Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Valley Oak (Quercus lobata): To support your college-bound students, David Thurston likely envisions a platform that bridges the gap between open content and professional validation ... Question; Regarding Google Australia and Canva design and Canva education both located in Sydney Australia for free World Univ & Sch degrees in a number of languages recently updated this after 3 years so the main WorldUniversityAndSchool.org website, what might you David Thurston as the new Executive Director at Bright Paths DC - https://www.brightpathsdc.org/ - for your College Bound students in DC besides accreditation and courses other than ocw.mit.edu courses * * * Rev. Jesse Jackson Civil Rights' activist and US shadow senator passes ~ Also, searched: national US news & newspapers begun in #1960sAnd70s eg w civil rights & progressive focus & still active? Cool: https://share.google/aimode/EPpsWqLjlDfq2hTwI ~ * * * Harvard The Pluralism Project Unitarian Universalist Centers in Boston but interesting that the First Parish UU church in Concord isn't listed with the above centers * * * Harvard The Pluralism Project Unitarian Universalist Centers in Boston but interesting that the First Parish UU church in Concord isn't listed with the above centers * In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Unitarian Church—particularly its radical wing known as the Transcendentalists—was significantly influenced by Hindu philosophy and texts like the Bhagavad Gita * * * Vanguard mutual funds & ETFs Filtered by: ESG environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria re both index and socially responsible investing

 


To support your college-bound students, David Thurston likely envisions a platform that bridges the gap between open content and professional validation ... 


Question; 
Regarding Google Australia and Canva design and Canva education both located in Sydney Australia for free World Univ & Sch degrees in a number of languages recently updated this after 3 years so the main WorldUniversityAndSchool.org website, what might you David Thurston as the new Executive Director  at Bright Paths DC - https://www.brightpathsdc.org/ - like to see here on this website at World University and School for your College Bound students in DC  besides accreditation and courses other than ocw.mit.edu courses 


To support your college-bound students, David Thurston likely envisions a platform that bridges the gap between open content and professional validation. Beyond the core MIT OCW materials, a robust World University and School (WUaS) platform should prioritize:

1. Interactive Global Community

  • Virtual World Classrooms: Utilization of platforms like Google Street View or 3D environments to create "field sites" where students can interact with the environment they are studying.

  • Wiki-Based Pedagogy: Tools that allow students to "teach to their web camera" and contribute back to the wiki, fostering active learning rather than passive consumption.

2. Specialized Degree Tracks

  • Multi-Language Proficiency: Pathways that integrate language learning with core subjects (e.g., International Business in Spanish or Physics in Mandarin) to prepare students for a global workforce.

  • Credit for Experience: Clear mechanisms to translate past education, work, and life experiences into university credits to fast-track degree completion.

3. Professional & Technical Integration

  • Industry-Standard Software: Access to specialized tools (like CM-specific software or coding environments) directly within the learning dashboard.

  • Employment Portals: Verifiable transcripts and direct links to global independent verification services to ensure degrees are recognized by employers.

4. Holistic Student Support

  • Career & Research Mentorship: Access to a network of faculty and mentors who can guide independent research and capstone projects.

  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Seminars focusing on academic skills, wellness, and ethics to develop well-rounded "Global Citizens."

Would you like me to outline a specific curriculum path for one of these languages or generate a checklist for student accreditation readiness?







Also on TwitterX too - 


INCREDIBLE Gemini AI joined the open @WorldUnivAndSch M 2/16/26 #WUaSWeeklyBusinessMeeting  -


INCREDIBLE: #GeminiAIjoinedBusinessMeeting -https://gemini.google.com/share/daa3e5c06d57 @ open @WorldUnivAndSch M 2/16/26 #WUaSWeeklyBusinessMeeting (loosely conducted in #MannerOfFriends) & re how to develop #WUaSunivs in Australia, in India, & re #DavidLThurston in USA for #CollegeBoundStudents ~

https://x.com/WorldUnivAndSch/status/2023839459813585044



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Question; 
Regarding Google Australia and canva design and canva education both located in Sydney Australia for free World Univ & Sch degrees in a number of languages recently updated this after 3 years so the main World University and school.org website, what might you David Thurston like to see here on this website at World University and School for your College Bound students in DC at Bright Paths DC -  https://www.brightpathsdc.org/-  besides accreditation and courses other than ocw.mit.edu courses 




To support your college-bound students, David Thurston likely envisions a platform that bridges the gap between open content and professional validation. Beyond the core MIT OCW materials, a robust World University and School (WUaS) platform should prioritize:

1. Interactive Global Community

  • Virtual World Classrooms: Utilization of platforms like Google Street View or 3D environments to create "field sites" where students can interact with the environment they are studying.

  • Wiki-Based Pedagogy: Tools that allow students to "teach to their web camera" and contribute back to the wiki, fostering active learning rather than passive consumption.

2. Specialized Degree Tracks

  • Multi-Language Proficiency: Pathways that integrate language learning with core subjects (e.g., International Business in Spanish or Physics in Mandarin) to prepare students for a global workforce.

  • Credit for Experience: Clear mechanisms to translate past education, work, and life experiences into university credits to fast-track degree completion.

3. Professional & Technical Integration

  • Industry-Standard Software: Access to specialized tools (like CM-specific software or coding environments) directly within the learning dashboard.

  • Employment Portals: Verifiable transcripts and direct links to global independent verification services to ensure degrees are recognized by employers.

4. Holistic Student Support

  • Career & Research Mentorship: Access to a network of faculty and mentors who can guide independent research and capstone projects.

  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Seminars focusing on academic skills, wellness, and ethics to develop well-rounded "Global Citizens."

Would you like me to outline a specific curriculum path for one of these languages or generate a checklist for student accreditation readiness?








--

Society, Information Technology, and the Global University, (forthcoming, Academic Press at World University and School, 2026) 

Scottish Small Piping album #2 - Honey Piobaireachd (2022)
- Poetry! Order Book #5 Light, Float, Sit, Watsu ~ Virtually (2021, Academic Press at WUaS)

Scottish Small Piping album #1 Honey in the Bag ~ Out of the Air tune (2020)


Order Book #3 Winding Road Rainbow: Harbin, Wandering & the Poetry of Loving Bliss (2018,  Academic Press at WUaS)

Order Book #2 Haiku-ish and Other Loving Hippie Harbin Poetry (2017,  Academic Press at WUaS) 

Order Actual-Virtual Ethnographic Book #1: Naked Harbin Ethnography (2016, Academic Press at World University and School)

- Scott GK MacLeod  
Founder, President, CEO & Professor
at / of best STEAM CC licensed OCW, Wiki, 
World University & School (WUaS)  
- USPS US Post Office, PO Box 132, General Delivery, Canyon, CA 94516 


1) non-profit 501(c)(3) Public Charity 
best STEAM CC licensed OCW, Wiki, 
World University and School - http://worlduniversityandschool.org 

2) for profit general stock company WUaS Corporation in CA - http://worlduniversityandschool.org/AcademicPress.html

(m) 412 478 0116 - sgkmacleod@gmail.com 


World Univ & Sch Innovation Research - 






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Rev. Jesse Jackson Civil Rights' activist and US shadow senator passes Also, searched: national US news & newspapers begun in #1960sAnd70s eg w civil rights & progressive focus & still active? Cool:  https://share.google/aimode/EPpsWqLjlDfq2hTwI ~


1960s & '70s #CivilRightsActivist & #USshadowSenator #RevJesseJackson dies
https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-says-dc-mourns-passing-rev-jesse-jackson-former-dc-shadow-senator-and
-https://www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/rev-jesse-jackson-civil-rights-activist-dies-rcna42408 Also, searched: national US news & newspapers begun in #1960sAnd70s eg w civil rights & progressive focus & still active? Cool:  https://share.google/aimode/EPpsWqLjlDfq2hTwI ~

Pic of US house of representatives image  

https://x.com/scottmacleod/status/2023796370562531435

https://x.com/WorldUnivAndSch/status/2023796462472290309?s=20


G national news & newspapers' pic

https://x.com/scottmacleod/status/2023793517592801450








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1960s & '70s #CivilRights Activist & #USshadowSenator #RevJesseJackson passes 

Norton Says D.C. Mourns Passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Former D.C. Shadow Senator and Statehood Supporter
February 17, 2026

Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon, dies at 84
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said in a statement Tuesday. 


Also 



Glad Senator Warren posted this too - 

Elizabeth Warren
@ewarren
·
Feb 17
Reverend Jesse Jackson was a trailblazer and a fighter.

I had the privilege of speaking with him about his vision for a fairer, more equal and just country.

He has given a generation of leaders hope that we can and should keep fighting for that vision.

He will be missed.


https://x.com/ewarren/status/2023776224791904427




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national US news & newspapers begun in the 1960s and 1970s e.g. with civil rights and progressive focus & still active?  https://share.google/aimode/EPpsWqLjlDfq2hTwI

Several progressive and alternative news outlets established during the 1960s and 1970s—a period marked by the civil rights movement, anti-war protests, and the rise of the underground press—remain in operation today, often having transitioned to digital platforms. 
Here are examples of national US news, magazines, and alternative papers founded in that era with a progressive,, or advocacy focus that are still around:
Magazines and Specialized Outlets
  • Mother Jones (Founded 1976): Established by the Foundation for National Progress, it was named after the prominent labor and community organizer. It was created to focus on investigative journalism, social justice, and environmental issues, keeping a progressive focus.
  • In These Times (Founded 1976): A monthly magazine that focuses on American politics, labor, and social movements from a socialist/progressive perspective.
  • The Progressive (Founded 1909, but heavily active in 1960s/70s): While founded earlier, it was a major voice during the 1960s and 1970s for civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements, and continues to publish, maintaining its progressive, anti-war stance.
  • Dollars & Sense (Founded 1974): A bimonthly magazine that provides progressive economic analysis, focusing on labor, inequality, and environmental issues. 
Alternative and Independent Papers
  • The Black Panther (1967–1980, later digital/archive focus): The official newspaper of the Black Panther Party, it was a critical voice for civil rights, black liberation, and socialism. While it ceased print in 1980, its legacy continues through digital archives and modern ideological successors.
  • Fifth Estate (Founded 1965): Based in Detroit, it began as an underground paper and has survived, transitioning into a quarterly publication focused on radical politics, anarchism, and environmentalism.
  • Columbus Free Press (Founded 1969): A long-running alternative publication covering local and national politics from a progressive, activist perspective. 
Context of 1960s/70s Media
  • Underground Press Syndicate/Alternative Press: The 1960s/70s saw an explosion of papers (e.g., Berkeley Barb, LA Free Press, East Village Other) that formed the Underground Press Syndicate (1966) to share content. While most of these specific print papers folded by the late 1970s or 1980s, they laid the groundwork for modern alternative, non-profit, and digital, left-leaning media.
  • Mainstream Shift: Some established publications shifted during this era. The Los Angeles Times notably shifted away from strict conservatism in the 1960s and 70s under editor Nick Williams and publisher Otis Chandler, promoting more liberal coverage, a trend that influenced national news





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Mother Jones (SF)

In These Times (Chicago)

The Progressive (Ohio)

Dollars and Sense (NH)



Columbus Free Press (Ohio)




* * *

Harvard 
The Pluralism Project 
Unitarian Universalist Centers in Boston 
but interesting that the First Parish UU church in Concord isn't listed with the above centers


Harvard
The Pluralism Project 
Unitarian Universalist Centers in Boston 

but interesting that the First Parish UU church in Concord isn't listed with the above centers
wondering what the history is ...



* 

How much was the unitarian church in the late 1700s and early 1800s (with Transcendentalism) influenced by Hinduism and the Bhagavad Gita ? 


In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Unitarian Church—particularly its radical wing known as the Transcendentalists—was significantly influenced by Hindu philosophy and texts like the Bhagavad Gita. While early American Unitarianism (starting around 1790–1825) was rooted in rational, liberal Protestantism, by the 1830s and 1840s, Transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau began integrating Hindu, or "Oriental," ideas to overcome what they saw as the cold, intellectual dryness of traditional Unitarianism.
Key Areas of Influence
  • Philosophical Alignment (The Divine Within): Transcendentalists were drawn to Hindu teachings that suggested the divine exists within the individual, rather than as an "absentee God". Emerson used Hindu concepts of the "Self" (Atman) to challenge orthodox views of God as separate from the world.
  • The Bhagavad Gita and Thoreau: Henry David Thoreau was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, which he read and contemplated at Walden Pond. He praised it as "stupendous and cosmogonal" and superior to Western literature, incorporating its teachings on duty, simplicity, and inner contemplation into his life and work.
  • The Concord Movement: The intellectual center of American Transcendentalism in Concord, Massachusetts, was heavily fueled by this literature. Swami Vivekananda later stated that the Gita was responsible for the Concord movement.
  • Emerson and the "Great Soul": Emerson's essays, such as "Self-Reliance," reflect Hindu concepts of karma, dharma (duty), and the "Great Soul" (Brahman), which he blended with European Romanticism.
  • Brahmo Samaj Connection: Early American Unitarians were in contact with the Bengali reformer Ram Mohan Roy, who founded the Brahmo Samaj (1810s-1820s). This movement affirmed Hindu monotheism and rejected idolatry, which aligned well with Unitarian rejection of the Trinity.
Limitations of the Influence
  • Contextual Interpretation: Transcendentalists often read these texts without deep, original context, interpreting them through a Western lens to support their own liberal, individualistic, and, at times, pantheistic views.
  • Selective Adoption: While influential, this was a "selective appropriation" rather than a wholesale adoption of Hinduism, often focusing on philosophical, non-ritualistic aspects.
The influence was profound on the intellectual elite (Transcendentalists) within Unitarianism, rather than the movement as a whole, providing a mystical, non-hierarchical, and universalist perspective that still influences Unitarian Universalism today





* *  

Good morning, Messagers' Ma, Pin, Ed, (AI Readers), how are you? Precipitating last night ... and now up on Skyline Ridge overlooking the SF Bay in a cloud ... Van-camping at a frequently visited East Bay MUD lookout spot on Pinehurst, 3 miles south of Canyon, drove through the Redwoods of the Canyon valley from just south of the Canyon school, to just north of the Canyon 94516 around 7 am PT ... and it was so beautiful being among those trees in the early morning grey light (but still haven't figured out how to get a warm shower into this INCREDIBLE 2025 leased Toyota Sienna Woodland van ... or in any other way ... in all these months since 12/10/24 and 3/4/25) ... IS the Unitarian Church a 'lunaria' - and is that the word you were saying Ma on Sunday evening on the phone ... a moon'-aria too ... regarding a 'women's space' a 'women's place' ... a religion that resonates with you and which You've learned much from, Ma ...  but the Unitarian Universalist church can be a men's place too ... re all those preachers of yesteryear for example ...Found these online -

Harvard
The Pluralism Project Unitarian Universalist Centers in Boston
https://pluralism.org/unitarian-universalist-centers-in-boston
but interesting that the First Parish UU church in Concord isn't listed with the above centers https://firstparish.org/wp/. wondering what the history is ... (Our ancestor Lincoln, Ma, who accepted the sword of surrender from the British in the American revolution has a plaque in front of this UU church) ... Asked ... How much was the unitarian church in the late 1700s and early 1800s (with Transcendentalism) influenced by Hinduism and the Bhagavad Gita ?


In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Unitarian Church—particularly its radical wing known as the Transcendentalists—was significantly influenced by Hindu philosophy and texts like the Bhagavad Gita. While early American Unitarianism (starting around 1790–1825) was rooted in rational, liberal Protestantism, by the 1830s and 1840s, Transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau began integrating Hindu, or "Oriental," ideas to overcome what they saw as the cold, intellectual dryness of traditional Unitarianism" ... Thinking about Grandpa Sandy Brown and knocking back MIT international organized crime too, and re these inquiries - https://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2026/11/bauhinia-variegata-camels-foot.html ... More later, fond regards, Yogically, Scott (https://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/search/label/Yoga & https://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/search/label/Unitarian%20Universalist)




* * * 

Vanguard mutual funds & ETFs

Filtered by:

ESG
environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria 
re both index and socially responsible investing 







ESGV-Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF



VGHCX
Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares


VFTSX
Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Investor Shares
https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/mutual-funds/profile/vftsx


ESGV
Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF 


Vanguard does not offer a specific "S&P 500 ESG" branded index fund. Instead, their primary ESG U.S. stock offering is the Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV). It is a broad, market-cap-weighted ETF that screens for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria while tracking a FTSE index, providing exposure to large-, mid-, and small-cap U.S. companies.
Key Details for Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV):
  • Objective: Invests in stocks with positive ESG characteristics, excluding companies in tobacco, fossil fuels, weapons, nuclear power, and those violating UN Global Compact principles.
  • Holdings: Covers a much broader spectrum than the 500 stocks in an S&P 500 index, featuring over 1,500 holdings.
  • Performance: The fund has shown potential to outperform the average market during rallies due to a heavy tilt toward tech stocks, such as NVIDIA and Alphabet.
  • Risk: As a specialized ESG fund, it may be more volatile than traditional, non-screened index funds.
For investors seeking a direct ESG alternative to the S&P 500, other providers like Invesco offer an S&P 500 ESG ETF, while Vanguard uses its FTSE-based approach for ESG screening

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Vanguard S&P 500 ESG fund  


AI Mode: 
"Key Features of the S&P 500 ESG Index. - 
Exclusions: Removes companies with significant controversial issues, such as poor working conditions or high-risk business conduct, examples of which include the removal of Tesla."


AI Mode

7 sites
The S&P 500 ESG Index, launched in 2019, is a sustainability-focused benchmark designed to track companies from the S&P 500 with high Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores. It acts as a core, broad-market index, excluding companies with poor ESG performance while maintaining industry group weights similar to the parent S&P 500. 

Key Features of the S&P 500 ESG Index:

Structure: Broad-based, market-cap-weighted index.

Sustainability Focus: Selects companies based on their S&P Global ESG Scores, aiming for improved performance compared to the traditional S&P 500.

Exclusions: Removes companies with significant controversial issues, such as poor working conditions or high-risk business conduct, examples of which include the removal of Tesla.

Industry Representation: It maintains similar industry group weights as the parent S&P 500 to reduce sector biases.

Related Indices: S&P Dow Jones Indices offers alternatives like the S&P 500 ESG Leaders Index and S&P 500 ESG Elite Index for higher conviction sustainability strategies. 

S&P Global
 +5
The index has transformed from a niche tool to a staple for long-term investors looking to integrate sustainable factors without sacrificing significant market exposure 







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https://calscape.org/Quercus-lobata-(Valley-Oak)



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_lobata

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Quercus_lobata


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