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Combating Poverty, The Challenge of Lack Message

Published on May 14, 2015

Fixing issues with poverty message

I was just listening to the President’s remarks on poverty and felt compelled to put my ideas on paper. I remember the rap group Poor Righteous Teachers (PRT) once penned the words: “[If] you lack, you lose, you lose, you lost the knowledge of yourself. And if you don’t know who you are, you won’t know no-one else.” While PRT was popularizing the thoughts of black nationalism of the 1960’s and the teachings of Elijah Pool as relayed through Clarence Edward Smith, they do have a point relevant for our time. I submit that in our country today there is a whole lot of people who lack, and therefore a whole lot of people who cannot relate to others, let alone understand themselves.

The idea that we should empower our poor by providing for them a system of support is a noble principle. However in practice the system is filled with so much paperwork and bureaucracy that it makes the people it is meant to help feel like second class citizens. If you do not believe me, just try and take your child to get a root canal on Medicaid or enroll her in speech therapy classes. The first thing that you will find is that although you have what sounds like a commercial insurance provider, your doctor segregates you out of the main stream because you have a welfare based health plan. They tell you straight out that if you were privately insured by your provider you would be able to get an appointment next week, but since you have Medicaid you must go on a waiting list, and if you qualify, may be seen some time in the next 90 to 180 days. The second thing you realize is that by the time you get through the paperwork needed to qualify to get your child’s tooth repaired or speech examined you have taken on a second job just jumping through all the hoops it takes to get your kids the help they need. The third thing you notice is that you actually feel a loss of dignity, a loss of financial stability, and a loss of self-worth. You find it hard to understand why you are on Medicaid because for all intents and purposes you make enough money to have real insurance, but your insurance was taken away by the state who wants to lump you into Medicaid, the subset of coverage that is so underfunded that you have to wait months for the most basic of care. And finally, by the time you get into be seen, you notice that your child has lost her tooth, or developed such a speech impediment that the intervention is not likely to help as much as it would have had you been seen without the bureaucratic hurdles.

While the government may be trying to provide a step up for the working poor, the de facto reality is they are sending them spiraling down a hole of self-doubt, loss of dignity, and throwing them into a pit of despair. This despair is the kind that ignites a powder keg in places in the United States like Ferguson and Baltimore. The solution to those types of outbreaks appears to be to ensure a thriving all inclusive middle class or at least that’s what I thought our President was saying when he spoke on the topic. If businesses and government really wanted to build the middle class, and empower the working poor, they would work to ensure that the working poor had a living wage. That means a wage that would allow them to provide for their own health insurance or at least meet the premium payments of the affordable care act. A wage that allows them to buy food while also paying their rent and putting something away for a rainy day. A living wage, one based on a reasonable working day and not dependent on overtime the rent and light bills. Business and government should realize that the best way to give a person hope is to show them that they can provide for themselves, with a little hard work, strong faith in their creator, and a good dose of self-worth. The kind of self-worth that comes from being able to navigate through life without relying on a 30 page set of forms to fill out and a 60 to 90 day waiting period.

The true cost of allowing employers to pay so little to their employees is borne not on the rich, but on the working poor and the government. A government that has to ration out services through a crippling bureaucratic process that may subsidize low wages for workers, but keeps them from getting the real hand up out of poverty and a true sense of self-worth. It’s not socialistic to think that each person should have a fair shot at self-determination, and a real chance to manifest their own destiny. But this cannot happen where a minority controls almost all of the wealth that has been accumulated on the backs of the working class. This cannot happen where the government is forced to bear the weight of subsidizing a low cost work force. A fair wage is not communism; it is capitalism at its best. A fair days pay for a fair days work. What we have going on now is the antithesis of capitalism, if not a new form of slavery, that is fueled on the backs and with the broken dreams of the working poor in America.

Author: Tark Aouadi

Mayweather vs Pacquiao The Rematch

Published on May 5, 2015

Mayweather Pacquiao Rematch Fight

It was a record amount of money and that was about it. All hype. The fight itself was played out as expected. Floyd Mayweather went around in circles and played defense mostly. He landed more punches and had a higher percent of them landed. The boxing match ended up going the distance 12 rounds with Mayweather winning by unanimous decision. Mayweather got his guaranteed $100 million after the fight and Pacquiao left with ONLY $80 million. I knew exactly how this fight was going to go down. It was classic Mayweather. The same thing he has been doing for years. Of course a little piece of you wants the little guy to win but in reality the fight was over before it started and Pacquiao was another victim.

Of course it’s setup for a rematch and there have already been talks about it in the media. Pacquiao is claiming a shoulder injury before the fight. Mayweather mentioned that he would be open to a rematch. It would be dramatically less revenue but still a pretty good payday for both parties. Will the rematch actually happen… nobody knows for sure at this point. It took nearly 6 years for this fight to happen! Mayweather is one fight away from being 50-0 so ending a career at an even 50 wins is something to consider.

One thing is true over the history of sports there has been some great sporting agents/managers who represents these athletes. Many of which we probably haven’t ever heard of. People like Bob Arum (Pacquiao promoter), Todd DuBoef (Top Rank promoter), or even Perry Rogers who represented Shaq and movies. Even after retirement, Shaq continues to make a lot of money being a celebrity and product sponsor. Perry Rogers represents a lot of the sport figures actually. Another for boxing is Oscar De La Hoya from Golden Boy Promotions. In recent news Todd DuBoef of Top Rank, co-promoter of the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight, said he will be going after the 10,000 or so viewers of the PPV fight who may have viewed it illegally online. I guess the tens/hundreds of millions of dollars isn’t enough for him.

I predict a rematch coming very soon. Personally, I think I will stay home and watch it this time. Both fighters are well past their primes. They both are nearly 40 and that is pretty old in the boxing World.

Bruce Jenner TV Appearance

Published on May 5, 2015

Bruce Jenner Women Photo

I’m sure you know by now that Bruce Jenner is transitioning into a women. It’s been on the news for months now and finally Diane Sawyer sat down with him for the exclusive interview. The interview was watched by over 16.9 million viewers. 20/20 has been promoting the interview for a longtime now and finally it went live. Bruce Jenner is 65 years old now. Well known for his Olympics past. During that time, many said he was the American Male and a true Olympic hero – he was. Deep down, however, he was fighting a battle of who he was. He mentioned he used to dress up in his sisters clothes growing up went no one was around. Dr. Robi Ludwig (author of Killer Lovers) has an article on the Huffington Post which discusses the coming out process and being transgender if you’d like to read more. Ludwig does a Q & A session with her transgender friend Ryan Sallans. He is a very popular author and American LGBT advocate.

Having watched the interview with Bruce, I can only imagine how hard that process must be. It’s even more complicated being a celebrity with a family and children of your own. How you go for so long (65 years) without telling anyone is beyond me. I assume it was time considering all his children are full grown and the marriage was over. There was some suspicious about the appearance because Bruce is leaving the Kardashian’s TV show to start his own. He seemed very genuine and didn’t promote it, however. I also think it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to promote your show while talking about such a personal topic for the transgender community.

No one knows just how this is going to end up. I assume Bruce will slowly start making the transition on the outside more visible as the months go by.

Seattle-Based Loloz: A Lollipop Dentists Can Get Behind

Published on May 4, 2015

Loloz Healthy Teeth Lemon Product Healthy teeth and lollipops aren’t something you tend to associate with one another. And yet, a new product might be the natural alternative to costly cavities and gum disease.

Loloz, made by HealthyGrid, is a new line of sugar-free, cavity-fighting lozenges and lollipops. Definitely not candy, the magic comes from the extract from a specific kind of licorice root that has been shown to improve dental health.

Natural Dental Health Isn’t a Trend
In a city where we spend as much time outdoors as possible, and where a large portion of Seattleites prefer natural health remedies over traditional Western approaches, Loloz is right at home. In fact, it fits in nicely with the dentists using holistic practices, low-radiation imaging, and no-mercury fillings.

Half of the Loloz team is based in Seattle, while the other half is in Portland. It’s no accident that both are located in cities where people value proactive health practices.

While Loloz is available on the ubiquitous Amazon, the company plans to roll out its products in local retail outlets, health food stores, and other health-conscious retail locations in Seattle.

Flavors the Kiddies (and Kids at Heart) Will Eat Up
Loloz comes in three flavors: orange, lemon, and berry, and is sweetened by stevia and isomalt (a natural sugar substitute that minimally affects blood sugar levels and is tooth friendly).

Other similar products use Xylitol for sweetening, but the Loloz team wanted something more natural. After seven years of intense research by a team of microbiologists at the UCLA School of Dentistry, they came up with Cavibloc, an exclusively formulated, patent-pending extract from licorice root that helps to inhibit Streptococcus mutans, sobrinus, and Lactobacillus, the three types of bacteria that lead to tooth and gum problems. The extract targets and kills 99.9% of the harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay. That means a drastic reduction in the risk for cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.

Loloz is making serious inroads already toward preventing tooth decay, the silent disease. The National Institute of Health found that more than half of children under the age of 15 are affected by tooth decay. And 92% of adults aged 20 to 64 have instances of tooth decay. So it’s an issue that affects a large percent of the population, and yet the standard way of dealing with it has been treatment after the fact, not prevention.

Loloz has been shown to reverse the decaying process, eliminating the need for costly (and painful) fillings. Dentists have been recommending Loloz to patients for years with great results. In fact, Dr. Wenyuan Shi, Chair of the Section of Oral Biology at UCLA’s School of Dentistry, stated on Good Morning America that Loloz was “the secret to beating tooth decay.”

Users suck on two Loloz pops a day for 10 consecutive days (not biting) in the morning and evening, allowing each lollipop to dissolve for about five minutes to allow sustained exposure to all teeth and gum areas. Using just two to four times a year has shown to provide maximum protection for about three to six months.. Loloz is intended to complement normal brushing and flossing habits and twice-yearly dental cleanings. A box of 20 lollipops or lozenges sells for $29.99.

Andrew Clapp is Director of Product Management at HealthyGrid, makers of Loloz and a startup that leverages emerging technologies to reach those in need of dental care.

Can Romulans ever live together with Vulcans? – The case for a one state solution

Published on May 1, 2015

Since time immemorial there have been two races of beings living almost identical lives yet they have been kept apart by their ideological differences. It’s hard to say who among them was the first as in all honesty they both have existed on the same parcel of land, at times in peace, and at times in conflict since long before recorded time began. They share the same great grandfather, inspired by the creator himself, to look beyond the confines of the sun and the moon and see the true driving force behind life. They share the same culture and food, the same music, and the same undying belief in the Oneness of Creation.

They share a common language, although each has adapted their own dialect. Their dialects are based on the same root words and the same basic meanings. Their common moral, ethical, and social code is ingrained in cultures fair beyond their reach, indeed their ancestry provided the basis for many kingdoms among the heavens.

Hospitality, Loyalty, Honor, and Trust form the basis of their common code of ethics. At times it is hard to tell them apart because they share so many things in common. They look the same. Both races share the same hot blood, pulsing through their veins; although, one race has learned to cool their raw emotions and tempered them with logic and reason. Push either race, and you will quickly see their natural preconditioned being shine through, both the good and the bad of it. Each has a raw temper buried deep in their hot blood. Both use the teaching of their common father to mask an almost animal like instinct for conflict, money lust, and the desire for carnal pleasures. But do not be deceived, they are not flawed, because all life forms deal with the same basic vices. In essence they are perfect cousins trapped behind walls of division.

Since they both share a common ancestry it is moronic to believe that one should leave their homeland and allow the other to stay. It is impossible to envision a scenario where one race leaves to colonize another world because either race would necessarily leave behind all that makes them who they are. They would lose their base, their common culture, their common familial history. When Vulcans were exiled from their homes and their world was blown to pieces they did not loose their divine birth right. At the same time, while Romulans toiled the land and inhabited places far from that of their common father, they did not forfeit their biological claim to the Promised Land- some may argue that they never truly left the common home at all. Both hold valid dueling claims to a history and a place that neither can deny. So why can’t they share their rich history, their rich culture, and be proud of their common ancestry. Why can’t they live side by side seamlessly basking in the light of the creator. Is it possible that the reasoning of “good neighbors need strong fences” is illogical? Could a race of life forms that are prone to war and blood feuds, brought on under the banner of the raptor, be able to abandon the old ways for the chance at a better life?

After all with so much in common why not celebrate the common core in both races of life forms. Why not come to a compact whereby Vulcans give up their absolute claim to the family land, and the Romulans give up their anger over suffering another kind of Diaspora, so that the son’s of their common father can live together as one. It sounds so easy when we are talking about an imaginary world born of Gene Rodenberry’s mind. I think it may be as simple as the realizing that- “koolana shab wahad”,” todos somos un solo pueblo” or to put it in other terms – “kulna chab ekhad”, “we are all one people.”

It’s funny how Hollywood and Sci-Fi can mimic the news and real life.

Author: Tark Aouadi
“The piece above that I wrote which some have said speaks to the Arab Israeli Conflict, some have said speaks to our own countries immigration problems, or our fragile relations with Cuba or the need to include Puerto Rico as an official state of the USA. I guess it means different things to different groups of people.”

Events coming to Seattle, Washington:

July 31 – Aug. 2, 2015, Galacon, Seattle Center
March 18 – 20th 2016, Supernatural Official Convention, Hyatt Regency – Bellevue
April 7 – 10th, 2016, Emerald City Comicon, Washington State Convention Center

The Importance of the Bair Hugger in the Operating

Published on April 6, 2015

Staying Warm During Surgery With Bair Hugger

The Bair Hugger forced air warming system is an amazing product and a remarkable invention. Most people who have had surgery have heard of the product before but have no idea what the history is behind this amazing invention nor do they understand the importance behind the device. People just know that the Bair Hugger is the key to a successful surgery and shortens the recovery time post surgery. This hospital and operating room staple has been a trusted asset and has warmed over 130 million patients worldwide. So what is the story behind on of the most dependable medical inventions? How did it become so essential in the surgical room and why do doctors and hospitals trust it unquestionably? It is important to understand how an operating room works in understand the importance of the Bair Hugger.

Get the facts: http://www.fawfacts.com

Before 1987, there was a myriad of issues that faced people in the operating room before the invention of the Bair Hugger. The main issue that a majority of surgical patients faced was getting hypothermia in the operating room. Hypothermia is when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. It can occur anytime after the body temperature passes below 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 35 degrees Celsius. It is defined as a medical emergency and when your body temperature drops your heart, nervous system and other organs are unable to function properly. Hypothermia conjures up visions of the outdoors, freezing water and snow. Even though an operating room is not considered a cold, harsh environment, it can be for some patients. Operating rooms are kept below 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit so below the normal body temperature. The cold operating room is the single biggest reason why there is a risk of hypothermia in the operating room. The cold room isn’t the only reason why patients can suffer from hypothermia.

The operating room must be kept at a lower temperature to help keep the operating personnel comfortable. If the operating room is too warm then the personnel can become uncomfortable. They have to wear multiple layers of clothing that can include sterile gowns and lead aprons. All these layers of clothing combined with a high-level of stress can cause the surgeons to sweat. Sweat doesn’t seem like a big deal but if the OR personnel are not careful, they could potentially sweat into the patient’s open surgical incision which could cause an infection. Also, the room must be kept cold to help prevent humidity from building up in the room. The condensation can also cause serious risks to the patient. The moisture can build up to the point where it almost “rains” and it can contaminate the sterile operating environment. As the moisture moves along the surface of the operating room it can pick up bacteria. This condensation can also potentially fall into the open surgical incision causing a serious infection. Keeping the operating room a lower temperature also helps slow the growth of bacteria viruses and other organisms.

Patients can get hypothermia for other reasons besides a cold operating room. The longer a person must undergo a surgery, the more likely they are to get hypothermia. Patients are not clothed during surgery so the longer the surgery; the longer their body will be exposed to the cold in the operating room. The drugs that are used for the surgery also can cause issues with the body’s thermoregulatory control system. The IV fluid is usually cold and can decrease the body temperature. Anyone that has had an IV drip can testify to the fact that the fluid is cold going in the body. Certain anesthetic drugs can also cause the body temperature to drop. A majority of patients become hypothermic during the first hour of surgery. Some patients are able to return to a normal temperature post surgery. However, some patients are unable to regulate their body temperature without assistance from a warming device. These issue force the need for air warming system.

Hypothermia does not affect every single patient undergoing surgery. There are certain patients who are more susceptible to hypothermia than others. Elderly patients are more susceptible to hypothermia. As we age, our bodies are not able to regulate temperature very well and our ability to sense cold lessens with age. People suffering from hypothyroidism, stroke, severe arthritis, Parkinson’s and neuropathies are all more likely to become hypothermic during surgery. These two different groups of people are typically more dehydrated and malnourished than the general population which factors into their susceptibility to hypothermia. Certain medications like antipsychotics and sedatives can also impair the body’s ability to return to a normal temperature.

There are several complications and even the possible risk of death when the body reaches hypothermic levels. Intraoperative core hypothermia can cause coagulopathy, surgical wound infection, and possibly myocardial complications, which are all very serious problems. Patients are three times more likely to suffer from cardiac complications and surgical site infections. Surgical site infections are caused when the bacteria enters the wound and causes an infection. There is also a higher risk of developing pressure ulcers. Hypothermia causes the blood vessels to constrict and cause decreased blood flow to tissues and can create favorable conditions for bacteria to grow.

The solution to this common problem is the Bair Hugger. It’s a complicated process how it works. This forced air warming system helps to maintain the body’s temperature during surgery. A plastic, disposable blanket is placed over the patient’s body and warm air is circulated through the blanket. The warm air circulating in the blanket helps to keep the patient warm. The first hour of surgery is very critical and the Bair Hugger is the best way to help prevent hypothermia during that precarious time. For over 25 years, the Bair Hugger has warmed over 50,000 patients a day in over 80 percent of the hospitals nationwide. There have been over 170 studies conducted on the safety of the Bair Hugger and each study has confirmed what hospitals and doctors already agree on, the Bair Hugger is a very crucial asset in the operating room.

Helpdesks Need Integration and Automation

Published on April 1, 2015

Seattle Helpdesk Help Photo

For many businesses, the IT helpdesk is a relic of the past, sitting alone as a detached afterthought. A reactive facility, the helpdesk implies negative connotations although its function is essential to the running of a business’ IT. However, integrating a helpdesk with an entire IT network infrastructure and automating its functionality can reduce costs and increase shared knowledge. Having been involved with so many Seattle startups, I know is area very well and it’s often neglected.

Unfortunately, helpdesks are often regarded as a fire-fighting tool. More often than not they are bolted-on as a late addition designed to cope with the rising number of user queries. It is rare for an integrated helpdesk solution to be implemented from the outset, so there are tools should be available to assist with integration issues. Helpdesks should not be viewed as a point solution; but rather part of asset and systems management procedures.

Helpdesk service can be improved dramatically by integration with a centralized asset management database. IT helpdesk calls are usually directly related to hardware or software, therefore the knowledge of assets can be leveraged to improve problem resolution. Using a centralized database, helpdesk queries can be matched up directly to assets. Problem users and assets can be identified and the total cost of ownership (TCO) per asset can be calculated. Assets with a high problem incidence rate should be pinpointed and targeted to discover reasons for high TCO.

Asset management and helpdesk integration can enable automation of helpdesks. Day-to-day management tasks and repetitive functions should be automated, turning fire-fighting helpdesks into hands-off self-help solutions to problems. Integrating these processes would make it possible for users’ helpdesk tickets to have contextual keyword filters applied to trigger an automatic response.

For example, if an end-user needed a software application but did not have it installed on their PC, they would make a request to the helpdesk for it to be installed. A contextual keyword filter would automatically identify the request and, using the centralized database, could check the PC’s software inventory, licensing status and configuration. If suitable, an automated helpdesk could trigger the asset management system to automatically distribute the correct executable software package to the PC. The helpdesk staff need not get involved and the process would be instant and one of self-help – saving time and money.

My top three top tips for future helpdesk success are: integrate helpdesk function with asset and systems management tools to identify TCO; turn a helpdesk problem into a self-help solution through automation; stop firefighting and use a structured solution. With thorough back-end integration and given a regular structure to work in, helpdesks can evolve from being a reaction to problems, to an automated central knowledge base to assist with business process intelligence.

If you’re a startup is in the City of Seattle, I highly recommend looking into making sure you helpdesk procedures are in place to help your business really succeed.

Hillary’s Emails vs. Troy Kelley, State Auditor

Published on March 24, 2015

Hillary Clinton Hiding Her Emails From Public

This article is not about democrats or republicans. It’s about who has to obey laws and who doesn’t. No country can operate where the laws are not enforced evenly.

For example: If you did not declare some deal on your income tax (or if the IRS dreamed it up) they can swoop in with a warrant and seize everything you have. they can ruin you completely before you have a chance to prove you are completely innocent. They can take your files, phones, computers etc. This includes your personal Emails. Your Emails like Hillary’s might have your daughters wedding, yoga lessons or plain old juicy gossip but the IRS gets it all to sort through to look for your missing income. You can wind up in jail if you resist. All Hillary has to do is say she maybe should have done things different. She gets to choose what to turn over and with all her past lies I don’t think even her friends believe much of what she says. She put the entire country at danger. She conducted top secret business on her homebrew computer. She has to have had Emails about Benghazi and Syria on there but there are months of missing Emails. For any ordinary person they would be sitting in jail refreshing their memory of where the heck the lost Emails are. The Justice Department should have swooped in immediately and seized everything, but who heads the Justice Department? Another liar and crook who has a contempt charge against him. He could rush to Ferguson and help instigate all the turmoil with his pip squeak buddy Sharpton. Starting the lie about “hands up don’t shoot” They incited the riots but they just don’t talk about that part. Hillary can’t be turned loose free as a bird after what she did. For her to stand with a straight face and say her computer was safe because she had secret service outside her home at all times. That might stop someone from going in TAKING YOUR COMPUTER, but it sure would not stop a foreign country from hacking into it. It doesn’t sound like these days the Secret Service protecting even the president are responsible. They sure like to drink and find prostitutes to have fun with, or drive thru barricades at the white house that could have set off a bomb while drunk as skunks.

Congress has to protect us from the Justice Department and even our own President. He is selling us down the river.

Our State Auditor, Troy Kelley had his home searched, Justice Department swooped in and took lots of his stuff while he is out of state someplace on vacation. I have no idea what he did wrong or if he did wrong, but FOR SURE whatever the problem it was not anything like Hillary has done. No one has issued a warrant to search HER home. They say they can’t for some reason. She used her personal homebrew computer to conduct the highest of the highest business. What could Troy Kelley or even his employee have done that would endanger our whole country? They may have squandered a lot of taxpayer money. I don’t know a thing about Troy Kelley, but the Justice Department was sure interested in what he did or did not do. Has he taken a lot of bribes from Foreign countries like Hillary has? I am using him as a comparison as how laws can be used again State Officials who are no threat to our country, but can’t be used against Hillary.

The above is what my article is really about, but will add a little information that proves it is a hard to believe anything Hillary says. The State Department is a supposed to be a non partisan office. She was the fourth in line of importance in protecting our country. Now she just wants to forget about what she did or didn’t do and concentrate on running for president. This opens up another can of worms. Her whole agenda is going to be on Woman’s Rights. Of all the woman I have ever heard of her view on Woman’s Rights are right in the toilet. Look at how she has let her own husband completely disrespect her and their daughter. Put them to the worst possible shame while she stood right by him and blamed “the Right Wing Conspiracy”. Poor Slick Willy used the defense that he didn’t know what the word SEX or IS meant. Now it has came to light that the Clinton Foundation has taken in tens of millions in donations from countries like Saudi Araibi, United Arab Emiratis and others that are oppressive to woman. Girls are forced to marry at 9, woman have zero rights, can’t drive, or walk anyplace alone or get an education. They got donations from those countries while she was Secretary of State. Where are the Emails about those transactions? When you are fourth from the top dog in the country taking tens of millions from foreign countries have to be explained. Those countries bought silence of some kind. They did not donate to HELP WOMAN’S RIGHTS. Then of all things the web of lies entrapped Slick Willy. When he could take time to get away from raking in funds for his Foundation he took several trips with a convicted pedophile to an exclusive island where they had young sex slaves. The logs shows this happened, no one can dispute it. I think this guy has donated to his foundation, not completely sure. Why did he take trips there? Hillary doesn’t care it seems so the lies they have told are catching up. For instance, Hillary said they set up the homebrew computer for her and her husband. Well Slick Willie made a lie out of that. He says he sent two Emails in his life and neither were to Hilly. (lol) Maybe they were to Monica or the pedophile making arrangements for a trip to a sex island to rest up from his fundraising. (lol) Now the web stretched out a bit further and poor Hillary was not supposed to EVER TELL WHO THE DONERS WERE. Hope she has to give it all back because she breached that promise but that should not clear her anymore. What if I robbed a bank and was caught on the sidewalk with my loot, and just took it back in and said, gee sorry about that?

This is just to get you to thinking about how the little guy can be ruined but if you are a top dog working for “We The People” you can lie, cheat, steal and/or endanger out whole country, and not a thing can be done.

Lilly

Time For Fun It’s St Paddy’s Day!

Published on March 17, 2015

St Paddy's Day 2015 Fun Times Photo

It’s that time of year to be Irish. If you’re not Irish just fake it like everyone else! It’s a day to have fun and meet new people. St Paddy’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. I actually rank it number 3 on my list of favorites because everyone is just so friendly. Certain days just make people come out of their shells and be more social and it’s one of those days. The most friendliest day in my opinion is actually New Years but Paddy’s Day is up there for sure. Downtown Seattle is busy this morning. The local bars are open early and people are dressed up in there green. If you listen closely, you can hear their fake accents as they choke down a early morning Guinness beer. I’m sure for lunch time the cabbage will be a popular item.

It is true though how people change for the holidays. You can feel it in the air and even in the way people talk to you on the street. It’s hard to explain but people’s moods really do change. I would consider myself social all year, however, if you’re single or shy then this is a great night to go out and meet a new friend. People are open and approachable. There are only a few days a year where everyone’s guards are down and this is one of them. Individuals are in a giving mood as well. They are kind and ready to solute and tap beers with you. I believe meeting new friendly people, generosity, and kindness are one of the best qualities in people. The truth is kindness is one of those things that can heal the soul. It can lift your spirit even if it’s only for one day.

It’s saddens me to only see this spirit only a few times a year. Our society mostly turns away from meeting new people. When was the last time you talked to someone in line or they tried to talk to you? Probably not recently. When was the last time you met someone new who was just an honest friend. We tend to grow up with our closest friends and when they are gone – that’s it. I’m unsure why are culture has moved in this direction. Perhaps what we’ve seen on TV or the whole don’t talk to strangers growing up talk. I’ve talked to many expats and frequent travels who passionately agree. Other countries simply are more friendly. Dr. Robi Ludwig said it best in her Huffington Post article about Acts of Kindness. I’m a big fan of her work. Dr. Robi’s views about Psychology and human nature is right on. With that being said, all these barriers and judgment that others may have are gone on St Paddy’s Day and that’s why I love it. It’s even lower on New Years Eve.

History of St. Paddy’s Day:
Also known as Saint Patrick’s Day – it started in the 17 century as a Christian feast day. Named after Saint Patrick who was a patron saint of Ireland. Is a day to have fun and celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland as well as the Irish in general. It has been an official holiday in Ireland since 1903. Since the 1960’s the color green has been connected to Ireland. In American, it’s not an official holiday as you know but widely celebrated. The official St Patrick’s Festival runs 5 days in Ireland. Previously, it was 3 days but later modified to include another day of fun. Then again in 2009, it was moved up to 5 days and had close to 1 million visitors for event. The first Festival was in 1996 (March 17th of course).

Fun Photos:
Obama Irish Photo Funny

St Paddy's Day Dog Funny Photo

Yogo for St Paddy's Day Funny Photo

St Patrick's Funny Saying Photo

Naveen Jain Biography

Published on March 3, 2015

Naveen Jain Photo

Born as Naveen K. Jain on Sept. 6th 1959. As a child he grew up in or around the villages of Uttar Pradest, Roorkee, as well as the New Delhi, India. Education was very important to him and in 1979 he graduated with an engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee. He later moved again (Jamshedpur) and received an MBA from XLRI School of Business and Human Resources in 1982. Married to his wife Anu Jain who is the Vice President of community relations at inome. As a young man he always knew the importance of a good education and how it would be the foundation of his career.

Jain is a very successful Businessman, executive, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Growing up Jain always had the passion of business and helping others. While growing up and surrounded by poverty, he knew that he had to make a change that will be impacting. Later in life he realized it was his calling and motivation to be so passionate and successful. Mr. Jain is known mostly as being the Founder/CEO of InfoSpace. He is also known as the Founder/CEO of inome & Moon Express. When Infospace was at its height (the dot com boom) he was worth over 1 billion dollars. The stock did go down, however, he did taste and hit that mark at one-time in his career. Being a leader in the tech industry and a highly sought speaker he was also featured on Forbes “Richest Americans” in the year 2000. We were unable to find any Seattle Washington speaking arrangements scheduled.

In 1983, he got accepted into a business exchange program. It required him to leave India, however, it was a important turning point in his career. He knew it was a great opportunity. This turning point highlighted Naveen Jain’s professional career. He worked at several companies including Convergent Technologies and Tandon Computer Corporation (Computer Manufacturer). About 6 years later in 1989, he joined Microsoft as a Program Manager. Living in Seattle, we all know Microsoft is one of the biggest companies in the World and leader in the computer software space. He was assigned to the Redmond, Washington office. Mr. Jain’s software background really helped him at Microsoft and it formed the foundation he needed to start his own company several years later name InfoSpace (1996). While at Microsoft, however, he worked with OS/2, then moved on to Windows NT, and the popular Windows 95. His position at Microsoft was later moved to the Microsoft Network.

As I mentioned in March 1996, Jain founded the highly success InfoSpace. Until the year 2000 he served as the CEO. If you’re not sure what InfoSpace is – it’s a company that provides private label and search data for businesses as well as companies. During the height of the well known Internet boom he was considered ranked as being one of the richest Americans. In fact, Forbes ranked him 121. Later at Infospace Jain was pushed out by the board members as CEO/Chairman in 2002. In 2003, he stepped down from the InfoSpace board completely. The same year he started a new company named Intelius which is located in Bellevue, Washington.

His philanthropy work is quite large and highly publicizes in the media. His focus is about improving the lives of as many people as possible. It doesn’t matter if it’s business or helping others. The impact of someone’s effort should try to reach as many souls as you can. It should be strategic and that is how Mr. Jain likes to approach his philanthropic work. He mentions that there are four key elements. These include overcoming the infrastructure, build scale, making it self-sustaining, and to live an entrepreneurial life. Through his leadership at inome, he gives back to medical care, family development, and education. His company, inome, was ranked by the Puget Sound Business Journal as one of the top 15 philanthropic companies in the USA.

World Innovation Institute:
He is the founder of the World Innovation Institute which believes that “entrepreneurship and creativity can solve the world’s most pressing and complex challenges” according to their website (thewii.org). The groups focus is about improving the lives of through philanthropy, education, and positive youth development. It’s a effort he and his family strongly support. Today, we wants to put his efforts into making the World a better place. He wants to make sure we leave our children in a position that is better than it previously was.

Moon Express:
Is a group supported and funded by silicon valley and space exploration entrepreneurs. Their ultimate goal is to mine the moon to see if any resources are available. They want to find elements that are rare on Earth. In the short term they would like to win the Google Lunar X Prize. The venture is headquartered in California and includes a robotic transportation element as well. They already have been connected with NASA for various efforts of data purchase. In 2015, they are going to be doing a test flight to the moon and by 2018 place two Lunar telescopes near the Malapert crater. The crater is about 3 miles high. In recent news, they have expressed to send their robotic spacecraft up a little early in 2016. The company believes the moon holds valuable elements such as gold, iron, tungsten plus many other elements which could provide nuclear power without all the waste we currently are using. The Moon Express company has approximately 50 employees and have a goal of staying under 50 million dollars for the moon mission.

Awards and Recognition:

In 1999, he was awarded the Emerging Entrepreneur Award Winner by Ernst & Young.
In April 2011, he was given the Light of India Business Leadership Award by the The Times Group.
In December 2011, during the Red Herring Global 2011 Conference, he was awarded the Lifetime
Achievement Award.

Personal Life:
Mr. Naveen Jain is married with 3 children. They live in Washington State just north of Seattle in Medina. The City of Medina is mostly reserved for the most wealthy including Bill Gates of Microsoft.

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