If you follow my blog, you know I harbor no love affair with the Media. The following clip from my favorite news source, "The Onion News Network", satirizes one of the reasons I'm disillusioned. WARNING: Highly Explicit Language (2:01)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Quote of the Day: Mahatma Gandhi
"It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver. ~Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Philosopher (1896-1948)
Recipe for Healing Tonic
If you're feeling bad, and need some healing potion, this beats anything you can buy in a bottle. I've given this recipe out many times, so I thought I'd put it up here. You will need:
Clove of Fresh Garlic
Stem of Fresh Ginger
Honey (Preferably Raw)
A Fresh Lemon
Tincture of Echinacea (Available at most pharmacies, or health food stores.)
Shot of Brandy (Optional)
Peel 3-4 pieces of garlic...do not cut, crush or dice it. Remove the bark of the ginger with vegetable peeler or paring knife, in order to expose the "meat". Place the garlic and ginger in a small pot with about 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a gentle rolling boil for about 5 minutes. Pour the tea into a cup, and squeeze 1 or 2 wedges of lemon juice into it. Add a generous amount of honey, as the tea will be nasty without it. Add 1-2 droppers full of echinacea. The brandy is optional, but will help you sleep. Drink 3-4 cups a day (not with brandy in all of them! LOL) You will feel 100% better within 48 hours.
Clove of Fresh Garlic
Stem of Fresh Ginger
Honey (Preferably Raw)
A Fresh Lemon
Tincture of Echinacea (Available at most pharmacies, or health food stores.)
Shot of Brandy (Optional)
Peel 3-4 pieces of garlic...do not cut, crush or dice it. Remove the bark of the ginger with vegetable peeler or paring knife, in order to expose the "meat". Place the garlic and ginger in a small pot with about 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a gentle rolling boil for about 5 minutes. Pour the tea into a cup, and squeeze 1 or 2 wedges of lemon juice into it. Add a generous amount of honey, as the tea will be nasty without it. Add 1-2 droppers full of echinacea. The brandy is optional, but will help you sleep. Drink 3-4 cups a day (not with brandy in all of them! LOL) You will feel 100% better within 48 hours.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Quote of the Day: Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Philanthropy is commendable. But, it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which makes philanthropy necessary." ~Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil-Rights Leader (1929-1968)
Philanthropy for Everyone: Part Two
This is a continuation of the article I wrote yesterday, Philanthropy for Everyone: Part One. We each have the opportunity to actually participate in philanthropy. The pepsirefreshproject provides $1.3 million each month in grants to individuals, organizations and corporations who submit their ideas for funding. By voting for your favorite ideas (up to 10 votes each day), you have a voice in which projects get funded. Is that awesome or what?
Currently, there are more than 1,000 submissions competing for your vote. If your time is limited and you want some ideas on what projects to support, I can help. (Of course! The point of the article! LOL). I spent about three hours reading, ranking and eliminating projects to come up with a top ten list. These projects will each get one vote per day from me. Perhaps you can find an idea to support among them. Following are the second five on my list. Click on each title to visit their proposal page.
#6: talbert House Community Correctional Center
Proposal: Provide GED Preparation Materials to At Risk Youth
Grant Amount: $25,000
Idea Location: Butler, Warren & Clermont Counties, OH
talbert House Community Correctional Center is a non-profit agency that offers drug and alcohol rehabilitation to the community. The education department works hard to help students who were unsuccessful in previous exposure to school settings and dropped out. We offer a 2nd chance to them.
#7: Minga
Proposal: Educate Youth about the Child Sex Trade
Grant Amount: $25,000
Idea Location: Brookline, MA
My friends and I learned that in the U.S. the average age of entry into prostitution is just 13 years, and that more than 325,000 children are exploited each year. We decided to take action, and founded a nonprofit group called Minga. This year we want to produce PSAs to more directly reach youth.
#8: Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco
Proposal: Train disabled persons to become Yoga instructors.
Grant Amount: $25,000
Idea Location: San Francisco, CA
I've been leading Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco for ten years. I've also been teaching yoga to people with disabilities for 14 years. I found that many of my students with disabilities had overcome amazing obstacles and were ready to become yoga teachers themselves.
#9: The Tommy Foundation
Proposal: Educate & Support Autism Families across U.S.
Grant Amount: $50,000
Idea Location: Lancaster, PA
The Tommy Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the autism community and the family unit as a whole. From offering presentations on advocacy and communication, to direct one-on-one assistance and awareness events, we serve the entire community. Based in Pennsylvania, but we serve the entire U.S.
#10: Music National Service - MusicianCorps
Proposal: Fund musician corps teaching in public schools.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: Chicago, New Orleans, Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco
Music National Service (MNS), creates music programs that reach, teach and heal. MNS is piloting a musical peace corps called MusicianCorps. MusicianCorps serves in public schools and other high-need settings. MNS was named a 2008 "Top-Ten Social Innovation to Strengthen U.S. Communities" by the Aspen Institute. MNS currently serves Chicago, New Orleans, Oakland, San Francisco and Seattle, with plans to expand.
Currently, there are more than 1,000 submissions competing for your vote. If your time is limited and you want some ideas on what projects to support, I can help. (Of course! The point of the article! LOL). I spent about three hours reading, ranking and eliminating projects to come up with a top ten list. These projects will each get one vote per day from me. Perhaps you can find an idea to support among them. Following are the second five on my list. Click on each title to visit their proposal page.
#6: talbert House Community Correctional Center
Proposal: Provide GED Preparation Materials to At Risk Youth
Grant Amount: $25,000
Idea Location: Butler, Warren & Clermont Counties, OH
talbert House Community Correctional Center is a non-profit agency that offers drug and alcohol rehabilitation to the community. The education department works hard to help students who were unsuccessful in previous exposure to school settings and dropped out. We offer a 2nd chance to them.
#7: Minga
Proposal: Educate Youth about the Child Sex Trade
Grant Amount: $25,000
Idea Location: Brookline, MA
My friends and I learned that in the U.S. the average age of entry into prostitution is just 13 years, and that more than 325,000 children are exploited each year. We decided to take action, and founded a nonprofit group called Minga. This year we want to produce PSAs to more directly reach youth.
#8: Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco
Proposal: Train disabled persons to become Yoga instructors.
Grant Amount: $25,000
Idea Location: San Francisco, CA
I've been leading Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco for ten years. I've also been teaching yoga to people with disabilities for 14 years. I found that many of my students with disabilities had overcome amazing obstacles and were ready to become yoga teachers themselves.
#9: The Tommy Foundation
Proposal: Educate & Support Autism Families across U.S.
Grant Amount: $50,000
Idea Location: Lancaster, PA
The Tommy Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the autism community and the family unit as a whole. From offering presentations on advocacy and communication, to direct one-on-one assistance and awareness events, we serve the entire community. Based in Pennsylvania, but we serve the entire U.S.
#10: Music National Service - MusicianCorps
Proposal: Fund musician corps teaching in public schools.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: Chicago, New Orleans, Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco
Music National Service (MNS), creates music programs that reach, teach and heal. MNS is piloting a musical peace corps called MusicianCorps. MusicianCorps serves in public schools and other high-need settings. MNS was named a 2008 "Top-Ten Social Innovation to Strengthen U.S. Communities" by the Aspen Institute. MNS currently serves Chicago, New Orleans, Oakland, San Francisco and Seattle, with plans to expand.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Quote of the Day: Bertrand Russell
"The qualities most needed are charity and tolerance, not some form of fanatical faith such as is offered to us by the various rampant isms." ~Bertrand Russell, English Logician and Philosopher (1872-1970)
Philanthropy for Everyone: Part One
Like many kids, when I was young I dreamed of one day becoming rich. Typical dreams of big houses, fancy cars and exotic vacations. When I matured into young adulthood however, those dreams changed. I realized that if I were rich I could have something far better than material comforts...I could have the power to impact change, to improve the plight of others. I dreamed of becoming a philanthropist. I know, it's crazy. But read on....
Now you and I both have the opportunity to actually participate in philanthropy. The pepsirefreshproject provides $1.3 million each month in grants to individuals, organizations and corporations who submit their ideas for funding. By voting for your favorite ideas (up to 10 votes each day), you have a voice in which projects get funded. Is that awesome or what?
Currently, there are more than 1,000 submissions competing for your vote. If your time is limited and you want some ideas on what projects to support, I can help. (Of course! The point of the article! LOL). I spent about three hours reading, ranking and eliminating projects to come up with a top ten list. These projects will each get one vote per day from me. Perhaps you can find an idea to support among them. Following are the first five on my list. I will publish Part Two tomorrow. Click on each title to visit their proposal page.
#1: WaggleForce Job Clubs
Proposal: Get 10,000 people back to work.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: New York, NY
WaggleForce is led by Tory Johnson, CEO of Women for Hire, Workplace Contributor on ABC's Good Morning America, and New York Times best-selling author. She is joined in this grassroots effort by a team of experienced career club leaders, trainers and multimedia gurus dedicated to job search success.
#2: DonorsChoose.org
Proposal: Refresh libraries in public schools across America.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: New York, NY
DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Started in a Bronx high school, we improved public education by enabling every teacher to be a change-maker and any citizen to be a philanthropist. Teachers ask. You choose. Students learn.
#3: EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof)
Proposal: Distribute mobile homeless shelters.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: Los Angeles, CA
EDAR is a nonprofit organization that provides mobile shelters to the homeless. Based on a cart design, the EDAR unit allows for storage and mobility during the day. At night, the EDAR unfolds into a one-person bed, providing shelter and an alternative to a cardboard box or cold concrete.
#4: Sav-A-Vet.org
Proposal: Provide more housing to disabled veterans and law enforcement.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: Lindenhurst, IL
Sav-A-Vet.org is a nonprofit organization that provides free housing to disabled veterans and law enforcement personnel in exchange for taking care of retired military working dogs that would otherwise be euthanized after service.
#5: One World Youth Project
Proposal: Expand to 3 U.S. Universities in 2010
Grant Amount: $50,000
Idea Location: Washington, D.C.
One World Youth Project facilitates high quality partnerships between schools for cultural exchange and collaborative service-learning toward the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. OWYP is preparing the next generation for a globally-integrated world.
Now you and I both have the opportunity to actually participate in philanthropy. The pepsirefreshproject provides $1.3 million each month in grants to individuals, organizations and corporations who submit their ideas for funding. By voting for your favorite ideas (up to 10 votes each day), you have a voice in which projects get funded. Is that awesome or what?
Currently, there are more than 1,000 submissions competing for your vote. If your time is limited and you want some ideas on what projects to support, I can help. (Of course! The point of the article! LOL). I spent about three hours reading, ranking and eliminating projects to come up with a top ten list. These projects will each get one vote per day from me. Perhaps you can find an idea to support among them. Following are the first five on my list. I will publish Part Two tomorrow. Click on each title to visit their proposal page.
#1: WaggleForce Job Clubs
Proposal: Get 10,000 people back to work.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: New York, NY
WaggleForce is led by Tory Johnson, CEO of Women for Hire, Workplace Contributor on ABC's Good Morning America, and New York Times best-selling author. She is joined in this grassroots effort by a team of experienced career club leaders, trainers and multimedia gurus dedicated to job search success.
#2: DonorsChoose.org
Proposal: Refresh libraries in public schools across America.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: New York, NY
DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Started in a Bronx high school, we improved public education by enabling every teacher to be a change-maker and any citizen to be a philanthropist. Teachers ask. You choose. Students learn.
#3: EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof)
Proposal: Distribute mobile homeless shelters.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: Los Angeles, CA
EDAR is a nonprofit organization that provides mobile shelters to the homeless. Based on a cart design, the EDAR unit allows for storage and mobility during the day. At night, the EDAR unfolds into a one-person bed, providing shelter and an alternative to a cardboard box or cold concrete.
#4: Sav-A-Vet.org
Proposal: Provide more housing to disabled veterans and law enforcement.
Grant Amount: $250,000
Idea Location: Lindenhurst, IL
Sav-A-Vet.org is a nonprofit organization that provides free housing to disabled veterans and law enforcement personnel in exchange for taking care of retired military working dogs that would otherwise be euthanized after service.
#5: One World Youth Project
Proposal: Expand to 3 U.S. Universities in 2010
Grant Amount: $50,000
Idea Location: Washington, D.C.
One World Youth Project facilitates high quality partnerships between schools for cultural exchange and collaborative service-learning toward the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. OWYP is preparing the next generation for a globally-integrated world.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sarah Palin, Anti-Intellectualism & Statesmanship
Being from the South, I've long struggled with feelings about intellectualism. My viewpoint is considerably more liberal than many of my relatives back home. At times, some have confessed resentment toward the "liberal elite" and coastal inhabitants, for their generalizations of more conservative southerners in "fly by" cities.
The truth is, most of my relatives have more education than I have. I've never harbored any intellectually superior delusions about myself. Furthermore, I'm convinced that our political viewpoints are closer than any of us would openly admit. However, the constant drumming of 24-hour rhetorical soundbites from the media, keep us focused only on our differences.
This frenzy leaves individual citizens, and more importantly politicians, little time for exploring common ground. Political hacks and also-runs are constantly vying for the next big headline by inflaming the electorate. This keeps their careers secure, and their speaking fees high. This destructive partisan climate makes progress grind to a halt. The opposite of partisanship in not bipartisanship, it is statesmanship...a virtue rapidly waning in our country.
Columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr. of the Miami Herald, recently wrote an opinion piece titled Dear Sarah: Say it is So, Run for President. The column was picked up by numerous newspapers across the country. The backlash has been considerable, and I would agree that Mr. Pitts does little more than mire in the muck.
Amidst his satirical and sometimes tasteless rants however, Pitts does articulate an important point. That intellectualism is not something we should revile in a candidate; nor is down-home common sense. They are both important attributes, and both deserve their due consideration. This is precisely the message I have been trying to wrap my head around for some time. Following is the excerpt I refer to:
"No, you [Sarah Palin] represent the latest iteration of an anti-intellectualism that periodically rises in the American character. There is, historically and persistently, a belief in us that y'all just can't trust nobody who acts too smart or talks too good -- in other words, somebody whose ``general persona'' indicates they may have once cracked a book or had a thought. Americans tend to believe common sense the exclusive province of humble folks without sheepskins on the wall or big words in their vocabularies.
The truth is, most of my relatives have more education than I have. I've never harbored any intellectually superior delusions about myself. Furthermore, I'm convinced that our political viewpoints are closer than any of us would openly admit. However, the constant drumming of 24-hour rhetorical soundbites from the media, keep us focused only on our differences.
This frenzy leaves individual citizens, and more importantly politicians, little time for exploring common ground. Political hacks and also-runs are constantly vying for the next big headline by inflaming the electorate. This keeps their careers secure, and their speaking fees high. This destructive partisan climate makes progress grind to a halt. The opposite of partisanship in not bipartisanship, it is statesmanship...a virtue rapidly waning in our country.
Columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr. of the Miami Herald, recently wrote an opinion piece titled Dear Sarah: Say it is So, Run for President. The column was picked up by numerous newspapers across the country. The backlash has been considerable, and I would agree that Mr. Pitts does little more than mire in the muck.
Amidst his satirical and sometimes tasteless rants however, Pitts does articulate an important point. That intellectualism is not something we should revile in a candidate; nor is down-home common sense. They are both important attributes, and both deserve their due consideration. This is precisely the message I have been trying to wrap my head around for some time. Following is the excerpt I refer to:
"No, you [Sarah Palin] represent the latest iteration of an anti-intellectualism that periodically rises in the American character. There is, historically and persistently, a belief in us that y'all just can't trust nobody who acts too smart or talks too good -- in other words, somebody whose ``general persona'' indicates they may have once cracked a book or had a thought. Americans tend to believe common sense the exclusive province of humble folks without sheepskins on the wall or big words in their vocabularies.
I don't mock those people. They are my parents, my family elders, members of my childhood church. I honor their native good sense, what mom called ``mother wit.'' But if it is insulting to condescend to them, it is equally insulting to mythologize them.
More to the point, something is wrong when we celebrate mental mediocrity like yours under the misapprehension that competence or, God forbid, intelligence, makes a person one of those ``elites'' -- that's a curse word now -- lacking authenticity, compassion and common sense."
Quotes of the Day: Robinson and Lincoln
Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other. ~James Harvey Robinson
Honest statesmanship is the wise employment of individual manners for the public good. ~Abraham Lincoln
Honest statesmanship is the wise employment of individual manners for the public good. ~Abraham Lincoln
Playing For Change: Fannie Mae
You may have heard of Playing For Change..."a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. Music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race." One of the goals of my blog is to help promote understanding, love, and peace. So, I occasionally feature selected episodes of their journey. You can view the all the episodes I've posted to date here.
The caption for this next performance reads:
"Grandpa Elliott has been delighting New Orleanians and tourists alike with this song from his regular perch at Toulouse and Royal for years. He begins this song the same way he always has, but when the rest of the PFC Band joins in at the first chorus, you feel it in your chest! This is the first live performance song by the PFC Band we have posted for our community to enjoy. It clearly conveys the energy and love this amazing group of musicians shares with their fans each time they perform. We hope you'll join us for one of their shows soon, so you can experience it in person!"
Episode Fourteen: "Fannie Mae: Live in Los Angeles". (5:12)
The caption for this next performance reads:
"Grandpa Elliott has been delighting New Orleanians and tourists alike with this song from his regular perch at Toulouse and Royal for years. He begins this song the same way he always has, but when the rest of the PFC Band joins in at the first chorus, you feel it in your chest! This is the first live performance song by the PFC Band we have posted for our community to enjoy. It clearly conveys the energy and love this amazing group of musicians shares with their fans each time they perform. We hope you'll join us for one of their shows soon, so you can experience it in person!"
Episode Fourteen: "Fannie Mae: Live in Los Angeles". (5:12)
Clip of The Day: Star Wars 90 Second Synopsis
I posted this on facebook recently. Thought I'd post here as well. This is just too cute. A 3-year old gives us a 90 second synopsis on Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Enjoy!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Happy Valentines Day
There are so many versions of this...Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Chaka Khan, Julie Andrews, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt, etc. etc. But for you...no less than two, of my favorite versions. First up, an incomparable Valentine, from the incomparable Sarah Vaughan. (My favorite version):
And now, my favorite version (for the instrumentals), from one of my Top Ten all time favorite movies, The Fabulous Baker Boys. Performed by Michelle Pfeiffer, accompanied by the amazing pianist Dave Grusin. Enjoy!
Hope everyone's day is filled with Love and Joy. Happy Valentines!
And now, my favorite version (for the instrumentals), from one of my Top Ten all time favorite movies, The Fabulous Baker Boys. Performed by Michelle Pfeiffer, accompanied by the amazing pianist Dave Grusin. Enjoy!
Hope everyone's day is filled with Love and Joy. Happy Valentines!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Quote of the Day: Bumper Sticker
"What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?" ~Bumper Sticker
Superbowl Commercial Faves
Tried to post these clips on facebook, but they would only link, not embed. So here are my two favorite Superbowl commercials for those who missed them. They also have fullscreen toggles in the corner:
Volkswagen:
And Doritos:
Volkswagen:
And Doritos:
Monday, January 18, 2010
Amidst Despair: Inspiration
Thanks to my friends who've encouraged me to be patient. That inspiration and passion for my blog will return. At least for today, it has.
In the face of every shared experience we've endured as a nation over the past decade, we dare not imagine our country facing the level of devastation witnessed in Haiti. Individually and collaboratively, we reach out to help a nation in despair.
Regardless of social, economic, political or spiritual differences, I hope we can rally as one behind the efforts of the current administration. To give every muscle, every hand, every mind, and every dime we can spare. Of particular note, thanks to the 4,000+ registered nurses taking unpaid leave to travel and volunteer for the relief in Haiti.
Every bead of sweat has impact far beyond Haiti's borders. It is this nature of our common humanity that speaks loudest, to those in the furthest of quarters. Each dollar spent there speaks tenfold, that of one spent in Afghanistan. It speaks about what we value most as a people, as a nation, as an idea.
Taking this moment to turn from our own problems and unite, might give recent wounds to our pride some time and space to heal. And perhaps, close some of the divisiveness we've created amongst ourselves.
Amidst despair, today we look appropriately for inspiration, to someone who was more than a great preacher or a great activist, but a great philosopher. The Quote of the Day:
"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift, is approaching spiritual doom." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the face of every shared experience we've endured as a nation over the past decade, we dare not imagine our country facing the level of devastation witnessed in Haiti. Individually and collaboratively, we reach out to help a nation in despair.
Regardless of social, economic, political or spiritual differences, I hope we can rally as one behind the efforts of the current administration. To give every muscle, every hand, every mind, and every dime we can spare. Of particular note, thanks to the 4,000+ registered nurses taking unpaid leave to travel and volunteer for the relief in Haiti.
Every bead of sweat has impact far beyond Haiti's borders. It is this nature of our common humanity that speaks loudest, to those in the furthest of quarters. Each dollar spent there speaks tenfold, that of one spent in Afghanistan. It speaks about what we value most as a people, as a nation, as an idea.
Taking this moment to turn from our own problems and unite, might give recent wounds to our pride some time and space to heal. And perhaps, close some of the divisiveness we've created amongst ourselves.
Amidst despair, today we look appropriately for inspiration, to someone who was more than a great preacher or a great activist, but a great philosopher. The Quote of the Day:
"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift, is approaching spiritual doom." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
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