Not for Donald Trump or Hillary: For whom do Republican leaders vote?

Not Donald Trump: 20% of the 331 current Republican governors, Senators and House members have renounced their party’s nominee -- and the number is growing. (Time screen shot)

Many Republican leaders are not voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, so for whom do they vote on Nov. 8?

Thursday’s announcement by former Republican Party leader Michael Steele that he will not be voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton is just the latest news leaving too many supporters of the Republican Party in limbo about what to do in the 2016 Presidential election.

As of Oct. 13, which was before the third presidential debate between Trump and Clinton, the Time reported that “nearly 20% of the 331 current Republican governors, Senators and House members have renounced their party’s nominee.”

While the number of current or former Republican leaders opposing Trump is growing, very few are sharing for whom they will vote:

Virginia Representative Scott Rigell, who is retiring at the end of his term, was the first U.S. Congressman to state that he will not vote for Trump or Clinton, but that he is “going to vote for the Libertarian candidate” Gary Johnson.

Republican Illinois Senator Mark Kirk said on Aug. 10 that he intends to write in former Secretary of State Colin Powell when he casts his vote for president in November.  Kirk told CNN that he would not vote for Trump because he was “too racist and too bigoted for the land of Lincoln.”

Washington Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler told The Columbian that “For months I’ve left the door open for Donald Trump to earn my vote. That door has now slammed shut.” Beutler said, “She will write in a vote for Paul Ryan.”

‘Mike Pence for President’  

According to a list provided by USA Today, the number one choice of alternative to Donald Trump among Republican leaders is Mike Pence.

New Jersey Rep. Frank LoBiondo is quite representative in his statement about what he will do on Nov. 8. “I cannot support and will not vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton to be President of the United States. I will write in Governor Mike Pence for President.”

Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz stated that he could “no longer in good conscience endorse” Trump for president. Chaffetz wished Mike Pence “was at the top of the ticket.”

Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo also consider Mike Pence to be a much better choice. “Donald Trump should step aside and allow our party to replace him,” Comstock wrote on Twitter. “I cannot in good conscience vote for Trump.”

“Make no mistake – we need conservative leadership in the White House,” wrote Crapo in his Twitter statement. “I urge Donald Trump to step aside and allow the Republican Party to put forward a conservative candidate like Mike Pence who can defeat Hillary Clinton.”

John Thune of South Dakota, the third-highest ranking Republican in the Senate, tweeted on Saturday that “Donald Trump should withdraw and Mike Pence should be our nominee effective immediately.”

How Mike Pence could become president

According to an Oct. 8 Washington Post report, “Many [Republicans] said they would like to hand the ticket over to Pence, but experts said it would be almost impossible logistically for the party to replace its nominee a month from the election.”

With only a few days until Nov. 8 and many people already voting, there is only one option left for the Republican Party – convince the 538 members of the Electoral College not to vote for Donald Trump.

In contrast to the popular vote happening on Nov. 8, the Electoral College does not gather until December 19 to cast their ballots for president and vice president.

According to Edward Foley, director of election law at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, Republicans could try to convince the electors to turn their back on Trump and vote for Pence or someone else.

Even though electors are supposed to comply with the wishes of the popular vote, it is actually unclear whether there would be any legal ramifications:

“While many electors are bound by state law to vote for the candidate selected by the popular vote on Nov. 8, there is precedent for ‘faithless’ electors who have bucked that requirement,” stated Foley. “And it is unclear what legal remedies there would be to force them to comply” with the popular vote.

“The Supreme Court has never settled the question of what happens if the electors vote on Dec.19 contrary to what the state vote assumes they will,” Foley added. “What really matters is what gets sent to Congress on Jan. 6.”

Since Donald Trump is not going to withdraw, the majority of Republican leaders who are not supporting Trump or Clinton stated that they intend to write in Mike Pence’s name on Nov. 8.

For anyone not wanting to vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, the idea might not be as absurd as it sounds.

After all, it might give electors the justification they need not having to vote for Donald Trump in December. 

Dyslexia and its meaning in 'The Connected Universe': The answer is clear

Dyslexia, like everything else in the universe, has its place and purpose. Watching the above trailer of "The Connected Universe" in Full Screen (click on the right hand lower icon) is an amazing experience.

As for the background to the above trailer, "The Connected Universe" posted on its Facebook page on Friday, September 23, that the film will be premiering in Los Angeles on Monday, September 26. The film, narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart (known for his role as "Star Trek: The Next Generation" 's Captain Jean-Luc Picard and as Shakespeare actor), explores the interconnection of all things in the Universe.



While "The Connected Universe" certainly does not cover dyslexia, the film's theme does raise the question -- why do we have dyslexia and what is its connection within the vast universe?

The clear answer to the above question lies in -- "without."

Without dyslexia, we would not have the amazing work of Leonardo da Vinci, August Rodin, Jorn Utzon (architect who designed Sydney Opera house), writer Agatha Christie, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gustave Flaubert, W.B. Yeats, Ann Bancroft (Arctic Explorer), Alexander Graham Bell, John R. Horner (Jurassic Park), Pierre Curie (Physicist), Werner Von Braun, Erin Brockovich, George Patton, Henry Ford, William Hewlett, Charles Schwab, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, John F. Kennedy, Nelson Rockefeller, Woodrow Wilson, George Washington, Cher, John Lennon, Harry Belafonte, Tom Cruise, Whoopi Goldberg, Jay Leno, Keanu Reeves, Henry Winkler, and Robin Williams.

There are many more famous (and not-so-famous) dyslexic individuals -- past and present -- whose talented contributions have made the universe brighter.

While fighting the challenges that accompany dyslexia, especially in a traditional environment, parents and teachers might ask themselves -- what would the world be without dyslexia?

Dyslexia: Why Leonardo da Vinci succeeded

We have moved this article to our new website. Please click here to read the article.

Dyslexia: Famous dyslexic people speak out, their heartbreaking stories

Reading and hearing the words of famous people with dyslexia and witnessing the pain they experienced as a child is heartbreaking. What is even more heartbreaking, however, is the fact that not much has changed in our school system.

Children with dyslexia are still suffering in school and dropping out.  How many psychologists are able to trace a child's depression, alcoholism, drug abuse or even suicide to the fact that the child was actually dyslexic -- but never diagnosed?

If, as Canada reports, 1 out of 5 children is dyslexic, imagine being a teacher in a classroom of 25 students. Even if one child is being diagnosed as having dyslexia, what happens to the other four children?

Dyslexia and what's the deal with learning disabilities?

Below is an excerpt of our book What's The Deal With Learning Disabilities? Since we have discontinued the publication of the book due to costs, we do want to share some of its insights in the hope that it will make a difference in the lives of children with learning disabilities.

In contrast to most books about learning disabilities like dyslexia, our book actually focuses on the amazing abilities in the word dis-ability.

After sharing some of the painful experiences of famous people with learning disabilities, the book actually focuses on what amazing abilities they discovered in their "dis-abilities" -- and what made all the difference in their lives.

Here are the painful voices of famous dyslexics:

“When I was growing up, no one knew what learning challenges were. So, I was called ‘stupid,’ ‘lazy,’
and ‘not living up to my potential’ … Inside you feel one way, and people are telling you that you are
another way, and I couldn’t reconcile that.” (Henry Winkler, The Fonz)

“I only remember one B in my life. The rest were a few Cs, mostly Ds, and lots and lots and lots of Fs. …Throughout college, I learned a lot but I kept flunking out. I still couldn’t memorize. It was also hard for me to keep up with lectures. In chemistry, I remember my teacher writing on the board and talking about something else at the same time. I couldn’t follow either. And I could never keep up with all the reading.” (Dr. John (Jack) Horner, a consultant to Steven Spielberg for the movies, “Jurassic Park” and “The Lost World” was the real life model for the paleontologist in the movie Jurassic Park.)

“When I was young, I went to a million different schools. I kept falling further and further behind in my schoolwork because of it. My spelling was terrible; I couldn’t read quickly enough to get all my
homework done, and for me, math was like trying to understand Sanskrit. It was embarrassing for me not to be able to do the schoolwork that everyone else was doing. Was I stupid? I didn’t think I was. But all the signs pointed in that direction. I didn’t like authority, and I couldn’t understand the lessons.” (Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPiere, better known as Cher, did not learn that she was dyslexic until she was 30.)

“It’s painful to think about it. The nasty little secret was that I couldn’t read worth a darn.” (Charles
Schwab, 66, dyslexic financier, in an interview with the New York Times.)

“He told me that his teachers reported that…he was mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in his foolish dreams. Apparently nothing came easily, except, I suppose, Physics, when he finally got there. In the meantime, he could not remember the time’s tables, he couldn’t read very well, and spelling defeated him. It was even suggested that Albert might be mentally handicapped.” (Hans Albert Einstein about his father.)

“Young Anthony was a sensitive kid, happier drawing, painting and playing the piano (he's now a
virtuoso) than hanging with the other kids. A dyslexic, he was poor academically, once saying of himself ‘I was lousy in school. Real screwed-up. A moron. I was anti-social and didn't bother with the other kids. A really bad student. I didn't have any brains. I didn't know what I was doing there. That's why I became an actor.’ To separate him from the many other Hopkins at school, he became known as Mad Hopkins.”( Anthony Hopkins Biography)

“Despite Andrew Jackson’s intellectual promise, he never showed much ability to write, and his poor
spelling appalled his friends.”King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has had some "hard and bitter" experiences in his struggle with dyslexia. Queen Silvia, in a TV interview shown Thursday in Stockholm, spoke publicly for the first time about the king's learning disorder. It became publicly apparent during a visit to a copper mine in 1973, when he signed his name on a rock wall and misspelled it.

“Whoopi had a lot of difficulty in school, but it was not until she was an adult did she learn that she had dyslexia. When Whoopi was growing up, she remembers being called dumb and stupid because she had a lot of problems reading.” (Whoopie Goldberg, actress and entertainer.)

The future of dyslexia

Unless we want children to continue to suffer like the above famous people with dyslexia, schools, teachers, parents, and society in general have to change.

Our book about the amazing abilities in students with dyslexia or other learning dis-abilities (including emotional disabilities) is not for sale. Our school, the Academy of Exploration International, is closed for the major part.

However, we are continuing our work in trying to make a positive difference in the lives of children with dyslexia.

As such, we will be posting more excerpts from the book - which focuses on the abilities and not disabilities -- on our JTNews19 blog.

If you are interested in receiving the eBook copy of the book for FREE, send us an email to Exploration@cox.net. The discussion about the amazing abilities in children with learning dis-abilities is also continuing on Twitter.

The only thing we wish is that you will respect the purpose of the Academy of Exploration International -- to make a positive in the difference in the lives of children with learning disabilities like dyslexia.

Dyslexia and why dyslexic kids struggle with time management, lateness, and sleep

After having spent 30 years teaching children with dyslexia,dyscalculia  ADD, ADHD, auditory processing disorders, emotional disorders, tourettes, autism, OCD, depression, and about any other physical or emotional challenges that students are facing, it is time to write about why those students became successful in life.

Those kids turned out to be writers, poets, yoga masters, painters, veterinarians, an international ice-skating champion, and whatever road their life was meant to take.

To explain why and how those students with learning disabilities succeeded, would take a novel. In the meantime, this blog can provide a few insights -- one at a time.

As to the topic of time, the most important aspect of understanding children with physical or emotional learning disabilities is that these kids have amazing "abilities." There is a reason for the word "ability" in the word "dis-ability."

Creative individuals like kids with learning dis-abilities are most active at night because it is when the brain functions differently.

Most everyone who is able to remember his or her dreams ( a skill that can be learned) knows how utterly awesome the brain works in creating the most unimaginable images, metaphors, and story lines.

In contrast to kids who follow the "logic" left-brain hemisphere directions to sleep at night, kids with learning dis-abilities (governed by the creative right side of the brain), follow their "nature" to be creative when the brain works at its ultimate.

Imagine waking up every night when you have a dream and feeling the need to have to write it down, draw it, or express it in any other way.

As such, it is no surprise that children with learning dis-abilities are tired in the morning and have trouble following other people's understanding of "time" management.

More on the topic and how our school dealt with the "time" issue to be continued ....

"No one knows whether or not he is a writer unless he has tried writing at night." – H.P. Lovecraft pic.twitter.com/VUsZpq4SZ6

— Chuck Sambuchino (@ChuckSambuchino) August 11, 2016

Dyslexia: The secret to successfully teaching dyslexic children

After having worked with dyslexic students for 30 years, the secret to successfully teaching children with dyslexia comes down to one single word. While some might consider one simple word a much too easy solution to a complex neurological issue like dyslexia, the success stories of many students and the success stories of famous celebrities speak for themselves.

Dyslexia and the Corpus Callosum

Parents and teachers might be utterly surprised to learn about the power of the word "Help" when it comes to teaching dyslexic children how to read and how to be successful. Here is a brief and somewhat simplified explanation:

Scientists have linked dyslexia to the Corpus Callosum which is the structure that connects the left and the right brain hemispheres. In dyslexic children and adults, the structure of the Corpus Callosum (including its thickness and neuronal pathways) affects how and how fast dyslexics process information between the left and right brain hemispheres.

Most often, the structure of the Corpus Callosum -- best understood as an "Inter-sphere Highway" between the left and right side of the brain -- is determined by genetics.

Charles Schwab, the famous banker, discovered his own dyslexia only after his son was diagnosed.

The Corpus Callosum or “Inter-sphere Highway”of dyslexic children or adults is like a very rocky road that is difficult to travel and can only be driven at a slow speed.

Dyslexic children prefer and tend to stay on the right brain hemisphere because it is their strong visual, creative, and imaginative side. Having to cross the Corpus Callosum or "Inter-sphere Highway" from the creative right side of the brain to the left side (associated with math and language skills) results in confusion and disorientation for individuals with dyslexia.

The simple word that makes all the difference for children with dyslexia 

Children with dyslexia can learn to read at or beyond grade level if a parent or teacher can strengthen the "Inter-sphere Highway" and prevent the dyslexic child's brain from becoming disoriented. For some dyslexic children, the mere fact of being forced to read can cause disorientation and a blockage to even try to cross over to the left side of the brain. Most often, however, it is trigger words that cause a disorientation in a dyslexic child's brain. 

There are more than 200 small trigger words like "not," "she," "on," or "to" that will cause disorientation in a dyslexic child’s brain. To prevent a dyslexic child's brain from becoming disoriented and to be able to read, teach the child to say "Help" BEFORE a word causes disorientation.

At first, most dyslexic students react suspicious when they are told that all they have to say is "Help," when they encounter a word they are struggling to read. It is important to let a student try to read and not say anything until he or she actually says "Help."

Once the teacher, parent, or assistant just reads the word for the student -- instead of giving some phonetic lecture or explanation -- the student will trust that when an adult says, "Just say 'help'" -- this is all a reader needs to do.

Reading with a dyslexic student can turn into a most enjoyable interaction of "you read -- I read the words you are struggling with" within just one or two reading sessions.

Once a child learns to say "Help" while reading instead of becoming disoriented, he or she will gain confidence, become  a better reader, and -- most importantly -- focus on and discover the treasure of what literature is all about.

The word "Help" in finding the "ability" in a dis-ability

Famous authors Agatha Christie and F. Scott Fitzgerald are just two of the famous authors who struggled with dyslexia in their lives. However, unlike Christie and Fitzgerald (and many other famous celebrities), no child today should have to endure the emotional pain that can come with dyslexia.

In order to protect children with dyslexia from embarrassment in the classroom and to provide them with the individualized support that they need in the traditional school environment, it is crucial that dyslexia is recognized worldwide as a learning disability.

James Middleton with his two older sisters "Pippa" and Kate. James is next to "Pippa".
(Photo by Hugo Burnand/St James's Palace - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

As James Middleton, Kate Middleton's brother, shared about his horrific experience of living with dyslexia: “When I read out loud in class, it was a joy for everyone else because I would mispronounce things so badly. I used to try to count how many people were in front of me and then work out which paragraph I would have to read out and start trying to learn it. And I would sit there thinking, ‘Please let the bell go so that it doesn’t get round to me’.’’

”When I was about seven, I was labeled dyslexic. I’d try to concentrate on what I was reading, and then I’d get to the end of the page and have very little memory of anything I’d read. I would go blank, feel anxious, nervous, bored, frustrated, dumb," said Tom Cruise. 

·         “I was lousy in school: a real screw-up, a moron. I was antisocial and didn’t bother with the other kids… I didn’t know what I was doing there. That’s why I became an actor," shared Anthony Hopkins. 

·         ''I was so single-minded about acting….I drove myself into the ground trying to get over dyslexia and when I finished school I had the top grades," revealed Keira Knightley. By the time Keira Knightley was 15, she left school to pursue acting.

Dyslexia -- and why it exists

Without dyslexia, the world would be deprived of some of the most creative and innovative people as described in Dyslexic children and how dyslexia can be a gift in disguise. However, in order for children to discover the purpose for their dyslexia and the "ability" in the word "dis-ability," it is time for them to say one more time the word HELP!

For any questions or comments, please contact us at Exploration@cox.net

Britney Spears 'Make Me' lyrics, dance moves, and music video

Britney Spears’ lyrics to her new song “Make Make” and her music video are stunning, and if you are anxious to see the pop singer practice some dance moves to her new song, look no further.

Here are the lyrics to the song if you want to follow along: 

[Verse 1: Britney Spears]

Friday, I'm dreaming a mile a minute 'bout somebody

This feeling, I wanna go with it, cause there's no way

We're hiding away from this tonight, oh, this tonight

Can tell you want me

By the way I see you starin' 'cross the room, babe

No shame in the game

Just cut the shit, be honest

Yeah, you know what you gotta do tonight, do tonight

[Pre-Chorus 1: Britney Spears]

I just want you to make me move

Like it ain't a choice for you, like you got a job to do

Just want you to raise my roof

Something sensational (oh yeah)

[Chorus: Britney Spears]

And make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

And make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

[Verse 2: Britney Spears]

No rules

From the bar to the car, let's take it back to my room

Igniting the heat of the moment; let the sparks fuse

Blowing up to the ceiling, we're burning bright

When we cross the line

[Pre-Chorus 2: Britney Spears]

Cause you're the flame I can't do without

The fire comes in the sapphire sun

There's no way I'm gonna be fighting this tonight, this tonight

[Pre-Chorus 1: Britney Spears]

I just want you to make me move

Like it ain't a choice for you, like you got a job to do

Just want you to raise my roof

Something sensational (oh yeah)

[Chorus: Britney Spears]

And make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

And make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

[Post-Chorus: Britney Spears & (G-Eazy)]

Baby, cause you're the spark that won't go out

My heart's on fire when you're around

Make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

(Yeah, Eazy)

[Verse 3: G-Eazy]

I don't care if it's a random person or the biggest star

Out in Vegas or little bars

Really not a difference if it's near or far

Listen, here we are; need you

I've always wondered what was off limits

Staring at you til I'm caught in this

Back and forth like this was all tennis

I'm all jealous, you came with someone

But we could tell that there's changes comin'

See I could tell that you're a dangerous woman

That means you're speaking my language, come on

Now follow me, let's go

Like Penelope in "Blow"

Well worth the stealing you, it's a felony, yeah I know

That's why they keep on telling me to let go, yeah

But I need you and I can take you

All the way and I'm able

To give you something sensational, so let's go, yeah

Said I need you and I can take you

All the way and I'm able

So follow me and I can make you

[Chorus: Britney Spears & (G-Eazy)]

And make me oooh (move), oooh, oooh (yeah), oooh

And make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

[Post-Chorus: Britney Spears & (G-Eazy)]

Baby, cause you're the spark that won't go out

My heart's on fire when you're around

Make me oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

Yeah, you make me oooh

Just hours after the release of "Make Me," the song hit the No. 1 on iTunes and captured top spots around the world. "Make Me," is part of Britney's ninth album and comes three years after the 2013 eighth album, Britney Jean. 

Britney, now 34, is as excited as her fans about the success of the music video and shared her gratitude on her Twitter and her Facebook page with a video of herself practicing some dance moves to "Make Me." 

Britney Spears is scheduled to perform at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on August 17.

Costco price tags tell you what’s on sale, a floor model, a returned item, or last stock

Shopping at Costco can lead to some great bargains if you understand what the .99, .98, .97, or .00 price tag endings mean.

Items ending with 99 cents, 89 cents, 79 cents, and so forth: Those are usually Costco’s regular priced items.

Items ending with .98, .88, .78 and so forth: Those are manager specials because the items might have been returned to the store, are floor models, or are close-out items.  

Items ending with .97, .87, .78 and so forth: Those are items that are marked down because they are going out of sale.

Items ending in .00, like $179.00, are similar to those ending with an “8.” If you are looking for a great deal, Costco no longer wanting them might be a great bargain for you. Costco will usually put the items in an area of the store where they do not take up valuable space. Some of the merchandise will have the original price posted or a close-out price sign on it.

Costco price tags that have an asterisk * in their upper right corner: Those are items that will not be restocked. Whatever you see is what the store has left. Most often the prices end in “.97, .87, .77,” and so forth. Sometimes the price tag will say “Existing Inventory Only.”

So what happens when you buy an item ending in .99 one day just to find out a week later (when you return to the store) that the price has changed to a .97, .98, or .00 ending? As explained above, you might be looking at the last inventory, a floor model, or a returned item.

If Costco’s price tag does not indicate why the item has been marked down, ask a store assistant. If you provide him or her with the item number (you can take a photo with your smartphone), you can usually find out why the price has changed. If the difference in price makes it worth the hassle, return the first more expensive item that you bought to the store and then get the cheaper one.

Please note: If you have have Costco shopping tips to share for others, contact us at Exploration@cox.net. For more "News You Can Use," follow us on Facebook.

Photos of 278 dogs at San Diego County Animal Services after July 4 fireworks: What to do if you lost or found a dog

As of July 5, 2016, San Diego County Animal Services is showing the photos of 140 dogs on its lost dogs webpage. And that is just in the Southern Region at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita. The San Diego Region shelter on Gaines Street is showing the photos of 99 dogs, and the Northern Region shelter in Carlsbad is showing 39 photos.

Many of those dogs ran away during the July 4 fireworks. Dogs get easily scared by the loud noise of fireworks, even if they took place a few miles away. Remember that dogs have an acute sense of hearing.

According to Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson, the photos of the scared dogs were posted as soon as each pet was kenneled at the shelter.

San Diego County Animal Services will contact the owners of dogs that have identification on them. If the owner does not pick the dog up by July 12, the animal will go up for adoption on July 13.

Dogs that do not have any identification will be available for adoption if the owner does not claim the animal within three days.

If you have lost your dog, please visit the San Diego Animal Services website and take a look at all the photos. Do not wait for the agency to contact you. A dog can easily drop his collar and ID while on the run. Keep checking the photos on a daily basis and call the agency to let them know that you lost your dog. Some dogs are still lost on the streets.

San Diego County Animal Services is providing a printable flyer for pet owners that can be distributed in the neighborhood. The flyer is available in English and in Spanish.

If you find a lost dog, the agency provides a webpage where you can type in the dog's ID tag number in order to find the dog's owner. If you choose to do so, you can contact the owner yourself.

If the lost dog does not wear a license, he might have a microchip. Call San Diego County Animal Services or take the dog to one of its three locations listed on the agency's website. Even if the dog is from out of state, the dog and the owner can be reunited.

If you do not want to take a dog to the shelter yourself, please try to get the animal to a safe place away from the street where it can be killed. If necessary, use a little treat like some meat to lure the dog to a safe area.

You can call Animal Services at (619) 767-2675. An officer will come out to pick up the dog. Once the animal has been checked for an ID and scanned for a microchip, you can always put a "first hold" on the dog -- if you would like to adopt him.