We need to celebrate our Nation. We have lost track of all we are and all we have build here. We negate the hard work, dreams and energy it took to build this country. We need a renewed sense of what it means to be an American. No suggesting substituting Nationalism for what is really missing. We need strong roll models and leadership; we need to have some heroes too. We need both, don't you see? If you look at those little tin can rockets that those astronauts went up in to reach the moon the first time, you might say they were insane and not heroes. I say they did it to move our species forward into the future and they are definitely heroes, brave ones at that.
We have others amongst us who are doing the same today, but we do not even know their names. Help me find them, we should name airports and freeways and bridges after them now, not when they are dead, now. This way we can let them teach us what it takes to be great again. There are so many ten-foot tall dead white men heroes. We have many heroes in history some we have made up. What about the ones we have now, those we can learn from and they can challenge us to go for it. To believe in ourselves and to achieve all those things which need to be discovered, understood and conquered. Yes we see the agony of defeat, but we are not defeated we are the defeator, not the defeatee; Never give up, Never give up, never give up. We need to teach it and believe it to reach it.
We need to see the winners and we need not hurt the image to satisfy our own inadequacies in the never-ending saga of mass media hysteria of "build them up and burn them down." If we are not worthy of the top prize in our own lives, let us work harder to achieve it. Not give up, be defeated or blame others, with the help of our TV set and media pundit telling us what to think. Let us be the strong Americans our ancestors were when they came here to make a better life. Let us throw out the media's views of; us, our government and society; we need not accept such malarkey; we are great, America is great and we as individuals can be great. The Media is wrong and only trying to play on our weaknesses and self doubt, while adding to it to keep their ratings up and by watching this we are letting them. Misery loves company, fight it, and refuse to surrender to mediocrity, fight long and hard to do what is right and for the right reasons; dump the BS. No one has ever gotten anywhere in life that way.
No one ever got to be a good parent, grandmother, schoolteacher or leader without sacrifice. It does not matter what you do; it is hard work and takes discipline to be a standout. Great customer service takes discipline, just like the hard training athletes must endure. Same with the achieving in the military or grades in school. You get out what you put in. If you refuse to go the distance the distance will get you. Do not succumb; do not let anyone tell you, you are not good enough. If you are not, then change, no excuses now. The leaders and heroes did it, so can you? I know you can, do you? If you listen to the media we are all to feel helpless and wait until the next terrorist attack. That is bad advice, think positive, keep a watchful eye and stay proactive. The media just wants you to stay home and watch TV for ratings. Garbage television every night, on every channel, in every language, on every TV ever created. Why do you allow such ridiculous BS in your head? Interviewers interviewing their own reporters? What are they thinking, are you buying this, want to buy some waterfront property in the Mojave Desert?
You know it would be nice to have a few heroes to look up to and give guidance, it would be wonderful to listen to what they have accomplished for the betterment of mankind, it would be great to see who today's heroes are and where they came from, because I just bet deep down they are the same as all of us. If they can do, you sure as heck can too. That would certainly be a great thing to sleep on for those who want to achieve their American Dream. Think about it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34470
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Monday, 22 February 2016
Poor Little Rabbit: The Runaway Bride
The airwaves crackle with speculation about the Georgia woman who just couldn't face her long-planned wedding. Law enforcement is deciding if they should prosecute or try to recoup the almost 100,000 dollars spent when it was believed that she had been abducted.
What's the problem? Her fiance states that he still loves her and wants to marry her. The vendors for the 600-guest wedding will get paid anyway, without any of the work. The families' pride will eventually be restored and their embarrassment erased.
What does the hoopla say about the state of our society? In other eras, without the mass communication apparatus available today, people could just disappear, and often did. When someone drops out now, we assume foul play because we are so inured to its occurrence. Is it her fault that a manhunt was launched? Her initial claim that she had been abducted was patently false; her real act of running away was an emotional jolt to her family but surely not against the law, nor was it for the California housewife who chucked everything and went to Las Vegas.
Or is there an obscure statute somewhere that prohibits us from shipping out with no notice and no apology? If we are not avoiding debts or crimes, why can't we go wherever we want?
Our society is so organized and our identities so rigidly bound with numbers and personal history that we can no longer escape ourselves. Wherever we go, we can be traced: social security numbers, names, dates of birth, bank account numbers, fingerprint archives, Internet droppings, medical and dental records. Where does it stop?
Communication and intelligence-sharing is needed for security purposes but just how deep into our private lives should Big Brother intrude? Personal freedom means the freedom to be ourselves, to go wherever, and do whatever, we want as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others. Do others have, in fact, the right to know who and where we are?
Look at the almost-bride's eyes in every photograph. She looks like a terrified rabbit seeking a way to bolt - and finally she did. Poor little rabbit, you didn't get very far, did you?
The occasional urge to flee, to run off to join the circus, to tie up our goods in a scarf on a stick and set off to see the world, tempts all of us at times.
Forget it. You'll be found, brought back, publicly humiliated, and presented with a bill for the money it cost to search for you.
No wonder we read books, watch movies, and play games rooted in fantasy. Was it a coincidence that both the George bride and the California housewife both headed for Las Vegas, the ultimate fantasy? We are no longer allowed a life of adventure or exploration, spending our days, as Thoreau envisioned, leading lives of "quiet desperation."
Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34565
What's the problem? Her fiance states that he still loves her and wants to marry her. The vendors for the 600-guest wedding will get paid anyway, without any of the work. The families' pride will eventually be restored and their embarrassment erased.
What does the hoopla say about the state of our society? In other eras, without the mass communication apparatus available today, people could just disappear, and often did. When someone drops out now, we assume foul play because we are so inured to its occurrence. Is it her fault that a manhunt was launched? Her initial claim that she had been abducted was patently false; her real act of running away was an emotional jolt to her family but surely not against the law, nor was it for the California housewife who chucked everything and went to Las Vegas.
Or is there an obscure statute somewhere that prohibits us from shipping out with no notice and no apology? If we are not avoiding debts or crimes, why can't we go wherever we want?
Our society is so organized and our identities so rigidly bound with numbers and personal history that we can no longer escape ourselves. Wherever we go, we can be traced: social security numbers, names, dates of birth, bank account numbers, fingerprint archives, Internet droppings, medical and dental records. Where does it stop?
Communication and intelligence-sharing is needed for security purposes but just how deep into our private lives should Big Brother intrude? Personal freedom means the freedom to be ourselves, to go wherever, and do whatever, we want as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others. Do others have, in fact, the right to know who and where we are?
Look at the almost-bride's eyes in every photograph. She looks like a terrified rabbit seeking a way to bolt - and finally she did. Poor little rabbit, you didn't get very far, did you?
The occasional urge to flee, to run off to join the circus, to tie up our goods in a scarf on a stick and set off to see the world, tempts all of us at times.
Forget it. You'll be found, brought back, publicly humiliated, and presented with a bill for the money it cost to search for you.
No wonder we read books, watch movies, and play games rooted in fantasy. Was it a coincidence that both the George bride and the California housewife both headed for Las Vegas, the ultimate fantasy? We are no longer allowed a life of adventure or exploration, spending our days, as Thoreau envisioned, leading lives of "quiet desperation."
Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34565
Homosexuals Have Higher Intelligence
I find that when people dump all the preconceived notions of society, they tend to be better observers. Therefore in my professional opinion and observational studies of human nature through people watching: A Gay American in that regard does have an advantage over others in observing things, he/she/it feels, sees or studies. As long as the individual or test subject in this case keeps an open mind, much is possible.
Many believe that people who are homosexual and travel against the norm of society, are better observers provided they do not cloud their views by assuming. Of course one would not have to be gay to do that, but as a whole you will find a higher intelligence level in homosexuals; less clouded issues of perception. Gay men tend to be good judges of character of women and other men. I think this is because they spend much time talking with them and many women open up their feelings to them, because, well they are easy to talk to. A gay man can provide empathy that another straight man in society would not wish to show or has psychologically blocked from his realm of thought. Most of this is due to social engineering and nurture to hide one's feelings.
In that regard outsiders studying Western Culture, behavior, societies and the human brain are able to study without prejudice of what they will find. For instance when Gandhi said about Western Culture "I think it would be a good idea," he did so through is observation of the concept, incidentally; so do I and maybe someday we might want to re-evaluate what we have built and fix it. When Ayn Rand discussed Capitalism and socialist views, which stifle the innovation and when Charles Dickens predicted much of what we see today; they did so as observers. A gay man presently in this period is outside the norm of society, especially in some places like Billings or Butte Montana since there are Oil Field Boys and Mining Men. They are rough, tough guys there, by way of genetic breeding and nurture, partly also due to the hostile weather conditions in higher latitudes. I hope this makes sense to you. It is but another theory and observation. Never turn my brain off and always seek to study everything I see, hear, feel, touch, smell, receive and observe. Do you? Maybe you might think about it?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34487
Many believe that people who are homosexual and travel against the norm of society, are better observers provided they do not cloud their views by assuming. Of course one would not have to be gay to do that, but as a whole you will find a higher intelligence level in homosexuals; less clouded issues of perception. Gay men tend to be good judges of character of women and other men. I think this is because they spend much time talking with them and many women open up their feelings to them, because, well they are easy to talk to. A gay man can provide empathy that another straight man in society would not wish to show or has psychologically blocked from his realm of thought. Most of this is due to social engineering and nurture to hide one's feelings.
In that regard outsiders studying Western Culture, behavior, societies and the human brain are able to study without prejudice of what they will find. For instance when Gandhi said about Western Culture "I think it would be a good idea," he did so through is observation of the concept, incidentally; so do I and maybe someday we might want to re-evaluate what we have built and fix it. When Ayn Rand discussed Capitalism and socialist views, which stifle the innovation and when Charles Dickens predicted much of what we see today; they did so as observers. A gay man presently in this period is outside the norm of society, especially in some places like Billings or Butte Montana since there are Oil Field Boys and Mining Men. They are rough, tough guys there, by way of genetic breeding and nurture, partly also due to the hostile weather conditions in higher latitudes. I hope this makes sense to you. It is but another theory and observation. Never turn my brain off and always seek to study everything I see, hear, feel, touch, smell, receive and observe. Do you? Maybe you might think about it?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34487
The 7 Deadly Sins: New American Icons?
With the focus of the world on the change of power in Rome, now seems like an appropriate time to look at some tenets of that ancient faith as developed through the centuries.
We all break one of the 10 commandments occasionally, and feel terribly guilty afterwards. The 7 deadly sins are something else: not only do we too frequently display them, but our culture seems bent on idolizing them! Consider:
Pride
The arrogance of believing that our way is the only way and asserting our certainty about how the world should work is exemplified by President Bush and his right-wing minions. The fact that he won re-election confirms that our citizens have no aversion to excessive pride, no matter what their particular religious doctrine prescribes.
Envy
"Keeping up with the Joneses" is a cultural pursuit touching all levels - we want what others have, we want it now, and we will build up our personal debt (just like the National Debt) to get it. Not only do we crave the expensive toys that confer rarefied social status, we rejoice in the fall of our competition and take secret delight in the firing of a coworker who beat us out of a promotion or the fall of a public personality who unfairly seemed to have it all.
Anger
Road rage entered the common vernacular when it became a common occurrence. We no longer publicly counsel patience and personal restraint, we laud the value of being upfront and aggressive. Business executives strive to be straight shooters and drivers, seeing self-contained, mild workers as passive and non-managerial material. "I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking it any more" is a rallying cry for any cause we promote.
Sloth
While we continue to extol the virtues of hard work and personal effort, we quietly buy our lottery tickets, wile away our time at the alluring casinos now dotting the national landscape, and enter every contest where we might get something for nothing. Surf the Internet and try to count the ubiquitous and seductive ads promising monstrous income levels without work, without effort, without thought, without meaning.
Greed
We are constantly hearing of scams that have left hundreds of people penniless, homeless, or otherwise terribly hurt. Why are so many victimized? Trace the swindle to its core and there sits greed - the promise of a better investment return, more income, making a small fortune. While most of us are well aware that something that sounds too good to be true probably isn't, we still fall for it if the reward sounds good enough. Do you think the spammers would keep sending out those emails "I am the widow of the late Nkrumo Obol who amassed 25 million dollars . . . " if they never received one response?
Gluttony
Ah! Super-sized America. Two thirds of us are overweight, four in ten clinically obese. Do we have a national metabolic problem? No, we are a nation of guzzlers: we eat too, too much food, consume voluminous cheap foreign goods to the tune of billions of dollars per year, and siphon the majority of the earth's oil into our gluttonous SUVs. We have lost all sense of moderation and balance. We live to consume and then poison our environment with the garbage such overconsumption produces.
Lust
Forty percent of marriages involve at least one affair. Our religious leaders, sports stars, celebrities and even a former President, indulge their libidos when opportunity combines with personal power. Sex has become the vehicle for selling anything and everything, its economic value proved over and over. Desperate housewives and Internet pornography are not mere "lusting in my heart" but reveal the lurid landscape we have developed that creates superstars out of those who exude sex and virility as if it were a talent or a sign of character. We have birthed industries and empires based solely on gossip, rumor, and the promise of sexually-oriented details. Plastic surgeons become millionaires over the bodies they rework for the goal of increasing desirability and eliciting greater lust in the eyes of the beholder.
Are these sins really deadly? Regardless of the "moral value" vote trumpeted after the 2004 elections, few of us regard all manifestations of these sins as totally unacceptable. We may be tempted, we may fall short of our aspirations, we expect to occasionally slip. But when we elevate such personal and characterological weaknesses to the level of cultural goals, we pay the price: a violent, dangerous, and self-destructive society that demands ever more aggressive security, protection, and policing, and produces a burgeoning prison population.
Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34563
We all break one of the 10 commandments occasionally, and feel terribly guilty afterwards. The 7 deadly sins are something else: not only do we too frequently display them, but our culture seems bent on idolizing them! Consider:
Pride
The arrogance of believing that our way is the only way and asserting our certainty about how the world should work is exemplified by President Bush and his right-wing minions. The fact that he won re-election confirms that our citizens have no aversion to excessive pride, no matter what their particular religious doctrine prescribes.
Envy
"Keeping up with the Joneses" is a cultural pursuit touching all levels - we want what others have, we want it now, and we will build up our personal debt (just like the National Debt) to get it. Not only do we crave the expensive toys that confer rarefied social status, we rejoice in the fall of our competition and take secret delight in the firing of a coworker who beat us out of a promotion or the fall of a public personality who unfairly seemed to have it all.
Anger
Road rage entered the common vernacular when it became a common occurrence. We no longer publicly counsel patience and personal restraint, we laud the value of being upfront and aggressive. Business executives strive to be straight shooters and drivers, seeing self-contained, mild workers as passive and non-managerial material. "I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking it any more" is a rallying cry for any cause we promote.
Sloth
While we continue to extol the virtues of hard work and personal effort, we quietly buy our lottery tickets, wile away our time at the alluring casinos now dotting the national landscape, and enter every contest where we might get something for nothing. Surf the Internet and try to count the ubiquitous and seductive ads promising monstrous income levels without work, without effort, without thought, without meaning.
Greed
We are constantly hearing of scams that have left hundreds of people penniless, homeless, or otherwise terribly hurt. Why are so many victimized? Trace the swindle to its core and there sits greed - the promise of a better investment return, more income, making a small fortune. While most of us are well aware that something that sounds too good to be true probably isn't, we still fall for it if the reward sounds good enough. Do you think the spammers would keep sending out those emails "I am the widow of the late Nkrumo Obol who amassed 25 million dollars . . . " if they never received one response?
Gluttony
Ah! Super-sized America. Two thirds of us are overweight, four in ten clinically obese. Do we have a national metabolic problem? No, we are a nation of guzzlers: we eat too, too much food, consume voluminous cheap foreign goods to the tune of billions of dollars per year, and siphon the majority of the earth's oil into our gluttonous SUVs. We have lost all sense of moderation and balance. We live to consume and then poison our environment with the garbage such overconsumption produces.
Lust
Forty percent of marriages involve at least one affair. Our religious leaders, sports stars, celebrities and even a former President, indulge their libidos when opportunity combines with personal power. Sex has become the vehicle for selling anything and everything, its economic value proved over and over. Desperate housewives and Internet pornography are not mere "lusting in my heart" but reveal the lurid landscape we have developed that creates superstars out of those who exude sex and virility as if it were a talent or a sign of character. We have birthed industries and empires based solely on gossip, rumor, and the promise of sexually-oriented details. Plastic surgeons become millionaires over the bodies they rework for the goal of increasing desirability and eliciting greater lust in the eyes of the beholder.
Are these sins really deadly? Regardless of the "moral value" vote trumpeted after the 2004 elections, few of us regard all manifestations of these sins as totally unacceptable. We may be tempted, we may fall short of our aspirations, we expect to occasionally slip. But when we elevate such personal and characterological weaknesses to the level of cultural goals, we pay the price: a violent, dangerous, and self-destructive society that demands ever more aggressive security, protection, and policing, and produces a burgeoning prison population.
Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/34563
National ID Card? Congress Approves Electronic ID Card
Are we moving towards an Orwellian 1984 scenario in the United States? Are we still truly the land of the free? Many are predicting severe limitations to our way of life in light of the impending requirement of a national ID card.
On May 10, 2005, Congress approved the "Real ID Act" as part of a military spending bill. President Bush is expected to sign the bill shortly.
So, what's the big deal? Currently, the federal government has no method for tracking citizens within the United States. If you fly to Las Vegas for a week, the government cannot track you without obtaining a warrant based on a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The "Real ID Act" potentially kills the advertising slogan, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."
Effective May 2008, all Americans will be required to obtain federally approved ID cards containing electronically encoded personal information. The personal information will include your name, sex, address, date of birth and a digital photograph at a minimum. All of this information will be kept in a national database. Anyone without the ID card will be unable to fly, open a bank account, enter federal buildings and, most likely, obtain a job. In short, we are looking at a database that allows the federal government to track your every move, finances, spending activities, etc.
From a practical standpoint, the Department of Homeland Security will put forth specifications for the cards. It is believed that the cards will be issued through state DMV offices and may be incorporated into drivers' licenses. To obtain the card, citizens will be required to produce a photo identification, proof of address, social security number card and possibly finger prints or retinal scans. The information will then be digitized and put into a federal database. The particularly scary element of this is that there are no limitations on what the can be required by the Department of Homeland Security. Can DNA samples be far behind?
Backers of the Act argue that it is needed to stop illegal immigrants from obtaining drivers' licenses and prevent terrorists from "hiding in the open." Opponents argue the cards constitute a national ID card, gross violation of civil rights and platform for massive identity theft. Whether you support the Act or not, it is undeniable that big brother will have you in his sights beginning May 2008.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/35417
On May 10, 2005, Congress approved the "Real ID Act" as part of a military spending bill. President Bush is expected to sign the bill shortly.
So, what's the big deal? Currently, the federal government has no method for tracking citizens within the United States. If you fly to Las Vegas for a week, the government cannot track you without obtaining a warrant based on a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The "Real ID Act" potentially kills the advertising slogan, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."
Effective May 2008, all Americans will be required to obtain federally approved ID cards containing electronically encoded personal information. The personal information will include your name, sex, address, date of birth and a digital photograph at a minimum. All of this information will be kept in a national database. Anyone without the ID card will be unable to fly, open a bank account, enter federal buildings and, most likely, obtain a job. In short, we are looking at a database that allows the federal government to track your every move, finances, spending activities, etc.
From a practical standpoint, the Department of Homeland Security will put forth specifications for the cards. It is believed that the cards will be issued through state DMV offices and may be incorporated into drivers' licenses. To obtain the card, citizens will be required to produce a photo identification, proof of address, social security number card and possibly finger prints or retinal scans. The information will then be digitized and put into a federal database. The particularly scary element of this is that there are no limitations on what the can be required by the Department of Homeland Security. Can DNA samples be far behind?
Backers of the Act argue that it is needed to stop illegal immigrants from obtaining drivers' licenses and prevent terrorists from "hiding in the open." Opponents argue the cards constitute a national ID card, gross violation of civil rights and platform for massive identity theft. Whether you support the Act or not, it is undeniable that big brother will have you in his sights beginning May 2008.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/35417
Tuesday, 16 February 2016
Sunday Talk Shows - My World is Changing
For the last several years I have loved to watch the Sunday morning talk shows. Not always but most times they had the brightest and most interesting people discussing the issues of the day. But recently the quality of the shows has gone way down. Now the majority of the talk is just 'talking points' from politicians, not really substantive discussions of the issues.
Thank heavens; Fareed Zakaria has come to the rescue with his Sunday afternoon talk show, Global Public Square (GPS)! He interviews excellent people from around the world and it is an orderly and intelligent process. Each guest is asked terrific questions and we get to listen to their opinions and views. There is no shouting or interruption or rebuttal. If needed Fareed gives a correction or asks a follow-up question for clarification and challenge. He is extremely well versed in all the issues around the world and well respected by significant and important thinkers from many countries. Today, October 5, 2008, the first guest was Bill Gates and the later guests were from India, China and Singapore. The reactions from the international community are very important and were enlightening. Gates was asked to explain why 75% of his and Warren Buffett's wealth in the charitable foundation is being spent overseas instead of here at home. I've wondered about that too. It doesn't seem right or smart. But Gates gave an intelligent and reasonable explanation that makes me feel better about it. Overall our country is doing pretty well and we have a good governmental system and many private enterprises trying to allocate our resources in the best possible ways. We haven't figured out what to do about our education system or what to do with all the kids who drop out of even high school. The total is staggering at 50% of our inner city kids and 17% nationwide. But the problems are not about a lack of money. From a world point of view there are many worse inequities and injustices that his foundation is trying to improve. It makes sense. We, the American people, care about justice and fairness everywhere. Of course if things change the foundation could redirect their resources.
I also liked Bill's endorsement of Warren Buffett's philosophy about not leaving too much to his kids. He told about Buffett saying "Why don't we just take all the descendents of the Olympic winners from 50 years ago and put them in our Olympic games?" The same thing is true about passing down so much wealth and control to the kids of very successful people. I like that.
Now, about what to do about our school system and the dropouts, I have some ideas.
Jerry W. Willis
[http://www.jerrywwillis.com]
To receive the free E-Workbook: Starting the Journey - the first step in understanding your Purpose in Life which will help you and your kids build the life you've been dreaming of, visit [http://www.jerrywwillis.com] go to the Contact Us tab fill in the information, ask any questions and make any comments and submit.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1556701
Thank heavens; Fareed Zakaria has come to the rescue with his Sunday afternoon talk show, Global Public Square (GPS)! He interviews excellent people from around the world and it is an orderly and intelligent process. Each guest is asked terrific questions and we get to listen to their opinions and views. There is no shouting or interruption or rebuttal. If needed Fareed gives a correction or asks a follow-up question for clarification and challenge. He is extremely well versed in all the issues around the world and well respected by significant and important thinkers from many countries. Today, October 5, 2008, the first guest was Bill Gates and the later guests were from India, China and Singapore. The reactions from the international community are very important and were enlightening. Gates was asked to explain why 75% of his and Warren Buffett's wealth in the charitable foundation is being spent overseas instead of here at home. I've wondered about that too. It doesn't seem right or smart. But Gates gave an intelligent and reasonable explanation that makes me feel better about it. Overall our country is doing pretty well and we have a good governmental system and many private enterprises trying to allocate our resources in the best possible ways. We haven't figured out what to do about our education system or what to do with all the kids who drop out of even high school. The total is staggering at 50% of our inner city kids and 17% nationwide. But the problems are not about a lack of money. From a world point of view there are many worse inequities and injustices that his foundation is trying to improve. It makes sense. We, the American people, care about justice and fairness everywhere. Of course if things change the foundation could redirect their resources.
I also liked Bill's endorsement of Warren Buffett's philosophy about not leaving too much to his kids. He told about Buffett saying "Why don't we just take all the descendents of the Olympic winners from 50 years ago and put them in our Olympic games?" The same thing is true about passing down so much wealth and control to the kids of very successful people. I like that.
Now, about what to do about our school system and the dropouts, I have some ideas.
Jerry W. Willis
[http://www.jerrywwillis.com]
To receive the free E-Workbook: Starting the Journey - the first step in understanding your Purpose in Life which will help you and your kids build the life you've been dreaming of, visit [http://www.jerrywwillis.com] go to the Contact Us tab fill in the information, ask any questions and make any comments and submit.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1556701
Have You a Use For Bamboo?
A hardy plant, bamboo grass can be quite daunting to deal with when planted in your backyard. Bamboo will grow as far and wide as you will allow it, covering most a yard in months and just about all of the sky line if you allow it. Bamboo is also difficult to remove, as it virtually cannot be killed. No matter how much you poison it, chop it, burn it, dry it out, bamboo will just return in a matter of weeks without warning.
With it being such a hardy plant, bamboo has developed many new and exciting uses. Not only is it pest resistant, it can help farmers with wind erosion and rain run off. This sturdy plant can keep soil in place, particularly in new construction areas, where the goal is to keep soil in the proper place and not have it move after a heavy rain.
Its durability makes bamboo an excellent industrial material as well. When dried and treated, bamboo can be used for a multitude of products, such as clothing, paper, furniture and building/construction material. Bamboo is also considered a food alternative. Bamboo shoots are widely held as a delicacy in Asian cultures, but are slowly finding an audience in American and European cultures as well. The Chinese have even devised a way of making beer out of bamboo. There are fragrances now that are use the essence of bamboo. You can even wear bamboo organic clothing. The possibilities are endless when it comes to bamboo!
There are so many ways to use bamboo shoots, runners and stalks for industrial and commercial use. Its quick growing nature makes it a valuable renewal resource, only requiring a few weeks to grow to full capacity rather than several decades as most trees. In fact, certain species of bamboo can grow up a foot a day, if living in the proper conditions.
While most bamboo is native to Asia and Australia, there are some that have become acclimated to certain regions of the United States, particularly the more tropical regions of the south. Florida has many types of bamboo growing wild in the swamps, as well as in the landscapes of well-groomed and finely manicured yards. Bamboo is a naturally dense plant and makes for a great environmentally friendly and very private fencing substitute.
The American trend is to use bamboo as a hardwood flooring alternative to pine, oak and other flooring. Since bamboo is naturally pest resistant, it makes it a great choice for household use. It is also as strong and durable as its hard wood cousin. While bamboo might be a bit more expensive at times, it is an environmentally friendly, eco-centric decision to install bamboo flooring in your home.
Purchasing bamboo products is a sound decision. Not only do bamboo products stand the test of time, yet as a renewable resource, bamboo can be replenished in nature within weeks without any major environmental harm. Utilizing the growing speed, strength and versatility of bamboo allows the environment a chance to replenish its own tree population and gives us much more sound, environmentally friendly options.
Blair LeMire is a writer, director, producer, and artist who first garnered the attention of the international press in 1998 when he performed his song Linda Angel at the vigil held for Linda McCartney at London's Trafalgar Square. The heartfelt tribute attracted the attention of news cameras, and his impromptu performance was televised internationally.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1550760
With it being such a hardy plant, bamboo has developed many new and exciting uses. Not only is it pest resistant, it can help farmers with wind erosion and rain run off. This sturdy plant can keep soil in place, particularly in new construction areas, where the goal is to keep soil in the proper place and not have it move after a heavy rain.
Its durability makes bamboo an excellent industrial material as well. When dried and treated, bamboo can be used for a multitude of products, such as clothing, paper, furniture and building/construction material. Bamboo is also considered a food alternative. Bamboo shoots are widely held as a delicacy in Asian cultures, but are slowly finding an audience in American and European cultures as well. The Chinese have even devised a way of making beer out of bamboo. There are fragrances now that are use the essence of bamboo. You can even wear bamboo organic clothing. The possibilities are endless when it comes to bamboo!
There are so many ways to use bamboo shoots, runners and stalks for industrial and commercial use. Its quick growing nature makes it a valuable renewal resource, only requiring a few weeks to grow to full capacity rather than several decades as most trees. In fact, certain species of bamboo can grow up a foot a day, if living in the proper conditions.
While most bamboo is native to Asia and Australia, there are some that have become acclimated to certain regions of the United States, particularly the more tropical regions of the south. Florida has many types of bamboo growing wild in the swamps, as well as in the landscapes of well-groomed and finely manicured yards. Bamboo is a naturally dense plant and makes for a great environmentally friendly and very private fencing substitute.
The American trend is to use bamboo as a hardwood flooring alternative to pine, oak and other flooring. Since bamboo is naturally pest resistant, it makes it a great choice for household use. It is also as strong and durable as its hard wood cousin. While bamboo might be a bit more expensive at times, it is an environmentally friendly, eco-centric decision to install bamboo flooring in your home.
Purchasing bamboo products is a sound decision. Not only do bamboo products stand the test of time, yet as a renewable resource, bamboo can be replenished in nature within weeks without any major environmental harm. Utilizing the growing speed, strength and versatility of bamboo allows the environment a chance to replenish its own tree population and gives us much more sound, environmentally friendly options.
Blair LeMire is a writer, director, producer, and artist who first garnered the attention of the international press in 1998 when he performed his song Linda Angel at the vigil held for Linda McCartney at London's Trafalgar Square. The heartfelt tribute attracted the attention of news cameras, and his impromptu performance was televised internationally.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1550760
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