If you consider this idea cute, but not worthwhile, here is an
example of how I cured panic attacks by changing my physiology
alone:

For around eight years I had panic attacks almost every night
just before I went to sleep or if I woke up in the middle of
the night. They ranged from startle through to terror and
hyperventilation. I didn’t think there was anything I could do
about it so I kept the problem to myself.

I came across a technique however, which allowed me to
immediately calm down my emotions so that I could logically
dispute the fears that were keeping me awake.

As soon as I experienced fear, I would relax my body, look up
at the ceiling (looking upwards has a different affect on our
body compared to looking down) and grin widely. I would not
stop grinning until the fear subsided. Sometimes the fear would
come back once I stopped grinning, and so I would just grin
again!

The effect was powerful. While I was grinning (and it had to
stay a happy grin - not a grimace) I was completely unable to
feel the terror that would normally strike me.

You don’t need to be in a fearful situation to use this idea.
You can smile for no reason at all! Smiling is associated in
our minds with happiness, so the more we smile the better we
feel. And afterall, what is the point of all the things we do,
if not to ultimately create happiness?

(C) Copyright Petra Rankin 2005

Petra Rankin used powerful techniques to beat her own long-term
depression. She is now dedicated to teaching others how to be
happier and lead more successful lives. Her first book Fast Track
Your Success and Happiness is due to be launched in
September 2005 and is currently available for download as a free
e-book instead of paying $19.95. Limited time only!

“The living and the dead at his command
Were coupled face to face, and hand to hand;
Till choked with stench, in loathed embraced tied,
The lingering wretches pined away and died.”
–Virgil

This was an extremely gruesome way to die, but one that we see every day. Look around. How many people do you see eating a diet of bad food that will eventually kill them? How many people do you see leading a sedentary life that will lead to stroke and heart failure. How many people do you see still smoking? Aren’t these people shackled face to face with their own death?

In business it’s even worse. We see people tied to outmoded ideas. We see people stubbornly clinging to thought patterns on diversity and ability. We see people refusing to see the correlation between employee training and employee development. We see people ignoring the need for employee recognition . . . even though they are face to face with the problem.

We all have ideas and habits that shackle us to our own downfall. In recognizing this, we should thank the Romans and set ourselves and others free. We are what we eat. We are what we do. We are what we think about. And in a way, we are what we deny.

Author Don Doman: Don is a published author of books for small business, corporate video producer, and owner of Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which provides business training products. Don also owns Human Resources Radio (http://www.humanresourcesradio.com), which provides business training programs and previews 24-hours a day.

• (1)

The occupation and ownership of malefics.

• (2)

The aspect of malefics on the 7th house.

• (3)

The position and aspects of separative planets - The Sun, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu and ruler of 12th house.

• (4)

The position of the 7th house Lord .

• (5)

The position of Jupiter, as significator of marriage in a female horoscopy.

The Seventh house is the descendant in a horoscope. It is the house which complements and supplements to the ascendant. The union of the First house and the Seventh house is the Dharma and ultimate aim of all the beings. Without one another, there is no completeness. There is no meaning to the life. Praying God together, begetting the off-springs together, leading a moral life together are the injunctions of Vedas and the wise. Any Dosha such as Kalasarpa Dosha, will definitely act as an obstacle of marriage in a horoscope. All the Doshas are to be removed first. The Yogas in a horoscope are to be studied. By worshipping the planets and their deities which are causing delay in marriage, the girl will have an early marriage and prosperity and meaning in her life. It is only when the marriage is unduly and hopelessly delayed, then only the parents start thinking about the marriage. Then they start consulting the astrologers.
( b ) The afflictions to Jupiter : The Jupiter is the significator or Karaka of marriage in a woman’s horoscope. The Jupiter is benevolent. He can overcome all the afflictions and bestow his grace on the subject. But one important consideration is that when Jupiter is Retrograde, He may cause delay in marriage. In Vedic astrology, the retrograde planet is powerful . But the planet in retrograde indicate the past Karma of the subject and this cannot be easily remedied. The Jupiter is a strict disciplinarian. He expects the subject to be disciplined and then worship Jupiter. Jupiter is Dhanakaraka; Jupiter is Bhagyakaraka. Jupiter is all powerful and He can destroy our sins. He can make the other planets to behave by His aspects. Jupiter stands for Dharma. Jupiter stands for Religion. Jupiter stands for ceremonies , pomp and show. There is no meaning in secretly worshipping Jupiter. Yet Jupiter is beyond one’s reach. Only discipline may please Him. He possesses infinite knowledge. A knowledge of God, Brahma. He is called Brihaspathi and Brahmanaspathi.
Here one important socio-economic change is to be considered with respect to Jupiter as Karaka of 7th house of marriage. Now a days most of the girls are working. A working girl is an asset to the parents and the family; But a married girl is a burden in the family. Getting the girl married in time is the Dharma of all the parents. But the mind of the girl and the parents alike acting under the influence of malefics mostly the Mars , would be thinking differently. The change in socio-economic trends suggest altogether a different picture. The natural values of sex, marriage, family and child bearing have become out dated. In its place, the money , the show of money, those luxuries which money can buy have been substituted. That is the main reason, the parents and the girl start thinking of marriage lately, by which time it forms a delay which cannot be easily condonable. That is where the Jupiter comes in and says follow discipline and Dharma. If the discipline and Dharma are back seated, naturally, The Jupiter does not significate the house No.7.

( c ) The afflictions to Mars : Mars causes obstructions to marriage, if placed in 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th and 12th houses. This is known as Kuja Dosha. Exceptions are Aries to 1st, Scorpio to 4th , Capricorn or Pisces to 7th and Cancer to 8th and it is 12th for Sagittarius ascendants. Afflictions to Mars have special interpretations concerning the chastity of a woman. But this cannot be loosely interpreted, since they have repercussions on the family life. Since the ancient astrologers themselves have cautioned against these unsavoury predictions, it is better to avoid it completely. A small and inadvertent mistake on the part of the astrologer may lead to complications. The whole family is affected by the concept of loose and immoral character of a woman. For more of Mars effect, the readers are advised to read articles on Mars, About Mars, Blame it on Mars, There is a Mars in my kitchen, by this author. The Mars factor operates in the field of energy and prowess. This in turn applied to marriage factor, the sex becomes predominant. The social scientists have researched and found that now a days the sex in youth is hardened. The sex element is being deteriorated. Once upon a time , the blush, the look, the lovely limbs, which attracted the opposite sex, are diminished in values; [ May refer to the poem The forsaken city of Ayodhya- which starts like this: Where the lovely maidens washed their lovely limbs.. by W.B.Yeats ] . The blush and the angled looks of the maidens have become the things of the past. Both qualitatively and quantitatively. In its place the hard sex, exposure and vulgarity are predominant. Even then there is no sex element. The youth are loosing their salt. There is no urge for sex and hence the marriage. By the time the parents and the youth think of marriage, its sanctity and values are derogated. By that time it becomes only a formality, status and prestige issue. Marry Very Early Made Jane Shake Up Neville’s Pillow. A Shakespearean quote to remember the Nine planets, wherein while each first letter in the sentence representing a planet, the sentence itself may be suggestive of the necessity of early marriage. If one thinks of marriage in early stages, the remedies to the obstructions in a horoscope are followed, the late marriages can be averted. Any how better late than never.
( d ) Afflictions to houses 3, 7 & 9 ,: This is again , the position and aspects of the separative and malefic planets on these houses. Mainly the residence of these planets are considered much. Dr. Selvam does not assign reasons as to why these houses are to be considered ? The significator for the Third house is Mars as energy and prowess; The field of activity being power, brothers, friends, motivation and interest. The significators for the Ninth house are Jupiter and Saturn representing Dharma and father respectively. The field of activity being Dharma, grace, fortune and father. The considerations for the houses 3, 7 & 9 are general in nature and not specifically with respect to marriage, unlike house no. 7. While suggesting a remedy for an astrological problem, the astrologer must be specific. His duty is to find out where the planet obstructs. Then only an effective remedy can be suggested.

Sreenivasamurthy Kubatoor, is an advocate by profession, Study and research in various subjects, including Science, Medical,Philosophy. Remembering Agatha Christie through the titles of these Astrology articles, makes one understand the subject in a different perspective. There is a Mars in my kitchen, Blame it on Mars etc., are some of the interesting articles by the author. The present article has a social science background.

1. What is the difference between a reflective and a refractive scope? A reflective scope uses mirrors to focus the image and the light while a refractive scope uses curved glass lenses to focus the light and the image. Generally the reflector telescope is better for deep sky viewing and the refractor is better for lunar and planetary viewing. You can also find a compound telescope which uses both glass and mirrors which is better for general viewing.

2. If you think that the greater the power and magnification on a scope, the better it is, you would be mistaken. Generally, the best and clearest images are seen on lower magnification. If you want greater magnification you can always purchase different lenses to supplement your original lens. The main consideration should be the aperture. The aperture is how much light the telescope will let in and be able to focus and this should be one of your main considerations.

3. For those who want to take their telescope with them when they go out into the woods hiking or camping, portability should be an important consideration-especially if you will also be taking a mount and a tripod. If you will simply be setting it up at home, these will not be such important factors.

4. You can choose from one of a few different types of mounts for your telescope-here are two of the most popular: An altazimuth mount allows the scope to move horizontally and vertically and is perfect for beginners. The equatorial mount is favored by professional astronomers and allows the scope to move perpendicularly along the line of the equator to follow the movement of stars and other objects across the sky.

5. Your budget should be one of the most important considerations when choosing a telescope. They range in price anywhere from under fifty dollars to thousands. As a beginner, you will probably want to stay at the lower end of the price spectrum, but consider getting a scope that will allow you to add pieces as you get more experienced and your interest grows.

You can find a lot of information to help you to choose your first telescope online. Information about how scopes work, what all of the scientific jargon means, and also the best places to purchase a scope. Before you make this purchase, educate yourself so that you can feel confident and comfortable that you have made a good choice and you will be able to “focus” your energy on the night sky.

Eriani writes articles about Home and Family. To find more information about telescopes, visit telescopecom.com.

The other reason, as everyone knows, is that during a vacation week there are no days beginning with the letter “T.” Now, you know why your vacation went by so quickly this summer. There are always reasons if you are willing to dig hard enough.

Now, if this is true, the question plaguing my mind is: where does all that time go?

Have you ever noticed that when you are in a hurry to go somewhere it usually takes twice as long to get there? It does not matter what time of day it is, or which day it is for that matter, for when you are running a tad late for some appointment across town, Old Father Time insists that you go through an intricate obstacle course. It is his way of having a little fun. After all, the old boy needs some kind of diversion.

For example, if I am leisurely driving across town with plenty of time on my hands, I never hit a red light. Every traffic light is green and there have been times when I have arrived at my destination 10 minutes before I left.

On the other hand, if I am in a hurry and running just the slightest late, this is immediately brought to the attention of Father Time. He rubs his hands with glee and begins his work. Immediately, every traffic light in town is on the alert for my arrival. Their instruction from Father Time is quite simple. “When you see Rev. Snyder coming, turn red.”

Sometimes all the attention Father Time gives me embarrasses me.

Then there is the train on 17th Street. I can travel this street for weeks and never see that train. There have been times when I have wondered if the train has ceased running.

Then, I am in a hurry and everything changes. It has yet to fail me. When running late, the train always runs slow and, on my honor, the longest and slowest train is reserved for me.

Perhaps the worse time trick Old Father Time plays on me is at the checkout counter. The checkout personnel are especially trained by Father Time. In one week alone, I found 17 days that I lost during my vacation in 1978, just at a checkout counter.

Last week my wife and I were in a hurry to some appointment. It really does not matter what the appointment was, we never really got there, thanks to Old Father Time. On the way to this appointment, I said something quite foolish to my wife. (What husband hasn’t?)

“Honey,” I said as innocently as any husband can, “I need to stop at the grocery store for something.” Right then a huge red light went off to alert Father Time of my intention. That wasn’t enough. I also told her, as I jumped out of the car, “This will only take a minute.” With that, I bounded into the store.

This put Old Father Time into hysterics. He lives for this kind of situation.

When I got in the store, I knew exactly where the item was that I needed. Voila … somehow, store management had a premonition that I would be coming in this day and that I would be in a hurry. They did the only thing they could do in that situation completely rearrange the store all in my honor.

Now, not only was I in a hurry but also I could not find the product I was after. If I wasn’t a man, I could asked for directions.

My wife, tired of waiting in the car, came in and found the item for me. Now all I needed to do was get it through the checkout.

Have you ever noticed that no matter what line you get in it is always the slowest? Even if I am the only one in the checkout, I have no better luck. Usually in that situation, I get the trainee on her first day working all alone.

Am I getting harder of hearing or are young people, especially young women, speaking a different language? It took me 10 minutes to realize that the young trainee was merely saying, “Hello, how are you?”

Of course, I wanted to pay for my purchase with a check. It was then that Old Father Time roared with devilish delight. To use a check at many places requires 16 independent forms of identification and a note from your mother. At the time, I only had 15.

By the time my wife and I got to our car, it was too late for our important appointment. Father Time won another one.

Time is important and often we are guilty of wasting it. The biggest area where people waste time is regarding their relationship with God.

The Apostle Paul warned of this in his letter to the Romans. “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11 KJV.)

The Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Contact him by calling 687-4240. His e-mail address is jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is http://www.whatafellowship.com

Establishing terminology and frames of reference helps set the context and build a solid foundation from which we can have an intelligent conversation about this topic.

Creativity and Innovation are very often confused. For example, one popular author recently defined innovation as “…any idea that generates wealth.” That’s lazy thinking.

A good definition of creativity is that it is problem identification and idea generation whereas innovation is idea selection, development and commercialisation.

Within idea generation, a further definition is valuable: the number of ideas produced, the novelty of the ideas produced, the diversity of ideas produced and the frequency of their production.

Predicting the future

Radical leaps / disruptive technologies are most often the result of sustained, incremental changes.

Further, the S-curve shows us that competitors who slowly improve their offering will eventually surpass more successful rivals as they mature and their scope for improvement diminishes.

We can use this type of knowledge to predict the future.

For example, by identifying a set number of product features and incrementally improving each feature over a timeline, we find that groups can

a) Generate some very good ideas for maximising competitive advantage.

b) Gain insight into the probable direction of their industry.

c) Generate disruptive ideas.

d) Leapfrog easily implemented changes to the big ideas and consequently, leapfrog competitors.

Additionally, we find that following the above process in a sustained, consistent manner results in a large idea pool of the above types of ideas and a general increase in the quality of those ideas.

Learn more…

Download the MBA research, learn about this topic at http://www.creativity-management.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

Download the MBA research, learn about this topic at http://www.creativity-management.com.

In the name of clarity, a betting establishment is an edifice that presents games of chance. At such a place, clients will hopefully test their luck at the coin-operated machines or a slew of other betting games. Casino games ordinarily include ovious balances informing them which maintain that the gaming company has the upper hand versus the betters. web gambling

Numerous gambling saloon games encourage you to get addicted very quickly. An example is the standard 1-armed bandit, a cash operated appliance with three plus gears which whirl if a crank affixed to it is yanked. This instrument customarily recompenses in accord with a string of pictures presented on the information screen of the contraption. Unfortunately, betting room pastimes suggest a false impression of remaining in control, effectively deluding the betting aficionado — the victim is awarded options, but these don’t really remove the patron’s overall handicap. That is due to the gaming room never returning the full amount as expected. This method is repeatedly found in acclaimed casino games such as seven card stud poker, dice games, roulette or blackjack.

Straight poker is certainly an immensely popular casino game. The gaming enthusiasts, jealously guarding their partially covered cards, bet into a pot in the center which is finally awarded to the prevailing gamer holding the leading hand. (Of course, the bluff may well prevail too.) Just like five-card stud poker, blackjack is likewise an immensely popular casino game. A lavish amount of its is by virtue of the mix of chance and craft and choice making, not to forget a practice called “counting”. It is a gambling tactics by which gambling enthusiasts can significantly turn the odds of the game to give them an advantage both by wagering and tactical actions established on the cards deployed.

Craps is a popular gambling hall pastime where punters try to predict the roll of 2 dice. Visitors are betting on the outcome of of 1 spin, or on a series of rolls on 2 dice. Dissimilar to blackjack, there just isn’t any easily available bona fide winning tactics people can make use of to improve the chances.

Roulette is an extremely popular game in the course of which a croupier twirls a roulette wheel featuring 37 (French roulette) or precisely 38 (American roulette) distinctively marked divisions in which the rolling pellet will eventually settle, establishing the final winning number as well as the attached sequences. Whenever our gamer has placed a chip on a specific number and is successful meaning they’re indeed having a streak of luck, the guaranteed bounty is 35 to 1, the original pledge proper will be rebated. Indeed in total the original wager is increased by thirty-six.

We strongly recommend you be very vigilant under all circumstances for all of such gambling saloon gambling pastimes can be awfully obsessive. Far too many lives are reported to have been damaged due to inordinate gambling + albeit it can be fun, endeavour to govern your gambling.

This article strives to describe all the new technological advancements that will help to take your TV pleasure to a totally new level.

High-Definition Telly: Maybe one of the most important improvement to telly since the beginning of colour technology, Hi Definition (HD) telly presents detail, clarity and colour, with images normally 4 times as sharp as various conventional television devices. To view High-Def telly you will need to possess a HD Ready television. Sky and Freesat have already begun to broadcast hi def programmes so you can now enjoy a choice of your beloved programmes, movies and sporting occasions with wonderful realistic images.

Incorporated Digital Tuner: A TV with built in digital tuner (more commonly known as idTV) lets you lay your hands on all free to air digital stations, including the likes of: E4, BBC3, Sky News and countless more without the need for a separate set-top box.

Freesat: A brand new digital satellite television service available through a partnership between the BBC & ITV, giving you free High-Def Telly programmes at no additional price. Freesat has no monthly contract, no subscription, just one solitary payment for the TV, satellite dish and installation. Furthermore because Freesat is broadcast via satellite, it is obtainable to almost each and every house in the UK. Freesat television is currently only available with Panasonic televisions.

LCD or Plasma Televisions: Although LCD & Plasma TVs work in very different ways, the benefits of both are extremely alike. Nevertheless, it’s important to consider that when picking between a Plasma or LCD telly it is in truth simply a question of size. LCD is at its best performance up to & including 32″ while Plasma tellies offer optimum performance at thirty-seven inches, & above. Hence, if you want to buy a small flat panel TV, then (short for Liquid Crystal Display) offers the greater performance, yet on the other hand if you are searching for a bigger panel size, Plasma is by far the best option.

In evaluation its crucial to keep in mind when selecting the most suitable TV for you, to think about your budget, your viewing distance, the style you wish for and if it is to be an LCD or Plasma TV. Purchase a Plasma TV at a cheap price from John Lewis

Once inside the razor wired fence, I observed the former wards, some who were once rival gang enemies, hugging, exchanging phone numbers and sharing personal family photos with each other. Meanwhile, a large group of heavily guarded and structured wards were being escorted on to the dim, sky lit, concrete gym floor. The CYA alumni’s immediately began greeting the wards with warm smiles and hand shakes. Once seated, Chaplain Carlton McAllister, a CYA alumnus, introduced the panel and offered a faith filled prayer and a joyful song of praise. As I scanned the audience, I observed many of the wards staring at the panel speakers during the song, appearing to wonder what the panel members were about and what they had come to say.

“You need to stop being punks, anyone can run behind a gang, but it takes a real man to live for Christ and to stand alone.” A quiet hush fell over the gymnasium. You could have heard a prison-made cuff-key drop, as Levon Davis, now also known as Dr. Levon Davis shot these words toward wards with a force that captured their attention. Dr. Davis, a once harden criminal convicted for a double murder stood before the audience of offenders a transformed man who presented a bold, thought provoking, and inspirational message. “If it comes down to you and your friends, your friends are going to snitch you off. They ain’t going to take the blame for you,” Davis said confidently and boldly. Some of the audience members snickered, while others nodded their heads in agreement. “Why hold loyalty to someone who is not going to be loyal to you? When it comes down to it, the only thing that is really stable, that will get behind you, is God. Christ is the Answer.” Davis spoke these words with conviction and from experience.

Davis has had experiences that have now distinguished him from his past life style and previous mistakes. He has excelled since his release almost 10 years ago from the CYA and is a rehabilitated man, a scholar in his own right. Davis earned his PhD in counseling, is president and founder of Blessed Faith Bible College, which is accredited to the doctorate degree, he owns and operates a Christian music production company, and if that isn’t enough, he is a devoted husband and pastor of Blesses Faith church in Sacramento, California. He has come a long way from the cellblocks he was confined to over 10 years ago and the reality of his life is that his new beginning was initiated behind the bars of the CYA. Davis told the audience that he took advantage of every vocational program offered to him at the CYA and in addition, he enrolled in a correspondence college while serving his sentence. Davis credits the CYA and his strong faith in God for his successful transition into society. The CYA provided him with the resources and opportunities to succeed, and it took his initiative and commitment to turn those opportunities into reality.

Another success story and former guest of the CYA was Noel Patillo, son of celebrity gospel artist, Leon Patillo. This former ward also had a word for the wards, which he communicated, in part, through rap. His artistic flavor and talent got the spirit moving throughout the gymnasium, and the audience was tapping their feet and bobbing their heads. His words were profound and chillingly descriptive. “My parents were separated, my dad was always on the road, and mom was a dope dealer. I grew up in a dope house,” said Patillo. In a private interview he told me that his dad always told him that he needed to “get it right” because God had something for him.

Patillo, a former Bay Area gang member who was incarcerated for attempted murder believed his path on the straight and narrow came in a round about way. “God kind of tricked me in to getting saved,” said Patillo. He confessed that initially his interest in going to church was more so an interest in the opportunity to see the women who would occasionally volunteer in the institutional chapel service rather than an interest in God. This passionate interest eventually led to Patillo’s exposure to a man from an outreach ministry who began to speak the Word into his life. Patillo stated that the man ministered the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him for three consecutive days, and on the third day, the man said the sinner’s prayer with him. “I felt a change at that moment. I no longer wanted to fight, because I was always mad. I was angry, because I was locked up, because I took a rap for my cousin. Even though I accepted Christ in my heart, I was still riding with the Bay Area, but my heart wasn’t in it. I finally got some courage, and I just told them I wasn’t ridin’ no more. I was going to do my program and take care of my kids.”

After his amazing transformation, another miracle took place in Patillo’s life, the miracle of his mother receiving Christ and him being the person to lead her through the prayer of salvation. “She was up visiting and God had been talking to me for a couple of months about this new life he gave me, and I said okay. That week she came up there, I brought my Bible with me, and I took her to Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead you will be saved. This was someone who taught me the ways of the street, and here I was talking to her about Jesus. Then she just opened up her heart and started crying. I said the sinner’s prayer with her, and she accepted Christ. She started going to church after that.” Behind bars Patillo had received freedom from his physical and mental shackles and now he shared the gift of freedom through Christ with his mother.

After his release in May of 1995, Patillo earned his Associate of Arts Degree in Computer Technology. He is currently working toward his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Computer Technology. He is a youth pastor at True Vine Ministries in West Oakland, and he operates and owns a legal broker business. He has accomplished much despite his shaded past, and the CYA was where his miraculous transformation began.

Vanna In of Cambodia appeared before the wards looking like a preppy college student; however, his former lifestyle was anything but that of a college student. “I had no problem going to make a name for myself, or putting a gun to somebody’s head to rob them,” said In. He told me that he wanted to join the largest and worst gang. “If I was going to join a gang, I wanted to do it right. I wanted to join the most ruthless one.” In a private interview he disclosed that he came from a verbally and physically abusive home and that he was driven by his anger and the need to feel accepted at any cost, and at anyone else’s cost. He went on to tell me about his amazing conversion while awaiting trial for a gang related murder.

“When I was in jail in ‘94, I started reading books by Chaplain Ray, who had all these books of inmates whom had given their lives to God. I was more interested in the stories than what God had done in their lives. I was reading the books just to kill the time. Then I was reading this one book called “Al Capone the Devils Driver” and in that book before each chapter there was a verse, and the verse that captured my heart was John 15:16 - For you did not choose me, but I chose you; I said what? Why would God call me after all the things I have done. I heard a soft voice that said, “Give your life to God” and as soon as I heard that, I closed the book. Then I started reading the book again, the voice said the same thing again, “Give your life to God”, but this time I said, okay. God you must be real, because you came to me a second time. So I woke up one of the brothers that use to witness to me and asked him to pray for me. It was about 2:30 in the morning. I use to worship a statue. Buddha never taught that we can be loved and forgiven and that God wanted to have a relationship with us. God gave me hope. When you have hope in God, no matter what you go through, you know your going to make it.”

After In’s spiritual awakening, he stated that he began reading the Bible daily and while incarcerated at the CYA he came across a young preacher named Levon Davis. “In January of 1995, I went to a Chapel service, I said wow! Look at this guy preach, and he’s an inmate, so I said, if God can use him, God can use me.” What a realization for this young man that God could use him for good. This revolutionary thought transformed his mind and ultimately his life.

I asked In what advice he would give to inmates to help them avoid the pitfalls of the streets once released? In said, “Separate yourself from the negative influences. What I learned from Y.A. was very good. I learned that insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results.” In’s achievements are commendable and the lessons he learned at the CYA were instrumental in helping him to break the vicious cycle of negative behavior in his life. The CYA provided the resources and the opportunity for positive change, and the hope he discovered in God gave him the will power and determination to follow through.

Joshua Ortega repeatedly stated in his high-powered message, “God is good!” He said, “I read the stories in the Bible and it seemed like Jesus was a pretty good guy,” as he gave a joyful chuckle. Ortega gave his life to Christ after picking up a Bible while incarcerated. He stated that he experienced joy at the CYA although his sentence was 35 years to life. He stated that the joy he experienced upon giving his life to Christ was equivalent to the joy that he now experiences after having his sentence miraculously modified by the court. He is now enjoying his freedom in society, has a great job, and is an active member in his church. Ortega commanded the floor with his presentation.

Richard Chandler took the floor and reminded his captive audience to look at the big picture. Chandler, a former gang member, spent 12 years of his life in the CYA and State Prison. He stressed the importance of family and considering how a person’s actions affect their loved ones and everyone around them. It was a message that emphasized a principle that many CYA counselors work to teach wards on a daily basis, accountability.

Shakir Villalobos, a former gang member from East Los Angeles, spent seven years in the CYA for a gang related murder. At age 12 Villalobos was jumped in to his neighborhood gang. “I was looking to find my identity, I was doing anything for their approval”, stated Villalobos. “If there is something on the outside that you’re not on the inside, then you’re on no one’s side.”

Villalobos was released from the CYA seven years ago and has been happily married for the past 4 years. He is the father of two beautiful daughters and is gainfully employed as a construction worker. He credits his success to the mentoring that he received at the CYA from Darwin Benjamin, a former Youth Correctional Counselor (YCC), and Chaplain Carlton McAllister. Villalobos stated that he still maintains a close friendship with his two mentors and remains accountable to them. He laughed as he told me how Benjamin calls him from time to time to ask him how his marriage is doing. He stated that he responds by saying, “Fine”, and then Benjamin will ask to speak with his wife.

Villalobos continued by sharing an analogy he received from Darwin that helped him explained how he connected with Christ and how he was able to view his relationship with Christ. “We all know how to dance for the neighborhood. When Jesus comes up to you, he doesn’t want you to stop dancing, he just wants you to change partners. When I heard that from Darwin, it just clicked in my mind, there is no difference. I wanted to switch my life to Jesus.”

There was one powerful testimony after another being shared with the wards at the CYA, and they cheered and applauded each speaker enthusiastically. At the end of the program, they all lined up and prepared to leave the gymnasium in an orderly fashion. I was able to witness something powerful from the looking glass of a photojournalist, which was very different. I was fully equipped with a duty belt as a Youth Correctional Counselor and prepared to respond to any occurrence, but I experienced a perspective from behind the lens of my camera that was gratifying and hopeful. I perceived that some of the gang tension had dissipated; many of the wards were leaving with smiles and their faces appeared to be illuminated with hope rather than snarling or shouting obscenities at their known rivals. They stood in line to leave the gymnasium and extended respect to the panel members by shaking their hands. From my perspective, some mental shackles were broken and some potential bridges were being constructed even if only within the minds of the wards. It was good to know that the wisdom of the panel had been imparted to these young men.

All of the panel members currently service their communities through outreach programs within their churches. Vanna In also works as a counselor at a non-profit organization helping high-risk youth obtain employment. “We are looking for guys that want to change, but can’t find a job because of their lack of skill, education, and criminal history.” All the speakers left their contact information for the wards, for guidance and assistance. Chaplain Carlton McAllister and N.A. Chaderjian Gang Coordinators, Don Nickerson and Bob Galano orchestrated this All-Star, successful event. They received heartfelt accolades from some of the panel members who expressed their appreciation for their encouragement and mentorship during their incarcerations.

McAllister, Nickerson, Galano and a team of others whom helped host the event, are optimistic about the future of the wards at the CYA. A large part of this optimism can be attributed to the new administration at N.A. Chaderjian. The institution has been plagued with gang violence since it opened in 1991. The administration’s approval of the organizer’s request to use former inmates as an arsenal to be deployed against the on-going campaign against gang violence has pioneered the way for the implementation of progressive and innovative programs at N.A. Chaderjian. The former inmates must meet certain criteria to participate in the program, including but not limited to being law-abiding citizens and possessing a willingness to pour back into an institution that was instrumental in their personal success.

Nickerson shared his thoughts about the success of the event. “Chaplain McAllister gathered an excellent group of young men to speak to our ward population. Their personal testimonies and the opportunity to make real change was inspiring. I have to believe they planted seeds in the hearts of the young men who attended the assembly. It is my hope that we can have future events that challenge our wards to become men of character and integrity.”

It appears that the program had a positive impact, because the percentage of incidence of gang violence in the institution has decreased as compared to past years and many gang members are severing their gang ties.

Photos and Story by Ray Johnson/Npaphoto.com

(Photos and Captions are available)

Rayford Johnson has been a photojournalist for the Sacramento Observer Newspaper going on 18 years. The newspaper has won numerous of distinguished awards. He also is publisher of Npaphoto.com.

In 1995 he rejoined Goldman Sachs, where he had previously worked as an adviser. Eugene Fife then head of the firm’s London office recruited him after they met on a London-to-New York flight. Not only current but also former Goldman Sachs employees say Mr. Sutherland gave the bank a lift when it was trying to break into Europe.

It’s uniformly accepted that Peter was ideal for winning business away from some of London’s most illustrious and well established banks as well as European financial firms. He brought with him an impressive amount of extremely useful contacts. Not only that but he is also known to be close to Italian Prime Minister Prodi. In more recent times he accompanied former Goldman CEO Henry Paulson on trips to China and Russia before Paulson became treasury secretary last year. Not only this, he also helped forge a relationship between Goldman and Mittal Steel Co. That paid dividends when Mittal hired Goldman as lead banker in its $39 billion takeover of Arcelor SA last year. By all accounts Peter Sutherland has been instrumental in some keys bits of business which have had a massive impact on the development of Goldman.