Category Archives: Golden Rule

When I was a little kid growing up in Tennessee in the 1950s, I used to think that all people were good. I believed with all my heart that if I did good to others, they would do good by me. Through the years, I've learned that's not always so. It runs about 50-50, if you're lucky.

It's a shame that people have changed or maybe they haven't, and I just wasn't paying attention. Still, it feels like something's off-center. I'd hate to think that when you get full-grown, all the innocence in the world fades to nothing left.

I was taught to live by the Golden Rule. If you don't know what that is, then that could be part of the problem. Some have a thwarted idea of what it means.

I know people who are paranoid and always on the ready and believe that they should do unto others before the others do unto them. That's a tough way to live. It's one of the main reasons I left Los Angeles.

We, as a society, spend far too much time worrying about what others think about us, fretting about whether we fit in or how well we're liked. At the end of the day, it's what we think of ourselves that really matters.

You know, like Shakespeare wrote in the first act of "Hamlet": "To thine own self be true." I had to look up who said that. I thought there was an outside chance it might have come from the Bible.

The words "thine," "thou" and "thee" always trip me up.

My grandmother, Miz Lena, is partially responsible for the confusion. All my growing-up years, she constantly misquoted the Good Book.

To this day, I'm still a little confused. Miz Lena sort of bent verses to make them work for her. Not only that, but in her world, there were several more than Ten Commandments. It seemed like there was one for every mistake I made.

There was a commandment for me running through the house. Another one for getting to bed on time. A couple on how to deal with others. One for lying. She had several pertaining to me doing exactly what she said to do. I remember thinking that the Lord talked and expressed himself a lot like my grandmother.

When it came to me eating everything I was served, Miz Lena would say, "Thou shalt eat ever thing on yore plate that yore Grand Mama cooks fer yuh." She'd follow her commandment with a reminder to me that it wasn't her rule. It was God's. Then came the story of the starving children in Africa who would just love to have what we were eating.

Only once, I made a comment about maybe we should box up all the Brussels sprouts and send them to those African kids. Surely, God would smile down upon us for giving to those hungry children. That didn't go over well.

Constantly, Miz Lena mixed a little Shakespeare and the Bible with a dab of Granny Goose nursery rhymes and sometimes even a newspaper comic-strip character.

She would say something about Romeo and Juliet going up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Romeo fell down, broke his crown and so on. When I told her that I was pretty sure that she meant Jack and Jill, she'd say, "Yeah and them too."

Grand Mom was like so many other Southern women of those times. She was completely devoted to making sure I knew what she felt I needed to know. She covered a lot of ground. I didn't take notes. I could have used me one of those little tape recorders.

Once in a while, Popeye made it into the mix. I'm sure that the only thing Grand Mom knew about Popeye was that he ate his spinach and it made him strong. That's what most parents told their kids.

With Miz Lena it was much different. She was short, not so sweet and to the point. She'd stand over me and my plate of vegetables and say, "Looka here, Popeye didn't eat his spinach, and he up and died."

Popeye was one of the few newspaper cartoon characters Miz Lena knew anything about. Grand Mom really didn't read much of the paper. She went straight for the obituaries and circled the names of the recently and dearly departed that she knew. From there, she scheduled her "grand entrances" to the respective funerals.

My grandfather read the paper from front to back page. He used to tell me that reading the paper was good for your eye muscles. Every morning, as soon as he got to the kitchen table, he opened the paper wide.

All you saw of him were his sleeves, cuff links, his big hands, the steam from his coffee and the billowing of Viceroy cigarette smoke that escaped to the right through the slightly ajar picture window. Every couple of minutes, he'd bring the newspaper down to turn the pages. He'd look over at me and wink. He knew I was waiting.

Grand Mom sat next to him and talked up a storm. When she let up, Grand Dad, with his head buried in the newspaper, would grunt to her. It was one of those "I'm listening, but just barely" grunts. That was good enough for Miz Lena. She'd go right back to talking, and Grand Dad would grunt some more.

Eventually, Grand Dad would say, "Well, let's see what Li'l Abner is up to." That perked me up. It meant that it was finally time for him to read what he called the "funny papers" to me.

Li'l Abner and his family were my favorite newspaper cartoon characters. Mostly because Grand Dad would read it to me in his Li'l Abner voices.

Grand Dad was from Michigan. All the years he lived in the South, he never picked up a Southern accent. So his connotations and inflections of the hillbilly characters in the "Li'l Abner" comic strip sounded like a Northerner trying to talk like a Tennessean.

When he did Li'l Abner's voice, he sounded like the TV cartoon character Yogi Bear. He did his best. It was the most extroverted and animated he ever got. He may not have sounded Southern, but he was very entertaining,

He had different voices for Li'l Abner's parents, Mammy and Pappy Yokum, Abner's very voluptuous wife, Daisy Mae, and all the other cartoon residents of the little Appalachian town in which they lived, called Dogpatch.

Daisy Mae was blond-headed, ran around in a polka-dot and rather revealing halter top and blue-jean cutoffs. Li'l Abner and the rest of the men wore rolled-up sleeves, boots and bib overalls.

After Li'l Abner, came the comic strip "Blondie." As you might assume, she was a curly-haired blonde, married to Dagwood Bumstead. Dagwood worked for a little fellow with thick eyeglasses and a moustache named Mr. Dithers. Grand Dad did Mr. Dithers in his regular voice. I think he saw the "Blondie" characters as Yankees.

Dagwood's hair was parted down the middle and slicked back. If he got frazzled, his hair stuck out on the sides. It was the same way with Grand Dad's hair.

Dagwood was constantly making himself huge, piled-high sandwiches and trying to get some sleep on the couch. The same with Grand Dad.

Blondie would wake up Dagwood and make him take out the trash or do some odd job around the house. Again, same went for Grand Dad. Miz Lena was Grand Dad's Blondie. It was funny, when he did Blondie's voice, he made her sound like she was an old, cackling, Halloween witch.

On Sundays, Grand Dad handed me the paper, and I read "Dick Tracy" to him. I made Mr. Tracy sound a little like James Cagney. From the time that I began reading, Grand Dad would start laughing. I think he got a kick out of my interpretations of the characters. Mornings at the breakfast table were happy.

I'm afraid those mornings of happiness and innocence are gone forever. Those of you reading this newspaper and this little ditty probably have a greater appreciation for how it was back then than those who get their news hunched over a computer and sipping on a $6 Styrofoam cup of coffee.

I will always be partial to newspapers. They remind me of past happy mornings. They're a big part of the weave of American values and traditions that I pray will never go away.

Sundays, right after a big lunch, I'd tiptoe into the den and there would be Grand Dad, peacefully slouched on the couch, his glasses hanging at the tip of his nose, snoring to beat the band, with the open newspaper laid across his lap. Grand Mom let him be.

Starting today, spend some time with your kids. You can help keep them innocent for a little while longer and create happy, lifetime memories for them just by, very simply, reading them the "funny papers."

Thanks for my memories, Grand Dad.

Bill Stamps' books, "Miz Lena" and "Southern Folks," are available on Amazon. For signed copies, email bill_stamps@aol.com.

The rest is here:

Stamps: Reading the newspaper with Grand Dad - Chattanooga Times Free Press

How do you make the most out of your hotel stay? Ask for what you need and be smart about how you book, experts say.

Laila DeMesme, the director of sales at the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City, shared some of her top tips with Inside Edition.

"Let's talk about the all-important upgrade, how do you get one? I would certainly just ask upon check-in," DeMesme said. "Or if you tip your bellman, he might be able to help you with that as well."

DeMesme suggests tipping the housekeeping staff $3 to $5 per day, depending on the type of hotel you're staying in, to get the best service.And while almost every traveler knows they can askthe front desk fora toothbrush if they forget theirs, hotels typically have other essentials to loan out as well, such as phone chargers, hair straighteners, yoga mats and even bicycles.

When it comes to booking your room, third-party travel sites can be great for searching many properties at once, but the best price is often found by booking with the hotel directly.The last secret isn't a secret at all: it's the goodold golden rule. By treating hotel staff as you want to be treated, you'll be sure to have the best stay possible. Bon voyage!

RELATED STORIES

4-Year-Old Travels Across Country for Heart Surgery in a Road Trip of a Lifetime

Man Travels 5,500 Miles From Florida to Greece in Epic Globetrotting Proposal

How Women Can Stay Safe Traveling Alone

Read the original post:

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Hotel Stay - Inside Edition

Is she autistic? the woman asked my moms friend as I walked by.

I suspected she was talking about me, but I held out some small hope that she wasnt. When my moms friend started to reply, Shes my friend Cathys daughter and she all doubt was removed. I didnt hear the rest of what she said because I left the room. I had no desire to listen to people discussing me and my diagnosis right in front of me as if I couldnt hear or understand them. If they were going to talk about me as if I wasnt in the room, then I was going to leave the room.

Im lucky that I had the ability to make an exit. Im not sure what tipped this woman off. Maybe my moms friend had been talking to her about me. Maybe it was my pacing and flapping that did it. The fact that she hadnt heard me speak probably heightened her perception of me as seriously disabled. People who hear me speak or read my writing first tend to be surprised to find out Im disabled in any way. People who see me pacing and flapping first tend to be surprised to hear me speaking in complete sentences.

Related: How Doing Stand-Up Comedy Changed My Life as an Autistic Person

This isnt the first time something like this has happened to me. Ive had people respond to my flapping, pacing and stereotyped movements by asking another adult whos with me why Im doing that. They ask the other person that question when Im within earshot and eyesight. I know this kind of thing happens to other disabled people too.

Too many people seem to think being autistic or developmentally or physically disabled in some way is synonymous with being deaf or unable to understand verbal communication. When that belief causes them to talk about me as if Im not there, it makes me feel invisible, inferior and dehumanized. It is rude, insensitive and inconsiderate.

I suppose I could have let that woman know I heard her and understood what she said. I suppose I could have told her shed hurt my feelings. That may have challenged the notions she had about me and made her think twice about saying something like that again in front of someone she thought was autistic, but it would have been embarrassing for all three of us. I prefer to avoid confrontations with strangers whenever possible.

Related: Dear Elon Musk: I Don't Need a Brain Chip to 'Solve' My Autism

Regardless of their age, status, neurotype, ability or disability, people want to be treated with respect. They want to feel heard and seen by others, to be accepted for who they are, to know they matter. There are exceptions to every rule and we arent always going to know the right way to deal with everyone, but when it comes to human interaction, the most fail-safe rule of all is the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. If you wouldnt want someone talking about you as if you werent there when youre fully present, dont do that to anyone else.

What's Missing From This Study Connecting PTSD to Parenting an Autistic Child

How I Make Following Instructions Fun for My Son on the Autism Spectrum

Actor Keir Gilchrist on 'Atypical' Season 3, Autism and Mental Health

When I Was a Nonverbal Child With Autism

Go here to read the rest:

When People Talk About Me Like I'm Not There Because of My Disability - Yahoo Lifestyle

SOMERSET The employment of Monica Ambroziak and Susan Vieira at Fisher Bus Company goes back to the beginnings of the local business providing transportation to schools for Somerset students and others in the area.

Ambroziak was one of Fisher's first bus drivers. After driving a bus for awhile, she was given a job working in the office and also continued to drive a bus. She has worked in human resources for the business.

"It was a family-run business and they were farmers,"Ambroziak said. "The farmers started to do the school buses. You were around the salts of the earth."

Vieira is the accounts manager for Fisher Bus Company. She remembers starting her work on the kitchen table of the original owners of the business, Charles and Sally Fisher. She has scheduled buses, done payrolls and has handled account payables and receivables.

"It's a good place to work," Ambroziak said. "People treat you fairly. We treat people like we want to be treated. We roll with the Golden Rule. We take people into consideration with the decisions we've made."

Fisher Bus Company honored Ambroziak and Vieira for working at the business for 40 years with a dinner at The Boat House in Tiverton, R.I. Ryan Fisher, the operations manager for Fisher Bus Company, said Ambroziak and Vieira set good examples for other employees of the business. He said they have always done their jobs the right way.

"I think 40 years is an incredible example of dedication and professionalim," Ryan said. "To me, it's permeated throughout the entire company."

Michael Fisher, general manager of Fisher Bus Company, said the mentality of the business is that they are a family business, but the members of the family are not just named Fisher, because all of the other employees of the business are also part of the family. Because of the way employees are treated, he said there is not a lot of turnover in employees. Ambroziak and Vieira are good examples of that.

"It is like family. They are like my two extra sons," Vieira said of Michael and Ryan Fisher. "Kathy (Fisher) and Allen (Fisher) are close friends. It's just a great place."

Allen and Kathleen Fisher, who are Ryan and Michael's parents, and Charles and Roberta Fisher, are the owners of Fisher Bus Company.

Ambroziak said she had the Fisher sons on her school bus as students when they were growing up. She said they sang songs with three part harmonies on the bus, including Rockin' Robin, Mocking Bird and Christmas songs. She said a lot of people remember those sing alongs, as well as the story telling she used to do on the bus. Ambroziak remembers the business having Christmas parties at its garage on Main Street.

Ambroziak said Charles and Sally Fisher took care of people with special needs. She said they gave them jobs.

Ambroziak said Fisher Bus Company has responsibility for thousands of children everyday. She said the bus drivers get to know the students, parents and administrators of the schools.

"We treat them like our own children," Ambroziak said. "They know that."

Read more here:

Fisher Bus employees honored for 40 years of service to company - Fall River Herald News

What are the West Virginia Values that our 2nd Congressional District Representative says he is fighting for?

In his recent newsletter, Mr. Mooney proudly identifies himself as one of the 30-plus Republicans who broke into the SCIF meeting room last month where, he says, Soviet-style hearings are taking place. He writes that he is protecting West Virginia values by fighting back against this sham impeachment inquiry, calling it a backroom process to remove a dually (sic) elected President of the United States.

Never mind that there isnt any such term as Soviet-style. The Russian word soviet simply translates as an elected council, an assembly to advise and shape local law. The original philosophy of Communism, before the USSR-era, was based on the Collective, the sharing of resources rather than monopolizing them (which happens with a monarchy) or the Darwinian survival of the fittest competition for them (which happens with Capitalism).

As we all know, that socialist Golden Rule didnt last long, especially once Stalin came to power. Taking the words Soviet, Socialist, and Republic entirely out of context, the USSR became a union of fascist totalitarian-style states that seized private property and business, and even entire sovereign countries on its borders. We still associate the authoritative, corrupt, and secretive style of the Soviets by how they treated, and still treat, their own citizens, sending opposition candidates, dissidents and independent journalists to Siberian Gulags and poisoning their own people, even retired spies living abroad.

The modern Russian Federation does have an impeachment process similar to ours; it has been used three times since 1993 against the same leader. But the last real strong-arm removal of one of their Premiers happened to Nikita Khrushchev, a man who criticized Stalins enemy of the people phrase, once Stalin was safely dead, of course. In his 1956 Secret Speech to the Soviet Congress, Khrushchev said, Stalin showed in a whole series of cases his intolerance and his abuse of power; he often chose the path of repression not only against actual enemies, but also against individuals who had not committed any crimes against the party or the Soviet Government. In 1964, Khrushchevs last mistake was to take a very long vacation to Scandinavia. The Russian people were told that he suddenly retired due to advanced age and ill health.

Economically, Russia is still morphing into a Free Market system, even though the central government still owns all the oil and gas. Its new generation of Russian Oligarchs are eager to make lucrative real estate deals with our American Oligarchs, who conveniently overlook Russian intervention into our 2016 general election, not to mention sanctions placed on them for their incursion into Ukraine. Thats a difficult reversal for those of us who grew up reading Mad Magazines cartoon Spy vs. Spy as schoolchildren and were taught to dive under our desks to protect ourselves from Russian bombs. And now, as adults, we have to protect ourselves from Russian Bots infiltrating the computers on our desks, with little intervention from an administration that apparently looks the other way and has yet to be absolved of colluding with them.

So when Mr. Mooney used the phrase Soviet-style to describe our impeachment hearings, its possible he was merely referring to the quiet coup that ousted Khrushchev.

But that would hardly describe the process granted to us in the US Constitution, written by our Founding Fathers, that allows for an investigation of a sitting elected leader of our country to be televised to the public, with bipartisan committee representation, reported on by a free press, and debated in casual conversation at every level of the country without fear of retribution.

Thats hardly soviet-style. That would be more like American Style.

Perhaps Mr. Mooney doesnt recall the words of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham about Bill Clinton in 1999: Impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office. If honor and integrity were West Virginia values worth fighting for, impeachment would have started long ago, led by Alex X. Mooney of our 2nd Congressional District.

After reminding us that one of the cornerstones of our judicial system is that you are innocent until proven guilty, our Congressman without hearing any evidence collected by any committee has determined guilt and innocence, all by himself. He is the self-appointed judge and jury: The Democrats are guilty, and Trump is innocent. That can only mean that he has reached a verdict before hearing any facts, documentation or testimony.

Now, that definitely sounds like Soviet-style to me.

Carol Williams lives in Berkeley County, and is a US Army veteran and former ER nurse. Her archived columns from the Journal are published in a book titled the Age of Uterine Law. She can be contacted through her website, http://www.anothercarolwilliams.com.

See the original post here:

What is the "Soviet Style"? - Martinsburg Journal

Dear Moneyist,

I am thinking about proposing to my girlfriend very soon. However, we come from extremely different backgrounds.

I come from a very successful family that was always keen on teaching my sister and me about how to handle finances. My mother would sit down with us every tax season, and explain why and how everything we did made sense. My dad was an avid investor, always taking our birthday money and putting it in the stock market and showing us how it grows. This has benefited my early adult life immensely as I am now extremely aware of all my finances and different saving strategies.

Dont miss: My husband and I paid off $193,000 in debt but now he never wants to take a vacation or socialize with friends

Now to my girlfriend: Although her parents are also successful I would estimate that they make approximately $90,000 to $110,000 a year they are ill-prepared and have taught their kids nothing about finances. They basically told my girlfriend, Dont worry about your student debt just finish school. She does not have a clue about how much money she owes, which causes huge problems for me when trying to plan for our future.

All of her bank accounts are under her parents names. She typically gives money to her parents and then asks them to put that money in an account. If she needs money, she has to ask them permission. They also have not communicated at all about their will or what would happen if they were to pass away. Lastly, they have told me that they have credit-card debt, but they just retired this year and are moving South for the winter.

How do I combat such issues? She is an amazing saver, but she relies so heavily on her parents and they really do not know what they are doing.

Disgruntled

Dear Disgruntled,

People dont change, but they do change their financial habits.You dont give your respective ages or say how long you have been together but, assuming you know each other well enough and there are no other red flags in this relationship, this is a good learning opportunity for you and your girlfriend. Its one thing to identify a problem, but its another to find solutions. Start as you mean to continue. You should embark on this journey to financial wellness together.

Its crucial to keep the lines of communication open and the reserves of resentment toward your girlfriends financial habits and those of her parents empty or, at the very least, at a minimum. None of us navigate relationships perfectly, after all. Tell her you want to plan a future together and suggest that you both open up your finances. It will be a good test for married life: She can learn about fiscal responsibility, and you can learn about what it means to take action toward a common goal.

Dont miss: This couple never talks about money and they never fight about it either

This doesnt mean passing judgment or offering commentary on her parents. Lets assume they did the best they could with the tools they had at the time. Your girlfriend may have done pretty well in life, given the life skills (or lack thereof) she had to work with. Its always better to stick to your own experience, goals and how you feel about achieving them. Say, I want us to be on a solid footing so we can live our best lives, rather than, You need to stop letting your parents run your life.

Of course, the end result should be the same. It will make it more difficult if there are hurt feelings, especially if they relate to her parents. I have a golden rule for all my relationships: Never talk about someone elses parenting skills or whether you think theyre a good son or daughter. Those kinds of conversations never end up in a good place and, crucially, unnecessary conflict will only delay or prevent you both from figuring out the best road map ahead.

Also see: My husband grew up dirt poor and doesnt believe in insurance or banks, yet he racked up $7,000 on my credit card

The good news: Your girlfriend is open about her financial situation. Thats an important piece of the puzzle right there. Secrets are bad. Transparency is good. These are skills she can learn in time. Nearly 20% of people keep a savings, credit-card or checking account hidden from their live-in partner, according to this survey. Those kinds of murky shenanigans ultimately spell trouble for a relationship. These are financial issues, as far as we know, not character issues.

More than half of Americans (58%) said they wouldnt marry someone with significant debt. Your hesitation is not unfounded. I would not recommend your embarking on a marriage together and definitely not co-mingling your finances until you are both sure that youre on a solid financial footing, that you have good credit scores and that you each demonstrate an ability to support the other in life. Step No. 1: Your girlfriend finally cutting those apron ties.

One final word of caution: Its time for your girlfriend to stand on her own two feet. You dont want to become a proxy for her parents.

Do you have questions about inheritance, tipping, weddings, family feuds, friends or any tricky issues relating to manners and money? Send them to MarketWatchs Moneyist and please include the state where you live (no full names will be used).

By submitting your story to Dow Jones & Company, the publisher of MarketWatch, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.

Would you like to sign up to an email alert when a new Moneyist column has been published? If so, click on this link.

The rest is here:

Im thinking about proposing to my girlfriend but her parents control her finances and theyre terrible with money - MarketWatch

'); } else { $(".fotorama-caption").addClass("remove_caption"); } }) .fotorama();

If a bird stays on one tree for too long it invites a stone. Akan Proverb, Ghana

You've got to know when to hold 'em

Know when to fold 'em

Know when to walk away

And know when to run.

These poignant lines from the song The Gambler by country and western legend Kenny Rogers has global application to politics, social and intimate relationships, business dealings, and, indeed, numerous spheres of human encounter. Too many of us, because of a multiplicity of reasons, including empty braggadocio, vaulting ambition, unenlightened self-interest, and/or an attraction/obsession with the macabre, ignore the gambler's advice.

Local, regional, and international representational politics is replete with examples of men and women who try to extend their 'sell-by date' without any reference to the uncompromising coach of time and the unrelenting and gristly stage driver that is called planned obsolescence.

Franoise Gilot, French author and critic, said: No one is indispensable to anyone else. I agree.

Remember the golden rule: Leave when the majority of the people are begging you to stay, or certainly long before your expiration date. This is a good rule to abide by in politics. Many of our political leaders have made the fatal error of trying to hold on to the seat of power long after the political fat lady has sung, even giving very long goodbyes.

Edward Seaga is our best prime minister to date. His achievements in institution-building, especially, have served to transform this country for the better. I have written numerous articles setting out these. Seaga saved Jamaica from the ravages of Michael Manley's brand of democratic socialism that brought our country to near ruins in the 1970s. I have presented incontrovertible evidence to support this fact in previous articles. However, like all humans, Seaga had flaws. In my view, he should have resigned as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) after the JLP was defeated in 1993 by the People's National Party's (PNP) P J Patterson. Instead, he clung to the reins of power with vice-like-grip stubbornness.

Political atrophy and attrition, thereafter, took hold on many of the internal structures of Alexander Bustamante's party. Recall the explosive headlines about 'gang of five', 'gang of seven', 'gang eleven and fifteen', and the perennial images subliminal and otherwise of Seaga as the self-christened One-Don.

Several credible polls found the JLP did not stand a snowball's chance in hell of being elected to form the Administration so long as Seaga was its leader.

After 1993 Seaga went on to lose the 1997 and 2002 general elections. I anticipate that many will say it was Bruce Golding and the National Democratic Movement (NDM) that caused the JLP to lose in 1997. There is a lot of merit to that argument. Nonetheless, the fact is, the JLP did lose.

Some will doubtless say the systematic demonisation of Papa Eddie by sections of a complicit media, detractors at the time like Trevor Munroe, and some institutions of higher education which I believe to date are mere heavens for pseudo intellectuals who are skilled only in abstract publications and distortions of especially our political history caused Seaga to lose four general elections. The fact is, though, he did lose.

Seaga did manage, however, to claw back some electoral respect when he firmly trashed P J Patterson and the PNP in the parish council elections of 2003. He finally bowed out in January 2005.

This is how a Jamaica Information Service ( JIS) report captured one of the most momentous events in our history. The report said, among other things: Members of the House of Representatives on January 18 paid tribute to Leader of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Edward Seaga, who has officially resigned as leader of the party and Member of Parliament for West Kingston after close to 50 years in the political arena. The atmosphere was a mixture of expectancy, sadness and admiration for the man reputed to be the only sitting parliamentarian with a career spanning both the colonial and Independence periods.

Prime Minister P J Patterson, in his tribute, described the moment as a privilege of history. He said the occasion was one in which the usual discordance in opinions was silent and harmony apparent. The prime minister said Seaga could not be denied his true place in the archives of Jamaica's legislative history. Of Seaga's historic involvement in the drafting of the Independence constitution, his service as prime minister for nine consecutive years, his leadership of the JLP for 30 years, his over four decades of representation of West Kingston, and his unrivalled contribution to the construction of the social and economic fabric of the nation, Patterson said that 'quantitatively and qualitatively, his innings will not be replicated'. ( JIS, January 19, 2005)

Seaga, a doyen of Jamaica's development and the man who rescued this country from the certain threat of communism, did not heed these wise words from Kenny Rogers' The Gambler:

Every gambler knows

That the secret to survivin'

Is knowin' what to throw away

And knowin' what to keep

'Cause every hand's a winner

And every hand's a loser

And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.

The lessons here are conspicuous.

P J overstayed too

P J Patterson served as our prime minister for 14 years, our longest-serving. I have said before that I believe he is to date our worst. I have not recoiled from that view. In previous articles, I presented voluminous evidence from credible local, regional, and international sources to support this perspective.

Former Prime Minister P J Patterson, like his predecessor Michael Manley, pursued similarly disastrous policies. The PNP's 18 1/2 years in power, between 1989 and 2007, left Jamaicans poorer. We must never go down that road again.

These growth statistics speak volumes: 1989 (7.0 per cent); 1990 (6.3 per cent); 1991 (0.5 per cent); 1992 (2.7 per cent); 1993 (2.2 per cent); 1994 (1.9 per cent); 1995 (2.5 per cent); 1996 (-0.2 per cent); 1997 (-1.6 per cent); 1998 (-1.0 per cent); 1999 (1.0 per cent); 2000 (0.9 per cent); 2001 (1.3 per cent); 2002 (1.0 per cent); 2003 (3.5 per cent); 2004 (1.4 per cent); 2005 (1.1 per cent); 2006 (3.0 per cent); 2007 (1.4 per cent). (NB: 1990 was momentum the year of the JLP Administration of Edward Seaga.)

Our black entrepreneurial class was almost decimated in the 90s by the scorched-earth high interest rate policies of the Patterson Administration and Dr Omar Davies, who I believe has gone down in our political history as our worst finance minister to date.

Just imagine where our country would be today if even a quarter of the 45,000 small- and medium-sized businesses that went under during the 1990s were allowed to bloom, bring forth fruit, and flourish?

Just imagine if these companies that were destroyed by 'wild-west' capitalism and ruinous monetary policies were allowed to breathe oxygen. Carbon monoxide was poured into their veins, instead.

All these companies and this is an abbreviated list capsized while the PNP held office in the 90s: Mutual Life, a company that operated locally for over 100 years; Goodyear tyre company; West Indies Glass; Homelectrix; Workers' Bank; Raymar's Furniture; Charley's Windsor House; Thermo Plastics; Berec Batteries; Century National Bank; Crown Eagle Insurance; Crown Eagle Insurance Commercial Bank; Island Life Insurance Company; American Life Insurance Company; Eagle Merchant Bank; Ecotrends; Times Store, another company that operated in Jamaica for just over 100 years; and Things Jamaican, which had its location turned into a detention centre by the PNP.

We must never forget this tragic period of preventable underdevelopment in our history. The PNP blames what they called external forces for the economic cataclysms of the 70s. What is the excuse for the 90s?

I recall Professor Wolfgang Grassl, who did a teaching stint at The University of the West Indies, Mona, saying on the now-defunct news magazine radio programme Breakfast Club many years ago that the 90s was a period of boom in the world economy. He noted that economies in the Caribbean grew on average three per cent to five per cent during the 90s. Ours floundered!

Patterson, like all our previous prime ministers, did do some good. He brought back decency to public transportation in the Kingston Metropolitan Area, pioneered many pieces of utilitarian legislation, and started the Highway 2000 project. His almost sedate style of leadership did help to take a lot of heat and venom out of local politics.

For those who don't believe the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is a mighty big improvement compared to the franchise bus system, or whatever it was, that existed in the 80s, please board your time machine and go back to when some 'ductas' would refuse to carry 'schoolers' and women would be rubbed up against by perverted men who use the opportunity of buses packed like sardines to act out their sordid fantasies. The trauma of the mini-bus system served as a constant reminder of the transatlantic middle passage experience, and numerous uncomplimentary songs, by both local and foreign artistes, were sung about this doleful period in our post-independent history.

Long before Seaga departed the political scene in 2005, Patterson had lost his political salt. Recall the islandwide gas riots of 1999? It was the mother of all gas demonstrations.

These are snippets of how some mainstream media, among other things, represented that miserable event:

Violent protests, looting, and shootings triggered by a hike in fuel prices brought Jamaica to a standstill yesterday. Foreign airlines cancelled flights into Kingston after disturbances that left one woman dead and at least six other people wounded.

The woman was shot by a private security guard fending off looters.

A police officer shot in the face on Monday was in critical condition.

Air Jamaica cancelled flights to Miami and London yesterday and British Airways cancelled flights to Jamaica on the advice of the British high commissioner on the island, who is monitoring the situation.

Cruise ship passengers were told to stay out of the northern resort town of Ocho Rios and some hotels in Montego Bay reported tourists were unable to reach the airport.

[Prime Minister P J] Patterson had said the tax would help to restore the lost money of some two million depositors in failed banks, 500,000 policyholders in insurance companies, and 55,000 pensioners. But leading figures in the economy warned that alternatives should be found.

But the finance minister, Omar Davies, vowed not to alter the new fuel tax, arguing that the funds were required to improve the country's roads and public transit system. ( The Independent, April 21, 1999)

The Gleaner of April 28, 2009 reflected on the 1999 gas riots this way:

There was widespread rioting in April 1999 when Prime Minister P J Patterson announced that a 31 per cent gas tax would be imposed:

From Morant Point to Negril Point tyres went up in flames and businesses were forced to close as Jamaicans joined in the infamous 1999 gas riot.

Public transportation and the education system were virtually crippled, while the police force, the military, and the fire brigade worked overtime to contain the protests.

Many commuters were forced to walk long distances as bus drivers and taxi operators abandoned their routes and parked their vehicles.

The security forces, which were largely outnumbered by demonstrators, struggled to contain the situation and sometimes stood quietly by while the protesters had their way.

During the mayhem, at least three members of the security forces were shot and injured and another four injured otherwise during demonstrations.

A pregnant woman was also shot and killed.

Several private and public vehicles were set on fire and some firemen were stoned while trying to put out the blaze.

The demonstrations led to more than 100 arrests in the Corporate Area, St Elizabeth, St Thomas, Clarendon, St Catherine, and St James.

The Chicago Tribune of April 22, 1999 reported this:

'Omar (Finance Minister Davies) have blood in him eye, and I have blood in mine for him too,' a woman shouted as she hauled a piece of wood to reinforce a burning barricade.

At least 140 people had been arrested during the protests. Britain issued a travel advisory.

The Associated Press, April 22, 1999 said: In Kingston, overnight, demonstrators set four shops on fire and looters smashed other businesses, ignoring a curfew. Some parts of the island suffered blackouts and telephone problems.

Shortly before P J Patterson departed the political scene he said Portia Simpson Miller was the only hope of the PNP retaining State power. I believe he knew long before that utterance that the sun had set on his political stocks. Like Rogers' The Gambler, Patterson found an ace in 2002. After that, his political card pack crumpled.

Lessons, near and far

Trying to extend ones political sell-by date is not unique to Jamaica. Politicians love power. In recent weeks, for example, we have seen the dangerous results of an obsession with political power play out in Bolivia, Lebanon, and other countries. Former Bolivian President Evo Morales presided over many social and economic improvements, but tried to overstay his welcome. He started to adopt dictatorial tendencies. People said no, and he was forced out. Last week he had to flee to Mexico.

Amid nationwide anti-Government protests Lebanon's embattled Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in October.

In Jamaica, we have numerous political leaders, on both sides of the House, who have long passed their sell-by date. They need to:

Know when to fold 'em

Know when to walk away

And know when to run.

Garfield Higgins is an educator and journalist. Send comments to the Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive

The rest is here:

Know when to 'pack your bags and go!' - Jamaica Observer

Keep it Right, Keep it Real

1 Peter 3:4; but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in Gods sight is very precious. I usually dont start my blogs with a passage from scripture outright; but there was something so compelling, truthful and eloquent about this example that I could not help myself. Im no biblical scholar or a theologian but, if you read the full chapter and verses linked to this passage, I believe in my humblest of opinions, that St. Peter is calling for a faith life that is more on the unassuming, low profile, non- ostentatious side; something very simple and wholly authentic.

Or/and he is encouraging us to live humble, honest lives where actions speak louder than words, where your character is determined by the way you treat yourself and others; a life story that is rich in authentic examples of kindness and integrity. I think St. Peter wants us to keep it real.

Perhaps the ultimate question is what really matters; what is the true and right substance of life; the agents of beauty, grace, meaning and purpose; what makes our lives count on an authentic level?

Your Words is Your Bond

You dont own self help and spirituality books with my name on it; I have nothing on the best seller list or even something to offer you online; I have no product, brand or service that attests to some higher level of achievement you may or may not be working for. And even if I did, it does not mean what works for me works for you.

But what I do swear by and will swear by today and at least for this article is what works for me on a personal and professional level- honesty, commitment and dependability. I believe if I am authentic, if I keep it real on any serious level and God is the final and true judge of this, it is because on some basic, relatable, authentic level, I can be trusted, I am honest, loyal and dependable; at least I hope as that is what I am working so hard to accomplish as a son of God.

Before I return to the lord and live in eternal peace with him and all the angels and saints, I hope that when others around me associate anything to my name and character it is the fond memory of an example of how I brought them peace of mind and hope by some random or meditated word or action. Do I bring people some sense of courage, optimism, relief, joy and ease when they speak and relate/interact with me. Do I serve them well-with authentic intention and thoughtfulness? Do they feel attended to and appreciated as humans whatever the context is that brings us together?

Can I be counted on? Will and do I work for you with a sense of conviction, loyalty and sincerity whatever it is we are engaged in? Have I, will I and do I really have your back-do I treat you right; do you believe the golden rule is fully integrated and at the nucleus of our relationship; does it nourish and influence on a substantial level, the way we take care of each other?

The Ultimate Compliment

I have absolutely phenomenal wife, kids, family and friends-I adore being a family man. I think my job is cool and I love engaging in ministry related projects for my community and writing this blog. I have a lot to be grateful for and I hope I serve my inner circles and community in God honoring, authentic and impactful ways. From what I see and judge, so far, so good but once again, God has the final word on all of this.

We were engaged in a silly, almost immature but still remotely compelling discussion of if we would allow or accept our siblings to date our close friends; more specifically and fundamentally, would you allow your sister to date a close or even best friend. Being men of our age and honoring the sacred duty of taking care of the female members of our immediate circles whether or not we actually had any, I remember all of us saying that this was a faux pas; that the sister was off limits even to the trusted best friend: It was a moral boundary that could not be crossed. Period.

Until my nearest and dearest friend made one, unique exception and confession that was unexpected and radically stunning; no, I take that back, I would be ok with Adam dating my sister, no one else.

I remember being speechless and overwhelmed with gratitude and honor. I also was lacking balance due to my blood alcohol level but whatever the case, that hit me like a ton of bricks. I just stood there looking down at the ground, humbled and asking myself; do we have any vodka and what did I do to deserve such regard and trust? Why me? Why do I rise above the exception or why do I get to break with something so sacred?

What makes me so special that you would put someone you love and care for so deeply in my hands and care and more importantly, trust that I will love and treat them as they should; with dignity and respect? I dont remember getting an answer that night (nor do I remember much more in general when it comes to that evening) or anytime after.

It does not matter. What does matter is and what I hope is that my dear and best friend still feels the same way and always will. I pray by the grace of God that this authentic trust maintains until I breathe my last and beyond; that it always remains quiet and precious in Gods eyes primarily and in the eyes of all those I love dearly.

I have heard some say, I hope I dont die being a douche bag; in more Christian terms, I not only hope but push myself to be more determined in never ceasing the work needed in the pursuit of theauthentic life. Lets keep being passionate about keeping it real in Christ.

Photo byCreditDebitProonFoter.com/CC BY

Photo by CreditDebitPro on Foter.com / CC BY

See more here:

The Authentic Life; Keeping it Real with God and His People - Patheos

OPINION:Three cheers to two Christchurch students, who have come up with Vxt, a new way of quickly checking voicemails by way of an app, which transcribes voicemails, turning them into text or email.

Think of the years wasted trying to retrieve those pesky missed voicemails. All that poking and bashing of fingers on the cellphone keypad entering one's pin number, only to be told in the coldest and sniffiest of voices, "blah is not a correct pin number, please enter your correct pin number".

And then you have to start all over again. When you've finally completed voicemail procedure, it's 10-1 the payoff is to receive an incoherent and unimportant voicemail.

SUPPLIED

Now we longer need to waste hours trying to retrieve voicemail messages - an app will do it all for us.

Mea culpa. I too have left such irritating messages. I too have broken the voicemail golden rule that, if it's not important, don't leave a message, but have left a message saying "This message isn't important, so don't bother replying to it". Duh.

READ MORE:* Hate voicemail? This Christchurch startup has a solution* Matt Rilkoff: The one thing this (or my) world could do without* For love, email trumps voicemail

Everyone pretty much ignores voicemails, but feels compelled to plough through them in case they herald tidings of births, death, or a job offer. However, no-one should ignore the voicemail of a parent.

If you're on the receiving end of a parental voicemail, you should respond pronto, because you're under a blood contract to phone at least once a week to say you're OK. It's just manners, the right thing to do.

SUPPLIED

Lucy Turner and Luke Campbell, from Christchurch, have just launched Vxt, an app that transcribes voice messages into texts.

Voicemails have been obsolete for years, and this iteration of them by way of Vxt is overdue and welcome. After all, we're leaving twomillion of them a day, and that's a lot of time processing the buggers.

Remember Girls, the hit HBO TV series about an aspiring young writer and her 20-something girlfriends? Created by the wunderkind of her age, Lena Dunham, the show's most cynical character was the beautiful Jessa, who had the anti-social voicemail greeting that went something like this: "I would never listen to a voicemail message but if you insist on trying ..."

none

A voicemail transcribed into text by Vxt.

Newer cars come with screens that receive phone calls while you're driving and it's legal. The phone conversations actually interrupt radio broadcasts, as if they were of national importance. Arriving texts appear on the screenand, if you so choose, a posh voice with perfect enunciation reads out the most uncouth messages left by pals.

It's like that moment in My Fair Lady after Eliza has,under the tutelage of Professor Higgins, aced elocution lessons but blunders the small talk at the Ascot races.

A coterie of London aristocrats hasgathered round Eliza and are confused and astonished to hear the unknown and elegantly dressed young woman as she politely sips tea and relates an inappropriate anecdote about how her father had "ladled the gin" down her ailing aunt's throat "till it fair done her in".

KEVIN STENT/STUFF

Jane Bowron: "Soon our voices will become completely redundant. The human tongue will register on a branch of the endangered species list, and we'll get to listen to our dying dulcet tones lumped in with the bird calls on RNZ."

With leaps and bounds in technology, perhaps text messages transcribed for car journeys should be read in a voice as close as possible to the accent of the sender.

Perhaps we will be asked to give consent for access to all of our phone conversations for the purposes of harvesting our idiosyncratic word pronunciation. Perfectionists wanting to leave a good impression could go to recording studios and work their way through the dictionary.

In the meantime, those vexed by voicemails can take the app-ortunity to get theirs Vxted. Any excuse to avoid listening to the sound of another human voice.

Soon our voices will become completely redundant. The human tongue will register on a branch of the endangered species list, and we'll get to listen to our dying dulcet tones lumped in with the bird calls on RNZ.

The rest is here:

This is the voice of extinction. Please leave a message - Stuff.co.nz

Coinbase has teamed up with qualified crypto custodian Kingdom Trust and alternative investments company Regal Assets to offer customers the ability to create insured cryptocurrency-based investor retirement accounts (IRAs).

The main benefit of Coinbase IRAs is that the crypto cannot be lost or hacked, making them a stress-free way of holding crypto for a long time period such as decades. Each account comes with $200 million of insurance from Lloyds of London, which is apparently the biggest insurance company in the world.

Customers can use Coinbase to transfer their previous IRA or 401(K) retirement accounts or can use cash to open up crypto IRAs outside of their regular retirement plans.

A wide variety of cryptocurrencies are available for these crypto IRAs, including major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC), and a multitude of other cryptocurrencies including Ripple (XRP), Stellar (XLM), EOS, Tezos (XTZ), Zilliqa (ZIL), Algorland (ALGO), Basic Attention Token (BAT), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin SV (BSV), Civic (CVC), the DAI stablecoin, DASH, District0x (DNT), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Golem (GNT), Chainlink (LINK), Loom Network (LOOM), Decentraland (MANA), Maker (MKR), Augur (REP), the USDC stablecoin, Zcash (ZEC), and 0x (ZRX).

That being said, investing in crypto for retirement can involve holding coins for decades, and this is much different than regular crypto trading, where trades are usually done a daily or weekly basis, and trades done on a monthly or yearly basis can be considered long term.

People who are going to be putting their retirement in crypto need to be especially wary of putting significant amounts of their retirement into medium to small-cap coins since there is no guarantee the projects behind them will survive. The best choice for a crypto IRA is likely Bitcoin (BTC).

Even with Bitcoin (BTC) one should follow the golden rule of investing, which applies to any investment regardless of asset type, and that is an investor should not invest more than they can afford to lose.

Excerpt from:

Coinbase to Offer Insured Investor Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Crypto.IQ | Bitcoin and Investment News from Inside Experts You Can Trust - CryptoIQ