Enough is being said about 9/11. We need to move forward. Not forget them, but build upon that. A word or two, to ponder from the Scientist and Naturalist, Loren Eiseley, from his book, "The Immense Journey" (1959):
“…I do not pretend to have set down, in Baconian terms, a true, or even a consistent model of the universe. I can only say that here is a bit of my personal universe, the universe traversed in a long and uncompleted journey. If my record, like those of the sixteenth century voyagers, is confused by strange beasts or monstrous thoughts or sights of abortive men, these are no more than my eyes saw or my mind conceived. On the world island, we are all castaways, so that what is seen by one may often be dark or obscure to another.”
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Stand Up to Cancer 2010 - tonight on major networks
Stand Up to Cancer 2010: Cancer fundraiser airs tonight on major networks
By SONYA SORICH - ssorich@ledger-enquirer.com
Stand Up to Cancer, a star-studded effort to raise money for cancer research, airs 8 p.m. tonight on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Hosted by Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams, the show will feature an extensive lineup of actors, athletes and musicians.
Artists like Natasha Bedingfield, Queen Latifah, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville and Dave Stewart will perform.
Viewers will be able to make a donation via telephone, online or text message during the commercial-free show. Learn more about donating here.
Read more
Read more: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2010/09/10/1262800/stand-up-to-cancer-2010-cancer.html#ixzz0zAeGNqon
By SONYA SORICH - ssorich@ledger-enquirer.com
Stand Up to Cancer, a star-studded effort to raise money for cancer research, airs 8 p.m. tonight on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Hosted by Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams, the show will feature an extensive lineup of actors, athletes and musicians.
Artists like Natasha Bedingfield, Queen Latifah, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville and Dave Stewart will perform.
Viewers will be able to make a donation via telephone, online or text message during the commercial-free show. Learn more about donating here.
Read more
Read more: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2010/09/10/1262800/stand-up-to-cancer-2010-cancer.html#ixzz0zAeGNqon
On Being a Writer
What is it to be a writer? This topic has been pounded into the ground. But here is my slant on it anyway.
Years ago, a famous woman author (whose name now escapes me) told me (as I was watching her being interviewed on TV), that she always, always, always reads as many books as possible whenever she is writing a book of her own.
She had said, it only increases the quality of your own writings and not to do so, is simply foolish. There is a great wealth of the greatest minds the world has every known out there, documented in books, and why wouldn't you want to make use of that? That same author also said that she never reads contemporary authors out of fear (and respect) of accidentally misappropriating their thoughts, concepts or writings.
This is a very good point for any artist, or basically, anyone, in any discipline. You can always learn from those before you. And if you "know it all", I assure you, there is still someone out there who knew something you didn't know, and you should search that information out. In fact, the more you "know it all" the more badly you may need to find where that information is.
When asking the greatest musicians in the world, if they practice, now that they are considered the greatest in their field, everyone I have heard asked that question, had the response of, "absolutely". Some even said they practice more now than before they were annotated with that distinguished moniker.
If you want to be a writer, first and foremost, write. But also, read. Stretch your boundaries, your make your limitations as much a thing of the past as you can. Then remember that the old adage that writing, is rewriting.
Hand in hand with writing, is having an opinion, which I'm only going to make a passing comment about on here. Obviously, one has to have an opinion, something to say, in order to be a writer. But, as most people tend to have that, I would only suggest to educate your opinions and gather disparate information on your considered topics. Which is gained by being aware of your surroundings, the world, current issues in life and reading.
When I was a child, my grandmother told me to always try to read a book a little above your level of understanding. Every so often, read a book that you know for a fact is above your ability to understand it. So for years, during my initial years or reading entire books, about every other book, I would read a book like that. It was painful sometimes, a little boring other times, but I always had the thought that in the future, I would benefit from it. And I did.
I inevitably looked back on those books and realized that I now knew what they meant, as I had eventually filled in the blanks as I learned new things. Or I would perhaps, read that book again later. I do that with certain books, as later on I know I have grown and matured, and I find greater meaning in those same words. Its invigorating to realize I didn't get it before, but I do now. It also gives me a gauge by which to measure my progress.
All this lead to my writing at too high of a level for general audiences. But I didn't know that. Then, when the software was available, I took a story I had written from years before and ran it through the program. It rated it at grade level seventeen. I looked up what you should write at for different media and newspapers it was said, wrote at about a eighth grade level; mostly for ease of quick information dissemination. Someone told me that most novels are written at a twelfth grade level, but that varies quite a bit for obvious reasons.
The Flesch-Kincaid tool is built into tools like Microsoft Word. You can measure the readability of whatever you like. Some examples (from Tim Porter):
-Average newspaper story: 70-80 (about eighth-grade level).
-John F. Kennedy's inaugural address ("Ask not what …"): 10.3.
-Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death" speech: 6.6.
That saddened me somewhat at the time, but it does point out something very important. You don't have to show off what "level" you can write at. You should simply consider communicating your thoughts, to as many as possible. Then once in a while, write at your own level, just to cleanse yourself and enjoy the process.
I always liked how the original Scientific American magazine was written, because it started very general, then got more and more specific and higher level until at the end, I very seldom understood what they were talking about. But you felt like you were part of a group of people who were very well educated indeed (even though, really, you possibly weren't). But that magazine is no longer even recognizable to me. And that too is sad.
In the end, being a writer is, well, being a writer. Writing. Rewriting. But also, reading. Yes is a need to have at least a passing understanding of the mechanics of writing, but like my first college composition teacher told me, "Oh, just write, don't worry about it."
As for reading, its a fact that having read a great deal, one can only become all the better a writer for it. So, if you want to write, don't stress over what you think you cannot do, and focus on what you can do. Like reading, and rewriting, until you get it right.
Years ago, a famous woman author (whose name now escapes me) told me (as I was watching her being interviewed on TV), that she always, always, always reads as many books as possible whenever she is writing a book of her own.
She had said, it only increases the quality of your own writings and not to do so, is simply foolish. There is a great wealth of the greatest minds the world has every known out there, documented in books, and why wouldn't you want to make use of that? That same author also said that she never reads contemporary authors out of fear (and respect) of accidentally misappropriating their thoughts, concepts or writings.
This is a very good point for any artist, or basically, anyone, in any discipline. You can always learn from those before you. And if you "know it all", I assure you, there is still someone out there who knew something you didn't know, and you should search that information out. In fact, the more you "know it all" the more badly you may need to find where that information is.
When asking the greatest musicians in the world, if they practice, now that they are considered the greatest in their field, everyone I have heard asked that question, had the response of, "absolutely". Some even said they practice more now than before they were annotated with that distinguished moniker.
If you want to be a writer, first and foremost, write. But also, read. Stretch your boundaries, your make your limitations as much a thing of the past as you can. Then remember that the old adage that writing, is rewriting.
Hand in hand with writing, is having an opinion, which I'm only going to make a passing comment about on here. Obviously, one has to have an opinion, something to say, in order to be a writer. But, as most people tend to have that, I would only suggest to educate your opinions and gather disparate information on your considered topics. Which is gained by being aware of your surroundings, the world, current issues in life and reading.
When I was a child, my grandmother told me to always try to read a book a little above your level of understanding. Every so often, read a book that you know for a fact is above your ability to understand it. So for years, during my initial years or reading entire books, about every other book, I would read a book like that. It was painful sometimes, a little boring other times, but I always had the thought that in the future, I would benefit from it. And I did.
I inevitably looked back on those books and realized that I now knew what they meant, as I had eventually filled in the blanks as I learned new things. Or I would perhaps, read that book again later. I do that with certain books, as later on I know I have grown and matured, and I find greater meaning in those same words. Its invigorating to realize I didn't get it before, but I do now. It also gives me a gauge by which to measure my progress.
All this lead to my writing at too high of a level for general audiences. But I didn't know that. Then, when the software was available, I took a story I had written from years before and ran it through the program. It rated it at grade level seventeen. I looked up what you should write at for different media and newspapers it was said, wrote at about a eighth grade level; mostly for ease of quick information dissemination. Someone told me that most novels are written at a twelfth grade level, but that varies quite a bit for obvious reasons.
The Flesch-Kincaid tool is built into tools like Microsoft Word. You can measure the readability of whatever you like. Some examples (from Tim Porter):
-Average newspaper story: 70-80 (about eighth-grade level).
-John F. Kennedy's inaugural address ("Ask not what …"): 10.3.
-Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death" speech: 6.6.
That saddened me somewhat at the time, but it does point out something very important. You don't have to show off what "level" you can write at. You should simply consider communicating your thoughts, to as many as possible. Then once in a while, write at your own level, just to cleanse yourself and enjoy the process.
I always liked how the original Scientific American magazine was written, because it started very general, then got more and more specific and higher level until at the end, I very seldom understood what they were talking about. But you felt like you were part of a group of people who were very well educated indeed (even though, really, you possibly weren't). But that magazine is no longer even recognizable to me. And that too is sad.
In the end, being a writer is, well, being a writer. Writing. Rewriting. But also, reading. Yes is a need to have at least a passing understanding of the mechanics of writing, but like my first college composition teacher told me, "Oh, just write, don't worry about it."
As for reading, its a fact that having read a great deal, one can only become all the better a writer for it. So, if you want to write, don't stress over what you think you cannot do, and focus on what you can do. Like reading, and rewriting, until you get it right.
Dark of kNight screenplay adaptation ready for sale
TL Mitchell's paranormal novel, "Dark of kNight" (available on Amazon) has been adapted to screenplay format and is currently online and ready for marketing. With a strong cult following in the "paranormal romance" field, and along with the current strength of the vampire and paranormal genre ("Twilight", "True Blood", etc.), the story is ripe to be picked up and taken advantage of.
Adapted by JZ Murdock for screen, it is currently being shopped around the industry for review and option.
Synopsis
Julie Knight never really knew how much her life would change after the death of her father.
After returning home to Spring Place, GA, the mysterious animal attacks begin. The small town is in an uproar over the horrific killings.
Julie finds herself in danger when the truth of who she is has been revealed. The last of a thousand year old bloodline of Lycans, Guardians of the mysterious Fort Mountain.
Daniel Maxwell, the handsome, dark, yet mysterious scientist returns home for the funeral. He has changed, but his love for Julie remains the same. She is what he has always wanted. She is what he needs. He would die for her. He would kill for her.
The passions begin to flare and so does the romance between Julie and Daniel. Joining forces with a mysterious group of moon-eyed people, together they must prepare for the ultimate battle-the battle against a deadly pack of werewolves.
"I knew that one day I would reach this place in my life: I just didn't realize it would be so soon. Love, I suppose, has no rules and yields to no boundaries. Never knowing when it will strike.
Never before would I have imagined I could love someone as deeply as I love him. I would fight for him. I would die for him. This is what I believed. This is the Lycan way. Yes, I could say I love this man more than my own life. It was odd that I would fall in love with someone who needed me as much as I needed him."
Can Julie and Daniel's love be strong enough to protect them from their dangerous desires? Or will they be forever lost in the Dark of kNight?
Adapted by JZ Murdock for screen, it is currently being shopped around the industry for review and option.
Synopsis
Julie Knight never really knew how much her life would change after the death of her father.
After returning home to Spring Place, GA, the mysterious animal attacks begin. The small town is in an uproar over the horrific killings.
Julie finds herself in danger when the truth of who she is has been revealed. The last of a thousand year old bloodline of Lycans, Guardians of the mysterious Fort Mountain.
Daniel Maxwell, the handsome, dark, yet mysterious scientist returns home for the funeral. He has changed, but his love for Julie remains the same. She is what he has always wanted. She is what he needs. He would die for her. He would kill for her.
The passions begin to flare and so does the romance between Julie and Daniel. Joining forces with a mysterious group of moon-eyed people, together they must prepare for the ultimate battle-the battle against a deadly pack of werewolves.
"I knew that one day I would reach this place in my life: I just didn't realize it would be so soon. Love, I suppose, has no rules and yields to no boundaries. Never knowing when it will strike.
Never before would I have imagined I could love someone as deeply as I love him. I would fight for him. I would die for him. This is what I believed. This is the Lycan way. Yes, I could say I love this man more than my own life. It was odd that I would fall in love with someone who needed me as much as I needed him."
Can Julie and Daniel's love be strong enough to protect them from their dangerous desires? Or will they be forever lost in the Dark of kNight?
North Korea produces cell phone bowling game app with "The Dude"
I thought this was too funny, "The Dude" (flawlessly played by Jeff Bridges, in the Cohen Brothers film, "The Big Labowski"), has made it into a cell phone bowling game made by North Korea.
Once again, the big leveler, is capitalism.
In one sense, I feel there should be international laws that communist or anti-capitalist countries should not be allowed to pull their butts out of the fires by that same said economic device (capitalism); but realistically, we have won the "cold war" by, again, that self same economic device (that, and making the Soviet Union think we were way better than we were, so that they basically ran their economy into the ground by putting money they needed elsewhere, into things like military power and cold war type efforts, which they did excel at). The article from NPR.org (going to this link you can select to listen to the article that mentions, "The Dude"):
"In an attempt to generate some money in his impoverished nation, North Korea leader Kim Jong Il has turned to an unlikely source: mobile phone games. Bloomberg News reports that the Dear Leader is hoping the games will attract foreign investment, and build a more technologically skilled workforce."
Once again, the big leveler, is capitalism.
In one sense, I feel there should be international laws that communist or anti-capitalist countries should not be allowed to pull their butts out of the fires by that same said economic device (capitalism); but realistically, we have won the "cold war" by, again, that self same economic device (that, and making the Soviet Union think we were way better than we were, so that they basically ran their economy into the ground by putting money they needed elsewhere, into things like military power and cold war type efforts, which they did excel at). The article from NPR.org (going to this link you can select to listen to the article that mentions, "The Dude"):
"In an attempt to generate some money in his impoverished nation, North Korea leader Kim Jong Il has turned to an unlikely source: mobile phone games. Bloomberg News reports that the Dear Leader is hoping the games will attract foreign investment, and build a more technologically skilled workforce."
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Footage Firm's production music archive deal
I never do this, and I do not get a thing out of this, but its such a good deal for anyone into doing production film or video that I had to put this out there for people to see.
I know, we've all heard this one before, but I assure you, I get nothing out of this.
I received this from my scriptwriting newsletter today:
"To celebrate the launch of Footage Firm's production music archive (and to create some industry buzz!), we are giving away 10 of our brand new collections, containing over 400 royalty free song tracks!
Pay only $8.41 S&H for each CD you request. (Normally $139 + S&H)
There is no catch! Just keep us in mind for future music needs.
Hurry, we are only giving away 500 copies!
Footage Firm's production music archive
I know, we've all heard this one before, but I assure you, I get nothing out of this.
I received this from my scriptwriting newsletter today:
"To celebrate the launch of Footage Firm's production music archive (and to create some industry buzz!), we are giving away 10 of our brand new collections, containing over 400 royalty free song tracks!
Pay only $8.41 S&H for each CD you request. (Normally $139 + S&H)
There is no catch! Just keep us in mind for future music needs.
Hurry, we are only giving away 500 copies!
Footage Firm's production music archive
Puritanical America
This week, I was watching Anthony Bourdaine's "No Reservations", culinary travel show. He was showing various clips, leading up to his celebratory 100th episode which takes place in Paris. In one of the clips they showed from previous episodes, he was eating some fabulous food or another in a foreign country and it was stated that the US doesn't have these kinds of foods. That its most likely from our Puritanical background that it was unacceptable to enjoy good food as anti God, or some such nonsense.
I fully understand what was being said. I don't honestly remember if it was Tony or not who said this in the program, so please don't send him mail about it. But if you do, tell him I said, "Hi."
The theory here is valid.
Way back when at the beginnings of this country, the Puritans did think we shouldn't do certain things because it was inappropriate and offensive against God. I always thought that was just stupid. God, gives you all these wonderful things, so ignore them? What a slap in the face. Balance in life is what is important, not turning your back on the goodness life has to offer. It is a dull and stupid mind that thinks extremes are how to live a proper life. It takes effort to live properly, carefully, not to delve completely into excess, or to fully ignore what is lovely in life. How is misery or being miserable in life, Godly?
There was also around this time, the belief in the Protestant "work ethic". AKA, Puritan Work Ethic, attributable to the work of Max Weber. It is based upon the notion that the Calvinist emphasis on the necessity for hard work as a component of a person's calling and worldly success and as a sign of personal salvation - Wikipedia.
I've heard it said since my childhood that this nation became great because of these things. Perhaps. But also perhaps, that is not any longer so necessary.
"The Calvinist and Lutheran theologians taught that one could only be saved by God's predestination. Since it was impossible to know if one was predestined (since one might not receive the "grace of perseverance," and one's conversion might be only lip-service), the notion developed that it might be possible to discern that a person was elect (predestined) by observing their way of life. Hard work and frugality were thought to be two important consequences of being one of the elect; thus, protestants were attracted to these qualities, seeking to assure themselves that they were really predestined." - Wikipedia
And so you can see, from this, we at one time believed that to be extremely boring and to not enjoy the gifts of the world, that we could become more Godly. And thus, our young nation receiving all the religious nuts and rejects of the West (oh, yes, this is true too), we started by working hard, not worrying about luxuries and merely existing, rather than, truly Living.
It was an understandable thing during a period of strife and little prosperity where hard work and no thought about reward was necessary.
That was then, this is now.
As is true with many things, when times change and lifestyles or ways of life (especially true in Religious doctrines) do not, life becomes some what twisted. We can see now that this has become somewhat problematic in these modern times. We no longer have a need to struggle as we did then; when, to not work meant, you died.
When to not work, meant you would be burned in Hell for all Eternity.
This has also allowed our country and citizens to be buffaloed into working and simply put, not complaining enough. Something you don't see as much in Europe's older countries where the citizens won't put up with it like we do here.
Why is France only now raising their retirement age from 60, to 62? What is ours now, 66? With talk of raising it again? Maybe, eventually, we'll simply never retire, just die working? Unless we do something about it.
Ask yourself, why are we such slaves to the corporations in this country? Why do we put up with it? Why are corporations considered of more importance than the citizens? How, did we get here?
We should have been, for decades now, pushing for these corporations to make less money, and the employees to be getting more and more benefits, working less hours, fewer days, getting more vacation time each year, retiring younger on better retirement packages. But greed and mismanagement have lead to just the opposite. And why? I would argue its due to a mindset that was originally based in the religious work ethic and attitudes that should have been replaced by more modern considerations a long, long time ago.
Think about that, the next time your boss asks you to take a week off that year without pay for the good of the company. Or you are told you cannot have a raise this year. Or you're vacation is cut short. Or ask you if can you work from home, after hours, for no extra pay. Be a team player they say, be a hero. What other words will they abuse to trick you into giving up more of your personal life? What has your company done for you lately, other than to make you think you owe them everything, simply because you now have a job?
Are times tough right now? Yes. Should we be pushing for all this now? Perhaps not quite yet. But, the mindset in this country most assuredly needs to change. People need to think more about everyone getting a piece of the pie and not just those in power who can take, not just the stock holders, not just the power brokers.
After all, what was it Thomas Jefferson said about revolution? Sometimes, its good to just consider the words of our of our Founding Fathers, to reflect from time to time on just what they thought and how it should be impacting us now. Don't listen to me, just think about it and make up your own mind about how you feel, about how you are being treated.
"An enlightened people, and an energetic public opinion... will control and enchain the aristocratic spirit of the government." --Thomas Jefferson to Chevalier de Ouis, 1814. ME 14:130
"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery." --Thomas Jefferson: Rights of British America, 1774. (*) ME 1:193, Papers 1:125
"When patience has begotten false estimates of its motives, when wrongs are pressed because it is believed they will be borne, resistance becomes morality." --Thomas Jefferson to M. deStael, 1807. ME 11:282
"As revolutionary instruments (when nothing but revolution will cure the evils of the State) [secret societies] are necessary and indispensable, and the right to use them is inalienable by the people." --Thomas Jefferson to William Duane, 1803. FE 8:256
"War... is not the most favorable moment for divesting the monarchy of power. On the contrary, it is the moment when the energy of a single hand shows itself in the most seducing form." --Thomas Jefferson to Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, 1788. ME 7:115
Am I advocating here a call to arms?
No! War is bad. Revolution, is good, but it does not have to be bloody.
Advertisements are the first thing that need to change. They should take a pro people slant and stop with the pro corporation slants. In fact, we should demand it.
What is needed here, is a national mind, set to the effort of bettering the situation of the People. Heroes are those who make our lives better and they should be rewarded. Those who take and do not help to increase the quality of life of the Citizenry, who only think about themselves, the stock holders, the "bottom line", should be looked upon as selfish and enemies of the culture of the Nation.
The People of America, by this time in our history, should be working six hour days, four day weeks, thirty day yearly vacations and they should be happy and healthy, settling into a young retirement. Why do we not have any of that, yet? Maybe, because no one was asking for it, pushing for it, demanding it and not letting them run and hide under rocks anymore.
So, start asking yourself, and others, why isn't this happening? Who is in control and why did we let them get there? And how do we stop it?
I fully understand what was being said. I don't honestly remember if it was Tony or not who said this in the program, so please don't send him mail about it. But if you do, tell him I said, "Hi."
The theory here is valid.
Way back when at the beginnings of this country, the Puritans did think we shouldn't do certain things because it was inappropriate and offensive against God. I always thought that was just stupid. God, gives you all these wonderful things, so ignore them? What a slap in the face. Balance in life is what is important, not turning your back on the goodness life has to offer. It is a dull and stupid mind that thinks extremes are how to live a proper life. It takes effort to live properly, carefully, not to delve completely into excess, or to fully ignore what is lovely in life. How is misery or being miserable in life, Godly?
There was also around this time, the belief in the Protestant "work ethic". AKA, Puritan Work Ethic, attributable to the work of Max Weber. It is based upon the notion that the Calvinist emphasis on the necessity for hard work as a component of a person's calling and worldly success and as a sign of personal salvation - Wikipedia.
I've heard it said since my childhood that this nation became great because of these things. Perhaps. But also perhaps, that is not any longer so necessary.
"The Calvinist and Lutheran theologians taught that one could only be saved by God's predestination. Since it was impossible to know if one was predestined (since one might not receive the "grace of perseverance," and one's conversion might be only lip-service), the notion developed that it might be possible to discern that a person was elect (predestined) by observing their way of life. Hard work and frugality were thought to be two important consequences of being one of the elect; thus, protestants were attracted to these qualities, seeking to assure themselves that they were really predestined." - Wikipedia
And so you can see, from this, we at one time believed that to be extremely boring and to not enjoy the gifts of the world, that we could become more Godly. And thus, our young nation receiving all the religious nuts and rejects of the West (oh, yes, this is true too), we started by working hard, not worrying about luxuries and merely existing, rather than, truly Living.
It was an understandable thing during a period of strife and little prosperity where hard work and no thought about reward was necessary.
That was then, this is now.
As is true with many things, when times change and lifestyles or ways of life (especially true in Religious doctrines) do not, life becomes some what twisted. We can see now that this has become somewhat problematic in these modern times. We no longer have a need to struggle as we did then; when, to not work meant, you died.
When to not work, meant you would be burned in Hell for all Eternity.
This has also allowed our country and citizens to be buffaloed into working and simply put, not complaining enough. Something you don't see as much in Europe's older countries where the citizens won't put up with it like we do here.
Why is France only now raising their retirement age from 60, to 62? What is ours now, 66? With talk of raising it again? Maybe, eventually, we'll simply never retire, just die working? Unless we do something about it.
Ask yourself, why are we such slaves to the corporations in this country? Why do we put up with it? Why are corporations considered of more importance than the citizens? How, did we get here?
We should have been, for decades now, pushing for these corporations to make less money, and the employees to be getting more and more benefits, working less hours, fewer days, getting more vacation time each year, retiring younger on better retirement packages. But greed and mismanagement have lead to just the opposite. And why? I would argue its due to a mindset that was originally based in the religious work ethic and attitudes that should have been replaced by more modern considerations a long, long time ago.
Think about that, the next time your boss asks you to take a week off that year without pay for the good of the company. Or you are told you cannot have a raise this year. Or you're vacation is cut short. Or ask you if can you work from home, after hours, for no extra pay. Be a team player they say, be a hero. What other words will they abuse to trick you into giving up more of your personal life? What has your company done for you lately, other than to make you think you owe them everything, simply because you now have a job?
Are times tough right now? Yes. Should we be pushing for all this now? Perhaps not quite yet. But, the mindset in this country most assuredly needs to change. People need to think more about everyone getting a piece of the pie and not just those in power who can take, not just the stock holders, not just the power brokers.
After all, what was it Thomas Jefferson said about revolution? Sometimes, its good to just consider the words of our of our Founding Fathers, to reflect from time to time on just what they thought and how it should be impacting us now. Don't listen to me, just think about it and make up your own mind about how you feel, about how you are being treated.
"An enlightened people, and an energetic public opinion... will control and enchain the aristocratic spirit of the government." --Thomas Jefferson to Chevalier de Ouis, 1814. ME 14:130
"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery." --Thomas Jefferson: Rights of British America, 1774. (*) ME 1:193, Papers 1:125
"When patience has begotten false estimates of its motives, when wrongs are pressed because it is believed they will be borne, resistance becomes morality." --Thomas Jefferson to M. deStael, 1807. ME 11:282
"As revolutionary instruments (when nothing but revolution will cure the evils of the State) [secret societies] are necessary and indispensable, and the right to use them is inalienable by the people." --Thomas Jefferson to William Duane, 1803. FE 8:256
"War... is not the most favorable moment for divesting the monarchy of power. On the contrary, it is the moment when the energy of a single hand shows itself in the most seducing form." --Thomas Jefferson to Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, 1788. ME 7:115
Am I advocating here a call to arms?
No! War is bad. Revolution, is good, but it does not have to be bloody.
Advertisements are the first thing that need to change. They should take a pro people slant and stop with the pro corporation slants. In fact, we should demand it.
What is needed here, is a national mind, set to the effort of bettering the situation of the People. Heroes are those who make our lives better and they should be rewarded. Those who take and do not help to increase the quality of life of the Citizenry, who only think about themselves, the stock holders, the "bottom line", should be looked upon as selfish and enemies of the culture of the Nation.
The People of America, by this time in our history, should be working six hour days, four day weeks, thirty day yearly vacations and they should be happy and healthy, settling into a young retirement. Why do we not have any of that, yet? Maybe, because no one was asking for it, pushing for it, demanding it and not letting them run and hide under rocks anymore.
So, start asking yourself, and others, why isn't this happening? Who is in control and why did we let them get there? And how do we stop it?
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