Annie's view

And justice for all?

2012-02-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

There was yet another shooting of an NYPD police officer last evening on the streets of Brooklyn. Within hours, a name of the alleged shooter had been given to the police - not much later, the alleged shooter was found, apprehended and taken into custody.

Conversely, an immigrant from West Africa was unloading goods to a taxi from the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers, when a rival cab driver allegedly threw a grocery cart from atop the structure - the second such incident in as many years. There has been no added security and as far as I can tell, no one has yet been arrested in this heinous crime.

What do these two men have in common? Fathers, working in New York, to provide for their young families. One was shot in the head and almost died and the other is in critical condition.

Does the NYPD and Yonkers PD handle police investigations in the same manner for civilian shootings versus police officer shootings? Should they?

I shall be watching this closely and will even be speaking to a Yonkers city council representative to express my concern.

It is also of note that the Honorable Mayor Bloomberg feels it necessary to interrupt whatever he is doing to go to the bedside of these fallen officers and provide updates to the public. Does he not trust Police Commissioner Kelley to do his job adequately and what of his communications staffer? Mr. Bloomberg's ego needs a reality check, methinks.

Stay tuned.

The Episcopal Church and social justice or why I believe Bishop Sisk is wrong when it comes to OWS and Trinity Church

2011-12-17T06:24:00.000-08:00

I was saddened and frankly surprised to read Bishop Sisk's letter yesterday on Facebook. The letter disappeared and reappeared shortly thereafter, along with the accompanying comments. It would appear that Bishop Sisk is bowing to public opinion and caving in and is no longer allowing OWS supporters to utilize their facilities at Trinity Church for toileting, sleeping, hanging out, strategizing and other activities.

One of the reasons I left my former faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is that I felt called and even compelled to do more work along the lines of social and economic justice such as I had done whilst engaged with MESJ or Mormons for Equality and Social Justice. I thought I had found that fit in the Episcopal Church of my birth. Now I am beginning to wonder.

Yes, this might be an isolated incident of one Bishop's lack of foresightedness, but it could also be a scary pattern of caving to the masses.

While Bishop Sisk is certainly a good and honorable man, the Episcopal Church has a calling from God to take particular care of the downtrodden and disenfranchised, in much the same way that the Savior did during his sojourn on the earth. When the moneychangers turned the Temple into a den of thieves and were doing business in the Savior's house, he used righteous indignation to overturn the tables with the merchandise and reprimanded the money changers for debasing his Father's house. We could all learn a valuable lesson from that exchange.

As a Church, I believe we have failed OWS protestors by cutting them off and not allowing them to have a place to crash as it were. They do not have money for expensive hotel rooms and some of the protestors come from as far away as Delaware, many of them are students and low-income workers. They need a soft place to land and continue this important work - while they may be the one percent, they have created a movement unlike any other we have seen in recent years.

Shame on the Episcopal Church of New York - Bishop Sisk, please revisit your decision.

Another senseless shooting at Virginia Tech

2011-12-09T02:51:00.000-08:00

It seemed like deja vu, surreal.....yet another shooting at Virginia Tech took place yesterday.

While details are still unfolding at this time, we do know that a police officer was gunned down and the first victim of the shooter's wrath and there was another man shot whose identity is yet unknown. What saddens me is that this police officer is a U.S. Army veteran - this makes the shooting even more poignant - he leaves behind a wife and 5 children and stepchildren.

The entire campus was on lockdown for several hours during the shooting. It seems that administrators have learned well from the incident that claimed some 33 lives in 2007. Ironically, the head of campus police, the emergency management director and several school administrators were out of state, attending hearings on the 2007 shootings according to news reports at cnn.com

I have long been an advocate for gun control, particularly on college campuses where kids are under so much stress, living away from home for the first time, exams, trying to fit in, etc, etc, etc.

In this case, we are not yet sure whether this shooter was a student - we do know that it was yet another white male. Ironically enough, my oldest son wrote a paper on the Columbine shootings years ago in high school. His point was simple: If black men were going on shooting sprees at the rate of whites, there would be federal investigations into why this behavior is occurring.....and not the leisurely pace at which these investigations are taking place. It has been some 4 years since the original massacre at Virginia Tech and the Department of Education is still holding hearings.

Enough already - close college campuses, no guns allowed, period.

Our love-hate affair with that great albatross about the neck of the American people

2011-12-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

This struggling great American institution has been on life support for years and maybe it is time to finally pull the plug. They have downsized, increased the price of a postage stamp more times in recent years than I care to recall and now, to add insult to injury, they are going to forfeit first class next day mail guarantee.

What is the point of being a post office if you can't guarantee mail delivery? This agency has been coddled and spoiled by the U.S. government since I came to this country some 21 years ago. They blackmail us, raise postage stamp prices and continue to deliver substandard service.

Were I the CEO of such an organization, the board would have fired me long ago for my ineptitude, but not so with the postmaster general - he continues to rake in a tidy salary, bonus and excellent retirement and health insurance benefits.

They have spent untold sums of monies in marketing and advertising as if there were some competition for delivering the mail - last time I checked, they were the only game in town.

There needs to be some serious house cleaning at this organization, starting with the postmaster general - salaries need to be slashed and folks need to be accountable!

One more pay hike and I will NEVER use the U.S. postal service again! Enough already.

The rise and fall of Herman Cain

2011-12-04T02:46:00.000-08:00

It was simply too good to be true.

A second African American President of the United States in a row and a Republican at that!

Herman Cain, head of Godfather's Pizza chain and millionaire and self made ueber business man tested the waters and got his feet burned.

It was not enough that a slew of women came forth accusing him of all manner of sexual impropriety in recent weeks, but the final blow came with the forthcoming of a woman who claimed to have had an illicit affair for 13 years.

Yesterday, Herman Cain after much consideration and prayer stepped down and "suspended" his candidacy for President of this great nation.

As a woman of color, I would have been thrilled to see yet another black President in the White House, and yet, something about Mr. Cain appeared unsettling from the beginning. His statements about poor people and how they are responsible for their misfortune did not sit well with me. He alluded to the fact that African Americans are lazy and would rather steal a BMW than work for it......(not a direct quote, but you get my point).

Mr. Cain now has to explain to his wife of some 48 years who was conspicuously absent during the entire campaign season, who these women are, why they were essentially bought out and what he plans to do, if anything to right these aggregious wrongs to her and their marriage.

I have said it before and I reiterate. I do not expect anything more from my elected officials than I expect of myself - that is, they are not perfect individuals, rather striving to represent those whom they are called to serve. I do not expect them to stray from their marriage vows, but as we saw in the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, a blow job and indescretion does not a marriage necessarily break.

I am going to be candid now. I am not sad in the least that Cain is out of the race and wonder where those voters will now pledge their respective allegiances.....I have spoken with two intelligent individuals who happen to be Republicans who felt that Cain had what it took to be President - that was clearly not the case.

Good riddance to bad rubbish and remember folks......if you have skeletons in the closet, they always come out to get you in the end, particularly if you choose to run for public office.

The Holiday Tree in Rhode Island - much ado about nothing or political correctness run amuck

2011-12-01T06:32:00.001-08:00

It seems that Governor Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island finally gets what other elected officials don't.

It is NOT appropriate to have a Christmas tree on state or federal property.

When this great nation was founded, and in particular, that state of Rhode Island, our forefathers went to great lengths to ensure that there was freedom of religion and separation of Church vs. State.

I am proud that Governor Chaffee has the guts to have a holiday tree and yet understands that he has the right to have a Christmas tree in his personal home.

Some years ago, whilst working as a political appointee for the Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah, I approached the Chief of Staff with a concern that we should not have a Christmas tree on city property if we were not also going to have a Menorrah, a Kwanzaa candle holder or any other non-secular memorabilia/decorations. He insisted that Christmas is a secular holiday and brings the city revenue and therefore the Christmas tree should stay in the Mayor's office - so sad too bad for the many Jews and Africans who lived in the areaa.

Not satisfied with his answer, I took the case further - I addressed the City Attorney with a query over why there was Christmas music being played in the Mayor's Office and asked that we not have any at all. My concern was not that we would offend anyone, rather that we were being insensitive and not religiously neutral. I recognized fully that we were at the time living in a theocracy - the state that is Utah is notorious for its overlap of Church and State, but thought that in a small way I could make a difference. I was obviously wrong and was shot down not once, but twice.

Now that I look back, I might have prevailed on the champion of the ACLU himself, the former Mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky Anderson and asked him what his opinion was - he likely would have sided with those above me, but he just might have come down on the side of that which is good and right.

I will never but it will make for an interesting chapter in the book.

Where everybody knows your name, part II

2011-10-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Previously this year, I wrote about how much I love going to my local Chase branch in Hartsdale, New York. Everyone is so very helpful and friendly. From Thelma, the greeter and CSR to Laura, the part time student who is on track to be a personal banker to my favorite and the person with whom I deal the most - UCONN graduate, Yousef. We originally connected over the UCONN win in March madness and the relationship stuck.

Whenever I have a problem with my account, be that trying to figure out how to make my direct deposit work, or making a deposit with my smart phone, Yousef, the branch manager and VP is available.

More recently, I have been using a cane on a regular basis - I am disabled and really don't like to be reminded of that fact - while I have more than one disability, I choose to focus more on my abilities and less on the disabilities. A trip to my orthopedic surgeon recommended that I not only use a cane, but that I attend physical therapy two to three times a week - and on whose dime?????? I am strapped as it it, but I digress.

It seems a cable company that shall remain nameless, suffice it to say that they are one of the largest here in the NYC area - has been trying for some 4 weeks to get my high speed Internet installed at my home. For reasons unbeknownst to me, that has not happened. I called no less than ten times and was finally so frustrated I gave up and told them to cancel the service and reimburse my money (which they had already conveniently taken out of my account). After waiting for a week and growing more frustrated by the day, I called Chase and they immediately reimbursed the monies. Simple enough.

I was so happy with Chase this week, indeed, anytime I deal with them, I am amazed at their level of professionalism, no matter the amount of monies I have in my bank account......I decided to write to the direct report of my VP - I was surprised not only to receive a response in a day - I can only begin to imagine how busy this man is! But he told me that he had considered my request for a button on the door that one can push if one is disabled such as myself.

I then received a personal call from none other than Yousef to indicate that the work has already begun and though it is an extensive project, they are not delaying my request.

And THAT, dear folks is why Chase is not going to charge to use debit cards - they get it on a very real level that real people use their bank and that folks are struggling - why kick a person when they are already down?

Sometimes you just want to go where everybody knows your name.....

Racism in America - alive and well

2011-10-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

"I hate Indians! They are cheap" the woman stated quite unabashedly. The outburst was uncalled for, inappropriate and certainly unprofessional. The woman then proceeded to dare me to write about that in my blog. I was shocked, literally and could feel my blood boiling.

If she could be this open about one group of minorities, what on earth did she think of me and furthermore, what would she say about me behind my back?

I could not, no, would not let this racism pass by. I commented that she had just made quite the sweeping statement. She then proudly sneered - yes, I am a racist! Racism and bigotry is insidious and hurts all of us. The biggest irony of the story is that this woman is married to an African American, albeit separated. She has a beautiful African American/caucasian daughter who is already showing signs of questioning her heritage and wondering why she is different than the other children in her predominantly caucasian neighborhood. The woman of whom I speak hails from the former Soviet Union and came to this country sans papers and worked under the table for quite some time until she became "legal".

How quickly they forget. There but for the grace of God go all of us. I am reminded of those great leaders who have preceded us, Dr. King, Gandhi, Mohammed, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Tutu, all of whom preached inclusion - not hatred and bigotry.

Yes, we might have a bi-racial President who self identifies as black - that is his choice, but the venom that has been spewed in his direction, no matter the cause, has been uncalled for and has created a chasm in this country the likes of which we have not seen since Dr. King was jailed in Birmingham, Alabama during the Civil Rights movement - they tried then to quash the rebellion, telling blacks that they were inferior and did not deserve equal treatment as whites, but the people would not be moved. They marched to Washington D.C. and ultimately their united voices were heard.

Yes, I am sad as I write this, but I am also hopeful that my four amazing sons will be amongst those who will turn this tide of racism and bigotry - they are biracial, two of them have children, one of whom was the sperm donor for a lesbian couple and of whom I could not be more proud.

We certainly have a long way to go and I implore all of you who read this to call out bigots and racists wherever they hide, covertly and overtly - they clearly do not share the American Dream and shame on them for not doing so!

Gays and lesbians and transgendered individuals - brave souls paving the way

2011-10-16T04:37:00.000-07:00

I had occasion early in the week to sit with a couple at coffee hour at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church - my church where I worship most Sundays. I had met this remarkable couple previously, but last week there was a glow about them - it seems that this couple who has been together some 21 years is FINALLY getting married! What a blessing to them and their families. They are both retired professionals and I would estimate that they are in their mid 50's to early 60's, but don't be fooled - they want marriage and they want it now! We made the announcement during coffee hour and there was a generous and genuine round of applause to salute the newly engaged couple.

Later in the week, I had drinks with Scott and his partner Mark - they shared with me that while they have been partnered for years, they actually got married on the first day that was legal for them in the great state of New York. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. All those hours on the phones at the SEIU building in Times Square, all those hang-up calls, all those "I support you, but I won't call my Senator" calls were worth it. Meeting Chelsea Clinton was of course, the icing on the cake, but knowing Scott, a former Senator from New York, formerly Republican, now a Democrat (at least, I think he still is) and brilliant litigating attorney and Mark, an amazing realtor and film genius are finally legally wed to one another makes me happy indeed.

And now to round out the story. Brooke and Gary were married last month in a beautiful wedding ceremony in a church in Utah - who'd have thought that a gay man would marry a transgendered woman in Utah? I have never met Brooke, but have spoken with her over the phone - she is an amazing woman, great mum wonderful cook and boy can she decorate a mean floral bouquet. Gary is a former Iraqi war vet and ours is a sweet and mutually respectful friendship.

Brown v. Board, Loving v Virginia, Prop 8, Don't ask, Don't tell.......we are making it slowly but surely.

OWS gains momentum

2011-10-16T03:20:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I was assigned to attend yet another Health Fair on Wall Street - the second in as many weeks. I was surprised to see that the NYPD had set up cordons around a PUBLIC street and was asking for badges (employee ID's) and/or ID's. I was most surprised - shocked even, that at 9.30 on a Friday morning on an innocuous day in October, the NYPD would take such a tack.

Many of the employees of Wall Street seemed pleased at not having to deal with the annoying, pesky flies in their mega bucks ointment, with their pressed blouses and heels, and starched shirts and designer suits. They showed their ID's and waltzed through as though they had not a care in the world.

I was not quite sure how to approach my particular situation, knowing full well that I had no employee badge, but every credible right to be there.

I approached a camerawoman from New York Post.com - she is not affiliated with the rag, rather she claims to be from a reputable news show. I have googled the website she gave me, but all I can come up with is the tabloid esque paper. She was not able to get onto Wall Street at that time, per se, rather was relegated to filming from the other side of the barricades. I found that to be quite remarkable given that she had press credentials.

I summoned my courage and recalled all of those difficult times and altercations I had in the Salt Lake City Mayor's office. I walked stridently up to the police officer and indicated that while I did not work on Wall Street, nor did I have, as such, an employee ID badge, I had business there. He gruffly told me to walk along and talk with his colleagues who were keeping guard further down the street.

I explained my story further and was granted access. Were I not on the clock, I would have gone down to the park and tried to interview folks on Friday but that was not the case. As fate would have it, my colleague who speaks some English but not great English, was waving to me from the "checkpoint charlie" area, trying to get my attention - the powers that be realized I was walking with a cane and allowed him to approach me with the rolling case of glass samples.

On my way home, I purposely walked past the park and past Chase One Plaza because I wanted to see again what was taking place during this amazing time in our lives.

It has been said that Chase is paying for the over $2 million in overtime that NYC has paid out to cops thus far and I have to say I have no reason to disbelieve this. I can tell you that the P.D. is getting weary - they are constantly yelling - "move along" "don't block the sidewalk" "not everyone wants to be here" - maybe so, but there are plenty of people who do and they are sporting peace signs and thinking of John Lennon and Bob Marley.

In tribute to these two great men whom we lost much too young, I stopped off at an artist's booth and spent my last $35 on NY city mini photographs made to look like Bob Marley and John Lennon respectively.

One love.

An afternoon at the Wall Street protests

2011-10-09T05:04:00.001-07:00

I spent last Saturday afternoon in the Wall Street area. I had been assigned by my colleagues from Politicalcontext.org to go among the masses and get some good interviews. I initially declined as the assignment appeared to be quite daunting.

As fate would have it, I already work in the Financial District and am therefore familiar with its buildings and environs. Earlier in the week, I had already experienced the massive influx of the NYPD, complete officers on horses, ready to quell rioting and/or protesting should it arise, bolstered by the extra 2 million dollars that Mayor Bloomberg had managed to squeeze from his budget. I was prepared for anything and hoped for the best.

Serendipitously, just as I alighted the subway stairs, I came across a realtor, his wife, an attorney and their daughter a high school student. We discussed the subprime mortgage crisis, greed and the general demise of the country - he is actually the first person interviewed.

What amazed me more than anything, besides the orderly fashion in which the protestors behaved, was the huge cross-section of the American public that came out to lend their support. I interviewed everyone from a ten year old, to grandparents, a school teacher and numerous college students.

There were too many amazingly well-written signs to count, though I tried to read them out on the air - one in particular reads: Take part in direct democracy. The wealthiest 1% has taken control of our economy and government. You are the 99% that is ready to take it back."

Talk about a powerful statement - even the 10 year old boy whom I interviewed near the beginning of the show was able to articulate the 99% and the 1% and how that works and why, in his opinion, it is not fair.

What an afternoon it was. Stay tuned for further live broadcasts and podcasts on this huge financial crisis. This evening (Monday), mayor Bloomberg has decided to recant his position and allow the demonstrators peace and quiet where they can protest infinitely.

Mormonism is NOT a cult!

2011-10-08T02:22:00.000-07:00

It would appear that a man calling himself both a minister and supporter of Rick Perry has recently called upon fellow christians - read evangelists and ultra right wing conservative christians - to boycott Mitt Romney and elect one of their own, rather than someone who is Mormon and belongs to a cult.

Not so. For over 23 years, I was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Mormon Church. During that time I found members to be kind, loving, service minded both in and out of their church community and almost without exception......they devoted numerous hours of service to their faith and ultimately their religious beliefs.

We are living in the year 2011 and I am wondering whence this religious zeal cometh - certainly not from anything I have seen in all my years reading the bible. This election cycle has been hijacked by ultra right winged so-called Christian zealots. It is unfortunate, given that Jesus was one of the first progressives in the Bible.

Indeed, were he here on the earth today, I would venture to say that he would be preaching in much the same way he did while on his earlier mission - that is, spending time with the poor, meek and downtrodden - he certainly would not be spending time with zealots, hypocrites and the like (read zealots) and he would spread forth his compassion to encompass everyone, even publicans and gasp - prostitutes and adulterers.

My heart is heavy and quite saddened for the many LDS/Mormon faithful whom I have been privileged to encounter in these 2+ decades......is this not America - the greatest country in the world, founded on religious freedom? I guess not.

Walll Street dichotomies

2011-10-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

As you may recall, I work as a marketing consultant in the downtown area of the Financial District. As such, on occasion, I am called upon to attend health fairs at various businesses in the Wall Street area.

This week, I happened to be in the Trump Tower around its wealth, opulence and grandeur. I was not impressed and was, in fact disturbed to see the aforementioned over the top grandeur, particularly in this day and age. I am not for one moment suggesting that The Donald, aka would be President, redocorate any of his ueber buildings, but I am writing this piece to address what I can only call dichotomies of the time in which we live.

For the past 20 days I have been riveted to the main street and alternative media's coverage of the protests on Wall Street. Last week at another health fair, an associate noted that while she is 100% behind the protestors, she cannot afford to get arrested. While I did not concur outwardly, I groaned inwardly at what is happening so very close to the freedom towers and the former Ground Zero where so many lives were lost some ten years ago.

We are in a fight for America and the middle class is losing this war. This nightmare that began with greedy Wall Street bankers and financiers has now snowballed into some 700 protestors being arrested in one weekend on one hand and according to one left-leaning publication, bankers and financiers sipping champagne while they watch the "minions" below, wondering what they are so upset about.

I tried to have a conversation with a financial/management consultant on the situation this week. His assesment is simple: he does not know what the protesting is about nor does he know what the demands of the protestors are.

I would assert that it matters not one whit what the demands are of the protestors, only that we know the source of their discontent. They have been fleeced dry and they are mad as hell and not willing to take it any more.

They want billionaires and Wall Streeters to pay their share and STOP forcing the American public to be held hostage to their whims, bonuses, stock options and golden parachutes.

I shall be reporting on Saturday from Wall Street live streaming on Political Context at Blog Talk Radio and hope to have you listening.

The times are changing and I for one welcome the change

Too little, too late for the President

2011-08-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

President Obama has just appointed Professor Alan Krueger of Princeton University to provide much-needed, albeit too late, aid to Timothy Geithner as they grapple with a stymied economy and a lackluster jobs market. While I am no Columbia MBA graduate, it is clear that if people do not have jobs, they cannot pay their bills, nor pay their mortgages - a jobs bill was promised by both Democrats and Republicans but in their need to have a major pissing contest, these so-called elected leaders have come up with nothing.

As of this writing, the President's approval ratings are positively abysmal, in the 40% range - low 40's, that is. While it is laudable that Professor Krueger has joined the Obama team, that is an action that is years overdue. This recession did not occur overnight - Krueger or someone else of his stature and economic prowess should have been appointed when this nightmare began two years or so ago.

President Obama began his presidency promising change - he has tried to deliver but has caved far too often when what he needed was to use his executive powers as Executive in Chief and veto any legislation he did not like and instruct then Senate Majority Leader Pelosi to keep the balance in the Senate and get Republicans and Democrats to come up with a comprehensive jobs proposal - one that both sides could live with and failing that, he should have admonished his economics team to do just that - come up with a plan and insist that congress fall in lockstep.

That brings me to the ne'er do well Mr. Geithner. From reading his bio and credentials, Mr. Geithner should have brought a lot to the proverbial table of the Obama economics team - he has, however shown little leadership; instead appearing like a deer in the headlights when confronted on difficult economic subjects - he has clearly no clue what he is doing, nor what needs to be done.

The time for Americans to be patient is past and the President has unfortunately squandered far too much political will and capital on playing Mr. Nice Guy - it has backfired and horribly.

What is needed now is strong leadership and a fiscally responsible President - one who is not scared of making tough decisions, no matter how unpopular - it is nice to be liked, but politics is not for the fainthearted.

President Obama has made history and for that, I am grateful - his time has clearly passed. It is still, after all is said and done - the economy, stupid!

Moratorium on PM David Cameron

2011-08-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying my vacation in London. I have been staying with my sisters who live in South Norwood and Croydon respectively. You may recall that the location of the huge furniture shop fire was Croydon. I have yet to witness first hand any destruction but have been riveted to the reporting on TV and in newspapers regarding same.

PM David Cameron is desperately playing catch up, trying to assure his blue-blooded, private school cronies that all is well and that the police have this matter in hand. He has a new super cop from America who will consult with the PM on sensitive gang issues and help him strategize, along with the police department, as to how to get a handle on the crime that is sweeping across pockets of London and other larger English cities.

Cameron is in a coalition government and did not win the last election by a sweeping majority. He needs to hit this situation out of the proverbial ball park in order to re-install faith in his constituents and the country. If he does not regain the trust of the public, he will likely not be re-elected. After speaking with several people since being here for two weeks, I realize that most of all, they wish to be heard by their politicians and overwhelmingly, they feel that they are not being heard and that politicians are out of touch with what people need in London, in particular.

News reports seem to back this up as they have been interviewing individuals of all ethnicities, religious backgrounds and ages.

PM Cameron should tread very carefully at this time......his days might just be numbered.

Why Warren Buffett is right

2011-08-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

Warren Buffett has recently called for millionaires and the ueber wealthy to pay more than their fair share of taxes. The entire country has been asked to share the sacrifice, take lesser paying jobs, move back home with family and are otherwise doubling up in their living arrangements. They are working part time jobs sans health insurance, working more than one job to make ends meet and not foreclose on their mortgages. They are sharing the sacrifice.

It has been suggested that the wealthy not pay their share as they have earned their money the old-fashioned way in many instances. In today's CNN online edition, Jeffrey Miron of Harvard University suggests that the circa $73 billion generated by taxing the wealthy at 10% would merely be a drop in the bucket and would do little to alleviate the financial issues presently facing the country. Miron believes that demonizing everyone who hits it big would be wrong.

Clearly there are policy issues to be addressed here - not least of all, the tax code needs to be rewritten to ensure that the wealthy, ueber wealthy and corporations are paying their fair share.

The Obama administration has erred greatly by not including the likes of Warren Buffett on the super committee to address budget negotiations - indeed, the Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner would do well to heed the advice of Buffett and others of his vision - they clearly know what works and what doesn't in business.

Between a rock and a hard place - PM Cameron can't win with the London police

2011-08-14T02:43:00.000-07:00

Prime Minister Cameron has called upon the American crime and specifically, gang expert, "supercop" Bill Bratton to be a consultant and advisor to aid the British police force in reducing crime and addressing the gang problem that plagues London and Britain presently.

While it is admirable that the PM is thinking out of the proverbial box, one cannot help but wonder how that will play to the thousands of police officers presently serving the country. Granted, their reaction time to the looting and subsequent lawlessness following the unfortunate shooting of Mark Duggan, an alleged known criminal, was poor to be sure, but in this instance, a coalition effort between community leaders, faith leaders, activists and the British Home Office would be a better plan.

During my interfaith and community outreach work in the United States, specifically, serving as an aide to the Salt Lake City mayor during the Olympics and thereafter, we were particularly concerned with any gang and other criminal activity that might affect the games. Rick Dinse, former Los Angeles police chief was the police chief of Salt Lake City at the time and made every attempt to ensure smooth games. You may recall that the games went off without incident.

Policing in America is vastly different than in the UK - not only because the police do not carry guns, but because community oriented policing is not something that is espoused, certainly not here in the London area according to my sources. There is an expression in the US - driving while black - that means a successful black person driving a high end vehicle is likely to be stopped by the police either in their community or traveling around elsewhere. Were community oriented policing in place here in London, police would not spend their time profiling successful black business people, rather they would know who those people are, as a result of spending time on their feet, patrolling the community.

I would certainly encourage PM Cameron to rethink bringing in an outsider to tell his police officers how and where and what to police - this is disrespectful and highly unprofessional and downright political. Shame on him!

Sneakers and flat screen tvs - the real reasons behind the looting in England

2011-08-11T23:24:00.001-07:00

I have been heartsick in recent days as I watched the live events unfold on US television showing scenes of burning buildings, cars, people of all ages and ethnicities in anarchy.

It so happened that I was scheduled to come to London on a much-needed vacation and to reconnect with family after a 9 year hiatus due to financial constraints. It had been suggested by some that I postpone the trip or perhaps not come at all. Ironically, the IOC is in London, safely esconced in high priced hotels, I am sure as they finalise plans for the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

When the deal was made to bring the games to London, according to my sources, promises were made that jobs would be made available to the disenfranchised and longterm unemployed youth - read - blacks and other minorities - unfortunately, this has not happened - rather the jobs have gone to newer immigrants predominantly of the caucasian persuasion. Coupled with the austere cuts in social programs, benefits in unemployment, etc, London's youth was sitting on a veritable powder keg which was lurking in the shadows, waiting for any minor event to set it aflame.

That opportunity presented itself in the unfortunate police altercation with Mark Duggan, a 29 year old black man who was armed with a blank weapon that had been altered to carry five loaded bullets. Preliminary reports indicate that he did not shoot at the police.

I am reminded of the violence that followed the brutal police beating of Rodney King in California years ago. In Duggan's case, there was unfortunately no-one present to record what transpired leading up to his being shot and ultimately killed.

As I began my journey to London, my neighbor on the plane asked me whether I thought I would be safe and what my take was on the situation. I responded that when a people has no hope, no jobs and no future, it takes little to set them off. My neighbor indicated that he felt this was merely an excuse for louts to be louts. I then reminded my neighbor that we on that flight were all priveleged with jobs and going on holidays or returning from same.

These youth are not rioting because they want a flat screen tv or the newest sneakers per se, though England is following fast on the heels of America and becoming very materialistic. They riot because they have lost hope and have no dignity - they live in fear of authority for whom they have no respect, they are mistreated often by police officers and are routinely stopped while walking on the street minding their own business in a way that the ACLU and Reverend Al Sharpton would find offensive in America.

There has been a breakdown in the family unit - these children and youth came from fractured homes in many cases, growing up in housing projects where violence and drug dealing is a way of life.

We need community leaders to rally around and Prime Minister Cameron needs to heed their words of caution and wisdom - they work in the trenches and know of the malcontent that plagues their lives - they know what changes need to be made to create opportunities for these disenfranchised youth. It is not enough to punish the offendors - rather, they should be made to rebuild that which they have destroyed, rebuilding buildings for no pay, cleaning up the rubbish they have left strewn in the streets, learning job skills and finally, giving them opportunities when they are finished serving out their sentences. This is a call for faith and community based organisations to address the needs of this struggling underclass who have no jobs, no hope and certainly no future.

There are clearly no simple solutions for this quagmire of a situation - suffice it to say - this has been a wake up call for Britain. With the Olympic games less than a year away, they should thank their lucky stars that the IOC is too far ahead in their planning to pull the games and seek alternative venues to showcase athletes at their finest.

Exorbitant political races

2011-06-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

The news is reporting that President Obama was in NYC this week at fundraisers ranging from a gig at Sister Act on Broadway - $100 to a $1200 a plate dinner to a $35,000 a plate dinner. What gives? The President made the last Presidential election the most expensive ever and with the likes of Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney, we stand to see those figures repeated, if not surpassed.

There are many fine senators, mayors and governors who would make outstanding presidents of the USA but for their humble bank accounts. I should state that most senators are independently wealthy and continue to make vats of monies with their insider and back door deals once they make it to the senate I should say.

Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are both billionaires and while they are both Republicans and devout Mormons, my money is on Huntsman because his father, the billionaire Jon Huntsman sr. insisted that his children not receive their respective inheritances until they reached the age of 40 - old enough to have graduated college (in most cases, that is - my regular readers know that I am in my 40's and completing my Bachelor's degree) - and have established themselves professionally and personally and politically.

I would like to see races in the USA run like they are run in Britain - both parties get equal time on television - neither party pays for the air time - and the season is relatively short - about a month in 2010.

Were I ruler of the free world, I could get a lot done. It is time for campaign finance reform - in fact, it is long overdue.

Victory for gays in New York

2011-06-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I felt compelled to seek out a GLBT activist in NYC - I wanted to do something - anything - to help forward the case for gay marriage.

I was sent to a call center operated by the SEIU - a union outfit - in order to call registered Democrats to ask them to reach out to their senators and encourage them to vote on the gay marriage initiative currently before them.

As is typical for NYers, I received many gruff, short and mostly offended responses - that was a private matter and I had no business asking them whether they supported gay marriage. Every now and again - say every ten phone calls, I found someone who was not only willing to support the initiative, but would also call their senator asking them to vote yes.

On one such evening during my few weeks on the phones, the room went quiet and we were asked to get off the phones and wrap up our calls quickly. I was amazed to look up and see Ms. Chelsea Clinton appear wearing an equality tee shirt. She spoke eloquently and intelligently - just as her parents - on the issue of gay marriage. Indeed, her father, Bill had spoken out in favor of gay marriage that very day. Chelsea spoke of her own marriage last year and spoke movingly about how she could not comprehend being married to her best friend.

They said it couldn't be done and I am not aware of all the deals made with religious organizations, protecting them from having to perform - gasp - same sex marriages - in the late hours of Friday evening, the news came to my mobile phone via text sent by the HRC. I did not get the news until Saturday - as fate would have it, I had stayed in the city until late on Friday having drinks with a couple of friends. Had I known that the vote was going to come at eleven p.m., I would have left the Financial District and taken the subway to the Village where a massive celebration was underway.

NY is now the 6th state in the union to offer gay marriage. Some with whom I have spoken have shared that while they oppose gay marriage, they believe that gays should have rights in the form of civil unions.

That is like saying slaves could jump the broom while remaining property of their masters - since when are we a nation of second class citizens? This is America where we are guaranteed "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is it not?

Brown v Board, Jim Crow, Loving v Virginia - are you recognizing a trend here? Some 51% of adults polled nationally according to CNN, are in support of gay marriage.

Change is coming - this is a civil rights issue - gays are not all asking to be married in churches - they simply want the same rights that you and I have as straight people.

I welcome the change!

The case for Jon Huntsman

2011-06-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to live in the great state of Utah for 7 1/2 years. During some of that time, I was fortunate to live in the parochial district and neighborhood of Jon Huntsman, two term governor of Utah.

Jon Huntsman is a compassionate conservative, fiscally prudent, supporter of civil unions which he championed while governor. He is also fully cognizant of the fact that Utah is essentially a theocracy, given that some 70% of residents are members of the Mormon faith. Jon Huntsman teamed up with an unlikely ally - Rocky Anderson - the former mayor of Salt Lake in order to overhaul the archaic and restrictive liquor laws which were in sore need of a revisit since their inception. Jon Huntsman realized that the constrictive laws were costing business revenue and tourist revenue to the state as many would not come and visit given that in order to get an alcoholic beverage (hard liquor), one had to become a "member" of a private club with a fee ranging from $5 to as high as $25 for a year. One could get a friend or club member to sponsor them, but that was easier said than done. That this staunch Republican and Governor could collaborate with a staunch ACLU Democrat and mayor in order to right such an aggregious wrong is testament to the governor's ability to cross party lines for the good of his state and its people.

Jon Huntsman supported civil unions - again, not an easy thing to do, given his staunch and devout Mormon faith. Salt Lake City has a surprisingly large gay community thankfully. Gay pride, the Pride Center, Equality Utah are all part of what makes the community so wonderfully vibrant. Jon gets that while he might differ with gay marriage based on his religion, he should not and does not usurp his beliefs on others. Whilst living in Utah I campaigned against a ballot initiative defining marriage as between one man and one woman - Amendment 3 - unfortunately the amendment passed - this in a state where polygamy - that is, marriage between one man and several women - was what the state was founded on and is practiced to this day in some enclaves.

Jon Huntsman's economic development vision made Utah number one in the nation for economy and job creation - mostly through private corporations and small business - tax incentives are how he accomplished this - his vision is remarkable and broad.

I love that he has spent time living in another country - China of all places - our ally and foe economically and militarily speaking - he knows that there is a significant trade deficit between the two countries and the disparity between what China takes in versus what they ship out is growing exponentially.

He might have come late to the party but in this former political appointee's opinion, he is the best candidate the GOP has put forth thus far - yes, even better than flip-flopper Mitt Romney.

Moving day again

2011-06-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

I always dread these days.

My dear son, Kyle, now 23 is ready to spend his 24th birthday and 3rd birthday incarcerated in a state prison in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

I had been instant messaging with another son enquiring of Kyle's whereabouts as I had not received a letter from him in well over a month - not a regular occurrence - Kyle has apparently become adept at circumventing the prison system and barters for stamps when he runs out of envelopes to send letters home.

During this instant message communique, I learned that Kyle had indeed been transferred to his third prison facility in as many years.

Given that I am prone to anxiety in such situations, I called the facility the next day in order to set my mind at ease. I wondered why a simple email or postcard informing family members of transfers was not sent from such facilities? It would do much to alleviate the stress, worry and anxiety for family members when loved ones are summarily transferred, often sans much notice to the prisoner - have prisoners really forsaken all rights? Can they not be afforded the decency of a phone call or postcard to inform family members of transfers?

Kyle is fine - he called me to let me know as much last week. He is adjusting to life living close to Minnesota - their news, different rules for a prison facility - it is a step in the right direction - he is more than 1/2 way through his sentence and this is a lesser security facility, albeit built on a swamp with lots of "creatures" wildlife, bugs and the like, he indicated.

I shall worry for my son until he comes home where I can see his beautiful face, his big brown eyes full of wisdom and expression

Yes, I am fully cognizant of the fact that he erred in judgement - greatly so - so much so that he is now a convicted felon serving a harsh sentence in a state facility but I love him nonetheless. He is a fine young man who is wasting his years languishing when he should be working or in college.

He will be fine and I am learning to not worry as much as I used to - moving day will continue to be a difficult time for me, mostly because Kyle has inherited my anxiety and does not transition well.

And so it goes.

Where is that prison reform that Obama spoke of?

North vs South

2011-04-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

I have just spent a few days in South Carolina. What an interesting step back in time.

I was struck initially by the friendliness of the people here. Sir, ma'am and how are y'all doing? are common phrases.

At the restaurant this morning for breakfast, I could not help but think of segregated lunch counters as I watched blacks and whites sitting together, talking, sharing stories, arguing over gas prices, kids, food prices and the like. Dr. King would surely not recognize this South all these years after his "dream" (deferred still for so many of our people).

I ached to see so many people of color bussing tables, cleaning my hotel room and in school for low level healthcare jobs (medical assistant, etc). In a day where our President represents the very best of a white mother and black father, a graduate from an Ivy league college and a powerful, equally well-educated wife, it is unconscionable that blacks are not reaching for their highest aspiration here in the South.

Granted, in my home state of New York, all is not well - clearly evidenced by recent studies indicating that NYC is the 3rd most segregated city in the country - Miami, incidentally is THE most segregated city - interesting dichotomy I must add.

I spoke quite candidly with my cab driver on the long drive from the airport who spoke achingly of his desire to live in a truly integrated place, where race does not matter and one is treated equally, no matter the color of ones skin - does such a place exist?

A recent survey indicates that an overwhelming majority of Republicans living in Mississippi (46%) reject interracial marriage - this is a clear contradiction to census data that shows that more interracial marriages are occurring there than in almost any other state in the nation.

I wonder whether the South will indeed rise again, given the racial tensions overt and covert bubbling below the surface - time will tell.

I do know that I am proud to be a Northerner and living in Westchester is a boon to me at this point in my life. When I am finished with my sojourn there, I will likely return to Kentucky to be closer to my children and grandchildren in Michigan - this will require a sacrifice as I am not easily given to racism and frankly have neither time nor use for it, but as I did while living in Utah, will suck it up and make the best of the situation.

After Kentucky who knows.....

Thoughts for today from my hotel room where my maids are from Columbia South America and South Carolina.

Chase bank - where everyone knows your name - who knew????

2011-04-07T14:54:00.001-07:00

I have been attending my local Chase bank since they merged with WAMU some years ago. Laura and Barbara are the two tellers who generally provide me with the most assistance. Laura, in particular is bright, articulate, intelligent and is definitely going places. She recently shared with me that she is attending Fordham University, taking just a few classes at a time and I asked her whether she had considered becoming a personal banker - she is definitely on track! I put a good word in with her supervisor. I frequent the bank with my various questions, deposits, favors, etc, etc, etc. Seems that my favorite personal banker, Jose has moved on to bigger and better things - good for him! In his place is a charming young man from India - a Sikh, complete with dark brown eyes and a turban and an intense passion for cricket. He helped me on my visit today. The VP of the bank is Youssef - talk about a tall drink of water. He is from Pakistan and came to the U.S. when he was 7. He speaks flawless English with a hint of a Pakistani accent. He lives in Connecticut and is tasked with community outreach - my favorite - I hope he will be able to help me with my latest project - and technology in the branches. He is hot, hot, hot, graduated with a Bachelor's from UCONN so was most pleased with the outcome of the NCAA finals this week - he doesn't know it yet, but he is going to meet Manisha at a dinner party next month - sure hope he is not taken. When I left the bank, I ran into Midge Gravely from the Church in the Highlands - a church where I worked for a season when I first moved to the area. Midge lost her sweetheart of over 50 years to a massive heart attack in the middle of the night - she now has early onset Alzheimers and is struggling with her health in general and is also very frail. She lives around the corner from me - I am glad that she has a lovely Irish girl, Anne Marie to take care of her. I shall make an effort to outreach to Midge while I still live in the Co-Op for the next few months. Midge has a bad back and uses a cane - I asked Laura to come over to the comfortable chairs and help her and she immediately complied. I had thought of switching banks earlier this month, particularly when Chase stopped using Debit card rewards. Some things just can't be bought.......

My beloved Wildcats and UCONN - Basketball is life!

2011-04-04T23:52:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite time of year - Spring and March Madness! I am proud to be the blessed mother of four outstanding young men: Ryan, Kyle, Tye and Bryce. They are all taller than me, blessed with their father's good looks, physical abilities and my intellect - a very good combination if I may say so myself. I have been rather preoccupied this year, finding a new place to live, working on school and personal stuff, etc, etc, etc - in other words life. It was not until about two weeks ago when my Mum mentioned that the Wildcats had made it through in the tournament - It did not register that she was speaking of my beloved UK Wildcats, rather I assumed she spoke of the AZ Wildcats. Why the interest in basketball and the UK? For 5 amazing years, we lived in KY - home of two types of people - those who bleed red for the Louisville Cardinals and those who bleed blue for the Kentucky Wildcats. I honestly believe I began watching UK games because Rick Pitino was the coach and he was and still is incredibly hot and sexy. I was a young mother with three rambunctious boys who adored sports - they played softball - yuck! Flag football - quel horreur - a tad too much for this genteel Brit who wanted nothing to do with a sport where her sons might - gasp - be injured and spent games with her eyes mostly shut so she wouldn't see collisions and fingers in her ears so she wouldn't hear the sound of crunching shoulder pads making contact. Either way, I recall us sitting in their big bedroom when their dad was at school at work as he was wont to be in those days post his 15 years of service in the US Army. His days were long and he worked hard to provide for his young family and balance his time between the demands of school, work and family time. We spent hours watching the games, screaming for the Wildcats until our throats were hoarse. At that time, we were devout LDS/Mormons and my former husband was one of the finest church basketball coaches I have ever seen - okay, so he was my husband and I was in love with him, but he was still damn good! I remember him going to bat for Erik Bernhard, a young kid with earrings - the referee did not want him to play with earrings (they had seriously high standards back then) and Dan, bless his heart, negotiated with the coach to have Erik put band-aids over his ears so that he could play. When we moved to Michigan, it was hoped that Dan would attend Tom Cooley law school - he had been a paralegal in the army and it seemed like a natural seque. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Dan continued to be active in the LDS Church, as did I and we spent our Saturdays going to tournaments, cheering on people we didn't know, by and large and supporting our husband and father - happier times. I recall the year that WMU made it to the sweet sixteen when my children were attending Moorsbridge Elementary where I frequently volunteered as a parent. I came to school to sign them out early and all the children were so jealous that my three boys were getting out of school to watch the game at home, while they were relegated to watching it at school on TV's erected on stands in hallways and break areas by accomodating staffers. Dan and Ken Vargha went to a UK finals game once - they were great friends, though Ken was a graduate of a school in CA, he knew how much Dan loved the Wildcats - Ken worked as some big shot in a company that afforded him such things as tickets to Final Four basketball games - Dan and I attended church in the same congregation and lived closeby, but our home was modest and theirs was shall we say opulent in comparison. When Dan and I divorced some years ago, I was awarded custody of the 4 boys and we moved to Utah with the exception of Bryce. I did not have daycare lined up for him and so Dan encouraged me to leave him behind in his care, promising that when he finished his management training at Meijer, he would follow us to "Zion". Ultimately I lost custody of Bryce 11 years ago and have seen him only sporadically since then. He lived with me along with his father and brother in Utah for a few weeks and for the first time in years I was happy and felt like a mother to Bryce. I coached Kyle's Jr. Jazz b-ball team and even tried to emulate Rick Pitino, wearing business attire as I yelled encouragement from the sidelines and argued with the coaches - talk about a rush! I recall one time, the guys were doing layups during half time and Kyle (who was over 6' at the time) did an amazing slam dunk - do you know that they actually penalized us for that? Seems there is some stupid rule about dunking in Jr. Jazz - sheesh! Who comes up with this stuff? We went to see the Jazz play in nosebleed seats and Ry got to sit in VIP seats courtest of Thomas Karrenberg of Anderson and Karrenberg Attorneys at Law for his birthday. In fact, I had stupidly thought Ry would invite me to go to the game - I was after all the basketball queen - he had the nerve to ask some girl. I never did find out where Tom Karrenberg sat that night, but I do know that he came to Ry during halftime and introduced himself. I found out quite by accident last year (long story) that Bryce who is 13 and 6' was playing on his school basketball team - his principal shared this with me, assuming that I was in regular communication with Bryce and/or his dad. Can I say that losing Bryce has been the single most painful thing in my life? I am crying as I write this - I feel as though I have been robbed of all these years - 11 Christmases, Thanksgivings, summers, spring breaks, birthdays, etc, etc, etc. All this because I did not want to rock the boat with his father. Truth is, I have always been afraid of my former husband - no more - while he is very good at being passive aggressive and is certainly verbally abusive and condescending when he wants to be, I am in a place where I can move forward and take appropriate steps to mitigate the parenting time disparity. I missed the Wildcats game on Saturday - I had a migraine - I have been crying for a week over missing my boys - when Bryce did not call for my birthday, I thought I would die - clearly I did not - I wanted to see the final last night - another migraine. I went into my room and called my three closest guy friends - and told them how much I loved them and how thankful I was to them for being such great parents even as their former wives had tried everything in their power to keep them from their fathers. I will be at Bryce's games next year - I am quitting my job and will not take classes during the time his season is on. I have the most amazing boys - We are Daleys, we are different, we will dare to do what's right! Go Wildcats - next year, maybe.

Lawmakers questions salaries at nonprofits

2010-07-28T03:51:00.001-07:00

I was shocked to read this story in the NY Times online today.

Apparently even during these times of dwindling profits and services rendered, chiefs at Boys and Girls Clubs and the American Heart Association are making close to a million dollars a year in salaries and bonuses.

This is an outrage when one considers that many of these organizations receive tax dollars to sustain and support them - yes - that's yours and mine - cold hard-earned cash - given to agencies with a propensity to overpay their chiefs in this economic downturn.

Lawmakers are thankfully looking into these issues and are doing what they are supposed to do - look out for the best interests of the American taxpayers.

I want non profits to have the best and the brightest - don't misunderstand what I am saying - I just think we need to do this the right way and with appropriate renumeration.

The ADA celebrates 20 years

2010-07-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

For most of my life, I lived as a "normal" person. I empathized with people with disabilities, seen and unseen - I am that kind of person.

I suppose it is no wonder that when I became a person with a disability, I was surprised at how many "friends" quickly disappeared.

On reflection, they might have been friends with me because I had a high profile job and wanted the "ins" that came with such a position. I was naive enough to think that my "friends" would stand by me during my times of trials.

I remember in particular a remarkable couple of friends who came with my son, Tye to visit me in the hospital after one very serious Bipolar episode - Peter and his husband, Peter. They came with toiletries, treats and even came to my home after I returned from the hospital, complete with wine and pasta for dinner - they called themselves the "visiting creatures" - we laughed and I was grateful that when others had forsaken me, the few in my inner circle had not.

I am thankful for my disability and what it brings to my life. While I would not choose to be Bipolar, I am grateful for my perception, sensibilities, ability to write and make music, my outreach and community work - all of which I would not be able to do were I a "normal" person - my sensibilities are simply heightened and I embrace them.

It is a blessing that the ADA was passed, and while I was forced from my beloved job with the Salt Lake City Mayor some three years ago, I am grateful for the safety net that was in place here in New York.

I am in school full time, work part time, subsidized by SSI and living a full and joyful life thanks to the benefits in place by law and the passage of the ADA.

I hope that those who merit it, receive the benefit of SSI assistance as they transition to work.

If you know of someone with a disability, seen or unseen, please reach out to them so that they know they are not alone.

Happy disability week!

Surrogate parents

2010-07-21T08:47:00.001-07:00

I am the proud mother of 4 wonderful sons. They have been a joy, a blessing, a challenge and my greatest achievement.

I was married to their father for some 15 years. My regular readers know that my former husband and I divorced because he was/is gay - long story.

That stated, I have often spoken with gay couples who cannot have children themselves - those in my close circle were mostly divorced and LDS so they had children from their heterosexual marriages. For those in gay relationships and marriages, there are few choices open to them when they want to have children.

In Utah, for example, it is against the law for gays to adopt. Such limited vision is one of the many reasons I left the state.

I heard two stories recently that I found encouraging: Two associates of mine, one male and one female became surrogate parents for two different gay couples so that their families could be complete - one is Christine Johnson - a Utah State Legislator - someone whom I know and love and the other is a close friend who shall remain nameless.

To think of the unselfishness of these two individuals is quite overwhelming and tends to boggle one's mind. I have thought of these purposeful acts of kindness a great deal since being apprised of the situation and wonder whether I could have, or would have done same in my younger years.

I came to the conclusion that I would have. With all the hatred and venom being spewed against gays these days, it is refreshing to know that their are gay and straight allies who are willing to help couples become families.

In a recent report, the children of lesbian couples are outscoring their peers in standardized tests in schools - one wonders then, why is the state taking the position that gay couples are less stable and do not deserve the basic right to a family?

Just curious.....

A mosque at Ground Zero

2010-07-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

I have been watching this story unfold.

Some wealthy investors who happen to be of the Muslim faith are proposing before the NYC Landmark Commission that a mosque be allowed to be built at Ground Zero.

I have conflicting thoughts on this issue. On the one hand, I completely respect that people should be able to worship how and where they may. Be that a Jewish temple or synagogue, a Mormon temple, a Catholic or Protestant house of worship or not to worship at all.

That stated, to build a Moslem mosque at Ground Zero is raising voices on both sides of the issue in this town that I love. This town that experienced the horrors and ravages of 911 and lost thousands of police officers, firefighters - life will never be the same in the greatest city of the world - security officers are all over - police and soldiers patrol subway and rail stations and bus depots. It is a small price to pay - vigilance comes at a price that we should all be willing to pay.

To be against the building of the mosque does not necessarily a bigot make, but some sensitivity on this issue is needed. This is time for a candid discussion on interfaith issues and how we treat each other based on religious beliefs.

There will be a special meeting of the Planning Commission in NYC later on today - I hope that wisdom and cool heads will prevail in this instance.

LeBron makes his decision - now let him live with it

2010-07-13T03:35:00.000-07:00

LeBron James is one of the most gifted basketball players of our time. When his contract was up, he became a free agent and was thus able to decide where he wants to spend the next stretch of his pro basketball career.

I was sad to read that he was recently booed here in NYC by Knicks fans who were outside a wedding he was attending. Not only was this in poor taste, but it reflects badly on what we know New Yorkers to be - good and decent people - a wedding is a time for celebration and joy - not a time to protest, no matter the reason - some things are just sacred, after all. Come on, did we really think he would choose the lackluster Knicks purely for money when he can do better elsewhere?

He has chosen his path and we should respect his decision.

Mel is ranting again

2010-07-13T03:28:00.000-07:00

I was not impressed with Mr. Gibson's rant against Jews a while back. It was no surprise to me that he tripped over himself to apologize to his Jewish "friends" - what an idiot!

Fast forward, Mr. Gibson left his longtime wife and took up with a beautiful and much younger Eastern European woman. His recent rants against blacks, women and others add further fuel to the fire that would indicate that Mr. Gibson is noting more than a bigot.

I stopped having any respect for this former upstanding actor and father of many, devout Catholic after he spewed forth such hatred for Jews.

Let's see how this plays out.

Is Mayor Bloomberg talking out of both sides of his mouth?

2010-07-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

As the NYC budget was unveiled this week, gasps of horror and dismay rippled through the walls of nonprofits and social service organizations across New York City. Social workers and other advocates for the elderly, homeless and mentally challenged residents of the city struggled to make sense of what this would mean to their programs that they had so carefully worked tirelessly to build up over the years.

Mayor Bloomberg has been at the forefront of the immigration debate - indicating his support for immigrants and saying that their skills and vibrancy are a vital part of New York's economy and yet in his budget he eliminated most funding for ESL programming - we all know how frustrating it is to try to communicate with someone who does not share our common language, be that a restaurant server in this country, or when traveling abroad - what is his honor thinking exactly?

Mayor Bloomberg claims to be a catalyst for social change and yet his decisions continue to reflect those of the Republican party and favors the ueber wealthy.

I exhort all who have been or will be impacted by his cuts to clog his switchboard and email box and snail mail box so that he will hear our voices loud and clear: it is not ok to marginalize the already disenfranchised and marginalized in this great state of New York - yes, budgets must be balanced, but we also recall the huge pay raises he has bestowed on his inner circle. Yes, it is long and hard work to be a political appointee - I speak on a personal level as a former political appointee to one of Mayor Bloomberg's associates - the amazing Ross Anderson former Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah - the pay was not great and certainly did not match the hours that I put in during my 5 and one half year tenure. I laud the Mayor for recognizing that too often public servants are over worker and underpaid and not appreciated.

May he not forget the "little people" and certainly not those who live on the fringes of society, barely eking out an existence, working in subsistence jobs - who can live on $7.25 an hour - the prevailing minimum wage in New York, after all?

Please friends - call or write to the Mayor and ask him to restore funds to aging programs, homeless programs and those that serve the disabled - if not from the budget proper, then perhaps his honor can look into his own personal finances in the billions and award monies in the forms of grants to aid in this stop gap measure.

A serene and serendipitous Sunday at St. Andrews

2010-06-28T01:24:00.000-07:00

After 23 years of living a very different spiritual and religious life as a Latter Day Saint - Mormon - I made a recommitment to the religion of my childhood and returned to the Episcopal Church two years ago. The decision to leave the Mormon faith did not come lightly - indeed it came at a great personal and spiritual cost to me as my regular readers know. Suffice it to say, as a woman of color and great equality and social justice conviction, I could not bear to see the LDS Church treat gays as though they were second class citizens, in much the same way they had treated my people prior to the ACLU threatening to bring a massive lawsuit against the church in the late 1970's unless they extended a hand of fellowship to all people, including blacks.

If I had my druthers, I would often rather spend Sunday mornings in bed with a significant other, reading the Times and eating a leisurely breakfast. For my own good and spiritual wellbeing, I attend worship services whenever possible. My home of late is St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Hartsdale, New York - I love Father Joe Campo - the former Catholic priest who left the priesthood and ultimately the Catholic church and subsequently married what I believe is the love of his life - Mother JoAnne Campo.

Yesterday was a particularly wonderful Sunday and I wanted to share a couple of experiences with my readers: Devereaux is a God-fearing man - he serves as a treasurer and keeps the meagre finances of the church in order. It was his duty and blessing, yesterday, to present a small scholarship to one of our graduating seniors who desires to become an architect. He began to tell a story which I could really relate to - one day, his alarm clock sounded and he struggled to get out of bed - he was exhausted and depressed and did not know how he would make it through the day - try as he might, he could not get up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his son, Andrew who was up for the day and getting ready for school. He was singing the R. Kelly song, "I believe I can fly". That was just the push Devereaux needed - he got up and went about his day renewed from hearing his young son's innocent admonitions - unbeknownst to the on - he had inspired his father. Devereaux then sang the song, with the congregation joining in, many in tears, myself included and exhorted the young graduate to listen to that song as she becomes discourages through the course of her college career.

I needed to hear that story for myself - I had such a difficult week - struggling to maintain my equilibrium with my bi-polar and to complete a large amount of work for the final portion of my religion class at Concordia - I wondered why I was incurring such debt at my age, working so very hard and given the challenges of bi-polar disorder and how that affects my mood and learning capabilities - I struggled to comprehend whether I had truly made the correct decision.

After listening to Devereaux speak, i knew that God had indeed spoken to me and led me to Concordia College, a small private Lutheran college, where I could learn in small groups and learn more about him and his teachings.

After the service, I was once more blessed to meet new friends from Riverdale, Caroline and her partner, a former CUNY English professor - a gay couple at St. Andrews! They have been together some 20 years and are clearly deeply in love. I joked with them that if only gays could marry (in New York it is still not allowed but we are hopeful it will pass the legislature next year - third time is, after all a charm) - they wouldn't marry straight. I shared that I wish I had had Eunice as a professor and she indicated that she has mellowed with age and I probably wouldn't have liked her when she was teaching - she was evidently hard on her students in those days and admitted as much. Eunice is now reviewing off-Broadway plays and loves it! In fact, I was at Trader Joe's and saw a tee shirt advertising the Public theatre that came highly recommended by Eunice.

I love Sundays - it makes for a great start to the week! Thanks to Father Joe, Devereaux and most of all to my new friends, Caroline and Eunice.

Meg Whitman and Nikki Haley - how remarkable women lead

2010-06-23T01:41:00.000-07:00

I have been watching with great interest the Republican primaries in California and South Carolina. While I am a lifelong adult supporter of the Democrat party, since the days when I lived in England and watched my mother practically in tears when Jimmy Carter lost his re-election bid, I have identified with the party's beliefs and strategies to help average Americans live better lives.

I believe that we are going to experience a tremendous sea change this fall, as I indicated on the radio show that I recently began co-hosting, Shared Sacrifice, where this blog is linked. It will not necessarily matter what party affiliation one has, if one is an incumbent, one is going to have a difficult time getting re-elected in this present environment.

While we do not yet know who Meg Whitman will face, it will likely be Arnold Schwarzenegger - Ms. Whitman has shown grace, intelligence and incredible fortitude, while spending millions of dollars of her own fortune that she amassed whilst working as the former CEO of eBay. My California sources indicate that Ms. Whitman has not voted for over 20 years - I am sure she has her reasons for same - not that I am excusing such un-American behavior. I still applaud her for what she has managed to pull off.

Ms. Haley has already been the subject of racist jokes from one of her own Republican party - she has been called a rag head - a most derogatory term for individuals from India and other nations who wear head coverings. She is going to be the first female to run for Governor of South Carolina - add to that, the fact that she is a woman of color and we all have great cause to rejoice.

They have not let their sex stand in the way of shattering the glass ceiling.

Last evening, I posted on my Facebook page that I was having President's remorse - I believe that Hillary Rodham Clinton might have been, in retrospect, the best candidate for the job. Given the vast and sweeping challenges that are facing our nation, Obama came to the job ill-prepared for the public outrage at a black man being our Commander in Chief - his record of public service, long though it was, makes him a neophyte when compared side-by-side with that of Mrs. Clinton.

Remarkable women are truly leading the way and thankfully making our country a better place for men, women and children. I have been watching reports from a group which coined the phrase: "How remarkable women lead" - they spotlight women throughout the world who are creating change where men have failed to do so.

I for one welcome the changes that are coming to politics - thanks Hillary. I love Girl Power!

Crisis in the Gulf - the President steps in

2010-06-15T03:40:00.000-07:00

On a remarkable and progressive Internet radio show (Shared Sacrifice) which I just started co-hosting on Saturday, after our two guests had left the air, Matt, the co-host and producer and I were talking about stories in the news. I spoke of my frustration over the BP oil spill and felt that the fox was guarding the proverbial hen house vis-a-vis the claims processing that is taking place for victims seeking restitution. I shared my thought that an independent entity should be tasked with ensuring that these claims are processed in a timely fashion and that field workers be sent to find those who might not be aware of their right to file claim for lost wages, damage to properties and so forth.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the administration shares my sentiments. They are insisting that BP get an independent oversight group to oversee the claims being processed - this is a good start - I believe that BP should go further - instead of this media blitz of misinformation and dishonesty, they should take those advertising dollars and set up a fund for those who have become displaced as a result of their not taking adequate safety measures to ensure the safety and security of the livelihoods of fishermen and other coastal employees. Some tea party folks have said it is not for the president, rather for the judicial branch of government to see that this cleanup takes place - well, apparently the judicial branch was not pulling its weight in this instance - perhaps they are too busy running for office and taking lunches with lobbyists for their numerous and sundry causes.

Does this seem harsh? Perhaps it does, but BP has proven that they feel above the law when it comes to corporate responsibility and we must compel them to do the right thing.

When I first came to the New York area, I was fortunate to get a temporary gig with another large international company - ITT Corporation - they took corporate governance and responsibility very seriously - so much so that it was in most of their literature, for visitors, shareholders and employees alike to see. I recall being so impressed with same that I even sent an email to the CEO expressing my admiration and this comes from someone who is not easily impressed, particularly with large corporations making billions of dollars - this company had an amazing sense of responsibility and continues to impress me with their outreach efforts into the various communities where they live and work.

BP would do well to get off their high horse and stop with the corporate whining and fix this mess and do the right thing for the Gulf coast residents. They need to share the sacrifice.

Ebony and Ivory - hot, hot, hot New York men

2010-06-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

I had a great treat today.

I was taking a break from my consulting job and was engaging in enjoying a relaxing cigarette - yes, I know it is a disgusting habit, but I indulge in a cancer stick or two during stressful times - it calms me down, what can I say?

I noticed a handsome and I mean handsome enough to be on the cover of Details magazine - man by the name of William. We struck up a conversation. His striking green eyes smiled as we talked. I asked if I might introduce him to a coworker - a beautiful Russian woman and he indicated that he is happy in a relationship with a beautiful Polish woman. I had to ask William his parentage as he had very unusually attractive and striking looks - he is 1/2 Korean and 1/2 Irish and one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen. He works in sales and we sruck up a conversation about the optical store where I consult part time. I encouraged him to come inside and check out our specials - he is going to get some new contacts and glasses - maybe I am in the wrong career.

I digress - standing immediately behind William was an African American man who looked like he had stepped off the cover of Ebony magazine, were that magazine to feature blue-collar workers. I told him as much and he flashed an amazingly gorgeous smile. I think he was happy to have run into me today. I don't think men get complimented nearly as often as they should be.

To my left is my new "friend" - the man from Mauritania who sells perfume and eyeglasses from a table on the street. He is happily married with 3 girls and a boy and a very, very lucky wife. We are going to speak French together daily so I can practice - quelle chance! (what luck!)

Down the block a ways is another African man who sells me purses, headphones for my iPhone (which I lose on a regular basis) and treats me with African lotions and soaps in exchange for my purchases.

This exchange all took place in a space of a few minutes and I remembered why I love New York so much as a single woman - HOT MEN!

Enough said.

Come out and check them out yourself - some of the hottest men on the planet are right here in New York City.

Now, please excuse me while I fan the beads of sweat from my face.

Estranged and fractured families - the toll of alcoholism

2010-06-09T03:45:00.000-07:00

My oldest son is visiting with his grandfather for a few days. The two have not seen each other in some 13 years or so. Why the estrangement? Quite simply stated, my father is an alcoholic and hence has estranged relationships with most of his children and some of his grandchildren.

My son and I have a lengthy conversation last evening where we spoke candidly of my father's imperfections, his growing older and mellower with age - all good things. My father and mother divorced many years ago and my father has since remarried and is very happy with his sweet wife. I was fortunate to meet her and spend time with the two of them last year. It was for all intents and purposes a reunion of sorts and should have been a lovely trip.

Unfortunately, I had not planned on my father drinking a little too much one night and becoming teary and nostalgic, asking the same questions he has asked aloud for years - namely, he wonders why no-one in the family speaks to him.

It is simple - we have all suffered beatings at his hands, one of my sisters was even taken out of the home in adolescence after having been molested repeatedly by my father. It was a tempestuous time and we, that is, the remaining 4 sisters, were mortified when we realized that we would no longer be living with our beloved sister - instead, we were relegated to weekend visitation at Cumberlowe Lodge - a girls' home. Years later, we realized that she had been molested (we did not know this at the time) and for the most part, severed ties with our father.

I have a fair relationship with my father, mostly due to having learned the miracle of forgiveness and having spent many years in therapy. It has been a very long road - no, it is not a done deal, but we are certainly making headway.

I thank God for my oldest son, his vision, wisdom and insight that help me to keep my eyes on the prize and stay focused on what is important in life - thanks Ry - you are an amazing young man.

Parental alienation - the toll on children

2010-06-09T03:15:00.000-07:00

I just saw a report on the CBS early morning news. A therapist who was interviewed indicated that it will take years for children to recover from same - years, even their whole lives.

My regular readers are well aware of the loss I suffered of my youngest son in custody battle with my former husband. 12 years later, parental alienation is the order of the day with my former spouse. Missed holidays, birthdays, other special occasions - all gone - simply because his father, 15 years after our divorce - refuses to have a relationship with me. Indeed, our last email exchange was filled with venom, and ended with his telling me he was essentially counting the years until my youngest son is 18 and we won't have to speak any more.

This exchange came simply because I asked to have the opportunity to claim my son on my taxes every other years - not an unusual request and one that I could enforce through the courts were I so inclined, but I continue to take the moral high ground, knowing that at some point my son will figure it out and begin to question me regarding my absence from his life.

It is a sad story and one that is told far too often. It is unfortunate that so many children continue to be casualties of divorce. There will be hours spent in therapy and untold thousands of dollars in copays for these poor children.

Let's try to make it stop already!

The case for sanctions against Israel

2010-06-08T01:56:00.001-07:00

Israel is one of America's staunchest allies. Her long history of suffering has made us empathetic, almost to the point of continually turning the other cheek even when she is clearly making poor choices.

Last week's massacre at sea with the Turkish flotilla should give us all cause to pause. It was uncalled for and is at minimum questionable. This was a ship bringing supplies for heaven's sake, not a war ship. How can we know that the accounts we are reading as reported by the perpetrators of this horrendous crime are even true? Are we to believe that the Turkish people aboard that ship really opened fire on Israeli soldiers, knowing of their fire power and military prowess? It certainly does not add up to me.

Israel is now conducting an investigation into the massacre - what is needed is an independent, UN sanctioned inquiry - or at least an International one. The Israelis have stated that they don't want an International inquiry lest it be biased, but otherwise, how shall we get to the bottom of what really transpired?

Additionally, until such time as the truth can be ascertained as to exactly what happened and when, we, as the US should take a stance and bring sanctions against Israel so that they understand unequivocally that such behavior is not to be tolerated.

We have been wondering what to do about the North/South Korea conflict and their submarine incident - if we can address that, then surely we should follow suit in this case.

One person's opinion.

Helen Thomas' improptu resignation from the media

2010-06-08T01:47:00.000-07:00

I have long admired Helen Thomas and her ability to ask the tough questions as White House press conferences. One could always count on her intelligent and thought provoking questions while other younger and less bold reporters would ask simple and not so pointed questions during the regular conferences held in the Oval Office.

Not so, this past week. Ms. Thomas showed that she is, in fact, nothing more than a bigot. We have all certainly had opinions regarding the horrendous massacre at sea by the Israeli army recently and some sanctions should be surely forthcoming. This behavior is not to be tolerated from any army, and in this case, where it is being reported that many of the crew members of the ship were shot in the head, almost execution style, one has cause to pause.

Ms. Thomas let forth a tirade indicating that Jews should "go back" to Germany, Poland or other parts of the world. How sad an unfortunate that she chose such incendiary and inflammatory language when she is clearly a master of words.

I wish she had not resigned - on the contrary, she should have been fired on the spot - I am sure that behind the scenes, she was told to resign or else, but I really don't understand why her dignity was spared, particularly when she is clearly, as previously stated, nothing more than a bigot.

It is all to easy to let forth a tirade of racist slurs - those Jews, blacks, gays, fill in the blank with whichever group one happens to deem lesser than, and you get the picture.

Yes, she will be missed, but I am glad that we were able to see her true colors shining under the glare of the media spotlight - scrutinized for what they were.

Good riddance to bad rubbish and to my Jewish friends and associates - Shalom and may there be peace in Israel one day.

Co-Op City sanitation workers on strike

2010-06-07T04:05:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely incredulous to me that in the midst of this, the worst financial crisis and economic downturn we have seen in decades, a group of employees at Co-Op City has the nerve to be on strike.

I recall President Reagan and his dismissal of hundreds of air traffic controllers years ago - they, too went on strike, thinking that they were invincible and that their jobs would always be there - he did not allow himself to be blackmailed and fired the lot of them.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg took matters in his own hands last week and shocked unions all over the state when he said that there would be no pay raises forthcoming to NYC teachers, thereby sparing some 4,000 jobs of other teachers in the district.

I hope that he will step into the fray of the Co-Op city strike and fire them - there are many people who would gladly take union jobs with union wages and making significantly more monies than minimum wage, particularly given that many of the Co-Op City workers come from housing projects. This is a time for sacrifice - we all need to do our part - shared sacrifice is what we need at this time, not selfishness.

Should this be the last generation?

2010-06-07T02:05:00.000-07:00

I just read this eye-opening and provocative piece in the NY Times Opinionator.

The piece asks about choices to bring children into the world, not reducing our carbon footprint and having them live in a world sans enough resources to adequately address their needs.

Years ago - almost 15, to be exact, I found myself pregnant with my 4th child unexpectedly. My family was complete, my marriage in shambles and my husband at the time had just come out of the closet. I wrestled long and hard with the decision over whether to terminate the pregnancy, knowing that this child would not have the traditional family in which my other three sons had been blessed to live in. I knew that this child would be raised by a single parent. What I could not anticipate was that I would ultimately lose custody of that child after taking a job out of state - long story - another post.

While I love my 4 children unconditionally and equally, I feel empathy for the youngest son - my 12 year old son at the time, who was the eldest, said - "this baby is going to be so lucky - they will never know what it was like to live in a home with two parents".

This is not a question of reducing a carbon footprint, but the deficit and loss that this youngest child has suffered is heartbreaking to me - yes, he is growing into a fine young man, but I know that he will likely suffer in his relationships and will have to seek therapy down the road as he grapples with being essentially raised as an only chid, sans two loving parents and the security and comfort that would have provided.

Sure, he has food to eat and clothing, but he is missing the basics - he is blessed beyond measure, but I often wonder if I had taken the step to terminate the pregnancy what might have been - some food for thought.

Interestingly enough, I was tasked to write a paper on abortion in college some years ago before this last pregnancy. At the time, I was pro life and still am - after doing all the research and seeing the eye-opening statistics - I realized that in many cases, it is kinder to terminate a pregnancy rather than bring a child into the world with a single parent or without the love and financial support of a family.

I am now both pro life and pro choice - women need choices and as we continue to overpopulate the earth, perhaps it is time to take a long hard look at ourselves and our choices before we bring more - or any - children into the world.

The Detroit TIgers game - the perfect pitch that wasn't

2010-06-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

Okay,

So my regular readers know that I love most sports, am crazy about NCAA basketball and then there is the exception of baseball. Two of my children played, but not having grown up in the US, I simply don't comprehend the game. I find it tedious, boring and with the exception of watching an occasional glimpse of the hot Derek Jeter from my one time former hometown of Kalamazoo Michigan, I really don't get into the game.

I was so happy to hear the story of the pitcher who took the moral high ground when he received an imperfect call from an umpire - he could have railed and raged and thrown the typical tantrum that we are used to seeing all too often in professional sports, but he chose instead to simply smile and take it in his stride.

What a teaching moment - parents, be sure to let your children be exposed to this moment.

Seton Hall University and a course on gay marriage

2010-06-04T03:13:00.000-07:00

In a story reported on the New York CBS early morning news local edition, they spoke of an effort to bring gay marriage to the curriculum at this famous Catholic University.

The Catholic church is well-known for their stance on gay marriage and gays in general, even to the point of having a specific personality test designed for potential priests to weed out those with gay tendencies as reported in the NY Times earlier this week.

It is right and fitting that a university of the caliber of Seton Hall step up and move into the 21st century with their curriculum.

The controversy surrounding this conversation is already heating up with proponents and opponents. The course would be taught by an openly gay faculty member if approved.

I am hoping that they will carefully weigh this important and timely issue.

No pay hikes for NYC teachers - go Mike Bloomberg!

2010-06-03T05:17:00.001-07:00

I was thrilled to see that some 4,000 teachers in NYC will have their jobs spared. Yesterday a late story online in the Times reported that Mayor Bloomberg has decided not to give pay raises across the board - and with union approval to boot - to NYC teachers.

My regular readers know that I was a political appointee for over 5 years whilst living in Utah. My boss, Rocky Anderson who is one of my most-admired politicians - was known for doing the right thing for the right reasons most of the time.

Mayor Bloomberg now gives me reason to applaud - finally - a politician in New York. I have been frustrated with the lack of leadership since Governor Paterson took office after Eliot Spitzer's stepping down. There is no political will to get our finances in order - we continue to spend beyond our means with no end in sight and it will only get worse.

We must all do our share in this economy for the good of our respective states and country - many of us are underemployed, unemployed or working part time in order to make ends meet these days - those in unions should recognize that they are not exempt from making much-needed sacrifices.

Thanks Mayor Bloomberg - I see why you won a third term. I am encouraged by your actions - may those in Albany take note - there are things we can do to win this war on the economy after all.

David Laws - his resignation and the story behind the story

2010-06-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

It appeared to be just one more story about the poor choices of yet another British cabinet official. The stories have been playing out in recent months, mostly over monies spent on second homes which entitles ministers to subsidies and/or reimbursements from the government.

David Laws received some $40,000 to pay to his landlord who also happened to be his gay lover. Unfortunately we will never know how brilliant this man might have been - he seemed to have the world at his feet and could have potentially been an amazing public servant.

Due to the ignorance that permeates our society regarding gay relationships and gays in general, he felt obligated to keep hidden the fact that he has a partner - were the roles reversed and this were a heterosexual couple renting a place together that would likely have been a moot point.

I wonder if anyone in the GLBT community in England is up in arms about this. I would be curious if any of my readers know. I have people from Europe who occasionally check in to my blog - perhaps one of them can enlighten me.

In the meantime, I am glad I live in America where GLBT rights are becoming more and more prevalent - in this day of the repeal of DADT and passing of anti discrimination laws and protections for gays in many states of the nation, I am encouraged.

Farewell David - you will be missed. Don't ever feel that you need to live your life in the shadows.

Al and Tipper - the end of a love story

2010-06-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

I was shocked - truly shocked when I read the news of their separation and impending divorce yesterday.

After 40 years of marriage, they are calling it quits. I have long admired this power couple. From Tipper's work to have CD's labeled with explicit lyrics for parental guidance to Al's work on environmental issues. As one who struggles with Bipolar and depression, Tipper's candid opening up about her struggle with depression after the near death of their son was a source of strength to me as I worked through my depressive episodes.

Watching that amazing infamous kiss on the night of the Democratic national convention a few years ago - that is not a love that can be faked. I watched as Al saw the Presidency slip from his fingers due to the shenanigans in Florida thanks to Jeb Bush and his cohorts who were determined to see his brother George Jr. re-elected. I watched as they graciously admitted defeat and worked to rebuild their lives post Washington.

I am sure that they thought long and hard before calling it quits. I hope that they will forge ahead and create new lives separate from each other.

They have asked for privacy for themselves and their family at this difficult time. I hope that we will be as gracious to them as they have been to us, allowing us to see so much of their private lives these past few years.

The new Immigration law/debacle in Arizona

2010-04-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

My readers know that my parents are immigrants - first generation to England after the emancipation of Jamaica, a former British colony. Many great countries are built on the backs of their hardworking immigrants - taking jobs that most Americans or even Europeans, for that matter - don't want to do.

Years ago, whilst working in preparation for the Olympics of 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah - I recall vividly a raid on airport workers - they rounded up nursing mothers - separating them from their not-yet-weaned babies - I watched them put them all into paddy wagons or vans designated to harbor the disenfranchised.

I fielded many phone calls from disgruntled residents - many of whom wanted to know how they could apply for those jobs that had been "taken from them" by these undocumented workers. Turns out they didn't really want to work for barely over minimum wage - turns out they mostly wanted to vent and have some innocent bystander listen to their rantings about undocumented aliens.

The ACLU is poised to address this issue and I know they are working overtime to make sure that they are ready to meet any challenge.

I hope to be able to attend a rally supporting immigrants in New York - how thankful I am for the leadership of Mayor Mike Bloomberg who supports immigrants and recognizes the vibrancy that they bring to our lives - this is not about who cleans your hotel room or who busses your table - this is about giving opportunities to all who desire to come to America.

There has to be a humane and orderly way to do this - in the meantime - "Ihre Papiere bitte" - to which I would be tempted to reply: "Do I look illegal?"

Gordon Brown's "misstep"

2010-04-30T03:13:00.000-07:00

It seemed like any other innocuous walkabout or knock and talk/greet the voters earlier this week. Alas, after Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown had an impromptu, albeit scheduled by his staffers, meeting with the woman who expressed her outrage about "those Eastern Europeans" wanting to move to England.......he went back to his car with his entourage and spoke candidly, mike still live - about the woman's obvious bigotry.

Later that day, the comments aired on a radio show where the Prime Minister of England was being interviewed. He was clearly not prepared for the playback on live radio.

He hurried back to the constituent's house to do some spin and damage control. He apologized profusely to the woman and seemed to make things smooth, though the woman has indicated that she will not be changing her vote back to vote for him.

His numbers are slipping in the polls - indeed, they were prior to this debacle, and now he is fighting for his political life.

Frankly speaking, I would have had more respect for him had he not apologized - the woman is clearly bigoted and does not appreciate the many immigrants who helped make Britain what it was after they emancipated the colonies - my own parents are first generation Jamaicans who came to England in the 60's and tried to make a new life.

I wish he had not apologized - it was not necessary - I believe in calling a spade a spade and even though I worked for several years as a political appointee to an elected official, I heard plenty of spin, I can only recall one occasion where I personally heard the mayor speak disparagingly of a constituent - she never knew - there was no live hidden mike.

Lessons learned....

Sandra Bullock - or how to succeed in spite of one's spouse's shenanigans in Hollywood

2010-04-30T03:07:00.000-07:00

We were all thrilled to see Sandra receive the Best Actress Oscar for Blind Side - an amazing story of resilience, love and faith.

It would appear that Sandra was not just acting - she is either one hell of an astute women or has some handlers and PR staffers who are guiding her moves these days.

We have not seen any inappropriate tweets vis-a-vis her departing soon-to-be-former spouse, Jesse and his infidelities and other shenanigans.

Others in Hollywood would do well to watch how she is handling her grace under incredible fire - take note - Elin Woods and others.......

Governor Paterson draws a line in the sand

2010-04-30T03:02:00.000-07:00

David Paterson is understandably fraught with worry over the state's impending deepening financial crisis - so much so, he has suggested furloughs for some 100,000 state employees. Either that, or the state will be forced to shut down, causing we New Yorkers to lose some valuable municipal and state services that we have come to take for granted.

I have lived in New York for just over 2 years and frankly have been unimpressed and inspired by many leaders and politicians. There just does not appear to be the political will to get done what needs to get done in Albany to keep the people of New York moving.

I shall be watching this closely, reporting on developments as they occur and watching along with other New Yorkers to see where this will lead us.

Mississippi school is canceling the high school prom to prevent a gay couple from attending

2010-03-12T05:35:00.000-08:00

I heard about this on the CBS Early Show today. I read about on AOL's gay blog.

It seems that every year about this time, we hear of teens not being allowed to participate in proms due to their being gay. At one time it was blacks, then it was interracial couples and now the gays are the target of school administrators.

It seems that a Mississippi high school is canceling their annual prom in order to prevent the gay couple's attendance. The student is suing the school district, and well she should. Schools have to accept the fact that heterosexual students are not the only students who are served in schools. Gay students have parents who pay taxes and have the fundamental right, via freedom of expression, to attend proms.

I do not know what the outcome will be - perhaps a compromise - that is, two proms, one for gays and one for others - hmmmmm - can you say segregation?????

Cruel and unusual punishment - 8th amendment does not apply for prisoners - according to Judge Clarence Thomas

2010-03-12T04:11:00.000-08:00

I was disturbed to read in the NY Times today, a report regarding the 8th amendment. According to the report, Judge Thomas believes that the 8th amendment is not designed to protect prisoners. I read of one prisoner who was chained to a post for 7 hours without sustenance or bathroom breaks. Another was thrown to the floor and beaten by a guard after requesting a form to file a complaint, yet another was beaten while shackled and lost teeth and was bruised and bloodied.

Judge Thomas does not feel that prisoners have rights vis-a-vis the 8th amendment - "Cruel and unusual punishment" do not apply to them in terms of their rights. Why is it that we conveniently forget that prisoners are human being and deserve the same civil rights granted to others under the Constitution and Amendments?

I have a couple of close family members who are currently incarcerated and to think that they could be subjected to "cruel and unusual punishment" at the hands of an overbearing zealot of a prison guard, without room for recourse makes me sad and frustrated - even downright mad!

Let's flood the office of Clarence Thomas with emails and phone calls and let him know of our displeasure. After all, Mr. Thomas claimed to have empathy for prisoners in the article and even stated "There but for the grace of God go I" - how quickly we forget the laws of statistics.

Depression and suicide

2010-02-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

Depression is a very real illness. Often, the illness is treated with antidepressants - in teens, an unfortunate side effect is that they sometimes become suicidal.

I was saddened to hear last evening of the passing of Marie Osmond's 18 year old son. As a former Mormon, and even in my youth, I have followed the family of the Osmonds with curiosity and pride at their success and ability to remain grounded in times of trouble - indeed, Marie has been married twice and is now a single parent, raising a large family without a helpmeet.

Preliminary reports indicate that her son jumped/fell from the apartment in California where he was living. We may never know whether he fell or jumped. What we do know is that he had struggled with depression his entire life.

I encourage all of you - parents, aunts, uncles, godparents, grandparents and concerned friends - to please intervene when you see someone close to you in crisis - there are often warning signs with suicide - an individual might talk about a specific plan to harm themselves - they might give away belongings - they might become withdrawn and cease to work or attend school or other social functions - in this case, there might have been no signs, but we need to be diligent in looking for them in those around us.

Suicide is real, as is depression - Marie Osmond has seen much heartache in her life - this is likely the saddest and biggest challenge she will face - let us pray for her and her family that their grief might be lessened and that their family will gather together and sustain one another as they have done in times past.

MTA finally gets serious about cost cutting

2010-02-23T03:52:00.001-08:00

I have lived in the New York area for just over two years.

In that time, I have seen my transit fares increased twice, with a third time now under consideration. It is time to look at cutting jobs and the MTA is going to cut administrative staffers as well as booth attendants - it is high time that the powers that be at MTA realize that the public is frustrated and is not going to take it anymore.

They would do well to take away the free lifetime transit passes given to staffers and board members alike (who are we kidding here - have any of those board members ever relied on MTA to get to work on a regular basis?) - do they fully comprehend the magnitude of yet another price increase? Are they cognizant of what the increase will do to those already burdened with lower wages, less hours at work and a fixed income

Can they not look at the compensation packets of their senior management? Can they cut back there? It would make sense and riders might be more likely to swallow the bitter pill of yet another fare increase.

I will hopefully get to the public hearing on this issue later in March and shall report on it on these pages - I hope to get some concrete and acceptable reasons for why they are increasing fares yet again - it is hard enough for the unemployed and underemployed to make ends meet, without burdening them with fare increases in these difficult times.

Mismanagement seems to be the order of the day at MTA - it is high time for it to stop.

Congress FINALLY does something bipartisan and good for the country

2010-02-23T03:44:00.000-08:00

I have been watching, with disgust, how the Congress has been acting in recent months - from the healthcare debacle - read - congresspersons not wanting to vote for the measure lest they lose their hefty contributions - to their stymying of other efforts by the Obama administration to turn the country around.

Dick Cheney recently indicated that he felt Obama is going to be a one-term president - that is likely going to be the case, save for some miraculous, even herculean turnaround in the deficit, jobs creation and the economy.

It is good that these "public servants" - aka - congresspersons have come together to vote on a jobs bill - Michigan has some 15.9% unemployed, according to Governor Jennifer Granholm as she reported on MSNBC yesterday from the Governor's meeting. Job creation has to be the focus of the Congress, given the unprecedented number of people without jobs.

Governor Paterson of New York is still running - Please, Cuomo, step into the ring and give us something to believe in. Paterson has been marginal at best, sans leadership and vision - his personal foibles clouding his ability to lead the great state of New York out of this quagmire of deficits, unemployment and union stranglehold - we need to start over with our elected officials and remind them that we are outraged at their inability to see beyond their own special interests and needs.

I hope that Eliot Spitzer will reconsider running - I think he could potentially beat Cuomo, his personal foibles notwithstanding - he has he finesse, intellect and wisdom and great vision to turn this state around.

Let the games begin......

Tiger Woods to break his silence

2010-02-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

I have not written about the debacle surrounding the serious sex addiction and subsequent media frenzy that followed the great golfer earlier this year.

As someone who suffers from a brain disorder and has spent her share of time in and out of treatment facilities in order to be stable, I know what it is like to have the "public" and "friends" turn on you.

I break my silence today, because Tiger is going to finally speak about his addiction and possible return to golf. I find golf to be quite tedious and boring in general, but when Tiger plays, something happens to me - I feel transformed into another place and find myself rooting for him to make it to yet another championship.

Tiger has lost his center - I do not wish to speculate on how long he has struggled with addiction, but venture to say that had his father not passed away, he would not have found himself in quite the predicament. Earl had a grounding effect on his son - Tiger and he were very close - he would not have seen his son destroy his sponsorship deals, family and potentially his career - over a scandal such as this. He would have taken charge and seen to it that Tiger got the help he needed and likely sans the public spectacle that we have seen with women coming from all over to claim dalliances with the famous golfer.

I wish Tiger and his family well - I hope they make it - it is a good sign that he is still in treatment and will return after his public announcement today.

Let us give him time and space and allow him the time he needs to reconnect with his wife, family, and most of all, himself.

A day in the city

2010-02-18T04:06:00.000-08:00

I spent the day in the city yesterday - I work in the city every day but Wednesdays, so to spend a day to myself in the city is rare.

I started at the Guggenheim museum where I met a lovely couple from Paris - they exhorted me to visit their amazing city at some point in my life - Ironic that as much traveling as I have done, the city of Paris has yet eluded me. I plan to start traveling in Europe again this year, beginning with a trip to London for Christmas. I had a lovely conversation with a newly wed from Alabama - she had a charming Southern drawl and the most beautiful engagement/wedding ring that she had chosen for herself - she was thrilled to be in NYC and wants to come again.

I then stopped on the street outside the museum and picked up an amazing piece of art that depicted New York's museums - I met Sam, a street vendor - 25 years old and from the Ukraine - his father is a surgeon and for one year, he went to college in the Ukraine and worked alongside his father in the hospital. He then decided that medicine is not for him and came to NYC to be a student. He loved it so much, he stayed - it has been two years, his English is phenomenal. We talked about how much we both love this country, America, and most of all, NYC - our adopted "homes" - he lives in Brooklyn and you may recall that I live in Westchester - the city life is a little too frenetic for a person with Bipolar disorder - I cannot live at that pace constantly - certainly not in the areas that I could afford - perhaps if I were to live on the UES or UWS, that would be different - let's see if I become a famous writer and make it in NYC - then I would consider moving into the city. Sam reminded me of Ryan - my oldest son - he is a snowboarder and surfer - they have that in common - and he loves art and reading. He shared that he goes to a local Catholic church and borrows books from their lending collection and reads voraciously, just like Ryan - we exchanged contact information and he will meet Ryan when he comes to live in New York in the summer.

I met a man who was with the remarkable group "Ready, Willing and Able" - he was keeping the streets of New York clean and shared with me that he was moving to Orlando in March - having secured a job and an apartment - what a miracle and a result of hard work - I love when people create their own miracles!

Finally, I had lunch at Demarchellier - an amazing French restaurant and was fortunate to sit next to an amazing couple - Jim and Laurie - they are from Alaska and were visiting the city for the day while on a trip to New Jersey to stay with a cousin. Jim and Laurie are very much in love and the kind of couple that makes one want to be in a relationship - I wish Kevin had been there to meet them. Then again, we might not have had such an in depth conversation had he been there - we tend to talk to other people when out, but spend most of our time deep in conversation with one another.

I learned that not all Alaskans like Ms. Palin, and while Jim is a hunting guide, he is not an NRA fanatic, nor is he a Republican - he is pretty liberal. They have been together for 14 years or so and are clearly a great match. I could see it in the way they spoke and looked at one another - I felt almost like an intruder. We talked about divorce and relationships - all of us had experienced the ravages of being divorced and neither of us was particularly interested in remarrying - Jim and Laurie have the yin and yang that makes relationships work - he is busy with his business, Laurie works as a nurse - she might even be retired now - they spend time together as often as they can, which is rare, given his schedule. They love to travel and spend time..........

It was a wonderful day in the city - I feel happy whenever I have a day when I meet great people and yesterday was one of those days.

I took the train back up to Westchester and started in on my literature class at Concordia - there is lots of reading and writing to do, so my blog will likely take back seat this month - we shall see.

Michael Steele and Governor Patterson - some thoughts on Governors and the head of the Republican party

2010-02-13T01:46:00.000-08:00

What do these two men have in common, besides being politicians and African American?

Michael Steele commented in a statement this week that for someone earning one million dollars, after taxes are taken out, there is not much left. Is this man so out of touch with reality that he fails to be aware of the fact that the average salary in the county is a mere 40 thousand dollars - why is he so oblivious to the realities that face Americans - yes, those of us who do the "working and paying, the living and dying" to quote George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life.

Governor Patterson actually had the audacity to pull the proverbial race card - and to add insult to injury - the disability card - this week when questioned about sexual impropriety in the New York Governor's mansion and his alleged numerous illicit affairs - and we thought we were done with that when Spitzer left office.

Frankly speaking I have no respect for either of these men - that they are black and embarass me as a fellow black person is just par for the course and rubs salt in the proverbial wound.

I have maintained on this blog previously, that Spitzer should run again and certainly if Cuomo decides not to run after all. Eliot Spitzer is a brilliant and dedicated man with weaknesses - if he can work it out with his wife - note how this is done, John Edwards - then I say let the man run again and let the people of the great state of New York decide whom they would choose to lead them out of this financial crisis - maybe Mayor Bloomberg will have to run......After all, we cannot have a Republican Governor in the bluest of blue states - that would not be good after all.

Speaking of Governors - while I am sad to see NJ Governor Corzine go, a fiscally responsible Christie is mandating balanced budgets, as well as refusing to give subsidies to the railroad, insisting instead that they become - yes - imagine this - self-sustaining. He is doing well in my book.

And finally - the amazing friend and associate of mine from Utah - Peter Corroon - has put his hat in the ring to run against Governor Herbert who ascended to the Governorship when Obama neutralized Governor Huntsman by appointing him to his cabinet as trade ambassador to China. Peter will go far in politics - not just because he is Howard Dean's cousin and it is in his blood, but because he is fiscally responsible, moderate and could be the first Democrat elected to the Governorship in Utah in some two decades - go Peter!

New York politics - something new every day.

Les Jeux Olympics - The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games

2010-02-13T01:21:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate and incredibly blessed to be able to participate in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

Specifically, I was working in the Mayor's office in Salt Lake City, Utah at the time. My son, Tye attended the opening ceremonies and even got to carry the torch - I watched as John Stockton of the Utah Jazz basketball team carried the torch through the crowds to the City and County building.

Later on, I became a "benovole" - a volunteer on the 2010 Vancouver Games bid - we worked the phones, met athletes, attended soirees and generally contributed to the good name of Canada - what a time that was!

As I watched last evening's opening ceremonies, I was reminded of our amazing Child of Light portion of the ceremony. There were some definite similarities with that program and last evening's.

I mourn for the young Georgian who lost his life while desperately trying to maintain his balance and control during a luge run - I recall the one Olympic event I attended with my two sons who were living with me at the time. Ryan and Tye were thrilled to see the bobsled event, and even more - to see the Jamaican bobsled team whooshing past us as we stood in the crowd, hoping for a glimpse.

It was truly an extended party where Salt Lake welcomed the world, under the leadership of the remarkable and capable Mitt Romney, after the scandals and debacles that had plagued the games prior to his taking the helm. We partied well and mingled with the delightful Canadian ice dancing pair who were wronged in the medal competition - later also mired in its own scandal - we met dignitaries and leaders from many countries - it was one of the only times during my seven year tenure in Utah where I felt like I truly belonged to a part of something. I digress. I dutifully wore my buttons, indicating that I spoke both French and German and was only too happy to provide directions, explanations and help to visitors from countries speaking those languages.

Life takes ironic turns - I had been invited to Vancouver to volunteer or work at the Games this year as I had worked so hard on the bid, but my health did not allow me to work the hours required to pull off what I had done in Salt Lake City.

There is always London 2012.

God bless the athletes - may there be comraderie, friendships formed, and above all, no more illegal substance abuse and death or injury.

Happy Olympics everyone - coverage can be found all the time on NBC.

Rahm Emmanuel must go!

2010-02-05T05:29:00.000-08:00

Frankly I have had enough of him as have many Americans. His foul mouth, irreverent sense of humor and latest attack on liberals, using "f&%&#g retards" to describe this group of people with whom he does not agree.

Mr. Emmanuel, we do not expect you to agree with every political fringe group, but you are the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States - decorum is a must at all costs. You no longer have the luxury of uttering expletives in a fit of rage and certainly not when a minority and highly vulnerable group in the population is the target - i.e. mentally or physically challenged individuals. One has to wonder how he feels about the son of Ms. Sarah Palin who suffers from Downs Syndrome - has this innocent child and offspring of the White House's most vocal critic of late (see her performance at recent tea parties as reported in the NY Times) also been the brunt of Mr. Emmanuel's jokes?

There is no room for bigotry at any level in the Oval Office, and certainly not at your most senior of levels, particularly when your direct report happens to be African American and white as well. I wonder how the President feels when he hears you foaming at the mouth and shooting constantly from the hip as the mood strikes you.

Does he have the nerve to tell you to can it and even more to the point - does he have the nerve to fire you? You do serve, after all, at the pleasure and will of your friend, the President.

I am watching this one closely. More later as the story unfolds.

Don't ask, don't tell

2010-02-01T01:34:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to read of reports that indicate that the Pentagon is close to making some sweeping recommendations for change to this ridiculous policy.

My regular readers will know that for 15 years I was married to a gay man - for five of those years, he also served in the US Army and was deeply closeted for reasons only known to him, though I suspect that much of his conflict and secrecy was due to being married to me.

In order to put this issue into perspective, let's imagine for a moment that your partner/husband/wife/or significant other is serving in a combat zone. They are killed in the line of duty and the Pentagon does not know that you exist (due to Don't ask, Don't tell), and as a result, nor do they tell you of said partner's demise. This is a very real situation for all too many of our servicemembers who are currently in combat zones and living in closeted relationships.

If gays are openly accepted into the military, they can come out of the shadows and live sans fear of reprisals. They can openly love their partners, write letters and call home using real names, not pseudonyms as was reported in a recent 60 minutes story I watched with sorrow.

I am hoping and praying for a speedy and cohesive resolution to this Clinton-era debacle.

Let us all do the same if we consider ourselves to be fair-minded Americans.

A new stamp honoring Mother Theresa

2010-01-30T06:57:00.000-08:00

There is much ado about nothing these days at the United States Postal Service. It seems that there is a plan underway to produce a stamp honoring the aforementioned.

Mother Theresa, while a saint and a religious person - is along the likes of Gandhi and Dr. King - a humanitarian and philanthropist - one who spent her life ensuring that others were uplifted and did not suffer needlessly whenever she was able to.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough that I am a staunch advocate of the ACLU, but this case is a no-brainer.

This is not a case of separation of church and state and we are not sliding down a slippery slope - there are many religious people, atheists and non believers who admire Mother Theresa for the life she lived and her efforts to end suffering.

Methinks that sometimes, groups protest too loudly - just for the sake of protesting - this is one of those times.

Miranda rights for all?

2010-01-30T06:33:00.000-08:00

I was saddened to read lately of the December 25th Northwest flight alleged terrorist and the subsequent events surrounding his arrest and questioning. It seems his Miranda rights were violated. He had initially been "cooperating" with authorities, but the Obama administration has stepped in according to reports to ensure that his rights have not been violated.

Terrorists are a despicable sort and I do not support or advocate terrorism in any way, shape or form. I could not condone same, based on having lived under the IRA and RAF and their terrorism attacks during the 80's in Europe. I know firsthand of the fear that comes from living under the cloud of waiting for the next bomb blast.

I am, however deeply concerned that there are those who believe that terrorists do not deserve the same fundamental rights that we Americans are entitled to. If they are being held to our legal code, then it follows that the same rights be afforded them as well.

We should never assume to think that even the most cowardly act of terrorism is a justification for abusing or denying a person their basic civil rights as guaranteed by our constitution. In the America I know and love, we give equal rights to all.

Hardball's Chris Matthews opens mouth and inserts both feet

2010-01-29T04:05:00.000-08:00

Chris Matthews has been a long-admired news reporter of mine. His ability to distill important and complex political issues are among the reasons I so like him.

Unfortunately, Mr. Matthews recently committed a faux pas - apparently while reporting on the President's first State of the Union address, Mr. Matthews maintains that he "forgot that the President is black.....for one hour." - I recall having the parents of a former beau saying that about me - he recounted the story and was proud of his parents for "accepting" me - I remember being mortified, even at the tender age of seventeen.

Chris has some learning to do - this could become - as well it should - a PR debacle for the host of the remarkable "Hardball with Chris Matthews" on MSNBC. He should definitely apologize - I would like to think that he was not willfully intending to offend millions of black Americans - I would like to think that he merely misspoke, but there is something deeper afoot here. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he - Chris is a master of the English language - he commands it so very well each weekday evening whilst interviewing all types of people from Presidents, heads of state to the average American - all in the hopes of sharing his left-leaning point of view with the American people.

It is my hope that Chris Matthews and others who think like him vis a vis the race issue - he should know better and I hope for a speedy remedy to this PR debacle.

Think before you speak, Chris - Just a word to the wise - or not so wise, in this case.

Happy New Year - albeit a titch late - and Happy State of the Union

2010-01-28T00:47:00.000-08:00

Folks, we are in dire straits. One in ten Americans is unemployed. That figure does not count those such as myself who have given up seeking full time employment and are cobbling together with savings, other income sources and part time employment sans benefits.

We are spending billions on wars that we can not afford to wage, either spiritually, financially or emotionally - our military veterans are worn out - plain and simple.

The American people are frustrated - angry even - at the state of their Union. They want their jobs back, they are tired of losing their homes - the President spoke of the letters that tug at his heartstrings last evening during the State of the Union - they come from children who don't understand why they have to leave their homes, or why their parents can't go to work anymore. Harsh realities for children to face. In another blog, I shared earlier that I have a son who is unemployed. He is depressed, understandably so - he lives in the state of Michigan - one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation - he is only 21 and does not understand the cruelties of life, but he is getting a crash course. I call him daily to pep him up and give him ideas and solutions for getting more financial aid to go to school full time instead of trying to work and go to school full time - maybe that is his silver lining. Unlike his father and I, he won't have to work and support a family and go to school - his lot is somewhat easier.

The President has some grand plans for small businesses - the lifeblood of the country - he wants to reign in banks and their exhorbitant powers. He ought to reign (read - fire)in Tim Geithner and Hank Paulson while he is at it - I do not trust these men who were brought in to help their "friends and associates" at AIG and Sachs - to do what is in the best interest of the American People.

The same is true of the speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi who recently took a delegation to Denmark: at a cost of some 170,000 for three military jets, not to mention the hotel costs and meals provided to not just senators but their families as well - is this prudent spending in the times in which we live? Was this excess the sort of thing that Democrats used to rail against and shun as if it were the plague?

A simple gift - Christmas for a non-custodial parent

2009-12-23T05:50:00.000-08:00

In the last 9 years since losing custody of my youngest son, after transplanting myself and three older children to another state for employment opportunities, I have spent just one Christmas holiday with him. It was last year - not the best of scenarios - it was the blizzard of all blizzards - it took me three days to get from NYC to Chicago. I made the best of it, I am good at that - in spite of spending the time at the home of my former husband who has custody.

This week, I was excited as I made arrangements for a new mobile account - the bright blue phone was scheduled to arrive at his home on or before Christmas Eve. It was not to be - I found out, quite by accident, that my former husband had neglected to apprise me that he had chosen that exact same present.

I will be spending Christmas again alone - away from my children - that is not the issue - they are, after all grown, but the one who tugs at my heartstrings and brings many tears to my eyes is the youngest - he is a mere 12 years old - in need of a mother's love. Yes, I call and send packages and cards, notes etc, but since his father controls his comings and goings, I have not spoken with him since before Thanksgiving. I wanted him to have his own phone so that I can call him again regularly like I did in the days when they had a landline at their home - I would call in the mornings before school and after to see how his day went.

I don't know what sort of gift to get him at this late date, but I do know that the holidays bring a special set of challenges to single parents, particularly those who do not have custody.

I will make the best of if - as stated, I am good at doing same - I impore my readers who have these same challenges to please work with the non-custodial parent - there are reasons we are no longer together, but that should not mean that we ignore the tender needs of these precious children whom we have brought into this world. For 9 years, I have tried and tried to make things work without involving the courts, but that time has clearly come.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa to all the non-custodial parents out there in the world.

God's blessings.

Good hair

2009-11-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

I am enjoying Thanksgiving and watching a movie with the aforementioned title.

I had a weave in my hair once - it cost me several hundred dollars. Granted, I was earning a decent wage at the time, but it was still an obscene amount to pay. I sat there for hours and hours, having my own hair braided tightly and I mean tightly into corn rows. I then proceeded to have tracks of hair sewn onto the braids. The end result was hair down past my shoulders which looked Oprah-esque. I was not thrilled. It was, after all, not the look I was going for. I wanted to go to work the next day and have people wonder what I had done, not be aghast that I had grown my hair overnight. I opted to have my hair shortened to a couple of inches longer than my own - all this for several hundreds of dollars. After a week of a serious headache, I went back to the store and had the extra hair removed - it was too much for me - the price of beauty was too high to pay and I opted out.

I was blessed to have a great hairstylist in Utah - Charlotte Johnson kept my hair looking beautiful for the 5+ years I spent under her care - the wives of the Utah Jazz basketball team went there to get their hair done - TLC Elegante was the name of the salon - I spent many happy and interesting hours there. I felt blessed to be able to afford getting my hair done at such an exclusive place, and looked beautiful.

When I came to New York, I was certain that I would find another Charlotte and a place - if not several - from which to choose to keep my hair looking "good". Without fail, when I asked the women with beautiful hair, they would confide in me that it was a weave, not their own hair.

I am watching this movie, and am frankly appalled with how much monies change hands to help black people look white and "pass" for beautiful or getting their hair to look "good". Why can't we be happy with what God has blessed us with?

My mum and I are seriously considering forgoing our straightened hair in favor of twists - wish us luck!

Bill Cosby redux

2009-11-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

Bill Cosby has been known for years as the one to take on African Americans for their self-imposed ills. That would be the 50% who live in public housing and are unemployed/underemployed and living on various forms of public assistance.

He recently spoke at an event and wept tears and admonished parents to show up when the teacher calls from school - he told them to turn off the rap music, to teach men that women should be cherished, not raped or demeaned. Our young men should not be in prisons in inordinately high numbers.

I concur with all that has been said - Bill Cosby should not feel the need to apologize for being so outspoken - what he has to say needs to be said and should be repeated over and over until we get it as a race. The crowd of some 1,000 attendees gave him a standing rousing ovation and clearly agrees with him.

I have - will you?

President and Mrs. Obama's first state dinner

2009-11-26T09:10:00.001-08:00

I am not generally in awe of such things, but this dinner honoring the Indian Prime Minister and his wife this week caused me to want to take time out to write about it. Complete with a huge tent, the Obama's managed to invite a large cross-section of the country - including Republican Bobby Jindal - Governor of Louisiana, Senator Dick Lugar, and Nancy Pelosi and her husband - Hillary Clinton sans husband and a slew of others, including producer Steven Spielberg.

Some of the food came from the White House organic garden. There was a choice of vegetarian food, lentils and salad, cheese and American wines to accompany all courses, according to CNN news.

The President is committed to forging a stronger relationship with one of the world's largest democracies - India - and this invitation to the State Dinner would be a strong indication of same.

The dresses and tuxedos were all beautiful and handsome - it was a night to be remembered by many for a long time to come.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Changes at Fort Hood

2009-11-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

This is just the beginning. Our military personnel are suffering untold amount of stress with the multiple deployments they experience as a result of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - it would appear that more troops (34,000 at first estimate) will be deployed to Afghanistan in coming months.

The massacre at Fort Hood is still on my mind. As one who suffers from PTSD from experiences witnessed and lived as a child, I know firsthand that this is something to be taken seriously. Many believe that PTSD is imagined and does not deserve treatment. Soldiers who suffer from mental health struggles are hesitant to be evaluated and treated for fear of being labeled incompetent and having their careers jeopardized.

This needs to end and soon - the Army is an amazing organization, providing stability and employment and protection to many - we as a public need to stand behind our troops and more importantly, we need to recognize the fragile mental state of returning troops from conflict zones.

Army bases in Europe are not open and bases in the US should not be either. In Europe, one has to show military ID to access the base as well as have an official logo on one's vehicle. Those were standard operating procedures years ago when I was an army wife - perhaps it is time to revisit them.

Education and prison reform

2009-11-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

The two go hand in hand. One cannot have one without the other. Education - even if it is as minimal as a GED is key to preventing recidivism in prisoners returning to society.

I was encouraged to read a story regarding same in tonight's online NY Times. It would appear that the Wesleyan University in Connecticut has spent funds to bring an educational degree program to inmates at a correctional facility. Some of these inmates will be in prison for decades, others a few years - one even has a father who is a college admissions advisor. The students compete hard for a spot in this elite program.

President Obama has a full plate, but he has committed to doing something about prison reform - much-needed, ever since Bill Clinton took away Pell Grants from prisoners during his administration - these men and women do not need more recrimination and judgement, they need help to get back on track so that when they do return to society they have a chance at actually making it!

Michigan Governor tells Schwarzenegger she will take his prisoners

2009-11-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Granholm is the Governor of Michigan - she is also a Democrat.

So much for family values, progressive ideas and social justice. She was an attorney general prior to taking over the Governor's position, but I am disappointed in her latest efforts to rid California prisons of their excessive prisoners and move them to Michigan.

I do not claim to know what the answer is in this instance, but I do know that families of incarcerated victims suffer needlessly - to move them thousands of miles away just to satisfy justice seems to be cruel and unusual punishment.

According to an article in Slate Magazine today, Ms. Granholm has contacted Governor Schwarzenegger and is going to have Michigan follow the likes of Oklahoma and Tennessee in taking inmates from California to ensure that these inmates have a place to land.

This does not bode well - can we not parole these individuals, assuming they are not guilty of violent crimes? Can we put them on work release? There have to be other solutions - anyone out there have any ideas?

Unemployment and underemployment

2009-11-08T05:43:00.000-08:00

The new numbers are in and they are staggering - 10.2% unemployment - higher in NYC -where I happen to be underemployed - yes, I have pretty much given up on the idea of getting a job with benefits or a full time job until the economy rebounds. It is 15.3% in Michigan where most of my immediate family resides, as of September of this year. The overarching figure of underemployed is 17.5% and for those who have been unemployed for six months or longer (and dependent on savings, separation pay and extended jobless benefits), their numbers are a whopping 35.6%. These figures tell a story, folks. The economy is working for some, but the average American is still struggling to find their way.

According to this excerpt from an editorial piece in the NY Times today: "President Obama said that "bold, innovative action would be needed from the Administration, Congress and the private sector - to undo the devastation in the labor market."

These are difficult times indeed - the figures also do not take into account the staggering rate of unemployment amongst teens ages 16-19 - 27.6%. This figure is particularly of interest to me as I am a mother of a 20 year old who is fortunately employed, but a 22 year old who has been unemployed for some 2-3 years on and off.

I await some direction and guidance from the administration - in the meantime, I, as do many other adults my age, continue to complete our degrees and hope that when the economy does finally turn around, I can be gainfully employed once more.

Massacre at Fort Hood

2009-11-06T03:10:00.001-08:00

The day began as normally as any other.

At around 4 in the afternoon, I logged on to CNN, taking a brief respite from the website editing that I was working on.

I could scarcely grasp the headline. How could this happen? The largest army base in the world attacked by one of their own - it was unthinkable - a day and a half later, it is still inconceivable.

It is time for the President to bring back the draft. These soldiers have had it - enough of the frequent deployments - enough of the war zones creating havoc with their minds and senses - enough of using them up and wearing them out! If we had a draft, there would be enough soldiers to fight these damn senseless wars and only do two rotations at an estimate. If we had a draft, maybe, just maybe, those senators who vote on wars would have to send their own sons and daughters to war, not just some other person's kids - maybe they would think harder before engaging in needless wars and conflicts - maybe they would realize first hand what it means to lose one's life in the service of the country.

I immediately phoned a friend whose daughter is stationed at Fort Hood, in that very building, no less - she was, thank God, not in the office yesterday. An angel was clearly in her path to preclude her witnessing the carnage. She will, however, as a medic, have to deal with the aftermath and loss of colleagues - the friend was grateful for the call, having no idea of the events that had unfolded.

We may never know what pushed this mental health professional over the edge - this physician clearly could not heal himself and the thought of going overseas to fight in an unjust conflict might just have been too much for him.

I have thought often of my barely missing the Oklahoma City federal building bombing, having had my Green Card reissued there just prior to the bombing, of the RAF bombing at the Frankfurt Airport in the 80's - just a week prior to flying through - of countless near misses with the IRA bombings growing up in London - what I know for sure is that God has a plan for all of us - if it is not our time to go, even at the unthinkable hands of another, it is not our time to go - this friend's child has served one term in Iraq and has three small children, one of whom is a baby - it was clearly not her time to go.

My heart goes out to those who have lost lives and to their loved ones - what an agonizing time for our nation and the great state of Texas.

Women and the priesthood

2009-09-14T03:45:00.000-07:00

I recall distinctively the first church I attended with a woman minister - it was Reverend Raggs from an Episcopal church in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Almost two years ago, I met an amazing seminarian who is married to the Priest in Charge at the church where I worship sometimes with my mother - her name is Joanne. She is a former nurse and is my inspiration for returning to school - specifically, she graduated from Concordia College and is the reason I picked that school over Mercy College.

Joanne is soft spoken, with expressive brown eyes, an amazing smile, a wit that is quite sharp and a woman who has seen her share of loss and pain. Her first husband died, leaving her to tend to her small family.

Enter Father Joe, a close friend of the family who helped her through this most difficult of times - they became very close and ultimately fell in love - he eventually chose to leave the Catholic church and they married some 10 years ago.

I digress - the woman priest who is now Reverend Joanne is a remarkable woman - having served for years as the head nurse in a major hospital, she gets womens' issues, mens' issues and wants to truly make the world a more equitable place in which to live.

Having a former spouse who is openly gay and many gay friends and being a strong gay rights advocate, I was pleased to hear in Joanne's first sermon that "all are welcome" at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Hartsdale New York.

Some weeks ago, we learned that during a peer review, she had received some rather scathing feedback on her sermons. She lost sleep that week, and we in the parish were all surprised. We have heard her preach on numerous occasions and have found her to be intelligent, thoughtful, insightful and filled with wisdom and a great vision for our little parish.

As I walked in to the church yesterday and saw Joanne in her robes of the priesthood for the first time, I wept openly. She was a vision of grandeur and looked every bit the part of a priest. The service was lovely - officiating was her husband. Though I have seen the two work in tandem many times over this last year or so, yesterday was rather poignant.

Joanne is going to be a fine priest and for those in other churches - such as the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church - who do not think that women should have this sacred right are mistaken.

Yesterday, a friend asked whether women in the Catholic Church would be allowed into the priesthood before men are allowed to marry in that faith - it is a toss-up, but I think that women will be allowed into the priesthood first.

Old World Barber Shop in Hartsdale

2009-09-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

I have spent many happy hours in barber shops. Being the mother of 4 boys, when we could afford haircuts, spending time hanging out with men was obligatory and a part of their upbringing.

My favorite barber shop was next to the shop where I got my hair done in Salt Lake City, Utah. Adjacent to TLC Elegante was the place where the Utah Jazz players got their hair cut regularly. I would sneak furtive glances at the hot guys while awaiting my boys as they got their hair "faded."

There is a new barber shop in the town in which I presently reside. The Old World Barber Shop is family owner and the owner is Michelle. She and her husband are 100% Italian, having immigrated to the States in 1971. The store opened in August and they have had around 30 customers to date.

The family went to San Diego for a while but didn't like it - they missed the seasons and returned to NY.

Their original shop was in Dobbs Ferry and they sold it when they moved to California.

Now they are hitching their star to Hartsdale in a spot that was previously a barber shop - a very successful one at that. They hope to make it and I hope that they do to.

Do me a favor - skip Fantastic Sam's and try Old World - you will be pleasantly surprised. One is always surprised at locally owned businesses, after all.

The recession's racial divide

2009-09-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

Barbara Ehrenreich and Dedrick Muhammad have done an amazing job of elucidating the issues faced by African American families in the past few years. Theirs is a story of being classless, of being middle class and falling into a black hole. Unemployed and underemployed, in strong jobs earning substantially one day and unemployed the next.

I can relate to this story on many levels. I was working as a political appointee to the mayor of a major US Capital city for over 5 years. During that time, I developed a disability - bipolar disorder. In the beginning, it was a relatively easy transition - my boss, the chief of staff, was accomodating, as the ADA required him to be - the subsequent chief of staff was equally accomodating - I shall never forget his kindness as I wrestled with mood swings, exacerbated by stress and numerous changes in medication. Unfortunately for me, the last chief of staff had a sister who was bipolar. She was always "on and off her meds" and " in and out of jail" - how do I know that? Because he told me so in a closed meeting in his office. I filed a grievance against him and did not prevail - I naively thought that the system would work in my favor.

I subsequently became unemployed when I could no longer work in such a stressful environment with an overbearing and discriminatory boss - I resigned under great duress. I loved my job and made an above average salary for a woman.

I am now homeless, living doubled up with my mum - it is a wonderful place to live, please don't misunderstand me - I just want to make it very clear that I am homeless, statistically speaking, nonetheless. I am moving out to my own place in December and shall miss my mum - she has been my friend, roomate, confidante and rock.

Some of my black brothers and sisters are not as lucky - indeed a classmate is a former employee of UBS - she is living in a hotel with her family after having lost her home as well after becoming unemployed.

That story we hear about - 1 paycheck away from the streets - as a former volunteer at the homeless shelter, and as a person who was forced from her home as she could not commit to a one year lease - I can testify to that.

If you have the means, please donate to your local shelters and foodbanks - if you have family in transition and have the space, please, please, please, take them in.

Just more food for thought and one person's opinion.

Drama at the US Open

2009-09-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

The Williams sisters have dominated womens' tennis for the last several years.

Last evening, Serena had a meltdown. Frustrated and upset, she threatened one of the linesmen after a call was made out of her favor. It was not just that the call was against her - it cost her the match point.

Serena has been playing tennis since she was a tot. I recall reading about her and Venus in Time magazine and other prriodicals. Their Father insisted that they not participate in professional tennis until they were of an appropriate age - would that more sporting parents felt that way.

I digress. I did not see the match last evening - I was out shopping with my mom and best friend. Indeed, given the recent rain and my school schedule, I have not seen much of the US Open this year at all.

Last evening, we surfed back and forth between channels and could not find the game. In the wee hours of the morning, I got the news on my mobile device: Serena had lost the match after having "threatened" a referee.

In the light of morning, I discussed this rationally with my mother. Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and others have been the proverbial "bad boys" of tennis. Women tend to be more ladylike.

Let us not forget that it is due to the Williams sisters that women earn the same amount of monies for grand slam tournaments as men do. Let us not forget that they are amazing players who have given the US and indeed the world, some remarkable playing time. They are human with weaknesses and foibles.

I say let's give her a break and cut her some slack.

Customer service and a pair of Dutch clogs

2009-09-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

I went to my local Best Buy recently. I was having a problem with my mobile phone that I purchased recently. It is a cute phone - cute and practical. Not as great as the IPhone, but it works for me - it is the Sanyo SCP 2700 and it is pink with flowers adorning it. I know, I know - but I can't help it - I am a girl.

Prior to going to the phone area, I went to the return counter where I returned a memory card that would not fit my phone - I had, unfortunately received bad information from another Best Buy store. The line was not particularly long, but the customers ahead of me had seemingly complex returns. I went to another associate to ask if we could possibly open up another register. They could not accomodate my request, but when I explained that I have a disability and cannot stand for prolonged periods of time due to the two herniated disks in my back, he immediately set about getting me a chair to rest my weary bones. Talk about customer service.

The person in line behind me was frustrated - she needed to be at the train station to pick up her sister - her name was Annette - named after Annette Funicello - her father had actually named her. It occurred to me that I did not know after whom I was named. I do know that my father had wanted me to be "Sandy" were I a boy, but I was his second daughter as fate would have it.

I felt so badly for the person in line, Annette - she was clearly not having a good day - we chatted briefly and her son sat in my now vacated chair - I reached into my bag after having asked her if she had ever been to Holland - she said she had, albeit only at the airport - but there nonetheless. I handed her a tiny pair of Delft clogs that I had purchased only that day at the tag sale at the Church in the Highlands.

We hugged and I felt good about myself - it was a small thing, but I would like to think that I made her day in a miniscule way.

Great customer service from Best Buy as usual - no wonder they are top in their field - and a new friend - not bad for a few minutes online.

White House advisor Van Jones resigns

2009-09-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

This is most unfortunate news to receive in the middle of the night.

Van Jones has been a pivotal voice in green policies for years. He has been extolled from Valerie Jarrett to President Obama and everyone else inbetween.

Republicans, frustrated and still not quite getting the fact that they LOST the election - are acting out with sour grapes. They dug deep and found a signature of Van Jones on a petition regarding the previous administration's dealings and possible collusion with 9-11. Additionally, they found a clip of him "talking trash" about President Bush and using unflattering profanities to describe both him and the Republican party.

It is unfortunate that this amazing individual has been so villified, and even polarized and used as a catalyst to deflect the nation's attention from the pressing issue of healthcare to his poor choice of words - frankly, I have used profanities when referring to the Bush-Cheney administration and their poor choices.

Farewell Van - you will be missed.

Flying the friendly skies

2009-09-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I flew from the White Plains New York Regional Airport to West Palm Beach, Florida. In typical fashion, I flew Jet Blue. Their fares are simply unbeatable - add to that a buddy pass now and again, and one has a winning combination.

I was at a social gathering recently and heard a pilot speak disparagingly of Jet Blue. His father was a union man and the fact that Jet Blue can offer such low fares really gripes him. I told him that given my present budget, while I would love to support an “American and union” company, with all the safety nets in place, but I have to fly with the airline that best suits my needs. Given the extra leg room (I have a disability and need the extra space), and my own personal flat screen TV (where I watched the US Open yesterday), I am not sure that even if I wanted to pay more money to fly with a “union” airline, I would. In other words, Jet Blue’s success does not hinge upon money alone.

Jet Blue has minimal overhead. Their call center is small. Their agents operate out of their homes in the great Salt Lake Valley of Utah. I know this because I was almost offered a job with them after leaving the Mayor’s office of Salt Lake City. The reason for applying for a job with an airline was quite simple: Miles, baby, buddy passes. I love to travel and don’t get to do so near as much as I would like to. Their staffers are mainly stay at home moms - by and large from the Utah Valley and needing a little extra income to augment their family’s monthly budget. Utah is the state in the nation with the largest number of personal bankruptcy filings. I know this because I lived there for over 7 years and the leaders of the predominant faith (LDS Church) took great pains to try to educate their members not to incur unnecessary debt. Small wonder that many mums with larger families, a la Utah Mormon style, are flocking to a company that allows them to fly to Disney land and NYC and Buffalo and the West Indies and Puerto Rico. If Jet Blue ever flies to Hawaii, I am sunk - I have a dear friend there who is expecting me next year - if I get a decent flight from Jet Blue, I will be likely to visit her annually. I am not sure if she is up for a visit from me every year - but I guess if I keep to the fish and company rule, I should be fine.

The founder of Jet Blue is LDS or Mormon and a shrewd businessman, hence the purchase of used planes, no large call center - though Utah is home to the likes of 1-800-CONTACTS. He is committed to paying average Utah wages and basing his operation in a right to work state. All these are keys to success. He is likely going to be the Donald Trump of the airline business if he keeps this up.

Today, I interviewed his spokesperson, Alison Croyle, and learned that he has since moved on. A new face is at the helm of this flagship of airlines: Dave Barger. Every month, Dave flies the friendly skies, working alongside crewmembers, taking out trash, recycling and bidding flyers adieu. He is a hands on kind of man - he wants to see the flying experience first hand and takes his job very seriously as he interacts with customers.

He lives the 5 "Jet Blue Commandments" shall we call them:
1. Safety
2. Caring
3. Integrity
4. Fun
5. Passion

On my flight yesterday, I noted the amazing difference between the Jet Blue crew members and those of say Northwest and Delta they are not angry because of union negotiations gone bad. They are happy to do their respective jobs - they seem to find pleasure in ensuring that the customer is number one and do not mutter under their breaths, even when I asked for an extra snack (I am borderline type II diabetic) of Animal Crackers, my flight attendant was most gracious and accommodating. Fortunately for me, I have maintained a negative type II status since having lost some 50 lbs and can now fit more comfortably in a plane seat. The crew is made up of mostly “family” members . This is no surprise, as it is a service-based industry and works very well with the personalities of “family” members. Indeed, my interaction with staffers indicated that the company was “extremely gay friendly.” I am going to see about having Jet Blue sponsor an event I am putting together at the Metropolitan Museum in the very near future.

I interacted with two business persons on the plane -a power couple - she an IBM staffer, he a consultant, doing the same as I - carving out a niche for himself after having been laid off. Natasha is a mother of two small children. We both bemoaned the fact that there is no place on a plane to take care of small children, be that nursing them, or getting them to calm down. I know how stressful flying can be - I have anxiety and am generally the last one on the plane and the last one off.

Now that my consulting business is taking off and my writing is becoming more popular, I might be able to choose another airline, but I think I will stick with Blue - Jet Blue that is.

Obama Aides Aim to Simplify and Scale Back Health Bills

2009-09-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

This is the news I had been waiting for.

For almost two years, I have been sans insurance. I am one of 46 million Americans without same. Given that I have a few serious health concerns, including Bi-Polar disorder, my quandary about getting insurance becomes a larger dilemma with each passing day.

Next year, I will have exhausted my option to receive "charity care" through the amazing Westchester County Medical Center. This program allows me to see a doctor and get medicines filled once a month - all at no cost. The program has been scaled back significantly given the economy and I barely qualified for it this year, which is interesting, given that I work part time at a non profit, hence my salary could not possibly be that huge. I have just received word that my income is going to increase significantly and therefore will not be eligible for the "charity care" safety net next year. I am worried - very worried indeed.

If worse comes to worse and this healthcare bill does not pass (though after today's revelations, I suspect it will), I will be forced to quit school and go back to England or move to Canada where I can avail myself of their services as a British subject. What a sad state of affairs.

Obama has clearly seen the writing on the wall - he cannot trust congress and those who receive kickbacks from the drug manufacturers to have the best interests of the American public at heart. He is taking a personal role in this debate, when he wanted to stay above the proverbial fray.

I can't wait to see what he has to say. It will be 16 years since Bill Clinton gave his famous speech on healthcare, according to the NY Times article that I am referencing.

Change is coming to America - I welcome it!

Cafe Angelique in the village and a day in Manhattan

2009-09-02T03:49:00.000-07:00

I love the village. It is quirky, funky, quintessentially New York and hip with great coffee places, boutiques et al. It is my favorite place to hang out in the city after the museums, that is.

Yesterday, I was there with my sweetie after a quick trip to the Metropolitan. It was a busy day - I had business to attend to and my consulting firm is finally picking up steam. I just added a new partner who is based in California - her name is Andrea Moore Emmett, author of the amazing God's Brothel - a story about polygamy, published in Ms. Magazine, participant in Bridging the Religious Divide - former NOW President - her bio is amazing and I can't believe we are friends. She is remarkable.

I met a phenomenal woman. She was in Cafe Angelique and is expecting her second baby boy - she looked absolutely radiant! I told her so as I noted the beautiful flowing orange shirt she wore over her beautiful bulging tummy. She has just one month left until her delivery and is in her 40's. Her name is Jennifer. She is married 11 years to her soul mate and her face lights up when she speaks of him - I am not generally cynical, but can be about love. Now that I have found my life partner and soul mate, I am less cynical.

Kevin gets me in a way no other man has before him - he is there for me through it all - ups and downs, a cheerleader, someone who wants to see me succeed and who gives me space, time and room to breathe. He is a breath of fresh air and I thank God I found him. After all I have gone through in life, even my horrible divorce and the coming out of my former husband that precipitated it, after my highs and lows, unemployment and underemployment, he continues to be there for me. He is absolutely not like my former husband in any way, except for the Irish roots. When Kevin is gone from me for more than a few days, I can't breathe - that's how much I love him.

Jennifer would like me to meet her soul mate and husband and I hope I do. I also want to go on a double date to the Met some Friday night to listen to the concerts - our first date almost two years ago. We have built a strong foundation for this relationship and no matter what, I promise to love him forever......come what may.

Villagiano Italiano - girls just want to have fun or wine, pizza and the US Open

2009-08-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

The aforementioned is my local pizza eatery in Hartsdale. In fact, it was one of the first places I sought out when I moved here almost two years ago. I visited all of the locally owned stores and shoppes, and interviewed all of the owners, from tailors to dry cleaners, cheese shops and my favorite interviewee - Kat from Giangemi Tailors. I was hoping to create a "Local First" group here. That project has now been taken over by some interns in the amazing Paul Feiner, as in, Greenburgh Town Supervisor's office. Paul Feiner is an absolute genius and along with Orrin Hatch and Ted Kennedy has served several terms and should be the exception for term limits.

Fast forward two years almost and I was in that eatery ordering pizza for dinner, having driven my mum's car to pick it up. I don't get to drive frequently as I don't have a car these days The bus and subway can get me pretty much anywhere I need to go and if not, I rent a car with a friend. It works

I don't eat pizza often as I have lost 50 pounds and am trying to be healthy. I saw two friends engaged in conversation. One of the women had a beautiful purse. I had to compliment her on it. Turns out it came from a local store - we traded stories about deals we had gotten and I told her to check out Kat at Giangemi custom tailors. As fate would have it, she already knows Kat and has been to some sort of purse trade shows with her. Girls just want to have fun and fun was had last night by us all for a few minutes in Villagiano Italiano - Ciao.

I came home and we watched the US Open women's match where we watched Venus kick butt, wounded knee notwithstanding. We munched on the delicious pizza and drank Pinot Grigio from another local wine store (I love local stores) and rounded out the evening watching a couple of episodes of Scrubs from season 8. I love my son and my family.

I am blessed indeed.

Do teachers need education degrees?

2009-08-28T02:54:00.001-07:00

In the August 16th Room for Debate in the NY Times online edition, Robert Stolarik asks this question in a provocative piece.

According to reports and this article, President Obama is considering tying teacher salaries not to their education, but to the success of their students. This man is good - when he gets it right, he just plain gets it right.

Years ago when my kids were in school, they would, on occasion come to me to whine to me about a particular teacher who was giving them a hard time in their perception. I would invariably tell them that their job was to be a good student and to always remember that their teachers already had their education - their job was to get theirs now, too.

Obama has struck on one of the fundamental and core problems in public schools. The reason children continue to fail in inner city schools and why charter schools are on the rise is simple: Teachers continue to get paid no matter the graduation rate of their students. If their pay were tied to success, we would see a mighty change occurring in our school system.

I taught preschool in a former life, my children attended both private and public schools. I became a parent volunteer in the public schools when private school was no longer an option. I knew that it was the only way for me to truly know what was occurring in the schools and with the teachers. I was not wealthy by any means - indeed, I stocked the shelves in a 24 hour mega store in order to be at home for those times when I needed to be in the school volunteering with my children. I had great relationships with all of the teachers of my children. I worked alongside them and they trusted me. My children all did exceptionally well in school and one was even on the National Honor Roll.

When I divorced and was forced to work full time during the day, I was no longer able to be in the schools and had moved to the state in the nation with the lowest per capita student spending - Utah. Not only was student spending an issue, but the textbooks were old (President Reagan was listed as being President in my son's text book when he was 12 - he is 23 now - you can do the math) - and minority students were dropping out of school at an alarming rate. Indeed, they continue to do so with no intervention from either the UEA (Utah's teachers' union), nor the Legislature. I am convinced that if Mormon kids were dropping out at the same rates, there would be special sessions convened at the Legislature until the issue was adequately addressed.

Fortunately for me, two of my children are now in college (the oldest is on hiatus, en route to Puerto Rico and will reconvene his studies in a year when he has established residency) and the youngest is on the honor roll in his elementary school. The forgotten and left behind child is currently serving time in a Michigan state prison and is working on his GED. I raised this beloved child with the same goals and parameters, the same expectations, but he has two disadvantages - he suffers from depression and has a learning disability. No-one but the most dedicated teacher/guidance counselor could have saved him from himself.

The appeal to Senator Hatch's office is in the works and we are awaiting a decision.

No child left behind is a cute catch phrase - Obama has the guts to make it a reality.

Farewell to Ted Kennedy

2009-08-26T02:23:00.000-07:00

For the second time in as many months, I write farewell to a great man - one who has touched the lives of countless people, one who struggled with personal demons and one who was extremely complicated.

First Michael Jackson and now Ted Kennedy - of course, the two men can hardly be compared in the same breath, strictly speaking, but they have left huge footprints on the world nevertheless.

No matter one's political persuasion, no matter what one's thoughts on adultery and Ted's alleged philandering, one has to recognize the enormity of his passing. The Kennedy family has suffered the death of too many members - yes, I know that Ted was not particularly young, but I wanted so much for him to see his life's work - the healthcare reform bill - pass before he left this world.

His legacy will now be carried on by someone else - someone with huge shoes to fill.

With any luck, Caroline will rethink her decision not to enter politics and return to the field in the future for a seat in New York City politics - heck - maybe even the national stage - and then I won't feel so sad after all.

God bless the Kennedys as they mourn the passing of this amazing man.

Rainbows, Yankee games, date night with Donald and his wife

2009-08-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

I was called a rainbow today by someone for whom I care greatly - it made my day. I suppose the fact that I am in love makes me more aware of couples these days.

As I made my way to the subway after bidding my friend "adieu", I reflected on how far we have come in our relationship in the almost two years we have been "not" seeing each other. I was on the subway, lost in my thoughts and not really doing my customary people watching as I was so preoccupied with having been called a rainbow - I was feeling really good about myself.

Shaken from my reverie, I noted an attractive all-American blonde couple board the train somewhere between Union Square and Grand Central. They were laughing and got separated from another couple during the melee that permeates the subway on days when the Yankees are playing. (During my brief interview, I learned that the four are friends and that while the other couple is dating, they are not married - yet).

I watched them almost envious, and then I remembered my farewell with my friend. They were very much in love - it was obvious that they were either newlyweds or had been married for a very long time. They teased each other in that intimate way that makes one feel amost like a voyeur when one observes it in public - it was so very tender and made me miss my friend almost painfully, though we had parted only minutes before. He teased her and patted her on the bum - she told him she was a married woman - he said in that case he would do it again - and so it went.....

Finally, I just had to ask them - I had to know how long they had been married. Donald introduced me to his wife of seven years - (forgive me, I do not recall her name and I neglected to pull out my always-handy notebook until after they had exited the train) - they have had 3 children during that time - it is her second marriage and his first - she had a first marriage in her young twenties - just like I did - he had never married and married her "later in life" she said.

They had visited Utah and we chatted briefly about my political work there. We spoke of my former boss, the mayor of Salt Lake City and his partnership with Governor Huntsman to get rid of private clubs and loosen alcohol laws - Donald's boyish looks reminded me of the handsome former Governor, Jon Huntsman - I told him so. I asked them how often they had "date night" - they told me they did so very often. They go skiing together, go to Yankees games together, live in New York City and seem to have a wonderful life.

I wish I had had the time to interview them properly for this story - I gave them my card so with any luck, they will email me with the name of the wife - apologies again - and maybe I can add some more to this post.

In conclusion, I was thrilled to be called a rainbow by this man whom I love so deeply, but to see this couple so obviously in love really made my day - not just for me, but for all the couples out there.

Statistically, this second marriage will be harder for her to maintain - this is his first and we know what those odds are - in their case, they are planning to stay married - they are spending time getting to know each other on a regular basis and know each other very intimately - I can tell.

Donald is one lucky guy and his wife is a lucky girl.....I hope they will write or call and maybe we can have a glass of wine at the Metropolitan Museum some Friday night during the classical music concerts that are so hugely popular among couples and friends alike. A double date, maybe?

Love really is forever.

What should colleges teach

2009-08-25T01:20:00.000-07:00

There is a fascinating story in the NY Times late online edition from last evening.

Stanley Fish, a professor of law at Florida International University and a few other select fine institutions writes an amazing piece about core competencies taught in colleges, or not being taught, with particular emphasis on the lack of college writing being taught - as in - not enough or no grammar, rather the syllabus is watered down and students will learn anything from ideas about movies, novels, to having hot-button topic discussions and the like.

I am returning to school after an 11 year hiatus - I feel like a novice and certainly like a freshman. My bags are all packed with the requisite books and pens, including a shiny new highlighter and a book on grammar which I received at orientation last week - a book on grammer. Me the linguist, the trilingual speaker gets to have her very own book on grammar. No more stumbling around in the dark, struggling for sentence structure, verbs, adverbs, adjectives etc. I wil have at my fingertips a book that will help me to become a better writer.

I had originally intended to attend a college much closer to my home. On reflection and after checking into the courses, I decided to pursue an accelerated degree specifically tailored for working adults. While I work only part time, due to the economy and a debilitating disability (at times), I know that the demands on my schedule will be extraordinary - some 10-20 hours of homework and study time required a week as well as one night a week in class.

The core competencies are strongly emphasized at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY and I know that in the program I have found a perfect fit for both my personality and a path to place me on track to have completed my Master's in Public Administration or Social Work by the time I am 50.

I am a published writer and have been writing for years. Indeed, the last college course I took, my professor wanted me to enroll in the honors program, she was so impressed with my work. I had other commitments and declined at the time. Would that I had chosen otherwise. When I received my class schedule last week, I was surprised to see that I would be expected to take an Introduction to College Writing course. After attending the orientation, I immediately understood why. I needed the introduction course for a foundation to be able to write better papers during my college years - I have a fairly decent start, but one can always use all the help one can get - in this case - Introduction to College Writing - I have already started reading the text book and am salivating at the conversations we will have in class about grammar and syntax and the like.

Colleges are institutions for higher learning and thinking - critical thinking. They should truly be about the business of causing their students to reach down deep and engage in thinking that they never would have imagined prior to matriculating.

I have chosen well and am ready for my new journey. I might even finish that autobiography.

Concordia, here I come!

The princess problem

2009-08-24T01:35:00.000-07:00

For a couple of years in another lifetime and when I had the luxury of doing something I loved and not needing to support a family, I had the blessing of being a preschool teacher. It was the one job I truly loved in my soul. I was good at it, my kids loved me, my bosses adored me and made me a trainer for their beloved science curriculum for other teachers and my supervisor wept when I left for greener pastures.

What I learned during those years of being around girls is that girls are by and large reared by their fathers (and yes, their mothers too) to think of themselves as princesses. Don't misunderstand me - I think that a natural part of a girl's development requires that she be a princess - she needs to feel special and pretty and have a dream that one day a prince charming might come along and sweep her off her feet.

Unbeknownst to my bosses, I would create stories for my children at story time that were not part of the curriculum - they were "Miss Annette" stories - I lived in Kentucky at the time and the title was a formal one. I would tell stories of broken families, families with no children, families with just one parent - children being reared by grandparents - In those days, I would not have dared speak of same sex parents, but I would today. I digress.

One of my favorite stories to recount to the children was about a princess. She was a beautiful girl and loved her father very much (her parents were either divorced or the mother had died - likely the latter, given the Disney angle that the stories took on for the most part) - she lived in a beautiful castle - of course - where else would a princess live? and had been raised in Europe (hey - I am European, so it is not a stereotype) in the breathtaking Alps. When she reached the age of maturity or coming out, her father set about finding her a mate. He searched through all the surrounding kingdoms and could not find a suitable man - he searched for years, all in vain. Finally, he wept and told his daughter that he had failed her.

His daughter was wise for her years (of course she was - she was my creation) - and told her father not to worry - she would find a husband herself. She decided that in order to have a husband, she needed a career, so she set about going to college, which was unheard of in that day, and learned how to be an excellent manager. Years later, she still had not found her prince, but she was happy and fulfilled in life with her circle of friends, her church and her volunteer activities.

One day, a man came into her life who turned out to be the prince she had sought - no white horse, no kingdom, nothing to offer but his love, support and a decent job - they lived together in bliss. The moral of the story, I told my enraptured little ones - was that they might grow up and find a prince, and they might not - the trick is to be happy with what you have in life, not with what you want and can't have.

And now to the meat of the story. A couple of weeks ago in a USA Today public forum piece, "The Princess Problem" came to light again. I have discussed this with a friend on more than one occasion. These are women who are raised to expect a man to take care of them. My friend and I believe that a man is more likely to be attracted to a woman who can take care of herself - indeed, if either wants to take care of a mate in a co-dependent relationship, someone should seek counseling - but fast!

The article speaks of professional women in great jobs who are just biding their time until they marry and can move to the suburbs, essentially - waiting for their prince.

Women still earn less than men on average, thank God for Obama's pay equality legislation - however, in this economic downturn, more and more women are finding themselves as the main breadwinner in their families.

I was most fortunate some 27 years ago - I met an amazing man with whom I fell deeply in love. The marriage did not last, but that is not the point of this article. What I loved about him the most was his willingness to let me choose for myself whether I wanted to be a princess (stay at home mother) or work outside of the home. The two of us were both devout Mormons at the time and that religion pretty much dictated that a woman stay home during the formative years of her children.

Being a full time mother was not an easy transition, and never was a very good fit, but I made it work, because my church demanded it and I thought that it would be the best thing for my children. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last. Fifteen years later, it came crashing down around my ears, and while I had taught preschool initially during the marriage to support my partner during school, knew that I would not be able to support my children on such an income.

The moral of the story is that we should not raise our daughters to be princesses - we should raise them to be educated, resilient and strong women - they don't have to "need" a man to feel "needed" - that is the icing on the proverbial cake - to be needed, that is - to have a man love you is the greatest and most choice blessing in the world - that is why God ordained marriage and why he/she wants us not to be alone - it is not the natural state of being.

Princesses, throw away those damn tiaras and glass slippers and quit looking - find your own kind of happy and he will come along when you least expect it - just don't expect him to "complete" you, or to provide for you - that is just not fair!

Feedback appreciated.......

What men want

2009-08-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is going through his second divorce. When we met almost two years ago, he was emotionally shattered - a shell of a man. He is a devoted father to his children and when his first wife left him, he was shocked - she simply decided that she no longer wanted to be a mother to their three adolescent children. Fast forward a few years, he married someone else, not knowing her that well (they dated a mere few months) and after raising their one child together for a few years, she decided that she, too, would leave, taking the child far away and having the one thing she always wanted - a child of her own - her very own, that is - and some padding in her bank account. Fortunately, he has weathered the storm and has rebounded and is doing nicely - in a few months, he will be ready to date and who knows what will happen in his life after that - I predict only good things will come to him in the world of relationships - he has learned a great deal about women and himself with the help of a great therapist - thank God for those!

I just read an interesting story on AOL Health about this same scenario - that is, women who give up their relationships for their children. I was in the opposite situation in my marriage of 15 years - my former spouse spent far more time with the children than he did with me - to the point that I became resentful of their movie dates, football games and wrestling on the living room floor (I have four sons). Looking back, it was his way of telling me that he didn't want a wife (he is gay), but wanted the package of children - no surprise that three of the four boys live with him by their own choosing.

What men want is a woman who is devoted to them above their children - they have no desire to be second on the totem pole, and frankly, nor should they be. They deserve to have that same love and desire that brought the couple together initially - granted, those levels change some with motherhood, hormones and such, but basically, they want to be needed.

Men also want a woman who has a life - she needs to have a focus - a career, school, hobbies, volunteer work - something that she does with no attachment to her spouse - something that makes her who she is in and of herself.

Men want a woman who is not afraid to be vulnerable - I heard about that book "Why men love bitches" and was told to read it and decided against it - The men I know don't love bitches, they love good and caring women.

Just one woman's opinion, but I know men really, really well......

Michael Vick - now with the Philadelphia Eagles

2009-08-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Michael Vick has managed the unthinkable - after being imprisoned for almost two years for his role in bankrolling dogfighting rings at properties he owns, he has been released, worked in his neighborhood in construction and now with children and has scored a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

I am thrilled for him and can only say that I hope he will not squander this opportunity. He has stated that prison was truly a turning point for him and that he does not desire to repeat his errors.

In America, we believe that incarceration is ultimately in place to correct the behavior of individuals - once that individual has served their time, no matter the crime, no matter the length of time served - they have satisfied society's rules.

Michael Vick has earned a second chance - I, for one, am rooting for him - think "Shawshank Redemption."

Robert's Rules of Order

2009-08-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago whilst employed as a political appointee, I attended more meetings than I care to even recall. They were mostly community council meetings, some city council meetings and other meetings, with a few town hall meetings thrown in for good measure.

I have been purposely quiet on the debacle surrounding the healthcare townhall meetings. It is clear that these attendees who have been sent there to disrupt these important hearings have never heard of Robert's Rules of Order - basically, meeting decorum 101 for dummies is a good analogy.

Most of the meetings I attended were respectful, well-led, appropriate and even when individuals did not agree with one another, there was a sense of decorum that presided, thankfully.

I respect the right of misinformed dissenters to disrupt these meetings, but maintain that there is a time and a place, and certainly a way to get one's feelings heard.

Enough said.

Who lives and who dies -

2009-08-15T15:37:00.001-07:00

I was fortunate to live in the amazing and beautiful, albeit it economically depressed (highest unemployment in the nation as of most recent statistics) state of Michigan. I was there when Dr. Jack Kevorkian became notorious for his desire to help patients end their lives with dignity and respect.

I have a chronic illness - and while it is highly unlikely that I should become incapacitated as a result of this, I would always want to have the right to die should that be my choice.

I was happy to read today that a court in Australia has given a fully-functional (in his brain) quadraplegic man the right to die with dignity - the story is on CNN - feedback as always, is appreciated.

Why gay guys are churchier than their straight brethren

2009-08-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

I read this interesting story online today and wanted to share it.

Some years ago, after cutting ties to the Mormon/LDS Church, I found myself with many gay friends primarily because of the advocacy and outreach work I had been doing as a board member at the local Pride Center, a member of a PAC, Equality Utah and lobbying efforts to protect gay marriage in the state of Utah. As I reflect back on those happy days, I realize that the reason I became so aligned with gays is because as a woman of color, I totally understand their feelings of disenfranchisement, particularly vis-a-vis religion.

I left the Mormon Church because I felt disenfranchised as a woman of color living in Utah and recognized that their treatment towards gays was not unlike their treatment of my race prior to the ACLU threatening to bring a lawsuit in the late 1970's, which resulted in their extending full membership to all blacks who wanted to join the Mormon Church.

Gays are inherently spiritual, just as all of us are - we are all God's children. The judgements and mistreatments that gays experience causes them to reach out spiritually to one another and to organized religion - I attended many religious services with my gay friends, including my first commitment ceremony - complete with music, candles, two pianos and a wonderful loving couple who professed their love and commitment to one another in the state of Utah, which did not even want to recognize their being, much less their love.

I am happy to share this article with you today and welcome your feedback.

Here is the link: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/08/10/gay-christians-discord-in-the-pews/

Cash for clunkers - "read my lips - no new taxes"

2009-08-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

Cash for clunkers received a 2 billion dollar infusion from the Senate last week. Apparently the program is so popular, dealers are overwhelmed with the influx of individuals wanting to get rid of their gas-guzzling vehicles.

I have driven my share of gas guzzlers over the years, I am embarassed to say. Mostly it was out of necessity - I had four children and needed a large station wagon to get them around from point a to point b. Today, there are many more options for parents, as Hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles are on the market and at a reasonable cost.

It is questionable how long the program will remain in place, given its hefty price tag.

Some are wondering whether the President will find himself like Bush senior, having to renege on a campaign promise not to raise taxes on the middle class - that would be those earning $250,000 a year or less. While I now work part time and am headed back to college in the fall, I am no longer considered middle class, but will watch these developments carefully.

Bill Clinton in North Korea

2009-08-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

It is with much excitement that I write to recount that the North Koreans have decided to release the two US journalists from captivity and a sentence of hard labor in a prison camp.

Secretary Clinton had asked for their release in talks recently and her pleas apparently did not fall on deaf ears. According the AP, North Korean Leader Kim Jong II issued a "special pardon" freeing the journalists while former President Clinton made an unannounced visit to the country.

Flanked by his security detail and looking determined, former President Clinton arrived in Pyonyang in order to accomplish his mission.

It would appear that two Clintons are indeed better than one.

Swim club offers olive branch after racism allegations

2009-07-12T17:09:00.001-07:00

Human rigts are basic inalienable rights. Human rights commissions are in most every ciy and state of the nation.

After reading this story earlier this week, I had a pretty good idea of how it would play out.

I was right - after closed door meetings with likely board members and attorneys, the powers that be at the exclusive swim club decided to extend an olive branch and ask the swimmers to return.

Why must we be compelled to do the right thing - and then, after having been exposed?

Read the story and tell me if you agree: cnn.com

NAACP celebrates 100 years - "Much more work to do"

2009-07-10T08:01:00.001-07:00

This amazing organization, envisioned and brought to reality by businessmen, spiritual leaders and the great thinkers of their time, has reached a milestone: 100 years and counting.

While great strides have been made, certainly along color lines, we have the first African-American President of the United States - the first Latina Supreme Court Justice Nominee in Sotomayor - life is good on the surface.

Dig a little deeper, and there is another story to be told: our jails continue to be full of a disproportionate number of African American males and Latinos - many of whom are involved in their first offense. A recent phone call to my former home state of Utah indicates that too many of our youth have to go south of the valley of Salt Lake, instead of being seen at a local courthouse, primarily because of overcrowding in the juvenile justice system, but a factor that plays into it is also race - many of the offenders are black and Latino.

The American dream is for far too many, being lived out in projects and subsidized housing: watching from the outside, as basketball players and presidents of corporations make exhorbitant amounts of monies.

Please read the compelling story by Benjamin Todd, current president of the NAACP on CNN today and share your thoughts:http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/09/jealous.naacp.100/index.html

Sanford should stay, two top South Carolina papers say

2009-06-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well. Eliot Spitzer resigned from being Governor of New York over his prostitution scandal - adultery is adultery, whether with a mistress or a prostitute, the violation of marital covenants is something that most would frown upon, our over 50% of adulterous marriages notwithstanding.

I really think that Governor Sanford should follow Spitzer on this one. He broke the law, and for those of their state's residents serving in the service, that is tantamount to "conduct unbecoming an officer." We cannot have double standards for politicians who are sworn to uphold the law, particularly as it relates to members of the military.

Lt. Dan Choi is going to be on trial tomorrow for openly admitting to being gay. The same laws that are forcing him to be truthful about his sexual orientation should be the same laws used to judge the politicians who create the laws.

Sanford left the state, even the country, after spinning a tale of being alone hiking on the Appalachian Trail, when he was in fact in Argentina, with his mistress. What message does that send to his impressionable sons? Men everywhere, in fact?

I am surprised, although not entirely - to see that two of South Carolina's largest dailies are calling for him to remain in office. If he would lie to his wife and staff about his whereabouts in order to cover up an affair, what else would he do or not do?

Here is the link to the story - feedback appreciated: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/