logo: JMBzine - published by James M. Branum since 1995

July 25, 2022

11:08 am

This was originally posted on facebook.

Front porch barn swallows babies are almost ready to fly!

(This is clutch #2 for this year)

barn swallows about to leave nest in Oklahoma
barn swallows about to leave nest in Oklahoma

July 24, 2022

3:54 pm

This was originally posted on facebook.

A few pictures from today's grocery store ride to Williams Grocery in Piedmont.

Also --- for any carnivores in this part of the OKC metro, they have 73% lean ground beef for $2.79 a lb right now.

pictures from e-bike ride for groceries in Piedmont, OK
pictures from e-bike ride for groceries in Piedmont, OK
pictures from e-bike ride for groceries in Piedmont, OK
pictures from e-bike ride for groceries in Piedmont, OK
pictures from e-bike ride for groceries in Piedmont, OK

July 21, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

July 20, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

July 19, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

... I made a road trip down to Lawton/Fort Sill for a case, so of course, I took a lot of pictures, especially on the way back when I made a quick pass by my grandparent's old farm.

It was insanely hot btw, as you can see from the picture of the car thermometer --- 117F! (I think this was close to accurate as a bank sign's thermometer said 112F).

pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma pictures from trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma

July 15, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

CAIROklahoma.com: Guide to Islam and Muslims in Oklahoma

Sharing this very helpful resource that provides an introduction to Oklahoma's vibrant and diverse Islamic community.

I do want to share this bit of background about why I'm sharing this. ---- I'm not Muslim but I have had many Muslim friends over the years, starting back when I was a student at Oklahoma City University School of Law, when I worked in the computer lab (the only law student to work there, with my coworkers being international students, with many of them being Muslim).

My time working in this job gave me some new insights: (1) my coworkers were kind, thoughtful, and shared many of the values that I held dear, and (2) my coworkers were continually facing prejudice in their daily lives due to their ethnicity and religion--- including sadly from many law students.

I think things have improved greatly in Oklahoma since I graduated in 2005, but unfortunately, there are still many preaching hate against Muslims in our community, which is why this kind of education is so important.

If you have not had the pleasure of getting to know our local Islamic community, I would encourage you to check out this link. And if you are already an ally of the community, please share this link.

Thanks!


This was originally posted on facebook.

VIDEO: Bob Marley "Could you be loved" (animation 2022)

I'm so enjoying these new music videos being created for songs from musicians who are no longer with us. This one, for Bob Marley's "Could you be loved" is pretty sweet, particularly for any fans of futbol/soccer.

Sharing with my old friend Fabricio Brandao who got me into Bob Marley 25 or so years ago.

#bobmarley

July 12, 2022

Evening

This was originally posted on facebook.

picture of baby barn swallows in their nest

Round 2 of front porch baby barn swallows!


Afternoon

This was originally posted on facebook.

July 11, 2022

Evening

We had a great visit with my parents and two of my siblings yesterday out in Newcastle.






Early Afternoon

This was originally posted on facebook.

"At a Crossroads—Reconsidering the Goals of Autism Early Behavioral Intervention From a Neurodiversity Perspective" JAMA - by Geraldine Dawson, PhD, Lauren Franz, MBChB, MPH, S. Brandsen, PhD (July 11, 2022)

A very thoughtful article from JAMA-Pediatric that explores how a #neurodiversity perspective could/should lead to a very different approach when it comes to the idea of "early intervention" for #autistic young people.

Excerpt #1:

Several studies have shown that masking or camouflaging autistic traits has been associated with higher rates of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.6 Some autistic behaviors, such as self-stimulatory behaviors, have been found to serve a self-regulatory function for autistic individuals. As such, it is important to consider whether the purpose of preventing or losing an autism diagnosis through early intervention is because autistic traits, such as self-stimulatory behaviors, are stigmatizing in a society that fails to accept neurodiversity. If so, if we are a society that values diversity, the onus should be on society to change, not the autistic individual.

Excerpt #2:

A key point is that a positive reciprocal social interaction with an autistic child might look different than an interaction with a neurotypical child. Some children may prefer briefer interactions or alternating face-to-face interaction with bouts of parallel play. Successful communication will also look different for many autistic individuals. Some will use a keyboard or pictures to communicate. From this perspective, an optimal outcome for any autism intervention can be defined as an enhanced quality of life which for most people means living as independently as possible, making choices about one’s own life, developing satisfying social relationships, communicating one’s needs and desires, and applying one’s talents and interests in a meaningful and productive manner. These goals are entirely consistent with retaining an autism diagnosis.

July 9, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

July 8, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

July 7, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

July 6, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.

NLGMLTF.org: Practicing Military Law as a civilan, an ethics CLE presentation

One week from today!

I'm teaching it via zoom but the presentation will also be available in recorded form later.

Cost is very reasonable ($50 for attorneys seeking CLE credit, donations-only for everyone else)

July 5, 2022

00:00 pm

This was originally posted on facebook.

This Month in Humanistic Judaism - July 2022

LOGO: This month in Humanistic Judaism - July 2022

One of my favorite tasks associated with my job as editor of Humanistic Judaism magazine is getting to skim all of the congregational newsletters/websites/social media to learn about the different activities that each congregation is doing.

A few highlights for the month of July include:

  1. Book groups are busy reading and discussing, with July's selections being:
    • Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man who rescued a million Yiddish books by Aaron Lansky,
    • Ridley Road by Jo Bloom, and
    • Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland.
  2. HJ congregations are doing a lot outside in July with outings planned to a beach in Connecticut, parks in Maryland and Minnesota, and a mountain trail in Colorado.
  3. Most of our congregations are doing most activities still by zoom, but a good number are doing in-person activities when covid conditions allow.
  4. Topics of discussion in our communities include reproductive rights, patriotism in a Humanistic context, and of course current events.

July 3, 2022

This was originally posted on facebook.