For me ... until her passing yesterday ... she was just a poet that had an opportunity to share her words at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration in 1993...
Her parents divorced when she was 3. She was raped by her mother's boyfriend at age 7. At 17, she was a single mother. In her 20's, she was a shake dancer in a nightclub, a prostitute, a cook, and ran a brothel.
Had I met her at that point, I'm guessing I'd have felt sorry for her and maybe a little judgmental at the same time. I'm pretty certain I'd never have bet on her as someone who would go on to have such an incredibly positive influence on so many people during her life ... and following her life.
She went on to be a singer, an actor, a civil rights activist (worked with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King), a college professor, a writer, a speaker, and ... a poet.
She also won the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest civilian honor in the United States).
Next time I'm feeling judgmental (at work or in life) or a little down about something or feeling some past action (something I've done or something someone else has done) will make it difficult to keep moving forward ... contributing something positive to the world ... making good things happen ... next time ... I've got a new hero.
Rest in peace, Maya Angelou. Nice work! Sam (the guy behind this stuff)
It has been a dark day in America as three cops fell as they were doing their job protecting the citizens of Baton Rogue, Louisiana. As I supported @DailyOutsider earlier with a View of the Week, for me this was personal in many ways I remember how cops talked about how they expected the worst and hoped for the best. It should not have to be that way. They are us--and we have to remember that. I understood this ever more when I had the pleasure to attend my City's Citizens Academy. After Dallas, I made it a point of reaching out to my local Police Leadership team underscoring how an attack on one Cop is an attack on us all. As the Police Commissioner of New York noted, we live in perilous times and it is a very complex place--talk is not enough. We have to go beyond it. I also note how Commissioner noted how we have to stop talking past each other. We have to also think about Guns in this Country--the idea of an AR-15 being legal is just beyond the pale to me. We can, shall and will overcome.
It was a horrific week in our World with the attack in Nice on Bastille Night. It was also even more horrific to be witness to the coup in Turkey and the aftermath. The reports of mass arrests and purges in the aftermath of the coup have been even more horrific with some images coming out of Turkey that are just too gruesome to observe. As I reflected upon this, I ran across this that speaks volumes: When life's problems seem overwhelming, look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself fortunate. ~ Ann Landers So much to be thankful for indeed....Onward to the new week with all its' possibilities...
It was quite a historical day as Britain changed Prime Ministers. It is always fun to be witness to history. This is as Our World continues to be faced with profound challenges in our World. A sense of being grateful again was brought home as I listened to this latest +TED talk from this brave soul from Syria: The extent of the devastation is simply too shocking to embrace and understand. I never thought about how Architecture laid the foundation for War. When will we have the courage to transform our thinking? Can we, though?
I had a "tad bit of fun" as I was working away visiting this Site on some thoughts that took what was on Facebook and formulated some edicts--it is actually pretty good!!
Abdul Sattar Edhi passed away. He was not well known in the West--and I personally was not as aware of him as I should have been until I saw reports of his passing that was widely reported around the World. He was 92 years old. He was the founder of Pakistan's largest welfare organization. When I saw the headline in Saturday's New York Times about deeming him Pakistan's "Mother Teresa", it prompted me to check on him. It was striking to me that he only had 868 Entries in Google and 79 Entries in Bing. As I read the reporting in +i24news EN, It struck me that he only owned 2 pieces of clothes. It is the story of such people that gives me a sense of optimism and hope. As I was working away, I helped finish off a View of the Week on a sense of hope I was talking about--what John Legend is trying to do with the inmates in California was so moving. These thoughts reminded us all of what we must embrace and be aware thanks to the great work +Jonathan Huie does:
Jesus preached more and taught more about helping
the poor and the sick and the hungry
than he did about heaven and hell.
Shouldn't that tell us something?
- John Grisham
Jesus said: "When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you."
- Luke 14:13-14
Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.
- Arthur Schopenhauer
A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
- Jesus of Nazareth (John 13:34)
Helping & Love....lessons to be remembered by us all....
Wishing all a fabulous Sunday & a fantastic Week......
America has been witness to the tragic shootings of two African American Men within the past 24 hours. However, I could not help but take to my personal space here as I note how ill I was to my stomach I was as I saw that 10 Dallas Police Officers were shot and three have died by snipers during a protest rally in Texas. I helped finish an update for #Outsiders earlier tonight on it. I can't even begin to imagine what the families of the fallen officers are feeling. Thoughts and prayers for those families are just not enough more for them--is it? Some will say this is not a time for politics--especially the folks at the NRA, Gun Owners of America and their supporters in Congress. Over the last number of years, we have seen shooting after shooting. Kids got shot in Sandy Hook. Nothing was done. People of faith were shot in Charleston. Nothing was done. A lowlife subhuman madman massacred 150 people in Orlando. Nothing was done. Now, 10 cops have been shot and three have died. This is as the President spoke to the profound challenge that African American Men Continue to face consistently in the hands of law enforcement while on his last NATO Summit. Although some arguments by Brooklyn College's Corey Robin has merit, it is critical that we all collectively make a concerted effort to not just make sure the African American Community is safe, but all Americans are--and the insanity is pervasive ever more. Yoda's admonition is ever so true now: The time to do something is Now. The time for trying is over. The tragedy of it is that Congress is not even trying (despite the best of intentions) as it talks about the Constitution and their claim to protect "due process". What about ensuring public safety? As the Benghazi obsession was finished by Congress after millions spent, now they've got another one: The Clinton Emails. The need to govern is ever so evident. Will that happen? I wonder....
Independence Day 2016 W-End here in the United States was quite a weekend. I had the privilege to work on a number of Community Service Projects including helping to host the Open House for St Timothy's Catholic Parish 's Food Ministry Pantry that I have the privilege to serve as a staff member. I also worked on supporting the City of Laguna Niguel's 38th Annual Run in the Park and thereafter with my local Scout Troop as the Troop had the first ever Hot Dog Stand. A Visual Essay was produced for the DailyOutsider Community Page. As I was reflecting upon this wonderful weekend of Community spirit, my mind again drifted away half-way around the World as the carnage continued ever more. As I write this, Bangladesh is witnessing another terror attack on Eid-Fitr Celebrations and a gun battle has been raging on. I was just numb as I saw reports over the weekend about the Over 250 People have lost their lives in Baghdad. There seems to be no end to the carnage that has been unleashed by the subhumans that in the name of Islam do whatever it is they are doing. I compare this to what I saw as Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo cited a verse of the Holy Quran--A catholic hospital quoting a Muslim Verse--on the back of its' business card. I also helped finish a notation for Outsider on the Chilcot Report on the Iraq War. The Iraq War was one of the reasons that I took to the Virtual World--without knowing the intelligence, those of us who advocated how wrong the whole war was proved right all along. This from the Guardian of London said it all:
The Guardian view on the Chilcot report: a country ruined, trust shattered, a reputation trashed | Editorial https://t.co/LejMFchCqy
I caught Tony Blair's Statement. I will not put much stock in his statement and only note this final thought that says it all in a full rebuttal to his statement: "...Mr Blair’s impulse to trot alongside a know-nothing cowboy might reflect a deep need to bury the CND badge of his youth and earn some muscular respectability. Mr Corbyn’s ascent is the most ironic of the consequences of his historic mistake. But by far the most serious are still being played out far away – on the streets of Iraq...." I would also take their comments one step further by underscoring how the whole region is in chaos over this disastrous decision. I caught up on the latest Last Page that was on Voice of America's Farsi Service. There is a scandal brewing in Iran as it has been exposed that Senior Managers (including Ministers) have received hefty pay packages, sweet deals on Loans and expenses that are just beyond the pale. Some of them, it appears, make more that the President of the United States!!!! This is some 12 Millon People officially are unemployed and as repression continues. I tracked down this beautiful song from a very talented artist who was imprisoned for giving voice to the true challenges in the country right now: The song is about freedom and hope despite all the challenges that the Country faces--and in the end noting that freedom will prevail. It showcases some of the most successful Iranian Women including Anouseh Ansari (The first Iranian-American Woman in Space that went to space on the Russian Space Station); The winner of the equivalent of the Nobel Prize Maryam Mirzakhani along with Golshifteh Farahani and the Oscar-Nominated Shohreh Aghdaslou. Here is a translation of the lyrics thanks to the folks at Lyrics Translate:
We are happy, joyful and full of laughter
Even though we are imprisoned,
Our way is blocked and our feet sore
But we set fire,
We are the generation of roars
And have joined our hands together,
We are covered in blood but we know
that at the end of the story, We're free
♫♫♫
We've been in the prison for 100 years
and won't stay here any longer,
We become windows and vocal cords*
and sing the freedom song
We are the generation of roars
And have joined our hands together
We are covered in blood but we know
that at the end of the story, We're free
♫♫♫
We share the same story and pain
and have made our sorrows into one,
We side by side search every single house
to find our dreams
We are the generation of roars
And have joined our hands together
We are covered in blood but we know
that at the end of the story, We're free
We are covered in blood but we know
at the end of the story, We're free
at the end of the story, We're free
at the end of the story, We're free
He was released on bail--I have not seen anything lately being loaded on his YouTube Page though. The repression is ever more evident now as three Iranian Music Distributors have been sentenced to jail despite the promises of the current President to change things. As I was catching up on the "Social Grid" For the night, I ran across this courtesy of a Facebook Friend that I took comfort in--Not easy when one is witness to such a challenging World--but there is no choice--is there?
As I write this, it is now "officially"July 4 as America celebrates its' independence day. It has been a working weekend for me as I have watched a season of the West Wing as I work through some plans for the Daily Outsider--it was great to be able to be supportive as the corners were curated and the Twitter Channel was worked through. It has also been a week as I have been witness to the wonder of Community spirit in Action. I reflected upon it briefly when I was on NextDoor earlier today for the Community. Whether it was the City of Laguna Niguel Run in the Park or the vibrancy of St. Timothy's Catholic Parish, it was just such a joy to be witness to it all. I wanted to be "dark", but I was so moved by this as I watched episodes of the West Wing with this on Blame and Compassion: If it was within my power, I will force every single candidate to listen to this 3 minutes and to really sit back and think about our future especially as America along with all the other episodes of the 7 seasons of the West Wing to really think about and reflect upon the promise of America. I wonder if that can be possible. As I will be away on Community Commitments and gear up for a challenging quarter at #Outsiders and beyond, I finished this on Twitter Earlier in support of @DailyOutsider before making sure @DailyOutsider goes dark for July 4:
As I finished this, I saw this on my "hike daily" feed:
"You have to make it happen-Denis Diderot"
& this courtesy of +Jonathan Huie that is one of my required readings and #outsiders features it prominently in the "Thought For the Week" Corner:
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. - Thomas Jefferson [Declaration of Independence]
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin
Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. - Abraham Lincoln
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke
The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation. - Jimmy Carter
It has been quite a quarter. It has admittedly been a challenging Quarter as I worked on a transition for The Daily Outsider, evolved this site into more of a "personal space", got to know and leverage the Medium Platform and continued on-going Community Outreach Efforts. As I am launching the 3rd Quarter of 2016, I remain hopeful and optimistic--as I took heart in this admonition from the great Hank Aaron: “My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.” ~ Hank Aaron
As I wish all a Happy & Joyous 4th of July, just got this from +Pandora hope all enjoy as I also helped to lanuch a +Pandora corner at the Daily Outsider as well!
Happy 4th to all!!!
Celebrate America’s birthday all weekend with good food, good company, and good jams.
It has been an interesting week--and it is only Tuesday. I ran across this which I earlier shared on my Facebook Wall which moved me quite a bit--what I hope and pray I can live up:
“One tree can start a forest, One bird can herald spring, One smile can begin a friendship, One hand can lift a soul, One star can guide a ship at sea, One word can frame the goal, One vote can change a nation, One sunbeam can light a room, One candle can wipe out darkness, One laugh can conquer gloom, One hope can raise our spirits, One touch can show you care, One voice can wake up everybody, One life can make the difference. Be that one.” ~ Author Unknown
I wanted to wish all a Happy & Joyous 4th of July and as the 3rd Quarter of 2016 is at hand--Onward with the Journey!!!
Now that #Brexit is, reality, We are faced with a new World Order. Can it be the end of the UK? Can it be the end of Europe as we know it? Some interesting questions to think about as I got this from the ever-eloquent Geoff Colvin.
Imagine what’s going through the mind of every developed country’s leader. Virtually all of them had endorsed the losing Remain side in the Brexit referendum, and now they’re wondering, What if that referendum’s equivalent had been held in my country? Nationalistic, anti-immigrant, isolationist movements are rising in France, Austria, Poland, Denmark, and elsewhere in the developed world. While those movements are usually described as right-wing, the Leave supporters also included a left-wing faction of older trade unionists and younger socialists, and every developed country has plenty of those too. Collectively they’re people who believe they got the bad end of the deal in the opening of the world to freer trade, migration, and acceptance of unfamiliar cultural values. The big news from Britain is that those people are a majority there, and now leaders around the world are wondering if they’re a majority in his or her country. IfHillary Clinton wins in November, she’ll face a similar issue: Trump and Sanders supporters, though opposed to one another, are united in their fury over how today’s economic and cultural order has treated them, and together they may constitute a majority of the electorate. The Leavers in Britain have had the satisfaction of giving established authority a poke in the eye, but now they’ll have to face the consequences of doing what was worst for them. Britain and the Leavers will likely be less prosperous than they would have been in the EU. Despite the drama of the vote, very little has been resolved. The No. 1 agenda item at the next G20 meeting, in September, seems clear. # The scorching pace of change is such a common theme in business that as a concept it puts me to sleep. But an example can make it interesting, and a bit of news yesterday suggested a good one. BlackBerry reported earnings and said handset sales were down again; its global market share in smartphones is less than 1%. In this political season the news recalls memories of when Barack Obama became president in 2009 and demanded that federal techies figure out how to get him a secure BlackBerry phone, which he felt he couldn’t live without. Think back a bit further. In the mid-1990s Motorola ruled the world of cellphones; now a Chinese company, Lenovo, owns the brand, and Lenovo and Motorola phones combined have about 6% of the market. After Motorola, Nokia was king; it has since left the business. Then BlackBerry phones became so addictive they were called Crackberry; now Wall Street analysts say they wouldn’t be surprised if the company shut down its phone business and focused on software. Today Samsung and Apple dominate the industry; analysts estimate that last year the two of them made 105% of total smartphone industry profits and that Apple alone made 91%. That’s five leaders in this $400-billion industry in less than 20 years. We sometimes forget that Apple entered the business only nine years ago; next Wednesday is the anniversary. Business didn’t used to work like this. Everybody now repeats platitudes about the pace of change, but extremely few are able to internalize this reality and keep winning in the new environment.
As I look to a weekend of service supporting Second Harvest, I popped into twitter to check on the latest that the folks at +BrainyQuote have shared--and this one I decided to share on the eve of the weekend: Remaining ever so hopeful as I wish all the best of weekends as I hope all enjoy the periodic #quote feeds over my personal Twitter Feed and the latest that the team +Paper.li publishes for me daily.
