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A Small Mentality Can Only Mangle a Large Truth

Shame and guilt are rich human emotions that serve important functions at both the individual and relationship levels. On the one hands, as moral emotions, shame, and guilt are among our most private, intimate experiences. In the face of transgression or error, the self turns toward the self—evaluating and rendering judgment. Thus, the experience of shame or guilt can guide our behavior and influence who we ae in our own eyes. On the other hand, shame and guilt are inextricably linked to the self in relationships with others. These emotions develop from our relationships. Ans throughout the lifespan, these emotions exert a profound and continued influence on our behavior in interpersonal contexts. Shame and guilt are thus both “self-conscious” and “moral” emotions: self-conscious in that they involve the self evaluating the self, and moral in that they presumably play a key role in fostering moral behavior. However, sometimes it may seem easier to feel hopeless about yourself than to feel the love the Savior has for you—but as Nephi knew, it does not have to be that way. When you do something wrong, you might have thoughts cross your mind that you are a failure. That you should have known better. That you are not worth loving. Deep down, you know that none of those things are true. You have learned about your worthy as a son or daughter of God, and you know that repentance is real and possible. #RandolphHarris 1 of 30

However, still after you have sinned or made a mistake, you might be tempted to punish yourself more than anyone else would with thoughts of guilt and shame. Feelings of shame may appear in our awareness as vague uneasiness, as embarrassment, or, more specifically as feelings of guilt. This transformation is of particular importance because it allows for a rather quick understanding of certain guilt-feelings. If, for instance, a person full of pervasive unconscious pretenses is guilty perturbed by a comparatively harmless and inconsequential lie, we may safely assume that he is more concerned with appearing than with being honest; and that his pride is hurt by not having been able to maintain the fiction of ultimate and absolute veracity. Or If an egocentric person feels guilty about some inconsiderateness, we have to ask whether this guilt feeling is not shame about having besmirched the halo of goodness rather than an honest regret for not having been as sensitive to others as he would like to be. Furthermore, it may be that none of these reactions, whether direct or transformed, is consciously felt; we may merely be aware of our reactions to these reactions. Prominent among such “secondary” reactions are rage and fear. That any hurt to our pride may provoke vindictive hostility is well known. It goes all the way from dislike to hate, from irritability to anger to a blind murderous rage. #RandolphHarris 2 of 30

Sometimes the connection between rage and pride is easily enough established—for the observer. For instance, a person is enraged against his boss who he feels has treated him cavalierly, or against a taxi driver who has cheated him—incidents which, at most, would account for annoyance. The person himself would only be aware of a justified anger at the bad behavior of others. The observer, let us say the analyst, would see that his pride was hurt by incidents, that he felt humiliated and then reacted with rage. The patient may accept this interpretation as most likely accounting for the excessive reaction, or he may insist that his reaction was not excessive at all and that his anger was a warranted reaction to the wickedness or stupidity of others. While of course not all irrational hostility is due to hurt pride, it does play a greater part than is generally assumed. The analyst always should be alert to this possibility, particularly concerning the patient’s reaction to him, to interpretations, and to the whole analytic situation. If the hostility has ingredients of degradation, contempt, or intent to humiliate, the connection with hurt pride is more easily discernible. What operates here is the straight law of retaliation. The patient, without knowing it, has felt humiliated and returns in kind. After such incidents it is sheer waste of time to talk about the patient’s hostility. The analyst must go straight to the point by raising a question as to what has registered in the patient’s mind as humiliation. #RandolphHarris 3 of 30

Sometimes impulses to humiliate the analyst, or thoughts about it unaccompanied by any effect, appear right at the beginning of the analysis, before the analyst has touched any sore spot. In this case, it is likely that the patient feels unconsciously humiliated by the very fact of being analyzed, and it is the analyst’s job to bring this connection into clear focus. Naturally, what happens is analysis also happens outside. And, if we thought more often of the possibility that offensive behavior may stem from hurt pride, we would save ourselves many painful or even heartbreaking troubles. Thus, when a friend or relative behaves in an obnoxious fashion after have liberally helped him, we should not be upset over this ingratitude but consider how badly his pride may have been hurt by accepting help. And, according to circumstances, we might either talk to him about it or try ourselves to help him in a way that saves his face. Likewise, in the case of a generally contemptuous attitude toward people, it is not enough to resent a person’s arrogance; we must also regard him as someone who goes through life with a raw skin because of being pervasively vulnerable through his pride. If we feel we have offended our own pride, what is less well known is that the same hostility, hate, or contempt may be directed against ourselves. Violent self-reproaches are no the only form this rage at self may assume. Vindictive self-hatred has so many far-reaching implications. #RandolphHarris 4 of 30

Looking more closely at the concept of the healthy individual as one who lives primarily in the present, we see that living fully in the moment requires no concern for external support or sustenance. To say, “I am adequate now” rather than “I was adequate once” or “I will be adequate again” is self-validating and self-justifying. Just being in the moment is sufficient and is an end. Being has its own reward—a feeling of trust in one’s self-support. Experiencing self-support, a by-product of living in the present, is being “inner-directed” as opposed to “other-directed.” Maslow said that a person experiencing time in this way is one living in a state of “creative innocence.” In the child, there is a total unquestioning acceptance of whatever happens. Since there is also very little memory, very little leaning on the past, there is little tendency in the child to bring the past into the present or into the future. The consequence is that the child is totally without past or future. If one expects nothing, if one has no anticipations or apprehensions, if in a certain sense there is no future, because the child is moving totally “here—now,” there can be no surprise, no disappointment. One thing is as likely as another to happen. This is “perfect waiting” and spectatorship without any demands that one thing happen rather than another. There is no prognosis. And no prediction means no worry, no anxiety, no apprehension, or foreboding. #RandolphHarris 5 of 30

This is all related to the conception of the creative personality as one who is totally here—now, one who lives without future or past. Another way of saying this is: “The creative person is an innocent.” An innocent could be defined as a grown person who can still perceive, or think or react like a child. It is this innocence that is recovered in the “second naivete, or perhaps the “second innocence” of the wise old man who has managed to recover the ability to be childlike. The manipulators may be past-oriented and using the past as an excuse for failure. They may be future-oriented and using the future for promises that never materialize. Or they may be present-oriented and using the present to talk about everything they are doing but getting none of it done. In any event, they spend most of their time justifying and defending themselves: If they are marginalized manipulators, they are criers or blamers, asking for love despite bad luck. If they are in positions of power and authority, they con us into pseudo-support and justification, in that the deception of another person gives them a feeling of power. If they were deeply honest, they would have to admit that their ventures are empty and unfulfilling. Actualizers, on the other hand (as always), are doers, be-ers. They express feelings and talents to cope with life in the present. #RandolphHarris 6 of 30

Actualizers feel good about themselves because their existence is filled with ongoing activity. They experience self-support and self-expression in living life in the here and now. They move freely into the past for memories and into the future for goals, but remember that these, too, are acts of the present from which self-support comes. For actualizers, life is an exciting process of trusting themselves in the here and now. The self-concept itself is an abstraction. Like the “mind,” it has no special location and is not comprised of any particular organ. (Children asked to locate their selves usually point either to their chest or their forehead.) The self-concept may be conveniently thought of as being divided into several sub-selves or “roles.” Thus, you may find included in your self-concept your role as a student, as an athlete, as a first child of the family, as a dancer, as a lover, as a spouse, as a parent, as a teacher, or as a merchant. While persons differ widely in their most important sub-self or role, for most people their way of earning a living becomes a major role. Thus, in one of Bugental’s earliest self-concept tests, the WAY (Who Are You?), many people replied in terms of their job. In the opening lines to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Flavius, walking the streets of Rome, is dismayed to find the populace walking about in their best clothes and chides a workman: “What, know you not…you ought not walk upon a laboring day without the sign of your profession?” #RandolphHarris 7 of 30

Whether deeds or rules should be the basis of a moral code is a thorny theological issue. Certain theologically oriented writers have rightly reacted against the old moral rigidity and have rejected automatic condemnation of fallible men and women for behavior of pleasures of the flesh which are disapproved of by the church. However, have they presently overreached themselves and therefore inadvertently undermined the concept of voluntary commitment to pleasures of the flesh? Is it possible that they have lost sight of a human need for the security of reasonable limits in relationships that involve pleasures of the flesh, a need that exists independently of religious doctrine? Extramarital pleasures of the flesh is a case in point, and one pronouncement on the subject can be singled out both because it summarizes the issues and because it has been commended for its wisdom by a Catholic priest, Robert T. Francoeur. It originally appeared in 1968 in Honest Sex, a book with the subtitle, “A Revolutionary Sex Ethic by and for Concerned Christians,” written by a husband and wife, Rustum and Della Roy. They are described as “active Christian lay people involved in church, community and educational organizations and concerned with mental health.” The sentences quoted below are referred to with unequivocal approval by Dr. Francoeur in his book, Eve’s New Rib. #RandolphHarris 8 of 30

The Royas write: “We find that sexual relations with persons other than a spouse are becoming more common. When other criteria of appropriateness are fulfilled, such relations do not necessarily destroy or hurt a marriage, nor do they inflict an unbearable hurt on the partner not involved. Indeed, when human need is paramount, such relationships can serve as the vehicle of faithfulness to God.” These are not three sentences taken out of context; they express the core of a particular philosophy, which is why they were chosen by Dr. Francoeur as a summation of his own beliefs. Their meaning, however, is something less than precise. For example, what is the purpose in noting that extramarital pleasures of the flesh are “becoming more common”? Is the frequency with which something happens a reliable indication of its value? Besides, by what objective measure have the Roys been able to confirm as a fact that such behavior is more common? Compared to when? Who sets the “criteria for appropriateness” by which extramarital intercourse is to be judged, the partner who participates or the partner who does not—or do they decide together, and if so, who has the final decision? Whose “human need” is being considered—that of the involved partner, the noninvolved partner or the third party? Moreover, who is to define these needs, sexual or otherwise, and then weigh them to determine which deserved to be labeled “paramount”? #RandolphHarris 9 of 30

Such a fantasy conjures up an image of passionless creatures who expect that their rational minds, like computers that have been fed all the available data, can be trusted to make the right decision, uninfluenced by such a natural emotion, for example, as physical desire. To encourage such a belief is to encourage the dangerous and self-serving malady of megalomania. The Roys verge on doing this with their assurance that having extramarital relationships may “serve as the vehicle of faithfulness to God.” However, since they are aware that men and women caught in sexual triangles are imperfect and vulnerable human beings, they must acknowledge that there are risks. They do so, however, in evasive terms. Extramarital pleasures of the flesh, they say, does not “necessarily” harm or destroy a marriage, nor does it inflict “an unbearable hurt” on the uninvolved partner. Not necessarily—but possibly? Even probably? And who decides whether this real risk of harming or destroying the marriage is worth taking—the partner who will enjoy having an affair in which the act of intercourse is conceptualized as an act of Christian charity? Or the involved partner, who has little, if anything to gain, and a lot to lose? As for being hurt, what does “unbearable” mean? Must the hurt partner commit suicide to prove that it was beyond endurance? Or suffer an emotional collapse? Or does asking for a divorce suffice to make the point? #RandolphHarris 10 of 30

It is one thing to repudiate the idea that every instance of extramarital pleasures of the flesh is an anathema to God; it is something else to advance the idea that in certain cases, extramarital pleasures of the flesh is a way of being faithful to God. Such a suggestion, coming from authorities who are concerned with the ethics of pleasures of the flesh, is doubly dangerous. Not only does it lend itself to the most seductive of rationalizations but it undermines the value of pleasures of the flesh commitment by subordinating the exclusive physical bond between husband and wife to the apparent needs of a third person. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. When a man and woman are married in the temple, their family can be together forever. This is a common goal of Latter-day Saints. Life’s greatest joys are found in the family. Strong family relationships require effort, but such effort brings great happiness in this life and throughout eternity. In our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness, a man and a woman can be sealed to one another for a time and all eternity. If they are true to their covenants, those who are sealed in the temple have the assurance that their relationship will continue forever. They know that nothing, not even death, can permanently separate them. The covenant of eternal marriage is necessary for exaltation. #RandolphHarris 11 of 30

After receiving the sealing ordinance and making sacred covenants in the temple, a couple must continue in faithfulness to receive the blessings of eternal marriage and exaltation. The Lord said: “If a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and if [they] abide in my covenant, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world.” Those who are married should consider their union as their most cherished earthly relationship. A spouse is the only person other than the Lord whom we have been commanded to love with all our heart. Marriage, in its truest sense, is a partnership of equals, with neither person exercising dominion over the other but with each encouraging, comforting, and helping the other. Because marriage is such an important relationship in life, it needs and deserves time over less important commitments. Couples can strengthen their marriage as they take time to talk together and listen to one another, be thoughtful and respectful, and express tender feelings and affection often. #RandolphHarris 12 of 30

Cynicism, the deification of history and of matter, individual terror, and State crime, these are the inordinate consequences that will now spring, armed to the teeth, from the equivocal conception of a world that entrusts to history alone the task of producing both values and truth. If nothing can be clearly understood before truth has been brought to light, at the end of time, then every action is arbitrary, and force will finally rule supreme. “If reality is inconceivable,” Hegal exclaims, “then we must contrive inconceivable concepts.” A concept that cannot be conceived must, perforce, like error, be contrived. However, to be accepted it cannot rely on the persuasion innate in order and truth, but must finally be imposed. Hegel’s attitude consists of saying: “This is truth, which appears to us, however, to be error, but which is true precisely because it happens to be error. As for proof, it is not I, but history, at its conclusion, that will furnish it.” Such pretensions can only entail two attitudes: either the suspension of all affirmation until the production of proof, or the affirmation of everything, in history, which seems dedicated to success—force in particular. And both attitudes imply nihilism. Moreover, of we overlook the fact that unfortunately it derived a large part of its inspiration from a philosophy of conformity and opportunism, it is impossible to understand twenty-first century revolution. True rebellion is not jeopardized on account of the distortion of these ideas. #RandolphHarris 13 of 30

People with small mentalities are constitutionally incapable of perceiving any other truth besides the new one which they happen to have embraced now, dazzled by its blaze as they are. People can see every half-truth and every quarter-truth, but they can not see the obvious truth. This is because they are so sated with self-interest and prejudice. The aspirant, too, may be crammed full of prejudice and have enough self-interest to fill a bank but—he knows it; he is trying to disentangle it, whereas they go on in blissful ignorance and imagine they are envisaging facts when they are only pampering to prejudice. It is a common habit to belittle ideas and practices simply because they are unknown or less familiar, but it is not a wise habit. When he finds that the truth is not what he had always supposed it to be, he is either shamed and humiliated or surprised and exhilarated. It is possible to know some things; only to believe other things: while the residue may be hoped for—nothing more. It is not an uncommon experience to observe how some persons project their own fancies on outer happenings, meetings, and persons—in other words, bringing their own thoughts and imaginations into real events and confusing the two. That latest knowledge is not the last nor the latest governmental form the final and best. #RandolphHarris 14 of 30

The conventional mentality thinks and therefore speaks in clichés. Its capacity for independent activity does not exist. It is a common enough mistake among the thoughtless to confound the abstruse with the absurd. This is surely something that should appeal to a reasonable and reflective person. That is why few will be found at first to listen to it, for few take the time to reflect; most are led by the nose since they are led by prejudice. There are so many men who believe that they know very well where they stand, but who believe wrongly. If challenged, the mass mind, with its ignorance and from the varied pressures, suggestions, traditions, or authorities imposed on it from outside and opposed by resistances or desires from inside, is at first thrown into greater confusion. His mind acknowledges no criterion of truth, no convention of goodness, no taste in beauty merely because convention tradition or society supports it. He must examine it first; he has also to find out what other minds in olden and medieval as well as modern times, in widely differing Eastern lands as well as Occidental ones, thought of these matters; finally, he had to consult his own reason, and above all, his own intuition and compare all these views quite impartially and without selfish interest. If they are to yield proper solutions, we may apply human reason, not supernatural “revelation,” to all our problems. #RandolphHarris 15 of 30

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. reinforced the importance of personal accountability as he tells a story from his career. He was thrown out of a game in the first inning for arguing with an umpire. He later found out that a fan had brought his young son all the way to Baltimore to see his favorite baseball player, but never saw him take one swing. The boy was heartbroken, and the press ran with the story. Cal felt horrible. He began evaluating what was important to him and where he needed to improve. He settled in about personal accountability. A short time later, he was playing a game in Toronto. As he took the field in pregame warm-ups, he noticed the sod where he played shortstop was raised up to a hump. Apparently, the irrigation or drainage system had leaked the night before and froze under the turf. His first thought was to complain to the umpires and groundskeepers. He could have chosen to ask them to delay the game to fix the field or he could have used it as an excuse if he had a bad game. Instead, he chose to suck it up and play a couple feet in from his normal spot, making the most of it. He decided he was not going to allow outside circumstances to affect his performance. He played that game without a complaint and went on to continue playing every game for the record of most consecutive games played in this history of professional baseball. #RandolphHarris 16 of 30

People in leadership position have even a greater need for accountability. How many times have you noted a popular politician, movie star, church leader, or public safety official plummet in disgrace as the result of a scandal? Many sources suggest that as people work their way higher in an organization, the hard work and accountability to get there has been replaced by an entitlement once they arrive. In his book, Why Great Men Fall, author Wayde Goodall theorizes that the failure of leaders is not necessarily one big misstep, but rather a series of temptations that eventually are reasoned as privilege. In his farewell speech, Senator John Ensign apologized for his actions that came easily with “more power and prestige.” Many leaders that ignore personal accountability when they are successful make poor moral decisions, yet carry on with their business as though nothing happened. Eventually, the behavior catches up, and the leader is forced to give up everything that was earned. As a result, emergency workers must realize that although personal accountability is a tough skill to master, promotions will only make it tougher to maintain. A fire fighter with the Award-winning Sacramento Fire Department, who works his or her way up through the ranks to a chief position will find it might be easier to come in late, take a longer lunch, or leave a little earlier at the end of the day. Failing to meet minimum training requirements might be rationalized as less relevant than completing administrative duties. Unfortunately, this example also can carry over to accountability safety. #RandolphHarris 17 of 30

Many agencies can provide pictures of emergency scenes where an officer is not wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Maybe they reasoned that they were only entering the hazard zone to “take a look,” or that they were not “actively involved” in the incident so their risks were lower. All members must learn ways to improve personal accountability for health and safety regardless of rank. Improving personal accountability is key to eliminating blame and ultimately improving safety. There are several ways to help achieve accountability, including making the decision to be accountable, becoming an active member of your department, speaking up, taking responsibility for the outcome of calls, and taking responsibility for safety. As you have seen, professionals require intensive education in a particular service or skill that most members of society do not have. Along with all of this expertise are some distinct responsibilities. As a professional with the award-winning Sacramento Fire Department, you must be aware of them. Professionals offer a service that is vital to society. This service is performed for a person or group of people commonly referred to as clients. Professional expertise is so complex that laymen are usually not capable of understanding what the professional does or how he or she does it. Therefore, the professional has exclusive possession of a certain skill set, and the client agrees to accept the professional’s application of those skills. This relationship creates certain expectations. Just as the professional expects the client to place affairs completely within his or her hands, the client expects the professional to observe certain ethical standards of behavior. #RandolphHarris 18 of 30

Society expects the professionals with the award-winning Sacramento Fire Department to fulfill three key obligations: Not exceed professional competence (no “Custer’s Last Stands”), act only in the nation’s best interest, maintain integrity with the American people. Clearly, the professional has most of the leverage in this relationship, at least until proven otherwise, and he or she is accepted as the unquestioned authority. Most people enter a profession because of an abiding desire to serve society and their fellow man. Many endure great personal hardship to meet the standards of their “calling.” Consider the medical student who graduates with hefty student loans after spending many years as a full-time student—or your own sacrifices to attend college and become a professional with the Sacramento Fire Department. Most professional also desire to maintain their ability to control their profession. They realize that only as long as the profession abides by ethical standards will society allow it to keep functioning autonomously. “The salary thing has got to be separate, because nobody could continue to do this unless they wanted to. I’ll be forty in December, and I see things a lot differently, looking back and looking ahead. I love this job. It’s a lifetime challenge because every fire is different, even the same variables move around in different sequences. We pay a lot of attention to building construction and renovation. And it amazes me how hard young officer work to come up through the ranks and how much intensive knowledge of fire science and fireground experience they have. #RandolphHarris 19 of 30

“The guys in our battalion work hard every day. If I ever get lucky and make district chief, a top priority will be to continue to improve our knowledge of the conditions we work under and what certain types of buildings are going to do before the fire, so we are prepared when we get there. Not everything is a three-story frame—we call them three-deckers—where you finish yawning and the fire is out. This is a serious profession. We’re trying to maintain this image that we’re supermen but at the same time acknowledging that we’re not indestructible or infallible but only human. Some officers misinterpret the way the guys behave. There is just plain a lot of stress that goes with the job. I wish we could have a program in all the fire departments where the media actually go to drill school. I’d like to see the reporters and the mayors of all these cities go down the long hallway trying to search, or pulling a line and trying to pull ceilings at the same time. I believe they’d have a different view of firefighter if they could go to two or three jobs in a row, then come out and say, ‘I didn’t quite realize it was like that.’ Civilians just don’t believe how fast that fire will travel. They leave their kids unattended for a couple of minutes, shoot out the door, and go down to the corner for a second. How quickly it spreads. Those things hit me nowadays.” Leaders can enhance their ability to maintain accountability by surrounding themselves with people who will be honest with you about who you really are or what you are becoming. Since officers may have trouble noticing a change, it’s vital that they are ready for it and use colleagues or family members to maintain an awareness for them. #RandolphHarris 20 of 30

If you see a fire truck stopped in the street without the lights on, be very careful. Sometimes there is an emergency and you should not pass the fire truck. It might be a good idea to safely turn around and go another way because if you hit someone and they happen to die, you could be charged with manslaughter. Sometimes fire fighters are getting back into their vehicle and if you pass the apparatus, you may collide with a firefighter who is on foot. Also, be sure to look at their signals, sometimes emergency vehicles are in motions, albeit, slowly, and drivers try to pass them, and this could lead to a dangerous situation. Also, if you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. #RandolphHarris 21 of 30

California is the third most expensive state in the nation. A single person making an income above $100,000 is now consider low-income in five counties in California. This distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruze, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. In 37 percent of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income. In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom of Democratic controlled California, brags about being the world’s “fifth largest economy,” but it also facing a $12 billion deficit, looking to cut $747 million for state worker’s pay, pushing to keep medical insurance for illegal immigrants, but wants to cut medical for anyone who has assets over $2,000 and the state has the largest homeless population in the nation. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes things like food, automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. This is caused by nearly half a century’s old laws that discourage homes sales and encourage higher rents. Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all of our jobs and money has more than 50 ghost cities. Ghost cities are regions will housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard are amongst the names on that list. #RandolphHarris 22 of 30

Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, Gavin Newsom has criminalized homelessness and actually started arresting people without homes, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal 2,500 and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American boarder open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risks to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security relevant alerts, such as end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure is the 2025 Palisades fires because Southern California ran out of water, when they are located next to an ocean and they could have simply created desalinating plants to help with the water shortage. The water is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. Desalination has been identified as one technology that will help solve California’s water scarcity problem. Desalination is a cost-effective technology that can transform an abundance of salt water into a reliable supply of potable, fresh water, which is a great way to fight climate change and have enough water for our region’s water requirements. Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia is producing 1,036,000 meters (273,682,192) per day of desalinated water. #RandolphHarris 23 of 30

The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 24 of 30

The maximum percentage of your gross income that you should earmark for a monthly mortgage payment is calculated at 28 percent, and no more than 36 percent of your gross income to all debts, including mortgage. If you take 28 percent of the median household income per home in Sacramento County, homeowners can only afford a mortgage of $2,070.23 per month. And if you take 36 percent of their gross income to all debts, including mortgage, they should be devoting no more than $2,661.72 a month to these debts. Mortgage lenders must be using some kind of sorcery to get buyers into these expensive homes. To afford one of these homes using traditional guidelines, a household would need to gross $11,280.24 per month or $135,362.88 per year, but the median household in Sacramento County is grossing $7,393.67 or $88,724.00 and that typically means two to four people in the home are working and contributing to the mortgage. Prices in Sacramento County are actually rivaling the Bay Area, and the Bay Aera is so expensive because they have more higher paying jobs and is a tourist destination. And with the State of California being in a budget deficit of $12 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom Granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless, and is proposing to fast-track his plan to build a $20 billion water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta by eliminating environmental reviews and limit avenues for legal challenges. Gavin Newsom only cares about the environment when his policies allow him to raise taxes and restrict freedoms. #RandolphHarris 25 of 30

In fact, Mexico has been causing one of America’s worst environmental disasters. Fifty million gallons a day of industrial chemicals, untreated sewage, and trash flow from Tijuana, Mexico, into southern San Diego County daily. This toxic waste has been turning up on Imperial Beach, and is causing the miles of white sands to become polluted and the ocean breeze to smell of poop, which has been sickening residents and wildlife and costing San Diego millions in the form of lost tourism and health problems. The problem has been going on for more than a century. However, it has become a public health crisis as the population of Tijuana has drastically increased, in recent years, and the waste treatment plants have no longer usable. The beach has been closed for more than three years, and evidence suggests that even breathing the air may be harmful, as toxic particles in the water can become airborne. Yet, even though Gavin Newsom has been governor for six years, he has not rushed into action to stop this very preventable environmental disaster. Why? Because he is not getting kickbacks from China and Mexico, not being gifted mansions and cars, and he cannot tax the struggling California taxpayers to clean up this mess. Simply, it is not profitable for him. Gavin Newsom has been a total tyrant with no regard for taxpayers and does not have a mind for business and should be impeached as soon as possible. He has criminalized poverty, increased taxes, increased tax on gas, and insurance rates so high that people are struggling to survive. In addition to Gavin Newsom’s increased gas prices starting 1 July 2025, the war between Iran and Israel is going to further exacerbate the prices of gas and cause more inflation and economic hardship for people in California. #RandolphHarris 26 of 30

While everyone is making war over America and who belongs here and who she belongs to, so many people forget about the people who are Indigenous to this land. Open boarders have allowed hundreds of thousands of cartel operatives to infiltrate reservations across the United States of America, and use the isolated lands as havens to traffic fentanyl pills and other drugs into the country without protection from federal authorities. Drug cartels have been threatening the health and safety of Native American communities. The trafficking of the dangerous and illegal drugs into their territories is leading to a second genocide. The overdose rate for Indigenous is 42 percent higher than the national average. A recent bust on Montana’s Blackfeet Nation’s Tribal Reservation resulted in the seizure of more than 700,000 fentanyl pills, which was the largest bust in Montana history. Recently, the Blackfeet Nation had to declare a state of emergency after facing 17 overdoses in just one week. There are only 6.8 million Native Americans left in the world, which is 2 percent of the American population. We should be doing more to protect these proud and honorable people; they should not want for anything. People rush and give away resources to illegal immigrants, but totally disregard the Indigenous people of this land, as their race silently fades away into extinction. We must secure our boarders and increase federal funding to Native America tribes so we can save this precious population. Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom has given billions of taxpayer dollars away to illegal immigrants and protected them from law enforcement, while arresting law abiding Americans because they cannot afford to pay rent or mortgage and the homeless shelters are unsafe, overcrowded and have restrictions on who is allowed inside. He also has totally ignored the cartel problems on American lands. Clean air, water, land and preserving our heritage extremely important. We cannot just allow criminals to kill off the people who are native to this land and do nothing about it. Wars have been started over governments who tax citizens without representation. Taxation without representation is what led to the American Revolution. If Gavin Newsom is not stopped, next he will euthanize the poor and sterilize the disabled. Gavin Newsom has wars and fires breaking out on the streets, but goes out of his way to arrest people who have no place to live. This monster is unfit to be governor and must never be allowed to be President of America! Stop Gavin Newsom now! Save California and impeach this unreasonable man. #RandolphHarris 27 of 30

Meanwhile, with President Trump, we are seeing crime rates sharply decrease, and he recently secured $10 trillion in investments. Additionally, in May of 2025, the United States of America collected a record $100 billion in tariff revenue, and that number will increase to $300 billion by the end of 2025. President Trump has also been nominated for a Noble Peace Prize for making Iran and Israel crease fire. If elected president for an unprecedented third term, to make housing more affordable and to offset the cost of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance, President Trump plans to abolish property taxes. Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and have the ability to support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrant to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in American, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. #RandolphHarris 28 of 30

When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in American which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt. When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the nation debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by send more money overseas. Buying American made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards on pollution. American companies must be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Moreover, please remember to respect law and order and treat your elders with the utmost dignity and kindness possible. And take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. It is inborn in the human minds to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. #RandolphHarris 29 of 30

As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again,” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. We must think before we can understand the soul’s existence; we must understand before we can realize it. The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrived at this fulness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. Also, to make sure they have all the resources required, please donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to help improve our national security. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 30 of 30


Experience an unforgettable journey back to the time of kings and queens with this entry ticket for The Winchester Mansion in Santa Clara, California which was the residence of Heiress Sarah L. Winchester. Take advantage of this fascinating experience. After tour, there will be time enjoy the mansion’s splendor at your own pace. You might even discover secret passages.

Please come and enjoy a delicious meal in Sarah’s Café, stroll along the paths of the beautiful Victorian gardens, and wonder through the miles of hallways in the World’s most mysterious mansion.

For further information about tours, including group tours, weddings, school events, birthday party packages, facility rentals, and special events please visit the website: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available to purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/

Although the actual mansion is much older, we wish to wish the Winchester Mansion a Happy 102 years of giving tours, and express our gratitude to our families, ancestors, spirits, and friends and to our many associates and clients, whose lives touched our lives and whose ideas helped us to grow. We would also like to thank our employees and care takers for putting the technical ideas of this estate into conversational style, and we are, of course, extremely thank to all of our patrons for helping to keep the legacy of the Winchester Family alive. The Winchester Mystery House is full of surprises. What was your favorite, “Oooh!” moment during your visit at the mansion? (And for those of you who still have to check it off your bucket list… we will hopefully see you soon.) https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/


Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/


BMW continues to dominate the luxury car space. With its top ranking in Consumer Reports’ Auto Brand Report Card and consistent market share growth, BMW has demonstrated its ability to produce high-performing, reliable vehicles that meet consumer demands.

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Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers

Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html


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Since Ancient Times, Curses Have Fascinated People!

Since ancient times, curses have fascinated people, and left other deeply disturbed. It is important that the student should train himself to note, study, and state accurately views which he could not join in himself. To do this, he will have to keep his feelings against them out of his examination of statements. He will have to suspend his intellectual judgment of them also. However firmly he may hold his own views upon any subject, it is a useful discipline to subdue the ego and put himself into the mentality of those who hold different views and to try to understand why it is that they hold such views. This will be a valuable exercise in keeping bias out of his thinking and the conceit of always being right out of his opinion. Some people believe that dark skin is a curse. However, the power of a curse lies not in its words, but in the belief we place in it. A thought came to me one day, if Africa is the cradle of civilization, and all people come from Africa, did they start off light or dark? Because if people obtained light or pale skin from living in the cold and in caves, then maybe the people in Africa started off white and got darker from being in the sun? However, people in Africa have dark sin to protect themselves from ultraviolet rays. Their genetics provide a constant high content of melanin in skin cells, which helps them to withstand the scorching sun. Therefore, the darker skin color has allowed the African race to flourish and thrive. #RandolphHarris 1 of 25

However, genomes of 290 living people from southern, eastern and western Africa suggests that modern humans descended from at least two groups of ancient humans that were closely related and mixed genes on occasion. It is believed that there is no single birthplace. Yet, all humans share common ancestry. The oldest modern human fossils are found in Africa, and so are the oldest artifacts. The first modern humans likely came about around 315,00 0 years ago. The oldest artifact known to man is the Lomekwi Stone Tool, which are handmade stone tools that date back 3.3 million years ago and were discovered in West Turkana, Kenya. After that, the next oldest artifacts are Oldowan Stone Tools, which are handmade stone tools, which date back to 2.6 million years ago and were found in Gona, Ethiopia. And, 1.76 million years ago, Acheulean Stone Tools, which are handmade stone tools, were found spread across Africa, Asia, and Europe. That leads some to believe that human evolution is like a tree—with a single stem that splits into disconnected branches. And it would then later merge back together, creating various races. So, it is possible that without genetics with a high content of melanin skill cell, humanity would not exist as we know it today. #RandolphHarris 2 of 25

Men who are specialist in a single profession are usually men whose minds run in a single groove. Each can contribute his own viewpoint quite creditably, but he cannot understand and sympathize so readily with the viewpoint of another man whose experiences lies along totally different lines. Even if we go further and attempt to step beyond such limitations into a synthetic viewpoint and gather up into one coordinate whole the contributions of all our modern mentors, we shall yet fail to arrive at the deepest understanding of the world’s problem. This is because these men deal not with root causes but with effects, the effects of profounder causes which ultimately take their rise in subtler, less obvious sources. The difficulty in getting at the truth about controversial questions, whether they be economic, political, religious, or metaphysical, is that the advocate of a particular side pushes forward the good points of his own views and the bad points of his opponent’s views, whilst at the same time he suppresses both the bad points of his own and the good ones of his opponent’s views. Consequently, the only way to form a fair and just estimate of the question to construct our own picture, frankly and impartially incorporating in it all the essential points from both sides and those which they may have missed, too. Intellect is sharpened by frequent discussions and endless disputation. Recognizing a special brand of neurotic pride, he can be alert to the kind of provocation liable to produce shame or humiliation. And, vice versa, the occurrence of these reactions would stimulate him to discover the underlying pride and to examine its specific nature. #RandolphHarris 3 of 25

What complicates the matters is the fact that these reactions may be blurred by several factors. A person’s pride may be extremely vulnerable, but he does not consciously express any feeling of hurt. Self-righteousness, as we have already mentioned, can prohibit the feelings of shame. Moreover, a pride in invulnerability may forbid him to admit to himself that he feels hurt. A god may show wrath at the imperfection of mortals, but he just is not hurt by a boss or a taxi driver; he should be big enough to overlook it and strong enough to take everything in his stride. “Insults,” therefore hurt him in a twofold way: feeling humiliated by others and feeling ashamed of the very fact of his being hurt. Such a person is in an almost permanent dilemma: he is vulnerable to an absurd degree, but his pride does not allow him to be vulnerable at all. This inner condition greatly contributes to a diffuse irritability. The issue may also be blurred because the direct reactions to hurt pride can be automatically transformed into feelings other than shame or humiliation. If a lover is interested in another woman, does not remember our wishes, or is preoccupied with his work or hobbies, it may essentially hurt our pride. However, all we may consciously feel is grief over unrequited love. A slight may be felt merely as a disappointment. Feelings of shame may appear in our awareness as vague uneasiness, as embarrassment, or more specifically, as feelings of guilt. #RandolphHarris 4 of 25

The slave can only free himself by enslaving in his turn. Post-Hegelian doctrines, unmindful of the mystic aspect or certain of the master’s tendencies, have led his followers to absolute atheism and to scientific materialism. However, this evolution is inconceivable without the absolute disappearance of every principle of transcendent explanation, and without the complete destruction of the Jacobin ideal. Immanence, of course, is not atheism. However, immanence in the process of development, if one can say so, provisional atheism. The indefinite face of God which, with Hegel, is still reflected in the spirit of the world will not be difficult to efface. Hegel’s successors will draw decisive conclusions from him ambiguous formula: “God without man is no more than man without God.” David Strauss in his Life of Jesus isolates the theory of Christ considered as the God-man. Bruno Bauer (The Critique of Evangelist History) institutes a kind of materialist Christianity by insisting on the humanity of Jesus. Finally, Ludwig Feuerbach (whom Marx considered as a great mind and whom he acknowledges himself the critical disciple), in his Essence of Christianity, replaces all theology by a religion of man and the species, which has converted a large part of contemporary thought. His task is to demonstrate that the distinction between human and divine is illusory, that it is nothing but the distinction between the essence of humanity—in other words, human nature—and the individual. “The mystery of God is only the mystery of the love of man for himself.” #RandolphHarris 5 of 25

The accents of a strange new prophecy ring out: “Individuality has replaced faith, reason the” Christian “Bible, politics religion and the Church, the earth heaven, work prayer, poverty hell, and man Christ.” Thus, there is only one hell and it is on this earth: and it is against this that the struggle must be waged. Politics is religion, and transcendent Christianity—that of the hereafter—establishes the masters of the earth by means of the slave’s renunciation and creates one master more beneath the heavens. That is why atheism and the revolutionary spirit are only two aspects of the same movement of liberation. That is the answer to the question which is always being asked: why has the revolutionary movement identified itself with materialism rather than with idealism? Because to conquer God, to make Him a slave, amounts to abolishing the transcendence that kept the former masters in power and to preparing, with ascendancy of the new tyrants, the advent of the man-king. When poverty is abolished, when the contradictions of history are resolved, “the real god, the human god, will be the State.” Then homo homini lupus becomes homo homini deus. This concept is at the root of the contemporary world. With Feuerbach, we assist at the birth of a terrible form of optimism which we can still observe at work today and which seems to be the very antithesis of nihilist despair. However, this is only in appearance. We must know Feuerbach’s conclusion in this Theogony to perceive the profoundly nihilist derivation of his inflamed imagination. In effect, Feuerbach affirms, in the face of Hegel, that man is only what he eats, and thus recapitulates his ideas and predicts the future in the following phrase: “The true philosophy is the negation of philosophy. No religion is my religion. No philosophy is my philosophy.” #RandolphHarris 6 of 25

We ought to put such a discussion, which deals with the sublimest topics that confront the human mind, upon a dignified basis. If we argue merely for the sake of scorning an intellectual victory over the opponent, or getting the upper hand over him, we argue wrongly. If, however, we argue with the sole desire that truth may appear out of the conflict of viewpoints, we argue rightly. Philosophy points out that we must study a subject not only from the outside but also from the inside—that is to say, not only critically but also sympathetically—if we would arrive at a just estimate of it. Those who paint it all black with defects or all white with virtues, and omit all intermediate or half-shades, make a serious mistake. Our approach to every doctrine must be to take its truth and leave its error. However, we must do this in appreciation rather than in disparagement. There is a need to develop flexibility by practicing the shift of attitudes, to see why others hold their beliefs, and to be able to stretch one’s own thought to enter sufficiently into theirs. This produces sympathetic understanding, but the opposite—critical judgment—must not be forsaken. There may however be one result of such comparative study which is as unpleasant as it is undesirable. If it is overdone and independent thinking underdone, it may breed confusion in the understanding and contradiction in the feelings. The more books written from different points of view he reads, the less certain of his knowledge he may become. #RandolphHarris 7 of 25

Concepts or ideas are clues, pointers, signposts to truth, perhaps helps toward the search, but ought not to be referred to a level beyond that of the intellect, which is limited. Fixation and dogmatism should be avoided. Words, definitions, even bibles are not absolute, but relative to our present mental state. We may know that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God,” reports Doctrine and Covenants 18.10, but modern conditions and social pressures have blinded many people from this profound knowledge. As a result, choices are being made around the world that disregard the value of human life. Each life is truly a gift from God. We can honor His gift by cherishing our own lives as well as respecting and valuing the lives of others. We are precious in His sight, and by trusting Him and being diligent in our choices, we can share light and truth with the world around us. Our research shows a parallel or correlation between actualization and time competence. Self-actualizing people, those who trust in self-support, are oriented to the here and now. “I have tried to express this,” said Maslow, “as a contrast between living fully and preparing to live fully, between growing up and being grown. Actualizers are functioning now. Manipulators are paralyzed by regret (the past) and intent (the future). Manipulators talk a lot. “Things were better then.” (the good old days). “He ruined my life twenty years ago when he…” (the bad old days). “Everything will be okay someday, if only…” (supernatural intervention). “I do not know what I will do if…” (dire prediction). #RandolphHarris 8 of 25

However, they function only marginally. Persons who live in the future rely in expected events to motivate them. Frederick Perls suggests that ideals or goals are means by which the manipulator’s need for affection, appreciation, and admiration is gratified. That is, manipulators gratify their vanity by picturing themselves in terms of their goals. They invent a meaning for life to justify their experience. However, by this very striving for the goal of future perfections, manipulators turn their lives into a living hell. They achieve just the opposite of their intentions, arresting their own development and promoting feelings of inferiority in themselves. By the same token, individuals who live in the past rely on blaming others as a substitute for self-support. Our problems exist in the here and now, regardless of when they were born, and their solutions must be found in the here and now. Quite literally, the only time we can live is in the present. We can remember the past; we can anticipate the future, but we live only in the present. Even when we reexperience the past, we have not reversed time. We have, in effect, only moved the past up to the present. So, if psychotherapy is to help us solve our problems, it must work within the framework we have: the here and now. It is important to stress again that memory (from the past) and anticipation (toward the future) are acts in the present. “Now here I am remembering my mistakes,” says the patient. Note the difference between that and merely wandering off into memory. Or one might say: “I am planning to do the job on Wednesday,” and we would have to consider it as more then idle anticipation.” #RandolphHarris 9 of 25

Manipulators who are given to reminiscence of the past or idle talk of the future are not refreshed by these mental wanderings. They are exhausted and emptied, for such behavior is not active but passive. As Perls implies, one’s worthiness cannot be put forth in explanations for the past or by promises for the future. “It was not my fault,” whines the manipulator in referring to the past. “I am as good as anybody else.” Referring to the future, he says: “I am not very well right now, but I will make my mark.” Unlike either of these, actualizers get their feelings of worthiness from their adequacy in an activity that is going on now, or in relaxation after finishing it. They feel that explaining or promising is a lie, either a consoling or a self—punishing one. However, to do something and to be oneself are self-trusting and self-justifying. Here are examples of self-actualizing, present behavior. “I feel so alive working in the yard today.” “I really got a lot done today.” Love may be defined as wanting fulfillment or happiness for the other person as much for oneself—there is no doubt that it implies that the loved person is perceived as being part of the lover’s self-concept. Perhaps the most significant composition of the self-concept of the healthy personality are the ideas, ideals, or other abstractions that are suggested to be particularly characteristic of the high-level-functioning person. #RandolphHarris 10 of 25

For example, martyrs of all religions have given up their lives and have suffered torture to lesser parts of their self-concept, that is, their bodies, to maintain their abstract faith. Solzhenitsyn, the Russian dissident author who was expelled from his motherland, was in constant danger of his life, and perhaps still is; yet, he continued to write of the injustices of the Soviet prison system. His belief in “freedom,” and abstract concept, was easily as great as his valuation of his own life. Othe abstractions that for many people become a part of their self-concept include a particular political system, such as democracy or socialism; a particular philosophy, such as pragmatism or empiricism; even a particular theory in one’s profession, such as quantum theory or behaviorism; belief in ghosts, demons, heaven or hell, in science or in witches and magic—all of these are abstractions, or ideas, in many instance held by persons who would willingly give up their bodies to maintain or defend those abstractions. This is because our movement must, and always has proclaimed that external national freedom is never a given as gift by heavenly or earthly powers, but it can only be the fruit that results from inner strength of the nation. Everyone must to their part. We offered blood in the old days; now these people do nothing but sharpen their beaks. #RandolphHarris 11 of 25

How is it that the members of humanity, with all their accumulated wisdom, self-awareness, and desire for truth and self, can permit themselves to remain in such a mechanical situation, with its pathos and self-deception? People really should do only their jobs and mind their own business and follow the laws, rules, and regulations. Humanity is going to die out, eventually, but most importantly, we need to get through this financial crisis and stabilize the economy, not keep boosting up taxes and prices. Governor Gavin Newsom of California does not have bad timing; he creates disasters on purpose so he can get his way. People believe that Los Angeles was allowed to burn down, so they African American community could be relocated out of Altadena. Then, Altadena and Palisades would build new million and multi-million-dollar homes located in “Smart Cities,” repopulated by more “desirable” people. Also, Gavin Newsom purposes raised auto insurance limits by three times as high as they were over a period of two years, and raised the tax on gasoline 1 July 2025, right before the Independence Day holiday, while more people are going to be on the road, so he could replenish all the taxpayers’ money he blew on illegal immigrants. He is trying to bankrupt the American people. Also, gas prices in California are expected to rise again in 2026, not only because two refineries in California are closing, but also because Governor Gavin Newsom is also requiring refineries to produce a new blend of gas for California. Newsome is making automobile insurance to high, and gas prices so high to force people into buying electric cars. #RandolphHarris 12 of 25

This price gouging in California is happening partly because we allowing by voting democrats into office who do not have the minds for handling economics. We are more aware of ourselves than apes are, but obviously, not very much. Scripts are only possible because people do not know what they are doing to themselves and to others. In fact, to know what one is doing is the opposite of being scripted. There are certain aspects of bodily, mental, and social functioning which happen to man despite himself, which slip out, as it were, because they are programed to do so. These heavily influence his destiny through the people around him, while he still retains the illusion of autonomy. However, there are also certain remedies which can be applied. It is, above all, the plasticity of the human face which makes life an adventure rather than a controlled experience. This is based on an apparently trivial biological principle which has an enormous social power. The human nervous system is so constructed that the visual impact on the onlooker of small movements of the facial muscles is greater than the kinesthetic impact on the subject. When a man begins to lay down in advance the conclusions to which his thinking is to lead him, he is not really seeking truth. We must so care for the facts that we welcome them even when they are personally and profoundly distasteful. Nothing can be gained by shutting our eyes to them or by concealing them from our mental horizon, or by examining them with partiality and prejudice. #RandolphHarris 13 of 25

If we are to view the problem of truth aright, we must view it in proper proportions. We waste much mental energy in whole-heatedly denying this or contending for that; truth is like a diamond; it has several facets: we could be better employed seeing all the facets than in splitting them up. Analyze all round a subject’s head, but do not split its hairs. He who cannot reject his personal preferences at the higher bedding of truth; he who has no aptitude for reflecting upon abstract philosophical ideas or is unwilling to overcome inertia and labor at its creation; he who impertinently matches his individual opinions against the proved facts of science or philosophy as though they were of equal or superior value—such a man is quite unfit for this knowledge and can never master it. The very fact which may be put forth in support of one point of view may be triumphantly hailed by someone else as proof of a different point of view! Even the full debate and discussion cannot lead to full truth about any issue, spiritual or secular, when all the necessary information is not there. However, even if it is there, it will twist and prevent truth if the minds approaching it are seriously flawed. Too many arguments have mere egoistic self-expression as their purpose, and not the pursuit of truth. Neither arguer is really interested in seeing the fallacies and weaknesses of his own case, but only those of his opponent’s. Neither will be willing to abandon his own standpoint or theory no matter how much evidence or facts disprove it. #RandolphHarris 14 of 25

This battle of conflicting explanations is not necessary, since both refer to different aspects of the subject and as such are both correct. Conventional people, fond only of commonplace idea, may feel shocked at some philosophical statements. They do not see that their thinking is falsified because they have prejudiced their quest of truth from the start, because it is done within the context of convention attitudes. How few can free themselves from the thick incrustations of prejudice; how many are unable to approach an idea with calm, impersonal, detached open-mindedness! Most people naturally pick out from a teaching those views which please them and reject the others. Only the seeker who has disciplined himself morally and intellectually will ne heroic enough to take unpleasing views along with the pleasing ones. Philosophy’s teaching will appeal, and can only appeal, to those who have striven to escape from dogmatism, who have shaken off widespread prejudices and outgrown crudely materialistic ideas, and whose minds are sufficiently developed to realize the value of free views and flexible attitudes. Where that has been insufficiently achieved, a special discipline is prescribed to complete the preparation. Any many can fool himself by the trick of finding out just those facts that fit his fancy. All such pickings are easy, but they are also worthless. Any fuddle-minded person can twist and turn a situation into a painfully sorry caricature of itself. However, in doing that his is simply twisting his own head, to ignore conveniently what he does not wish to see. #RandolphHarris 15 of 25

The appreciation of a doctrine ought to be balanced and reasoned, not exaggerated or hysterical. The wish ought not to be made the father to the evaluation of it, nor to the judgment of its results. We must rid our minds of this cannot. We must clear our eyes of this cataract of prejudice which covers them and dims the sight against out real remedy. When a man’s thinking unconsciously mixes up the central issue of a problem with diverse other issues, and does not keep that entirely to itself, his conclusions are likely to be self-deceptive ones. When a man first starts to think, he must pass through the disease of mental measles, and get not a few obnoxious prejudices out of his head. People who live in the suburbs of thought have the sheeplike mentality which fears originality. When I meet with certain persons or certain books, I am often reminded of a certain sentence in Roman Seneca’s writings: “There are many who might have attained to wisdom, had they not fancied they had attained it already.” A small mentality can only mangle a large truth. It seems then evident, that the paramount duty of an American citizen, is, to put in requisition every possible means for elevating universally the intellectual and moral character of our people. When we speak of intellectual elevation, we would not suggest that all our citizens are to become able linguists, or profound mathematicians. That, at least for the present, is not practicable; it certainly is not necessary. #RandolphHarris 16 of 25

The object at which we aim will be attained, when every man is familiarly acquainted with what are now considered the ordinary branches of an English education. The intellectual stores of one language are then open before him; a language in which he may find all the knowledge that he shall ever need to form his opinions upon any subjects on which it shall be his duty to decide. A man who cannot read, let us always remember, is being not contemplated by the genius of our constitution. Where the right of suffrage is extended to all, he is certainly a dangerous member of community who has not qualified himself to exercise it. However, on this part of the subject, I need not enlarge. The proceedings of our general and State Legislatures already furnish ample proof that our people are tremblingly alive to its importance. We do firmly believe the time to be not far distance, when there will not be found a single citizen of these United States of America, who is not entitled to the appellation of a well-informed man. However, supposing all this to be done, still only a part and by far the least important part of our work will have been accomplished. We have increased the power of the people, but we have left it doubtful in what direction that power will be exerted. We have made it certain that a public opinion will be formed; but whether that opinion will be healthful or destructive is yet to be decided. There are so many men who believe that they know very well where they stand, but who believe wrongly. “When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too. The Governments applications to partially stay the preliminary injunctions are granted, but only to the extent that the injunctions are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue,” reports Justice Amy Coney Barrett. #RandolphHarris 17 of 25

California is the third most expensive state in the nation. A single person making an income above $100,000 is now consider low-income in five counties in California. This distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruze, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. In 37 percent of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income. In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom of Democratic controlled California, brags about being the world’s “fifth largest economy,” but it also facing a $12 billion deficit, looking to cut $747 million for state worker’s pay, pushing to keep medical insurance for illegal immigrants, but wants to cut medical for anyone who has assets over $2,000 and the state has the largest homeless population in the nation. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes things like food, automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. This is caused by nearly half a century’s old laws that discourage homes sales and encourage higher rents. Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all of our jobs and money has more than 50 ghost cities. Ghost cities are regions will housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard are amongst the names on that list. #RandolphHarris 18 of 25

Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, Gavin Newsom has criminalized homelessness and actually started arresting people without homes, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal 2,500 and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American boarder open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risks to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security relevant alerts, such as end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure is the 2025 Palisades fires because Southern California ran out of water, when they are located next to an ocean and they could have simply created desalinating plants to help with the water shortage. The water is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. Desalination has been identified as one technology that will help solve California’s water scarcity problem. Desalination is a cost-effective technology that can transform an abundance of salt water into a reliable supply of potable, fresh water, which is a great way to fight climate change and have enough water for our region’s water requirements. Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia is producing 1,036,000 meters (273,682,192) per day of desalinated water. #RandolphHarris 19 of 25

The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 20 of 25

The maximum percentage of your gross income that you should earmark for a monthly mortgage payment is calculated at 28 percent, and no more than 36 percent of your gross income to all debts, including mortgage. If you take 28 percent of the median household income per home in Sacramento County, homeowners can only afford a mortgage of $2,070.23 per month. And if you take 36 percent of their gross income to all debts, including mortgage, they should be devoting no more than $2,661.72 a month to these debts. Mortgage lenders must be using some kind of sorcery to get buyers into these expensive homes. To afford one of these homes using traditional guidelines, a household would need to gross $11,280.24 per month or $135,362.88 per year, but the median household in Sacramento County is grossing $7,393.67 or $88,724.00 and that typically means two to four people in the home are working and contributing to the mortgage. Prices in Sacramento County are actually rivaling the Bay Area, and the Bay Aera is so expensive because they have more higher paying jobs and is a tourist destination. And with the State of California being in a budget deficit of $12 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom Granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless, and is proposing to fast-track his plan to build a $20 billion water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta by eliminating environmental reviews and limit avenues for legal challenges. Gavin Newsom only cares about the environment when his policies allow him to raise taxes and restrict freedoms. #RandolphHarris 21 of 25

In fact, Mexico has been causing one of America’s worst environmental disasters. Fifty million gallons a day of industrial chemicals, untreated sewage, and trash flow from Tijuana, Mexico, into southern San Diego County daily. This toxic waste has been turning up on Imperial Beach, and is causing the miles of white sands to become polluted and the ocean breeze to smell of poop, which has been sickening residents and wildlife and costing San Diego millions in the form of lost tourism and health problems. The problem has been going on for more than a century. However, it has become a public health crisis as the population of Tijuana has drastically increased, in recent years, and the waste treatment plants have no longer usable. The beach has been closed for more than three years, and evidence suggests that even breathing the air may be harmful, as toxic particles in the water can become airborne. Yet, even though Gavin Newsom has been governor for six years, he has not rushed into action to stop this very preventable environmental disaster. Why? Because he is not getting kickbacks from China and Mexico, not being gifted mansions and cars, and he cannot tax the struggling California taxpayers to clean up this mess. Simply, it is not profitable for him. Gavin Newsom has been a total tyrant with no regard for taxpayers and does not have a mind for business and should be impeached as soon as possible. He has criminalized poverty, increased taxes, increased tax on gas, and insurance rates so high that people are struggling to survive. In addition to Gavin Newsom’s increased gas prices starting 1 July 2025, the war between Iran and Israel is going to further exacerbate the prices of gas and cause more inflation and economic hardship for people in California. Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom has also given billions of taxpayer dollars away to illegal immigrants and protected them from law enforcement, while arresting law abiding Americans because they cannot afford to pay rent or mortgage and the homeless shelters are unsafe, overcrowded and have restrictions on who is allowed inside. Wars have been started over governments who tax citizens without representation. Taxation without representation is what led to the American Revolution. If Gavin Newsom is not stopped, next he will euthanize the poor and sterilize the disabled. Gavin Newsom has wars and fires breaking out on the streets, but goes out of his way to arrest people who have no place to live. This monster is unfit to be governor and must never be allowed to be President of America! Stop Gavin Newsom now! Save California and impeach this unreasonable man. #RandolphHarris 22 of 25

Meanwhile, with President Trump, we are seeing crime rates sharply decrease, and he recently secured $10 trillion in investments. Additionally, in May of 2025 the United States of America collected a record $22.3 billion in tariff revenue. President Trump has also been nominated for a Noble Peace Prize for making Iran and Israel crease fire. If elected president for an unprecedented third term, to make housing more affordable and to offset the cost of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance, President Trump plans to abolish property taxes. Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and have the ability to support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrant to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in American, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. #RandolphHarris 23 of 25

When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in American which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt. When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the nation debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by send more money overseas. Buying American made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards on pollution. American companies must be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Moreover, please remember to respect law and order and treat your elders with the utmost dignity and kindness possible. And take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. It is inborn in the human minds to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. #RandolphHarris 24 of 25

As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again,” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. We must think before we can understand the soul’s existence; we must understand before we can realize it. The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrived at this fulness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 25 of 25


Experience an unforgettable journey back to the time of kings and queens with this entry ticket for The Winchester Mansion in Santa Clara, California which was the residence of Heiress Sarah L. Winchester. Take advantage of this fascinating experience. After tour, there will be time enjoy the mansion’s splendor at your own pace. You might even discover secret passages.

Please come and enjoy a delicious meal in Sarah’s Café, stroll along the paths of the beautiful Victorian gardens, and wonder through the miles of hallways in the World’s most mysterious mansion.

For further information about tours, including group tours, weddings, school events, birthday party packages, facility rentals, and special events please visit the website: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available to purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/

We wish to express our gratitude to our families, ancestors, spirits, and friends and to our many associates and clients, whose lives touched our lives and whose ideas helped us to grow. We would also like to thank our employees and care takers for putting the technical ideas of this estate into conversational style, and we are, of course, extremely thank to all of our patrons for helping to keep the legacy of the Winchester Family alive. The Winchester Mystery House is full of surprises. What was your favorite, “Oooh!” moment during your visit at the mansion? (And for those of you who still have to check it off your bucket list… we will hopefully see you soon.) https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/


Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/


BMW continues to dominate the luxury car space. With its top ranking in Consumer Reports’ Auto Brand Report Card and consistent market share growth, BMW has demonstrated its ability to produce high-performing, reliable vehicles that meet consumer demands.

BMW stands out due to its focus on driving dynamics and engineering excellence. While other luxury brands prioritize comfort and opulence, BMW is known for creating cars that are fun to drive and offer a unique connection between the driver and the machine. https://www.brianharrisbmw.com/

Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers

Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html

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Choose from five beautifully crafted floor plans ranging from approximately 1,342 to 2,547 square feet, with options for 3 to 5 bedrooms, flexible living spaces, and open-concept layouts designed for today’s lifestyles. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, growing family, or looking to simplify without sacrificing style, Park Haven offers a home that fits your needs.

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I Am Lazy; I Always Give Up When the Task Becomes Difficult!

Younger mentalities need to think in terms of definite sense impressions, of physical feels, sights, and sounds. More developed mentalities can think in terms of abstract ideas, of general metaphysical principles. The first groups is the most numerous. According to Dr. Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the psyche comprises three aspects: the id, ego, and superego. The id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains the sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego. Dr. Freud proposed that these three aspects of the psyche may influence the way we think of ourselves. We must first give intellectual assent to philosophical teachings before we can hope to gain practical demonstration of their worth. Persons’ self-concepts comprise all their beliefs about their own nature. They include their assumptions about their strengths and weaknesses, their possibilities for growth, and their explicit descriptions of their customary patterns of behaviour and experiencing. Thus, a person may say, “I am lazy; I always give up when the task becomes difficult. I usually feel happy. I am warm and friendly; however, I need a great deal of help to make it through life.” These self-descriptions resemble statistical formulations, in the sense that the individual believes there have been many occasions when he or she acted in those ways. #RandolphHarris 1 of 29

In most encounters, we can determine the kind of experience we are going to have by how we respond. It is usually important to be respectful of others. However, sometimes people are very disrespectful to an individual for no reason, and when that individual defends themselves, others like to make a spectacle of the victim and say that individual caused the situation because he or she is a certain race, a particular gender, or the situation was due to their appearance when none of those factors are accurate. It is hard, perhaps impossible, to give absolute proof of any statement or any fact; but a reasonable proof may be given. Life is too short to wait for the one so we have often to accept the other. The continual and untiring quest of truth is what distinguishes the philosophic attitude toward life. The intellectual discipline which this involves is irksome to the ordinary mind. For it demands the scrutiny of fact, the unveiling of assumptions, the examination of reasoning processes leading to conclusions, and the probing of standpoints to their ultimate ground. Patience is needed, for the time factor is still there; the ripeness of mind of the prober is still essential, and it must not limit itself by preconceived ideas. It is at the threshold of an astounding realm, where so much that was correct on other levels collapses here and is no longer correct. In His instructions to the Nephites, the Saviour taught, “Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,” Reports 3 Nephi 14.12. #RandolphHarris 2 of 29

The Golden Rule is an ethical principle that states: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” It emphasizes treating others as you would like to be treated yourself. This principle is found in the Gospel of Matthew 7.12, and it was spoken by Jesus Christ and is considered a Christian moral guideline. If everyone practiced the Golden Rule, imagine the effect it would have on the world. However, to do so, seems to be contrary to human nature in today’s face-pace world. In fact, there is a greater tendency for people to act aggressively toward each other. Some are quick to take offense and respond angrily to real or imagined affronts, and we have all experience or heard reports of road rage or other examples of rude, insensitive behaviour. Unfortunately, some of this spills over into our homes, creating friction and tension among family members. It may seem natural to react to a situation by giving back what is given to us. However, it does not have to be that way. The decisions we make and the way we behave are what ultimately shape our character. We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our destiny. It is in the home that our behaviour is most significant. It is the place where our actions have the greatest impact, for good or ill. Sometimes we are so much “at home” that we no longer guard our words. We forget simple civility. If we are not on guard, we can fall into the habit of criticizing one another, losing our tempers, or behaving selfishly. Because they love us, our spouses and children may be quick to forgive, but they often carry away in silence unseen injuries and unspoken heartache. #RandolphHarris 3 of 29

There are too many homes where children fear their parents or where wives fear their husbands. Our leaders have reminded us that “fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness,” and warned “that individual who abuse spouse or offspring will one day stand accountable before God.” If he can foster an atmosphere of contention, conflict, and fear in the home, that adversary knows that the Spirit is grieved and the cords that ought to bind the family are weakened. The resurrected Lord, Himself declared, “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another,” reports 3 Nephi 11.29. Our home should ideally be a refuge where each member feels safe, secure, loved, and insulated from harsh criticism and contention that we so often encounter in the world. Jesus Christ set a perfect example of maintaining emotional control in every setting. Appearing before Caiaphas and Pilate, He was buffeted, slapped, spat upon, and mocked by His tormentors (see Matthew 26; Luke 23). The great irony was that they demeaned their Creator, whose suffering was undertaken out of love for them. In the face of his unjust abuse, Jesus Christ maintained His composure, refusing to act unkindly. Even on the cross, amid that unspeakable agony, His plea was, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” reports Luke 23.34. God and Jesus Christ expect the same of us, too. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” reports John 13.35. #RandolphHarris 4 of 29

One sees their anxiety to understand a doctrine which is on too abstract a level for them and pities the bewilderment with which they end. Yet, for such there is an easier way, brining a more successful result. It is to take up the study of the gospel of Christ first, and only after that, proceed to the study of mentalism and psychology. The work of research proves endless. The task of collecting all the data has no finish to it, and if we are to arrive at any conclusion at all, there is some point at which we must cut short our investigation and reflection. Thus, by the very act with which we serve the cause of practical truth, we render a disservice to the cause of theoretical truth. The very means whereby we decide, join a party, take a side, or evaluate a right and a wrong produce only a makeshift result. We must think our thoughts out to their inevitable conclusion and not stop halfway when the process becomes decidedly unpleasant. Memorized knowledge is inferior to thought-out understanding. It is one thing to begin to suspect the fallacy of these views; it is another to be completely certain of it. A long road lies between the two states and it passes through uneasiness, anxiety, wretchedness, and anguish. The hand of experience sows a good many doubts in the field of his early beliefs. We learn truth partly by experience, partly by intuition, and partly by instruction. Therefore, one of the first steps upon this path is to accept, tentatively at least the reasonable propositions laid down here and to allow the mind to work upon them in a sympathetic manner. #RandolphHarris 5 of 29

Memory depends on interest, attention, and concentration. However, the path does not depend on memorizing; we leave that to the academic philosophers of the universities. It depends on getting understanding, brain-changing not brain-packing. It is inevitable that, as his search for truth becomes keener and deeper, his thought will become more precise. So far as education consists of knowledge and information, it depends on memory, which is a function of an ego built up by the past and present experiences. It is not only a matter of temperament as to which view he will accept, although that factor is obviously present, but must more of development. How far has he journeyed in the understanding of life and the mastery of self? The first impulse to gather facts—that is, to know—was the first step taken by primitive men out of their backwardness toward science. The first impulse to explain those facts—that is, to know, understand, and complete—was the first step taken towards metaphysics. Take what you can find is congenial to your mind, appealing to your heart, and conformable with reason and evidence. To isolate the genuine truths from all the possible fantasies is hardly a work for beginners. When you mind can move from point to point, from idea to idea with alert nimbleness, it is ready for philosophy. As if they were describing a fixed essence, or a class of objects of which they are a specimen, that is how people describe themselves. When a person says he or she is lazy, or sincere, it is as if the person is saying, “It is my nature to be lazy, or sincere, just as it is the nature of a wolf to be fierce.” However, human beings do not have fixed natures; neither do wolves. #RandolphHarris 6 of 29

Under most circumstances of life, humans have the freedom to choose how they will be and how they will act. Thus, when persons form self-concepts, thereby defining themselves, they are not so much describing that nature as they are making a pledge that they will continue to be the kinds of people they believe they now are and have been. One’s self-concept is not so much descriptive of experience and action as it is prescriptive. The self-concept is a commitment. Because our self-concepts are such powerful influences upon our experience and action, it follows that anything or any person who influences what we believe to be true or possible for ourselves will have a powerful influence. If I can convince you that you are strong, when hitherto you believed you were weak, you may then begin to act in ways that befit a strong person. What you believe to be true of yourself is your “nature”; what should never be forgotten is that one’s beliefs about self are just that—beliefs—and they can be changed. One’s self-concept is open to change, just as one’s beliefs about God, one’s parents, or the world are open to change. The self-concept exercises almost a tyrannical roe in determining behavior. All human behaviour is determined by the need for the individual to maintain and enhance the phenomenal self—another synonym for the self-concept. May we evidence our discipleship by strengthening our homes in kind and loving ways. May we remember that a soft answer turneth away wrath” and strive through our relationships and encounters to shape a character that will meet with the Savior’s approval. #RandolphHarris 7 of 29

There is an assimilation of the master-slave relationship to the relationship between man and God. One of Hegel’s commentators’ remarks that if the master really existed, he would be God. Elsewhere Hegel identifies the supreme master with absolute death. And so, the struggle begins again, on a higher level, between man in chains and the cruel God of Abraham. The solution to this new conflict between the universal God and the human entity will be furnished by Christ, who reconciles in Himself the universal and the unique. However, in one sense, Jesus Christ is a part of the palpable world. He is visible, He lived and He died. He is therefore only a stage on the road to the universal; He too must be denied dialectically. It is only necessary to recognize Him as the man-God to obtain a higher synthesis Skipping the intermediary stages, it suffices to say that this synthesis, after being incarnated to the Church and in Reason, culminates in the absolute State, founded by the soldier workers, where the spirit of the world will be finally reflected in the mutual recognition of each by all and in the universal reconciliation of everything that has ever existed under the sun. At this moment, “when the eyes of the spirit coincide with the eyes of the body,” each individual consciousness will be nothing more than a mirror reflecting another mirror, itself reflected to infinity in infinitely recurring images. The City of God will coincide with the city of humanity; and universal history, sitting in judgment on the world, will pass its sentence by which good and evil will be justified. The state will play the part of Destiny and will proclaim its approval of every aspect of reality on “the sacred day of the Presence.” #RandolphHarris 8 of 29

In spite, or because, of the extreme ambiguity of their interpretation, essential ideas have literally driven the revolutionary mind in apparently contradictory directions and which we are now learning to rediscover in the ideology of our times. Amorality, scientific materialism, and atheism have definitely replaced the antitheism of the rebels of former times and have made common cause, under Hegel’s paradoxical influence, with a revolutionary movement which, until his time, was never really separated from its moral, evangelical, and idealistic origins. If they are sometimes very far from really originating with Hegel, these tendencies found their source in the ambiguity of his thought and in his critique of transcendence. Hegel’s undeniable originality lies in his definitive destruction of all vertical transcendence—particularly the transcendence of principles. There is no doubt that he restores the immanence of the spirit to the evolution of the world. However, this immanence is not precisely defined and has nothing in common with the pantheism of the ancients. The spirit is and is not part of the world; it creates itself and will finally prevail. Values are thus only to be found at the end of history. Until then, there is no suitable criterion on which to base a judgment of value. One must act and live in terms of the future. All morality becomes provisional. The nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first centuries, in their most profound manifestations, are centuries that have tried to live without transcendence. #RandolphHarris 9 of 29

Meaningful contact with others requires an ability to be quite comfortable with yourself alone. Manipulators who are withdrawing and avoiding might appear to like to be alone. This is not true. Such manipulators are equally as uncomfortable with themselves as they are with others. Actualizers, on the other hand, enjoying close contact with others, also cherish their moments of privacy. One of the subjects of Dr. Maslow’s study of self-actualizing people sat alone for one hour a day, between five and six in the evening, in front of her fireplace. That time was sacred to her, and other concerns were not allowed to interfere. If you examine your daily routines, you will find that you are “withdrawn” for approximately eight hours during sleep. You are involved with other people at work for another eight hours, which leaves about eight hours for relationships with family and friends. About half of our existence, then, involves people. It would be unnatural to want a great deal more. No matter how self-actualizing you may be, you must at times be by yourself. Although manipulation usually involves withdrawal from close relationships, one can be manipulative by maintaining a relationship beyond its nourishing value. Such a manipulator is described by Perls as a clinger or hanging-on biter. The clingers will not give up, but keep right on talking to you although they realize that the conversation is finishes. This is not a matter of social awkwardness, of not knowing how to terminate the exchange, but a neurotic fear on the part of these individuals that they have not said all they want to say. They are so insecure that they cannot let go. #RandolphHarris 10 of 29

When they go for interviews, this fear costs people jobs and, having said something once, they keep trying to say it again and invariably mess it all up. The hanging-on biters are those recognizable individuals who hang on to a conversation like a bulldog with a stick. Rather tan bite it off, they brace themselves like a bulldog and stand there, vigorously shaking the conversational stick. It is necessary for therapy that the analyst gradually gain a clear picture of the kinds of pride operating in each individual patient. If he is unconsciously or consciously proud of it, naturally a patient cannot regard a drive, an attitude, or a reaction as a problem to be tackled. A patient may, for instance, have become aware of his need to outwit others. The analyst may feel it self-evident that this is a problematic trend to be tackled, and to be overcome eventually, because he considers the interest of the patient’s real self. He realizes the trend’s compulsive character, the disturbance it creates in human relations, the waste of energies which could be employed for constructive purposes. The patient on the other hand, without being aware of it, may feel that just this very capacity to outwit others makes him a superior person; and he is secretly proud of it. He is interested therefore not in analyzing the tendency to outwit but in the factors in himself which interfere with his doing it to perfection. If this difference in evaluation is under cover, analyst and patient will move on different planes and analyze at cross-purposes. #RandolphHarris 11 of 29

Neurotic pride resting on such shaky foundations is an insubstantial as a card house and, like the latter, collapses at the slightest draft. In terms of subjective experience, it makes a person vulnerable, and does so exactly to the extent that he is obsessed by pride. It can be hurt as easily from within as from without. The two typical reactions to hurt pride are shame and humiliation. If we do, think, or feel something that violates our pride, we will feel ashamed. And, if other do something that hurts our pride, or fail to do what our pride requires of them, we will feel humiliated. In any reaction of shame or humiliation that seems out of place or out of proportion we must answers these two questions: What in the situation has aroused this response? And what special underlying pride has been hurt by it? They are closely interrelated, and neither can be given a quick answer. The analyst may know, for instance, that masturbation provokes excessive shame in a person who in general has a rational, sensible attitude to the problem and would not disapprove of it in others. There, at least, the shame-provoking factor seems to be clear. However, is it? Masturbation may mean different things to different people, and the analyst cannot know offhand which of the many factors that may be involved in masturbation is relevant to arousing the shame. Does it mean for the patient a sexual activity that is degraded because it is separate from love? Is the satisfaction attained greater than the pleasures of the flesh, and thereby disturbing to the image of being geared only to love? Is it a question of the concomitant fantasies? Does it mean the admission of having any needs? Is it too much self-indulgence for a stoical person? Does it mean loss of self-control? Only to the extent that the analyst grasps the relevance of these factors for the patient can he then raise the second question as to the kind of pride that has been hurt by masturbation. #RandolphHarris 12 of 29

The opposition to commitment expressed by some people is essentially political in nature. It is an attack on the Establishment—which, freely translated—means simply that they feel compelled to reject any standard their parents might possibly approve. Feminists who approve of extramarital pleasures of the flesh because it takes them longer to step away from the sexual double standard, are also using the sexual code of behaviour as a political weapon. Their chief purpose is to assert that they have equal rights to any freedom that men claim—without attempting to determine whether that freedom necessarily contributes to the well-being of any individual, male or female. A different, and nonpolitical, rationale is offered by feminists who see affairs outside of marriage as a means of enabling certain wives to throw off their culturally induced inhibitions and to awaken their long-dormant capacity to respond to stimulation for pleasures of the flesh. There can be no argument with any of these positions when they are not rationalized as the foundation for a general structure of values for pleasures of the flesh. However, it is important to understand that this is the pleading of special cases. If some people must reject their parents’ social-pleasures of the flesh values before they can be free to have the experiences, they need as the basis for validating other values—or reaffirming those that were originally rejected—they are acting no differently than rebellious people have for centuries. If some women must first establish their right to indulge in extramarital pleases of the flesh, as a way of regaining their self-esteem and their sense of being independent and equal human beings, so that as equals with men they can get on with the important tasks of learning to live well together, their tactics are not understandable. If other women must go outside their marriages in search of affirmation of themselves as sexual human beings, their actions deserve compassion and support in guiding them back to the ways of the Lord. #RandolphHarris 13 of 29

Sexual commitment in marriage is not dispensable, and in no case does it warrant being compromised. Stating the extramarital affairs are acceptable is misleading and amounts to being a deception. Extramarital affairs are not a step to be accepted as a last resort, and carry with it the potential for a cure that is as unsatisfactory as the problem to be cured; what beings as an isolated act or two may become a premeditated and repeated pattern of action—which is generally as destructive to the emotional fabric of a marriage as anything can possible be. Thus, compromising the sexual commitment as a means of patching up a marriage may succeed only in tearing it further apart. After reading that an extramarital relationship may help revitalize her sexual energies, a sexually distressed wife had an affair. Immediately there are questions that cannot be ignored. Has she openly communicated with her husband about her dissatisfaction? If so, why have they been unsuccessful in finding a remedy? Or getting help? And if she has not communicated with him, why not? If it is because they are emotionally incompatible, or if they cannot communicate about anything that really matters to her, what kind of a marriage does she have? If the marriage is that emotionally impoverished, why make the issue seem to be the righteousness of extramarital sex—when the issue is really the inadequacy of the marriage? Nor do the questions stop there. Even if the affair turns out well and the wife becomes excited for pleasures of the flesh, what does she do with her drive? How can she cope with the powerful feelings that dominate her but cannot be shared with her husband? #RandolphHarris 14 of 29

Or, trying to share them, how can she help comparing one man to another—and if her sexually unsophisticated or incompetent husband suffers by the comparison, what does she do then with her feelings? Bury them and bury too her newly kindled responsivity for pleasures of the flesh? Or respecting her natural right to those feelings, does she embark on a succession of affairs? Or does she divorce her husband? The questions are, in truth, endless. The few that have been raised are intended only to illuminate the virtual meaninglessness of all special pleading in favour of extramarital pleasure of the flesh. Generalized principles are useless guides to human behaviour involving pleasures of the flesh; what may apply to one person will not apply to another—and, in fact, what is true for one person at a particular moment in life may not be true for that same person at a later moment. Thus, without Christian moral guidelines and without knowing the nature of marriage in the eyes of the Lord, there is no possible way for anyone to offer a secure word of advice about the consequences that may follow if either partner, or both, decide to put an end to their commitment of pleasures of the flesh. Like all of God’s commandments, the law of chastity is a blessing from God to help us have peace and joy. Living this law can also help us stay emotionally and physically safe and well. And it helps us prepare to receive God’s greatest blessing in life. Chastity means not having any relationship involving pleasures of the flesh outside of a legal marriage between a man and a woman. Those who are chaste also strive to have sexually appropriate thoughts, words, and actions. Living this law includes being completely loyal to your spouse within marriage, both physically and emotionally. #RandolphHarris 15 of 29

Chasity is a commandment from God, and obedience to that law helps us prepare to enter the house of the Lord. In the temple, we are invited to more fully commit by covenant to live the law of chastity. When people care for one another enough to keep the law of chastity, their love, trust, and commitment can increase, resulting in greater happiness and unity. Our Heavenly Father has given us the law of chastity for our spiritual and physical protection. Obedience to this law is essential to personal peace and happiness. Those who keep themselves sexually pure will also be more sensitive to the Holy Ghost’s guidance, strength, comfort, and protection. If we choose to keep our covenants with Him, no matter how strong our temptations are, the Lord will help us resist them. The Apostle Paul taught, “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. The Lord trusts us to make decisions that will honour the gift of our body and others’ bodies, and we are truly blessed as we make choices based on that trust. The Spirit will guide and strengthen us to help us keep this law. The Lord and His prophets warn against sexual immorality. The prophet Alma taught about the seriousness of sexual sin. All sexual relationships outside of marriage between a man and a woman break the law of chastity, and are physically and spiritually dangerous for those who engage in them. One violation of the law of chastity is adultery, which is sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than their spouse. Adultery is one of the sins warned against in the Ten Commandments. #RandolphHarris 16 of 29

The Apostle Paul also taught that is “is the will of God” that we “abstain from fornication,” which, in a gospel context, is engaging in sexual behaviour outside of marriage between a man and a woman. Though sexual sins are very serious, the gift of repentance is real. Because the Lord loves us, He will fully forgive us when we choose to repent and turn to Him. Repentance requires patience, perseverance, and a change of heart, but it is worth the effort. Sometimes people who have an affair with someone’s spouse feel the need to come clean and confess. However, that might not always be a good idea. It could ruin your friendships and it could ruin their relationship. It might be a good idea to repent and not do it again. Repentance is one of the first principles of the gospel and is essential to our temporal and eternal happiness. It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments. The Lord has declared that “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven.” Our sins make us unclean—unworthy to return and dwell in the presence of our Heavenly Father. They also bring anguish to our soul in this life. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Father in Heaven has provided the only way for us to be forgiven of our sins. Jesus Christ suffered the penalty for our sins so we can forgive if we sincerely repent. As we repent and rely on his saving grace, we will be cleansed from sin. #RandolphHarris 17 of 29

The goal of adopting a safety culture in a fire and emergency services is a daunting yet essential task. To define a safety culture, we first must examine the causes of injuries and death. Emergency responder injuries can be caused by mechanical failure (a rope breaking), human failure (overloading the rope), or an organizational failure (not inspecting or replacing the rope). Organizational failures are always a result of not having a safety culture. Did you ever wonder why discussion regarding firefighting safety are often compared to the airline industry? Besides the fact that both are high-risk professions, they also have the potential for large losses of life based on human decisions, and many times both professions must work with incomplete or inaccurate information. However, the biggest reason why firefighting should be compared with the airline industry could be that they identified a lack of a safety culture and evolved into one. Professionals are who and what they are because they acquire expertise—special kind of knowledge and a context for that knowledge. Expertise can be of at least three types: technical—based on training and study; theoretical/intellectual—based on education and study; and liberal—based on broad reading, interactions with colleagues, and a focus on lifelong learning. Professionals know how to operate the hardware of their professions. They are technically expert. For the doctor, it is an in-depth knowledge of medicines and drugs, laboratory testing, imaging equipment, and surgical procedures. For the architect, it is a well-defined knowledge of loads, stresses, materials tolerances, and coefficients. For the award-winning Sacramento Fire Department professional, it is an intimate knowledge of architecture, building code, fire science, automobiles, medical information, and human biology. #RandolphHarris 18 of 29

Theoretical (or intellectual) expertise is the “how” and “why” of the technical component. In our example of medicine, technicians can perform the tests, but may not know the ho0w and why behind the intricate functions of the human body. A construction worker knows how to pour cement for a reinforced foundation, but may not understand how or why the foundation will hold up the building. The same is true of the firefighter, paramedic, or EMT who knows the basic functions of the Sacramento Fire Department’s equipment. It is not necessary for him to understand the theoretical concepts being the tactical or strategic use of the equipment. This component of the professional officer’s job is what enables him to comprehend and apply new techniques. Life or death decisions come from a firefighter, paramedic or EMT’s ability to understand the role of his profession and its unique expertise within society. It includes knowledge of human behaviour, human relationships, standards of conduct, and the structures of human organizations. A professional needs to know when and how to offer his services to achieve the most desirable and effective results. You could call this the philosophy of the Sacramento Fire Department of the doctrinal ground of fire and/or medical science. What expertise does the Sacramento Fire Department expect you, as an officer in training, to master? The Sacramento Fire Department expects you to learn how to organize, equip, and train the force—your team members. The Sacramento Fire Department also expects you to plan the activities of the force with clarity of mission. You must also know how to be expert in directing operations—engaging in the many kinds of fire department activities during work hours, home life, and when in an emergency. Directing operations is a core responsibility of a professional fire fighter, paramedic, or EMT. #RandolphHarris 19 of 29

“I know what I want to say, but it’s hard to get across. I think that with my kids and everything else, I have responsibilities. Being a fireman, and being a fireman with the Sacramento Fire Department, I have to put my best foot forward. I want to leave everybody impressed, that’s the way I feel. If anybody else feels malice toward me because I work for the Sacramento Fire Department, then that’s their problem. If I ever went down South and got stopped by a state trooper, and he knew I was a fireman because I’ve got my emblem or something, I want to leave him impressed with me. When he leaves me, I want him to say, ‘Well, that’s one sharp guy. He seems to be an intelligent guy.’ That’s what I would like to leave with everybody, actually. But especially with the troopers. It’s the only thing I want to do. If I can’t do anything else, I want to change people’s minds. I know that some people have certain beliefs about the way other people are, or the way they think they should be. It may not be my responsibility, but I would like to changes people’s minds, if I can, and leave them with a positive attitude toward the Sacramento Fire Department.” Take a minute and consider the influence that mobile phones, eye glasses with hidden cameras, drones, and video cameras, combined with social media, can have on your personal performance review. You may be so involved in pulling the hoseline, bagging the patient, or yelling at the crowd to “get back” that you do not even notice that you are being recorded from several different angles. Since the potential exist for you to be a movie star, the only way to perform well is practice, practice, practice. #RandolphHarris 20 of 29

If you see a fire truck stopped in the street without the lights on, be very careful. Sometimes there is an emergency and you should not pass the fire truck. It might be a good idea to safely turn around and go another way because if you hit someone and they happen to die, you could be charged with manslaughter. Sometimes fire fighters are getting back into their vehicle and if you pass the apparatus, you may collide with a firefighter who is on foot. Also, be sure to look at their signals, sometimes emergency vehicles are in motions, albeit, slowly, and drivers try to pass them, and this could lead to a dangerous situation. Also, if you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. #RandolphHarris 21 of 29

California is the third most expensive state in the nation. A single person making an income above $100,000 is now consider low-income in five counties in California. This distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruze, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. In 37 percent of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income. In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom of Democratic controlled California, brags about being the world’s “fifth largest economy,” but it also facing a $12 billion deficit, looking to cut $747 million for state worker’s pay, pushing to keep medical insurance for illegal immigrants, but wants to cut medical for anyone who has assets over $2,000 and the state has the largest homeless population in the nation. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes things like food, automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. This is caused by nearly half a century’s old laws that discourage homes sales and encourage higher rents. Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all of our jobs and money has more than 50 ghost cities. Ghost cities are regions will housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard are amongst the names on that list. #RandolphHarris 22 of 29

Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, Gavin Newsom has criminalized homelessness and actually started arresting people without homes, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal 2,500 and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American boarder open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risks to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security relevant alerts, such as end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure is the 2025 Palisades fires because Southern California ran out of water, when they are located next to an ocean and they could have simply created desalinating plants to help with the water shortage. The water is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. #RandolphHarris 23 of 29

The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 24 of 29

The maximum percentage of your gross income that you should earmark for a monthly mortgage payment is calculated at 28 percent, and no more than 36 percent of your gross income to all debts, including mortgage. If you take 28 percent of the median household income per home in Sacramento County, homeowners can only afford a mortgage of $2,070.23 per month. And if you take 36 percent of their gross income to all debts, including mortgage, they should be devoting no more than $2,661.72 a month to these debts. Mortgage lenders must be using some kind of sorcery to get buyers into these expensive homes. To afford one of these homes using traditional guidelines, a household would need to gross $11,280.24 per month or $135,362.88 per year, but the median household in Sacramento County is grossing $7,393.67 or $88,724.00 and that typically means two to four people in the home are working and contributing to the mortgage. Prices in Sacramento County are actually rivaling the Bay Area, and the Bay Aera is so expensive because they have more higher paying jobs and is a tourist destination. And with the State of California being in a budget deficit of $12 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom Granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless, and is proposing to fast-track his plan to build a $20 billion water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta by eliminating environmental reviews and limit avenues for legal challenges. Gavin Newsom only cares about the environment when his policies allow him to raise taxes and restrict freedoms. #RandolphHarris 25 of 29

In fact, Mexico has been causing one of America’s worst environmental disasters. Fifty million gallons a day of industrial chemicals, untreated sewage, and trash flow from Tijuana, Mexico, into southern San Diego County daily. This toxic waste has been turning up on Imperial Beach, and is causing the miles of white sands to become polluted and the ocean breeze to smell of poop, which has been sickening residents and wildlife and costing San Diego millions in the form of lost tourism and health problems. The problem has been going on for more than a century. However, it has become a public health crisis as the population of Tijuana has drastically increased, in recent years, and the waste treatment plants have no longer usable. The beach has been closed for more than three years, and evidence suggests that even breathing the air may be harmful, as toxic particles in the water can become airborne. Yet, even though Gavin Newsom has been governor for six years, he has not rushed into action to stop this very preventable environmental disaster. Why? Because he is not getting kickbacks from China and Mexico, not being gifted mansions and cars, and he cannot tax the struggling California taxpayers to clean up this mess. Simply, it is not profitable for him. Gavin Newsom has been a total tyrant with no regard for taxpayers and does not have a mind for business and should be impeached as soon as possible. He has criminalized poverty, increased taxes, increased tax on gas, and insurance rates so high that people are struggling to survive. In addition to Gavin Newsom’s increased gas prices starting 1 July 2025, the war between Iran and Israel is going to further exacerbate the prices of gas and cause more inflation and economic hardship for people in California. Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom has also given billions of taxpayer dollars away to illegal immigrants and protected them from law enforcement, while arresting law abiding Americans because they cannot afford to pay rent or mortgage and the homeless shelters are unsafe, overcrowded and have restrictions on who is allowed inside. Wars have been started over governments who tax citizens without representation. Taxation without representation is what led to the American Revolution. If Gavin Newsom is not stopped, next he will euthanize the poor and sterilize the disabled. Gavin Newsom has wars and fires breaking out on the streets, but goes out of his way to arrest people who have no place to live. This monster is unfit to be governor and must never be allowed to be President of America! Stop Gavin Newsom now! Save California and impeach this unreasonable man. #RandolphHarris 26 of 29

Meanwhile, with President Trump, we are seeing crime rates sharply decrease, and he recently secured $10 trillion in investments. Additionally, in May of 2025m the United States of America collected a record $22.3 billion in tariff revenue. If elected president for an unprecedented third term, to make housing more affordable and to offset the cost of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance, President Trump plans to abolish property taxes. Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and have the ability to support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrant to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in American, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. #RandolphHarris 27 of 29

When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in American which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt. When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the nation debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by send more money overseas. Buying American made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards on pollution. American companies must be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Moreover, please remember to respect law and order and treat your elders with the utmost dignity and kindness possible. And take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. It is inborn in the human minds to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. #RandolphHarris 28 of 29

As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again,” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. We must think before we can understand the soul’s existence; we must understand before we can realize it. The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrived at this fulness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 29 of 29

A New Era of Fear Awaits at Winchester Mystery House.

This fall, Winchester Mystery House unlocks its secrets for @festivalfrightnights, a brand-new Halloween event created in partnership with Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group — the minds behind iconic experiences like Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary and the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride.

It’s Halloween night, 1924. Two years after Sarah Winchester’s death, the mansion reopens under mysterious new ownership. Guests are invited to a glamorous masquerade ball – but the host claims to have opened a portal to the past. Has he uncovered the truth behind the house’s haunted history, or unleashed something far worse?

Festival Fright Nights features three haunted attractions, immersive theatrical moments, themed food and drink, and access to areas never before opened to the public. Running select nights from September 26 through November 1, it’s poised to become the Bay Area’s premier Halloween destination.

Tickets to this event are limited and expected to sell out quickly. For event details and early access to tickets visit the link in bio. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/


Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/


BMW continues to dominate the luxury car space. With its top ranking in Consumer Reports’ Auto Brand Report Card and consistent market share growth, BMW has demonstrated its ability to produce high-performing, reliable vehicles that meet consumer demands.

BMW stands out due to its focus on driving dynamics and engineering excellence. While other luxury brands prioritize comfort and opulence, BMW is known for creating cars that are fun to drive and offer a unique connection between the driver and the machine. https://www.brianharrisbmw.com/

Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers

Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html

Ascent at Montelena
11977 Cobble Brook Drive, Rancho Cordova, California 95742
4 Home Design(s) Available

Now selling in Rancho Cordova, at Ascent at Montelena. This family-friendly community is near major employers like Sutter Health and the State of California. Located in the Sacramento Valley, residents enjoy Northern California at its best. These two-story single-family homes feature Life Tested® floor plans, smart home features, energy-efficient construction, and modern architecture. https://www.pulte.com/homes/california/sacramento/rancho-cordova/ascent-at-montelena-210916

Thank You For Inviting Us

Unhealthy patterns can develop in any relationship. Recognizing them can uncover abuse or stop it before it starts. Congruence, on the other hand, is accurately matching experience with awareness. It means to feel our feelings physically, to communicate them accurately, and to experience then consciously. If we can do all three, there is congruence. The manipulator is not congruent. When our heads are out of sync with our heart, we are said to be deceitful. For example, when we tell the hostess we had a good time at her party when actually we were bored, we are not expressing what we feel internally. Being perfectly honest, but still polite, we might say, “Thank you for inviting us.” When the manipulator’s conscious awareness is out of phase with his or her physiological awareness, the person is said to be defensive. For example, a man may express anger behaviorally, while denying it verbally. “Are you angry?” his friend asks. Clenching his fist and slamming it onto the table, he shouts, “No! I am not angry!” His body is angry, as anyone can plainly see, but he, unaware of his anger, cannot admit it. Rarely are the manipulator’s words congruent with his body. Learning to pay attention to bodily sensations helps the manipulator to bring about a congruence between bodily and conscious awareness. #RandolphHarris 1 of 33

Two elements are involved in the communication of feelings: sending and receiving. Much like radio transmitters, we constantly send out messages. The question is whether we are reaching anyone. We all have some degree of difficulty in communicating accurately, in being understood. Manipulators have special problems in this area of communicating their feelings. The first involves errors in sending, and one of these errors is the unexpressed expectation. It is Father’s Day, let us say, and Dad has secretly hoped that his children will remember him with a small gift, a card, or a phone call. He hopes one of these things will happen, but he does not say anything about his expectation. When nothing happens—no gift, no card, no call—he is understandably disappointed. However, the fault is largely his own. He made a sending error and allowed his expectations to go unvoiced. Most personal relationships are based on such expectations. Yet, many of us seldom take the time or trouble—or we are afraid, really—to ask for the things we want. The actualizer knows this, for he or she knows quite a bit about communication. The actualizer does not want to go through life being misunderstood. Knowing that many misunderstandings can be avoided by simple statements of need and want, the actualizer is able to ask for whatever he or she may want, no matter what it may be. #RandolphHarris 2 of 33

A second type of sending error is what we call the contrived expectation. This can be described as manipulating another’s response by the way we state our expectation. We exaggerate our expectation. One above average weight little boy, intent on eating a juicy red apple, begs his mother for some cookies. She offers the apple as an alternative, which is what he wanted all along. Or the wife who complains to her husband, “You did not get home until two A.M.,” knowing it was probably much earlier, in order to get him to admit that he got home at one in the morning. The other communication problem is in receiving, where we make just as many errors. For instance, we may appear to ignore a message that we are not ignoring at all. Someone says something that hurts us quite badly, but we will not say, “That hurts.” We ignore it; we simply do not respond at all as we continue to nurse our hurt. Another receiving error occurs when we neutralize the communication sent to us. This may very well be a measure of our ability to receive love. Someone says: “You look lovely tonight.” We do not reply, “Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.” Rather, we respond: “Oh, you look lovely, too.” It is almost as if we are afraid to feel good when someone gives us warm and caring messages. We keep throwing it back so we do not have to feel the impact of the good feeling. It is our marginalized personality, insisting we are not worthy, that cancels out the gifts of love. #RandolphHarris 3 of 33

A third receiving error is always responding in terms of the expectations of others. No matter what they say, we give back what we think they want to hear, denying our own feelings. “Do you like my new suit?” coaxes a friend. You reply dutifully, “Oh, I think it looks great.” The truth of your feelings may be that you wonder how your friend could have bought such a turkey. You might reply more honestly, “Well, I like the cut of the jacket,” or even, “No, I cannot say I do.” There is nothing wrong with disagreeing, especially in matters of taste. Finally, we may respond as if the other person’s message is contrived! “What is it she really wants to know?” you might wonder. “I have to figure out what she really wants so I will not give it to her.” A husband who had entertained clients (which included a former love interest) for lunch, is asked by his wife, “How was your lunch meeting today?” He assumes her question is contrived, for obvious reasons, and he is just not going to give her the reply she wants. So, he answers, “The same old thing.” Everyone wants a happy family, but even when people try to live the gospel, relationships can become hurtful. Some challenges are a result of the misunderstandings and frictions common to families. However, in healthy homes, people apologize for poor behavior and mend rifts, while in unhealthy situations, there are ongoing patterns of harshness or maltreatment that become abusive. #RandolphHarris 4 of 33

Abuse consists of actions intended to hurt or control. It consists of a range of behaviors that may include neglect, manipulation, verbal criticism, and physical or sexual violence. Unfortunately, abusive behaviors are common, with some scholars estimating that a quarter of children worldwide are mistreated physically, sexually or emotionally. Adults also have high rates of victimization, with approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experiencing physical violence from a spouse. Abuse can happen in any relationship, and both men and women can be perpetrators. However, men are more likely to be controlling and to commit severe physical and sexual violence, and women are more likely to be terrorized, dominated, or badly hurt by a spouse. Abuse harms the soul of both the offender and the Savior. Modern prophets have states that those “who abuse spouse or offspring…will one day stand accountable before God.” Abusers often ignore or exploit principles of the gospel. When someone dismisses your pain and claim that they are right with God to downplay their betrayals and exaggerate your concerns, they are rejecting the principles of respect, love and compassion and mistreating you. Your efforts to live gospel principles sometimes cannot fix a problem they are creating. #RandolphHarris 5 of 33

Each of us can give in to unhealthy behaviors. There are certain characteristics common to all types of abuse, and the more severe and frequent these are, the less healthy the relationship will be. Although abuse is heartbreaking, change is always possible. Victims can reach out to spiritual and professional resources and seek the power of the Savior’s Atonement to heal their wounds. Those who have been abusive must repent and seek help. This requires going “down into the depths of humility,” (3 Nephi 12.2) and accepting full responsibility for their behavior. Change takes more than short-term promises and surface efforts. The pain of deep repentance is soul-wrenching, and some will not be willing to do it, which leaves victims with difficult decisions about how to protect themselves. However, just remember, violence only begets more violence. Our Heavenly Father is concerned about us just like a loving father is about his children. “And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Enoch, and told Enoch all the doings of the children of men; wherefore Enoch knew, and looked upon their wickedness, and their misery, and wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook,” reports Moses 7.41. There is weeping in heaven and on earth when bodies and souls are wounded. Yet, with humility, God’s power, and professional help, when necessary, it is possible to stop damaging behavior and create a home of dignity, safety, and love. #RandolphHarris 6 of 33

The question is being asked by a number of young people. Having observed too many disillusioning examples of disharmony with pleasures of the flesh in marriage, they are unwilling to commit themselves in any traditional sense, but perfect to live together only for as long as they please. They choose to practice freedom with pleasures of the flesh exclusivity within their relationships on the basis of personal preference. If and when they decide to have children, they may marry—although for some individuals, even then wedlock may not be considered mandatory. Unwed motherhood, a status previously accepted out of unhappy necessity, is the deliberate choice of a small but not inconsequential number of women, and the legal right of a single person to adopt a child has been established in some states. On the basis of this and other such evidence, some observers suggest that the institution of marriage, which has necessarily been changing over the centuries to accommodate the needs of a changing society, now faces a future in which it may gradually become obsolete. In their judgment, marriage will ultimately manifest itself not as a religious sacrament nor a legal certification but simply as a sociological fact. Thus, when a man and woman—or two individuals of the same gender—decide to live together both socially and sexually, they will be considered “married,” and when they decide to stop living together, they will be “unmarried.” Society, no longer claiming the right to approve or disapprove, will merely register all such unions as a matter of civil record. #RandolphHarris 7 of 33

Social critics who content that monogamy is losing its institutional viability have no difficulty shorting up their argument with numbers. At present, of all couples who marry for the first time, 43 percent will seek sooner or later a divorce; 60 percent of all second marriages end in divorce and 74 percent of third marriages end in divorce. The nation’s divorce rate has on the rise since 1960. This is not, however, a steady upward trend. Historically, the divorce rate has fluctuated over periods of time, and on one occasion, from 1945 to 1947, it was almost as high as it is at present. In addition, a national divorce rate statistic is, by itself, virtually meaningless. It is the by-product of social and historical developments, and any intelligent understand of its significance depends on analyzing the underlying influences. To take a single example, for illustrative purposes—divorce occurs far more frequently among people who marry young, who have little education and little money. Once the point has been stated that way, it can be seen as simply common sense. There is a limited chance of success for a marriage—or any other joint enterprise—if the two individuals become partners before they are experienced enough to choose each other on any sound basis, if they lack the education that prepares them to communicate with each other effectively and to meet the social challenges and complexities they must face, and if they have so little capital, and so little hope of gaining more, that any pleasure they might find in their association is sapped by the struggle to stay financially solvent. #RandolphHarris 8 of 33

Obviously, the odds against such a pair are disproportionately high. When such unions are dissolved, the explanation has less to do with the inadequacies of marriage per se than with inadequacies inherent in immaturity when combined with little education and income. Placed in this perspective, the national divorce rate says less about the questionable state of marriage than about the questionable amount of guidance and emotional supports society gives to its marriageable population. It is as foolish to try to gauge the value and meaning of marriage by examining divorce statistics as it would be to gauge the value and meaning of life by studying mortality rates. If a moment of fantasy be permitted, it could be argued that the only sure way of evaluating the desirability of life would be to find out how many among those who have left life would take the opportunity to return. This is, in fact, the most important way to look at divorce statistics—by checking the statistics on remarriage. The evidence is striking. The U.S. Bureau of the Census, acknowledged authorities on the subject, the accelerate divorce rate has been accompanied by an accelerated remarriage rate. An estimated eighty out of every one hundred divorced persons remarry—and at least sixty of those eighty marriages prove permanent. Thus, the very individuals who theoretically have had the experience needed to evaluate monogamy, choose to find another partner rather than live alone, and most of them do their best to make that marriage last a lifetime. #RandolphHarrris 9 of 33

If marriage is, as some critics insist, a body trap, then this makes no sense at all. Were that true, a divorced person, having savored the freedom of being single again, would hardly be lured back into matrimonial harness or, at the very least, would surely be less tolerant of constraint and more likely to slip the traces by getting a second divorce. However, this patten is the exception rather than the rule. Contrary to popular belief, therefore, it seems clear that divorced men and women do not ride on a marital merry-go-round. Evidently experience has taught them that some important and rewarding satisfactions, which cannot be obtained otherwise, are possibilities inherent in a stable relationship involving pleasures of the flesh. Consequently, even after one failure, they consider marriage a major goal in life. This is not the case for everyone, of course, and there is much to be said in favor of a society that permits individuals sufficient choice so that those who are ill-suited to marriage can remain single all their lives with no loss of social approval. However, they are a small minority of the population, and indications are that for some time to come they will so remain. For everyone else, however, what was true in the past is no less true at present and gives promise of being true in the future: the search for happiness and personal fulfillment, for the pleasure of a life that has meaning, sooner or later leads to marriage. #RandolphHarris 10 of 33

The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrive at this fullness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. The animal acts as its instinctive drives bid it act whereas in man this instinctive nature is made up with and consequently modified by, the awakening intellect’s need to consider, compare, and judge. He who wants to go back to the simple medieval life is welcome to it. He who wants his rooms cleaned with old-fashioned brooms that rise a cloud of dust and leave it hanging in the air until it can find safe lodgment in throats and lungs, is welcome to the dust. There are others, however, who react differently to such a situation; who are resolved to take advantage of the skill of human brains and the fact of human advance. They have thrown away the unhealthy broom and adopted the vacuum cleaner which removes and swallows the dust instead of filing the air with it. #RandolphHarris 11 of 33

We are not writing a thesis on domestic hygiene. We are writing in this strain because it is highly symbolic. It shows quite vividly the difference between the backward-looking mentality and the forward looking one. The student of philosophy belongs to the second category. He sees the futility of propagating a switch-back to medieval methods when we are in the midst of the greatest technical transformation mankind has ever known. He knows that modern conditions must be faced with modern attitudes. However, he takes “modern” to mean whatever has attained the most finished state as a consequence of progressive development. He knows it does not mean whatever is merely fashionable at the moment, as materialism was fashionable in intellectual circles and sensualism in youthful circles until very lately. His vision is larger than that of his contemporaries, because it encompasses more. They are modern only in a chronological sense, but backward in a spiritual one. It is the faculty of reason which differentiates human beings from all Nature’s other creatures. It is this which sets man beyond the animals. However reason untouched by the finer promptings of the heart, and unillumined by the sublimer intuitions of the mind, degenerates easily into selfish cunning, and degrades instead of dignifying man. #RandolphHarris 12 of 33

It may be they find it too hard to make the crossing from the older way of thinking to what is demanded of them by the new knowledge: a willingness to accept paradox. For otherwise they get only a half-truth. Reason gradually becomes paramount as man develops through life after life. How few are even aware of their intellectual dishonesty! Through his exclusive possession of the capacities for independent choice and self-control, as well as his privilege of individual responsibility, man is set apart from the animal. What this age needs to seek is a new intellectualism, a new science, one informed by deeper spiritual feeling and protected by higher spiritual ideals. A high quality of thinking is being done by men who are probing now for the better life of tomorrow. They are coming to the only possible conclusion about the validity of determinism on the basis of known facts, when regarded by the whole mind of intellectually mature man—the mind which uses both its abstract and materialistic thinking capacities and, consequently, verges on the truly intuitive. I am reminded of Bacon’s well-known remark about the slight use of reason leading to atheism and the adequate use of it leading back to religion. Although men are born with latent mental power and potential intelligence, few use these qualities to their utmost possibilities. Man arises out of the mysterious womb of the Infinite, yet he is to be found everywhere as a pitiful creeping creature, full of mortal frailties, finite indeed. Yet they unseen mental being of man is the silent workman who really constructs the edifice of his happiness. #RandolphHarris 13 of 33

Considering the extreme sensitivity of a neurotic pride to hurt, we are inclined to consider it as a rank growth of healthy pride. The essential difference, however, as we have so often before found true, is not one of quantity but of quality. Neurotic pride is by comparison unsubstantial, and it is based on entirely different factors, all of which belong to or support the glorified version of oneself. They may be extraneous assets—prestige values—or they may consist of attributes and faculties which one arrogates to oneself. Of the varieties of neurotic pride that in prestige value seems the most normal. In our civilization, it is an average reaction to be proud of having an attractive young lady, of coming from a respectable family, of being native born, a Southerner, or New Englander, belonging to a political or professional group enjoying prestige, meeting important people, being popular, having a good car or address. This kind of pride is the least typical for neurosis. To many people with considerable neurotic difficulties, these things mean no more than they do to the comparatively healthy person; to many others they mean distinctly less; if indeed anything. However, there are some who have such a heavy investment of neurotic pride in these prestige values, and for whom they are so crucial, that their lives revolve around them and they often fritter away their best energies in their service. For these people, it is an absolute must to be associated with groups that carry prestige, to be affiliated with prominent institutions. #RandolphHarris 14 of 33

Of course, all their hectic activities are rationalized in terms of genuine interest of the legitimate wish to get ahead. Anything that accrues to this prestige then may evoke real elation; any failure of the group to enhance such a person’s prestige, or any diminution of the prestige of the group itself, provokes all the hurt-pride reactions. For example, a member of someone’s family not “making good,” or being mentally ill, may be a heavy blow to his pride, mostly hidden behind superficial concerns for the relative. Again, there are many women who prefer to abstain from going to a restaurant or a theater than to go without a male escort. All of this looks similar to what anthropologist tell us about certain so-called primitive people among whom the individual primarily is and feels as a part of the group. Pride then is invested not in personal matters but in institutions and group activities. However, while these processes seem to be similar, they are essentially different. The main difference is that the neurotic is at bottom unrelated to the group. He does not feel part of it, does not have a feeling of belonging, but rather uses it for his personal prestige. Their way of living is often very beautiful—the inner me coming through, letting into the world the humanness that we exclude not because we do not like it, do not think it would be a good way to live, but because it is not “practical.” Sometimes their love for all others is seen as a threat to monogamy, although this love has nothing to do with age or gender. #RandolphHarris 15 of 33

The human beings’ peculiar genius among living forms, the trait that enabled them to prevail while dinosaurs and other creatures became extinct, is their peculiar lack of specialization. When environments change, inflexible organisms die off. Conventional upbringing and life style encourage a person to become overly adapted to some fixed range of environmental challenges. A person living a sedentary, scholarly life, for example, may become above average weight, with his or her head jutting forward; someone who works at a machine calling for a strong right arm may develop monstrous biceps in that arm, whereas the left remains the usual size. Sickness, both physical and psychological, can stem from over adaptation to an environment or culture. Besides so-called occupational diseases, produced by the stresses peculiar to given occupations, there are the symptoms brought about by change in environment. When a person’s resources have been committed to coping with one set of demands and challenges, that person may not readily uncommit them to respond to challenges coming from another sector of life. Thus, many persons become sick when they change jobs, neighborhoods, and even family status. The neurotics whom Dr. Freud treated were persons overly specialized to survive within the structure of their family origin. When they were asked to leave home, to start another family, they were unable to despecialize themselves from the role of son and daughter in order to take on new roles of husband or wife. #RandolphHarris 16 of 33

There is a real sense, then, in which various psychotherapies and the techniques for re-embodiment are despecializing procedures, making it possible for persons to let go their somatic “recall” of the past—to forget their past somatically—in order to learn how to act effectively in the present. Memory resides in the muscles, joints, and viscera as much as in the brain cells. Thus, the methods of yoga, Rolfing, fasting, and meditation all are approaches to the erasure of the past, as it is recorded in the musculature and habitual patterns of physiological functioning. These techniques also function as means to alter one’s usual way of being aware of self and the world. We are usually involved in various life projects, such as the pursuit of our profession; and in various interpersonal roles, for example, the role of son to parents, student to teacher, and man to woman. These are commitments of our “embodied” consciousness that influence the way the world appears to us and the way we experience ourselves. Our projects and our roles represent the specialized way in which we appear to ourselves and others in the world. When the somatic aspect of this specialization is “wiped out” so that one truly becomes no one, it is possible to re-enter one’s old ways with more vigor and with new perspectives, and it is also possible to begin disengaging from chronic roles and projects so that growth of self can occur. #RandolphHarris 17 of 33

Athletes and dancers would never think of beginning their contest or performance without a series of “warm-up” exercises. Although they are specialists, dancers and athletes have had to train hard to liberate their musculature so that their bodies become versatile instruments, capable of flexibility unavailable to the average person. However, when these people engage in routine daily pursuits, their musculature follows suit. For a performance, they must disengage their thinking and their bodies from these mundane involvements. Hence, warming up is a way of disengaging from one way of being in order to re-engage in another. In current slang, “psyching oneself up” to undertake some tasks or feat is a variety of disengagement and warming up. Fire fighters also warm up, and good communication is vital for effective firefighting. When a fire is discovered, the award-winning Sacramento Fire Department must be summoned and citizens alerted to the danger. During the firefight, officers must be able to communicate with fire fighters or summon additional resources. Not surprisingly, improvements in communication systems are tied to improvements in the fire service. During the colonial period, fire wardens or night watchmen patrolled neighborhoods and sounded the alarm if a fire was discovered. Some towns, including Charleston, South Carolina, built a series of fire towers from which wardens could watch for fires. In many towns, ringing the community fire bell or church bells alerted citizens to a fire. #RandolphHarris 18 of 33

Every academic business, or fire department you will ever produce will fit into one of two categories. Action-and-information messages ask the receiver to do something: Schedule a makeup exam; prepare a marketing report; put out a fire on a hilltop. Information-only message tells the receiver something: The primary cause of the American Civil War was states’ rights; Estelle LaMonica is the new Vice President of Human Resources; Alpha Company has one vehicle down for fire damage. You must focus—clarify—your message so your receiver is certain—clear—on what he or she is supposed to do or know. Too many action-and-information-only messages fail because the receiver mistake for information-only messages: “I need a make-up exam,” you send. “You sure do,” thinks the receiver. “If we knew that market better, we could increase our share.” “That is a good idea.” “The bad guys have a fire planned on Hill 442.” “That is right. I saw the intelligence reports as well.” Decide before you communicate if your message is action-and-information or information-only. If you are communicating an action-and-information message, specify what your receiver must do and know. Break through the noise. As the send, as the on trying to communicate, you have the responsibility to communicate clearly—to break through the noise. Think in terms of your receiver. Use your receiver’s terms of reference. If a fire department’s objective is to your front but to your receiver’s flank, refer to the objective as to the flank. (This very mistake—front rather than flank—resulted in the deaths of 550 British cavalry troops at the Battle of Balaklava in the Crimean War.) #RandolphHarris 19 of 33

Use descriptive language. Use visualization and analogies. Instead of saying, “The fire is big,” say, “The fire is the size of a football field.” Instead of saying, “I want you to put out that fire,” say, “I want you to put out that fire as if you were trying to save the President’s house.” Ask for feedback. It is not enough to ask, “Do you understand me?” The obvious answer is “Yes. Absolutely. Sure, I do,” no matter what the understanding may be. General Lee’s intent may have been “Take Cemetery Hill only if I can do it without casualties.” If General Lee had asked, “Do you understand me?” Ewell’s response—no matter the difference between intent and understanding—would have been “Yes. Absolutely. Sure I do.” Craft your request for feedback so your receiver will have to demonstrate his or her understanding of the message. “What—specifically—do I want you to do?” “What—specifically—will you do now?” “How will you do it?” Revise as you need to. You may have to repeat your message several times before you communicate successfully. Use the feedback you get to adjust your message to the needs of your receiver. Put your bottom line up front (BLUF). Get to your point in the first 10 seconds of your message. Your point—your bottom line—in an action-and-information message is what you want your receiver to do: “Attack, seize, and put out that fire.” Your point—your bottom line—in an information-only message is what you want your receiver to know: “Alpha Company has one vehicle down for fire damage.” Audiences—receivers are impatient. “Get to the point,” they say. “How does this affect me? If you do not get to your point, if you do not explain how your message affects your receivers, they will tune out. They may be physically present during the rest of the message, but their minds are far away—thinking of food; thinking of home; thinking of other tasks and responsibilities they have to perform. #RandolphHarris 20 of 33

Use simple words. Great communicators use simple words. Consider these examples: “Carthage must be destroyed!” (Cato the Elder, an ancient Roman senator.) “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” (Franklin D. Roosevelt.) “I have a dream.” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) “Make America Great Again!” (Donald Trump.) Look closely at the examples. Notice the overwhelming use of single-syllable words. Notice the absence of any long “impressive: words. Given the choice between a simple word and a long word—and given there is no difference in the meaning of the two words—use the simple word. Your communication will be clearer. Use concrete words. Concrete words draw pictures in your receiver’s brain. Consider the difference between the two phrases: “An old car.” “A 1966 blue Mustang convertible.” Which phrase draws a picture in your brain? You can visualize the Mustang far more easily, far more quickly, than you can visualize an old car. You can visualize “15 Sacramento Fire Fighters with hoses and axes,” far more quickly, far more easily, than you can visualize “a good guys.” Early humanity possess a mind that thought in terms of images and pictures rather than in terms of logical sequence. However, it developed marvelous memory as a consequence and entire volumes of sacred books were handed down for centuries by oral tradition before they were committed to writing. #RandolphHarris 21 of 33

The man of the twenty-first century must seek truth in his own fashion. The question of how many angles can stand on the point of a pin does not interest the modern mentality. This longing to know more may, at the start, be motivated by the desire to earn more but, in the end it will be motivated by the search for Truth. “I found out working with the Sacramento Fire Department is the greatest job in the world. Probably because of the men you work with, the camaraderie. It’s like a family, and you’re with them as much as you’re with your own family. Sometimes more. Where I’m at, the guys keep things light. It’s a job where you can find a lot of satisfaction, because you can see the results of your work immediately. You know right away that you’ve helped people. It’s not like you’re working with papers. People don’t always like others, but they’re always glad to see the firemen. I like helping people. What makes the job worth the injuries I’ve had? I can’t speak for everyone else. I’ve always kind of walked a thin line. I’ve always been—not reckless—but I’ve always been around danger. But danger is just part of the job, everyone accepts that. And the benefits outweigh the dangers. I get satisfaction out of this job. I could have died in this fire at the young age of twenty-eight, but that’s a risk. I knew the risks when I came on the job, and you just try to be as well prepared as you can. Nobody wants to die. Nobody wants to leave his family. My wife knows that. She also knows that I’m prepared, and it’s just part of the job. #RandolphHarris 22 of 33

“I don’t want a medical disability. I’d like to put my time in. I’ve got what they call RADS—reactive airway deficiency syndrome. It’s a form of asthma. I asked the doctor, ‘How long will I have this?’ He said, ‘Some people get rid of it right away, and some people never get rid of it.’ So I’m still taking inhalants and different things. And we’ll see what happens the next time I get a smoky job, how I react to it. That’s what the doctor said. ‘The only way you’re going to know is if you get another smoke situation. You’ll see what happens.’ I’d like to work my way up the chain of command. There’s nothing wrong with being a fireman for twenty or thirty years. Sometimes you’re in a place where you know more than your officer, and you have to swallow it because he’s got the rank. That’s motivation enough to study. If you feel you can help others and you’re a little more on the ball than most people, I think it’s your duty to try to attain an officer’s rank.” Spiritual teaching must be expounded today in a form suited to the modern need. The doctrines so revealed should be methodically progressive and the explanations should be systematically developed. At last the living growing entity has reached a kingdom of Nature where it can develop the power to think not only about material topics but also about spiritual ones. Where we do not know the different sides of a case, where we have not ascertained the various facts behind the answer to a question, it is wiser to suspend judgment, fairer, if possible, to refrain from taking action. #RandolphHarris 23 of 33

If you see a fire truck stopped in the street without the lights on, be very careful. Sometimes there is an emergency situation and you should not pass the fire truck. It might be a good idea to safely turn around and go another way. Sometimes fire fighters are getting back into their vehicle and if you pass the apparatus, you may collide with a firefighter who is on foot. Also, be sure to look at their signals, sometimes emergency vehicles are in motions, albeit, slowly, and drivers try to pass them, and this could lead to a dangerous situation. Also, if you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. #RandolphHarris 24 of 33

California is the third most expensive state in the nation. A single person making an income above $100,000 is now consider low-income in five counties in California. This distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruze, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. In 37 percent of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income. In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom of Democratic controlled California, brags about being the world’s “fifth largest economy,” but it also facing a $12 billion deficit, looking to cut $747 million for state worker’s pay, pushing to keep medical insurance for illegal immigrants, and has the largest homeless population in the nation. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes things like food, automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. This is caused by nearly half a century’s old laws that discourage homes sales and encourage higher rents. Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all of our jobs and money has more than 50 ghost cities. Ghost cities are regions will housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard are amongst the names on that list. #RandolphHarris 25 of 33

Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal 2,500 and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American boarder open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risks to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security relevant alerts, such as end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure is the 2025 Palisades fires because Southern California ran out of water, when they are located next to an ocean and they could have simply created desalinating plants to help with the water shortage. The water is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. #RandolphHarris 26 of 33

The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 27 of 33

The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 28 of 33

Additionally, with inflation rates at an all-time high, American being in an unofficial recession for about a decade, all insurance in California is becoming unaffordable. State Farm has received an approval for an emergency rate increase, which was approved by the California Insurance Commissioner, to stabilize the market and protect policyholders. Starting 1 June 2025, homeowners will see an average of 17 percent increase, rental dwellings will see an increase of 38 percent, and Condo owners will see a rate increase of 15 percents. These rate increases are due to the distressed caused by the recent wildfires, which accumulated over $7 billion in claims. Furthermore, in 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1107, also known as the Protection California Drivers Act, into law which increases the minimum auto lability limits for bodily injury to $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. Senate Bill 1107 also increased the minimum liability limits for property damage to $15,000 per accident and the DMV deposit for uninsured drivers to $75,000. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2025. This means that drivers with existing policies with lower limits will renew at the new minimum limits on or after January 1, 2025, and insurance premiums could increase by as much as 54 percent. America is in a state of crisis right now because of mismanagement by democrats. With the median household income in Sacramento County being $88,724 and a 4-bedroom 2.5-bathroom Cresleigh home costing $798,059, how are people able to afford homes? Because an $800,000 home with a one percent downpayment of $8,000, 30-year fixed loan at 4.176 percent interest comes with a monthly mortgage payment of $4,241. #RandolphHarris 29 of 33

The maximum percentage of your gross income that you should earmark for a monthly mortgage payment is calculated at 28 percent, and no more than 36 percent of your gross income to all debts, including mortgage. If you take 28 percent of the median household income per home in Sacramento County, homeowners can only afford a mortgage of $2,070.23 per month. And if you take 36 percent of their gross income to all debts, including mortgage, they should be devoting no more than $2,661.72 a month to these debts. Mortgage lenders must be using some kind of sorcery to get buyers into these expensive homes. To afford one of these homes using traditional guidelines, a household would need to gross $11,280.24 per month or $135,362.88 per year, but the median household in Sacramento County is grossing $7,393.67 or $88,724.00 and that typically means two to four people in the home are working and contributing to the mortgage. Prices in Sacramento County are actually rivaling the Bay Area, and the Bay Aera is so expensive because they have more higher paying jobs and is a tourist destination. And with the State of California being in a budget deficit of $12 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom Granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless, and is proposing to fast-track his plan to build a $20 billion water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta by eliminating environmental reviews and limit avenues for legal challenges. Gavin Newsom only cares about the environment when his policies allow him to raise taxes and restrict freedoms. Gavin Newsom has been a total tyrant with no regard for taxpayers and does not have a mind for business and should be impeached as soon as possible. #RandolphHarris 30 of 33

Meanwhile, with President Trump, we are seeing crime rates sharply decrease, and he recently secured $10 trillion in investments. If elected president for an unprecedented third term, to make housing more affordable and to offset the cost of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance, President Trump plans to abolish property taxes. Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and have the ability to support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrant to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in American, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. #RandolphHarris 31 of 33

When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in American which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt.When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the nation debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by send more money overseas. Buying American made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards in regard to pollution. American companies have to be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Moreover, please remember to respect law and order and treat your elders with the utmost dignity and kindness possible. And take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. It is inborn in the human minds to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. #RandolphHarris 32 of 33

As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again,” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. We must think before we can understand the soul’s existence; we must understand before we can realize it. The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrived at this fulness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 33 of 33

The Winchester Mystery House

It has been one lone, perilous journey through twisted woods and sleepy poppy fields and neglected roads. He trembled as he drew near The Winchester Mansion. He stopped, listened to the creaking wooden beating from the heart of the mansion. It was louder than a human heart, and colder as well, and he watched as silvery streams of ghost flowed through its hollow. The streetlights fade behind him until it is totally dark. There is no light. There is no sound. There is no movement. He clutched his coat collar tight to his throat. Muscles tense. Sweat streaks his forehead and trickles down temples to flushed cheeks. Tears gushed from his wounded eyes. He starred at the mansion, pleading for forgiveness. “Join me,” it beckoned. “Hurry.” His pale face pressed against the front window. Haunted expression, fast frozen in deja vu. A spirit passes through him. Lingering memories revive the night when, in an eternal moment, this had become his home. He stumbled inside. The door slammed. Mrs. Winchester’s trembling hand throws a switch. He crawls forward. It was always quiet here, yet he could not rest. However, he knew he would repeat this cycle nightly, always at this hour. Forever.

Experience an unforgettable journey back to the time of kings and queens with this entry ticket for The Winchester Mansion in Santa Clara, California which was the residence of Sarah L. Winchester. Take advantage of this fascinating experience. After tour, there will be time enjoy the mansion’s splendor at your own pace. You might even discover secret passages.

Please come and enjoy a delicious meal in Sarah’s Café, stroll along the paths of the beautiful Victorian gardens, and wonder through the miles of hallways in the World’s most mysterious mansion.

For further information about tours, including group tours, weddings, school events, birthday party packages, facility rentals, and special events please visit the website: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available to purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/

We wish to express our gratitude to our families, ancestors, spirits, and friends and to our many associates and clients, whose lives touched our lives and whose ideas helped us to grow. We would also like to thank our employees and care takers for putting the technical ideas of this estate into conversational style, and we are, of course, extremely thank to all of our patrons for helping to keep the legacy of the Winchester Family alive. The Winchester Mystery House is full of surprises. What was your favorite, “Oooh!” moment during your visit at the mansion? (And for those of you who still have to check it off your bucket list… we will hopefully see you soon.) https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/
We Have Sentenced Ourselves to Lives in a Tower of Babel

It is not enough for man to be emotional about his faith. He ought also to be able to give a coherent statement of the reasons for it. Strengthening families is our sacred duty as parents, children, extended family members, leaders, teachers, and individual members of the Church. The importance of spiritually strengthening families is taught clearly in the scriptures. Father Adam and Mother Eve taught their sons and daughters the gospel. The sacrifices of Abel were accepted by the Lord, whom he loved. Cain, on the other hand, “loved Satan more than God,” and committed serious sins. Adam and Eve, “mourned before the Lord, because of Cain and his brethren,” but they never ceased to teach their children the gospel (see Moses 5.15, 18, 20, 27; 6.1, 58). When academic learning runs to excess to the point of becoming dry pedantry bereft of common sense, it becomes a nuisance to those who seek truth. “Do not be upset! Control yourself. Take it easy,” cautions the manipulator. And well that person might, for dealing with feelings is a big part of his or her problem. Manipulators always prevent you from confronting them with the impact of your ideas or emotions. They cannot allow you to get angry with them anymore than they can allow you to get close to them. We must understand that each of our children comes with varying gifts and talents. Some, like Abel, seem to be given gifts of faith at birth. Others struggle with every decision they make. #RandolphHarris 1 of 25

As parents, we should never let the searching and struggling of our children make us waver or lose our faith in the Lord. A major defense against manipulation, our own and others, would be for us to learn how to become honestly expressive of our feelings. The truth is that most of us do not understand what it means to experience our feelings either physiologically or consciously, even though we live with them every day of our lives. As a result, we have never learned to communicate our feelings directly, effectively, or accurately. We spend a lot of our time telling others what we think rather than what we feel. Often our body language and tone of voice belie what we say, and we wonder why others do not seem to get our messages. Confusion prevails because we have sentenced ourselves to lives in a “tower of Babel.” As His true followers, the Savior wants us to love others as He loves them—more unconditionally, more purely, more perfectly. Many of us do not realize that we really feel our emotions in our bodies. It would be useful, therefore, to look at the five basic emotions and their physical manifestations. Anger. What is the physiological evidence when you feel angry? How do you know when you are angry? You may feel as if you want to fight. Your body stiffens; you breathe faster; your heart beats rapidly; you get tense and have the sensation of heat. When you are angry, a great deal of physical energy builds up, and your body feels as if it must do something. Expressing angry by saying things like, “I am so angry right now I feel like sending you to the moon without a spaceship,” is good medicine. Repressed anger is dangerous to your body and your relationships. #RandolphHarris 2 of 25

Fear. When your body is fearful, how do you know? The feeling is almost the opposite of anger. Your mouth gets dry; you feel cold; your palms begin to sweat. Shake hands with someone who is frightened, and you usually will feel the cold sweat. Mormon urges us to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of His Son, Jesus Christ.” Like faith, Christlike love is a gift of the Spirit, is granted upon the principles of personal righteousness and in accordance to our level of obedience to the laws upon which it is predicated. Like faith, love must be exercises to grow. We all live our lives one day at a time, and each of us, regardless of our age or circumstances, is presented each day with choices in our relationships with others. As we deny ourselves and reach out to serve others, the Spirit will refine us and teach us and we will come to learn what Saint Paul meant: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.” Our compassionate service to others will grow and divine love and change us, and “when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.” If instruction and education leave a person in ignorance of the World-Idea and in illusion concerning the world and self, then they are in complete, and inadequate to prepare him for life. Those who are unable to think or afraid to think may leap eagerly at the gospel of avoiding thought altogether. For them, a bland blankness may bring peace. However, how long can it last in the face of life’s stern insistent problems, tragedies, or responsibilities? #RandolphHarris 3 of 25

Hurt. Even to ourselves, most of us seem afraid to admit hurt. It feels weakening to be hurt. It feels like a swift blow to the chest. Emotional hurt is painful, and we sure want to avoid the pain. When we really feel hurt, we often act angry to cover it up. Or we simply push it deep inside. Back in childhood, no doubt, someone told us that big kids do not cry. Most od us do not have the courage of despair—we are actually afraid to feel bad. Yet, unexpressed hurt can be a noose about the neck of an individual that stifles all feeling. We recall all too poignantly the desperate look in the eyes of a man who blurted: “I wish more than anything that I could have a real 24-carat feeling of being hurt.” Habits of a lifetime denied him the enormous relief of melting into tears. Brigham Young taught, “We should commence our labors of love and kindness with the family to which we belong; and then extend them to others.” Kind Benjamin counseled parents to teach their children, “to love one another, and to serve one another.” President Kimball taught that, “God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another mortal that He meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom.” The spiritually paralyzed mind often skims the surface of things with great brilliance but the poor thing is completely unable to penetrate them. We are living in a region where aberrations of Christianity are excess abound so freely, the value of a scientific attitude is immense. If supported by intelligence; rather they will be richer, deeper, and balanced. It is not enough to purify the moral nature of evil and sin. It is also needful to purify the intellectual nature of error and delusion. Hence moral discipline must be complemented by an intellectual one. #RandolphHarris 4 of 25

Joy. If you have ever watched the fans when the marginalized team has just scored the winning touchdown, you have an idea of the physical manifestation of joy. One’s whole-body tingles in delight. The body surges with energy. When joy surfaces, it is impossible to be tired or depressed. Football games, or any sport, are where we give ourselves permission, en masse, to express the joy we ordinarily withhold in our attempts to maintain “dignity.” Somewhere in our lives, we learned to keep our delight hidden away. Perhaps we got the superstitious notion that if the gods knew of our joy, they would take it away. Of if others noticed us acting happy, they would try to rob us of our delight. Or if our internal authority got too boisterous, our marginalized internal being would bring us to defeat. Joylessness is a malady of adulthood. Wordsworth says it well in Ode: Intimations of Immorality: “Shades of the prison-house begin to close upon the growing Boy, but he beholds the light, and whence it flows, he sees it in his joy…at length the Man perceives it die away, and fade into the light common day.” For some of us, it is possible to recall the feelings of joy we experienced in early childhood before we allowed adult worries and responsibilities to dim the light of our perceptions. As grown-ups, we became poor receivers of those things that ignite joy. There is a great truth in Christ’s statement that we must be “like little children to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” If there is one prime feature of the modern mentality, it is that reason has replaced faith. We begin by calling into question what our forefathers believed. In the good old days, we assumed everything and probed nothing; now we assume nothing and prove everything. The change is fundamental. #RandolphHarris 5 of 25

Finally, there is love. Love is many things, but it is also a feeling. Physiologically, love feels like a welling-up in the center of our bodies, accompanied by a desire to touch and hold the loved one. Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other. Love in all its manifestations is the primary way we are able to step across the boundaries of our solitude to make contact with others. King Benjamin counseled his people to yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost, put “off the natural man and [become] a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and [become] as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love.” Love’s authenticity is commensurate with the lover’s ability to experience and express anger, fear, hurt, and joy. To express love to another, we have to be able to express the four other feelings, and certainly this has important implications in human relationships, especially marriage. For example, one person can never have a true and lasting relationship with another until he or she is able to fight with the other. Love and anger are complementary opposites. Often, we find that our warmest feelings of love rise out of the heat of anger. Honestly expressing anger resolves conflicts more quickly and reduces resentment on both sides. When we are able to show that we are angry, that we are afraid, that we can be hurt, that we can be joyful—then we can love. When we really level with each other and tell the other how we feel, only then do we begin to feel closeness. Love, by this set of standards, is clearly the true fulfillment of all other feelings. #RandolphHarris 6 of 25

Fidelity with pleasures of the flesh is still important today, even though it does not seem like it because of what we see in the media. One lady tells us, “I’ve lost a good job because of my affair. I made it very blatant, and now I can see I was asking to be caught. So here I am at thirty-three, and I really don’t know where to go or what to do.” A man told us, “I had my first extramarital activity two or three years into the marriage…I fancied myself some sort of gay blade. So I decided, I’m going to get laid somewhere. And I did. And I kept on doing this for probably eight years.” The value and meaning of marriage has become a matter of considerable controversy. Some critics, for example, maintain that monogamy—with its emphasis on mutual commitment as the basis for an exclusive union of one man and one woman—is no longer a realistic way of life. They view conventional marriage as more of a hindrance than a help to men and women struggling to develop their individual potentialities while coping with the stresses of contemporary society. Such an outlook would certainly be affirmed by all the men and women who participated in the two preceding symposiums. Apparently, unable to find the full and enduring satisfactions they want and need in a relationship that involves pleasures of the flesh with the one person they married, they feel compelled to search elsewhere for the pleasures they lack. Without passing judgment on them—indeed, with full appreciation of their courage and, in some cases, their desperation in reaching out for what they desire—it seems worthwhile to try to put the subject of extramarital pleasures of the flesh in perspective, to examine briefly the nature of commitment in the intimate passions and its relevance to marriage. #RandolphHarris 7 of 25

When a man and woman first commit themselves to each other with pleasures of the flesh, they do so for reasons that have been impressed upon them by society since childhood. They have been told to believe that on the basis of their union, they will find physical, emotional and social fulfillment—and some people would include spiritual fulfillment as well. These are dimensions of human needs that have been intricately woven into “patterns” for commitment; woven and rewoven by successive generations from concepts of love and pleasures of flesh, which reflected prevailing religious and cultural philosophies. Unfortunately, the concepts of pleasures of the flesh reflected even today in these patterns for commitment continue to embody ideas from the past that are demonstrably inaccurate or false or that are now completely unrealistic and incompatible with contemporary concepts of love. Pleasures of the flesh is a conjugal duty, for example, or as an economic barter is not as palatable as it once may have been. Out of this unfortunate heritage of erroneous notions about the nature and functions of pleasures of the flesh arise a number of the difficulties that plague many married couples. Personal discomfort and anxiety, or hostility between partners, often can be traced to such depressingly familiar beliefs that pleasures of the flesh are the price that must be paid for love or that pleasures of the flesh are separate from love. #RandolphHarris 8 of 25

However, what can be said with any validity about love and pleasures of the flesh? There now exist a few significant scientific facts which might possibly serve as the basis for a tentative reassessment of expression with pleasures of the flesh in relation to love and other values as the basis of the man-woman bond. To do so, however, would require a reasonable definition of love. Having observed that love is interpreted in many ways—according to the values, perceptions and circumstances of those individuals who attempt to define the word—we choose to accept as an unalterable fact that love in its infinite variability is and always will be subject to individual interpretation. It seems futile, for example, to define love as passion—that is, some subtle combination of emotional, romantic and spiritual feeling—for someone to whom love means, with equal justness, authentic and sustained kindness or emotional and economic sustenance or protection from harm. To attempt to revise either definition so that it will better accord with the values prized by some other person would mean diminishing equally cherished values. To do so would be not only fruitless but potentially destructive. Therefore, the emotional components of love, in any of its forms of expression, are being discussed. When it seems appropriate or necessary, it might be useful for you to apply your personal interpretation as it has developed out of a lifetime of beliefs, feelings and experiences. #RandolphHarris 9 of 25

Since love, pleasures of the flesh and commitment, however, tend to be inextricably woven together in our society’s pattern for man-woman relationships, it should be noted that the combination is arbitrary. Society, past and present, has chosen to assign pleasures of the flesh and love to the marriage covenant. However, the lining of pleasures of the flesh and love reflects a tacit assumption that this is how it must be in spite of the fact that from an objective standpoint, love need not necessarily be a condition of pleasures of the flesh for a person to function in intimate passions and pleasures of the flesh need not necessarily be a condition of love for a person to be emotionally fulfilled. Pleasures of the flesh and love are separate life forces, each capable of being sustained without the other. Pleasures of the flesh, like any natural function, theoretically can be integrated with any psychologically valued stimuli and will then produce effective physical response, and love certainly has a recorded history of being able to sustain itself admirably in the face of overwhelming physical disabilities or even when the lovers choose to live celibate lives. Chastity is sexual purity. Those who are chaste are morally clean in their thoughts, words, and actions. Chastity means not having any relations with pleasures of the flesh before marriage. It also means complete fidelity to husband or wife during marriage. Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love within marriage. #RandolphHarris 10 of 25

Sometimes our spurious certainty of pseudofeelings is shaken, and the patient then goes through a period of bewildering uncertainty which is painful but constructive. A person for instance who believed she liked everybody because she should do so may then ask: “Do I really like my husband, my pupils, my patients? Or anybody at that? And at that point, the questions are unanswerable because only now can all the fears, suspicions, and resentments that have always prevented a free flow of beneficial feelings, and yet were covered up by the shoulds, be tackled. This period is called constructive because it represents a beginning search for the genuine. The extent to which spontaneous wishes can be crushed by the inner dictates is amazing. To quote from a patient’s letter written after she discovered the tyranny of her should: “I saw that I was quite simply unable to want anything, not even death! And certainly not ‘life.’ Until now I had thought my trouble was just that I was unable to do things; unable to accept or to control my irritability, unable to make myself more human, whether by sheer will power, patience, or grief. Now for the first time I saw it—I was literally unable to feel anything. (Yes, for all my famous supersensitivity!) How well I knew pain—every pore of me clogged with inward rage, self-pity, self-contempt, and despair for the last six years and over and over again and again! Yet I saw it now—all was negative, reactive, compulsive all imposed from without; inside there was absolutely nothing of mine.” #RandolphHarris 11 of 25

The creation of make-believe feelings is the most striking in those whose idealized image lies in the direction of goodness, love, and saintliness. They should be considerate, grateful, sympathetic, generous, loving, and so in their minds they have all these qualities. They talk and go through the motions as if they simply were that good and loving. And, since they are convinced of it, they even can be temporarily convincing to others. However, of course, these make-believe feelings have no depth and no sustaining power. Under favorable circumstances, they may be fairly consistent and then, naturally, are not question. Madame Wu, in Pavilion of Women, started to question the genuineness of her feelings only when difficulties arose in the family situation and when she met a man who was straight and honest in his emotional life. More often, the shallowness of the made-to-order feelings shows in other ways. They may disappear easily. Love readily makes way for indifference, or for resentment and contempt, when pride or vanity is hurt. In these instances, people usually do not ask themselves: “How does it happen that my feelings or opinions change so easily?” They simply feel that here is another person who has disappointed their faith in humanity, or that they never “really” trusted him. All of this does not mean that they may have not slumbering capacities for strong and alive feelings, but what appears on more conscious levels often is a massive pretense with very little that is genuine in it. In the long run, they give the impression of something unsubstantial, elusive, or—to use a good slang word—of being phonies. An irruptive anger often is the only feeling that is really fair. #RandolphHarris 12 of 25

Is there a “moral” here, or is it simple mechanics? When I am looking outside, I cannot notice me. When I ask people to name the planets, it is very unusual for them to include earth. When I have been asked to count the people present, to set places for dinner, I have often forgotten to include myself. When I have not this intentness outside, it is much easier for me to include myself. It seems to me that my intellect does the “seeing” when I exclude me. When my total organism is receiving, I am included—and then I also know that whatever goes around me is to some extent affected by the fact of my being present. Literally, nothing is that same without me. Even the thoughts in my mind have an effect both on my seeing and on what is being seen, in terms of people. I think it was James Jeans who said, “Man cannot lift a little finger without disturbing all the stars.” It takes a thought to life my finger. So even my “unconscious” gets into it, because my finger may be lifted as a response without conscious thought. Awareness of these possibilities gives me pause, makes me more tentative and gentler, and at the same time more quietly insistent that I must have what is good for me, for all of us. It is best for me (for all of us) to leave what makes me forceful or explosive. “Controlling” my force, in the sense of hiding it, does not remove it. If I cannot let it wash away, dissolve, so that my gentleness is present, then it is best that I remove myself (not necessarily forever)—however much it may go against the conventions of the society in which I live. Among some people labeled “schizophrenic” and among Hawaiians, Hopis and Navajos, I have noticed often this withdrawal before anger or explosiveness takes place. “If I stay, I shall say what I do not wish to say.” “If I stay, there will be trouble. I wish to leave before that happens. Reason begins by being skeptical of everything else. It ends by becoming skeptical about itself. #RandolphHarris 13 of 25

Ida Rolf, an extraordinary physical therapist, developed a technique for altering posture by means of deep manipulation of the entire body musculature, muscle by muscle. The purpose is to soften the fascia, those membranes that sheath each muscle fiber in the body. The fascia becomes tightened and constrict muscle into chronic tension as a consequence of blows, emotional stress, and occupation-linked postural defects, such as the forward droop of the head found in many scholars. The configuration of muscle spasm and flaccidity that defines a person’s characteristic posture pulls the skeleton out of alignment, so that excessive energy is consumed in standing, sitting, or walking. “Rolfers” believe that the change in posture brought about by this “structural integration” technique will improve sleep, energy level elimination, sexuality, and overall health. I received a course of Rolfing treatments and found that the pressure of knuckles and elbow upon muscle (in order to stretch the fascia) is painful, but not unbearable. My posture was improved by the realignment of the musculature of my thighs, back, and abdomen, but since my posture and overall health were good before Rolfing, I cannot notice any dramatic changes; however, in some colleagues and friends with bad posture and health, the alterations in appearance have been quite noticeable. They stand taller and are more energetic and more coordinated in their movements. #RandolphHarris 14 of 25

In the Sacramento Fire Department, team members are required to write a personal mission statement. A mission statement describes your fundamental purpose. It guides the planning and implementation of your vision. It is a description that encompasses your own personal objectives, long-term goals, and guiding philosophy—all of which touch your professional life, as well. In a corporate environment, a mission statement is a description of what an organization wants to accomplish in business. Similarly, your own mission statement should embrace your personal and professional goals. And the best goals come from what motivates you. Once you have reflected on your values and your motivations, you should be able to craft your mission statement without too much trouble. Remember, a mission statement should not be the Ten Commandments for the rest of your life. It should project perhaps three to five years into the future. Just as you will do with your vision, you should revisit your mission statement and adjust it as your life circumstances change—because they will change. Here is an example of a possible mission statement that supports the vision statement we talked about in the last report. “During the next four years in college, I want to achieve excellent grades (B+ or higher) in all my coursework. I will also seek experience in a leadership role in a club, team, or activity, and I will actively seek internships, networking opportunities, and other hands-on experience. In addition, I will volunteer in at least one community service organization on a regular basis. I will keep in close touch with my family as often as possible and help my parents with my younger siblings.” #RandolphHarris 15 of 25

Notice anything mission? The mission statement takes the aims of the vision statement and makes them more concrete. The tone of the mission statement is confident and determined. Do any of the aims expressed in this mission statement seem unreasonable or unreachable? “I enjoy the challenge of working for the Sacramento Fire Department. You see so many people who dread their jobs. A friend of mine who lives across the street is an engineer. He makes a lot of money, but he’s not happy. He envies me. He envies my time off during the week when I’m doing things, or when I’m with my kids. I might not make that much money, but I certainly am happy. I think that’s important. I’m not really looking for promotion. My next step is to be lieutenant, because I’m the driver now. A lieutenant has a tremendous amount of paperwork, and to me, for the additional money you make, it’s not worth it. I just enjoy the firefighting end of it. I think we have the best country in the world, maybe because of going to Afghanistan and seeing how hard people had it there. I really learned to love our country back then. We have American flags on our trucks, two on the front and one on the back. One of the younger members asked me, ‘Why do you have all those flags on the truck?’ I told him that America is the best country in the World. You should be proud of those flags. They’re not there for decoration. They mean something.” #RandolphHarris 16 of 25

If you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. To help our firefighters, pleasure donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to ensure they have all the resources they require. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. #RandolphHarris 17 of 25

The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America, out pacing Christianity. While American was once a nation of generations, there are still many indigenous people lift and others who have been here for generations. To protect America and make sure it will remain a land of the free and home of the brave, we must be patriotic and put Americans first. Democrats and Atheists would like nothing more than red blooded American warriors to become slaves in their own country. They would like nothing more than to close American schools so children can be forced into child labor again. It is not time to roll back, nor will it ever be to remove protection for American citizens. If you have not noticed, crime is spreading to communities that had never seen crime before. Homelessness is on the rise. In fact, Democratic controlled California brags about being the world’s “fifth largest economy,” but it also has the largest homeless population in the nation. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. #RandolphHarris 18 of 25

The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes things like food, automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. This is caused by nearly half a century’s old laws that discourage homes sales and encourage higher rents. Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all of our jobs and money has more than 50 ghost cities. Ghost cities are regions will housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard are amongst the names on that list. Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal 2,500 and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. #RandolphHarris 19 of 25

The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American boarder open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risks to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security relevant alerts, such as end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure is the 2025 Palisades fires because Southern California ran out of water, when they are located next to an ocean and they could have simply created desalinating plants to help with the water shortage. The water is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. #RandolphHarris 20 of 25

The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 21 of 25

In an effort to help America pull through the massive national deficit, please buy American made cars. American made cars used to be the envy of the World and because American car brands are offering a wide range of options, from family SUVs to electric vehicles and luxury sedans, we are now seeing a resurging interest. American made cars are equal or superior to those made overseas. The Chevrolet Trax, for instance, is a well-designed, fuel efficient, and safe SUV. And as you know, there is no better car on Earth than 1950-1970s American Muscle Car. As an incentive to buy American made cars, President Trump plans to made interest on loans for American cars tax deductible. Americans surely make superior products, but we are buying things from other nations. American food imports have risen by 300 percent since 1999. American farmland declined by nearly 20 million acres between 2017 and 2022. As of 2022, there were 880.1 million acres of land dedicated to farming, compared to 900.1 million in 2017. The data shows there are now little more than 1.9 million farms in the country. Americans and American corporations spent $136 billion on food and beverages from other countries. It is a national security risk to lose American Farms and farmers. If there is a war, and most of our meat, produce, poultry, dairy, and fruit is coming from foreign counties, we stand the risk of starving. With war breaking out all over the World, in these uncertain times, it is very important to bring American farms back. Las Vegas is running out of buildable land and is expected to reach its maximum number of homes in 2032. So, home prices are expected to rise dramatically. #RandolphHarris 22 of 25

Additionally, State Farm did ask the California Department of Insurance if they could raise homeowner insurance rates by 22 percent, but this request was denied. However, in 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1107, also known as the Protection California Drivers Act, into law which increases the minimum auto lability limits for bodily injury to $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. Senate Bill 1107 also increased the minimum liability limits for property damage to $15,000 per accident and the DMV deposit for uninsured drivers to $75,000. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2025. This means that drivers with existing policies with lower limits will renew at the new minimum limits on or after January 1, 2025, and insurance premiums could increase by as much as 54 percent. America is in a state of crisis right now because of mismanagement by democrats. If elected for an unprecedented third term, to make housing more affordable and to offset the cost of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance, President Trump plans to abolish property taxes. Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and have the ability to support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. #RandolphHarris 23 of 25

Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrant to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in American, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in American which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt. #RandolphHarris 24 of 25

When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the nation debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by send more money overseas. Buying American made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards in regard to pollution. American companies have to be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Moreover, please remember to respect law and order and treat your elders with the utmost dignity and kindness possible. And take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. It is inborn in the human minds to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again,” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 25 of 25

Cresleigh Park Haven
Rancho Cordova, CA | low $500s
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Cresleigh Park Haven Residence Two: This two-story plan balances comfort and function with its open main living area, upstairs laundry, and generous bedroom layouts. This floorplan provides the perfect blend of privacy and open concept living.

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More than just a neighborhood, Cresleigh Bluffs is thoughtfully crafted design maximizing use of every space, and the perfect place to call home.

Do not miss out. Contact our sales team today to learn more and schedule your tour! And be sure to ask about buyers’ incentives. Currently, there are privately funded programs, with a cash value equivalent of up to $48,000, available to help homes buyers with upgrades, landscaping, or other costs associated with your home purchase.

Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/


BMW stands out due to its focus on driving dynamics and engineering excellence. While other luxury brands prioritize comfort and opulence, BMW is known for creating cars that are fun to drive and offer a unique connection between the driver and the machine. https://www.brianharrisbmw.com/

Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers
Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html

Old Soldiers Never Die

Our problems can never be solved by dealing with them as we do, in passion and prejudice, unless indeed we find a new passion for Rightness and a new prejudice for Truth. The integrity of a man’s intellectual conscience will one day demand from every man a search for spiritual knowledge to confirm, sustain, or even replace his present spiritual faith. The studies should stimulate him to start, continue, or intensify the exercises, regimes, and practices, but they cannot act as a substitute for them. When it is hard to balance the claims of opposing doctrines, it is easier to substitute feeling for thinking. A manipulator’s life involves four fundamental characteristics: deception, unawareness, control, and cynicism. The actualizer’s life is marked by four opposing characteristics: honesty, awareness, freedom, and trust. Manipulators use deception, tricks, techniques, and maneuvers. They put on an act, and play roles to create an impression. Their expressed feelings are deliberately chosen to fit a “secret agenda.” Unawareness is another technique used my manipulators. They miss meaning and significance in experience, through the use of a collection of common heuristics and logical fallacies that lead individuals to focus on cues that are consistent with their opinion and filter out cues that are inconsistent with their viewpoint. #RandolphHarris 1 of 23

Manipulators control people by deliberately concealing their motives from their opponents. Manipulators tend to be cynics. They distrust themselves and others. Down deep, they do not trust human nature. They see relationships as having only two alternatives: to control or to be controlled. In a sharp contrast, actualizers tend to be honest and authentic. Actualizers are able to be and to express their feelings, whatever they may be. There is a congruence between an actualizer’s feelings and expressions, actions and situations. Actualizers also tend to be very aware. They have an accurate perceptions, appropriate responses. Actualizers fully see and listen to themselves and others. They find meaning and significance in life experience. Actualizers express their freedom through spontaneity. They have the freedom to be and to express their potentials, and this allows them to master life rather than be puppets. They are subject, instead of being objects. Actualizers also have deep trust in themselves and others. They can relate to and cope with life in the here and now. Without deserting the use of sharp reasoning, yet without abandoning the piety of worshipful feeling, an actualizer follows obediently the light which has been show him. Using the symbols of the Light of Christ, it is a harmonious cooperation of head and heart. #RandolphHarris 2 of 23

Humans have many actualizing potentials. Some we come to appreciate or value more than others. The more we can appreciate all aspects of ourselves, the more fully actualizing we become. We can be angry at times, loving at others, strong sometimes and weak sometimes. We must fearlessly subpoena our faith to appear before the court of common sense; if it is afraid to do that, it is not worthy of being held. As actualizers, we want vigorous facts, not the vague sentimentalities. However, as manipulators, each aspect ourselves that we disvalue becomes an act of disowning a part of ourselves. And what we disown, we must treat as “things.” When we do something we dislike, we say, “That is not like me!” “It came over me,” instead of “I regret that I did that”or “I am sorry I said that.” Soon this tendency to disown or to deny ourselves spreads into all areas of our lives. When the home team is losing, it is no longer “our team” but “that team.” Similarly, one’s spouse becomes a “nag,” a “ball and chain,” a “meal ticket.” When you feel like an “it,” others about you seem like “its” too. As actualizers, we appreciate ourselves and others and do not need to manipulate others to control them. We operate from a position of self-worth rather than from a position of deficiency. #RandolphHarris 3 of 23

The manipulator, always assuming a deficiency in self and others, is compelled to fight. Life is a battle with strategy, tactics, tricks, or games necessary for survival. When a manipulator loses a battle or contest, he or she feels that everything is lost. The actualizer, assuming sufficiency in self and others and not hampered by the manipulator’s battle gear, sees life as an endless array of exciting opportunities to learn and to grow and to share. While the manipulator is a many-faceted person of antagonistic opposites, the actualizer is a many-faceted person of complementary opposites. From Dictator to Leader. The leader guides and serves rather than controls and dictates. The leader is forceful and decisive, yet not domineering and arbitrary. The complementary opposite to the leader is the empathizer. The empathizer not only talks, but also listens and is aware of his or her weaknesses. Although the empathizer has high expectations of self and others, he or she can understand and accept human fallibility. The actualizer integrates his or her leadership and empathy. The qualities of leadership and empathy are dependent upon each other. Without empathy, a leader is more likely to be a dictator; without leadership, the quality of empathy may be hollow. #RandolphHarris 4 of 23

From Calculator to Respecter. The respecter, rather than using or exploiting others, creatively participates in cooperative endeavors with others. The respecter, trusting and respecting the qualities of self an others, is able to bring out the best in both. The complementary opposite of the respecter is the appreciator. The appreciator is able to celebrate and admire the talents of others without envy. He or she can tolerate differences in others and does not need to have others to think, believe, and behave the same as he or she thinks, believes, and behaves. The actualizer integrates his or her respect and appreciation. A respecter without appreciation is a calculator. Appreciation without the creativity and cooperation of a respecter is like a birthday card bought but never given. From Bully to Assertor. The assertor, confident of his or her rights and strength, is direct and straightforward. Assertors do not view others as enemies to be vanquished, but are also not afraid to stand up and be counted. The complementary opposite of the assertor is the cater. The carer is not the obsequious Nice Guy, but is affectionate and friendly. The actualizer integrates his or her assertion and caring. An assertor without caring is a bully. And a carer who will not assert his or her needs is just playing the “martyr” role. #RandolphHarris 5 of 23

From Judge to Expresser. The expresser is not judgmental of others, but is able to express his or her convictions strongly and well. The complementary opposite of the expressor is the guide. The guide does not presume to protect and teach others, but willingly encouraged others onto the path of understanding. A guide, knowing that each person must find his or her own way, offers the greatest gift one can give to another: belief in him or her. The actualizers integrates his or her expression and guidance. The actualizer does not think for others but with others, having his or her own opinions and beliefs at the same time he or she allows others to have theirs. The mystical attack upon intellect has sufficient basis to justify it up to a certain point. However, when it goes beyond that point and unreservedly praises the holy imbecile and listens with bated breath to his utterances, it renders a disservice to mysticism. If all this enormous human evolution is to end in men feeling like children and acting like fools, is there not a danger that they may go father and turn into idiots? Life, today, is too challenging to be met successfully by the brainless or foolish. It is also nonsense for any mystic of the religious devotional school to say that intellect is useless and unnecessary on the spiritual path. #RandolphHarris 6 of 23

It may be so on his particular path—although even there his assertion is arguable—but it is certainly not so on the other paths. How can it harm a seeker to acquire all possible knowledge about the quest, to know all that he can gather from the history of mysticism, the biography of mystics, the psychology of mystical states, and the philosophy of mystical thinkers? Thus equipped, he is surely better equipped to find his way in what is, after all, a dim and obscure territory. And how can he learn these things without studying books, listening to lectures, discussing ideas, and exchanging experiences with others? If men of high intelligence are trained in theology, at some point the intelligence is forsaken or led to subserve faith. The cleavage of the mental functions in the form of an irrational attitude towards religion combined with a rational attitude towards everything else, is quite common. It is not distant from the mental disease called schizophrenia. Each mistake in action is the result of a preceding mistake in thought. What is lost by bringing a higher intelligence to they study of spiritual topics? If the person is sufficiently balanced to use it properly—nothing. Too many mystics of the emotional-devotional type have, while rightly scorning intellect’s limitations, wrongly decried reason’s services. #RandolphHarris 7 of 23

Dynamite serves the mining engineer and the road builder very well. Fire serves the kitchen cook very well. However, if he or she brings dynamite into contact with fire in the kitchen, both may destroy the individual. Knowledge is not only one’s power but also one’s protector. When the aspirant has great devotion to the Overself but little understanding of it, Nature will halt him at a certain stage of his spiritual career and compel him to redress the balance. Whatever the prevailing attitude, a great deal of the process is always externalized; it is experienced as going on between self and others. Variations in this regard concern the particular aspect that is externalized, and the way in which it is done. Roughly, a person may primarily impose his standards upon others and make relentless demands as to their perfection. The more he feels himself to be the measure of all things, the more he insists—not upon general perfection but upon his particular norms being measured up to. The failure of others to do so arouses his own irritation with himself for not being, at any moment and under all conditions, what he should be may be turned outward. Thus, for instace, when he is not the perfect lover, or is caught in a lie, he may turn angrily against those he failed and build up a case against them. #RandolphHarris 8 of 23

Again, he may primarily experience his expectations of himself as coming from others. And, whether these others actually do expect something or whether he merely thinks they do, their expectations then turn into demands to be fulfilled. In analysis, he feels that the analyst expects the impossible from him. He attributes to the analyst his own feelings that he should always be productive, should always have a dream to report, should always talk about what he thinks the analyst wants him to discuss, should always be appreciative of help and show it by getting better. If he believes in this way that others are expecting or demanding things of him, he may, again, respond in two different ways. He may try to anticipate or guess at their expectations and e eager to live up to them. In that case, if he fails, he usually also anticipates that they would condemn him or drop him at a moment’s notice. Or, if he is hypersensitive to coercion, he feels that they are imposing upon him, meddling in his affairs, pushing him or coercing him. He then minds it bitterly, or even openly rebels against them. He may object to giving Christmas present, because they are expected. He will be at his office or at any appointment just a little later than expected. He will forget anniversaries, letters, or any favor for which he has been asked. He may forget a visit to relatives just because his mother had asked him to make it, although he liked them and meant to see them. He will overact to any request made. He will then be less afraid of the criticism of others than resentful of it. His vivid and unfair self-criticism also becomes tenaciously externalized. He then feels that others are unfair in their judgement of him or that they always suspect ulterior motives. #RandolphHarris 9 of 23

Or, if his rebellion is more aggressive, he will flaunt his defiance and believe the he does not in the least care what they think of him. The overreaction to requests made is a good lead to recognizing the inner demands. Reactions which strike us ourselves as being out of proportion may be particularly helpful in self-analysis. Also, we may draw certain faulty conclusions from self-observations. For example, a busy executive whom I saw occasionally, was asked by phone whether he could go to the pier and meet a refugee writer coming from Europe. He had always admired this writer and had met him socially on a visit to European. Since his time was jammed with conferences and other work, it would actually have been unfeasible to comply with this request, particularly since it might have involved waiting on the pier for hours. As he realized later on, he could have reacted in two ways, both of them sensible. He could either have said that he would think it over and see whether he could make it, or he could have declined with regret and asked whether there was anything else he could do for the writer. Instead, he reacted with immediate irritation and said abruptly that he was too busy and never would call for anybody at the pier. #RandolphHarris 10 of 23

Soon after this, he regretted his response, and later went to some length to find out where the writer was located so that he could help him if necessary. He not only regretted the incident; he also felt puzzled. Did he not think as highly of the writer as he had thought he did? He felt sure that he did. Was he not as friendly and helpful as he believed himself to be? If so, was he irritated because he was put on the spot in being asked to prove his friendliness and helpfulness? Here he was on a good track. The mere fact of his being able to question the genuineness of his generosity was for him quite a step to take—for, in his idealized image, he was the benefactor of mankind. It was, however, more than he could digest at this juncture. He rejected this possibility by remembering that afterward he was eager to offer and give help. However, while closing one avenue in his thought he suddenly hit upon another clue. When he offered help the initiative was his, but the first time he had been asked to do something. He then realized that he had felt the request as an unfair imposition. Provided he had known about the writer’s arrival, he would certainly have considered on his own the possibility of meeting hum at the boat. He now thought of many similar incidents in which he had reacted irritably to a favor asked and realized that apparently, he felt as imposition or coercion many things which in actual fact were mere requests or suggestions. He also thought of his irritability over disagreements or criticism. #RandolphHarris 11 of 23

The conclusion he arrived at was that he was a bully and wanted to dominate. Reactions of this kind are easily mistake for tendencies to dominate. What he had seen on his own was his hypersensitivity to coercion and to criticism. He could not stand coercion because he felt in a strait jacket anyhow. And he could not stand criticism because he was his own worst critic. In this context, we also could pick up the track he had abandoned when questioning his friendliness. To a large extent, he was helpful because he should be helpful and not because of his rather abstract love for humanity. His attitude toward concrete individuals was much more divided than he realized. Thus, any request plunged him into an inner conflict: he should accede to it and be very generous also he should not allow anybody to coerce him. The irritability was an expression of feeling caught in a dilemma which at that time was insoluble. The effects the should have on a person’s personality and life vary to some extent with his way of responding to them or experiencing them. However, certain effects show inevitably and regularly, though to a greater or lesser degree. The should always produce a feeling of strain, which is all the greater the more a person tries to actualize his shoulds in his behavior. He may feel that he stands on tiptoe all the time, and may suffer from a chronic exhaustion. #RandolphHarris 12 of 23

Or he may feel vaguely cramped, tense, or hemmed in. Or, if his should coincide with attitudes culturally expected of him, he may feel merely an almost imperceptible strain. It may be strong enough, however, to contribute to a desire in an otherwise active person to retire from activities or obligations. Furthermore, because of externalizations, the shoulds always contribute to disturbances in human relations in one way or another. The most general disturbance on this score is hypersensitivity to criticism. Being merciless toward himself, he cannot help experiencing any criticism on the part of others—whether actual or merely anticipated, whether friendly or unfriendly—as being just as condemnatory as his own. We shall understand the intensity of this sensitivity better when we realize how much he hates himself for any lagging behind his self-imposed standards. Otherwise, the kinds of disturbance in human relations depend upon the kinds of prevailing externalization. They may render him too critical and harsh of others or too apprehensive, too defiant, or too complaint. Most important of all, the shoulds further impair the spontaneity of feelings, wishes, thoughts, and beliefs—id est, the ability to his own feelings, etcetera, and to express them. The person, then, can at best be “spontaneously compulsive” (to quote a patient) and express “freely” what he should feel, whish, think, or believe. We are accustomed to think that we cannot control feelings but only behavior. #RandolphHarris 13 of 23

In dealing with others, we can enforce labor but we cannot force anybody to love his work. Just so, we are accustomed to think that we can force ourselves to act as if we were not suspicious but we cannot enforce a feeling of confidence. This remains especially true. And, if we needed a new proof, analysis could supply it. However, if the should issue an order as to feelings, imagination waves its magic wand and the border line between what we should feel and what we do feel evaporates. We consciously believe or feel then as we should believe or feel. For instance, Mac was a brave soldier and took good care of his men. However, one day, through ignorance or disobedience a lot of them got killed, and Mac blamed himself. That, along with malaria, malnutrition, and a few other things, caused him to break down. When he recovered, he worked and worked and worked so he would not think, but no matter how hard he worked he never seemed to get ahead, and there was always more work to be done if he wanted to get out of debt. Mac was a caterer and went to all sorts of weddings and other celebrations, but he never had anything to celebrate himself. He was always an onlooker, helping other people feel good with food, drunk, comfort, and advice, and that made him feel needed, as much as he could feel that way. #RandolphHarris 14 of 23

The worst time was at night when he was alone and his thoughts went round and round. The best times were on Saturday night, when he got drunk and could forget and was almost one of the crowd. This started long before he went into the army. His mother ran away with a soldier when he was six, and when he knew she was gone for sure, he fell into a raging fever and tried to die, because that meant she did not need him. He began to work hard very early in high school, but whenever he got a little ahead, his father would somehow trick him out of the money. If he bought something for himself, his father would sell it. He was jealous of the other boys at school because they had mothers, and got into lots of fights. He did not mind bloody noses in the schoolyard, but he could not stand the sight of dead bodies in the war. He was a good marksman, but he always felt sorry for the enemies he killed, not did he hold it against them that his own men got killed. Because he blamed himself for that, he felt that his dead buddies were watching from somewhere, so he was very careful not to add insult to injury by having a good time. Except when he was drunk, and that did not count—or did it? He could never be sure. Once or twice, he tried to crash his car, and did het badly banged up, but survived. His chief way of trying to kill himself was by smoking heavily even when he had bronchitis. After a long period of treatment, he made friends with his mother, and that made him feel better again. #RandolphHarris 15 of 23

Clinical Analysis. Thesis: The old soldier was not good enough for his mother and failed his friends. As a result, he is condemned to work hard forever without getting ahead. He is a spectator in life and cannot join in the fun. He is always willing to help others, and that means more work, but it makes him feel needed. Death will be his only release, but he cannot hurt the ones who love him by actual death by suicide. All he can do is slowly fade away. Clinical Diagnosis: Compensated schizophrenia. Song: Old Soldiers Never Die. Roles: Failed Rescuer, Persecutor, Victim. Switches: Victim (of mother and father) to Rescuer (of men) to Victim (of circumstances). Parental Precept: “Work hard and help people.” Parental Pattern: “Here is how to endure it—drink.” Parental Injunction: “Do not get ahead.” Position: “I am not-O.K.” Decision: “I will work myself to death.” Sweatshirt: Front—“I am a nice guy.” Back—“Even if it kills me.” Pastime: Reminiscing about the war. Game: “I am Only Trying to Help You.” Antithesis: Stop killing yourself. Permission: Tune in and get ahead. Classification—Old Solider is a nonwinner’s script because it is a point of honor with old soldiers not to get ahead. It is a Goal-Structured Cannot script with the slogan: “You cannot get ahead until they need you again.” It is based on an “After” plan, “After the war is over, you can only fade away.” The waiting time is filled by helping people and soldier talk. #RandolphHarris 16 of 23

The educated mind is repelled by superstition, the reasonable mind by fanaticism. Yet both need the fortifying support of a spiritual teaching. Every error rejected and every truth accepted strengthens a man in character and mind. Parts of the organizational structure of the Sacramento Fire Department are built from military traditions. Not everyone can become a fire fighter, EMT, or paramedic. Those who do succeed in achieving this status understand the vital mission of the Sacramento Fire Department. They understand that they must be healthy and in good physical condition and assertive enough to enter a dangerous situation yet mature enough to work as a member of a team. The job requires a person who has the desire to learn, the will to practice, and the ability to apply the skills of the trade. A fire fighter, EMT, and paramedic are constantly learning as the body of knowledge about fires expands and the technology used in fighting fires and saving lives evolves. The job can also be stressful, however. The most frequent reasons for “stressing out” fall into three main categories: The unsettling effects of change, the feeling that an outside force is challenging or threatening you, the feeling that you have lost personal control. Life events such as marriage, changing jobs, divorce, or the death of a relative or friend are the most common cases of stress. Although life-threatening events are less common, they can be the most physiological and psychologically acute. They are usually associated with public service career fields in which people experience intense stress levels because of imminent danger and a high degree of uncertainty—police officer, fire and rescue worker, emergency relief worker, and the military. #RandolphHarris 17 of 23

You may not plan to enter a high-stress career, but as a college student, you may find that the demands of college life can create stressful situation. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) notes some of the more common stressors for college students: Increased academic demands, being on your own in a new environment, changes in family relations, financial responsibilities, changes in your social life, exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations, awareness of your sexual identity and orientation, preparing for life after graduation. Symptoms of distress fall into three general, but interrelated, categories—physical, mental, and emotional. Review this list carefully. If you find yourself frequently experiencing these symptoms, you are likely feeling distressed: Headaches, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart problems, such as palpitations, inability to focus/lack of concentration, sleep disturbances, whether it is sleeping too much or an inability to sleep, sweating palms/shaking hands, anxiety, and problems with pleasures of the flesh. Even when you do not realize it, stress can cause or contribute to serious physical disorders. It increases hormones such as adrenaline and corticosterone, which affect your metabolism, immune reactions, and other stress responses. That can lead to increases in your heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and physical demands on your internal organs. #RandolphHarris 18 of 23

Behavioral changes are also expressions of stress. They can include: Irritability, disruptive eating patterns (overeating or under eating), harsh treatment of others, increases smoking or alcohol consumption, isolation, compulsive shopping. A sustained high level of stress is no laughing matter. It can affect every area of your life—productivity in the workplace and classroom, increased health risks, and relationships, to name just a few. However, you can learn to manage your stress. The first step is understanding yourself better—how you react in different situations, what causes you stress, and how you behave when you feel stressed. Once you have done that, take the following steps: Set priorities. Use the time-management tips. Make a To-Do list. Decide what is really important to get done today, and what can wait. This helps you to know that you are working on your most immediate priorities, and you do not have the stress of trying to remember what you should be doing. Practice facing stressful moments. Think about the event or situation you expect to face and rehearse your reactions. Find ways to practice dealing with the challenge. If you know that speaking in front of a group of friends frightens you, practice doing it, perhaps with a trusted friend or fellow team member. If the pressure of taking test causes you to freeze up, buy some practice tests and work with them when there are no time pressures. #RandolphHarris 19 of 23

Examine your expectations. Try to set realistic goals. It is good to push yourself to achieve, but make sure your expectations are realistic. Watch out for perfectionism. Be satisfied with doing the best you can. Nobody’s perfect—not you, not your fellow Cadet, nobody. Allow people the liberty to make mistakes, remember that mistakes can be a good teacher. However, if you keep making the same mistakes over and over, people are going to think that there is something wrong with you. Live a healthy lifestyle. Get plenty of exercise. Eat healthy foods. Allow time for rest and relaxation. Find a relaxation technique that works for you—prayer, sports, reading a book, taking a bath, playing video games, or breathing exercises. Look for the humor in life, and enjoy yourself. Learn to accept change as part of life. Nothing stays the same. Develop a support system of friends and relatives you can talk to when needed. Believe in yourself and your potential. Remember that many people from disadvantaged backgrounds have gone on to enjoy great success in life. At the same time, avoid those activities that promise release from stress while actually adding to it. Drinking alcohol (despite what all those TV commercials imply), drinking caffeine, smoking, and overeating all add to the body’s stress in addition to their other harmful effects. #RandolphHarris 20 of 23

Here are some other strategies for dealing with stress: Schedule time for vacation, breaks in your routine, hobbies and fun activities. Try to arrange for uninterrupted time to accomplish tasks that need your concentration. Arrange some leisure time during which you can do things that you really enjoy. Avoid scheduling too many appointments, meetings, and classes back-to-back. Allow breaks to catch your breath. Take a few slow, deep breathe whenever you feel stressed. Breathe from the abdomen and, as you exhale, silently say to yourself, “I feel calm.” Become an expert at managing your time. Read books, view videos, and attend seminars on time management. Once you cut down on time wasters, you will find more time to recharge yourself. Learn to say, “no.” Setting limits can minimize stress. Spend time on your main responsibilities and priorities rather than allowing other people’s priorities or needs to dictate how you spend time. Exercise regularly to reduce muscle tension and promote a sense of well-being. Tap into your support network. Family, friends, and social groups can help when dealing with stressful events. All of us can improve our ability to recognize when we are under too much stress or anxiety. We can also improve our ability to turn to the Lord for help. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved,” reports Psalm 55.22. By seeking guidance from the Lord to make a plan of what to do and when and how, the Savior will help us to manage our stress and anxiety. #RandolphHarris 21 of 23

“I don’t want to be on an ego trip, but I tell you there is nothing else in the World like firefighting. I have dedicated myself to it, and I’ve trued to implement a lot of things in the Sacramento Fire Department. As you get higher in rank, obviously, it gives you a better chance to do those things. I have a large family, and there are always money concerns. You say, ‘I wish I could afford to pay my kids’ way through college completely.’ I have a number of children who have completed college. I have a couple of degrees in fire science. I did teaching at a community college. I’ve done a lot of things in the Sacramento Fire Department to improve protective clothing and to improve our fire ground tactics to make things safer for firefighters. Obviously I could have made more money doing something else, but it wouldn’t be the same career. After twenty-seven years, if you’re doing a job, and you still like going to work and look forward to going to work, then you know it’s worthwhile. Money isn’t everything, I guess, compared to the special feeling you have being a firefighter. I have a son now who is going to take the fire exam. He had gone to college for a couple of years, then stopped. It’s really hard to postpone gratification. If he wants to be a firefighter, that’s great. I know he’ll make a living. Hopefully, he’ll have equal opportunity and a fair opportunity for promotion. That’s one of the sad parts of the fire service. We don’t want to eliminate anybody from equal treatment, but I think you end up with reverse discrimination, when other firefighters are entitled to something and don’t get it. A career in the fire service—there’s nothing like it. #RandolphHarris 22 of 23

If you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. To help our firefighters, pleasure donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to ensure they have all the resources they require. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. #RandolphHarris 23 of 23

The Winchester Mystery House

Happy halfway to Halloween from the sheet ghost 🎃 it isn’t just a season, it’s a lifestyle 🏖️👻

Don’t forget! we’re celebrating halfway to Halloween with flashlight tours 👻🔦 only two Saturdays left — may 3 + may 10!

For further information about tours, including group tours, weddings, school events, birthday party packages, facility rentals, and special events please visit the website: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available to purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/

Sit Down on the Camel and Take a Picture

The value of religious knowledge lies in the fact that it is a safeguard against error for it shows how to discriminate between reality and the appearance of it. Neither the deceptions of individuals nor the errors of religious experience can succeed. The expansive type, for whom mastery of life is crucial, tends to identify himself with his inner dictates and, whether consciously or unconsciously, to be proud of his standards. He does not question their validity and tries to actualize them in one way or other. He may try to measure up to them in his actual behavior. He should be all things to all people; he should know everything better than everybody else; he should never err; he should never fail in anything he attempts to do—in short, fulfill whatever his particular should are. And, in his mind, he does measure up to his supreme standards. His arrogance may be so great that he does not even consider the possibility of failure, and if it occurs, discards it. His arbitrary rightness is so rigid that in his own mind he simply never errs. Moses’ concern for his people proved to be justified in the years following their entry into the land of Canaan. It was when they became settled in this goodly land that they began to take their abundance for granted and to forget the real source of these blessings. Moses had counseled them: “For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barely, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; #RandolphHarris 1 of 24

“A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which He hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and His judgements, and His statutes, which I command thee this day: Least when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brough thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage…And thou say in thine heart, my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth,” reports Deuteronomy 8.7-14, 17. Even if a man succeeded in getting others to accept his views, even if everyone accepted them, it is unlikely that they will accept them always. Every opinion has been written down in the books, including the opinion that truth requires us to hold no opinion. “Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the Kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches, if you seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted,” reports Jacob 2.17-19. #RandolphHarris 2 of 24

Suggestions from outside enters largely into the opinions and beliefs, the views and outlook, of masses of people. It is just as true, possibly truer, of the mystically minded, be they seekers or gurus, be they Eastern or Westerners. What is really known—rather than echoed back—dwindles down to a residue. The coveting of wealth so often has resulted in avarice, dishonesty, and greed. The acquisition of wealth has frequently produced pride, self-satisfaction, and arrogance. An episode during the time of Alma in the Book of Mormon illustrates the cycle that has so often occurred when people are blessed materially by the Lord and then turn away from Him. In the instance referred to, the Nephite people were struggling to overcome the effects of a devasting civil strife and a Lamanite invasion, not unlike the struggles more than half of Americans face today. Not only had there been great loss of life; the destruction to lands and to property had been sufficient to seriously jeopardize the prospects of recovery. Alma describes conditions in these words: “But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed. And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgements of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty. #RandolphHarris 3 of 24

“And they begun to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the Church of God,” reports Alma 4.2-4. He may be poised in the tranquility of these grand concepts or poisoned by the negative fogs of false ones. Convert a man to your opinion and you have him for long; compel him to adopt it and you have never really got him. The spiritual reawakening among the people had a dramatic effect. Peace returned to the land. The Church prospered in its rapid growth. Not surprisingly, the people soon began again to enjoy an abundant life. The spiritual blessings granted by the Lord were accompanied by the acquisition of material wealth. Unfortunately, the Nephites failed to meet this test. Within three years from the time of their earlier tragedy, Alma describes his people in this way: “The people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes,” reports Alma 4.6. History repeatedly confirms that the abundance of earthly possessions can be both a blessing and a curse, depending upon the way these things are viewed and used. When we consume them on our own lust, we invoke tragedy. #RandolphHarris 4 of 24

We must work hard to elicit the truth from the medley of beliefs and opinions which rule us, and to extract the reality from the medley of illusions and glamours which hold us. Any fool can say, “I know,” that is, can have an opinion. Mass stupidity is not, and never can be, a satisfactory substitute for individual intelligence. Wealth is a relative thing. Conditions vary dramatically from place to place in the World today. America is indeed a chosen land that President Trump is helping to restore. That which some consider to be the necessities of life, to others would be abundance, and even extravagance. In any set of circumstances, the challenges related to an improvement in material prosperity remain the same. The message that echoes to us from the pages of history and from the counsels of the Lord and His prophets is clear: Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven. Seek not for riches to consume them on your own lusts. Thou shalt not covet. Clothe the naked. Feed the hungry. Relieve the sick and the afflicted. Pay tithes and offerings. In all things, acknowledge the Lord. Be grateful. Be humble. The words of Moses to the tribes of Isreal have appropriate application for us: “Fear the Lord thy God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Here therefore, O Isreal, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey,” reports Deuteronomy 6.2-3. #RandolphHarris 5 of 24

And, “when thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good…which He hath given thee,” reports Deuteronomy 8.10. Far too often private opinions are passed off as God’s oracles, man-made institutions as God’s instruments, and group propaganda as factual history. The masses, lacking both discrimination and information, are led like sheep by the mass media. How credulous fool attain supernormal wisdom? How can the man who is unable to discriminate intelligently in small matters suddenly become able to discriminate in transcendent ones? The jump is not possible. The more a man is engulfed in his imagination, the less necessary it is for him to make actual efforts. It is sufficient, then, that in his mind his mind he is supremely fearless or honest, no matter how beset his is by fears or how dishonest he actually is. The border lines between these two ways of “ I should” and “I am” is vague for him—for that matter, probably not too sharp for any of us. The German poet Christian Morgenstern has expressed this concisely in one of his opens. A man was lying in a hospital with a broken leg after having been run over by a truck. He read that in the particular street in which the accident happened trucks were not allowed to drive. And so, he arrived at the conclusion that the whole experience was only a dream. For, “sharp as a knife,” he concluded that nothing can happen that should not happen. The more a person’s imagination prevails over his reasoning, the more the border line disappears and he is the model husband, father, citizen, or whatever he should be. #RandolphHarris 6 of 24

Most people do not know the difference between an opinion and a truth, and do not make the effort to distinguish between them. It is not better to force illusions into accord with the realities than to go on being pleasantly deceived by them? The self-effacing type, for whom love seems to solve all problems, likewise feels that his should constitute a law not to be questioned. However, when trying—anxiously—to measure up to them, he feels most of the time that he falls pitiably short of fulfilling them. The foremost element in his conscious experience is therefore self-criticism, a feeling of guilt for not being the supreme being. When carried to the extreme, both these attitudes toward the inner dictates render it difficult for a person to analyze himself. Tending toward the extreme of self-righteousness may prevent him from seeing any flaws in himself. And tending toward the other extreme—that of too readily feeling guilty—entails the danger of insights into shortcomings having a crushing rather than a liberating effect. The resigned type, finally, to whom the idea of “freedom” appeals more than anything else, is, of the three, most prone to rebel against his inner tyranny. Because of the very importance which freedom—or his version of it—has for him, he is hypersensitive to any coercion. He may rebel in a somewhat passive way. Then everything that he feels he should do, whether it concerns a piece of work or reading a book or having relations with pleasures of the flesh with his wife, turns—in his mind—into a coercion, arouses conscious or unconscious resentment, and in consequence makes him listless. If what is to be done is done at all, it is done under the strain produced by the inner resistance. #RandolphHarris 7 of 24

We must not be doctrinaires, we must not sit at the sanctified feet of the god opinion. The intellectual purificatory work begins by clearing his mind of errors, illusions, and superstitions. These things lead him astray, both during prayer and out of it, from his search for truth. He may rebel against his should in a more active way. He may try to throw them all overboard, and sometimes go to the opposite extreme by insisting upon doing only what he pleases when he pleases. The rebellion may take violent forms, and then often is a rebellion of despair. If he cannot be the ultimate of piety, chastity, sincerity, then he will be thoroughly “bad,” be promiscuous, tell lies, afford others. Sometimes a person usually complies with the shoulds may go through a phase of rebellion. It is usually then directed against external restrictions. J.P. Marquand has described such temporary rebellions in a masterly way. He has shown us how easily they can be put down, for the very reason that the restricted external standards have a mighty ally in the internal dictates. And then afterward the individual is left dull and listless. Finally, others may go through alternating phases of self-castigating “goodness” and a wild protest against any standards. To the observant friend such people may present an insoluble puzzle. At times, they are offensively irresponsible in pleasures of the flesh or financial matters, and at others they show highly developed moral sensibilities. #RandolpHarris 8 of 24

So, the friend who has just been despairing of their having any sense of decency is reassured about their being fine persons after all, only to be thrown into severe doubts again shortly thereafter. In others, there may be a constant shuttling between an “I should” and “no, I will not.” “I should pay a debt.” No, why should I?” “I should keep to a diet. No, I will not.” Often these people give the impression of spontaneity and mistake their contradictory attitudes toward their should for “freedom.” Sincerity is not enough. Every aspirant needs this, of course, but he also needs other things. An aspirant may be totally sincere, yet may take a wrong direction. His mind may be filled with erroneous beliefs despite his sincerity. So to his sincerity, he should add right knowledge, for this will guide him, this will uphold him, and this will safeguard him. The result of a solely intellectual outlook devoid of religious faith or mystical intuition, is failure to offer mental peace or cherish moral goodness. Self-actualized people have a different sense of humor from the ordinary type. It is not hostile. It is not at someone else’s expense. It focuses more on the foolishness of the human situation. Their humor is usually thought-provoking, and many times they are able to laugh at themselves. President Lincoln’s humor, for example, was very much in this vein. He told one story that many believed could have applied to himself. #RandolphHarris 9 of 24

It seems that a woman on horseback on a narrow trail came upon a man on a horse. She stopped her horse, looked the man over, and blurted out, “Well, for the land’s sake, you are the homeliest man I ever saw!” The man replied, “Yes ma’am, but I can’t help that.” “No, I suppose not,” she replied, “but you might stay at home. Here is another story President Lincoln told, perhaps, to point out that common sense has a wisdom that transcends logic: “If three pigeons sit on a fence and you shoot and kill one of them, how many will be left?” President Lincoln asked. The answer was, “Two, of course.” To which he responded, “No, there won’t, for the other two will fly away.” We are not casting stones at intellectual knowledge; it has a place. However, let it be kept in its place. Let it not become a usurper. The higher mysticism first satisfies the intellect’s demands, then transcends them. It does not, like the lower mysticism, reject or ignore them. Although the intellect admittedly cannot grasp reality, it is nevertheless necessary in order to set a standard, to show what reality is, as such, so that it shall be recognized. A pair of scales cannot weigh themselves but they are necessary in order to weigh other things. Similarly, the intellect cannot yield reality but can measure it so to speak or indicate what is and what is not reality. Hence, it is most valuable as a corrective mysticism and religious experience. #RandolphHarris 10 of 24

The moral code which a man obeys is itself the result of his view of life, whether the latter be imposed on him from without or developed from within. To the Prophet Joseph Smith the Lord said: “I have made the earth rich, and behold it is my footstool, wherefore, again I will stand upon it.” When the mystical bent of mind is not steadied by rational reflection, there is grave danger of mistaking satisfaction for truth, utility for knowledge. “And I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh,” reports Doctrines and Covenants 38.17-18. Dr. Maslow’s “healthy champions” all had some unselfish involvement with others. They behaved as though each member of the human race were a personal family member of the human race were a personal family member, worthy of affection in spite of the way each person may act. However, the self-actualizers also could express “righteous indignation” toward cruelty, hypocrisy, or phoniness in others. They tend to have deeper and more meaningful interpersonal relations than the average adult—close relationships with a few, rather than superficial relationships with many. These people are more able to be nondemanding and noninterfering with those they love, delighting in the loved ones for themselves, not for what the loved ones can provide in return—love without guile, design, or calculation of any selfish kind. #RandolphHarris 11 of 24

Dr. Maslow called this kind of love being love. Such a love, he said, “makes for less abstracting, less viewing of less-then-the whole, less atomizing or dissecting…structuring, organizing, shaping, modeling…” of the loved one, and the object of such love “remains more whole, more unified, which amounts to saying more itself.” A “being” lover sees more easily the nature of the loved one in his or her own right and in his or her own style of being. The opposite of being love Dr. Maslow called deficiency love, which is a manipulative kind of love. Manipulative lovers like to dissect the loved ones to discover and declare their faults as a means of gaining control over the loved ones. They like to mold and recreate the loved ones. Manipulators love because they feel a sense of lacking something in themselves, and they expect the loved one to fill their personal void. If the loved one fails to provide all the demands, their love is absolutely conditional and can be withdrawn. The futility and unwisdom of utter reliance upon feeling, unchecked by reason, was tragically evidenced by the sad case of Nijinsky, the famous Russian dancer, who after delighting audiences in the World’s chief capitals became insane and for more than twenty years had to withdraw from his artistic careers and pass most of his days in a sanatorium. Nijinsky kept a diary in the early days of his illness, in which we find sentences like the following: “I am God. I am God. I am God.” Throughout those pages, Nijinsky insist on feeling rather than thinking as a source of wisdom, and feeling he defines as “intuitions, proceeding from the unconscious.” The man who claimed to be God was, however, unable to fulfill himself as a human being. Why? Because he was really unbalanced for he rejected utterly the claims of Reason, and he denounced “mental” people as being “dead.” #RandolpHarris 12 of 24

Yes, mystical experience must collaborate with rational thought. However, there is a higher kind of mysticism, which prunes away the accidental and penetrates to the essential. Intellectual knowledge is certainly relative. However, what lies beyond it is for us ultimate truth. That there may be a truth beyond this in turn need not concern us at present, for nobody could either dispute it or demonstrate it. The urge for higher knowledge is not at act of the ego but prompting from the Overself. That it gets mixed, in tis earlier phases, with egotistic desires is true but these slowly fall away. Actualized people, Dr. Maslow’s research found, have a more efficient perception of reality than do others. They can see or perceive others intuitively and correctly. They cannot be conned. They do not come into situations with preconceptions, but seem able to leap to right conclusions. They also have a freshness of appreciation, and their senses are not dulled by seemingly common, everyday experiences. They experience joy in the miracles of everyday life that the rest of us hardly see, hear, or feel—a baby’s smile, a loving glance, a cooling delta breeze, a heartful compliment, a warm bed, a sunset, a lovely person’s profile. Each of Dr. Maslow’s subjects had some life task to fulfill that enlisted much of his or her time and energy. It was as if each of them had found and recognized some specific purpose to their being in the World that they pursued with great persistence. They did not ask what America could do for them, they asked what they could do to Make America Great Again. #RandolphHarris 13 of 24

America, to a self-actualized person, could be as large as just that—the world—or as small as a neighborhood or family. The intellect is a faculty that man is endowed with, not by Satan to trap him, but in accordance with the divine World-Idea. Man is learning how to use it. If he is using it wrongly today, the consequences will tutor him in time and he will use it rightly tomorrow. When the mystical bent of the mind is not steadied by rational reflection, there is grave danger of mistaking satisfaction for ruth, utility for knowledge. Socrates taught that character was somehow dependent on intelligence: the better quality of the one was a consequence of the better quality of the other. Therefore, cultivate clear intelligence, he said. Long after, Spinoza repeated this advice. The subjects of Dr. Maslow’s study depended on their own potentialities and latent resources, rather than on others, for their continued growth. Their sense of self and their stability can be described, Dr. Maslow said, as “self-contained.” This independence of the physical and social environment accounted for their serenity in the face of deprivations, frustrations, and set-backs that might drive others to the brink of death by suicide. They did not depend on others’ love and respect for their own development. Their ability to get to such a point of independence, however, was largely made possible because they had received in the past love and respect from others. #RandolphHarris 14 of 24

The need of coping with life forces us to develop intelligence or else to go on suffering the consequences of being stupid! Even the world-picture of a higher condition available to those who will work and sacrifice for it is not without value. It shows a model to use and emulate, a standard to seek and form oneself by. Self-actualized people are accepting of the real nature of themselves and others. Dr. Maslow said that just as, “one does not complain about water because it is wet, or about rocks because they are hard,” a self-actualized person does not complain about human nature in himself or in others.” Healthy people do not feel guilty, shame, sadness, anxiety, or defensiveness about things that are part of their nature as humans. They do not say to themselves, “I am so ashamed that I am so short,” or “I would not want to be seen with her; she is not very attractive.” Healthy people do not feel guilty about improvable shortcomings, such as laziness, jealousy, prejudice, and hurting others. What makes healthy people feel bad are the discrepancies between what is and what might be, not in the inherent nature of things or persons, but in the conditions or situations that might be changed or improved. In truth, we cannot change ourselves. We can find ourselves and develop what we find. That is what actualization is—becoming our real selves. That is easy today, but how does it happen? How do we know who we really are? What is a self, anyway? #RandolphHarris 15 of 24

It is not enough to mean well, it is not enough to believe one is doing right, it is not enough to be earnest, sincere, innocent of evil motives. It is just as essential to possess a balanced mentality, sound reasoning capacity, and unbiased attitude. The Spanish Inquisitors were sometimes saints, Mr. Hitler was an ascetic. Many who have brought misery upon mankind were men of excellent private character: the defects of these people were mental rather than moral, and led them to bad thinking and worse judgment. The moral of this is plain: If not more so than others, intelligence must be cultivated as fully. The role of reason in the human psyche is to keep its balance. You may have not thought of it, but the concept of self can vary from person to person. Some of us think of self primarily in terms of the physical: size and shape, color of skin, hair, and eyes, our attractiveness or unattractiveness; in terms of sensations: hungry or full, in pain or in pleasure, well or sick, tried or energetic; in terms of feelings: bored or interested, happy or sad, angry or loving. Others think of self primarily in terms of work or primary occupation: a professor, a firefighter, a truck driver, a parent, a counselor. And still others think of self conceptually: good or bad, kind or cruel, smart or stupid, friendly or surly, accepted or misunderstood. #RandolphHarris 16 of 24

We can see ourselves as if in a vacuum—alone with no connection to our environment and others; as an outlines totally defined by a background of our environment and others; or as a being who is partially defined by our environment and others and partially defining our environment and others. However, consciousness of one’s self is always a unique act—I can never know exactly how you see yourself and you can never know exactly how I relate to myself. This is the inner sanctum where each man must stand alone, and where we must find the strength to stand as individuals and, through our own affirmation and choice, learn to love each other. Developing a strong sense of self is a prerequisite to actualization, and it requires a leap of faith. You do not have to prove your self-worth; you may assume it. As an acorn does not have to prove it has the potential to become a tree before it can grow, a human does not have to prove his or her own unique self-hood to realize it. A way to begin to discover your unique self is to keep a daily journal, or a diary entitled, “This is Me.” Each day, write a description of yourself, a one-line entry, or several pages. Be sure to describe yourself in terms of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, actions, and experiences alone and with others. You may be surprised at how much you discover about yourself and how the horizons of yourself begin to widen. (However, in the day of people trying to get famous and trying to set others up, you may want to put your journal or diary in a locked safe or locked box.) #RandolphHarris 17 of 24

There has always been in all of humanity a sprinkling of those who are described in the scriptures as the blind, the halt, the lame, the deaf, the withered, the dumb, the important folk. We refer to them as having learning or communication disorders, as the hearing or visually impaired, as those with motor or orthopedic limitations. We speak of intellectual or emotional impairment, of intellectual disabilities, and mental illness. Some suffer from a combination of these, and all of them cannot function without some help. Unlike the acorn, which can become only a tree, the range of what you are is far less limited. As a person, a unique individual, you have freedom, choice, and responsibility. As a manipulator, you abdicate all three. The education of man is worth no more than what he is worth inside himself. If he is evil within, he will be aided by a developed intellect to do more harm to others than he would have been able to do without it. If the good is within, he will have more capacity through education to do good to others. A thorough master and understanding of the Hidden Teaching—even if it be intellectual only—will help to refine, educate, and to some extent, even to dissolve the ego, if the knowledge thus obtained is applied. Truth is a dynamic, not a narcotic. #RandolphHarris 18 of 24

The primary mission of the Sacramento Fire Department and EMTs is to save lobes and protect property and the environment through prevention, education, suppression, and rescue activities. Some of the actual activities may vary from one fire department to another depending on the locations of the department and what other community organizations are present, but the primary mission of the fire department remains the same. “The Sacramento Fire Department is committed to proving the highest level of public safety service to our community. We protect lives and property through fire suppression, emergency medical and transportation services, disaster service, fire prevention, and public education. Our members will Prevent Harm, Survive and Be Professional!” The culture of the Sacramento Fire Department can be defined as the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize the institution. Stress is a fact of life, whenever you are and whatever you are doing. You cannot avoid stress, but you can learn to manage it so it does not manage you. Changes in our lives—such as going to college, getting married, changing jobs, or illness—are frequent sources of stress. Keep in mind that changes that cause stress can also benefit you. Moving away from home to attend college, for example, creates personal-development opportunities—new challenges, friends, and living arrangements. That is why it is important to know yourself and carefully consider the causes of stress. #RandolphHarris 19 of 24

Learning to take time, and although you cannot avoid stress, the good news is that you can minimize the harmful effects of stress, such as depression or hypertension. They key is to develop an awareness of how you interpret, and react to, circumstances. This awareness will help you develop coping techniques for managing stress. For example, as a captain of the Sacramento Fire Department, managing stress will requires techniques that include an awareness of yourself and your firefighters and EMTs. As you will see, the stress you encounter as a student differs in intensity from what you may experience in the fire department, particularly while on duty, fighting a fire, or provided superior medical care. The principles and techniques you use to manage stress are similar, however, as reported by this lieutenant: “I have learned a lot about how I deal with fatigue and stress from the job. I have found that finding a little time for myself each day or even each week allows me to regenerate and focus. Having a sense of humor and not taking things so personally have also helped reduce my stress levels. Keeping a notebook with me at all times and writing tasks, missions, or even just things to do has helped me keep my mind at ease, rather than thinking that I have forgotten to do something. Maintaining communication with my family and friends, and family in the Sacramento Fire Department, whether through e-mail or phone conversation, also keeps me grounded. #RandolphHarris 20 of 24

“A school fire was probably the most traumatic experience I ever had as a firefighter. It was my day off from the newspaper. I was with Squad X, and we were a third-alarm squad on that fire. They jumped it from two to five alarms. As we went in, we could see the column of smoke, and we could see the ambulances and the police vehicles coming away from the fire with the injured. When we got in, we were ordered to the roof of this U-shaped building. We had to go up an aerial ladder, and in order to get the ladder we had to run through a crowd of parents, who were running back and forth across the street looking for their children. So we went up to the roof, started opening it up, then we got a three-inch line up there and we were throwing water across a courtyard. We didn’t know at that point what had happened. All this jumping had taken place on the other side of the building. By that time a whole wing of the second floor was fully involved in fire. Fire was coming through the roof. Then they ordered all squad companies to the front of the building. When we came down, a priest came up to us and said that there were seventy-fire children inside the building. At that point, I decided I had to go to work as a reporter. They had plenty of firemen on the scene, but I was the only reporter. So I took off my helmet and went to work as a reporter. At it turned out, ninety-three children and two nuns were killed in that fire. I was very busy while all of it was going on, but a few days later it got to me. I had seen many horrible things in the past, but never anything quite as horrible as this, because anything that affects children hits you harder. It was a few days later that I really got shook up about what had happened and what I had seen. But when you’re young, you’re resilient, and you get over it. #RandolphHarris 21 of 24

“Years later, I woke up one night with a real sweaty nightmare about that fire. I dreamed about a woman I had seen for maybe three second. I had run past her to get the ladder to go up to the roof. If I saw her today, I would still know her. She had long curly black hair, high heels on, a pink blouse, white slacks, and she had a look on her face—a look of absolute anguish, looking for her child. I hadn’t thought about it at all, and here, ten years later, I wake up in cold sweat dreaming about this woman. And I couldn’t understand why. So I got up and went into my kids’ bedroom to see how they were, and then I realized what it was. My eldest son had just turned eight years old. That was the age—eight, nine, ten—of the children who were killed in that fire. I guess it was, subconsciously, always in my mind. When my own child reached that age, I was so appreciative of having my child that I must have empathized with that woman years later. As a parent I had much more feeling about that fire than I had when I was single. What is interesting about it is the way things stick in your mind, the psychological impact of what you are seeing without knowing it. Today they have counseling for emergency service people, which we didn’t have in those days. Everybody was supposed to be an alpha male. The truth is that us alpha males were bothered by what we saw and what we had to do at times. Today we have counseling, and we understand that what firefighters and EMTs do and see has a tremendous impact on them. #RandolphHarris 22 of 24

“Recently, the City of Sacramento Fire Department, where I am on the board, responded to a terrible accident, in which three young people were killed. We immediately gave that shift the advantage of having some counseling if they needed it. As it turned out, most of them wanted it. So we realize the toll that all of this takes on our people. I think it’s very healthy to do that type of thing. I don’t think the people at the newspaper, where I work, give much of a thought to my firefighting activity. Most people look on it as a rather strange thing for a person to be doing, but I got used to that years ago. Since it’s not something they would want to do, they wonder why anybody would want to do it. They don’t know the great experiences that we as firefighters have, the things we share with each other, and the satisfaction that comes from doing it. To me, being a firefighter is an enrichment of my life. I’ve never had much enjoyment from watching a fire. It would be a pretty frustrating thing. If I’m in another city and they have a fire, I’ll go an observe and try to learn their way of doing things. But there really isn’t a lot of satisfaction simply watching a fire.” It has always seemed to me that the one great theme around which Shakespeare hung all his writing was, in his torn words: “There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.” Certainly, right thinking is even more important than right action. For if two men both perform the same deed rightly but one does so on false reasons and the other on true ones, the first is always liable to slip later into wrong action but not the second. #RandolphHarris 23 of 24

If you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. To help our firefighters, pleasure donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to ensure they have all the resources they require. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. #RandolphHarris 24 of 24

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Recuse Fever–They Do Not Need to be Loved by Everyone

All knowledge is beneficial to man in varying degrees. The knowledge of his own soul, being the highest degree of human knowledge, offers the greatest degree of benefit to man. Unless a man exercises his reason—and that at its subtlest pitch—how is he going to wake up from this dream of spinning planets which he sleeps by the mesmeric power of some unseen and unknow Sage? The Light of Christ influences people for good and prepares them to receive the Holy Ghost. One manifestation of the Light of Christ is what we call a conscience. The Light of Christ proceeds forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space. It is the light which is in all things, which gives life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed. This power is an influence for good in the lives of all people. In the scriptures, the Light of Christ is sometimes called the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of God, the Spirt of Christ, or the Light of life. The Light of Christ should not be confused with the Holy Ghost. It is not a personage, as the Holy Ghost is. Its influence leads people to find the true gospel, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. By forming clearer ideas of the Overself’s activity, man can better cooperate with it, and more effectually remove the obstacles which obstruct that activity. #RandolphHarris 1 of 25

Conscience if a manifestation of the Light of Christ, enabling us to judge good from evil. The light of Christ is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Jesus Christ and gives life and light to all things. Man did not first know through his eyes or hands that electricity exists but only through his powers of reason. We know in our best moments that we are merely recipients of power, goodness, and understanding. What the higher self is trying to do in us may be obstructed through ignorance or assisted by knowledge. Intellect is most useful as a servant but most tyrannical as a master. It may hinder progress or accelerate it. Hence, although the philosopher thinks as keenly as any other man, he does not allow his whole self to be submerged in the thinking process. When man refuses to use his intelligence in settling his affairs it is only because he has not sufficiently developed his intelligence to be able to use in this way. However, philosophically speaking, he is blinded by the ego and so seeks satisfaction rather than truth. Such a one does not know that truth brings satisfaction in its train. The magnificent spectacle of the Universe does have a meaning but it is only discoverable when we put such prejudices aside and accept the deliverances of analytic reason concentrated in its impeccable and searching quest. #RandolphHarris 2 of 25

As we study from the best books, we protect ourselves against the menacing jaws of those that seek to gnaw at our spiritual roots. As man’s conception of the truth becomes clearer, his aspiration to realize it in his life becomes stronger. This is so and must be so. It is wise to be intellectually familiar with the various ways of approach to the Overself, for this expands one’s outlook and enlarges one’s tolerance; but one should also know what is the correct way for oneself. The intelligence which man possesses will not merely enable him to distinguish between truth and falsity in the consideration of external things, but will finally fulfil itself in enabling him to distinguish between the truth and falsity about his own internal being. That is to say, it will lead him to the knowledge of his own true self, his Overself. Many of the opinions which have found lodgment in his head are not there through impartial investigation or intelligent enquiry but through theaccidents of prejudice, bias, or heredity. We live in a day in which misfortune about our beliefs abounds. In times such as these, a failure to protect and deepen our spiritual roots is an invitation to have then gnawed on by an invitation by those who seek to destroy our faith in Christ and our belief in His restored Church. In Book of Mormon times, it was Zeezrom who sought to destroy the faith of the believers. #RandolphHarris 3 of 25

His actions and words were a snare of the adversary, which he laid to catch the people, that he might bring them into subjection unto him, that he might encircle them about with chains. Those same snares exist today, and unless we are spiritually vigilant and build a secure foundation on our Redeemer, we may find ourselves bound with Satan’s chains and being led carefully down the forbidden paths spoken of in the Book of Mormon. “And after they had tasted of the fruit, they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost,” reports 1 Nephi 8.28. The intelligence which man possess will not merely enable him to distinguish between truth and falsity in the consideration of external things, but will finally fulfil itself in enabling him to distinguish between the truth and falsity about his own internal being. That is to say, it will lead him to the knowledge of his own true self, his Overself. The increase in Sabbath day observance is but one example of members spiritually fortifying themselves by heeding prophetic invitations. Further strengthening is evidences in the increase in temple and family history work as families gather their ancestors through temple ordinances. Our spiritual roots go deeper as sincere personal and family prayer become bastions of our faith and we repent daily, seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and learn of our Savior and His attributes and strive to become like Him. #RandolphHarris 4 of 25

In all intellectual and scholastic studies, there is a secondary result which, whether recognized or not, is their most valuable one when judged from an evolutionary standpoint. It is the power of concentrated attention. Even if the student fails to master his subject or to solve his problem, nevertheless to the extent that he sincerely and diligently tries, this power is necessarily drawn upon, used, and developed. Both the mental effort needed to attend to the subject or problem and the desire to wrest the meaning of it, benefit the student even when his studies fail in their specific object. From the one he progresses a step forward toward greater ability to concentrate. From the other he gets a stimulus to his aspiration for truth. One day, both will be applied to the spiritual quest. He lifts himself above the herd, and becomes a student of philosophy, who sees who most people come to rest or even go to sleep in mere opinion. They have not enquired further whether it be truth—perhaps because they lack either the intellectual competence to do so or the preliminary knowledge of comparative opinion which shows up its contradictoriness, perhaps because they begin to find truth displeasing to their biased temperament and disagreeable to their prejudiced mind, perhaps because they are overawed by the massive impressiveness of tradition, authority, and established institutional teaching, or finally perhaps because the truth might prove disturbing to their personal position. #RandolphHarris 5 of 25

When clever, able, experienced, and idealistic men tell you, for example, that a particular doctrine negates all that Christ stood for, and when other men, equally clever able experienced and idealistic, tell you that it fulfills Christ’s ideals, then you have a clear illustration of the truth that some people are able to hold on to their present views only by shutting their eyes and stopping their ears to other ones. The intellectual study of these truths is not without great values. It prepares him for their eventual realization, nourishes his soul, strengthens his higher will, and encourages his finer hopes. Moreover, holy reverence is born of itself as he meditates on the picture of universal intelligence which thus unfolds before his gave. When it is said that all is opinion, it must further be said that all views of God exist in the minds of men as their opinions, too. The value of such opinions is only what these men give to it. For a view which is beyond the mental capacity of an unevolved person is of little value to him, whereas it may be life-saving to an evolved truth-seeker. If the critical sense were lacking, how could a man perceive the insufficiency of earthly aims, the transitoriness of earthly life, and the unsatisfactoriness of earthly happiness? And without such perfection why should he turn away to seek spiritual satisfactions? #RandolphHarris 6 of 25

Every man who has enough capacity to reflect upon his life-experience, has also to acknowledge that some power superior to himself—let him call it chance or God, fate or spirit—exists. “And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgement which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought yet to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am,” reports 3 Nephi 27.27. Our Savior Jesus Christ, is the Light of the World, and He beckons us to follow Him. We must look to Him at all times and especially so if there are dark and stormy nights when the tempest of doubt and uncertainty, like rolling fog, creeps in. Should the pointed fingers “from the other side of the river of water, [where] a great and spacious building [stands]” (1 Nephi 8.26) appear to be directed at you in the attitude of mocking, demeaning, and beckoning, I ask that you immediately turn away so that you are not persuaded by cunning and devious means to separate yourself from truth and its blessings. However, this alone will not be enough in this day when perverse things are being spoken, written, and portrayed. Elder Robert D. Hales taught us, “Unless you are fully engaged in living the gospel—living it with all of your heart, heart, might, mind and strength—you cannot generate enough spiritual light to push back the darkness.” Surely, our desire to follow Christ, who is the Light of the World, means we must act on His teaching. We are spiritually strengthened, fortified, and protected as we act on the word of God. #RandolphHarris 7 of 25

It is the philosopher’s business to reject falsehood and therefore he refuses to swallow misleading statements merely because they have been well-baited on the surface with the sugar of true ones. So much that we esteem as solid fact is quite often nothing more than merely imagination. Enquiry is necessary. The same intellect whose activity deters most men from discovering God’s presence within themselves can be used to discover this presence. Something like this was noticed by Francis Bacon in England, and he put his idea into one of his essays. Time and thought, experience and experiment, study and practice initiation and instruction are all needed to teach a man how to distinguish between the final truth and its countless counterfeits. With growing enlightenment and increasing confidence, he becomes more expert. The intensity with which a view is held tells us something about its holder, nothing about the truth of that view. When they must form an opinion, come to a decision, make a judgment, or choose between alternatives, men consult past experience, listen to authority, obey tradition, or yield to the strongest elements in their own personal character. The imagination creates its own idols which it worships as the true God. Therefore, reason must be called in to cast them down. #RandolphHarris 8 of 25

Disillusionment about pseudo- or half-truths often precedes discovery of the real or full truth. Too many simple persons, whether Easten or Occidentals, do not seem able to distinguish between mere mythology and authentic history. The development of a discriminating faculty is as necessary in religion as in the marketplace. If the mind has been trained to reject a falsehood, be it born from within self or received from others, it will be better able to let the Truth shine unhindered in itself. The first value of correct teaching is that it purges the seeker of many errors in understanding. This purgation in its turn saves him from committing many errors in conduct. Here is its practical value. The second value is that its light instantly exposes imposture, charlatanry, exploitation, or evil in other teachings and in their exponents. There are true as well as false opinions, adequate as well as groundless beliefs. We may freely hold opinions and beliefs, provided they are supported by sufficient evidence. The greater the light in our lives, the fewer the shadows. However, even in an abundance of light, we are exposed to people and comments that misrepresent our beliefs and try our faith. “The trying of [our] faith worketh patience,” reports James 1.3. With this insight, Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “A patient disciple…will not be surprised nor undone when the Church is misrepresented.” Besore enlightenment can be received into consciousness, a measure of sharpness to discern the real from its appearance, as well as of detachment, must be acquired. #RandolphHarris 9 of 25

In a way, the term actualization (to make or become real) is another chapter in the history of the human endeavor to define what constitutes a good life, what it is to have a life well-lived. A great body of writings, from antiquity to the present, documents the human impulse to know what makes life good, meaningful, and, therefore, worthwhile. In the Christian Bible, we find Christ telling us, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” reports John 10.10. Indeed, the Christian Bible is rich with commentary about what makes a worthwhile life. Classical drama and the Greek philosophers addressed the nature of humankind in terms of meaning and potential. The great literature of the Renaissance included many work of this nature, such as The Courtier by Castiglione, The Governor by Sir Thomas Elyot, and Utopia by Sir Thomas More. The common threads in all of these writings are what enriches an individual life (intrapersonal), how an individual contributes to the common good (interpersonal) and what is the human place in eternity (spiritual and conceptual). Dr. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, in a sense, is a part of this tradition, but his studies and writings emphasize the darker side of the human being. His concern is with what makes a human life “bad.” He studied the human as being diseased, and his revolutionary concept has influenced nearly every aspect of our culture and has confined much of psychology to a medical model. #RandolphHarris 10 of 25

Reacting against the Freudian emphasis on disease and returning to the larger tradition as described above, Dr. Abraham Maslow studied healthy humans and discovered the concept of “self-actualization.” Whereas many psychologists, following Dr. Freud’s medical model, believed that we could understand psychological health by first understanding psychological illness, Dr. Maslow suggested the alternative viewpoint. He taught that we can understand psychological health by studying the lives of people who have achieved a high degree of interpersonal satisfaction and self-fulfillment, the healthy champions. It is largely from his research that we draw our understanding of these people. The persons he studied included acquaintances, friends, and such public and historical figures as President Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Dr. Einstein, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Addams, Schweitzer, G.W. Carver, and Henry David Thoreau. Although these individuals cannot be described as perfect by any standard (no human is), their lives and the qualities that informed them, as discovered and defined by Dr. Maslow, provided valuable guidelines to us. In general, he said: By definition, self-actualizing people are gratified in all their basic needs…They have a feeling of belongingness and rootedness, they are satisfied in their loved needs, have friends and feel loved and loveworthy, they have status and place in life and respect from other people, and they have a reasonable feeling of worth and self-respect. #RandolphHarris 11 of 25

His study discloses the fact that self-actualizing persons whose basic needs are satisfied have additional motivations of an even higher nature. Some are conceptual: they delight in bringing about justice, they try to set things right, to clean up bad situations; they manage somehow simultaneously to love the world as it is and to try to improve it; in all cases [studied] it was as if they could see both good and evil realistically. Some higher motivations are interpersonal: they do not need loved by everyone; they like to reward and praise promise, talent, virtue; [they have] great pleasure in their children and in helping them grow into good adults. Some are intrapersonal: they love doing things well, “doing a good job”; they enjoy taking on responsibilities (that they can handle well); and certainly, do not fear or evade their responsibilities. Even though a mere 1 percent of the population, by Dr. Maslow’s reckoning, is fully self-actualized, knowing of real people with these qualities furnishes the rest of us with models for emulation. Such models are necessary precursors to change because they help us to form the “idea” of a new, manipulation-freer life. Unless we can concretely envision ourselves, “being real,” we are stuck with our old masks and deceptions. We learn to discriminate in practical affairs and among material things as to what they seem to be and what they really are. However, the faculty can be applied on a much higher level of existence and a more abstract one, depending on the cultural or personal quality of a man. Its highest application is to separate the Truth about God, the Universe, and oneself from its appearances and their Realities. #RandolphHarris 12 of 25

Being real has a great deal to do with appreciating our own uniqueness, as Martin Buber expresses it in his book The Way of Man: Every person born into this World represents something new, something that never existed before something original and unique. “It is the duty of every person…to know and consider that he is unique in the World in his particular character and that there has never been anyone life him in the World.” Every man’s foremost task is the actualization of his unique, unprecedented and never recurring potentialities, and not the repetition of something that another, and be it even the greatest, has already achieved. Dr. Maslow’s “healthy champions,” seem to understand their singularity in the World, as described by Mr. Buber, but they also have many common characteristics. In the film Maslow and Self-Actualization and in his books, he describes some of their common traits. With contradictions eliminated or reconciled, with errors corrected and new fertile concepts introduced, and with his ideas ranged in an orderly pattern, he can attain some intellectual clarity. Not only was there some fact as well as some exaggeration in Anatole France’s assertion—sceptic and cynic though he usually was—that “all is Opinion!” but it could be restated as “All is secondhand opinion!” They wittingly or unwittingly impose their own opinions, theories, beliefs, and concepts upon the object perceived or the happenings experienced. The result may come near to, or be far from, the truth, depending on their advancement, but it is unlikely to be the whole truth. #RandolphHarris 13 of 25

We have a puritanical attitude toward physical contact in the United States of America and northern Europe. Touching, embracing, and holding hands all appear to be restricted to relationships between parents and young children or between married men and women. In Latin countries, such as France or Italy, and in Asiatic and African countries, it is more common to see men holding hands as they walk down the street or embracing upon greeting one another. Physical contact is given more meanings there than as a prelude to arousal of pleasures of the flesh or an expression of parental concern, as has been the case in our culture. We appear to observe strong taboos relating to touching, yet touching and massage are direct ways to awaken a dormant sense of embodiment. Dr. Jourard conducted a study of touching among college students, their parents, and their friends. Several hundred students were asked to show, on a questionnaire, the areas of their bodies on which touches had been exchanged with their mothers, fathers, closet same-gender friend, and close friend of the opposite gender. The data indicated that not a great deal of touching went on between these students and their parents and their same-gendered friends. With the opposite-gender friend, considerably more touching was exchanged, presumably an expression of affection and erotic caressing. However, the data showed that many of the students tested did not have a lover and were virtually “out of touch” with the people in their lives. These findings suggest that many Americans may be starved for sensual physical contact without being aware of what they are missing. #RandolphHarris 14 of 25

The experience of total body massage (not just back rub) slowly and sensuously conducted can produce extreme relaxation, and a softening of the these “muscular armor” from which many people suffer. Esalen Institute. The growth center at Big Sur, California, pioneered in introducing such massage to larger public. Bernard Gunther’s books Sense Relaxation and What to Do Till the Messiah Comes are readable accounts of ways to relax another person through massage, and to heighten one’s capacity to sense the world through touch as well as taste and smell. Physical contact is coming gradually to be incorporated into the helping repertoires of psychotherapists, in both the psychiatric and psychological professions, in recognition of the fact that problems of a psychological nature occur to an embodied person, and hence have somatic concomitants that can be treated directly. Locate the neurogenetic centers where the future action is happening. There you will find Evolutionary Agents—the Out-Castes. Counter-Evolutionary Agents consistently make the mistake of focusing on today’s bureaucrat-power-holders, who are already outdated by the predom species. In slow moving pre-technological eras, this was a passable strategy. Evolutionary Agents always focus on the predom species—the stages to come. Mr. Aristotle hung out with teenage Alexander of Macedon, not the reigning Philip. Locate the Western Frontier centers and exchange signals with the youthful elite who are always visible in frontal-lobe regions. #RandolphHarris 15 of25

In every terrestrial society there are pupal training centers to which the most successful gene pools send their most intelligent larvals. The future of each gene pool is blueprinted in the minds of its superior adolescents. Teenage brains are the hatcheries of future-realities. In Eastern countries, you will find university students docile and insectoid obedient. Guess what this hive devotion predicts for the future of China. In the midbrain Sematic countries, you will find university students violently nationalistic and fanatically patriotic. In French elite academies, you will find serious technocrats. Mon Dieu imagine what that means for the future of France. Tant Pis. At the frontal lobe, Sun Belt Universities, you will find the young of the predom species obsessed with disciplined self-actualized hedonic freedom. Sign up for the college lecture circuit on the Western Front. There you will learn what is going to happen. And perhaps, maybe, you can influence this hatching future a tiny, tiny bit. We speak of colors as loud, harsh, soft, or mellow without even noticing that we do this, and of people as being cold, or warm, or bright, or dull, or sweet, or sour or crusty. It is not at all confusing to the senses to be “mixed up” in this way unless I get mixed up about it. Our categories, in any case, are not as clearly defined as we link to think them. In the garden the other day, a young woman sniffed and asked, “What smells like beer?” It was the roses. Perhaps, not all roses smell like beer, but these roses did—I had written “do” but changed it, as I do not know even if the roses on this bush always smell the same. I have not noticed. #RandolphHarris 16 of 25

That taste and smell are related is something that we are taught, but we can notice for ourselves that other senses are related too. “I smell purple” is not a ridiculous statement but opens me to possibilities which I have been ignoring. It is no “sillier” than “I feel blue.” When I was suffering an infirmary, I noticed that pains “have” color, shape, movement, temperature and voice. It seems to me that the ability to notice may be more a matter of our noticing than of individual differences. If I “forget my pain” (as I am told to do), I cannot notice it. And so with dreams. And with the experiencing of something much greater than myself in me. Whatever I dismiss, I cannot explore. Like the doctor in New Jersey who was furious when penicillin was discovered because his bacteria cultures were killed by molds too, and he kept throwing them out instead of studying them as Alexander Fleming did. What else are we not noticing that would be helpful to us? Therefore, Americans, remember, it is important to not only be loyal in what you do and say, but you must prove it by doing conscientious, good, and honest work in the service of the MAGA movement. It goes without saying that the well-qualified members of the Party are not regular Republicans, they are elite, patriotic, God-loving Americas and are preferred to non-members of the party who are equally well-qualified, but nobody is hired on the basis of their membership in the Party alone. The determined manner in which the new business manager stands for these principles and gradually carries them out in spite of all resistance proves to be a great advantage to the movement. #RandolphHarris 17 of 25

Training to become a fire fighter with the Sacramento Fire Department is challenging. The art and science of extinguishing fires is much more complex than most people imagine. The Sacramento Fire Department and their EMTs are challenged—both physically and mentally—during this course. They must keep their body in excellent condition so that they can complete their assignments; they must also remain mentally alter to cope with the various conditions they will encounter. Fire fighter and EMT training expands their understanding of recuse and fire suppression—that is, the various activities involved in recovery and in controlling and extinguishing fires. When you join the Sacramento Fire Department, you join a profession with a long and noble history of protecting and serving the community. By the time you complete the course with the Sacramento Fire Department, you will be well equipped to continue a more than centuries-old tradition of preserving lives and property threatened by fires. The Sacramento Fire Department and their EMTs have an understanding of the many duties and responsibilities of the fire service and emergency medical system, and they have a feeling of personal satisfaction about their accomplishments. However, for the Sacramento Fire Department and their EMTs complete physical fitness is not just about exercise, but also includes good nutrition and a sensible diet. They maintain a healthy body weight and body fat percentage through sound diet and exercise to ensure the best health, fitness, and physical performance. All of these things are relevant to maintaining military readiness and achieving peak performance. #RandolphHarris 18 of 25

Knowing the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Guidelines and understanding the Food Pyramid to determine your daily requirements of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat will help you make healthy food choices and improve your physical fitness. In addition, USDA has an interactive website to help you track your diet. Visit: www.myplate.gov, where you can personalize your diet by age, gender, and general fitness level. A health diet has the right kinds of foods in the right amounts. The Food Pyramid, now replaced by the Food Plate, was preferred because it represented many things. The pyramid shape is an ancient shape and is universally regocnized as a symbol of stability and strength. Its broad base supports a narrow peak, representing a solid foundation with the ability to rise towards the heavens. This ancient architectural form has inspired awe and reverence in various cultures throughout history. In the Sacramento Fire Department, they envision a person walking up the pyramid as a need for physical daily activity and different individuals’ different nutrition needs. The different width of the food ground bands indicates the need for proportion—how much should choose from each group. The six color bands symbolize the food you need daily from each group for good health. The six color brans symbolize the food the Sacramento Fire Department and EMTs need daily from each group for good health. #RandolphHarris 19 of 25

Orange (grains): USDA recommends you eat at least three ounces of whole-grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. Half your grains should be whole. To make sure you are eating whole grains, look for the word “whole” before the grain on the list of ingredients. Green (vegetables): You should vary vegetable servings, eating more dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, and dried beans and peas. Red (fruits): Eat a variety of fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit, but go easy on fruit juices, which may contain empty calories in the form of added sugars and sweeteners. (R.W. Knudsen Family makes some healthy juices, one of my favorite is Just Cranberry, you can pick it up at Walmart, along with some other healthy options.) Yellow (oils and fats): Most of your fats should come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Limit your consumption of solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard. Although Crisco fried chicken is a classic Southern Delight, not just because of the nostalgia, but because of the warmth, rich flavor, texture, and tradition of this crispy and golden delicacy, when possible, consume foods with omega fish oils, which help maintain your cardiovascular health. Blue (milk, an important source of calcium): Now, I know some of you love to drink Half and Half because it is rich and creamy, choose low-fat or fat-free milk. If you do not or cannot drink milk, choose lactose-free products or other sources of calcium, such as hard cheese (cheddar mozzarella, Swiss, or parmesan), cottage cheese, and low-fat or fat-free yogurt (including frozen yogurt). Purple (meat, beans, and eggs): You may notice that this band, like the yellow band for oils, is thinner than the others. This visually reminds you to “Go lean on protein.” Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry that are baked, broiled, or grilled rather than friend. Vary your choices, including more sustainably sourced fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds (however, if you have digestive issues, avoid all seeds). If meat typically covers most of your plate, take another look at the classic Food Pyramid. #RandolphHarris 20 of 25

Substance to avoid for proper health and fitness—to reflect a mature decision and to set a good example for their unit, the Sacramento Fire Department and EMTs have a diet that mirrors a wise lifestyle choice that helps them live a longer, more productive life. The Sacramento Fire Department and EMTs avoid substances that detract from their physical performance or harm their health (drugs, tobacco, alcohol, etcetera). Many people in our society have traditionally believed that alcohol—wine, beer, or hard liquor—relaxes you, increases your self-confidence, and alters your perception of stress or fatigue. It is true that for most people, light consumption of alcoholic beverages can be a pleasant social diversion. However, habitual, heavy drinking or binge drinking can cause severe dehydration, decreased performance, dependence, and harm to your metabolism. If they even choose to drink at all, the Sacramento Fire Department expects their firefighters and EMTs to exercise their judgment and drink responsibly, which includes obeying all laws regarding drinking and the legal drinking age. And never drink to “quench your thirst” before, during, or after a workout. (I know some fitness models encourage people to have a shot of Vodka before workouts, but that could be life threatening.) Cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, crack cocaine, cocaine, vaping, MDMA all could be laced with heroin and/fentanyl and could be deadly. Not only that, but they contain a whole gamut of cancer-causing chemicals that provide no beneficial health effects, and vaping can lead to irreversible lung damage. Some maintain that the “buzz” from tobacco leads to improved performance and reaction times, but no medical evidence supports this position. If you do not smoke at all, in the interest of good physical fitness, it is best. If you do smoke, however, limits your intake and avoid smoking before, during, and after workouts. Smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure. (And do not normalize smoking marijuana, it is dangerous and children may adopt the habit, and remember, it is still federally illegal and known to cause excessive weight gain. Just because everyone is having premarital does not mean it is not against the Law of Chastity and not a sin in the eyes of God.) #RandolphHarris 21 of 25

Furthermore, controlled substances are those strictly regulated by the government and may require medical prescriptions. You should use such substances only under medical supervision. Other drugs such as amphetamines, narcotics, steroids, and other so-called “performance enhancing drugs” are illegal and banned by the Sacramento Fire Department. These drugs change performance by increasing central nervous system arousal. They increase your heart rate and blood pressure and they may cause dizziness, nauseas, irritability, insomnia—even death. No one in the Sacramento Fire Department or who is interested in good physical fitness consumes these substances; they can only detract from your performance in both the short and long term. They Sacramento Fire Department forbids their use. Keep in mind, health and fitness are integral parts of the Sacramento Fire Department’s life. They are critical for readiness and important to the well-being of the individual Fire Fighter and EMT. Although not a cure-all, a properly planned fitness program yields many physical and mental benefits. Effective physical training can improve your body composition (decrease body fat and increase lean body weight), ability to work, mental alertness, self-confidence, and general well-being. Exercise also decreased metabolic and mental health risks, such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, and much more. With assistance from your Sacramento Fire Department instructors, you are able to apply the Sacramento Fire Department’s general fitness principles to create a self-directed physical training program that meets your needs and fulfills your personal and personal goals. #RandolphHarris 22 of 25

“In one month, we have fifty people apply for jobs with the Sacramento Fire Department, but where was a hard core of only ten or fifteen men who were in it for the firefighter. I’ve noticed this is typical, the same ten or fifteen guys you can count on. These are the ones who will take the courses, show up for the drills, and whenever they are available, they will never miss a fire. They can have a 100-degree Fahrenheit fever, and if that alarm goes off, they are going to drag out of bed and get to the fire. Your bond as a firefighter or EMT is always with that hard-core group who are the active firefighters and medical team. Fire Fighters and EMTs with the Sacramento Fire Department have great pride in his company, whether he is full-time, part-time, or training. Outsiders can’t understand that. On Squad X in Sacramento we always felt we were the best, we could meet any challenge. We called ourselves gladiators. We thought we were invincible. The same thing was true on other companies that I have been on. We thought that we could meet whatever we had to face, and we always did—a great feeling of accomplishment. People say it’s an unusual job. It’s not a job at all. A great part of my life would be empty if it were not for the Sacramento Fire Department. Firefighting is a way of life. You will be in a rotten fire situation—filthy dirty, cold, coated with ice—it’s been a long hard night, and yet you feel sorry for the people who have not had that experience. Among firefighters and EMTs, you feel good about each other and about yourself. #RandolphHarris 23 of 25

“Outsiders can’t understand the feeling you get when a bell rings and you know you’re gonna go. The tension you feel when a box comes in, when you’re not due on the box, but you’re due on the second. Waiting to see if they’re going to pull the second alarm or not. Everybody gets up and goes to the bathroom, because you don’t know if you’re going to get another chance. Then all of the sudden there is a feeling of exhilaration when the bell starts ringing, they’ve pulled the second alarm and you’re going. You’re going to be challenged. The feeling you get when you’re on your ways and you look up and see that column of smoke or that glow, and you know you’re going to have a working fire. It isn’t that you want something bad to happen to someone else, that’s not it at all. It’s the feeling of all, the strangest feeling, is the one that you have when you’re on your way there, and they tell you on the radio that people are trapped. I call it “rescue fever,” and it comes over the whole company. It’s a shot of adrenaline. You do things you didn’t believe were physically possible. The idea that somebody is trapped in there, and you’re going to have to get them. I’ve always admired what firefighters have been able to do. Sometimes it’s also a bit frightening, because it has led people do try to do more than they should have and get themselves into extremely dangerous situations. #RandolphHarris 24 of 25

“The feeling you get when you are in, and the entire building is involved, and you know that it’s going to a second or third alarm. There is just your one engine there, you’re laying out that one line, and you know that help has been called for but hasn’t gotten there yet. There is that state of suspended animation—you’re throwing water from that one two-and-a-half-inch line, and it doesn’t mean a thing in that volume of fire. Then you start hearing the sirens coming from the other apparatus. You have this confidence that the system is going to work. It may take ten, twenty, thirty companies to do it, but in the end you’re going to get the job done. One of the greatest satisfactions of all is when you’re in the trenches, where you have a big fire, and there you are, one company, the five or six of you are right at the point where that fire has to be stopped. There are maybe a hundred guys out there and twenty or thirty pieces of apparatus, you just know when it’s your company that has gotten into the right position and you’re the ones who made the stop on the fire. When I was in high school, I played football Oakland Coliseum, and I get the same thrill fighting fires. It’s totally overwhelming. Adrenaline flowing superstrength. Everything. It’s the excitement I’m in it for. I like to work on the older guys when they say we’re not being paid enough. Although it is true, we love our careers. You get many fires in Sacramento. We’re becoming the arson capital of the World.” #RandolphHarris 25 of 25


Join OKO Designs on May 25th for a fun and hands-on 3-hour stained glass workshop at The Winchester Mystery House. You will learn how to select, cut, grind, and copper foil glass, then solder your pieces together into a beautiful Daisy ornament. Perfect for beginners! ✨

All materials are included—and best of all, you will take your finished creation home the same day! 🌼

Very limited seating – get tickets now

Please note: All participants are required to sign a waiver and watch a safety video prior to the workshop—both are included in your booking confirmation email. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/


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Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers
Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html

The City of Oakland is an equal-opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

I Should be Able to Melt the Heart of a Criminal

Although, many people think life is hard, we are less alone when we realize we are not alone. Of course, life it hard, it is supposed to be because life is a test. However, our Saviour always understands. Life being is part of the Heavenly Father’s plan. The trials we face do not mean that the plan is failing. They are part of the plan meant to help us seek God. We become more like Him when we endure patiently. Sometimes, amid our struggles and thoughts of our shortcomings, we forget the point of life’s trials: to turn us to Christ and to our Heavenly Father. “Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the Earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down His life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise,” reports 2 Nephi 2.8. The Saviour knows our struggles in detail. He knows you great potential to grow in faith, hope, and charity. Heaven can give us strength and wisdom beyond our own. No matter tribulation and no matter delays in promised blessings, we can be of good cheer; for Christ has overcome the World, and we are with Him. If the Saviour was standing here today, He would express His endless love for you, His complete confidence in you. He would tell you that you, “do all things through him who strengthens me,” reports Philippians 4.13. #RandolphHarris 1 of 23

Life is sometimes hard because of manipulators. We believe that the modern manipulator has developed from our “scientific” emphases as well as from our marketplace orientation, which sees humans as things to know about, to influence, and to manipulate. Witness the presidential campaigns or any manor election to see how the electorate is analyzed and fed images designed to influence their votes based on opinion polls. The candidates are frequently advised not to reveal too much of their true selves, but to display themselves as metaphors of whatever the current poll indicates will satisfy public opinion—a televised visit to a family farm, a picture of the candidate hugging an elderly person at a retirement community. Wearing a hard hat. A military helmet. A baseball cap. A thing. Things can be dissected or manipulated without damage to their natures, but a human being is not a thing. People cannot be dissected without being destroyed; they cannot be manipulated without being harmed. Yet, the very objective of the marketplace is to achieve this “thingness” in people! In the marketplace, people are no longer persons but customers. To the sales manager, they are prospects; to the tailor they are suits; to the bond salesman they are bank accounts. Even at hair salons, where a rather intimate service is performed, the customer is a tipper. #RandolphHarris 2 of 23

All of this tends to depersonalize us and deprive us of our individuality, and we resent it. We all want particularity, but that is not what we have when we are hooked into our commercial World, where the quality of individuality is destroyed. When the con artists of the selling games cajole us with stock phrases, meaning not a bit of it, we resent it and them. We are all in the same boat. We all have the manipulative potentials we have come to resent in others. We have at our disposals a variety of manipulative actions and intentions. Sometimes we are “avoiding and withdrawing.” Sometimes “blaming and attacking.” Sometimes “pleasing and placating.” We seem different to different people and different manipulations to others. This is the reason that we cannot judge someone by another’s opinion. Too often, another’s opinion of someone is based on having seen only certain sides of that person. There is often a lot of manipulation that takes place in marriages. A man name Jason admitted to committing adultery. However, unlike many other adulterers he knows, he never has really cared for the people he has affairs with. He mostly lusts after other women, as long as he is able to like them. Jason admits that there must be more than a physical attraction for the affair to last more than once or twice, and he has never had a so-called “one-night stand.” Sometimes people are unwilling to have an affair with other people because they do not find them as attractive as their spouse. At other times, people just want to have an affair because they are in a foreign land and think it is stimulating or romantic. #RandolphHarris 3 of 23

When a person discloses that they are having an affair, it is not always about being honest and getting rid of guilt. It could be a manipulative way of trying to get their spouse to leave them. While having an affair, some people are as determined as they can be—they want out of their marriage. Getting out of a marriage does not mean that one is looking to remarry someone else, but having someone to go through a divorce with helps. Especially when children are involved, a divorce is a really very, very heavy thing. When having serial affairs, people do realize that they will never experience commitment nor peace, but they still do it. It is because they love the ballet. For a moment, one is into oneself, and all of their being is expressed. Pleasures of the flesh can also be another reason why people have affairs. Sometimes the same love style gets boring because one loses motivation and knows what to expect, and this may be the initial reason they start going elsewhere. Stimulating creativity in the bedroom is not always a possibility for everyone because there is not enough room in the house. In the act of consoling one another, some people even have affairs with their siblings as a way of releasing frustrations. Others have affairs with their adult kids. With cases of incest, from the research conducted, these people do not feel guilty about having affairs with family members. The only concerns they have are “creating a line of bleeders or idiots.” #RandolphHarris 4 of 23

Genetic distortion is a great taboo against incest. The less traumatic kinds of incest involve, first, brother and sister; and second, father and daughter. By far the most traumatic type of incest is mother-son. The last type may be the least frequent of all, as far as overt expression of pleasures of the flesh is concerned. However, a domineering, smothering type of mother is responsible for what can with some fairness be described as a psychosocial incest relationship. Males can be crippled in this situation without ever having been to bed with their mothers. As adults, they suffer from sexual dysfunction, particularly primary or secondary impotence. In terms of explicit sexual expression of incest, it is important to distinguish between single incidents and continuing relationships. These two references during the symposium to incest were of single incidents and these are either readily forgotten or relegated to the past with a minimum od distress. On the other hand, incestuous relationships that have been maintained for long periods of time and that have not been psychosocially released when physical activity is terminate, cause the greatest difficulty in later life. One other factor ought to be mentioned here. When infidelity has been absorbed into a pattern of life and when the individual has the freedom to act in accordance with private needs, it is not at all unusual to have an incestuous opportunity utilized in response to the impulse of the moment. #RandolphHarris 5 of 23

The instance given of the man with his sister, seeking solace and support in terms of his own personal insecurities and his fears of his wedding night, is quite understandable and probably not particularly traumatic for either brother or sister. Incest may seem like a far cry from where we are today in America. However, it is akin to, “Love is love.” Incest has become more prevalent in entertainment. Incest is explicitly condemned in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Leviticus 18.6 sates, “None of you shall approach any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord.” In 1 Corinthias, Paul rebukes the church, saying, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immprtality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for man has his father’s wife” (Leviticus 18.8). Life is difficult for everyone. Therefore, take the trials of life and turn to Jesus Christ. He believes in us. He will strengthen us and lift our burdens. You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the World. Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems. Even if it is not what we wanted, to endure faithfully, it is essential to accept God’s will. What is Jesus has wavered in His commitment to do His Father’s will? His Atonement would not have become accomplished. The dead would not be resurrected. The blessings of immortality and eternal life would not be. However, Jesus did endure. He paid for all our sins and suffering and paid the price for our return to our Father. Because He endured with faith, each of us can enjoy the blessings of eternal life. #RandolphHarris 6 of 23

Expect no favourable opinion of spiritual truth from a man who looks at life through the medium of the senses alone, whose reason is enslaved by them, and whose intuition is effaced by them. To depend on feeling as a guide to truth is to depend on a truncated method which is inadequate to the task. The only complete basis for our enquiry is feeling plus reason, the only results which possess unquestionable validity are those achieved by feeling plus reason. The power of intuition alone can enable us to discriminate between the real and the unreal and it alone can eliminate all doubts by eliminating contradictions. There is no reason why itself should not be appeased. This intellectual power is not to be allowed to crush the Heaven-born intuitional sense by its sheer wight but is to be fused with it. The intellect can present opinions—some very plausible and logical, others very weighty and fact-supported. However, only the intuition can penetrate those layers after layer of spiritual experience which reveal the truth about man’s link with God. If the intellect’s workings are not warmed by the heart’s movements, it can only approach the reflected images of truth, not truth of itself. The disputations which follow the activity of intellect melt away in the harmonies which follow the upwelling of intuition. The sin of the intellectual is when he allows intellect to block intuitive feeling, to serve only the animal body or to disregard the testimony of all those who, since early antiquity, have solved the problem of being and experienced the mind at its best level. Such men may have the finest brains, the greatest erudition, but themselves remain uncorrupted by these possession. #RandolphHarris 7 of 23

The intellect is not competent to establish the existence of God, which only a higher faculty can know and consequently make any valid assertions about. However, neither is it competent to disprove the existence of God since it can disprove only those finite matters which it can deal with: God, being, infinite, is outside its reach in every way. The intellect cannot be used to ascertain the ultimate truth without becoming involved at the end in inexplicable contradictions. Some of them are: There is an ego—there is no ego. The World is real—the World is unreal. Any idea or statement about fundamental being, whether of man or cosmos, can be countered by its opposite. If not accompanied by the balancing cultivation of the intuition, the simple education of the intellect, whether as a hoarding of information or a training in reasoning, becomes mere vanity. What we need is a third point of view which shall fall into neither of these two extremes of emotional credulity or rational scepticism, whilst reconciling what is sound in both. This exists in the intuitive point of view. There is always a risk that in taking a too intellectual view of the Universe and in practising a too methodical system of yoga, the aspirant may get caught in the machinery of both intellect and method. If he is unable to extricate himself then, whatever benefit he derives from both will always be on the lower plane. The transcendental insight which he seeks will then be as elusive as ever. If he seeks guidance concerning the correct course to pursue, he can better get it from the still center of his being than from the restless chopping of his intellect. It is better to be intelligent when he is searching among ideas and doctrines than to be credulous—otherwise he may mistake human absurdity for divine mystery—but he can be so only if intuitive feeling is at work along with the reasoned thinking. #RandolphHarris 8 of 23

His own mind acts as a medium which interprets each experience, event, object. Hence it colours necessarily if unwittingly or even reshapes what is received by consciousness. And in the case of the Real, the end results for him is a paradox. He cannot know It without transcending himself. He cannot transcend himself without rising above the knower-and-known duality. Where intuitive feeling will guide him aright to his best decisions, calculating intellect will not infrequently step in with doubts or fears and rob him of them. The contribution of intellect is indispensable. However, it is not enough. It leaves a most important part of the psyche—the intuition—still untouched. Let us consider some demands: I should always be understanding, sympathetic, and helpful. I should be able to melt the heart of a criminal. Again, this is not entirely fantastic. Rare people, such as the priest in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, have achieved this spiritual power. I had a patient to whom the figure of the priest was an important symbol. She felt she should be like him. However, she did not, at this juncture, have any of the attitudes or qualities which enabled the priest to act as he did toward the criminal. She could act charitably at times because she felt that she should be charitable, but she did not feel charitable. As a matter of fact, she did not feel much of anything for anybody. She was constantly afraid least some body take advantage of her. Whenever she could not find an article, she thought it had been stolen. #RandolphHarris 9 of 23

Without being aware of it, her neurosis had made her egocentric and bent on her own advantage—all of which was covered up by a layer of compulsive humility and goodness. Was she at that time willing to see these difficulties in herself, and to work at them? Of course not. Here, too, it was a question of a blind issuing of orders which could lead only to self-deception or unfair self-criticism. In trying to account for the amazing blindness of the shoulds, we again have to leave many loose ends. This much, however, is understandable from their origin in the search for glory and their function to make oneself over into one’s idealized self: the premise on which they operate is that nothing should be, or is, impossible for oneself. If that is so, then logically, existing conditions need not be examined. This trend is most apparent in the application of demands directed toward the past. Concerning the neurotic’s childhood, it is not only important to elucidate the influences which set his neurosis going, but also to recognize his present attitudes toward the adversities of the past. These are determined less by the good or the bad done to him than by his present needs. If he has developed, for instance, a general need to be all sweetness and light, he will spread a golden haze over his childhood. If he has forced his feelings into a straight jacket, he may feel that he does love his parents because he should love them. If he generally refuses to assume responsibility for his life, he may put all the blame for all his difficulties on his parents. The vindictiveness accompanying this latter attitude, in turn, may be out in the open or repressed. #RandolphHarris 10 of 23

He may finally go to the opposite extreme, and seemingly assume an absurd amount of responsibility for himself. In this case, he may have become aware of the full impact of intimidating and cramping early influences. His conscious attitude is quite objective and plausible. He may point out, for instance, that his parents could not help behaving the way they did. The patient sometimes wonders himself why he does not feel any resentment. One of the reasons for the absence of conscious resentment is a retrospective should that interests us here. Though he is aware that what has been perpetrated on him was quite sufficient to crush anybody else, he should have come out of it unscathed. He should have had the inner strength and fortitude not to let these factors affect him. So, since they did, it proved that he was no good from the beginning. In other words, he is realistic up to a point; he would say: “Sure, that was a cesspool of hypocrisy and cruelty.” However, then, his vision becomes blurred: “Although I was helplessly exposed to this atmosphere, I should have come out of it like a lily out of a swamp.” If he could assume a matter-of-fact responsibility for his life instead of such a spurious one, he would think differently. He would admit that the early influences could not fail to mold him in an unfavourable way. And he would see that, no matter what the origin of his difficulties, they do disturb his present and future life. For this reason, he had better muster his energies to outgrown them. #RandolphHarris 11 of 23

Instead, he leaves the whole matter at the completely fantastic and futile level of his demand that he should not have bene affected. It is a sign of progress when the same patient at a later period reverses his position and rather gives himself credit for not having been entirely crushed by the early circumstances. The attitude toward childhood is not the only area in which the retrospective should operate with this deceptive counterfeit of responsibility, and the same resultant futility. One person will maintain that he should have helped his friend by voicing a frank criticism; another that he should have brought up his children without their becoming neurotic. Naturally, we all regret having failed in this or that regard. However, we can examine why we failed, and learn from it. We must also recognize that in view of the neurotic difficulties existing at the time of the “failures,” we may actually have done the best we could at that time. However, for the neurotic, to have done his best is not good enough. In some miraculous way, he should have done better. Similarly, the realization of any present shortcoming is unbearable for anybody harassed by dictatorial should. Whatever the difficulty, it must be removed quickly. How this removal is effected varies. The more a person lives in imagination, the more likely it is that he will simply spirit away the difficulty. Thus, a patent who discovered in herself a colossal drive for being the power behind the throne, and who saw how this drive had operated in her life, was convinced by the next day that this drive was now entirely a matter of the past. She should not be power ridden; so she was not. After such “improvements” occurred frequently, we realized that the drive for actual control and influence was but one expression of the magic power she possessed in her imagination. #RandolphHarris 12 of 23

Personality refers to the characteristics ways in which an individual experiences and acts in life situations. Action affects not only the external environment, but also the health of the body. A Physical-Health-Promoting Personality. The meaningful question to ask is “What regimen, what ways of behaving in the World will promote health?” The most obvious answer to this question relates to such matters as diet, rest, and sensible exercise. People who have been adequality educated in general hygiene will follow a diet that maintains health, energy, and weight; they will care for their teeth; they will sleep enough to restore their energy; and they will exercise enough to keep fit. A more subtle factor in the production and maintenance of physical health is morale, or “spirit.” Increasing evidence indicates that when persons find their loves challenging and satisfying, their bodies work better and they resist infectious illness better. Meaningful work, enjoyable leisure, love and friendship are inexpensive healthy insurance. When I was sick and spent so much time noticing what was going on in me, in both my body and mind (could I be without either one?), and tried to write about it, I struggled much too hard before I have up. Intent on my goal, I was trying to force it, instead of considering whether this goal was possible. At last, it was forced on me that the only way I could do it would be to write each aspect on a separate transparent sheet, lay all the sheets on tip of each other and hold them against the light so people could look through them. Then all they would see was muddle. And before the first sheet had been written, something in it and all the others would have changed. To have any fixed ideas about myself is nonsense: I can only notice what is going on in me now. #RandolphHarris 13 of 23

Saint-Just gives an impassioned speech in which he calls for the death of Louis XVI. He believes the king to stand in the way of the French Revolution and enlightenment ideas. The only purpose of Saint-Just’s speech is, once and for all, to block every egress for the King except the one leading to the scaffold. If, in fact, the premises of The Social Contract are accepted, this is logically inevitable. At last, after Saint-Just, “kings will flee to the desert, and nature will resume her rights.” If passed judgment on Louis XVI or if it pronounced a security measure, it was quite pointless of the Convention to vote a reservation and say that it did not intend to create a precedent. In doing so, it refused to face the consequences of its own principles and tried to camouflage, with shocking hypocrisy, its real purpose, which was to found a new form of absolutism. Jacques Roux, at least was speaking the truth of the times when he called the King Louis the Last, thus indicating that the real revolution, which had already been accomplished on the economic level, was then taking place on the philosophic plane and that it implied a twilight of the gods. Theocracy was attacked in principle in 1789 and killed in its incarnation in 1793. Brissot was right in saying: “The most solid monument to our revolution is philosophy.” On January 21, with the murder of the King-priest, was consummated what has significantly been called the passion of Luuis XVI. It is certainly a crying scandal that the public assassination of a weak but goodhearted man has significantly been called the passion of Louis XVI. #RandolphHarris 14 of 23

It is certainly a crying scandal that the public assassination of a weak but goodhearted man has been presented as a great moment in French history. That scaffold marked no climax—far from it. However, the fact remains that, by its consequences, the condemnation of the King is at the crux of our contemporary history. It symbolizes the secularization of our history and the disincarnation of the Christian God. Up to now, God played a part in history through the medium of the kings. However, His representative in history has been killed, for there is no longer a king. Therefore, there is nothing but a semblance of God, relegated to the Heaven of principles. The revolutionaries may well refer to the Gospel, but in fact they dealt a terrible blow to Christianity, from which it has not yet recovered. It really seems as if the execution of the King, followed, as we know, by hysterical scenes of suicide and madness, took place in complete awareness of what was being done. Louis XVU seems, sometimes, to have doubted his divine right, though he systematically rejected any projected legislation which threatened his faith. However, from the moment that he suspected or knew his fate, he seemed to identify himself as his language betrayed, with his divine mission, so that his language betrayed, with his divine mission, so that there would be no possible doubt that the attempt on his person was aimed at the King-Christ, the incarnation of the divinity, and not at the craven flesh of a mere man. His bedside book in the Temple was the Imitation. #RandolphHarris 15 of 23

The calmness and perfection that this man of rather average sensibility displayed during his last moments, his indifference to everything of this World, and, finally, his brief display of weakness on the solitary scaffold, so far removed from the people whose ears he had wanted to reach, while the terrible rolling of the drum drowned his voice, give us the right to imagine that it was not Capet who died, but Louis appointed by divine right, and that with him, in a certain manner, died temporal Christianity. To emphasize this sacred bond, his confessor sustained him, in his moment of weakness, by remining him of his “resemblance” to the God of Sorrows. And Louis XVI recovers himself and speaks in the language of this God: “I shall drink,” he says, “the cup to the last dregs.” Then he commits himself, trembling, into the ignoble hands of the executioner. This holds an important lesson for our future. The importance of the individual will no longer lie in the state’s domain of political power. I see them as important ethnic and cultural centers. Evolution is speeding up. The 21st Century evolution has accelerated with a rapidity that is almost impossible for us to understand. For three billion years, the intelligence of life forms on this planet grew with almost invisible acceleration. It took more than two billion years to slowly evolve the muscular technologies that propelled animals a few miles per hour and which produced the muscular force of an elephant. #RandolphHarris 16 of 23

Then, with the mechanical revolution, the curve rockers upward. The horizontal axis of is time indexed in billions of years. The vertical/energy axis can be calibrated in terms of number of inventions, energy produced and consumed mobility in terms of speed and altitude, expansions of perception—microscopic or telescopic. Whatever energy index we chart, the climb rate shot up almost vertically after 1946. The human species is riding an energy-intelligence boom that has dramatically changed our conceptions of evolution. Darwinian theories be blind natural selection are now seen as primitive chauvinism of 19th Century British imperialism. Next, consider the Genetic Highway. Here, the horizontal axis scopes the neurographic time zones—from primitive, prehistoric Africa to current California. The vertical axis is calibrated in the DNA time. The dom-species in Africa is hunter-gatherer. The Africans are thus two million years behind California—the Western Front. It is interesting to observe that Africa lacks the more civilized gene-colonies and that Europe and Russia and China lack the mammalian-primitive gene-colonies. Europe is left brain. African is right brain. The genetic wave, that in less than a century hurtled North Americans through three stages of evolution, was gleefully surfed by several Evolutionary Agents. One of the most successful was Henry Ford. In one generation, Agent Ford took a species of domesticated primates from behind horse drawn plows and poppled them into mechanical ground-vehicles constructed of steel, glass, and rubber—thus multiplying their intelligence. #RandolphHarris 17 of 23

Mr. Ford put his countrymen and countrywomen into the driver’s seat! He offered the driver’s seat—Throne of Self-Actualization—to the average working hum-ants of his gene pool. It came equipped with several self-actualizing technologies permitting neurological choice and stimulating Intelligence Increase. The steering wheel allowed individuals to select their own directional course, and to change it at will. The accelerator allowed individuals to select their speed—an Einsteinian concept, indeed. Brakes added another dimension to self-control. Gear shifts. Transmission. Self-starters. Fluid power. Dynaflow. Overdrive. Convertibles. We see the birth of a new language of self-determination. Succsing generations demanded for their bodies and their brains exactly those power-freedom—mobility characteristics that were built into our cars. As the greatest stroke of genetic public relations, Mr. Ford called his invention the automobile! This word means self-mover. Evolutionary Agents all over the galaxy smiled knowingly when the term automobile flashed out through the Van Allen Belt. Free-wheeling Americans called it the self-mover! Old World Europeans, of course, did not catch on. It was called horseless carriage in England. Coche in Spain. Carro in Mexico. Voiture in France. Meccina in Italy. The genetic implications of auto-mobile were endless. Average people could move their bodies or their brains where they wanted to go. Now that cars are starting to drive all by themselves, I guess we will go back to calling them automobiles and self-movers. The evolution of intelligence is a function of velocity and mobility. Henry Ford and his fellow agents rocketed the Genetic Intelligence Quotient of the species. When the technological primates climbed into the driver’s seat, they were soon off to the moon—carrying their automobile bodies and their automobile brains. #RandolphHarris 18 of 23

A critical part of public safety is putting knowledge to work. Skill development is an active learning process (learning by doing), and the student’s intimate involvement in the learning experience dramatically increases retention. Have you ever noticed during sports competition that the individual or team that tries first often loses? Your ability to cope with challenges of fighting fires depends greatly on your level of physical fitness. Physical fitness not only determines how well you perform in fighting fires, but also enhances your quality of life, improves your productivity, and brings about beneficial physical and mental changes. Your physical fitness benefits both the Sacramento Fire Department and you. The Sacramento Fire Department needs physically fit firefighters, and when you are fit, you are more likely to lead an enjoyable, productive life. As a member of the Sacramento Fire Department, how important is your level of physical fitness? How does your fitness affect your unit’s readiness? You are probably tired of hearing how important it is to be in great shape as a firefighter, but it is a basic truth. You do not have to be the best at everything, but you definitely need to be one of the most physically fit firefighters in your house. Morales improves when your firefighters are constantly trying to beat you in a run or weight lifting competition. When it comes to fighting fires, physical fitness is crucial. If you allow your firefighters to deploy in poor condition, you have failed them. Being physically fit out here will help the Sacramento Fire Department to bear some of the rigors of the job: less sleep, very random and increasingly changing rest patterns, extreme heat, heavy weights, to name a few. #RandolphHarris 19 of 23

Staying in shape while employed as a firefighter can be a tough task, because you often lack the time or facilities to exercise. However, solid cardiovascular fitness will make a significant different in higher elevations, and upper body and leg strength may prevent exhaustion from heavy gear in hot conditions. Your physical fitness in your ability to perform physical work, training, and other activities throughout your daily work schedule. Physical fitness is multidimensional, and—based on your goals—some will be more valuable than others. Five key components define your physical fitness: Cardiorespiratory (CR) endurance—how efficiently your body delivers oxygen and nutrients for muscular activity and transports waste from the cells. Muscular strength—the greats amount of force your muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort. Muscular endurance—the ability of your muscle or muscle group to perform repeated movements for extended periods. Flexibility—the ability to move your joint (elbow or knee, for example) or any group of joints through their entire normal range of motion. Body composition—the amount of body fat you have un comparison with your total body mass. Improving the first three of these components will improve your body composition by decreasing your body fat. Excessive body fat detracts from other fitness measures, reduces your physical and mental performance, detracts from your appearance, and increases overall health risks. One measurement of body fate is as a percentage of total weight. Body fat standards for males ages 17-20 is 20 percent, females ages 17-20 30 percent, makes 21-27 22 percent, females 21-27 32 percent, males 28-39 24 percent, females 28-39 34 percent, males 40+ 26 percent, females 40+ 36 percent. Besides your physical fitness, you should also work to improve your motor fitness. Motor fitness—speed, agility, muscle power, eye-hand coordination, and eye-foot coordination—directly affects a firefighter’s performance. Appropriate training will improve these elements up to each firefighter’s individual potential. #RandolphHarris 20 of 23

Public safety is extremely important to the Sacramento Fire Department. It plays a major role when dealing with the community and even their families. “I have two years more to go in medical school, and right now I’m geared toward emergency medicine. I like the immediacy of it, the life-and-deathness of it and being able to make a big different quickly. A lot of medical people frown on emergency medicine because they say there is no patient follow-up, you’re not following your patient through. But for a lot of people who come through that door in life-and-death situations, you could be the most important medical person in their lives. You are the whole medical profession to them. It’s very important to me to get back into the fire service. I have to bee in a field of medicine that will allow me to do that. I sent fourteen applications to medical schools. Medical schools cut 85 percent of the applicants without seeing them. Even if you get interviewed, your chance is 25 percent or less. You wait around, and you go to the mailbox every morning. Rejection, rejection, an interview. I went to an interview at Dartmouth, which really where I wasted to go. I sat down with this gentleman in his office, and he didn’t like me from the word go. This was a medical doctor, and he was looking at my records for the first time. He said, ‘I see you are some kind of Renaissance man,’ as if that where a derogatory thing. #RandolphHarris 21 of 23

“‘I don’t think I can let a person like you into this medical school,’ he said. ‘When you make a commitment to medicine, you have to drop everything and go after that. I see that you worked as a fireman and as a paramedic all through your entire time at college.’ I tried to explain to him that the way I was raised, I learned that you have to have a commitment to your fellow man. I said that when I was in college, sometimes I was the only EMT or paramedic in the village, and that for a couple of people I made a big difference. He had the arrogance to say, ‘Come on, how many lives did you really save?’ The man had no idea of what I was all about. I got the rejection letter two weeks later. I’m in Sanford University School of Medicine. My roommate’s father is a fire marshal with twenty-two years’ experience in the Sacramento Fire Department. I remember going over to their house, and he started questioning me. ‘You come up on a house and there is nobody inside. There is fire showing in the front windows. What do you do?’ I said, ‘You go in, you get behind the fire, and you push it out the windows.’ He said, ‘Oh.’ I’m afraid I’m going to have to explain my professional life as an emergency medical man to a whole lot of people.” There is an old saying that reminds us that if we do not study and understand history, we are bound to make the same mistakes as those that have occurred in the past. It is also true that we should identify what works so we can expand and continue proven, high-quality practices. Often progress comes from trying out new, unproven ideas. We applaud all the courageous and imaginative administrators who tried and failed, but kept trying, learning from their failures, and finally succeeding. These are the unsung heroes of our time—the visionaries, risk takers, and true leaders. #RandolphHarris 22 of 23

If you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. To help our firefighters, pleasure donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to ensure they have all the resources they require. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. #RandolphHarris 23 of 23


Never has there been a building so talked about. You will find The Winchester Mystery House in what was once the countryside known as “Winchester Valley,” where it has left past guests feeling a little spooked passing through certain rooms. It is well known for its reputation of being the world’s most haunted location. Do you fear the dark? Does the idea of the supernatural scare you? Do you sometimes anticipate the worst that can happen to you? Do you shiver when you read about victims of violent crime and think “that could have been me?” Does life seem insane? When you walk through the twisting hallways of The Winchester Mansion, are you apprehensive about what might be around the next corner? While standing at the door-to-nowhere, have you ever worried that life may have no meaning? Are you anxious that the next day might be your last? Do your days sometimes seem irremediably gloomy? Are you afraid of dying? We have examined your case thoroughly and think you will find the antidote for your condition at The Winchester Mystery House. A daily dose of horror is just the tonic you need. If fortifies the spirit with bracing jolts of terror. It inoculates the soul against fears that hound us all. It quickens the reflexes against life’s inhospitable surprises and tempers the imagination with thoughts unthinkable. Here you will find madmen in a variety of shapes and sizes who will help make things seem more rational. Feeling a bit self-absorbed? There is nothing like a tale of Mrs. Winchester’s hauntings to give you the right perspective.

The Winchester Estate dates back to the late 19th century, and it has a history that is packed full of legends and stories of spirits. The guided post-sunset walk takes visitors through the history of the mansion, while also offering a chance to spot some of the more well-known Winchester ghosts. There are stories of a little girl playing in the hallways and tugging at bedcovers at night and a woman in white who crosses the courtyard and passes through the walls. Lightening in colours no one can name sear across the infinite and multihued sky in jagged shards the size of which no one can conceive. Alien winds scream their impossible being in warring cacophony of notes no one can ever believe at volumes none can bear. And when the winds pick up on the fourth floor of the mansion, they make an eerie whining noise. It sounds as if everything around you is screaming. Right before a quick scratching sound, then something flares. A small spot of light glides like a firefly toward you. Another flare, then a dull yellow flow. A thin man has been said to step into the light. “Found some others out there,” is all he says before disappearing before your very eyes, and then everything is absolute darkness. Outside, the winds are said to kick up; it screams across the night. Well, maybe it is the wind. We all know the story of The Winchester Mansion.

The carpenters, who worked day and night for 36 years to build the mansion, that was once nine stories high, containing as many as 600 rooms. They knew the area was dense in spiritual energy. The hallways often possessed a great river of shadows. As these men felt a moan rising from a core of solid fear, they were so afraid that they would stand frozen for the space of one deep, shuddering breath. It was believed even the objects they could see were enemies, because they were keeping secrets. They knew, but were not telling. The cold quiet of The Winchester Mansion was a familiar song. Often, Mrs. Winchester’s guests would crough down, huddling against the floor, until help arrived. The mansion is situated over the crossing of two Ley Lines. In these areas, the veneer between the physical and spirit realms is thinner and much more permeable. This permeability and natural energy allow entities to manifest much more readily than in a normal location. Any thought or action in these areas, whether positive or negative has a much stronger and more focused effect. In the case of The Winchester Mansion decades of compounded suffering, negativity and strong emotional experiences have left a marked effect on the atmosphere in and around the mansion.

Some tour guides have heard chanting coming from outside the mansion and have heard their names being called. Others have reported seeing a woman hovering in the mansion. Many who have seen Mrs. Winchester claimed that she was “supernaturally beautiful, her skin glistens, and there’s a kind of light in her eyes that you can’t look away from.” Although her journals are sometimes vague, Mrs. Winchester experienced bizarre poltergeist activity during construction. She mentions to a friend the incredible amount of poltergeist activity that occurred during the time spent building the front of the mansion. One night, when darkness fell, the mansion was filled with eerie music like nothing Mrs. Winchester had ever heard before. Creatures from her maddest nightmares filled into the Grand Ball Room in some kind of funeral procession. She watched from the hallway, terrified of being seen yet unable to turn away. The very last thing she saw was her maid at the end of the procession, following the creatures off into the darkness. Later that night, Mrs. Winchester watched the shadows of leaves on the wall and drifted into a peaceful, safe, sleep, happy that the nuisance of her waking hours was gone. The very next day, on September 5, 1922, construction efforts were suddenly stopped when the ladders several carpenters were working from were pushed away from the wall, forcing them to jump several stories. Moments later, it was discovered that Mrs. Winchester had passed away in her sleep.

Mr. Hasen, one of Mrs. Winchester’s foremen, had written about his tools getting moved to the far corners of the room when his back was turned. Mr. Hansen was left staring in disbelief at a kaleidoscope World of shifting, flickering lights, a surfaceless void with an unimaginably distant vanishing point near which huge amorphous shapes twisted and withered in a constant fury of becoming. He had seen a hint that the matter that made up the forms of this World which everyone accepted as solid and separate was in fact all one and that only probability kept everything as it was and kept our reality apart from a multiverse of others. A solitary bead of sweat formed high on his brow and trailed a meandering pattern down his cheek and through the stubble that lay below. Although the sky was clear, the moon was but a crescent; its weak glow lit only a corner of the night ceiling. Through the darkness, beyond the curtain of trees. The mansion’s cry intruded upon his thoughts. Its shrillness disturbing him from his rapture. lost in a spell of Llanada Villa, Mr. Hansen walked slowly through the mansion. Climbing the stairs, he heard a hoarse voice whisper, “And what do you dream?” He had a moment to think, to realize, that he had never felt this way before, then the emanations flooded him, carrying him away on waves of darkness. He gave in weakly to the sensations that swept over him. As the mansion cried out again, its cry pierced the night, resounding like the cry of a thousand lost souls. That night, he went to his cold bed and dreamt of men with furlined capes and armor who became fearsome beast and tore through lines of their enemies.

Although they were paid three times the going rate, provided with medical care, subsidized groceries, and lived in Victorian cottages that were once on the estate, carpenters employed by Mrs. Winchester frequently suddenly left and did not come back, never giving a reason to their departure. However, it is suspected that the vast distances in the mansion had something to so with it. These carpenters would sometimes come to work to unfamiliar walls. After working for three hours with panic on his back, every minute having seemed like an hour, one man said, “I had been through a Hell of distance and time, indeed–and the Hell is still with me.” Wandering to the window and parting the drapes, he found it to be very late. He still felt disoriented, adrift, and threatened, but he sensed that he could he was free. With his pounding heart, he walked out into the dark mansion. There were no other carpenters present, and few caretakers. Others might be afraid of ghost, but the panic had taken care of that. If you already felt menaced for no reason, then the real dangers held no terror for you. He walked for many miles, past more rooms, libraries, and long closed rooms. Then he noticed a young woman walking on the other side of the mansion. Without thinking twice, he crossed over and joined her. They stopped, and he poured out his heart, his nameless fear. She held his hands. They agreed to meet again. However, he was left once more alone on a large room, wondering if it had been real. So he cut over to the hallway and started back. The mansion rest of the mansion was deserted, too, his steps echoing hollowly on the mahogany floor. It was dark, and only the light from the windows was visible. He could hear more than see. The panic had gotten stronger again, and he needed to return to the security, if marginal, of his home.

Gradually, he became aware of a man walking about a hundred feet behind. He himself stopped and pretended to look out the window. He wanted the man to pass him. However, the man stopped when he reached him, then went down some steps to the third floor. The man smiled, opened a bag, and offered him some Brandy. He went down and accepted. When he woke up, he was lying on his stomach, which felt warm and wet. There was no pain. However, when he tried to get up, he found that he could not. So, he crawled up the steps into the ballroom on the 4th floor. The crawling went all right, at first. However, then he became weaker. And he grew conscious of the thin red trail he was leaving behind him. The panic, suddenly and forever, was gone. It had indeed been replaced, expunged, by the reality. All that was left was a certain sadness. The mansion that has survived such a long history, is a marvel to see in person. Today, it stands four stories high, and has an estimated 160 rooms, of which 110 are open for tour. There has been some restoration over the years and ongoing maintenance. Come inside the mansion to see the priceless architecture and learn of its history. The guided tours are exquisitely led by a well prepared and enthusiastic team, who make sure that you and all guests are entertained by the great stories. Take advantage of this fascinating experience. After tour, there will be time enjoy the mansion’s splendor at your own pace. You might even discover secret passages.

Please come and enjoy a delicious meal in Sarah’s Café, stroll along the paths of the beautiful Victorian gardens, and wonder through the miles of hallways in the World’s most mysterious mansion. Even if you do not believe ghost stories, you might still get goosebumps passing through the most infamous basement. Enjoy panoramic views and discover quirky features such as secret staircases, doors that open to nowhere, stairs to the ceiling, hidden trapdoors, and other unusual features.

Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available to purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/

Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/


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