By Lalita B. Nordquist, SPHR, MA, MDR The holiday season is meant to be a season of thanks, of giving, of love and of friendship. Picture yourself with a mug of your favorite tea or hot chocolate, sitting in the cozy corner of your couch in front of a fireplace surrounded by family, friends, good …
By Scott C. Van Soye “Blessed are the peacemakers.” We value peacemakers. We may even aspire to be among them. But often we have no firm conception of what it means to “make peace.” Does it mean to cause the cessation of conflict, by whatever means? Or does it refer only to non-violent efforts to …
Bob had been Fred’s client for a long time. Normally, he was low-key and easy-going. Not today. He was angry and it showed. His wife Keiko sat teary-eyed and sniffling next to him. ‘Fred, I want you to make George Stevens’ life a misery, do you hear me?” “I hear you, Bob. But I don’t …
By Mikita Weaver The burqa is not a sign of religion. It is a sign of subservience . It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic. ~French President Nicolas Sarkozy Europe is deeply embroiled in a raging conflict over something quite small and ordinary: a simple piece of cloth that some …
By Mikita Weaver I was fortunate enough to attend a Horse Race in Hong Kong. I heard about the race from a friend I met while traveling who just so happened to be a horse jockey in the United States. We were both eager to see what proved to be an exhilarating cultural experience. Apparently, …
By Mikita Weaver, Esq, MDR When sitting around the mediation table, sometimes it pays to be intentional about your choice of drink. It may be a source of comfort for the parties. It may bring calm. It may bring peace between the parties if only for a moment and possibly create a space for resolution. …
Ron stared. The car was beautiful. All shiny black metal and gleaming chrome everywhere. Turning to the man beside him, whose name was Dave, He asked about the car. “Isn’t she lovely?” “Uh huh. How much?” ‘$26,000. ‘You gotta be kidding. Blue book is $23,000!” “Blue book for this car, in this condition, is $26,500.” …
By Ali Arif Introduction The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is one of the longest running disputes in modern history. It is a very complex issue which can be traced back to ancient times. The issue can be analyzed from a geopolitical, religious, cultural, military, diplomatic as well as countless other angles. However, this paper will focus on …
By Howard Stern Using Education to Reach Resolution in Palestinian-Israeli Conflict When I started out as a mediator, I soon learned that parties don’t always tell the truth and parties do not always disclose all the facts of a case. Only by exploring areas where the parties don’t want to go, do I find underlying …
By Bill Eddy One day I was meeting with a husband and wife for their second or third divorce mediation session. They were high-powered, both in upper management positions. I thought that their family mediation would be like a business meeting. But no! At the beginning of this session, the husband leans over shaking his …