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August 24, 2010
Posted by Carla René in: Accountability, Advice, African-American, Attitude, Biography & Memoir, Book Marketing Online, Book Review, Books, Business, Business Management, Cancer, Cap and Trade, Children, China, Climate Change, Commentary, Comments & Discussion, Communications, Communism, Community, Computers, Congress, Contributor's Audio/Video, Creative Writing, Current Events, Democracy, Democrat, Diet, Economic Crisis, Economics, Education, Energy, Entertainment, Environment, Environmental Issues, Faith, Family, Fiction, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Freedom, Freelance Author, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Global Warming, Governance, Habit Change, Health & Fitness, Healthcare, Heroes, History, Homeland Security, Humor, Inspiration & Motivation, Internet, Internet Advice, Interview, Islam, Journalism, Latino & Hispanic, Legal, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Literature, Marketing, Marriage, Medical, Men's Issues, Mental Health, Mexico, Military, Minorities, Morality, Motivation, Music, Native American, Nature/Wildlife, Non-Fiction, Nutrition, Opinion, Personal Experiences, Philosophical Genres, Poetry, Politics, Publishing, Question of the Day, Recovery, Relationships, Religion, Republican, Rhyme, Satire, Self-Help, Sex, Short Stories, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Sociology, Spirituality, Sports, Technology, Television, Terrorism, The Economy, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, The Writer's Corner, Travel, Uncategorized, Website Instructions, Weight loss, Wellness, Women's Perspective, Women's Rights, Working Women, Workplace, World Issues, Writing Essentials
 Begun back sometime in 2001, this book was originally a fluke of an idea… [...]
June 21, 2010
Do you ever get embarrassed thinking about what you used to do?
In my case, my Achilles heel was my ankles which were showing at all times.
In the 1970s, they simply didn’t make trousers for people who were 6’5” tall with a 37” inside leg. So I could never wear jeans or something appropriate to my age. It is still tricky, in fact, to this day to find any trousers to fit me in standard shops.
My options were to wear shorts, to lower the waist of my trousers down to around the top of my thighs – this became dead trendy later, but was definitely not so at the time, especially as it tended to make my trousers split at the crutch – or to order some tailor-made monstrosities fashioned (if that is the word, which it isn’t) almost invariably from curtain material.
I looked like a golfer. Continue reading What was I thinking back in the day?
May 14, 2010
Posted by seamus in: Accountability, Advice, African-American, Commentary, Comments & Discussion, Communications, Congress, Creative Writing, Current Events, Democracy, Democrat, Economics, Entertainment, Freedom, Governance, Homeland Security, Inspiration & Motivation, Islam, Journalism, Life Experiences, Minorities, Morality, Motivation, Opinion, Personal Experiences, Politics, Republican, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Terrorism, The Economy, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, World Issues
Amazing how many high government officals (including the Attorney General), political pundits, politicians, school officials and religious leaders comment so harshly on the immigration law in Arizona and publicly admit they haven’t read the ten page document.
The document basically states that when being stopped for a traffic violation or questioned concerning a crime that [...]
May 14, 2010
Posted by seamus in: Accountability, Advice, Attitude, Business, Cap and Trade, Commentary, Communications, Congress, Creative Writing, Current Events, Democrat, Economics, Entertainment, Finance, Freedom, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Governance, Homeland Security, Humor, Journalism, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Literature, Minorities, Morality, Motivation, Opinion, Personal Experiences, Politics, Recovery, Republican, Satire, Self-Help, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Sociology, Terrorism, The Economy, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, Women's Rights, Working Women, World Issues
Pick Your Reason 10. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn’t.
9. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the [...]
May 6, 2010
Posted by Antonio de la Vega in: Democracy, Economic Crisis, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Freedom, Geopolitical Events, Governance, History, Latino & Hispanic, Mexico, Morality, Native American, Opinion, Politics, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Sociology, Uncategorized, World Issues
La ley SB1070 además de polémica debe encerrar otras razones de fondo, para llevar a la reflexión sobre los temas relacionados con el movimiento de personas en el mundo. [...]
April 22, 2010
My wife was born in South Africa and is thus a South African citizen – or so you might think.
She certainly was once but not, apparently, any more. She is officially deemed to have lived outside South Africa too long and has had her citizenship withdrawn.
Fortunately she is not stateless. She is a naturalised British Citizen, a status obtained after four years of residency in the UK and reinforced by marriage to a British-born British citizen.
One of her ‘friends’ said she didn’t sympathise in the least with her loss of South African citizenship. She had made her choices.
And, let’s face it, a South African passport is one of the more useless ones on this earth. When we got married, the only country in the world which would accept a South African citizen without requiring a visa was Ecuador. We went on our honeymoon to Ecuador.
Maybe all this is unremarkable, but it does raise issues as to what citizenship really means and as to where it is headed. Continue reading Pick any country – and live there
April 7, 2010
Just remember, you heard it here first. [...]
April 3, 2010
 author Kristen Houghton This time of year marks sacred holy days in two major religions which are forever linked together. The celebration of Passover leads easily to Easter. People worldwide observe and celebrate one or the other. The question must be asked if their state of happiness is affected by what they believe. Does religion make you happier? Or does it simply amplify what you already have?
Religion has two important things going for it. The first is a sense of community with others who share the same belief system . Out of this community comes a social connection that can be helpful and supportive in many ways. It is a positive sense of belonging we all seem to look for in our lives.
The second is a firm conviction that you’re not alone in this life. The idea that there is a loving, caring God to whom you can go for guidance, coupled with a belief that life doesn’t end after death, is comforting. This can only add to your happiness. It affects personal happiness, living successfully, and individual growth.
Religion can be good for you. If you look at people who truly believe in their faith and a benevolent God, you will find those who see themselves as worthy of happiness. God loves them, what could be better than that? They generally attract like-minded individuals into their lives because that is what they are subconsciously looking for. They don’t allow themselves to be made to feel less than what they know they are worth. Their religion confirms who they are and what they achieve in life. Happiness is a by-product of faith.
But, cautions my friend and colleague, Rabbi Ben Elias, religion can also be bad for you. Continue reading Religion and Happiness – The Connection
February 22, 2010
Why I.T. developers speak in a strange tongue. [...]
February 7, 2010
I can already see the shock on your faces, the blood leeching from your veins, the rolling of your eyes.
Such a dysfunctional attitude might be catching. It might be socially and irresistibly viral. As parents, we spend every day combating even the hint of its symptoms, like ‘flu and cancer. “But you must go to school,” we glare, “and there is an end on it.”
He certainly has bad educational genes. I hated school, although I was quite good at it (I have four university degrees). My wife loathed it too, as did many in my immediate family.
But one of our sons is worse than that.
He gets asthma every night. He actually stopped breathing last week during his exams. School makes him miserable and it even risks killing him.
Universal education is an extraordinary achievement, driven for the mass of the population to feed the new industrial bureaucracy that was emerging in the 19th century which required factory and office workers, and driven at higher levels of society to develop colonial administrators and government officials. Continue reading We have a son who hates school
December 21, 2009
What social skills do young people need entering the workplace? [...]
December 11, 2009
Posted by AngelaPoseyArnold in: Biography & Memoir, Education, Faith, Family, Freedom, History, Inspiration & Motivation, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Non-Fiction, Personal Experiences, Relationships, Religion, Short Stories, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Spirituality, Women's Perspective
Christmas 1947-Alabama (Not so much unlike Christmas 2009–Alabama—same heart–same spirit)
By Angela Posey-Arnold
“What are you getting for Christmas this year, Jimmy? I think I’m getting a record player. I picked one out at Elmore’s.” Bonnie said to her friend and classmate at lunch.
Jimmy swallowed the last bite of apple, “A record player? That will be neat. I’m hoping to get the .22 Winchester I asked for. I need it for hunting. I think I will get it”.
“I can’t wait for the class Christmas party tomorrow. The best thing is being out of Haleyville Junior High School for the Christmas Holidays. Mother made some cookies for our eighth grade party. Oh, by the way, we want you to go with us to town this afternoon. And stay with us for the Tree Decorating Downtown tonight. Can you go if my Mom picks you up?” Jimmy asked. Continue reading Christmas 1947
December 4, 2009
As Dirty Harry said, “Man’s got to know his limitations.” [...]
November 14, 2009
Posted by npofahl in: Attitude, Biography & Memoir, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Family, Freelance Author, Humor, Inspiration & Motivation, Life Experiences, Non-Fiction, Personal Experiences, Short Stories, Social Aspects, The Writer's Corner, Women's Perspective
The Wide and Wacky World of Sports
Nancy Pofahl
 I like sports. My whole family does, save my daughter. She’s the odd one.
When I was young, I loved to play tennis, volleyball, basketball or anything that involved guys crashing into girls. Especially the good looking guys that weren’t related to me. The exception of course was tennis- that involved me crashing into the net and faceplanting on the concrete.
I was fairly athletic and had a wicked hook shot in basketball that’s made me a legend with my son and all my nephews. I am only 5’4”, according to what I tell people. I could make my shot over people that were several heads taller, and from any distance and at any angle within twenty five feet of the net. I had extremely strong arms for a girl, probably from fighting with my sisters over clothes. Plus, I was too short to defend, especially against someone who wasn’t aware of my famous ability. In the business we call that ‘hustling’.
I liked competition, and my sisters, brothers and myself used to compete for any number of things- dish duty, garbage duty, or just plain for the hell of it. Being the youngest of eight kids, I had to be athletic and fast, or else I’d probably not be alive today. Particularly when I did stupid things like play with my sisters’ makeup, or breaking my brothers’ model train set. Continue reading THE RIDICULOUS SIDE OF LIFE
November 13, 2009
And why we resist it. [...]
October 29, 2009
There are rapists and murderers everywhere. I have walked with eyes in the back of my head ever since the Hamilton Heights Rapist, now in prison awaiting trial, first attacked. These sick men are still out there. One has struck in St. Albans, Queens, New York. two rapes in as many days. And we are still getting information about the gang rape of a teen girl in Richmond, California, by up to ten men. Twenty people watched and did nothing. What can women do to protect themselves if not stop these crimes? Continue reading To Women in Neighborhoods in Fear
October 26, 2009
Seven Million. That’s what insurance companies are spending a week to defeat this healthcare reform. Now why would that be? Is it because they are just so sure they are providing us the best healthcare out there and no other system could better serve the American public than the one where insurance companies decided who will get healthcare and who wont? Is it the altruism that is near and dear to the heart of insurance executives who determine pre existing conditions and cut off people just when they need their healthcare the most? Is it because they are morally opposed to Obamacare and believe that socialized medicine is against our democratic ideal and they don’t want us to be duped into something that smacks of those socialists across the ocean? Or is it because they are making so much money off Americans at their most vulnerable point that they can afford to spend seven million a week and still generate enormous profits.
Any industry that spends that kind of money to fight change is up to no good. On this we can agree. They are making so much money that they can blow twenty eight million a month to fight legislation that will give more Americans healthcare. This is evil. And we know it is evil. Somewhere people got inside the government and have gotten between the people and their elected leaders who job it is to protect the common good. We know this because of the one percent that is keeping all the money in this country now. We know this because Wall Street is giving away billions in bonuses again. We know this because forty six million people are without healthcare. Continue reading Seven Million Bucks a Week to Defeat Health Reform
October 23, 2009
Is the world really screwed up? [...]
October 8, 2009
Who really keeps them? [...]
October 7, 2009
Posted by TimKellis in: Advice, Book Marketing Online, Book Review, Books, Communications, Current Events, Education, Family, General Topics, Health & Fitness, Inspiration & Motivation, Lifestyle, Marriage, Men's Issues, Mental Health, Motivation, Non-Fiction, Philosophical Genres, Relationships, Self-Help, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Spirituality, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, The Writer's Corner, Wellness
 Carl Jung Now here is another brain teaser for your therapist, or should I say mind teaser, the notion of curing someone with depression. Sadly, this is one of the most common causes of problems in marriages, and while we look for help from the professionals they take advantage of that vulnerability with a platform that doesn’t get to the root causes of depression. All the while, we spend about $12 billion a year on therapy and $15 billion on pharmacology drugs to treat “mental illnesses”, particularly depression.
I even find it hilarious that there is an ad on TV promoting a drug called Abilify that begins by stating that 2/3rds of people suffering from depression still have depression symptoms after taking traditional “medicine”, in essence admitting the inability of the medical approach to curing people. After all, our “mental illnesses” are biologically based, hence the medical approach to a “cure”, and there is really nothing that can be done mentally.
But there was a psychologist who actually did cure people, the one-time heir apparent to Freud by the name of Carl Jung. I refer to Jung as the greatest psychologist who ever lived basically because of the fact that his objective was to cure his patients.
Let me relate to you one of his patients whom he did cure, a patient suffering from depression. Ironically, the professionals of his day actually diagnosed her with Schizophrenia. Boy I can imagine the response from the professionals if I would have titled this post “Curing Schizophrenia”, because as most people realize after 100 years of propagating the biology conclusion, Schizophrenia is incurable. Continue reading Curing Depression
September 22, 2009
As found at fast-food franchises. [...]
September 15, 2009
Posted by psuedowriter in: Accountability, Current Events, Democracy, Economic Crisis, Economics, Education, Environmental Issues, Family, Finance, Geopolitical Events, Latino & Hispanic, Opinion, Recovery, Social Aspects, The Economy
In the greater scheme of global brotherhood and advancement, all of the aims of these “special schools” are wonderful things. In the meanwhile, the taxpayers of today are suffering, and I don’t think most of us like it. [...]
September 13, 2009
The Roaming Eyes Did you ever have a conversation with someone who doesn’t look you in the eye? Someone whose eyes is focused somewhere else, and not on you to whom he or she is talking to. The eyes look around, looking at other people, at the things behind you, looking at who is [...]
September 4, 2009
Raising Hell…and how not to take it anymore. [...]
September 3, 2009
The first e-mail that my wife wrote:
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 2:26 PM,
I received the documents that you faxed over. I looks quite impressive. I appreciate your interest very much. However, what happened at my showing (twenty potential renters showed up) last night after you were gone led me to a concern. A couple came by with a young son about your son’s age. The boy pulled down my 9 foot blinds (in the living room) and almost got his face cut. I was so afraid for him. As you might recall, I have three large ceiling to floor glass-doors in living room, master bedroom and kitchen, all with the standard vertical blinds, to which I could do nothing to prevent it from being pulled by a small child.
So, I don’t think I can afford that liability. I am still in the process of reviewing candidates, however, I must be honest with you that the liability issue is on my mind. If you don’t hear from me by tomorrow, please move on. I wish you all the best.
______________________________________________
The follow up letter to the phone conversation that was posted with PCGW #2
May 18, 2009
Dear Ms. (my wife):
Pursuant to our conversation today I attempted to review with you the complainant and conciliating process. You informed me that because English is your second language you need to have our communications in writing. I am sending you this letter to (address). Continue reading Political Correctness Gone Wrong # 3
September 1, 2009
Posted by Antonio de la Vega in: Cancer, Education, Health & Fitness, Healthcare, Latino & Hispanic, Lifestyle, Medical, Mexico, Native American, Nature/Wildlife, Nutrition, Religion, Self-Help, Sex, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Sociology
Recientemente la Universidad Autónoma de México (U.N.A.M.) presentó el resultado de un esfuerzo monumental, consistente en la construcción de una enciclopedia multimedia especializada en la medicina tradicional mexicana. [...]
August 31, 2009
Forgiveness
by Stephen Sangirardi Bard715@aol.com
In Patchogue, Long Island, I must have been about six, I was eating dinner with family—aunts, uncles, and cousins—inside of our huge screened-in porch during the yearly vacation in July. For the five families there were five bungalows. I don’t recall how it started, but some kid from across Swan Road had been eyeing my bicycle all week. He was younger and smaller than me, so I didn’t need my older cousins for protection. I could handle the matter myself. While we ate, I sat close to the screen door for purposes of egress, and I had left my bicycle unguarded on the gravel road just beyond the porch to allure him. I wanted the boy to hop on my bike. I wanted an excuse to punish him. Sure enough, halfway through our meal, he approached the forbidden fruit. Biding my time and watching him inch closer and closer to the trap, I quietly put my corn-on-the cob onto my plate and crisscrossed the knife and fork. The adults were busy having another one of their loud discussions about the State of the Union, and my cousins were preoccupied with dramas of their own.
The kid from across the road seized the bait. Continue reading Forgiveness
August 21, 2009
Posted by AngelaPoseyArnold in: Accountability, Attitude, Biography & Memoir, Book Marketing Online, Books, Family, General Topics, Health & Fitness, Healthcare, Inspiration & Motivation, Marriage, Medical, Relationships, Religion, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Wellness, Women's Perspective, Working Women, Workplace
By the time she arrived he had seen, diagnosed, and treated at least ten patients sometimes forgetting to charge them. Francie arrived to find her work cut out for her for the day. They worked all day sometimes without a break until dark, or until the last patient was seen whichever came first. [...]
August 17, 2009
Posted by seamus in: Accountability, Attitude, Congress, Current Events, Democracy, Economics, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Homeland Security, Military, Morality, Opinion, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, The Writer's Corner
With double navy crosses, a distinguished flying cross, a bronze star and three purple hearts, I was singled out by a long haired professor my first week back in college as a baby killer. Welcome home, right? [...]
August 14, 2009
A simple trick that pays dividends. [...]
August 12, 2009
Posted by AngelaPoseyArnold in: Advice, Current Events, Family, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Freedom, General Topics, Inspiration & Motivation, Lifestyle, Marriage, Relationships, Religion, Self-Help, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Wellness
A Letter from Your Guardian Angel
Greetings to you, my charge, in the name of The Lord our God and Creator Who lovingly assigned me to you. I am always happy when God sends me to do something really important in your life. Great joy filled my soul last week when I intervened in the car accident you almost had. You knew it was me, didn’t you? You felt the brush of my wings.
There are just a few things we need to clear up. I suppose it is odd for you to get a letter from me, your Guardian Angel, but I can’t wait any longer to serve this message to you.
I bring glorious good tidings of great joy. I know you can’t see me but you know I am there. Remember when your grandmother passed away and you felt my presence? Yes, that was me, sent by God to comfort and protect you. I am always with you. I am in the cool breeze on a hot day, the glint of light in the dark night and the comfort you feel while you praise Him.
I want you to know I am not in the little golden pin you see on lapels throughout your culture. I am surely not a trumpet toting porcelain figurine on the coffee table. I am a messenger and a protector for
you. Everything I do is by command of God. Continue reading A Letter From Your Guardian Angel
August 7, 2009
Why can’t they live among their own species? [...]
July 24, 2009
How our society evolves through words and names. [...]
July 13, 2009
 There are many ways to measure a man’s worth. You can examine the amount of money he gives to charity or the time he spends helping his community. You can look at his family, see how he has affected those closest to him. You can look at the amount he recycles, the way he cares for the environment. Yes, there are many legitimate ways to gauge the success of a person.
And there are many illegitimate ways too. Luckily for me, these are easier.
I “googled” myself yesterday. I’m sure many of you have done it as well. Head over to Google, type your name into the search bar and see what comes up. This is the greatest way to judge your worth in our pop culture-driven, internet-savvy society. How big is the internet footprint you’ve left? Do you make the first page of results? The second page? Is there some weird freak with your name who is stealing precious bandwith? Does a goth-metal band share your name? Perhaps your name belongs solely to you.
I don’t remember why I looked myself up but the results surprised me. Of the top ten search results, I was actually associated with five of them. That’s pretty decent. In fact, my posts on Speak Without Interruption were the seventh most popular Brandon Marcus search. Continue reading I Googled Myself
July 10, 2009
Where does the buck stop around here? [...]
July 7, 2009
And it’s not very good… [...]
July 7, 2009
What are they trying to tell us? [...]
July 5, 2009
Posted by Author 101 in: Advice, Attitude, Business, Business Management, Cap and Trade, Economic Crisis, Economics, Education, Finance, General Topics, Habit Change, Inspiration & Motivation, Internet Advice, Interview, Lifestyle, Literature, Marketing, Men's Issues, Motivation, Self-Help, Social Aspects, Social Issues, The Economy, Uncategorized, Website Instructions, Women's Perspective, Working Women
No, we won’t begin with “Do you have a master’s degree?” Although education does matter, higher education is not a requirement for starting or succeeding in a new business. In fact, according to a 1992 United States Census Bureau report, only 5.3 percent of business owners have a Master’s degree or higher education. 9.4 percent had less than a high school education—some only up to the eighth grade. Oddly enough, only 17 percent had any business education. The founder of Dell Computers was a college dropout. Starting out of his garage, he managed to excel above all of the world’s top computer manufacturers. One in three computers sold today is a Dell.
What you will need is more commonly known as “street smarts” or common sense. In addition, you will need to have certain individual qualities, or personality traits. Most individuals who are successful in business and in “life” possess these traits. Take the quiz and see how many of the following questions you can answer with a confident “yes.” Continue reading Am I Ready to Start a Business? 10 personal questions to ask yourself before you commit
July 3, 2009
Posted by Antonio de la Vega in: Attitude, Congress, Democracy, Freedom, Geopolitical Events, Governance, Latino & Hispanic, Legal, Mexico, Politics, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Sociology
¿Será el voto nulo como el futuro termidor (cuya etimología alude al hecho de dar calor) de la democracia mexicana? Así definen algunos al fenómeno, en franca y preocupada alusión al undécimo mes del calendario republicano francés, que empezaba el 19 de julio y terminaba el 17 de agosto, y durante el cual (“9 de termidor”) se suscitó el episodio del golpe de Estado con que la Revolución Francesa dio fin al Terror e instauró en su lugar la reacción de la Convención (27 de julio de 1794). [...]
June 30, 2009
“Imagine no cell phones, it’s easy if you try, no PC’s or TV’s, above us, only sky.” [...]
June 26, 2009
Posted by Antonio de la Vega in: Attitude, Communications, Democracy, Governance, Habit Change, Internet Advice, Journalism, Latino & Hispanic, Marketing, Mexico, Opinion, Politics, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Sociology, The Media
En estos días muy próximos a las elecciones intermedias en México, los temas de discusión central han sido el voto nulo y el voto blanco. Al buscar en Google la combinación exacta “voto nulo” obtenemos 495 mil referencias. Con la combinación “voto blanco”, 363 mil referencias. [...]
May 12, 2009
Why are they so hard to give? [...]
April 26, 2009
I had the coolest interview by Juanita Watson with Reader Views. She is really good. It was like talking to an old friend or something. If only they were all like that. I remember this one time with this dude from the FBI….boy could he take lessons from Juanita. To listen to my really [...]
April 21, 2009
A difference between east and west. [...]
April 14, 2009
Cheap publicity or fuel for the ego? [...]
March 31, 2009
The use of force has been the main tool of domestic and foreign policy since the arrival of the Caucasian race upon these shores. It is rooted in Roman tradition and is, in fact, the primary building block of the concept of law in western society.
Rather than depending on a cohesive social relationship to guide behavior, Nations that engage in empire building must rely on the threat of force to coerce their peoples to abide by even the most basic moral and social principles. Peoples of different cultures and value systems are hard pressed to be cooperative and share common beliefs and goals without the threat of force to guide their actions. Historically, as evidenced by the writings of the Founding Fathers, depending on our citizens to make thoughtful and reasonable decisions has always been viewed as naive and dangerous. Continue reading The Use Of Force
March 28, 2009
and raring to go.
My wife, the dogs and I rented an over-priced, shitty home with a great pool and beautiful landscaping for two weeks and escaped Bike Week and most of Spring Break. We didn’t escape Duval Street though and made lots of new bartender friends. There is some new stuff there now so I’ll give you my short version of Conde Naste.
There is a great massage place named Pra Na just off the strip that I would definitely recommend. If you are homophobic, no worries because it’s a straight place (one of the few). The owners are a couple of cool dudes asnd the staff is fantastic. Continue reading Back from Key West
March 27, 2009
Posted by John Joss in: Accountability, Creative Writing, Current Events, Economics, General Topics, Journalism, Lifestyle, Non-Fiction, Social Aspects, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
Have you ever wondered what the rich and feckless do with their money? Now it can (in part) be told. They buy Ferraris. They don’t drive them, you understand. They just buy them. In the Madoff era, the question is whether those ‘bonus babies’ can hold on to them. Do our collective hearts bleed for them? Yours? Mine? Not!
Ferrari is probably the world’s only car manufacturer not suffering from the current economic downturn. The company has a two-year waiting list for its new cars. So we know that the superrich are not yet down to their last few hundred million or so, even if Bentley, in the UK (owned by VW), has a glut of unsold cars in dealers’ lots. A poll of mega-yacht builders is ongoing. Continue reading CAR 0R CODPIECE?
March 24, 2009
Posted by James BlueWolf in: Children, Current Events, Education, Environmental Issues, Family, General Topics, Inspiration & Motivation, Lifestyle, Native American, Nature/Wildlife, Non-Fiction, Philosophical Genres, Politics, Relationships, Religion, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Sociology, Spirituality, Uncategorized
Of all the words that Traditional People favor, Respect is the one used the most. It implies many things: values, morality, character, compassion, commitment, relationship, and more that is unspoken, but understood. We think it is the foundation of Traditional Life.
It begins with family and extended family, blossoming from an understanding of the importance of each generation’s contribution to the Peoples needs—physical, mental, and spiritual. By acknowledging the importance of each relationship—elder to child, child to provider, provider to elder, etc.—the balance of relatives maintain a civil and structured harmony.
The role each age group plays in the People’s life, with all its complex and interactive relationships and responsibilities, demands there be a formal process of recognizing, approaching, and acknowledging the contributions of each age group and relative. Indians speak in terms of those relationships. Personal names were seldom used, and even today the words which identify relationship within the family structure–aunt, uncle, cousin, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, husband, wife—are often used in place of common names. This is a measure of respect descended from the days when personal names were often unspoken, having greater meaning than the simple identification tags Europeans placed upon themselves. A name had Power. To respect that power and the individual who utilized it, our words for expressing relationship were used instead.
Respect extends into relationships in other ways: One does not touch another person or their belongings without invitation. One does not walk in the space between someone and the fire without acknowledgement. One offers only a clean Pipe to another to smoke. One knows that sometimes it is appropriate to be silent and sometimes it is appropriate to speak. One knows when a gift is necessary to accompany a request. Continue reading Cornerstone Words
March 23, 2009
The Cry of the Me-Me-Me Bird: “Me-Me-Me.”
We proud Me-Me-Me birds raise our voices in praise and defense of our privileged way of life. We’re ENTITLED. We have the secret to a flawless existence but we don’t want to share it. It is too precious to waste on the rest of humankind. They are inferior, too numerous and do not deserve to share the rituals we have perfected. Me-Me-Me.
We, the proud Me-Me-Me Clan, hold these truths to be self-evident:
We never need consider anyone else, ever. We, the Me-Me-Mes, are so much better than those others. We are rich, powerful, important and beautiful. Just ask us. We deserve everything and they deserve nothing. Me-Me-Me. Continue reading The Cry of Me-Me-Me Bird: “Me-Me-Me.”
March 22, 2009
Posted by Antonio de la Vega in: African-American, Geopolitical Events, Humor, Journalism, Latino & Hispanic, Native American, Politics, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Sports, Uncategorized, Women's Rights
Prudencia, timidez, lentitud pueden ser los motores que impulsen a “Hablar sin interrupción”. Durante la próxima visita del presidente Obama a México, espero que estas tres “virtudes” sostengan al diálogo y proyecten no ya nada más dos países o dos gobiernos, sino dos grupos humanos… [...]
March 20, 2009
To enter the U.S. I had virtually swum the Atlantic—down and out, clinging to a precarious life in the ‘service industries.’ I could find work only as a banquet waiter, at Houston’s Hilton, surrounded by wetbacks, criminals on the lam, athletes who couldn’t make the cut (tennis, golf), and legal immigrants like me—human detritus, the scum of the earth—reporting to the cockroaches that held up the hotel’s walls. The ‘on-call’ summons came at the last minute, though wouldn’t such events have been planned, um, earlier? Or were we perhaps the movable feast?
Pay: $1/hr, tackling events like the 5,000-person Humble Oil (pronounced ’umble, now ExxonMobil) Christmas party. Fifty banquet waiters each served 100 guests. We had to set up the grotesquely decorated room, a bizarre alloy of Victorian frightful and bawdy-house modern, serve the meal and drinks, then clean up, over a 10-hour period, running until the feet were in agony. Hotel gratuity, based on the bill, and tips from the kindness of strangers, were extra.
The gratuity? Funny you should ask. The split: the (absent) maitre d’ took 60%, or $3,000, the captain of the waiters took 30%, or $1,500; we 50 waiters split the remaining 10%, or $10 each. Today, at minimum wage, those amounts would be somewhat higher. Years later, laws were passed to level the playing field slightly for banquet staff but we considered ourselves lucky to have work. Or pay. Continue reading A week on the edge #5: banquet waiter
March 17, 2009
The first thing I learned about being a woman was everything is our fault. This history came packaged in a book that everyone in my civilized universe knew as ’word’. This book written by men was called the Bible and was supposed to be a teaching tool for the millions who called themselves Christians. It stated that in the beginning God made man. It stated that woman was made from man’s rib and that this same woman was as easily tempted as she was a temptress. The first woman, Eve, lured Adam, the first man, to the forbidden fruit. The first thing out of the mouth of the nun that taught catechism in the second grade was “Eve was responsible for original sin.”
Growing up in the south we were taught to be demure. Our first inclination was to let the man lead, not only in dance but in everything else in life. The man was the breadwinner, the man was in charge. The man did the hard work for men assumed that having children was expected and not as difficult as women pretended. Sitting in my prime pleated uniform skirt and grey blazer I originally accepted all of this but knew that of the top five students in my class, five were women. The girls basketball team did better than the boys. The girls scouts never got in the trouble the boy scouts did. There was something in my intellectual curiosity that made the suggestion to the priest teaching freshman religion that if Eve was solely responsible for original sin why did the wraith of God fall on men as well? The boys agreed, the girls said nothing and the priest frowned. He didn’t like the question at all and instead of dismissing my curiosity to some place in the Bible, a book written by men he had always taught us, he sent me to confession. For what I never asked. But I maintain that it was purely revenge for having the nerve to question the incomprehensible idea that women are to blame for all the problems of mankind, a term supposedly used to encompass the entire human race. Continue reading A History of Women, Part One
March 16, 2009
Posted by npofahl in: Current Events, Entertainment, Family, Freelance Author, General Topics, Humor, Lifestyle, Non-Fiction, Social Aspects, Technology, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
HOW MY CELL PHONE MASTERED ME!
The world is now connected by cell phones. Ok, you’re thinking, this isn’t news; even six year olds have cell phones nowadays. There’s only one problem. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make a simple phone call on my phone.suspect many people over the age of forty-five have the same problem
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I fought the cell phone persuasion for as long as humanly possible. My two adult children and all of their friends have been immersed in cellular heaven for years now and wanted me to get a phone. Supposedly in case of emergencies. Continue reading THE RIDICULOUS SIDE OF LIFE
March 9, 2009
Curators preparing exhibitions for the Museum should understand our philosophy, rules and standards for presenting artists’ works. Our exhibitions must meet these criteria in every way. Most major museums worldwide follow our guidelines.
Choice of work:
As long as the works are from ‘names,’ quality and rarity are irrelevant. Quantity is always better (think ‘Randolph Hearst’). Most visitors only come to ‘name’ exhibits.
Descriptive captions of displayed art:
Caption panels should be as small as possible, placed low for the enjoyment of child visitors, though adults may occasionally block the view of those behind. Reverse type font is preferred, e.g. light gray lettering on dark gray background. To maintain small caption panels, small type font and line spacing should be used. This encourages visitors (many no longer young), to get close to read, providing more room for those behind. When placing caption panels for works on ‘island’ stands or hung from above, we like to sustain a sense of mystery, by placing panels in unusual or unexpected places—across the room or in archways, never on the islands themselves.
Where multiple works are adjacent and described in one panel, do not provide a numbering or labeling scheme. Visitors like the intellectual stimulus of wondering which caption applies to which piece and lingering over the art.
Language should be at elevated literary levels and should assume that visitors already know the work on display—long sentences, abstruse words and the passive voice vs. short, declarative descriptions. This also helps visitors linger in front of art. Continue reading RULES FOR CURATORS
March 9, 2009
Posted by Antonio de la Vega in: Education, Family, Fiction, Freelance Author, General Topics, Journalism, Latino & Hispanic, Lifestyle, Literature, Native American, Nature/Wildlife, Non-Fiction, Philosophical Genres, Poetry, Politics, Religion, Short Stories, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Sociology, The Media, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
… Mi interés particular es sentar el precedente para que los lectores anglosajones se acerquen más a la cultura latina, la comprendan cabalmente y, por otra parte y viceversa, que los lectores hispanohablantes reconozcan el potencial de sus culturas… [...]
March 6, 2009
Posted by npofahl in: Current Events, Entertainment, Family, Freelance Author, General Topics, Humor, Inspiration & Motivation, Journalism, Lifestyle, Social Aspects, The Pundit's Corner, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
“Packaging Perils”
By Nancy Pofahl
How many people out there can open a product wrapped in hard plastic on the first try? No really? How many get frustrated with it and throw the product out the nearest window?
I truly believe that in many cases, the packaging material used cost more than the product within. And opening it is as difficult and intricate as opening a vault at a bank. You have to have the right combination for it to work; otherwise you’re forced to blow it up in order to open it.
Just about everything we buy has some sort of security packaging. Pill bottles have adult proofed, I mean child proof caps. You press down and turn and……nothing happens. You press and turn until your hand has an eminent red circle in the middle of it. Then you go find a child to open it for you. Continue reading The Rediculous Side of Life
March 4, 2009
by Minnette Coleman
If there is one thing I long for in this climate of change it is that the United States becomes a country where it is good to be a woman. I’m not talking about having enough money to buy all the clothes, jewelry and nonsense you want. I want to live in a country where the land of the free and the home of the brave means women are free from abuse and brave enough to fight against it. Continue reading You Will Not Hit Me!
March 3, 2009
Please do not read if you are offended by strong language. [...]
February 27, 2009
Every moment of every day I am reminded of how fat I am. I weigh 354 pounds. I’m not fat all over, like some people with extra chins and fat, jiggley arms. I am fat mostly in the middle and upper torso. My stomach is enormous and my thighs rub together when I walk. [...]
February 24, 2009
Posted by James BlueWolf in: Family, General Topics, Inspiration & Motivation, Mental Health, Native American, Philosophical Genres, Relationships, Religion, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Sociology, Spirituality, Uncategorized
Once, the oldest grandparent down to the smallest child on this continent was filled with Spirit. They saw magic and mystery everywhere in the natural world. They demonstrated their reverence for life in every act they performed, and in every word they said. Spirituality was not a religious activity limited to attending church [...]
February 23, 2009
Posted by seamus in: Accountability, Biography & Memoir, Creative Writing, Current Events, Entertainment, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Humor, Mental Health, Philosophical Genres, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
It’s amazing that eventhough you llive in Paradise you have to leave every now and then because the rest of the world intrudes.
Having beaten the rat race, I now live in Central Florida. I would’ve moved further down but I don’t speak Spanish nor do I enjoy large amounts of crime. Weather is [...]
February 23, 2009
Did you see the Academy awards last night? I mean, even Oscar seems off in these strange times. Forget that a lot of people took a pass or so they say. I personally didn’t see anyone missing, but there was a palpable feeling of the King and Queen not being present. Don’t ask me [...]
February 19, 2009
Posted by James BlueWolf in: Business, Economics, Education, Environmental Issues, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Governance, Inspiration & Motivation, Native American, Philosophical Genres, Politics, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Sociology, The Economy, Uncategorized
I do a lot of criticizing modern western civilization and its time that I began to write a little bit beyond the doom and gloom. Yes, I believe the civilization is headed for crisis beyond our present comprehension, and yes, I also believe that the suicidal adherents to nationalism will eventually cause the [...]
February 19, 2009
Did you see the New York Post cartoon of the dead monkey shot by the police with the caption: “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill. ” Hmm….was he mocking the dead chimp that went ballistic on the lady or the President? Depends who you see in the bushes. [...]
February 18, 2009
Emerson’s Questions by Richard Geldard Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of America’s founding thinkers and one of his central concerns was to wake us up, to help us become conscious of ourselves in our environment and to resist the easy conformity that our society demands. As part of that effort at awakening, he posed [...]
February 17, 2009
President Obama does not like the White House. It is easy to see that. He takes every opportunity to book out of there…to Chicago, Denver, Washington. He just doesn’t like it. He and Michelle hit a school and hang with the kids, saying they had to get out of the White House. They were [...]
February 16, 2009
They say Hummers are toast. No more. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fifty thousand dollar toy has hit the ash heap of conspicuous consumption as another relic of our old economy. Soccer moms pasting on eye liner up in their dark command vehicle will not be the defining image of the Obama era. Excess is out. Ring [...]
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Books by SWI Contributors
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The Gaslight Journal is Done
Begun back sometime in 2001, this book was originally a fluke of an idea… [...]