In this house we do second chances, hugs, love, grace mistakes … we do family.
Another great woman solidarity graphic
Via New York Woman’s Agenda another great picture of women for International Women’s Day. See how diverse we are?
Sandy Recovery News & Reports
Tzu Chi Foundation, famous world-wide for its humanitarian charitable aid, helps New York and New Jersey residents deal with the damaging results of Superstorm Sandy
Most inspiring message on Why Vote!
I am honored by the opportunity to display this message on my website. Rev. Dr. William Barber II shares the historical time line of Black and ethnic minority acquisition of the rights to vote, to have equality in housing and economic opportunities and reminds us, “If there was ever a time to vote that time is NOW.”
“The power’s in you” says legless maker of Cheetah Legs
Watch the TED Talk with me: Aimee Mullins, the designer of Cheetah running legs, herself a legless woman, talks about combining form, function and value – and of the power of believing and unifying. Aimee’s an athlete, an activist, a woman’s advocate, a sports record-breaker and a completely awesome lady.
Amy quotes Shakespeare, “When you prick me, do I not bleed; and when you tickle me, do I not laugh?” and adds, “It is the humanity within us that makes us beautiful … Whimsy matters.”
Teaching happiness course first transforms – the teacher
The same information expounded in The Happy Movie that the Wei Family loves so much, is available in a course given by the Institute of Child Education & Psychology (ICEP), which teamed up with Action for Happiness to add to its offerings an online class which imparts the skill of how to teach happiness to others. Isn’t this a marvellous idea?
I was blessed to receive one of a handful of scholarships to take the course Teaching Happiness: Positive Psychology for behaviour and learning, and I’m just wrapping it up this week. I loved The Happy Movie and the concepts it propounds, so I knew I would enjoy this course. But I didn’t expect that so many of the fundamental principles the course teaches would work a direct transformation in me. Moreover, I’m astonished at how rapidly the transformation has taken place. The changes this course has awakened in my own thoughts and attitude is dramatic and gratifying. One basic premises of the Teaching Happiness course is, that the teacher must first work on increasing his/her own happiness, before attempting to teach these skills to others. The premise is that students of a happy teacher will be provided with two resources for increasing their own happiness: they will be impacted by awareness of their teacher’s authentic happiness, and they will also have a behavioural reference and role model close at hand.
Can 4 year olds be temperate in the presence of a marshmallow?
Martin Seligman describes temperance as including,
…the ability to protect against excess and delay gratification. It includes humility and modesty. And being careful about choices and not taking undue risks. It also includes forgiveness and giving people a second chance. There is an aspect of self-regulation here – controlling your appetite and emotions, being disciplined, regulating what you feel and do. The temperate person does not suppress motives or desires but waits for until it is wise and appropriate to satisfy them, so no harm is done to self or others.
Nave de esperanza ~ Ship of hope
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Si quieres construir un barco, no empieces por buscar madera, ni por cortar tablas o distribuir el trabajo… primero has de evocar en los hombres el anhelo de mar libre y ancho”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Fire Demarco for underwater mortgage relief and $1 billion in savings
The good people at Rebuild the Dream tell us,
DeMarco is the Bush appointee who has been dragging his heels and blocking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from engaging in targeted principal reductions (resetting home loans to fair market value) for struggling, underwater homeowners on the grounds that it would cost the taxpayers too much.
Today, two things happened. First, FHFA produced a study that said principal reductions would actually save taxpayers more than a billion dollars. And then DeMarco announced that he still wouldn’t allow any principal reductions!
Giving thanks may make you happier
Did you know there’s science to being happy? Watch Harvard researcher Nancy Etcoff’s TED talk on The surprising science of happiness.
A study administered by two scientists whose work focuses specifically on how gratitude affects happiness – psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami – proved that expressions of gratitude (you thanking someone else, or G-d, or yourself) increased people’s own happiness and enhanced their lives in various ways.
Learn how to avoid falling victim to voter disenfranchisement
The League of Women voters is sponsoring a forum in Newark on Wednesday, June 27 2012 at the Newark Public Library’s Main Branch, 5 Washington Street, Newark NJ. You will learn about nationwide efforts to trample voting rights and what you can do to protect yours. Ryan P. Haygood, the national NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund director, will discuss his group’s legal work to protect voting rights. Here’s the background on why it’s so important to become educated on these measures and take pro-active steps to ensure that the vote you wish to cast next November will be both fairly and accurately counted.
Wisconsin’s movement turned political. Then got lost.
Black Agenda Report managing editor Bruce A. Dixon in his article, “Wisconsin: What Happens When Movements Turn Into Campaigns” gives us plenty of food for thought. He explains the difference between a campaign and a movement, and why we were pretty much slated to lose the battle in Wisconsin for rights once that movement’s momentum morphed from demands for social change into electioneering.
How did we get from hundreds of thousands in the streets of Madison, Wisconsin demanding union rights for everybody and fundamental economic justice for all, to a desultory set of Democratic campaigns for the candidates who, as they say, sucked the least, and ended up losing.
Tyler Perry explains secret to success
In this short video, Tyler Perry shares with us his personal formula for success. His message is direct, sincere and inspiring. So pay close attention.
Woody Harrelson challenge: better the world
Woody Harrelson gives us a glimpse into the workings of his mind and shares thoughts about our world and our societies. Great video and poem with his narration. Worth 3 minutes of your time.
BCDO backed Rothman loses big time
Gee whiz! complete wipe out for Rothman in the 9th. I so wish Rothman had decided to run against Garrett instead of Pascrell. No matter the outcome, that would have been a heck of a race, and one certainly worth fighting. Running against Pascrell instead didn’t sit well with too many people – even me. Although Steve has been a family friend for many years, I couldn’t support him this time around.
On another note, I totally don’t understand what is up with the Bergen County Democratic organization. BCDO seems to feel that county Democrats are humble lapdogs that will roll over, sit up or beg when our party leadership whistles. But, this is the second important election where The People have shown that they possess an independent, collective will and desire and when that doesn’t exactly coincide with the agenda and candidates the county machine is pushing, voters can and will either stay home or vote against the party’s choice. Speaking of which, it’s worth mentioning that “the push” itself seems nowhere near hard enough. Only a few days ago did Rothman signs start to be visible in the area. And only a couple of brief weeks ago did the party get Rothman to begin making appearances in Passaic County. Pascrell’s team, by contrast, made sure their candidate was visible at all times; they had zillions of volunteers out canvassing constantly, tirelessly and skillfully; and the Congressman himself was both physically and frequently accessible to the people whose votes he courted. This demonstrated Pascrell’s appreciation for the people he represents and a clear willingness to be accountable to his constituents on a truly personal level. The only other federal politicians I’ve seen be so attentive and engaged with their constituents are President Obama and Senator Menendez, and it’s probably a big part of the reason voters chose Pascrell over Rothman by a 3 to 1 ratio.