The mind is its own place

Paradise Lost
Book I, Lines 221-270

John Milton, 1608 - 1674

Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime,
Said then the lost Arch-Angel, this the seat
That we must change for Heav’n, this mournful gloom
For that celestial light? Be it so, since he 
Who now is Sovran can dispose and bid
What shall be right: fardest from him is best
Whom reason hath equald, force hath made supream
Above his equals. Farewel happy Fields
Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours, hail 
Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell
Receive thy new Possessor: One who brings
A mind not to be chang’d by Place or Time.
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n. 
What matter where, if I be still the same,
And what I should be, all but less then he
Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free; th’ Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: 

Icon of the Tech Boom Who Went to Prison for Theft Is Back

Alberto Vilar is out of jail – Slipped Disc

Told she couldn't dance

A MODEL MISS

WHEN COSTCO MEMBER Shree Saini was a little girl, she wanted to be a dancer. But, diagnosed with a congenital heart defect at 12 and with a pacemaker implanted, she was told she wouldn’t be able to dance again.

Saini, now 22, not only pursued dancing, but also performed a dance routine inspired by her experience for the talent portion of the Miss India USA 2017 pageant last December in New Jersey. The Seattle resident won the national title and will go on to compete for Miss India Worldwide this year.

"I really hope to use my Miss India USA title to reach and help more individuals," says Saini, who was born in Punjab. Meanwhile, she plans to serve as a voice for various charitable causes. Saini, who has made it her personal goal to make 100 appearances during her reign, has spoken out about human trafficking, emotional wellness and nonverbal bullying, a form of harassment that she experienced as a child.

"I’ve been through many trials in my life, and if I once had a mentor or a role model to look up to I would have been able to get out of those tough situations much faster and then much easier," says Saini, who aims to be a role model for children.

Shree Saini, Miss India USA 2017

Saini is currently a student at the University of Washington and has also studied at Harvard, Yale and Stanford universities. In addition to her studies, she has founded a nonprofit organization (shreesaini.org) to increase awareness of and raise funds to help prevent nonverbal bullying and human trafficking.

"If I could just make an impact on one person’s life, that is priceless," she says. "I can’t put a number on that."

—Christina Guerrero

From Costco Connection

Jon Gruden’s Raiders return: Ready to grind | SI.com

Jon Gruden’s Raiders return: Ready to grind | SI.com

We wrote about Coach Jon Gruden in Extraordinary Comebacks.  He got fired but instead of feeling sorry for himself, the quintessential football savant created the FFCA, the Fired Football Coaches of America.  Both ironic and productive.  With his encyclopedic knowledgre of the game, honed by near obsessive review of tape, he snagged a huge pay ESPN deal that lasted for many years....and put out his QB Camp half hours there, very entertaining, but in the end it wasn't enough.  Gruden is a competitor, and felt he had to get back in the ring one more time.

He is the new coach of the Oakland Raiders, soon to be Las Vegas Raiders.   His pay package is the biggest ever for his profession.

Superb feature here.  We wish the very down-to-earth, and personable and knowledgeable Jon Gruden great success as he returns home to the Raiders.