Final Straw Foundation CIO’s Post

Happy First Day of Winter Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. For thousands of years, civilizations have celebrated this day as a powerful turning point—one of reflection, renewal, and hope. Historically, the Winter Solstice was a deeply significant event for ancient cultures. Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland were constructed with precise alignments to the solstice sunrise and sunset, demonstrating its importance in their calendars and spiritual lives. In many cultures, it symbolized the rebirth of the sun, as the days would slowly begin to lengthen again. The Winter Solstice reminds us of the cycles of life—of endings leading to new beginnings. As we experience this natural transition, it is an ideal time for reflection, resetting priorities, and preparing for brighter days ahead. At G. Best Husband Law, we understand the importance of transitions, whether in nature or family life. As you reflect on the year’s end and prepare for the new beginnings 2024 will bring, our team is here to help guide you through any family transitions you may be facing. Wishing you a peaceful and reflective Winter Solstice! #WinterSolstice #GBestHusbandLaw #DivorceLawyer

Morning sunrise near Portsmouth, NH. "That pillar of light rising about the sun is called a "sun pillar," which is an atmospheric optical phenomenon where a vertical beam of light appears to extend upwards from the sun, caused by the reflection of sunlight off tiny ice crystals suspended in the air, most commonly observed during sunrise or sunset when the sun is low on the horizon." Whaleback Lighthouse is at the center right, and Wood Island is to the left. Explore the New Hampshire Seacoast. https://lnkd.in/epgNrb5

Happy Winter Solstice 🤗 Today, marks the beginning of Winter (even though we are three weeks in already). This morning definitely gave us a great taste of the current season 🥶 Some fun facts about the Winter Solstice - • Today is the shortest day of the year. We will get 9 hours less sun than the longest day of the year. • The Winter Solstice is the day when our half of the Earth is tilted furthest from the sun. • Solstice is a Latin word for ‘sun standing still’. There are local celebrations happening this weekend to bring in the spirit of Winter. Check out your local areas to find an event near you 😊 #wintersolstice #yourchoiceconveyancing #stressfree #conveyancingservices #conveyancer #conveyancing #conveyancingadelaide #conveyancingsouthaustralia #realestate #property #propertytransfer #propertyadelaide #propertysouthaustralia #form1 #propertyexpert #landsettlement #propertysettlement

The rhythmic motion of an easy stride helps to separate us from the ruts of our current preoccupations and allows us to wander more freely through elected regions of our inner landscape. https://lnkd.in/dGsuK8Sa

11% of the Land in Hawai'i is owned by 37 billionaires. Paradise on Earth, a dream destination, a vacation ideal...All that makes us think of Hawai'i, no doubt, in fact a beautiful place. But just One year ago a wildfire destroyed Lahaina, in Maui, due to what is being called a 'perfect storm of injustices'. Gentrification, land forced expropriation by billionaires the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison and Oprah Winfrey. Since the british pirate James Cook arrived in 1.788 and established sugar plantations it has been all down the hill for the Polynesian population. Sam Dole, the same guy who brought you Hawaiian pineapples to your table was behind a coup to dethrone the local monarchy in what became the 'coup of bayonet'. Everything has been a story of infamy and just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, well, our corporate America decided to use the American army to annex the islands and use some of them as shooting practice fields (yes, like they did in Puerto Rico...). Now, just to make things worse, 'short term rental' has taken over; there are currently 32,000 units in the State, that's One in 80 houses. Hawai'i is the State with the highest rate of homelessness. Another interesting factoid, food is outrageously expensive in Hawai'i as a result of disincentivizing agriculture in favor of Tourism (~19% of GDP today), which reflects on having to import 90% of it. Does it sound familiar people south to the Río Grande? But perhaps the more insidious behavior, the one that constitutes the paradigm of power abuse is attributable to the Meta-malum-mali, i.e., the Zucker...berg. He does not need to hire a mercenary army in order to impose his will over the local population and displace them, at least not yet, for that he has the judicial system and their armed forces. I am not giving you a diatribe, that is what's happening right now. Zuckerberg sues everyone whose land he covets using the State laws in order to force them to sell those lands for a penny on a dollar. It reminds of the british paramilitary invoking the divine powers invested on their kings/queens and by extension to them. I invite you to watch this week's Oliver video on the topic just to get an idea what is it that we all are faced against. Yes, WE, because these guys are coming for all and everything.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve entered “The Big Dark.” It’s cold, wet and dark until late April or early May. Emphasis on wet—it’s no exaggeration that we are often called Mossbacks. The Oxford dictionary defines mossback as “an old-fashioned or extremely conservative person.” Not even close! Webster’s dictionary defines it as a sluggish fish that lives a long time, growing seaweed on it. Okay, that’s a bit closer. The 19th century Oregon Trail settlers noted that everything was covered in algae. Bingo! Yes, it rains here. A lot. Moss covers trees, roofs, sidewalks and even cars. Wet moss is slippery and can be treacherous. 20-year roofs lose at least 5 years of their lifespan. White cars turn green if stored outside long-term without a tarp. It’s with this in mind that I go on my daily neighborhood walk. I was walking between rain storms yesterday and it was only lightly sprinkling. The temperature was 42 but “felt like 32” as announced by my weather app. The sky was various shades of gray. The wind was picking up. This wizened, stumpy tree caught my eye. The old branches were gnarled and covered in pale green lichen. Clumps of moss in multiple shades of green were vying for position. It was almost comical. Yet, adorned with its mossy cohabitants, the tree was declaring that spring was nigh even though it was only mid-November. The tips of each branch had fuzzy buds akin to pussy willows and they were all pointing upwards to the sky. We see what we want to see. This tree personified resilience in the midst of dreary darkness. May it bring you hope and joy. #resilience #hope #pacificnorthwest #PNW #neighborhoodwalk

It’s King Tides 🌊 weekend! #KingTides (very high tides, caused by alignment of the gravitational pull between the sun, moon, and Earth) offer a chance to witness firsthand what higher seas could mean for California. King Tides will happen (Dec. 13-15), and Californians are encouraged to participate in the California Coastal Commission’s California King Tides Project: https://lnkd.in/gbvyAGN This project documents extreme tides to build a visual record of change. With #ClimateChange accelerating sea level rise, the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is leading efforts to ensure our ecosystems and communities are #resilient for decades to come. Learn more today: https://lnkd.in/giiG_xyy

Monarch Butterfly Covering Trees – A Spectacular Migration Phenomenon Monarch butterfly migration is one of the most remarkable natural phenomena in the world. Each year, millions of monarch butterflies embark on a long journey from their breeding grounds in North America to their overwintering sites in central Mexico and coastal California. This migration is unique because it spans multiple generations of butterflies. The journey begins in late summer and early fall, with monarchs traveling thousands of miles to reach their winter habitats. In spring, the butterflies start their return trip northward, laying eggs along the way, which hatch into caterpillars and eventually metamorphose into the next generation of butterflies. Visit us for more: https://lnkd.in/d-sSKZFd

Explore Psalms of restoration, discover a spirit-filled life's blessings. 📖 #PsalmsOfRestoration #SpiritFilledLife #BlessingsOverflow https://lnkd.in/gc2SzFXR

A Solstice Reflection The winter solstice, or hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, and when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky. Each polar region experiences continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice. The opposite event is the summer solstice. The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere's winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (December 21 or 22) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (June 20 or 21). Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term also refers to the day on which it occurs. So, in this moment of transition how will you embrace both the darkness and the light? I recommend three R’s - rest, restoration, reflection. “There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” ~ Edith Wharton #solstice #healthandwellness #selfcare #activatedlife #livealohalivewell #underafullmoonandaguidingstar #alakaiassociates