The Stafford Voice

Conservative in a world of Liberals.

Miscellaneous

Seasons of Change

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couple praying

Admittedly, what I’m about to share with you has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to put into words. And, I must add, one of the most difficult things I’ve had to admit to myself. For the sake of simplicity, when I refer to myself, I’m really referring to us. The both of us. This is something that we have mutually agreed upon. Something that’s been on both of our minds and in our hearts for roughly six to eight months.

Before I get too far into this, I must give you a bit of the backstory. So, if you will, we’ll start there.

Back in time…

About 10 or so years ago, we were searching for more in our lives. We had already been married for 10 years, maybe even longer, and we had a desire to seek out more meaning in our lives. It felt like we were missing something. Enter some incredible people into our lives. I’m not going to name names as I’m sure they know who they are, and, quite frankly, it’s not relevant.

These two individuals accepted us for who we were and welcomed us into their world with open arms. We quickly became friends. It’s as if we had known each other our entire lives. So, I think they were quick to recognize what it was we needed. Hesitant, we accepted their invitation to know more.

Fast-forward a year and we found all three of ourselves, our son included, standing before the baptismal font getting ready to be baptized as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It will forever be a memorable time in each of our lives.

Faithfully, over the next ten years, we served in various capacities as members of the LDS faith. We shared our conversion stories with many people, both young and old. It is almost as fairy-tale-ish as our entire marriage has been. (Maybe another story for another day?)

Now, as a Mormon, we faithfully and somewhat blindly followed the rules. We did this thing when we could and didn’t do this just simply because, well, again, we followed the rules somewhat blindly. For many, many years we did this. Sometimes, after a few years had passed, we would find ourselves questioning the many things we were doing, and following, and adhering to.

But, that’s okay, right? It’s okay to question. After all, it would strengthen our testimonies. Or would it?

Tipping point…

Well, at some point, the pressures would start to increase inside ourselves as we continued to try to live up to the LDS standards. I’ll admit, they can be overwhelming at times. Even to the point of causing anxiety issues and bouts of depression. There was always a feeling that we weren’t doing enough. There was always a feeling of being judged.

To put it rather bluntly, we always felt as if we were outsiders, or just didn’t belong. (These feelings would greatly increase the older our son got.)

Alright, I think that sets enough tone to what I’m about to say. I don’t want to get into too many other personal things and issues. So, I’ll bring you up to current times.

Since the start of the year, we have been wrestling with where we are as Mormons. Or, should I say members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as we’re not supposed to refer to ourselves as Mormons or LDS?

So, wrestling… We spent many times with a prayer in our hearts and in our thoughts on what we should do. Many times over we would, even jokingly, ask one another if it would impact our eternal salvation. I say jokingly, but honestly, we both felt as if it was more a question that really needed to be answered. I cannot begin to express the amount of time we spent in prayer and fasting asking what to do. Over and over again, we would continue to feel as if we just needed a break.

Out with the old…

It’s almost like passing by a store with a sign out front that says “Everything Must Go!” They don’t do that just to get you into the store to spend money. They don’t do it because they’re getting ready to close the doors for good. They do it to get rid of things to make way for new things. This is where we are. We’re moving some things out to make way for new things to move in. In other words, we are taking a giant step to the side and taking a break from the Church.

Honestly? It’s really a test that if you set something free and it comes back then it was meant to be. It’s a test of faith. Something that many people we know will challenge. Some will not be very accepting. Very, very few will be.

It will be a definite test of boundary setting skills. One of which has already had to be tested.

Let’s test those boundary muscles…

The other day, we heard a knock at the door. It was in the early evening on a Sunday. We don’t usually have people knock on our door. So, we were caught a little off guard. But, not as much as the gentleman was who was on the other side of the door.

I answered and invited him in. It was pretty warm outside, so I invited him inside where it was cool so we could talk. It would be a little more intimate this way. I think by now, you’ve guessed this gentleman was a fellow member and was reaching out to us; mainly myself, as he was sent on assignment to ask if I would prepare a message to be delivered in a week or so. If you didn’t know, the messages delivered on Sundays come from the people in the congregation, not a paid preacher or anyone else. We all volunteer to do these things. (Something many feel almost required/pressured to do as it is just so taboo to say no when asked.)

He asked if I would like to give a talk, and I looked right at him and said no. He had a somewhat puzzled look on his face, asking if he could ask why. I politely shared with him that we were in a position that we needed to have some space and time away from the Church to figure some things out for ourselves. He said that was understandable and asked if there was anything he could do, or even if there was someone we needed to talk to. He also asked if he or anyone else could be in contact with us. You know… to check up on us. I accepted. He departed.

This, for us, was a test of our newfound boundary building. I don’t think for one second that, had we not felt the Spirit a few weeks ago tell us to start studying out of a book on boundaries, we would have been fully prepared to handle this moment. I honestly think we were, and are, being prepared for something. What that is, I don’t know. But, I will say this: the amount of weight lifted off our shoulders right now is beyond words. Freeing if you will.

Think on this…

I’m me. You are you. I’m not perfect, and neither are you. Before you are quick to try and pass judgement, take a second to examine who you are and what you have in your life. Are there things you need to change in order to grow and be the best you that you can be? That is exactly where we are right now. You can take us or leave us. We are okay in our actions and decisions. We are at peace with them. We know more of who we are and what we are capable of today than we knew yesterday. Can you honestly say the same thing about yourself and where you are?

STOP Focusing Your Attention on the Past!

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“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.”

– Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life
past present future

It can be fun sometimes to think about all the things you’ve done. Or maybe just sitting around telling stories about the past. I’ll admit, there can be a lot to learn when we look at things in the past. But, there’s something key in that last sentence. It was only one word. Read over it again if you have to.

The word was… LOOK.

In reality, we should have hung up one of those “Look, but DON’T touch” signs. Maybe then we would get a better grasp on it.

Our past is just that, our past. I don’t know of a single person that go back in time and change a single thing from our past. Admit it for a second that you would if you could. We’ve all been there! We all have things in our past we aren’t proud of, or would like to change. But the truth is the same. We can’t go back. Even if you could, it would completely alter your current state.

How so?

It’s called The Butterfly Effect. In simple terms, when a butterfly flaps its wings in order to fly, it causes a ripple in the air that has a tremendous effect on things halfway around the world. What seems like a gentle breeze to the butterfly has the potential to create the winds of a tornado.

So, you see, even if you could change one thing, it would completely alter your current state. (Maybe some would argue that would be better than where they are now.)

What I’m trying to get at is this: The past is the past. The present is now. The future isn’t even here yet.

It’s okay to think about the past. It can be a very effective learning tool. And, that’s really all we should do with it. Learn from it. And, yes, tell stories because I like to tell stories myself.

You have to live life in the right now. You are NOT Uncle Rico! You see how far that got him in life. He’s still trying to go back and get the coach to put him in the game. The game of life doesn’t work that way. If that’s how you want to be, you’re going to be left behind.

Do NOT fall into the trap of looking back at the past wondering what could have been. It won’t help one bit. In fact, it may just make matters worse. For many people, the past can be very traumatizing and depressing. Something they don’t want to experience again, but because they continue to put the things of the past under the microscope, it all comes back.

Allow me to leave you with this:

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

– Mother Theresa

Men in Bras?

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(Image: hommemystere.com)

It’s 2018, who is anyone to say otherwise. But, honestly, men… wearing bras and panties? As a man, I don’t know what just happened.

I mean it why I say I’m not passing judgment. You can wear what you want. If you want to wear something because it’s soft or comfortable or whatever, then by ALL means, wear it!

Don’t let anyone stop you from doing whatever you want to do.

But, in my honest opinion, I think there’s something much bigger at play here. 

We, and when I say we I’m referring to men, are attacked every day for being men. We have to set aside our masculinity so that we can embrace our softer, more feminine touch. 

No. Wrong. In large part, I don’t agree with this.

Men need to be more masculine. We need to be able to do men things.

Hell, if we eliminate all the men, well… we would all cease to exist. And, that goes without saying for women too. 

But, addressing the idea that “Lacy Bras for Men are Now a Thing“.

It’s NOT a thing! And, I sincerely think that the majority of women would agree. I doubt many women genuinely WANT to see men wearing lacy bras and/or panties.

Any sign of intelligent life out there?

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It’s a question we all ask ourselves: “Is there any sign of intelligent life out there?”

I’m not referring to intelligent life on other planets. That’s for someone else to answer! I’m talking about right here on dear ‘ol Mother Earth.

Now, before I get to what I want to say, I want to address something real quick. I find it really interesting that you are who you surround yourself with. It’s a lot like how when women are super close to a friend of theirs and they wind up having their menstrual cycles at the same time. They become in sync. 

Okay, so, here goes…

I was checking Twitter, when I scrolled past a thread from someone I follow. I like this guy. I find his thoughts to be pretty in touch with either what I’m thinking or what I’ve come to understand. This time was no different! What he posted is right in line with where my mind has been for the past few weeks.

Here’s a link to his post (I’ll post the text below):

Click through to read entire thread.

The entire text of the thread reads as follows:

We have entered Dark Ages 2.0.
No chivalry, no respect, no common sense, no manners, no morality, and our knowledge is on a very fast rollercoaster to hell, followed closely by our quest for wisdom.

I find that last statement an interesting paradox. Never before in human history have we had the world’s knowledge at our fingertips like we do today, yet we squander it at every turn.

We carry in our back pockets more computing power than was used to put a man on the moon, and we use it to post cat memes and duck-faced selfies. Hooray for advancement!

We have the ability to instantly communicate with people on the other side of the planet, and we use that power for what? Pretty much everything except what we should be using it for.

I’m no better. I laughingly tell people that the internet allows me to go global with my cynical humor and sarcasm.
But still, how are we dumbing ourselves down so quickly, even with all of this knowledge in our back pocket?

Because our thirst for knowledge has been replaced by our lust for entertainment. Especially in this nation. We have been drugged by the opiates of the screen. Our senses dulled by the wine of idleness.

I do believe the generation of youth demanding socialism is the direct result of the video generations. We can’t be bothered by hard work and commitment to intellect anymore. We need to get home and be entertained!
It’s sad, really.

It really is making me rethink social media and the entertainment industry as a whole.
I already threw televisions out the window. Now, I’m casting a weary eye towards screen time in general.

Very well said! I couldn’t agree more.

If you know anything about me, you’ll know I’m a bit of a noticer. I notice things happening around me, and when I see things and come across them multiple times, it gets cemented in my memory bank. This time is no different.

For the past few weeks I’ve been thinking on a particular topic – a topic that I will be addressing in the near future – and coming across this Twitter thread was the icing on the cake. It was enough for me to take a bit of action on. It’s why I wanted to share it with you.

I genuinely feel that we are, in fact, and maybe already in the middle of, the next age of darkness. As Al put it, the Dark Ages 2.0.

We have every chance for opportunity and growth at our fingertips, but what are we doing about it? Are we letting it control us or are we in control of it? 

I’d like to challenge you to take a second to think about and marinate on this topic. 

If you have something you’d like to add, please, share it on social media and/or join our Discord server. We’d love to have you join us.

The With Me or Against Me Argument

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Arguments sometimes end up with someone saying something like, “You’re either with me, or you’re against me.” We’ve all been there at some point. Right?

Well, politically speaking, I’ve observed this play out since before Trump got elected. I’ve even been guilty of it at times, I’m sure. But, lately, it seems that it’s magnified many times over.

Where is this coming from? We just finished discussing a chapter out of a book that my wife and I are reading. It’s something we do every Sunday evening. Anyway, this particular book we’re reading right now is called Braving The Wilderness by Brene Brown. It’s a good book so far.

So, the chapter we were discussing was titled, “Speak Truth To Bullshit. Be Civil.” In this chapter, Brown touches on this topic of “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy”. She states, “One of the biggest drivers of the sorting that’s happening today is the proliferation of the belief that ‘you’re either with us or you’re against us.’… It’s an emotional and passionate rendering of bullshit.”

Politically speaking, this BS is finding itself in just about everything. This idea of ‘sorting.’ That amount of hate people have for President Trump, and equally those on the Pro-Trump side, sort in everything they can.

So, what can we do about it? Whose side do you take?

I think it puts things into perspective when we look at a quote Brown borrowed from Elie Wiesel saying, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Taking that one step further, Brene says:

“In philosophy, “you’re either with us or against us” is considered a false dichotomy or a false dilemma. It’s a move to force people to take sides. If other alternatives exist, (and they almost always do), then that statement is factually wrong. It’s turning an emotion-driven approach into weaponized belonging. And it always benefits the person throwing down the gauntlet and brandishing those forced, false choices.

“The ability to think past either/or situations is the foundation of critical thinking.”

Which reminds me of a movie quote: “Can’t we all just get along?”

Listen Up!

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listen up

May I have your attention, please?!

Seriously, we need to talk. We’ll try to make it quick.

As you may or may not know, we’ve been pretty busy in life. We all get that way. Well, add to that trying to start a company and get it up and running – yes, it’s a loooooong process – and things tend to take a back seat.

For us, it was the show. We know it’s not what any of you wanted, but we needed to put it on pause just so we could keep up with things. And, now that things are coming back to normal somewhat, we think it’s about time to think about Season 4 of The Stafford Voice Show.

But… things will be a little different. The show you came to know will not focus its energy only on politics. We’ve given it much thought, and come to realize that the political nature of things today is adding much too much stress in our lives. It just was NOT healthy!

So, what did all of that thinking bring us to?

We realized that we want to talk. About stuff. Lots of different stuff. Stuff like society, culture, life, marriage, parenting, politics, religion, books, music, comedy, history. BREATHE!!! The list goes on and on!

With that being said, the show will go on! Cue the excitement.

We have yet to completely work everything out in our heads, but we wanted to update you as soon as we decided on things. What we have decided is Sunday evening. We have decided to continue with the format many of you love in being able to chat with us while we are live. We’ve also decided to keep things family-friendly keeping true to you feeling like you’re at the table with us.

Look, we could go on and on about all of this, so we’ll spare you all the details. Just know that we’re coming back and it’s going to be a lot of fun. We hope you like what we have planned!

Stay tuned for more…

The Cycle of Change and Growth

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cycle of change and growth

We all experience changes in our lives. Some good. Some bad. Some we expect. Some we don’t. But, we ALL have things in our lives that change.

The other side of change is what happens to us. We grow. All of us. Each one of us is impacted in one way or another by a change. But, it’s ALL about how we react to the changes that help us grow in good or bad ways.

Change brings growth and that growth brings more change and so on and so on.

It’s a continuous cycle.

We can look at this is one of two ways: Good or Bad.

It’s up to you! How do you want to view the changes in your life? Do you want to grow in positive ways? Or, would you be satisfied with becoming a more negative person?

It doesn’t, or at least it shouldn’t matter whether the change is planned or unexpected. You should always embrace it.

Speaking from personal experiences, at first it may not seem like the change was intended for you. It may seem like it’s meant for someone else to benefit from your changes. But, the more time you allow the change to take place, you will come to realize it was for you all along.

So, despite whether the changes that are happening around you, both in and out of your control, know that you will grow from it. Know that others around you will grow from it as well.

The more you grow, the more changes you can expect. Which, in turn, will bring more change. Embrace it!

It’s Just a Jumbled Mess

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My mind is racing as I stare at the blank screen. Before I flipped open the laptop, I thought I had an idea of what I wanted to say. However, now that the cursor blinks, I’m not sure where to begin. So…

birdnest brain

Would it not be nice to flip open a person’s head to get a real sense of what’s really going on? I sure wish I could. I mean, heck, the first one I’d like to take a look into would be my own. I honestly don’t understand how I’m able to function at times. Seriously, there’s some crazy stuff happening up there. It’s almost like there are a few wires missing, and the ones that are still there aren’t even connected to the right place. Where to even begin can prove to be a challenge.

Speaking of starting… I had high hopes at the start of the year. I really did. I even put them out for all to see. Some of them I’ve even been able to accomplish. Others, yeah, I have no idea how I’ll be able to make them happen. But, right now, I do not intend on giving up.

Maybe that’s the problem. I feel like I’ve given up. Quit. On you. On myself. I feel like I’ve failed you. Even worse, I feel like I’ve failed myself. I bailed out of the boat and the stupid thing was just pushing off from the dock. UGH! Why? Well, I’ve asked myself that same, simple question over and over and over again. No. I have yet to come to an acceptable conclusion. Sure, anxiety kicked in. Sure, depression is a nasty and ugly animal that comes out to play at the worst possible time. Sure, you put a lot on your plate to try and accomplish. Do I have control over all of those, and more? NO. Note at all. Is it possible to push through? I honestly don’t think so.

But…

Back to feeling like I’ve let so many people down. Truth be told, maybe the number of people isn’t as many as I think it is. But, nonetheless, I still feel like I’ve let many people down. I feel like I quit on them. I feel like I’ve failed them. Have I? That’s for them, you to decide. These are my feelings and I’ll cry if I want to. (Sorry. I broke out in song for a second. Are you starting to see the crossed wires upstairs yet? Then again, maybe that’s why you’ve stuck around as long as you have.)

The show was fun while it lasted. That didn’t come out quite like I intended it to. The show was fun. I had a blast. Most of the time. Truth is, there’s a LOT of work that goes into putting one together. But, also, maybe the timing just isn’t right. While mediocre shows flourish, others get lost in the ocean of talkers. When you feel like you’re doing all the right things. Putting in the hard work of trying to put together a quality show. With production and graphics and all the other stuff that goes into it… and when you see others doing more with far less, it can take a toll. Yeah, I know, I’m not supposed to pay attention to them. Focus only on what I can do. Right now, most of the time, I don’t even know what that means anymore.

FACT: The Stafford Voice has been around for 10 years! Most of you may not have even known that. And, it keeps going on and trying to move forward. What lies in store for the near future? Fun and exciting things I hope. But, it requires learning new things. Skills you could say. (Oh, that was a hint. Think you know what I’ve got working in my wittle brain? Guess again!)

It’s all in the process. I love the process. The creation process. It’s beyond awesome to see something go from a simple thought to a finished piece. Whatever it is. Music. Moving pictures. Sound. Products. Everyday things most people take for granted, I look at with a creative eye and/or ear. I can’t even watch a movie without trying to figure out how they put together that shot for the scene. Or how the composer put together the score. Or how the writer got started writing. Or how they built the set and props. Don’t even get me started on the editing of it all. Are you starting to see that there’s a much bigger picture to everything?

Here’s the picture of what’s happening right now: The wonders of modern technology in the form of an Amazon Echo is connected to the internet and playing classical music. All the while, I sit on the modern convenience of the reclining couch with a laptop typing out my thoughts. To one side is a magic little device called an iPhone that dings every few seconds with the dings of social media and email apps. To the other side, is an assortment of books. But not just any old books. They are labors of love gifted to us by the various authors. Now then, let us not forget, that’s just the right here right now. I didn’t even get into the lights, and electricity, and running water, air conditioning, hum of the refrigerator, and on and on and on. There is ALWAYS a bigger picture.

Okay, after all of that, I think I’ve officially lost it. I completely lost where I was.

Oh yeah, the process. I love the process of creating. Only one problem. I’m NOT creating enough. Documenting as some would say. Document the process of creating. Meh… that’s something for another time.

I think I’m sufficiently tired enough to attempt to take some rest.

My List of Goals for 2018

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The end of one year always brings excitement and optimism for the next. And, as 2017 came to a close, I couldn’t wait to get 2018 started. I already had big plans in the works that would immediately take effect on Jan. 1, 2018. In fact, it was the last goal I had for 2017. Now that it’s checked off the list, it is time to get to work on a new list.

I’ll get to the list in just a second. An, before I do, I want you to know that some of these goals I have set for myself appear kind of silly. Like setting a goal of increasing the amount of Twitter followers. But, it isn’t about the number per say; it’s about cultivating connections and relationships.

Alright, so, here goes. What you are about to read is my actual list of goals I have set for 2018 and with your help and encouragement, I hope to report at the end of the year I was able to check off everything and more.

 

PERSONAL

  • Read 12 Personal Growth books
  • Read 6 books together with Roxanne
  • Read 3 mindless/free time books
  • Improve my relationship with Daniel
  • Improve my relationship with Dad
  • Go on a campout
  • Take a vacation
  • Run a 5k in under 30 minutes
  • Maintain a bodyweight under 190 lbs
  • Do a handstand

THE STAFFORD VOICE

  • Twitter: 2000+ followers
  • Facebook: 500+ followers
  • Instagram: 300+ followers
  • Youtube: 100+ subscribers
  • Increase podcast subscribers
  • Increase engagement across social media
  • Triple average show views
  • Send out 6 newsletters
  • Post at least 2 times a week
  • Have a contributor post
  • Re-design website by end of March
  • 2 show sponsors

OL 76 SUPPLY CO.

  • Launch website on Jan. 1, 2018
  • Operate in the green by end of June
  • $2500 in sales for the year
  • Introduce a new product within the first 90 days
  • Introduce another product within the first 120 days

 

Now that I’ve shared mine, what are some of your goals? Can I help you turn your goals into celebrations?

Are We Really That Much More Informed?

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We’re told that we live in the age of information. We literally have all the information of the world at our fingertips. You’re likely even reading this on your little cellular device. However, in today’s day of information, are we really that much more informed?

It’s a question raised when I stumbled upon a post over at The Hill that started out saying: “Just a few decades ago, citizens who wanted to stay on top of the daily news had a narrow range of options. They could read a newspaper, watch an evening network newscast, or maybe just have a conversation with a trusted neighbor or co-worker. Today, the digital world today has created a Wild West of information resources.”

Can we take just a second to marvel at the notion of how far we’ve come? There was a day where the only way you consumed news and information was via newspapers. Then, along came the radio. A magical little box that, at the time, transformed our world as we knew it. Finally, we had a voice to go along with the story. What next, picture? Yes. Talk about a game-changer. When the television came into play, it almost rendered the radio obsolete. No longer was it good enough to only get to hear; we needed to be able to see it for ourselves.

Fast forward a few years to the present where we now hold all of that power in the palm of our hands. With just our cell phones, we can get print, sound, and video. If that’s not enough, we can even produce all three of those options with the same device. And, on top of that, we’ve added the social aspect. We can communicate with anyone in the world at any given moment of any given day.

So, let me ask again, are we really all that more informed?

Take a look at this chart of where people are getting their so-called news:

This chart shows that the two biggest social media sites, Facebook and Twitter, are among the most used sites for getting news. Is it not interesting that people are using social media sites to consume their news?

We used to be able to only get out news from newspapers, radio/TV, and word of mouth. And, it was those traditional sources that decided what was relevant to talk about. Only the media sources had the power to decide what was important and what wasn’t.

So, should it alarm you that roughly two-thirds of adults are getting news from social media and other online sources? Yes and no. Yes, because it holds those traditional media sources accountable. Think about it, because we have the ability to fact-check with a palm-sized device that we all possess, we can determine the validity of the news at that very second. But, there is a flip side to everything. As easy as it is to do that, we also have ease of access to be able to post whatever we want and label it as news. It then has the ability to spread like a wildfire simply because, well, it’s social media and if it’s on there it has to be true.

This chart illustrates just what people are consuming on so-called social sites. And, in fact, a large part of what they are getting is the news. They get the news and share it. And, if enough people do in a short amount of time, it stands a chance of going viral. At that point, traditional means of news media would pick up on it and run it as news.

This begs us to look at our original question: Are we really all that more informed?

Just because we read it or watched it on social media does not always mean it to be true or accurate. And, just because we read ir or watched it on social media doesn’t necessarily mean that we are more informed.

We do live in a time where we have more access to more information at one time than at any other time. However, when you add in the speed at which ‘news’ can be shared and liked, it adds an entirely new dimension to the equation.