Ideas Are Good…

Posts Tagged ‘love’

A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say: “This is not just.” – Martin Muther King, Jr.

If cash in the pocket or our people is any indication of prosperity, our country is in a pretty sorry state. While good, common people burn through savings, lose investments and face foreclosure, our Government continues to focus the extent of its attention on Wall Street. While bankers fund our ruin by way of the Federal Reserve to the tune of Billions of dollars in profit, social security and medicare wither away like dusty promissory notes in an empty vault. Young people are coming out of higher education with no place “higher” to go unless it is with the Government or its contractors. If fact, if it is not government funded and run , its a risky endeavor. Government just can not get Americans to act right towards the corporations that they keep helping so Government gets bigger and the dollar gets weaker. Wall Street has become the measure of the economy.

America was NEVER Wall Street. It used to be Main Street, filled with people that had belief. The belief that they could do anything, have anything and accomplish anything. America was once a place run not by entertainers and personalities, but a place of workers and problem solvers of necessity. Many great men stood in the way of greed and the human tendency to be fat and happy over our history. Mostly dead and their words forgotten, like Kennedy and King. Gradually, our leaders forgot that it was America’s people that was her greatest asset, not Cadillacs. They forgot that families made a country great, not financing. The American people were exploited to buy things and we did. We went from human beings in the minds of our leaders with a Bill of Rights to being merely consumers represented on a projection grid somewhere on Madison Avenue. When we could no longer buy another thing or pay the interest that climbed higher than the original loan, our Government’s allegiance crept from serving the people to serving the products.

There used to be Mom and Pop dreams standing on Main Street but not anymore. There isn’t even a Main Street anymore. There is a Wal-mart or two in every town. There used to be family run drugstores and service stations. Gone. There are Walgreens on every corner because we are all on drugs we can’t afford. There are energy company run conglomerates where we can get gas but no service. Look around or better yet, look back twenty years. You do not even see flags on houses anymore unless things blow up somewhere. No flags but wi-fi in every house and 500 HD channels. Today, we can not find a human answering a phone to assist with any of the things for which we have to pay. Why should they talk to people that have to pay? If you are going to make a purchase though, talking to someone and being treated well is almost guaranteed. Kindness is easy to find when we are paying, harder to find when we can not. For most of America an e-mail address is only a means to sell something to a faceless consumer.

But we did this. We let this become the norm. We had to go faster, be more efficient, mulit-task and automate so we could get more (fill in the blank). The American dream used to be something we did together but it became a contest of how high we could climb stepping on heads and breaking each others back. We played the game and the corporate sponsors cashed in on the show. All this is SO ironic considering communism, so long fought as an evil force on the earth, wins a long and silent war without firing a single shot. Hong Kong is boom town and Main Street is a freaking ghost town. I wonder if the dead veterans would like the idea of dying for our “chicken fried” and consumer slavery.

I always knew I would live to see the end of America. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, America often seemed like the fat, spoiled kid down the street. He was big enough to kick your ass and would if you crossed him but mostly he was content filling his face and looking at his Dad’s Playboys. The rules were easy on the block and at the bus stop, don’t mess with “his”. And if “his” was “yours”, so be it. If you were his “friend”, life was good even if he was a bully. Not only was he a bit of a thug, he was scared. Scared of everything. You could see it on his face. He was afraid people were not doing right, living right or agreeing with him. He would fight you just for thinking wrong. If history is any teacher at all, I knew that kind of control could not last for long. One day someone would beat his ass or he would be too stupid to change and just fade away. America, at least in my lifetime has been like that guy, fighting wars in he smallest, poorest places on the globe and scare to death. Fear like that has produced little over the past twenty years but eating disorders, new illnesses, lots of prescriptions and addictions to everything.

Somehow America never got big enough to exist without fear. This is the story of the end of our country. We are watching it happening right now nearly powerless in our fear that we may not be able to afford a latte one day. Perhaps we will live to see society evolve yet again. Maybe the cup of human want will be filled to the extent that humans will want for something else. Like the use of all that humanity has to offer, to serve all of humanity. A single brotherhood, without fear.

After the holidays, I was set on getting out there and looking for freelance work. I had a plan, prospects, appointments, a checklist and a mental picture of everything I was going to do in order to start the year on the best possible foot. I worked myself up for this task and then tragedy struck. I had to go to a funeral. Not a lot of time when you think about it, but a mentally derailing circumstance to say the least.

I had to go. One of my dearest friends lost his Mother from this earth unexpectedly. Standing out there in the cold doing what I could to comfort his father while his sons eulogized their Mother, my mind went to how many funerals I had missed over the years while “working”. How many times loved ones could have used an extra person to support them in their time of grief?

Standing out in the brisk cold was fitting for a funeral for such an interesting woman. I didn’t know her that well, but I bet she would have liked the idea. It was a reminder that the discomfort in life is proof that we are alive and breathing. Sometimes, the things we don’t like can remind us that grief and hope walk together hand and hand. It was surreal as I watched a glisten of moisture dance on the tip of the speaking Rabbi’s nose. The diverse collection of people gathered there shivering to remember her life, all very much alive and not fully aware of that miracle.

My friend and his family were amazingly gracious and did so much to comfort those that were there to comfort them, that I was moved to tears. Not for the passing of their Mother, but for the void they must feel in their lives at this time. I learned a lot about Jewish tradition and had to call my own Mother when I got home.

No matter how bad I have to work, it must wait when these times come. I will never miss another chance to pay my respects and support my loved ones. Never. I love you Ian and I thank your Mother for putting my New Year in crystal clear perspective. She will be missed.

I remember you too:
Spurgen (Chris) Tony
Alfred Garr II
Melvin Fletcher
Aaron D. Gautier
Walisi “hey” Jablonski
Betty Haines
Jerry Man
…to name just a few.

I’m looking for people. Not special people, but aware people.

I’m looking for people who are doing more than trying not to lose. I’m looking for people, for whom winning is NOT everything. I’m looking for people that know they have something of value to offer the world and the people who live here. I am looking for willing travelers.

I am looking for people that understand what they love doing is the expression of something larger than themselves. I’m looking for people who don’t throw out meaning because of typos, poor grammar, accents, language or style. I’m looking for people that can listen with more than their ears. I am looking for people who are trying to look past appearances and give others a chance to do what they love.
I am looking for teachers.

I am looking for people that can enjoy a few bad notes in the symphony of life as reminders of the pursuit of excellence. I’m looking for people who know and recognize the most important ball to hit is the one about to pass over the plate, right now. I’m looking for people too large for worry and have forgiven the disappointments of the past and can summon their gifts at will to create change.
I am looking for mentors.

I’m looking for people that are willing to admit their beliefs are limiting and can accept a new way of looking at challenges. I’m looking for people who are kind to others even if they are not about to sell them something or get paid. I’m looking for fearless, hopeful people willing to stand against the reflection of memory with the intention of improving the world one mind at a time.
I am looking for visionaries.

I’m looking for trusting empowering people that will openly share ideas, knowledge and resources because they understand these things can never be depleted. I’m looking for people that create, lift up, edify and support the entirety of humanity and take their rightful place. I am looking for people to show the way for those that do not see the golden city of prosperity and peace.
I am looking for fearless leaders.

I’m looking for hopeful people that see themselves as no better than any other person. People that see themselves separate from others only in perspective and acknowledge the expansive power of ideas can only emerge from ALL points of view. I am looking for people that try not to compare either up or down and find beauty in diversity.
I am looking for the faithful.

I’m looking for these people at a time in history when there is no excuse for greed. I am looking for people that agree we have come too far to push each other out of the way for a crumb of happiness while the fresh, out-of-the oven pie grows cold in the window of tomorrow.
I am looking for the keepers of peace.

I am looking for everyday people with or without a college degree, letters or credentials. People with or without experience that have big ideas. I am looking for people that others call crazy or out-of-touch. I am looking for people that speak more of tomorrow than they do of yesterday.
I am looking for the dreamers.

Behind each of the advancements in the human endeavor, is one of these people. The people that refuse to accept it can not be done. Wonderful people too young in their hearts to be let down or disappointed in themselves or even in others. I believe the hour of their greatest need has come.
Are you one of these people?

Cisco Jablonski
The Idea Mine

Every business big or small at some point wonders, “What can we do NOW to turn things around?” If things turn tough, this question is sure to produce some “Magic Beans”.

In Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack was instructed by his mother to sell a cow at the market. Instead, he falls prey to a dude who offered him “Magic Beans”. When Jack got home his mother throws the damn beans out the window. Smart woman! Overnight the beans grow into a massive beanstalk into the sky and Jack climbs up. When he enters the land of “The Giant”, he steals a Bag of Gold. On another trip he steals the Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs. On the last trip the top of the beanstalk, Jack steals a Magic Harp that doesn’t like being stolen and calls out to The Giant for help. Scared to death, Jack makes it to the bottom and hacks the beanstalk, along with the giant, down to the ground on top of him. Poor Jack, the greedy little bastard!

Consumers have had it with cheap attempts to win them over. Sure, you might bet a few people to sign up for a chance to win a Jaguar. You may even be able to grab the Bag of Gold or get your hands on their Goose. But The Giant, self-serving need for green will eventually crush your assets if you are not willing to take your cow to market for what it is worth. Here are some tips to help get the most for YOUR cow at the market.

1) Do what you do better than anyone else.
2) When making an offer, avoid clever wording for attention.
3) Avoid having to rely on disclaimers to bail you out.
4) Say it straight, plainly and honestly.
5) Insure EVERY customer has a rewarding experience.
6) Remember, consumers are people too!