Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sarah Kay~Point B ...and the spoken word
Check out Sarah's speech below:
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Some closing thoughts for 2011
Some closing thoughts for 2011
I have found some comforting peace in my life in the last few days. It has been rather nice for a change. As I reflect and meditate over the last few days I cannot help but think about how much energy people put into trying to prove that Christ did not exist or that Christmas is a pagan holiday, etc. I for one am not writing to you to challenge the ‘facts’ of Christmas. My intent is to share with you that I believe in the ‘intent’ that Christmas is celebrated to experience the impulse of Christ and to have discussions about what it is required to find ‘Peace on Earth’ and ‘Good Will towards Men’ and that the facts are irrelevant.
For Christmas this year, I celebrate all those things that we all find in common so that we can find some common ground to unite in brotherhood and peace rather than being divided. John F. Kennedy said it best during his speech in 1963:
“If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.”
I am actually glad that we have such diversity in this world. I think and believe it is important. I am also glad that there are a lot of things we have in common too. Finding those common items is at times difficult and requires work and time. Very easy to see the differences. Perhaps we have become lazy? Forcing my will upon my fellow Man will not serve anybody and I see all too often that approach being used by people all over the place. In many respects I feel the world has gone insane and is in fact not interested in doing the work required for peace.
So this Christmas I once again express my declaration that I made on April 14, 2008; I declare peace. I re-affirm my commitment towards not forcing my will upon anybody else. I honor and recognize the divine in each and every one of you. I celebrate all the differences that make each of us unique and I am grateful for the common bonds that bind us in brotherhood. I celebrate the idea and embrace the work required with letting the Christ impulse flow through me and the example that he and many others throughout history has made in an attempt to teach us how to live in peace, through love and forgiveness. I re-affirm my commitment towards allowing the Christ impulse to flow through me and to be the best that I can be. I made a life long commitment to govern myself and to lead by example. I choose to be influenced by Gandhi when he said “be the change you want to see in the world”. I recognize that building relationships with people is hard work, takes time and is a great way to find peace. This is a journey that will take a life time and there is a lot of work involved.
I am still moved by this quote from John Shelby Spong;
“When I seek to give content and form to that living Word, I find myself saying very traditional things. The Word of God in Scripture confronts me with the revelation that all human beings are created in God’s image and reflect God’s holiness. All human beings means all human beings … all human beings. Men and women, homosexual persona and heterosexual persons, all races, nationalities, and persons of any ethnic background, all communists and capitalists, rich and poor, old and young, religious and nonreligious, Christians, Moslems, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus, atheists and agnostics – all persons reflect the holiness of God, for all are made in God’s image. How can I enslave, segregate, denigrate, oppress, violate, or victimize one who bears the image of the Holy One? That is the Word of God I meet in the bible. That is also what I mean when I say I believe in God the Father, almighty creator.
I celebrate and love everyone, including but not limited to all those who want to control us, poison us, kill us or own us. I may not like what is happening but I do recognize the gift of what is happening. I see that as being the resistance we need to grow stronger physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It is a great gift that is being provided, despite the pain and frustration it may cause. It will either tear us apart or join us together in brotherhood. I will confront it and do everything I can to learn from it. I will not hide or run in fear of it.
My dear brothers and sisters. I am very much looking forward to 2012. I have a feeling that there is going to be a LOT of changes taking place. I have faith that I will receive what I need right when I need it. In many respects I don’t feel ready. One important lesson I learned a few days ago; I will receive what I need and it will be dammed inconvenient. Go with the flow.
I love my life, I love my family, I love my friends and I love all of you. Thank you so much! I pray for a blessed Christmas this year for all of you. Peace to you all!!
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ConsciousSelfGovernance
Friday, December 23, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
TEDxAsheville - Adam Baker - Sell your crap. Pay your debt. Do what you ...
I was part of that crowd that collected crap but I now would rather collect experiences (moments). The latter brings you more happiness than the former. If the crap is supposed to make us happy, why do we buy more crap then eh!!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Santa's Workshop - Inside China's Slave Labour Toy Factories
The Insane True Story Behind the Birth of the Internet
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Adversity and the route to success~Seth Godin
Adversity and the route to success
Resource-rich regions often fall behind in developing significant industrial and cultural capabilities. Japan does well despite having very few resources at all.
Well-rounded and popular people rarely change the world. The one voted most likely to succeed probably won't.
Genuine success is scarce, and the scarcity comes from the barriers that keep everyone from having it. If it weren't for the scarcity, it wouldn't be valuable, after all.
It's difficult to change an industry, set a world record, land big clients, or do art that influences others. When faced with this difficulty, those with other, seemingly better options see the barrier and walk away.
Why bother? The thinking is that we can just pump some more oil or smile and gladhand our way to an acceptably happy outcome.
On the other hand, people who believe they have fewer options take a look at the barrier and realize that even though it will be difficult to cross, it's the single best option they've got.
This is one of the dangers of overfunded/undertested startup companies. Without an astute CEO in charge, they begin to worry more about not losing what they've already got than the real reason they started the project in the first place.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Kermit the Frog
Friday, November 4, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Business Nation - How I Made My Millions - Corn Maze
Sunday, October 16, 2011
#OWS #OCT15 CITI BANK ARRESTS
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Rob Lowe Talks About Martin Sheen and The West Wing
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Happy Birthday ,Freddie Mercury~ Brad May
Happy birthday, Freddie Mercury
I was first introduced to Freddie Mercury—a paradoxically shy yet flamboyant young man—at the side of the stage at one of our early gigs as the group “SMILE.” He told me he was excited by how we played, he had some ideas—and he could sing! I'm not sure we took him very seriously, but he did have the air of someone who knew he was right. He was a frail but energised dandy, with seemingly impossible dreams and a wicked twinkle in his eye. A while later we had the opportunity to actually see him sing ... and it was scary! He was wild and untutored, but massively charismatic. Soon, he began his evolution into a world-class vocal talent, right in front of our eyes.
Freddie was fully focused, never allowing anything or anyone to get in the way of his vision for the future. He was truly a free spirit. There are not many of these in the world. To achieve this, you have to be, like Freddie, fearless—unafraid of upsetting anyone's apple cart.
Some people imagine Freddie as the fiery, difficult diva who required everyone around him to compromise. No. In our world, as four artists attempting to paint on the same canvas, Freddie was always the one who could find the compromise—the way to pull it through. If he found himself at odds with any one of us, he would quickly dispel the cloud with a generous gesture, a wisecrack or an impromptu present. I remember one morning after a particularly tense discussion he presented me with a cassette. He had been up most of the night compiling a collage of my guitar solos. "I wanted you to hear them as I hear them, dear," he said. "They're all fab, so I made them into a symphony!"
To create with Freddie was always stimulating to the max. He was daring, always sensing a way to get outside the box. Sometimes he was too far out ... and he'd usually be the first to realise it. With a conspiratorial smile he would say "Oh ... did I lose it, dears?!" But usually there was sense in his nonsense—art in his madness. It was liberating. I think he encouraged us all in his way, to believe in our own madness, and the collective mad power of the group Queen.
Freddie would have been 65 this year, and even though physically he is not here, his presence seems more potent than ever. Freddie made the last person at the back of the furthest stand in a stadium feel that he was connected. He gave people proof that a man could achieve his dreams—made them feel that through him they were overcoming their own shyness, and becoming the powerful figure of their ambitions. And he lived life to the full. He devoured life. He celebrated every minute. And, like a great comet, he left a luminous trail which will sparkle for many a generation to come.
Happy birthday Freddie!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says
'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says
This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005.
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots.
I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.
And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:
Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Thank you all very much.
Source:
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
US Debt Crisis - 2012 is only for America
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Paid surveys? Why companies pay for opinions
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Change Your Play History: 15 Tips to Increase the Fun in Your Life
Change Your Play History: 15 Tips to Increase the Fun in Your Life
"Joyfulness keeps the heart and face young.” ~ Orison Swet Marden
Life without fun is like the sky without the sun or the ocean without water. Fun is all about creating good times for yourself. Fun adds color to a black and white world. It's essential to your well-being.
Lately, I've spending a lot of time with my 2 year old grandson. We've visited the zoo three times in the past 10 days.
He loves the petting zoo, the red barn, and all of the animals. He chases the roosters, caresses the soft feathers on the hen as she sits on her eggs and giggles as the pigs twirl their tails.
This week I invite you to increase the amount of fun in your life. It's a good responsibility to have. With a little planning you can visit new places and see and do new things.
Read on to discover. how to get your fun meter running.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~ Charlie Chaplin
1. To have fun become a fun person.
I grew up on an 88 acre produce farm. My siblings and I began working when we were five years old. When we were ten we were expected to work up to eights hours a day planting, harvesting, and selling produce at the Farmer's Market. My mother, with her playful, attitude taught us how to make work fun. In all types of weather, we sang, laughed, and made up games, and contests to pass the time together.
On April Fools Day silliness and practical jokes are the norm. We make an intentional choice to adopt a playful attitude that brings joy and happiness to those around us.
2. Write down 5 things you like to do.
Coffee with friends, a Saturday morning group run or browsing a bookstore are a few inexpensive ways to add enjoyment to life. Attending concerts, the theater, or sporting events at a nearby university can make an ordinary weekday feel like Friday. Participate in activities that will free you from your routine.
"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities." ~ Jean Houston
2. Carve out time for fun.
Create a plan to make the things on your list happen. Decide what day and time works for you. Clear your calendar, hire a child sitter in advance, and break free. Turn off your electronics and give fun your full attention.
"The essence of pleasure is spontaneity." ~ Germaine Greer
3. Be spontaneous.
My sister has third row, season tickets, for the Detroit Red Wings games. She invites her best clients to attend but they often refuse to take the time off of work. Unplanned fun is often the best kind. Accept the next five invitations you receive. Get in the habit of saying “yes” to pleasure and fun!
“Fun is good.” ~ Dr. Seuss
4. Experiment with life.
Try something new. Meet new people. Learn to explore. Take a dance or cooking class. Instead of your usual movie and dinner on Friday night, plan an evening hike or bring out an old board game.
"Time spent laughing is time spent with the Gods." ~ Japanese Proverb
5. Make fun a habit.
Create a ‘to be’ list and put fun at the top. Choose to smile and laugh more, learn how to be silly. Watch stand-up comedy both on and off line. When ever I’m in a line waiting, I challenge myself to see if I can get one person around me to laugh. It's rare that I fail. It only takes practice to learn how to make others laugh.
“Ask not what fun does for you. Ask rather what you do for fun.” ~ The Oaqui
6. Make small changes.
Watch a sunset or sunrise, ride your bike, or watch an old movie. Experiment with unusual music. Wear a new color or change the way you wear your hair. Go barefoot. A life lived in a rut is like waiting to die. Change one small thing today, color your world happy.
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” ~ Walt Disney
7. Save your change.
For one year, everyday, save all of your change. Put it in a large, clear container. Think of it as your fun money. Plan a road trip. Each time you make a deposit, mentally plan where you’ll go and what you’ll do. Repeat this every year. If you live 25 more years imagine what you could see and do!
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” ~ Unknown
8. Shut off your television, cell phone and computer.
Free your mind. Be present. Notice your surroundings. Make eye contact with strangers. Engage in conversation. Get connected face-to-face. It’s good for your soul.
"Have fun in your command. Don't always run at a breakneck pace. Take leave when you've earned it, spend time with your families." ~ Colin Powell
9. Slow down.
Taste your food. Turn off you inner critic. Savor quiet moments. Stop thinking and talking about your work or your 'to do' list. Enjoy being with yourself. Become someone who is fun to be around.
"Sometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice. ~ Bill Watterson
10. Refuse to gossip, complain. End the comparison game.
Nothing good comes from participating in these things. They will suck the energy, life, and joy out of your existence.
“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” ~ Dr. Seuss
11. Don’t take life so seriously.
If you find yourself full of fear, worry, or dismay seek outside help. Commit to taking action for what you can change and let the rest go. You won’t be able to enjoy life until you do.
"We never have to tell small children to have fun!"
12. Feed Your Inner Child.
Play board games. Join in a pick-up game of basketball or football. Paint. Roller blade. Run. Swim. Visit a farm or a country fair. Get outside. Go to a friend’s house and play. Have a slumber party. Play charades or truth-or-dare. If I sound like I'm repeating myself, it's intentional!
"We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun." ~ William Glasser
13. Enjoy the small stuff.
Find time to notice, appreciate and enjoy, a cup of coffee, a quiet morning, a cool breeze, a full moon, a joke, the stillness of a mountain, the laughter of a child.
"I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot" more fun." ~ Charles R. Swindoll
14. Rent a cottage with other friends or family.
Share the expense and the joy. We did this each summer when our children were in high school. My memories of those times with our friends and family are priceless.
"I don't have a normal job, so I really appreciate having friends who are writers and artists. It's fun to have a group of people you can call in the middle of the day to go for a hike." ~ Natalie Portman
15. Spend time in nature. Go camping. Plant a garden. Visit the botanical gardens. Pick your own strawberries or blueberries. Build a tree house.
Life is too short to be anything but happy. I believe we are here for joy, fun, and adventure. Why not make it a priority!
Want a perfect opportunity to get the needed support for changing your life? My friend Anastasiya Goers is offering a one month 'Live a More Balanced Life Challenge' FREE!