Kick Ass and the Sell Will Follow

Rising Health Costs? Shake it up!

2007-03-15T15:38:00.000-04:00

The health industry, a behemoth of rules, regulations and opaque pricing schemes, is in dire need of a shake-up. Three start-ups are attempting to shift power back to consumers by helping them negotiate lower medical costs.

Vimo, a comparison-shopping site for health care, collects data on medical procedures, so that consumers can search and compare prices. People can also submit details about incurred charges. If the amount to be paid isn't the lowest wholesale rate available from a hospital or other provider, Vimo will negotiate a lower price for a cut of the savings. Vimo will also make money from referrals to insurers and, eventually, physicians and products. (The company received USD 10 million in funding from Bessemer and Trinity Ventures.)

While Vimo offers a variety of services, from price comparisons to doctor ratings, another start-up is focusing purely on negotiating bills. "The average provider — doctors or hospitals — has between 5 and 100 reimbursement rates for the exact same procedure," said Timothy Cahill, president of My Medical Control. "A hospital chain with multiple locations may have 150 rates for the same procedure." (Source: nytimes.com.) Reimbursement rates are negotiated between health care providers and insurers, and are far from transparent. My Medical Control takes customers' medical claims, looks for over-charges and contacts the provider directly to discuss and settle the claim at a reduced amount. The entire process takes 7-10 days and My Medical Control charges a fee of 35% of the savings.

Last but not least, MedBillManager is free software that consumers can use to manage their medical bills, but also to check aggregated data to see what other people in their area are paying for similar procedures.

In countries that don’t offer full coverage health care for all, medical costs are some of the largest expenditures consumers make. Usually without being able to compare prices or even know costs in advance. Which means there are plenty of business opportunities for entrepreneurs who can reduce medical bills on their behalf, or who can put consumers back in charge by creating greater price transparency.

Websites: www.vimo.com / www.mymedicalcontrol.com / www.medbillmanager.com

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How far do you stretch it?

2007-03-11T15:03:00.001-04:00

Did you think I was talking about truth concerning the new lame military budget. A $20 billion addition to the Iraq war supplemental bill includes only this for our soldiers:
$1.7 billion for veterans health programs. See Funding Priorities. Better put a closer watch on Pelosi.

Oh no! I am talking about the environmental truth on corn-for-gas replacement or should that be gas-for-corn replacement?

"In the end, even the most generous analysts estimate that it takes the energy equivalent of three gallons of ethanol to make four gallons of the stuff. Some even argue that it takes more energy to produce ethanol from corn than you get out of it, but most agricultural economists think that's a stretch." Financial news

Clearly neither has looked in the Profit Vault. There is alot of good information in there about when you make the game "you, you, you" and what real focus and process is.

Stepping Outside of the WhiteWash, Actions Speak Louder than Words

2006-08-17T14:20:00.000-04:00

One unifying quality I have always observed about Hezbollah is that they are consistent and steadfast, persistent and passionate about their life, their cause. They have always been a nation for the people who embraced them. Is their cause to just destroy Israel? It doesn't read that way. They have been dedicated to setting their people free.

Some in the media have written that actually the real case study of Lebanon is that Hezbollah is a nation inside of a non-nation, Lebanon.

Who has been picking up the pieces and putting things right for their nation? I do not read hate there. see further Times, "Winning the Peace with Hammers and Nails".

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on 9/27/2001, "Why do they hate us?", an article on the whys of 9/11 and thereafter. The paper published a poem written by the Saudia Arabian ambassador to London:

"Children are dying, but no one makes a move. Houses are demolished, but no one makes a move. Holy places are desecrated, but no one makes a move.... I am fed up with life in the world of mortals. Find me a hole near you. For a life of dignity is in those holes."

Spitting Match on the NAKed Peace

2006-08-15T06:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's news brought three "leaders" and their thoughts about this past month's killing field, Lebanon.

The killing field in Lebanon -- 8/8/06-"At least 836 people have been reported killed in Lebanon and Israel since fighting broke out July 12 between Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas." Over a million people have been displaced from their homes.

Lebanon Cease-Fire Holds; Bush Says War Was Against Terrorism - Bloomberg - 8 hours ago
Olmert's War Leadership Takes Flak From Foes, Allies in Israel - Bloomberg - 6 hours ago
Nasrallah taunts Israel and claims victory - Guardian Unlimited - 11 hours ago

I thought of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. What would have happened to them if they had been caught destroying property? Perhaps painting fences white, repairing the damage? No spitting for them.

He said the men did nothing all day long but sit around the bar-room stove, spit, and 'swop lies.' --Bret Harte on Mark Twain

"An inglorious peace is better than a dishonorable war."- "Glances at History," 1906, Mark Twain

"Statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception."- "Chronicle of Young Satan", Mark Twain

When it comes to GOP Marketing...

2006-08-14T08:01:00.000-04:00

"Independence" and "we are excited about how your life is" be the name of the game of those seeking re-election.

So the GOP say. Independent my a****.

See the muck in Washington Post, "For GOP, Bad Gets Worse in Northeast."

Is this the sequel to Dreamworld? What I am hearing is not one single person in Congress will escape the wrath of the voters. If you voted for Iraq, if you voted for Missiles for Israel, if you took away any of your constituents' rights in any form whatsoever, if you spout off the word "democracy" and "terrorist", you are going down!

Naked Peace 1 and 1/2

2006-08-14T07:50:00.000-04:00

Monday, August 14, 2006 6am

"The Israeli army and Hezbollah militants put down their weapons at 6am. However, there was fighting right up to the deadline - Israel hit Beirut with 20 rockets, while Hezbollah launched 250 missiles. ..Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned: "If someone fires at us, we will fire back." --Guns silenced by Lebanon ceasefire

Saturday, August 12, 2006

BBC NEWS UK UK Politics US rejects weapon flight concerns--
" the US has lodged requests to bring two more planes through the UK carrying bombs and missiles for Israel over ..."

Saturday, July 29, 2006
Scotland to London: no US weapons flights to Israel.--
"The United States has been caught using Prestwick Airport to ship GBU28 “bunker buster” bombs, laser-guided bombs, and other weapons to Israel for its military attacks on Lebanon and Gaza. The arms have been transported by two chartered A310 cargo planes from the United States via Prestwick to Tel Aviv. Blair’s spokesman in Washington told reporters, “President Bush did apologize for the fact that proper procedures were not followed . . . It was a gracious thing to do.”

What happens when Peace wears no clothes?

2006-08-13T05:43:00.000-04:00

"Only that day dawns to which we are awake." -- Thoreau, Walden

“Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself”
Zen Proverb quotes

Bully Makes US Mad

2006-08-11T07:16:00.000-04:00

US Muslim group irked by `fascist' term - Chicago Tribune - 32 minutes ago

From Yesterday's Headlines: Bush says US at war with "Islamic fascists" - Reuters via Yahoo! News - Aug 10 2:37 PM

Bush announces escalation in 'war on kleptocracy' - AFP via Yahoo! News - Aug 10 1:07 PM

BBC NEWS Education Name-calling 'worst form of bullying'

Kleptomania (Greek: κλέπτειν, kleptein, "to steal", μανία, "mania")

Fascism is a radical totalitarian political philosophy that combines elements of corporatism, authoritarianism, extreme nationalism, militarism, anti-anarchism, anti-communism and anti-liberalism.

Some cures for Kleptocracy

2006-08-11T07:14:00.000-04:00

If Kleptocracy is the cousin of Kletomania, could a cure be on its way?

from Wiki suggested treatments:

"Kleptomania has several different treatments. Behavior modification therapy and family therapy may be used to treat kleptomaniacs.
Some medications that are used for people diagnosed with kleptomania are fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, lithium, trazodone and Valproate."

I am glad we know what we are doing here with our fear.

Bush announces escalation in 'war on kleptocracy' - AFP via Yahoo! News - Aug 10 1:07 PM

Peace on Aristocracy

2006-08-11T07:09:00.000-04:00

Here's a new term for you, "kleptocracy"

Bush announces escalation in 'war on kleptocracy' - AFP via Yahoo! News - Aug 10 1:07 PM

as defined by Bush, Kleptocracy = "kleptocracy" -- high level corruption by senior officials which he said is robbing the people of many poor nations of their future."

I wonder what "high level corruption by senior officials which is robbing the people of many rich nations of their future." Is that "aristocracy"?

Wiki on aristocracy = "The Ancient Greek term aristocracy meant a system of government with "rule by the best". "

Fear Nation is US?

2006-08-11T06:56:00.000-04:00

"I think the question has to be asked why it was just so super vital to cancel all these flights, to be so strict with handluggage TODAY. If this plot has been known about for months, why was it ok to take water on board yesterday, or the day before and so on. Yes a terror plot has been foiled, and thats great, but I think the measures installed are symbolic rather than neccessary.

I personally don't want our nation to turn into the nation of fear that the US has become

Suzi, Potters Bar "

BBC Forum

Spinning Helps?

2006-08-08T13:07:00.000-04:00

Washington Post, "House Incumbents at Risk, Poll Finds," claims :

"In a small boost for Bush, his approval rating inched up to 40 percent, two percentage points higher than in June and seven higher than in May, suggesting he may have arrested a slide that deeply unnerved Republican lawmakers and strategists."

Polls? Who needs polls when you've got Google Ratings? Steadfast at #1 failure link for weeks, months, years, George W. Bush, among 504 million links.

In the story, "facts" that we all knew, and the "facts" are all based upon the Washington Post's July poll.

Democrats who safari on the West Wing's elephant will not survive upcoming elections. Democrats are unhappy with demo-republi-crats. The problem is their constituents have been sending the simple message "No War, Take care of Democracy at Home! " Demo-republi-crats haven't been listening.

The devil's come to claim your soul.

elections, Democrats

Madonna Magic

2006-08-07T22:49:00.000-04:00

70,000 Romans did what the Madonna did on Sunday.

[70,000 Italian Fans Pack Madonna's Rome Concert]

Kaballah Hits Hard

Fearless Madonna, she is such a goddess of marketing, were the clerics blaspheming her?

"Madonna does not think Jesus would be mad at her, as his teaching of loving thy neighbor and tolerance is Madonna's message as well. The context of Madonna's performance on the crucifix is not negative nor disrespectful toward the church." --Liz Rosenberg, publicist for the Goddess.

The religious leaders outcries and anger brought quickly to mind, current Middle East conflict. Is the state ruled by the church?

It may sound sweet that she wants to teach and care for the children in Africa microcosm, Malawi. Thinking outside the playpen of the "non-profitable" though is brilliant. For if Madonna's project is a success, she'll have the answer for the playpen. Malawi means: "glitter of the sun rising across the lake" [see flag]

Madonna's new passion: Malawi

Does this mean that the market for Kaballah Energy Drink will once again be in demand?

Can Canned Religion Make You Happy?

Seriously though, changing things in Africa, will need a positive spin, maybe Madonna Magic is the answer.

Rome, Madonna, Malawi,

Spinning for Countries

2006-08-07T22:23:00.000-04:00

"We must have a bit of a fight, but I don't care about going on long," said Tweedledum. "What's the time now?"

"Tweedledee looked at his watch, and said, 'Half past four.'"

"Let's fight till six, and then have dinner," said Tweedledum."

--"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," Lewis Carroll

A 360 degree spin today.

USATODAY.com News - Top Stories - Bush presses comprehensive U.N. action

TIME Magazine Online: Top Stories - Condoleezza Rice: "We Want an Immediate Cease-fire Too"

More than 3 weeks ago...
Rice won't ask Israel to halt its offensive

For it is not the war but the outcome they wish to shape.

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

The Rap of War

2006-08-07T09:19:00.000-04:00

Last week, a search brought up YouTube, a rap video in response to Saturday Night Live's Lazy Sunday. The SNL clip was viewed 5 million times before NBC asked for its removal from the site. NBC then provided the entire film on its video site.

I didn't watch the SNL clip, I watched the Lazy Ramadi on YouTube, a community network with a strategic partnership with NBC. [NBC And YouTube Announce Strategic Partnership] Should I have watched Lazy Ramadi on Viacom's ifilms instead?

These "Lazy Ramadi " guys ask you to make a donation for the soldiers. You know why that is? Because we have a "Do Nothing" Congress that serves corporations daily and takes themselves a nice "Lazy Sunday" when benefits and care, leave and duty end dates come up for the men that fight their battles. They say "Who?" see Lou Dobbs' "Do Nothing" rap, CNN.com - Dobbs: Five-weeks off for 'do-nothing Congress' - Aug 2 ...

Intro to Lazy Ramadi :

"The Middle East response to the Midwest response "Lazy Muncie", to the West Coast response "Lazy Monday" to SNL's "Lazy Sunday". PLEASE VISIT: www.dav.org or www.uswoundedsoldiers.com and make a donation."

In 2003, I send a rap to the White House in protest of the invasion. The Iraq Body Count is now over 40,000.

The "4th25" are soldiers who marketed and capitalized their message:

June 13, 2006, Newsweek issue's article on MSNBC, Soldier Rap the Pulse of war, featured the "4th25" in its expose on Iraq war rap. I found the article among 6,230,000 links for "music lyrics war peace".

"Rap the Pulse of war" is about the music lyrics of the soldiers on the streets of Iraq.

"You can't call home and tell your mom your door got blown off by an IED," says Saunders. "No one talks about what we're going through. Sure, there are generals on the TV, but they're not speaking for us. We're venting for everybody."--
"4th25", Live From Iraq.

The album is on Amazon.

The Album and selections are on iTunes, listing from Google Music.

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade change influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Baby Names during war

2006-08-07T08:22:00.000-04:00

The Social Security Administration of the United States has been compiling a list of the top 100 names of babies applying to the agency since 1880. The list for the past year is released to the public (and posted on their website) on the following Mother's Day.

During time of war what do we name our babies?

The #1 names of registered babies during wartime:

World War I
1914-1918
John and Mary
World War II
(1939-1945)
1939 Robert and Mary
1940-45 James and Mary
Korean War
(1950-1953)
1950-52 James and Linda
1953 Robert and Mary
Vietnam War (an insurgents war)
(1965-1975)
1965-69 Michael and Lisa
1970-75 Michael and Jennifer
Gulf War
(1990-1991)
1990 Michael and Jessica
1991 Michael and Ashley
Iraq War (an insurgents war, Gulf War II)
(2003-present)
2003-05 Jacob and Emily

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

The Defense of Words

2006-08-06T23:20:00.000-04:00

All weekend long journalists have been throwing word bombs over into bloggerland. Ah, Bloggerland, a peace loving bunch. They don't even know what hit them, they took a scratch for punctuation. (See, Bloggers, Lovers and Good Conversation Placement.")

So there I was, mining words "Lebanon Israeli war" and "Rumsfeld and words". Voila, indeed, at this very moment there is a crusade of words going on all over the Middle East. Its punfully frightening.

I really don't think either journalists or bloggers can survive without words. I think they should join forces now. Yes, gather round the mediation table if you must. But, please in the early stages, that way you'll have words left to sling at each other later. Early stages, is the key word. Lets avoid a Word War III. I just can't imagine what the Word will come to with out the word "peace".

For further word war news, please see the following:
(disclaimer, the words of the wordsmiths below are not used by this blogger, and said blogger cannot be held responsible.)

Iranian President Calls for Word War

The Lebanon War enters the Talking Phase

“We should consider how our words can be used by our deadly enemy"
--Rumsfeld, "The Sound of one Domino Falling"

"We have to understand that our words have effect"
--Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld, Murtha Continue War of Words Over Iraq

IRAQ: RUMSFELD BANS THE WORD 'INSURGENTS'

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

A Square for Protest

2006-08-05T22:28:00.000-04:00

image by bubblegumvision studios c2004

A quest for "Chocolate by the Bald Man" brought me to Union Square today. We did not find the Bald Man. I left the address at home. The store is located on 13th and Broadway, NYC. See further, post.

It was refreshing to find a Square crowded with all kinds of protest. The expression of Democracy is alive!

Overheard outside of Virgin Records at a tshirt stand. A young woman wanted to buy the man's undershirt that read "my dick is better than the president." The seller asked her, "ok, but how are you going to explain that?"

Everyone turned around to catch the answer. So fast, I missed it. I could pun around further, but I am weary of the "flag".

democracy, protest

The Six Degrees of Peace

2006-08-05T02:43:00.000-04:00

--from Tai Chi Magazine

"Peace within the individual

leads to

peace within the family.

Peace within the family

leads to

peace within the community.

Peace within the community

leads to

peace within the nation.

When there is peace within the nation

Then there will be peace in the world."

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Joy and Improvements will cure War

2006-08-04T07:50:00.000-04:00

Fast Company is on the ball again with an email replay of May 2005, Dean Ornish, "Change or Die."

Mr. Ornish works off of a 2004 IBM symposium "Global Innovation Outlook."

Guess what? The root cause of the health crisis hadn't changed for decades. The answers weren't coming from high-technology labs. The answer was that most health problems stem from the way the people live. Faced with either change or die, the change still wasn't made. Behavior is not an easy thing to change. In fact, its impossible without some really positive sources of motivation.

' John Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor who has studied dozens of organizations in the midst of upheaval:

"The central issue is never strategy, structure, culture, or systems. The core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people." '

So how do you do it?

How do you get the world motivated to curing its disease, War?

1\ "Rapid Improvements are a Motivator"

2\ "Joy is a more powerful motivator than fear ... a vision of Joy of Living"

3\ "a new narrative that's simple, positive, and emotional."

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Radiohead makes Blair Switch

2006-08-04T00:49:00.000-04:00

bubblegumvision studios 2006

Radiohead's Thom Yorke's 'Blair must go' has been erased via another statement.

To some the why? is more intriguing than the Blair kick.

In a country that both Blair and Bush declared democratic Yorke has not been silent.

He declined a meetup with Blair due to the PM's enviro record.

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke's 2006 album The Eraser includes the track Harrowdown Hill, named after the place where Kelly's body was found. Dr. David Kelly, Weapons Inspector, Iraq

"This is a theatre of the absurd. It has left everybody I know shaking their heads in disbelief and anger."--Thom Yorke, The Guardian, The Hutton Report

Don't worry the bobbies haven't eaten them all, there are still some democratic voices from Britain to be heard on i-street.

Blair admits split over Lebanon

Sir Braithwaite Blair 'must go and go now' as pressure mounts

Bloggerheads (UK) - 11 Reasons Why Tony Blair Must Resign

Online Petition - Blair must Resign

Ceausescu Blair must resign as Prime Minister

democratic, radiohead, Blair

Kaballah Hits Hard

2006-08-03T23:51:00.000-04:00

A member of Kaballah crossed Catholicism's border as she sang and danced provocatively from a crucifix. 59,000 Welsh citizens were affected. The mass were awaiting their "First Confessions."

In the past Madonna has used crucifix and rosary as costume accessory. The act of dancing on a crucifix was one of a series of global marketing provocations in a career full of controversy for the Queen of Pop.

The Vatican is not amused and is preparing for battle for Sunday's Rome performance. The Catholics [are joined by] Muslims and Jews to Blast Madonna's Plans for Stage ... [and may ask the UN for a resolution]. Catholic fury at 'blasphemous' Madonna Scotsman

USATODAY.com - Madonna has faith on a string

MADONNA - MADONNA BLASTS CATHOLICISM

Madonna finds Catholicism choking!; .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper

Madonna quote - Catholicism is not a soothing religion. It's a painful religion

Madonna (entertainer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Catholicism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

madonna, catholicism, kaballah, global marketing, provocative marketing

The Present is the True Story

2006-08-03T14:31:00.000-04:00

Actions speak louder than words.

Take all the sides you want, tell all the stories, but at the end of the day what has happened is the story that matters. Don't tell me anything about this person did that. That is talk from someone who will never grow up.

Ask yourself, did you fund this? Will you blindly vote your representative into another term of Stupid Arrogance just because they are reborn? Look at their records and look at their actions.

The way through mediation is at the peace table not the battlefield.
To continue this slaughter is only building on the huge resume of the butcher.

Both sides have a right to peace. It is not just one side. That has always been the problem.

The diplomats lack character. They want to be seen as heros. They want their huge blunder of not immediately ceasing fire to pay off. They are perverse egomaniacs who don't even care about their own people. Fact is, its too late, here's the story, this is what the future generation will read in the history books or claim when they are fighting the same fight:

Reuters reports 683 people dead in Lebanon

1/3 of these are children under the age of 12

800,000 people have been displaced

10,000 Israeli troops are fighting a few hundred Hezbolla fighters

It is the 19th day

Israel begins carving buffer zone at Christian Science Monitor - Thu, Aug 03, 2006
Lebanon death toll 'reaches 900' at BBC - Thu, Aug 03, 2006
Israel claims to have carried off Hizbullah fighters' bodies at The Daily Star (Lebanon) - Thu, Aug 03, 2006
Two killed, 4 seriously wounded in Acre rocket attack at Jerusalem Post - Thu, Aug 03, 2006
UN on brink of brokering ceasefire agreement at The Guardian (UK). - Thu, Aug 03, 2006

What's Inside Blair's Mind?

2006-08-02T23:51:00.000-04:00

bubblegumvision studios 2006

Click

democratic, radiohead, Blair

The Surrealism that Reigns

2006-08-02T13:13:00.000-04:00

"The media, which is controlled by the great conglomerates, which control the political system, has done an atrocious job of reporting, though sometimes good stories get in. I've worn my eyes out studying the Wall Street Journal, which despite its dreadful editorial policies is a pretty good newspaper of record, which the New York Times is not...

If you read the Wall Street Journal very carefully you can pretty much figure out what happened that day. ..... No description from the government, no excuse, a lot of mumbling stories which were then retracted, new stories replaced them....
That to me was the end of the republic. We no longer had a Congress which would ask questions, which it was in place to do of the executive. ... This thing is surrealistic now and it is getting nastier and nastier, as we are more and more kept in the dark about those things which most affect us, which are war and peace, prosperity and poverty. ... I ask these questions, which Congress should ask, does not ask, which the press should ask, but is too frightened. It's a reign of terror now." --Gore Vidal

Is the Priesthood Bothered? Shake them up!

2006-08-02T11:39:00.000-04:00

The New Yorker waywardly presses on with Amateur Hour. Is the priesthood, Nicholas Lehman, bothered?

He imposes the term "millenarian" on everyone in the internet. He defines the 'priesthood' as the holder over public intelligence, traditional journalism. The holder has been broken by "millenarian" "accessibility to producers and consumers" and "not so much by the expressive power of [its] media." The "prophets" of internet journalism are fighting traditional journalism (a "structure of authority"). These structures 'waxes and wanes' depending not on just new media "but also on political, cultural, and economic developments."

Obviously the New Yorker has gone on hold with keep it simple? The fight is not the medium or the holder, but the hold the government has on the holder.

Example of government hold on the 'priesthood':

Today, traditional media front page tells us via today's Washington Post that "thousands of soldiers enter Lebanon" (8,000 to be exact from other sources) after three weeks of aerial bombing.

Example of 'millenarian's' fight:

On Huffington Post, bloggers talk about the 'pro-peace Jews' ad.

Examples of the millenarian groups, movements and writings:
Rasta
Fifth Monarchy Men
Plymouth Brethren
Branch Davidians
Shakers
Yellow Turbans
Taiping Rebellion
Aum Supreme Truth
The Native American Ghost Dance
The Heaven's Gate cult
Joachimites
Dulcinian
Nostradamus
The Turner Diaries
The Lord's Resistance Army
Hojjatieh
Transhumanism
Singularitarianism

Example of how the Shakers fare today.
Shaking up the auction

At Willis Henry Auctions, Pittsfield, Mass the Shaker Oval Carrier pre-sale estimate $2,000 to $15,000 final sell: $90,000.

The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace:

'Shock' over Lebanon deaths." "deplored Israel's airstrike on a house in the village of Qana which killed 56 people, almost all of them women and children."

* * * * * * * *

" 600 people - about a third of them children - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon. "--UN, Many Casualties "It's been horrific... There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."-- Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Bad Dad Placement? Son of the Bothered

2006-08-02T11:19:00.000-04:00

Front page today New York Times is:

Dad is not happy with the way things are going.

"The President
Bush’s Embrace of Israel Shows Gap With Father"

The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace:

'Shock' over Lebanon deaths." "deplored Israel's airstrike on a house in the village of Qana which killed 56 people, almost all of them women and children."
* * * * * * * *
" 600 people - about a third of them children - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon. "--UN, Many Casualties "It's been horrific... There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."-- Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

The Daily Number at the Pew is...

2006-08-02T02:25:00.000-04:00

70% are not happy with the way things are going .
-- Pew Research

The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace:

'Shock' over Lebanon deaths." "deplored Israel's airstrike on a house in the village of Qana which killed 56 people, almost all of them women and children." * * * * * * * * " 600 people - about a third of them children - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon. "--UN, Many Casualties

"It's been horrific... There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."-- Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Democracy, Human Rights, Egalitarian Co-Existence...Wasn't that once in Someone's Constitution?

2006-08-01T00:43:00.000-04:00

"A realistic understanding of the conflict, therefore, is one that
recognizes that the crux is not in this or that incident or policy, but in Israel's foundational and persistent refusal to recognize the humanity of its Palestinian victims. .. Hizbullah nor Hamas are driven by ... a fundamental sense of injustice that they will not allow to be forgotten.

These groups will continue to enjoy popular legitimacy because they fulfill the need for someone - anyone - to stand up for Arab rights. Israel cannot destroy this need by bombing power grids or rocket ramps. If Israel, like its former political ally South Africa, has the capacity to come to terms with principles of democracy and human rights and accept egalitarian multiracial coexistence within a single state for Jews and Arabs, then the foundation for resentment and resistance will have been removed. If Israel cannot bring itself to do so, then it will continue to be the vortex of regional violence."

--Anders Strindberg, Commentary, Christian Science Monitor

Yes, Britain and the United States, let these people work it out at the peace table without your military funding or to shuttle or not to shuttle diplomacy. Afterall America has lots of catching up to do at home.

Look at what George Saunders has found in Britain:
"Or, say, a terrorist dog poops in a park and the terrorist does not clean it up. The cameras see both the pooping and the non-cleaning-up, and soon dozens of policemen (which here are called "bobbies" or "Tories" or "pitches") descend on the terrorist and his dog (which here are called "favours")."
"I would like to suggest the reconciliation of Britain and the United States into one nation, to be called the United Anti-Terror States Of Britain."
--"Just who is this Magna Carta Fellow"
--George Saunders,

The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace:
'Shock' over Lebanon deaths." "deplored Israel's airstrike on a house in the village of Qana which killed 56 people, almost all of them women and children."
* * * * * * * *
" 600 people - about a third of them children - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon. "--UN, Many Casualties "It's been horrific...
There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."-- Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief
You've got to give them a simple message.
persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Bad Ad Placement has arrived to Web 2.0

2006-07-31T01:23:00.000-04:00

I've been noticing the bad ad placement of Web 2.0 lately. Today, I was taken aback upon seeing GM's ad placement right next to a Yahoo! news item about a world tragedy. The ad came across as really insensitive and careless.

Their ad reads:

"Everyone likes a good story.
But that doesn't make it true.
Get the facts.
GM"

The ad is about GM's gripe with a New York Times editorial.

The ad appears on the same page and to the side of the news story, "UN Council: 'Shock' over Lebanon deaths."

"deplored Israel's airstrike on a house in the village of Qana which killed 56 people, almost all of them women and children."

* * * * * * * *

" 600 people - about a third of them children - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon. "--UN, Many Casualties The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace: "It's been horrific... There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."-- Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Mind Reading Machines

2006-07-30T16:17:00.000-04:00

It sure would be a blast of fresh air if we could have some of the current neo-negotiations mind read.

Write to Buzz Jackson's Blog, KiiM 99.5-FM Labs, Buzz Jackson, maybe he'll do it?

powered by ODEO

Hear, Feel, See....Change

2006-07-30T02:13:00.000-04:00

To get to the Peace, the root of current instability will take the Art of Manipulation: "Hear, Feel, See"... Change...

Diplomacy without art is nothing but Manipulation:

Unlock the truth:

Why would Iran and Syria be so angry with the U.S. to bomb its Marines and barracks in 1983, Beirut? [not to say that any death on any side is ever justified]

25 years under the Shah. Overthrow of the Shah of Iran in 1979. The Shah (a Shite) had little Arab support. His Savak police were the nastiest of any totalitarian regime. The Saudis (Sunni) and Palestineans wanted him out.

"'Stability' is restored
'I owe my throne to God, my people, my army - and to you', the Shah [of Iran] told the head of the CIA operation responsible for installing him; by 'you' meaning the US and Britain. (77) Now that the 'dictator' had been installed in line with Foreign Office wishes, 'stability' could be restored, initially under the auspices of the favoured candidate for Prime Minister, General Zahidi. Thus the British understanding, outlined in 1951, that the Shah 'does not sufficiently check the members of his family and their entourage from interference in politics and their profitable incursions into business' and that 'the chief complaint of his political critics [is] that he wishes to monopolise power for himself', became a harsh reality. (78) An agreement was signed the year following the coup establishing a new oil consortium in which Britain and the US both had a 40% interest, and which controlled the production, pricing and export of Iranian oil. Britain's share was thus reduced from the complete control it had prior to [Iran's nationalist government of Mohammed] Musaddiq but was nevertheless more than the latter's nationalisation plan had envisaged. The US, meanwhile, had gained a significant stake in Iranian oil and political influence in the country, a change of fortune which symbolised the relative power of the partners in the special relationship. --overthrowing the government of Iran

"Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years, but following World War I, the area became a part of the Syrian Mandate of France. France subsequently carved Syria into several ethnic enclaves, Lebanon being the largely Christian area. It also included areas containing many Muslims and Druzes."--wiki Lebanon

Current manipulations: Lebanon-Israel (Diplomacy Without Art)

Proxy War

"The [Hezbollah] vote showed that the weak government [Lebanon] could function as a united body. That is in and of itself very important. This has not been easy for Siniora. Everyone knows it is a very complicated coalition. That he is able to go back and bring his government together around a way forward is very encouraging."--Rice, Renews Talks

" 600 people - about a third of them children - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon. "--UN, Many Casualties

The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace:

"It's been horrific... There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."-- Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

The Simple Message...Win Them Over

2006-07-29T00:55:00.000-04:00

Iran's Leader gets bounced around for his esoteric message.

yet....

Bush and Blair are giving out the same sort of bubble:

"Terrorism [is] a "global movement with a global ideology. Its purpose is to promote its ideology based on a perversion of Islam and to use any methods at all....--Blair, LaTimes

Their actions they excuse:

"The value of terrorism to them is the chain reaction that terror brings with it. Terrorism brings the reprisal, the reprisal brings the additional hatred, the additional hatred breeds the additional terrorism and so on." --LaTimes

Their trademark neo-world shift, blame it on the flame, dude:

"Both Bush and Blair emphasized what they perceived as the evils of the Hezbollah terrorists, whose kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers and killing of eight others lighted the fuse that has exploded into a full-scale war between Israel and the terrorists operating out of southern Lebanon. ==LaTimes

They don't mention how the fuse got there.

"The propaganda spread by the terrorists — that the United States and Britain are trying to suppress Islam — was "nonsense...

"We've got to stop apologizing for our own positions, we're not going to defeat this ideology until we in the West go out with sufficient confidence in our own position and say this is wrong. It's not just wrong in its methods, it's wrong in its ideas, it's wrong in its ideology, it's wrong in every single wretched reactionary thing about it." --Blair, LaTimes

The above Blair statements get confusing. They miss the cultural language, the simple message.

If Blair and Bush are Peace Brokers then Israel and Hezbollah are their Difficult Customers.

Dummies Book for Winning over Difficult Customers has six guidelines:
"1. Let the customer vent.
2. Avoid getting trapped in a negative filter.
3. Express empathy to the customer.
4. Begin active problem solving.
5. Mutually agree on the solution.
6. Follow up."

The Bitter Bottom Line of a Right-eous Hard Line results in the following and not peace:

"It's been horrific... There is something fundamentally wrong with the war, where there are more dead children than armed men."--
Mr Egeland, UN Humanitarian Chief

You've got to give them a simple message.

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Two Can Play Psych-Op...Hezbollah agrees to peace packaging

2006-07-29T00:41:00.000-04:00

Hezbollah's political arm has agreed to a peace package disarming. Can Israel stand the exposure?

Mideast peace package

The very act of 'terrorism' that Hezbollah commited was a routine border skirmish that had been played before. Prisoners were exchanged via German broker. This time Israel changed the rules midgame.

Hezbollah has agreed to a peace package that Israel is not likely to embrace:

"It starts out with an immediate cease-fire. Following that would come:

• the release of Lebanese and Israeli prisoners; Israeli withdrawal behind the border; the return of Lebanese displaced by the fighting.

• moves to resolve the status of Chebaa Farms, a small piece of land held by Israel and claimed by Lebanon. The proposal calls for the U.N. Security Council' U.N. Security Council to commit to putting the area under U.N. control until a final demarcation of the border.

• the provision by Israel of maps of minefields laid during its 18-year occupation of the south.

• "the spreading of Lebanese government authority over the entire country," meaning the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south, with the strengthening and increasing of the small, lightly armed U.N. peacekeeping force currently there. "

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Always Use a Professional When Guerilla Marketing

2006-07-28T13:44:00.000-04:00

I've finally got it. When it comes to peace we've got to get professionals to do the Guerilla Marketing. There really is no excuse for this major lapse of professionalism in a struggle that is mean't to create "the institutions for peace and democracy in the region." Surely, somewhere in this high-tech struggle, there must be access to Google and its random URLs.

In "Bombs, Oy Vey!," Jon Stewart has enlightened me as to the estoeric of the current Guerilla Marketing done by both sides.

1. Israel is engaging in an air strike distribution of leaflets that ...

(a) engages in multiple papercuts

(b) fine print assumptions disregarding ability to recycle.

My Google search quickly located a tank marketer with specialization in ground marketing that targets distribution internationally. Also offered are 'mechanisms to maximise effectiveness on a budget.'

2. Iran leaders ask world listeners to believe in Hitler
while historically they have disclaimed the Holocaust.

A marketing professional could have prevented this lapse into esoteric logic:

Google searches are standing by to quickly link up World Leaders with millions of providers of "Keep your message simple" [and believeable].

And as for Peace:

"Apple - Switch - Want to get your message out to the world? Podcast it."

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Packaging Advantage Ahead of the Pack -- the Challenge Tail

2006-07-27T13:18:00.000-04:00

via Fast Company this tip from Linda Tischler, a Winning Tale

Mary Cantando, a sales and marketing expert with $50M of closed sales behind her, poses a challenge to the reader of her April 2006 book, "The Woman's Advantage, 20 Women Entrepreneurs Show You What It Takes to Grow Your Business": Read the book. Then write about one idea from the book that you implemented. The contest winner receives one year of Mary Cantando's consulting services.

I applaud Mary Cantando for rising above the pack of self-help business books. Offering a challenge and a chance at getting professional help for your small business is the Challenge Tail. It adds the tremendous value of "reality" while growing the exotic Long Tail of Amazon.com.

"How You Can Enter

Read The Woman’s Advantage
Submit your own story of less than 500 words telling how you successfully implemented one idea from the book with your business.
Click here to complete and submit the registration form.
Click here for the complete contest rules.
The GRAND PRIZE winner will receive business-building prizes from our corporate sponsors plus ONE YEAR OF CONSULTING WITH MARY CANTANDO to help drive her business to the next level of success!

COMING SOON! The Woman’s Advantage in Action section will feature contest entries from women all around the country! Learn and grow through the experiences of women entrepreneurs just like you! "

-- The woman's advantage contest

Mary Cantando has also written "Nine Lives, Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on Their Feet."

Long Tail, Challenge Tail, business books, women entrepreneurs, small business

What next GI-pod or GI-tunes

2006-07-27T00:57:00.000-04:00

Israel steps up 'psy-ops' in Lebanon includes mobile text messaging.

If the i-pod or its "killer" were out in wi-fi, would they then be recruited as GI-pod or GI-tunes?

Will Google be forced to turn in "insurgents" while noone is looking?

persuade
change
influence

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

The Boom of Beirut will Bloom

2006-07-27T00:10:00.000-04:00

That's what Forbes writes in "Beirut Can Bloom Again"

Well, ya, when you've got Sunni Power behind you.

From Saudi Power the self made can spring forth ala reconstruction, i.e. two great success stories, Hariri and Bin-Laden.

The Saudi's just pledged $500 million to rebuild Lebanon. Wowsa you might say. Remembering that this is the #1 oil supplier to the world. Smart businessmen indeed as to leveraging and subsidizing. The U.S. aids the Saudi's over $50 billion a year in U.S. military presence in Saudia Arabia. see mideastweb.org

"It was the low cost of construction in Beirut that first attracted developers. Most of the big investors were Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and Emirate moguls. But some noted Westerners got in, too. Ivana Trump formed a partnership with Dubai-based property giant Damac Holdings. And a venture involving French designer Phillipe Stark was announced last year."--Forbes, Beirut Can Bloom Again

So yeah, the Saudi's have no room for Israel or Hezbollah in their heart but Beirut, oh, la, la.

"Saudi Arabia warns everybody that if the peace option fails because of Israeli arrogance, there will be no other option but war. No one can predict what will happen if things get out of control. The Arabs have declared peace as a strategic choice … but patience cannot last forever."--smh.com, state-owned al-Ikhbariya television quoted the king

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

In Brooklyn they'd rather see the Power of I'm Sorry in the House Right Now

2006-07-26T22:17:00.000-04:00

ok how did I manage that one?

1. NYMetro poll of 100 New Yorkers Sound Off on the Israel-Lebanon Conflict.

Bill Clinton came out on top as the guy they'd like to be in the White House handling this conflict.

I wondered -- why?

Two answers bubbled my mind (with some help of polyga-media. )

1. Yahoo's "Please Forgive Me" --

Lets face it what is the worst thing you could ever do in public==> cheat on your spouse

2. The I-influence of the highly Contagious "I Miss Monica" from Dean Friedman's CD.

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

A new world view, a new Middle East

2006-07-26T00:56:00.000-04:00

With Plan Purge under its belt, Israel has announced it will provide a buffer zone in Lebanon for perhaps months.

All of the key players, Palestineans, Hamas and Hezbollah not among them, have decided and there will be yet another mandate.

From "The" Voice of Diplomacy:

Mr. Abbas [i]s the “duly elected president” of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian people have had to live too long” under harsh conditions....Dr. Rice did not respond to Mr. Abbas’s urgent appeal for cease-fires in region, to ease what he said was suffering “beyond the capacity of any human being to endure.”

“It is time for a new Middle East. It is time to say to those that don’t want a different kind of Middle East that we will prevail. They will not.”--Condoleeza Rice, NYTimes, "Israel to Occupy Area of Lebanon as Security Zone"

Oh good, I am so glad, now I can sleep sound at night. Yes in Our Name, A new world view, double bubble and all (except, no mention of democratic).

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Eyes Wide Open to Lebanon while our constitution crumbles

2006-07-25T22:39:00.000-04:00

image via Boston Globe, globe stats

First off, I blame this all on the University of Texas law school. George W. Bush wanted to go to law school and they turned him down. So George had to go to Harvard Business school along with a circus barker. Now is that fair?--see famous texans

While your mind is turned toward the whatever you think is going on in Lebanon, George toils through innovative use of the signing statement to a Congressional Act that he has passed. Wowsa! Over 750 plus laws that have been enacted by Congress while he was in office or before he was in office have been attached with better horse sense than when he signed them.

George W. Bush is the only president to never veto a Congressional bill. So united, give that man a love attack on the shoulders why don't you?

When faced with the facts George W. Bush is very Gen-X about it. He tells the truth, he has the right to, he's the divider, I mean decider.

Presidential Signing Statements, featuring Richard A. Epstein, 07/21/2006 (MP3 )

"But the words ''in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution" are the catch, legal scholars say, because Bush is according himself the ultimate interpretation of the Constitution. And he is quietly exercising that authority to a degree that is unprecedented in US history."

"He has signed every bill that reached his desk, often inviting the legislation's sponsors to signing ceremonies at which he lavishes praise upon their work.
Then, after the media and the lawmakers have left the White House, Bush quietly files ''signing statements" -- official documents in which a president lays out his legal interpretation of a bill for the federal bureaucracy to follow when implementing the new law. The statements are recorded in the federal register."=="Bush Challenges hundreds of laws", Boston.com

That's why these items are now a part of Americana:

no torture bans for prisoners
secret imprisonment of prisoners
decides if he can use intelligence gathered by military
military lawyers cannot contradict his administrative lawyers
your cell phone conversations about who took the walk of shame are now recorded without warrants (just don't use the word 'shame' next time).

Look quit griping about it, its all public knowledge. Just pump a random url into old Google and find out. Here, I've made it easy for you to keep up with horse sense and the Federal Register, look for weekly compilation of Presidential Papers, type "signing statements' in the search.

here are a few to ponder:

Statement on Signing the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006, June 15, 2006

Statement on Signing the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, March 9, 2006

Statement on Signing the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, February 8, 2006

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Beyond Boxer, The Future of Dirty Laundry

2006-07-25T07:20:00.000-04:00

Boxer's Bout with Rice

Barbara Boxer asked during the senate confirmation about Condoleeza's Rice's "voice of diplomacy".

The transcript of pointed words, now so deja vu , the 'voice of diplomacy'. Oh how I wished Boxer had examined Rice ears of diplomacy or even her boxer thinking.

Dirty Laundry
jessicacutleronline.com/

Amazon

#31,726, 17% buy

Wiki Jessica Cutler

The book

Dirty Laundry
suzanneportnoy

Amazon

#63,641, not released

Wiki Suzanne Portnoy

Virgin Books 9/5/2006

Dirty Laundry

dooce

wiki dooce

petite anglaise

*Times Online, The Blog That Turned My Life Upside Down

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Team Divider

2006-07-25T06:55:00.000-04:00

I've been reading up on US diplomat C. Rice's attempts for Peace in the currently highlighted Middle East conflict. I found it perplexing that she would seek to divide the Lebanese army against Hezbollah. Most of the Lebanese army are of the same faith as Hezbollah, Shi'a Muslims. The biggest point of division Rice makes is to command bolster Lebanon against the Hezbollah. Hezbollah is a member of the Lebanese government.

This U.S. administration got its first foot in the door with campaign promises of "a uniter not a divider." Yet they propose an imposition of a civil war condition on Lebanon. A condition Lebanon knows alot about, 4/13/75-10/13/1990. I have not heard one word that seeks to unite the Middle East. You would think starting and keeping one civil war in Iraq is enough for Team Divider. The ears of diplomacy are waiting to be invited. If Rice demands on Lebanon and Syria were of team quality, then why only after she left, the 'Team' started to speak and not to her?

See further: Bush's Broken Promises For Bush, a Deepening Divide

Perhaps this article, "No one knows what they are doing," from Fast Company will help.

"1. Practice admitting when you're stuck or don't know what you're doing (perhaps in safer environments at first).
2. Open up to others to help you begin to find answers to your challenges.
3. Begin to notice the sense of freedom that can come from not having to "know" all the time."--Doug Sundheim, Fast Company

"The difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to that which is unknown." -- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

What Difference?

2006-07-24T15:01:00.000-04:00

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy? --Mahatma Gandhi, "Non-Violence in Peace and War"

"People are starting to realize this isn't a war against Hezbollah. It's a war against the country, against the infrastructure."--Timor Goksel, former head of the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon for more than 25 years.

"Some analysts have theorized that with attacks against civilians and non-military installations, Israel is trying to turn the Lebanese population against Hezbollah by making them pay a price as Hezbollah's host nation. Goksel says the strategy will never work, since Hezbollah isn't just an organization, but part of the fabric of Shia society."--Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone

Thousands Rally in London against Iraeli Attacks on Lebanon and Gaza

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

R I C E pod

2006-07-24T02:25:00.000-04:00

There has been much discussion about President Bush's iPod. A playlist and suggested playlist has been published by Veiled Chameleon.

I was at Ars and they were talking about an ad for iPod with Condoleeza Rice on it. I couldn't find it. However, Slate published "The politics of iPod lists" in May and these songs were on Dr. Rice's playlist: Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" and Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and Elton John's "Rocket Man."

I think its ridiculous that people are going to donate iPods to Senators who have millions of dollars to buy their offices. Particularly when the donor has no control over what they listen. Obviously, some people have dug deep to do it.

"War, what is it good for" and "Hang on to your friends" were not on the donated iPods playlist.

Do the Saudi's have iPods, cause "Money can't buy you love" might help them with their bid to finance Syria out of Lebanon.

“It is unbelievable that the U.S. will say to Israel you have one more week to wipe out Hezbollah — can you imagine someone saying you have one more week to kill Americans?” the official asked. “You can’t imagine the impact of this on the region.”

"Do they want to end the Israeli occupation of Arab territories, that is the question.”"

"Mrs. Shaaban and virtually every Syrian official or analyst interviewed pointed out that Israel and the United States kept demanding the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 from 2004, which mandated the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, now completed, and the disarming of Hezbollah. But, they said, the two governments simply ignore that Resolution 242 from 1967 and Resolution 338 from 1973, both mandating Israel return occupied land, including the Golan Heights to Syria, have never been carried out."

--U.S. Must Deal with Damascus and Hezbollah..."

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Morally right

2006-07-23T23:13:00.000-04:00

"We must be the change we wish to see."--Gandhi

If only Olmert, Livni and the wider Israeli public could remember their own family’s history of ‘terrorism’, they would be able to see how futile their own current military campaigns against ‘terrorists’ in Gaza and Lebanon are. --Johann Hari, Irgun 60th anniversary [irgun wiki -- "Irgun (ארגון), shorthand for Irgun Tsvai Leumi (ארגון צבאי לאומי, also spelled Irgun Zvai Leumi), Hebrew for "National Military Organization", was a clandestine militant Zionist group that operated in the British Mandate of Palestine from 1931 to 1948."]

As soon as we lose the moral basis, we cease to be religious. There is no such thing as religion over-riding morality. Man, for instance, cannot be untruthful, cruel or incontinent and claim to have God on his side.--Gandhi

"In the intifada, we were fighting over land," said Sgt. Igal Nudelman, 22, from the Israeli city of Rishon Letzion. "Here we are fighting for our country.""--"For Troops, A Sense of Moral Clarity", Washington Post

"In Tel Aviv's Rabin Square on Saturday night, some 2,000 protesters, both Jews and Arabs, held a demonstration against the war, and - unusually in Israel - the country's alliance with the United States."--BBC, "Little Dissent as Israelis support the war"

"Dr Mroueh says many of the deaths around Tyre are caused by deliberate Israeli air strikes on civilian traffic and roads, which means ambulances cannot reach the villages where the attacks occur. "--survivors of Israeli's raid tell their stories, "
Human cost of Israeli campaign ", BBC

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Was a small Bush foray into German territory met with Disproportionate Reaction?

2006-07-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

Did Bush get sent to his chair without Diet Coke?

New York Times has the story, "The Politics of Good Touch, Bad Touch."

Can a Naked Cowboy Foreign Policy Bring Us Peace?

2006-07-22T21:14:00.000-04:00

Naked Cowboy -- The world said no, but he went ahead and did it anyway --

Rooftop Films video - Naked Cowboy

Do Protests Help?

2006-07-22T13:55:00.000-04:00

Bloomberg's office moves to do away with the Constitution's provision for freedom of speech and free assembly at police headquarters, August 23, 2006 at 6pm. See IndyMedia

Who is the terrorist in the Lebanon crisis? Who is playing the anti-semite card?

Do protests help?

See Operation Shakedown

"The Arab "terrorists" attack military units, destroy at least one tank, and are therefore terrorists. Israel retaliates by launching aerial, naval, and artillery bombardments of civilian areas and they are engaging in self-defense. If we are unable to recognize the hypocrisy of this construct then we ourselves are so enveloped by propaganda and emotion that, like the Israelis, Hezbollah, and Hamas, we can't think rationally. We can only think in terms of tribalism and revenge."--Larry C. Jonson, "Israel Takes the Stupid Pill"

"Freedom is a beautiful thing. Aren't you lucky to be in a country that encourages people to speak their mind?--George Bush BBC1s Breakfast with Frost. Do protests work?

"The control of a nation with hundreds of millions of people was won over without firing a single bullet because its leader called for peace and philosophical thinking rather than the total destruction and annihilation of the enemy to win their cause. "--Thomas Arato, Toronto Star

In the same breath Arato excuses Canada's cutting off of Hamas. Its Hamas fault he writes: "It was only after Hamas refused all of the calls to stop the violence and broker peace from the international community that economic sanctions were imposed."

Protests today against attacks in Lebanon, July 22, 2006

Scotland, 1500 at Enoch Square:
""This is not a time for us to take sides, instead the UK government should be giving full backing to the UN and international calls for an immediate ceasefire by Hezbollah and Israel."--SNP Alex Salmond

Montreal, 10,000, see globe and mail

From Israel, Civilians in the line of fire

From Haifa, BBC, "More scary than the Gulf War",

"Before Tal [daughter who died in Palestinean suicide bomber attack] died, I used to say everything will be okay, but everything's not okay."

"It makes you realise you should never take anything for granted. To lose your home, like people have in Haifa and in Lebanon, is terrible, but life, that is irreplaceable." --Ron Kehrmann

leaders, habits, peace, highly effective, human rights

Is there a Market for Highly Effective Leaders?

2006-07-22T05:12:00.000-04:00

I've been reading all sides of the Lebanon conflict issue. Its very clear to me that this world doesn't have highly effective leaders. Perhaps because there is no market for them.

Cheer up. I've adapted ProBlogger Darren Rowse's "10 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers" exclusively for Leaders Who Need a Kick in the Ass to become Kick Ass Leaders.

1. ProActive
Successful Leaders are Self Starters.
Meaning? no unconditional financing from Big Bro.

2. Strategic
Success was not an Accident

3. Anticipators
Forward looking in terms of how to act now

4. Communicators
They know how to speak to be understood

5. Creators of Useful Content
They give the people what they need

6. Persistence, Consistency and Discipline
In it for the long haul

7. Optimists
Threats and weaknesses become opportunities
and strength

8. Conversation Facilitators
They make music out of missed notes

9. Networked
A Leader is not an Island unto himself

10. Boundaries
They know their no mans' land

The BIG question is, Who Wants to Be a Highly Effective Leader? Is there a market for highly effective?

leaders, habits, bloggers, peace, highly effective

Has Reborn got you down?...

2006-07-22T03:34:00.000-04:00

Smite him....its Contagious

human rights, Peace

On the ### Day They Created a Terrorist

2006-07-21T23:57:00.000-04:00

Wired magazine has listed Lebanon bloggers and they all have strong POV on the loss of their country.

I see light in Cold Desert 'Violence begets Violence' : "If Israel had not invaded Lebanon in 1982, Hezbollah wouldn't have existed!"

The equivalent Lebanese death toll in the United States would be 22,500--Lebanon heartblogs

human rights, Peace

The Lasting Power of Double Bubble

2006-07-21T22:21:00.000-04:00

The Greek word "diplomacy" means double eyes. The ability to hear and understand both sides.

The Bubble of George Bush means:
"narrow intellectual horizons that have real consequences, sometimes cataclysmic ones."--Jonathan Chiat, L.A. Times

Salt Lake Tribune, "Only Terrorists can kill Terrorism" begs for definition of 'terrorist' ==>Anyone who uses fear tactics against a population. Salt Lake Tribune's view? They speak of Muslims as terrorists. That the Muslim governments can use their harsh hand to bring Muslim resistance groups under control.

Michael Hoffman explains the other side of brand name 'terrorist' in "Israeli Terrorists, Palestinian Victims and the Masters of PR."

The double bubble spoke recently:

"What I won't do is go someplace and try to get a cease-fire that I know isn't going to last."

"It is important to remember that the cause of the current violence was Hizbullah 's illegal attack from Lebanese territory, it is unacceptable to have a situation where the decision of a terrorist group can drag an entire country, even an entire region, into violence."

A simple cease-fire "would be a false promise" and would "guarantee future violence."

She struggles with the "root of this violence." She never gets a grip and states it. Here's some reading, a gift, beta.Activate.us, "The Curse of Location, A Lebanon Primer."

Meanwhile, what about Now? over 330 Lebanese have died, 300,000 Shiite Muslims have been warned to evacuate as Israel recruits its ground forces to Beirut:

"In one of the latest warnings to Lebanese civilians, an Israeli military radio station told residents of 12 border villages to leave by Friday afternoon, the Associated Press reported. Israeli earlier warned residents to evacuate a 20-mile-deep swath of southern Lebanon below the Litani River. An estimated 300,000 Lebanese live in the region, most of them Shiite Muslims. "--Washington Post

Sadly, double bubble, due to books not read and homework not done, has no diplomatic choices when it comes to their Bubble Fellow.

The United States has made all of the following, legitimate rights: 1) airstrike strategy in Kosovo and 2) taking over Afghanistan because..of Bin Laden and 3) taking over Iraq because...of Bin Laden. That's why its ok if Israel does it.

Current state of double bubble in bubble world is best expressed by Ted Koppel in "Gifts for Iran: Look What Spreading Democracy Can do?

"Gaza and the West Bank, where Hamas, spurned by the State Department as a terrorist organization, was voted into power last spring and now represents the Palestinian government; Lebanon, where Hezbollah, similarly rejected by the United States, has become the most influential political entity in the country; and, of course, Iraq, where the Shiite majority has now, through elections, gained political power commensurate with its numbers. "

human rights, Peace

The Big Olive, A Tree with A View

2006-07-20T15:45:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I attempted to do a lens on world condemnation of Israel in "Which brand of Terrorism are you buying these days?" Today I found an Iraqi lens on the Israeli-Lebanon Conflict at Radio Free Europe:

"According to a UN report released on July 18, some 6,000 Iraqis were killed in May and June, the majority in violent attacks in Baghdad and central regions of the country."--"Iraq: Israel-Lebanon Conflict Seen Through Domestic Lens"

I am not Jewish
I am not Arab
I am an American,
before the Rock,
an exotic blend of nations
runs cross my face
I take no sides
I think
culture
liberty
justice
--bubblegumvision c2001

What is the principle point?

To say that the killing of 300+ people and displacement of many more from their homes, the terrorization of the people of Lebanon by Israel, is due to border skirmishes is not good principle.

To say that retreat by Hizballah will be when there is indirect compromise is not good principle.

Respect for human life and principles are the principle point.

The principle point missed from the moment one party judged another to leave it out of the peace process.

How are these people in the Middle East going to get their peace?

They are going to have to come up with an agreement that works for both sides. They are both going to have to sit equally at the peace table and work on it. They are going to have to volunteer to put the past behind them and commit to its principles.

The Dutch bought Manhattan from the Indians for a seemingly small sum.
The Indians didn't understand the transaction, they stayed.
[hear The Big Oyster, History on the Half Shell on NPR]

" In some cases, land purchases by the Jewish agencies from absentee landlords led to the eviction of the Palestinian Arab tenants, who were replaced by the Jews of the kibbutzim. The Arabic speakers before World War I had the status of peasants (felaheen), and did not own their land although they might own the trees that grew on that land. Because most of these Jews were familiar with the European tradition of land-ownership, they did not realize that they were purchasing only the land, not the trees that grew on that land. This was often a source of misunderstanding and conflict. The olive tree is particularly important as it can remain productive for more than one thousand years."--wiki -- Mandate for Palestine

I think this will be the first time

in the United States history with Israel

that a President has sought war

and not peace.
Break the cycle, don't follow, lead in peace.

--bubblegumvision c2006

Which brand of Terrorism are you buying these days?

2006-07-19T22:17:00.000-04:00

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to The Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. "--Pledge of Allegiance.

British Mandate of Palestine, June 1922

1999
Cumulative total of aid to Israel, $90 billion (via updated 2003 Congressional report. Israel is the United States largest recipient of aid to a country).
--U.S. Aid to Israel

2001
August 2
Israeli helicopter attack on Nablus
G8 met in Genoa. Israel, faced with unanimous world condemnation, was given a rebuff for stance on Yassar Arafat and placement of international observers was declared and called for. Israel was to have none of it.
September 11
(no official report made). (911 is New York City's number for emergency help). Only one Israeli or Jewish death at the WTC lead to this report: Israelis at the WTC had pre-1991 warnings and this question, " Why at the time of heightened international condemnation of the terrorist acts of Israel?"
2002
israeli mission
2003
golan heights
Amnesty International Condemnation
2004
world court's condemnation of israel
commission on human rights
2006
January
We don't negotiate with Terrorists-- White House
May
"Israel has also refused to transfer $55 million in monthly tax revenues it collects for the Palestinian Authority."

"The United States and European Union have cut off direct aid to the Palestinian government while pledging to help meet the crushing humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people through charities and other means."
--SFgate.com, AP

July 13
United States Blocks Security Council Condemnation of Israel

July 17
G8 meets in Russia and the U.S. focuses on Hezbollah disgust amidst 300 civilian killings in Lebanon.

July 19

300 people dead in Lebanon in eight-day invasion by Israel

U.S. retaliation for 9/11 and occupation to date in Afghanistan

and Iraq have resulted in 256,000+ deaths and 550,000+ serious injuries

--unknown news

So what will it be?

Which brand will you buy?

Might you opt out for liberty and justice for All?

A lasting peace must be seen as just by both sides.

--Jews for Justice for Palestine

“…the search for the truth can never stop. It cannot be adjourned, it cannot be postponed. It has to be faced, right there, on the spot.” --“Art, Truth & Politics,” Harold Pinter, 2005 Nobel Laureate for Literature

“Call by Jews in Britain” “What is Israel doing?”

“We watch with horror the collective punishment of the people of Gaza. Everything reasonable must be done to secure Corporal Gilad Shalit’s safe release but nothing Israel is doing contributes to that aim. Instead, it is using its enormously superior military might to terrorize an entire people.”

“Destruction of the fragile Gaza infrastructure will not release Shalit. Bombing power stations and cutting off fuel supplies deprives people of electricity, refrigeration, pumped drinking water and sewage disposal services. It holds hostage hospital patients on life support systems, or undergoing dialysis. It brings the threat of epidemics and starvation.”

“As Gideon Levy wrote in the Israeli daily Ha’aretz, this is “not only pointless, but… blatantly illegitimate”. Gilad Shalit has become a pawn in the Israeli government’s ongoing battle to topple the democratically-elected government of the Palestinians.”

“Presenting this as an isolated hostage-taking incident ignores Israel’s regular snatching of Palestinians from their homes. Thousands are held in ‘administrative detention’ without trial, women and children amongst them. A doctor and his brother – civilians – were kidnapped from their home in Al Shouka, near Rafah, the day before Corporal Shalit was captured. Like him, they need to be returned to their families in the established practice of prisoner exchange. And all elected MPs, punitively imprisoned by Israel in recent days, must be immediately released.”

“For the US and its allies merely to call for ‘restraint’ is desperately inadequate – and evidently ineffective. This is a situation that requires determined action by the international community.”

Currently there are over 1,000 signatures on the petition. For further information, check out the website:
http://www.jfjfp.org/
or Email: info@jfjfp.org

human rights, Peace

What's your Diet? Coke or Peace?

2006-07-18T22:19:00.000-04:00

"Strategy & the Fat Smoker"

David Maister's manifesto at changethis.com

and

President Bush's current Diet Coke focus inspires me

to think about it...

Weight Watchers

[Peace Watchers]

its all about your strategy.

"Your strategy is a diet, not a goal.

Its about a permanent change in lifestyle
You must change the core scorecards
Leadership get serious, or get out of the way
Principles are more effective than tactics
People must volunteer [to do it]
People must get on or off the bus."

David Maister asks:

"What disciplines are you prepared to embrace?

What are the real questions?

Are you on the program or not?

Repeated short-lived efforts are detrimental to long-run success and lead to the attitude we can't do this, we've tried and we failed.

You have to change lifestyle now and forever or you are just wasting time"

[and lives]

David Maister's Manifesto for Change is also downloadable here

peace, diet coke

When Peace is Not the Answer, Follow?

2006-07-18T11:54:00.000-04:00

image created with meez.com and bubblesnaps.com

"I didn't want to expose them to all that hatred, I'm used to it, we've lived through the civil war in Lebanon, but this is different. I've never seen anything like this." --Luigi Durand de la Penne evacuee in Cyprus
"Cyprus is used to providing a safe haven for refugees from Lebanon - it frequently hosted civilians fleeing from the violence during the 15 years of civil war there. But never has it had to deal with such a sudden demand and on such a large scale."--BBC Cyprus
In Quotes: Lebanon
Bush - "My Attitude is this..."
Peretz - "We will no longer allow" ..."We will no longer put up with"
In New York City, Hillary Clinton campaigned illogical analogies about borders.

image: bubblegumvision 2002 Plymouth, MA

Air Wisdom - $30

2006-07-17T10:20:00.000-04:00

The apartment I live in is ruled by a leaseholder.

Currently air conditioning and anticipation of co-op status are motivational forces in who stays, who goes, who is pleasant and who is not.

In the almost two years I have lived here four people have come and three have gone. Roommate #4, a new roommate, is arriving in August. Roommate #3 is leaving on Tuesday, she was crying. Clearly this could have been worked out but for the backdrop of eminent domain and developer greed.

The last two roommates have left unhappily because of superficial cause, air conditioning. Last year, our leaseholder asked each of us for an additional $30 a month for air conditioner costs, Roommate #2 exited. This year, Roommate #3 left because she was not allowed to leave her air conditioner on when she was not home.

The leaseholder has two rooms and houses an air conditioner in the room that is supposed to be mine. Its purpose is to cool off her two rooms. Very late at night there are multiple changings of the thermostat, not to mention very cold blasts coming through my tatami mat where I sleep.

When said air conditioner is not in use, the window is left wide open. Because some people leave food out, etc. flies wind up in my room. I have no food in my room or for that matter in the kitchen or bathroom.

When the question of security was brought up by my leaseholder, I sought to embrace the "new honesty" and mention how people were leaving the front door unlocked, the windows were left wide open and unknown men were hanging out in the stairwell to the roof at twilight hours (i.e. right outside of our door, one even told me I had 30 seconds to lock the door). The ruling response was "I knew what I could do", "Stuff towels under my door if I don't like it."

Currently the leaseholder has put her bed mattress in her outer room because there is no air planning in her rooms. Therefore I am an intruder in the simple task of entering my room. I have no privacy.

Is this enough to leave?

Urban Digs has excavated the current New York City vacancy rate, 0.89%, a three year low. So the answer is, maybe in 2015 when the City is to become a Palace and I, a Queen.

Meanwhile back to the purpose of this post, $30 air wisdom...

Weeks ago I offered solutions about air planning and eventually it was agreed that the air conditioner in my room would be moved into hers. I asked again yesterday if that was going to be done. She said "Give me $30 and it will be done before she leaves on vacation." I gave her $30.

I've been doing research on air conditioning. Air conditioning really isn't good for us. We can live without it. It might not even be so good for the elderly.

For $30 I could buy a window fan from Amazon. There is a $30 price difference between the Bionaire BW2300 at $60 and the Holmes HAWF-2041 at $30. What is the kick ass difference? Noise. Amazon reviewers mentioned noise for the Holmes HAWF-2041. Amazon reviewers mentioned quiet for the Bionaire. The longtail wags for Bionaire BW2300.

Okay so its going to cost me another $30 to do the right thing (buy a holmes) and put a window fan where the big air conditioner once was.

In Bikram yoga I was so proud of the owners. When the temperatures reached 99 degrees outside they just opened up the windows and turned off the heat. Now that is totally cool with me.

air conditioning, eminent domain, long tail

Most Downloaded Podcast Can't Shake the Office

2006-07-17T00:12:00.000-04:00

This isn't a Fact yet, but the likely winner of the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records for "Most Downloaded Podcast" will be Ricky Gervais of "Office" fame. 295,000 downloads per Audible podcast [via MarketingVox].

The recipe for success:
BBC, BBC, BBC
inability to shake off "Office" Brent's "two-faced, hypocrical, lying and inept" personna.---Yahoo Movies Ricky Gervais Biography
Master politically incorrect ("PI").

The #1 BBC sitcom is lensed for you by Squidoo.

Humour? load down this, "elderly women should give birth right before dying??'

Okay, so let's say you've mastered this kind of wierd funny and are PI. How do you get on the BBC.?

How to get on the BBC.

I wondered if Vanna White clapped. She is the Guinness World Record holder for most claps, over 140,000 times a year. via Silicon Heights

ricky gervais, bbc, english humour, Office, Guinness Book of World Records, audible podcast

Boom Has Bloomed

2006-07-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

To be fair I've only watched one episode of Rocketboom before, impressively lead by Team Amanda. [see "iPod Video shall be revolutionary"]

However, Casual Fridays will never be the same after Team Joanne.

History:
Has a Rocket Lost its Brand
Team Amanda

rocketboom

Is Times Square still Times' Square?

2006-07-15T21:25:00.000-04:00

I've been taking the bus lately down Times Square and I wondered why it was named so. The answer is that The New York Times (the "Grey Lady") built Times Tower and moved there in 1904. The square was formerly known as "Long Acre Square."

Is the New York Times still on Times Square? Actually, no. They built an annex on 43rd street in 1913 and have moved their headquarters there. They sold Times Towers in 1961.

The Grey Lady doesn't live there anymore[see the process via wirednewyork]. The piece of land is all about ad clutter anyway and not The New York Times. Why not rename it accordingly to "Billboard Alley"?

The answers I found to my questions about Times Square were at wikipedia. Is wikipedia always right? David Siegal says no in "Built to Evolve."

Grand Central, New York City, Bat Friendly

2006-07-15T21:01:00.000-04:00

I entered Grand Central on the 42nd Street side today. A bat zoomed in closeby and looked like it was going to land somewhere on me. It was a little frightening. I don't know a zombat from a wombat. So I looked for police officers to inquire about the bat. I couldn't find any. I went up to the NYC info booth. The attendant said, "Really?" I said, "You can't do anything about it?" She said, "No, I think that's cool."

I searched for police. I passed by the guerrilla squad. Finally found, the police officer said "Oh that's okay. That's a fruit bat. They come into Grand Central from the Metro North Tracks and they fly around. At night they'll find their way back to the tracks. They won't bother you unless you bother them."

I thought about New York's finest's answer. I looked down at my bag. It had my wet yoga clothes in it. I had imbibed a berry drink before yoga. Then I looked up at the tshirt I was wearing. It had a bat design on it.

Just now I was able to look up fruit bats. They are night creatures and sound more interesting than wombats (women with a "passion for pedaling in the dirt" :) Fruit bats can fly but they are lousy landers. They get into fights with each other over lousy landings. Predators: Humans sometimes eat them.

update: I told the above story to my yoga teacher, amanda. She said it was a great story. Good maybe it will make it into someone's 110 degree day. She too was freaked about the word "bat".

geekboy said the following:
"There are really fruit bats in the tunnels? I think he was pulling your leg? You should be careful about nocturnal animals that come out in the day light - it normally means that they've been disturbed and are in a bad mood or that they're sick. Bats can carry rabies."

oops, I guess he missed that the bat actually attempted a lousy land on me. Ooh, disturbed nocturnal animals (new york city is alive with them). This is the third time in my life that i have been eyeball to eyeball with a "real" wild animal. The first time was a moose on the highway in my car window in ski country East, White Mountains and the second was with the Rats of Bushwick.

bats, new york city, Grand Central

Is there an expiration date on my Wi-Fi?

2006-07-15T00:20:00.000-04:00

I was wondering. Have I been reading too much of Businessweek?

Was I just getting sentimental over things I might need to throw away or recycle?

Check out Wi-max in this issue of businessweek to see if wifi has been maxed out.

Who put WiFi in Central Park? Check out WiFi Salon

'iPod killer.'

wifi, wimax

M20 and Two Mississippi

2006-07-15T00:06:00.000-04:00

Robert Wagner Jr. Park, image by bubblegumvision studios c2006

Today, I took the M20 from my yoga class to work.

It goes down 7th avenue to Battery Park.

Several observations along the way:

GT billboard ads: one billboard reads "One Mississippi" and the next billboard reads "Two Mississippi" and is a magnificent green background with a blue GT.

I was impressed. However, when 10 taxicabs would not yield to the bus and a blue GT just one mississippi two mississippi zoomed around them all, that my friends, was clearly inspirational.

Next billboards up were Liz Claiborne, several full billboards with Cindy Crawford who recently signed with IMG World.

Next scene, through the airspace of the WTC, the largest banner sign I've ever seen on any building. This building was Century 21. The banner? "Huge Summer Clearance Sale." I found it somewhat perplexing.

Last stop, Robert Wagner Jr. Park. A peaceful spot, idyllic. Echinea, hosta, lavender, sailboats, Statute of Liberty.

billboards

When the corn looks like watermelon and the cauliflower looks like corn...

2006-07-15T00:05:00.000-04:00

Is this nutrition? Are innovative farmers turning our world around?

Want more facts about what's inside the food, checkout the Cornell Extension at these Open Air Markets in New York City on Saturdays.

Hi-Fi, Wi-Fi, My-Fi, Sci-Fi?

2006-07-13T23:25:00.000-04:00

I just can't make up my mind.

Do I want a phone or an iPod or neither?

A number of business / tech papers are claiming Microsoft is coming out with an "iPod killer.'

They say it sports a hookup with wi-fi community (not friendly or social). Count on gremlins not elves for Xmas (MusicGremlins) .

and Zing (not ping) ("soundtracking your life")

iPod on a pedestal?

Macuser analyst says, 'iPod Killer' not worthy. Historically, Apple wi-fi iPod due out this year.

The real My-Fi, Euro Asia budsters are leaving iPod home alone, while phone and they go partying. Japanese lead in tunetime equals airtime.

The sci-fi of it for me is that someday both icons will be gone. We'll be budsters sending visual messages to our brain sitting pretty in our Hovercraft.

The bottom line? According to New York Metro's darker side of happiness, those who make do are happier than those with lots of choices. I'm cool with that.

'iPod killer.'

wifi

The Fallen get an "I"

2006-07-11T22:25:00.001-04:00

image from "Have You Seen This Man" - kenlayisalive.org

Although Fifa World Cup 2006 best player, Zidane's career is ended by Forbes with "Ignominious end" and "Ignoble end."

Kenneth Lay Lays in RIP with Icon status from SFGate.com (see "Ken Lay - officially an Icon"). Lays "Innocent" [no sentencing] and an Indian giver [contextually from Time.]

I asked the Magic 8 Ball, "Is Kenneth Lay Alive?" and it returned "Don't Count On It."

I asked the same of the Ouija Board, it returned "No."

Still, this is the man who convinced leagues of bankers and employees that his business was real when they knew it was not. The sentencing on September 11, 2006 would give Lay up to 45 years (Skilling over 100 years). What do either of them have to lose, its hardly a risk. So I continued my great quest for the truth about the death of Lay.

The Dilbert Blog says ask the pizza guy in Ken Lay.

Ken Lay is Alive asks "Have you Seen this Man."

I ask.com

Show me the money?
Lay death makes money claim moot: lawyers

Can't the Feds get Lay's money?

Jim Lehrer and Barry Boss tried to answer some questions.

Mother Jones says Lay has a lawsuit-proof nestegg that matures in 2007.

Where is the body?

New York Post cover "Check he's in it"

Two memorial services are very secretive with very few people invited.

Finally Lay to Be Buried in Colorado After Houston `Broke His Heart.'

image via cnn from new york post [Will someone just] "Check he's in it"

and while someone is doing that a blogger and cnn are looking for Suri Cruise, her official birth certificate has been posted.

Want your product to be a hit? Then behave, Miss...

2006-07-11T11:59:00.000-04:00

Chris Anderson expands his October 2004 Wired "Long Tail" territory from the world where Misses can become hits and (can hits become Misses?) to the physics of Miss marketing in #24 on Amazon, "The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More..."

The Long Tail is the 80% of products that Miss out on non-ecommerce Hit market connections. Chris admits that Hollywood still thrives on Hit connections. (Doesn't Hollywood also partake of available channeling?)

The commerce of internet business channels Amazon, Netflix, itunes and Rhapsody enable Miss, making her available to all, to become a hit. Jeff Bezos of Amazon is the poster boy for "Long Tail." He conceived of using the customer's behavior as a way of advertising the Misses and bringing them their hit status when they found their niche market.

Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired, somewhat already connected, has an Amazon hit. How'd he do it? Channelling? See his typepad blog at longtail.

Answer a question from flavorpill for free admission to Chris Anderson's niche marketing party.

PARTY: Book Launch
WIRED and Flavorpill present The Long Tail feat. Spank Rock w/ Aloe Blacc and DJ James Murphy
when:
Wed 7.12 (9pm-2am)
where:
Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick St, 212.941.2000) map
price:
to 50 contest winners (see giveaway question)
links:
The Long Tail Tribeca Cinemas Spank Rock Aloe Blacc James Murphy

Has a Rocket Lost its Brand?

2006-07-11T11:00:00.000-04:00

Could the detonate of the boom be a boon for podcast TV?

Digital Inspiration highlights the adventures of Andrew and Amanda in the current marketing of their new shows. He also lists alternative boom in the podcast TV industry.

Want a $10 gift certificate? Come up with the right answer to the 88 slide one minute TV show's trivia question.

Do you understand chroma Key and skype podcasting? Want to? Geek Brief TV

Later on in the week, Globe and Mail had this to say about Amanda Congdon of "Rocketboom":

"The delicious fact remains that Congdon started as Internet cheesecake
and, at the end of the day, has basically walked off with the brand. But she has
done more: She has helped redefine on-line celebrity as something that lasts
more than 15 minutes. ..."--Ivor Tossel, Globe and Mail, Rocketboom
Goes Bust Without Amanda.
Duncan Riley YouTubes that 'Andrew Baron is not Evil.'

Going cowbunga over Digg

2006-07-11T08:29:00.000-04:00

image by meez.com
thinking bubble by bubblesnaps.com

note: Cowbunga as defined in urban dictionary includes: "An exclamation of rejoice from the early 1990s. Usually uttered by teenagers wearing neon colors."

Some people will see purple when they read Squidoo founder, Seth Godin's "What Should Digg do?"

If you put a lense on the assets of Digg it will become a dinosaur not a cow? Does Digg make Google Adsense? Should Squidoo and Digg merge for monetary means?

I never use Digg. You have to Dig to excavate a few of the "highly leveraged" or Digg people's social artifacts. Better use of time for the leveraged individual seeking artifact is ask.com or google.

For instance, to find out "how much color is worth" on Digg you must use Google to dig Digg.
digg - $349 a Gallon Color Changing Wall Paint

A direct search on "how much color is worth" on Digg results in the response:

"There aren't any stories in this topic right now. There might be stories here soon so check back. Try browsing a different topic for now. "

The same search at other competitive and "highly leveraged" sources results in the following:

Google: [The color of your car determines its worth] What Will Your Car Be Worth Down the Road?

At ask.com The right color is worth a million sales

Google Adsense on Digg makes sense because the Digg people like their content and thus the ads should be found relevant and effective.

The Soaring 2000s

2006-07-10T01:20:00.000-04:00

How does one get inspired to create the Soaring 2000s T? Read Karmaloops blog. Their post on "Garbege" Roaring 20's T sounded like a good deal and a challenge. Great art T to curate in a garbege can if you use the code word "garbege" when ordering.

"Garbege" Ts below.

"a collection of conversation-starting T-shirts for both men and women by Garbege to its offerings. Every piece in the Garbege collection tells a story, usually involving a reference to a cultural event, work of art, or individual that broke racial and social barriers."--garbege

tshirts, karmaloop, garbege

Marketing the Prisoner's Cause Part I - Random Acts of Forgiveness

2006-07-10T00:37:00.000-04:00

I have this belief if I apply my new learnings from "Waiting for the Cat to Bark" to my nephew's case he might get a better benefit than he did from paid for legal services.

Today I was listening to the Advertising Show podcast. It featured the marketing executive for DHL. One of the rebranding events she launched was Random Acts of Kindness in Times Square last September. DHL employees gave out free Wall Street Journals, water and free London taxi rides among other things. The press coverage was enormous.

A network show launched such a Random Acts of Kindness campaign in all the boros of New York City a couple of years before. Services being rendered were paid for such as Coffee at Starbucks, coffee carts, metrocards and coins put into a load of laundry. This network kept a low profile, they only wanted their contracted messengers to commit the act on behalf of the name of the show. Nothing else was to be said. The results were amazing. Feedback was that many of the receivers of the acts thought the world of the show and its leading actress. One person even wanted to know what she could do for the actress. There were below zero temperatures for the three day event yet the sun lit up whereever there were acts of kindness given. The theme was totally in sync with the show's theme. It was relevant and made sense. A whole lot of good feelings were garnered for the show.

So I am thinking, how can I start my own little campaign, "Random Acts of Forgiveness?" The first way will be everytime I send my nephew some money for what I know he likes to do and is good at: acting, reading, writing, drawing, creating, helping people, I'll include something to give another or others. One thing about my nephew every money he ever earned or received, even when he was 4 years old, he gave to someone else. He's got a big heart. I was the same way. I always gave away everything I owned to others.

Can you hear how great podcasts are?

random acts

Who is your real Dada?

2006-07-09T16:02:00.000-04:00

While our MOMA is "in a state of mind" over Dada, I've gone back in memory to find a delightful hotspot...

Five years ago I met my niece and her drummer with geekboy in Baltimore, MD.

I had a museum I wanted to show them. American Visionary Art Museum.

We spent several hours in a state of awe and inspiration. The American Visionary Art Museum was created by Rebecca Hoffberg in 1995.

"I wanted a place that was a shrine to intuition, the bottom line of our museum is they’re self-taught, not copying any established school. They have to find their own way." --Rebecca Hoffberg to Cincinatti.com, "Unlikely Artists Featured..."

This memory hotspot was prompted by my nephew's recent sentencing in Houston, Texas. I remembered this artist.

"Prisoner Raymond Materson, who served 15 years for a hold-up with a toy gun, unraveled socks so he could stitch the tiny, highly detailed ‘Alien Threat’ [and many other works]."

"I’m very interested in people who kind of dance out on the edge....
They made art to persevere"--Rebecca Hoffberg to Cincinatti.com, "Unlikely Artists Featured..."

dada

Team Amanda

2006-07-09T05:23:00.000-04:00

Okay enough already with Digital Inspiration. He asks in

"Attractive MTV VJ Joanne Colan replaces Amanda Congdon" :

"Comparing the picture of Joanne with Amanda, who do you think is more pretty ?"

While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Team Amanda has both beauty and brains...

Rocketboom is not a cosmetic, clothes or a purse, right?

Rocketboom is Amanda, and sadly, for Rocketboom, Amanda is not Rocketboom.

Bad marketing on Andrew Baron's part? See Amanda Unboomed.

rocketboom

World Cup 2006 Viral Domination

2006-07-09T02:28:00.000-04:00

survey

Going Ape over lovebirds

2006-07-09T00:30:00.000-04:00

image by geekboy c2006, edited by bubblegumvision c2006

Last Sunday I went to the Bronx Zoo with geekboy. Its pretty easy you just take the Express Bus to the Zoo on Madison Avenue. You can use your metrocard, that came out to a roundtrip of $8 each.

The birds were pretty interesting. I took notes and now I can't read them, great. The male bird in a few species were adguys. They knocked themselves out when building a nest then hanging upside down, strutting plummage, basically showcasing themselves to their intended mate. They expanded their marketing by building several nests to catch several females. Bird leveraging. So if you want to see how romance should be just go to the Bronx Zoo, you'll be inspired. Geekboy says he was.

The Apes were inspiring they really know how to enjoy life. We got in on one of the many enrichment programs designed to keep intelligent monkey minds sharp.

The elephant and the polar bear were either taking lunch or at the vet.

Geekboy thanked me endlessly, said he would have never thought of going to the Zoo. Well then, its back to the birdhouse for him.

footnote on the 'W' hotel. Geekboy said that the one we stayed at was not clean. Yeah the last set of towels were unbelieveable. The cleanup crew didn't have communications skills, and the desk wasn't much better. The cafe had flies flying around. I guess that hotel on lex gets a 'kick in the ass'. Sorry. The air conditioner was very cold. I woke up with strep throat there. Who knows maybe it came from the leaseholder who has been coughing up a storm. She says she got it from the air conditioner at work. My agency says everyone is getting sick from the air conditioner. It took me a week to kick it, today I feel much better, I got to do yoga!

Free complaints in NYC next week

2006-07-08T22:12:00.000-04:00

The New York Times has tipped us off in Andy Newman's "Here's Proof That New Yorkers Like To Complain." Its a good go see yourself as there is a slideshow.

However, the key to this post is F-R-E-E:

"These letters and several dozen of others have been compiled by a conceptual artist named Matthew Bakkom into a tabloid-size booklet called "The New York City Museum of Complaint," which he will hand out in parks in Lower Manhattan in
the next week. ...

The booklet is also available free at the Miguel Abreu gallery on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side."
--"Here's Proof That New Yorkers Like To Complain"

[Miguel Abreu Gallery.com -- 36 Orchard St New York, NY 10002 Lower East Side ]

Will Patent Bubble Pop Social Networks' Bubble?

2006-07-08T14:55:00.000-04:00

or will it be the other way around.

Friendster now wields a bubble-like patent over social networks. Six Degrees of Separation in every color is multi-referenced. See here.

o-o-o-p-s, Dejavu, i.e., haven't I heard a story exactly like this one and read a patent very similar before?

Yes. Here it is. October 2002 British Telecom owns patent to hyperlinks (“hyperlink patent” (US Patent No. 4,873,662, “the Patent”)). When they reactivated the patent (also buried deep in their IP database), they asked numerous supposedly infringing entities to cough up on a Microsoft-like business model license. The U.S. Judge said no can do.

Patents cost big time to create and administer, tens of thousands. Wowsa! I'm not knocking it, I'm popping it. Cause in the current game of "Who Wants to Be an Entrepreneur?" c2006 bubblegumvision.com, you've got to totally protect your name and it might cost you a million.

Want to know why the social networks bubble is probably not worth a million. Pop!

patent bubble, social networking, bubble, entrepreneur

Do the French Just Look Better in Short Pants?

2006-07-08T13:55:00.000-04:00

Or do they wear the bikini when it comes to bureaucracy.

On the French's advance to the final match of the World Cup 2006:

"This team has shown its ability to endure pressure, buckle down, stick together and hold out," coach Raymond Domenech said. "--TuscanCitizen

These are the elements of fighting the crazy of bureaucracy and the French invented the word "bureaucracy."

Learn more from your opinionated but friendly "Cheat to Win" guy, Bob MacDonald, in the Podcast Episode 8: Bureaucracy.

bikini - French
graffito - Italian

entrepreneur, world cup

Is Rock a Crock? When it comes to Africa??

2006-07-08T06:31:00.000-04:00

Bono Yahoo!'d a question about poverty yesterday and he got about 22,000 plus answers. Who can read all that, I read two and needed some fresh air.

African journalists and politicians have been writing the answer. I noticed the U.S. billionaires and rockstars never listen or acknowledge them. That's my question to the rock crock why do you not listen? Why do you just promote yourself on behalf of Africa.

Missionaries and churches have been taking large monies for Africa since I was a small kid, its been going on for decades. I have a brother who tithes a large percentage of his pay to a church that has an African program. I asked him do you have money for your child's college? Isn't that a priority?

African people have to help themselves. They have to stand up to the government that rules them and kick out all the western corporations, every last one of them. They have to kick out the Western pharma and doctors. They have to end the diamond trade. Google or Ask.com, the answers are there.

The Sydney Morning Herald has once again written a great article, "How Poverty Rocked Music."

"Moeletsi Mbeki, the deputy chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs and the brother of the South African president, Thabo Mbeki, warned Geldof of "a real danger that far from combating poverty in Africa you are making things worse".

He said: "You do not understand the core problem. If you want to end poverty in Africa, you must treat the disease, not the symptoms. That disease is the shocking lack of accountability afforded towards the African people by those who rule them. The truth of Western aid is that for every pound, dollar and euro that finds its way to the needy, another is propping up corrupt governments such as Robert Mugabe's in Zimbabwe.""--The Sydney Morning Herald, "How poverty rocked music"

My personal answer is yes, Rock is a Crock. When we in the United States have cured our poverty and disease then maybe and only maybe we might look at Africa. Its a strong message of a nation's self hatred when our corporations and rock stars and celebrities act out in Africa.

May I now google in Yahoo! ?

2006-07-08T06:02:00.000-04:00

No, in the ultimate marketing coup, the Merriam Webster Dictionary provides that if I google I must use the Google search engine.

google - Merriam Webster Dictionary entry -": to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web "

yahoo! - Merriam Webster Dictionary entry - yahoo!
Invalid input. No entries found: yahoo!.

lycos - Merriam Webster Dictionary entry - The word you've entered isn't in the dictionary. Click on a spelling suggestion below or try again using the search box to the right.

aha! The first search engine to make the dictionary, was already in the dictionary.

You can always ask at ask.com

The urban dictionary shares a more egalitarian approach:

google is defined as god, yahoo! as a life engine, alta vista as a 'desperate' trying to be like g and alas, lycos gets no love here.

Which takes me to lovemarks the ultimate mark of branding. Like who do you love? when it comes to search engines.

Google 1,212 lovemarks

Yahoo! 48 lovemarks

All the others have no lovemarkers.

The Sydney Morning Herald covers more details of google / Google in BizTech "From Google to just plain google"

search

Bust the next gathering that serves alcohol to teens

2006-07-07T23:41:00.000-04:00

I busted my family christmas party a couple of years back, my nephew then 15 was drunk. I was shunned, scooted out, banished, everyone denied the possibility. Finally after much pleading a guy took him out and checked. Suddenly the source right under the adults' nose was found. Sure wasn't brain science on my part, if the adults had not been so self-absorbed and entitled they would have seen the scene. I heard he had found liquor at a niece's wedding last year also. Hell-o.

Clip this one from the New York Times, "The Grim Neurology of Teenage Drinking." They checked this one out from the July 3, 2006 Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine survey for 43,000 plus adults. "47 percent of those who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 14 become alcohol dependent at some time in their lives, compared with 9 percent of those who wait at least until age 21."

The NYTimes article is about "research [that] even suggests that early heavy drinking may undermine the precise neurological capacities needed to protect oneself from alcoholism."

A deli.cio.us Choice

2006-07-07T22:10:00.000-04:00

Who is Jakob Lodwick and why is he writing a citibank check for $100 to a del.icio.us challenge winner?

If anyone knows about Viral, Jakob Lowick of blumpy.org, CollegeHumor, Busted Tees, and Vimeo would. He wants to see how many people will bookmark his del.icio.us challenge.

del.icio.us Challenge taker FAQ:

What will you do with the check?

I'll sign it over and send it to my nephew at the county jail with a 'W note' : Take the right chance!

Who tipped you off?

Digital Inspiration

Yesterday I wrote that the court gave my nephew a choice. Big mistake. Maybe they just want to see what he does. My brother sold his motorcycle so his son could have the better choice. My nephew is set to reject it, he'd rather take 7 months jail in state and become a felon than go to a county jail for 3 months and 1 year to a correctional facility for rehab, with no felon on his record. My nephew needs help. He shouldn't be allowed a choice. While ADD may be brilliant they also are not smart. They speak a different language, a different world.

Today in court he chose the right thing. The judge made him admit he had a drinking problem. Everyone in court cried. Finally. I think though that this would make a better ad than the Hitler was an abused child one. Because parents don't know they are abusive, they always think they are doing the right thing. They only know what they got from the parents before them. So they cry for my nephew today. A psychologist said once that you can rehab the person but if you put them into the same family situation they return to the way they are. Maybe rehab should help cure the parents too.

update: i spoke to another source, my nephew's father. He said the lawyer did a half-[assed] job. She never knew the court date or the court choices. She never communicated, she just talked to the judge. She kept going to extremes, such as 3 years in state, as opposed to 3 months and 1 year rehab. Thats why my nephew could never make a choice and he was held up in anxiety all the time. It turns out he'll also have half a year of half-way house and two years of parole. Noone knows where he is going yet.

Anyway one could go on and on about the crappy justice system, school systems and parenting. Bootcamp has shown that it just turned my nephew into a hardened criminal. He wasn't the same as he was. He was drinking a whole lot, he was hating iraqis and he wanted to be a marine.

My nephew is a lucky person. His dad gave up material things for him. His dad got all 5 days next week covered with family members to go visit my nephew. If the court remains true to word this a great opportunity for my nephew. Right now he can't have cigarettes or booze for three months. Then he goes into rehab for a year. Then a half-way house. What I am worried about most is he'll have changed and all the "structure" he is leaving behind won't. I read that states will grant a privilege to paroles who apply for a residency in another state. I have a whole year and a half to get that arranged. That I believe might work. Because I am not like my family, not at all. I left them early because I was smart. Its a losing situation. I have never smoked. I only drank a little bit on special occasions when I was 35. I have been a victim but never in trouble are engaged with the law. I avoid them. I think the law is a terrible hypocrite.

If I win that del.cio.us $100 I will send half for my nephew for art and the other half for someone less fortune at that same facility for art. The reason my nephew is in there is because he had no community. Maybe he will have one there. That's the difference between Houston and New York. In New York we try to work it out in the community, we don't grab for the police. In Houston you have a bunch of nut jobs who just pick up the phone and call the police. They don't even talk to the parents. I do believe that laid the foundation. Then the family was careless with booze and cigarettes. Sister, niece, and his mom. Addiction changes the brain, and on the young its devastating. My nephew was in a daycare center since he was about two weeks old and I really believe that has alot to do with his value system. I think his value system will be the hardest thing to change.

Matches made in heaven? Roommates.com

2006-07-06T14:57:00.000-04:00

I am really getting hooked on GoDaddy.com "onine with bob parsons" since registering a number of dot us domains last weekend. I'd been on the email list for the show since its inception. I could never make the time. At purchase time I bumped into the podcasts. Wow you know I might learn something to help in the us dot com world.

The first dot.com interview I listened to was about an ebay spinoff. Geekboy and I saw the shop off of lexington and the 30s. Geekboy scoffed, a success I doubt it. Its so expensive, the ebay fees. So, really, I don't know.

Then I listened to the interview about roommates.com. These guys offered a roommate listing service for free for a few months. Then when people started using the site they charged $20 a month. Within a month they had made $1,000. They brought their dad on board for business know how. Listen to the full story here.

Roommate.com mentioned that some people were looking for compatible partners in their listing, things worked out and they got married. Roommate.com is the #1 roommate listing service in the nation. That marriage mention sure would make a good ad. They also talk about some of the offshoots to their service.

Roommates in New York City is a complex process. I've obtained my last two places from craigs' list. Some interesting characteristics about the leaseholders, the one I could mention is that they were looking for good looking girls. I was never aware of that. The next place I get will be my own. I only started this roommate thing two and a half years ago. I've never had to move because of some disagreement. I've moved to get away from uncleaniness and vermin. I keep so busy I am hardly ever home. I still feel that the past two years of roommates, not having my own place, really impeded my path to success. Hmmm, maybe I should try to find a compatible roommate at roommates.com before diving into solitary.

Bikini at 60 is Atomic, sales are up 80%

2006-07-06T11:23:00.000-04:00

"The bikini is associated with scandal and that's why it survived."--Kelly Killoren Bensimon, "The Bikini Book"

In 1946 the buzz word was "atomic." Louis Reard engineered the word "le bikini" to advertise his passion to create the world's smallest swimsuit. He envisioned that the bikini would have the buzz power equivalent of the bomb. His competitor, designer Jacque Heim, launched the first bikini on the beach. Mr. Reard was being held up with rejection. Noone would dare pose in such a thing. Finally a nude dancer agreed to strike a pose in his bikini advertisement. Viva le bikini, scandal and atomic marketing wrapped up in a tiny package and worn exclusively in France.

Looking back at the 60s, did American women emancipate the bikini or did the bikini emancipate them? Prior to the 60s, the "Modern Girl" ostracized the bikini on behalf of American Women with:

"It is hardly necessary to waste words over the so-called bikini since it is inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency would ever wear such a thing."

"French fashion historian Olivier Saillard argues that the bikini imposed itself due to "the power of women, and not the power of fashion". "--BBC, "The Bikini, Not a Brief Affair"

In 1975 Christie Brinkley launched her career as a swimsuit model with the scandal of tanga ("one step beyond the normal line").

There was a lull in the history of the bikini, 1980-2004, sells were down. The 80% sells up in the past two years is attributed in debate. One side argues that the bikini is the chain around young women's psyche and physical well being. The other side defends this bikini boom as the baby boomer's hold on their youth.

Personally, youth is tagging after me, and a bikini sounds good for bikram yoga sessions, no solar exposure and the water doesn't hang in until you turn upside down, water up the nose is a bummer.

bikini

When the Judicial system can be harmful to society's health

2006-07-05T23:03:00.000-04:00

from "Striking Down Hope for Inmates," June 30, 2006

"2.3 million Americans are in prison, this year alone.."

"600,000 of them will be released back to our communities."

"within 3 years, two-thirds of them will be arrested for new crimes against new victims."

A judge has ordered a faith-based organization (IFI) to refund the $1.5 million it received from the state of Iowa for the non-faith based part of its program. I.e. the judge ordered the state to take back money IFI rightfully earned. This is a striking, unhidden display of the dishonesty of our judicial and criminal system. We have a system that is money based, the judging and incarcerating get big, big money for what they do and the cheaper they do it the better for them. If you willingly paid someone to do a job and they fulfilled the contract you cannot renege on your end of the contract. If we do not fight this latest offense then I believe we should all start fearing our own freedom.

"The judge's message is this: Go away. Go away, even if your program is working and inmates are volunteering and asking for the services."--Washington Post, Mark L. Earley

youth in trouble

When MTA rules forbid drinking why do they promote BASS beer?

2006-07-05T15:30:00.000-04:00

These people have the right idea about keeping the beer out of the World Cup.

Give Bud the Boot from World Cup, Groups Say CSPI Newsroom June 23, 2006

Yesterday I was taking the Grand Central Shuttle over to the West Side. The whole waiting area of the shuttle is plastered with marketing for BASS beer. They even use feminine seduction and connection with New York City in their tagline. Think again. The MTA rule books say no drinking.

It reminds me of a "Trading Spaces" episode when the designer plastered wine labels all over the walls of a conservative, non-drinking, Christian home kitchen. Think again, the contestant neighbors were politely telling her.

If a teen isn't allowed to drink until 21 then how do they get the booze? My nephew is 18 and was put in the county jail over the holiday for violating parole months ago. He is awaiting sentencing to the Texas state pen. His college fund has gone to support a JAG lawyer and his dad's motorcycle sold to get him a better sentence for the county jail term. Talk about big scams. Its all about booze, ADD and a public school system that took the money for ADD but did nothing for it but dispense Ritalin and kick the kid out of school permanently at the 10th grade level. A kid who is incredibly smart and socialable and he has ADD. The people who should be in jail are the ones who sold or gave him beer. He should be in a rehab center. The state has already sent him to bootcamp. He came out hating Iraqis and wanting to join the Marines. He had been forcibly injected with animal steroids and his scoliosis condition worsened by workouts for aggression. All the wild behavior comes when applied with drink. The state punished him for being a drunk. Weren't they suppose to rehab him, not make him another poor to send to the war. He met plenty of people who had problems with drink at that Bootcamp. When they got out they were drinking buddies sporting Marine t-shirts all wanting to go to Iraq.

When society is not smart enough to take care of its ill do we just keep marketing beer like its something desireable like all the other crap we market and create our celebrities from? My nephew is something all these people are not. He is beautiful, he is brilliant and he has a good soul.

The film poster of 50 cents was taken down (see Did 50 cents get his 2 cents?). Yet, we allow hard liquor ads and beer ads to be plastered all over the city, acceptable graffiti.

youth in trouble, graffiti

A blogspotter makes Yahoo!'s front page

2006-07-05T10:56:00.001-04:00

Cafe Siena has made Yahoo!'s front page featured section "Observing the Observer" with the video, "A Most Famous Work of Art."

The blog, "Cafe Siena" celebrates Chris Ivanyi's life based out of West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Check out this post entry.

Congratulations! The beautiful work marketed itself.

Can you trust the HIV test?

2006-07-05T04:30:00.000-04:00

On HIV testing day with great apprehension I published the link to the celebrity-driven announcement entrusting a day of empowerment and community. I had much misgiving and little time to write otherwise. I read the materials and found basic information about reasonable precautions a person could take in their life that would give them a sense of empowerment instead of fear.

At the same time I knew that the AIDS celebrity and billionaire efforts that are hyping Africa and AIDS are misplaced and little has come from them for decades and on the same path little will come in the future. The very premise of how that disease gets propagated in Africa has very little to do with medicine. It is about Western exploitation and support of a dominating regime. That is why the disease rages on.

How Rock Stars Betray the Poor

"Africa’s misery is a great product to sell, above all for companies, consultants, and certain cultural actors and celebrities. "--Charles Abugre, Christian Aid

"Africa needs fundamental change to heal its wound"--Charles Abugre

Asking questions is a good thing and being less accepting even better when you are dealing with medicine. This is not a religious point of view. This is a life experience.

An example of overdiagnosis and rampant use of tests that do more harm than good are x-rays.

Don't be ordered around, ask questions.

Here is the link to Can you trust the HIV test?

"Eleopulos and her co-authors conclude by stating that the use of antibody tests to predict or diagnose HIV infection, or for epidemiological surveillance, "needs," as she politely puts it, "to be carefully reappraised." I will be less than polite and tell you that these tests are not accurate; they are a treacherous deception and making any life-and-death decisions based on a positive antibody test is a very foolish thing to do. It can only lead to tragedy."--Christine Johnson, virusmyth

x-rays harmful? overdiagnosis?

"A significant reduction in death rates is the gold standard for any cancer screening test. Our follow-up of the Mayo Lung Project shows that an intense regimen of chest X-rays in the 1970s and 1980s did not meet this standard. Likewise, until spiral CT scans are proven to save lives, they should not be recommended as a cancer screening test. The benefits of any screening test must outweigh the harm."
--Mayo Lung Project

Strong and Sensitive, seen on a Green Line NYC Subway, the Mitchum Man is Alive!

2006-07-04T22:00:00.000-04:00

image by geekboy, nyc subway, c2006

Less than a year ago Viacom Outdoors got a good talking to because of the words of the Mitchum Man. This summer the Mitchum Man has his own website and some "sensitive" dialogue. (See mitchumman.com if you must.)

"If you give up your seat to a pregnant woman you are a 'sensitive' Mitchum Man."

"If you're careful when you assume someone is pregnant you are a 'sensitive' Mitchum Man.

The last ad in this subway train's MM series omits the "sensitive" and lays the original Mitchum Man on the line:

"If you have ever considered having one of these poles installed in your apartment, you're a Mitchum Man."

pole lessons

Its the likes of this last ad that gave the MTA heebie jeebies last year. As New York City commuters know, so too the Mitchum Man knows, the MTA doesn't really care. People still walk between cars, bring baby strollers onto the subway train, block the subway car's entrance and occupy more than two seats. So what's another reinforcing ad to you?

Victoria's Secret Edges out the Go Daddy Girl

2006-07-02T00:52:00.000-04:00

...
when it comes to making ad sense and relevance. Want to know why the cat approach has it over the dogs? Check out Jeffrey Eisenberg's talk at the Austin AMA on the hearthis.com podcast or buy the Wall Street Journal and USA today bestseller, "Waiting for the Cat to Bark?"

While Victoria's Secret and Go Daddy Girl do battle on the internet, the Bronx Zoo has been busy with ads in the subway. Did they too miss their relevance by interacting with other business ads? Relevancy linking here Cats and Dogs at the Bronx Zoo this weekend.

adsense, relevance

Unsurprising Economic Fact of the Day

2006-06-28T22:53:00.000-04:00

On Businessweek's blog 'Economist Unbound' "Surprising Economic Fact of the Day"; please bound this economist.

He ask us to be honest, I say no, you be honest. No person in their right mind would say that to me.

Look its about time someone said something about this ridiculous low employment rate. El Capitan from across the border and our Prez got together and decided that if border crossing people were good enough for both countries then the same employment rate was good enough for both countries. Equivocate those two.

On Bubba era employment rate comparisons with G.W.Bubblera, Brian Deese in 2004 said it best in American Progress "That Rosy Unemployment Rate": (still an unsurprising economic fact two years later.)

"It fails to account for the 2 million fewer unemployed people in August 1996 than in January 1993 and the 2 million more unemployed people today than in January 2001. This is not to mention the 10.4 million jobs that had been created under Clinton compared to the 1 million jobs lost under Bush."

What would Helga do with a Lion?

2006-06-28T22:22:00.000-04:00

Why, I think she would eat it.

Commenting on Businessweek "VW's Helga Wins Cannes Lion," David Kiley:

Obviously people will watch anything called viral and therefore any ad that's got a dominatrix girl in it will succeed on viral-terra. Austin Power ripoff and the use of pimp in any variation is so last year. Unbuzz me.

2006 National HIV Testing Day is Today, One on one, against all odds

2006-06-27T18:48:00.000-04:00

2006 National HIV Testing Day June 27

The POZ magazine editor, Regan Hofmann, wants her magazine to become obsolete because there is no cause. Through publicly writing about her own case of HIV as a straight woman she grew the POZ to 125,000 readers. See Newsweek interview, "HIV Tests: Do You Need One?"

From Harvard Business School, "Ways to Market Social Responsibility," David Olsen of Population Services runs the Youth AIDS Project.

From the Harvard Business School forum introduction of Population Services:

"leading social marketing agency in international development, has health programs devoted to safe water, malaria, nutrition, family planning, and HIV/AIDS. Its primary mission is to reach low-income people."

Mr. Olson says the

"organization devotes 90 percent of its efforts [in developing countries]...The organization also markets its mission [in the U.S.]—not to the general public as it does abroad, but to donors, journalists, and members of Congress and their staffs....I think the best PR is person-to-person contact as opposed to something in print."

Their ambassadors are celebrities such as Ashley Judd and Josh Lucas. In countries where the poor do not have access to tv they have used the inner city bus terminal closed circuit tvs to broadcast their message to its intended audience on the limited budget.

"Being creative becomes essential in programs that are not well funded."
--David Olson, PSI

Building community for AIDS

2006-06-27T07:56:00.000-04:00

Taking off on Helen Epstein, "AIDS in South Africa, the Invisible Cure" and the youth advocacy approach I looked to myspace. Was there a community for AIDS on myspace?

Yes, and from it stems 432 friends. HIVXAIDS

Myspace places #8 in Lycos, Pam Anderson, #2, Paris Hilton, #3, Britney Spears, #6, the World Cup, #9, and Pokemon, #10. AIDS, by itself, didn't make the top of the Lycos search list.

Myspace's community building ability for AIDS does bring hope for the peace we are all seeking.

"The Devil Wears Prada" has a band on myspace too. Clothes, Music and AIDS, partners in community. Are we touched by an angel or do we wear what the devil wears? IF the cure for AIDS was marketed as a community-based solution instead of a "we need drugs issue," would it cost less than one million dollars? Are all these drug companies and billion dollar investments necessary? Afterall who is getting the money?

Its on the Devil ------>2-4p, Tuesday, June 27, today

2006-06-27T06:56:00.000-04:00

beans of course, check here for your free National Coffee Break.

Coffee, Beauty, Amazon, Ebay, all we need is a fight and some scandal and the perfect marketing match is on.

Global Green to reinvent New Orleans

2006-06-26T22:41:00.000-04:00

The competition

The celebrities:
Brad Pitt, President Gorbachev

"Healthy Homes, Smart Neighborhoods” initiative whose Honorary National Task Force includes: Julian bond, Gen. Wesley Clark, Leonardo DiCaprio, Morgan Freeman, Lee Hamilton, Pat Mitchell and David Orr. "

Global Green

EBay sells Devil's sole

2006-06-26T22:21:00.000-04:00

Its true the shoes are up for bid at ebay and other items from the film, "The Devil Wears Prada."

Proceeds to help lower income women get back on their feet, Dress for Success.

or you can sell your soul at the "The Devil Wears Prada" boutique at amazon and/or Sephora's Pretty Little Devils.

This just goes to show if Prada Kicks Ass the Devil will follow.

Behind the Times

2006-06-26T22:20:00.000-04:00

If one more newspaper or magazine runs an article about what New York City will be like in 2010, 20013, or so boldly, 2030, then yes, I too will take up hurling.

Look AMNY on your "new technology will charge drivers a fee for every mile they travel on city roads," and talk of bicycling, I have it strictly from #26, an 8-year old nephew, that he'll be flying a Hovercraft. Yes, I asked him (as he was sitting in the driver's seat of his mom's car spinning away stories of how he had driven before) if he was going to take over his mom's Mercedes when he learned to drive. He said, no way, Hovercraft.

Basically, I've lived in the city since 1972 and there have been promises, promises, promises. Problem is no one thinks outside of the existing structure. On May 14, 1997 I can remember getting my first and current transit card holder as a free promo at Bowling Green station. Here it is 2006 and what does that automated information give us?

On the #1 which ends somewhere up in the Bronx, sometimes when it likes to, there are masses of people who only use certain stops at certain times. This information is swished through as they enter the system. But what does the city do, it chugs them along a local line. This means the more elite citizens on the downtown end of it never get on the train if there is a 30-minute delay. I am not pointing fingers.

Who does belong in the zoo?

2006-06-26T22:12:00.000-04:00

The Times science story "Who Belongs in the Zoo?

IT MAY BE THAT SOME ANIMALS JUST CAN'T BE KEPT HUMANELY IN CAPTIVITY. ZOOS MAY HAVE TO REINVENT THEMSELVES--ONCE AGAIN, By MICHAEL D. LEMONICK"

Some of the symptoms of an elephant zoo'd in way too small quarters, head up and down, transferring weight from one side to the other.

Sounds like some officemates I know.

Maybe cities have to reinvent themselves too. Its a zoo out there.