Become enthusiastic about your family members’ interests. Young children need their parents’ involvement and approval—but remember that involvement shouldn’t mean taking over or becoming their agent and manager.

Schedule mandatory family time together, even at the expense of seemingly pressing obligations. Family members often meet coming and going, making the home like a pit stop at the Indianapolis 500. One meal a day together with the television off is a bare minimum.

So to recap, take an interest and schedule family time—both important in raising healthy, well-adjusted children and developing strong relationships!

You can change your life by changing your habits. Here are some guidepost rules regarding change:

Rule 1: No one can change you and you can’t really change anyone else. You must admit your need, stop denying your problem, and accept responsibility for changing yourself.

Rule 2: Habits aren’t broken, but replaced—by layering new behavior patterns on top of the old ones. This usually takes a least a year or two. Forget the 30-day wonder ones. I don’t know where motivational speakers got the idea that it takes 21 days to gain a new habit. It may take that long to remember the motions of a new skill, but after many years of being you, it takes far longer to settle into a new habit pattern and stay there. Habits are like submarines. They run silent and deep. They also are like comfortable beds, in that they’re easy to get into, but difficult to get out of. So don’t expect immediate, amazing results. Give your skills training a year and stick with it, knowing that your new ways can last a lifetime.

Rule 3: A daily routine adhered to over time will become second nature, like riding a bicycle. Negative behavior leads to a losing lifestyle, positive behavior to a wining lifestyle. Practice makes permanent in both cases.

The most successful business leaders today are like great coaches who manage by inspiration, instead of intimidation. The command-and-control management style is obsolete. In this fast-forward global marketplace, there is no such distinction as superior and subordinate. The key to getting and staying on top is to provide a resilient, positive working environment. This requires that you “check your ego at the door” and that you seek alliances with others who may have different talents or strengths than you do. This is what synergy is all about.

David Ogilvy, founder of giant advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather, used to give each new manager a Russian doll, which contained five progressively smaller dolls inside. A message inside the smallest one read: “If each of us hires people we consider smaller than ourselves, we shall become a company of dwarves. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we will become a company of giants.”

To become a giant in the eyes of others, and to succeed in the 21st century, look up to those beneath you! Consider these action ideas as you lead your team:

• Listen often and openly to what others say, and try to do so without prejudgment.
• Don’t put anyone off or be too busy to listen to and answer questions.
• Use praise frequently and sincerely.
• If you feel that criticism is warranted, do it in private, and make sure you say something encouraging after the reprimand.
• Be firm and be fair. Don’t meet with people in person or on the phone when you are angry. Exercise or take a walk first, then communicate when you are relaxed.
• Don’t be afraid or hesitant to share your concerns with others. Far better to discuss a molehill than to wait until it festers into Mount Everest.
• Don’t make rash promises, and be consistent.
• Whenever you are in a leadership role, focus your supervision on teaching effective habits and skills, not in pointing out mistakes.

Encourage everyone in both your personal and professional life to speak up and express their own ideas, even if you disagree with them.

Every decision forfeits all other opportunities we had before we made it. We can’t be two places at the same time. In their excellent management book Tradeoffs, Drs. Greiff and Munter discuss the difficult options that face us in all areas of our lives. One case in point illustrates a common opportunity cost. It’s a true anecdote they call, “Bicycle vs. Mother”:

John is a precocious eight-year-old boy. Both his parents work. His mother is a management consultant and travels frequently. After being away for several days, she arrived home late one night and hugged her son.

He said, “Mom, I missed you. Why were you away so long?”

She smiled and replied, “One of the reasons I was away was to make enough money to buy you the bicycle you wanted.”

Young John looked at her reflectively and stated, “Mom, I really did want the bicycle. But mothers are more important than bicycles. So please stay home more.”

Even though we all are aware of the tradeoffs of “quality time vs. quantity time” in our relationships, we are not used to thinking specifically about how our decisions cost us other opportunities. Without this understanding, our decisions will often be unfocused and unrelated to helping us achieve our most important goals.

This week be more aware of the “opportunity cost” and use this to help you make great decisions!

I knew the time would come. America’s public schools and ideologically monolithic universities have spawned a generation woefully uninformed in the most elementary facts about free markets, socialism, and communism. Personally, after teaching this material for years, I’m getting an inordinate number of questions about communism in particular, as that word is bandied about like crazy—the result of America’s decisive lurch leftward since the election of November 2008.

There’s so much to say, especially about communism in practice, where the story is unprecedented misery: a death toll of 100-140 million human beings since 1917. That’s twice the combined corpses of WWI and WWII.

But what about communism as a theory?

We constantly hear the claim: Communism in theory is not as bad as communism in practice. If you read Marx, you’ll see that communism promotes sharing, equality, love of man.

In truth, this is arrant nonsense. When I hear it, I know the person has never read Marx’s Communist Manifesto, a plainly awful book, packed with hatred and, frankly, stupidity. But rather than just say this, I thought I’d attempt a public service by laying out key facts on the Communist Manifesto—another teachable moment. So, here we go:

First off, Marx’s Manifesto is very brief and inexpensive, leaving no excuse for someone with a strong opinion to not read it. Originally published in 1848, there are several recent editions, small enough to fit in your pocket. Most have decent introductions by some recognized authority. Here, I’ll refer to a 1998 edition by Penguin’s Signet Classics ($5.95), with an introduction by the outstanding scholar, Martin Malia, a Harvard Ph.D. and UC-Berkeley professor. This edition contains several earlier prefaces, with the actual Manifesto covering 42 pages.

Marx’s writing was painfully ambiguous, though certain identifiable elements emerge, from his revulsion of religion to disgust of traditional morality and the family. (Click here for my 2007 lecture on the communist war on religion.) Yet, Marx’s common thread, which we need to remember, was his contempt for private property. On page 67, he emphasized something all Americans should know, particularly students suffering the perverse professor who somehow admires communism. Stated Marx: “the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.”

That’s the essence of communism, which Marx returned to repeatedly, including in the final paragraph of the Manifesto.

Of course, on this point, a first grader—let alone a grown adult—ought to immediately recognize that Marxism can’t work. Abolishing private property is completely contrary to human nature, violating the most innate precepts of all peoples, from the cave to the courthouse. It shatters Judeo-Christian thinking, Western philosophy, the ancient and modern worlds, Cicero, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Locke, Jefferson, Old Testament, New Testament, Moses, Jesus, you name it. Only a fool would not instantly, intuitively realize that implementing this vision would generate mass bloodshed.

This is why, I imagine, most Marxist professors dare not have students read the Communist Manifesto.

In another illuminating section (page 75), Marx interrupted his meandering sophistries with a 10-point program of specific policy recommendations. I’m not going to shy from stating the obvious: Marx’s list is chillingly similar—in some respects, certainly not all—to what the American left has pushed for decades, from progressive income taxes, to inheritance taxes, to centralization and nationalization. Here they are, in direct quotation:

That’s what the Communist Manifesto really says, and, worse, desired for not one country but the whole world (page 91). It’s a prescription for despotism, as Marx himself conceded, prefacing his 10 points: “Of course, in the beginning, this cannot be effected except by means of despotic inroads.”

Marxism wasn’t hijacked by despots; Marxism demanded despots.

Communism is not a good idea, in theory or practice, and likewise for its ugly stepsister: socialism. Both are about statism, collectivism, redistribution, nationalization, appropriation, excessive taxation, the inane assertion that public services are “free” services, and, overall, government control. They—along with modern progressivism—differ in degree.

Americans must understand this. They must in order to know what not to support, and, most important, who not to vote for.

How many of you have seen that new Mercedes commercial where their car is rolling over and over again in painfully slow motion towards the screen? I survived a roll-over many years ago so that visual is all the more nightmarish to me. The point to their commercial is no secret – drive our car or you might not survive a serious crash. Mercedes and other auto manufacturers (and related product like tires – think of the message of the Michelin baby) have used this tactic in previous commercials so I have to believe it works. As marketers, we know that fear is a powerful motivator – typically a cause and effect such as the scary nightly news story followed by things that will make us feel better like some sort of medication or maybe even buying a new car. Or how about the recent focus on America’s obsession with fast food and subsequent obesity problem followed by, what else, a McDonald’s commercial? The probable cause and effect relationship might be, “Heart disease and type 2 diabetes frighten me so I need some comfort food right away to make me feel better.” Yeah and McDonald's is really "lovin' It."

Fear as a motivator in advertising is as old as advertising itself. If fact, fear has even manipulated us into going to the movies. It was widely reported that when the classic horror film The Exorcist came out, many viewers were visually shaken to the point of nausea, and a small percentage even reported having nightmares for weeks afterwards. It was a scary flick, but those reports certainly didn’t hurt ticket sales; we know they had the opposite effect. To guarantee the scare factor, it was also discovered that production had placed several disturbing sounds (angry bees, pigs being slaughtered which sounded eerily like screaming children), and subliminal images (the devil’s face outlined in breath vapor in the freezing bedroom scene) into the film that built the tension level in most, but also caused a severe enough reaction in a small susceptible percentage of viewers.                               

But we go to scary movies because it’s fun to be scared as long as it’s not real. Right?

Correct. But that’s quite a stretch when it comes to commercials and ads scaring us when we haven’t being given the choice whether or not we want to be frightened. I was always interested in marketing, even before I chose it as a career, and in high school I was fascinated with Vance Packard’s “Hidden Persuaders” which exposed advertiser’s manipulation of consumers through subliminal messages in their ads. My cousin Ken used to work for a major ad agency and denied that they ever did that. But I would sit down with his son Ken Jr. and he could easily pick out all the symbols imbedded in print ads. As a responsible uncle, I did shield him from the inappropriate content. Liquor ads were the most blatant – symbols of death in the cold ice in the glass such as sharks and demon heads, and symbols of life such as fish and couples holding hands (some overtly sexual images as well) in the warmth of the amber liquid beneath. Adults usually have to stare at an ad for awhile until the symbols begin to appear, but children and teens seem to be able to find them right away because they’re minds are much more open and receptive – the 3D images in the Magic Eye books that would take me quite some time to decipher would appear almost instantaneous to my daughters Shanna & Holly when they were young. My stepson Kjell is 16 and when I showed him some recent ads in GQ Magazine he was skeptical at first, but nonetheless was able to easily find the symbols. But in those liquor ads the advertising message was always the same – the world is a scary place but you’ll find solace in the warm embrace of a stiff drink, preferably ours. I feel rewarded when I find these little manipulators and I feel even better when I can reveal these to others so they can be aware of the ads that use fear in attempting to manipulate us into buying their products. But what I am really afraid of that even though we’ve blown their cover – they still seem to work and just like Freddy Krueger, they will be back to scare us again.

Coda: One of the really scary ads came out way back in 1975. Under the heading “Want to See a Grown Man Cry?” was a broken bottle of Crown Royal. The background was a sinister black and in outline of the spilt liquor one can easily detect the shape of a human skull (note: prints of this all-time classic ad are still available on eBay if you want to see this first-hand.).

As a Gerontologist, I study facts and various research on the biology, psychology and sociology of aging. Gerontologists are Aging specialists; fluent in the language of care, prevention and maintenance of physical, emotional and mental health issues of people over age 60 years. We are knowledgeable in the when’s, how’s and why’s of older adults, in what I like to call “elderspeak”. We are capable in lifespan development issues that matter to seniors, their Boomer children and Gen X and Y grandchildren, and this I know: spiritual issues are of great importance in the last part of human life.

Sometime after I became a mother I realized that I could not protect my children from all of life’s traumas, though I did my best to help them avoid the larger ones. Today they are all in their twenties, and in early May, my oldest will turn 29. I frequently look for “Life Lessons”, including spiritual ones, to share with them as they age. My daughter fondly remembers our New York City trip her senior year of high school as “Mom’s Life Lesson Tour, 2004”. 

Here is one of my favorites: Nothing gets through the Love of God for us without His permission. 

Years ago, I had a mental vision of a Plexiglas bubble...so thick that nothing could get through it to harm the person...me...inside! Soon something happened. A fire-breathing dragon approached, and I cowered inside the crystalline bubble. I could see every detail of the leviatan; feel the searing heat from its flame-throwing mouth and hear the fearsome bellowing of its anger. Yet it had to turn and leave in frustration because nothing it did could penetrate that Plexiglas. I realized something wonderful. The LORD has a shield around me (and you!), and only the life circumstances He gives permission to can get through that thick protection around us. The Plexiglas is a picture of His Love for us.

When something gets through that shield and into the bubble, the LORD allows it because of His Awesome Love for us; because for some reason, we need it. As this happens throughout our lifespans, we are challenged to grow; and you’d better believe that humans have the capacity to grow until the moment they pass into eternity. 

God more-than-knows what we deal with and must overcome. The truth is this: everything that touches your life MUST pass through the Love of God for you first. You are His. Nothing touches you without His permission! He permits what He knows you need, whether it looks positive or negative to you. He promises never to leave you, forsake you or make you do it without Him. The Love of God for you...what a marvelous gift! "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV"

Get ready: next I’ll share my ping-pong-balls-in-a-box theory. Life Lesson Tour, 2010!

When no bag is ubiquitous all genres are viable. We have entered The Music Renaissance and the future of the Music Industry has never been brighter. The thousands of years old concert business will not evaporate because the postmodern record business has reached the end of its dominant era. The double edged sword of the Internet has cut the big four labels to their knees. It is also the instrument carving the future of recorded music. The paradigm shift is toward the artist. No longer will popular music be dictated from corporate board rooms. The next great star will rise up from the cyber-grass-roots and suddenly explode on the web. Should only the degree of affection we held for The Beatles land on a new artist, a monumental windfall could make such an act instantly famous and vastly rich in one day. Would you have stolen from Elvis or The Beatles?

It would defy the historical trajectory for such a phenomenon not to occur. If everybody with an iPod decided to purchase rather than "share" a particular song a multi million dollar fortune would be made instantly. The pursuit of this potential has a fertile garden and an army of contestants. Millions post their music online every day. This creates a giant hay stack of brass needles. Everybody with a Guitar Hero badge and a Mac can write a song and make a record. But they are not necessarily talented. The challenge is to find the golden needles among the brass. It can't be done by surfing the web. The battle is fought in the live arena.

The digital convergence has vastly expanded the core audience for music. Every song ever recorded is available online for free. Nothing can stop the tide of peer-to-peer file sharing. It is not regarded by the participants as theft. The music is "shared" for the benefit of artist and fan. They regard record companies as the enemy of the artist and they are correct in that presumption. Since the moral quotient has no consideration nothing can stop the practice. The new music industry entrepreneur must accept the fact that paying for music is a choice not a necessity.

The listening experience has come full circle. Music lovers are addressing one song at a time. They no longer have to buy ten songs they don't want to get the one they like. After all, they are not paying for it and nobody steals something he doesn't want. The record business is over, and bands must give their music away to create a following. Downloads are easy to distribute. If enough people "share" your music they will come to your gig out of curiosity.

If you have a great live act they will fall in love and buy the CD from you even though they already have the music or they wouldn't be there. If they go for a t-shirt as well good for you. They saw MTV and are aware that purchasing your merch is a gesture of admiration, affection and support. The artist and the audience are now directly linked and the new infrastructure for the monetization of music will be constructed according to this principal. The artist is the publisher, manager and label and he must own and control all income streams just to survive. Ten percent of the artists will split one hundred percent of the money.

The big four record labels will continue to shrink and ultimately become banking institutions. They will try to buy the acts that succeed. By the time the labels know what is happening the artists won't need them. Their distribution system evaporated with the brick and mortar stores. Radio has been their long time weapon of justification but everybody listens to his iPod.

There is only one template for how to pursue careers in the current environment. If you are going to turn your music into a survival mechanism you must first learn how to play the digital music business game. You must play perfectly well, have talent and get lucky to win. The process begins with education. The systems, mechanics, protocols and politics of how to get started can be found at The Holodigm. The golden needles are invited to join the revolution in the digital music renaissance. Make music your business. Make business your music. Learn how, right now at: http://www.holodigmmusic.com/.

I got a preview of Jeff Beck’s new band when I watched him rehearse for his tribute to Les Paul brilliant performance of “How High the Moon” at this year’s Grammy Awards. But nothing could prepare me for the mind-blowing concert I attended this week in Los Angeles when Jeff pretty much performed the new record “Emotion & Commotion” in its entirety. The new symphonic direction he explored on this recording was further enhanced by the string orchestra that backed him most of the night. Because of the soaring melodies, this is probably his most accessible album for non-guitarists. For guitarists, Jeff has taken the instrument so far that very few can even begin to fathom what he does, or how he can possibly get all those amazing sounds out his Fender Stratocaster guitar. I recall the first night I met Jeff was about 15 years ago when he co-headlined the Greek Theater in Los Angeles with Carlos Santana. The first row of was filled with other guitar greats who came to pay homage and after each song they would get up in unison to bow to the master. When I finally got a chance to speak with him I had so many guitar questions prepared but we never talked guitars; he was much more interested in hot rods.

Warning: Get ready for a sharp left turn…

This blog is actually not just about Jeff Beck, because I really wanted to talk about the resurgence of vinyl records and what the local record store meant to us growing up. The first band I was in, The Tobacco Rouges, used to hang out at Pearson’s Music in Niles, IL spinning the latest 45’s in the listening booth. We would try to figure out the chords to a new Stones or Kinks single – that was until kindly Mr. Pierson would ask us not to wear out the merchandise unless we wanted to buy it. At that time, Dee Hunt, the older sister of our drummer Jim, recommended a lead singer from her college that was looking for a band and she knew we needed a singer. Steve Nakon looked just like Mick Jagger – shoulder length hair and all. Keep in mind we went to Catholic schools so we couldn’t wear our hair any longer that a short “Beatle” cut so this guy was our idol. Steve took us to Old Town where the hippies hung out to get cool rock clothes inspired by the British Bands. Steve helped us almost look like we were a real rock band, to the point that the black-leather-clad-slicked-back-hair “greasers” at many of the VFW halls we played waited in line outside after the show to kick our respective asses – we had to learn to run pretty fast with our guitars in tow. Steve eventually left the band to go on to bigger and better things; he founded Gramophone, the first $3.00 record store in Chicago. Even though Nick Hornby wrote “High Fidelity” about a vinyl store in England, the movie was filmed on the Northwest side of Chicago, in the same area as Steve’s original store. In fact, when I saw the film I really believed it was based on Gramophone.

Anyway, Steve would clue us in on the latest records, particularly the British imports. One day he told me I had to hear this new record from ex-Yardbird guitarist Jeff Beck. I told him that I had just read a review in Hit Parader Magazine that liked Jeff but referred to his singer “Class Z.” Steve said, “No you got to listen to this guy he’s great – his name is Rod Stewart.” The record was “Truth” and it changed my life and no doubt the lives of many future Heavy Metal musicians before we ever even knew there was such a thing. It was one of the few records that I actually wore out to the point that it would no longer function. Our band changed our style, name, clothes and everything else to become more Beck-like – and never looked back.

Those memories of the old record stores are not just nostalgic – those stores were the social networking of that era where music lovers congregated to discover and share the best new music like Bloodwyn Pig or Taste. Often we would gather before a store opened just to be the first in line to get the latest offering from Zeppelin, The Who, or Traffic. Recently I read an interview with Gary Calamar, the co-author of the new book “Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again” and he talked about the stores as a music hub & more for the community and how they are making a slight return. When Michael Jackson died, people connected through the media. Calamar states, “I worked in Licorice Pizza when John Lennon was killed. I had the day off but I came in anyway because people needed a place to mourn.”

Coda: The great thing about being an author and having a blog is just like the old neighborhood record stores, it connects you with new friends and it reconnects you with so many more old friends. In addition to Jeff Beck, this blog was also inspired by Steve Nakon contacting me after all these years through my website. He founded Northwest Yoga in Chicago and he’s still introducing me to new releases – he just sent me his newest Yoga record “Yoga: Breath & Body.”

My friend Chris Widener in his book The Art of Influence outlines his Four Golden Rules of Influence. Here they are. Enjoy them as this week’s coaching tip. —DW

The Four Golden Rules of Influence by Chris Widener

1. Live a life of undivided integrity
2. Always demonstrate a positive attitude
3. Consider other people’s interests as more important than your own
4. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence

Here’s my “Safari Called Life” check-off list to help you prepare for your journey:

Learn from those who have gone before
Travel lightly; no extra baggage
Be prepared and expect the unexpected
The more you learn the less you fear
Slow down, watch and listen
Respect your environment
Leave your ego behind
Anticipate, innovate and make do
Be optimistic; tomorrow did not exist before
Collect memories instead of souvenirs
Enjoy the journey
Celebrate all life, not just your own

This article’s focus is on self-confidence and self-esteem. In my opinion, there is nothing more important than your belief in your own potential for success and happiness, regardless of your age, gender, ethnicity, looks, education or background. The truth is, every day you only sell you. You don’t sell products or a business concept. You sell the value of the person offering the products and services. The decision of the buyer is based on the value of the seller. Just as products are branded as “the best,” “cheap,” “ineffective,” “trustworthy” or “unreliable,” so, too, are individuals branded by others as “winners” or “also-rans.” Who you are shouts so loudly that people either can’t hear, don’t want to hear, or listen carefully to what you are saying. Everybody loves a winner, and we all want to buy from winners who pass their own value on to us.

Self-confidence isn’t something you were born with. It’s something you develop. Many of us were cultivated like weeds as children. We played inferior roles to the adults around us, who frequently reminded us of our faults and shortcomings more than our successes and abilities.

If you had that type of childhood, as I did, you face a special challenge in building up your self-confidence as an adult. Here are some basic points to remember about yourself:

Realize that the most important opinion about you is the one that you hold.Ultimately, nobody else is responsible for your life but you. Nobody else is accountable for your actions but you. Therefore, nobody’s opinion about you is more important than yours.

Recognize that the most important conversations are the ones you have with yourself.Whether or not you are aware of it, you have a running conversation with yourself from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep. Your thoughts and ideas are “you talking to you.” Have daily conversations with yourself that are supportive and reinforcing. We know the value of talking to people who praise us, reward us, recognize us, are happy to see us, and let us know they genuinely enjoy talking with us. Talk to yourself with those same qualities—silently as well as audibly.

Develop a strong system of internal values. Weigh what you hold to be true, good and lasting. Write down some of your values for periodic review. Read material that reinforces what you hold to be significant in life. Know what you believe and why you believe it. At times, have discussions—even debates—with yourself. Draw conclusions about life. Think about deeper issues. Your values will greatly affect how you relate to others. The stronger your values are, the greater the impact. If you are lacking in internal values, you will tend to draw from and even use other people to try to mimic their behaviors, if only superficially. Instead, seek to become a model, one who can help and give strength to others.

Don’t reinforce your failures. Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street. Failure is a temporary setback, not a residence. Failure is a learning experience, not a person. Like success, failure is a growth process, not a status. Don’t wallow in your mistakes. Correct them and move forward.

Don’t demand perfection of yourself. An A is usually awarded to the person who scores 90 percent or better, and sometimes the score doesn’t need to be that high. Professional basketball players only make half their shots. Professional quarterbacks complete only half their passes, and professional baseball players reach first base less than 40 percent of the time, and that includes walks. And we all know what our averages are in picking stocks to invest in that are always going up. That would be never! Give your best effort every day and keep racheting it up and forward. Perfection is not only totally unrealistic to expect and virtually impossible to achieve, but it greatly deters your ability to move forward. The person who constantly looks over his or her shoulder at what might have been done better can’t possibly be focused on the future. Drive with your eyes ahead; don’t drive by concentrating on the rearview mirror.

Give each job or task your best effort. Countless individuals say, when confronted with a chore, “I’m too good to be doing this.” They have contempt for their current situation and position, and get discouraged easily. Success is an accumulation of what you do in the minutes of each day. No task is too unworthy to do well. There are no small parts—only small actors.

View the big picture of life. Step back from the landscape of your life today and take a long walk, ride a bike, or just sit silently, observing the wonder and abundance of God’s creation in nature. You are a part of a much bigger whole. Listen to the subtle rhythms of your environment. Recognize that you have rhythms and cycles of change in your life. Relax and open up to the vast creative and interrelated world around you.

To develop confidence, you must see yourself ultimately as a unique part of creation. You must recognize—with pleasure—that nobody else is just like you. No one else has exactly your temperament, history or experiences. No one else has your footprints, your fingerprints, your voice print or your genetic code. No one else has precisely your set of talents, capabilities and skills. You are one of a kind. The value is there. It just needs to be dusted off and polished.

The reason most people spend their time on low-priority “busy work” is that it’s easier to do and does not require additional knowledge, skills or coordination with someone else. Set your priorities on a “must-do-now,” “should-do-today,” and “need-to-do-when-possible” basis. Set them every day, no later than the early morning of the day you are beginning—preferably, the last action of the previous day.

Concentrate your time and energies on the 20 percent of your activities, contacts and concepts that have proven most productive to you in the past. Remember the “80/20 rule” of Vilfredo Pareto, a nineteenth-century Italian economist: 80 percent of the production volume usually comes from 20 percent of the producers. What this means is that you need to focus your efforts on the most productive people and actions.

I’m not one to bother with the latest alleged blockbuster buzzing from the salons of Hollywood high culture. Over the course of two valuable hours, I can only take so many car chases, explosions, and run-of-the-mill depravity. Alas, I had a welcome respite from all of that last weekend when I joined a crowd of about 700 at Grove City College’s Crawford Auditorium for a special screening of the newly released The Perfect Game, made possible by Jim Van Eerden, a wonderful, talented man who graduated from Grove City College over two decades ago and who is the film’s executive producer.

I will not attempt to don the hat of critic, assessing various esoteric elements of the work as "film." There were, however, some things that really stood out as I watched this moving story—things in keeping with my normal hat as an observer of faith, politics, and history.

The movie is based on the true story of nine boys from Monterrey, Mexico who made it all the way to Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1957, where they won the legendary Little League World Series, and by no less than a perfect game tossed by pitcher Angel Macias. They were led by the inspiring tandem of a coach named Cesar Faz and a priest named Padre Estaban.

I saw a movie that should appeal to both sides of the political fence and, spiritually speaking, to an even wider audience.

Of course, this isn’t a political movie. The message is one of faith and hope, a general principle that applies to every member of the human race. Nonetheless, here’s a movie that liberals and conservatives alike can applaud. It embodies the American dream, pursued by poor Mexican kids, who struggle to make it out of their village, over the border, and across America, from Corpus Christi to Kentucky to I-80. They persevere on hard work and prayer. They endure the ugliness of the segregated South. They are underdogs, discriminated against, as are the African-Americans they encounter, not to mention the female sportswriter who follows them.

From a faith perspective, the movie is warmly ecumenical. The boys are first shepherded by their devoted priest, who blesses everything from Holy Communion to baseball gloves. When the priest returns to the parish mid-way through the boys’ successful run, the team is fostered by another fatherly spiritual mentor: an African-American Baptist preacher, who encourages the boys and offers selfless service, as does his lovable wife. Intercessors range from Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Book of Psalms.

The movie's unafraid, unapologetic commitment to faith is splendid. It is commitment, frankly, that risks the wrath of the apostles of American secular culture. This will be the film's highest hurdle in achieving popular acclaim. Hey, so be it.

Yet, what most impressed me was the film’s faithfulness to truth and history.

How many times have you watched a movie intended to inspire, that deals with a certain era, and find no mention of faith? You sense, given your knowledge of the way things used to be, that a church, a minister, a devout parent, a Sunday school teacher had to have been involved somewhere. You do a little research, only to find it was indeed a matter of faith that propelled the hero to greatness. And yet, tragically, the post-modern mavens expunged this “faith angle” from the script. It was just too “religious.”

Instead, then, the final product is, in reality, a deceptive perversion of truth—and not worthy of inspiration. The creators airbrushed the Creator who, in point of fact, made the entire drama possible to begin with. That’s another kind of game: a quite imperfect one, a form of cinematic and historical fraud, produced by a dominant culture that violates trust.

Mercifully, that isn’t what happened with The Perfect Game. Here was a crew—from writers to producers—that spoke the truth. Truth was valued and honored. Whatever else you might say about the movie, from technical merits to some pretentious, impressive-sounding mumbo-jumbo, that’s an artistic achievement as special as a perfect game.

Welcome, everyone, to the sixth annual conference by The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. This one is titled, “The Progressive Surge and Conservative Crackup?”—a title that demands a question mark at the end. Indeed, is America truly facing a progressive surge right now, and, conversely, is it facing a conservative crackup?

Well, one thing we know is that the progressives—who, more recently, simply called themselves liberals—are, in fact, surging right now, at least legislatively, policy-wise, passing and implementing an exhaustive, comprehensive left-leaning agenda that we have not seen in this country in decades.

Most ironic, that was made possible by the votes of an American electorate that for at least 20 years now has described itself as conservative over liberal by a margin of two to one, or about 40 percent to 20 percent. In a truly stunning display, the same millions of Americans who decisively voted for president a man that National Journal ranked as the most liberal member of the most liberal Senate in history, minutes later walked outside the polling center and described themselves to pollsters as conservative. You’ll hear more on that phenomenon from Professor Dave Ayers.

So, with that, the progressive surge had begun, made possible by a self-described conservative electorate.

And did that electorate suddenly turn progressive with the election of President Obama? Not at all, in June 2009, at the peak of Obama’s presidential popularity, a huge survey by Gallup, which polled 160,000 Americans, not only reaffirmed that Americans call themselves conservative over liberal by, again, 40 to 20 percent, but found that conservatives outnumber liberals in every single state in America, from the West Coast to the Northeast, from California to Massachusetts.

No matter, though: They voted as they did. The progressives are now in charge.

Alas, what is a progressive? That’s the million-dollar question, is it not? Or, perhaps, in light of the new one-year record deficit of $1.6 trillion, maybe we should call it the trillion-dollar question.

As you’ll see in the papers in the binder, and hear in these presentations, defining a progressive is not easy; it is a term that seems to change—progresses, appropriately—over time. Perhaps the best, shortest definition is found in the nebulous be-all/catch-all campaign slogan of Barack Obama: a progressive favors “change.”

Of course, what kind of change? That’s the trillion-dollar question.

Moreover, today’s progressive is not necessarily your grandfather’s progressive. Among other things of importance to this crowd, today’s early 21st century progressive, generally speaking, is not nearly as religious as the early 20th century progressive. This is a subject that Dr. Gary Smith will touch upon.

In this conference, you’ll hear about all kinds of progressives: John Dewey progressives, TR progressives, Woodrow Wilson progressives, Margaret Sanger and her Planned Parenthood progressives, Potemkin progressives, FDR progressives, George Soros progressives, John Podesta and the Center for American Progress, and, of course, Progressives for Obama, which, ironically, is not made up of TR-Wilson progressives but Tom Hayden / Mark Rudd / SDS radical-Marxist progressives from the 1960s.

In our past conferences, we have prided ourselves in tackling cutting-edge historical-political issues. This year’s conference may be the best example yet, even as we address a political question as much as a political theme or statement.

America is currently facing a major shift in its governing political paradigm. To that end, this conference will seek to address a fundamental sub-question that is bewildering much of America, its pundits, and its scholars: “What really happened on November 4, 2008?”

Less than a week before the November 2008 election, then-Senator Barack Obama boldly proclaimed, “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” Few realized just how prophetic that statement was.

Did the American people fully comprehend the magnitude of such a defiant declaration as “fundamentally transforming the United States of America?”

If they didn’t on November 4, 2008, perhaps they do today, April 15, 2010—Tax Day, coincidentally. What a perfect day to start a two-day conference on progressivism….

Thank you all for coming. We will start the show with a Q&A by two veterans of Grove City College, two wonderful men, teachers, scholars, and forefathers of The Center for Vision & Values: John Sparks and John Van Til.

Dr. John Sparks is dean of the School of Arts & Letters here at Grove City College, and a Center for V&V fellow for education policy, and coordinator of our education working group.

Dr. John Van Til is a retired business law and humanities professor, a Center fellow for law and humanities, and professor to the 75 students participating in this conference as part of a unique course experience. He wrote the detailed introduction to the conference binder.

Gentlemen, take it away.

Visualize, think and speak well of your health. Use positive self-talk on a daily basis. Don’t dwell on your own small ailments, such as colds, headaches, cuts, bruises, muscle pulls, sprains and minor abrasions. If you pay too much attention to these occurrences, they will reward you by becoming your best friends, coming often to pay their respects.

What the mind harbors, the body manifests. This is especially important when you are raising children. Focus on the well family, and dwell on health as the usual environment around your house. I have seen more psychosomatic illnesses in homes where the parents dote on and smother the children with undue concern for their health and safety than in any other type of household. I believe in safety precautions and sound medical practice, but I also believe that “your worst” or “your best” concerns will likely come to pass.

So, this week, keep your mind tuned to healthful thoughts and reap the benefits of good health—both mentally and physically! —DW

“The confidence you need is belief in your potential. If you see world-class potential in yourself, you’ll put in the effort. If you don’t see the potential, you won’t put in the effort and you’ll wait for the performance, and the performance always follows the belief in self.” —DW

Think of your body as a high-powered, finely engineered transportation vehicle, like a space shuttle. Instead of liquid hydrogen, your body is powered by your own intake. The food you eat is the fuel that energizes the vehicle. What you put in your fuel tank is burned by your high-performance activity or—in the case of low-octane, junk food—is deposited in your engine. Think of your mind as the driver who either takes control of and steers your body to victory or hits the wall. Your body is very much like a car. Drive it without proper fuel or maintenance, and it will fall apart. You take it for granted to get you where you want to go, until it breaks down. Then it disrupts your way of life.

Like your car, your body only speaks to you by exception. You only notice it when it is damaged or inoperative. But, unlike your car, the spare parts business for your body is not a viable option at present.

To combat disease and aging, you need to keep your bones, joints and muscles flexible and strong. The right exercise means weight-bearing exercise, not simply aerobics. The International College of Sports Medicine has now added exercise with weights to its longtime recommendation of aerobic exercise. First, check with your physician, who can assess your general condition and advise you about healthy levels of activity. Second, be aware that the effectiveness of exercise depends as much on enjoyment as on the nature of activity itself.

Just as important, if not more important than daily exercise, is proper nutrition. What you eat has a major impact on degenerative diseases. Do eat a low-fat diet. Keep your fat intake to 15 percent of all daily calories. This will keep you lean and boost your immunity. Do eat a low-salt diet. Use a potassium-based salt substitute on the table and in cooking. Do eat a high-fiber diet. Fiber protects the colon from cancer, lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar. Eat 40 to 50 grams of mixed fibers daily, as in whole-grain breads and cereals, especially those containing oat bran, vegetables and fruits. Do eat a low-sugar diet. Use a little fructose in place of table sugar. Eat complex carbohydrates in place of sugar and look for carbohydrate drinks sweetened with zylitol. Do drink clean water. Drink bottled or home-distilled water, as much as eight glasses per day.

Do eat an alkaline diet. Our high-fat, high-sugar diet creates acidity. So many people are now acidic that we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on antacids every year.

Do take daily nutritional supplements, including essential multivitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Current research confirms that we can no longer get the essential nutrients from our food alone; we must supplement even the best diet with nutrition to promote resistance to disease. Do eat the right kinds of foods, and stay away from the fast-food, fat-food drive-throughs. You are doing yourself and your children a dangerous, long-term disservice by developing the habit of eating high-fat, nutrition-poor meals. Make your health your top priority. You can’t buy your health or life back after years of neglecting it while you earn your living.

Action Idea: List one activity you will begin to do tomorrow to improve your health and increase the quality and quantity of your life.

To live a rich, balanced life, we need to more consciously control our habits and lifestyles. Actualized individuals have a regular exercise routine. They pay attention to nutrition, with lean source protein and fiber-based carbohydrates as their basic food choices. They relax through musical, cultural, artistic and family activities. They get sufficient sleep and rest to meet the next day renewed and invigorated.

In addition to blocking out periods of time for recreation and vacations, they also schedule large, uninterrupted periods of work on their most important projects. Contrary to popular notions, most books, works of art, inventions and musical compositions are created during uninterrupted time frames, not by a few lines, strokes or notes every so often. Every book or audio program I have written has been done with the discipline of 12 to 15 hours per day during a specific block of time.

True enough, I may have sacrificed a ski trip or an escape vacation once or twice. But by trying to focus on prime projects in prime time, the opportunity costs have been outweighed by the return on invested resources. With your material, time and energy resources allocated well, you should be able to use your innovative powers to focus on goal achievement. Effective priority management creates freedom. Freedom provides opportunity to make decisions. We make our decisions, and our decisions, over time, make us.

So, this week, concentrate on making the decisions that make your goals!

Dear Friends,

This is a powerful new educational tool to reach others and a must-see
for all pro-lifers. This undercover video shows a Planned Parenthood
counselor selling an abortion--and telling outright medical lies along
the way. It is sadly the typical "counseling" that women endure at
these tax-funded clinics.

Please watch this now and pass it on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3qisxPnbhg&feature=player_embedded

Thank you for your support!

Together in the fight for life,
Lila

This spring 2010 marks some sordid anniversaries: 65 years since the discovery of the Nazi concentration camps that facilitated the slaughter of six million Jews and four million various others deemed “misfits” and “undesirables” by Hitler and his henchmen.

The ugly footage of corpses left behind is a visual reminder of the in-your-face insanity and inhumanity of Nazi fascism. Yet, less obvious is how seamlessly that form of totalitarianism was supplanted by another, one that haunted the scene even longer. For much of Europe in the spring of 1945, an Iron Curtain quickly descended across the continent, as Central and Eastern Europe was again gobbled up, this time by vicious Soviets who replaced vicious Nazis.

That changing of the guard took place at the level of the soldiers, the secret police, the local officials, and, yes, even the concentration camps themselves.

Consider: When Hitler’s goons fled the concentration camps at the sight of Allied guns in the spring of 1945, it was left to the Allies—the United States, the United Kingdom, and the USSR—to grapple with what they suddenly confronted. Once the survivors were freed and carefully transported, what would the Allies do with the camps?

For nations like America and Britain, steeped in Judeo-Christian notions of fairness and justice, the options for the camps ranged from the legal, meaning document them as evidence of Nazi war crimes for the Nuremberg trials, to the theological: exorcise them.

For the USSR, however, the next step was a no-brainer: use the camps. Indeed, fling the doors open and get ‘em back in business. The communists were not about to waste a perfectly functional, German-built concentration camp. If the Soviet system knew how to do one thing, it was to collectivize and redistribute squalor and death.

In truth, that unique Soviet solution ought not to be a surprise, as totalitarians like Vladimir Lenin had not only constructed similar facilities but had used the phrase “concentration camp” two decades before Hitler appropriated the term. Lenin’s replacement, Joe Stalin, had annihilated tens of millions in such camps well before Hitler ramped up.

Thus, in the spring of 1945, the Russians saw an opening at the Nazi camps, tailor-fit to communist ideology.

A crass case in point was Buchenwald, one of the more infamous Nazi camps, where hundreds of thousands had been incarcerated and upwards of 50,000 perished, some in the most sadistic fashion, from Jews who were gassed to priests who were crucified upside down. Americans liberated Buchenwald on April 11, 1945.

Not long thereafter, Buchenwald (located near Weimar, Germany) ended up in the Soviet zone of occupation. Knowing how to run a concentration camp, the Russians were eager to crank the wheels—especially on Germans now at their feet rather than at their throat. For Stalin, Beria, Molotov, and a disturbingly high number of malicious colonels and lieutenants and common soldiers, it was payback time. Payback would be done according to Lenin’s definition of morality: there is no morality, except that which furthers Soviet interests.

A witness to this poisonous worldview was a 22-year-old American citizen named John Noble, who lived in the Weimar area and got caught in the crossfire. He observed Red Army soldiers ransacking his neighborhood, rounding up innocents, and imbibing in special displays of depravity toward women: “In the house next to ours,” Noble told Laurence Rees in Rees’ outstanding book, World War II Behind Closed Doors, “Soviet troops went in and pulled the women out on the street, had mattresses that they pulled out, and raped the women. The men had to watch, and then they were shot. Right at the end of our street a woman was tied to a wagon wheel and was terribly misused.”

The poor souls who survived this torment were shipped to various German-turned-Soviet hellholes for long-term incarceration. Noble was tossed into Buchenwald, which was conveniently renamed Soviet Special Camp No. 2.

The story of Buchenwald under Nazi management is bad enough; it was reproduced from Auschwitz to Dachau. But the 20th century is rich in unforgettable lessons. Among them, the world would do well to remember that Buchenwald was liberated only temporarily in 1945. Its demons did not rest, ready to leap into a new set of vessels. Stalinism provided them by the tank load.

Buchenwald and its ilk is a cold, gray marker of the menace of totalitarianism. It is a headstone standing astride the 20th century like a giant grim reaper, robbing the world of 50 million lives in World War II and 100 million more under communist regimes—unprecedented carnage. It’s an old story, a familiar evil, one born of an ancient source that every generation must be prepared to meet and defeat.

The crash of a Polish airplane in the Russian territory of Smolensk last weekend is a stunning tragedy, taking the life of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and high-level figures in the Polish government. Upwards of 100 people were obliterated. Kaczynski was a former Solidarity freedom fighter, and wonderfully anti-Soviet, anti-Russian, and pro-American.

The event, obviously, is international front-page news. What was not, however, was the event that inspired Kaczynski’s flight: the 1940 Katyn Woods massacre. This, too, was a stunning tragedy, one not admitted by the Russians for nearly 50 years, when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev finally, officially conceded the USSR’s responsibility.

Here, it’s worth pausing to revisit what happened at Katyn. Doing so is a fitting tribute to Poland’s horrible loss.

The Katyn Woods massacre was one of the worst war crimes of the bloody 20th century. It was rooted in a pact between two devils, Hitler and Stalin, who in September 1939 jointly invaded, annihilated, and partitioned Poland. The Soviets seized thousands of Polish military officers as prisoners. Their fate was secretly sealed on March 5, 1940 when Stalin signed their death warrant, condemning 21,857 of them to “the supreme penalty: shooting.”

What happened next remained a state secret for a half-century. The Polish officers were taken to three primary sites, the most infamous of which bears the namesake of the crime: the Katyn Woods, located 12 miles west of Smolensk, Russia. There, these unsuspecting men, Poland’s best and brightest, were methodically slaughtered like farm animals. The Bolsheviks covered their crime with a thin layer of dirt.

The locals shuddered at the howling cries of dying men echoing through their once peaceful woods. One Russian farmer later told authorities: “For approximately four to five weeks there were three to four trucks daily driving to the forest loaded with people…. I could hear the shooting and screaming of men’s voices.”

Some Poles were destroyed on site in the forest, whereas others were first shot in the NKVD prison in Smolensk, with their rotting corpses transported to Katyn for burial under a few inches of soil.

At the prison, bullets were fired 24/7 by a cadre of deranged, homicidal NKVD/KGB killers who were so consumed with bloodlust, and so taken by the dark side that, in the end, their work finished, they turned their guns on themselves. Death had consumed them.

In April 1943, it was the Germans, then at war with the USSR and advancing with lightning speed into Soviet territory, who discovered the mass graves. They immediately tried to turn the atrocity into a propaganda coup to split the Big Three Allies: the USSR, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Of course, the Soviets, being masters of lies, responded by claiming the Nazis were the perpetrators. Stalin and his goons attempted to blame Hitler and his goons. Stuck in between was the rest of the civilized world, which sought to determine which devil did the deed.

For the record, in the United States, Ambassador Jan Ciechanowski of the Polish government-in-exile and Congressman John Lesinski (D-Mich.) were certain the Soviets did it. For this, they were denounced by FDR’s hideous Office of War Information, which we now know was one of the most infiltrated agencies of the entire wartime federal government, penetrated by communist spies and sympathizers. FDR refused to believe that the government of his pal “Uncle Joe”—his term of endearment for Stalin—was involved. This greatly frustrated men like former Pennsylvania Governor George Earle, a fellow Democrat who FDR had appointed to investigate the matter, and who knew the Soviets were guilty as sin.

FDR disagreed, fully buying the Soviet line, telling Earle: “George, they [the Nazis] could have rigged things up. The Germans could have rigged things up.”

The liberal/progressive icon insisted to his special emissary: “I’m absolutely convinced that the Russians didn’t do this.” An amazed Earle responded: “Mr. President, I think this evidence is overwhelming.” Of course, it was. (For an outstanding book and companion video series that includes this extraordinary exchange, see Laurence Rees’ WWII Behind Closed Doors.)

What happened at Katyn 70 years ago this spring was one of the most terrible human-rights atrocities of the 20th century, which is saying something. It deserves the same infamy as words like “Rape of Nanking” or “Buchenwald” or “Auschwitz.” The people of Poland have never forgotten. Chief among them was Poland’s proud president, who was on his way to pay remembrance when he, too, breathed his last in a violent death in the Russian territory of Smolensk.

Let’s pay tribute to his and Poland’s loss by remembering Katyn, and teaching the world about this forgotten tragedy of history.

Every generation puts a hero up the pop charts. The evolution of music is deeply attached to the cultural phenomenon we call "coming of age." Growing up is a process that nobody escapes; it just happens. Technology gave birth to the record business with the invention of Edison's phonograph. In the beginning recorded music was a luxury enjoyed by those able to afford the cost of the hardware and the records were essentially loss leaders designed to sell the machines.

In the early nineteen hundreds terrestrial, broadcast radio became the primary delivery system for recorded music. The stations were small and their audiences regional. The music itself focused on the genres and styles indigenous to the immediate locale. There was no mainstream music format. Each region of the country presented the music most likely to attract the largest audience in the broadcast radius of the station. Jazz, Ragtime and The Blues dominated in the deep South. Moving North, Country music proliferated. In the North East and West big band music reigned.

During World War II the record business suffered its first major decline. Seventy eight RPM records were pressed in shellac, a substance produced in a handful of Pacific countries. The war precluded access to this essential material and the business was stopped cold in its tracks. Pun intended. However, the war effort generated enormous advances in source materials, recording technology and manufacturing mechanics. Low cost, 45 RPM record players arrived.

This new playback systems liberated teenagers from their parent's music. Young people now had the unique ability to choose their own music one song at a time. The collecting and trading of singles became the primary bonding mechanism for the baby boomer generation. Searching the radio dial young people discovered the latest hits and scrambled to own them. Into this fertile marketplace exploded Rock & Roll music. The fuel was the beat and the superstar was Elvis.

The enormous popularity of The king of Rock & Roll and the consolidation of radio stations into broadcast networks enabled national exploitation of regional artists. The mainstream was born. For more than fifty years national radio formats have successfully serviced a ubiquitous audience. Technical changes introduced thirty-three and one-third RPM albums just in time to flood the exploitation of FM radio. The Beatles led the parade and rock music dominated the airwaves.

The tremendous success of John, Paul, George and Ringo enthralled the world and every young musician yearned to start a band just like The Beatles. Millions tried and many succeeded, but none quite as well as The Fab Four. Regardless of the degree of success enjoyed by any given artist, high fidelity and stereophonic sound kept the public engaged and the music industry flourished behind its two primary activities performing and recording. The concert business nourished the record business and the sale of records precipitated attendance at live events.

The music industry was strong and a myriad of record companies emerged as the dominant marketing force. They controlled both radio formats and built vast distribution systems to service the thousands of record stores across the country and around the world. In the mid-seventies an extraordinary breakthrough shocked the industry. The vast number of record players extant, combined with efficient delivery systems and massive airplay to provoke a new phenomenon.

A young artist named Peter Frampton sold twenty-five million copies of the album "Frampton Comes Alive." This seminal event changed the record business forever. Lured by the huge profits attached to gigantic album sales, and the booming concert business, giant multi-national corporations began a process of acquisition and merger. This has resulted in hundreds of record labels being shrunk down to four major companies. With the record business under the control and direction of a few executives it didn't take much to bring the whole thing crashing down.

One fatal choice brought the postmodern era to an end and obliterated the mainstream. The decision of the Recording Industry Association of America, to destroy peer-to-peer file sharing and to sue their customers for doing it sealed their fate. In an effort to maintain the high profit CD as the prime delivery system for music, the big four walked away from digital downloading and denied their customer base. For the past decade CD sales have been in a constant decline.

The game has come full circle. The public has consistently demonstrated an interest in individual songs as opposed to the album format. This return to the singles game has resulted in music fans refusing to buy ten or more songs to get the one they want. With the loss of high profit CDs the infrastructure of the postmodern era could not stand. The loss of the record business is the music fans gain. More importantly, it places the power in the hands of the artists and music producers.

Radio is no longer the primary delivery system for music. The brick and mortar record stores have all but disappeared and the record companies are stuck in the old paradigm with no rescue in sight. Digimodernization has opened up the Internet and provided every artist with the same power tool to exploit their music. The major labels can no longer justify the enormous costs associated with artist development. Sales can not support the old record business paradigm.

The good news is that a small group of corporate executives, lawyers and bean counters are no longer in charge of popular music. The former dictators of content, and arbiters of taste, must now wait to see what the fan base is embracing on the world wide web. Recording costs are low, distribution and promotion are free and every style of music has a well established fan base.

There is a channel open for every genre and each one has a clear path for artists and managers to follow. Success is no longer measured in multi-platinum sales. A platinum album is every bit as rare and unique as it was in the beginning of the postmodern era. Only a handful of artists have enjoyed million unit sales in recent years, and the number is declining rapidly. What the RIAA calls theft is, in the minds of the cyber-kids, no such thing. If it is on the Internet, it's free for all.

The liberation of the artist community from the iron handed control of the record labels is a sign of progress. The future is clearly in the hands of the creative community once again. Many artists are enjoying relative success in the music renaissance. Bands like Bright Eyes selling out The Hollywood Bowl, at $100+ ticket prices is no small achievement. They are making good money. This has been accomplished through a long process of nurturing their following through live performances. Their fan base grew without the benefit of massive, mainstream radio airplay.

Making a living from music is the first level of success and it is only accomplished by ten percent of the artists competing. The digital stage is set. The cultural interest in music is at its highest level in history. More songs are in play to more people than ever before. Into this environment a young artist will eventually explode. The fans will fall in love, just like we loved The Beatles.

This new found musical hero will inspire the public who will voluntarily pay for the music, when they could "share" it for free. This transition in thinking will only be provoked by a great talent, with a timely image and a lot of charisma. Such a superstar will make millions of dollars from the sale of downloads on a single day. Then the same monolithic corporations, who are running for cover today, will reassert themselves, buy up all the players willing to sell, and crash it all again.

Three time Loyola Marymount University Professor of the Year, John Hartmann, will be presenting a nine week course at UCLA Extension starting Saturday, April 3 at 12:00 Noon. This four unit course is called "The Insiders Guide to Music Management."

It is the first time The Holodigm Seminars have been available to the general public.

Please forward this message to any friends who may be interested in learning how to build bands in the digital age.

All artists and entrepreneurs engaged in creating careers in the music renaissance can benefit from this comprehensive lecture series on the systems, mechanics, protocols and politics of personal management in the music industry.

The course includes "A" list guest speakers from the eight core professions of entertainment.

You are all invited to participate in the first class at no charge. Just show up.

We meet in room 1234 of the School of Public Affairs Building on the Westwood campus this Saturday at 12: 00 PM. Use easy access at parking lot 3 and walk South to the SPA building.

You may register at www.uclaextension.edu. The course registration number is: V5990.

Richard Francis is the trustee of The Fawcett Living Trust, Farrah Fawcett's trust which details how she wanted her money to pass.  You can read the Probate Lawyer Blog's prior article discussing this interesting trust here. 

On behalf of the trust, Francis sued Hollywood producer Craig Nevius accusing him of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Fawcett's company and botching production of a television documentary showing her struggles with cancer.

Nevius is not taking the lawsuit lying down.  In fact, he says the entire case is a thinly-disguised attempt by Francis to use money from Fawcett's trust to protect his own interests.  Nevius had already sued Nevius, as well as Ryan O'Neal (Fawcett's longtime companion) and her friend Alana Stewart when Nevius felt they wrongly excluded him from producing the documentary, which aired on NBC in May of 2009.  In other words, Nevius says that this lawsuit by Francis is retaliation to get back at him for his lawsuit.

But, that's just the beginning of the fireworks.  Nevius claimed that he was a close friend of Fawcett and one of the first she told when she found out she had cancer in September, 2006.  He alleges that Stewart (whom he describes as "Ms. Fawcett's self-proclaimed 'best friend'") only found out about her cancer from the internet, weeks later.

Nevius states that Stewart was absent from Fawcett's life "when there were no video cameras present".  Stewart, Nevius says, weaseled her way into the documentary so she could profit from it -- and she published a book to make even more money off of Fawcett by divulging her private medical information.

But that pales in comparison to what Nevius says Ryan O'Neal and Richard Francis did.  O'Neal, Nevius' court papers say, actually threatened to kill Nevius to get him to surrender control of the documentary.  Francis, whom Nevius describes as O'Neal's business manager, later told Nevius to stay away from Fawcett or "you're gonna get your ass kicked in by Ryan!  And I mean it!".

Nevius says he only wanted to protect Fawcett and make sure her needs were being met.  But O'Neal and Francis conspired to wrest control of the documentary away from Nevius and lock him out of Fawcett's life.

Nevius also expresses his outrage that the documentary included footage of Fawcett on her death bed and being visited by her son in "a prison jumpsuit and chains", which he claims Fawcett never wanted to be shown.  Nevius also objects to Stewart and O'Neal both using the documentary to make self-serving statements to benefit themselves.

Nevius says the whole lawsuit is an excuse by Francis to line his pockets and those of his attorneys, at the expense of the trust beneficiaries, including Fawcett's father, who have not received the money they're supposed to from the trust.

Courtesy of Radaronline, you can read Nevius' court filing here.  The lawyer representing Francis, O'Neal and Stewart has already responded, calling Nevius' allegations "spurious and outrageous".

So what can you make from all this?  Well, clearly, someone tried to exploit Farrah Fawcett while she was dying from cancer.  Was it Nevius, by allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her?  Or was it the trio of Francis, O'Neal and Stewart?

We don't know which side is telling the truth.  We do know that it's obviously gotten very ugly.

But the real tragedy is that cases of exploitation of the sick and the elderly is far more common that most people realize.  Many see those with cancer or other diseases, or mental deficits caused by dementia and/or Alzheimer's, to be a golden opportunity to get close, cut out others, and end up with the money.

It doesn't just happen to the wealthy, either.  Think someone mentally limited with $100,000 in assets isn't a target for someone desperate for "easy money?"  They are.  And lawsuits where two sides, both claiming to love someone, duke it out in court over his or her true wishes are a growing epidemic.

So talk to your loved ones.  Do the proper planning ahead of time.  Protect them and be wary.

Many of our clients say they never could have imagined it happening to their family.  Fawcett's loved ones are probably saying the same thing.

The Holodigm Corporation is based in a one room cabin high in the Santa Monica Mountains. It is run entirely on volunteer and collegiate intern labor. It is also the fastest moving force in the creation of a new music industry paradigm. The central product is the first on line, audio-visual, interactive text book.

The Holodigm System provides a comprehensive training in the eight core professions of entertainment. Our online education program presents an industry overview and analysis of the systems, mechanics, protocols and politics of the contemporary music Industry. It is part higher education and part coaching and mentoring. Holodigm Society members gain access to a myriad of products and support services.

The Holodigm Seminars course provides the initial income stream, it is generating a loyal customer platform from which a myriad of production and manufacturing systems previously, provided by record companies, will be launched. The digital convergence has imposed a severe decline in the century old record business. This does not mean that the ancient concert business will suffer a similar fate. Those same digital forces, that have decimated the postmodern record business, are presently engaged in carving a new business model to address the future direction of millions of music professionals and fans.

Established in 2008, by veteran agent, manager and record executive John Hartmann, The Holodigm is an on line sanctuary for artists and entrepreneurs seeking to build careers in the music renaissance. The core demographic of our customer base is the millions of bands posting music on the Internet every day.

The infrastructure of the music industry is built around publishing, concert and record commerce. Every generation chooses a musical hero. The contest to be the one at the top of the charts generates the global music industry mechanism. As a new paradigm evolves the creative community has no template for how to launch a career. The Holodigm provides a map, strategy and method for bringing the band from the garage to the professional realm. We are the missing link in the evolution of digital and music.

With just one full time employee, and a free-lance, part-time staff of interns and professional advisers, The Holodigm has established a marketing position with its central product, The Holodigm Seminars. We have proven the profitability and scalability of our business model. An array of ancillary tools, text books, DVDs and interactive programs are in development. The on line “Songworks” and “Coaches” services will connect aspiring songwriters and bands with world class record production and song craft.

Over the next 36 months, the Company intends to replicate its success by:
• Expanding its promotional and Internet marketing strategy
• Increasing the on line content for The Holodigm Music “Academy” division
• Developing enrollment in The Holodigm Music “Society”division
• Continuing to develop the Holodigm Music “Media” division
• Creating reciprocal trade agreements with the primary music manufacturers.
• Building the infrastructure to provide full time Web rejuvenation and repair.

The business model leverages an extremely large industry with enormous systems that will not expire from the loss of one of its components. All economies considered equal, digimodernization will turn out to be a great thing for the entertainment industry.

The advent of free music and low cost infrastructure has brought the extant universal library of music to the widest audience in history. Collegiate level education in music and business is creating a higher standard and it will produce a music renaissance.

This issue’s Coaching Tip comes from Brian Tracy. This is Brian’s Seven C’s of Success. Enjoy!

After having studied top achievers and peak performers over the past 25 years, I’ve concluded that these unique men and women, have in most cases, mastered what I call the Seven C’s of Success.

1. Clarity—Eighty percent of success comes from being clear on who you are, what you believe in and what you want.

2. Competence—You can’t climb to the next rung on the ladder until you are excellent at what you do now.

3. Constraints—Eighty percent of all obstacles to success come from within. Find out what is constraining, in you or your company, and deal with it.

4. Concentration—The ability to focus on one thing single-mindedly and see it through until it’s done takes more character than anything else.

5. Creativity—Flood your life with ideas from many sources. Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle; if you don’t use it you’ll lose it.

6. Courage—Most in demand and least in supply, courage is the willingness to do the things you know are right.

7. Continuous learning—Read, at the very least, one book a week on business to keep you miles ahead of the competition. And just as you eat and bathe, organize your time so you spend 30 minutes a day exploring e-mail, sending messages, going through Web sites, because like exercise, it’s the only way you can keep on top of technology. If you get away from it, you’ll lose your edge.

The world needs role models, instead of critics.

Others know when you have their best interests at heart.

You are truly successful when you can extend a strong hand to someone who is reaching out or just trying to hang on.

Come through for others, and they will come through for you.

People who seek attention, need all the help they can get.

You know you’re a success when people tell you, “I like me best when I’m with you.”

If we succeed without sacrifice, it’s because someone sacrificed for us.

Real power comes by empowering others!

Promises should not be given lightly unless you want them lightly received.

If I help you win, then I win too!

1. Accept the Unchangeable—Everything that has happened in your life to this minute is unchangeable. It’s history. The greatest waste of energy is in looking back at missed opportunities, lamenting past events, grudge collecting, getting even, harboring ill will, and any vengeful thinking. Success is the only acceptable form of revenge. By forgiving your trespassers, you become free to concentrate on going forward with your life and succeeding in spite of your detractors. You will live a rewarding and fulfilling life.

Your enemies, on the other hand, will forever wonder how you went on to become so successful without them and in the shadow of their doubts.

Action Idea: Write down on a sheet of paper things that happened in the past that bother you. Now crumple the paper into a ball and throw it at the computer screen. This symbolizes letting go of past misfortunes.

2. Change the Changeable—What you can change is your reaction to what others say and do. And you can control your own thoughts and actions by dwelling on desired results instead of the penalties of failure. The only real control you have in life is that of your immediate thought and action. Since most of what we do is a reflex, subconscious habit, it is wise not to act on emotional impulse. In personal relations, it is better to wait a moment until reason has the opportunity to compete with your emotions.

Action Idea: Write down in your diary one thing you will do tomorrow to help you relax more during and after a stressful day.

3. Avoid the Unacceptable—Go out of your way to get out of the way of potentially dangerous behaviors and environments. When people tailgate you on the freeway, change lanes. If they follow you at night, drive to a well-lighted public place.

When there are loud, obnoxious people next to you at a restaurant or club, change tables, or locations. Also, be cautious of personal relationships developed via the Internet. With the massive number of individuals surfing the Net, the number of predators increases in proportion. Always be on the alert for potentially dangerous situations involving your health, personal safety, financial speculation and emotional relationships.

Action Idea: What is one unacceptable behavior you have or allow others to do to you that you will avoid, starting tomorrow? Example: The way you drive, being around negative people, walking down dark streets alone late at night, etc.

Life is a participation sport, not a spectator sport. We have become a society of overfed, undernourished couch potatoes. Maybe it’s because I’m in the autumn of my life that I’m much more conscious of being active and healthy instead of sedentary and overweight. Do you think the next generation will be called “baby blubbers” instead of baby boomers?

A cartoon I saw recently showed a pudgy neighbor kid knocking on his friend’s front door, asking his friend’s mom: “Can Johnnie come out and eat?” And not so many years ago it was can he come out and play.

This week, pass up the fast food and junk food, and put some high-octane, nutritious food in your tank.

"The passage of this phony healthcare 'reform' is a tremendous blow to the cause of fiscal restraint, limited government, Constitutional principles, and free enterprise. In short, it strikes directly at America's core principles. This is shameful moment in the history of our country -- and especially the Democratic Party, which has apparently come unmoored from whatever remaining attachment it had to the ideals of our Founders. In place of a dedication to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' there is only a rapacious impulse to ever-expanded state control, and an avaricious imperative to seize ever-more of your rightful possessions.

"The Democrats are beyond reason. They are beyond appeals to common sense and patriotism. The corrupt milieu that produced President Barack Obama has metastasized and seated itself in Washington, D.C. -- and we saw it on full display in the razor-thin passage of this healthcare 'reform.' Every trick, every pressure, every shameless deal was done. Down to perverting the rules of the American Congress, the Democrats stopped at nothing.

"Perhaps most pathetic was the spectacle of Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak, who exchanged his pro-life principles for a hollow promise from the most pro-abortion President in American history. That executive order won't stand up to judicial scrutiny -- the President cannot override the law by fiat -- and pro-life organizations like National Right to Life and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops understand that it's a worthless scrap of paper. Yet Rep. Stupak's desperation for thin cover to do the wrong thing is useful in one way: it illustrates the union of moral vacuum and maneuvering deception at the core of the Democratic effort for Obamacare.

"That's why the American people will throw them out of office this November.

"When Americans vote this fall, they'll vote for candidates who stood strong against Obamacare from the start -- and who will overturn it once in office. In California, I am the only U.S. Senate candidate of either party who fits that bill. I've been speaking out against the government takeover of American healthcare since the President first mentioned it. There are so many simple steps we could take to make healthcare more affordable, more accessible, and more efficient -- without expanding the reach and control of the federal government. They include, but are not limited to:

    "-- Allowing interstate competition between health care plans.
    "-- Revising the tax code to reward and encourage purchases of coverage and healthcare saving.
    "-- Curtailing junk lawsuits that drive up healthcare costs -- and not coincidentally, line the pockets of Democratic contributors.
    "-- Attack fraud in medical billing.
    "-- Encourage a restructuring of American health insurance toward an individual-policy market rather than an employer-mandate system.

"Obamacare accomplishes none of these goals. One of my first priorities in the United States Senate will be to repeal it and start over. The American people are profoundly unsettled by today's vote, and they deserve no less.

"The movement to turn back the Democrats' takeover of American healthcare has already begun: but it will only happen if Republicans select the right candidates for the job. In the U.S Senate race in California, I am that candidate. I'm the only one who signed the Club for Growth's 'Repeal It' pledge (repealit.org/pledge/candidate) that commits its signatories to 'sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.' Neither Tom Campbell nor Carly Fiorina joined me in this. Worse, Carly Fiorina has been telling audiences that though she opposes this particular bill, she agrees with President Obama's 'goals' for healthcare reform. As recently as late October, she said she had no opinion on Obamacare -- surely the only public figure in America to have remained ignorant of this signal issue.

"I do not agree with President Obama's 'goals.' I am pledged to overturn what he's done today. I'm the only person in this race who can say that. And if I am sent to the United States Senate -- it will be job one."

All size is relative. "Big" is in the mind of the beholder and "making it" is a very nebulous term that has unique connotations to different people. One of the phrases most often used by music fans to describe their favorite artists is to say "they are making it big." But what does that really mean today? For a thing to be described as big something else must be regarded as smaller. The big four record companies have lost their way and the old system is no longer cost effective. The small artist owned and operated record company will emerge as the next big thing in music.

The standards of success in the old music industry paradigm were much more clearly defined than they are in the digital music renaissance. For more than one hundred years the concert business evolved in a symbiotic union with the growth and development of the record business. The technical link that bonded these two businesses together was terrestrial broadcast radio.

From the late eighteen hundreds, into the nineteen twenties and thirties, the antiquarian record business progressed from printed sheet music, to Edison's cylinders to shellac discs vulnerable to breakage. This was the acoustic period for recorded music. The play back systems of the day did not utilize electricity in their drive train or amplification mechanics. Radio receivers came in all shapes and sizes from simple crystal head sets to larger more elaborate pieces of furniture.

Music was forced to compete with comedy and dramatic programming for a share of the limited air time. Local stations operated at most twelve hours a day. Eventually radio replaced singing around the piano as the dominant form of in home entertainment. The "Great" Caruso, Rudy Vallee, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and many of their contemporaries sold millions of records on the strength of radio airplay. This led them to extensive film and personal appearance careers.

The process was rudely interrupted during World War II when the distant sources of shellac were no longer readily accessible. Manufacturing techniques and materials developed during the war enabled huge leaps forward in the analog recording and hardware delivery systems. By the mid fifties the modern record business was born out of the marriage of AM radio and forty-five RPM records. The low cost record player was easily acquired by the baby boomer generation.

Millions of teenagers were engaged in the collection and trading of "singles" as the seven inch, vinyl discs with the doughnut hole in the middle were called. Into this musical sanctuary of the young exploded the dynamic force that would drive the record business to unprecedented heights of popularity. Elvis Presley, The Hillbilly Cat, who would eventually be regarded as the King of Rock & Roll brought charisma, sex appeal and an incredible singing voice to an entire generation.

The infrastructure that was created to service Elvis and his contemporaries provided a vast public platform from which the postmodern record business would emerge. It was technology once again that pushed the envelope and prepared the way for the marriage of FM radio and thirty-three and a third RPM long playing albums. The driving force in this era was The Beatles.

Rock & Roll music eventually consumed more radio air time than all other content combined. The record business infused free recorded music and vast advertising and "payola" dollars into the system. A music hungry public fully engaged their heroes who reached the top of the charts and embraced the artist's records and personal appearances as their primary source of entertainment.

The process was slick and smoothly run. Hundreds of small record companies proliferated with many enjoying critical and financial success. As fame and fortune accrued to a steadily growing coterie of artists the public clamored to see their favorite rock stars in concert. The first to take advantage of this demand were the disk jockeys. Many gained enormous credibility with the radio audience by being the voice of the promotional vehicle and the self appointed arbiters of taste.

A disk jockey out of Cleveland named Alan Freed coined the term Rock & Roll and produced many of the earliest rock concerts and tours. A platter spinner from Philadelphia produced the first major touring events with "Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars" which were bolstered by his enormously popular "American Bandstand" television show. Both were caught up in the "payola" scandals of the fifties. Although no particular guilt was ever established, Freed was destroyed by them and died destitute. Clark went on to dominate music TV for fifty years.

During the last half of the twentieth century the infrastructures of radio, records and concerts became inter dependant and all three activities flourished together. During this time period there was a reasonable expectation that if you could get a record deal, mount a live act and demonstrate a modicum of talent and charisma you could have a productive career in the music industry.

This did not mean that everybody in the game became a superstar, far from it. In fact a core principal developed over time that prevails today. About ten percent of the artists competing at the professional level achieved financial success. This was enough to keep the industry healthy and growing. The remaining ninety percent of the artists failed to make a profit and moved on.

Today digimodernization has imposed a harsh new system on the music industry. Digital distribution of music has decimated the record industry. Low cost production and post Napster file sharing have drastically reduced the number of records purchased, while simultaneously putting more music in play than ever before. Mom and Pop record stores have disappeared along with the major chains. Within a decade ninety percent of recorded music will be acquired on line.

The myriad of record companies have been merged and consolidated down to four primary record groups that dominate the business. With the loss of control over the radio promotion and brick and mortar distribution systems they once dominated these four giants are engaged in a free fall of their own creation. Short sighted executive decisions vainly attempting to preserve the high profit, album oriented CD. The RIAA sued their customers and lost direct access to the fan base.

This accounts for the very small number of new artists achieving extraordinary success in the music renaissance. Only a handful of new acts have reached financial profitability in the past decade. The number of units sold to reach the top of the Billboard magazine charts has plunged from over a million units to slightly more than a hundred thousand. These facts reduce the investment dollars available to promote new acts. The cost of traditional radio promotion has remained the same or increased. Without the potential to sell a large volume of product the game, as we know it, is over.

While the record business struggles to find its digital life preserver, the concert business marches on, and continues to grow at a healthy pace. With all the recorded music ever produced readily available on line without the imposition of economics the fan base is building at an enormously accelerated rate. This new "free" form of promotion has created a global forum for fans to share music on a peer-to-peer basis eliminating the middle man and insuring the demise of the labels.

The next big superstar will be discovered and nurtured through the Internet and the potential for success is greater than ever. As a promotional tool the world-wide-web is infinitely more powerful than AM and FM radio combined. It allows artists and their managers to be proactive and independent about how they expose their music to the public. The musicians and producers can also market their music and branded products through low cost on line systems. More importantly they can capitalize on high profit margins by selling CDs directly to their fan base.

Coda: While working on this blog, I was reminded of a story I heard many years ago. It seems a talented screenwriter was really struggling with writer's block and confessed to a friend one day, "Each night, I wake up from a deep sleep with the most fantastic idea for a movie, probably the basis for one of the most compelling stories I have ever come up with. But when I wake up, I can't recall a thing!" His friend suggested that he place a pen and paper next to his bed and when he wakes up, he should write down the idea then in the morning he'll have captured it. The writer did just that - scribbling the idea down and when he awoke in morning he was so excited to see the brilliant idea for a script - "Boy meets girl."

Remember the lobster! At a certain point in a lobster’s growth, he discards his outer, protective shell and is vulnerable to all of his enemies. This continues until he grows a new “house” in which to live.

Change is normal in life. With every change there is the unfamiliar and the unexpected. Instead of going into a shell, become vulnerable. Risk it! Reach inside for faith in things that are unseen.

So this week, come out of your shell, take that leap of faith and reap the rewards of greater optimism and self-esteem!

To be self-reliant adults, we need to set some guidelines:

• Be different, if it means higher personal and professional standards.
• Be different, if it means being more gracious and considerate to others.
• Be different, if it means being cleaner, neater and better groomed than the group.
• Be different, if it means putting more time and effort into all you do.
• And be different, if it means taking the calculated risk.

The greatest risk in life is to wait for and depend upon others for your own security.

The greatest security is to plan and act, and take the risk that will ultimately ensure your personal freedom and independence.

To conquer your fear of rejection, you need to handle the word “no” in a constructive way. When people turn you down after a presentation, you have to interpret the “no” as “no, this is not right for me now.” We also can interpret “no” as meaning, “I need to know more about this opportunity or the products before I can say yes.”

I look at the service I offer to others as a gift that almost everyone desires. It’s like a nutritious dessert. What if waiters or waitresses in a restaurant said to customers at their tables: “Would you like our special strawberry parfait for dessert? It’s the best in the world!” And they were told “no” by their patrons, three out of five times.

Would they go to their manager, throw up their hands and quit, lamenting, “They don’t like me or my strawberry parfait”? Of course they wouldn’t. They’d go on about their business, thinking the patrons had missed out on something delicious.

That’s why I treat products as a gift, much more nutritious and beneficial than a fruit dessert. But what is being rejected is the presentation, not the presenter. When I can separate my self-esteem from offering the products or business opportunity, I can live with rejection and look for ways to get a positive response more often.

When you experience rejection, that’s the time to network with mentors and role models. It’s also the time to listen to upbeat music and read articles like this, to attend meetings and conference calls, and to hang around with optimists and winners.

There are basically four things we do in selling our products and services, and only four. We use the products and services ourselves, we talk to people about the products and services, we talk to people about the financial benefits we offer, and we coach them to refer us to others who do the same thing. First, we are coachable and willing to learn something new every day. Then, we become coaches. All you really need to move up to the next level is have faith in yourself.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is to risk involvement. To expose your feelings is to risk revealing your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk rejection. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing at all. People who will risk nothing do nothing, have nothing, and become nothing. They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live. Chained by their certitudes, they are trapped.

They have forfeited their freedom. Only a person who risks is truly free. And one last idea you can live and believe: the more you give, the more you’ll receive.