Global Fusionist Motivational #1

I thought I would add another segment called Global Fusionist Motivational as short notes of wisdom I wish to impart to everyone. I encounter so many people who feed their minds with jealousy and envy that it thwarts their own progress. With all the hype and negativity the world throws at us, I shall start preaching, as I practice it in my own life, radical honesty.

Most disputes and disagreement could be resolved quickly and easily if only WE take the time to LEARN to COMMUNICATE WITH ANOTHER HUMAN BEING well. We MUST repudiate unnecessary ambiguous gullability and lethargic convictions. Simply, say what you mean and mean what you say. Do not say more than you mean or mean less than what you say. Pay attention on how you use your skills.

Make the most of your skills and your talents. Think about this: People who usually take their time to tear your down directly or indirectly are doing so because they only dream of being able to do the things you can. It is perfectly OK to play to your strengths rather than always concentrating on developing your weaknesses. NAYSAYERS are not stumbling blocks but stepping stones. Use  and build these stones they throw at you as a sturdy leveled strip of smooth ground runway as you propel yourself FORWARD. LIVE a little today. BE DARING. Whenever urge comes to perform and whatever your habit is, REBEL against it gloriously. DO NOT SUCCUMB to desires and  urges of bad habits and mindset that do not contribute to anyone’s growth, especially to yourself. Enjoy your ability and use it to help others too. You will be surprise when you make that choice to BE THE CHANGE.

The Influenza A (H1N1) Outbreak

The Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak, commonly known as swine flu, continues to intensify globally as the number of confirmed human cases jumped to 257 on Thursday (April 30) from a previous 148 cases on Wednesday (April 29), reports from the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) said. No new deaths were reported today, leaving the worldwide death toll at eight, with seven confirmed in Mexico and one in the US. According to the WHO’s update on Thursday, 11 countries – US (109), Mexico (97), Canada (19), Spain (13), UK (8), Germany (3), New Zealand (3), Israel (2), Austria (1), Netherlands (1) and Switzerland (1) – have reported laboratory confirmed human cases. The Netherlands and Switzerland are the latest countries to confirm swine flu cases. Several media reports have noted Peru confirming its first swine flu case, but it was not among the WHO’s official tally. The UN health agency’s tally of confirmed cases has lagged behind those that individual countries report because it has to wait for formal notification from the affected nation.

In addition to investigating suspected cases in countries already affected by the disease, the WHO is monitoring and awaiting test results in 15 other countries possibly having the virus – Australia, France, Chile, Brazil, Denmark, Colombia, South Korea, Argentina, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, South Africa, Finland, Norway and Serbia. The WHO defines “possible” as cases where the patient tested positive for Influenza A, which is the general category of strains that includes the H1N1 swine virus, and needs additional tests to verify whether they are positive for the specific virus. Dr. Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the WHO said the higher totals does not necessarily mean incidence of the disease is increasing, but rather that health investigators are getting through their backlog of specimens. Several thousand samples are being analyzed. Under pressure from meat industry producers and concerned governments, the WHO has decided to refer to the new virus strain as Influenza A (H1N1), not swine flu.

On Wednesday, the WHO raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to Phase 5 in a six-phase preparedness plan created by the WHO. Phase 5 is the second highest alert level, meaning there is a sustained human-to-human spread in at least two countries. In addition, the alert shows that the WHO believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent. The increased alert level also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be increased. No evidence has surfaced that suggests the WHO should raise its pandemic alert to Phase 6, the highest level, due to the outbreak. To move up to Phase 6 would require confirmation that the virus is spreading from human-to-human in a sustained way in a country in another region besides North America. In the US, the situation continued to escalate as additional human infections were confirmed and more cases were suspected. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of laboratory confirmed cases in the US increased to 109, up from 91 cases on Wednesday. The number of states affected grew to 11 as South Carolina confirmed 10 swine flu infections. Within the previously affected states – New York (50), Texas (26), California (14), Kansas (2), Massachusetts (2), Arizona (1), Indiana (1), Michigan (1), Nevada (1) and Ohio (1) – Texas confirmed 10 more cases, while Michigan and Nevada decreased by one case each. Officials from other states have confirmed cases, but they have yet to be confirmed by the WHO. Due to the threat of a possible pandemic, more than 100 US schools have been closed as a precautionary measure. US President Barack Obama on Wednesday called on schools with confirmed or suspected swine flu cases to “strongly consider temporarily closing” to ensure safety to others. In the event a school has a confirmed case, the CDC recommends the closure of the facility for about seven days. On Thursday, about 30 Marines on a Southern California military base were quarantined after one of them became the first US serviceman to have contracted the virus.

In Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, the number of confirmed cases increased to 97 from a previously stable 26. The death toll remains at seven, a decrease from 20 after Mexican authorities revised down the number of confirmed swine flu deaths on Tuesday (April 28) following additional testing recommended by the WHO. The other 13 cases have not been confirmed yet. The suspected death toll due to the virus increased to 176 from 159 yesterday. More than 1,300 people were in hospitals out of an estimated total of 2,500 suspected cases. All those suspected to be infected with the swine flu continue to be monitored and treated. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has ordered non-essential government offices and businesses to shut down for five days from Friday (May 1) to try to curb the spread of the virus. Schools nationwide have also been closed until at least May 6.

As of Tuesday, all new confirmed WHO cases had been associated with people who had traveled to Mexico. However, Spain on Wednesday reported the first case of swine flu affecting a person who had not recently visited Mexico, stressing the threat of person-to-person transmission. Another such case of community transmission in Spain could elevate the pandemic alert to its highest level. Ecuador joined Argentina and Cuba in banning travel to or from Mexico, while France continues to seek a European Union ban on flights to Mexico. The US, Canada and the European Union have advised people to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico, but no travel restrictions have been implemented. Additionally, the WHO advised against travel restrictions and border closures, saying such restrictions will not stop the spread of the virus and urging countries to instead boost domestic efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Obama has vowed to do “whatever it takes” to fight the outbreak, but rejected calls to close the US border, saying the move would be pointless with the virus already on US soil.

Meanwhile, Egypt on Thursday began seizing and slaughtering herds of pigs as a precaution against swine flu despite resistance by farmers and UN criticism. Egypt’s plan to cull up to 400,000 pigs is being called “a real mistake” by the UN because the new strain has not been detected in pigs. No cases of the disease have been reported in Egypt. Several countries have established bans on the importing of all pork products, despite the WHO declaring that the virus could not be transmitted by eating pork. The US has increased checks of people entering the country by air, land and sea. The WHO has also recommended that all countries track any suspect cases and ensure medical workers dealing with them guard themselves by wearing protective masks and gloves.

The CDC implemented its emergency response on Wednesday, and on Tuesday issued new interim guidance for clinicians on how to care for children and pregnant women who may become infected with the virus, since they are at high risk of serious complications from seasonal influenza. On Sunday (April 26), US Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano declared it a public health emergency in the US, allowing funding to be released to assist the public health response. The CDC has also been working closely with the WHO and with health officials in areas where the virus has been confirmed, sending staff domestically and internationally to provide guidance and technical support in affected areas. In conjunction with officials worldwide, the CDC’s goals include reducing transmission and illness severity and providing information to assist healthcare providers, public health officials and the public in addressing the challenges posed by the newly identified swine influenza. The CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is releasing one-quarter of its antiviral drugs, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), personal protective equipment and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and US territories to help them cope with the escalating outbreak. Laboratory tests have confirmed that influenza A (H1N1) is susceptible to both prescription antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, and they are most effective when taken soon after the onset of symptoms. According to the WHO, Swiss drug maker Roche indicated they were increasing production of Tamiflu to combat the infection. There is no direct vaccine available for the new virus, but the federal government and manufacturers have commenced the process of developing a vaccine against it. However, vaccine makers say it could take months to produce it in large quantities. US President Barack Obama on Tuesday requested US$1.5 billion from Congress to fight the spread of the new virus, help fund a plan to build drug stockpiles and monitor future cases of the disease. In addition, the money will help international efforts to combat the disease. Researchers are also still investigating the origins of the outbreak as it would be key in future prevention. Also, they are trying to understand the virulence of the strain and why it has caused serious illness and deaths in Mexico, but mild symptoms elsewhere.

BACKGROUND

Swine influenza has previously been identified as a contagious respiratory disease that commonly infects pigs and is caused by a type-A influenza. The current strain is a new variation of an H1N1 virus, which is known as a mix of human and animal versions. The dangers of this strain exist when the flu spreads from human to human instead of from animals to humans, as the virus can continue to mutate, making it difficult to treat and combat because people do not have natural immunity. Symptoms are similar to the common flu, causing fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Also like the common flu, the virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes around another person. One can also become infected by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. The CDC recommends taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes and staying away from work or school if not feeling well to prevent the disease from spreading. The WHO has recommended all nations “intensify surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.” Researchers are working to determine how easily transmissible the virus is from person to person.

Quarter Life Crisis

For a few weeks now, I have been going through personal meditation á la Marcus Aurelius and pondered about this Quarter Life Crisis (QLC). I consider myself a late-bloomer in some aspects of my life that I still feel some of this. It may be nothing, but it certainly always pushes me to assert the true me everytime my birthday comes around. This usually ranges from the early twenties to the early thirties. Again, I am a late bloomer in “some” aspects so don´t crucify me when you read this.

Some people don´t really understand the gist of this since coining of the term is pretty recent (and pointless). The first time I heard of the term was from a John Mayer song. 

Man, I remember getting out of college, it is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn’t know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren’t exactly the greatest people you have ever met and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can’t meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.

Wikipedia put it plainly:

Characteristics of quarter-life crisis may include:

feeling “not good enough”

feeling unsuited for current job

feeling that one’s life has no definitive purpose

frustration with relationships, the working world, and finding a suitable job or career

confusion of identity frustrated with peers and/or feeling more mature than peers

insecurity regarding the near future

insecurity concerning long-term plans, life goals

insecurity regarding present accomplishments

re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships

disappointment with one’s job

nostalgia for university, college, high school or elementary school life

tendency to hold stronger opinions

boredom with social interactions

loss of closeness to high school and college friends

financially-rooted stress (overwhelming college loans, unanticipatedly high cost of living, etc.)

loneliness

desire to have children

a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you

uncontrollable urge to get a tattoo — Ok, I never got this urge at all!

These emotions and insecurities are not uncommon at this age, nor at any age in adult life. In the context of the quarter-life crisis, however, they occur shortly after a young person – usually an educated professional, in this context – enters the “real world”. After entering adult life and coming to terms with its responsibilities, some individuals find themselves experiencing career stagnation or extreme insecurity. The individual often realizes the real world is tougher, more competitive and less forgiving than they imagined. Furthermore, the qualifications they have spent so much time and money earning are not likely to prepare them for this disillusionment. A related problem is simply that many college graduates do not achieve a desirable standard of living after graduation. They often end up living in low-income apartments with roommates instead of having an income high enough to support themselves. Substandard living conditions, combined with menial or repetitive work at their jobs create a great amount of frustration, anxiety and anger. Nobody wants to admit to feeling like a ‘loser’; this secrecy may intensify the problem. As the emotional ups-and-downs of adolescence and college life subside, many affected by quarter-life crisis experience a “graying” of emotion. While emotional interactions may be intense in a high school or college environment – where everyone is roughly the same age and hormones are highly active – these interactions become subtler and more private in adult life[citation needed]. Furthermore, a factor contributing to quarter-life crisis may be the difficulty in adapting to a workplace environment. In college, professors’ expectations are clearly given and students receive frequent feedback on their performance in their courses. One progresses from year to year in the education system. In contrast, within a workplace environment, one may be, for some time, completely unaware of a boss’s displeasure with one’s performance, or of one’s colleagues’ dislike of one’s personality. One does not automatically make progress. Office politics require interpersonal skills that are largely unnecessary for success in an educational setting.

Looking at all the “symptoms”, I know MANY who are past 30+ who feel like this. Why box it in just one age group. Clearly, these issues are prominent in any stage in one´s life…more so than others of course.

Apologies for Dummies

Many relationships fail simply because people lack the skills of relating.  

These days people seem to not  know how to properly apologize. Does it take a degree to do so? I don´t think so, but I do think we have a generation who take people and their feelings for granted. This is very close to me as recently I have an Ex whom on numerous occasion seem to  hurt me all the time and not understand why I don´t believe them. Since until now they are clueless, let me write Apology 101.

Is Apology really an Art?

Let’s face it. Most of us don´t know how to apologize. We compensate for our lack of knowledge and skill by making feeble attempts which rarely work. Some people rely on their good looks while others bat pathetic puppy dog eyes to get them out of scrapes.

If we want to improve and have depth in our relationships, it’s time to learn the art of apology. So here is my take since this is a very personal pet peeve.

There are two reasons people apologize. First, people usually apologize to make themselves feel better. This type of apology requires little skill outside of being willing to admit that you made a mistake. The second type of apology relays a genuine concern for the other persons feelings and well being. Guilt is relieved only when your apology is genuine and based on empathy for the injured person. This type of apology heals relationships and creates genuine bonds. 

The “Feel Good” Apology

If you are apologizing to relieve your guilt, and hopefully get someone off your back, stop before you open your mouth. Relieve your guilt through talking to a good friend, therapist or priest. Tell someone who really cares about you. Don’t bother telling the person you have injured. You only make things worse! 

Why? Because the person you injured doesn’t really care why you did something. They don’t want to hear that “kids are so mean” or “I was completely lost”. By laying out all of the reasons, and defenses, for why you injured them, you are subtly saying that it’s not your fault and that the other person should take care of you by telling you that “you’re OK”. You belittle them and humiliate yourself this way.

Here ´s some REAL Apologies to help illustrate what a “feel good” apology sounds like and what not to do: 

“I am sorry I molested you. I was drinking a lot then.”

- Most alcholics do not molest their children.

 

“I realize that I was a really bad father/mother. It’s not like you came with a book.”

- There are thousands of parenting books.Amazon.com lists 3,484 + titles.

 

“I realize that I was really cruel to you when we were kids. You know how kids are!”

- Bullies act like bullies. Period

 

“I am sorry I lied to you. I lie to everyone.”

- If someone lies to everyone they can’t really say they are sorry.

 

“I am sorry you found out about my affair. I didn’t intend for you to find out.”

- So it’s Ok to have an affair as long as the other person doesn’t find out?

 

“I am sorry but since we have not been together for 2 years why can we not be friends while I keep the other people (I cheated or hurt you with while we were engaged as a couple) as friends as well? But I really value and respect you the most.”

- So, you respect me so much that you want to continue reminding me why we failed in our relationship?

 

Each of these “feel good” apologies were said to relieve the guilt of the person apologizing. There is no consideration for the feelings of the injured person. If you find yourself in the middle of one of these apologies, shut up! Take a breath and start over. 

Humans do MAKE mistakes

Human beings make mistakes. Sure! It’s impossible not to make a mistake. Most people struggle to be present in their lives, let alone stay aware of every one else’s feelings at any given moment. In order to make a real apology, we must come to grips with the fact that we make mistakes. If you would like to have long term relationships, you must learnto make real apologies. THAT is a requirement!

REAL APOLOGIES 

The major difference between a “feel good” apology and a real apology is that a real apology begins and ends with the person you have injured where as the “feel good” apology is about the person who made the mistake.

My Ex seems to not understand this concept. I also do not like it when people apologize and expect forgiveness right away, without having to show for. If they want to be forgiven, then be truly sorry, leave the baggages at the garbage disposal. Don´t dangle everything that reminds me why you hurt me. Otherwise, you are not sorry!

So for the Clueless like my Ex and people who have this nasty habit, here are  four steps to making a real apology:

1. Acknowledge the injury.

It’s important to start by acknowledging that you have injured someone. A simple, “I know that I hurt your feelings”, can make a world of difference. Don´t just drop, “I am sorry.”  Do you understand what you are saying at all? Mean what you say and say what you mean.

2. Ask the injured what it was like for them.

It’s important to understand in what way your mistake injured the other person. People are very different. The same mistake can injure people in a wide variety of ways. Taking the time to understand the manner in which you injured someone else increases empathy in your relationship. Ask what hurt.

Nothing is more frustrating than being told how you were hurt by someone who gets it wrong! Repeat back what you heard to make sure you did not miss anything. Open your  ears and heart to hear the actual injury.

3. Apologize for the injury.

Be specific. Make sure to include all the ways that you injured the other person. A real apology might sound like: “I am sorry that I hurt your feelings and you felt stupid by ignoring you at dinner”.

FYI: Every real apology  includes “I am sorry” for “specific injury” at “specific time”.

4. Ask the injured how you can make it better.

When we feel guilty we often desperately want to repair the relationship.

In our anxiety and fear of losing the relationship, we make up ways to repair the relationship. Stop working so hard. Ask the injured what you can do to regain their trust. Most people have a clear idea of what you can do to repair the relationship. Ask them and then DO IT.

In this case, I have told my Ex what needs to be done, but instead they argued with me about it and refused. So, NOW I know, they are not truly Sorry. It was just a “feel good” but really cut short of the real apology. I am still hurting, but I don´t think I can have them around my life. So I opted to cut them completely out. Time will be my friend.

I know and believe that Apologies are the spine of all relationships. It is this fundamental truth that many people fail to do that has broken up many relationships. Few people know how to do it…and therefore few have succeeded in their relationships. 

Imagine if we all practice this with sincerity and honesty. Imagine what type of world we would be living in now.

The Anatomy of a Socio-Liberal Brain

 

The Anatomy of a Socio-Liberal Brain

The 12 Step Program for Liberals Anonymous

This version of the 12 steps is an adaptation from the original 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and is intended for general use with any addictive or dysfunctional liberal behavior. This is only to address a particular addictive or dysfunctional behavior within the way we want to run our daily lives and countries. These steps are meant to be worked sequentially as a process of getting rid of addictive behaviors and growing in freedom and happiness:

Step 1 - We admited we were powerless over our addiction to meddle with other people´s lives and their monies – that our lives had become unmanageable

Step 2 – Came to believe that a Power greater than big government; that We are the ones who should decide how to govern our personal lives which restores us to sanity 

Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God–who gave us sovereign right to rule our own lives not other people 

Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves and found that being spineless and pandering does not lead to godliness

Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs: Socialism and Communism is against our sovereign right as human beings and potential.

Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of all the brainwashed character we have acquired from media, liberal professors and bitter idiots.

Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings especially insulting true Conservatives

Step 8 – Made a list of all persons we had harmed, brainwashed, controlled and became willing to make amends to them all

Step 9 – Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others

Step 10 – Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it

Step 11 - Sought through study of true Conservatism, prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying and doing only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out

Step 12 - Having had a spiritual, mental, psychological and ideological awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs

When Reality Starts Biting

Came across these cartoons from Canadian political cartoonists which is quite sobering to most of us in the world. I hope Americans do too…SOON:

Honeymoon is over by Aislin, The Montreal Gazette

 

 

US Debt by Patrick Corrigan, The Toronto Star

Glad the Canadians are sobering up from the hypnotic effects the media served up. Many of us OUTSIDE the USA are not impressed with what is going on with the money splurge. When a “superpower” owes money to Third World country like India, and now their “rival” China, they should really start worrying. Where is Obama getting all the monies from that he is spending? What is being exchanged if the country is practically bankrupt? If he is so smart, why is he not learning from the mistakes of PM Gordon Brown when he bankrupted his own country? Maybe he is not…and people are realizing it…but there are those of us who knew from the start. The mirage was just quite convincing that even the intellectuals are fooled.

Masquerades

I was listening to a music by Unni Wilhelsem and the lyrics struck a deep cord  with me:

Yes, all that you’ve give me, I know/ But all you’ve cost me, you know/ Sums up to nothing much you know, /nothing much at all/ To live from, anyway Hardly to survive/So I won’t come near you again/ You can bet your life I can’t come that close again/ I won’t go near you, I don’t think I even want to see you/Sorry for not being what you needed/ For not possessing what you  think you want/ Don’t know about anyone who does By the way,/ is that why you’re still you? /Still within yourself/ While I am someone else/`Cause the past is stronger than my will to forgive /Why did you need my hand, my hand that night? /What did you mess up my systems for /If you really know me so well/ Tell me which part I loved/ And which one I hate the most?/ Did it get you ready for later/ Did the others fade out, like me?

Something I’ve once said before, that seems fitting to all that surrounds me and made me do some self-inventory: The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are, who you really are. You trade your reality for a role, your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel and in exchange you put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until it’s a personal revolution, on a personal level. It’s got to happen inside first. You can take anyone’s political or personal freedom and you can’t hurt them… unless, you take away their freedom to feel. That can destroy a person. That kind of freedom can not be granted. No one can win it for you. That’s what real love amounts to: Letting a person be who he/she really is. Most people love you for who you pretend to be. To keep their love, you keep pretending or what you may call performing (trying to impress).  That is why you go on these endless dates! You get the chance to love your pretense.  Admit it, we are all locked in an image, an act and the sad thing is, others get so used to their image; they grow attached to their masks. We love our chains. We forget all about who we really are… and if you try to remind us, we hate you for it, we feel like your trying to steal our most precious possession.

People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. Why you think we pay exorbitant amounts of money on image or PR? Why do you think our societies have become “image conscious”?

Relationship-wise, people talk about how great love is, and most times it may be true, others are false. Love hurts, feelings are disturbing.

I am at that place that a ghost from my past came to haunt me again and I hate it. I hate it when people can be so clueless and never be able to put themselves in someone else´s shoes. How do you ever go back from all that pain someone caused, breaking your heart and trust after you gave them your soul? How can one “undo”? Never! How can you even really forgive when the person has not looked you in the eye and asked for forgiveness. Forgiveness for me is DOING. It is ACTION. Why do I have to send a memo WHEN they need to apologize? This ghost of mine, is in this vicious pattern of hurting me and doing the same things. That is not being “Sorry”. It is insincere and false! If you are sorry, then SHOW ME! If I am the one you want, then PROVE IT! Why sit there and “hope” forgiveness and regaining someone´s trust will just fall on your lap? You caused it, then fix it! I am tired of people “telling” me they “care” and yet they turn around and manage to “act” recklessly. How can someone say you are the one they want and yet manage to insult you with getting another whom you know is less “qualified” in that department. I am tired of circles. I am tired of ghosts. I am tired of bullshit. I am tired of lies. I am tired of people throwing “I like you” ,”I care about you”, “I love you”, “I need you”, “I want you” carelessly! Ok, that is enough ranting for the day.

The point is, society taught us that pain is evil and dangerous. How can one deal with love if they are afraid to feel? (That is this ghost´s problem)

Pain is meant to wake us up.

My ghost seems to still be sleeping. I don´t know why they wait so long and ACT on working towards healing and forgiveness. Don´t they realize that there comes a time when it is too late? My hunch is that they are just like anyone who don´t put value on their own words and therefore hurt the people around them because they are shallow. 

Others try to hide their pain (like me), but it is wrong. Pain is something to carry, a part of life. We feel our strength in the experience of pain; it’s all in how we carry it. Believe me, I am learning everyday. That’s what matters (at least from all the people I have observed, who are my heroes tell me this). Pain is a feeling, feeling is a part of us… our own reality. If we feel ashamed of them and hide them, we’re letting society destroy our reality. Don’t do it, we need to stand strong. I am not ashamed of mine anymore. My pain has become my driving force to move forward. I would like to think that I have used it as fuel for productivity and positive motion.

My greatest fear is to be just another statistic (besides mediocrity). Sometimes I still put my mask when needed, but most times, I keep my role, exchange my acts and find my own revolution that creates only the best. It is what keeps me evolving everyday.

Godspeed for the length of our journey…

Do Honest People Exist?

The proverbial “Honesty is the best policy” begs plurium interrogationum (many questions) as it is an implied dilemma. The question “Do honest people exist” is a misleading discourse because something is implied without being said explicitly. Nowadays, this question imposes outcome of a negative response to validate the dilemma, and in which the positive response has an invariant outcome in the concocted dilemma. Of course the common way out of this argument is not to answer the question (e.g. with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’), so allow me to challenge the assumption behind this question (and I am working on my 10th cup of coffee and too much thoughts swirling in my head).

This question in itself is complex because it presupposes something that has not been proven or accepted by all the people involved. This typical fallacy within my short  life experience is often used rhetorically, so I find that the question limits direct replies to those that serve the question’s agenda. Bluntly put, I think it is relative.

It is also a psychological fact that when someone touts “I AM HONEST” or “I DO NOT GOSSIP” usually are the first people who contradict themselves. I would classify this question as cognitive dissonance because it holds two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The “ideas” or “cognitions” in this question includes attitudes and beliefs, and also the awareness, justification and rationalization of one’s (or anyone for that matter) behavior. I guess I am guilty of dissonance because I perceive this as a logical inconsistency among my cognitions (and other people that I know). A powerful cause of this dissonance of course is when this idea conflicts with a fundamental element of the self-concept, such as “I am a good person” or “I made the right decision.” There´s always an anxiety that comes with the possibility of having made a bad decision can lead to rationalization, the tendency to create additional reasons or justifications to support one’s choices. For instance, a person who just spent too much money on a new car might decide that the new vehicle is much less likely to break down than his or her old car. This belief may or may not be true, but it would likely reduce dissonance and make the person feel better. I think we can safely say that this dissonance can also lead to a confirmation bias, the denial of disconfirming evidence, and other ego defense mechanisms.

HONESTY  is a very loaded because the word itself has plenty synonyms that is best described as principles and values: bluntness, candor, confidence, conscientiousness, equity, evenhandedness, fairness, faithfulness, fidelity, frankness, genuineness, goodness, honor, impeccability, incorruptibility, integrity, justness, loyalty, morality, openness, outspokenness, plainness, principle, probity, rectitude, reputability, responsibility, right, scrupulousness, self-respect, sincerity, soundness, straightforwardness, straightness, trustiness, trustworthiness, uprightness, veracity, and virtue. (Notice that the antonyms are few: artifice, cheating, deceit, deception, dishonesty, duplicity, falsehood, fraud, fraudulence, lying and treachery). How many people do you know that actually exhibit these 100%?

My point is this question relies upon context for its effect. Human communication is complex; 90% of it is nonverbal and context is an essential part of it. Communication consists of the words said, tone of voice, body language and also: how these relate to what has been said in the past; what is not said, but is implied; how these are modified by other nonverbal cues such as the environment in which it is said and so forth.For example, if someone says “I love you”, one takes into account who is saying it, their tone of voice and body language, and the context in which it is said. Is it a declaration of passion or a serene reaffirmation; is it public or private; is it insincere and manipulative; does it sound as if they are saying “Please pass the salt” or is it said in a joking tone, when they are annoyed at you?

Conflicts in communication are common and often we ask “What do you mean?” or seek clarification in other ways. This “metacommunication” (i.e. communication about the communication) sometimes, asks for clarification that is impossible. Communication difficulties are common in ordinary life, and often occur when metacommunication and feedback systems are lacking or inadequate or there is not enough time. Some people practice double binds which can be stressful and potentially destructive when one is trapped in a dilemma and punished for finding a way out, but making the effort to find the way out of the trap can lead to emotional growth. For example, when one is commanded to “be spontaneous”. The very command contradicts spontaneity, but it only becomes a double bind when one can neither ignore the command nor comment on the contradiction. Often, the contradiction in communication is not apparent to bystanders unfamiliar with previous communications.Or say, someone says (like Mother to child)”You must love me”. The primary injunction here is the command itself: “you must”; the secondary injunction is the unspoken condition that love is spontaneous, that the child love the mother genuinely, of its own accord.

Or how about “Be genuine” or in this “Be honest”? The idea here is to present your true self to the person. But then the more you try, the phonier you are, and even the “act” of not trying is just another version of trying.

Consider the following psychological theories that affect view of “honesty” among individuals: 

1) Choice-supportive bias is a memory bias that makes past choices seem better than they actually were.

Big Brother is Watching you

2) Doublethink is the act of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously and fervently believing both. It is related to, but distinct from, hypocrisy and neutrality. Doublethink is a form of trained, willful intellectual blindness to contradictions in a belief system. Doublethink differs from ordinary hypocrisy in that the “doublethinking” person deliberately had to forget the contradiction between his two opposing beliefs — and then deliberately forget that he had forgotten the contradiction. He then had to forget the forgetting of the forgetting, and so on; this intentional forgetting, once begun, continues indefinitely. George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, describes it as “controlled insanity”.

3) Self-perception theory is a competing theory of attitude change. It asserts that we develop our attitudes by observing our behavior and concluding what attitudes must have caused them. The theory is counterintuitive in nature, as the conventional wisdom is that attitudes come prior to behaviors. Furthermore, the theory suggests that a person induces attitudes without accessing internal cognition and mood states. He/She reasons his/her own overt behaviors rationally in the same way he/she attempts to explain others’ behaviors.

Bailout on my Mind by MJ Santos

A parody of Obama´s first 100 days solving U.S. Economic Crisis by lobbying a $900bn (now $787bn) stimulus package penned by Democrats

Writer/Performer/Video: MJ Santos
Musical Arrangement: Glenn Longacre

www.thesantosrepublic.com

Copies can be purchased soon through iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and Napster–will be available for worldwide distribution before March 23rd.

Watch here if this box doesn´t come up: “Bailout on my Mind by MJ Santos“

The Core Difference between Democrats and Republicans in the US

I got this from a Facebook friend. To put this entire note in simple terms, let me give some vocabularies to summarize:

character |ˈkariktər| noun: the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; strength and originality in a person’s nature 

hypocrisy |hiˈpäkrisē|noun: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.

This is not about politics. This is about decency and respect. Bush may not have been the perfect President, but he has always been a decent human being. Thank you, President Bush for showing that cowboys got more class than any Rhode Scholarship or Harvard degree combined. This is why I cannot stand liberal elitism.

Jan 20th, 2009

Outgoing President George W. Bush quietly boards his helicopter and leaves for Texas, commenting only: “Today is not about me. Today is a historical day for our nation and people.”

Eight years ago

Outgoing President Bill Clinton schedules two separate radio addresses to the nation, and organizes a public farewell speech/ rally in downtown Washington D.C. scheduled to directly conflict with incoming President Bush’s inauguration ceremony.

Jan 20th, 2009

President Bush leaves office without issuing a single Presidential pardon, only granting a commutation of sentence to two former border patrol agents convicted of shooting a convicted drug smuggler. He does not grant any type of clemency to Scooter Libby or any other former political aide, ally, or business partner.

Eight years ago

President Clinton issues 140 pardons and several commutations of sentence on his final day in office. Included in these are: billionaire financier, convicted tax evader, and leading Democratic campaign contributor Marc Rich; Whitewater scandal figure Susan McDougal; Congressional Post Office Scandal figure and former Democratic Congressman Dan Rostenkowski; convicted bank fraud, sexual assault and child porn perpetrator and former Democratic Congressman Melvin Reynolds; and convicted drug felon Roger Clinton, the President’s half-brother.

Jan 20th, 2009

The Bush daughters leave gift baskets in the White House bedrooms for the Obama daughters, containing flowers, candy, stuffed animals, DVD’s and CD’s, and heartfelt notes of encouragement and advice for the young girls on how to prepare for their new lives in the White House.

Eight years ago

Clinton and Gore staffers rip computer wires and electrical outlets from the White House walls, stuff piles of notebook papers into the White House toilets, systematically remove the letter “W” from every computer key-pad in the entire White House, and damage several thousand dollars worth of furniture in the White House master bedroom.

Headlines On This Date 4 Years Ago

“Republicans spending $42 million on inauguration while troops Die in unarmored Humvees”

“Bush extravagance exceeds any reason during tough economic times”

“Fat cats get their $42 million inauguration party, Ordinary Americans get the shaft”

Headlines Today

“Historic Obama Inauguration will cost only $170 million”

“Obama Spends $170 million on inauguration; America Needs A Big Party”

“Everyman Obama shows America how to celebrate”

“Citibank executives contribute $8 million to Obama Inauguration”

U.S. Stimulus Bill to be voted today in lieu of Pelosi´s Travel Plans

Rep. John Culberson, TX claims the “stimulus” bill must be urgently voted on today — because Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leaving at 6:00 PM for an 8 day trip to Europe! This outrageous American Political Soap Opera is really turning ugly. 

Pelosi is said to lead a delegation to Europe; there’s a meeting with the Pope and an award from an Italian legislative group. It is official that the Democrats have now broken their promise to have the public see the $790 billion bill for 48 hours before any vote.  Welcome to the new CHANGE that this Obama Administration has been promising. Empty and politics AS usual.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) predicted that none of his Senate colleagues would ‘have the chance’ to read the entire final version of the 1,071-page bill before it comes up for a final vote. Now we know why.

Pollster Scott Rasmussen reports that Democrats are currently ahead of Republicans by only 40 percent to 39 percent. Given that this generic ballot question over the years has tended to understate Republicans’ performances in actual elections,we can safely conclude that if the 2010 election for House seats were held today, Republicans would win or come close to winning a majority of seats—which is to say, they would gain about 40 seats. By way of comparison, they gained 52 seats when they won their majority in 1994. This result may just be a momentary blip, which will pass away as quickly as it appeared, and we are a long, long, long way from the November 2010 elections. *Sigh*

But any Democratic member of Congress in even a marginally marginal districtshould start worrying. Conservatives against this Obama/Pelosi stimulus package should concentrate less of lynching the three Republicans who supported the Senate version but  more on Democratic members of the House and (at least those who are up for reelection in 2010) the Senate. It will certainly be a very busy time for strategists and GOP state organizations to raise monies now to tackle this.

China´s Philosophical Influence to the World and America

One of my favorite classes when I was in college was Chinese Culture and History. The greatness of their culture, philosophy and methodology are impressive to me. An example that comes to mind is this classic Sun Tzu´s Art of War and one of their prominent philosopher, Lao Tzu.

Here are examples of how classic movies were influenced and thereby affected generations as they are loved for their contents and lessons:

STAR WARS TRILOGY

Yoda, the wise old Jedi Master introduced in the first Star Wars trilogy, is partly modeled after a Chinese philosopher named Lao Tzu from 2,500 years ago.  Lao Tzu is a contemporary of Sun Tzu, and his philosophies, recorded in the Chinese Tao Te Ching (Way of Life), form a cornerstone of Sun Tzu’s Art of War.  The influence of both Lao Tzu’s and Sun Tzu’s philosophies on George Lucas’ descriptions of the Jedi Warrior philosophies is deliberate.  For example, George Lucas’ invention of “the Force” borrows directly from the Tao Te Ching’s concept of “the Way.”  Both Lao Tzu and Sun Tzu discuss “The Way” in their text as a force that connects all life and represents the how things are. 

To illustrate the commonality of ideas, switch the words “the Way” with the words “the Force” in the following sentence:

 “Those who act in accord with the Way/the Force, will succeed; those that act against the Way/the Force will find only peril.” 

This sentence could logically appear in any of the Star Wars movies, The Tao Te Ching, or The Art of War.

When Hollywood released the first Star Wars Trilogy, very few Americans had any familiarity with either the Tao Te Ching or Sun Tzu’s Art of War.  At the time, Jedi ideals seemed all the more new and profound.  However, like the underlying story about heroes and villains itself, the philosophy the Jedi bring to the screen is a philosophy from the ages.

WALL STREET

One of my favorite movies of all time was Wall Street with Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen and Darryl Hannah. I was only 15 yrs old then but it gave me the secret desire to be in business. I didn´t know I would do what I do now, but the hints of this Sun Tzu´s Art of War when Bud Fox says, “Sun-tzu: If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight, and if not split and reevaluate” and when Gordon Gecko says, “I don’t throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought.”  made me eventually pick up the book and have been digesting it for a few years now.

The Art of War is a staple title for business readers, made relevant all the more by Japan’s preeminence as a business powerhouse in the 1980s, the year the movie was released. Sun Tzu’s philosophies have long been a part of the Japanese business world. His philosophies proved, and continue to prove, highly applicable to the dynamic style of American business as well. 

THE SOPRANOS

In The Sopranos, Tony Soprano says “Been reading that– that book you told me about. You know, The Art of War by Sun Tzu. I mean here’s this guy, a Chinese general, wrote this thing 2400 years ago, and most of it still applies today! Balk the enemy’s power. Force him to reveal himself. You know most of the guys that I know, they read Prince Machiavelli, and I had Carmela go and get the Cliff Notes once and — he’s okay. But this book is much better about strategy.”

The Sopranos is one of the most popular shows on television in 1999, and his comment leads to a major upsurge in Sun Tzu book purchases to the point that the publishers of the Ralph Sawyer edition change their back cover copy to leverage the show.  Over 200 Sun Tzu titles are on the market.  The majority of these titles appear after 1996, though many older titles from Asia, more readily available in Singapore and other Asian markets, have also made their way to the U.S. (Prior to 1996, the older Griffith, Cleary, and Sawyer translations, plus James Clavell’s edited edition of Lionel Giles translation predominated the market for Sun Tzu books.)

Bottom line, the Chinese gave a lot to the world. They were a superpower before and they are rising again. My only negative thing about the Chinese is their racist and suspicious nature to outsiders. Worse one I know is when they live in a different country, they have this same attitude. Sometime, I may delve in this psychology of diaspora. 

All gone Mad for Obama

 

The Latest Mad Magazine Cover

MAD ushers in an era of hope – with their latest hopeless issue! This is their tribute to President Obama by examining what the crowd was thinking during his inauguration – and taking a look at the first 100 minutes of his presidency! Funny Stuff! Perhaps a hint?

Bush Kissing Barbara Streisand. Awkward!

Politics aside, I think someone went to the lavatory at the Kennedy Center after this happen. I think we are still in withdrawal symptoms. Streisand remarked that she wished this happened during the 2008 Presidential Campaign. I wonder why.

Papa, can you hear me?

The New Poster Child for Unqualified Candidates:”Senator” Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg?

Earlier today, I found out that Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the 51-year-old environmental lawyer, daughter of President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Onassis (and sister of handsome John Kennedy, Jr.) who has shied away from the political arena for most of her life may be considered to replace Sen. Hillary Clinton for Senate seat. 

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg with Obama during 2008 Campaign

The niece of Edward and Robert Kennedy. The powerful Kennedy clan is fully behind her rising to the office previously held by her uncle, Robert Kennedy who held the New York seat from 1965 until his assassination in 1968. 

Once Clinton is confirmed to President-elect Barack Obama’s cabinet, New York Gov. David Paterson will appoint someone to fill the seat for two years. Democratic officials say Caroline Kennedy has spoken to New York Gov. David Paterson about the Senate seat. Paterson’s office says that the governor had been approached by several candidates for the job but that he would not discuss private conversations.

Of course, since she took on a much more high-profile role during the presidential campaign and, if she does it, would be more than New York’s junior Senator; she’d have closer ties to the Obama White House than any of her colleagues, a direct line to the East Wing.

Ok, so she´s educated. But what are her qualifications, except being the daughter of a President as a child? She’ll probably last two years, to be replaced by future Senator Rudy Giuliani (he has started to schmooze to Obama with his praises). How hypocritical is the media praising Caroline´s interest, while trashing Gov. Sarah Palin´s credentials? Excuse me that many of us have not gone to the famous liberal Harvard University for the elites. 

I am not complaining. In fact, this is AWESOME NEWS. Give the seat to Caroline. If the Dems appoint Caroline to the Senate, Sarah Palin’s credibility will earn massive points! Palin ACTUALLY has experience! If this happens, anytime a liberal or a media rep (and SNL)  mock Sarah’s qualifications, intelligence, or any other quality, the other side can simply point to Caroline and say, “Yeah, well, let’s talk about Caroline.” I mean, let’s face it…if you’ve ever heard Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg speak (without a script–and most of these politicians who were hyped up…ehrm…), then you know she’s not a very bright woman. And if we’re being totally honest she’s really that attractive, either. So wouldn’t it be perfectly delicious if the Dems unconsciously replaced Sarah Palin as the next national laughingstock with the last surviving member of JFK’s family? *Let me start my childhood signing of the cross á la Catholic*

Sarah Palin is smarter than what the media gave her credit for. But then the media thought that Ronald Reagan was stupid, but Reagan outsmarted them every time. Let´s face it, the global financial crisis were  handled by Harvard and other Ivy League alums. We all know that classrooms and real world are VERY different. So pedigrees and grad school doesn´t really mean a lot when it comes to crisis. It is all about character.

Let us see how “fair” the media will treat her, I hope that they give her as much attention as they did to Sarah.

America, welcome to the  new poster child for unqualified and incompetence: Senator Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg!

World Ideologies for Dummies

Some friends from Facebook, Bradley and Mel posted this witty explanations of world ideologies and thought I would share it (Not sure who wrote it, but God Bless that person for having brains):

WORLD IDEOLOGIES EXPLAINED:

FEUDALISM
You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk. 

PURE SOCIALISM 
You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else’s cows. You have to take care of all the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need. 

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM 
You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in barn with everyone else’s cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs the regulations say you should need.

FASCISM 
You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them, and sells you the milk. 

PURE COMMUNISM 
You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk. 

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM
You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk. 

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM 
You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you. 

DICTATORSHIP
You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you. 

PURE DEMOCRACY
You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk. 

REPRESENTATIVE DEOMOCRACY
You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk. 

BUREAUCRACY
You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows. 

PURE ANARCHY
You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you. 

ANARCHO-CAPITALISM
You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. 

SURREALISM 
You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.