Lè Anthem

"… You are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life. You can either..."

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:00:55 -0500

“… You are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life. You can either give negativity power over your life or you can choose happiness instead. Take control and choose to focus on what is important in your life. Those who cannot live fully often become destroyers of life ~ Anaïs Nin”

Musings: A Century in Transition

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:00:44 -0500

For some time now, many seem to have noticed this seemingly subtle (or maybe not subtle for some) shift of thought. Around the world, down the street, at work, at the cafe, people seem to be taking a few extra minutes to ask some fundamental questions about the current world we live in and their role in it. Many people seem to be slowly grasping the irony that though we have now stepped into the 21st Century and are beginning to see the impossible become possible, we continue to be plagued by problems that have existed since the beginning of time and yet, not only can we not seem to find the solution to these problems, but the problem is actually getting worse …

How can it be that we live in the year 2013, the kind of year we only dreamed about in sci-fi movies, and some people still can’t even read, many are dying of malnutrition and/or curable diseases, some people still walk miles to the nearest water spot, thousands are without work, rich people are getting richer poor people are getting poorer, corporations hold higher status than people and some even make more money than some countries, racism still exists, religious extremism is the norm in certain countries, we can clone animals but we can’t find a cure for deadly diseases, politicians in the United States particularly, can’t seem to get along much less collaborate with each other to get anything done, education systems are stuck in the industrial age mindset of mass, generic production, food is the new drug of choice, sexual objectification of women and violence towards women is at an all time high, and gender inequality exists to such a vast and alarming degree that even in the United States, one of the most progressive countries in the world, one questions how far we’ve actually progressed since the 1900s. On one side, the world seems to running amuck.

And yet, on the other side of the spectrum, we see people coming together: creating communities and networks to exchange knowledge and information for free, connecting people in unique and creative ways, gathering to help each other put food on the table, pay bills, protect and care for children. We see technology removing the middle-man and making processes, information systems free and more accessible and transparent to the average person. We see people standing up for their rights after years of oppression. We see a truly courageous teenage girl facing death to stand-up for her rights and the rights of women in her country. We see young teens and young adults displaying a braveness, inventiveness, creativity, freshness, and a connection to each other, regardless of sexual preference or race, missing from past generations. We see parenting becoming more balanced with both sides contributing equally. And we see a questioning of old systems, institutions, leaders, and status quos. In other words, we see change.

And this change is forthcoming because many, collectively, consciously and unconsciously, have been driven to unhappiness, apathy, misery and lack by society’s constant quest for material possessions, for status, for greed, for obsession, for superiority, for domination, for power and other vices. So many have experienced the devastating effects of a skewed society that many have truly forgotten what makes life worth living and in so doing, have chosen the most deeply traumatic and violent expressions of that loss. Just look at the growing number of suicides, mass violence, and acts of terrorism in the U.S and around the world. These are not the acts of people who felt hopeful, heard, cared for or genuinely loved. These are the acts of people who have completely and utterly lost their way. Lost their hope, lost their own sense of worth, and more importantly, lost their soul, their connection to humanity, to community, and to each other.

And so now, as we sit at the apex of transition into a new century, we should be asking ourselves whether we want to continue to suffer through the status quo. For it’s been noted more clearly now than ever, that old ideas no longer work and old programming (media, politics, religious dogma, consumerism, etc) has a stronger ring of manipulation now than it ever did before. And so it seems we have an opportunity … An opportunity to in many ways start over: to challenge and test beliefs, values and systems that don’t work, to test hierarchies that no longer serve, to challenge authority that is imprisoned by its own fear and to seek the truth, for oneself. For the most important thing any human being can ever do is to seek it’s own truth. Not for others but for oneself. For in seeking truth, one not only finds the way to true change, but their own role in it.

How can you develop & lead others when you’re constantly doubting and berating yourself?...

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:21:00 -0500

How can you develop & lead others when you’re constantly doubting and berating yourself? Trust & believe in you - your experience, your expertise, your talents, your strengths, your relationships, your values, your successes, your lessons from failure and your lessons from mistakes. Trust and be confident in who you are inside, that’s where genuine leadership comes from.

Many of the most memorable & poignant moments in history were created by ordinary people who...

Thu, 09 May 2013 19:43:08 -0500

Many of the most memorable & poignant moments in history were created by ordinary people who simply believed, deeply, in the unlimited human potential in themselves & in others. And then did something about it.

"True balance is for those who can best integrate the male & female, left & right, electric..."

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:36:59 -0500

“True balance is for those who can best integrate the male & female, left & right, electric & magnetic elements we each contain. In duality we live, in unity we prosper.”

climateadaptation: More doom reality: Bottled Water Sales: The...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:23:31 -0500

climateadaptation:

More doom reality:

Bottled Water Sales: The Shocking Reality

The Beverage Marketing Corporation, which tracks sales and consumption of beverages, is reporting that sales of bottled water grew nearly 7 percent between 2011 and 2012, with consumption reaching a staggering 30.8 gallons per person.

Despite having one of the best municipal tap water systems in the world, American consumers are flocking to commercial bottled water, which costs thousands of times more per gallon. Why? Four reasons:

First, we have been bombarded with advertisements that claim that our tap water is unsafe, or that bottled water is safer, healthier, and more hip, often with celebrity endorsements. (Thanks a lot, Jennifer.)

Second, public drinking water fountains have become increasingly hard to find. And the ones that exist are not being adequately maintained by our communities.

Third, people are increasingly fearful of our tap water, hearing stories about contamination, new chemicals that our treatment systems aren’t designed to remove, or occasional failures of infrastructure that isn’t being adequately maintained or improved.

Fourth, some people don’t like the taste of their tap water, or think they don’t.

Some people, including the bottled water industry, argue that drinking bottled water is better than drinking soft drinks. I agree. But that’s not what’s happening. The vast increase in bottled water sales have largely come at the expense of tap water, not soft drinks. And even if we pushed (as we should) to replace carbonated soft drinks with water, it should be tap water, not expensive bottled water.

This industry has very successfully turned a public resource into a private commodity.

Via Peter Gleick (a scientist whom I swear never sleeps)

"Someone has to live in idealism for the world has forgotten what it is to strive for our greater..."

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:23:50 -0500

“Someone has to live in idealism for the world has forgotten what it is to strive for our greater potential. Though we believe we are separate, islands upon ourselves, we are all one. Connected by the very strands of life that make us human and the place we all call home. It’s time to remember who we really are ~ Anon”

kateoplis: “Following the deadly explosions Monday that rocked the city of...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:35:05 -0500

kateoplis: “Following the deadly explosions Monday that rocked the city of...:

kateoplis:

“Following the deadly explosions Monday that rocked the city of Boston, area man Tom Sifton told reporters he’s getting pretty tired of frantically rushing home from work as fast as he possibly can to hug his loved ones tight. “I realize that desperately racing home to my wife and kids so I can…

"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free..."

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:34:25 -0500

“We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force. ~ Ayn Rand”

"It’s not too late… the angel said. Even though the world’s a mess… Even..."

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:34 -0500

“It’s not too late… the angel said.
Even though the world’s a mess…
Even though you’re not as young…
Even though you’ve made mistakes and have been afraid
It’s not too late…
And then I saw the world through the angels’ eyes…
I saw the colors I could paint
The bridges I could build
The lives that I could touch
The dreams that could still come true
And it became very clear to me…
That it’s not too late. ~ Ron Atchison”

"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more..."

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:01:24 -0500

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand ~ Woodrow Wilson”

"If we were logical, the future would be bleak indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human..."

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:58:48 -0500

“If we were logical, the future would be bleak indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, & we have faith, & we have hope. ~ J. Cousteau”

"Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring..."

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:51:10 -0500

“Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny. ~ Carl Schurz”

"This world is not set up for failure and demise and decline. It’s set up for improvement and..."

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:27:22 -0500

“This world is not set up for failure and demise and decline. It’s set up for improvement and expansion and better and better, and better. And so, it must get better and better and better. And it is. We would just like all of you to let yourselves in on more of it. ~ Abraham Hicks”

"Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity,..."

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 11:27:11 -0600

“Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain… To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices - today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it. ~ Kevyn Aucoin”

"Material things are exactly that - material & they carry only the pwr we give it. Thus think..."

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 11:29:41 -0600

“Material things are exactly that - material & they carry only the pwr we give it. Thus think carefully before we elevate material over all else, for there is more to life than the illusions of materialism.”

"Character… is a habit, the daily choice of right over wrong; it is a moral quality which grows..."

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:02:41 -0600

“Character… is a habit, the daily choice of right over wrong; it is a moral quality which grows to maturity in peace and is not suddenly developed on the outbreak of war. ~ Charles Wilson”

"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more..."

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:00:43 -0600

“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work ~ William Arthur Ward”

"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give..."

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:00:37 -0600

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself. ~ Tecumseh”

Make 2013 count . . .

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:03:53 -0600

If you’re not where you need to be, if you’re not the person you’re meant to be - get there. We complain we never have enough time to do the things we want, yet we’ve all been given the same amount of time, it’s how we use it that counts. Make 2013 and the rest of the time you have count.