, provides that patent are not to be awarded for:
A discovery, scientific theory or mathematical method (I wonder if STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math is included?)
A literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or any other aesthetic creation whatsoever;
A scheme, rule or method for performing a mental act, playing a game or doing business, or a program for a computer; or
Over the past few centuries, a certain ideal has become very popular: that of the intelligent person.
In traditional schools, the intelligent person would master classical languages and mathematics.
Gifted Children
In a business setting, the intelligent person would anticipate commercial opportunities, take measured risks, build up an organization, and keep the books balanced and the stockholders satisfied all at the same time.
Kind of like a Renaissance Person. (Lol!) or maybe a Supercomputer!!!
Supercomputers
I was highly stimulated by my most recent research on Supercomputers. Guess what I found out? Supercomputers and mainframes are not competing solutions as you might think!
Quantum Computers vs. Supercomputers vs. Mainframes
Supercomputers vs. Mainframes
Both Supercomputers and mainframes address a particular type of need. The difference between supercomputers and mainframes is best described as follows:
Mainframes – Computing power used to perform billions of small transactions. Wow!
Supercomputers – Used for focusing on solving a single big problem. Hhmm..very interesting.
When it comes to measuring how powerful supercomputers are, a unit of measurement referred to as “floating-point operations per second” or “flops” is used.
Apparently, the authority when it comes to keeping track of who has the fastest computer is the TOP500 project.
Ever since 1993, TOP 500 has been using the Linpack benchmark to measure relative performance among supercomputers to determine who has the fastest computer. The list they produce every six months contains the top-500 computers in the world, along with some really interesting metrics. See the diagram below:
We can see that the fastest computer in the world is the Sunway TaihuLight, one of the greatest sources of Chinese national pride after the giant panda. With a ridiculous price tag of $273 million. Lol!
The TaihuLight is built entirely on Chinese engineered semiconductors as part of a program to decrease China’s reliance on foreign technology.
Countries with the most Supercomputers
When it comes to the country with the most supercomputers, the USA and China are now in a dead heat when measured by total GFlops (251 million vs. 235 million) and by number of machines (168 vs. 160).
Please also note that 88% of the computing power in the TOP 500 list is owned by just 10 companies:
Supercomputers vs Quantum Computers
When quantum computers are complete, they will be expected to work on the same sort of problems that supercomputers work on today – everything from designing better airplanes to discovering new drug molecules, to assisting people with their love life! Lol!
Let’s talk about Money
The Bible gives a prime example of the stewardship of money in the book of Luke,
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Wow!
The Ideal Human Being (Renaissance Man/Woman)
Every society features its ideal human being. The ancient Greeks valued the person who displayed physical or athletic agility, rational judgment, and virtuous behavior (good luck with the last point!) Lol!
The Romans highlighted manly courage, and the followers of Islam prized the holy soldier.
Under the influence of Confucius, Chinese populations traditionally valued the person who was skilled in poetry, music, calligraphy, archery, and drawing.
I was even fascinated to discover that even among the Keres tribe of the Pueblo Indians today, the person who cares for others is held in high regard. That’s my favorite and most encouraging! Maybe I’ll try for that one!
The Symbol Analyst and the Master of Change
Fast forward to the 21st Century where a premium has now been placed on two new intellectual virtuoso’s or types of prodigies: the “symbol analyst” and the “master of change”.
Symbol Analyst
According to my studies, a symbol analyst can sit for hours in front of a string of numbers and words, usually displayed on a computer screen, and readily discern meaning in that maze of symbols.
This person can then make reliable, useful projections.
Cool!
Master of Change
On the other hand, a master of change readily acquires new information, solves problems, forms “ties or partnerships” with mobile and highly dispersed people, and adjusts easily to changing circumstances.
Even cooler!
It should also be noted that those charged with guiding a society or community have always been on the look out for intelligent young people.
Intelligence and Family
In the late nineteenth century, Frances Galton, who was one of the founders of modern psychological measurements, thought that intelligence ran in the family.
Based on that assumption, he looked for intelligence in the offspring of those who occupied leading positions in the British society.
However around 1870, he began to devise and create more formal tests for intelligence, ones consistent with the emerging view of the human mind as a subject for measurement and experimentation.
Now in today’s modern world we have countless people avidly pursuing the best ways of defining, measuring, and nurturing intelligence.
Alfred Binet was a psychologist who was commissioned by the French Government to devise an objective method for identifying children who were not doing well in school.
He designed the first comprehensive intelligence test in the early 20th century.
Then later on in 1916, Lewis Terman and his colleagues at Stanford University revised Binet’s test for use in the United States, resulting in the administered test gaining wide acceptance during the 1940s and 1950s.
From there, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale was introduced and is still widely used. (Fourth Edition SB-IV).
IQ = MA/CA X 100
I was also intrigued to find out that as time progressed test researchers developed a formula for expressing a child’s intellectual level that made it possible to compare children of different chronological ages (CA), which apparently are expressed in how old in years and months the children are.
This measurement was called the intelligence quotient (IQ) and is defined as follows: IQ = MA/CA X 100
The computation of IQ made it possible to understand how a child’s intellectual ability compared to that of peers of the same chronological age. However, there were problems with this ratio approach to IQ and now IQ is assessed using the deviation IQ approach.
This approach assigns an IQ score by comparing an individual’s test score with the scores of other people of the same age range.
David Wechsler is primarily known for developing this technique and was applied to IQ tests that both he and his colleagues developed.
The test for early childhood is the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, or WPPSI.
The test for childhood and adolescence is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or WISC and the test for adulthood is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale or WAIS (“wace”).
An individual who takes any of these tests obtains a score that is compared statically to the scores of other people of the same age.
The Wechsler IQ test is widely used although there are many other intelligence tests being used.
IQ is assumed to be normally distributed around an average score of 100, with about 2/3 of the general population scoring between 85 and 115 and almost 96% of the population scoring between 70 and 130.
That leaves roughly 2% of the population scoring below 70 and another 2% scoring above 130, which is a popular cutoff point for defining giftedness.
Liberal Education, the University and the Truly Educated Person
The Board of Governors of the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) made history in June 2018 when it announced the appointment of the institution’s first Vice President and Provost, Dr. Livingston Smith.
It is quite fashionable for the new student, just entering university, to have the view that making lots of money is the imperative of education and so begins to focus on what he or she is to do, rather than who he or she is to become. A fixation on specialization as the key to this end may cause that student to miss out on an education. It may turn out that study gets in the way of education.
For the typical college student, a specialty such as accounting, computing, economics or marketing is pretty straightforward, but why, in addition, courses in literature, history, philosophy, psychology, etc.
Getting to see beyond mere specialization is the challenge of liberal education. The view that the education process should develop the person not just as a businessman, farmer or physician – but as a human being – is easily sidelined, especially in the context of globalization and the urgent need for ‘belt-tightening measures’ even in education
In lean times, the humanities come into question and so areas like languages, the arts history, cultural studies, philosophy and religion are usually hardest hit. The ‘idealistic’ notion that critical thinking, civic and historical knowledge and ethical reasoning, areas the humanities especially develop, are necessary for effective participation in a free democracy regardless of career choice, becomes sidelined for the ‘urgent’ and the ‘now’.
And, yet, the purpose of education must be to prepare the student to think, to adapt, to be creative, especially knowing that job skills learnt today soon become irrelevant. A liberal education is vital.
A liberal education is one that ensures that a person becomes more than a specialist or technician. It is education that takes the long-range view and so concentrates on what shapes a person’s understanding and values, rather than on what he can use in one or two of the changing roles he might later play. As Marshall Gregory says in his article ‘A liberal Education Is Not A luxury’ published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Sept.12, 2008, students overriding concern should be how to develop as fully as possible their basic human birthright: their powers of imagination, aesthetic responsiveness, introspection, language, rationality, moral and ethical reasoning, physical capacities and so on.
Liberal education focuses on developing the students as fully as possible as human beings, as human persons, reflective, thinking beings and as responsible agents thus ensuring that a person becomes more than a specialist or technician. It trains but it also educates.
In explaining its devotion to a liberal education, Yale University says ‘At Yale you are required to learn broadly and deeply. Depth is covered in your major. Breadth is covered in three study areas: the Humanities and the Arts; the Sciences, and the Social Sciences and three skill areas: writing, quantitative reasoning, and a foreign language.”
Yale University Website – Fareed Zakaria in his excellent book on the subject – In Defence of a Liberal Education, says that “A Liberal Arts education teaches you how to write, how to speak your mind, and how to learn, immensely valuable tools no matter your profession.
Technology and education are actually making these skills even more valuable as routine mechanical and even computational tasks can be done by machines or workers in low wage countries.”
‘Students are clamouring for degrees that will help them secure jobs in a shifting economy, but to succeed in the long term, they’ll require an education that allows them to grow, adapt and contribute as citizens. And this is why many schools are shaking up their curricula to ensure that undergraduate business majors receive something they may not even know they need – a rigorous liberal arts education.” The Atlantic, June 28, 2016.
“Business majors seem to be graduating with some of the technical skills they’ll need to secure their jobs, but without having made the gains in writing or critical skills they’ll require to succeed over the course of their careers, or to adapt as their technical skills become outdated and the nature of the opportunities they have shifts over time.” Yoni Applebaum – Business Majors and the Liberal Arts, June, 2016.
Because by our very nature, human beings desire to know, the first task of liberal education is to fan the spark and ignite the natural inquisitiveness. Arthur Holmes, in one of my favorite books on education, The Idea of a Christian College, explains that if the mind is to be formed, the imagination stretched, the vision enlarged, the intellectual powers sharpened, then courses in reading and writing are mandatory.
With reading, he explains, comes the gaining of input, the fertilization of imagination, conceptualization, and evaluation. To write trains one to become articulate, to express, to expound, to argue, to explore relationships, to have a sense of the whole.
Friendships, marriage, family, work, recreation, political involvement, social action, technology, etc, requires understanding and right values. These all need reflection informed not only by the natural and social sciences, but also by the insight and sensitivity about human affairs which the humanities afford.
So values and facts must be taught together. The student must be exposed to ethics, to social problems, to aesthetics and to the logical structure of value judgments.
In modern societies, career mobility, rather than a job held for a long time, is critical. Career preparation, therefore, requires large understandings, rich personal qualities and lasting values. A liberal education contributes greatly to this. It does this by attention to thinking and values and by its emphasis on breadth of education
These underlie the understanding of management processes; historical perspectives on sociopolitical institutions and values as a precondition to understanding labour unions, free enterprise and alternative economic structures; cross cultural awareness and foreign area studies are essential in firms that have international relationships; the humanities , especially literature and philosophy, demand clear thinking, precise writing, and scrutiny of one’s own values that prepare one for any career involving careful communication and continued self examination.
The broadly integrative character of liberal learning moves the student beyond narrowly focused analytic techniques to see the overall picture.
In the end, it is liberal education, steeped in the thinking that education should develop the human being as an entire person that is best able to produce an educated person. The truly educated person possesses moral virtues – the qualities of character such as love and fairness, integrity and the courage of one’s conviction.
It includes intellectual virtues – what Holmes calls qualities of mind, such as breadth of understanding, openness to new ideas, intellectual honesty about other views, analytic and critical skills, and a sense of history, freshness of imagination, independence and creativity of mind.
An educated person is characterized by his or her responsible action in all areas of life. This person is conscientious, helpful, decisive, self-disciplined and has the ability to correct his or her course and start afresh.
The educated person also possesses qualities of self-knowledge. He or she is capable of an honest appraisal of his or her strengths and weaknesses and harbours no false modesty or overconfidence. Instead, he or she is willing to address weaknesses, to invest in his own strengths and, importantly, to learn from others.
The educated person is widely read and alert to the issues of the day. He or she continues to read and to grow, aware that however large the circumference of his or her knowledge, just as large are the borders of his or her ignorance.
Arthur Holmes is dead right. At the end of the experience, the university education should sharpen the mind, heighten the imagination, deepen the understanding, broaden the sympathies and kindle new interests. It should produce in the student the anxiety to shoulder his load of responsibility for himself and society.
Individuals with Disabilities
Many children with disabilities around the world have either been hidden out of shame, misunderstood or mistreated.
Nevertheless, in the United States of America, the passing of the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-97), the re-authorization of this act in 2004 (IDEA-04), and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in 2002, we can safely say that they are making considerable steps to the needs of their most vulnerable citizens.
Within the Cayman Islands, the Government and the general population has also been working diligently to make improvements were necessary in this regard and I strongly believe this will only facilitate more unity, hope and ambition for the people of the Cayman Islands.
His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper toured the Sunrise Adult Training Centre (SRC) in West Bay on Thursday (12 September) and gave a “surprise performance”.
The Pursuit of Intelligence
It is obvious that efforts to measure intelligence will continue and become more widespread in the future.
Gifted Children Continued….
Across cultures we see young children excelling in various pursuits, some mastering certain capabilities a lot faster than their peers.
When such children stand out, we call them talented or gifted and when they are performing at an adult level, we call them prodigies.
There are literally hundreds of books, dissertations or theses, and thousands of popular scholarly articles on the theory of intelligence, and other human cognitive capacities, such as creativity, expertise and genius.
Nobody really wakes up and say, “Today I am going to save the world!”
Many of us are just too tired, stressed-out and ridiculously annoyed with various affairs in our life to add additional duties to our ever-expanding list of community goodwill. Lol!
Don’t get me wrong, I like to acknowledge people in our community who clearly are deserving of recognition, but I know many of them were not doing it for recognition in the first place, they were really just being who they inherently were created to be.
Many times, in life we might have committed to do something in our community and our commitment started with a “bang” but along the way we encountered obstacles like discouragement, rejection, suffered poor self-esteem, sickness, financial struggles or even spiritual warfare.
But how many of you know that with the Holy Spirit you can make it?
I have learnt that unclean spirits, without exception and regardless of their names or where they act, are all agents of death.
But how can you distinguish between the Spirit of God and the spirits of the devil if many of them talk about love, light and good works?
Here is one clue:
• Demonic spirits always cause problems that deprive people of any joy, especially on special occasions. In fact, they never allow their followers to have peace. The Holy Spirit, however, is peace. He rejoices when we are happy. It is written,
“For the joy of the Lord is my strength” Nehemiah 8:10
We must learn how to bind the strong man in our lives.
Jesus gave us his authority over the devil and his evil cohorts, yet I have learnt that we must be motivated to use it if we want to see results.
Let us consider what Jesus taught his followers:
In the book of Matthew Chapter 16:19, it says,
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
To bind evil spirits means to restrain them by addressing them directly and forbidding them to continue their destructive activity.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our words will weaken or remove the person from the enemy’s bondage and in prayer we then ask the Holy Spirit to minister to his or her needs.
Our prayers should then be directed to God, and our warfare at the enemy.
According to the authors, Quin Sherrer & Ruthanne Garlock of A Woman’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare, this tactic of binding evil spirits is especially effective when praying in agreement with a prayer partner.
The following is a hypothetical story to illustrate how we can become more effective in our everyday life:
Cadia is a spiritual warrior who’s learned to use this important tactic. One day she went to visit her twenty-year-old daughter Lisa, who had gone away to college. Not finding her at her designated residence, she went on in.
Appalled at the mess she found, she began to clean the apartment-straightening, dusting, sweeping, and scrubbing. She even cooked a meal, then washed all the dirty clothes lying around.
She knew her daughter was still adjusting to college life, but she was shock that her normally tidy and preppy daughter would have allowed her apartment to be reduced to such a deplorable state.
While putting things in order, Cadia found a bundle of torn and bloody undergarments amongst a small bag of “unknown substance” beside a used syringe and a small hand gun. It had one bullet in it.
At that moment, Cadia knew her daughter’s intent was to shoot herself and based on the evidence, the reason was obvious.
As a mother in the natural, she was devastated, but as a prayer warrior in the spirit, she was furious!
At that very moment, Cadia began to do serious spiritual battle for her daughter’s life. She said,
“Thank you, Lord, for giving us authority to use your name to set captives free. I plead the blood of Jesus over Lisa, and ask you to protect her life.
I come against the strong man of rejection operating against my daughter, and bind your power over my daughter in Jesus’ name.
I come against the spirit of suicide, you will not have my daughter.
I come against the spirit of deception and psychosis, you will not have my daughter.
I bind all spirits of rejection, madness, hate, anger, murder, and suicide, in Jesus’ name.
I command the spirits that are binding and controlling her to release her, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, let your peace permeate her apartment. Show Lisa how much you love her and desire to set her free from the bondage of the enemy.
Thank you, Lord, for protecting her life and drawing her into fellowship with you in Jesus’ name.
Amen”.
Cadia then began singing and filling the apartment with praises to the Lord as she continued to cook and clean.
Before leaving that day, she left a note:
“Lisa- I did this today because I love you. No strings attached. Mom”.
A few weeks went by before Lisa decided to visit her mom in person and upon arrival her mother noticed she had lost weight and seemed nervous.
But Cadia did not judge or harass her daughter because she knew if she had not prayed for her daughter’s deliverance and shown unconditional love, her daughter might not have been alive today.
Perhaps one day her daughter will find the courage to share her story and seek professional help.
For now, she was glad Lisa had come home for the holidays. Cadia also knew she was greatly missed by her friends in the community and at church.
Many people go to church just for the service- the feast, or ceremony- and some go to meet with God.
Some go only for the lavish worship while some truly worship by the Spirit of God.
Some people go to church because they like the pastor’s eloquent and obviously gifted way with words, while some people truly need to hear from God.
I have learnt that sometimes God remains silent and withholds communication in order for Him to receive the glory once a promise has been fulfilled.
Have you heard of prophetic jealousy?
It’s similar to professional jealously and I believe it exist among those who have a reputation for being gifted with a word of knowledge, or prophecy.
I strongly believe that people who are known for their prophetic gift sometimes are placed under pressure to perform and maybe also pressured to deliver ‘a word from the Lord’.
After-all the people expect it!
Then after a while their followers or the people in the congregation take it for granted and if someone other than their leader has a word that doesn’t include them – or confirm them- they are often ungracious or downright hateful.
Many may say, “It can’t be from God, or I would know”.
God was powerfully at work in Jerusalem and Jesus was the center of it all.
Not even his own parents- or those who knew him best- were aware of what was happening.
Hear me when I say, God can use you yesterday, but remain silent today.
He can use me today, but speak through someone else tomorrow.
It may be someone everybody has heard of- but don’t particularly like or even someone who no one has heard.
Why? God is sovereign.
Being used by God does not require any of the following:
Ed.D. – (Doctor of Education), Th.D. (Doctor of Theology), Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy), LL.D. (Doctor of Laws) or any other sophisticated titles we all have sacrificed to attain.
I believe it’s important to have a purpose in life and as soon as you have figured it out-get moving!
The Bell Curve
The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life is a 1994 book by psychologist Richard J. Herrnstein and political scientist Charles Murray, in which the authors argue that human intelligence is substantially influenced by both inherited and environmental factors and that it is a better predictor of many personal dynamics, including financial income, job performance, birth out of wedlock, and involvement in crime than are an individual’s parental socioeconomic status. They also argue that those with high intelligence, the “cognitive elite”, are becoming separated from those of average and below-average intelligence. The book was controversial, especially where the authors wrote about racial differences in intelligence and discussed the implications of those differences.
According to my recent studies, the normal curve, also known as THE BELL CURVE because of its unique shape, is said to be shaped like a bell and is often the way in which certain characteristics such as intelligence, weight or height may be represented in the population.
The highest point on the curve typically represents the average score in any distribution.
Now distributions aren’t always normal in shape, just like people! Lol!
Some distributions are described as skewed. This occurs when the distribution is not even on both sides of a central score with the highest frequency.
Instead some scores are concentrated toward one side of the distribution.
For example, we might observe a study of people’s water drinking habits and it eventually reveals that most people drink between 4 and 8 16oz bottles of water daily, with no one drinking more than 8 bottles.
So, you may be asking, how does the above information tie into my message?
Well, if we were to start sieving through an enormous pile of professional profiles of people in our community who have been nominated for awards on Heroes day next year, one of the requirements should be- how have they used their intelligence to make a difference in their community.
National Heroes Day is a public holiday celebrated in the Cayman Islands on the fourth Monday in January.
Unlike other National Heroes Days in the Caribbean, the same people aren’t always celebrated on this day each year.
Instead, a committee comprised of public and private sector representatives meet to choose the theme for the following year’s holiday.
Different award categories are then established and the public is then allowed to nominate suitable individuals.
The National Heroes Day committee is then entrusted with the awesome but serious responsibility of deciding on all who are deserving recipients of the awards. Cool!
The theme chosen for 2018 was sports, with members of the public being invited to nominate people in the community who had made outstanding contributions to sports in the Cayman Islands.
National Heroes Day has been a public holiday in the Cayman Islands since 2003.
Jamaica
Every third Monday of October is National Heroes Day in Jamaica. This public holiday is dedicated to the memory of Jamaica’s seven official national heroes.
On National Heroes Day, six heroes and one heroine will still be remembered for their heroic deeds that led to greater freedom and economic growth and prosperity for their homeland.
For example, Alexander Bustmante was Jamaica’s first prime minister. Three other heroes were hanged after leading revolts against oppression and “social injustice”. And heroine “Nanny of the Maroons” led a group in resistance and raids against the British colonialists. Wow!
Jamaica celebrates Independence on August 6 each year, in commemoration of its first Independence Day on August 6, 1962. The period leading up to the public holiday is crammed with parties and activities celebrating the island’s culture.
For more exciting and educational information about the beautiful Island of Jamaica see my previous article:
Every 1st February is National Heroes Day in Rwanda and it is a day selected to remember numerous officially designated national heroes who lost their lives in the cause of their country.
Rwanda’s previous flag was a red-yellow-green tricolor with a large black letter “R” (to distinguish it from the otherwise identical Flag of Guinea). Derived from the flag of Ethiopia, the colors green, yellow, and red represented peace; the nation’s hope for its development; and the people.
What does the Rwandan flag mean?
Now the green is symbolic of the country’s prosperity, the yellow is symbolic of potential and real economic development, and the blue is symbolic of happiness and peace. The sun and its rays are said to represent enlightenment. Awesome!
I have learnt that Rwanda is a country with a diverse culture and rich heritage. The Rwandan cuisine is famous all-over East Africa, with its signature East African dish – Ugali and vegetables. Yum-Yum in my tummy!
How wealthy is Rwanda?
Rwanda is reported to have the 35th-highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) among African countries (20.32 million International dollars).
The top 10 African countries by GDP (PPP) are: Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Angola, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania. Wow!
France
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the flag of France (French: Drapeau français) is a tricolor flag featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red.
It is known to English speakers as the French Tricolour or simply the Tricolour (French: Tricolore).
The Tricolour has become one of the most influential flags in history, with its three-colour scheme being copied by many other nations, both in Europe and the rest of the world.
The royal government used many flags, the best known being a blue shield and gold fleur-de-lis (the Royal Arms of France) on a white background, or state flag. Early in the French Revolution, the Paris militia, which played a prominent role in the storming of the Bastille, wore a cockade of blue and red, the city’s traditional colours.
According to French general Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, white was the “ancient French colour” and was added to the militia cockade to create a tricolour, or national, cockade.
This cockade became part of the uniform of the National Guard, which succeeded the militia and was commanded by Lafayette.
The colours and design of the cockade are the basis of the Tricolour flag, adopted in 1790. The only difference was that the 1790 flag’s colours were reversed. A modified design by Jacques-Louis David was adopted in 1794.
The royal white flag was used during the Bourbon restoration from 1815 to 1830; the tricolour was brought back after the July Revolution and has been used ever since 1830.
The French National Day is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, a turning point of the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération which celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790. Celebrations are held throughout France.
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was one of many world landmarks illuminated in the French flag colors after the November 2015 Paris attacks.
During the Hundred Years’ War, England was recognized by a red cross, Burgundy, a red saltire, and France, a white cross.
This cross could figure either on a blue or a red field. The blue field eventually became the common standard for French armies. The French regiments were later assigned the white cross as standard, with their proper colours in the cantons.
The French flag of a white cross on a blue field is still seen on some flags derived from it, such as those of Quebec and Martinique.
The flag of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years’ War is described in her own words,
“I had a banner of which the field was sprinkled with lilies; the world was painted there, with an angel at each side; it was white of the white cloth called ‘boccassin’; there was written above it, I believe, ‘JHESUS MARIA’; it was fringed with silk.”
Joan’s standard led to the prominent use of white on later French flags.
From the accession of the Bourbons to the throne of France, the green ensign of the navy became a plain white flag, the symbol of purity and royal authority. The merchant navy was assigned “the old flag of the nation of France”, the white cross on a blue field.
The Panthéon
The Panthéon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris, France. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics but, after many changes, now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens.
The Panthéon houses the ashes of Les Grands Hommes de la Nation. Illustrious French citizens from all walks of life – politicians, writers, defenders of the nation – are buried here upon approval by the French president.
In 1885, when the ashes of Victor Hugo were brought there in honor of that great man after the national outpouring of emotion caused by his death, the Pantheon became the final resting place of those who have become known as Les Grands Hommes (The Great Men).
The Panthéon is also home, in its immense entrance hall, to Foucault’s pendulum, named after a French physicist, designed to demonstrate the Earth’s rotation in relation to a frame of reference by Galileo. Cool!
72 illustrious personalities reside there today:
Among them:
– Jean Jaurès (1859-1914), the father of French socialism, assassinated in 1914. – Emile Zola (1840-1902), an important writer and journalist. – Jean Moulin (1841-1941), a hero of the French Resistance during the Second World War. – André Malraux (1901-1976), writer and minister for Culture, whose ashes were brought there in 1996. – Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), an important popular writer, whose ashes were brought there in 2002. – Jean Monnet (1888-1979), a politician who worked to create the European Community in the wake of World War II. – René Cassin (1887-1976), the spiritual father and principal author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN in 1948. – Pierre (1859-1906) and Marie (1867-1934) Curie, Nobel prizewinners for physics for their work with radium.
What was the Pantheon used for?
Roman Pantheon. The Roman Pantheon is the most preserved and influential building of ancient Rome. It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome. As the brick stamps on the side of the building reveal it was built and dedicated between A.D 118 and 125.
What is the pantheon made of?
The Pantheon that Hadrian created is a circular temple made of concrete faced with brick, with a Greek-style façade and a magnificent dome rising from its walls. The most striking feature of the building is the 27-foot circular hole (the oculus, or eye) atop the dome.
What does the pantheon symbolize?
The Pantheon is still discussed today as a building clouded in mystery. The original purpose of the building is unknown. Although the temple is dedicated to all Greek gods the scale and size of the temple emphasized power and Roman duty. There is also celestial symbolism present in the temple.
What does the pantheon say above?
Above the entrance, carved in stone, are the words M. AGRIPPA L. F. COS. TERTIUM FECIT which is translated, “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, in his third consulate, made it.” This basically says that “Agrippa built the Pantheon.”
Here is some history that I was pleased to locate:
In 1744, Louis XV decreed the building of a prestigious basilica in honor of Sainte-Geneviève to whom he attributed his healing after a serious illness.
The architect Soufflot was awarded the project in 1755. This project was also part of the political will of Louis XV. The basilica had to rival that of Saint Peter’s in Rome and above all re-establish the prestige of a divided church.
Soufflot placed the basilica in a monumental square in the very heart of the area of religious contestation, where the Jansenists officiated at Saint-Médard.
The architecture of the basilica is a sign of the architectural renewal and experimental research that was prevalent at the time and during the centuries of the Enlightenment.
Indeed, the ornamental vocabulary and the central plan in the shape of a Greek cross were inspired by ancient Greek architecture, the lightness of the structure of the vault is evocative of gothic art and the dome speaks of the Renaissance. The light entered through forty-five tall windows.
During the Revolution: the basilca become the Panthéon National.
In 1791, the basilica became the Panthéon National to house the ashes of the nation’s great men: Voltaire in 1791, Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1794, great men from the century of Enlightenment whose writing contributed to the changes wrought by the Revolution.
The high windows were also sealed to emphasize its role as a tomb. Very interesting.
When all is said and done, I like learning and I like sharing what I have learnt.
A few years ago I acquired more information regarding making a valid will in the Cayman Islands.
The execution requirements for making a valid will in the Cayman Islands are set out in the Wills Law (2004 Revision).
It is also a requirement of Cayman Islands law that a testator must have testamentary capacity at the time of creating his or her will.
The test for testamentary capacity, known as the “golden rule,” was first explained in the English case of Banks vs. Goodfellow and it remains good law in the Cayman Islands today. Here are the facts:
(a) Does the testator understand the nature and effect of what he/she is doing;
(b) Is he/she aware, broadly, of the extent of his/her estate;
(c) Does he/she appreciate the claims of those who might reasonably expect to benefit from his/her estate; and
In summary, the Wills Law provides that a will must be in writing; it must be signed by the testator or by some other person in his/her presence, at his/her direction.
If the latter, the testator must acknowledge such signature in the presence of two witnesses present at the same time.
If the former, the testator’s signature must be attested to by two witnesses present at the same time in his/her presence.
Subject to only two exceptions for soldiers and sailors on active service, the execution requirements must be complied with; if not, it will be invalid.
Holographic Wills
Unfortunately, the Cayman Islands law does not, as a general principle, permit holographic wills.
Holographic wills are documents that are usually handwritten and do not comply with the strict requirements for proper execution as a will but have nevertheless been written as testamentary documents, often in extreme circumstances.
Famous Holographic Will
The most famous holographic will was that of Cecil George Harris, a Canadian farmer who in 1948 suffered the misfortune of becoming trapped under his tractor and fearing that he was about to die, carved a will into the fender which read, “In case I die in this mess I leave all to the wife. Cecil Geo. Harris.” The fender was submitted to probate as his valid holographic will.
Testamentary Capacity
Apparently in the common law tradition, testamentary capacity is the legal term of art used to describe a person’s legal and mental ability to make or alter a valid will.
This concept has also been called sound mind and memory or disposing mind and memory. Cool!
I also learnt that Testamentary intent refers to a testator’s intention with respect to a particular instrument that functions as his/her last will.
Testamentary intent is required for a will to be valid.
Then we have to consider the person’s legal capacity to enter a contract:
Here is a definition and example:
One of the elements of a contract is capacity. Capacity means that a person is legally able to enter into a contract.
There are several things that make a person legally able to do so, including age and state of mind.
A person who is in the end stages of Alzheimer’s disease probably does not have the requisite capacity to sign legal documents.
However, a person with a diagnosis of dementia may very well be able to sign legal documents. Generally speaking, capacity is usually analyzed situationally.
The other way to change your will is by adding what is called a codicil. A codicil is like an amendment or addition to your will.
Use a codicil to revoke part of your will or add a new provision.
To be valid, they must be dated, signed, and witnessed just like a legal will.
I learnt that it is extremely important to keep your will updated. As life changes, so do potential beneficiaries and heirs.
Updating Your Last Will and Testament
If you do not keep your last will and testament updated, it may not reflect your wishes given your new circumstances. The following are good situations in which changing a will may be wise.
Marriage:
When you get married, both you and your spouse should each create a new will.
Most states have laws that award a percentage of your estate to your spouse upon your death.
However, if you want to devise your will differently, you should specify this in your will.
Furthermore, adding your spouse to your will may change the percentage of your estate, or of a specific asset, that another beneficiary or heir was previously written to receive.
Changing a will should reflect this new proportion as you see fit.
Common Law Marriage:
The following information was all I could find that would classify eligibility:
Any person who has been married to a Caymanian-
v for at least five years immediately preceding the application, where the marriage took place prior to the 1st January 2004; or
v for at least seven years immediately preceding the application, where the marriage took place on or after 1st January 2004
v whose marriage is not a marriage of convenience;
v who is not living apart from his spouse under a decree of a competent court or under a deed of separation;
v who has not lived apart from his spouse for an aggregate period of three months
v out of the five years immediately preceding the application where the marriage took place prior to 1st January 2004; or
v out of the seven years immediately preceding the application where the marriage took place on or after 1st January, 2004.
v who is legally and ordinarily resident* in the Islands immediately preceding his application; and
v who has not in any country been convicted of an offence for which a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding twelve months has been passed other than for non-payment of a fine unless-
1. the conviction has been quashed on appeal or has been the subject of a free pardon;
2. the act or omission giving rise to such conviction would not be an offence if done or omitted in the Islands in similar circumstances; or
3. the conviction is one which, in the interest of justice, the Board directs to be ignored for the purposes of this section,
Obtaining a new partner, without marriage:
Only if married will your partner automatically receive assets from your estate.
So, if you find yourself with a new loved one, changing a will to reflect what you would like to leave that partner is necessary.
Divorce:
Upon divorce, some states revoke any gifts you leave your spouse in your will. Other states do not.
Changing a will upon a divorce is very important.
You will want to either specify what you want to leave your former spouse, or else specify how those gifts should now be distributed.
A new baby:
There are laws in some states that give children some portion of your assets upon your death.
However, not everyone wants their property to be distributed the way the state laws specify.
If you welcome a new baby into your family, be sure to specify what gifts, the baby shall receive, by changing a will.
Perhaps more importantly, be sure to appoint a guardian for the baby.
This will be the person who will care for your baby should anything happen to you.
New stepchildren:
Stepchildren are not automatically entitled to inherit a share of your property in many states.
Therefore, if you would like for your stepchildren to inherit any of your property, be sure to specify your wishes by changing your own will.
Moving from a community property state to a common law property state:
The laws governing what each spouse owns vary depending on whether the couple lives in a community property state or a common law property state.
Therefore, if you are planning on moving to a new state, check that states laws.
If it differs from the one you currently reside it, be sure to change your own will, according to your new property ownership status.
i.e. Persons of independent means:
The Cayman Islands Government offers five Immigration products for wealthy, private investors and senior executives who are seeking long-term residence in the Cayman Islands.
1. Certificate of Permanent Residency for Persons of Independent Means (Form R5) – Persons who invest a minimum of two million Cayman Islands’ Dollars in developed real estate in the Cayman Islands may apply for a Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means.
As the Certificate title denotes, a holder has the right to reside indefinitely in the Cayman Islands.
A holder will also have the option of seeking naturalization as a British Overseas Territories Citizen and, thereafter, the right to be Caymanian.
A holder and his spouse may also have their permission to remain varied to allow the right to work in the Cayman Islands.
2. Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means Form R2 – This facility is for persons who wish to reside long-term in the Cayman Islands without the right to work.
Applicants will be required to demonstrate that they have invested a prescribed minimum amount in developed real estate in the Islands and that they meet certain financial standing requirements.
A successful applicant will be granted permission to reside in the Islands for a period of 25 years (renewable). This residence type cannot be varied to allow the right to work.
3. Certificate of Direct Investment Form R8 – The Certificate of Direct Investment is for persons who invest, or propose to invest, a minimum prescribed amount in a licensed employment generating business in the Cayman Islands and in which he/she will exercise substantial management control.
An applicant must demonstrate a substantial business track record or an entrepreneurial background, including specific professional, technical and other knowledge relevant and necessary to carry on the business.
4. Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) Form R6 – This facility is for persons who invest in, or who are employed in a senior management capacity within, an approved category of business in the Cayman Islands.
A successful applicant is granted a Residency Certificate valid for 25 years (renewable) which entitles him to reside in the Islands and to work in the business in which he has invested or is employed in a senior management capacity.
Changing your mind about heirs: Of course, things can happen in life that cause people to change their minds about the way in which they’d like their property distributed. Changing a will to reflect these new wishes is important.
New or disposed of assets: Perhaps in your will you would like to leave all of your property or a percentage of your property to your heirs, then what you own changes and there is no need to change your will. However, if you have willed certain gifts to people in your will, and you no longer have those properties, be sure to remove said property from your will. Additionally, when you acquire new property, be sure to account for that in your will.
Ways of changing a will
The easiest way of changing a will is simply to make a new will. It is imperative that you revoke the old will.
To do this, simply write a statement in the new will that states that you revoke all wills and codicils that you have previously made.
This is sufficient to revoke any previous wills, but it is wise to also destroy any of your previous wills in order to avoid confusion or challenges to your new will.
The other way to change your will is by adding what is called a codicil.
A codicil is like an amendment or addition to your will. Use a codicil to revoke part of your will or add a new provision.
To be valid, they must be dated, signed, and witnessed just like a legal will.
Codicils were an efficient way of changing a will before there were computers and printing was a hassle.
Today, codicils should be avoided wherever possible. They can cause confusion, be lost, and are sometimes even a means to challenge wills.
That information is definitely worth remembering!
Changes to other estate documents
Much of your property passes by law to beneficiaries, despite what your will says.
Property such as retirement proceeds, life insurance proceeds, joint bank accounts, payable-on-death bank accounts, and stocks registered with a transfer-on-death form all pass directly to a specified beneficiary.
If you change your mind about who the beneficiary should be, change the names using the forms on which you named the original beneficiaries.
Do not change the named beneficiaries through your will, for it will have no effect.
Living trusts are also not affected by the terms of your will. If you decide to change the terms of your living trust, add an amendment to the original trust document. Then, transfer property in or out of the trustee’s name, accordingly.
You do not need to worry about having to revoke a trust and create an original one, like when changing a will.
Living Trust
What Is a Living Trust?
A living trust is a legal document, or trust, created during an individual’s lifetime where a designated person, the trustee, is given responsibility for managing that individual’s assets for the benefit of the eventual beneficiary.
A living trust is designed to allow for the easy transfer of the trust creator or settlor’s assets while bypassing the often complex and expensive legal process of probate. Living trust agreements designate a trustee who holds legal possession of assets and property that flow into the trust.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A living trust designates a
trustee to manage assets for the beneficiary, while the grantor is still
alive.
Trustees with fiduciary duty
manage trusts according to the beneficiary’s best interests.
Living
trusts can be either irrevocable or revocable.
How Living Trusts Work
Living trusts are
managed by a trustee who typically has a fiduciary duty to manage the trust
prudently in the best interests of the trust’s beneficiary or beneficiaries
designated by the trust settlor, also called a grantor. Upon the death of the
settlor, these assets flow to the beneficiaries according to the grantor’s
wishes as outlined in the trust agreement. Unlike a will, however, a living
trust is in effect while the settlor is alive and the trust does not have to
clear the courts to reach its intended beneficiaries when the settlor dies
or becomes incapacitated.
Types of Living Trusts
Living trusts can be irrevocable or revocable.
Living Revocable Trust
With a living revocable trust, the trust settlor can designate himself or herself as the trustee and take control of assets within the trust. However, this stipulation means the assets in the trust remain a part of the trust settlor’s estate, meaning the individual may still be liable for estate taxes should the estate be valued beyond the estate tax exemption at the time of death. The trust settlor also has the power to change and amend trust rules at any time. This means the trust settlor is free to change beneficiaries or undo the trust altogether.
Irrevocable Living Trust
With an irrevocable
living trust, the settlor relinquishes certain rights to control over the
trust. The trustee effectively becomes legal owner, but the individual would
also reduce his or her taxable estate. Once the trust agreement for an
irrevocable living trust is made, the named beneficiaries are set and the
settlor can do little to amend that agreement.
Wills and Trusts
Wills and Trusts are both estate planning documents used to pass assets on to beneficiaries at death. … Here are five ways in which a Trust is better than a Will to pass your estate to your beneficiaries. A Trust can be used to Avoid Probate – a Will cannot.
When you die, this creates a change of beneficiary or beneficiaries. The person or persons you named in your trust documents to inherit from you become the new beneficiaries upon your death. They now own the assets you placed in your trust, according to the terms you decided when you made it.
Advantages to using a Trust over a Will
Wills and Trusts are
both estate planning documents used to pass assets on to beneficiaries at
death. However, there are distinct advantages to using a Trust over a
Will. Here are five ways in which a Trust is better than a Will to pass
your estate to your beneficiaries.
A Trust can be used to Avoid Probate – a Will cannot. Probate is the process of changing the title on assets when someone passes away. Assets that are owned in a deceased person’s individual name and for which there is no named beneficiary are no longer accessible once the owner of the asset has died. In order for family members to gain access to accounts or other assets in the deceased’s individual name, they must file a petition with the probate court and wait for the court to approve the Will and appoint the Personal Representative. This can be a long and costly process during which bills cannot be paid and assets cannot be managed. A Trust is an excellent probate avoidance tool because assets that are owned in the name of a Trust are immediately accessible to the trust-maker’s designated successor.
A Trust can provide Creditor Protection for the Inheritance you Leave to Beneficiaries – a Will cannot. Many people worry that the inheritance they leave to their children will be lost to their children’s creditors such as a divorcing spouse, unpaid credit card bills, a bankruptcy, a business loss, or a lawsuit. Sadly, this is often the case when assets are distributed to beneficiaries via a Will. A Trust allows the maker to safeguard an inheritance from the reach of the beneficiaries’ creditors by keeping the assets out of the name of the beneficiary. Ownership of the assets remains in the Trust. The beneficiary will have access to the assets in accordance with the directions you leave in your Trust. You may also allow your beneficiary to serve as Trustee, allowing the beneficiary to manage her own inheritance. By leaving assets to your beneficiaries via a Trust rather than outright via your Will, you can ensure that the assets you worked so hard for will be available to your children and future generations.
A Trust can Protect Governmental Benefits for a Person with Disabilities – a Will cannot. If you have a child, grandchild or other beneficiary with disabilities, then a Trust is a must. If you leave assets to a person who receives needs-based governmental benefits via your Will, it will place your beneficiary in the difficult position of either losing those benefits, or transferring the inheritance into a Trust of which the state must be the beneficiary at the beneficiary’s death. Unless the inheritance you are leaving is so significant that the monetary and medical benefits available to the person through programs such as Social Security and Medicaid are no longer important, then making sure that those governmental benefits continue to be available is vital. Leaving assets to a person with disabilities via a Trust is the best way to ensure those governmental benefits are preserved and that the inheritance you leave will be available to pay for expenses that are not covered by these governmental benefits, which while vital to many, are limited in their scope.
Trusts can Reduce Estate Taxes – a Traditional Will cannot. Many married couples have so-called “I-love-you” Wills, which leave all assets outright to the surviving spouse upon the first death. If you have an estate of more than $1,000,000, then using “I-love-you” Wills means that money you think you are leaving to your beneficiaries will in fact be going to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the form of estate tax payable at the surviving spouse’s death. If you would prefer that your assets pass to your family, create Trusts to reduce estate taxes. Estate tax planning via Trusts for married couples is standard planning and permissible under both state and federal tax laws.
A Trust can Administer Assets for Minor Beneficiaries without Court Intervention – a Will cannot. Leaving money directly to a minor creates an administrative nightmare because the law provides that a minor does not have the legal capacity to receive assets. The parent of the minor also does not have the ability to act as the child’s legal representative until the court says so. As such, if you die with a Will that leaves money to minor beneficiaries, the court will need to appoint a Conservator to receive that inheritance for your children. The Conservator will be required to report annually to the court and the court will appoint an overseer (guardian ad litem) to make sure the Conservator is doing his or her job for your minor beneficiaries. This means huge costs and long delays in administering funds for minors. It also means that when the minor turns 18, he or she will be entitled to receive all of those assets and will be free to do with them as he or she wishes (think fast cars, spring break, and lots of shopping). Creating a Trust to receive assets passing to a minor, or even to a young adult beneficiary, is the best way to ensure that the court is not involved in the process, that the person you want to manage assets for the beneficiary is able to do so, and that the beneficiary can use the assets only for purposes you decide are important and/or at ages that you dictate.
These are just five ways in which a Trust is superior to a Will.
When There is no Will
According to Robert Mack, HSM Chambers, most people know that making a will is the “adult thing” to do, especially when children and other dependents are involved.
However, like most unpleasant things in life, we tend to put it off for as long as possible.
In some tragic cases life can end suddenly and unexpectedly, or a person can be struck down by illness and lose their mental capacity which would otherwise prevent them from creating a valid will.
Let’s also not forget that digital assets fall into two broad categories: valuable and sentimental.
Valuable digital assets include such things as cryptocurrencies, online investment/bank accounts, online store credits, intellectual property, and anything else which has a tangible dollar value attached to it.
Sentimental digital assets, on the other hand, include photographs, personal videos, blog posts, social media accounts, and information held in email messages.
So how can a Will manage these two distinct types of digital assets?
Teneisha Johnson has a Dream 