Archive for July, 2011

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Do You Oppose Fur or Leather?

What do you stand for?
What do you care about?

I mean really stand for.
I mean really care about.

What defines who you are?
What are you ready to go to the barricades for?

What gets you worked up?
What causes galvanize you?
What issues keep you up at night?

What gets you to put your money where your mouth is?

I will leave my motivation for this ramble to your imagination – suffice it to say – just look at the news.

However…listen:

“People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it’s safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs.” Unknown

I read this and was embarrassed – I’m guilty of this myself.

Latch on to the easy protest – feel good – and then declare victory.

In a world where children still starve to death; where terrorism, of all sorts, kills indiscriminately; where politicians care about nothing more than their re-election; where corruption touches every facet of life….

It’s time to go after the leather.

Note to self…

What’s your view? 

Posted by David on 07/25 at 03:01 PM
  • Well David since you asked, but I warn you passion can run deep and lengthy! I do care about something that I'm passionate about, that defines me, that keeps me up at night, that I have put my money where my mouth is and have walked the walk and not just talked the talk. That is the suffering of ...
    Read more >
    Posted by Christine Michaels on 2011-08-04 21:30:33
  • 'It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them. \ Alfred Adler Another view of the same thought
    Read more >
    Posted by david sable on 2011-07-31 03:47:42
  • I really care about children and adults starve to death, about terrorisme, about minor traffic specially with girls, about politicians care only about their re-election not to help people to live better, about BANK corruption that is stealing the home people people, about lack of solidarity... Why if we are able to built enough pipelines to drive luxury cars ...
    Read more >
    Posted by Laura Piserra on 2011-07-26 08:58:31
Monday, July 18th, 2011

Not Embarrassed to Say…

Are you a Harry Potter fan?

Have you read all the books?

Seen all the movies? Including the newest?

Played Quidditch…?

Seriously – I am not embarrassed to say that I am.

I enjoyed the books; have seen the movies…not the new one yet…but I will.

And while I haven’t played Quidditch, I do say “STUPEFY” every once in a while….

And I’m sad that with the last movie being released now the franchise comes to an end – sort of – although much like The Lord of the Rings and such I imagine – and hope – that my great-grandchildren will find it new for themselves.

Now the truth is that Harry has always been in my presentation/speech repertoire. I have used the books as an example of how “truths” that have become holy – for example, that kids don’t read – are based on a lack of observation, and while that may be true for books with poor content – the lines around the world to buy the Harry Potter books as they came out, and their continuing success, points to the power of great writing and the ability to still ignite imaginations with the right stuff…if you will.

Yet my Ramble is not about the books or the movies or the industry that surrounds them – it’s about the author J.K. Rowling, who has been a source of inspiration to me since the first book rolled out.

You all know the story – and if not… it’s worth knowing. Poor single Mom – had an idea – pursued it – and the rest – as they say – is history.

She had an idea. She pursued it. She had no money – it didn’t stop her – but rather motivated her – and we all know the results.

Think about this – how often do we allow ourselves to be held back by budgets, by lack of resources, by other barriers that we deem insurmountable?

 Listen:

“Lack of money is no obstacle.  Lack of an idea is an obstacle.”
Ken Hakuta

All it takes is an idea. A real idea. A powerful idea. An idea that inspires. An idea that motivates. An idea that leads to more ideas.

How often do we lament our inability to get there because of the obstacles? It didn’t stop Ms. Rowling…

Time to understand that ideas transcend and trump all. If you have a real idea you have already destroyed the obstacles. All of them.

So go enjoy the movie – I can’t wait – I’m going with my daughter and my soon-to-be son-in-law…both big fans like me…

But as much as you enjoy – learn.

What’s your take?

Posted by David on 07/18 at 03:36 PM
Monday, July 11th, 2011

Where Do You Stand On:

Where do you stand on:

Privacy?;

Invasion of your personal space?;

The eye in the peephole watching you?

No doubt you will all roll your eyes and say DUH…where the hell do you think?

So with the latest privacy scandal rocking the UK, it’s no doubt pretty clear – who in their right mind would ever sanction such a cruel and horrible act as the hacking of cell phones for their treasure trove of private messages? Yet it was done…and ugly.

Yet – many of the same folks thought that WikiLeaks was OK – maybe even a public service – but even they would be incensed if anyone got a hold of their credit card information or home address or whatever…

By the way – this all in a world where we routinely post the most intimate info on Facebook and share what was once confidential without any thought.

Clearly we have begun to lose our own sense of what is public and what is private; what I am entitled to see and what I am clearly forbidden to share; what is mine and what is yours…

Frankly, as despicable as I think the News Of The World is – I can sort of/kind of understand the perpetrators in that we are losing our boundaries  and it’s getting harder and harder to ascertain what is public and what is private beyond that credit card info (yours and mine, of course) I mentioned before.

A few thoughts – one is do nothing that requires privacy – and we might be heading in that direction:

“Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.”  Will Rogers

Now – while this is a fine thought and maybe a lifestyle to aspire to – maybe – he doesn’t say live in such a way that you wouldn’t be ashamed if the town gossip broke into your home….

The real issue to me is, are we moving forward or backward?

Advancing civilization or decaying?And, to that end, I share with you two quotes – diametrically opposed – and ask you to weigh in….Listen:

“Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage’s whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.”  Ayn Rand

“It seems to me, Golan, that the advance of civilization is nothing but an exercise in the limiting of privacy.” Janov Pelorat in Asimov’s Foundation’s Edge

Personally speaking, I think more and more – and see some of my posts from the previous few weeks – Will Rogers has a clear point but that is because Asimov hit it on the head – as I wrote once before – it’s not Big Brother that worries me – it’s a world full of little brothers – all who feel entitled to you….

What do you think?

Posted by David on 07/11 at 03:06 PM