The United States has a National Christmas Tree. Did you know that? I didn’t, and I probably would never have learned of except that in addition to the tree there are 56 smaller trees which make a Pathway of Peace.

The website says, “Since 1923, the United States has held a tradition of lighting a National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC. In 1978, a live 40-foot Colorado blue spruce was transplanted from York, Pennsylvania to its present site on the Ellipse, the grassy area south of the White House. In 1954, a "Pathway of Peace," 56 smaller, decorated trees representing all 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia were planted surrounding the National Christmas Tree. Each year sponsoring organizations from each state provide tree decorations that are encased in a protective plastic globe to shield it from the weather.”   Read more...

Recently I went hiking with three other people. When we were at the summit, one of the men, whom I had just met that day, mentioned his grandson. This child was born very prematurely, weighing 690 grams at birth. He was in an incubator for months and even now, over a year later, he breathes with tubes up his nose because his lungs are too weak and underdeveloped to support him. Even though this youngster is not yet able to walk, he is growing, is alert, and seems quite bright.

“I’m waiting for the day when my grandson will be well enough and old enough to go hiking with me. I want to share with him the important things of life, the things I love.”   Read more...

I have been a big fan of the work and person of Barbara Winter and her Winning Ways newsletter for many years. I even had the joy of dining with her on one of her many visits to New York City. Barbara is a leading expert on fulfilling work.

If you are an entrepreneur or a wannabe entrepreneur or a I-might-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-when-I-grow-up, Barbara’s work is for you!   Read more...

They often press their little faces upon the closed windows of the cars that stop at traffic signals. Their snotty noses, dirty feet and vanquished faces tell their story without many words. These are the street children who beg at traffic signals, running between cars and other vehicles and braving the harsh Delhi winter in tattered clothes and bare feet.

India has the largest population of street children in the world. At least eighteen million children live or work on the streets of urban India, laboring as porters at bus or railway terminals; as mechanics in informal auto-repair shops; as vendors of food, tea, or handmade articles; as street tailors; or as rag pickers, picking through heaps of garbage and selling usable materials to local buyers.   Read more...

Bovenstaande woorden kwam ik de afgelopen week tegen en zoals ik doe met de dingen die mij opvallen heb ik ze in mijn notitieboekje gekrabbeld. Op zich al twee interessante woorden maar ze stonden naast elkaar en ik begon verbanden te zien.

Junkdesign staat voor slecht ontworpen spullen. Zo goedkoop mogelijk gemaakt, snel kapot en dus ook snel weer afval. Daar worden we niet beter van. Hetzelfde geldt voor casinokapitalisme. Geld verdienen door te gokken met geld van anderen op de beursvloer. Hoge bonussen voor hoge risico’s, maar niet de verliezen als het fout gaat.   Read more...

We have, once again (and so quickly!) reached the natural season of the darkest dark which can herald only one thing: the return of the light. The holy-days of all spiritual practices at this time of year are about light.

For some reason, I am especially conscious of approaching the darkest dark this year. There are just under two weeks till the cycle of light begins to grow again and the darkness is somehow more pungent, more poignant this year.

Certainly, the world economy has something to do with it. I find that I am unwilling to buy “things” just for the sake of having gifts for friends and family. So I was thrilled to discover an organization called Changing the Present where amongst their wonderful Choose A Cause list, peace takes a prominent place. My eyes, of course, went right to it.   Read more...

Going to the bank can be tedious anywhere. But when you are in a foreign country with limited language skills, it can be very challenging indeed. Despite having lived here for years, I am ashamed to say that my Japanese feebly stumbles along. I can shop and get about, talk to doctors and converse on the phone if the vocabulary is simple and the pronunciation clear. I can even manage interviews for odemagazine.com. My grammar is atrocious, but I can get my ideas across. Mostly. When it comes to precision and technical terms, I am in deep water, barely able to stay afloat. Such is a constant challenge, but a great chance to stretch beyond my current limits.

Periodically I send money overseas. When I travel, I make friends. And I often end up helping send kids to school, assisting with medical expenses, or even sponsoring small business ventures. I am delighted to do this within my humble means. But the process of getting funds from here to there can be a true test of patience. There are millions of forms, of course, with specific ways to be completed. Inevitably I make mistakes, so often have to redo everything from the beginning. Several times. The poor man helping me is a saint, explaining and re-explaining, pointing and re-pointing how I must give information. But my brain does not fit into precise little boxes. So, the entire process can take hours.   Read more...

In Amerika krijg je een ‘I.O.U.’ (I owe you) briefje als iemand iets van je leent. Je leent 50 dollar uit de kassa van je baas en dan stop je daar zo’n briefje in. De VS heeft ook een paar van die briefjes liggen in China, Japan en bij een paar oliestaten…

Zondag heb ik op het IDFA de documentaire I.O.U.S.A gezien over de enorme schuld van de Verenigde Staten. Of eigenlijk breder. Naast de enorme schuld van 11 triljard dollar wordt ook gekeken naar de negatieve handelsbalans van ruim 800 miljard per jaar en de toekomstige verplichtingen van triljarden voor oudedagsvoorzieningen en de gezondheidszorg. Conclusie, de VS heeft een financieel probleem van ongekende proporties. Zie hier www.iousathemovie.com de ‘short version’ van 30 minuten. Absoluut de moeite waard!   Read more...

Since the early 80's, I have known many people who have both lived and died with HIV/AIDS. Working in the Broadway theater at the onset of the epidemic gave me a unique view of the effect of the virus within an industrial microcosm.

In general, those I knew and know who have had or have HIV/AIDS respond in one of two ways. Either they deplore both the disease and themselves becoming bitter, hurt and hurting people, or they use their diagnoses as a springboard for personal transformation.   Read more...

Stel, ik ben een van de grootste vervuilers van Nederland. Ik ben dat al jaren en verdien daar bakken geld mee. Miljarden! Nu zijn er andere bedrijven die hetzelfde leveren als ik maar zonder al die rommel. De maatschappij wordt wat kritischer dus ik moet wat gaan doen. Ik denk dat er een manier is om mijn rommel op te ruimen maar de ontwikkeling hiervan kost vele jaren en een paar miljoen. Ik verdien dan wel miljarden per maand maar ik heb geen zin om die paar miljoen te investeren dus ik vraag subsidie aan. En waarempel, ik krijg het nog ook! Klinkt vreemd? Dat is het ook!

Gisteren ontving ik een persbericht van het ministerie van VROM met het ‘verheugende’ nieuws dat VROM 60 miljoen euro beschikbaar stelt voor twee CO2-opslagprojecten (CCS). Dit geld wordt beschikbaar gesteld aan Shell en GTI (Suez). Ja, u leest het goed. Twee van de grootste energiebedrijven ter wereld die miljarden verdienen aan vervuilende fossiele energie houden hun hand op bij u en bij mij om mee te betalen aan het opruimen van de rommel die ze hiermee produceren.   Read more...