New chapter for St. George’s Chapel

This week came as a surprise for Rev. Jackie Kirby as she received the news of her appointment as the new chaplain for St. Georges School. The Middletown school which was founded over 120 years ago has never had a female chaplain, and just last year welcomed its first female head of school Alixe Callen. On receiving the good news, Rev. Jacky who will now serve as the school’s top religious leader said that she was humbled and honored to serve in the new position. Before being appointed as the new chaplain, Kirby served as an associate chaplain of the school. She will be formally installed into the new post on Thursday, Jan 2018.

“While at the divinity school at Yale, I always dreamed of working at St. Georges. I had always heard about the good things about the school such as the warmth environment, academic excellence and the expectations of parents for their students to succeed. I just felt that I should be part of that family” said Kirby who is 51 years old.

Jacky Kirby was born and raised outside Baltimore. She says that her religious experience has not been by chance. She admits that growing up in an Episcopal family played a big role in shaping her religious beliefs. However, she confesses that college and high school life almost tampered with her faith in God. Nonetheless, her faith started to show up while serving as an English and Expository Writing professor at Boston University.

As she was attending a Unitarian Church service in Boston where one of the Buddhist pastors was leading the sermons, Kirby says that was the moment her spirit got reconnected with her episcopal faith. Consequently, she decided to go back to Yale divinity school for her undergraduate degree in literature before moving to St. Georges where she has been since 2014.

Kirby who is married to ED and is blessed with a 9-year old daughter recently moved to live on campus. When asked how she feels being appointed as the first female chaplain at St. Georges, Kirby smiles and says she is overjoyed by the appointment and assets that she is prepared to handle the responsibilities that come with it.

“I want to serve in this position to the best of my knowledge. If only I can be a role model to the young men and women in this school and community, I would be very grateful” said Kirby while responding to a question from the Daily News early this week.

An Opinion on McConnell

Following the nomination of judge Garlands by Barrack Obama, there have been controversies over the utterances of the US senator majority leader Mitch McConnell. The majority leader hesitated in the bid to engage in a process that is constitutional which reveals contempt for the constitutional democracy governing the US. Mitch chose his stand not to participate in the stipulated constitutional process by taking no action on the candidate Barrack Obama appointed to fill in the vacancy at the Supreme Court (see: Frank Garrison Tennessean).
He explained himself claiming that there is no time frame or standards for neither consent nor advice which is the lamest excuse. His behavior goes against the principle of promoting the constitution of the United States. His actions as the majority leader may cause a pattern of non-engagement by the parties controlling the executive and the other parties controlling the Senate. The leader opts to use public defiance means rather than using the constitutional methods which are the ones required of him.
His intentions to allow the citizens to air their opinion is unclear considering the same citizens are the ones who elected them (the senators) to participate in the constitutional processes to represent the people’s interests. There is no harm in opposing the judge in any manner as long as the behavior is constitutionally correct. The act reveals the engagement in partisan politics rather than following the democracy and the constitution. The rule of law governs the United States and emphasizes the supremacy of the system of law in crisis above all political and personal interests. The constitution provides for courts and legislation as methods of solving crisis to maintain a stable community which is in crisis at this moment.
Despite Mitch’s position as the majority leader, he should not for a moment think that he is above the law and is free do whatever he pleases. His actions are an insult because as the majority leader he should lead by example in engaging in a constitutional manner so that the rest can follow. Instead, he is forming a very wrong pattern for other leaders and individuals known to always think that they are above the law.
A real leader should always assess the long-term consequences of the utterances they speak, actions, and choices effects on the people and a country. Such activities are a threat to the rule of law and democracy. Also they are an insult to the citizens who voted for the leaders to represent their best interests.

Breaking The Norms In Educational Spheres

Obtaining a good education is one of the basic ingredients for a prominent career. Providing others with an education, however, is a career as rewarding as it is fruitful. An individual who knows this all-too-well is Alexandra Callen. Having graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s and master’s, as well as Harvard University with another master’s and doctorate’s, there may not be a better fit for a head of the school position than her. Thus, Callen became the first-ever woman to work at this position since private St. George’s School (https://www.facebook.com/stgeorgesschool/) was founded in 1896.

Pushing Beyond the Societal Norms

Although this was the school of many generations from Callen’s family, she recollects only males going there. Her great-grandfather, grandfather, and uncle studied at St. George. Given the connection with this prestigious institution, responding to the offered position was a destined “yes” from Cullen. Furthermore, this 47-year-old was no stranger to Newport, and this position facilitated relocation to her place of engagement.

The Plans for the Future

As a part of her research, Callen utilized every opportunity to ask questions that will help her accept/reject the offer. In light of those allegations made against the school, she spent a lot of time ensuring that this facility is a place she wants to lead. Ultimately, she clarifies how “this is a safe place and a healthy place for kids”. Plans for the institution are focused on areas of science, engineering, and mathematics while upkeeping extracurricular activities for the kids. The blueprint for the school’s transformation is not something Cullen has been working on, as she is aiming to dedicate a year to learn about the institution. Afterward, she has made it a goal to establish more safe places for children afraid to speak up, as well as bring some diversified guests to discuss sexual harassment prevention.

Natural Gas Taking Over the United States Market

Natural gas can be from renewable or conventional methods. Households are using it in place of fuel due to its domestic availability, relatively low cost, established distribution network, and emission benefits. The conventional and renewable natural gas must be liquefied or compressed to power motor vehicles.

Benefits of Natural Gas

In 2015, more than 19.4 million barrels were consumed per day in United States. Most of the petroleum reserves are in politically volatile nations hence prone to supply disruptions. The natural gas sources are abundant and domestically available. Residents should think of using the fuel to offset the imported petroleum for the transport and household usage.

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) resemble the diesel or gasoline motors in regard to cruising speed, acceleration, and power. NGVs have a lower driving range to similar diesel and gasoline automobiles because less energy content can be held in the tank. For larger vehicle, the owner must add extra tanks or use the LNG. In heavy-duty motors, compression-ignited, and dual fuel engines are fuel-efficient than natural gas engines. The dual-fuel engine facilitates the complexity of the storage system and can handle different fuels.

For a vehicle to start operating, it must meet the emission standards. New cars have effective emission control units that match the specifications regardless of the fuel used. Tailpipe emissions of gasoline and diesel vehicle of modern automobiles ought to be comparable to that of natural gas trucks. Studies confirm that light-duty vehicles on shale and conventional gas can lower the greenhouse gas releases by 11%.

Natural gas from renewable methods is biogas and can be processed to pure standards. Capturing the gas from livestock and landfills operations lowers emission by preventing release of methane into the atmosphere. The greenhouse gas is stronger than carbon dioxide. The production of biogas through anaerobic digestion allows release of nutrient rich fertilizers and reduces odors.

Consumers and fleets can use qualifies unit retrofitters to convert the existing diesel or gasoline automobiles for natural gas operation. All cars and engine conversions must be according to the standards institutes and safety regulations. Only certified persons should complete this task.

Although the US has a wide distribution of natural gas already established, the fueling infrastructures are not enough to sustain the high number. Fleets are left to install their station making the process is expensive. Stakeholders should educate the public about the importance of substituting petroleum products with natural gases.

How to discover the past and create the future through theatre, dance, and media

Harvard offers students the ability to become makers and researchers of art. Their art classes range from dance, theatre, and other performance-based media. Given the immense resources at Harvard, students will be able to learn how to master their Theatre, Dance, and Media, TDM, skills by collaborating with other students in various group work and participation in class work through departmental productions.

TDM classes range from creative writing, physical movement, design and directing, digital and aesthetic humanities, history and practice. TDM invests equally in liberal arts education and technical skills. The TDM classes aim at having a generation of graduates who use their acquired experience in performance, media, and storytelling for careers both inside and outside arts. The professional theatre at Harvard University, American Repertory Theatre, ART, plays a huge role in ensuring the TDM classes are concentrated on.

Various students praise the methods used in TDM classes. The energy, resources, and attention that are focused on the courses create an exciting atmosphere for the children. It has been debated that some of the classes offered are time-consuming to the students and may divert their attention from other studies. However, Harvard has managed to control this by limiting the number of shows each semester. Undergraduates can only put on 20 to 40 shows per semester, TDM only stages two shows per year. They also open up casting and technical roles to non-concentrators. This way they are able to equip their students with both aesthetic ideas and new skills.

TDM tries its best to ensure the studies are quality and growth driven. They do so by limiting the number of students per class to 21 students. This ensures the students enjoy being independent and the individual attention that they receive from the lecturers. Great resources keep being invested into the TDM program. The President of the University recently provided in seed funding $5 million for support of the humanities program.

Even after TDM provide advice on the resources that students put into the program. Some students still find it hard to balance the theory and vocational bits of the concentration. The school is currently looking into integrating the study of TDM with the actual practicing and making of art since courses normally ask for a balance between those disciplines. Despite the teething problems the TDM program undergoes, the students continue to enjoy the enthusiasm Harvard invests in this new concentration. The program is housed in Farkas Hall, named for alumni and donor Andrew Farkas. As technology continues to become an integral part of TDM, Harvard continues to investigate the possibilities of having media in live performances in their new concentration.

Caroline Casey Is Fighting For The Disabled

Caroline Casey Is Fighting For The Disabled To Have The Right To Prove How Valuable They Are In The Workforce
Caroline Casey didn’t realize she was born legally blind until she reached the age of 17. All she could see was a blur three feet away but had no way to know everyone else did not see the same way. She is now an Irish entrepreneur and founded Binc. She is passionate about helping the disabled in business. She originally spent eleven years hiding her disability and constantly changed careers. She finally had to admit she required help.

Caroline Casey has come a long way and is launching her disability campaign by riding a horse through Columbia for 1,000 km. In the past, she participated with a double amputee named Mike McKenzie in Around the World in Eighty Ways and went on a trek through India on an elephant for 1,000 km. She is trying to get businesses to see the disabled as talent, suppliers, and customers. She wants 500 businesses to have disability on their agendas before the close of 2018.

In the last 18 years, Caroline Casey has raised substantial sums of money, worked with methodologies and non-profits, and spoken to business leaders in the thousands regarding disability in business. She has seen very few changes and believes the slow progress is because people are uncomfortable. They worry they will do the wrong thing and make matters worse. She does not believe the business world realizes they can do exceptional business with disability.

One company making a difference is SourceAmerica. They use a network of non-profit agencies to find solutions for businesses. They provide services and products of high standards with competitive pricing. This is accomplished with a workforce of people who have a significant disability. Their programs offer the disabled opportunities for employment and their AbilityOne Program is on a federal level. Their professional non-profit network combined with their expertise make them an excellent choice for commercial businesses requiring top quality services and products. They understand the demands and the pace of the corporate world.

SourceAmerica fights for the disabled to be included in the workforce. They train and then employ workers who are disabled and provide them with the resources they need. They compete for contracts from commercial businesses and the government and numerous positions are filled by severely disabled individuals. Nearly eighty percent of all disabled workers do not have a job and SourceAmerica has become their advocate. Their programs bring empowerment for the disabled who want to work a meaningful job. They are changing hearts and opening minds.

Design Challenges for Middle School Students

No mind is the same, and as such, every mind learns new information differently than others. There is said to be three different types of learners: auditory(those who learn by listening), visual(those who learn by seeing), and kinesthetic(those who learn by doing). Today we are looking at the most common of the learners listed, kinesthetic learners. The kids in class that need to physically perform the task to imprint the knowledge into their brain.

Engineering is a difficult but crucial skill to teach every child, as they will use it to some extent throughout their entire life. Whether it be a career, a simple do-it-yourself project, or a brand new construction of Legos, engineering is done daily. Constant engineering is the best way to improve the lives of everyone around us and is being recognized as such by companies around the world. This has led to the creation of Design Challenges.

Design Challenges are small little projects for students to complete that will teach them a new element to engineering in a fun, easily understood way. Need to teach a 4th grader about how a Windmill works? Easy, sit down with this activity from DiscoverE.org to help them build a miniature one to power a LED light. They also have activities to teach about magnetic trains, making buildings that can withstand a storm, how the pyramids were built, and much more.

DiscoverE isn’t the only group to start creating challenges for kids. The well known company, PBS Kids, has also started putting together Design Challenges. Many of PBS’s challenges include practical mechanics that any child could have fun with as a toy, with the satisfaction of knowing they built it themselves. Some include a mini robot to run along the floor, a dance pad with flashing lights and sounds, glow sticks, sound effect greeting cards, and many more.

These Design Challenges can help newer generations shape the future, and with the foundation they set for younger children, Source America wants to push it further with our young adults. Source America has created a national engineering competition that challenges high school and college students to create new and innovative ways to help people with disabilities compete in the workplace. This has already lead to many great inventions, and will continue to do so for years to come.

Prominent Washington, D.C. Executive Recruiters

The Assistance of Executive Recruiters

Executive recruiters, in short, are hard-working professionals who are a big part of the in-depth hiring process. They help companies of all types locate suitable candidates for executive jobs. People often call them “executive headhunters,” too. Washington, D.C. is the United States’ bustling capital city. It’s also home to a wealth of companies that span many diverse fields. That’s why it’s no shocker to anyone that there are many first-class executive recruiters like Nels Olson based in the metropolis.

Well-Known Recruitment Companies Located in Washington, D.C.

There are many outstanding executive recruitment firms operating in vibrant and lively D.C. Some examples of these noted companies are the McCormick Group Inc., JDG Associates, Ltd., Reaction Search International Inc., Robert Half Executive Search and Lucas Group. These firms are scattered all throughout Washington, D.C., too. The McCormick Group Inc. is actually located just outside of D.C. in the suburb of Arlington, Virginia. Robert Half Executive Search, on the other hand, is conveniently situated in the center of the city on I Street. There are many varied employment agency options available to employers in Washington, D.C. These firms help businesses of all kinds fulfill many of their position placement duties.


Prominent Executive Recruiters in Washington, D.C.

There are indeed a vast range of employment agencies that focus on executive positions in Washington, D.C. There are also many executive recruiters who stand out. Businesses that are searching for the brightest talents in their respective fields can always turn to these employment firms with all the confidence in the world. They can always depend on the skilled and seasoned executive recruiters who work for these firms as well. There are quite a few amazing executive recruiters who work for the JDG Associates, Ltd. staff. These recruiters include but are not limited to Joe DeGioia, Angela Goehl and Paul Belford. These executive recruiters truly shine in their professions. They know how to identify remarkable people in all types of fields. JDG Associates, Ltd. is a company that focuses on all kinds of businesses. It offers invaluable insight and guidance that can assist with the hiring process in fields such as medical care, analytics, IT (Information Technology), social science research, business development, human capital, energy, science, education, accounting, finance, communications and operations. JDG Associates regularly works with government groups, associations, corporations and beyond. That’s the reason the firm’s executive recruiters are such well-rounded and knowledgeable individuals.

The top Players in Commercial Real Estate

Building large commercial real estate properties has become somewhat of a challenge lately for large developers, but it’s not just the real estate developers who keep the commercial real estate market moving. Big players in the financial arena who lend money to developers for large commercial projects play a big role in commercial real estate, but with many banks and other traditional lending institutions seeing a decrease in lending over the past year, alternative lenders have filled some gaps in the construction lending sector. However, there are some top players in commercial real estate game who scored big with some of the largest commercial real estate projects in 2016.

There are a lot of big players in commercial real estate across the world but some deserve more recognition than others. A recent article in Commercial Observer recognized the top 50 most important people of commercial real estate including Andrew Farkas, Roy March and James Flaum, among others. Here are two of their top picks and some of their accomplishments.

Raymond Qiao, Chief Lending Officer at Bank of China, was ranked number one on the list and for good reason. When most people think of China, they don’t think of big real estate, but the truth is that the Bank of China not only originated $4.5 billion in commercial real estate loans across the globe, Chinese money played a big role in U.S. real estate investments and lending in the past year and Raymond Qiao and the Bank of China were at the forefront.

Alan Wiener, Group Head of Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital, came in a close second to Qiao, but it’s a very fine line. Wiener and his team can take the credit for roughly $15 billion in U.S. commercial real estate loans. Based in San Francisco, the lending giant started the year off with a big score by closing on a $2.6 billion loan for school provided by Starwood Capital Group. With deals like these and many others, it’s easy to see why Alan Weiner is at the top of the list.

Destinations for a Cayman Islands Vacation

The Cayman Islands are home to many beautiful tourist attractions, besides the beautiful weather and amazing beaches. The Cayman Islands are also home to amazing sights, such as the Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park, home to a wider variety of plants and wildlife, such as fruit trees, the world’s largest orchids, over sixty species of vibrant butterflies, and the delightful blue iguanas.

The Tukka Restaurant and Bar, where celebrities like Taylor Swift have been spotted on vacation, where you can watch your chef prepare locally caught fresh seafood right in front of you and dine on their porch right there on the beach. Don’t forget their desert buffet, where you can find anything from peach cobbler, to brownies, to cheesecake.

Enjoy the Cayman Islands’ Sting Ray City. A naturally-occurring congregation of many species of sting ray and a wildlife conservation zone which has been featured on the covers of National Geographic, the Wall Street Journal and is a premiere destination for diving enthusiasts across the globe, playing host to names like Richard Branson and NBC’s Al Roker.

Take a tour of the Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery, sample their offerings of locally-made rums and artisan spirits such as Seven Fathoms, Governor’s Reserve and Gun Bay Vodka. All the while, learn how they’re made and all the loving care that brings their tastes to life.

And then, after a full day and a full belly, retire to one of the islands many luxurious hotels, such as the Marriott Beach Resort, the Ritz-Carlton, or the Seafire Resort Spa, which has played host to Nashville star Marren Morris, and is home to three restaurants and two pool bars, a 1770-square-foot fitness center, 8,500 square foot Spa At Seafire, and the 7,076 square foot Aurea Ballroom, perfect for social or business meetings.