Mikey Speaks Out

On the day of my birth, my mother had already decided that she wanted to give me away. She had made this decision even though she had not yet known the extent of the problems that would confront me. As it turned out, there were many, including the fact that I was not born a beautiful baby.

Actually, I was considered to be quite ugly, disfigured by a cleft lip and palate that left a gaping hole in the middle of my face. In addition, I was born deaf, covered with bruises, and showed signs of haemophilia, an ancient life-threatening hereditary bleeding disorder.

I longed to be hugged, kissed, and cuddled in my mother’s arms, but that was not about to happen. Instead, I spent months in a hospital crib, as I recovered from complicated facial surgery. Following the surgery, I was placed in a dark room of a foster home, and left to languish in loneliness for several months.

On a dark snowy night, shortly before Christmas, a man and woman arrived at the home of my foster parents. They had driven five hundred miles through a blizzard, and requested to see me… see me! No one had ever before asked to see me! My only previous visits away from the foster home were trips to the hospital for painful medical procedures.

Mind of a Mixed State

Have you or anyone you’ve known suffered through the depth of depression or mania? What about both at the same time? Mind of a Mixed State follows the thoughts and emotional tribulations of a young woman riding the waves of a severe Bipolar mixed episode with psychotic features. Take a journey through the mind of someone struggling to find their voice as they navigate the nation-wide issues that plagues many of us: mental illness.

Modern-Day Palmistry

Palmistry can tell you many things about yourself, others, and the world around you.

Discover:

• - if you will marry
• - how many kids will you have
• - what kind of person would suit you as a partner
• - your career path
• - what kind of work would give you the most satisfaction
• - how to get the most happiness and success out of your life.

All of this and more inside of Modern-Day Palmistry!

More than Just Caregivers

More than Just Caregivers shows how the interplay of early childhood champions and stakeholders makes the field stronger to secure the infinite future for the youngest members of Guyanese society. As a memoir-documentary, it captures the how and why of specialised training needed to raise the professional status of the Guyanese early childhood workforce. Key takeaways include illustrations about how successful outcomes hinge on dedication, collaboration, and willpower, and why sustainability becomes possible with public buy-in, funding, and support.

Mourning Bands On

Mourning Bands On is an accessible journey into the hypersensitive world of today’s American law enforcement. The reader is brought into the law enforcement world through an introduction to the history, function, and development of the American police model. With an understanding of policing’s role in American society, the reader is then immersed into the raucous and contentious cultural upheaval which American policing is currently experiencing.

Using well-known examples, the reader is challenged to consider how American culture is affected by critical incidents and the portrayal of those events in our media intensive world. The reader will review the cases in the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, as well as others. The cases are presented as a narrative of events supported by the findings and legal conclusions of the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Each incident is reviewed with a view of how the incident effected American society and brought change to American culture and thus policing.

The reader will experience how American policing has changed through legislative, societal, and cultural pressure resulting from the reviewed critical incidents. With an appetite for more, the reader is encouraged to further explore the relationship between societal norms and American policing.

The work concludes with a final challenge to the reader. How do we, as a society, reform American policing to move forward after this unprecedented period of cultural change? The author offers several possible reforms to enact, what can you add to the conversation?

My Journey Through Hip-Hop

In My Journey Through Hip-Hop, experience the pulsating beats and soulful rhythms of the genre’s history through the lens of a Chicago native. This debut collection chronicles hip-hop’s evolution, from the groundbreaking beats of DJ Kool Herc to the lyrical genius of J. Cole. Seamlessly weaving album titles, song references, and lyrical snippets, this anthology paints a rich tapestry that both celebrates and demystifies one of music’s most dynamic genres. More than just a retelling, each poem dances to the rhythm of hip-hop, blurring the lines between lyrical cadence and poetic structure. Dive in for an immersive experience that educates and resonates, but be warned — this journey comes with its own parental advisory.

My Observations II

These observations were made during the author’s twenty-five years with Recovery Acres Society, a special care facility for people with drug and alcohol problems. This includes fifteen years as a board member – including six years as board chair – and ten years as executive director. During that time, the facility was able to help hundreds of men, women, and families recover from addictions. It was a real privilege for the author to be a part of the facility and a privilege for him to share these observations with you.

Nathaniel Clark Smith

If you are interested in learning about a pioneer African American music educator in the United States, then you want to read the story of Nathaniel Clark Smith. Smith was a prolific and charismatic music educator, musician, and composer who lived during the early years of music education history in the United States. His formal training in music was on a military base in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Extended studies were from Guild Hall in London, England. A college graduate with B.M.A. and M.M degrees, Smith taught music in educational institutions and industries; was a world traveller who performed with the Ernest Hogan Minstrel Troupe; introduced the saxophone to African Americans; composed and published spirituals, marches, operatic songs, a suite, and an unfinished symphony; and hosted a radio broadcast show which was aired all over the Mid-West. He organized bands and out of that, orchestras, choirs, glee clubs and numerous combinations of the voice and instruments were developed. Smith captured the melodies of the countries that he visited in his music compositions.

During his illustrious career, Smith worked with Frederick Douglas, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Booker T. Washington, Nat King Cole, Lionel Hampton, Milton Hinton, John Phillip Sousa, a young Charlie Parker, and others. His students from the Lincoln High School Band became the nucleus of the big band format of the Mid-West. His Pullman Porter musicians were able to perform at a moment’s notice.

Married with one daughter and the son of an African Sergeant Trumpeter and Indian mother, The Story of Nathaniel Clark Smith is a colourful reading of the times during abolition to the mid depression years in the United States. It is the story of an African-American who survived the challenges of the time to obtain a successful music career, and who helped people to better their lives through music in the Mid-Western and Southern African-American communities of the United States.

Never Take No for an Answer

Embarking on a new business venture can be a daunting and unpredictable journey, much like rolling the dice in a game of chance. In 1967, two bold young men, Les Marino and Kenny Anderson, fearlessly stepped into the world of Heavy Construction, boldly declaring that they would one day become the largest contracting firm in the world. Oblivious to the challenges that lay ahead, they hung their shingle on the door of a modest one-room office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, unaware that their audacious prediction might actually come true in the not-too-distant future. The path to success was far from a smooth highway; instead, it resembled a treacherous, winding trail through a dark and perilous jungle. Armed with perseverance, dedication, hard work, and humility, Les and Kenny navigated the obstacles, eventually finding their way to the proverbial yellow brick road and the success they had envisioned.

This book takes you on a captivating journey, detailing the trials, tribulations, and triumphs that shaped their remarkable story. Join them on this thrilling ride, but be sure to fasten your seatbelt securely, as the road ahead is filled with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Discover how two determined individuals transformed their dream into reality, and learn valuable lessons that can be applied to your own entrepreneurial endeavors.

New Secrets for Success in an AI World

ACCELERATING CHANGE IS OUR FUTURE

This book examines the most pressing AI questions.

What are the risks associated with AI?

What is changing first: job displacement or job creation?

What are the most significant benefits of AI in the short and long term?

What is the timeline for AI-driven change?

Who will be affected most by AI changes in the world?

Who will be affected the least by AI?

What opportunities lie in future changes?

What does the future look like in the short, mid, and long term?

What are the most significant new evolving trends in AI?

What are some of the AI advancements in healthcare?

What are the secrets to future success in an AI world?

What is the next wave of AI start-ups?

What is the simplest way to monetize AI?

How is AI going to affect the financial system worldwide?

How will AI affect warfare worldwide?

How soon will we see AI personal companions?

What is augmented eternity?  

And much much more…

On a Pilgrimage with Augustine’s Confessions

In his ground-breaking work The Confessions, Augustine of Hippo (AD 343-430), a prominent theologian and philosopher of early Christianity, paved the way for self-disclosure and the art of writing one’s life story. In On a Pilgrimage with Augustine’s Confessions, Dr. Blom delves into Augustine’s role as both protagonist and reflective narrator, portraying him as Christianity’s original existential hero.

Blom draws parallels between Augustine’s journey and that of the wanton prodigal son, viewing Augustine’s address to God as the voice of an ‘everyday man’ struggling to find his way home – a spiritual homecoming. By masterfully weaving together Jungian archetypal psychology, mythology, biblical interpretations, and autobiography, Blom invites the reader to embark on a captivating journey that bridges the gap between Augustine’s musings and meditations from the fifth century and the present day.

On a Pilgrimage with Augustine’s Confessions offers a fresh perspective on a timeless classic, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to explore the depths of the human soul and the enduring relevance of Augustine’s wisdom.

Our Forgotten Cultures

In the 1980s, Sasi finds herself playing the role of involuntary trailblazer, as the first Nepali woman to immigrate to her small community in Eastern Canada.

There is no guidebook on how to navigate life, identity, and motherhood in this strange new place. Nor is she prepared for the triple whammy of racism, sexism, and ageism that confronts her as she seeks to gain a footing in the workplace and society.

Weaving together personal recollections with those of family members, Sasi takes the reader on a journey that is strikingly honest, emotional, and ultimately hopeful.