Someone’s Going To Lose Their Job

      Today, pictures that show the trauma that singer Rihanna  allegedly suffered at the hands of her boyfriend singer, Chris Brown were released.  If it is true that these are authentic police pictures; someone is going to lose their job.   It is awful that someone could profit from providing this picture to a media outlet…whether they profitted for fame, for money, or purely for the ability to be in control over the picture.  When it is discovered, through the internal police investigation, who the person is who released it…they will instantly become a very unpopular person.  It must take a tremendous amount of lack of compassion and integrity to give yourself permission to profit from someone else’s pain and misery! 

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Foreclosure of American Family Mint Farm-Help By Buying American

        Here is a story that illustrates the breakdown of American business.  Jim Crosby and his sister Linette are in a fierce and immediate battle to save their family owned mint farm business.  They are to be foreclosed on, any day now…they need to sell bottles of mint oil to save their business.  They are located in St. Johns, Michigan.  Michigan is one of the hardest hit states when it comes to the economy.  People here are struggling to hang on to the most basic necessities of life…this family only wants to be able to continue to provide a service to their customers…both old and NEW!  It is their dream to be able to continue marketing their mint oil.

         Their business has been owned by their family members since the early nineteen hundreds.  This is their legacy…and it needs an influx of cash, today.  You can visit their website ( http://www.getmint.com)  and help, to try to save an American owned business.   In a day and age where American business owners are moving out of the country left and right, to get cheaper labor and make more of a profit; it is nice to be able to support a company that has stayed in America while producing their product.  If you use mint oil for cooking, baking, tea, health aid, air freshner…or any other use…please buy from this company and help them stay in business…but, don’t dawdle…they need cash now to stay in business.  The bank that is planning to foreclose on them…could take their bottles of oil and they could take the equipment needed to continue producing the oil…thereby, putting them out of business.

         We have to make a stand for some kind of return to common sense…producing in America, selling in America and buying in America…this is how we build a strong infrastructure in the country once again.  You can build up business, jobs, and housing markets by keeping American’s working.  You want to strenthen the economy?  Stop buying everything from other countries (because it’s cheaper) and start supporting American owned and operated business that produce quality products.  The job or business that you save just might be your own!

Read Full Post »

Smart People

       Well, this morning there is breaking news that oil production is not keeping up with the demand for oil…this is a surprise to people; just now?  Come on…with the price of gasoline rising every week…how could they miss something this big?  Most of us commononers have it figured out already.  We need it…they have it…we pay for it…they profit from it…Simple right?  Well, not so much…you see we don’t have to be as dependent on foreign oil as we have been.  Smart people are looking at ways of altering their lifestyle to save money and make greener choices in their energy usuage.

           I say, smart people are trying to take back some control in their lives.  Everyone is trying to figure out, in their own way, what choices in their day- to- day activities they can make, that will cut down on their usage of gasoline and oil.  For some, it isn’t just about saving money…although that too is important…it is understanding that the plentiful supply of oil is not always going to be there.  We need to figure out alternative ways of heating our homes and businesses; as well as, getting around where we need to go. 

        I saw a newspiece the other day on television about how many more people are taking advantage of public transportation; regardless of their financial status.  It seems that the subway systems in some cities are overflowing with riders, busses are experiencing an increase as well.  Around the world where people have the option of using ferries, trolleys or railways, we are seeing more people access public transportation in numbers large enough to measure.  This is good, people are making smarter choices.

          Some great minds are working on designing alternative ways of producing and using solar energy, steam powered products, water powered generators, geo-thermal systems, wind powered generators…we need to look at all of these renewable sources in a serious way.  It is important to encourage people to make small sacrifices now to prevent huge sacrifices later.  Educating others about the dangers of being so dependent on oil as our only source of energy is very important. 

         Some celebrities are wise about leading the call to understanding the importance of changing our ways.  Brad Pitt is into architecture and design and can influence greener choices in his building projects; Leonardo DiCaprio is not only a strong voice; but, is active in his desire to educate others about the importance of respecting our earth, and it’s resources.  There are other celebrities who are encouraging hybrid cars as a way to make a difference.  Being an environmental activist is something we should all take on like Leonardo DiCaprio; here is his website to help educate others to the idea of protecting our environment. www.leonardodicaprio.org/

         Back to the breaking news part of things…today it was announced by Saudi King Abdullah that his country is increasing oil production.  The Saudi’s are going to put out 9.7 million barrels of oil a day instead of the past 9 million barrels.  That is good and maybe it will help with the high prices a bit.   

           Higher production is good and may help temporarily…but again, realizing that we do have choices that can also make an impact on our finances and on our planet is a powerful idea that needs to take root in more people’s minds.  Our future is at stake and the quality of our lives will be impacted by the choices we all make today & tomorrow.  We can no longer be in denial about the condition of our earth.  We have the power to affect positive change by our actions.  How is your life being affected by high gasoline and oil prices?  How have you had to change your lifestyle?  What smart choices have you chosen to make?

Read Full Post »

Restaurant Owner’s Profit Or Loss-Hair Loss That Is

          There is a story out there right now that is making a huge impact on people’s hearts.  It is about a waitress and a restaurant owner.  As most restaurant owners own their businesses to make a profit; I am sure this particular owner in Ontario, Canada is in some ways regretting his decision to temporarily lay off a certain waitress, by the name of Stacy Fearnall, who shaved her head for charity.  Profit or loss determines alot of business owners decisions when running their businesses…I am sure this decision will be no different in the long run.

         It seems that Stacy has lost a few people to cancer and has friends who are, even now, being affected by cancer.  Stacy wanted to remember and honor them.  She wanted to participate in Cops for Cancer which is a charity that raises funds and awareness about the disease.   So by shaving her head, Stacy was able to raise almost three thousand dollars for the charity.  Kudos to Stacy and to the charity!

           However, when she got to work she was allegedly advised to either wear a wig or go home until her hair grew back.  The owner allegedly felt that his customers would be offended.  He has set standards for his employees about how they present themselves.  It seems as if some of the customer’s support his decision…but many others do not.    The power of public opinion will prove itself in the profit or loss numbers since the temporary lay off began.

           It is normally waitresses who get tips; but, i do have one for Mr. Hilliard…have more compassion in your heart and worry less about what people think in regards to the amount of hair one has on their head.  Do you think less of your customers who have bald or shaved heads?  Hair loss is a sensitive subject and one that people feel very strongly about whether it is from cancer or just natural hair loss.   If Mr. Hilliard thinks less of someone with hair loss, maybe he should try inviting those particular customers to come back when they grow hair back on their heads and see what they have to say about such a statement!  How would you handle this situation?

Ps…remember cancer affects us all support cancer research.  www.cancer.org/.   See some generally related articles that i have written.  https://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/cancer-is-a-thief/. https://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/robin-roberts-strength/

Read Full Post »

Barbara Walters-Where Is Her Dignity?

         With all of the hoopla surrounding the publication of Barbara Walter’s book called, “Audition” i have to wonder; where is her dignity?  i think she lost it somewhere between bragging on her affair with a married man approximately 20-30 years ago and dishing on the ongoing public tongue lashing of her former co-hosts Rosie O’Donnell and Star Jones.  There is so much more, i am sure, in Barbara’s memoirs but i have to wonder…with all of the truly outstanding news stories she has brought to our attention over the years…why resort to digging dirt?

        After all, the book would have been interesting enough because of some of the all time history making interviews such as Fidel Castro, Monica Lewinski, President Gerald Ford, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Rudy Giuliani former mayor of NYC  and the list goes on.  Then there are all of the famous celebrities she has interviewed over the years as well.  Some celebrities doing a PR spin on whatever scandal they were going through at the time…there would have been enough sex, drugs, violence to attract the gossipmongers to the book strickly because of some of those interviews.

        Barbara’s book would not have been short on excitement, intrigue, or interest had she concentrated strickly on those interviews and all of the behind the scenes regarding them.  I fail to see the need to tell us of her sex life and such. She is interesting in her own right just because of her childhood, her professional life, her adoption of her daughter Jackie and the famous people in and out of her life. 

          I wonder if this type of publicity buzz will have a disasterous backlash when it comes to the sale of the book; or, whether it will bring publishing to a whole new level of indigity itself.  The business of publishing has been going through it’s own destructive roller coaster over the last decade or so; regarding making a profit, plagerism, fictionalized memoirs, editors who publisher hop from one company to another; and then, the spector of how digital publishing is affecting printed publishing financially.  When dignity is for sale we all lose out. 

Read Full Post »