Support Education: Back to the Future with the Brave New Library that is more about “connections” than “collections”…
Speaking of Equity, Access and Connectivity, Schoolkids Don’t Just Need iPads. They Need Data Plans!
Who Are YOU? Who Who? This might surprise you…
The Difference Between Equality and Equity:
Education must be about equity and access, and the Education Synergy Alliance is working to provide both!
A recent trip up north for members of the ESA team was illuminating. San Francisco Unified elevates these principles in every session. They talk about it explicitly, measure it, and hold themselves accountable for it both in internal planning, and in frequent dialogs with the public. This is an image they are using across the district to foster dialog about equity:
Support Education: Back to the Future with the Brave New Library that is more about “connections” than “collections”
Support your local library! They are working to transform their place in 21st century society. We were proud to be part of one celebration of curation at the iconic UC San Diego Library…
Locally, Vista Unified, Qualcomm Education, UC San Diego and Mission Fed totally agree and are working on “The Connectivity Convening” in November for communities nationally to ensure connectivity for all families to stop the digital divide from getting any larger!
This article will spark some interest…
Schoolkids Don’t Just Need iPads. They Need Data Plans
Thanks this week go to Laura K, Meredith S, Sandy T and the ESA team, UC San Diego Alumni building the future, Vicki M/B, Devin V, Alan D and Steve for advancing connectivity for all communities, and to Larry H for keeping the soul food coming!
Whether you are just starting your career, been running hard and at risk of burning out, or contemplating the end of life, here is something for anyone along the continuum.
“Wherever we go, There we are”, so a little compassion and a little humor can go a long way to making our journey purposeful…
This week:
Take a 30 Day Compassion IT Challenge
Sugar Kids Beauty: Georgia’s Teacher of the Year working with Real World Scholars Innovative Platform IS a Thing of Beauty!
Even The Heart Pumps Blood To Itself FIRST:
The Last Voyage of the Vollmer Twins Will Give You Perspective:
“What makes this challenge unique?” We’ll be using a step-by-step approach to cultivating compassion over the span of one month. We’ll offer daily recommendations of actions that incorporate each of these important steps to cultivating compassion: Week 1 – Mindfulness Week 2 – Compassion for a Loved One Week 3 – Self-Compassion Week 4 – Recognizing Common Humanity Week 5 – Compassion for Our Planet Is it difficult to register or time-consuming to participate? Nope. We are going to make this super easy for you. A couple of days prior to the start, we’ll send you two PDFs. One will be a calendar you can use as a guide, and the other will include “cheat sheets” of actions you can take each week.
“WHY would I want to do this?”Research indicates that compassion makes us happier and healthier. It FEELS GOOD to “compassion it” every day. Plus, by creating buzz on social media, we’re inspiring others to incorporate compassionate actions into their daily lives. We’ll all use the hashtag #compassionit in our photos, posts, tweets, and smoke signals to get the word out. Remember, the more people who participate and learn about compassion, the more compassionate the world will be.
Click here to join the 30-Day COMPASSION IT Challenge, and please invite others! It’s going to be an unforgettable month of compassion for ourselves, each other, and our planet.
Want to make the world a better place by spreading compassion to as many people as we can? If so, please invite your friends, followers, co-workers, and family members. All you need to do is cut and paste the words below and send them along.
Thank you very much! Sara Schairer
Hi friends!
I just signed up for the 30-Day COMPASSION IT Challenge, and I hope you’ll join me. COMPASSION IT—a nonprofit whose mission is to inspire daily compassionate actions and attitudes—will email us tools and guidance to help us practice mindfulness and compassion during the month of October. And … it’s a free program!
Please invite your friends, too! Let’s work together to make our world a better place.
Feel free to reach out if you have questions.
Compassion It-ly and with gratitude,
–Your Name
COMPASSION IT is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire daily compassionate actions and attitudes. Sales and donations support our compassion education programs.
Sugar Kids Beauty: Georgia’s Teacher of the Year working with Real World Scholars IS a Thing of Beauty!
Kids don’t learn to ride a bike by reading about it, or learn to swim by watching videos of swimming, so why would they learn entrepreneurship any other way than by practicing it?
Real World Scholars have created a platform to do just that, and here are kids that can barely read that have ideated, manufactured, marketed and sold products with current sales of $1,612.40 and more than 115 product sold.
What makes this even more impactful is that the school is 10 percent homeless and 90 percent of the students are on free/ reduced lunch.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.
– Mahatma Gandhi
Even though American happiness levels are at a four-year high, 4 out of 10 Americans have not discovered a satisfying life purpose…
Connecting to the season, Shanah Tovah –As I understand it, conveys hope for a good year rather than a happy one. Leading a happy life is often associated with being a taker, but leading a meaningful life is about being a giver…
This week:
Make Your Life into a Masterpiece
The most important masterpiece you’ll ever create is your life. But to create your masterpiece you must first design it. You must have a vision of what it looks like. Once you have a vision and design it you can begin the process of building it.
To help you with your design you can ask questions such as:
What does your life look like when you are at your healthiest, strongest, and best?
What does your family situation look like while you are pursuing success in your work?
What matters most?
What priorities drive you each day?
What are you doing that makes you come alive?
What are you born to do?
What are you doing to live and share your purpose?
When you look back on your life what do you want to be able to say about it?
How do you want to feel?
What will you have wanted to accomplish?
What legacy will you have left?
I asked these questions at the peak of my unhappiness 13 years ago and realized that instead of creating my masterpiece I was building a piece of a junk. Over a period of a few weeks filled with a lot of walks and prayer the answers to these questions came to me and I began the process of designing and building my life as a writer.
For some the answers to these questions may lead you to a new career. However, for most, it will simply lead to changes that will align your life with the vision and design you have for it. For example you may need to exercise more and eat healthier to create your masterpiece. Or perhaps you may need to spend more time with your family because your masterpiece includes great relationships with your kids. Or you might realize that you are not spending enough time on your priorities and therefore your masterpiece is not developing like it should. Whatever your masterpiece looks like, your design will help you see what you need to do, or stop doing, in order to create it.
I also want to caution you to make sure you are building your masterpiece and not someone else’s idea of what your masterpiece should be. I know this well. My mom always wanted me to be an attorney. I planned on going to law school after college. When I didn’t get into law school, because my LSAT score was so poor, I gave up on the idea of being a lawyer. However, after getting my masters in teaching, opening several restaurants and running for city council of Atlanta at the age of 26 my mom’s vision for me still stuck with me. I ended up going to law school in Atlanta for a year and a half. But while taking my second year exams I had this strong feeling that there was something else for me. I stood up and walked out on my final exams and never looked back.
I recently spoke to a school where the wife of my friend from law school is the principal. My friend said when I walked out of the law school exams no one could believe it. He said it was legendary. But I don’t think it was legendary to quit. What I think is legendary is when someone stops trying to create someone else’s masterpiece and instead focuses on designing and creating the masterpiece they are meant to build.
You have one masterpiece to create and I want to encourage you to design and build YOUR masterpiece, not someone else’s.
I also want to encourage you to stay positive as you move from the design phase to the building phase. You will face challenges during the building process but always remember, negative thoughts are the nails that build a prison of failure, but positive thoughts will build you a masterpiece.
Stay flexible and adaptable through the process. It’s okay for your plans to change, especially when your plans must give way to the ultimate creator’s master plan.
And lastly, make sure you choose the right habits because what you do each day will become who you are. Your habits will transform your design, vision and plans into the masterpiece of your life.
-Jon Gordon
Can Paradoxical Intention/Thinking Serve as a New Model to Promote Peace in the Middle East and in Your Community?
Recently, I was privileged to spend an afternoon with two internationally regarded thought leaders and peace-seekers. Dr. Ken Druck, the founder of the Jenna Druck Center in San Diego and Yitzhak Frankenthal, the founder of The Arik Institute for Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace in Israel. Ken lost his daughter Jenna and Yitzhak his son Ari-both in tragic circumstance. Both men have beneficently taken the terrible personal experience of losing a child, and transmuted that into a commitment to addressing root cause issues of deep human suffering, developing effective strategies for dealing with loss, creating systems change, and helping others transform adversity into opportunity.
Ken is a nationally sought after master facilitator, executive coach and organizational and family consultant. He is the go-to- person globally when horrific issues like the Sandy Hook school massacre or an airline disaster occur. He is also the go to guy for resiliency-period… Ken currently has a national program running on Resiliency on KPBS and is the author of “The Real Rules of Life”. Here is an article op/ed Ken co-wrote from earlier this year…
Yitzhak is a pioneer/peacemaker who founded the Parent’s Circle in 1995 to forge peace in the Middle East. This was Yitzhak’s way of honoring his son, Arik, who had been kidnapped and killed by Hamas in 1994. Yitzhak led a small army of bereaved Israelis in reaching out to bereaved Palestinian families who also sought peace as the way to honor their loved ones. Yitzhak has met with virtually every Israeli President of the modern age, is tenacious in his approach and might well be on to an effective way to systemically and permanently address the middle east conflict:
During the month of August Mission Fed held a Back To School Drive to collect backpacks and school supplies for low income children in areas of San Diego. This week Mission Fed was able to deliver over 1,000 backpacks through SAY SD to students of the SDCOE to help them start school off on the right foot with essential school supplies. The generosity did not stop at just 1,000 backpacks- there were so many school supplies donated that local school teachers were able to come in and stock up on much needed supplies for their classrooms or afterschool programs.
Thank you to our partners at ABC 10, Boyer Moving and Quill for their donations and partnerships to help make this dream of filling 1,000 back packs for local students a reality!
Behind the Scenes: Your Mission Fed Moment
It takes teamwork to achieve success, just like with our new Mission Fed commercials. Our Multimedia Producer and Developer Robin M put together some awesome behind-the-scenes footage of how the commercials were made, and we’re using this video to intrigue our members, while asking them how the Mission Fed team worked behind the scenes to create their Mission Fed Moment. Members can share a photo and caption (50 words max) or a written submission (100 words max) telling their story. Watch the video and enter the contest here: https://www.missionfed.com/BehindTheScenes
Win $500
Visit our website and watch our behind-the-scenes video of the making of our new Mission Fed Moment TV commercials. Then, tell us how the Mission Fed team helped make your Mission Fed Moment possible!
Prizes
$500 First Prize in each category $200 Honorable Mention in each category
$200 Honorable Mention in each category
How to enter
Choose your category:
Submit a photo and a 50-word max caption, explaining your Mission Fed Moment
OR
Submit a 100-word max story about one of your Mission Fed Moments and how we made it happen for you
Submit your entry by Wednesday, September 30!
Must be a Mission Fed member age 18 or older to enter. One entry per member. You may not enter both categories. Anyone who enters both categories will be disqualified. For the photo category, any captions over 50 words, and for the written category, any entries over 100 words, will automatically be disqualified. Except where prohibited by law, any photo or written entry submitted for the purpose of entering the Contest will be considered property of Mission Fed, with permission to use the submitted story, photo, caption, and name and city/state of residence of entrant in all forms of media, in perpetuity, without further compensation. Visit MissionFed.com/BehindTheScenes for Official Rules.
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Finally, Some Humor to Launch The Rest of Your Week:
Thanks this week go to Larry H, Diana A, Arman S-B, David S, & The Whole Mission Fed Team for doing what is necessary to create Mission Moments!
Love,
Neville
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
Be the living expression of God’s kindness:
kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” – Mother Teresa
Stay in line with your values, pursue your passion, study your discipline deeply & maximize the return on your social investment
The goal of the Sapling Foundation that owns TED talks is to foster the spread of great ideas. It aims to provide a platform for the world’s smartest thinkers, greatest visionaries and most-inspiring teachers, so that millions of people can gain a better understanding of the biggest issues faced by the world, and a desire to help create a better future. Here is Chris telling his story of transforming adversity into opportunity…
A School Transformed- King-Chavez Elementary School
Zero suspensions achieved two years in a row, in an Elementary School in the Barrio Logan District of San Diego! See how Dynamic Mindfulness enabled this significant achievement.
Mindful Leadership- In Middle School
The Passing of Wayne Dyer:
Dyer’s philosophy mixed new thought self-actualization theory and nondenominational spirituality — and stood away from religious institutions themselves as stifling bureaucracies.
I just found out that Wayne Dyer passed away. In case you aren’t aware of his work, he was a best-selling author and motivational speaker, and Wayne Dyer is the reason that COMPASSION IT exists.
That is not an exaggeration.
In May of 2014, I met a fellow San Diegan who knew Wayne Dyer, and he offered to send him a letter on my behalf. I was thrilled that I would have the opportunity to share with Mr. Dyer how his life’s work inspired me to discover my life’s work. I’m not sure if he ever received the letter, but I sure hope so.
This is what I wrote:
Dear Mr. Dyer, Words cannot express how grateful I am. You shared words of wisdom years ago that changed the course of my life.
In 2008, I experienced tremendous suffering. As stay-at-home mom of my 18-month-old daughter, I faced an unwanted divorce that turned my picture-perfect life upside down. I was lost, and I was a mess. Luckily, I caught an ‘Ellen’ episode featuring you. (Please visit my blog to read more.)
Social Credit as a Game Changer for the Social Sector:
Last week, I had the privilege of interviewing Naila Chowdhury the “mother of social credit” with the local nonprofit and philanthropic community at the San Diego Foundation and giving her my last “Compassion IT” bracelet. http://compassionit.com/programs/
Naila takes inspiration from Amma Guru (see below) and in turn inspired all of us in the room to manifest America’s Kindest City by turning our hearts and our smarts towards San Diego’s most needy residents.
A local foundation A4E is doing just that and has a global summit coming up in October, that will be “soul-ed out”.
What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love: AMMA Guru- The Hugging Guru
Here is a chance to re calibrate your capacity for compassion…
Amma is widely regarded as one of India’s foremost spiritual leaders, and says that her religion is love. She has never asked anyone to change their religion but only to contemplate the essential principles of their own faith and to try to live accordingly.
“I don’t see if it is a man or a woman. I don’t see anyone different from my own self. A continuous stream of love flows from me to all of creation. This is my inborn nature. The duty of a doctor is to treat patients. In the same way, my duty is to console those who are suffering.”
For more about AMMA guru (the hugging guru) you might enjoy this movie or even a few minutes at the very start as it will touch your soul…
Thanks to those of you who periodically take a moment to send a ping back (email, phone call or in person) confirming these weekly Soul Food e-missive have value for you and your ecosystem.
Blessings!
This week:
The unprecedented rate of change and humanity’s lack of an adequate sense of its own history are challenging the human spirit, but we are accepting the challenge.
First a video to put the rate of change in perspective, then a focus on a local bright light organization and its extended work, and finally a joke to lighten your spirit…
Even the most ardent evolutionary biologists had a devil of a time reconciling altruism in their survival of the fittest models.
In the same way the ascent in knowledge from Darwin’s evolution theories in 1859 àto Watson and Crick discovering DNA leading to genetics in 1953, àto EO Wilson’s understanding of the role of genetic inheritance and us not being just blank slates, with the advent of socio-biology in 1975,à to Richard Dawkins work on the Selfish Gene and memetics in 1976 (gene pools not species are trying to survive), à to recent advances in neuroscience and our understanding of how the human brain tackles complex problems around 2006 (counterfeit correlation masks complex problems) has each changed our understanding and theories of action, so too must we change the conversation on social justice, human rights, civility and the importance of social network.
One amazing organization that is doing just this in San Diego is La Maestra
With human trafficking from 15 different countries happening right here in San Diego, along with a host of other crazy challenges including poverty, violence, unemployment and underemployment, migrant issues, and more with more than 26 languages spoken in just the City Heights area of San Diego, and our public policy agenda just not keeping up, we are left with ludicrous systems with incomplete categories of political asylum, judicial opinions with political consequences that are under-privileging these victims due to antiquated notions, ethno-centric mind sets and vastly outdated models of human governance. Man’s inhumanity to man is hard to fathom…
My soul cried, my spirit was inspired, and I feel humbled by the important work I found this team doing for what I am choosing to reframe as an ’emerging population’ rather than underserved, displaced, migrant, forsaken, downtrodden, or any other label demeaning of their immense spirit and difficult challenge as victims of circumstance. Many of us won’t survive a week in their shoes.
This segment of our population are clearly outside the purview of our traditional societal norms and safety net -which should be basic and inalienable human rights for ALL in 2015 especially in a country like this.
Many right here in San Diego don’t even know they exist…
<Breathe>
For all of us working collectively to move the needle on serving our global brothers and sisters in need, and striving to make this NOT “America’s Finest City” but “America’s Kindest Region”, there might be some applied practice here for you, whether helping at La Maestra or with a similar cause of your choosing.
The La Maestra “Circle of Love” model is a best practice validated in a 2011 Stanford Social Innovation article.
Their current framework actually has attributes and benefits beyond those included in the article, as I would categorize this initiative as a “place-based, whole person, wrap-around, cross-sector, preventative, networked, systemic, human-centered, collective impact model”
Each of these descriptors reflects a key insight into the nature of the work and its impact, along with the theory of action supporting it.
Complex, long term, seemingly intractable human problems like the ones they are taking on can only be addressed in this type of framework in my opinion…
Given society’s choice of building a pipeline to prison and/or poverty v. a pipeline to possibility and promise– the choice is clear.
With City Heights in particular representing less than 1% of San Diego’s geography but 15% of violent crime, endemic food insufficiency evidenced in the area being declared a federally designated food desert, and with San Diego in general having the 5th largest homeless population in the US and 3rd largest number of displaced Vets in the country, we clearly both have a huge challenge and a huge opportunity to crack the code on how to serve and move this disenfranchised part of humanity- from survive to THRIVE.
Making the Net Work is akin to moving a market, so here are 5 key market-changing levers of which one needs to apply at least 3 to ensure mission success and systemic change.
Borrowed from The Purpose Economy, they are:
Identify Bright Spots or positive deviants- small scale efforts that have achieved a remarkable result
Leverage Research & Data– This is not only about the bottom line. We need to identify and measure non-financial success. What perceptions do stakeholders carry around with them that prevent them from making the switch? This applies both to the population served, and the stakeholders we want to ignite to be aware of and address the important issues at hand
Apply Disruptive Technology– Can we use technology to catalyze massive change?
Move Public Perception– People can’t join the cause if they don’t know about it, or have the wrong frame of mind about it. Our work must include changing and elevating public consciousness
Shift Public Policy– When we change policy –remember that just because it is legal, doesn’t mean it is ethical. Slavery was legal at one time but that didn’t warrant endorsing it! When we change public policy, we change the rules of the market.
Note: All these apply to different initiatives but with different weighting especially if you intend to tap the pro bono or volunteer engagement cohort in your work.
Altruism, compassion, kindness, love, and trust are our special sauce and we must use them abundantly!
No one of us is as smart or as capable as all of us, so leveraging our social capital in a networked people system comprised of an inclusive & healthy climate and culture will also be key…
Finally, as this week’s content is a bit heavy, here is some laughter to lighten the load…
The Goldberg Brothers – The Inventors of the Automobile Air Conditioners
The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max, invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner.
On July 17, 1946 , the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees.
The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford’s office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that
four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter.
Henry was curious and invited them into his office.
They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car.
They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about
130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the
car off immediately.
The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent.
The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label,
‘The Goldberg Air-Conditioner,’ on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed.
Now old man Ford was more than just a little anti-Jewish, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg’s
name on two million Fords.
hey haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that just their first names
would be shown.
And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show —
Lo, Norm, Hi, and Max — on the controls.
Lose control of yourself & pass it on!
Thanks this week go to Larry H for the chuckles, the amazing team at La Maestra- Zara, Carmen and friends, Naila, Feroza, Sneha-ji, Amanda, Anna, Azim K and others living their values, and altruists everywhere!
Pay it forward…
Love,
Neville
“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things,
not simply of repeating what other generations have done – (whoa)men who are creative, inventive and discoverers.”– Jean Piaget
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was on tour in Memphis, Tennessee .
At St. Jude’s Hospital there was a little girl who had been admitted with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Her chemo treatments prohibited her from being in crowds and so, with great disappointment, she learned she could not attend the Mormon Choir’s final Memphis concert.
But, a hospital nurse sent a request that perhaps a few of the choir members could meet the young girl at the hotel where she and her family were staying, as she knew this would raise the little girl’s spirits.
When the girl and her family walked into their hotel lobby ….
Thanks to Larry H for this post and to all kind, compassionate beings everywhere!
Please Pay it Forward…
Love,
Neville
“If you want to be happy practice compassion; if you want others to be happy, practice compassion” – The Dalai Lama
Engage in Our Community: Scroll down to the Mission Fed spot where Drew S and I chat about SD’s social sector with a cameo appearance from my son Arman
Support Each Other: If our video is selected, the $1,000 will be donated to one of Mission Fed’s nonprofit community partners.
Experience Wonder with these Cool Pics:
Eliminate Stress:
An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle.
She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her lungs, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!” The four men didn’t wait for a second threat. They got out and ran like mad.
The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver’s seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition.
She tried and tried, and then she realized why. It was for the same reason she had wondered why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12-packs of beer in the front seat. A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces further down.
She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake.
The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn’t stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a car-jacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun.
No charges were filed.
The moral of the story?
If you’re going to have a senior moment….make it memorable.
Move From Well-Being to Well-Doing:
Enjoy a new CSRwire/Creating Good Work column on how well-being leads to well-doing.
Money Smarts”:Vote for our video daily, now through August 31!
One of our vendors, GoBankingRates, launched their 2015 #MoneyMinute Video Challenge.
Contestants were asked to submit their favorite money tip in a 60-second video, and Mission Fed was encouraged to participate.
We thought it would be fun (and ironic) to borrow the format of an infomercial from a shopping channel and use it for something with genuine value: tips on how to save money. Mission Fed team members put on their acting hats for “Money Smarts” to talk about the 50/30/20 Rule for saving money. The clever script was written by our internal Multimedia Producer and Developer.
Voting runs from August 3-31, and you can vote daily.
The videos with the most votes are then judged by a panel and the winners will be announced in September during #FinCon15 (a conference for digital content creators in personal finance and investing). The Grand Prize winner receives a $1,000 prize! If our video is selected, the $1,000 will be donated to one of Mission Fed’s nonprofit community partners.
GoBankingRates is a national website dedicated to connecting readers with the best interest rates on financial services nationwide, as well as informative personal finance content, news and tools.
Thanks this week go to Maurice C, Ron S, Drew S, Arman S-B, Heidi E, Vince N, Robin M and Larry H!
Pay it Forward, you can’t take it with you…
Love,
Neville
“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – men who are creative, inventive and discoverers.”– Jean Piaget
Ok there are a few more but this should get your weekend started!
This Soul-Filled Clip Will Get to You:
Some Humor:
Btw I am part of a culture affectionately known as the Jews of India so this is as much self-reflective as other-directed in the real spirit of equity, diversity and inclusion…
Remember the old-time Jewish comedians – Jack Benny, Shelly Berman, Red Buttons, Totie Fields, Milton Berle, Henny Youngmanand many others with their distinct humor.
Not a single swear word in their comic routines…
A car hit an elderly Jewish man. The Paramedic asked, “Are you comfortable?”
The man replied, “I make a good living.”
I just got back from a pleasure trip. I took my mother-in-law to the airport.
I’ve been in love with the same woman for 49 years. If my wife finds out, she’ll kill me!
Someone stole all my credit cards, but I won’t be reporting it. The thief spends less than my wife did.
We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.
My wife and I went to a hotel where we got a waterbed. My wife calls it the Dead Sea.
My wife and I revisited the hotel where we spent our wedding night.
This time I was the one who stayed in the bathroom and cried.
My Wife was at the beauty shop for two hours. That was only for the estimate.
She got a mudpack and looked great for two days. Then the mud fell off.
The Doctor gave a man six months to live. The man couldn’t pay his bill, so the Doctor gave him another six months.
The Doctor called Mrs. Cohen saying, “Mrs. Cohen, your cheque came back.” Mrs. Cohen replied, “So did my Arthritis!”
Doctor: “You’ll live to be 60!” Patient: “I AM 60!” Doctor: “See! What did I tell you?”
* A Doctor held a stethoscope up to a man’s chest. The man asks,
“Doc, how do I stand?” The Doctor says, “That’s what puzzles me!”
*Patient: “I have a ringing in my ears.”
Doctor: “Don’t answer!”
*A drunk was in front of a Judge. The Judge says, “You’ve been brought here for drinking.”
The drunk says, “Okay, let’s get started.”
*Why do Jewish Divorces cost so much?
They’re worth it.
*Why do Jewish men die before their wives?
They want to.
*The Harvard School of Medicine did a study of why Jewish women like Chinese food so much.
The study revealed that the reason for this is because Won Ton spelled backward is Not Now.
*There is a big controversy on the Jewish view of when life begins.
In Jewish tradition, the fetus is not considered viable until it graduates from Law School.
*Q: Why don’t Jewish mothers drink?
A: Alcohol interferes with their suffering.
*Q: Have you seen the newest Jewish-American-Princess horror movie?
A: It’s called, “Debbie Does Dishes.”
*Q: Why do Jewish mothers make great Parole Officers?
A: They never let anyone finish a sentence.
A man called his mother in Florida. “Mom, how are you?” Not too good,” said the mother. “I’ve been very weak.”
The son said, “Why are you so weak?”
She said, “Because I haven’t eaten in 38 days.”
The son said, “That’s terrible. Why haven’t you eaten in 38 days?”
The mother answered, “Because, I didn’t want my mouth to be full in case you should call.”
*A Jewish man said that when he was growing up, they always had two choices for dinner – Take it or leave it.
*A Jewish boy comes home from school and tells his mother he has a part in the play.
She asks, “What part is it?” The boy says, “I play the part of the Jewish husband.”
The mother scowls and says, “Go back and tell the teacher you want a speaking part.”
*Q: Where does a Jewish husband hide money from his wife?
A: Under the vacuum cleaner.
*Q: How many Jewish mothers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: (Sigh) “Don’t bother. I’ll sit in the dark. I don’t want to be a nuisance to anybody.”
* Short summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat.
*A Jewish mother gives her son a blue shirt and a brown shirt for his birthday. On the next visit, he wears the brown one. The mother says, “What’s the matter already? Didn’t you like the blue one?”
*Did you hear about the bum who walked up to a Jewish mother on the street and said, “Lady I haven’t eaten in three days.”
“Force yourself,” she replied.
*Q: What’s the difference between a Rottweiler and a Jewish mother?
A: Eventually, the Rottweiler lets go.
Where Ever You Find Yourself:
A Humane Planet Post Cecil the Lion
A lot has happened since Cecil, a beloved lion in Hwange National Park, was killed in a senseless act of trophy hunting. His unfortunate death has shone a light on the devastation caused by trophy hunting, the wildlife trade, and acts of cruelty to these majestic creatures. Thankfully, Delta Airlines announced it will no longer transport big-game trophies on flights, and we are calling on other airlines to adopt similar policies. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity, please join us in urging U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to include African lions under the Endangered Species Act. Thank you for taking action to honor Cecil’s legacy and protect all animals.
Cecil the lion, pictured above, was widely photographed and somewhat habituated to a non-threatening human presence in Hwange National Park. Photo by Brent Stapelkamp
Breaking News: Since the posting of this blog, Delta has announced a ban on the transport of trophies from lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo — the Africa Big 5. This is just as we’d hoped. We urge all other airlines to follow their lead.
Dr. Walter Palmer’s behavior in killing and mutilating Cecil the lion is disgraceful. But he’s not a one-off character. He’s a very enthusiastic participant in the larger enterprise of globe-trotting international trophy hunting, where rich trophy hunters seek out and kill some of the largest animals in the world to fill their dens or private museums, get their names in the record books of Safari Club International, and brag to their buddies that they’ve killed the biggest and the grandest of creatures on earth.
Now, sure as shooting, a second low-life character has come to light — Jan C. Seski, a gynecologist from Pittsburgh — for a possible illegal lion killing under similar circumstances in April. In addition to the lion he killed, Dr. Seski also shot his sixth elephant on that trip. (He apparently threatened to shoot his neighbor’s dogs too — as if any of us needed more evidence that this guy, too, is heartless thug.)
Seriously, what is wrong with these people? Why are they obsessed with killing the world’s biggest, most magnificent animals, and denying the rest of us the pleasure of sharing the earth with these creatures? What is it about the serial killing of animals that titillates them so much?
It’s been reported that after Cecil’s death, Palmer requested help in finding an elephant with tusks above a certain weight. He only left the country after he was informed by his guide they could not help him with that.
The trophy hunters like to excuse their passion for killing by saying that their spending promotes conservation. That’s nonsense, and more of a self-serving diversion.
A 2013 economic report demonstrated what anybody with their wits about them knows: These animals are worth more alive than dead. Kenya, which banned trophy hunting in the 1970s, has an eco-tourism economy that brings in far more than trophy hunting brings in to South Africa as a whole.
The fact is, trophy hunting of lions, elephants, and rhinos is a net revenue loser for African economies. Trophy hunters may throw around some money, but they rob parks, reserves, and other natural areas of the wonderful animals that are the real draw — the animals that attract countless people willing to spend money to see them and to be close to them. In that respect, trophy hunters are like bank robbers who leave a little cash behind.
South African Airways suspended the transport of big game trophies from Africa several months ago, including the heads of lions killed on canned hunting operations in the country. But recently, under pressure from Safari Club International and other groups aligned with the trophy hunting industry, they resumed transports. Emirates Airlines, on the other hand, has remained steadfast in not accepting hunting trophies of lions, elephants, and rhinos.
Let’s let all the major airlines know it’s time to cut off the shipments for good of African lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and Cape buffalo — the so-called Africa Big Five. This “hunting achievement” award leads to disgraceful behavior, and the airlines should not provide a getaway vehicle for trophy hunters’ larceny.
Using wealth to kill the magnificent animals of the world is a misuse of the gifts these people have been given. If trophy hunters are serious about conservation they should do some real good with their wealth — and stop spreading destruction, pain, and death.
SDNA presents Naila Chowdhury: On Creating an Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive World via Social Credit – Aug. 8/28 at the San Diego Foundation
Please share this with your network and join members of the SDNA as we grow together to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive society and world through social credit empowerment right here in San Diego!
Join The San Diego Nonprofit Association and other local leaders for a special “In the Know” event featuring Naila Chowdhury, global leader in self-sustaining programs for the economically disadvantaged.
Naila Chowdhury In Conversation with Neville Billimoria, Chief Advocacy Officer of Mission Federal Creating an Equitable, Diverse & Inclusive World through Social Credit Empowerment Friday, August 28, 2015
9am – 10:30am At The San Diego Foundation 2508 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 200 San Diego, CA 92106
As we model cross sector collaboration, use best principles and practices to inform our work, & seek new models from across the globe to advance our thinking and impact, here is a unique opportunity to connect first-hand with and learn from Naila Chowdhury, a global leader specializing in creating self-sustaining programs that empower economically disadvantaged people.
Naila was the first woman director of GrameenPhone Ltd in 1999, and held the Acting CEO position from time to time. She was part of its growth into the largest mobile operator in Bangladesh. The GrameenPhone’s Village Project supported the grassroots women of remote villages as they extended telecom to the rural population. This project earned Professor Muhammad and the Grameen Bank, the Nobel Peace prize in 2006, and allowed her to work closely with Professor Yunus for 17 years. Naila has been involved in global networking, developing effective teams and providing sustainable technology driven entrepreneurial platforms for young people globally, and empowering individuals by creating opportunities to self-organize and succeed with minimal resources and options.
Naila’s international work spans Bangladesh, Africa, and the Americas with organizations including but not limited to UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation among many others, with more than 1.2 million members globally. Locally, she is also Co-Chair of Alliance4Empowerment in San Diego, which gives Nano-credit to immigrants, and works on several projects to eradicate poverty in San Diego through Social Credit Empowerment. Her focus is to take people from an extremely low income into a sustainable income bracket and thus empower them economically.
Please share this with your network and join members of the SDNA as we grow together to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive society and world through social credit empowerment right here in San Diego!
Naila’s depth of experience and passion for social economic empowerment will provide deep insights and new ideas for increasing your reach and impact.
This event is hosted by The San Diego Foundation.
We expect this event to fill quickly so please sign up ASAP to avoid disappointment…
RSVP is REQUIRED – While free, there is limited seating for this exclusive event
This event is made possible by the active members of SDNA: The San Diego Nonprofit Association (formerly SANDAN) who welcome your participation!
To become a member of SDNA: The San Diego Nonprofit Association (formerly SANDAN) and ensure that you are included in our region’s “Chamber of Purpose”, you are invited to join us at:
Mission Fed’s popular Refer a Friend program is back, now through September 30—and it’s adorable (you’ll see!). Referring a friend or family member means $40 for each of you when they open a Checking Account and follow a few simple steps. https://www.missionfed.com/refer-a-friend
“The beginner’s mind holds endless possibilities, while the expert’s mind holds only one right answer…”
This week:
Rookie Smarts, Street Smarts, Science Facts Learning Self Control and What’s More Important Than Being Smart but not in that order…
First, Will the real dummy please stand up:
1. WILL THE REAL DUMMY PLEASE STAND UP???
AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual leadership.
He received a $26 million severance package.
Perhaps it’s not Walter who’s lacking intelligence?
2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS:
Police in Oakland, CA, spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home.
After firing ten tear gas canisters into the house, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line, shouting, ‘Please come out and give yourself up!’
3. WHAT WAS PLAN B???
An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts. What???
4. THE GETAWAY!!!
A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas Kwik Stop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer.
Apparently, the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.
5. DID I SAY THAT???
Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn’t control himself during a lineup.
When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: ‘Give me all your money or I’ll shoot’, the man shouted, ‘That’s not what I said!’
6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING???
A man spoke frantically into the phone: ‘My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart’. ‘Is this her first child?’, the doctor asked. ‘No! Jackass!’ the man shouted, ‘This is her husband!’
7. NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED!!!
In Modesto, CA, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon.
King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun.
Unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket. (hellooooooo)!
8. THE GRAND FINALE!!!
Last summer, down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert, an hour east of Bakersfield, CA, some folks, new to boating, were having a problem.
No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t get their brand new 22 foot boat, going.
It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power they applied.
After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted into a nearby marina, thinking someone there may be able to tell them what was wrong.
A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition.
The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up and down, and the propeller was the correct size and pitch.
So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath.
He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.
Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer!
*Now remember, these are all true stories!*
Test Your Science: Only 7% of the adult population gets all 13 questions correct.
Take this short quiz and see how much science adults in the US know- provided by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian magazine.
WHAT IF…emotional intelligence is actually more valued in the workplace than intelligence and skills?
RESEARCH SAYS: Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and use your emotions in positive and constructive ways. It includes communicating with others in ways that draw people to you, overcoming differences, repairing wounded feelings, and defusing tension and stress. Here are some tips to raise your emotional intelligence at work:
Realize when you’re stressed and practice strategies to make you feel better.
Be aware of your emotional thermostat so you can appropriately manage your own emotions.
Recognize and effectively use positive facial expression and body language that communicates a calm, open mind.
Meet challenges with humor.
Seek to understand the sources of conflict before you try to solve them.
TRY THIS: How does your emotional intelligence measure up? Take an emotional intelligence quiz online and apply the emotional intelligence tips above to your daily work life. The Marshmallow Test:Can Self Control be Learned?
One now or two later?
Delayed gratification leads to better outcomes on SAT scores, educational attainment, body mass index and other life measures…
WHAT IF…emotional intelligence is actually more valued in the workplace than intelligence and skills?
RESEARCH SAYS: Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and use your emotions in positive and constructive ways. It includes communicating with others in ways that draw people to you, overcoming differences, repairing wounded feelings, and defusing tension and stress. Here are some tips to raise your emotional intelligence at work:
Realize when you’re stressed and practice strategies to make you feel better.
Be aware of your emotional thermostat so you can appropriately manage your own emotions.
Recognize and effectively use positive facial expression and body language that communicates a calm, open mind.
Meet challenges with humor.
Seek to understand the sources of conflict before you try to solve them.
TRY THIS: How does your emotional intelligence measure up? Take an emotional intelligence quiz online and apply the emotional intelligence tips above to your daily work life.
The Marshmallow Test:Can Self Control be Learned?
One now or two later?
Delayed gratification leads to better outcomes on SAT scores, educational attainment, body mass index and other life measures…
Thanks this week go to Larry H, Jill V, Will M, Anurag T, Maurice C and the life-long learner in YOU…
Pay it Forward!
Love,
Neville
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.“— Confucius
Happy Soul Food Friday! 