Chuckle Your Way To Great Health. And 3 Secrets to Stopping Disease | Dr. Zubin Marolia

• Author Dr. Gene Haynes

The New College Course of the Future Gelotology 101 (The Study of Laughter): A Perquisite is Laughing for No Reason.

Ed.D Haynes, Gene.

1 Training Manager

2 Adjunct Instructor

3 Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher

4 Ed.D Educational Leadership and Management, Capella University

Abstract— There is a new elective course needed in all colleges. Gelotology 101 (The study of laughter) it is course designed as a certification in what is known as Laughter Yoga. The course is a fun interactive course that does not use jokes or comedy. It is a course that engages students to use fake laughing that becomes contagious and real laughter. The course teaches students how to reduce stress through laughter. It also educates students how to start their own laughter programs in their professions. The growing body of research proves there is a need for colleges to implement this course as part of any college curriculum. (Continued below......)

Have you ever considered that your spiritual and emotional wellbeing may be directly tied to your physical health? In this video from TTAC LIVE! 2019, Dr. Zubin Marolia walks us through his experiences with healing and the 3 things you can do to promote better health. Be sure to watch the whole clip to learn why you must learn to lose control before you can gain it. Learn more.......

(....Continued........)

Index Terms— Gelotology, Laughter Yoga, Stress Reduction, Edutainment, Curriculum, Elective Course.

I. INTRODUCTION

Gelotology has played a role in health improvement for many years. Most of its significance in the health field was unrecognized. Today the growing body of research has led to the development of a capstone project that proves studying gelotology can play an important role college curriculums. According to Steinberg (2016), every day we must change, innovate and re-think learning. Amazon, Google, and Apple are companies that have used this approach to become successful. Companies in any industry can become successful if they follow this method. The gelotology course is an example of change by offering something new and innovative. The course is built upon existing practices and the course re-thinks learning by its interactive exercise which is different than traditional courses. The course on gelotology is like no other college course. It involves laughing and child-like playfulness in every class.

Today, businesses thrive on innovation; in a competitive market, it is innovation that is the key to an organization’s survival. Almost every year various companies strive to be on top. To be number one and gain as much market share as possible, a company must constantly seek new ways of conducting business. The design of a course on gelotology is an example of thinking outside of the box and thinking innovatively in a rapidly changing world. The course on gelotology is innovative because it is something new and different than the traditional courses offered at the college. The assignments, lesson plans, group work, and class activities; are designed to create a unique course that educates students on a practice that is not offered in many colleges.

The uniqueness of the course is designed to make class fun and interesting to students. At the same time they will learn how something as simple as laughing can have an affect on stress.

According to Ting and Lee (2012), several authors cited the importance of offering elective courses of interest to students. The more interest students have in the content, the greater the impact on student learning. According to Morreall (2014), education is supposed to be preparation for life. It should foster the intellectual and personal attributes needed to be a successful, well-rounded human being, but traditional education either ignores or actively suppresses one of the most important of these attributes – humor. The new course on gelotology includes humor and provides students with new tools to help cope with stress.

II. Background

"Yoga" is derived from a Sanskrit root word ‘Yuj’ (join), hence "yoga" means and includes, joining of the body, mind and the ‘Self’(soul)” (Setty, Pailoor, and Mahadevan, 2016, p. 89). Yoga promotes self-knowledge and understanding.. Having this understanding will allow the individual to cope with the daily stress of everyday life. Through its practice people have been able to live a more refreshing life, filled with happiness and good health. As an exercise yoga has been able to help heal the body and reduce stress. Galantino, Bzdewka, Eissler-Russo, and Holbrook (2004) conducted a pilot study of participants with lower back pain. Results found that participants experienced a decrease in disability and stress; and an increase in flexibility. Over time yoga has transformed into an exercise that originated from ancient rituals.

Yoga is a practice that many have used for centuries. The history of yoga dates back to ancient religious text that describes techniques of yoga. According to Kumar and Aanand (2015), it is believed to have originated in India. Some date yoga back 3000 years. Ancient stones show carvings of people in yoga poses. Many years ago, it was believed that people worked long hours and needed time to rest. The rest allowed their bodies to relax and regain its energy. As people rested in these ancient times, they discovered the harmonious effects of sitting still. The mind body and soul connection became a tradition that many used as a way to remove themselves from their busy lives. While there are many different forms of yoga. The most popular categories of yoga divided into four broad sections the vedic period, pre-classical, classical and post-classical. Each of these periods has evolved over time changing yoga into many different forms.

Today, the United States became one of the biggest markets for Yoga. The recognition of yoga received attention, the United Nations General Assembly has declared June 21st International Yoga Day. People all over the world celebrate this day by honoring the traditions that have been practiced for centuries. The actions of yoga help to reduce stress and improve the mind body and soul through relaxation. As yoga developed over the years, new forms of yoga were created.

Gelotology is a term coined in 1964 by Edith Trager and William Fry. The practice was formed from the Greek root gelos (to laugh) Butler (2014). Madan Kataria, a general practitioner in India,

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coined the term laughter yoga in 1995 while researching an article he was writing for a health magazine (Kataria, 2002). Kataria began the first laughter club at a park in Mumbai, India, and these laughter clubs have now spread worldwide. Laughter yoga combines laughing with the yogic breathing exercises used in yoga. What makes laughter yoga different is that it involves laughing followed by periods of meditation. There are no jokes, humor or comedy used. Research has found that the body does not know the difference between real laughter and fake laughter. Kataria developed this concept to trick the mind into happiness. The process of fake laughing releases endorphins into the blood stream causing a chemical reaction to reduce stress. Kataria’s movement is established through the development of free laughter clubs.

Participants attend the free clubs to laugh, learn about gelotology and reap the health benefits of the saying laughter is the best medicine. According to Khatchadourian (2010), Kataria concentrated his energies on promoting the therapeutic and health benefits of his exercises. The works of Kataria started in India and have now spread worldwide. According to ‘Yoga,’ (2011), laughter yoga is practiced in 60 countries.

In India, Kataria conducted exercises in maximum security prisons, at schools for homeless children, and at institutions for the blind. He encourages his acolytes to share laughter yoga in similar venues. According to Butler (2014), Fry published studies of the physiological processes that occur during laughter supporting the claim that laughter is equivalent to exercise. Wagner, Rehmes, Kohle, and Puta (2014) conducted a study comparing the activation of trunk muscles during laughter yoga in comparison to exercises such as crunching and back lifting exercises. Results found that during the highest intensity of laughter yoga, the action of the laughter was comparable to those produced by traditional exercises. Therefore, not only is laughter yoga a great method for stress reduction, but it is also a form of physical exercise.

III. The Need for a Gelotology Course

Laughter therapy is a something that can be taught to students in a college setting.. According to Dolgoff-Kaspar, Baldwin, Johnson, Edling, & Sethi (2012), instructors can be certified through Laughter Yoga International. The founder of the organization, Dr. Madan Kataria trains individuals in the laughter therapy principles (Dolgoff-Kaspar, et al, 2012). After students complete the course on laughter yoga, they can pursue more education about the program to enhance their skills. Currently this training is available outside of academia, however there is a need to expand this within college curriculums. Students will learn a new skill in a collaborative space and gain new knowledge to apply to their profession and personal lives. The new course would teach students leadership abilities by helping students to learn how to design programs on gelotology which can be applied outside of the classroom. e.g medical students could use what was learned in the course to help patients recover. A business could also benefit by starting a laughter program at their work place to reduce employee stress.

A new course on gelotology can help bring about change within academia and the allied health field. According to Grogan, Donaldson, and Simmons (2007), leaders who can challenge accepted methods have the most chance of promoting learning for their members. Taking the initiative to identify problems and develop solutions shows a leader’s ability to take action and solve complex problems. The course on gelotology is a

practice that more nurses need training on as laughter therapy gains recognition in the allied health field.

IV. Problem Described

The design of the new course helps the institution review new content and innovative ideas that may bring about change. As one of the faculty at a for profit college, the design of the new course is a suggestion to help meet the needs of students as observed during sample laughter sessions during class time. As a faculty member that teaches freshman students, often students complain about the elective courses offered by the college. Seeing this as a problem led to the development of a new course to address the students complaints about the current curriculum. The changes that would occur consist of the following:

1. An additional elective course

2. An innovative course of interests to students

3. A unique course that is not offered at other colleges

4. New knowledge to medical professionals as part of a growing body of research

5. A one of a kind course offering that may attract new students

6. Educate students on new career choices

7. Additional content to be added to the students' portfolio

What is most important is that the new course will create a change to your institution by offering a one of a kind course that is not offered at other colleges. A literature review indicates, there is a lack of nurse education in the field of alternative therapies such as gelotology. The course can help to attract new students seeking to learn more about laughter and how it can help improve the quality of life of patients. ‘Academic Programs’ (2014) states the importance of institutions to maintain and achieve financial success. By continuous improvement, colleges will build its brand of keeping up with the changes in healthcare and academia. According to Papandrea (2014), Mount Ida College used a different approach to branding by highlighting its academic programs vs. the institution as a whole.

The development of a new program will allow the colleges to market its new program to new students and possibly use this new approach to branding. O’Brien and Deans in Ting and Lee (2012) stated the importance of students being more diverse within their education. Employers prefer graduates who have diverse skills vs. being too narrow and focused on their majors. Electives give students the opportunities to learn additional skills which can make them more marketable when they are seeking employment. The approval of a new course on gelotology would allow the colleges to teach students new skills that help to enhance their skills and their portfolios. Students are awarded certificates at the completion of the course, which could also be placed into the student's portfolio. According to d'Erizans and Bibbo (2015) After the term is over, students typically take the contents they have learned and either dispose of it or place the items in storage. Without much thought or reflection, the student does not realize how the content could be used to enhance their education. Providing students with a tangible item such as a certificate; the students could save the document electronically or store the item in their professional portfolio in one central location with easy access.

V. Benefits to the Allied Health Field

The development of an elective course on gelotology helps to improve the allied health field by teaching nursing students additional skills to help improve the quality of life of patients. Sometimes medicine alone is not the solution to healing the sick. According to Pressman and Cohen (2005), despite Self-help books, popular magazines, and Sunday newspaper supplements that have suggested that positive affect (PA) can improve people's health, a search of PsycINFO revealed there are twenty times more studies on depression vs. happiness and health. There is a need for continued research and education on other alternative therapies such as gelotology and laughter yoga.

The effects of laughter yoga have improved the quality of life of patients. According to Foley, Matheis, and Schaefer (2002) in Quoidbach, Mikolajczak, and Gross (2015) research tested the use of simulated 1-minute laughter exercises. It was found that fake laughter led to increases in positive emotions. The basis of these findings has provided strong evidence that the use of these alternative therapies can help improve one’s positive experiences. It is important for health professionals to be knowledgeable on these alternative therapies.

Students learning about gelotology will be exposed to new careers which have an impact within the allied health field. According to Warren (2001), clown doctors are in hundreds of hospitals and healthcare settings in at least a dozen different countries around the world (including Canada, Britain, France, Brazil, Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and The States). As more people are educated on this approach to improving health, it may shift the direction of health care. Many hospitals have seen the changes in patients as a result of the care and entertainment of clown doctors. Spitzer (2006) stated how clown doctors helped a twelve-year-old patient in the burn unit, to stop screaming and become settled. Also, clown doctors are not only for children. Adult patients also benefit from seeing clown doctors. “Our society tends to dismiss play for adults. Play is perceived as unproductive, petty or even a guilty pleasure. The notion is that once we reach adulthood, it is time to get serious. Between personal and professional responsibilities, there’s no time to play” (Tartakovsky, 2012, para 1). It is the objective of this research to educate more people, so they are more aware of the research on gelotology. The knowledge learned can greatly impact the allied health field by the new course offering.

III. Benefits to the Workplace

The design of a gelotology curriculum can have a great impact on society as well. The more people that are educated on the principles of gelotology; the more knowledge of its importance in society will become known. The benefits of a course on gelotology do not only help individuals in the allied health field, but it also helps the general population. Workplace stress has become a growing concern for employers. According to Hirsh (2005), the American workplace has seen an increase in stress due to decline in resources and added competition. The lack of resources has led people to work more hours and risk an increase in their stress. The development of laughter programs can also be used to help reduce employee stress. The results of stressed employees have revealed that employees will more than likely be unhealthy, poorly motivated, less productive and less safe at work. The results of this can affect an organization's ability to succeed in a competitive market Mani, Sritharan, and Gayatri (2014). Addressing the problems of stress can help improve society and the productivity of business, which has an impact on the economy.

A study conducted by Mani, Sritharan and Gayatri (2014) found that job stress affects productivity, absenteeism, workplace errors and job dissatisfaction. They also suggested more employee training and knowledge of information about job stress. The

education on this topic can address the problems and provide valuable solutions for improvement in the workplace.

Beckman, Regier, and Young (2007) conducted a study (Fig 1.) that focused on the elements of laughter yoga on personal efficacy in the workplace and found a 100% positive change in a control group of laughter participants.

Figure 1. Laughter Yoga on Personal Efficacy in the Workplace

From Effect of Workplace Laughter Groups on Personal Efficacy Beliefs, by Beckman, Regier and Young. Copyright 2007 by The Journal of Primary Prevention with permission.

For 14 days a laughter yoga session was conducted for 15 minutes. (Fig. 1) shows the results of the laughter groups based upon their changes in assertiveness, optimism, motivation, adaptability, self- regulation, self-actualization, self-acceptance, and self-awareness.

The positive outcomes seen in this study lead to the preliminary conclusion that a workplace laughter groups can appeal to a diverse range of employees, can be effective with minimal investment of time, and may have sustained positive effects on self-beliefs that have been shown to correlate with positive workplace behaviors (Beckman, Regier & Young, 2007).

Studies like what is depicted in (Fig. 1) need further research and should be implemented within the workplace. Kataria, the founder of laughter yoga, has introduced the concept of laughter yoga worldwide. He speaks at various conferences to spread the word of using laughter to reduce stress. Using his studies Kataria has found implementing a laughter intervention in the workplace has benefits such as: improving team building communication, innovation, creativity, increasing attention spans in meetings, and improving peak performance (Kataria, n.d.).

Laughter therapy programs create fun in the workplace. Work has been known to be a serious place. However, fun in the workplace is now becoming more common. “As kids, we go out to ‘play.’ Later in life, we ‘play’ sports or ‘play’ music,” he writes in one posting. “But then in sharp contrast, we leave our homes each day and go to work. The term implies doing uninspired, often boring and yucky things” (Alsop, 2010, p. 50). However, this has changed in recent years.

Companies like Google, which is ranked one of the best places to work, understand the concepts of work and play. Also, when employees are happy it can have a direct impact on sales. According to Baldonado (2015), workplace fun is an important topic in business; laughter yoga was named as one effective method of having fun in the workplace. Popular companies such as Pike Place Fish, Southwest Airlines, FaceBook, and Google have all incorporated these practices into their culture. These organizations have realized how much time is spent on the job. According to

Everett (2011), we spend more than 90,000 hours at work and with the downturn of the economy staff must now accomplish twice the work with half the resources. The amount of time spent at work led to a greater deal of stress on employees.

When corporations adopt a culture of fun in the workplace, performance improves. Yerkes (2003) cited several benefits of using fun in the workplace, including stimulating creativity, fostering commitment, improving employee relations, and reducing stress. The capstone project, shows the benefit of laughter programs in the workplace. The positive changes of developing a course on gelotology, benefits the specialization of education and management by improving learning and fostering change.

Today businesses thrive on innovation; in a competitive market, it is innovation that is the key to an organization's survival. Almost every year various companies strive to be on top. To be number one and gain as much market share as possible, a company must constantly seek new ways of conducting business. Even during poor economic times, research and development efforts must not stop. According to Jaruzelski and Dehoff (2010), more than 90 percent of executive’s surveyed said innovation is critical as they prepare for an upturn, and a majority have maintained or expanded their portfolios and are pursuing new products to improve growth and margins.

A course on gelotology is an innovative course that is designed to engage students. As an educator within the specialization of education and leadership, it is important to understand the importance of designing courses that engage students. Yearwood, Cox, and Cassidy (2016) stated student engagement should be designed into three parts: student engagement with the instructor; student engagement with their peers; and student engagement with the content. Combining the three will ensure the highest level of achievement for student learning. The course on gelotology uses the three forms of engagement by teaching students to interact with each other, engage with the instructor by following guided interactive instructions and engaging with innovative educational content.

The negative effects of not actively engaging students can lead to withdrawing, academic failure, boredom, passivity, absenteeism, aimlessness, avoidance, and apathy. The gelotology course provides an engaging class that entertains students while at the same time teaching them new skills. Today’s courses should involve some form of fun in learning to further grasp students’ attention. Argan and Sever (2010) describes this form of learning as edutainment which combines entertainment and learning. Argan and Sever conducted a study on edutainment in marketing communication courses using a questionnaire as a data gathering tool. Findings of the study indicated that the use of edutainment can help to improve students’ attention and participation. The study also suggests other disciplines should extend edutainment into their specialties as well. It is my objective to one-day have courses on gelotology offered at all colleges. For further details on implementation of a course on gelotology in your college or a workshop on stress reduction through laughter at your workplace please contact Dr. Gene Haynes at info@learn2laugh.com.

IV. References

Academic Programs for Generating Additional Income. (2014).

ASHE Higher Education Report, 41(1), 28-76.

Alsop, R. J. (2010). All work and no play. Workforce Management, 89(10), 50.

Argan, M., & Sever, N. S. (2010). Constructs and relationships of edutainment applications in marketing classes: How

edutainment can be utilized to act as a magnet for choosing a course? Contemporary Educational Technology, 1(2), 118-133.

Baldonado, A. M. (2015). Workplace fun: learning from Google, Southwest Airlines, and Facebook. International Journal, 15 - 17.

Beckman, H., Regier, N., & Young, J. (2007). Effect of workplace laughter groups on personal efficacy beliefs. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 28(2), 167-182.

Butler, B. (2014). Laughter: the best medicine?. OLA Quarterly, 11(1), 11-13.

d'Erizans, R., & Bibbo, T. (2015). Time to reflect e-portfolios and the development of growth mindsets. Independent School, 74(2), 78-85.

Dolgoff-Kaspar, R., Baldwin, A., Johnson, S., Edling, N., & Sethi,

G. K. (2012). Effect of laughter yoga on mood and heart rate variability in patients awaiting organ transplantation: A pilot study. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, 18(5), 61-66.

Ernest, D. R., & Dwyer, W. O. (2010). In their own words: An online strategy for increasing stress-

Everett, A. (2011). Benefits and challenges of fun in the workplace.

Library Leadership & Management, 25(1), 1-10.

Galantino, M. L., Bzdewka, T. M., Eissler-Russo, J. L., & Holbrook,

M. L. (2004). The impact of modified hatha yoga on chronic low back pain: a pilot study. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 10(2), 56.

Grogan, M., Donaldson, J., & Simmons, J. (2007, May 19). Disrupting the status quo: The action research dissertation as a transformative strategy. Connexions, 2(1). Retrieved from http://cnx.org/content/m14529/1.2/

Hirsh, S. (n.d.). Cutting stress in the workplace: Employers find tension reduces productivity. The Baltimore Sun.

In Nagendra (as cited in Setty, Pailoor, and Mahadevan (2016) Effect of yoga on human aggression and violent behavior: A Review of the Indian Yoga Scriptures and Scientific Studies. Social and Education History, 5(1), 83-104.

Jaruzelski, B., & Dehoff, K. (2010, January. 1). Profits down, spending steady: The Global Innovation 1000. Research- Technology Management, 1, 3.

Kataria, M. (2002). Laugh for no reason (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Madhuri International.

Kataria, M. (n.d.). Laughter yoga training yoga teacher training & laughter yoga certification. Retrieved from http://www.laughteryoga.org/english/training

Khatchadourian, R. (2010). The laughing guru. New Yorker, 86(25), 56-65.

Kumar, V. R., & Aanand, S. (2015). Yoga: A case of reverse Innovation.Purushartha: A Journal of Management Ethics and Spirituality, 8(2).

Mani, K. P., Sritharan, R., & Gayatri, R. (2014). Effect of job stress on the employees performance. Annamalai International Journal of Business Studies & Research, 6(1), 47-55.

Morreall, J. (2014). Humor, philosophy and education. Educational Philosophy & Theory, 46(2), 120-131.

Papandrea, D. (2014). On Board with the brand. University Business, 17(12), 82-86.

Pressman, S. D., & Cohen, S. (2005). Does positive affect influence health? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 925-971. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.925

Quoidbach, J., Mikolajczak, M., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Positive interventions: An emotion regulation perspective. Psychological Bulletin, 141(3), 655-693.

doi:10.1037/a0038648.

Spitzer, P. (2006). Hospital clowns-modern-day court jesters at work. Lancet, 36834-35. doi:10.1016/S0140- 6736(06)69919-4

Steinberg, S. (2016). Prepare tomorrow's leaders today. TD: Talent Development, 70(1), 48-53.

Tartakovsky, M. (2012 November, 11). The importance of play for adults. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/15/the- importance-of-play-for-adults/

Ting, D. H., & Lee, C. C. (2012). Understanding students’ choice of electives and its implications. Studies in Higher Education, 37(3), 309-325.

doi:10.1080/03075079.2010.512383

Warren, B. (2001). Knowing laughter: What do clown-doctors know and how do they learn to do what they do? NALL Working Paper. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED462545.pdf

Wagner, H., Rehmes, U., Kohle, D., & Puta, C. (2014). Laughing: A demanding exercise for trunk muscles. Journal of Motor Behavior, 46(1), 33-37.

doi:10.1080/00222895.2013.844091

Yearwood, D., Cox, R., & Cassidy, A. (2016). Connection- Engagement-Empowerment: A Course Design Model. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal, 8(3), 1-15.

Yerkes, L. (2003). How to create a place where people love to work.

The Journal for Quality and Participation, 26(4), 47-50.

Yoga. (2011). Om om om, ha ha ha!. (2011). New York Times Upfront, 143(9), 4.

Dr. Gene Haynes has a Bachelors in management, MBA in Business Administration/ technology management and has a Doctoral Degree in Education. Since receiving certification as a laughologist in 2011 Gene has focused his mission to improve company

moral, enhance the corporate culture, build team work, elevate communication, increase workplace productivity, improve schools retention and increase individual’s health through something as simple as laughter.

Tactical PE Featuring: What's The Relationship Between Non Lethal Self Defense Products, The Bystander Effect and The Kitty Genovese Incident?

 

What's The Relationship Between Non Lethal Self Defense Products, The Bystander Effect and The Kitty Genovese Incident?

• Author Dan Reyes

By Dan Reyes

Your intentions? Protecting yourself and your loved ones from crime. Your strategy? Well, you don't carry non lethal self defense products with you, but you do stay away from desolated places (specially during unsafe hours). You imagine that your plan is faultless. Think again.

As the number of persons around you goes up, the less likely it is that any single individual will help you out during any urgent situation, according to irrefutable research results in social psychology. Skeptical? Read on. (Continued below......)

Knife attacks are either on the rise or just getting more publicity warriors. So on this week's show we are sharing info on how to defend yourself and increase the chances of walking away from a knife attack unscathed. There is no guarantee of safety but with the right training and focus, you can increase your chances of staying safe.

LESSON 1: TRAIN

LESSON 2: GEAR

LESSON 3: FLEX

LESSON 4: FIGHT

LESSON 5: PREPARE

(...Continued.....)An ill-famed instance of civic indifference can be appreciated in the notorious case of Catherine Susan Genovese, otherwise known as Kitty Genovese. According to social psychology archives, Genovese was stabbed to death in the full view of 38 neighbors (some people maintain that the real number was 12, but that doesn't change the fact that there were at least some witnesses around).

All of them failed to help (at least in any significant way), in spite of the fact that the killing took place for at least half an hour. Kitty Genovese was even sexually assaulted prior to dying. She was only 28 years old.

Do not dismiss what happened to her as something of the past. What happened to her can also happen to you or to a loved one as well, if you don't generate some real and substantial measures to protect yourself and your family against any potential tragedy (like having non lethal self defense products, for instance).

Social psychologists clarify that the Kitty Genovese case can be completely grasped by bringing up a phenomenon known as the "bystander effect". According to social researchers John Darley and Bibb Latané, the larger the multitude of bystanders, the weaker the chances that any one of them will help the victim out.

What are the psychological forces behind such a odd phenomenon? In a group situation, people have a tendency to think that it is not solely their responsibility to help the victim. In other words: "Let somebody else assist him/her, I don't want to get implicated". And as a result, a second phenomenon takes place: "diffusion of responsibility". So what happens? Nobody helps, and a disaster takes place.

So think twice the next time your mind tells you that you and your family will be protected as long as there are other people with you. There is not always safety in numbers, regardless of the time of the day. Persons usually tend to avoid getting involved except if there is no other alternative but to help (for instance, if there is no one else around) or in "shared fate" situations, where their own wellbeing is at stake too (and do not rely on getting help in such situations either).

So what can be done to avoid becoming a victim when the Good Samaritan won't help you (or your loved ones)? To always be ready the worst is, paradoxically, an optimistic suggestion after all: by recognizing the potential danger and getting armed, your chances of becoming a victim will be reduced significantly.

Within that context, the most excellent course of action is to carry with you reliable non lethal self defense products at all times (take into account a non lethal weapon such as a a long-range pepper spray, a TASER device, or even some particular types of stun guns such as stun batons, which provide extended reach). That must be your first option, given the fact that you might not always receive the so much needed assistance in time...even if surrounded by witnesses. Keep in mind that even the police might not always be there to help you out. Try to rely on yourself as much as possible, and counsel your family members to do the same.

Even if you are an expert in martial arts, carrying non lethal self defense products is still a very intelligent choice. Trying to avoid close combat in the first place is an extremely desirable goal, specially if you take into account that your opponent might be carrying with him a knife or some other concealed weapon (bear in mind that you might get hurt while performing a martial arts technique in such cases).

In the event you get caught without non lethal self defense products to fight back, and if escaping is not achievable, your next best option would be to defy both the bystander effect and the diffusion of responsibility by pointing directly to an individual person while giving that person a precise command, such as "you in the red hat, dial 911!". That will help you decrease the probability that the responsibility will be diffused in the multitude of bystanders.

However, try to not depend on others, and make sure that your loved ones do exactly the same. Be as self-sufficient as possible. Never leave your non lethal self defense products at your residence. Do not allow some irresponsible assailant bring tragedy into your existence while some strangers just watch.

In conclusion: eliminate wishful thinking. It's always wiser to depend on yourself. Do not wait to experience the bystander effect for yourself. Carry non lethal self defense products with you every time you go out, even if you are skilled at martial arts. That way, you will successfully reduce the chances of cases like Kitty Genovese's being repeated ever again.

The time to be ready to stand up for yourself and your family members is not tomorrow. The time is now.

The Rock Almighty Shaker Of Heaven and Earth and Where Did Christmas Traditions Come From

 

Where Did Christmas Traditions Come From

• Author Jason Swanson

Christians celebrate Christmas to observe the birth of Jesus Christ, which is an event and not a tradition. But many other activities related to celebrating the Christmas season evolved from certain traditions, many of which are from other countries, particularly from peoples in Europe.

Among common items used in Christmas decorations are the holly and the mistletoe. Both are used primarily in wreaths and garlands. The Druids started the tradition of using the mistletoe as decorative items up to two hundred years before Christ. To celebrate the winter season, the Druids would gather the plants and use them to decorate their homes. The Druids believed the mistletoe would bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. They also believed that the mistletoe had a healing quality and could be used for everything from healing wounds to increase fertility. In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was seen as a plant of peace and harmony and was associated with Frigga, the goddess of love. This association is probably what led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In the Victorian period, the English also would hang mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways during holidays. The habit developed that if someone was standing under the mistletoe, someone else in the room would kiss that person. Such outright behavior was not generally seen in Victorian society. The use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations was once banned by the church however because of its associations with pagan traditions, and the use of holly was suggested as a substitute. (Continued below......)

Merry Christmas week warriors!

On today's show we have some good clean rocking celebratory fun with the always present Christ-centered rock, reason-for-the-season motivation and a hilarious rendition of the Christmas story as it can only be told by the children that are affected by this time of year the most.

(Continued......)Poinsettias are another traditional decorative flower used at Christmas. It is native to Mexico and is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the first U.S ambassador to Mexico and who brought the plants to America in 1828. Mexicans believe the plants were a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem and that's one reason they are associated with Christmas. There's also the story that a young boy was going to see the Nativity Play at a church but realized he didn't have a gift for Baby Jesus. The boy gathered some green branches, which others scoffed at. But as he placed them near the manger, a bright red poinsettia flower started to bloom on each branch, which gave rise to their traditional use at Christmas.

Candy canes became a Christmas tradition not because their red and white stripes matched the colors of the season, but for the most unusual reason of discipline. that's because they were first used as treats that were give to German children to keep them well-behaved for the duration of church sermons. Over time, the legend of candy canes at Christmas came to be associated with some of the strongest symbols and beliefs of Christianity: the Father, Son and Holy Ghost known as the Trinity, the Blood of the Son of God, Jesus as the embodiment of holiness, purity and without sin and the Son of God as the shepherd of man. The candy cane represents these symbols respectively with its three stripes, its red and white color and its shape.

Sending greeting cards during Christmas and the holidays is as prevalent today as the custom of giving gifts. The tradition of sending Christmas cards started in 1840 in Britain with the start of public postal delivery service of the 'Penny Post.' Then from about 1860, large numbers of Christmas greeting cards started to be produced. The popularity of the cards increased in Britain when they could be sent by the postal service for one half-penny, which was half the price to post a standard letter at the time, if they were in an unsealed envelope. Religious pictures of Mary, Joseph , Baby Jesus, the angels, shepherds and Wise Men were traditionally placed on Christmas cards. Some cards today include scenes from the Nativity, but pictures of Santa Claus, winter scenery, Christmas trees, gift packages and others are also depicted on contemporary Christmas greeting cards.

The Loss of Abundant Life and Victory Update with Greg Stephens and Tim Fox

 

The Loss of Abundant Life

• Author Gerry Legister

All of mankind is plague with the nature of sinfulness that we have inherited from Adam’s transgression. Being born again takes us back to the very first beginning, to get a better understanding of the roots of Christianity, for it did not begin in the new testament, but unusual events took place thousands of years before the Hebrew nation came into existence. We must get some understanding about what occurred in the genesis connection. As Christians we believe in the whole bible rightly divided, the new testament becomes our rule of faith, practice government and discipline. The genesis account tells us very specifically, that both mankind, God created the heavens and earth. He is the owner, nothing evolved over thousands of years, as being taught in secular education. (Continued below....)

On today's episode of Victory Update, we have Jonathan Saenz.

(....Continued.....)In the beginning, God CREATED the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

We are all partakers of this sinful nature, and as in Adam all die, in Christ we have all been given new life, or at least a change to regain some form of spiritual identity. Everything was not lost in the garden, when the disobedience took place, Adam and Eve lost their paradise home, they were expelled from the beautiful habitation that the Lord had provided for them. The picture that describes the creation of the garden of Eden comes across a place of serene paradise, in a sense being totally harmonized in the presence of the Lord. A refilled possession, and one that was affordable, priceless, rare, mysterious, but ultimately sustaining all things that is required for a happy life.

Therefore, the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. Genesis 3:23

And they were both driven out of Eden, to make their dwelling place among the hostile environment, that they were not accustom to, they had to adopt quickly and make changes to their lifestyle, be content with each other’s company, look out for each other, bear each other’s burden, for although they had lost so much, there was still much more that was not reveal to them in the garden.

Among the privileged few, Satan also had influence in the garden, he was lowed to roam round as serpent, the serpent tells Eve that she will have Gods knowledge, made it sound like God was hiding something from them, which he was not, this was a test, and Adam and eve failed. They transgress by eating of the fruit of this tree. They had committed the first sin against God, by disobedience and their eyes were open, not to see the co lours of the rainbow or how beautiful a summers day look, but open in a different way, which made their conscience felt shameful, guilt complex, and the overwhelming g feeling of condemnation. Gods plan for mankind was for us not to have known the knowledge of evil.

They had foolishly lost their childlike innocent and purity and became self-conscious, being aware of their surrounding and how they felt about nakedness. All our efforts outside of God is hopeless, Adam and Eve made a poor effort of manufacturing designer wear, with some attempt to cover up, what could they hide now, God had seen it all, he made all parts of our anatomy, and the structure of organisms and their parts tied to our embryology. But God did not want us crossing over lines of experiment, to participate and engage in sinful practices.

since it was by his temptation that Adam and Eve became expose to sin, when the serpent assures the woman that she would not die, she eats the fruit and gave also to her husband Adam who did likewise, from that moment on life for them went downhill. God tells Adam and Eve, that they can eat of every single tree that is in the garden except for one, The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And in addition to banishing both out of the garden, God now pronounces a curse in general upon the ground, toil and sweat to provide food on the table, so that when they tilled it, the fruit will not be instantaneous physical hard lab our.

And the implication of child bearing pain was brought into the equation, struggles, sleeplessness, weary days, and dreary nights, until eventually the corrupted bodies will wear out and die. What an awful state, death now enters into the picture, and all humans will follow that procedure, as a result of sin, our bodies are now subject to disease, illness, aging process, mental illness, a mixture of good and evil, life and death, sorrow and joy, victim and victors, we will walk slow and slower until we have come to stand still, and we all have the knowledge that we are going to die one day, but we have no idea when we are going to die.

CURSED is the ground for your sake; in toil, you shall eat of it all the days of your life, in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread." Genesis 3:17-19

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust, you are, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19

Adam and Eve, would now begin to learn along the away, pick up clues how to live safely, learn the art of defense, seldom would they have it easy from now on, being the first pioneers of early settlement, the ground would have to be tilled, the hedges prune and cut back, overgrown shrubs to be address. Adam and eve would now have to plant their own garden, and call their backyard home. Adam and Eve had forever lost their paradise home, and the only chance that they had to eat from the tree of life and to live forever in this perfect God environment, it was gone, and it will be a long time before we will ever see the benefits of the tree of life.

Whiles they were trying to make ends meet, God was always watching over them, even though they had slip and fallen on hard times, he did not leave alone, they were still the apple of his eye, his mater piece in the jig saw of creation. In the garden, there was abundant life, after the fall, the revelation of Jesus Christ made the future look far more abundant.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfected of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

In earths, earliest days, God made a way of recovery for mankind, he provided clothing, gave them length of days to work things out, they gradually made progress, and in the process of time offered up to God sacrifices, some of these sacrifices were accepted, others of course were rejected. Until finally the time came when God send his only begotten son, our Lord Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, so that we may have life and have more abundantly.

Most of my resource was taken from The holy Bible and testimony from church services

Howard’s Creek Wins A Pair of MEAC Weekly Honors Presented on US Sports Net By BBcom

 

Rookie guard acknowledged for outstanding performances off the bench

 (Photo Credit – Howard Athletics Media Relations)

 

NORFOLK, Va. (December 15, 2020) – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) unveiled its women’s basketball weekly honors where Howard University freshman guard Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) won a pair of awards: Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week. The announcement came Tuesday morning.

 

In the two comeback victories, Creek averaged 18.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. On the road at La Salle (Dec. 11), the Maryland native notched her first career double-double (14 points and 10 boards) in the 23-point comeback win. Two days later (Dec. 13), she provided a spark off the bench with a career-high 23 points, including five long balls, in the 14-point come-from-behind victory against the Colonials.

 

On the young season, Creek leads the squad in scoring (15.7 ppg) while shooting 40-percent (6-of-15) from downtown.

 

Fellow classmate Anzhane’ Hutton (Cedar Hill, Texas) received honorable mention after registering her first career double-double against the Explorers with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

 

North Carolina A&T State senior Jayla Jones-Pack was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week.

 

To view this week’s MEAC weekly honors, please click here.

 

Howard returns to action Saturday (Dec. 19) when they travel to Longwood. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m.

Bowie State Student-Athlete Spotlight - Tevin Singleton Presented on US Sports Net by BBcom

 BOWIE, Md. - Each week, Bowie State University Department of Athletics will spotlight one student-athlete or administrator in wake of COVID-19 pandemic that forced CIAA to suspend fall competition until the spring of 2021. This week's spotlight is the final spotlight of the semester and will feature Tevin Singleton, a standout football player, from District Heights, Maryland.

 

Singleton plays one of the most difficult positions in football: Defensive Back. It’s not a position many defensive players want to partake in, and if they do, many are not successful. Singleton, however, is different. He loves the position. His three NFL favorite players to watch are Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams, Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots, and Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals. All three players are Pro Bowl defensive backs whom Singleton watches and studies often.

 

“Ramsey has this attitude of going into a game knowing his matchup, and follows the number one receiver every down through the game,” Singleton said. “Gilmore doesn’t talk. I don’t talk to people on the field unless someone talks to me, but I won’t talk back in the game more than likely. And for Peterson, he’s one of the most patient guys I’ve seen out of all my years of watching football.”

 

Singleton loves the challenge of being tasked to take away a piece of the opponent's offense by locking down the opposing team's number one receiver, just like his role models in the NFL. And according to his stats and accolades, it does not seem that opposing quarterbacks should want to throw his way often. Just last season, where the Bulldogs ranked 5th in the CIAA conference in total defense, Singleton had six interceptions (two of which he ran back for touchdowns), ranked fourth in the conference. He was named Second Team All-CIAA following the regular season.

 

Asked what Singleton fears most when matched against an opposing wide-receiver, he said, “Just giving up the big play.”

 

“That's the most difficult thing,” Singleton continued. “Because you can lock somebody down from one whole game, and then give up one big play….then the crowds can turn against you. And that play can stay on your mind throughout the rest of game. But if you do give up a big play, you just have to train yourself to forget about it and move on to the next play.”

 

In an interview with Bowie State University athletic department, Singleton discussed why he chose Bowie State as his college destination, what he plans to do after graduation, and more.

 

Tell me the journey of how you landed at Bowie State?

I come from Suitland High School, where I played Varsity since my sophomore year. In terms of recruiting, Morehead State and Morgan State came into play, but after doing my research on the schools, I was like, “No, I don’t want to go there.” I want to stay here close to my family, and Bowie State was starting to come up. I wanted to be a part of that because I knew they would be successful.

 

You were right. The football program at Bowie State has been really successful. When do you think this dominance was formed together?

I want to start in 2015. That team just gave us the stepping stone. And when Amir (Hall) took the program over, that's when we just followed behind him, and then we kept winning and winning. And now, we bring players and transfers who want to win.

 

Since the football season got canceled this year due to COVID, and since you’re set to graduate on Friday, are you allowed to suit up again for the Bulldogs next season?

Yeah, they told us that this year wouldn’t even count if we did play.

 

How did you feel when news came that the season would be canceled?

It was hurtful because, at one point, they said it was going to be pushed back to the spring. So, we settled with that. Then Coach Wilson told us we're going to push back to next fall. It hurt because some of us are in school for sports. That's our only way out, and it is what keeps our minds level-headed throughout the semesters. So it was tough to hear.

 

What have you been relying on with no football?

I've just been finding new ways to better myself in life; finding new ways outside of football to get my mind off things.

 

What are your goals for next year in your official last season at Bowie State?

My goal next year is to win the national championship. That's the only thing I have in mind. Of course, we want to win our conference, but getting that national championship would turn the whole campus up.

 

Are you excited to finally graduate soon?

Yeah, definitely. It’s a bittersweet feeling.

 

How has your time at Bowie been, and how have you grown as a student and football player during your time here?

It's been great. I wouldn't change anything about it. It's been the best college experience except for this past year because of the Pandemic. I've grown as a football player the most in terms of holding in my emotions more. I love football, so emotions come with it. But I’ve learned to control them better. As a student, I learned that you have to be on time for class. Professors don't care. You got to be on time no matter what.

 

When you say you struggle to control your emotions, that's interesting because I know defensive coordinator, Antone’ Sewell, is a pretty passionate guy. What’s playing for him like?

Coach Sewell is great. I had Coach Wilson tell us to take our minds to a Hawaii place whenever he yells at us. So that means not ignore him, but ignore him at the same time. Just listen to it and then focus on the next play. We never take it personally.

 

What are your plans after graduation?

So, I will get my undergrad in Business Marketing and then I will get my masters in Communications, just to put myself in better situation as I get into my career of owning a brand and stuff.

 

What is your dream job?

NFL, for sure. That's still plan A. Plan B is marketing and business.

 

Have you talked to Coach Wilson and Coach Sewell about your ambitions to play at the next level?

Yeah, they believe in me. That's all I want people to do. Just believe in myself. They give me the right steps to go in and I love them for that.

 

What do you like to do outside of football?

I like to play games: Madden, Call of Duty, 2K, Spider-man. And I like to work out.

 

PlayStation or Xbox?

Xbox, but I'm not one of those guys that be like, "Man, I only play Xbox". I can play both. I’m that type of person.

 

Where do you see yourself 5-10 years from now?

Hopefully I see myself in one of these leagues. The NFL, CFL, the new XFL or something. But also a big marketing firm for myself, with a clothing brand on the side.

 

Oh, you’re into clothes?

Yeah.

 

What intrigues you about clothes so much?

I think it’s a way to express yourself. Like, if you come out with some sweatpants, you know you on a chill type of day. Now, if you come out with a suit, then you mean business. Like they say, clothes show expression on a daily basis.

 

What is your style when it comes to fashion?

Since I’ve got to college, I have been more on the chill side. I wear sweatpants and hoodies, more than likely when it comes to school and stuff like that. But when it's time to pop out, though, I'm there for you.

 

Are you a Jordan or Nike guy?

I’m everything: Adidas, Jordan’s, Nike. Whatever the outfit calls for. That's the shoe I wear.

 

Do you have a favorite shoe?

Favorite shoe would either be the Yeezy’s or the Bred 11's.

 

If you could play in the NFL next year, who would be the one quarterback you want to intercept the most?

Tom Brady, for sure, that’s my favorite quarterback.

 

Last question: What's your message to the opposing offenses next year?

Stop throwing my way. Plain and Simple.