CALABASAS, Calif., March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Christine Deloatch and Lauren Brewer, owners and co-founders of PrettySpirits.com, an online spiritual wellness shop, have launched a crowdfunding campaign to open their first retail location in Calabasas, California. The initiative aims to raise $50,000 to cover costs associated with maintaining their storefront. Donations will help the Black, female-owned business with a heartfelt mission to improve the world.
Pretty Spirits has been fulfilling its mission to offer products and services that enhance self-awareness and help customers better manage anxiety, stress, and depression for the last seven years. In 2015, they began by offering services such as psychic readings and reiki healing to help clients break through tough emotional challenges connected to various traumas. As their client base grew, they developed their first oracle deck as a tool for self-discovery. They have since expanded their product line to include hundreds of spiritual and wellness products.
Donations will allow Pretty Spirits to continue to provide mindful products, resources, and services to those who suffer from emotional struggles like anxiety, abandonment and low self-esteem. The campaign goal amount of $50,000 will cover the rent and inventory storage for one year, store furnishings, the POS system, signage, marketing, inventory, and maker materials. Every dollar counts, and the campaign is grateful for any amount given towards meeting its goal.
Christine Deloatch
Christine Deloatch- Co-founder of Pretty Spirits
The new physical location in Calabasas, California, is a suite in Bungalow 21, a first-of-its-kind, family-owned business and wellness center. Pretty Spirits will begin their permanent residency in a modest space on April 16th, 2023. The founders are excited to showcase their mindfully curated products and provide their healing services.
Christine Deloatch and Lauren Brewer are mompreneurs who set out to impact the world significantly. Their mission is to create a safe space for millions seeking the knowledge and tools to align with higher self-worth, greater fulfillment, and inner peace. Donations from caring people like you help Pretty Spirits achieve its mission and improve the world.
Pretty Spirits- Co-founders
Lauren Brewer & Christine Deloatch, Co-founders of Pretty Spirits
Authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing are investigating a university lecturer for making “inappropriate remarks” after he told his class that China is currently dependent on food imports from the United States and Europe, alongside other pro-U.S. comments running counter to ruling Chinese Communist Party narratives, according to recent social media posts.
The lecturer was named on social media as Chen Saibin from the school of economics and management at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
“Social media posts currently circulating about a lecturer from this university who made inappropriate remarks have prompted concern and public debate,” the university’s Communist Party committee said in a statement on March 9.
“We take this very seriously, and have immediately set in motion an investigation,” it said. “The lecturer’s classes will be suspended for the duration of the investigation.”
The move comes as the ruling Chinese Communist Party tightens its ideological grip on higher education in the country amid structural changes begun in 2021 that allow a far greater degree of party control in the day-to-day running of colleges and universities.
The university said it had a zero-tolerance policy towards “moral misconduct” among faculty, a reference to a political buzzword used to refer to teachers who refuse to toe the party line in class.
The topic of food security is a highly sensitive one for Beijing, which has ordered officials at every level to crack down on food waste, and recently revamped a Mao-era system of food distribution that analysts said could provide a network of emergency logistics in the event of war.
China has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of military force to annex Taiwan, which has never been ruled by Beijing and whose 23 million people have no interest in giving up their sovereignty or democratic way of life, with analysts suggesting an invasion could be possible in the next few years.
‘More civilized, more developed and more free’
Screenshots posted to social media reported that Chen had told his class: “China depends on Europe and the United States for food. If the U.S. imposes sanctions, then more than half of Chinese people will starve to death.”
Chen Saibin, a teacher at the School of Economics and Management at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told his class that China is dependent on food imports from the United States and Europe. Right: Netizens comment on students reporting teachers. Credit: Provided by Guting
Chen also allegedly said that all of modern math and physics, as well as Marxism, are Western imports, as are a number of key engineering principles and many ideas in the liberal arts.
He also reportedly expressed support for gun ownership in the United States, a key propaganda tool used by Beijing against Washington, saying it could better protect women’s safety.
“This is a sign that they are more civilized, more developed and more free in the United States,” Chen allegedly told his students, according to the screenshots, citing the vicious beatings of several women at a Tangshan barbecue restaurant in June 2022 as evidence that the U.S. is safer than China for women.
State media and officials have repeatedly used gun violence as a way to hit back against criticism of Beijing’s rights record, or security measures and sanctions imposed by the United States.
The English-language Global Times quoted a U.S.-based student in February as saying “Chinese students in the U.S. face multiple torments of gun violence and racial discrimination,” while a Feb. 28 article in the same paper said the U.S. claim to be a “beacon of democracy” was undermined by “drug abuse, growing worries around gun violence [and] an ever-widening economic gap between the haves and the have-nots.”
An employee who answered the phone at the management committee at the university’s Jiangjun Road campus confirmed the statement and the lecturer’s identity when contacted by Radio Free Asia on March 9.
“Our party committee has already responded to this,” the employee said. “The matter is under investigation, and there are no conclusions yet.”
Retired Shanghai lecturer Gu Guoping said none of Chen’s comments had violated Chinese law, however.
“These so-called inappropriate remarks don’t break any current Chinese law,” Gu said. “It’s part of the academic tradition to express different views and opinions.”
Informing on lecturers
Current affairs commentator Bi Xin said it is increasingly common for students to inform on comments made by lecturers and teachers in class, citing the cases of other lecturers who had lost their jobs after making comments that were out of line with Communist Party propaganda.
“You Shengdong, a professor of economics at Xiamen University, said in class that the Chinese dream of [supreme leader] Xi Jinping was nothing but a fantasy, rather than being something rational,” Bi said. “He was fired after his students reported him.”
“Tang Yun, associate professor of literature at Chongqing Normal University, told his students that the official slogan “roll up your sleeves and work hard” did violence to the elegance of the Chinese language,” he said. “His students complained about him and his teaching qualification was revoked.”
“There is a terrifying culture now of students informing on their teachers,” he said.
Former Xiamen University professor You Shengdong was fired for comments he made in class. Credit: Mia Ping-chieh Chen/RFA
A resident of the central province of Hubei who gave only the surname Mao for fear of reprisals, said a culture of informing is the product of an authoritarian regime.
“It causes extreme mutual distrust and suspicion at every level of society,” Mao said. “This causes basic standards of social morality to deteriorate.”
Some social media comments thought Chen’s comments were indeed out of line, and shouldn’t be allowed to go unchecked.
Some referred to Chen as “a bad influence” who should be investigated, while others called for the “vigorous removal of poisonous teachers and poisonous teaching materials.”
Other comments lamented that Chen hadn’t been allowed to “tell the truth” in class, while some hit out at the students, saying they should have challenged Chen at the time rather than posting his comments on social media.
Education ministry guidelines on “moral misconduct” among university lecturers dated Nov. 8, 2018 call on universities and colleges to take action if faculty fail to toe the party line, ranging from public criticism and demerits affecting promotion and research funding to dismissals and the revocation of teaching credentials.
“Those who are members of the Chinese Communist Party will be sanctioned under party disciplinary processes at the same time,” the guidelines said.
“Those who are suspected of breaking the law and committing crimes will have their cases transferred to law enforcement and judicial agencies.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday the government has either completed or started the implementation of half of the recommendations from the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) on infrastructure development.
Marcos made the announcement after a meeting with the advisory group in Malacañang Palace, saying this development validates the administration’s continued support to its private sector partners.
‘And I’m happy to note that the recommendations that were given us by the Private Sector Advisory Council were essentially many of the things that we’re already doing,’ he said. ‘And in fact, the list of recommendations that they gave, I would say half of them, are either in progress or have been completed. So we are once again moving in the right direction together with our private sector partners.”
Thursday’s meeting, which was also attended by various Cabinet members, focused on matters regarding key areas of infrastructure partnerships in the country, such as water, transport and mobility, logistics, energy, and Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The PSAC’s recommendations for the water sector include certifying the bill creating the Department of Water Resources as urgent, adopting non-traditional and more sustainable technologies to protect watersheds, increasing funding for water projects, and implementing a water tariff based on affordability.
For the transport and mobility sector, the PSAC recommended the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through PPP this year, fast-tracking the award process for projects under the Original Proponent Status by 2023, and the development of the Aerodome strategy for the country’s aviation sector involving the private sector.
The advisory council also suggested the development of existing and key Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) assets into regional hubs capable of handling international vessels, updating of the privatization framework to encourage investments, and development of port support infrastructure.
For the energy sector, PSAC recommended the rationalization of the secondary price caps, the strengthening of local government units to facilitate energy project implementation, and the connection of small power utility groups to the grid.
Representing the advisory body in the meeting were PSAC convenor Sabin Aboitiz, Ramon Ang, and Manuel Pangilinan, among others.
Also present during the meeting were Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, and officials of the Manila International Airport Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and PPA.
Light rains may still be experienced across Luzon due to the northeast monsoon affecting the island, the weather bureau said Friday.
The Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, will have fair weather with isolated rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 a.m. weather bulletin.
Flash floods or landslides are possible during severe thunderstorms, it warned.
Moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas will prevail over Luzon and the eastern section of the Visayas and Mindanao.
Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate with slight to moderate seas, PAGASA said.
Meanwhile, PAGASA forecaster Benison Estareja said a circulation that could develop into a low-pressure area (LPA) is being monitored east of Mindanao.
“This could develop into an LPA either Saturday or Sunday,” he said, adding that the LPA could bring rains over Eastern Mindanao, particularly in Caraga and Davao Region, by Sunday afternoon.
Angeline Colonia will lead the Philippine campaign in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Youth World Championships scheduled to be held at the Ramazan Njala Sports Complex in Durres, a port city in western Albania, from March 25 to April 1.
The 16-year-old pride of Zamboanga City is hoping for another sterling performance after winning three medals in the Youth women’s 40kg. category at the 2022 Asian Youth and Junior Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Colonia won the gold medal in snatch after lifting 62kg., erasing the 61kg. Asian Youth and World Youth records set in 2018.
She got a silver medal in the clean and jerk (72kg.) and went on to claim the gold medal in total (134kg.).
“I am always optimistic when I compete because I know that I trained hard,” Colonia said in an interview on Friday.
She will compete in the 45kg. category.
“But I don’t want to be overconfident. Anything can happen in a competition,” added the youngest sibling of 2016 Rio Olympics veteran Nestor Colonia.
Also going to Albania are Zamboangueños Rosalinda Faustino (women’s 55kg.) and Albert Ian de los Santos (men’s 61kg.), Eron Borres of Cebu City (men’s 49kg.) and Prince Keil de los Santos of Angono, Rizal (men’s 49kg).
In Uzbekistan, Faustino pocketed three gold medals while Prince Keil grabbed two bronze medals in the 49kg. category of their respective divisions.
Albert Ian has joined the 2021 Youth World Championships in Saudi Arabia, while Borres will be making his debut on the international stage.
The five athletes are scheduled to leave on March 21 together with coaches Gregorio Colonia, who saw action at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and Diwa de los Santos, a SEA Games bronze medalist.
Rose Jean Ramos of Zamboanga City, the 2021 and 2022 champion in the women’s 45kg. category, will turn 18 in June this year, making her ineligible to compete in the Albania tournament, which is for athletes 13 years to 17 years old.
The Philippine Army (PA) showed its support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s campaign to plant 1 million fruit trees before the end of his term by planting 126,000 fruit-bearing trees in its various camps and bases nationwide.
This came as the PA and the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday signed a “memorandum of a partnership agreement” that commenced the ‘Raising of One Million Fruit-Bearing Trees’ project.
Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Potenciano Camba and DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban signed the pact, Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Thursday night.
“The PA and the DA team up to plant 1 million trees up to the end of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s term during a nationwide simultaneous tree-planting activity spearheaded by Army and DA officials at the Security and Escort Battalion’s Kamayan Area, Installation Management Command, Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila on March 9, 2023,” Trinidad said.
He also said major units of the PA participated in the activity through the collective planting of fruit-bearing trees in various Army camps and reservations nationwide.
“The said activity supports Presidential Marcos’ environmental protection and food security programs in consonance with the PA’s climate change adaptation by catalyzing private-public partnerships through the whole-of-nation approach,” he added.
This activity is part of the events held in celebration of the PA’s 126th founding anniversary, which falls on March 22, with the theme Army@126: Strong, United, and Reliable.
As this developed, PA uniformed and civilian personnel participated in the 1st Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila on Thursday.
Soldiers and civilian human resource from the Army headquarters’ offices and post units executed the ‘Duck, Cover, and Hold’ procedure at their respective workstations at the blast of the siren, which signaled the start of the drill at about 2 p.m.
Participants then converged at the flagpole area for the accounting of personnel.
“The PA’s participation in the quarterly nationwide earthquake drill is part of the organization’s thrust to ensure disaster preparedness and resilience among its personnel,” Trinidad said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council issued Memorandum 006, s. 2023 on the ‘Resumption of the Conduct of Traditional In-Person Earthquake Drill’ to help the public prepare for a possible catastrophic earthquake or the ‘Big One’ that may hit the country
