The Eden Project, Warrior Support’s Post

As I reflect on our celebrations of Memorial Day and D-day, I am so humbled. Countless brave, selfless Americans sacrificed everything to protect our freedoms and the American way of life. I am so thankful. Today our freedoms are not being used to have robust debates to bring about positive change. Instead, they are being used to polarize, divide and tear our nation apart. You are either "for us" or "against us." If you are "against us" then you are the enemy. Instead of tolerance we have mocking, ridicule and outright hatred. Where is tolerance in this? Tolerance does not mean I accept, celebrate and endorse your view point or personal lifestyle choices. Rather, it means I can disagree with your view or choice and still respect you as a person and treat you with the common courtesy and respect that all deserve. Tolerance is a fundamental by-product of individual rights and freedoms, yet it is lacking in today's society. Our brave military sacrificed everything to preserve our way of life. Today we have people who have never served or sacrificed anything for anyone doing everything they can to destroy our way of life. What has happened to our nation? It must break the hearts of our veterans. May we as a nation reflect on this and relearn common courtesy, decency, tolerance for and respect of others. May we use our freedoms to make our communities and nation a better place to live for all, not worse.

Happy Friday! As many of you know, this coming Monday marks Memorial Day here in the United States—a time when people pause to remember and honor those who have given their lives in military service. While this day may be a distinctly American observance, the spirit of remembrance is universal. In the U.K., Remembrance Day falls on November 11, honoring military members who have died in the line of duty. Similarly, in Argentina, the Day of the Veteran and the Fallen in the War of Malvinas on April 2 serves as a time to honor their national heroes. Such days remind us that many nations have set aside time to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, reflecting a universal respect and gratitude that connects us all.   ‣  Reflecting on Memorial Day leads us consider the profound impact of those who have served and the lessons we can learn from their dedication and spirit. Across the world, countless men and women have laid down their lives to pursue freedom and peace. This shared history, though marked by the horrors and tragedies of military conflicts and wars, also brings to light the resilience and courage of the human spirit.                    ‣ What can we learn from them? First and foremost, the importance of service to a cause greater than oneself. Whether on the battlefield, in our communities, or within our company, the concept of service drives us to work not just for personal gain but for the betterment of all. It encourages us to think critically about how we contribute to society and support one another. ‣ We can also recognize their sacrifices by striving for excellence and integrity in everything we do. Our work here might not compare to the gravity of military sacrifice. Still, we can honor their memories by ensuring our efforts and initiatives aim to genuinely improve our communities and environments.                 ‣ Lastly, the harsh realities of war remind us of the preciousness of peace. As a global team, we have a unique role in fostering understanding and cooperation among diverse groups. Let's embrace this responsibility and strive to be ambassadors of peace through our corporate culture and the services we provide, promoting collaboration over conflict in every interaction.

The true opposite to suicide is living a great life that is worth living. Everyone is aware of the statistics--approximately 140 Americans will die by suicide today, with about 22 of those being military personnel or veterans. We've lost more military and veteran personnel to suicide than we did to combat in the Vietnam War. The data is sobering and scary, but there are resources out there that are making a difference. The Warrior PATHH program at the Boulder Crest Foundation is a 90-day, non-pharmacological, peer-delivered training program designed to help our nation's warriors turn their struggles into strength using the science of Posttraumatic Growth. It's moving the needle for veterans and first responders by training them to create a life worth living and sending them back to their families, friends, and communities to be of service by sharing what they've learned with others. Learn more at www.bouldercrest.org #PosttraumaticGrowth #ptg #StruggleWell #ShiftHappens #VeteransHelpingVeterans #Veterans #FirstResponders #BoulderCrestFoundation

Who is Lloyd Austin. Watch this video to know the man. Who is Lloyd Austin? Watch this video to know the man. https://lnkd.in/embzk97D

Germany vs Germany

This is a fascinating graphic. In healthcare, we often say that geography is destiny. I can reliably predict your health status and outcomes based upon where you live. However, geography is really just a covariate. The real drivers include socioeconomic and cultural factors, which we generally call social determinants of health (SDoH). How long ago did Germany reunite? Yet, after all those years, obvious disparities persist in a developed nation with one of the largest economies in the world. One takeaway: SDoH factors can have significant inertia - meaning that these factors are hard to change in a population, and that change, if it happens at all, can take a long time.

More than 30 years after German re-unification, the differences between East and West are still clearly discernible in the maps shown below. This, however, is not merely a legacy of the cold war, but a combination of: high reparation payments and factories being dismantled and sent to the Soviet Union immediately after the war (only from the East), 40 years of desastrous Communist economic policies, and last but not least the botched economic transformation after re-unification (in particular the ill-conceived currency reform and the hastened privatizations). Have a look at the map about "young people". This is because hundreds of thousands of well-educated young people moved to Western Germany to find a job. From my high-school class of 15 students, only two are still in the region, but twelve live and work in Western Germany - and one in Dubai :-) Contrary to general assumptions large parts of Eastern Germany - particularly the southern half - were highly industialized before WWII and even before WWI. Saxony (e.g. Chemnitz aka "the German Manchester") was one of the regions to kick-start early industrialisation with textile industries and machinery/ engineering. The original Horch/ Audi cars came from Zwickau/Saxony, and BMWs from Eisenach/Thuringia. Leipzig used to be a major trade center (insurance, publishing, trade fairs) on par with Frankfurt/ Main. The Halle-Dessau region excelled in advanced chemical industries (the world's first colour photographic film) and aviation (Junker). I could go on. This is really not a case of "the east has always been underdeveloped compared with Rhine/ Ruhr or Bavaria". The maps show clearly what persistent legacies such radical shifts in politics and economics create and how difficult it is to turn the fortunes of an entire large region around.

Honoring Memorial Day: Reflecting on Sacrifice and Service Memorial Day is more than just a long weekend. It's a solemn occasion to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Their courage and dedication ensure the freedoms we enjoy today, and we must acknowledge their selfless contributions. But how can we, as individuals and organizations, show our gratitude beyond this day of remembrance? How can we support our veterans and their families year-round? I invite everyone to share their thoughts and experiences: How do you commemorate Memorial Day in your community or workplace? What initiatives have you found meaningful in supporting veterans and honoring those who have fallen? Join me in reflecting on the true meaning of Memorial Day. Let's exchange ideas and commit to actions that honor and support those who have served our nation. What are your plans for Memorial Day, and how do you ensure that its significance is honored in your life or organization? Let's come together to remember, reflect, and make a difference.

Despite being a designer, I never actually studied design in school. I studied International Relations. When I tell people how I think those two domains are intimately connected, I am still commonly met with raised eyebrows and confused expressions. But when I look back on my own career path and the things that have made me a more effective designer, I can confidently say that no other form of education could have better prepared me for the world of human-centered design than a degree in the humanities. Whether the focus is on products or policies, our design choices have an echo into the future that our typically short-term objectives rarely succeed in accounting for. With that in mind, I cannot help but look at maps like these and think about how the things that we design (whether it's a smartphone, an app, or an entire political/economic system) have a habit of returning the favor by redesigning pieces of our own internal realities.