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The Clash Of Ages: How Technology Divides Workers

Recently, a friend of mine asked me why I spent so much time on the computer? "Isn't life passing you by?" he asked. Without explaining to him that it was the way in which I earned my living, paid my bills, kept in touch with family and friends, attempted some sort of social activism (at times), or even found some entertainment, I simply turned and said, "Why do you care how I spend my time in my own house? What does it possibly have to do with you? Do I scrutinize what you do with your own time in your own house?"

That tenet is how this free and democratic land was built, so when I see the results of Proposition 8 in California I am nothing if not perplexed, and more to the point, disgusted, all at once. Again, I return to the question, "Why do people care how OTHERS spend their time in their own houses with their own loved ones?" I simply have never understood the fascination! It's not color, not race, not religion….no, it is what they do in their own bedroom, in private, between consenting adults! How can others possibly have any opinion on this, other than to live and let live!!

It is no secret that the Mormon Church, and many other church's paid large amounts of money to weigh in on the debate - whether or not what people did in their own bedrooms was anyone else's business. The Mormon Church has made it's billions by way of tithings <a href = http://www.newsweek.com/id/75972><font size=-1> (http://www.newsweek.com/id/75972) </font></a>. Twenty-five billion dollars in the bank, by last account. They have preached 'go forward and multiply' (at times with more than one woman), yet that is different than 'go forward and make love'. The key difference is that without the offspring – large families are highly encouraged – there are no tithings, and the billions in the banks do not propogate. That is the only reason the church cares. They have spent the past 200 years in a multi-billion dollar multi-level marketing scheme that has seen the first person tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on, to the point where there are now 5 and 6 generations of families forking over 15% of their monthly wages to the church coffers. One of the few church's that actually mandates the tithing!

If the Church is so hell-bent in caring about procreation and the creation of new tax accounts, I think that the rest of the population should be interested in how those tax accounts are receiving tax breaks, or more to the point, stealing from "We, the people". Don't you think that stealing from the unsuspecting is a far greater crime than loving someone? I hope that this debate serves to stir up the average citizen that actually does not care, or even want to know what others do in their bedroom, yet does want to know that the pastor at the Church down the street doesn't pay an ounce of tax on the 100,000 dollar per year salary, yet wants to tell others how they ought to live – even when aliens are the deities being worshipped! <a href = http://listverse.com/bizarre/top-10-bizarre-mormon-beliefs>(http://listverse.com/bizarre/top-10-bizarre-mormon-beliefs/)</a>

The warmth of the sun over the Monterey Peninsula seemed to beckon a soft good-bye to me as I lugged my overstuffed suitcase down the stairs enroute to the Embraer 120 prop plane (www.embraer.com/english/content/aeronaves/emb120.asp). It was a small plane that would carry me, and my more than three days worth of stuff, the first 80 miles on my journey towards home.

I had become accustomed to the fragrance that filled the air, so unlike many of the big cities that I had visited lately. This little burg was remote and beautiful, scented, and sweet, and I had come to really appreciate the vistas that were filling every crevice of my being. I was glad to be going home, yet sad to be leaving the story book that had enraptured me for the week.

Strolling through the aisle of the plane, I stumbled upon my aisle seat. I smiled at the woman in the window seat, saying a brief hello, trying to balance the right amount of acceptability with enthusiasm; friendly, yet not intrusive. Sitting down, I continued texting with a friend from home, until the flight attendant stood at the front reading the memorized script from the recesses of her mind, and I paid attention, for a change. I glanced at the woman next to me, for a pulse check, seeing if there was any interest in conversation, but my spidy sense didn't register any! I glanced back at my phone, thinking about one more text as the Flight Attendant reminded us all to turn off our cell phones.

The woman across the aisle from me in the single row of seating, stared at me. My peripheral vision was aware of this as I continued to read my phone screen, yet I paid her no heed. The Flight Attendant began her walk through the aisle-way, as part of her initial cross-check. As she approached our row, row 6, the lady from across the aisle, waved her finger at the Flightie, making reference to the fact that my cell phone was not yet turned off. The Flight Attendant smiled at me, and said to the lady, 'Oh, she is just turning it off now." I complied, and as the Flight Attendant sat down in the front jump seat, I asked if I could change seats to sit in the one behind the intrusive lady since I was feeling less than warm and fuzzy at this point. She said, "No, not right now." I thought, 'Fine, I am stuck here'.

I contemplated the previous few minutes. How is it possible that complete strangers have the power to change my state of mind? At this point, I made a conscious decision that if somebody was going to mess with me, well then I would mess with them. I looked down at my now black and silent cell phone. It did have an On/Off switch and I, perhaps, did too. However, I was not about to be turned 'off' by someone else whom I didn't even know or care about.

I started to move my fingers on the keypad, a well seasoned actor, texting to my imaginary friend over my imaginary network, looking for a shade of comfort in deception. Yes, I began messing with her mind. It was glorious. She stared at me, pondering her next move, fighting to control her ire for not playing by her rules. I continued faking it. Finally, she came into my personal space, and said, "Why are you continuing to use your phone when you have been directed not to?" I said, "Maybe you should JUST worry about yourself, and not worry about others so much." Really, words to live by. She continued on, blathering away about the fact that the cell phone was supposed to be off. Finally, I held it up in her face. Black screen, no lights, dead to the world, and said, "Does this look ON to you?" She continued her rant and I repeated, "Does this look on?" I must have said it 10 times to her, not engaging any more than that. She finally said, "Shut up" and redirected her gaze straight ahead. Now, the person sitting right next to me was interested and said, "Do you know that person?" I said, "No, but she thought that she could tell me what to do."

As the person on my left, across the aisle, slipped out of the picture, being replaced by the person on my right, my disbelief in people's capability of rudeness was being replaced by another person's kindness. The window seats' occupant had become engaged by my antics. With this change in perspective, the dialogue continued, soothing, and calming and changing the subjects many times over, until we arrived in San Francisco, where we further continued on, over a quick meal, prior to the second leg of our journey.

The irony of this situation was not lost on me. The life lessons were twofold: sometimes when anger and frustration is dead in front of you, you need only turn your head to see another perspective, AND if everyone just worried about themselves, there would be a lot less strife in the world.

Jill Bolte Taylor's autobiographical account of her own brain hemorrhage is a fascinating look into the microcosm of the brain and ultimately, into life itself. As a Neuro-Anatomist, Taylor's scientific ability to draw us deep into the details of the form and function is raw and rampant, yet she is able to massage the content for the real meaning of the message, inner peace and prosperity.

Her 8 years of recovery transverse stages where the majority of the medical community had little hope, yet she emerges whole and complete, and actually, in her own words, better than she was prior to the stroke. When physicians had told her and her family that there would be little recovery past the 6 month mark, she marched on, re-learning, re-filing, and shedding unnecessary pieces of herself, eventually culminating with a North American speaker's series and a best-selling book at the 8 year mark.

The linear, methodical thinking of the Left Brain proves useful in a variety of ways, yet when one is forced to shed some of the 'details', some of the 'regretting', some of the 'what if chatter', life becomes so much more enjoyable for all. Her discovery of her lost Right Brain, and the enjoying of the moments, and the 'at one with the universe' saw her through many a day when she was fighting hard to walk and talk again.

While this is a definite read for anyone who has been able to study the fascinations of the brain via a real life event of a loved one (or self), it is also a read for anyone that wants to change their life by enjoying all the moments that are THIS life, instead of worrying those moments away. It is true that our brain can and does control each of us, but oh, there is so much more power when we choose what it should control, and let the rest go.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

hyperlink: a href="http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/441/index.html"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: geneva, arial, helvetica, sans-serif weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-size:8pt;">

Earlier this week, Canada was fortunate enough to bear witness to a momentous change in World Leadership. Leadership as such has never gripped the entire world as it did on January 20, 2009, when President Barack Obama was sworn into office in the United States of America.

Canadians looked on, pining for an inkling of that energy within their own country yet sadly having no one to look to, or to follow. On Tuesday, January 27, Stephen Harper and the reformed Conservatives will attempt to pass a budget within the House of Commons. Six months prior to the day, Mr. Harper assured Canadians that our economic outlook was good, and that there would be an upcoming governmental surplus, justified by a very real tax cut of the GST earlier in the year. On this Tuesday, though, this week, Mr. Harper will tell all of Canada that in fact there will be a 34 Billion dollar deficit instead. As Canada awaits the Canadian Parliament to play judge and jury on such a large and un-forecasted deficit, the words of Barack must be ringing in their ears, "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent ... we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist"?

The very symbolism of these two leaders could not be more diametrical or diverse. Obama has worked tirelessly to engage the world and his own nation, government, and party to work collectively toward the greater good; his words serving as the litmus test when his impending actions are called into question. Harper has done little to engage his own caucus let alone the citizens of his country or the world. His search for power while squashing minorities, women, and basic discussion within government have been tantamount in proving that true leadership cannot be bought or sold, but must be earned through honesty, integrity and justice.

Mr. Harper, Canadians have reached out to you, wanting to believe that your direction was worthy and sound, but sadly, there was only a clenched fist to be found. It is time for another leader to step up and time will tell if that will occur on Tuesday.

Not to belabour the point or anything, but couldn't that helicopter have whisked Bushy away about 8 years earlier! These are huge changes that he tried to 'sneak' into law before he thought that anyone would notice. Equal rights, the Environment, and Health Care....he seemed to have tainted them all adversely by his own agenda!

Editorial - Undoing the Damage Done - NYTimes.com

Check the NEW site out! It is totally impressive, displaying Obama's first Executive Orders already, and setting out the agenda for tackling the mess that was left before him. If nothing else, CHANGE has definitely come to the White House website. Obama has said that he is going to be the most Transparent President in history and one cannot help but think that he will be with his first day in Office complete and the details of that day already posted on the net. Imagine the possibilities for engagement when the populous actually knows what is going on behind those 4 white walls!!

Welcome to the White House