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Dr. Deepak Chopra Biography

Published on May 16, 2020

Dr. Deepak Chopra is a renowned alternative medicine advocate, author, and public speaker who has made significant contributions to the field of mind-body healing. With a background in internal medicine and endocrinology, Dr. Chopra is known for blending Eastern philosophies with Western science to promote holistic well-being and self-healing practices. He has written over 90 books on topics such as meditation, spirituality, and personal transformation, many of which have become bestsellers.

Chopra founded the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, founded by renowned physician Deepak Chopra and his colleague David Simon in 1996. The center offers wellness retreats, workshops, and educational programs that blend the principles of Eastern philosophy with Western medicine. The center’s mission is to empower individuals to take control of their health and well-being through a holistic approach that encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects.

Chopra was born in New Delhi, British India to Krishan Lal Chopra and Pushpa Chopra. Dr. Chopra completed his primary education at St. Columba’s School in New Delhi and graduated from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences in 1969. He began his medical career by serving in rural India, where he encountered unique challenges, such as working in a village where the lights would go out whenever it rained. It was during this formative period that Dr. Chopra developed a keen interest in endocrinology, with a focus on neuroendocrinology, to explore the biological underpinnings of the impact of thoughts and emotions on health.

The Indian government had prohibited its doctors from taking the necessary exam to practice medicine in the United States. As a result, Chopra was required to travel to Sri Lanka in order to complete the exam. Upon successfully passing, he made his way to the United States to begin a clinical internship at Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield, New Jersey.

From 1971 to 1977, Chopra completed residencies in internal medicine at prestigious institutions such as the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts, the VA Medical Center, St. Elizabeths Medical Center, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. In 1973, he obtained his medical license in the state of Massachusetts and became board certified in internal medicine, with a specialization in endocrinology.

He has taught at prestigious medical schools such as Tufts University, Boston University, and Harvard University. Additionally, he served as Chief of Staff at the New England Memorial Hospital (NEMH), which later became known as the Boston Regional Medical Center, located in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Following his time at NEMH, Dr. Chopra established a successful private practice in Boston specializing in endocrinology.

During his visit to New Delhi in 1981, he had the opportunity to meet with the esteemed Ayurvedic physician Brihaspati Dev Triguna, who was the head of the Indian Council for Ayurvedic Medicine. It was during this meeting that he received valuable advice that inspired him to delve deeper into the practices of Ayurveda. At the time, he was consuming copious amounts of black coffee and smoking a pack of cigarettes daily. In an effort to break these unhealthy habits, he turned to Transcendental Meditation for support. Since then, he has made meditation a daily practice, dedicating two hours every morning and thirty minutes every evening to this beneficial routine.

Dr. Chopra asserts that individuals have the potential to achieve optimal health, characterized by a state free from disease, pain, and the effects of aging. He views the human body as being supported by a quantum mechanical system made up of energy and information, rather than physical matter. According to Chopra, the process of aging is not fixed but rather fluid and malleable, capable of speeding up, slowing down, pausing, or even reversing based on one’s mental state. He maintains that his methods can effectively address chronic illnesses and promote overall well-being.

He was appointed as the inaugural president of the American Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, a co-founder of Maharishi Ayur-Veda Products International, and served as the medical director of the Maharishi Ayur-Veda Health Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts.

In June 1993, he relocated to California to assume the role of executive director at Sharp HealthCare’s Institute for Human Potential and Mind/Body Medicine. Additionally, he led the Center for Mind/Body Medicine, a prestigious clinic located within an exclusive resort in Del Mar, California. Dr. Deepak Chopra’s groundbreaking book “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind: The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old” was also published in 1993

In 2004, Dr. Chopra obtained his California medical license and currently holds an affiliation with Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. He serves as the owner and supervisor of the Mind-Body Medical Group within the Chopra Center, where he provides personalized guidance on nutrition, sleep-wake cycles, and stress management, integrating principles from mainstream medicine and Ayurveda. Dr. Chopra is a distinguished fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Dr. Chopra holds the position of adjunct professor in the marketing division at Columbia Business School and also serves as an adjunct professor of executive programs at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Additionally, he is a featured lecturer at the annual Update in Internal Medicine event sponsored by Harvard Medical School and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Deepak Chopra and his wife have two adult children, Gotham Chopra and Mallika Chopra, as well as three grandchildren. As of 2019, Chopra has resided in a health-centric condominium in Manhattan. In July 2006, the Carnegie Corporation of New York honored him as a member of the inaugural class of the Great Immigrants Award.

Joshua Burgin Biography

Published on March 28, 2020

The technological industry continues to grow and adapt to global needs. The individuals behind the scenes have helped shape the way businesses and their customers connect. Joshua Burgin has played a significant role in building and shaping the way technology works for businesses. He has helped develop, implement, and evolve different software and technologies for numerous leading businesses in a variety of industries. He is a well-established leader and innovator in his field. He also lives in the local Seattle area.

Burgin developed his passion for technology early in life. He would start his impressive journey at Amazon, being one of their first 100 employees. He didn’t know then the vital role he would continue to play today in the tech industry. He has a clear track record of building profitable businesses from the ground up, as well as helping established businesses expand their reach within the digital world. He has a sincere passion for growing diverse and inclusive organizations that are committed to producing technological products and advancements that improve the lives of people around the globe.

Career History

Throughout his professional career, Burgin has explored positions of leadership and innovation. He is passionate about not only demonstrating the skills required to be a leader, but he is also committed to providing support for future innovators and leaders. He truly believes in the ability of technology to expand and improve the world. He has proven himself to be a valuable asset to a number of industry-leading businesses. He provides special skill sets that involve business development, product strategy, financial management, cloud computing, customer acquisition, and so much more.

As of January 2024, Joshua Burgin is the Chief Product Officer at Upwind Security. Previously, he was Vice President of Product, Engineering, and Strategy at VMware. VMware is a multi-billion-dollar cloud software business. In his current position, he was responsible for providing leadership in the areas of product, strategy, and customer experience. His years of experience in the field make him an ideal leader for company-wide initiatives. His position allows him to work with senior leadership, as well as teams of highly-skilled employees in areas of onboarding, software engineering, security, and lifecycle management.

Before joining Upwind Security and VMware, Burgin wore many hats within the Amazon corporation. His most recent role was that of General Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He was an essential part of helping AWS launch outposts in over 65 countries, vastly expanding Amazon’s digital reach for customers and businesses around the globe. Before taking on this impressive leadership role, he developed his skill and experience under an Amazon Senior Executive, Charlie Bell. Burgin worked as Bell’s Chief of Staff and Technical Advisor. In this role, he was able to learn directly from an experienced individual in tech. In his position, Burgin would hone the skills to track industry trends, develop adaptive strategies, and develop solutions presented by business and technological challenges. You can follow Joshua Burgin on SubStack.

His speaking and interviews are available on his YouTube Channel.

From 2014-2019, Burgin was a Director and General Manager in Compute Services. During this time, he sponsored three successful acquisitions. This included ClusterK, Thinkbox, and Nimble Software. He also owned several lines of business, such as Auto Scaling, EC3 Spot, and Reserved Instances/Savings Plans.

Burgin has worked for various start-up companies, playing a vital role in helping these companies not only get off the ground but become leaders in their respective industries. One example is his time at Zynga. He was crucial to their in-game advertising platform. Today, this company continues to thrive within the gaming industry.

In 1997, Burgin joined a small team of like-minded individuals who wanted to completely revolutionize the shopping experience. He earned the title of Senior Software Engineer for Amazon. He designed and developed content and fleet management software for their retail website. He also automated failover processes for customer-facing databases. This improved availability and decreased failure response time.

Publications

Joshua Burgin possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience that is valuable to others. He has led small teams of skilled individuals to teams consisting of numerous departments and hundreds of employees. His various leadership roles, as well as his knowledge of industry trends and business operations, have inspired numerous publications. Some of his most noted publications include:

Encouraging Calculated Risk Taking- this article explores how an organization or company builds by taking calculated risks, such as big bets and outside-the-box thinking. He informs his reader that this is done by creating a culture of psychological safety. This is a shared belief that the team is safe and that employees can be their true selves without fear of negative consequences.
Creating a Culture of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Tech- Designed as a guide for leaders and executives, this article provides practical advice to senior members of any business team and provides an atmosphere that supports diversity and inclusion.
How to Be a Great Leader (Career Advice for Managers)- Due to his experience and passion for his work, Burgin has often filled roles of leadership, giving him a unique insight into how to successfully lead, educate, and inspire. This publication provides guidance for those looking to lead in the tech industry.

Burgin has provided several interviews and attended events where he was a requested keynote speaker. Within his public speaking engagements, he provides insights into technology, innovation, and leadership. He helps to inspire the future leaders of the tech industry and beyond.

Advisory Board Member ADL (Seattle)

The mission of the ADL organization is particularly critical at present due to the increasing instances of antisemitism. In a recent interview with Joshua Burgin, he discussed why he supports the ADL in their fight against antisemitism. He shared the story in a tweet.

Patents

As a leader, Joshua Burgin has helped invent, develop, and implement various technological products, services, and systems. He is named inventor on more than 20 patents. These patents, largely in line with the demands of business in technology, demonstrate his passion and commitment to this industry. His patents include:

Coordinating predictive autoscaling of virtualized resource groups
Specialized cloud provider regions for availability-sensitive workloads
Enabling conditional computing resource terminations based on forecasted capacity availability.

A Leader and Innovator

Joshua Burgin is a leader in the tech world. He has worked with small start-up companies as well as global giants. He continues to commit his work towards developing a business workplace that is diverse, inclusive, and leads the digital market. His unique skillset makes him an asset to any business seeking to grow, acquire customers, and provide state-of-the-art technological tools and services.

The Emerald City Journal interviewed Joshua about Israel’s Tech Economy.

Experience History (Seattle, Washington)

Upwind Security – Chief Product Officer (January 2024 – Present) [Profile]
VMware – Vice President of Product, Engineering & Strategy (January 2022 – January 2024) [Profile]
Amazon Web Services (AWS) – General Manager, AWS Outposts
Zynga – Senior Director, Technology Platform & Services
RPI Print – Senior Manager, Product Management
QL2 Software – Manager, Product & Program Management
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center – Senior Manager, Projects & Planning
Pure Stuff – Senior Technical Program Manager
Amazon – Senior Software Engineer

Education

Haverford College – Bachelor’s Degree, Philosophy

Volunteering

Anti-Defamation League – Advisory Board Member (January 2019 – Present)
Union for Reform Judaism – Advisory Board Member – Camp Kalsman (July 2022 – Present)

Follow on Twitter or Medium

Tim Cook Biography – CEO of Apple Inc

Published on February 10, 2020

Those who are familiar with Tim Cook likely know him as the chief executive officer of Apple, Inc., which is a position that he has held for over a decade. Prior to taking over as CEO of one of the world’s largest tech companies, Cook began by serving under Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. Still, who is Tim Cook, and how did he reach the position that he’s in today?

Early Life and Education

Timothy Donald Cook, commonly known as Tim Cook, was born on November 1st, 1960. Cook is from Mobile, Alabama, although he actually grew up in Robertsdale, a nearby town. He came from humble beginnings, with his father being a shipyard worker and his mother working at a pharmacy. Although Cook wasn’t born into wealth, he was highly motivated and a hard worker from his childhood.

In 1978, Cook went on to graduate from Robertsdale High School. After his high school graduation, Cook went right on to attend Alabama’s Auburn University. He earned his degree in 1982, which was a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering.

Even so, that wasn’t the end of Cook’s educational journey. He later attended Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where he graduated with his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1988.

Pre-Apple Career

After he graduated with his bachelor’s degree, Cook began working in IBM’s personal computer business. He remained at this company for around twelve years, which eventually led to him serving as the organization’s director of North American fulfillment. Cook completed his master’s program while he was working at IBM, leading to him becoming a Fuqua Scholar.

Cook would eventually leave his position at IBM, although he didn’t transition right away to work with Apple. Instead, he joined Intelligent Electronics’ computer reseller division. In this company, Cook held the position of chief operating officer.

Although it was short-lived, Cook has served as Compaq’s vice president for corporate materials. After just six months in this role, however, Cook was hired by Steve Jobs. This is what caused him to leave Compaq and join Apple, Inc.

Early Apple Career

After being asked by Steve Jobs himself, Cook joined the Apple team in 1998. He considers his choice to join Apple to be based on intuition, as well as his promising interactions with Steve Jobs. At that point in time, many of Cook’s peers were advising him to stay with Compaq, since that position was superior when it came to cost and benefits. Nevertheless, Cook decided to go with his gut and leave his position as Compaq’s vice president for corporate materials.

About his decision to leave Compaq and join Apple, Cook has said that he quickly realized how much he wanted to be a part of Apple, even if it meant going against logic and caution. He felt it to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and his intuition guided him to make the decision to join this amazing technology company.

When he first joined Apple, Cook was given the position of senior vice president for worldwide operations. While he was in this role, Cook closed the company’s warehouses and factories, replacing them instead with contract manufacturers. This turned out to be a remarkably positive change for Apple, with its inventory wait times being reduced from months to just days.

Cook demonstrated his impressive ability to keep the company’s costs under control, helping to generate enormous profits.

Later down the line, in 2007, he was promoted to lead operations for Apple. Then, in 2009 and 2011, Cook would serve as chief executive during Jobs’s health-related leaves of absence. During these periods where Jobs was on leave, Cook handled most of the company’s day-to-day operations. However, Jobs continued to be in charge of major decisions within Apple.

CEO of Apple

In August 2011, Jobs stepped down as CEO of Apple, becoming the company’s chairman of the board. It was at this point that Cook took on the role of full-time chief executive officer. Just six weeks after Cook became CEO of Apple, Inc., Steve Jobs passed away due to complications with pancreatic cancer.

Around a year after becoming CEO, Cook made significant adjustments to the company’s executive team. Over the next several years, he would also concentrate on creating a harmonious culture within Apple. He stuck to his values, as well, even if it meant challenging shareholders to cut ties with the company if they didn’t share Apple’s views on climate change and sustainability.

Cook received a payout of approximately $750 million in August 2021, having sold over five million Apple Inc. shares.

Philanthropy and Personal Life

Over the course of his career, Cook has remained dedicated to supporting charities and causes that he believes in. For instance, at the start of 2018, he made a pledge to add 20,000 new jobs and invest $350 billion in the United States economy before 2023. Part of this plan included investing $55 billion to construct a facility that runs off of renewable energy.

Shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple donated $15 million to help support global relief efforts. Several weeks after this major donation, the company started to create face shields that they would be shipping to medical workers. Over the course of a few weeks, Apple produced millions of these protective face shields.

Cook has also shown support for various LGBTQ causes. Although he never denied his sexuality, Cook wasn’t open to the public about being gay until 2014. At this time, he came to the conclusion that by being open about his sexuality, he could inspire positive change and encourage struggling LGBTQ youth. When asked about this topic, Cook then went on to say that while his privacy was extremely important to him, he also recognized the value in what his story could do for others. It was this realization that led him to feel comfortable sharing his truth with the world. All in all, Tim Cook has had a long and remarkable career. Not just anyone could successfully follow in the footsteps of Steve Jobs, although this is a role that Cook took on with ease. And at the current time, it seems that Cook has no intentions of slowing down.

Pete Carroll Biography

Published on October 15, 2019

Pete Carroll started his football career in the small town of Redwood City, California where he was born in September 1951. From there, he went on to play defensive back at one of the most famous college football programs of all time, the University of Southern California.

After an extremely successful collegiate career where he helped create the West Coast offense with head coach John McKay, Carroll went on to be drafted by the New England Patriots in 1976, but later on that year he found himself traded to the San Francisco 49ers where he would spend the next decade playing some of his best seasons in the NFL.

Growing Up

Pete Carroll was born in San Francisco and attended Redwood High School in Larkspur, California. He graduated from College of Marin in Kentfield, California where he played running back on a team that won a junior college national championship.

He then transferred to the University of Pacific where he received his Bachelor’s degree in 1966 and his Master’s degree in 1967.

In 1968, Pete married Glenna Lynn Behm from nearby San Rafael, CA. They have two daughters: Jennifer (Cowell) and Laura (from a previous marriage). They live in Seattle, WA.

Playing College Football

In 1965, when he was 22 years old, Pete Carroll played linebacker for two seasons with Bill Walsh’s University of California Golden Bears football team.

He then became a graduate assistant coach for six months until he accepted a position at his alma mater to teach physical education and coach football. That year (1967), Walsh became head coach of the Oakland Raiders professional football team.

The following year, Walsh asked Pete Carroll to become an assistant on his staff; eventually becoming defensive backfield coach in 1971.

After one more season working with Walsh in Oakland, he left for Stanford University where he spent four years as an assistant to Stanford’s head coach; Denny Green (1972-1975). In 1976, he returned to Arkansas as defensive coordinator under Lou Holtz.

Finding His Niche

Though he says he had a few scholarship offers out of high school, football wasn’t exactly Pete Carroll’s lifelong passion. He went to college at Pacific University, a small liberal arts school in Oregon, and realized his true passion: education.

After getting his Master’s in Education from Colorado University and then working for three years as an assistant football coach at one of Colorado University’s rivals (the Colorado School of Mines), Pete decided to get back into sports by moving to USC and applying for a position coaching the defensive backs there.

Though things didn’t work out on that front (his players only managed mediocre results), Pete Carroll did get noticed by Paul Hackett, another Colorado graduate who was USC’s head coach at that time.

Becoming a Champion

Before becoming a Super Bowl-winning coach with Seattle, Pete Carroll was fired from two NFL jobs.

But he didn’t let his failures define him; instead, he continued to push forward and find success in professional sports.

Conclusion

With his fun-loving attitude and motivational nature, Pete Carroll was destined to succeed as a head coach.

His unconventional life experiences have given him an intriguing story that has allowed him to connect with his players, turning them into winners. The former defensive back’s style is often imitated but never duplicated.

While his critics contend that he’s not doing anything special or different, those who know better insist that he’s proven himself as one of history’s greatest innovators.

Pete Carroll is married to Glena Goranson. They have 3 children together – Brennan, Jaime, and youngest Nate.

Rachel Chandler Biography

Published on September 9, 2019

Rachel Chandler is a fashion photographer, model, and American DJ. Her work history is as eclectic as her personal style and the way she spins tunes: when you spend time with Chandler, you never know exactly what you are going to get. She is currently a partner in Midland Management and Casting, having founded the agency in 2016 with Walter Pearce.

Career At Midland Casting

Based in New York, Midland Agency is renown as one of the freshest and most revolutionary voices in the modern fashion industry. Chandler and her business partner, Pearce, work to burst through the traditional industry standards of beauty by engaging with diverse clientele and breaking down the walls of common fashion mores. This unique approach allows Midland’s clientele to move organically beyond the confines of traditional fashion modeling and into unique fashion concepts and casting opportunities. The prime goal of Midland Management is to give people a new way of looking at fashion, and critics agree that Chandler and Pearce have been successful.

Launch in 2016

In a piece by W magazine in 2016, Pearce and Chandler earned their reputation as an unlikely pair who would bring the practice known as street casting into the national spotlight. On paper, the two seemed like an unlikely pair; Chandler at the time was 29 and earning a living as a photographer; Pearce was 21 and a street-cast model best known for his work in Hood By Air. In the interview, Chandler noted that their agency’s goal was to thrust street-casting – and the cast of real-life characters that go with it – into the national spotlight. At the brand’s launch, the pair represented 16 clients that represented a wide variety of nontraditional fashion interests – there were local artists and musicians, and even a lawyer by training.

In an interview, Chandler noted that there is a trend in the industry toward less conventional modeling. It meshes well with her photography career – over the course of it, she has been naturally drawn to the icons living out their lives in the streets of New York. Her keen eye for seeking out beauty outside of the traditional standards speaks to a paradigm shift in the industry itself. Chandler and Pearce seized on the opportunity to celebrate the unexpected icons living among us. Indeed, brands like Calvin Klein and J.Crew have been turning to street-cast modeling, and Midland Management provides the opportunity for clients to have day jobs or other obligations, unlike other casting firms. [See Rachel Chandler on Models.com]

Chandler recalled a time when she was eating lunch with a friend and saw a person walk by outside. Abandoning her meal and her company, she ran after the man and convinced him to sign with Midland Management. Shortly thereafter, he was cast in a Helmut Lang Show.

Midland is also unique in that it is a hybrid organization that both manages and casts models. Though this dynamic is more popular in Europe, it is less so in the United States, and Midland is working to successfully fulfill a niche for those who may not fulfill traditional archetypes.

Photography Career

Chandler’s career in fashion photography matches her philosophy behind model representation and casting. Prior to creating Midland Management, Chandler worked with Eckhaus Latta year round. Eckhaus Latta, a fashion brand founded by Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta, is renown in fashion circles for using unexpected materials and exploring texture in their design. They are also known for their use of unconventional models, having worked with non-model models like chefs, artists, skateboarders, and writers. Eckhaus Latta’s photography, video, and fashion work has been displayed at the Whitney Museum, the Hammer Museum, and the MoMA.

Working with Eckhaus Latta turned out to be a career boon for Chandler, who ultimately signed two of her own models for Midland who she met through Eckhaus Latta’s casting calls. Chandler is widely regarded as having a sought-after eye for capturing beauty and discovering talent in unlikely places. Her unconventional methods have always been coveted in fashion circles; in 2012, Vogue covered a New York store opening that she photographed using only Polaroids.

Personal Life

Rachel Chandler was born and raised in Los Angeles. In her teens, she moved to New York to study the History of Art at the Gallatin School. While studying there, she also participated in a number of internships and art organizations and photographers, including the renowned Patrick Demarchelier. She would soon be known for her uncanny ability to capture the vibrant scene in which she works, which would translate into finding fashion talent in the most unlikely of places.

Chandler has been a regular photographer and contributor for Purple Diary, Vogue, and Industrie Online in addition to her work at Eckhaus Latta.

To earn extra money, Chandler also DJed at the Standard Hotel, Avenue, and Beatrice Inn. But don’t think of her as another “slash.” In a 2011 interview with Paper, she noted that there are a lot of model-slash-actresses-slash-DJs. She didn’t want any part of that. She never wanted to DJ, but she did always want to be a photographer. DJing was a means to an end – it allowed her to buy equipment, cultivate her talents, and ultimately shaped the successful photographer and entrepreneur she is today.

Future For Midland Management and Casting

Today, Midland Management and Casting continues to break through barriers and reform what it means to be an icon in the fashion industry. Their unique vision is resonating with some of fashion’s most popular labels: to date, Midland has worked with Gucci, Miu Miu, Zara, Marni, Mulger, Jason Wu, and Rag and Bone. When asked how they choose the talent they work with, Chandler’s answer is simple. In an interview with Vogue, she noted that instead of finding a person who looks like a girl, Chandler will find you an “Actual” girl who is less gendered, less traditional, less overtly pretty, but more real.

This is the kind of future you can expect from Midland Management and Casting – less adherence to the traditional archetypes of fashion and more representation through a diverse cast of individuals who make up their own unique form of beauty. In Chandler’s view, Midland Management represents a cultural shift in what it means to be beautiful.

Jim Henson Biography

Published on August 5, 2019

Jim Henson was an exceptional artist and visionary who created distinctive worlds and characters that still resonate with vibrancy, originality, and freshness today. As a trailblazer in television, a pioneer in puppetry, technology, and visual arts, and a talented performer who breathed life into some of the most iconic characters ever – including the beloved Kermit the frog – Jim Henson’s influence on entertainment, education, and culture endures to the present day.

Born on September 24, 1936, at King’s Daughters Hospital in Greenville, Mississippi, Jim was the second son of Paul and Betty Henson. As a child, he spent his early years in Leland, Mississippi, where his father worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Throughout his youth, Jim developed a strong interest in art and, later, television. He was particularly close to his maternal grandmother, an avid painter, quilter, and needleworker, and would often visit her. She was incredibly supportive of Jim’s artistic pursuits, encouraging him to use his imagination and find joy in the world around him.

In 1954, while still in high school, Jim began his television career performing puppets on a local Washington, D.C. Saturday morning program on WTOP-TV. The following year, as a freshman at the University of Maryland, he was given his own twice-daily, five-minute show, “Sam and Friends,” on the local NBC affiliate, WRC-TV.

On this program, Jim and his assistant, fellow University of Maryland student and future wife Jane Nebel, introduced many fun aspects that fans came to love about the Muppets, including music, snarky humor, and innovative technical tricks like eliminating the puppet stage and using the television itself as the proscenium. Most memorably, the show featured an early version of Kermit the Frog, who would go on to become the face of the Muppets.

After a series of projects, mostly national television appearances and humorous commercials, Henson was approached by public television producer Joan Ganz Cooney in 1966 to help with the creation of a groundbreaking new kid’s show called “Sesame Street.” Cooney recognized Henson’s amazingly, unique talent and enlisted Henson to help create a cast of beloved characters for this new show. Characters like Big Bird, Bert and Ernie and Oscar the Grouch all sprung from the wide and wonderful imagination of Jim Henson.

Working closely with the Children’s Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop) on Sesame Street, Jim also had the chance to further experiment with various film techniques. Alongside his talented team, Jim produced more than two dozen live-action and animated shorts that still teach children essential skills like counting, the alphabet, and other educational concepts.

Sesame Street showed the world the undeniable appeal of Henson’s creations and Henson wanted to create a show that would appeal to the whole family. He tried for years to sell the concept of The Muppet Show but it wasn’t until 1975 that the show would start to become a reality.

In 1975, production began at Grade’s ATV Studios, introducing the world to an unforgettable family of Muppet characters. This included fan favorites like Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Animal (performed by Frank Oz), as well as The Great Gonzo (Dave Goelz), Scooter (Richard Hunt), Lew Zealand (Jerry Nelson), and Rizzo the Rat (Steve Whitmire).

Hosted by Kermit the Frog and accompanied by the musical talents of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Band, the Muppets welcomed a pantheon of great guest stars each week – from Gene Kelly to Steve Martin and John Cleese.

The Muppet Show’s immense success soon led to Hollywood, where the beloved characters starred in six feature films: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets From Space.

His two other movies Dark Crystal and Labyrinth left an indelible mark on the world of fantasy cinema. In The Dark Crystal Henson and his team of skilled craftspeople constructed an intricate, visually stunning universe, populated by a diverse array of fantastical creatures. The film’s central narrative, which follows the journey of a young Gelfling named Jen as he seeks to restore the shattered Dark Crystal and restore balance to his world, is imbued with a sense of epic grandeur and mythic resonance.

Henson’s other landmark work, Labyrinth, showcased his ability to blend the whimsical and the profound. Featuring a memorable cast of fantastical characters, including the iconic Goblin King, portrayed with magnetic charisma by David Bowie, “Labyrinth” blended elements of fairy tale, coming-of-age drama, and musical fantasy to create a truly unique and captivating cinematic experience. Henson’s masterful puppetry and special effects work, combined with the film’s rich thematic underpinnings, have cemented “Labyrinth” as a beloved cult classic and a testament to the boundless creative vision of its legendary creator.

Henson went on to create other such memorable works as Fraggle Rock, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller, and Jim Henson’s Greek Myths. Before his death in 1990, he was able to complete his last project, MuppetVision 3*D. The film, which he directed, currently runs at custom-made theaters located within Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, as well as at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim, California. Jim Henson is remembered as a cultural icon in the world of fantasy. His innovative vision and boundless creativity shaping the way audiences experienced whimsical storytelling for generations. Henson breathed life into a menagerie of vibrant, endearing characters that effortlessly transcended the traditional boundaries of puppetry. With his uncanny ability to imbue even the most fantastical creatures with genuine emotion and personality, Henson pioneered a new medium that seamlessly blended the handcrafted charm of puppetry with the cinematic magic of film and television.

Monica Crowley Assumes the Position of Assistant Secretary of The Treasury for Public Affairs

Published on July 24, 2019

When American citizens think of the Department of the Treasury, they might immediately think of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and paying their yearly income taxes. They would be correct because that is, indeed, a vital part of the duties of the Department of the Treasury. However, there is much more that the Department does within this branch of the United States government. As Monica Crowley steps into the role of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs, she understands the weight of history the position brings with it.

With the 1789 Act of Congress, the Department of the Treasury and has been an important cornerstone in how we live, work, and do business in the United States and abroad for centuries, but the institution did not start there.

Its history began years before 1789, during the American Revolution, a war which won the United States of America their independence from England. The problem patriots of the American cause faced was how they would pay their debts and finance a war. The Congress of the time did not have power to collect taxes or procure money from outside investors and governments. The representatives of the Congress devised a way to issue credit, or promissory notes, based on faith in the cause in the form of paper money and coinage.

Without a strong economy, many in the United States would be left without employment and, therefore, means to support themselves and their families. It is the job of the Department of Treasury to promote economic prosperity at home as well as on the world stage as ambassadors of America. The Department of the Treasury also advises the President on economic matters to better inform about potential policies and investments.

More specifically, the Department of the Treasury is comprised of two branches within the executive agency at large: the departmental offices and the operating bureaus. The departmental offices handle policy and management primarily and are about 2% of the whole of the Department of the Treasury. The other 98% of the operation is handled by the operating bureaus. The operating bureaus are tasked with many jobs that range from collecting taxes from the citizenry and businesses, minting and circulating money/coinage for citizens to use, and investigating fraud/prosecuting those committing fraudulent acts (counterfeiting, tax evasion, and forgery).

On July 24, 2019, Monica Crowley was sworn in and assumed the role of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs, joining the staff of the Department of the Treasury. As such, she is an advisor to the Secretary and other upper-level Department of the Treasury officials for anything involving public relations strategy, community outreach, and communicating with the press about economic policies and priorities of the current Administration. In her new position, she also serves as the top spokesperson for the organization.

Monica Crowley was born on September 19^th, 1968 on an army base, Fort Huachuca, outside of Vista, Arizona and lived much of her life in Warren Township, New Jersey.

After earning her bachelor’s degree (BA) in political science from Colgate University, Monica Crowley went on to achieve two Master’s Degrees and a Doctorate in International Relations from Columbia University. As a student of just 22 years of age and while earning her degrees, she started her career as a Foreign Policy Assistant to former President Richard Nixon in 1990.

Monica Crowley then joined Fox News after its launch in 1996 and worked as a both a foreign affairs and political analyst. She has an amazing biography and career. While working for Fox News, she has appeared on several networks as an expert contributor, such as PBS, MSNBC, Fox Business, NBC News, and NBC News. She also appeared as a regular guest panelist on the widely popular show, The McLaughlin Group and hosted her own syndicated radio program, eponymously named, “The Monica Crowley Show.” Monica Crowley is a powerhouse with a long political analyst background.

When not lending her voice and vast knowledge to this collection of radio and television media outlets, Monica Crowley has penned three New York Times bestselling books: Nixon Off the Record: His Candid Commentary on People and Politics (Random House, 1996), Nixon in Winter (Random House, 1998), and What the (Bleep) Just Happened?: The Happy Warrior’s Guide to the Great American Comeback (Broadside Books, 2012). In addition to her bylines as a columnist for The Washington Times and The Hill, she was also published in distinguished national outlets such as The New Yorker, The New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, and Newsweek.

In addition to this impressive resume, she has also appeared in the hit Netflix series “House of Cards.” She plays herself as a new contributor, discussing the main characters’ marriage and how it would affect the president’s future re-election.

In the role of Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Monica Crowley does more than discuss political aspirations of fictional characters. She is grateful for the position, having replaced Tony Sayegh, who left the role in May of 2019.

Billy Walters: Gambler, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

Published on July 18, 2019

Billy Walters is a perfect example of the American Dream made reality. Born William Thurman Walters on July 15, 1946 in the town of Munfordville, Kentucky, Billy grew up in the humblest beginnings to eventually become one of the most successful sports gamblers in American history and a storied philanthropist with a long track record of helping those in need and giving back to his community.

From Early Tragedy to Success

Billy’s home life began with tragedy. His father died when Billy Walters was only an infant, and his alcoholic mother abandoned him to the care of his grandmother to start a new life in Louisville. Without running water or indoor plumbing, Billy worked hard to help his grandmother who cared for him when no one else would. [WorldCasinoIndex.com]

Billy’s first job was mowing lawns at the age of seven, after his grandmother helped him secure his very first bank loan for $40 to purchase a lawnmower. He made enough to repay the loan within two years (quite a feat in the 1950s), and then moved on to delivering newspapers every day before school. His grandmother worked full-time cleaning local homes and taking shifts at a restaurant, and she instilled a strong sense of faith in him at an early age.

At 13, Billy’s grandmother passed away. This left him no other option but to find his estranged mother, who had since remarried in Louisville and started a new family. Despite years of abuse and mistreatment, Billy would eventually be the one to look after his mother as she approached the end of her life due to emphysema. He paid her medical bills and ensured her comfort until she passed.

Hard Work Pays Off

Billy learned the value of hard work at a very young age and never forget the lessons he learned during his tough Kentucky childhood. During high school he worked from 4:30 am to 7:30 am each morning before classes at the Davis Doughnut Bakery and then after school until almost midnight at a local gas station. He eventually moved into the world of auto sales, becoming so successful he eventually launched his own dealership.

After selling Taylor Boulevard Auto Sales, Billy decided to pursue his love of sports gambling as a profession, moving to Las Vegas and learning how to use computer analytics to improve his betting outcomes. He eventually earned a reputation as one of the most successful sports betters of all time. Separately, he also became one of the most famous poker players in Las Vegas, earning a reputation as “unbeatable” and eventually winning the No Limit Hold ‘Em Tournament of the 1986 World Series of Poker.

Billy Walters used his winnings to fund the Walters Group, an investment company he started with his wife that specialized in residential and commercial real estate development and the golf industry. A die-hard lover of the game of golf, Billy wanted to share his love of his favorite sport with the Las Vegas community.

Golf and Philanthropy in Las Vegas

Prior to Billy’s investments in the Las Vegas golf scene, most of the courses around Las Vegas were inaccessible and overpriced for many working-class people in the area. He built an affordable and accessible course in a rundown part of the city in an effort to revitalize the area and bring the game of golf to more people. He even started golf clinics for youth golfers, hosted charity events, and invested in golf course operations throughout the area.

The Walters Group regularly hosted charity events and provided funding to local non-profit youth organizations, including educational programs and youth success programs that fostered hard work, determination, leadership, and self-sufficiency among underprivileged youth in the Las Vegas area.

For years Billy avoided the media spotlight, preferring to focus his attention on improving others’ lives rather than becoming famous. However, he agreed to an interview on 60 Minutes in 2011, where he made his case for legalized sports betting and cemented his public image as not only an incredibly successful gambler, but also a dedicated philanthropist focused on improving the lives of others.

Business Work by Billy Walters

Many media accounts portray Billy Walters as one of the most successful gamblers of our time.

While he is widely regarded as one of the industry’s best sports bettors, he has also enjoyed decades long success in business. The Walters Group has been wildly successful in a variety of business ventures since its inception in 1988, when he started with just two employees. Today, the Walters Group employs more than 2,000 people in a number of commercial, residential, and mixed use properties, in addition to car dealerships, country clubs, and golf courses.

Business Beginnings

Walters has long had a dedicated work ethic, beginning his first two businesses at age 6 and 9 (a lawn cutting business and a paper route, respectively). When he lost his guardian and beloved grandmother at the age of 13, Walters moved to Louisville to rent a room in his estranged mother’s basement, which required working two jobs before and after school.

In his early 20s, Walters began his career in automotive sales at a used car lot called McMackin Auto Sales. Every time he sold a car, Walters would draft a self-promotional letter and distribute it to the 10 neighbors living around the new buyer. Working tirelessly for 80 hour workweeks, Walters would eventually net around $56,000 a year, which amounts to $400,000 in today’s dollars. During his auto career, Walters served as manager at Steven’s Brother’s Auto Sales and even started his own car business, Taylor Boulevard Auto Sales, which he would operate in Kentucky until the 1980s.

Las Vegas Business Holdings

Walters would eventually move to Las Vegas to pursue sports betting and revolutionize the game. After his retirement, Walters went back to his business roots. He and his wife, Susan, started The Walters Group in the late 1980s and have been growing the empire ever since. They started with commercial and residential real estate holdings, eventually moving into luxury property such as golf courses, resorts, and country clubs. In 2000, they would open their own golf course, the Bali Hai golf course, right on the Las Vegas Strip.

In addition to their real estate holdings in the Walters Group, the family also went back into auto sales. BW Auto Ventures owns seven dealerships in Kentucky and four in Georgia. Together, those dealerships represent thirteen different brands of vehicles: Buick, Toyota, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Kia, Lincoln, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Lincoln. Walters credits much of his business success to his young start in the automotive field. In an interview, he noted that selling and working on cars served as his college experience and real-life MBA. The Walters Groups and BW Auto Ventures has made Billy Walters one of the most influential men in the Vegas Area and beyond. He continues to work closely with his general managers to ensure that the automotive businesses stay on track.

Walters is also known for being a deeply philanthropic man – his business ventures continue to generate significant revenue each year, which he donates to worthy causes benefiting the education, employment, and training off less fortunate residents of Southern Nevada. He and his wife, Susan, will long be known as pillars of the community they serve.

Billy Walters Today

Now a man in his seventies, Billy Walters has no plans to stop working toward helping others. In 1997, the city of Las Vegas named Billy and his wife Susan as the city’s Philanthropists of the Year. Their favorite project is Opportunity Village, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit organization aimed at providing employment opportunities to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. To date, the Walters have raised more than $50 million for Opportunity Village.

Billy Walters has faced many challenges in his life. Many argue his prison sentence was unjustified and that he wasn’t treated as an equal under the law. He discusses the DOJ & FBI Misconduct on his website. Newsmax did an article that clearly discusses the matter related to Billy Walters titled, “There Will Be No Equal Justice for All Until There’s a Change in System” It discuss the case against Walters and is a must read.

Other charities and non-profit causes Billy has contributed toward include the Nevada Cancer Institute, Nevada State College in Henderson, the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, Boy Scout Good Turn, and the Las Vegas Sun Camp Fund. There is also a quiet history of many acts of generosity and kindness for the people of Las Vegas who have been struck by tragedy. Billy continues to live the virtues instilled in him at an early age and plans to continue helping improve the lives of others as long as he can. [Wikipedia]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/william.walters.50951101

Kate Marvel Biography

Published on May 9, 2019

Kate Marvel is a climate scientist, science writer, and Associate Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia Engineering’s Department of Applied Physics and Mathematics. She has her own column in Scientific American called “Hot Planet” and is a science communicator who speaks at a variety of events about climate change.

She attended the University of California at Berkeley in 2003 and she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and astronomy. After she graduated from UC Berkeley, she attended the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar. She received her Ph.D. in 2008 in theoretical physics. After she received her Ph.D., Marvel decided to concentrate on the effects of climate change on the planet.

She then studied climate science and energy as a Postdoctoral Science Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University and at the Carnegie Institution for Science in the Department of Global Ecology. She then studied at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow and then she joined the research faculty at NASA.

Marvel’s research predominately centers on climate modeling. Climate modeling uses mathematical equations to predict how energy and matter will interact in different parts of the planet. Through the use of climate modeling, she investigated the effects of cloud cover on rising temperatures. She has also studied and documented the shifting soil patterns from samples taken from different parts of the world to model the effects greenhouse gas has on patterns of drought.

This study was published in the journal Nature in 2019. Marvel and her colleagues were able to identify three distinct phases of drought. They discovered in the first half of the 20th-century draughts were caused by human intervention, then there was a decrease in drought from 1950 to 1975, and then a rise in drought from 1980 until 2019.

Marvel often has public speaking engagements where she discusses the impact of climate change on the planet. She has made guest appearances on different science shows like StarTalk and BRIC Arts Media TV where she uses her expertise in climate change to encourage others to act.

She gave a TED talk on the main stage at the 2017 TED conference about the double-edged effect clouds can have on global warming. She said, “We still don’t know for sure what the future holds, but we’re sending our kids to the future, and they’re not coming back,” Marvel says. “I want them to be prepared for what they’ll face. This is why it’s so important to keep our Earth-observing satellites up there, and to hire smart, diverse people to improve climate models.”

To see a full list of her scientific publications, please visit her Google Scholar profile here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cC8JXpQAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Biography of Dr. Freddie H Fu

Published on April 10, 2019

Born in 1950 in the Nanhai District, Foshan City, Guangdong province of Hong Kong, Freddie Fu attended St. Boy’s College and completed both his undergraduate and post-graduate degrees at Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Medical School, respectively. During his career, he focused on treating sports-related injuries and orthopedic bioengineering. He became renowned throughout his career for his revolutionary practices in orthopedic sports medicine. He studied at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he earned his MD in 1977, completing both his residency and fellowship there. He received additional training in Germany at the Hanover Trauma Center.

In 1982, he became a member of the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where he later became the David Silver Professor as well as the chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in 1998. He was only the eighth professor distinguished in the University’s nearly 140-year history.

Fu also retained secondary assignments as a professor of health and physical activity, mechanical engineering, and physical therapy at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Additionally, Fu was an Editorial Board Member of the journal Orthopedics Today, which reports on the most up-to-date news and advances in orthopedic medicine.

Fu received acclaim for his teaching and research centered on innovations that were evidence-based, and not based on personal interest. His work advanced understandings in orthopedic care and sports medicine, primarily on knee injury treatments.

In 1986, Fu was responsible for founding the very first sports medicine program located in Western Pennsylvania called the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine. It later moved to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, and in 2018, the program was renamed UPMC Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Center. The center incorporates an approach to sports-related injuries and performance that is multidimensional and provides excellence in care regardless of a person’s athletic status.

In addition, Fu also started the first athletic training program for high school in Western Pennsylvania, where he was also involved in building a program for emergency medical services during high school football games. This program is one of the largest in the entire country, supporting more than 40 high schools.

Fu also worked for 37 years as the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s physician. This was one of the very first professional ballet companies to have a committed physician for dance-specific injuries. He attended each and every production performed by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and served to care for any injuries that occurred during production with immediacy. During that time, he also helped garner a relationship between the Pittsburgh Penguins and UPMC to create the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. This project was completed in 2015 and was used as a facility dedicated to hockey-related injuries, training, and preventative sports medicine.

From 1985 through 2003, Fu served as not only the executive medical director and board chair of the Boston Marathon, and the medical director for another annual event, the Thrift Drug Classic, a professional cycling race, beginning in 1991 through 1997.

During his lifetime, Fu received over 260 honors and awards and focused on serving his community for over 30 years in a variety of capacities. Among his most notable achievements is the July 2016 induction into the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Hall of Fame, an honor awarded to very few notables each year. In 2011, he was awarded the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Diversity Award for his incredible contribution to drawing surgical residents from incredibly diverse backgrounds, including upwards of 1500 people from 62 distinct countries.

Family was ever important to Dr. Fu, and no matter how busy his schedule was, he made time for his family, which he cherished above all else. Married for 47 years to Hilda Pang Fu, he helped to raise two children who remember him with great fondness and love. He was also a devoted grandfather to five grandchildren.

Due to his acclaim, he attracted the most skilled surgeons, as well as other care providers in the musculoskeletal field, to his program at the University of Pittsburgh. He encouraged these brilliant medical professionals to excel in their own skills and brought out the very best in each of them through his love and care for teaching.

Dr. Fu’s work helped to transform the field of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with passion and innovation. He was unyielding in his fight to revolutionize the treatment of ACL injuries, which are commonplace among athletes of all ranges. Throughout his extensive career, more than 1200 presentations, both national and international, can be attributed to Fu, as well as co-authoring 137 chapters in books, and the writing of nearly 700 peer-reviewed articles. He also worked to edit 30 significant orthopedic textbooks.

Dr. Freddie H Fu passed away, comforted by his dear family on September 24th, 2021, and will be remembered for his remarkable personality and his devotion to sports medicine.

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