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I would like to add my thoughts on the Public Talk schedule First of all: It is not the software that decides what talk is to be given. At the moment NWS is beneficial because it's part of an integrated software program. But the Public Talk section apparently still has some disadvantages. For that reason (and others) some prefer to work with Excel. First: the Public Talk section is now part of the weekend scheduling. It should be a separate section for Public Talks scheduling solely. No need for additional information such as the WT conductor, WT reader, chairman etcetera. One of the reasons the PTCO still uses Excel is perhaps the option to take notes in the schedule while this is not logically in NWS. Everyone has its own way of thinking what is logically in his eyes. Some prefer to invite a certain speaker and then asks what talks he is able to give. Others prefer to see what talk is preferred to be given because of the time last given or the subject of the talk that may be appropriate for the congregation. And that's fine. So Baruch should be able to choose either way of working. For the latter way of scheduling there already exists an option in NWS for that but it seems not everyone is aware of it. See image below. If one wants to schedule a certain speaker, one should be able to either go to his congregation and select his name or one could type his name in a search box to search the entire database. Additionally, a pop-up screen could open with his contact information (Phone / email) as well as the talk subjects he is able to deliver, when a talk is last given and if a talk is already scheduled in the near future. If an email was sent for a certain date it would be nice if that week is grayed out to avoid double scheduling. Furthermore a color code could be added to see what the status is. When confirmed, that week could be made bold (or something else) and the color could be adjusted to confirmation status. If an email was send but no confirmation received yet it would be nice if a week later or so a reminder could be send automatically or a list of unconfirmed emails could pop up so a phone call can be made as follow up or a reminder can be send. If one schedules by talk subject it would be nice if you can select a certain talk and immediately all speakers that have that talk pop up with contact information. In NWS it looks like this: Some congregations prefer to communicate through the PTCO instead of directly to a certain speaker. If that's the case an email should go out to the PTCO automatically and/or a popup should appear with his contact information. The option for notes that requests have been made for certain speakers/outlines could be helpful. An option that could be useful also is if we need a replacement speaker urgently for some reason that I can filter on congregations that don't have their meeting on a Sunday morning as well. This could increase the chance of a substitute speaker that is available. Just a few thoughts that popped up in my mind so far.

Divine Plan of the ages; I haven't read lately?

This prevents accidental double-booking. 3️⃣ Confirmation Phase When the external congregation confirms: Status changes to Confirmed The talk is now locked internally It becomes ready for publication At this stage: No further negotiation is expected The planner has certainty The entry is stable If declined: Status changes to Cancelled The date becomes available again 4️⃣ Publication Phase Nothing becomes visible to the congregation until explicitly published. When “Publish” is selected: Status changes to Published The talk becomes visible in: Congregation schedules Public reports Possibly notification systems Optional: Automatically synchronize to printed schedules Include in reporting exports Trigger internal reminders Publication is a conscious action. Key Advantages 1. No More Spreadsheet Planning All stages — from idea to confirmation — are handled inside one system. 2. Reduced Risk of Missed Talks Negotiation states are clearly visible. 3. Better Coordination Planners always see: What is draft What is requested What is reserved What is confirmed What is published 4. Clear Separation Between Internal and Public Information The congregation only sees finalized, confirmed talks. 5. Planning Simulation You can plan in concept mode without the congregation seeing any of it. That looks really great! Would make it so much easier. I just realized I have two spreadsheets... I have one when I call the actual talker. I do not know how others do it. But every Monday I call the talker. And that have been good. The talk for tomorrow is a great example... He was double booked. So by calling I confirm that talker is really coming. I also ask for the song. If he can end with a closing prayer. If he wants his traveling expenses paid and it he can stay for some food and it they have allergies. So That's a manuscript have use to not forget something important. Oh and if he have media to the talk. Lately we had some problems with double booking and I do not know why. But I'll guess most often due to misunderstanding. We had some serious issue with the talk sharing in NW and my spreadsheet have saved me more than once. Once a congregation booked 3 talks from us and we booked some from them with the sharing function. A couple of week's later he called me in panic and asked if I could see the talkers in NW. They were gone for him... And for me to!? No warning no nothing. But the spreadsheet was intact... I also had a neverending session with another congregation. The system did not seem to understand that we were done. We could not be done without sending requests back and forth. It was hilarious, like watching tennis. He approved, I approved and then he had to approve again and I had to approve and the thing would not stop. So we both cancelled the talks and added it manually. Then NW complained that we had booked but not sent any request... I have not used booking with the function since then...

Israel says it launched pre-emptive attack against Iran https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-it-launched-pre-emptive-attack-against-iran-2026-02-28/ Witnesses say more explosions rock Iran’s capital, Tehran https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-explosion-tehran-c2f11247d8a66e36929266f2c557a54c Something to watch out for if this is the end of diplomacy.

Pakistan is bombing Afghanistan (Taliban). Pakistan Defense Minister saying "Our cup of patience has overflowed, now it is open war between us and you". They share a 1600 mile border. USA and Israel may attack Iran at any moment. India has said they are "forever friends" with Israel. Russia gives Iran tacit support. Whatever happens may be a jolt to the toothless UN.

Early 1980s,I used this book and other JW material when I was studying and wrote a rather "long winded" letter to every church I had ever attended and noted everything they had taught that was unscriptural.

Those Debit Card Blues

Maybe related to the US vs Iran conflict. Hate crimes will increase in the west.

*** jv chap. 8 p. 99 par. 4 Declaring the Good News Without Letup (1942-1975) *** At the New World Society Assembly, held in New York City, July 19-26, 1953, new publications were provided for Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves and for use especially in the house-to-house proclamation of the Kingdom. For example, the release of “Make Sure of All Things” brought forth thunderous applause from the 125,040 present on Monday, July 20. A handy field service tool, the 416-page pocket-size book assembled more than 4,500 scriptures under 70 main themes. Jehovah’s Witnesses now had at their fingertips the Scriptural answers to questions raised in their house-to-house preaching. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1101993009&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=50

Thank you. My lesson from this is do NOT build a system that: Forces full adoption Forces structural hierarchy Forces behavioral change Requires everyone to be online Requires everyone to check messages Instead: Build something that fits around how you already work. Based on this feedback, here’s what would be powerful: Make Sharing Optional, Not Structural No forced circuit linking. Instead: Add congregation manually Search by name Send direct request Done Keep it lightweight. Make Status Crystal Clear Statuses should be: Big Color-coded Impossible to misunderstand For example: 🟡 Requested 🟠 Awaiting Response 🟢 Confirmed 🔴 Declined 🔵 Published No vague system language. Support Offline-Style Coordinators If someone doesn’t check the app often: Auto-send email Reminder after X days Clear notification summary The system should chase the answer — not the user. Never Force Workflow Changes Allow two styles: Mode A – Traditional Manual entry. No sharing. Just track. Mode B – Assisted Use request workflow. Let coordinators choose. The moment they feel control → adoption rises. Don’t Require Critical Mass to Be Useful If only 1 congregation uses Baruch in a circuit, it should still be valuable. That’s key. It should: Improve internal clarity Reduce Excel dependency Track requests Give structure Even if others stay manual. The difference between “feature” and “adoption” is this: NWS built a system that works when everyone behaves ideally. Real life is messy. Baruch should be built for messy reality.

The Daily Drive Home Also, here are two about the same thing. One is first person and the other is third person. Tomorrow Morning, I'll Start Again In That Little Eight by Ten

I have to say that using NWS/NWP has worked out exceedingly well for our area - for those who use it. The weakest link right now is the public talk sharing module. It seems to be the one that gets modified on each major update. It is a great idea in theory, but not so much in practice. Only half the congregations in our circuit use the system. Here are some things that detract: The UI is awkward and not that intuitive The status messages are not always clear The rigid structure of having to link congregations to circuits and 'guest circuits' seems unnecessary - we don't care what circuit a congregation is in. Some talk coordinators do not check their computer very frequently, so system messages go unanswered. Some experienced talk coordinators work out their talk schedules in a totally different manner - they feel the NWS system tries to force them to change how they work.

Always so kind brother Glen 🌼

Nice hearing from you my sis.

Expecting another snow storm; this winter has been a record setter. Can't wait for a couple or three months when I will not have to pay for fuel or airconditioning.

I really liked the "Make Sure" book.

Saturday, February 28 Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine.—1 Thess. 5:21. Parents have different opportunities to engage in interesting conversations with their child about the Bible or about faith in God. These opportunities may come up during a visit to a museum. You could draw your child’s attention to historical events or artifacts that can strengthen his conviction that the Bible is accurate. Does your child know that God’s personal name appears on a 3,000-year-old slab of stone known as the Moabite Stone? A replica of the Moabite Stone is on display at “The Bible and the Divine Name” exhibit located at the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Warwick, New York. The Moabite Stone reveals that King Mesha of Moab rebelled against Israel. That is in accord with what the Bible says. (2 Ki. 3:4, 5) When your child sees with his own eyes evidence of the Bible’s truthfulness and accuracy, his faith will become stronger. w24.12 14 ¶4; 15

Thank you. Your experience is gold for me. I was a coordinator in the past, and I know how stressfull and fustrating this planning can be. Scheduling public talks will become one of Baruch's key functions. I can assure you of that. I have the following proposal, based on your input. Could this solve your problem? A Concept & Reservation Workflow Before Publication Instead of simply “scheduling public talks,” this proposal introduces a concept and reservation workflow prior to publication. The goal is to support the real planning process — including drafting, requesting, negotiating, confirming, and only then publishing — without forcing planners to use external tools like spreadsheets. This approach allows coordinators to: Test and simulate schedules safely Reserve dates temporarily during negotiation Track request status clearly Avoid double administration Publish only confirmed talks Core Principle Planning should happen in two phases: Internal planning (private / concept mode) Public visibility (after confirmation and publication) Nothing becomes visible to the congregation until the planner explicitly publishes it. Status-Based Workflow Each public talk moves through defined statuses: Concept Requested (from Congregation A) Provisionally Reserved Confirmed Cancelled Published This creates transparency and control throughout the process. Functional Model 1️⃣ Draft Planner (Concept Mode) The Draft Planner is a private planning environment. Characteristics: A full public talks schedule can be created. All entries default to Concept. Only designated planners (e.g., Public Talk Coordinator, elders) can see this view. The congregation sees nothing at this stage. Purpose: This allows planners to: Simulate different scenarios. Test combinations of speakers and dates. Compare availability. Plan several months ahead. Adjust freely without consequences. It replaces the need for Excel-based shadow planning. 2️⃣ External Request Phase Once a talk is selected and a congregation is identified: Per Talk: Click “Send Request” Status changes to: Requested The date becomes temporarily reserved internally. The UI visually indicates that this date is under negotiation. Optional enhancement: The system may support: Exporting request details Logging communication history Marking follow-up reminders Visual clarity: Dates under request could be marked with a specific color or icon, showing clearly: “This slot is in negotiation.” This prevents accidental double-booking. 3️⃣ Confirmation Phase When the external congregation confirms: Status changes to Confirmed The talk is now locked internally It becomes ready for publication At this stage: No further negotiation is expected The planner has certainty The entry is stable If declined: Status changes to Cancelled The date becomes available again 4️⃣ Publication Phase Nothing becomes visible to the congregation until explicitly published. When “Publish” is selected: Status changes to Published The talk becomes visible in: Congregation schedules Public reports Possibly notification systems Optional: Automatically synchronize to printed schedules Include in reporting exports Trigger internal reminders Publication is a conscious action. Key Advantages 1. No More Spreadsheet Planning All stages — from idea to confirmation — are handled inside one system. 2. Reduced Risk of Missed Talks Negotiation states are clearly visible. 3. Better Coordination Planners always see: What is draft What is requested What is reserved What is confirmed What is published 4. Clear Separation Between Internal and Public Information The congregation only sees finalized, confirmed talks. 5. Planning Simulation You can plan in concept mode without the congregation seeing any of it.

Astronomers just watched a star 1,540 times the size of our sun transform into a hypergiant. Will it go supernova? By Robert Lea published yesterday "The future evolution of WOH G64 remains uncertain." Astronomers have witnessed one of our universe's biggest stars transforming into a rare stellar body, and the dramatic metamorphosis may be the prequel to a powerful supernova explosion that sees this star birth a black hole. The doomed star in question is WOH G64 (also known as IRAS 04553–6825), located in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way known as the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), around 163,000 light-years away. The star is around 1,540 times the size of the sun, with almost 30 times the mass of our star and a staggering 282,000 times its brightness. Discovered in the 1970s, WOH G64 has always appeared to be a red supergiant star surrounded by a ring, or torus, of dense dust. However, in 2014, the appearance of this supergiant began to change. A team of astronomers, led by Gonzalo Muñoz-Sanchez at the National Observatory of Athens, noticed the star's color changing along with a corresponding increase in its surface temperature. Muñoz-Sanchez and colleagues determined this must represent the transformation of a red supergiant into a rare yellow hypergiant, which could also mean astronomers are witnessing a star "die" in real time. Article link: https://www.space.com/astronomy/stars/astronomers-just-watched-a-star-1-540-times-the-size-of-our-sun-transform-into-a-hypergiant-will-it-go-supernova Pic Description: An illustration of WOH G64's binary system surrounded by a dense ring of dust. (Image credit: Daniel Cea Martinez)

PJVSW Playwrights just vary similar words. QUOTE

Special practice for doctors require extra training and experience.

Other countries have done the same and encourage citizens to leave Iran and Israel will something happen? this is quite interesting 🤔 if in fact a major local war really does happen how many have taken the advise ? People are given time to leave while they still can . we don’t know when Armageddon will come but we preach the warnings An interesting parallel can be drawn here as nobody knows when the attack to Iran will begin. assuming that the attack will happen

Very eccentric neighbors test sensibilities P J V S W

Effects that are used in movies are often referred to as special.

NEVER Nearly everyone vents each result. VENTS