Tired of the negative reporting

News has been so negative in the recent months, I haven't posted since January. Reporting on the economy, missing children, increase in crime, murder, etc. can leave one numb with discontent.

Today, I would like to mention a story in the news that underscores what we can do for others while also trying to stay positive.

For his 90th Birthday, celebrated on St. Patrick's day, Father Maurice Chase visited Skid Row in L.A. and handed out $15,000 in cold hard cash to those most in need. Now that's thinking of others and staying positive!

While families are increasingly worried about surviving, employees fearful of layoffs, and others who were once at the top (through merit not greed) facing the most difficult era in their lifetimes, we all need to pull together and focus on what each of us can do as an individual to contribute to the greater cause.

Each night I listen to CNN Headline News on the way home and listen to callers calling in to comment on stories about Casey Anthony, or Chris Brown, they express their outrage at the AIG executives (well deserved). What would happen if instead of continuing to analyze, reanalyze and blame for the situations we see occurring around us, we took personal accountability to change the mind set from focusing on the negative to looking towards the positive?

If we focus on the things that are going right instead of worrying and being angry about everything around us that is falling apart, and commit to it, I wonder what would happen.

For my part, I try to greet every person from my building who I see on my way to and from work with a smile. Even if I don't feel like smiling, I realize I have a reason to smile, it's called a JOB.

I no longer look at my 401K statements or my son's college savings account. When I receive the statements they are promptly placed on top of the shredder. I've taken proactive measures moving forward to invest in money market funds, but there's nothing I can do about the ten years of savings placed in aggressive investments that have dwindled in less than a year. Instead, I look at the bright side and hope that in ten years, the stocks will once again be of value, if not, at least I have many years ahead until retirement.

Some of us are fortunate, others are not. But each of us can try to help each other. Donate your time, or money to those in need. Smile, open a door or let someone in during traffic. If you have a friend or neighbor that has been laid off, offer to bring them dinner, get their minds off of all of the worries even if just for a moment. If you have grumpy colleagues at work who are worried about losing jobs, remember when they get edgy with you to be patient...many, many people have stress that we can't see on the outside.

If we all work towards a little more patience, a lot less worry, a dash of hope and a heaping amoung of positive attitude for a bright future, we will make it to the other end in one piece. We might get there with less monetarily, but as long as we maintain our love for friends, family, community and each other, we will be rich in a more powerful way and we can pass that wealth on for free.

One hundred Palestinians for One Israeli?

It was reported today that more than 420 Palestinians have died and another 2,200 have been injured in Gaza since the recent outbreak of long simmering hostilities boiled over again in the Middle East. Israel has lost four citizens with another 57 injured. That's about 105 Palestinian lives for each Israeli life. If you added up all the deaths on both sides, I assure you a disproportionate amount of Palestinians have been killed - most notably, children.

According to B'Tselem, The Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, since 2000 the death counts for this conflict are 4897 Palestinians to date, and 1062 Israelis. In fact, 1050 of those Palestinians were children and 123 were Israelis. I'm not sure that such numbers could be justified as "retaliation" against Hammas.

Putting aside whether you support the Palestinians or the Israelis, is anyone doing the math? Is anyone asking the question why after so many years of bloodshed and loss do the Israelis continue to justify their excessive actions upon a (once nation) of disenfranchised individuals who have been, in my opinion, forced to live in extreme conditions of inequity? And, why does Hammas not recognize that whether they throw a rock or launch a rocket that the reaction from Israel will be extreme and cost lives? It has been that way for years so no one should react with surprise.

What is surprising, is the continued lack of response from the United States. I have long held the belief that the United States needs to treat the situation with less favoritism for US Political alliances and more equity towards humanity and justice. The reaction of Israel is not humane or reasonable, and the actions of Hammas will not gain justice for the wrongs committed against the Palestinians. Now is the time to take a step back and recognize that neither side will win this battle and only compromise, a fair compromise for both sides, will end this battle. Unfortunately, neither side is willing to meet in the middle and meanwhile the death count will continue to rise with the Palestinians losing the most in the long and short run.

Seriously, lets set aside our emotions and help to foster peace in the region. Whether Arab or Israeli, all are citizens of humanity and all deserve peace.

CNN report what really matters

On December 23rd, CNN reported in its political ticker that Obama was photographed shirtless and what's more, offered the press a beer. My first thought was "reporters can't accept favors...and surely President Elect Obama was just being good natured." I have no doubt that my suspicion is right. What bothered me more than the reporters attempt to make it appear that Obama is some how trying to buddy up with the press was the fact that CNN posted a photo of Obama in shirtless (and he looked good) - rather than posting the photo and asking "Where was the Secret Service?", CNN posted a useless blog on Obama's attempt to have a well deserved vacation. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/page/4/

Seriously? Are we that naive as a nation that we should debate whether or not we are invading Obama's privacy by posting a shirtless photo rather than worry about why someone with a photo zoom lens was that close to our soon to be national treasure? It has nothing to do with privacy and everything to do with common sense. Obama is not a celebrity, he is our Commander in Chief and should be protected as such.

Karma is a funny thing

Alright, this is actually funny, even if he's another greedy guy. Recently on Law.com an article was published about another greedy businessman:

"One of the World's Richest People Pleads Guilty
The Associated PressDecember 17, 2008

A co-founder of an Internet gambling company and one of the world's richest people pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal crime and agreed to forfeit $300 million as part of a cooperation deal.
A smiling Anurag Dikshit, of the British colony of Gibraltar, entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to charges that he used the Internet to transmit interstate and foreign wagering information.

The 37-year-old is the co-founder of PartyGaming, a Gibraltar online gambling company that offered casino and poker games and catered to a U.S. audience. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202426817991

Seriously, who would name their child Anurag Dikshit?

When did greed become so popular?

It seems that each day you turn on the news all you hear are reports of yet another individual who has decided life is for the taking at the expense of others.

Madoff, how can one man alone without a trace of guilt summarily bilk people out of billions of dollars without anyone noticing? And, Mr. Madoff - why on earth would you need that much wealth to begin with? A multi billion dollar Ponzi scheme that has left countless individuals in a financial disaster.

Or what about the esteemed Mr. Drier, Managing Partner of Drier Law firm http://abajournal.com/news/canadian_police_arrest_founder_of_dreier_law_firm/, apparently his home in the Hamptons and millions of dollars weren't enough, he decided he deserved wealth so much he engaged in securities fraud.

Seriously? How many more CEO's, Politicians, Executives or just plain criminals will it take before we wake up as a nation and realize that our moral compass is pointing in the wrong direction?

Shoe thrown at United States, not just President Bush

Not being an adoring fan of President Bush, one would think that I may have enjoyed the shoe hurling incident earlier this week in Iraq. On the contrary, the shoe wasn't thrown just at President Bush, it was thrown at this entire nation. For each American that thinks it's o.k. that the reporter expressed himself in such a vile manner, it is not dissimilar to saying you approve of flag burning.

I for one, as a proud veteran of the United States Military and former Arabic Linguist am offended for both my country and the President. Keep in mind, this is coming from a staunch President Elect Barack Obama supporter.

While I don't agree with all of Bush's policies, he is the commander in chief of this country and represents each and everyone of us abroad and at home. His approval rating may be low, but he is still an ambassador of this country and we as a nation deserve more than a shoe for all that we have attempted to accomplish abroad.

Seriously, each time I hear a citizen of this country snicker at the event I wonder how proud they are to be an American.