Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, April 18, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, April 18, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Cottonwood Ln. & N. Pinal Ave.


Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

This will be Tony Fasline’s last vigil in Casa Grande for this season. Next week he’ll be heading up to the chilly northern confines of Youngstown, OH, and won’t return to our sunny desert till that Yankee chill runs him back to spend another winter in our wonderful desert Paradise.

As he does every year during his northland sojourn, Tony will join has many friends holding vigil for peace every Friday afternoon in and around Youngstown. I’ll try to post notices of those peace vigils at least a couple of times a month. Meanwhile, I’m working my way down a (now) much shorter To-Do list and hope to share more of my own writing before the end of the month. Stay tuned!

　


EMAIL INTERRUPTION:

I regret to report that I still haven’t been able to get my website email back up again. I do hope to cross that item off my agenda within the next few days. When that miracle occurs, I will definitely report the blessed event in this blog. So, please, PLEASE, send wonderful thoughts my way, and watch for that announcement, coming soon. I hope!

　

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

　

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, April 11, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, April 11, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Cottonwood Ln. & N. Casa Grande Ave.


Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

After reporting my latest spell of more severe illness last week, I had a worse downturn for the last few days. As often happens, while I was forced to slow down even more I discovered a new item from my diet that might be causing my latest sensitivity. As always, it’s another food item that is extremely good for normal, healthy people. But the nature of my autoimmune illness is such that most of the foods that cause me trouble are among those that are highly recommended for their health benefits. Ah well. Just gotta go with it, I guess.

This means that I still haven’t been able to do any of my most favorite activity, writing on my book and blog articles. I’ll try to keep you apprised when I’m finally up to doing that work again. Meanwhile, please, please remember that I really need your positive vibes and, from those that believe, prayers. I’m still thinking of a much better world for each one of you, and for everyone everywhere.

　


EMAIL INTERRUPTION:

Just one more thing I haven’t done this week is solve my website email problem. As with the rest of my long-postponed agenda, I’ve finally formulated a plan, and when I’m up to it, I’ll follow through with it. Please don’t give up on this vital work. Thank you.

　

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, April 4, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, April 4, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Cottonwood Ln. & N. Trekell Rd.


Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

I am so predictable. You’d think after a lifetime of riding the chronic-illness roller coaster up and down in unison with the seasons, I’d remember to monitor my activity level as the temperature rises. But no-o-o. When things warm up and I feel better than I did during the long months of frigid weather, I forget past experiences and dive head-long into a belated to-do list.

That’s when I hit the Wall.

I am now in my fifth day of intense exhaustion. Fortunately, the last two days included several short respites of strength. I’ve applied uncommon wisdom, gained with great difficulty from this last lesson, by limiting myself mostly to mental tasks when I have a little energy. Then I fill the relapses with TV and/or sudoku. The puzzles are a bit much for my fried brain, and I make frequent mistakes. But it helps me focus and be very still so I can refuel over time.

Even these few paragraphs have taken several long hours to complete. I’d add a sentence or two then have to rest. But this is the first time I’ve shared so much detail in a public forum. It’s possible that fact will help jog my memory the next time I consider playing ‘chicken’ with that dreaded Wall.

Hold onto good thoughts for me, please. I really need the support!

　

EMAIL INTERRUPTION: Just a note to say that the server for my website email has been down at the same time I have (see above). Now that my brain is regaining short spells of relative function, I’ll try to address the issue, probably by setting it up on an alternate server, at least for the time being. When I’ve accomplished that task, I’ll try to remember to post that news here. I don’t know if I can promise, but I do intend to try to get everything right. More upbeat thoughts for that too. Please!

　

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

　

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, March 28, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, March 28, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Florence Blvd. & N. Trekell Rd.


Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

This has been a productive week, but now that I’ve reached this point, I can barely remember what I actually accomplished in all that time. That’s probably because I woke up at the halfway point of my usual sleep last night, and I couldn’t get back to sleep, no matter how hard I tried. Then this afternoon we went to Sun Lakes, 30 miles away, to see our primary-care physician. We always enjoy seeing Doc, but the round trip is tough for me even under the best of circumstances. Tonight I am just totally wasted!

That’s why I beg your indulgence, boys and girls, while I wrap this up quickly. I plan to to get some good solid sleep tonight and well into the morrow. I need to be rested and refreshed in time to enjoy the official state-side opening of the 2014 Major League Baseball season.

I promise to be more alert by this time next week, and maybe I’ll have done more writing by that time. I hope you’ll be back then.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, March 21, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, March 21, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Florence Blvd. & N. Colorado St.


Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

This week I’ve handled one medical errand and we have an appointment with our doctor in Sun Lakes, 30 miles away, next week. That’s the reason my brain’s already in medical mode. Add the fact that we’re in the most pollenous days of spring, and I don’t plan on doing much beyond rote day-to-day tasks for, maybe, another month or so.

"Wait! Pollen?" you say. "In the Arizona desert? Isn’t it completely barren land?" you say.

"Yes and no," I say. "Pollen in the Arizona desert. You really should see the lovely flowers that pop out of the Saguaro standing right outside our front door and looming twice as high as our house. It’s amazing when these tiny specks of glory just burst from the rugged terrain of an ancient cactus."

　

This is how our resident Dove of Peace
views her own private rooftop garden
atop her Cactus Condo.
(Photo: Jim Jordan)
 

This sign of spring may seem insignificant to most people, but once my respiratory system collects thousands of floating flora germs, my bronchials prove even more fertile than the entire expanse of the Sonoran Desert from New Mexico to California. I can promise you, it ain’t purty!


So I blow my nose and force myself back to Pollyanna mode. My brain will be about as useful as fuzzy Swiss cheese for a few more weeks, but I can still enjoy another wonder of our paradoxical paradise. Since before we’ve owned this house, a female dove has claimed the narrow crook of one of several upraised Saguaro arms for the nest where she’s raised several generations of offspring. I think of her as my own resident Dove of Peace.

　

My own little Dove of Peace
has been here about as long as we have,
providing me with a dose of spiritual inspiration.
(Photo: Jim Jordan)

Still, we walk past the squatter’s condo, and she pays us scant attention. Intruders in her universe, we don’t seem to rate much bother. On the other hand, the sight of a winged mama with her annual flock of offspring in this harsh climate really blows the mind.


For me, spring isn’t a completely lost season, even though my normal agenda must wait till all this new life settles and no longer sprinkles noxious seeds into my delicate biosystem. At least it will end soon, and then I can think again--and Jim can start complaining about the heat that bothers him every summer.

And I? My innocent reaction will be: What [blessed] heat?

And so it goes.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

　

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, March 14, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, March 14, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Florence Blvd. & N. Peart Rd.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

I finished this knit cable cap I was working on last week, the fourth of 12 Caps for Cancer Patients I’ve vowed to make in 2014:

This cap is for a young girl with cancer.
I really enjoy making something that
might help a child in distress
feel better about herself.

I hope to make one more cap for the project in March while I also make progress on another, more personal, needlework project I’ve been thinking about. Meanwhile, I’m slowly doing some writing, so I should be posting more articles here as well. Stay tuned.


As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, March 7, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, March 7, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Florence Blvd. & N. Arizola Rd.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

While many people continue to shiver in the depths of this harsh winter, we in southern Arizona are enjoying the beauty of spring. It’s one of the many reasons we moved here from back east. But many of our loved ones continue to endure the cold weather, so I’ll try not to mention the weather again till we’re broiling in the intense heat of the desert summer. Deal? Good.

We did have some much needed rain last weekend, which does no good for either my body or my brain. But that’s over now and we’re back to the usual sunny and warm. Oops. Sorry about that.

Anyway, aside from tidying up the usual end-of-month accounting early in the week, I’ve just finished knitting the fourth of my promised twelve Caps for Cancer Patients for this year. I’ll block it over the weekend, so I can post the picture with this vigil notice next week. Be sure to check back then.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, February 28, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, February 28, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. McMurray Blvd. & N. Arizola Rd.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

I wonder why I plan to accomplish certain things each week, then when that time is past, I look back on the different things that I got done instead. Must be the result of that old saying: Life happens while you’re making other plans.

I did complete one thing that was on my agenda: I crocheted a cap in a cable pattern, a brand new stitch for my repertoire. Decades ago, I knit several cable sweaters, but doing cables with a crochet hook is a different matter altogether. It requires a bit more patience than making cables with an extra knitting needle. But I do believe this crocheted cable stitch looks great:

I followed the pattern for this cap from the wonderful
website for crocheted items at Rheatheylia.com:
http://www.rheatheylia.com/index.php?page=patterns&id=8

Next I’m going to knit a couple of caps in different cable patterns, so March is pretty well set for me, as far as my work on Caps for Cancer Patients is concerned. This cap makes a total of seven for 2014. But since four that I’ve made are in the colors of the Gay Pride flag, I’ll also offer them to members of the LGBT community, whether they have cancer or not. That means three are definitely for the Caps for Cancer Patients program, and four others could go for either cause, or both.


At least I’m accomplishing something useful, but not all I’d like to get done. Ah well, there’s always next week. Come back then.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, February 21, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, February 21, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. McMurray Blvd. & N. Trekell Rd.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

I’m delighted to say I’ve finished our taxes for the year, two months ahead of schedule, so now I can tend to all those other things, little and big, that sat by the wayside while I worried about getting that done. As soon as I finish writing and posting a couple of articles to this blog in the next few days, I can finally get back into the flow of that book I’ve been trying to write for the longest time, Two Worlds. I have nine or so chapters now, but it would be more appropriate for me to call them -ish.

This book won’t have a straight chronological timeline. I have to wrote at least three different plot lines separately, then try to blend them into what I hope will be a cohesive narrative of the greater story. That means I probably won’t be using every single scene that I’m putting into the separate stories because they’re more for my benefit, so I can envision the lives of characters that’ll be shuffled together into the final version of the novel.

This is a new experience for me. Or perhaps I should call it an experiment. Any positive thoughts you can send my way will be much appreciated and will help me keep slogging away at it while I keep hoping it will one day make sense.

And just to keep the thought of what I’m trying to say in this blog and in my books, and any other way I can, here is a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that perfectly reflects the point of all my work and, I hope, my life:
 

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, February 14, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, February 14, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
E. Cottonwood Ln. & N. Trekell Rd.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

Well, I finally blocked and got pictures of the hats I’ve made for the last several weeks. A little background here: I found the pattern online for a simple crocheted cap in the rainbow colors of the colors of the Gay Pride flag. Since we have friends in the LGBTIQ community, I decided to make a few of these, some for people who have cancer and are either gay or want to support a gay loved one. I also have a gay relative and want to make something for him and his partner.
 

The fashion colors in this cap are a bit off
from the basic rainbow colors of the
Gay Pride flag, but some people might
prefer them to the traditional colors.

When I started the first hat, I had only four of the six colors required, so I could only do so much before I had to go to the nearby Jo-Ann store to buy more. But when I scoured the yarn section, I couldn’t find any yarn in the ‘true’ colors I need for this particular project. I had to settle for ‘fashion’ colors, shades that aren’t quite the good old-fashioned basic colors to match those of the flag. Just to be able to do at least one full cap, I bought one of each of these fashion colors, then went home and went online to find that Red Heart still has traditional colors in the same yarn I used to buy years ago. So now I have enough yarn in the colors I want to make several hats before I have to order more.

This is my first attempt for a ladies cap.
I’ll make them in two sizes so
more people will have choices.

Now, it’s time for me to try a different theme and pattern for my next Cap for Cancer Patients and alternate that project with more writing. This is what we should all aspire to in our lives, to be productive and useful, contributing our best gifts to make life better for someone who is in need.


As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
　
COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Peace Voices from the Past foreshadow "The World I Imagine"

A few days ago, Jim posted on my Facebook page a quote from a speech Omar Bradley delivered in 1948:


"We have men of science, too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner."

Omar Nelson Bradley, General of the Army, (February 12, 1893 - April 8, 1981), Armistice Day speech (November 11, 1948), published in Omar Bradley’s Collected Writings, Volume 1 (1967)

I wasn’t surprised that more than 65 years ago the decorated combat veteran predicted that, even then, we humans were heading toward self-annihilation if we didn’t change our ways. Six decades later, the end seems closer than ever. I emphasized one of the main reasons for that in a column first published in September 2004 and reprinted in my 2008 essay collection:

"Another problem can be found in the strong emphasis being put on education in science and math. At the same time, little or no attention is being made to the great need to train highly intelligent and creative people in such vital areas as sociology and political science so they can develop solutions to the global problems that threaten the very existence of the planet--many of which were caused by an over-reliance on science, without applying conscience in every decision."

from The World I Imagine, Chapter 8: Universal Education: Learning Problems

In a 2007 column reprinted in the final chapter of my book, I explained why one of the more bizarre ideas to avoid destruction is unworkable, and I offered a more reasonable solution:

"In the current world crisis, some people who are considered to have great scientific minds claim that the solution is for humans to travel to other planets. It sounds simple, except for the megatrillion dollars and centuries of effort it would take to bring even a small part of mankind to the point where they’d be equipped to perform that operation and take the trip--if they could even identify another planet in the vast universe on which they could actually survive!

"The real problem with that idea is that transporting humans who destroyed the earth in the first place into outer space so they can trash up the rest of the universe wouldn’t solve anything. People have no business leaving their own back yard until they first learn to behave themselves. If we can’t do the right thing here on earth, we certainly can’t be expected to do so out there in the rest of the cosmos!

"The only way to solve these problems is to establish entirely new ways of organizing every aspect of society. The goal of this effort should be to build a society in which each person is able to purchase all the basic goods and services necessary for a dignified existence at a cost of no more than half the amount earned by the lowest-paid full-time worker on the planet.

"Only then will we be able to end poverty everywhere on the planet. Only then can we begin to build a peaceful society all around the world."

from The World I Imagine, Chapter 12: Poverty and Politics: Institutions versus Individuals

The World I Imagine provides a positive look
at what our society would be like if no one
were forced to exist in a state of poverty
anymore and we actually lived together in peace.

Although The World I Imagine has received generally positive reviews, some people question whether it would ever be possible to implement ideas discussed in the book. I respond that every great social advancement began with a dream, an idea that was shared with and repeated by people of like mind, first one and then a few at a time, until positive change was implemented by thousands and, finally, by a majority of the people.

All we have to do to accomplish Step One is keep dreaming, discussing, and sharing win-win-win solutions for managing our problems. Sooner or later, they will become standard practice, replacing the destructive policies that have driven us so deep into the current social and political quagmire.

This view was shared by another peace lover who called herself Peace Pilgrim and who, coincidentally, died shortly after Bradley passed:

"In order for the world to become peaceful, people must become more peaceful. Among mature people war would not be a problem — it would be impossible. In their immaturity people want, at the same time, peace and the things which make war. However, people can mature just as children grow up. Yes, our institutions and our leaders reflect our immaturity, but as we mature we will elect better leaders and set up better institutions. It always comes back to the thing so many of us wish to avoid: working to improve ourselves. "

Peace Pilgrim aka Mildred Lisette Norman Ryder (July 18, 1908 - July 7, 1981), Steps Toward Inner Peace : Harmonious Principles for Human Living

"You have much more power when you are working for the right thing than when you are working against the wrong thing. And, of course, if the right thing is established wrong things will fade away of their own accord. Grass-roots peace work is vitally important. All who work for peace belong to a special peace fellowship — whether we work together or apart."

Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words (1982)
Ch. 11 : Transforming Our Society

And though many people look for simple solutions to our complex problems, my first essay in the collection, originally published in March 2004, includes these details about what needs to be done:
" ... while we dream of these goals, we need to understand that peace is not merely the absence of conflict. None of these artists mention the vast amount of labor that will be needed to end poverty and establish a just society for everyone in the world. Such information is too complicated to be contained in a single song. Establishing and maintaining a peaceful world will take a heck of a lot more creativity, dedication, and plain old hard work than the tradition of war ever exacted from the human race. Granted, a true state of peace would be a whole lot cheaper and far less traumatic than any old-fashioned war, but, to date, no one seems to know how to pull it off.

" ... I must be clear about certain points. I'm not talking about classless socialism or a totalitarian government. Those things have been tried and have failed miserably. But then, so has the current system of runaway capitalism that denigrates social conscience. As long as even one person goes hungry, cannot find a job, or is denied protection from abuse, the government we should all be able to depend upon is not working.

"But it can work. Every one of these problems could be managed and more, but not the way we're dealing with them now. The current system has too much wasteful redundancy, and too, too many gigantic cracks through which the weakest drop into oblivion. While some people have more than they could ever use, others are denied the help they need to lead productive lives as contributing members of society.

"So, while we must be clear about the ends, we must also be diligent about cleaning up the means. We must ensure that no one is being hurt or left behind, and we must ensure that everyone receives the basic services due to every member of a truly just and democratic society."

From The World I Imagine, Chapter 1: Building Peace Without Poverty: The World I Imagine

Finally, my publicity for The World I Imagine contains the following information about the book:

"Political and sociological experts consistently use three buzzwords when discussing solutions for social problems like poverty: holistic, systemic and systematic. [My] approach to the issues satisfies all these requirements. For example, [I] carefully [explain] how the archaic practice of feudalism continues as the model for labor and employment in the 21^st century and fuels poverty.

"We have to make better use of human resources. When a person is laid off, they shouldn’t be paid a pittance for not working while they slip steadily into a lower economic strata. They should be able to use their expertise to help themselves and their neighbors until they can find a job that’s comparable to their previous position. Without unemployment, we wouldn’t have recessions, or their nastier ‘big brother’: depression, ... .

"[I approach] issues such as education, health care, disability and old age in similar fashion. Though [I organize] The World I Imagine into sections and chapters according to each subject, [I don’t] treat any one as a single issue that can be solved on its own. Instead, [I make] numerous cross-references to demonstrate how all these social issues relate as part of a complex social tapestry. [I share] the headlining belief of the Obama/Biden administration – that we should not only believe in Barack Obama’s ability to bring about real change in Washington, but also our own."

from Press Release for The World I Imagine

I will continue to add my voice to the chorus of activists stretching back over the millennia, who come from many different walks of life but end up sharing their positive ideas and precious energy in order to move us steadily forward in the cause of peace. I welcome people of like mind to join me in this effort. You’ll find many ideas for making many positive changes in my book so we can all do much more than merely dream of The World I Imagine.

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, February 7, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, February 7, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. Florence Blvd.. & N. Trekell Rd.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

I’ve had too many things to take care of this week to reach the goals I’d hoped this week, so I’ll be quick about this update so I can post this notice of Tony Fasline’s weely vigil for peace. At least it looks like I should be back to my own things next week, so we’ll have to see how that works out.

At least I have been able to keep on crocheting, but the final step on each hat remains to be done, so no pictures this week. If you come back next week, I should have more than one of my Caps for Cancer Patients to share with you then. Hold onto great thoughts and dream big dreams for the future, everyone. We need to be positive as we move forward every single day of our lives.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

COMMENTS: The purpose of this blog is to share positive ideas for making changes that will help everyone, not just a narrow group of people. I’d love to hear more ideas for imprinting positive effects over a wide range of areas in our society.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, January 31, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, January 31, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. Florence Blvd.. & N. Cameron St.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

I may be growing older, but I promise I’ll never grow up!

Yup. It’s that time again. Time for me and the Chinese to turn to a new calendar. And just like the Asians who count years in series of twelve, I’m about to face an entire new decade. Ouch!

But life goes on and it beats the alternative. And the truth is, I’d much rather know what I know now than what I did when I was young and foolish. Now I’m just old and foolish!

Okay, I promise I’m done with all the cliches. My other news this week is that I have finished crocheting my next cap, this one for a special type of cancer patient. I still have to block it so we can get photos. But since I’ve already started another, I’ll wait to finish that one too and block them both at the same time. I promise to post at least one picture here next week. Stay tuned.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, January 24, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, January 24, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. Florence Blvd.. & N. Olive Ave.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

As I promised last week, here’s a picture of the second cap I made in my quest to complete at least 12 Caps for Cancer Patients in 2014:

　

The next one will be special, made for some people whose cause I wholeheartedly support. I hope to post a picture of the first cap in that series in a week or two. I’ll start it later today.

Meanwhile, I have done a bit of writing and several administrative tasks this week. I’m happy I can manage these useful tasks during the colder months of the year, a goal that’s getting harder for me to reach every year because of lifelong progressive chronic medical conditions.

I do this by concentrating on my ‘abilities’ rather than my ‘disabilities.’ That’s what we should all be encouraged to do, even those people we in the disability community refer to as ‘temporarily able-bodied’ (TABs for short).

And to all those people who don’t like that because they selfishly demand things from me that I’m no longer able to manage: You know what you can do about it. (I hope it’s not too painful!)

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

Becoming more Blessed

Several years ago, I was invited to write an article for the HelpingHelp Innovation for Nonprofits blog. I chose to discuss the negative connections between poverty and charity, one of the many issues that inspired the essays collected in my book, The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace.


Conservatives are trying harder than ever before to eliminate government programs that help poor people. They claim it would be more acceptable if those services were managed by charities. That’s the reason I must explain one more time why both government and charities must take more effective approaches to the problem of poverty in our society. Here, then, is my article which was originally posted on March 17, 2010:


BECOMING MORE BLESSED

Most people know the quote from the Bible. It would be a "red letter" statement attributed to Jesus, except it’s in the book of Acts, chapter 20, verse 35: " . . . remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." (KJV)

You could say there’s an entire industry built around the concept of people being "more blessed." It’s called "charity," which is a synonym for "love." That’s good, of course, but what about the recipients? Are those who receive less "blessed" than those who give to others?

In a perfect world, people who receive would be able to return the favor, if not directly to those who give to them, at least to someone else in turn. Thus, society would be in balance. But that’s not how things are in the real world.

In fact, society almost guarantees an entire class of people are doomed to be among the less blessed. Billions of people spend their lives wanting for the basic goods and services we "blessed" people take for granted: nourishing food, clean water, safe and sheltering homes, and much more.

Does it have to be like that? Can something be done about it? If so, what?

Consider what happens in the event of an extraordinary catastrophe, such as a hurricane or an earthquake. The authorities declare an emergency, and public and private organizations are mobilized. This process allows millions of people to pitch in and help victims of the disaster.

In such cases, there are givers and receivers. But the situation, though dire, is usually temporary. The goal is to bring life back to normal for the receivers, so they can once again become givers in their turn. That’s how the social balance is maintained.

But what of the ultimate emergency: poverty? To those in the lowest economic strata, life is an eternal emergency. They are in constant need of help, not merely to make it through a day or a defined period of time, but for their entire lives. They are chronic receivers, the incurably less blessed.

My essays in The World I Imagine

detail a comprehensive plan for

ending poverty and war by

building a society in which

everyone enjoys some measure

of prosperity and peace.

Fortunately, many organizations help the more blessed give to those in need. They provide food, medical services, water, shelter--the basics. But as much as they help people survive, such bequests rarely offer long-term improvement for the people they help. Poverty is a virtual inferno that destroys everything in its path. For all their good intentions, these givers are like firefighters trying to stop a massive wildfire with small buckets of water.

The solution to this endless catastrophe must be to build a system that is, if not fireproof, at least fire-resistant. In the face of poverty, we must become proactive instead of merely reactive. There is an old saying: "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." This is wise counsel.

But what if we sit with the man at the riverbank until he is adept at snagging the biggest fish, then declare him ready, stand up, take back our fishing poles, tackle, bait, all the tools he needs to catch more fish to feed his family and more--and carry these tools away with us? What good does that new education do for the man and his family then?

Education is only the first step. After that, people need jobs and tools so they can perform honest labor and earn enough to purchase the basic goods and services. Then they will be able to enjoy a dignified existence.
Charitable organizations work best when they offer this kind of parity between giving and receiving. Besides providing the basic goods and services, they can teach and provide recipients with the means to work and earn money. One of the best organizations of this kind is Heifer International.


Instead of simply feeding hungry people, the charity provides an animal, usually a cow or a goat, to a family that will breed it and return several animals as repayment for the loan. Then those animals are given to other families, and the blessings are spread far and wide. In the end, recipients end up with small herds that not only feed their own families but help bring prosperity to their villages.

Microloans are another tool that help poor people, especially women, raise themselves, their families, and their villages out of poverty. With a small amount of money, they learn to build successful businesses while they repay the loans at a small rate of interest.

Givers to these types of charities are helping to raise the status of the less blessed so that poor people can eventually become givers themselves. This is the best kind of giving. This is truly the way for each of us to become more blessed.

　
The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, January 17, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, January 17, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. Florence Blvd.. & N. Pinal Ave.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

How are all you folks doing with your New Year’s Resolutions so far? I’m delighted to say I’m continuing to make progress on my vow to make at least 12 Caps for Cancer Patients in 2014. As promised, here is the first, a pink knit hurricane hat:

　

　

Today I’m just a few rows away from finishing a crocheted number for the second cap of my 2014 series. I might even have a picture of that ready to share when I post this announcement next week. I plan to spend more time on my writing this week as well. A little here, a little there, and 2014 can turn out to be a better year than 2013 was. Positive thoughts all round!

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, January 10, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, January 10, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. McCartney Blvd.. & N. Pinal Ave.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.

　


THIS WEEK:

So, did you survive Blue Monday? Never heard of Blue Monday? Well, it’s already passed for this year, so if you’re doing okay now, you can thank your lucky stars.

Blue Monday is a term coined nearly a decade ago to explain why the first Monday of the new year is probably the worst day of the year. There’s the letdown after holiday highs, recently acquired debt, resolutions you’ve probably already started to break, and the worst weather of the year. On top of all that, it’s a Monday. If you survived that day, which was January 6 this year, you probably have nowhere to go but up.

For me, the only downer is the weather. We avoid the rest by treating spiritual occasions as just that, spending December as we do the rest of the year, doing work we hope will inspire others. Then I use January on finances, tidying up 2013 records and making plans for 2014.

I’m also proud to report that last night I completed the first of the twelve caps for cancer patients I plan to make in 2014. Next week I’ll post a picture of that new one. Meanwhile, the picture below shows a pink turban I crocheted last year for someone with cancer.



As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, January 3, 2014:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, January 3, 2014
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. McCartney Rd.. & N. Pinal Ave.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.
　


THIS WEEK:

The holidays are finally over and we’re beginning a brand New Year. To be honest, I like this last part of the entire range of year-end festivities best of all. My health and psyche always improve when I no longer have to explain why I can’t take part in all the regular traditions that too many people consider religious obligations, even though none of them originated in the era they’re considered to represent.

I’m allergic, literally, to almost everything about all the third-quarter festivities that are such an inherent part of the Euro-American culture. The onset of cold weather, diet-busting fare, and holiday greenery have always threatened my already delicate health. When I was in elementary school, my sensitivity was so bad that the last few days I spent in a closed classroom with a festive Christmas tree left me unconscious for the first two or three days of every holiday vacation.

Unfortunately, instead of being understanding when those things attack my weakened immune system, people who claim to love me only criticize and punish me for the unforgivable ‘social crime’ of "bringing everyone down." Now that I’m too old and sick to don that false "mask of health" to please those cruel people, I use my time taking better care of myself than ever before and working on different writing projects that, I hope, will encourage people to help end poverty and war and build a society marked by real prosperity and true peace.

And on the very final holiday of the season, spanning the last day of one year and the first of the next, I get a real kick out of refocusing my energies, such as they are at this stage of my life, on the work I plan to keep on doing as my little part in helping us reach that goal.

So, Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you’ve made your resolution to do something positive for someone who needs it, and that you’ve vowed to help make this a better world for all.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!

　

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.

Friday Peace Vigil, Casa Grande, AZ, and surrounding area, December 27, 2013:

PEACE VIGIL
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Friday, December 27, 2013
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W. Cottonwood Ln.. & N. Pinal Ave.

Peace Vigils are held every Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Casa Grande from mid-December to mid-April. Come and stand for Peace! Bring a sign or a sign can be provided - and bring another peace activist. The more the merrier! Call Debbie Jordan (520-494-0437) or Tony Fasline (520-426-0070) for details.
　


THIS WEEK:

Now that Christmas is over, we come to the observance that I admire and love most of all. Yes, today, December 26, is Boxing Day in many parts of the world, but that’s not what I’m talking about. The observance of Kwanzaa, in which people honor the vital principles of strong community values, is much more important to reaching the goals of ending poverty and building a peaceful world than the rituals of all other holidays of the year, including Christmas. I know December 25 is supposed to be about the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, but excessive materialism and the spirit of overindulgence in everything from food and drink to greed has all but destroyed the true spirit of the occasion.

In many African-American households and communities, Kwanzaa is observed from the day after Christmas through the first day of the New Year. I believe that spending the final week of each year discussing the meaning and importance of Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith (in more than just religion) can be a positive way to welcome the New Year. So, for every person who is about to begin this wonderful seven-day journey, I wish you a very Happy Kwanzaa.

Meanwhile, I hope that everyone is wise enough to enjoy a safe and sane New Year.

As always, I invite everyone to join me in a vow to use our blessings, skills, and talents to build a society without poverty or war in which everyone is able to enjoy at least the basic benefits of prosperity and peace.

Meanwhile, send out your positive thoughts and, for those who are believers, prayers for all the suffering souls all around the world!


The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and most online bookstores around the world. Both are available for Kindle readers.
 

Economists finally catching up with Peace Author

One of the bigger stories to blow up the holiday news bubble this week was the fact that consumers are spending less this year than retailers hoped they would. Along with that bit of dismal economia comes the Associated Press survey of economists who finally admit that the expanding income gap resulting from the malicious (my word) policies of the conservative power bloc hurts the economy and is slowing the long hoped-for recovery.

Well, duh.

I’ve been saying and writing about that very condition for years. More than two years ago, on August 2, 2011, I covered this issue in my article in this blog entitled "Rewarding the Rich at the Expense of the Poor and Middle Class: Bad economics, bad citizenship."

Even better, that fact is the gist of my essay on "The Price of Poverty" in Chapter 12, "Poverty and Politics," of my essay collection, The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace. In fact, all the essays in that chapter touch on the problems caused by the perpetuation of unemployment and generational poverty. In addition, The World I Imagine is a virtual trove of creative solutions to the problem of poverty in our society.

It’s interesting to note that in early spring of 2004, I wrote the first essay in my Imagine series as a newspaper column detailing the natural cause-and-effect relationship between poverty and conflict. I eventually published those collected essays as The World I Imagine in 2008. Since I was so far ahead of the curve in recognizing the dangers of conservative policies that have slowly but steadily ravaged the world economy for most of the last three decades, readers are certain to find inspiration for their own creative solutions by reading about the many positive things we all need to do to rebuild the economy that are discussed in this book.

Throughout The World I Imagine, I explain innovative ways we can develop and implement education and job training programs for everyone to the extent of their abilities and interests and match them to various jobs that are needed to run a successful economic system. More than that, everyone must understand that the powers-that-be must ensure that all basic goods and services necessary for a dignified existence are available to everyone at a cost of no more than half the amount the lowest-paid full-time worker is able to earn. That economic policy would ensure that no one is forced to subsist in a state of poverty and everyone will have at least a little more than just the basics and, thus, some measure of choice in their lives.

If such a system were ever implemented, if everyone earned enough money to do at least a little better than merely survive, businesses would thrive. If everyone was able to benefit at least to a small degree from a growing and successful economy, everyone would contribute their efforts to a steadily growing economy and no one would be considered an unnecessary drain on ever-dwindling resources of a bankrupt country. If everyone were able to enjoy at least a small part of the resulting prosperity, then poverty would disappear entirely.

While economists, corporate executives, and politicians continue to focus on the negative policies and keep on repeating the same old mistakes that got us into this mess, I’ll continue to concentrate on positive win-win-win ideas that could eventually pull all of us out of this mess. That is my dream for the future in The World I Imagine.

The World I Imagine: A creative manual for ending poverty and building peace and my historical mystery novel, Lion’s Pride, are available through your local bookstore. They are featured on most online bookstores throughout the world, including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, and both are available for Kindle readers.