I am One of 7 Billion Humans

Uncle XOQ

2012-02-26T13:20:00.002-08:00

UNCLE XOQ

By Robby Hoffman

Setup:

This story is about kids and adults, dealing with normal social challenges called LIFE.

All the characters in this Universe wear clothes that have a letter on each piece: hats, headbands, scarfs, shirts, hoodies, pants, and skirts.

From top to bottom, these clothes spell out their three names. Everyone has 3 letter names.

Originally, this was intended to be a book for "kids of all ages." In other words, I think it has value and can be captivating to anyone. I also have thought of this as a Coffee Table Book. Meaning it could be hard cover and oversized. Recently, it has been suggested it needs a more targeted audience for promotion and sales and it has been suggested it is best for 6-8th graders. We'll see.

Illustrations:

As you turn the pages, there is an illustration depicting the conversations, locations, and situations described in the story.

The Front and Back Cover will be one illustration folded in half with letters hanging in the air, Anonymous quotes spinning around, and planets, stars, and the image of Uncle XOQ.

The Narrator, the main character, is always facing away from the reader, so you can’t read the letters on his clothes and don't know his name.

The artist and author work together to weave the illustrations into the story as an integral part of revealing what is going on. These images will help the reader grasp the wisdom in the story and create characters that the reader can associate with and want to know more about in this book and future stories.

The Players:

4 Misfits: Girl = ODD, Boys = FOG, NOT and The Narrator whose name will not be revealed until the last chapter.

We will find out at the end of the book that the Narrator’s name is ONE. He is very tall and ultra skinny for his age. With his cap always tilted to one side, he actually looks like the digit 1 from the back.

4 Harmonies: Boys = JET and ACE Girls = FAB and HIP

2 Elders: Men = Owl and Uncle XOQ

2 Parents= MOM and POP

12 pages total ........ all pages start with a quotation

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.

Woody Allen

The lunch room at school was always filled with kids and laughter. Sometimes the giggling was at the expense of others.

I have 3 friends and we hung out together in the cafeteria, during recess, and on the weekends. We were made fun of a lot.

You see, our names are not normal, and believe me that caused us plenty of problems.

Why would a parent name their kid FOG, ODD, or NOT? Each family had a story about why they chose these names for their babies, but as far as we’re concerned the names are bad news.

FOG liked to swap his peanut butter sandwich for ODD’s homemade tuna salad or NOT’s cookies. Most kids think their friend's lunch is better than what they have in their box.

About once a week, just when NOT was sitting down, ACE or JET would pull his chair away and he’d fall on his butt.

ODD is aways good for a new joke: “Two snowmen are standing in a field. One says to the other : ‘Is it just me, or do you smell carrots too?’”

Me and FOG thought she was pretty funny, but if FAB or HIP were nearby one of them would yell out, “ODD you are so weird!”

I know well what I’m fleeing from, but not what I am in search of.”

Michel de Montaigne

At the end of the day, FAB and HIP would hang out by their lockers and flirt with JET and ACE every chance they got. They were cute, popular, and smart.

They called us the Misfits; me, NOT, ODD, and FOG. Just our luck that our names weren’t cool and our clothes didn’t match. We were on the outside looking in.

They gave us our names when we were born. In our town, everyone’s clothes spelled out their names. We were stuck with our identities.

The cool kids seemed to have it all going for them. They were so snobby; we called them the Harmonies.

When us Misfits realized we were being laughed at, we felt like we had no choice but to be misunderstood.

“What you see depends on what you’re looking for.”

Anonymous

One day, ODD dared me to go up to ACE and ask if he’d pick me to play in their basketball game at recess because I was taller than everyone. (She’s got a crush on ACE.)

“Your clumsy, can’t dribble the ball, and only have one kind of weird shot. Why would I want you on my team?” was his response.

Truth is, I practiced in my driveway a lot and I was working on my game. I couldn't do it when I played at recess because my confidence was low.

It was part of the problem being labeled a Misfit. You never got a chance to be anything but what your name said you were.

Whenever NOT raised his hand in class, there were snickers in the room and voices whispered, “He’s always wrong.”

FOG couldn’t catch a break either. Everytime he walked by JET and ACE they’d tell him, “Hey, move out of my view. I can’t see anything through that cloud around you.”

“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”

Henry David Thoreau

I thought a lot about our situation and asked the other Misfits questions like, “How are we going to get out of this maze?”

ODD would wonder out loud too. She was my neighbor since we were born, so we’d hang out on our street riding bikes or just sitting on the curb talking and tossing rocks.

One day she said, “We don’t feel like our names, but we’re boxed in by what everyone else sees and thinks about us.”

I always felt like we were trapped.

In class, HIP and FAB took every chance to make fun of FOG daydreaming. They tell him all the time, “FOG; you’re so dazed and confused.”

“It’s not fair. We’re not only one thing. We need to figure out how to change the way other kids think about us,” I told FOG.

We felt stuck. We wanted our lives to be different.

“If you put a small value on yourself, rest assured the world will not raise your price.” Anonymous

MOM made us go to the Senior Center once a week. She said we should learn to help other people. We served lunch to the old folks.

Mom’s older brother, my Uncle XOQ, was always there playing cards with the other retired guys.

One day out of the blue, he asked me if something was wrong. I guess he could tell I was feeling down. Uncle XOQ seemed to know things other people didn’t. “You got something on your mind!?”

“Well, uh,” I stumbled to respond, “me and my friends feel like outsiders.”

Uncle XOQ had a quick answer. “Be explorers and try on new hats!” he said, in his always too loud voice.

“Labels are for fruit!” he added. His buddies at the card table all laughed.

Uncle XOQ’s best friend OWL said, “My name wasn’t OWL when I was your age. Your Uncle XOQ and I grew up together and when we were kids we wrote a play starring us and I got to be OWL instead of being MUD! That was the name my parents gave me.”

Uncle XOQ jumped into the story; “We went to the recycled clothes store to look for costumes and found lots of good stuff. It was cheap, so we could buy it with our allowance.”

“If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree.”

Jim Rohn

Uncle XOQ had more on his mind. Since he thought I was looking a bit depressed that day, it really got him going.

"When I was your age,” said Uncle XOQ, “My name was OIL. My folks chose it for me to honor my Grandpa, the rich Texas oilman. The other kids always kidded me about being slimy and greasy. They asked if I lived in a car repair shop.”

“It took me a long time to figure out I could do my own OIL change!” Uncle XOQ often said the strangest things.

ODD and FOG had been listening in and I heard them laughing behind me. They knew Uncle XOQ had weird thoughts.

Uncle XOQ exclaimed: “Write a new script; figure out who you want to be and who is the true you!”

FOG pulled me away from the table and reminded me, “Your MOM told us not to pay attention to these Elders. She says that old people get a little crazy and say the strangest stuff.”

Uncle XOQ heard that: “We realized we could create our own future. Somewhere along the way we had to become us and start another beginning.”

“I am standing on top of my past and I have a great view of my future.”

Robby Hoffman

The next day, we went to the store Uncle XOQ told us about. The one with all the used clothes. Because they’re recycled, they’re cheap; so kids can pay for them without their parents.

“You can look different and sometimes you feel like a new person when you put on a hat or a scarf or sunglasses. When you look in the mirror it reflects a new you,” Uncle XOQ had told us.

Of course all the clothes had a letter on them. This was the old stuff Moms had bought their kids that didn’t fit anymore. I went right to the hat rack and tried on a couple of different styles, colors, and thought about the letters on them.

ODD went for the scarfs and the jeans. Since she didn’t like to wear hats, she wanted to match her scarf with the other different clothes she would buy.

FOG liked to wear a headband when he played soccer, so he looked through the used sports equipment first. I knew he’d get a t-shirt and some shorts, too.

NOT had another plan. He hated his name and always wondered what it would be like if his name was YES. So he went for a blue hat with a Y, quickly found a hoodie with an E and when we found him in front of the mirror in the “Changing Room” he had shorts on with an S on the right leg.

I could hear Uncle XOQ’s words in my head from the day before. “‘Real-eyes’ see what others may not. Change your view to change your game!”

“The only difference between a flower and a weed is judgment.”

Anonymous

“What are you kids up to?” It was an old woman who worked in the store, standing behind us in the Changing Room.

“My Uncle XOQ gave us an idea, so we were trying on new clothes to see if we felt different when we look in the mirror,” I answered.

“XOQ is your Uncle? He and his friends used to come here all the time 50 years ago when I first opened. They called themselves the Misfits because the clothes their parents bought them didn’t fit right.”

The three of us kids looked at each other in amazement. We all had the same thought at the same time. Uncle XOQ and OWL used to feel like us.

The store owner kept talking: “I told them that changing your clothes was one part of feeling like a new person. But you should think about what’s inside of you, too. Pick out something that feels right for who you really are.”

We knew that was easy for NOT. He couldn’t wait to go to school with his new look = YES.

I looked in the mirror and started to think about who I really was for the first time.

“Life is like a mirror; we get the best results when we smile at it.”

Anonymous

As my newly named friend YES stood with a huge smile on his face admiring himself in the mirror, I was trying to figure myself out.

The store owner seemed to know what I was thinking. “What do you like to do with your free time? Watch movies, play with legos, draw baseball fields and skyscrapers, take photos with your cell phone, play video games, mess around with your POP’s tools in the garage when he’s not looking?”

I knew FOG was listening too because this was an easy answer for him. He said: “I always thought it’d be cool to use my computer to make my own video game.”

“So you’d probably like a name like TEK or GMR or POW,” responded the owner.

“I’ve got it; I’m ZAP. The master of gameology!” yelled the former FOG.

I’d never seen FOG so excited as he ran back into the store looking for clothes with his new letters.

There was a voice in my head going through all the ideas the old lady had suggested. What did I do for fun? Nothing was as clear for me as they were for my friends.

As she turned to walk out of the Changing Room she said one more thing that really stuck in my head for days after. “One person’s weed is another person’s flower.”

10.

“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.” Anonymous

A week later, I went with my POP to work because he’d left his cell phone in his locker.

POPS worked at the Country Club. We couldn’t afford to belong, but he was the Head Maintenance man. He cleaned the pool and was in charge of the golf course.

We were passing a window in the locker room, and as I looked out wishing I could swim with the other kids, I saw JET take off his shirt and jump in the pool quickly. Was that a big scar on his back?

At that moment I realized JET wasn't perfect. Something bad had happened to him.

That image stuck in my head and when we got home I asked MOM if I could go visit Uncle XOQ.

I found Uncle XOQ playing cards at the Senior Center. “What brings you here today, young man?” he said.

My head was filled with all the new things I had seen. “JET has a big scar, FOG and NOT have new names.” The words ran out of my mouth so fast I couldn’t catch them.

“Uncle XOQ, I’m confused about all these changes. Who am I?”

“That’s an easy one,” Uncle XOQ answered. “You Observe things. You’re Normal. You’re Eager to know more.* You are who you are; always have been.”

*(writer’s note - line these words up Observe, Normal, Eager, top to bottom to spell out ONE.)

11.

“The sun rises uniquely each morning. There is a ray of hope for everyone." Robby Hoffman

Uncle XOQ always had an explanation for things: “When you were born, and your MOM was thinking of names, I told her you would be unique and I reminded her that you could be anything you wanted to be. The ONE and only ONE!”

“When you were real young, I read you a story over and over, about kids who had Open minds, always remembered to be Nice to others, and stayed in school to get their Education.”**

**(writer’s note - line these words up Open, Nice, Education, top to bottom to spell ONE)

Uncle XOQ liked telling stories, but I remember not always understanding everything he was talking about. The things he said seemed like riddles most of the time.

MOM said that everything to Uncle XOQ was a metaphor. I had to look metaphor up in the dictionary more than once, and I’m still not sure I get it.

“You are ONE ....... one of a kind; curious about how things are and taking in all the things happening around you.” Uncle Xoq liked to explain stuff.

12.

“The steeper the hill, the harder the climb, the better the view from the finish line.” Anonymous

“Let me spell it out for you,” Uncle Xoq went on. “You are your name and so much more. O is for the Observations you see, N is for how Normal it is for life to be a puzzle, E stands for your need to Explore for answers.”

**(writer’s note - line these words up Observations, Normal, Explore, top to bottom to spell ONE)

He finished by telling me, “You’re ONE of 7 billion. Since the beginning of time, we've laughed, cried, wondered, and had to deal with challenges.”

I left the Senior Center that day feeling that without Uncle XOQ’s encouragement, I would not have hope. And one day I might feel like a flower instead of a weed.

But for the first time I was proud to have my name and any clothes that spelled ONE.

Quote for inside front and back cover

“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.”

Anonymous

See Beneath

2012-02-21T06:46:00.000-08:00

February 19, 2012 ..... Carlsbad, CA

If you are reading this in the future, I trust the feeling of pride this Dad has for his son in this moment still radiates from this page. Three weeks into his Kickstarter campaign for Aiko & Egor, Casey and his team have $10,745 committed to their project. The "Assembly of Backers" includes family, friends, school-mates, autism professionals, and parents of the children who will directly benefit from the products See Beneath, Inc. will produce. These are all people Casey has touched, directly or indirectly, from as far back as 1986. They have taken the time to help make the goal of $12,000 attainable (or is it obtainable?).

I can't help but reflect on Casey's path to this moment, remembering each step of the journey and the decisions made about which college, what major, work study jobs, internship, first job out of university, and meeting Gerin and Jim to begin creating Aiko and Egor.

My philosophy can be distilled down to this: there are no mistakes in life if you learn from your experiences. I always tell Casey that each decision should be made with eyes wide open. Analyze the pluses and minuses, be intentional about considering your options, then choose with confidence in the moment knowing that the road ahead leads to valuable experiences, lessons, and ultimately more decisions built on a new collection of wisdom.

In the light of keeping this post simple and to the point, I'll end by sharing a moment on the sidewalk in front of my sister's home on Francisco St. in Berkeley: Casey on the right and Leland on the left. Taken during a visit with Frankie; James' wife and the mother of Leland. I met them while volunteering for the MS Society in the Bay Area. James eventually passed away from complications of MS and to thank me for my service, Frankie gave me one of my most treasured possessions: a full sized hour glass (see photo). The sands of time continue to flow and we all are simply a tiny grain on the surface of a beautiful planet.

Aiko & Egor

2012-01-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

See Beneath, Inc. is a start-up non-profit company dedicated to producing educational tools for young autistic kids. It is the inspiration of three creative people: Casey Hoffman, Gerin Gaskin, and Jim Turner. Casey and Gerin are early childhood Interventionists and Jim is an artist. They saw a need and they went for it.

I admire them. I support them. I believe in them. I am going to put my money behind them by giving generously to their Kickstarter Project. I am requesting that you GIVE what you can afford.

Raising funds to offset the costs of producing their first DVD and to continue producing more episodes in the Aiko & Egor animated series is a big challenge. Casey and Gerin have spent 3 years, countless hours a week, sitting across from 2-3 year old kids with different degrees of attention deficits. As you can imagine, this work requires incredible patience and specific skills.

After full days of driving all over San Diego County to these kid's homes, interacting with frustrated parents, and making tiny, incremental progress at connecting with these toddlers, Casey and Gerin have also spent a year and a half of their evenings and weekends with a team of writers and animators producing the Pilot Episode of Aiko & Egor.

When you watch their first video, remember the simple goals of the creators: to grab and hold the attention of a young child with Autism and to maintain that connection while teaching core skills. Stop, look and listen is natural for a normal child; but not for kids with complicated attention deficit disorders.

Their research is supporting their work. The kids are mesmerized by "Aiko & Egor" and their undersea friends. The lessons are being communicated. It is the beginning of a series of DVD's that families can watch together while Mom and Dad, and brother and sister, can be part of a transformation.

Many of us have learned the importance of "see-ing beneath" the surface of human situations to uncover solutions. The name of Casey, Gerin, and Jim's new non-profit corporation clearly states the truth about their intention. They know that behind the veil of autism syndrome is a child waiting to be discovered.

Please help them help Autistic kids and their parents. Thanks!

Click here to Go To Kickstarter and PLEDGE your support.

Thank you so much for helping autistic kids and their families.

You Make Me Want to Be a Better Man*

2012-01-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

As the football season reaches its climax, the political season is in full form. Jud forwarded this information about Thomas Jefferson and it once again proves the point about humans. We have forgotten more than we have learned.

Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man. At 9, he studied Latin, Greek and French. At 16, he entered the College of William and Mary. At 19, he began his Law studies. At 23, he started his own law practice. At 25, he was elected to the Virginia House. At 32, he was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

At 33, he wrote the Declaration of Independence. At 33, he began revising Virginia's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom. At 36, he was elected the second Governor of Virginia At 40, he was elected to Congress. At 41, as the American minister to France, he negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams. At 46, he served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington. At 53, he served as Vice President. At 55, he became the active head of Republican Party.

At 57, he was elected the 3rd President of the United States.

At 60, he orchestrated the Louisiana Purchase doubling the nation's size. At 61, he was elected to a second term as President. At 65, he retired to Monticello. At 80, he helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine. At 81, he created the University of Virginia and served as its first president. At 83, he died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson understood history and the nature of man. He is a voice from the past with a wake up call.

Read through these quotes from Thomas Jefferson and marvel and shiver at the truth:

"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe."

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

In the early 1960's, John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the White House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at. JFK made this statement:

"This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

*"You make me want to be a better man." As Good as it Gets, 1997, James Brooks

Drive

2011-12-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

I have been driving since I was 15. Before I had my driver's license, my Mom let me use her brand new 1964 Mustang so she wouldn't have to pick me up at 5:30 after football practice. I parked it next to my Driver Education teacher in the High School parking lot (true story).

Here is a salute to all my vehicles, spliced between the images from my drive through life.

My journey home continues in 2012 on my yellow brick road.

60 Years on Earth

2011-12-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

The official moment I declared that I have been on planet Earth for 60 years is Dec 17, 2011 at 5:26 PM. It did NOT sneak up on me. I had been thinking about my 60th for 12 months. I had a party Dec 17, 2010 to mark the first day of my 60th year and we partied on 12/17/11 to celebrate the beginning of the rest of my life. If you had known me for the past 35 years, you would question why celebrating my birthday has all of a sudden become important. Why is this particular milestone different?

This is the official moment when I cross the line from middle age to senior status. AARP moved that right of passage to 50 years old awhile back, but I'm guessing their mouths were watering looking at the potential huge membership of people in my generation and they couldn't wait to welcome us into senior-dom. Greedy buggers!

This is a great opportunity for a Robby segue. Greed and fear are the driving emotions of humans in my lifetime (probably been that way forever). Fantasy and reality also occupy a huge space in our psychology and emotions. Our being-ness is a complex system of memories, current conditions, genetics, and decisions. I decided to pry open my own time capsule, borrowing an idea from Forrest Gump. The snapshots here are part of the timeline of my existence. There is no question that "life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

As a kid in the 1950's in NY, my world revolved around sports. Mickey Mantle was my idol. Negative family dynamics were buried under my total immersion in baseball, basketball, football and hockey. In bed after lights out, I listened to the Knicks and Rangers on my transistor radio under the covers. I spent countless hours in our Den watching all 154 Yankee baseball games on our Sylvania black and white TV.

In the 1960's, my family issues continued, but I had a great friend at school, David. He and I made our way through Junior High and High School, dominating all sports and eventually heading off to Penn and Princeton. During the first 4 months of college, American troops crossed the boarder into Cambodia and news of the horrific events occurring in villages across Vietnam appeared on the evening news. Protests boiled on college campuses as 18-25 year olds were inspired by the lyrics of Bob Dylan and the Beatles to NOT accept the status quo.

Of course there were other distractions. I was mesmerized by the Hollywood fantasy exemplified on the silver screen by my favorite Raquel Welch. I met and fell in love with a real life beauty, my college girlfriend/cheerleader Nancy. She became my first love and heartbreak. It took too many years to recover. The rest of the 1970's were filled with coaching, teaching, and exploring the highways of the USA, and ended with me moving to Bezerkeley.

The internal changes that brought about that transition were only realized through hours and months of therapy and a healthier lifestyle in the 1980's. No piece about my life would be complete without my taking a moment to mention my angel, my older sister Lauren. She left me seeking deeper meaning in life and wondering, "What's it all about Alfie?"

My son was born in 1986 and I found myself being a philosophical Dad. We watched parts of the Never Ending Story ever morning. It depicted a world being torn apart by evil, but emphasized the power of a small boy to find the confidence necessary to save the goodness.

By then I had Co-Founded Hospice of Central Az and had Directed Special Olympics in Santa Cruz. Filled with the satisfaction of these good works, I set about the business of trying to make a living as a self-employed man. Although that taught me a lot, it never worked out financially. In the 1990's, I spent all my time getting in and getting out of businesses and relationships. Transitions became the signature of my journey. Fortunately I maintained my connection to truth and stayed focused on being a Dad no matter what else was shaking my reality.

In the new millenium, Americans were brought to their collective knees when 2 planes hit and took down the twin towers, claiming 3,000 innocent souls, and throwing a nation into panic and anger. These are not a good mix of human emotions and they blinded a country, making its citizens vulnerable to the twisted manipulation of the evil Dick Cheney. To puff his chest and line the pockets of his cronies at Halliburton, he lead us with lies into a war we didn't need to fight in Iraq.

That war ended the day before my 60th birthday, in a year when humans once again found their voice. In December 2011, Time magazine named its "Man of the Year = The Protestor". This honors the courage of regular humans, mostly in the Arab world, willing to stand up and demand a change of leadership in their countries. In America the "Occupy" copycats in cities across the land, inspired by the original "Occupy Wall Street" gang had a harder time with their message and demands. It is much more complicated and harder to define what change is needed in a "free" country being run by lobbyists, financial institutions, and corrupt politicians.

It is not as simple as throwing out the long standing Dictator. Its about changing a system that was put in place gradually since Ronald Reagan. "Money gone wild" was then turned loose during the first decade of the 2000's by the Bush administration. Amongst a laundry list of bankrupting ideas, regulations were turned off and the citizens economy was laid to waste by lending cheap money to humans who could not really afford to buy houses, cars, and products on cascading credit contracts.

Where does Earth and its humans go from here? What will happen during my 60's and how will "things" be at the celebration of my 70th birthday. Time will tell, but I have to keep reminding myself that although I have a pretty good idea about the humans I'm sharing this ride with through space and time, hope springs eternal. The ultimate battle that humans need to win in order to overcome the challenges confronting us is exemplified by these great words from Forrest, very simple man: "Stupid is as stupid does."

2012

2011-12-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

This is my "2012 - A Year in Review." Bending my mind around what I'd like to be analyzing in the rear view mirror on 12/22/12 is an opportunity to look ahead and consider the part I might play in creating change.

1. During the 2012 Holiday season, thousands of friends, family, and strangers have purchased 5,000 copies of my new kids book "Uncle XOQ".

2. Barrack Obama has been re-elected and the Democrats have won back the House.

3. The earthquakes in SoCal, South America, and Italy, the tsunami in the Philippines, and the volcano in Iceland have killed 116,000 and has scared 7 billion humans into realizing who's the boss = Earth.

4. Apple's newest game changer has sold 50 million units in 3 months. Mine is permanently imbedded behind my ear.

5. My employer caught me recording my work day through the mini-cam I had pinned to my apron. I was streaming live 24-7 on my website. I negotiated a settlement; instead of firing me, they have agreed to accept my offer of providing one year of free training to all SoCal employees. My workshops increase individual productivity if a corporation commits 5 hours per week for each worker to focus on their well-being through exercise and education about diet, healthcare, communication, and relationship skills.

In addition, I am keeping my eyes wide open about the inevitability of all of the following if we do not continue to protest against the deceit, corruption, and manipulation of corporations and governments worldwide.

*"Crop contamination leads to world food crisis

Honeybee population collapse spreads to other species

As deadly superbug mutation goes wild

EPA pressured to regulate pharmaceuticals in the water supply

Terrorist strike on the U.S. water supply

Evidence links vaccines and neurological disorders

Vaccine industry goes all in with new vaccines for all sorts of 'diseases'

While the medical industry claims to find cause of autism

Scandal implicates major pharmaceutical company in scientific fraud

Medical imaging scandal unfolds as older patients begin to show serious health damage from radiation via mammograms and CT scans

Nursing home drugging scandal exposed

War on health freedom ramps up, targeting raw milk, homeopathy, and herbs

Satellites breakdown

U.S. power gird suffers catastrophic failure

Weather patterns become increasingly radicalized

Nuclear weapons unleashed in the Middle East

U.S. debt gets downgraded world investors slash purchases of U.S. debt

U.S. plans military conflict with China over natural resources

China unleashes an army of corporate espionage hackers into western nations

Cell phone brain tumors start to appear in younger usersThe world becomes a far more dangerous place for honest citizens"*

Share this Blog Post on Facebook and Twitter by clicking the links in the right hand column above. And take a moment to comment below; let us know what you are doing to create change to help us dodge Armageddon.

*www.naturalnews.com/028167_predictions_2012.html

Top Ten List

2011-12-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

It's almost a year since I opened this Blog. On Dec. 30, 2010 I posted my "Best of 2011," offering a wish list in advance of the new year. It contained my hopes and desires, instead of the usual recap of the past offered up each December by newspapers, websites, and TV shows.

I was looking back over that list this morning and thought it would be interesting to get inside my own head, as I wonder aloud about why I wanted these things in 2011. My projections from that early Blog Post are in italics, and my current thoughts are not.

My wish list for 2011 - in the rear view mirror:

1. Trucks and SUV's are now only owned and used by people who need a truck for work or an SUV to get through snow or sand. everyone else now has a solar powered car.

I continue to wish that humans were more logical, less egotistical, more conscious, and consumed far less oil and toys. My biggest disappointment with President Obama is that he did NOT force some of the major corporations the government bailed out to re-tool their manufacturing facilities to produce solar panels, wind generators, and all electric cars. We did not need a rejuvenated Chrysler making ghetto sedans.

2. The number of letters sent and read reached pre-1980 levels.

Fantasy #2 reflects my wish that communication would swing back to the written and spoken word. Texting has allowed young people to express themselves in sound bites. Our national education system was built on the foundation of the 3 R's; Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. Technology has made the need for these nearly obsolete. If you understand human brain development, you know this basic reality is at the root of America's education crisis.

3. Three gov't businesses were sold to private companies and are now running efficiently: mail service, tax collection, and Congressional abuse investigations.

The government has proven to be the worst business in America. The USPS, IRS, Pentagon, and Congress have incredibly awful track records at efficiently conducting their business. It is actually a joke to even discuss their inefficiency when we all know they are famously corrupt and mismanaged.

4. All cell phone use, TV access, and Internet browsing are bundled and costs each person on the planet a total of $50 per month; you can choose from any provider whose commercial makes you feel happy.

The companies that provide our communication, home entertainment, and internet services are some of the most profitable and greedy in the world. One quick way to help Americans manage their family budgets and to stimulate the economy, would be to regulate these industries and cap their fees. Like healthcare, we need to accept that web access, phone use, and TV viewing are an integral part of our free society and should be available to everyone at an affordable price.

5. No athlete or entertainer makes more than 1 million dollars a year and all the rest of the profits from entertainment goes to feed and provide medical care for any people that are truly unable to work due to health, disability, or lack of access to clean water, agriculture, or doctors. This program is privately run as a non-profit in which no one makes any wage or salary.

This is one of my pet peeves. The lock-outs in the NFL and NBA collective bargaining issues in 2011 speak to my anger about the salaries paid to under-educated athletes. The greedy financial triangle created by the advertising industry, sports team owners, and the TV companies like CBS, NBC, ABC, and ESPN nauseate me as a sports purist. The concept that America is built on the principle that everyone has the right to earn as much money as possible at the expense of the 300 million other humans is revolting. My ideas are not socialist, they are human.

My next post will be my wish list for 2012. Check back soon while you enjoy your family and friends during the Holiday season. Namaste.

Let It Be

2011-11-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

By my estimate, I am the 4,198,305,406th human to turn 60 years old. Nothing unique, but a milestone none the less. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes: "One thing about stones in your path, when you cross them they become my milestones."

I like lists and I am all about philosophy. The following is so akin to my "way" I was moved to post it here.

Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, celebrated growing older by writing the 45 lessons life taught me. When her "odometer rolled over to 90 ....." she republished her list:

"1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22.. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

"I move forward with the knowledge I have gained and the hope that gives me wings." Uncle Xoq

Illegal Aliens

2011-11-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

The only humans living in the USA that are NOT descendants of immigrants* are Native Americans. Millions of people who have escaped** to America, go through the process of becoming a citizen. The following is not my attempt to comment on this complicated topic. But when I read it I thought it dripped of irony and truth at the same time. This is at once humorous and sad.

Actual letter from an Iowa resident and sent to his senator:

The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Phone (202) 224 3254
Washington DC , 20510

Dear Senator Harkin,

As a native Iowan and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien*** and they referred me to you.

My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out.

Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.

Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year.

Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications , as well as 'in-state' tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.

Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome car insurance premiums .. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.

If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you for your assistance.

Your Loyal Constituent, (hoping to reach 'illegal alien' status rather than just a bonafide citizen of the USA)

Donald Ruppert
Burlington, IA

* ** ***Definition of immigrant vs alien:

An alien is someone who is not a citizen of the country. Citizenship confers on the individual all rights such as the right to vote, as well as associated responsibilities, such as being subject to conscription. An alien may be an non-immigrant or immigrant(permanent resident), may or may not have the right to work in the country, and may be legally allowed to live in the country for varying durations. Regardless of these restrictions and rights, an alien is not a citizen of the country. All aliens living in the country can be considered immigrants, especially if they have temporarily resettled in the country.

An immigrant, on the other hand, may or may not be an alien. An immigrant in a country is someone who has relocated there from another country. If the immigrant has applied for and received citizenship, then they are no longer an alien. Since the definition of immigration relates to the country of origin and the country of resettlement, the person would be called an immigrant throughout their life because they relocated to a new country from their country of origin. However, as soon as the immigrant receives citizenship, they are not an alien any more.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Alien_vs_Immigrant

Content is available under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States.

Innocence

2011-11-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Does the pendulum of life swing parallel to our path or does it swing across it? Does it slice across our journey and knock us off our feet, or does it come up behind you and scoop you forward toward your truth?

My second kids book has taken a giant step forward this week. I have found an artist and we are building characters and images. The tentative title is "Uncle Xoq." Our bond is built on the foundation that this book's message rises from our shared experience. We have walked different paths to this moment; but if we had a mentor at 17, who encouraged us to find our Q; our voice, our gift, who knows where we would be. We now know it was always inside us, waiting to be discovered, nurtured, and given the space it needed to breathe. Thank you Zoey for helping me realize this.

Events on TV are reminding me of my awkward teen years. In Port Washington, the 2 local Junior High Schools merged into one High School. After going through K-9 with the same kids, our world expanded to include the teens from the other side of town, with their cliques, bullies, athletes, and nerds. I retreated even further into my social shell, but still have fond memories of certain girls who sparked my curiosity from afar. And yes, even a few I had crushes on. Jan, DiDi, Pam, and Sue were cheerleaders, but in a completely different group were the musicians and singers inspired by Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Laura Niro. My sister played the guitar and sang and was responsible for opening my ear and my eyes to the girls walking to a different drummer.

I admit I am a junky for any show that highlights singing and dancing, and particularly gives "nobodies" a chance to showcase their talent. I am invested in the need for humans to find their "Q". As a Dad, it has been one of the few "directions" I have given my son. I can overlook the overt commercialism on these talent shows, and ignore the judges inflammatory comments, in order to enjoy watching everyday people express themselves through dance and song.

The XFactor is new on American TV this Fall and I know many people DO NOT watch it because of Simon Cowell. I understand; he is a pompous ass. But you are missing out on the talent, innocence, and purity of one particular 14 year old, Drew. Click here to listen to this adorable, talented, young lady who reminds me so much of days gone by; and particularly our hometown girl Heather.

P.S. Leaving a Comment behind before you leave this page adds to the conversation. A few folks have mentioned to me they have tried, but couldn't finish because Blogger asks you to sign in. When you write a Comment, the simplest way to complete the process is to click on "Anonymous" from the drop down menu. If you use "Anonymous," but you still want us to recognize your voice, just type your name inside the Comment. Thanks for visiting

7 Billion People

2011-10-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

My focus has shifted. I choose to teach again; through writing. Spinning metaphors, analogies, prose, and accumulated wisdom to help kids learn the importance of finding and expressing their "true-selves."

Eventually young humans confront the ultimate question: "I am?" This is one of the significant ways that people-beings are different from the rest of Earth's living things. Our brains make it almost impossible to just BE. Humans expand and contract, rise and fall, lose and find, learn and forget; and always have the opportunity to transform.

Toddlers have instincts and genetic mapping, and they are heavily influenced by their environment, parents, and food intake. When you observe a group of kids, you notice some of them try new things, while others are hesitant. Some lead, others follow ..... some organize, others leave a mess and get distracted.

"Trying on different hats" has been my metaphor for a willingness to change directions. I have often morphed to explore new choices; not afraid to be wrong. I am writing a new kids book about children finding themselves. Many kids are labeled early in life; wrong name, wrong body, wrong family ........ stuck in situations that are the wrong "skin."

What if you could go into a "changing room" in a Department store? This big box is filled with names, skins, clothes, and a travel machine that transports you to another place on Earth. A chance to try on new and different appearances and situations. A place to be free enough to express your voice, your Q, and suddenly be able to find your "true-self."

Being stuck as an adult is often referred to as the inability to shed your baggage. The good news is that now some grown-ups have finally started shouting "enough is enough."

segue ..... I know it isn't an obvious or smooth transition, but in my mind it works.

During most of 2011, I have been venting and calling attention to the need for humans to be fed up. Of course, talking heads are already spinning the Occupy Wall St. protests; declaring that they are irrational and irrelevant because there "seems to be no focus on one issue." HELLO! There are so many colliding realities that have been caused by dysfunctional politics and deregulated economics, people young and old have been affected in all kinds of ways. In these times, the harm done to our national treasure, our collective spirits, and the fabric of our society cannot be summed up with a slogan as simple as "Stop War!"

I am heartened that a protest movement has been launched on our streets. An American Spring has arrived. It reminds us that we were outraged 40 years ago, emboldened by images of napalm and dead bodies. There were grassroots leaders willing to speak out, and singer/songwriters filling our consciousness with truths about the lies we were being fed. It has been remarkably quiet in the USA for far too long.

The rest of the world has evolved and the awareness of corruption and deceit in other countries has exploded around the globe. Most of Earth's humans have had to overcome the strangling of free speech, while 35 years of "good times" has softened a generation in America. Consumption of fast food, outrageous entertainment, and cheap mortgages has us deep in crisis, but unable to respond. Too many are brain washed, uneducated, and unmotivated. Its' past time to call out the bullshitters.

Find your voice. Don't just sit there. At the very least, help a child understand what it means to be expressive.

Live Long and Prosper

2011-10-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

As my friend's daughter left to catch her plane, the salutation that came to mind was a simple word, "Thrive." As her car pulled out of the driveway, I pondered the source of that expression and realized how genuine, heartfelt, and specific it was.

I've known her since she was small and although I have only seen her a handful of times over the years, I am aware of her journey through the eyes of her Dad, a dear friend. He has been sharing stories of her adventures all these years. He is now 65, and she must be about 32. The road to this moment of departure back to her bliss has been filled with change, exploration, tests, and her share of growing pains.

As a symbol of my current re-awakening, her journey of self-discovery provides me a window into the collective experience I have been writing about in my yet to be published book for kids of all ages. I don't have writer's block, no resistance to completing it, simply waiting for my illustrator. I won't take this moment to talk anymore about the Book about ONE, but know that these past 4 days in the Northwest has re-vitalized my vision. Thank you to all I have spent quality time with this weekend; you know who you are.

thrive (verb) = to do well; prosper

Some humans blossom into interesting, profound, and productive participants in/on the global landscape. Others flourish in simple ways when their "Q" intersects with their work. If you don't want to take a moment to look back at my last Blog post, The Never Ending Story, I'll repeat my definition of "Q": it is your "voice;" your passion, your gift. My friend's daughter has found her voice as a teacher. Not all that surprising in light of her Father's unlimited capacity to mentor/teach. His grasp of what it takes for a young person to become a functioning adult has grown with his accumulated wisdom about his life and his "Q".

Spock was from another world; a planet where Vulcans evolved to "saluting" each other with this magnificent phrase; "Live Long and Prosper."* I practiced Spock's greeting in the late 60's and found it was easy for my fingers to move in his way. The fact that I wanted to perform this salute, does speak to my identity crisis and belief that I must be from another world. I might be a Vulcan; which would explain my stone cold logic in the face of all trauma.

But now my heart leads and my connections deepen. I am more fully engaged and my "Q" is ever present. It is a grand feeling to be so vulnerable. THRIVE!

*All credit to Gene Roddenbury and his visionary Star Trek Franchise

The Never Ending Story

2011-10-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

How well do you know yourself? Have you uncovered the unique talent passed to you through your DNA? Did your parents encourage you to express yourself? Were you part of your family conversation? Do you struggle with your self-esteem?

We're all "wired" differently. Unfortunately, most humans grow to become a person who fits into a square that defines them for life. Instead of a planet filled with 7 billion unique individuals, we have a planet filled with humans defined by their parents, their economics, their country, their religion, and government and corporate institutions.

The fact that humans don't act on their free will and realize their destiny is a big reason why history repeats itself. This has become Earth's never ending story. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie by the same name, "The NeverEnding Story," take the time to at least read a synopsis. This timeless tale is about the potential disaster caused when "The Nothing" wipes out imagination and creativity.

I call self-discovery finding your "Q." I have been thinking and writing about "Q" since a day 4 years ago when I met Zoey at work. This Blog is my way of expressing my "Q."

In the early days of this website, my spirit got ambushed and distracted when Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson. Recently, during a remarkable visit with friends, a revelation appeared in my brain. I know I have found my "Q" and that no matter what triggers the topics I write about, I am expressing my true SELF.

As a parent, I have always encouraged my son to be confident and to find his passion/mission. Even when he was a toddler, we offered him ideas about an uncovering his individual path. We emphasized that he needed to learn to express himself in whatever ways felt fun, safe, and interesting. *

In 1990, we recorded "The Never Ending Story" on a VHS tape and for about a year and a half Casey watched a particular scene every morning before school. It is the moment when "Bastian" must learn to "be confident" in order to pass through the gates of "Fantastica," as "The Nothing" has almost completely overwhelmed and destroyed everything.

We played lots of kids games, too, including Tic-Tac-Toe. Back in those days, I didn't realize that Tic-Tac-Toe can be a negative game in a child's development. After losing a few times, kids learn to focus on blocking the success of their opponent and give up your desire for success. Two years ago, this realization about Tic-Tac-Toe became an integral component of the metamorphosis of my repressed creative spirit.

Out of nowhere, the word X O Q jumped into my brain, and my understanding of life expanded. It dawned on me that if everyone was able to find their "Q," their voice, it would change their vision and open new horizons in their life. I always research words and ideas. When I "Googled" "xoq" I found it is a word in the native Aruban language Papiamento. Xoq means "crossing over." What a revelation and how very synchronistic. As I have mentioned in the past, I love when that happens.

Today I am reminding you to let go of your old stories and don't play games that yield no result. Find your true SELF, be your true SELF, and find inspiration in this wisdom from Steve Jobs:

"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 other's 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."

*In 1985, we discovered Ragananda (pictured above.) Through her inspiring creator, Gabrielle, Ragananda and her friends guide and entertain children and their parents with musical stories and meditations for kids of all ages.

Check out Ragananda's YouTube Channel - Click Here

Inception

2011-10-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Is it time for Another Beginning? That's where I started to go on December 30, 2010. But I got lost; right at the start of a new maze. I have gone so far off of the intended path that some friends have suggested I take a breath, meditate, and/or get back into yoga. These same friends believe that the self-destructive path of humans is inevitable and cyclical; maybe even written.

But other friends and family encourage me to be passionate, intense, and yes, even angry about the human condition. This week, two events have crossed into my field of vision that make me proud I have been speaking out.

#1 - An article at Salon.com calling for an American Spring .

#2 - The protests at Wall St.

I don't pretend my voice has added to the public debate, but I do know that I had to speak. At one moment in January of this year, my agitation about politics and economics began. I went back and read all of my Blog posts and it is clear that when Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson in January my thoughts and focus turned outside of personal journey. And although I began this week thinking about reversing the content of my writing, an American Spring and a good old fashioned democratic protest sprung out of nowhere.

In the not too distant past, MLK and Nelson Mandela were catalysts for change. They accomplished their goals in different ways, but both sacrificed so much. This is done with deep commitment, unwavering determination, and by not listening to the advise of loved ones who are concerned about the well being of the person willing to express their anger through writing, speeches, marching; basically shouting "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore."

A new inception, Another Beginning (AB), has been my fantasy for 35 years. AB has it's origin as a slogan on my first canvas tote bag. Long before bringing your own bag to the supermarket was the in thing, Berkeley's Richard Register produced this inspiration circa 1976 ....... Alan might still have his? But that's now become another story for next week.

[But that's another story] ..... a cool, fancy way of saying,

"I could tell you about this, but I won't because it's not really

that related to what I'm telling you about now."

Used quite often in the book, "The Neverending Story" ......

It's basically one of those phrases that everyone yearns

to find a good opportunity to say ....

Urban Dictionary

NOTE FOR ANOTHER POST:
The mention of "The Never Ending Story" in this definition is incredibly synchronistic. That happens to me a lot. I will be researching one thing and land on a reference that contains elements of what is already percolating in my mind. If you have never read the book or seen the original movie "The Never Ending Story," take the time to at least read a synopsis. For inspiration, my young son watched part of "The Never Ending Story" every morning before school. We played kids games like Tic-Tac-Toe, but that doesn't build confidence; even a child realizes that with 9 squares and X's and O's, you end up focusing on blocking the success of your opponent. Sounds like Congress doesn't it?

Sounds of Silence

2011-09-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

Solutions ........ do you have any? As you watch what is happening around you, in your circle of life and on the national and international stage, do you take it in stride, accepting it as beyond your control? How are you coping?

From strangers, I hear loud posturing, lies repeated, misunderstood Bible passages, but from you I hear silence.

I know many of you. You take the time to read this and other forwarded commentaries, revealing jokes, relevant videos clips, and some journalists rants. Other folks arrive on this page through some degrees of separation. If you Googled a key word and landed here, than you are curious and interested in something that is embedded in these thoughts.

The Sounds of Silence are deafening:

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains; Within the sound of silence*

I hated history when I was in school, but when I became a Math Teacher I realized why. Many of the "facts" that I was taught in my first 20 years are not true. My solution in my classroom was to spend time emphasizing the reason for learning. Having an open mind and knowing how to use our brain should be the focus of early education. Tests based on memorized data should be replaced by challenging students to collaborate, investigate, explore, and create.

Columbus didn't discover America and Pluto is not a planet. The narrow mindedness, bigotry, and arrogance of the Columbus story is a great example of the root of America's mess. The "tea party" spews this kind of fabricated information.

The new Pluto story reminds us that with the ever expanding explosions in technology we will always discover new truths to replace old facts. We can't possibly foresee or imagine the future at any stage of evolution.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening ....
"Fools", said I, "You do not know"
Silence like a cancer grows
And echoed; In the wells of silence*

Last week, a respected friend commented on my previous post, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." This is what I heard when I read it:

"[Earth] is NOT a vacation planet. It's in vast transition and the old greedy model is thrashing about trying to make its illusion of reality last ..... all these tacky people ...... stay in this zoo of madness ......"

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said,
"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence*

A solution was given this week by a Senator I had not heard of before. Lamar Alexander, an influential Republican, will step down from his leadership job in January, saying he can do more to help set budget priorities and curb government regulations as an “independent senior senator.” I applaud his action.

Now, I want to promote a solution and encourage you to take the time to tell us your new ideas for real change. In what would be a bold, courageous and wise decision, I suggest President Obama tell the world he is not running for a second term. He should do this for his children, his wife, and for us. I respect him, like his style, know he his a brilliant attorney, and would be a great international diplomat. I applaud his American story and he has paved the way for more diversity at every level of our society.

But this has turned out to be a time when Hilary Clinton should have been our President and she could be convinced to run again in this scenario. With her added international experience, her connections in Washington DC, her savvy and understanding of deal making and brokering in a very corrupt and self -serving US Government, she would beat any Republican candidate in the election, which Barrack may not be able to accomplish, and we would be better armed to tackle our problems in spite of the divisiveness and rancor in our 2 party system. Do I hear an AMEN!

*Simon and Garfunkel

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2011-09-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Bad role models Poverty/Welfare
No telephone skills Billions of Foreign Aid
Lack of respect/civility Military Waste
No accountability Lobbyists and Greed
Inadequate education Tax Evasion
Zombies/Horror are funny Religious Fanaticism
Too much junk food Healthcare & Fuel Costs

Emboldened by a conversation on the phone at work with Contractor Keith, I am agitated to the point of taking risks. The maze has trapped us and no one has a map to the exit. Constantly turning down dark alleys has taken us ever further away from solutions. Their is no leadership with a true desire to be part of planning a way forward, only egos seeking power and money.

Keith and I are now connected. Even though we have different backgrounds, education, locations and political beliefs, we agree that America is in deep trouble. The significance of our phone call on Tuesday has caused me to get very worked up again about this crisis. I was pushed over the edge yesterday when a friend at my work place was terminated. A smart, calm, friendly guy, a man who had quickly become part of our team, our work family, was suddenly dismissed.

These 2 events have set me off and find my brain churning and my fingers shaking. I am hopeful I can make a point in the next 3 paragraphs that will cause you to action. George Harrison emphasizes my point:

I look at the trouble and see that it's raging,
While my guitar gently weeps.
As I'm sitting here, doing nothing but ageing,
Still, my guitar gently weeps.

America is beyond the tipping point. This is about the economy, education, false idols, and the shift in American values. The people under 40 at my work place have grown up playing violent video games, wasting their education, and disrespecting authority. They are distracted by "reality TV", play fantasy sports, get no nutrition from junk food, do not have conversation skills, spend hours texting nonsense, love zombies and horror, and idolize and emulate people like Snoop Dog, Snookie, and Lindsay Lohan.

Keith is the owner of a large contracting company and has to have skilled carpenters in his employ. His workers spend every day in our customer's homes and they have to communicate with respect and personality while working efficiently and thoroughly. Think about the pool of 20-30 something men he has to choose from and realize how hard it is for him to maintain his professional service company.

My company hires hourly retail staff. They pay peanuts and get monkeys. Young people who are lazy, overweight, under educated, with no work ethic, and little desire to improve. Our retail staff is reminded endlessly that customer service is paramount and that positive customer feedback is essential. Yet the company does no customer service training nor does it screen potential workers for interpersonal skills, telephone skills, or sales skills. They look at the pool of candidates on a weekly basis and if an individual has no criminal background, doesn't have drugs show up in their pee test, shows up to interviews on time, and are desperate enough to sit still and be moderately polite during their interview, they are head and shoulders above their peers.

It is a sad state of affairs. During the past 20 years as our major corporations have focused on their stock values, lowered their costs and improved their profits by moving manufacturing jobs and customer service phone jobs overseas, we have lost the middle class. The reason these jobs are gone is not only because labor is cheaper overseas, but also because without unions and watch dog organizations like the ACLU, overseas workers can be brow beaten to get results, given no benefits, and still appreciate their opportunity to work.

OK that's 4 paragraphs and I'm just getting started. We have to have this conversation. More people have to speak up and we have to provoke more voices like yours to tell the truth about our real problems.

1. The solutions to this mess DOES include collecting more taxes from tax evading corporations and millionaires.
2. The solution DOES include more jobs created to fix our crumbling infrastructure; roads, bridges, waterlines, dams, power grid, etc.
3. The solution DOES include health care for everyone and more sales tax on unhealthy products like cigarettes, junk food, and polluting vehicles.
4. The solution DOES include more exercise for our youth, more reading and less computer and cell phone time, better control over graduating illiterates.

TO BE CONTINUED SOON .......... Please comment below

Magical Mystery Tour

2011-09-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Sixty years on Earth is a chunk of time. If your 25, it seems like forever. If your 90, you think it's young. That's the interesting thing about perspective; it all depends on which side of the fence you're on. I've been observing my reactions, feelings, and attitudes during the past 9 months, and I'll admit they have been varied. I just finished writing an email to my 2 best friends, and realized in that composition that a theme has formed for the final 4 months of my 60th year. A Magical Mystery Tour (MMT)

Today's thoughts remind me of yesterdays. The van, as a symbol for my life, is profound. I never had one painted this way, but I did want to honor the Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" (MMT). I have had 4 vans during the past 40 years, so they have dominated my driving experiences and added to my personal MMT. My first van was a VW, much like the one pictured here. It was light green, had a stick shift, and its' engine froze in the middle lane of the northbound NJ Turnpike, somewhere between Elizabeth, Bayonne, and Newark.

My second van was a red Chevy window van and it was part of my life for 10 years; from Long Island to Princeton to Berkeley to Sedona. My friend Alan and I had magical tours in that van, visiting Vermont, listening to 8 track tapes, creating visions of that van as a big community bus; a vehicle for change and inclusiveness. "You've Got a Friend" was born in that van and someday I will write more about those days; the mid 70's deserve a post of their own.

I did illegal things in the red van, including light drugs and innocently smuggling a rabbit into Canada. Around 1980, I had it painted a strange blue color and converted it to a camper van. You can remake your ride to reflect your transformation from wandering to commitment. Many years went by before I bought another van.

In 2005, I bought the celery colored Dodge Grand Caravan in Ramona from the Russian guy for $3,000 cash. It was the best desert vehicle for my construction work. If you have ever left a hammer in the back of your pickup truck and went to grab it on a hot June day, you'll understand why a van is the right vehicle. Austin and I had all we needed in that van; it was a cash machine. Transporting merchandise from Home Depot and all of my tools, we'd pull up to someone's home, complete a project and drive away with cash. Those were good times in Borrego Springs.

That van transported me to my current location, and recently I sold it after it turned 200,000 miles. Although it wasn't the smoothest transition, I soon bought my current champagne gold 2001 Toyota Sienna Van. We drove it to Sedona a few weeks back, and if you have been following along here, you know that was a magical trip. Once again the tunes and the scenery were grand through the large windows of a van.

I have been asked many times why does an older guy drive a soccer mom's vehicle. This speaks to images in SoCal that you are supposed to have the right car. To be honest, if you look at me, really look at who I am and have been, you'd have a hard time figuring out what is the right car for Robby. Some think its a sports car, some say its a 4 door sedan, maybe something classic like an old Mercedes. I've owned an RX-7, a Jaguar, an Audi lemon, a green Volare (look it up), a 1969 red Camaro with a 396, and at least 6 other vehicles.

But my vans bring MMTs and symbolize my ride through life. The tour continues in a few weeks; back to the NW to visit my best friends and reflect on past, present and future. Anybody got a time machine?

Imagine

2011-08-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

I don' know if I'm a dreamer as much as a restless observer, but last week I got some momentary clarity during our time in Sedona. Yes, it was part just being away from work and SoCal, yes it was part the energy of the Red Rocks, yes it was my history meeting my current reality, yes it was partially inspired by my email exchanges with Jud, and yes/but at then end of the day reflecting and packaging my thoughts here is what I do best.

I have about 50 songs on my smart phone and with the poor, but workable technology, of tethering it to the cassette player in my van, we listened to lots of Beatles, Carol King, James Taylor, and similar music from the 70's; as we drove 17 hours round trip across desert, mountains, freeways and Arizona highways last week. The words of those songs, the memories of days gone by, the freedom of the road, the meditation of the long hours staring through the windshield of my life, has me placing this summers head space, transitions, confusions, frustrations, depressions, therapy sessions .... (wow, that is a lot of "ions") in context.

Add this to my past two years of correspondence with my HS classmate Jud and it brings me to the heart of this piece. IMAGINE if we realized the kind of world Gene Roddenberry envisioned when he structured the simplistic culture on board the Enterprise, filled with the philosophies, morals, directives, and harmony in the Federation. OK, I am a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Many of us thought the world by now would be very different. Certainly we would now be more aware than the bigotry betrayed in the book and movie "The Help." Certainly by now we would be more concerned about solutions, than about personal or financial agendas. Certainly by now we would be more evolved as a planetary kingdom; connected humans solving international conflicts with wisdom instead of guns and bombs. It is not so. I am disappointed to say the least.

I woke up this morning uplifted, while thinking about my son's new beginning in the USD Business Masters program focusing on Global Leadership. Somehow, we have passed forward the spirit to him and he wants to be a leader and part of the transformation of human truths, actions, and cooperation.

We are all tiny pieces of a 7 billion human puzzle and that is why I named this Blog "1 of 7 billion humans." DUH! I will be 60 in December but I still want to join/form a pack of doers and scheme to lead a village toward more awareness, accountability, and a conscious future.

From potential life threatening hurricanes and earthquakes, to overthrowing dictators like Gaddafi, so much more is unexpectedly happening on Earth and now more than ever I am seeing the need to "think globally, act locally."

"Imagine all the people, living life in peace."

Sedona

2011-08-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sedona, Arizona is named for Sedona Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness. During our vacation in Sedona this past week, we constantly remarked about the friendliness of the residents and the obvious commitment by everyone living there, to making sure the spirit of Sedona lives.

Unfortunately, the other lingering feeling deposited in my soul from this visit to one of the most beautiful places on Earth, is the truth about the Native peoples departure from this land (their home) in the Verde Valley of Central Arizona. In 1876, the Yavapai and Apache tribes were forcibly removed from the area to the San Carlos Indian Reservation, 180 miles southeast. 1500 people were marched, in midwinter, to San Carlos. Several hundred lost their lives.

Sedona's main attraction is its stunning array of red sandstone formations, aka the "Red Rocks". The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. Juxtaposed with the vibrant green vegetation and the clear blue sky, it is no wonder that this breathtaking landscape "moves" millions of travelers from all over the world, who believe they are experiencing a spiritual force beyond nature.

Our favorite part of the trip was our visit to 2 Native American historical sites, Palatki and Hanaki. These cliff dwelling ruins, and the pictographs on the walls of their canyons, are mostly from the "Sinagua" circa 650-1250 AD, while some of the abstract symbols and drawings date back 3000-6000 years from the "Archaic" native cultures. The history (always remembering these are just interpretations and partial truths assumed by archeologists based on the remains pottery chards and fossils), brings alive a time when the weather was different, wild animals were abundant, and peoples were experimenting with farming.

My spirit is raised when I go to Sedona and I was reminded again of the first time I arrived there in the early 80's and realized I was HOME. (HOME is an acronym I created in 1975 for Heart-Open-Mind-Eternal.) Living in Sedona in simpler times found us part of a small community of like-minded people who were determined to build a foundation for the Sedona of today. You cannot miss the beauty of the architecture and the control of the development, amidst the inevitability of the expansion in America over the past 30 years. Sedona is a tourist mecca in harmony with itself ......... still one of this planet's must see locations.

By the People, For the People

2011-08-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Open minded folks around the country are trying to get their heads around the incredible instability of the economy. History will report that the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of 8 years of Bush and Cheney. The Iraq War and deregulation in the financial sector were at the root of our collapse.

But I am past the anger of how we got here, and attempting to join a positive movement seeking a path out of this maze. The most important question is: "What do we do about it now?"

Two good friends have offered up 2 significant ideas. The first proposal is "by the people." When the collective focus of spirit and intention by hundreds of thousands of people is brought to a crescendo on a given day, it will raise the consciousness of all 7 billion humans. This concept is rooted in the beliefs of authors and national speakers suggesting that if enough people pray and meditate on world peace, their combined energy will heal and inspire humanity.

The second idea is that the only path to real change in Washington DC is to add a terms limits amendment to our Constitution. In addition to limiting length of service, this amendment would reduce the financial benefits awarded to public servants, thereby turning over our Capital offices to citizens governing "for the people."

Will enough people get behind this movement? If you read through the following simple list of ideas for change, you probably will agree that this would alter the landscape and we would find a completely different kind of person wanting to serve. Holding a political position would be a privilege, not a career:

1. A two term limit - 2 years each

2. The salary is limited to basic housing and living expenses.

3. While in office, you get medical benefits and when you leave office you are eligible for nothing more than standard Social Security and Medicare

There are a number of non-profit organizations on the Web promoting a term limits amendment. I am researching their roots, and if I find one that I believe is worthy of your support, I will pass it forward.

In the meantime, a growing threat to the stability of our government is the Tea Party. Take a few minutes to read the following article. It will fuel you belief that this movement is ill advised.

The Right's delusions of world-historical grandeur

By Greg Sargent

Is the Tea Party movement comparable to the abolitionist, civil rights and women's suffrage movements?

As I've noted here before, it often seems like some on the right are suffering from what you might call a world-historical inferiority complex. They're so desperate to imagine themselves as actors in an ongoing drama that rivals the most momentous struggles in human history that they simply play-act the part, pumping up their own situation into something comically out of proportion with historical reality.

Here's another perfect example of this. "Tea Party Review," the first national magazine for Tea Partyers, is making its debut this week, and one of its founders explained the idea driving it by comparing the Tea Party to the most important movements in American history:

"People are weary of the distorted version of the Tea Party movement that we see in most of the media," said Katrina Pierson, a member of the Dallas Tea Party and the "national grassroots director" for the new magazine.

"Throughout American history, successful movements -- abolitionists, women's suffragists, the civil rights movement, the conservative movement, et cetera -- all had their own print publications."

I think it's a bit too soon to say whether the Tea Party deserves a place alongside those movements. Abolitionism and the civil rights movement, taken together, spanned more than a century, beginning with the founding of abolitionist societies in the early 1800s and culminating in the 1960s with the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts. The abolitionists helped liberate millions of people who had been held captive under a deeply entrenched economic system -- the Slave Power -- that could only be overturned by decades of committed political activism, superhuman perseverance, and untold amounts of bloodshed.

Publishers of abolitionist newspapers routinely had their printing presses broken up by angry white mobs, a fate that is unlikely to meet the publishers of the new Tea Party magazine. Yet despite the fact that the threat and reality of violence against them was ubiquitous, the abolitionists envisioned and helped put the nation on a path to the first interracial democracy in human history, and the civil rights movement took major steps to codify that vision into federal law, one of the greatest historical feats of all time.

By contrast, the Tea Party can't boast that level of accomplishment yet. Federal cash from the stimulus, which originally sparked the Tea Party uprising, continues to flow. And the jury is out on whether the Tea Party movement will even accomplish what has become its primary goal: Liberating millions of Americans from the tyranny of Obamacare and the individual mandate. It's true that the Tea Party has elected a few dozen representatives to Congress. But Tea Party leaders -- Michele Bachmann, Steve King, Rand Paul, etc. -- have yet to attain the historical stature of great abolitionists and civil rights figures like Senator Charles Sumner, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, or great suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony.

But, hey, we can play make believe!

Plain Talk

2011-08-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Summarizing the facts without letting individual biases enter into the picture is an art. Completely neutral; responsibility properly explained .... neither anti-republican or anti-democrat

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
by Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan .....

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power. They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

Politician's Prayer

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened?

Pass it Forward

Paralyzed

2011-08-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

I usually have a lot to say about what's happening ..... but the past few weeks have been filled with a cascading series of events that have paralyzed my brain. Then I snapped at work; my temper got the best of me and I lashed out at a friend who has a very different view of the truth about the causes of the discord, financial reality, and the kinds of changes needed on Earth.

But, this weekend was relaxing around the house, as we planned our vacation to Sedona in late August. When we ventured out, we made pretend we were San Diego tourists and wandered around Coronado. This summer has turned into a series of weekend day trips; simply enjoying the beauty of the beaches, villages, cafes, mountains, and weather of SoCal.

Trying to maintain my composure, invest in my relationship, read the books that give me peace and escape, go to movies that take me away to altered states, and making new friends, have all been successful endeavors. Admitting that part of my brain is agitated and that there are serious consequences ahead for the path the world is on, keeps me partially sane. I have written a lot this year and I am taking this moment to acknowledge it has been revealing and healing. It has reconnected me to old acquaintances and has deepened my connection to new friends.

There is a possible book in a file on my laptop and I am wondering if anyone else out there wants to join together and collaborate on the expansion of this project. Zoey works tirelessly on painting, marketing, husbanding, parenting, earning, and supporting his cause. Jud is working on his book, Gabrielle continues to expand Ragananda's reach, and Kayvon is building momentum for Sparksyou.

If you have talent and time; if you paint, write, take photographs, or animate, write a comment below (or send me an email) and let's talk about joining forces to turn lemons into lemonade.

I'd also like to hear how your summer has been. Let's communicate a little more. I fear that Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and text messaging has replaced email as a form of direct communication. It wasn't that long ago that I was lamenting that email had replaced phone calls and letter writing. Sure we have access to more people. Yes, we now know how to find and share photos with old friends, classmates, athletes, and entertainers, but we seem to have less direct communication with everyone.

Reaching More People Faster

2011-07-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks Jud for passing this along to me. If you have a website and/or Facebook, LinkedIn, or just a big email list, Pass This Forward. Something has to change in this country; we are sliding deeper into the abyss. We need a 28th Amendment ASAP

The 26th Amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven took 1 year or less to become the law of the land .... all because of public pressure.

Proposed Congressional Reform Act of 2011  

1. Term Limits. 12 years only, one of the possible options below..   A. Two Six-year Senate terms  B. Six Two-year House terms  C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

   2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

   3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.  All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.   

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.   

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.   

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

   7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.   

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 10-1-11   

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.    Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

Medicare

2011-07-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

"When I get older losing my hair,

Many years from now,

Will you still be sending me a valentine

Birthday greetings bottle of wine?

If I'd been out till quarter to three

Would you lock the door,

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four?

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oooo

You'll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah)

And if you say the word,

I could stay with you.

I could be handy mending a fuse

When your lights have gone.

You can knit a sweater by the fireside

Sunday mornings go for a ride.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds,

Who could ask for more?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage

In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear

We shall scrimp and save

Grandchildren on your knee

Vera, Chuck, and Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line,

Stating point of view.

Indicate precisely what you mean to say

Yours sincerely, Wasting Away.

Give me your answer, fill in a form

Mine for evermore

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four?

Whoo!"*

*Written by Paul McCartney
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles

I Can't Get No Satisfaction; But I Try and I Try .... *

2011-07-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

I occasionally re-read "Siddhartha" and "The Alchemist" and the quote "How can you live a good life without constantly interrogating it?" sticks in my mind. This type of introspective analysis paves the way toward my reflections and found me building the XOQ philosophy. I go through each day observing humans, as I am always trying to fit into the spaces created by girlfriend, job, family, friends, cars, stores, and the Earth itself, and it is always a challenge. Being a human has not been easy; Although there have been moments when all feels right.

(Note to Self: lots of people have it harder than you.)

Just like Siddhartha, I did not learn from formal teachers and instruction; I learn from the individuals I encounter in my life. I have been chronically "dissatisfied," but Siddhartha reminds me that "too much dissatisfaction obscures the potential for satisfaction." (Herman Hess). I have arrived at the gates of 60, fortunate to have Robin in my life; she is a constant reminder of the best in humans. She lives and breathes positive vibes, with a tremendous smile and spirit.

At my core, I have found that the secret to my juggling act is to be constantly aware of my reflection in the pool of my experiences ...... moment to moment. Awareness is the key. Most humans (if you have been following along recently, I remind you I have put that number at around 6.5 billion) are not accountable. They do not see themselves; their habits, their trail of actions, the consequences of their decisions. They are victims of their dysfunctional needs and desires. (I would definitely use the word "dysfunctional" in any dictionary definition of human being.)

"The more people I meet, the more I like my dog."

Actually, I don't have a dog right now. But here's to all the canines who have shared my homes: Smokey, Noire, Fluffy, Cornbread, Phrydae, Molly, Max, Megan, Rascal, and Sophie. Each had a personality, a significant place in the timeline of my life, brings back fun memories, and is now gone. This list is the same length as my list of human friends, but the difference is the dogs lived with me, I played with them daily, took them on walks, fed them, and enjoyed almost everything they did.

Most of my friends live in the Pacific Northwest; a region of America that nurtures a world view, open mindedness, and culture. There is a school of thought I heard often during my 22 years up there, that D O G is actually the preferred and sensible formation of the letters G O D. The unconditional love one receives from your dog feels like the warm fuzzy experience you are supposed to be receiving from your connection to a power greater than yourself.

As a realist, I prefer the relationship I have had with my dogs over a make believe link to an unknown entity, whose presence can only be imagined and therefore dwells in your fantasy place. And fantasies don't fetch.

So once again I find myself at the close of another piece about humans and take this moment to attempt to tie together the Rolling Stones, dogs, following the omens, and realizing that life is like a river. The lasting image of the Rolling Stones serves to accomplish this in wonderfully metaphoric form. It only took 15 seconds of instant Google research to find an account of the how this image came to be, and why it magically connects the dots (a shout out to Alan if he reads this):

"The big red mouth with its protruding tongue has been the official logo of the longest-serving rock-and-roll band in the world since 1971. It was the work of London graphic designer John Pasche, and first appeared on the inner sleeve and label of the Stones' album of that year, 'Sticky Fingers', following the foundation of their own record label, Rolling Stones Records.
IT IS AT ONCE AN INSOLENT TONGUE STUCK OUT AT AUTHORITY AND A ...... PANTING TONGUE [see dog] THE INSPIRATION CAME FROM AN IMAGE OF THE HINDU GODDESS KALI [see Siddhartha]**

* "Satisfaction" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

** WIKI ANSWERS

Whose to Blame

2011-07-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

The truth; not more horse "bleep" lies and misrepresentations fed to you by Fox News (you know, they are part of Murdoch's organization that has finally proven to be nothing more than a scandal sheet filled with more lies than the National Enquirer), Boehner, McConnell, Bachmann, Kaplan, and the other loud mouths who just toss shit on the wall hoping you'll believe it simply because it was said out loud. The following is about Medicare. Note: there is no negative impact on Medicare in the Obama Health Plan.

(If you have given up reading, and just listen to the radio and TV, then you deserve to be lead by the nose down the trail the Loud Mouths want to take you. They are laughing at you, not with you, as they receive millions $$$ of campaign funds, kick backs, sweetheart deals, etc. at your expense, from the RICH. BTW, these are the rich people and corporations who have them by the nuts. That is why the Republicans refuse to pass any legislation that would have the BIG BOYS pay their fair share of taxes.)

Rick Ugar, Forbes Magazine

"Among the many narratives injected into the public debate over health care reform, I find the most disturbing to be the notion that our senior citizens will experience cuts in their Medicare benefits as a result of Obamacare.

Despite the ‘doom and gloom’ predictions you may have heard, the proposed savings in Medicare are designed to come from two sources; (a) a crackdown on Medicare fraud, estimated to currently cost the federal government as much as $60 billion per year and (b) a reduction in what is paid to the Medicare Advantage programs offered by private insurance companies.

As you may be under the impression that the legislation will cut payments to physicians by 21% and institute draconian cuts in payments to hospitals, let’s set the record straight on this at the outset so we can dispose of this bit of disinformation.

Physicians have faced a 21% cut in payment from Medicare long before Obama became president and, thus, long before health care reform was more than a gleam in the eye of its proponents.

The threatened cuts are the result of a formula (“SGI”) established during the Clinton years that was designed to control the rate of growth in Medicare payments to physicians. The problem is that nobody anticipated that the number would go down. As a result of the decrease, and the understandable displeasure expressed by America’s doctors, Congress would end each year by deferring the cuts until they added up the 21% cut doctors now fear. Note that this number did not arise as a result of a stroke of the president’s pen as Obamacare detractors would have you believe. It was the constant deferral by Congress, dating back to 2002,that has permitted the number to reach this point.

The deferment is still the order of the day. While Congress has been afraid to permanently get rid of the threatened cut (they still figure in the total value of the cut in reaching their government healthcare expenditure numbers) and toss out the formula that failed to work as planned, the cut continues to be deferred. You can expect this to continue until Congress eventually gets rid of the entire mess as there are few Democrats or Republicans in Congress willing to do the damage that would be done by actually instituting these cuts.

It simply isn’t going to happen.

As for the hospitals, any cuts they will experience – estimated to be $155 billion over 10 years – are the direct result of negotiation and agreement between the Administration and the Hospital Associations . Nobody cut anything that the hospitals were not willing to accept as both reasonable and ‘doable’.

Lets move on to the real issues.

It is hard to imagine that anybody – with the exception of the bad guys who are profiting handsomely from Medicare scams- can object to efforts to curtail this expensive and popular criminal activity. So extensive is Medicare crime that, in the city of Miami, the cocaine capital of America, Medicare fraud has now replaced the drug trade as the number one criminal activity in the city.

And why not?

Medicare criminals rarely get gunned down in their pursuit of easy money. The most substantial inconvenience these bad guys experience is shutting down their offices when the feds get onto them. Of course, they simply open up a new one under a different name and continue the fraud.

I’m sure that the cynical among you are scoffing at the notion that the federal government will now, as a result of health care reform, have more success cracking down on Medicare crime than they’ve had in the past.

You may be right.

To date, the government’s record on getting Medicare crime under control has been nothing short of abysmal. As a result, we will just have to wait and see if the CMS and Justice Department can do a better job of this.

In the meantime, the success or failure of the effort to reduce Medicare fraud will have no impact on the benefits our seniors receive via Medicare. It is the cuts to the Medicare Advantage programs, enjoyed by 11 million plus senior citizens, which are at the heart of the controversy.

First, a little history to better understand what Medicare Advantage is, how it came to be and whether or not the program justifies the increased costs the American taxpayers have carried since 2003.

In the belief that Medicare could be more effectively administrated by the private sector and that beneficiaries should have the opportunity to purchase additional benefits in exchange for a higher premium payment, the “Medicare + Choice” program (Part C of Medicare) was created in theBalanced Budget Act of 1997.

The program experienced limited success until 2003 when The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Actdramatically increased the amount of subsidies paid by Medicare to the “Medicare+Choice” program in order to assist the health insurance companies to offer increased benefits to their members, including pharmaceutical coverage to assist seniors in avoiding the ‘gap’ in drug coverage called ‘the donut hole.’

The 2003 law additionally renamed the program ‘Medicare Advantage.’

Following the 2003 legislation, and largely in response to the pharmaceutical drug benefits made available in these programs, Medicare Advantage began to greatly expand its popularity.

But the popularity came at a significant cost to the taxpayers as the government subsidies provided to Medicare Advantage insurers added approximately 12 to 13 percent to the cost of Medicare benefits.

Under the conditions of the subsidy, an office visit, medical procedure, etc., that cost $100.00 for a beneficiary directly participating in Medicare, rose to $112.00 when the government reimbursed a Medicare Advantage program for the identical service or procedure.

The increased cost was not a secret. In 2003, the insurance companies asked Congress to provide them with this subsidy to give them time to get the program up and running. The insurers told Congress that a few years of government assistance would enable them to craft a program that would deliver Medicare services – plus additional benefits – and do it more efficiently than the government.

The subsidy was included in the 2003 law with the proviso that the government payments would begin to phase out in 2010.

Not surprisingly, as 2010 rolled around, the health insurance lobby asked Congress to extend the subsidy. However, as a result of the new health care reform legislation, the answer to the lobbyists was a resounding “no” – forcing the Medicare Advantage programs to keep the deal they made back in 2003.

Importantly, and contrary to the misinformation out there, the health care reform legislation did not end the Medicare Advantage program. The impact of the legislation was to empower the CMS (the entity that oversees Medicare) to negotiate tougher deals with Medicare Advantage programs with respect to how much Medicare would reimburse them for their services to participants (more on how that is working out later.)

Let us assume for the moment that, as a result of receiving much lower payment rates from Medicare, some Medicare Advantage programs cease operating or diminish their benefits to the detriment of their customers. What, exactly, will these beneficiaries lose?

The typical Medicare Advantage program, which can either be a pay-per-service plan, PPO, or HMO (meaning that participants are obligated to stay in network rather than see any doctor or check into any hospital they wish as they can under Medicare), offers the following benefits over and above what one would receive by signing up for Medicare Parts A, B & D.

Free preventative care
Fill the Part D pharmaceutical benefit “donut hole”
Often contains dental and vision plans
Provides health club memberships

Let’s begin with free preventative care as, clearly, this is a meaningful benefit. Losing this benefit in a Medicare Advantage program would be a difficult challenge for our senior citizens who make the effort to stay healthy, right?

Wrong.

As of September 23, 2010, seniors are entitled – free of charge – to an annual physical along with free diagnostic tests such as mammograms and colonoscopies. No co-payments…no changes in deductibles…no increase in Part B premiums…no need for anything beyond your ‘run of the mill’ Medicare participation.

So, why would anyone want to pay an extra premium to a Medicare Advantage policy for this benefit? Equally important, why would American taxpayers want to subsidize these insurance programs for a benefit now available to Medicare beneficiaries at no cost whatsoever?

Still, one of the major reasons people opted for the Medical Advantage program was the pharmaceutical benefit – and with good reason. The gap in Part D drug coverage can present a senior with a serious problem when it comes to paying for badly needed medicines.

But that was pre-Obamacare.

Now, the donut hole will be gradually reduced until it is completely closed in 2020. In the meantime, the government is giving back money to seniors to help them through this issue until it is fully resolved. A check for $250.00 has already been issued to most Medicare qualified seniors (or soon will be) to assist with this problem. Beginning next year, seniors will get 50% off on prescription drugs during the gap with the full 100% of the cost of prescription drugs credited towards getting them through the gap period to where they once again regain full coverage.

An argument can be made that since the donut hole in pharmaceutical coverage for seniors is not completely filled until 2020, Medicare Advantage is still of considerable importance to our seniors. However, given the steps already being taken to reduce the pain, there is ample reason to question the allure of the extra premium paid for a Medicare Advantage program as something much less than that premium would, in all likelihood, more than cover the coverage gap if you simply put the premium payment in the bank and used it when – and if – you hit the gap period.

Strike two against Medicare Advantage. Two of the key benefits seniors pay extra for in these programs are now offered – or soon to be offered – as a basic benefit of Medicare Parts A, B and D.

As for the dental and vision, these are important benefits that seniors might wish to purchase. And they can. If the value of these services is worth it, a senior can still buy a Medicare Advantage program that offers this to them.

But, you ask, won’t it now cost them more? Hang in there just a bit longer for the answer.

As for the health clubs – sorry, but I don’t feel good about subsidizing these memberships with my tax dollars. Like so many younger Americans, seniors are likely to sign up and then never use the place after the first few weeks. A daily walk outdoors or through the shopping mall coupled with a couple of $10 home barbells will produce the same results at no charge (other than the one-time $20 charge for the barbells) to our seniors or the taxpayers.

So, by doing away with the subsidies, the taxpayers save billions – money that will be used to reduce the annual costs to the government and extend the life of the Medicare program. Medicare Advantage participants may lose their health club memberships, and possibly, their vision and dental, all of which they will still have the opportunity to buy if they are willing to pay an additional premium.

These savings, folks, are the savings contemplated in Obamacare – nothing less and nothing more.

Now, the big, surprise finish.

Many legislators and policy experts have assumed that the health care reform legislation would result in a dramatic rise in Medicare Advantage premium charges. In 2009, the rates went up 15% as the insurance companies offering Medicare Advantage programs sought to teach Congress a lesson by providing a glimpse of what could be expected should health care reform become law. As a result, upon passage, the expectation was these rates would continue to dramatically increase.

After all, without the billions in government subsidies, Medicare Advantage programs would have to dramatically raise the premium costs to their customers if they were to stay in business.

At least, that’s what they told us would have to happen.

Yet, somehow, it was announced this week that the 11.3 million beneficiaries who participate in Medicare Advantage programs will experience a premium rate drop of 1% this year.

How can this be possible? Certainly, the health insurance companies would never be less than completely honest with us … would they?

Medicare officials said the reform law gave them a stronger stance in negotiations with participating insurers, which they used initially to reject about 300 plans. Donald Berwick, head of the CMS, said, “These plans unfairly proposed to increase out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries while increasing their own profit margins,” adding, “We said, ‘No, you have to do better.‘”
Via Newoxy

And they did. But how?

According to John Gorman of the independent consulting firm, Gorman Health Group,

Officials gave insurers “a beat-down” during negotiations. This was night-and-day different from the Bush years. Insurers succumbed to the government’s demands and stayed in the Medicare market because they have become much more dependent on Medicare business.
Via Newsoxy

So it seems that the business is still profitable after all, even without the 12% government subsidy.

Go figure.

The end result?

Seniors who are no longer interested in Medicare Advantage programs, now that they can receive free physicals and diagnostic tests by signing up directly with Medicare, and are getting much better benefits towards filling the pharmaceutical donut hole, will now save the cost of the added premium charges they have been paying for these extra benefits. Meanwhile, the American taxpayer saves billions upon billions in the subsidies we’ve been paying to these Medicare Advantage programs to feather their profits.

Further, seniors who would like to continue in Medicare Advantage programs for full pharmaceutical protection until this is fully resolved in 2020, along with dental and vision coverage and, yes, continued health club membership, can – at least for this year and likely well into the future – do so paying one percent less than what they were paying last year.

Not so bad after all.

I do realize this information blows a hole in the whole “Obamacare is screwing our seniors” narrative. I also realize that many will want to lash out because they cannot accept that what they’ve been told is wildly inaccurate.

But I also know that Americans of all political persuasions have no desire to unnecessarily frighten or mislead our senior citizens.

So, here’s the deal.

If you have some facts (backed up with citations) that reveal some other cut in Medicare that will harm our seniors, I invite you to provide this information in the comments section below. Not only will the readers learn from any information you might have, so will I.

But if your plan is to simply rant because this puts a giant crack in the importance of your believing that the health care reform program is out to get you, please don’t.

While you are clearly entitled to whatever ideology works for you, let’s do our senior citizens a favor and give them the facts.

I think we owe them that much."

What's Normal Anyways?*

2011-07-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

I am One of 7 Billion Humans

You know this statement defines the positives and negatives of the stuff rattling around in my mind. It can be interpreted a few ways. This week it means either: "I am only 1 of 7 billions humans and that makes me insignificant" or "I am 1 of 7 billion humans and that gives me an opportunity to be part of something really big."

When you read a book, go to a movie, or have a conversation with someone that makes an impact on you, these are "life's moments." This week, I had all 3 of these moments. I recommend you read "Ten Little Indians," a collection of short stories by Sherman Alexi, go see the movie
"I Am," written and directed by Tom Shadyac, and have a conversation
with my friend Rich(k).

What tied these moments together has nothing to do with the following quote I have read before: "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car." But the reason I repeated that quote here does say a lot about human beings. Stick with me through the following trite saying and then move forward to the next paragraph with an open mind: "You are either part of the problem or part of the solution."

If you are paying attention, you are 1 of 500 million people. (See my hypothesis in a previous post about 6.5 billion humans having no clue.) It becomes clearer and clearer that humans are in trouble. The economic realities of the competitive, dog eat dog, rich get richer, lobbyist dominated, stock market driven American economic culture of the past 100 years finds us at the edge of disaster. As Steve points out in his movie, we need to shift our priorities, look at ourselves in the mirror, recognize the true essence of our soul and stop focusing on more, more, more, and me, me, me.

We need to realize that our entertainment and financial icons are disingenuous. They need to be removed from the altar and replaced by the likes of Ghandi and MLK, and each of us, the 500 million of us, needs to seek a higher meaning in our lives. Here is a very short list of do-able acts that you should consider to be part of the solution. Volunteer, help your neighbor, recycle, and cut your conspicuous consumption in half. Besides making you feel better, it will collectively raise the consciousness of all humans. See Tom's movie to experience interesting interviews, studies, experiments, and truths to help you understand (remember) how this all works.

Then find Sherman's book in the library or your local book store and get a glimpse at the world and mind of a Native American baring his soul and observations through a web of fantastic stories. The human mind is an amazing thing to behold and witness.

As far as finding Rick(h) for your conversation of the week, go east on 78, take the off ramp at College, and make your way under the freeway to the HD parking lot. Get out of your car, walk to the true geographical center of that orange box, and on most weekdays at 3:00 pm he'll be there ready to serve.

"And cause I was a gazillionaire, and I liked doin it so much, I cut that grass for free*

*Forrest Gump