tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49260674614512090202024-03-17T22:02:42.374-04:00Free flow of ideas is the cornerstone of democracyA discussion of ideas, thoughts, philosophies and life in general.Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.comBlogger2254125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-80223131633645864032024-03-17T22:01:00.015-04:002024-03-17T22:01:58.905-04:00Dealing with prickly personalities<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zSH2oYLDaZv8ohXIVwVEc3BTUBbmoCGYrAhx3IICiSm7hbinlZWc9XN-3G0KkGBlOuPwI-bNKvisTVVXhTlfER_JvXVj1kZ4V0s5i2H0buU3TreV-KcaWz-S0IiU0lPplSbJ2ndYp0fwVOUAnsr-50oNq3WxO3ZmR0iAetENIU1XaAA1lyya_xCwvkI7/s2048/Dealing%20with%20prickly%20personalities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="797" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zSH2oYLDaZv8ohXIVwVEc3BTUBbmoCGYrAhx3IICiSm7hbinlZWc9XN-3G0KkGBlOuPwI-bNKvisTVVXhTlfER_JvXVj1kZ4V0s5i2H0buU3TreV-KcaWz-S0IiU0lPplSbJ2ndYp0fwVOUAnsr-50oNq3WxO3ZmR0iAetENIU1XaAA1lyya_xCwvkI7/w529-h797/Dealing%20with%20prickly%20personalities.jpg" width="529" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-20145900383128852842024-03-14T16:43:00.002-04:002024-03-14T16:43:10.915-04:00Y'all Listen - Interview with Author Charles Ray<p> </p><iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-yall-listen-158131499/episode/yall-listen-charles-ray-158487643/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-32916611542579817282024-03-14T16:37:00.005-04:002024-03-14T16:37:40.385-04:00A new Viewbug badge - Viewbug Photo contests.<p> </p><a href="https://www.viewbug.com/photo-contests" title="viewbug photo contests"><img alt="viewbug photo contests" height="168" src="https://www.viewbug.com/media/images/layout/badges/visionary.png" style="width: 200px;" width="200" /></a>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-77947199905471839442024-03-10T22:15:00.005-04:002024-03-10T22:15:27.636-04:00It's silly season<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDj_j0DtgytIjeQjguD4RLEDrsn161K7zQY_ipiR4hcp-iJ8YVd9_WLfkwoDgpyjgh5yPj0BQpc2W2lAo5HqxFcFmeEjSKrWl9MfhDftEqmBERSVEEMYnq-6iWRXKEGrgl_e7i2JlhemBZ0pLPkdBTW2Hop6J1f0TazK92GB_NoYWlkAloUa5vdauKodb/s2048/Its%20silly%20season.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDj_j0DtgytIjeQjguD4RLEDrsn161K7zQY_ipiR4hcp-iJ8YVd9_WLfkwoDgpyjgh5yPj0BQpc2W2lAo5HqxFcFmeEjSKrWl9MfhDftEqmBERSVEEMYnq-6iWRXKEGrgl_e7i2JlhemBZ0pLPkdBTW2Hop6J1f0TazK92GB_NoYWlkAloUa5vdauKodb/w522-h796/Its%20silly%20season.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-91589866608359143702024-03-09T09:55:00.001-05:002024-03-09T09:55:33.305-05:00Fed up Jack Smith SMACKS DOWN Trump in court<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/iyuwzLjfdGU?si=flFglEJOeg2_648C" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-2308927800234442582024-03-07T09:01:00.001-05:002024-03-07T09:01:38.755-05:00The Trans Saharan Gas Pipeline At a Crossroads<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/9lNcyTlvN80?si=e6P3gmE2tnvHoFn_" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-38673921252652966412024-03-06T10:32:00.001-05:002024-03-06T10:32:57.605-05:00Buttigieg leaves rightwing host SILENCED on his OWN show<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/iBk6MRH4JzU?si=5jYFze7QVbnvRkeG" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-1881070670805266672024-03-04T20:06:00.001-05:002024-03-04T20:06:07.848-05:00Get your graduate degree on line<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHc04S2li3_5y3EIJd3jjtSDCExsnN-y38zDa153NBbMHVk6iQ-Jw9gvhhm2VL24FeiyUuDEDVhTI_3uS1jYJTYltnR7Bqdi0zqUWoUxhT9uT96cG5CE6ZaENvO5tnhVE2ElJALeazF7-idK9xxWOSp-JmXL3w3kTw09_pouMBwB5wrpXTQWyl__GpBMMf/s1056/Get%20your%20graduate%20degree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="864" height="817" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHc04S2li3_5y3EIJd3jjtSDCExsnN-y38zDa153NBbMHVk6iQ-Jw9gvhhm2VL24FeiyUuDEDVhTI_3uS1jYJTYltnR7Bqdi0zqUWoUxhT9uT96cG5CE6ZaENvO5tnhVE2ElJALeazF7-idK9xxWOSp-JmXL3w3kTw09_pouMBwB5wrpXTQWyl__GpBMMf/w596-h817/Get%20your%20graduate%20degree.jpg" width="596" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-89236333943658720542024-03-04T19:57:00.004-05:002024-03-04T19:57:23.066-05:00Zoom bombing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Crn-ZatcRDkk3bnIzp1dsawhEoHYSW_j8Masyie5NKq-0p3F8__vhyphenhyphen49SfRfsZKaKBN-nM5V6O_Vz9fzIAIY0a9Nq9XdlHAKjXJ9r8cdBGaHLYDBFydnY4WBSeXKi5eFgMQS7A_EPykO0TARKQ0iXTiYEv0YFSf9Im_vPHmhR5UQxvT_Wrxc8Acy8D3c/s2048/zoom%20bombing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="783" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Crn-ZatcRDkk3bnIzp1dsawhEoHYSW_j8Masyie5NKq-0p3F8__vhyphenhyphen49SfRfsZKaKBN-nM5V6O_Vz9fzIAIY0a9Nq9XdlHAKjXJ9r8cdBGaHLYDBFydnY4WBSeXKi5eFgMQS7A_EPykO0TARKQ0iXTiYEv0YFSf9Im_vPHmhR5UQxvT_Wrxc8Acy8D3c/w546-h783/zoom%20bombing.jpg" width="546" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-87860155841278176082024-03-01T21:43:00.000-05:002024-03-01T21:43:12.469-05:00WOW: Trump ally CRASHES AND BURNS on national TV<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/9qMS10ZXfT0?si=HvmB32FUhd9Irjgt" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-40113056962985754972024-02-28T08:54:00.003-05:002024-02-28T08:54:28.679-05:00My lifetime achievement award arrived.<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award goes to one of our oldest and most successful authors, Charles Ray. Charles was one of the first signings with DSP, and we are proud to give him this award in recognition of all the work he has done with our company, all of the books he has written for the company, and for all of his many achievements with DSP. </span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you so much, <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/charles.ray.7334?__cft__[0]=AZVojCa4JPPvb4Z8liB9Jz5Tl_hXvBMrjjxSnwtms28YiObFmW7E0Woe0aW8VC6CixjZINFol19E4HJl8be5twM1vbYVkCNi5zFZq1LVH6xOTb16JaleTmJsNJAloTvm2B14ALL7vIedreGM_kvT09Ckv_4tq9hRQ3S76MPz50VbjoZHIp2ii3SZfFLk8fqzfLo&__tn__=-]K-y-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">Charles Ray</span></a></span>! From Dusty Saddle Publishing.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC9NFZKdDwx91AAm9j6SWsmDv9Dj1inwWtLFnFbI_Gz3hs0c7FFYhrBeZ8qodpuRsyqS-75zlendNAAFvNmqNr-4MIZo3NBTuD8asv7r5A7oQbj262xXnrEAQITw8AzybbhGAPmQ6AmFBQyeuhqHUzRmQUrnjlIHCd5R9HaaS5AJnSuUgisaEJhPYYl2B3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="444" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC9NFZKdDwx91AAm9j6SWsmDv9Dj1inwWtLFnFbI_Gz3hs0c7FFYhrBeZ8qodpuRsyqS-75zlendNAAFvNmqNr-4MIZo3NBTuD8asv7r5A7oQbj262xXnrEAQITw8AzybbhGAPmQ6AmFBQyeuhqHUzRmQUrnjlIHCd5R9HaaS5AJnSuUgisaEJhPYYl2B3" width="178" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx6-NQjtt9yutBpkFqBwxtgzWqgn64vhRTT_wDnkJaqr1JcPA5MIYfINXPsL0eGxIPvSv3DqNQ0nCW9Sd8BkwAtHK5VtDFyT1ULo2mKiwpnb2-FkGVsFO6ll9TSe_7osjzAZSFYjOmMP-KFdCvRvsocX-HWOyjV_6CAR2gL0zoU0Q91nRBd5VMZ4pml_rx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx6-NQjtt9yutBpkFqBwxtgzWqgn64vhRTT_wDnkJaqr1JcPA5MIYfINXPsL0eGxIPvSv3DqNQ0nCW9Sd8BkwAtHK5VtDFyT1ULo2mKiwpnb2-FkGVsFO6ll9TSe_7osjzAZSFYjOmMP-KFdCvRvsocX-HWOyjV_6CAR2gL0zoU0Q91nRBd5VMZ4pml_rx" width="194" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-23848505658575487992024-02-27T20:55:00.010-05:002024-02-27T20:55:49.669-05:00Scam Alert<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZhMGtOJfSw2kueg5TzDbiAZ6rlx36ynZ0Wpx57GlUoqqu8DPxeHT2wStHXLCaHsbTU7UR_zz2H56qPLfhpTZZ9yn8M13tZHAngqp3hfFTKJGMK4ASPN3rGO_EGF3b5eSzdaN353LypEdyaaxXhdKputRHdlx6MsX953SbmvPVokQkC7CtRLLSJw6ULOY/s960/Scam%20alert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="869" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZhMGtOJfSw2kueg5TzDbiAZ6rlx36ynZ0Wpx57GlUoqqu8DPxeHT2wStHXLCaHsbTU7UR_zz2H56qPLfhpTZZ9yn8M13tZHAngqp3hfFTKJGMK4ASPN3rGO_EGF3b5eSzdaN353LypEdyaaxXhdKputRHdlx6MsX953SbmvPVokQkC7CtRLLSJw6ULOY/w594-h869/Scam%20alert.jpg" width="594" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-71292809555391836382024-02-26T12:52:00.002-05:002024-02-26T12:52:11.122-05:00Social media chat boxes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXwajC_5i_Y2OTlkOhdTQY9-7ZQm0Jnw3nusPuqmVRM6zKyGUMQmyh7Fp_ydiwYVXMcxU9RePlwo_WjXcN01iKGcVkkTCPv08c5ypzDpUyB_GaVJZe5hvOeB8SeFCgJWBmzvRdsEf1T7qCDhmMoHhb-JOvIHUZxRPDHaoWAM1F_igr1weDFKcw9gkyGAe/s2048/social%20media%20chat%20boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXwajC_5i_Y2OTlkOhdTQY9-7ZQm0Jnw3nusPuqmVRM6zKyGUMQmyh7Fp_ydiwYVXMcxU9RePlwo_WjXcN01iKGcVkkTCPv08c5ypzDpUyB_GaVJZe5hvOeB8SeFCgJWBmzvRdsEf1T7qCDhmMoHhb-JOvIHUZxRPDHaoWAM1F_igr1weDFKcw9gkyGAe/w578-h786/social%20media%20chat%20boxes.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-38500060643704123832024-02-24T11:42:00.004-05:002024-02-24T11:42:39.311-05:00As Black History Month ends, consider that Black History is also American history.<p>American historian Carter G. Woodson fought hard for the
creation of a celebration of Black history in the 1920s, launching the
celebration of ‘Negro History Week’ in February 1926, half a century before the
establishment of the month of February as Black History Month in 1976. Since
then, every U.S. President has designated February as Black History Month, a
time when African American contributions to the development of this country are
highlighted in media and in many classrooms around the country. It is seen as a
time when we pay homage to Black achievements and contributions not just to
this nation, but to the entire world.</p><p class="MsoBodyText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While this is a
welcome acknowledgement of Black excellence, it is not nearly enough. Black
history, which has been intimately intertwined with the events of this nation
since the 1600s and before, is an integral component of American history. As
such, it should be taught in every classroom, every day throughout the year as
a part of the history curriculum and reflected in popular media and
advertising. The world we live in is multicultural, multilingual, and
multiethnic, and the United States is no exception. Limiting attention to Black
achievements and contributions to one month out of the year, especially when it
is not mandated that Black history courses be taught in all schools across the
country, reinforces the unfortunately stereotype that Blacks, and other
minorities and women, really didn’t play that significant a role in the
country’s development. This is harmful to Black students, who don’t see enough
‘people who look like them’ in positions of importance, and to White students
who in many cases have been exposed to stereotypes of minorities as somehow
less than them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Black History
Month, an annual repetition of stories about a select few notable Blacks, such
as Harriet Tubman and Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr., actually does more harm than
good, in my humble opinion. Twenty-eight days of celebrating the achievements
of a few individuals obscures the achievements of so many others and reinforces
the view that people of color are somehow limited. The people who </span><i style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">are</i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
celebrated were great, without doubt, but they were far from outliers—an
impression created by this limited and repetitive celebration. Ignored is the
fact that after the Civil War and into the early twentieth century, as the
United States expanded its borders west to the Pacific Ocean, ten percent of
the soldiers protecting wagon trains and settlements, building roads, and
protecting our new national parks, were Black. The men of the four all-Black
regiments of the U.S. Army were often the only federal presence in many areas
of the frontier, a fact that won’t be gleaned from watching old western movies
of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Black inventors contributed to technological
development from the rotary-blade lawn mower by John Albert Burr to the pROSHI
neurofeedback device by Chuck Davis.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Including the
broad range of Black achievements in school curricula year-round rather than
for just 28-days or as an elective Black History course that is subject to
manipulation by state boards of education opens the door to more equitable
treatment of the achievements of other minorities and women.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As we come to
the close of another Black History Month, we should give serious thought to a
nationwide review of how we teach history and </span><i style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">what</i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> we teach, and
establish a national requirement that all students should be exposed to a
comprehensive history of the nation before graduating from high school. We, as
consumers, should demand that corporations and media be more inclusive—and
accurate—in the portrayal of the country and its people.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If everyone,
regardless of race or gender, is exposed throughout the year to the truth about
our nation’s history, we take another step toward creating ‘a more perfect
union’ as envisioned by the Founding Fathers, and we create a better country
for all of us.</span></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-7731748910325251322024-02-24T11:21:00.001-05:002024-02-24T11:21:47.383-05:00🚨 Republican Senator SCREWS himself with MASSIVE mistake<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/q1kolcgJhn0?si=Cn2QhvEfZvfXqzYY" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-25341657403037661822024-02-20T18:59:00.003-05:002024-02-20T18:59:18.973-05:00DSP lifetime achievement award<div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We have some breaking news to bring you this evening, and cause for celebration for one of our fan-favorite authors!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Can you join us in congratulating Charles <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Ray who will be the first recipient of the DSP Lifetime Achievement Award in May. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It’s easy to see why when he’s one of our most prolific authors. A consistent number-one bestseller—a feat he’s managed in multiple genres, too. There’s more to him than a Western, he’s found success with Science Fiction and Horror titles as well. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Ray has been at the heart of some of our most prestigious titles and co-writes. He’s been part of the DSP family for a long time, and throughout he’s been nothing short of a highly talented and versatile storyteller. </div></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It’s an honor for us to bestow the first DSP Lifetime Achievement Award upon him, and we wish him continued success.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDMa_OkXnbgLyMALJz1nYSJQh5L7avkkGsN5Mym9da5M87XJypuZZXnQyxFHYp1ZDNMG-kkXZrRbWhroLjrNZ5lDkYaQtOC3vca8Pe5Pcpg-NmzALA-mkEO_mH_MG81UwJipavtL26lEu9WkBlgWiTYKyV6e2vpJSTrPl4SUd3qVSOWPpC1l8GQkR3THd/s526/DSP%20Achievement%20Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDMa_OkXnbgLyMALJz1nYSJQh5L7avkkGsN5Mym9da5M87XJypuZZXnQyxFHYp1ZDNMG-kkXZrRbWhroLjrNZ5lDkYaQtOC3vca8Pe5Pcpg-NmzALA-mkEO_mH_MG81UwJipavtL26lEu9WkBlgWiTYKyV6e2vpJSTrPl4SUd3qVSOWPpC1l8GQkR3THd/w403-h368/DSP%20Achievement%20Award.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-6359599280181048652024-02-18T21:01:00.009-05:002024-02-18T21:01:51.525-05:00Some things don't translate well<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpgAnTjMZt7VSPhyphenhyphen5jy7gZ65fmn6LnXG0HBaNhSJYrMEwgmkE1zSNEy8rT01wT9zRT_2CYSqxlwqYoRaV5x6ZdGUYhUjIrJ_sGZo05I2NulEBV4nWS7vuyGwC_H8Ek8xp-CRRj4xHBWpwrvR0PLM0getlcE7b03ngET80iNBZDfZZsRDg-Zkm8WK6D_Aq/s2048/Some%20things%20do%20not%20translate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="773" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpgAnTjMZt7VSPhyphenhyphen5jy7gZ65fmn6LnXG0HBaNhSJYrMEwgmkE1zSNEy8rT01wT9zRT_2CYSqxlwqYoRaV5x6ZdGUYhUjIrJ_sGZo05I2NulEBV4nWS7vuyGwC_H8Ek8xp-CRRj4xHBWpwrvR0PLM0getlcE7b03ngET80iNBZDfZZsRDg-Zkm8WK6D_Aq/w543-h773/Some%20things%20do%20not%20translate.jpg" width="543" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-66179594336212501592024-02-16T18:31:00.002-05:002024-02-16T18:31:44.462-05:00The BRICS Expansion: What Are the Implications?<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/KuzH0nrreOA?si=rgLzri_gsoQzaidp" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-33142498755334440852024-02-14T19:25:00.000-05:002024-02-14T19:25:03.672-05:00On Network 2020 program on the situation in South Africa<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU59VAFFDPHyIVg2TZXQnl512VqTzI-mC2iUTLI_eeSlm7chxaFD5CgtGKyBU2mtTrN74LuY5hP0gqsRgPRNhF6U9Et94BdS8JaYMhOx0yqgn2_rRTnRuXTERIecSavku-97gWemI5PUEA8YfnZE0NrD_whRXAExrTn8HbwZus8_hoX8yzqsQVwxZskSRW/s800/1707753255934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU59VAFFDPHyIVg2TZXQnl512VqTzI-mC2iUTLI_eeSlm7chxaFD5CgtGKyBU2mtTrN74LuY5hP0gqsRgPRNhF6U9Et94BdS8JaYMhOx0yqgn2_rRTnRuXTERIecSavku-97gWemI5PUEA8YfnZE0NrD_whRXAExrTn8HbwZus8_hoX8yzqsQVwxZskSRW/w489-h405/1707753255934.jpg" width="489" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-3345499273535249382024-02-14T09:19:00.005-05:002024-02-14T09:19:54.764-05:002024 - A Wakeup Call for the Sahel: US Capitol, Feb. 2, 2024<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding-top: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #757575; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: center;">In cooperation with:</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnImageBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnImageBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnImageBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnImageContent" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img align="center" alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F501530f0-3715-a887-3fc7-329c7fdba2a3.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=ClGx8.fQQUeWCkquitxwXQ--~D" style="border: 0px; display: inline !important; height: auto; max-width: 1742px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="564" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding-top: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #757575; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px 18px 9px; text-align: center; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><div style="outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /><br style="outline: none !important;" /><span style="font-size: 24px; outline: none !important;">NEWSLETTER </span><br style="outline: none !important;" /> </div><span style="font-size: 20px; outline: none !important;">"2024 - A Wakeup Call for the Sahel" panel discussion </span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBottomContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBottomImageContent" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F992d9523-5e95-c5d1-9ca2-45144e1ac17a.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=2p1HkrQ971MyYGex6s0kRw--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 1286px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="564" /></td></tr><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top" width="564"><h3 class="yiv4752475433null" style="color: #444444; font-size: 22px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">United States Capitol - February 2, 2024</span></h3><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">L-R:<br style="outline: none !important;" />Dr. <strong style="outline: none !important;">Sasha Toperich</strong>, Executive Vice President, TLN<br style="outline: none !important;" /><strong style="outline: none !important;">Maria Nicoletta Gaida</strong>, President, Ara Pacis Initiative for Peace & Pax Humana Foundation (Italy)<br style="outline: none !important;" />Amb. Ret. <strong style="outline: none !important;">Charles Ray</strong>, Trustee, FPRI<br style="outline: none !important;" />Prof. Dr. <strong style="outline: none !important;">Saleem Ali</strong>, University of Delaware<br style="outline: none !important;" />General Ret. <strong style="outline: none !important;">Didier Castres</strong>, Former Deputy Chief for Operations, French Army, President of GEOS ADIT Group</span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftContentOuter" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftContentInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftImageContent" style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F8d323c16-15f8-2065-1184-e1f9984cbeb7.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=2TbsUiSIqhqfoTQJK13OFA--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 1196px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif; outline: none !important;">Welcome remarks by <strong style="outline: none !important;">Carol Rollie Flynn,</strong> FPRI <span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">President</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightContentOuter" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightContentInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightImageContent" style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F9d79b1c0-2a1a-d8d3-2948-51b79abb1b57.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=Gr2OrWlsOXY_MWk2wWoNKQ--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 256px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="256" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><h3 class="yiv4752475433null" style="color: #444444; font-size: 22px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">Maria Nicoletta Gaida:</span></h3><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">The Sahel serves as a vital bridge between civilizations and seas, deserving attention and necessitating dialogue. Western values have been undermined by inconsistency, neglect, and double standards, while unkept promises have generated disenchantment and distrust. The crises in the Sahel transcend existing boundaries, requiring solutions based on geographical and human realities rather than established colonial borders. A new approach to the Sahel must be dignity-centered and involve all stakeholders, including rebels, armed groups, civil society, traditional, and religious leaders. Relying solely on strongmen and military solutions to address complex societal problems has proven ineffective. Coordination between top-down and bottom-up diplomacy is essential, and a global plan must prioritize social services, administrative autonomy, and inclusion to counter terrorism and instability.</span></div><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftContentOuter" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftContentInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftImageContent" style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F128ade2e-7c19-5f30-f7f4-56b554aba4a2.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=oq_vEaZKKreyYfttk2Qihw--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 1121px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><h3 class="yiv4752475433null" style="color: #444444; font-size: 22px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">General Didier Castres:</span></h3><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">The Sahel is currently undergoing major upheavals, whether political, climatic, security-related, or demographic. Without energetic action, it will become a grey zone where warlords, armed groups, jihadists, and traffickers vie for space and resources. Doing nothing is not an option, but the solutions brought to the Sahelian crises have failed. Between the transplantation of Western models, exclusively security-focused approaches, incapacity to grasp the complexity and entirety of the crises, media obsession, and inconsistent management of different timelines, the gap widens between the expectations of the populations and the proposed solutions. It is imperative for us to fundamentally change our crisis resolution approach.</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightContentOuter" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightContentInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightImageContent" style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F5e4f1471-6316-8327-a4aa-c93b7ee69d8d.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=0pjFkcrmwR41l6yrnqWobA--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 812px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><h3 class="yiv4752475433null" style="color: #444444; font-size: 22px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">Amb. Ret. Charles Ray:</span></h3><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">The situation in the Sahel is a wakeup call for the people of the region, for they must assume the principal responsibility. But it is also a wakeup call for the rest of the world. By 2050, 25 percent of the world’s population will be in Sub-Saharan Africa, and a large percentage of them will be in the Sahel. They can either be a positive force in the global community, or they can be our worst nightmare. The decision is up to us—all of us.</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftContentOuter" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftContentInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftImageContent" style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2Fc60b2530-a38b-dcd4-869f-1f26b1ffd16a.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=eNfXwsxY63reMjJ0ovPLxQ--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 886px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionLeftTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><h3 class="yiv4752475433null" style="color: #444444; font-size: 22px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">Prof. Dr. Saleem Ali:</span></h3><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">The Sahel is a region of immense natural resource wealth but also extreme poverty. This paradox has bedevilled academic researchers and policy-makers for decades but has now reached a critical juncture as conflicts across the region are exacerbated by heightened global tensions between major powers. In this context we need an urgent conflict resolution strategy for the region that considers past mistakes of colonial policies as well as the neglectful ability to bring all parties into a bigger tent of inclusion.</span> <span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">The United Nations estimates that more than 200 tons of gold is produced annually in the Sahel region, and with impaired governance this could fuel further civil strife and terror.</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; padding: 18px; word-break: normal;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid rgb(234, 234, 234); min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;"><span style="outline: none !important;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightContentOuter" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightContentInner" style="outline: none !important; padding: 0px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td align="left" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightImageContent" style="outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="yiv4752475433mcnImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmcusercontent.com%2F7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd%2Fimages%2F51260c2d-6a42-ef08-a1fc-2ea81833a019.png&t=1707919776&ymreqid=bb3653b2-6cfc-6f73-1c51-220295018500&sig=U7P.WdomzullaoXdRBppuA--~D" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 764px; outline: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="264" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnCaptionRightTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; outline: none !important; width: 264px;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #717171; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><h3 class="yiv4752475433null" style="color: #444444; font-size: 22px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">Dr. Sasha Toperich:</span></h3><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">Relying solely on Western governance solutions for African crises is no longer viable. It's time to support Africans in devising their own solutions, which may differ from Western models. We cannot address these crises solely with a rational Western approach. </span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlockOuter" style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none !important; padding-top: 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; outline: none !important; width: 100%;"><tbody style="outline: none !important;"><tr style="outline: none !important;"><td class="yiv4752475433mcnTextContent" style="color: #757575; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: normal;" valign="top"><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">You can watch the entire panel at TLN's YouTube Channel:</span></span></div><div style="outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><a href="https://transatlantic.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bd1df7136136b9c283693fdd&id=20b038357c&e=71d9e48912" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89; outline: none !important;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SevMMTQBok</span></span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-75450530685253490062024-02-11T19:46:00.000-05:002024-02-11T19:46:11.031-05:00The proliferation of disinformation<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVcqSbsGgzLoy1CHp_S_LYNIu6cwjsRxoAL4wy13DINqxX3TFT3cNVKAml1BBbvlUE0GdnQq3w4YBduBzsO_E5wIkNld55F-slbM1hvAqYqq9Obb_2oUDeYf2bVsSIp7F2P6H8nZpc6No7pyGeB90ryHbDoK3WL2PXabQe-ZhTfNHl2bMbUA8I7lDCq4h/s2048/proliferation%20of%20disinformation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="797" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVcqSbsGgzLoy1CHp_S_LYNIu6cwjsRxoAL4wy13DINqxX3TFT3cNVKAml1BBbvlUE0GdnQq3w4YBduBzsO_E5wIkNld55F-slbM1hvAqYqq9Obb_2oUDeYf2bVsSIp7F2P6H8nZpc6No7pyGeB90ryHbDoK3WL2PXabQe-ZhTfNHl2bMbUA8I7lDCq4h/w545-h797/proliferation%20of%20disinformation.jpg" width="545" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-40739398039477213132024-02-07T12:26:00.007-05:002024-02-07T12:26:35.929-05:00Visit to Tennessee World Affairs Council - Nashville<p> On Thursday, January 23, 2024, I spent the day in Nashville, TN with the Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC) on a program that included visits to a local high school, a meeting with business executives, and a town hall meeting with the TNWAC and students at Belmont University.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEmaWbuIp0DLM0nR0kG1kxZw4WE2gKoHYo4HBm8TU9_H1ZEaewTNc1lHAKWBntejiuMdVnttffaYRJP2MQDaxF54DlU0b-MaQ86qvhDRDyvTpXPY1SGb7YaCGNYBnXEk2D4SjqzP2FOOryCD-af8NJmav9SB2K9nOPaGx0Ii5rAFBxYFZPPji-teGPhavH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="891" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEmaWbuIp0DLM0nR0kG1kxZw4WE2gKoHYo4HBm8TU9_H1ZEaewTNc1lHAKWBntejiuMdVnttffaYRJP2MQDaxF54DlU0b-MaQ86qvhDRDyvTpXPY1SGb7YaCGNYBnXEk2D4SjqzP2FOOryCD-af8NJmav9SB2K9nOPaGx0Ii5rAFBxYFZPPji-teGPhavH" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMP4nRO0g94l2jACBCiAw8dXIruSQlQ05CyYvCiWZiJk1EzVdYMs59tXD0v1v3EmCiOyLuryFJctmYL1bJyetnxa9kIKZ2Slf8s0vP-d7kddkA4lU_pXrW91-5H7mkQZXX7OuwOa-OjSRjwU_KeQZY7PnhR0J8Nnus3Q7OyHu5XJW74C2si1_XCVRROGP4" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="965" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMP4nRO0g94l2jACBCiAw8dXIruSQlQ05CyYvCiWZiJk1EzVdYMs59tXD0v1v3EmCiOyLuryFJctmYL1bJyetnxa9kIKZ2Slf8s0vP-d7kddkA4lU_pXrW91-5H7mkQZXX7OuwOa-OjSRjwU_KeQZY7PnhR0J8Nnus3Q7OyHu5XJW74C2si1_XCVRROGP4=w461-h163" width="461" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOCZAXvAVHn_uVEp8jew0-nC075X1E60gJoe-xEiRJJSoRMdgZngcjL5u8oHO3_NGXpfmCfbRScwN_TU4agl-LcC19ghzOgCFg_ZGjGbfNZzgrUrbpvRs0grPF_wnfCFoiNKDqa_of12ELMBu-qeAr0IbHN_TpfaBbPpUgL0EDFCn3tLV_bT6K6WFbOwqx" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="530" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOCZAXvAVHn_uVEp8jew0-nC075X1E60gJoe-xEiRJJSoRMdgZngcjL5u8oHO3_NGXpfmCfbRScwN_TU4agl-LcC19ghzOgCFg_ZGjGbfNZzgrUrbpvRs0grPF_wnfCFoiNKDqa_of12ELMBu-qeAr0IbHN_TpfaBbPpUgL0EDFCn3tLV_bT6K6WFbOwqx" width="230" /></a></div><br />With students and faculty at Battleground Academy, an elite college preparatory school in Nashville, TN.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxbnGhXmKHp7-HA5kkBbomTQWSO2ohywnyppdVWQiTb95OPqNl_kYIEonAmKZ4oq5oDWJiyM5OtilGBsflrI5YkDrxVSxXtHx9814Yl4i69B2-IiSytQgctQMM5w9gbCv_N5fxo8HvbVk3-QzhcvvAGKeI8e9K2-Yu6nlboxkIyHqCAzQzQWQ4zCwQAGCD" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="530" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxbnGhXmKHp7-HA5kkBbomTQWSO2ohywnyppdVWQiTb95OPqNl_kYIEonAmKZ4oq5oDWJiyM5OtilGBsflrI5YkDrxVSxXtHx9814Yl4i69B2-IiSytQgctQMM5w9gbCv_N5fxo8HvbVk3-QzhcvvAGKeI8e9K2-Yu6nlboxkIyHqCAzQzQWQ4zCwQAGCD" width="182" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Speaking to business executives at Pinnacle Bank in Nashville, TN.<p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPgEMMxcjbEJvH-5IDm3VEf8uXqqOauQtwzHFNBGt4EW_ipr6c4eqnA7x4tcY0rEgwy8Vv9JD7xzkGlgpIQTc2epSqc40aYUSzV2uXfRTYr_ZvJtyOba31a6BoAlUCpCaWsYfTclQ10315hKd2jUDOohiEhqiUdwXYIKhEuf8eQMnOJ-3_VULaZMR3pMU_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="722" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPgEMMxcjbEJvH-5IDm3VEf8uXqqOauQtwzHFNBGt4EW_ipr6c4eqnA7x4tcY0rEgwy8Vv9JD7xzkGlgpIQTc2epSqc40aYUSzV2uXfRTYr_ZvJtyOba31a6BoAlUCpCaWsYfTclQ10315hKd2jUDOohiEhqiUdwXYIKhEuf8eQMnOJ-3_VULaZMR3pMU_" width="320" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1iquO6fv31jhXZZ2iOh-mFzZ_Nh3WdCzAitSEMkN7z_PWe9Norv-co_WZEzD0-ibUJP9mcjTA40sFEEyngYdyrieysmp6Nv3yKXkQtD2JWOCethd8qvF_T2d0ZxOwvRwvNqKnTak5tK11jb-LCmkG9IFxjbQpsa0wMLIoeoJY111LBrZr3nW4BFxRawtT" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="821" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1iquO6fv31jhXZZ2iOh-mFzZ_Nh3WdCzAitSEMkN7z_PWe9Norv-co_WZEzD0-ibUJP9mcjTA40sFEEyngYdyrieysmp6Nv3yKXkQtD2JWOCethd8qvF_T2d0ZxOwvRwvNqKnTak5tK11jb-LCmkG9IFxjbQpsa0wMLIoeoJY111LBrZr3nW4BFxRawtT" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Town hall meeting with TNWAC and students at Belmont University, moderated by retired ambassador Charles Bowers, a member of the TNWAC Advisory Board.<br /><br /></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-1435384060593672782024-02-05T19:52:00.001-05:002024-02-05T19:52:09.060-05:00Dog people, cat people<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtRGbhXhEZDDmLI3yar5R_s-3s3wGALZlIvbV6VnBm_pS10r-B-aK-1QfuWWfLEEAvmGo5XD8S_Z-6wwU5hnHpJx1cdHlEpIBFZKbveCJNPmPfxDqEfb165rIvbZqBeM7hZm4rX_D-cF06ibpvhnNSicLRTny_S0WoCaJt5COgbd7DfBd3YrxnSMX8xSm/s2048/dog%20people%20cat%20people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="723" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtRGbhXhEZDDmLI3yar5R_s-3s3wGALZlIvbV6VnBm_pS10r-B-aK-1QfuWWfLEEAvmGo5XD8S_Z-6wwU5hnHpJx1cdHlEpIBFZKbveCJNPmPfxDqEfb165rIvbZqBeM7hZm4rX_D-cF06ibpvhnNSicLRTny_S0WoCaJt5COgbd7DfBd3YrxnSMX8xSm/w498-h723/dog%20people%20cat%20people.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-53879736164763040472024-02-05T09:06:00.001-05:002024-02-05T09:06:21.661-05:002024 - A Wakeup Call for the Sahel: Panel discussion at the United State...<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/2SevMMTQBok?si=caHqNp2OOt9bVQz-" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4926067461451209020.post-37769031445078929802024-02-03T13:26:00.001-05:002024-02-03T13:26:12.308-05:00Trump now poised for FATAL blow in new ruling<iframe style="background-image:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6IDqzc4ABWA/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/6IDqzc4ABWA?si=z0IarxmoZAImkzXK" frameborder="0"></iframe>Charles Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11925796128723990492noreply@blogger.com0