Category Archives: Deep Mind
The Mysterious Deep Time Movements of Snails – The MIT Press Reader
How do organisms that are so sedentary end up being so incredibly widely dispersed?
There have been surprisingly few experimental efforts to explore the possible avenues by which Hawaiis snails might have crossed oceans to arrive in their new home. In fact, to date there has been precisely one study on this topic of which I am aware. In 2006, Brenden Holland, a researcher in the biology department at Hawaii Pacific University, placed a piece of tree bark with 12 live snails of the species Succinea caduca into a saltwater aquarium. This is one of Hawaiis nonendangered snail species; in fact, it is one of the few species that is found on multiple islands and seems to be doing okay. It is a coastal species, and the individuals enrolled into the study were from populations living as little as 10 meters from the beach. Brenden explained to me: After heavy rain, they are commonly seen in gullies by the coast so theres no question that they are going to get washed down pretty frequently.
The purpose of Brendens experiment was to determine whether, when this happens, it might be possible for these snails to move around by sea and successfully establish themselves in new places. The answer, it seems, is yes. Brenden and his colleague Rob Cowie reported that: After 12 h of immersion, all specimens were alive, indicating that sea water is not immediately lethal and suggesting the potential for rafting between islands on logs and vegetation.
Why, you might wonder, does this matter? Far from being an abstract, albeit fascinating, scientific curiosity, I am convinced that attending to snail biogeography and evolution is particularly important at our present juncture. Hawaii was once home to one of the most diverse assemblages of land snails found anywhere on the planet, over 750 species. Today, however, the vast majority of these species are extinct, and most of those that remain are headed in the same direction. As they disappear from their island homes en masse, my hope is that paying attention to the deep-time processes of snail movement that brought them all here in the first place could help us to understand and appreciate these snails in new ways. As the writer Robert Macfarlane has argued, a deep time perspective can offer a means not of escaping our troubled present, but rather of re-imagining it; countermanding its quick greeds and furies with older, slower stories of making and unmaking.
Beyond Hawaiis shores there have been numerous efforts to experimentally explore or otherwise interrogate the puzzle that is the evolution and distribution of island land snails. Charles Darwin, in a letter to Alfred Russel Wallace in 1857, summed up the situation succinctly: One of the subjects on which I have been experimentising and which cost me much trouble, is the means of distribution of all organic beings found on oceanic islands and any facts on this subject would be most gratefully received: Land-Molluscs are a great perplexity to me. Or, as he put it in a letter to another correspondent a year earlier: No facts seem to me so difficult as those connected with the dispersal of land Mollusca.
No facts seem to me so difficult as those connected with the dispersal of land Mollusca, Darwin wrote in 1857.
In an effort to address this perplexity, Darwin submerged land snails in saltwater to discover whether and how long they might survive. Among his other findings was the fact that estivating snails of the species Helix pomatia recovered after 20 days in seawater. The fact that these snails were estivating is important. During these periods snails can create a thin layer of mucus to cover their aperture and prevent them drying out. As long as they are sealed up inside their shells in this way, it seems that many snails can survive being submerged in saltwater for weeks at a time.
Inspired by Darwin, a French study in the 1860s placed 100 land snails of 10 different species in a box with holes and immersed it in seawater. Roughly a quarter of the snails, from six different species, survived for 14 days which was calculated to be about half the time it would take for an object like a log to float across the Atlantic.
All of these years of submerging snails of gastropods drowned and survived have produced one primary, albeit tentative, finding: It is at least possible that land snails are floating around the world to establish themselves in distant places. We just dont know enough about Hawaiis snails to know how likely a vector this is for their movements; we have a single, short-term study on one of the over 750 known species.
But floating is by no means the only mode of transportation open to snails. In fact, most of the biologists I spoke to were of the view that it probably isnt the primary way in which they have moved across large distances. While snails have possibly floated around within the Hawaiian archipelago, between islands, it is thought to be unlikely that the first snails to arrive did so in this way: The distances of open ocean are just too vast. But here, things get even stranger, and even less amendable to experimentation.
As we walked along a winding path around the summit of Puu hia on a cool, rainy, afternoon, Brenden Holland and I discussed some of these other potential modes of snail movement across oceans. He explained to me that not all of these possibilities are immediately obvious if we look only at organisms in their current forms. Many species change after arriving on islands; some, for example, undergo processes of gigantism or dwarfism in which their new environmental conditions lead to a significantly increased or decreased body size. Alongside these kinds of changes, many entirely new species evolve on islands after initial arrival events. In the case of Hawaiis snails, phylogenetic analysis indicates that the vast majority of species evolved in the islands in this way, a single arrival giving rise to multiple new species over a few million years (these analyses compare genetic material to determine how closely related species on different islands are to one another, and in this way piece together their histories of arrival and evolutionary divergence). Some of these new island species will continue to look a great deal like the ancestor that made that initial oceanic crossing; others will not.
As we walked that day, Brenden pointed out to me tiny snails of the species Auriculella diaphana, moving around among the introduced ginger plants. It was these snails he had brought me here to see. He explained that despite their very different appearance, these snails are actually close relatives of the much larger, brightly colored, Achatinella tree snails that have become the poster-children of endangered snail conservation in Hawaii. The former is about 7 millimeters in length, the latter about 2 centimeters. But, Brenden told me, Auriculella and Achatinella have a smaller common relative still, and phylogenetic analysis indicates that it is an even more likely candidate for having made the initial trip to the islands. There, among the ginger leaves, we were lucky enough to also encounter some of these tiny beings, members of the subfamily Tornatellidinae.
The Tornatellidinae snails we saw that day, along with some other species within this subfamily, reach a maximum size of about 2 millimeters in length, roughly the size of a grain of rice. But this size difference is more significant than these simple length measurements imply. As Rob Cowie explained to me, the mass of a snail is roughly equivalent to the cube of its length. As such, one of the tiny Tornatellidinae snails might be as much as 1,000 times lighter than its Achatinella brethren. If a minute creature similar to these tiny snails was the ancestor that first made its way to the Hawaiian Islands, then it might have had many other modes of transportation open to it. It might even have arrived by bird.
At some point in the distant past, a tiny snail climbed on board a migratory bird, perhaps a golden plover, as it perched or nested overnight.
In numerous conversations with biologists, again and again I was told with varying degrees of confidence that the most likely answer to the puzzle of Hawaiis snails is that the first ones flew here. Everybody narrated this hypothetical scene a little differently, but the main events remained the same. At some point in the distant past, a tiny snail climbed on board a migratory bird, perhaps a golden plover, as it perched or nested overnight. As snails are nocturnal, it makes sense that they might encounter a perched bird in this way, and that this wayward passenger might then be able to hunker down, deep in the birds feathers, sealing itself up. Days or weeks later, having rested through the exhausting crossing, the snail then climbed off the bird in its new home.
I must admit that on first hearing this explanation I was somewhat dubious. This sequence of events just seemed so horribly unlikely. I reminded myself, though, that in the vastness of evolutionary time, horribly unlikely is actually pretty decent odds. But as I continued to talk to scientists and read the literature, I discovered an unseen world of surprising snail journeys. For the most part, scientists have not deliberately gone looking for snails on birds, but in a handful of articles published over the last several decades they have nonetheless reported on their accidental encounters with them, usually in the course of routine bird banding or observation. In these cases, it seems, snails have sometimes been present with surprising regularity and abundance.
Across several studies, the snail Vitrina pellucida has been found on a variety of migratory birds in Europe, while Succinea riisei has been found on three different types of birds in North America, with anywhere from one to 10 snails on a single bird. In one particular study, focused on migratory birds in Louisiana, snails were found on three different bird species. The main focus of the research was the woodcock, and it was only on these birds that the researchers really monitored snail presence: Of the 96 woodcock checked, 11.4% had snails present, they report. Of those, the average number of snails per bird was 3.
In Hawaii, there has never been a targeted scientific search for snails on birds, so it is hard to know which species might be climbing on board and with what kinds of frequency. Partway through my research, however, Nori Yeung at the Bishop Museum came across and shared with me a tantalizing snippet from a field notebook. The collecting note was made in 1949 by Yoshio Kondo who was at the time in Noris current position as curator of the museums malacology collection. There at the top of a grid-lined page, in neat cursive writing, he reported: a juvenile sooty tern on which were Succinea and Elasmias. Brought bird back. Unfortunately, did not keep shells on bird separate.
But there is another fascinating, albeit equally speculative, avenue by which tiny snails might move around the globe. They might fly without the aid of birds, blown on leaves and other debris, or just on their own, sealed up in their shells. Indeed, there is significant evidence from sampling, conducted with nets attached to airplanes, that rock particles the size and weight of some of these tiny snails can move around in this way, sometimes being found at altitudes of more than 2,000 meters. Drawing on these findings, some scientists have argued that it is not at all unreasonable to think that snails might travel in similar ways, definitely over shorter distances but perhaps also for transoceanic journeys. At least a couple of the scientists I spoke to, including Brenden and Rob, were holding open the possibility that the progenitors of at least some of Hawaiis snail families may have blown to the islands in this way, perhaps even carried by the winds of a hurricane.
Of course, once a snail species has made that first giant leap across oceans, a range of other options open up for the shorter, inter-island, movements that genetic analysis indicates have taken place at various points in the past. As we have seen, some snails might survive a floating journey between islands. Others, it seems, might be making these briefer trips inside birds: studies in various parts of the world have now shown that a variety of snail species including as least one species of the Tornatellidinae can survive passage through avian digestive tracts at a relatively high frequency.
These are, undoubtedly, all rather unreliable ways to travel. For every snail that successfully arrived in a strange new land on a bird or a floating branch, countless millions must have been washed, blown, or flown out to sea without such luck. The odds must be slightly better traveling by bird than log: At least in theory, if you hop onto or into a migratory bird in a forest, you are reasonably likely to be taken to another forest. Of course, for those snails unfortunate enough to be traveling inside the bird, they would have to survive the journey through the digestive system too.
However they travel, snails are largely at the whim of external forces in these movements, subject to what biologists call passive dispersal. As Brenden helpfully summed it up for me: biogeographically, snails are plants both groups share many of the same vectors for movement, the latter usually by seed or spore. This is clearly a system of island dispersal that can hope to achieve results only with immense periods of time at its disposal. Over millions of years, a few lucky snails made these journeys successfully. We cant know for certain how many times this happened in the Hawaiian Islands. But by tracing species back to their common ancestors in Hawaii and beyond its shores, Brenden and Rob have estimated that things must have worked out for around 20, and likely fewer than 30, intrepid travelers, or groups of travelers, over roughly the past 5 million years (when Kauai, the oldest of the current high islands with suitable snail habitat, formed). All of the rest of Hawaiis incredible gastropod diversity is thought to have evolved in the islands from this small number of common ancestors.
While there is undoubtedly something very passive about this dispersal of snails always at the whim of others, be they birds, storms, or tides, traveling under their steam and direction this isnt the whole of the story. Deep evolutionary histories have produced these possibilities. Snails modes of passive movement only work because they have evolved some remarkable traits for dispersal, survival, and reproduction, across and into isolated new lands: from epiphragms that seal them up inside their shells and sticky eggs that can attach themselves to birds and debris, to hermaphroditism, sperm storage, and self-fertilization which all potentially allow a single snail introduced to a new land to begin reproducing. While not all snails can do all of these things, where these traits are present, they are surely a huge advantage. Millions of years and countless generations of more or less successful journeying have selected for those individuals that survived and established themselves best.
There is a profound kind of evolutionary agency at work here, a creative, experimental, adaptive working-out of living forms with particular capacities and propensities. For the most part, individual snails are indeed relatively passive in all this. Theyre not, however, irrelevant. The particular actions of those snails that crawled onto a bird, that opted to seal up their apertures, that safely stored away sperm for future use, mattered profoundly. But neither are snails involved in the more active, sometimes even deliberate, dispersal undertaken by many other animals.
Instead, if we pay attention, snails amaze with their capacity to move so far, to spread so widely, while doing so little. This, it seems to me, is one of the real marvels of snail biogeography. Individuals do not need to exert great effort because natural selection has acted for them, acted on them, acted with them, to produce these beings that are so unexpectedly but uniquely suited to a particular form of deep time travel, drifting. From such a perspective, rather than being any kind of deficiency, the highly successful passivity of snails might be seen as a remarkable evolutionary achievement.
Its likely that in the history of these islands, on average one successful snail arrival event has taken place every few hundred thousand years.
There is so much more to learn here, so much to learn about not just the vectors but the patterns under which dispersal takes place: Are they laid down by atmospheric and oceanic currents, or by the inherited paths of avian migration? And yet to some extent this must remain a space of uncertainty and even mystery. How can one really study processes of biogeography that take place across such vast periods of time and space? As Brenden reminded me, its likely that in the history of these islands, on average one successful snail arrival event has taken place every few hundred thousand years. Put simply, its not something that any of us are likely to ever see, let alone study, firsthand.
It is hard to really make sense of the vast, deep-time assemblage of Hawaiian snail life. I imagine it as something like a giant network with strands stretching out across the Pacific Ocean and beyond, extending back over evolutionary and geological time frames. Each strand represents one of hundreds of unique species. Millions of years of unlikely journeys nestled into a birds feathers, or perhaps tucked away in the crevice of a floating log heading to destinations unknown. Millions of years that have produced these intrepid, even if somewhat unlikely, island dispersers with the reproductive and other adaptations that made these movements possible. These are at least some of the processes that have produced the breathtakingly diverse, utterly unrepeatable assemblage of snail life in Hawaii.
To labor to hold this network in mind, however imperfectly, however impossibly, might offer us a glimpse into one of the reasons why these snails matter, and so the significance of what is being lost in their extinction. Doing so might remind us that each of the fragile, fleshy, little individuals of Auriculella diaphana or Achatinella mustelina is not so much a member of a species as it is a participant in a lineage, one link in a vast, improbable, intergenerational project. These are projects made up of the lives, histories, and possibilities of diverse snail species that are today being radically truncated, or simply shorn off, all within the space of a few generations of human life. With them is disappearing countless unique ways of life and the vast evolutionary heritage to borrow Loren Eiseleys apt term, the immense journey that they together comprise.
Thom van Dooren is a field philosopher at the University of Sydney and the University of Oslo. He is the author of several books, including Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction, The Wake of Crows: Living and Dying in Shared Worlds, and A World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions, from which this article is adapted.
Read the original here:
The Mysterious Deep Time Movements of Snails - The MIT Press Reader
Deep Ellum Has Been Reborn in Waltham – Boston magazine
The popular Allston bar and restaurant has been reborn in Waltham.
Truffle gorgonzola fries at Deep Ellum in Waltham. / Photo by Alyssa Beauregard for Deep Ellum
When Allston mainstay Deep Ellum closed in 2020 after a 13-year run, it hit hard: The cozy neighborhood spot was a gastropub-y beer bar before those became ubiquitous, beloved for its house-made charcuterie, good vibes, and delightful patio. Today, March 17, Deep Ellum returnsthis time in Walthamwith lots of old favorites and some new surprises.
We are very excited to have the chance to resurrect Deep Ellum, cofounder Max Toste tells Boston. Toste and business partner Aaron Sanders werent really planning on reviving Deep Ellum, but the perfect space fell into their laps: 467 Moody St., the former home of beer bar the Gaff. Mike Coen and Steve Murphy, owners of the Gaff, were looking to shift focus to a bar they own in Beverly, the Indo, so Coen reached out to Tostetheyve been friends for years and have played music togetherto check out the space. Says Toste, When Aaron and I walked in, we both immediately thought the same thing, Man, this feels like Deep Ellum!
Bratwurst at Deep Ellum in Waltham, sourced from Karls Sausage Kitchen in Peabody. / Photo by Alyssa Beauregard for Deep Ellum
The Gaff served up craft beer, good food, and a fun atmosphere for 14 years, says Toste, so its not a stretch to picture Deep Ellum in the same space, continuing the legacies of both the Gaff and the original Deep Ellum.
The food menu at the new Deep Ellum will be similar to the original, says Toste, although the kitchen is unfortunately too small for brunch. Look for items like: meat, cheese, and tinned fish boards; nioise salad; deviled eggs; truffle gorgonzola fries; and porcini mushroom poutine, a new addition. There will also be Oklahoma-style onion smash burgers and lentil mushroom burgers, plus a meaty Italian sandwich, another new item Toste is particularly enthusiastic about. Its delish, he says.
Meat board at Deep Ellum in Waltham. / Photo by Alyssa Beauregard for Deep Ellum
To drink? Manhattans and other classics, along with a variety of old Deep Ellum favorites, on the cocktail side, says Toste. Therell be some low-ABV and non-alcoholic cocktail options, too. Plus: natural wines and 14 rotating draft lines for beer, with a focus on classic European beer styles and some local picks. Dont look to find overly hazy beers, says Toste, cause I dont like them. Do keep an eye out for cask ale, though, which will be offered when available.
The space is a bit smaller than the original, now seating 40, but the layout is similar, featuring a long bar and high tin ceilings. (And our signature ceiling fans, says Toste. Mike had installed them years back because he liked them at Deep Ellum so much!) Moody Streets outdoor dining status is currently under reviewfor the past few years, a portion of the street has been shut down to cars and turned into patio space in the warmer monthsbut the team will take advantage of that if allowed this year. Theres also a small area out back that could someday play host to a deck.
Burger at Deep Ellum in Waltham. / Photo by Alyssa Beauregard for Deep Ellum
Just 12 miles west of Boston, Waltham isnt always a top-of-mind dining destination for those in the cityalthough Moody Street in particular has an excellent stretch of restaurantsbut its a great neighborhood for the kind of neighborhood bar that Deep Ellum was, says Toste. Not to mention that a lot of the old regulars live in, or near Waltham, so it doesnt feel removed from where we were before really.
The new Deep Ellum will be open for lunch and dinner daily with one menu all day, with the kitchen until midnight and bar until 1 a.m. (earlier on Sundays). Toste and Sanders are joined by three other partners: Glen Cancelleire (general manager), Jose Paz (chef), and Brian Beattie (director of operations). We are really excited to pick up where Deep Ellum left off, says Toste, while also reimagining it with our whole teams experience and passion.
Deep Ellum Waltham. / Photo by Alyssa Beauregard for Deep Ellum
467 Moody St., Waltham.
Here is the original post:
Deep Ellum Has Been Reborn in Waltham - Boston magazine
‘A guilty mind’: Sitka woman gets 4 years in cyclist’s hit-and-run death – Alaska Public Media News
Brooke Mulligan (right) confers with her attorney, Lisa Rosano, during her sentencing in Sitka Superior Court on March 14, 2023. (Robert Woolsey/KCAW)
A Sitka woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for hitting and killing a bicyclist with her car just over two years ago.
Brooke Mulligan, 21, pleaded guilty in August to criminally negligent homicide in the death of 20-year-old Terry Carlson, Jr. At her Tuesday sentencing, the court suggested that her actions at the time of the incident were, at best, approaching the more serious charge of manslaughter, and at worst were inhumane.
The short version of the story is grim:Mulligan, then 19 and possibly coming off a methamphetamine high from the previous evening, drove down Halibut Point Road at 6 a.m. on March 8, 2021, swerved across the centerline and hit Carlson head-on with her Jeep. Without stopping or getting out to check on Carlson, she turned around and drove to her fathers house where she attempted to conceal incriminating evidence.
The collision was witnessed by other motorists. Police located Mulligan about an hour later, and she denied involvement. Carlsons injuries were so traumatic he could not be medevaced to a larger hospital, and he soon died at Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center surrounded by shocked and grieving family.
The long story wont be told in criminal court, as Mulligans change of plea last last year averted a lengthy trial. During Mulligans sentencing, many of Carlsons family spoke, painting a portrait of him through their grief none more powerfully than his older brother Tyler Carlson.
Ive had so much anger built up towards you and your family, Tyler Carlson said. I wanted you to suffer. I wanted you to be left alone for dead like you did to Terry. It took a long time for me to get past that feeling. But deep down, I know its not what Terry would want. It wasnt who he was and would want me to be. All Terry ever wanted was to be loved and accepted. And that built in him giving heart. He always wanted those around him to be happy. Hes not vengeful or spiteful. And though every part of me wants to be, I choose not to be and honor him in that way.
In the aftermath of the incident, Mulligan was arrested, arraigned and jailed on $500,000 bail. Her mother posted bail six months later, and Mulligan has been under her third-party guardianship since then which, in a small town, only fueled resentment toward her.
By pleading guilty, Mulligan finally admitted to the crime. During sentencing, she offered what apology she could for conduct that many would consider unforgivable.
I understand that saying sorry doesnt even begin to cut it, she said. And theres nothing I can say or do to make up for what Ive done. I realize that I cannot change your perception of me or the feelings you may have for me. What I did was wrong and unforgivable. But its important to me that you know my truth. Im only 21 years old. And at the time of this tragedy, I was only 19. Unfortunately, at the time, I was a chronic drug user and at the peak of my addiction. I was in a very dark place. I had tried to go to rehab before to seek help. But my addiction was too strong and it had consumed me. I can tell you, Im not proud of the person I was or the decisions I made. I wish that I was able to pull myself out of my addiction before I drastically and permanently altered all of our lives. And especially Terrys life.
Mulligan agreed to a plea deal that will have her serve eight years with five suspended for criminally negligent homicide, five years with four suspended for leaving the scene of an accident and failing to render aid. Shell serve the terms consecutively, for a total of four years, with one day off for every two days of good behavior. After getting out of prison, shell be on probation for eight years.
Assistant District Attorney Amy Fenske explained that this was the high end of the punishment for the charges, although she acknowledged that many would think it insufficient possibly herself included.
In Alaska, you just dont leave people, she said, referring to Mulligans flight from the scene.
Superior Court Judge Jude Pate also wanted to hold Mulligan to account. Had the case gone to trial, he would have had a hard time accepting the argument that she was out of her head when she struck Carlson. He said her immediate attempts to flee and dispose of incriminating evidence and her refusal to speak with police when they arrived at her fathers house indicated a guilty mind. He said that the type of criminally negligent homicide Mulligan admitted to was actually closer to manslaughter, which is a more serious type of crime.
Pate also described the scope of the loss, not just for Carlsons family, but for everyone.
And she took from Sitka, by all accounts, a happy, healthy, joyous person a young man, Pate said. He wasnt perfect. But he was vibrant and best I could tell, he grew up being an important part of the Sitka community.
Pate said the crime had a sinister ripple effect, and had produced not just a distrust of the criminal justice system, but lasting harm to the members of Carlsons family, who have attended hearing after hearing the last two years, seeking justice for their son, grandson, brother, and cousin.
This act this killing has ripped the fabric of Sitkas community in the most deep and harmful way, Pate said. And it will take years for it to mend, if it ever does.
Pate denied Mulligans request to fly to Anchorage with her mother the following morning to enter the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center. Instead, she was remanded into the custody of a Department of Corrections officer on the spot, handcuffed and taken to the Sitka jail to await transport.
A civil lawsuit against Mulligan filed by the estate of Terry Carlson, Jr. is pending. Additionally her father, 72-year-old Richard Mulligan, is awaiting trial in June onone felony count of tampering with physical evidence.
Continued here:
'A guilty mind': Sitka woman gets 4 years in cyclist's hit-and-run death - Alaska Public Media News
A deep dive into the Uvalde Foundation for Kids – The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
The tragic March 1 stabbing at Santa Rosas Montgomery High School drew in-depth and widespread news coverage.
Among the many articles, a few, including from the Press Democrat and KRON 4, highlighted a national nonprofit organization, The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, that was offering support to students, staff and parents and launching an independent investigation into the incident.
In the wake of campus shootings or threats or student suicide around the country over the past few months, local news outlets have similarly featured the foundation. Many of the stories include links to the organizations website or a phone number for its 24/7 crisis intervention hotline, but theyre short on details about the group's qualifications to handle such complex tasks on a very sensitive subject.
With that in mind, I took a closer look at the organization, and this is what I found.
According to its website, The Uvalde Foundation for Kids aims to end school violence across the nation through a wide array of no-cost programs and services.
Among its offerings: volunteer school patrol teams, student anti-violence training, a performing arts program, an anti-bullying program, a motivational speaker network, school safety training, an internet watchdog group, scholarships, emergency aid grants and awards and the 24/7 peer support and crisis intervention hotline.
Its an admirable though ambitious undertaking for any organization, let alone one that was officially created less than a year ago.
The founder, Daniel Bodhi Chapin, was inspired to create the organization after the May 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. After the tragedy, the Temple, Texas-based Chapin organized walks to raise awareness about school violence, a campaign that led him to establish the foundation.
When I spoke to Chapin, he told me he was flying out to Santa Rosa to meet with some parents in the community. The organizations investigation would be based on interviews and police reports and would include a six-month history and a six-month improvement plan that would be presented to the school board, he said.
Our organization is focused on the long-term, Chapin said. We want to be solutions-based so the students can feel safe, and they deserve that.
Vanessa Wedderburn, public information officer for Santa Rosa City Schools, said the school received an email from the organization but does not plan to respond, citing an article that cast some doubts on the group.
Originally from California, Chapin said hes worked with at-risk youth in various capacities since 1992. He has an eclectic and eccentric background, as an educator, community organizer, Christian gospel singer, and the founder of a now-closed performing arts school.
The foundation website, too, has some eccentricities, with its odd image choices and capitalization. Some of the board members listed have little internet presence and many have the same administrator email address.
The IRS granted the organization 501(c)(3) status as a public charity as of July. Its an easy status to achieve, though there are many charitable endeavors that dont even do that. Its too soon for the required yearly transparency filings to be posted.
The foundation is also properly registered with the Texas Secretary of State. There is one open consumer complaint against it with the Texas Office of the Attorney General, but details arent publicly available.
I spoke with a few board members who also help facilitate some of the organizations programs. Each was invited to join by Chapin and had full-time workloads outside the foundation. They were open and willing to talk, friendly and seemed committed to giving back to their communities.
Still, there appeared to be little formal structure to programs offered; there is no set curriculum or trainings or a means of tracking success.
Michael Stevens, president of the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, said that since the organization is still so small and new, collaborations with schools or students are done on a case-by-case basis. Because theyre mostly localized to a few places at this point, programs are manageable to oversee and updates can be accomplished through weekly board briefing calls.
Well obviously have to reevaluate how we run everything as we continue to grow, Stevens said. That's definitely something that we've discussed.
He acknowledged theyd have to pare down to core activities and develop training if they get bigger, but for now, theyre testing out different ideas.
Currently, he said, each initiative is run by a local volunteer with specific expertise and experience, including education, law enforcement and military and counseling. Core volunteers can recruit others.
See the rest here:
A deep dive into the Uvalde Foundation for Kids - The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Meet Betty, the 97-year-old Jackson woman who hits the gym every day – MLive.com
JACKSON, MI Head to the Jackson YMCA pool just about any day and youll find 97-year-old Betty Morris inspiring others to stay fit and active.
Exercising her mind and body is what has kept Morris sharp and young at heart, and she isnt slowing down just yet. Its important for everyone, including people her age, to keep moving every day, she said.
My son says Mother, dont you think you should slow down a bit, dont go quite so often? Morris said. I said No, no, I dont. I want to go.
Morris, a Jackson native, has become an inspiration to others and a bit of a celebrity at the YMCA, CEO Shawna Tello said, adding she serves as a reminder that mental and physical health are very important to people as they age.
Its a combination of her commitment to a healthy lifestyle, and then the support systems that shes built here at the Y, Tello said. That what makes Betty and other people like her so successful.
Morris has been going to the Jackson YMCA almost every day for 30 years. It all started when a friend was recommended by her doctor to start exercising more but was scared of going into the pool.
Shed never gone swimming, Morris said. I went out, got myself a suit, went over to her house and said, Youre going swimming. Weve got to get you a suit.
Today, Morris, who lives with her daughter Sue Ellen Condino, comes to the Y six days a week, sometimes twice a day, participating in the deep water exercise, Aqua Zumba and regular Zumba classes. She prefers the water exercises because theyre easy on her body.
The water, you dont have any repercussions, Morris said. You can jump up and down in it. You can do everything in there.
Her secret to getting up and going, she said, is dedication and, of course, naps. But its not just the exercise Morris enjoys. Its being around the people, too.
The YMCA gives Morris something to do and look forward to, she said, adding she enjoys the staff and other Y members and how friendly everyone is.
Everybody is so young here. They keep me young, Morris said. Im interested in (talking to) everybody.
Aside from the YMCA, Morris keeps busy attending Jacksons First Presbyterian Church. She also does word searches and reads when she can, which keeps her mind sharp, she said.
I know that theres times that I cant remember (things) but I do pretty good, I think, Morris said.
When shes feeling like a break, she usually turns on a little Judge Judy, she said.
But Morris is a big believer that people should keep exercising their body and mind as they age. Thats whats kept her going as long as she has, she said.
If youve never exercised -- start, Morris said. Because thats the main thing. You dont really have to go full force either. Just move.
More from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:
Man accused of threatening to murder witnesses in school threat case
Leslies Jared Peck voted Jackson-area Athlete of the Week
Jackson man charged with unlawful imprisonment in knifepoint kidnapping
50 years ago today, Jackson was socked by a St. Patricks Day blizzard
Woman found dead in Ypsilanti Township apartment identified as Jackson High teacher
See the original post here:
Meet Betty, the 97-year-old Jackson woman who hits the gym every day - MLive.com
How to Achieve A Deep Level of Focus by Breaking Habits and … – Entrepreneur
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As an entrepreneur, time management is crucial for achieving success. As an immigrant founder, I understand the importance of hard work and dedication to make your business thrive. However, it's important to remember that working nonstop without taking breaks can lead to long-term negative effects. Studies have shown that prolonged work sessions can lead to burnout, decreased productivity and even physical and mental health issues. To be truly successful, finding a balance between working hard and taking time to rest and recharge is crucial.
We all must start taking more breaks during our work day and disconnect for a bit. Rather than following the traditional belief that you should only stop when you're tired, I think taking small breaks before you even start to feel tired is essential.
This can help prevent burnout and increase productivity in the long run. I have seen the benefits of taking regular breaks and disconnecting from my own business, and I encourage others to do the same. It's essential for us as successful entrepreneurs to lead by example and prioritize our well-being to continue achieving our goals.
Related: How to Detect a Liar in Seconds Using Nonverbal Communication
It's important to remember that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, finding activities that break out of our routine and give us a glimpse of the fun and judgment-free spaces can benefit everyone. This can be anything from walking, meditating, reading a book, or even taking a quick power nap.
The key is to find something that helps you relax and recharge. It's also important to take some time to disconnect from work and social media. This can help us to focus on ourselves and our well-being without any distractions. By finding activities that work for us and taking regular breaks, we can increase our productivity and enjoy the journey of being an entrepreneur.
Below I'm sharing the three most unique time-off break ideas I can recommend:
Taking a break from work is essential for maintaining focus and productivity. But instead of scrolling through social media or checking your phone, try something unconventional like making a coffee or washing the dishes. A recent study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that performing simple, mundane tasks such as washing dishes can positively impact our well-being. The repetitive motion of these tasks can be meditative, allowing you to focus on the present moment and release any pent-up stress or tension.
Making coffee (a favorite activity of mine, especially a good iced espresso latte) can be a great way to break the monotony of work and give yourself a bit of pleasure. Plus, it's a great way to take care of daily tasks and disconnect from technology. The aroma and the taste of freshly cursed coffee can help to enhance our mood and decrease stress.
So, next time you need a break, try making a coffee or washing the dishes. You'll be surprised how it can help you to relax, refresh your mind and increase your focus. There are great brands that offer a selection of decaf coffee beans and ground coffee for a more anxiety-free experience.
Related: 3 Reasons Espresso Could Be Your Shortcut to Productivity (It Works for Elon Musk)
It's easy to get caught up in the daily grind of work and responsibilities, which can lead to feeling burnt out and unproductive. Taking your dog for a random walk is a unique activity that can help break the cycle and increase productivity. Not only does it give you and your furry friend some much-needed exercise and fresh air, but it also provides an opportunity to step away from your work and disconnect from technology. It's a small change that can make a big difference in your work-life balance.
These unexpected walks can also help to return to work with a fresh perspective and renewed energy, which can increase productivity and a better work-life balance. So, next time you feel stressed or unproductive, try taking your doggy for an unexpected walk, and you'll see the difference it makes.
Related: Why You Need More Exercise as an Entrepreneur (and 7 Creative Strategies for Getting It)
Smoking hookah is a unique activity that can be a great way to take a break from work and relax. Hookah, also known as shisha or waterpipe, is a traditional method of smoking flavored tobacco enjoyed for centuries in the Middle East, India and other parts of Asia.
Smoking hookah is often considered a social activity, and it can be a great way to bond with friends or colleagues while taking a break from work. Preparing and smoking hookah is a ritual in itself and can be a great way to disconnect from work and other stressors.
In addition to being a fun and social activity, smoking hookah also offers several benefits for your overall well-being. Here are two benefits of smoking hookah during your time off:
Smoking hookah can be a unique and enjoyable way to take a break from work and relax. Whether you are smoking alone or with friends, smoking hookah can offer several benefits for your overall well-being and help you return to work refreshed and focused.
Related: Increased Productivity Will Increase Your Happiness
In conclusion, taking a break from work is essential for maintaining focus and productivity. Making a coffee or washing the dishes is just one unconventional example of how to do this, but there are many other ways to break your routine and refresh your mind.
It's essential to find activities that work for you. Take the proper time to experiment with different options and find what works best.
More:
How to Achieve A Deep Level of Focus by Breaking Habits and ... - Entrepreneur
The Flames of Hope (Wings of Fire Series #15) – Plugged In
Ever since the fiery Scorching, the world of dragons and humans has been going through many changes. And seemingly, all of them have been bad.
Lunaa rare SilkWing dragon who not only has the ability to spin silk from her wrists, but fiery flamesilk as wellwants to make things better. She wants a world where dragons can love whomever they want; where they can create art; where they can take care of one another and be happy instead of hurtful. She wants to weave a beautiful tapestry of life where dragons and those tiny creatures called humans can get along.
Yes, Luna knows exactly what she wants. Shes just not sure how to make it all happen.
A prophesy suggests all of Lunas world-saving desires can be fulfilled. But given the awfulness of the world (and that the prophecy seems to suggest that she, a mere dragon, has something to do with it all) feels so difficult and impossible. And she has a hard time believing any of it.
There is also something happening in the world that Luna cant quite grasp.
You see, the dragon queen, Queen Wasp, has been using a special plant to capture the minds of dragons and make them her slaves. But in truth theres an even greater mind-capturing power thats moving the queen herself like a chess piece on a board.
All of that evil and all of that manipulative power is centered in a deep, deep hole in the earth that some humans worship and make sacrifices to. Its a place called the Abyss.
And as Luna and a small group of dragons move to rescue some friends, they themselves dont realize that theyre being manipulated. Theyre being pushed and shoved about without even knowing it. And inch by inch Luna is being pulled to that Abyss and to a prophesy thats about to unfold.
More:
The Flames of Hope (Wings of Fire Series #15) - Plugged In
8 rules to keep in mind after steep fall in markets by Rameshver Dongre – Economic Times
One should keep a bullish view in the stock market. The Nifty50 is expected to move higher from the support zone of 16900-17000 range. Traders can keep a stop loss below 16640 on a closing basis, says Rameshver Dongre, Research Analyst - Equity Research at CapitalVia Global Research. In an interview with ETMarkets, Dongre said: Investors /traders should keep a close eye on interest rate changes because that can trigger additional price action, Edited excerpts:
What a week for Indian markets dominated by global cues. The Nifty50 is still trading below Budget Day lows. What led to the price action?The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the US has affected financial markets across the world, and we saw a downside movement in the Indian markets last week.
On the higher side, the Nifty50 could face some resistance around 17,400 and 17,550 levels.
In terms of sectors, banking stocks fell the most. What led to the price action? Is it the global contagion fears that led to fall in banking stocks?The failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the US has caused unfavorable perceptions of banking stocks, leading to a decline in the share prices of these stocks.
In addition to the fact that the IT index could close above the 200-day SMA. Investors should concentrate only on quality stocks of blue chips companies during this correction phase.
UltraTech Cement and Aditya Birla Capital, as well as textile raw materials like Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF) and viscose filament yarn, chemicals, and insulators. The business belongs to the Aditya Birla Group.
As per the past performance data the company is expected to deliver good returns.
Things that traders should avoid doing after a steep fall in markets even if their stop losses got hit?Trading is a very serious business for traders should follow disciplined trading rules are mentioning here-1)Buy/Sell in liquid stocks- Typically, an asset with a narrow bid-ask spread will have high liquidity.
2)Do not overtrade: If you increase the number of trades, the quality of your trades can suffer.
3)Avoid making emotional decisionsbuying, selling, or holding should be based on research, not the individual's emotions.
4)Always use a stop loss - To limit the risk, always use a stop loss. Before initiating a trade, one should have clarity about the exit point in advance.
5)Concentrate and stay focused - with Dedication and a Focused mind can be a winner in Day Trading
6)Avoid rumors and news - If you do it using technical analysis, then you must avoid rumors and media news.
7)Analyze and make notes - Learn by analyzing and back-testing the process.
8)Don't be an investor in this situation - Last but not least, while doing intra-day trading, if trades do not go in your direction, one should not be an investor to avoid current losses.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Read more here:
8 rules to keep in mind after steep fall in markets by Rameshver Dongre - Economic Times
"EMDR therapy finally helped me process my trauma" – Harper’s Bazaar UK
Its 2016, and I have spent the last 365 days vomiting for a reason not yet determined. Physical tests reveal no ailments, which means its all in my head (which believe me, Ive been told). But trauma takes over your whole body and blood tests, anti-sickness tablets and physical examinations provide no relief.
Sitting at my desk one morning, at the age of 20, I just started to cry. I was in my first proper job, had a long-term boyfriend and a stable home life, great friends and I just cried. For days. Days became months, and tears became sickness: it was like my whole body was crying; expelling all the junk it needed rid of.
I had no idea that what I was experiencing was complex post-traumatic stress disorder in its full, relentless force until a friend recommended their therapist to me and the course of my life took an important turn.
As soon as I sat in the armchair in my psychotherapists cosy home office (no, I didnt lie down on a sofa), she seemed to know exactly what was wrong with me. We spoke a lot about post-traumatic stress and what that meant, and my therapist recommended an indefinite course of EMDR therapy combined with Internal Family Systems to help me recover. I attended once a week for five months, and I havent been the same since.
Before I go on, I want to mention that I fundamentally believe that all of us experience something traumatic in our lives, and we all have life experiences which go on to affect us. It might not be a glaring event that you can pinpoint as an obvious trigger, but we all experience life-changing events, from grief and loss, to divorce, childbirth and medical concerns.
According to Jordan Vyas-Lee, psychotherapist, EMDR therapist and co-founder of leading mental healthcare clinic, Kove, "the meaning of trauma in a psychotherapeutic context is rightly broad.
"Physically dangerous, life threatening, or acutely dehumanising experiences that cause deep destabilisation in the nervous system are more understood and accepted by society at large and are often the experiences that result in what we know as PTSD."
Vyas-Lee goes on to explain however, that "almost anybody can benefit from EMDR," because we all carry our past experiences with us in both our minds and our bodies particularly within our nervous systems but equally that the "most pressing need for EMDR is in those individuals who are experiencing high distress levels, or are no longer coping".
This point is an important one in noting the difference between trauma and stress both of which can be damaging to the nervous system, but are also fundamentally different. Trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk describes this key difference in his writings as that stress stops when the event stops trauma doesn't. You attend the appointment or receive the results you've been worried about and then you get on with your life: this is stress. In cases of trauma, it's carried with you on a longer-term basis and goes on to effect your behaviour and perception of the world.
EMDR Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is a form of psychotherapy used to treat trauma. When we experience something traumatic, our memory function temporarily stops working properly, essentially to enable us to survive it before we then manage the emotions around it when we are safe. Sometimes, this process doesnt quite work as it should.
Usually, as we sleep (or engage in activity such as adaptive conversation with others about the events weve experienced) our memories are processed and filed away, moving from the short-term memory to the long-term memory, rarely to be thought of again unless we deliberately recall them. Post-traumatic stress occurs when memories become stuck in the short-term memory in the brain neurologically, and in the body, stored as emotional and physical memory. These memories are easily recalled triggered and still painful: our brains cant comprehend the difference between then and now. The memories are implicitly stored and control much of our subconscious behaviour and choices, even in the absence of full PTSD reliving experiences.
The purpose of EMDR is to move unprocessed traumatic experiences from the short-term memory to the long-term memory across the whole mind-body system, and desensitise us to them, essentially taking their power away.
Leila Steeds, EMDR Therapist at Harley Therapy, explains that "there is no sense of time or perspective in trauma, the body experiences it as if it is happening now. EMDR is very different to talking and insight-based therapies as it actually physically targets the brain and nervous system. It is a focused and time-efficient intervention which can make a huge difference to survivors of single episode, such as a sexual assault, and complex trauma."
I hadnt heard of EMDR therapy before my private psychotherapist recommended it for me, and I certainly wouldnt have known to seek it out. Many people ask about PTSD treatment now that I am in recovery, and Ive only ever met one other person who knew of and had experienced EMDR for herself.
It was never mentioned when I visited the GP in crisis, and I took on a stint of talking therapy and a (very) short experience and allergic reaction with medication before I found EMDR. It doesnt seem to be a regular port of call within the NHS and according to Steeds "isnt widely available, and it is very difficult to find low cost EMDR in this country".
If youre interested in exploring EMDR, mention it to your GP but you may have to pursue private therapy, which isnt doable for everyone. Unfortunately, specialist mental health care is still just too difficult to access for many. Similarly, it's important to note that EMDR is not a fix-all 'cure' for PTSD, and may not work for everybody - just like any other psychological treatment.
When my therapist first explained EMDR to me, I thought I was going to be hypnotised. At this point, I was happy to try anything, but I was certainly curious about this particular approach. I was warned before treatment started that it would involve delving into traumatic experiences and ultimately reliving them to process them correctly this time around, and that this could mean feeling physical sensations, emotions and even physical injuries from the original traumas presenting themselves again.
I wasnt hypnotised. Quite the opposite: I was entirely conscious to feel every single thing that came up. My therapist would sit directly in front of me quite close and position her hand upright in front of my face. She would move her hand from left to right, and I would follow her hand with my eyes. During this process she would ask me to think about particular memories or sometimes just see what came up for me, and follow it wherever it wanted to take me mentally. This process is designed to simulate our own internal systems for processing information usually while we are asleep.
In terms of how this works within the mind and body, Vyas-Lee explains that "EMDR activates the nervous system at a deep emotional level. A therapist starts by asking their patient to recall old traumatic events vividly in the minds eye. Going back to key moments that wired the nervous system dysfunctionally. The EMDR journey allows the patient to reprocess these memories. Ultimately coming to look at deep-seated events through the lens of today, and in the process rewiring the nervous system in a more functional way."
Steeds shares how this works in the brain, revealing that "by connecting the prefrontal cortex, the thinking part of the brain, and the amygdala, the feeling part of the brain, we can access the traumatic memory with one foot in the past and one in the present. We go in and out of the memory, desensitising the client to the trauma. Once it has been processed, the memory is stored in a part of the brain, the hippocampus, where there is a sense of time and perspective, so the memory still exists but loses its traumatic charge."
For those of us who, like me, receive the right treatment at the right time, the outcomes can be life changing. Its been seven years since I started EMDR therapy and with all the gratitude in my heart it was the beginning of the end. Learning to live post-trauma will require more strength than you know that you have, but you do. And there is beautiful, fulfilling life on the other side.
See more here:
"EMDR therapy finally helped me process my trauma" - Harper's Bazaar UK
Katee Sackhoff Delves Deep Into Bo-Katan’s Mind and Her Role in … – Star Wars News Net
After her starring role in the second episode of The Mandalorian season 3 as Bo-Katan, Katee Sackhoff is naturally doing a few interviews to promote the season. Along with her recent interview with Deadline, she also spoke to the excellent House of R podcast on the Ringer-Verse podcast network.
In the interview, Sackhoff speaks about where Bo-Katan is at right now, how her complex backstory informs her own performance, what it means for Bo to be a Mandalorian, her relationship with her sister Satine Kryze and the reason behind her minor change in wardrobe this season.
When we meet Bo-Katan in The Mandalorian season 3, she is very casually sitting on her throne. Katee Sackhoff spoke about the decision to have her pose in such a way when Din arrives. It was very much informed by the losses that Bo has experienced since the season 2 finale and that she hasnt adjusted to them well.
We worked on it for quite a while, and our goal was for her to look very dismissive of it, very disrespectful of it, and very disrespectful of him [Din] and his presence. I think she is in a really bad state.
I think for Bo, shes lost everything. Everything that she thought was important, everything that she thought she knew, everything that she wanted. Her family, her planet, her Darksaber, her respect. Shes lost everything. I think that shes at a point where she may or may not be trying to figure out if everything shes done in her life is misguided. For fans of Clone Wars and Rebels, this is a woman who has a lot of guilt, you know? And I think its playing itself out now.
As Katee says, Bo-Katans backstory is rather complex. Some fans have noted that Bo is conveniently neglecting to mention her own role in the rise of Deathwatch in The Clone Wars, which spawned Dins own covert Children of The Watch. Sackhoff elaborated a bit on why Bo omits details about her past when speaking to Din.
Well I think the easiest way to explain some of the stuff that shes talking about with Din, its one of those things like if someones cheating on you, they accuse you of cheating on them all of the time. So I think that a lot of the things she says to him, she hates in herself.
Lets be honest, [she is] misguided in who she puts her faith in [referring to Pre Vizsla in The Clone Wars]. I think that its been a long time. Weve been with Bo for a long time, for over 25 years of her life. Shes changed and shes grown and shes learned and shes made a lot of mistakes and I think shes got quite a bit to atone for, so we may see a little bit of that.
One of themes of The Mandalorian asks what it means to be a Mandalorian. Din grew up being taught by the Armorer that there was only one true way to be a Mandalorian, only to encounter Bo-Katan and her Night Owls, and then Boba Fett who also wear the armor without adhering to his perceptions of what a Mandalorian should be. Katee took the time to explain what Bo thinks it means to be a Mandalorian.
I know what it means for Bo, for sure. One of the interesting things about the show and The Way, to use the shows words, is that I think its one of those things where everyone can read the same text and just interpret it differently, and it leads to disagreements and arguments and wars and all of these things, because we took the exact same words and it meant something to different people based on life experience and their own standings and the things theyve been through in their life. And so I think that it means very very different things to a lot of different people. And youll see that play out this season.
We definitely hear Bos disdain for it, for the spectacle of it all. She believes that what others view as a religious ceremony was a spectacle, because she felt like a prop piece and so she [was] this child, this sister that was thrust into this life that never wanted any of it. Shes a warrior, thats who she is, thats who she was raised to be and Satine was raised to be in government, not Bo.
Bo-Katans story in The Mandalorian revolves around the Darksaber and House of R put it to Sackhoff that the character might be standing in her own way, considering Din offered it to her in the season 2 finale. They asked whether or not Bo and Din could break free of the rules and myth surrounding the Darksaber for the good of them both. Interestingly, Katee believes that Bo uses the rules around the Darksaber to mask her own lack of confidence.
I think that the power and the belief that is put into the Darksaber is probably more than the Darksaber. At the same time, thats the way that that works, you know?
I think that the sword into and of itself is incredibly powerful, with the way that Din is overpowered by the saber. Its very clear when watching him fight with it that it weighs a ton. You see [her] pick it up and its like shes fencing.
I think there is a little bit of potentially her standing in her own way, but she firmly believes that she needs that Darksaber to rule, because I dont believe that even though Bo has one of the biggest egos of anyone, I do not believe that she thinks shes capable, and that the only way to [lead her people] is with the Darksaber. Its her mask, if you will. She has the Darksaber, she doesnt have to be a good leader, she just has to lead.
Bearing in mind that Bo has created an amicable rivalry with Din over the Darksaber, it surprised some fans that she risked her life to save him. Katee explained what it was that made her jump at the chance to rescue him without a second thought and Grogus role in that decision.
At her core, shes a warrior. I think when the going gets tough, shes going to be in the front. Thats who she is. But I also believe that at her core, who she is, how she was raised, everything shes ever done, from the very beginning of the very moment we meet her, shes always done what she felt was right for the Mandalorian people, as misguided as she may have been. And so, I think that she values life. And I also think that she values Dins life.
I think that she sees him as a warrior, I think she respects the warrior in him, and I think theres another part of her that you gotta love the kid. He pulls at your heartstrings. He literally shows up and you see Bos face go from hardened, angry, get the heck out of here face to, Oh no! [The] child is alone. Why is this kid by himself, what happened to him? and then she almost feels guilty because she set [Din] off on this path that she knew was dangerous, and was like Have fun!
We also have to acknowledge where Bo has come from. Bo says as much in episode 2 where she talks about how shes known many Jedi. We saw her with Obi-Wan, we know that she knows Jedi. We know that she knows Grogu is a Jedi. I think that she understands the importance of him.
The Mines of Mandalore revealed new pieces of lore on House Kryze, with Bo-Katan mentioning her sister Satine (pictured above) and her father, the latter of whom wed known nothing about beforehand. Sackhoff talked about how it felt learning these new bits of backstory and how she incorporated them into her performance. Apparently, shed known these things for quite a while through long discussions with Dave Filoni.
I love it. I think that every time a new piece comes out, it is imprinted on my mind as a piece of her. But at the same time, Dave Filoni is like, my encyclopedia, and I spend every second that I am with Dave listening and talking to him about Bo.
We will spend days just texting back and forth backstory about Bo, things that people may never see about her childhood, and how she felt about her father, and what Satine represented to her. All of things that I already know it all went into this season, everything that wed been talking about for years. Its a really interesting season.
Based on what we see in episode 2, you can tell that she is pained and that there is something more going on inside of her. I think she likes not being alone, she likes when shes with Din and Grogu, because everyone else has left her. And so, this is a character that is very broken, and if you know the Clone Wars and Rebels story, it makes even more sense why shes broken.
Finally, Bo-Katans hair and make-up looks a little different in The Mandalorian season 3, compared to her debut in season 2. Sackhoff revealed that the reason for this was down to how important it was for her to accurately portray her look from The Clone Wars last season. This time around, she decided to take a bit more ownership over her characters live action appearance, including changing her wig and adding more detailed facial features.
Well, she obviously has a hairdresser somewhere! Ive said this before, season 2 was really I dont think that they anticipated her being such a big part of this show. I think that the fan reaction to having Bo in this world was universally really interesting. Im not going to say loved, but she fit in the world for whatever reason. In season 2, we really wanted to just pay homage to the character in Clone Wars, and that was my goal.
My goal was to have her be instantaneously recognizable to people who knew her, but also not jarring and not take people out of the story. And I thought that we accomplished that in season 2. I know a lot of people had a problem with the wig. I personally didnt, I actually liked the wig. You know, it was like a helmet, thats what it looks like when you take your Mandalorian helmet off.
This season I wanted to take more ownership, and I wanted to acknowledge that she existed in animation before live action, but to fully take ownership of the character and make her my own. And that meant and Jon [Favreau] was the one that spearheaded this as well but we wanted her to look different this season.
Her wig is different, the scar is potentially a little bit more prominent this season, as are the freckles, because I wanted her to look the way I wanted her to look in live action, whereas last season I wanted her to look the way people that people expected her to look.
For the full interview, check out the deep dive by House of R into The Mines of Mandalore, where the interview with Katee Sackhoff is included after their own analysis.
Josh is a huge Star Wars fan, who has spent far too much time wondering if any Star Wars character could defeat Thanos with all the Infinity Stones.
More here:
Katee Sackhoff Delves Deep Into Bo-Katan's Mind and Her Role in ... - Star Wars News Net