Feel Good Holiday Gifts...

Happy Holidays Everyone...Ali here. Okay, normally I post stuff that is important for the planet, its people, our spirits, etc...and don't push products. This time, because of these two products, I must dive into promotion. Here goes, okay? For me, my mornings are so important because they set up the day. A wonderful cup of good coffee, meditation, exercise and then preparing to go to the office...all important and, thanks to two products my husband found for us, there are two parts of the preparation part that I actually look forward to every day.

The first is my shower with my Oxygenics shower head. Honestly, every day I look forward to my shower because of how fabulous and magical the water is coming out of this rascal. Low flow but designed to super-charge the water, the water makes you feel brand new because of the oxygenating engineering in this shower head. See the ad for more info...(another Amazon link below)...I've had friends and associates thank me for suggesting this to them and I bet you'll be the favorite in your family for the Oxygenics Shower Heads you put under the tree for others.

The second thing I do in the morning that tickles my spirit is brush my teeth. We have the Oral-B Triumph electric toothbrush. I know, I know, you already have an electric toothbrush, right? Not like this puppy! The Triumph comes with a wireless Smart Guide that tells you when to switch quadrants in your mouth, when you may be brushing too hard, when you've done a great job (smiley face, winking smiley face...) and, with so little effort, cleans and whitens and protects your mouth while almost making a game out of it. Check it out...(another Amazon link below).

Good health and putting a smile on the morning face...what a fabulous gift to share with others.

Peace and happiness to you all, Ali

What We Do is Important!

Too often we wait for the perfect idea or concept to get going with worthy projects... I am reminded of the Monk who said, "start where you are". She meant the only mistake is to not start. When I'm wealthy and can afford a solar powered off the grid, zero carbon, Tesla lifestyle... then I'll get going... but today we can all turn off the light when we leave the room.. shower a minute less. Walk to the store..or to the mailbox (in my case a 1/2 mile down the hill) ... we can all recycle... it just means we start where we are and build from there... We are fortunate to have friends who keep track of their carbon use and offset their flights to foreign lands and so forth. I'm proud of them. I'm good with saving the recyclables on the floor of the passenger seat until I can put them somewhere where I know they will be properly recycled. We found ourselves going through 5 flats of 16 oz plastic bottles of water a month... we are now down to two. We bought and were given metal refillable bottle to use and we are using them... it's a start... that's a long way from where we were 10-15 years ago.. It started with the newspapers and petitions to get community bins put in local shopping centers for cans, plastic bottles and newspaper.. we just need to start and then look for more ways to do more...We run the beach Clean-Ups for Surfrider and think they are a great organization with a decent conscience and a rock n roll soul...Our oceans are filled with garbage. They need our help.. Please help.. Just start where you are with what is comfortable.. It will make you feel good... You'll want to do more...

..this first appeared on the site Environmental Booty. Our future depends on our knowledge and actions. What choices will you make today? Many Thanks to Shane Shirley-Smith

TOMS Shoes.. No more Sweaters for Christmas...

TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what they're all about.

I've  heard too many shopping stories already this season to have much sympathy for the endless waste of time and money when we could simply put an effort into helping the less fortunate among us in the world and get a firm grasp on the big picture.

Am thinking that Heifer International, an organization that focuses on teaching the poor to fish rather than giving them a fish just might be what this life is all about...happy, healthy, wealthy and wise is of no consequence unless it is shared.. Could we seek the true spirit of Christmas this year?   ..for a change? or is it more popcorn and politics down at the local bar...

Being the Helping Hand I Wish Had been There for Me...

A little over a week ago I got to do something I thought I never would have the honor to do. I got to share some of my life experience with a group of kids at a local middle school. Kids that are surrounded by a lot of mixed messages, a lot of pressure and a lot of uncertainty. I had to remember how it was for me when I was that young. All of the things that were going through my mind at that age. I can remember many outside forces that I didn't understand and really wanted some help with. The trouble was that I really didn't know who or how to ask. There really wasn't anybody there for me, at that age, that I could completely trust. So now, going into this opportunity, I wanted to be that person that these kids could talk to, and ask those questions.

Here is a little back story on me, I am a recovered alcoholic.  Really that says it all. I have been sober for over 600 days and if you want a little more info on me, check out my recovery blog here.

When I was in elementary school there was DARE, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Basically local police officers came into out classroom and talked to us about drugs and alcohol. What I remember of DARE was more of an education on drugs, more interest then resistance. A lot of people that are my age and went through some kind of DARE type program when they were kids often say the same thing that I do. It was more of an education about drugs and really didn't deal with the problems that were facing kids. For me it made me want to try more drugs now knowing how they were going to effect my body.
Drugs and Alcohol really changed the course of my life, really altered the very fabric of it. Not all of the changes were bad because it introduced me to the people that would introduce me to an entire new way of living. One that I never knew existed because I was never really looking. Now I have the chance to be of service to my fellow man, the still suffering alcoholic, and to a bunch of kids in a middle school.

I really wanted to talk to these kids and tell them my story. How drugs and alcohol effected my life. How it affected my schoolwork, my sports, my hobbies, my family and my future.  I really wanted to connect with them.

So I laid it all out on the line.

I told the kids all about the choices that I had made in the past. The way that those choices made me feel. How others affected the way that I made my choices in life. I just wanted to connect with them so that maybe they would feel comfortable enough with me to ask some questions. They asked a lot of great questions about all aspects of things that I covered, and even some things that I didn't. They wanted to know how I handled things like peer pressure, getting in cars with people that were intoxicated, family members that drank... basically all over the board.

After the assembly, I got to talk to a class of boys in a smaller group setting. We basically opened up the discussion to the boys, and really gave them the opportunity to get whatever off their chest that they wanted to.  It was something that I will never forget and I hope I get the chance to do again in the future.  The feeling that I had was simply marvelous. If I even connected with one of the kids in those rooms, and made them think about those choices in the future, then I did my job.

Some Reality Re: The Public Option-Polls Pressure Senators

Think it's very hard to get accurate information regarding Heath Care Reform... We still see this has an issue of compassion for our Friends and Neighbors and know at least one person who would be here today if this legislation were in effect....If you want to support this point of view perhaps you will want to sign this petition.

Take a Stand for Darfur

Sometimes, it is very hard to believe the atrocities that go on in this world. I often find ecological and health care related interests to focus on at the Treehouse,  but Darfur is different somehow. So please watch, listen, cry and then do something. Be aware and speak out against the insanity. Support the groups that are working tirelessly to bring an end to the politics of genocide. Please start with the producers of the top piece: 1800Genocide. Become more educated and horrified and Please Support: Genocide Intervention Network and Amnesty International USA

Beach Cleanup-Feelin' Good by Doin' Good

Last Saturday saw an intrepid band of volunteers gather on Del Monte Beach at the shore of beautiful Monterey Bay. I was there and we all were a part of the Surfrider Monterey October Beach Cleanup. Although we certainly expected more volunteers, I like to see the glass as half full and loved watching the folks who came walk off into the kelp-strewn, surf-tossed natural mayhem that is a natural beach on a dynamic Ocean Bay. They had their litter tally sheets and their love for this Mother Ocean who knows no bounds to her generosity in the life she gives us. It's just a little thing we can do each month to give back to that which sustains us all. When all was said and done, over 2,000 pieces of plastic, styrofoam, bags, butts, fishing line and general "yuck" was picked up in just a couple of sun-kissed hours. Hey, next month, come join us...we do a different beach every month...we'd love to see you. To find out which beach and when, go to the Surfrider Monterey site. If you aren't in the Monterey Bay Area but are lucky enough to be close to the oceans, you can get involved with Surfrider Foundation's awesome work. Check it out by starting with Surfrider Foundation's 122 Victories for the Ocean since 1/1/2006. Feelin' Good...doin' good...life is good.

--Your friend, Ali

A Fad? What Fad? Social Media is Now ...and the Future

I think that it was in 2003 sometime when I realized just how great that "social media" thing was... even though I really had no idea that's what it was going to be called. I just thought that it was a really good way to see what all of those people from high school were doing. This was way before Myspace and Facebook.. back then I was on Friendster.  I could feel that this way of interacting with people was going to be how it was done in the future. e-Mail was OK. Just OK... for the business guys. This was way before the revolution in mobile devices that has swept the world. The concept of instant interaction with the rest of the world was not even on my scope back then. I was just interested in what everybody else was doing with their lives.

I do understand how people could think of social media as a fad. Something that was going to fade away just like 8tracks, audio cassettes, laser discs, and car phones. I think that people think that way because they are scared of it or really just don't understand it. They fail to see the power that social media can wield. When it comes down to it, how they can make money with it.  For me, it all comes down to straight shootin'. Honest advertising... and how it can help the little guy. How it effects small, local businesses that have always had to go out of their way and spend a bunch of money to get widespread exposure. They have had to take out ad space in a local newspaper or mailer to get it out to their neighbors that they have a really great new pumpkin spice yogurt flavor. (which is awesome by the way. @myofrozenyogurt) They can now use Twitter and Facebook as real weapons for their business. The other side of the coin is that for people like myself who are fiercely loyal to businesses that I love... we can spread their messages with a simple retweet.. or by sharing their link to our friends. It helps everybody in the long run because local business is the key to everything in my mind. When local businesses are doing good then I am feeling good.

So yes, maybe Twitter and Facebook may come and go, but this way of interacting with the world is here to stay. And how about the proliferation of Blogs in their various forms . It's not a fad. It's more like a revolution. ...And here seems to be the proof!..btw.. you can follow us on twitter: The Monk, Richierich, Ali.

Rebranding America...Bono's Latest

Bono's Op-Ed in the New York Times this morning says what I've been thinking and saying over the past few months as people here in this wonderful, dynamic, blessed America have been grumbling and turning away from opportunity.

When did Americans start saying and believing "No, we can't."? Our President gave us permission in his campaign and victory to follow him in saying "Yes, we CAN!"

The United States of America was founded on radical and revolutionary beliefs about creating a New World. Now, we are faced with the daunting and pressing challenge of leading the Old World in creating another New World...a world of peace, prosperity and care for all of our brothers and sisters. The result will be a global security and stewardship of Our Creator's gift of this Earth that we both deserve and have a responsibility to achieve.

Hoorah for those who dare to dream of a better world. Hoorah for Barack Obama. Hoorah for you in finding ways that you can take part in creating this world.

Peace to all of my brothers and sisters...today is a gift...go for it! Love, Ali

I love you Mister President.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

It really takes a fourth grader to ask the question that has been perplexing me for the past couple of months.. Why do some people in this country hate you Mister President? I will always remember where I was when I found out that you had been elected the President of the United States. An office that I have so much reverence and respect for.. and the reason that I have so much respect for it is not because of the man that was in the office before you but because of my my LOVE for "The West Wing." It was on that show, during an episode that was portraying the State of the Union Address that I first heard the Sergeant at Arms yell..."Mister Speaker.... the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!" I always wondered why I would get excited and almost teary eyed when I heard that.  Well that time is now.. Like you say in this clip Mister President... its just politics.. and some people out there just need something to hate. It feeds their fears of progress...

Well I want you to know that I'm not scared.. and this guy, me.... Loves You.

A Call to Action?? Relax...

I woke up to Chris Brogan imploring us to "get in the game"... then Twitter informed my it was blog action day (we write a lot about the environment here and don't need a "day" to do it but will anyway...later) ... I started to think about what a two-time Olympic athlete told me when I ran for the Oregon Track Club (many years ago) ... He said, "today you may need to rest and today you may need to go hard. Whatever you do, just make sure you are stronger tomorrow because of what you do today." That Athlete was  Kenny Moore and he looks like he's followed his own advise. The trick here is to get quiet. To Meditate and listen to how your body feels... That's my call...Slow down.. We run the race for more followers on Twitter and readers in the blogosphere and fast times in the marathon of life... remember it is not a sprint... You'll need energy in the end... take it easy and help your brother with his load. Relax for a change. It will come.

Senator Snowe helps make History. Finally..

What a huge day in Washington it has been with the Senate Finance Committee moving to pass the fifth and final health care reform proposal. The measure passed with a 14-9 margin. Republican Senator Olympia Snowe was the lone republican that supported the bill. In her remarks she said.."when history calls, history calls."

For someone that is my age that statement really hit me. It seems to me that it is the people that see the importance of these moments in history are the ones that make history.. they see the consequences of not acting... and they act.  They see something that is more than themselves and they act.

When I was younger my father gave me a hypothetical situation to think about... it would always stick with me in whatever I do. He asked me what I would do if I saw someone in the street as a car was coming at them...

What would I do?  Would I wait and see what would happen? Or would I just react and do what I thought was right... When he asked me that question I couldn't really give him and answer. I was really pretty young... probably about 13 years old and I had no idea what I would do.

Now I know what I would do.. it seems like that is the attitude that makes things move forward.

By moving this bill out of committee there will be more debate on it on the floors of both houses of Congress. That is the way that this whole thing is supposed to work...

So I have to say Bravo to Senator Snowe for showing a little "out of the box" thinking... and moving things forward.

Rachel Maddow: Obama is Given the Nobel Peace Prize, Responds Appropriately and Then Out Come the Fools

Americans should be proud of electing Barack Obama as our President. He will encounter great resistance for many ugly, hateful reasons... we need to evolve a bit quicker I think. Sink the ship of Fools. There is, I've sadly come to understand, a bit more going on here than just politics. Growing up in NYC it never occurred to me that I would pick my friends and associates based on race, color or creed... I still find it hard to swallow... We really are all in the same canoe... one end will not sink by itself. Take my hand and let's go... We have things to do. There are injustices to deal with. Lawns to mow and houses to paint. Remember as a child how none of this stuff really mattered? Just Come on out and play. Now... Speak out against the madness. Speak up for Peace and Justice. Hear them call your name and do something that matters. Something for your brothers and sisters.

Health Care Coverage for the Uninsured Has Become a National Crisis

Where is it written that every citizen should have health insurance? Or every child should get periodic physicals? Or pregnant women should have regular prenatal exams? Nowhere! Yet common sense tells us maintaining one's health is vital. And having health insurance encourages people to do the right thing, such as getting regular checkups and needed attention before situations turn critical.

It's a matter of having "coverage" and not just "access" to medical attention. Not convinced? Let me explain.

We all pay

Anyone can walk into a hospital and receive care in an emergency. That's "access." But if the person has no insurance, the cost is allocated in part to the patient and in greater part to those who have insurance -- to the tune of nearly 20 percent of their premiums. If the patient has insurance -- "coverage" -- then the cost is borne by the patient's insurance plan and the patient. If everyone has coverage, you and I stand to pay less for our insurance -- and for other products.

Business Basics 101

So why do we care that nearly 48 million Americans are without coverage? Or that the number of uninsured Kentuckians is approaching 700,000? Or, that eight out of 10 are working and are too poor to pay or have no plans available? Well, first of all, because people should stay healthy. And, second of all, because businesses need workers who are what I call "action ready" -- physically, medically, and psychologically ready. (They also need educated workers, but that's a different problem.) Unhealthy workers do not motivate businesses to expand or relocate new businesses to areas where the work force is not "action ready."

Taking control

Certainly, there is a cost associated with getting everyone insured. So why change? Because, as the saying goes, "You either pay now or pay later, but rest assured, you will pay." Indeed, we are paying -- right now! And the cost is only going to increase unless we take control. In these uncertain economic times, some think the cost is being deferred, if not completely avoided. Any number of small employers say they can't afford health insurance for their employees. And many workers are choosing food and fuel over health care, assuming they have a roof over their heads. Yet everyone is paying the price. More than 25 percent of the cost of a new automobile is attributed to employee benefit costs. And that cost reflects both the wellness of the manufacturer's workers and the 20 percent up-charge noted earlier for those without insurance. Add to the equation indigent and emergency-room costs that are increasing exponentially, and the total tab begins to look like the national deficit.

Where the action is

Something has to be done. Just as buildings and equipment have to be maintained, so does our work force. And, while presidential candidates campaign on the subject of health care reform, any number of states are actually doing something about it. Tennessee has launched Cover Tennessee to provide schoolchildren, the elderly and small-business employees with affordable health insurance and medication. California has proposed a plan that is stalled in the legislature, but the governor continues to bang the drum in support of adoption. Massachusetts now requires coverage for all its citizens, just as any number of states require no-fault auto insurance.

Still others are moving ahead to address the need, such as Maine, with the Dirigo Health Reform Act, which is aimed at improving the quality of care while containing costs. And Community Care of North Carolina, a provider-led health care network, has gone statewide to ensure patients have a primary care doctor and a medical home where chronic diseases are monitored and treated -- all in the name of improving access and quality of care while saving millions.But while it's tempting to think everything can be done at the state level, the reality is that action needs to be taken at every level.

-R. Brayton Bowen is a business consultant with The Howland Group, a strategy consulting and change management firm based in Louisville. He is also author of "Recognizing and Rewarding Employees." This article appeared in Business First in April of 2008.Reprinted by permission.

Choosing To Be Healthy-An Active Lifestyle and Good Food. Eating Out Guide

Choosing to eat healthy, workout, and live an active lifestyle is not always an easy decision.  Although ideally we would all love to be in great shape, and eat nothing but health food all the time, realistically our busy lifestyles take over, and don’t always allow for that choice.  Here are a few helpful tips & tricks to eating healthy, even when we are on the go!

Eating-Out Guide & Guidelines

• Request all sauces & dressings on the side, and then use them sparingly.
• Avoid added fat!  Avoid fried foods.  Choose steamed, baked, broiled, boiled, poached or grilled instead.
• Avoid restaurants that are “all you can eat” or pride themselves on large portions.
• When ordering a salad, don’t be afraid of being picky; ask for extra vegetables and no croutons and dressing on the side. 
• If it is OK with the rest of your party- ask the server not to bring bread (you will save 200 calories or more)
• Plan ahead, pick out what you want to eat before arriving to the restaurant and stay focused.  Don’t let other people in your party effect your food choices.
• Have a low fat, high fiber snack (fruit, raw vegetables, or yogurt) before you go out to eat so that you avoid feeling too hungry, and prevent the temptation to over eat.
• Ask for the waiter/waitress to pack ½ of your meal in a to-go box before bringing it to the table.  (will save you ½ the calories & will provide you with lunch for the next day)
• Eat your calories, don’t drink them!  Order water or non-sweetened iced tea instead of soda or juice.
• When ordering soup, choose brothy, vegetable soups like minestrone over creamy soups like clam chowder.  You will save yourself hundreds of calories, and be careful of sodium.

 

General Guidelines-

• Mexican Food

-Ask for whole beans instead of refried beans ( avoid the extra fat)

-Order a tostada without the fried shell

-Order the vegetable or chicken fajitas and hold the sour cream, cheese and tortillas.

• Italian Food

-Skip the bread before your meal, order a side salad instead

-Opt for marinara sauce instead of Alfredo, and always ask for the sauce on the side so you can add it yourself.

-Ask for some steamed vegetables to be added to your meal.

-Limit your wine consumption to 1 glass (200-300 Calories per glass)

• Chinese or Thai Food

-Avoid fried foods or any dish in a heavy sauce (sweat & sour)

-Ask the server for your food to be steamed instead of fried.

-Skip the rice and noodle dishes, choose a dish with vegetables instead

• Sushi

-Avoid fried rolls like spider rolls or crispy shrimp rolls.

-Avoid extra fats like cream cheese and cream sauces.

-Ask for the chef to use brown rice instead of white rice.

-Order rolls that are wrapped in seaweed instead of rice.

-Order a side salad or a cup of miso soup (a very healthy choice).

-Skip anything tempura fried.

• American Food

-Avoid fried foods, onion rings, French fries, and stuffed peppers.  (These don’t count as vegetables, but good try!)

-Opt for a vegi burger instead of a traditional hamburger, and ask for it to be wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun.

-Eat your calories, don’t drink them, stay away from calorie packed sodas, milkshakes, chocolate milk and even juice.

-Don’t cave into the craving for dessert!!!  But…if you must, share 1 dessert with 2-4 people.  Opt for a berry cobbler, or sherbet instead of chocolate cake or cheese cake.

-Always order a side salad or steamed vegis on the side INSTEAD of French fries or cole slaw.  (Remember dressing on the side!)

Most of all, remember to enjoy your food, taste it, savor it, enjoy it. 

-This article was submitted by Sarah Sanders who is the Owner of OmOasis in Monterey, CA. OmOasis is a Full Service Yoga and Wellness Studio on the corner of Cass and Webster in Downtown Monterey, CA offering classes in Vinyasa Flow, Power and Karma Yoga, Spin, Pilates, Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting. There you will also find a Boutique with Workout/Yoga Clothes, Gifts and handmade jewelry. 831 917-0177/info@omoasis.com

Global fisheries are in bad shape from decades of overfishing. Our Oceans Need Your Help

Global fisheries really are in bad shape. Due, quite simply, to decades of overfishing.

In an accelerating battle over the fate of one of the last great lions of the open ocean – the bluefin tuna. Its succulent flesh is so popular in sushi that its very existence is threatened. A single bluefin – they typically grow to eight feet and 800 pounds – may sell for $100,000 in Japan.

Such price tags, and humanity’s hunger for protein, have put a bull’s-eye not just on bluefin, but on scores of other species as well. Nine of 23 tuna species worldwide are “fully fished” – meaning catches should not be increased. Four more are “overexploited” or “depleted,” according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The tuna’s plight is shared by many marine species now being hunted by large, modern fishing fleets that use satellite tracking and sophisticated fishing gear, scientists say.

The Moments..The Miracle of Mindfulness

I just saw this... and it really struck me. The day to day things that we just roll right over and forget. We just move on to the next thing. I forget to take the moments for what they are... they are my life. 

I have been reading a lot about Positive Psychology recently.. and it really is amazing me. I never new that the study ever existed.
I am going to be mindful today. Taking everything in and trying not to take anything for granted..

Im going to see my family right now. Getting on a train for Southern California. Excited to be with the people that I love.. something that I used to take for granted... now I'm just going to take each moment at a time...

Have a Good Day. Smile at someone..

An SOS from Sting for the Prince's Rainforest Project

Tropical forests may seem a long way away, but they play a vital role in our lives. They operate as the worlds natural air-conditioning and thermostat systems and produce much of the rainfall essential to the worlds growing population.

Rainforests absorb nearly a fifth of all man-made CO2 emissions but they are currently being destroyed at the rate of a football pitch every four seconds. When these forests are burnt -- for agriculture or mining, for example -- they release stored CO2 back into the atmosphere, pushing annual CO2 emissions from tropical deforestation above those of the global transport network.

It is for these reasons that HRH The Prince of Wales set up The Prince's Rainforests Project with the clear ambition of 'Making the trees worth more alive than dead.' On May 5th, the PRP launched a worldwide campaign to raise awareness of this issue. This is where you can play your part. We are looking for a global gathering to show this is something people care about.

Our Oceans Need Your Help

Global fisheries really are in bad shape. Due, quite simply, to decades of overfishing.

In an accelerating battle over the fate of one of the last great lions of the open ocean – the blue-fin tuna. Its succulent flesh is so popular in sushi that its very existence is threatened. A single blue-fin – they typically grow to eight feet and 800 pounds – may sell for $100,000 in Japan.

Such price tags, and humanity’s hunger for protein, have put a bull’s-eye not just on bluefin, but on scores of other species as well. Nine of 23 tuna species worldwide are “fully fished” – meaning catches should not be increased. Four more are “overexploited” or “depleted,” according to the United Nations’ Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The tuna’s plight is shared by many marine species now being hunted by large, modern fishing fleets that use satellite tracking and sophisticated fishing gear, scientists say.
Please see The End Of the Line and the Riz Khan Fishing crisis series.  
Another important thing to do is to join Surfrider. The work they do is award winning and membership is worthwhile for anyone who cares...and since you've gotten this far, that's you! Thanks!

The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See?

This is Greg Craven (high school science teacher) chatting for nine minutes plus about global warming. Perhaps some food for thought? what about it? Ready to do something about it?

National Health Service and Cancer Treatment Here and in the UK

We are going to find a better way to care for our sick and elderly...

What it Takes to Care about Health Care-Shame on Humana

This is an old clip from Michael Moore's "Sicko". I remain determined to make a difference on an issue that is about compassion and morality and Not about Politics in an ideal world... So we go on and see the evidence and my friend Michael dies as a direct result of the practice described in this confession. We do what we can and your Donations have helped us reach more people with the truth.

I Consider it an Honor.

I have been asked by some really great friends of mine if I wanted to contribute to a blog that they are involved with.. and my answer was YES!  I would consider it an honor.

Then I started to think of what I thought that this would be about... what I could contribute to this place.

I think that I could bring my unique view from the treehouse. I have found this place to be one of the most positive places that I have ever been in my life.

I am really looking forward to being apart of this place, sharing the things that I see on a daily basis.... being apart of a movement that is bigger then myself. We can all make a difference in the world around us. It really dosent matter how small. It just is.

I will see all of you soon.

Richierich

We Make a Difference- keeping our eyes on the health of the planet and it's citizens

This is my first post for Jazzmonk's From the Treehouse with the Ocean View (FTTH). I believe in this blog because the purpose of FTTH is to raise spirits, raise consciousness, raise awareness...help in our own way (all friends who contribute here) to make the world a better place. Take back the Net. Use the power. Stand Up!

There is so much good to tap into and our purpose is to share that goodness as we find it on the Web, in our workplace, in a book, in meditation, heard on the street...the underlying current of life and the universe is LOVE and it's everywhere to find and share.

Remember, you hold the power, you make a difference. We need you here. Please read this story...it will remind you of what you already know. We are in this together. The Rabbis Gift

See you soon...keep smiling! Ali

Blogging-A Moment to Reflect: and Thanks to the Influencers

I've had this blog for 5 years (I knew it was a blog because of the name-obvious) and had never really done much more with it than keep a loose, sloppy diary (that's fair). I remember when I had a Journal...so Blogging is an electronic, web enabled, high speed, twitter integrated journal?...I'll stop. Been reading Chris Brogan religiously and have jumped into Darren Rowse's ProBlogger to be part of the community. Like Seth Godin's stuff especially. The style... Yeah, the style. I seem to like this stuff... we built a site CumulusMedical to help people get accurate information about health care reform and give them access to the Microsoft and Google platforms to create on line medical records to help them keep track of things and maybe provide critical information in an emergency.

  .. half way through the project we accidentally got locked into an interactive blog/forum concept that we have not found our way out of yet (I hope you'll join us)... but how much can you take in?

I read Guy Kawasaki's commentary on twitter and the like and more is absorbed... here's what I know. I am better informed about the things that matter. I run Google searches on subject that interest me and have a bunch of followers who share my interests  thanks to Tweetadder and schedule my posts (which have been reduced dramatically by suggestion - to be more spontaneous - really a natural thing for me)  with Oomph . ..I am having fun. Got some affiliates through:

and now have started another couple of blogs: TechG2

and a brand new day- …time for a change to get a feel for a different format.. and there is that old Opera Blog that needs some soap and water... so on we'll go...all resources appreciated.

Looking at firestart and some other things as well... took the wealthy affiliate course in affiliate marketing and now know someone is making money around here..:).. let's see what happens next... no more mafia sign-ups or get 10,000 followers fast for me... gonna be a blogger.. sorta..here's the pay-off... everyday someone says, "I love your background (or comment or article). You helped me see the world differently"

I played rock 'n roll for a living and stood in line for my fair share of use and abuse, but I had these values that were intuitive and now they form the framework for what I freely express... and only one person so far has invited me to do something that is just not physically possible...Thanks!

Dr. Greg Talks Health Care Reform and the Ride to Remember

Dr Greg's Ride to remember is  done. Each of the 3280 miles was ridden in memory of a particular person. On Monday, September 14th, the good doctor began a 3,000+ mile bike ride – one mile for each patient lost in the last 10 years. Dr. Greg commemorated their lives and let their families and the rest of the world know that Wishard patients are not forgotten.  "I've pedaled nearly 3200 miles in order to remember our very special patients, family and friends who will remain with us forever", said the good doctor. The 40 day ride begin in Santa Barbara and ended in Charleston, South Carolina.  You may follow Dr Greg's wonderful work on twitter (@ggramels) or by accessing his blog. Thanks Doc!

The Sweeper

 By Alison

Health Care in France

The French health care system has been dubbed "the best in the world." David Turecamo finds out why the French can afford to get sick.

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August Seas Warmest in at Least 120 Years

The world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest for any August on record, and the warmest on record averaged for any June-August summer season, according to N.O.A.A.’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Worldwide records began in 1880. Shown here is a visualization of the August global temperature anomalies — or in other words, how the average temperature in August differed from the average climate of 1961-1990. Notice that in some areas, such as the western United States, temperatures were much cooler than average. But overall, land and ocean temperatures were several degrees above normal.

Rest in Peace My Friend

A friend died. Needlessly. He had a heart condition. He had turned his life around. Was a decent Man. Employer, husband, dad and friend. Always had the good word. Willing to help out.. If Obama's HealthCare plan were in place, he'd be alive today...No more tears. I cried hard tears.. Time for action. Learn the truth and support the cause. Time to shape the future.

The Obama Plan:

"It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our government."

– President Barack Obama

Organizing for America | BarackObama.com

47 million Americans are without Health Care Insurance and the "system" is controlled by insurance companies whose behavior is driven by greed.. These "companies" control our health care process. There are doctors who care and want to return to being doctors ...not medical insurance clerks...

She's just that cool...sit back and relax - Jazz Cat Patricia Barber-"gotcha" and "use me up"

The Dream Shall Never Die-Compassion. Not Politics.

"that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American...will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not just a privilege."

Edward Kennedy, Senate Stalwart, Dies-He made a Difference. Stood for Truth.

“Edward M. Kennedy – the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply – died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port,” the statement said. “We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever.”

Mr. Kennedy had been in precarious health since he suffered a seizure in May 2008. His doctors determined the cause had been a malignant glioma, a brain tumor that often carries a grim prognosis.

As he underwent cancer treatment, Mr. Kennedy was little seen in Washington, appearing most recently at the White House in April as Mr. Obama signed a national service bill that bears the Kennedy name. Last week Mr. Kennedy urged Massachusetts lawmakers to change state law and let Gov. Deval Patrick appoint a temporary replacement upon his death, to assure that the state’s representation in Congress would not be interrupted by a special election.

While Mr. Kennedy had been physically absent from the capital in recent months, his presence had been deeply felt as Congress weighed the most sweeping revisions to America’s health care system in decades, an effort Mr. Kennedy called “the cause of my life.”

On July 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, which Mr. Kennedy headed, passed health care legislation, although the battle over the proposed overhaul is now consuming Capitol Hill..

Mr. Kennedy was the last surviving brother of a generation of Kennedys that dominated American politics in the 1960s and that came to embody glamour, political idealism and untimely death. The Kennedy mystique — some call it the Kennedy myth — has held the imagination of the world for decades and came to rest on the sometimes too-narrow shoulders of the brother known as Teddy.

Mr. Kennedy, who served 46 years as the most well-known Democrat in the Senate, longer than all but two other senators, was the only one of those brothers to die after reaching old age. President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were felled by assassins’ bullets in their 40s. The eldest brother, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., died in 1944 at the age of 29 while on a risky World War II bombing mission.

Mr. Kennedy spent much of last year in treatment and recuperation, broken by occasional public appearances and a dramatic return to the Capitol last summer to cast a decisive vote on a Medicare bill.

He electrified the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August with an unscheduled appearance and a speech that had delegates on their feet. Many were in tears.

His gait was halting, but his voice was strong. “My fellow Democrats, my fellow Americans, it is so wonderful to be here, and nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight,” Mr. Kennedy said. “I have come here tonight to stand with you to change America, to restore its future, to rise to our best ideals and to elect Barack Obama president of the United States.”

Senator Kennedy was at or near the center of much of American history in the latter part of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st. For much of his adult life, he veered from victory to catastrophe, winning every Senate election he entered but failing in his only try for the presidency; living through the sudden deaths of his brothers and three of his nephews; being responsible for the drowning death on Chappaquiddick Island of a young woman, Mary Jo Kopechne, a former aide to his brother Robert. One of the nephews, John F. Kennedy Jr., who the family hoped would one day seek political office and keep the Kennedy tradition alive, died in a plane crash in 1999 at age 38.

Mr. Kennedy himself was almost killed, in 1964, in a plane crash, which left him with permanent back and neck problems.

He was a Rabelaisian figure in the Senate and in life, instantly recognizable by his shock of white hair, his florid, oversize face, his booming Boston brogue, his powerful but pained stride. He was a celebrity, sometimes a self-parody, a hearty friend, an implacable foe, a man of large faith and large flaws, a melancholy character who persevered, drank deeply and sang loudly. He was a Kennedy.

-The New York Times

Great Music!

My Home Town...NYC Time Lapse HD and Music by Moby

New York city portrait, HD time lapse, April 2006, music by Moby from Max Moos on Vimeo.

Take Good Care of our Mother

Global warming has quickly become one of the most heated issues in America (~)). Rising temperatures and melting icebergs are indisputable evidence that the Earth is warming, but is this global heat wave a man-made crisis or just overblown hype?

Greenhouse gases emitted by humans for the past 150 years will continue to warm the planet for generations even if we stop fossil-fuel combustion today. Unfortunately, anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emission rates are still rising. Worldwide, emissions rose 70 percent between 1970 and 2005. Emissions will rise by a projected 25 to 90 percent by 2030. China in particular continues to build new coal-fired power plants on a weekly basis.

The planet has warmed about .74 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years, according to the IPCC. Eleven of the 12 years between 1995 and 2006 were the warmest since global temperature records were first kept in 1850. As a result, polar ice caps are collapsing at alarming rates. Since 1978, the Arctic ice has shrunk 2.7 percent per decade, according to the IPCC. A separate study that recently surveyed 30 glaciers from around the world observed them melting at record rates; an average rate of loss was 4.9 feet in 2006. That’s compared to an average loss of about a foot a year between 1980 and 1999.

There are four things in addition to natural-system restoration that will save the planet: urbanization, nuclear power, biotechnology, and geoengineering. It is time to reexamine many of the central ideas of the Green Movement, and that urban living uses resources more efficiently, that old-style farming is not sustainable given present climatic conditions, and that nuclear power has proven its effectiveness and safety in other countries.

CumulusMedical Introduction Video

Serious About Marketing and Affiliate Programs?

Wealthy Affiliate is the fastest growing Internet marketing community online and it's goal is to be the best resource available to aspiring, intermediate, and expert Internet marketers.

WA was created in September 2005 as a site dedicated for creating keyword lists. This quickly evolved into a much more comprehensive website offering Internet Marketing resources, tools, a forum, and full one-on-one support.

The traditional psyche of many great Internet marketers was to hide their secrets. WA promotes information sharing as they believe that there is opportunity for everyone online. There really are no secrets.

A little time on Twitter and you sure see the power of the "get rich quick scams". This program is geared toward realistic expectations and is certainly worth investigating..

Our Health Care System Is Broken

Our health care system is broken, and American families and businesses urgently need a solution.

-Forty-Seven million Americans are Uninsured.
-Premiums are growing four times faster than wages. My wife and I pay $500 a month for very little coverage. We are fortunate..
-Half of all personal bankruptcies stem from medical expenses.

President Obama has challenged Congress to pass real health care reform in 2009 that upholds three basic principles:
1-Reduce costs by improving efficiency and investing in preventative care.
2-Guarantee every American the right to choose their plan and doctor-including a public insurance option.
3-Ensure quality, affordable care for every American.

Congress must pass real health care reform in 2009.

Drug companies, Insurance Companies and other middlemen have made it impossible for a good Doctor to care properly for his or her patients. My father was one of them who just became so disgusted at our "system" that he stopped seeing patients years ago. He was a good doctor, who cared about patients first and profits second. He made House Calls. The current system is built around a "Deny, Deny and Hope they die" system.
It is truly time for a change.

Sincerely,
Paul Goss
Chairman and CEO
CumulusMedical.com

Twitter-click to follow me

Off we go to this place that I thought was a waste of time.. it can be. Less than two weeks ago I had 3 (maybe 5 people) I followed and I had weighed in on election day about the choice I'd made live in the stream (very cool) and really never gave Twitter much thought. Our site (cumulusmedical.com) was up and  there was no great migration (ya know?) and I started to wonder, "what do ya do?". Nice site Geoff built. Took Months.. it's nice... we had hired a marketing consulting firm (check's in the mail) who told us that we should get going and build a following on Twitter and Facebook...the prospect of generating much activity on FB was slim..but on Twitter?...that might be another story.. first came the get rich quick scams... bought one... learned to use SocialOomph and Bit.ly. Opened a Clickbank account and became a spammer... got quickly embarrassed by a lovely follower who wrote this: "send me one 'increase your followers by 10,000 tomorrow' message in any form and you're blocked"... I love that girl today I do. the culture corrects itself it seems if you pay attention. It is a friendly ,supportive place. I quickly followed 2000 (by hand)  power users to see what they were doing.. some returned the follow (I found them at: Twitter.grader.com and wefollow). I loaded twitterberry onto the Bold and have Uber and Tiny Twitter on the Blackberry as well... have facebook for BB there but it's a more limited environment so far... friends you know....so I went from 0 to 1200+ followers in a week and a half as a nobody and using SocialOomph to post about the things that meant (still do actually) something to me...I'm in the stream.  Ultimately I settled on using Tweetadder to control my searching for following and add those who share our commitment to a mindful existence. Those who care about Health Care reform. the Oceans. Wildlife. Vegetarianism. Meditation. Peace. Love.  Yoga. Our Children. Truth and Justice... I hope you'll join me.. it's a good place to be...@pgoss.

Our Friends at Omoasis-Karma Yoga in Monterey

This is Sarah and Brenton. they were Yates and Sanders.. now Sanders. Sarah is a Yoga Babe (right?) and her column starts today on Cumulusmedical.com. She has a beautiful new studio in Monterey, CA. OmOasis. They have a sweet site.

WE went live last night! cumulusmedical.com is up!

So we are up.. and running... empower the patient is what we are all about.. come join the discussion!

CumulusMedical.com

..Noble beginnings. We wanted to be a resource. A premier resource for our neighbors. For our brothers and sisters in the wired community. Mostly mental health and spiritual problems from the treehouse porch but that's an opportunity for the songwriters. For the smart guys to figure out.

How could we be relevant in a space where there are ... umm..how many eHealth sites? I mean really... what's the problem? Can we make a business out of the noble proposition.

Early on it was apparent that it was hard to get important information to the doctor about us. The Patient. Suppose you had an emergency... Doctors flying blind. Electronic information was the answer and we had a vision... do a retinal scan and all your pertinent/vital info was there on a handheld for the people that would save your life perhaps... BUT. There are disclosure issues. Manipulation of data repository issues and on and on...Laws and Regs and Security. This all seems like another Insurance Company Conspiracy (in CAPS). We will figure out how to make the vision work...someday.

So we talked with patients and Doctors... Real Patients with potentially serious conditions. We continue to talk with them. We continue to monitor them on the net. Like the guy who was told that he had 3 months to live. "Go home and get your affairs in order". That was over 10 years ago. Or the young Lady who was told, "get prepared to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair".

Lots of research... Months of it and we are almost ready to go live and here's what we know: a little anxiety in a nervous world is going to be reduced by a site that is geared to the newly diagnosed, the care giver, the traveler and other who are worried that "something is wrong"... there will be a community . A social network. eMR and pHR capabilities and some eHub (buy the stuff you need conveniently here) functionality. All supported by the "need". Not exactly what the initial idead was, but an idea that will help people based on what they look for on the Net and what we have been told would be a "really big help".

BTW, while we were putting this together, I had my own scare. Perhaps in sympathy... who knows. I get it. Up close and very personal.. a little medication and a super doctor. The online community was hard to use. We will solve that.

Welcome to CumulusMedical.com