Chasing Dreams

I was originally planning to dedicate my last 2011 blog to the protestors here in America and around the world that have instigated regime change without the need for war, influenced the social and economic conversation by exposing the income disparity here in the US and demonstrated to the “powers that be” that the people are the real power when we work together. I wanted to touch on how the “Tea Party” has matured from protestors to political constituent on their way to perhaps becoming a Political Party separate from the Republicans that don’t seem to know how to fully assuage them. And of course I wanted to highlight how the Occupy Wall Street movement introduced the term 99% into our vernacular that has seemed to catch fire all over the globe. But TIME magazine beat me to the punch, so I’m going to write about something Time isn’t writing about yet… me. 2011 was truly a year of transition not just for politics but for me personally. It was a year for many firsts that I am...

Last week we witnessed what looks like a coordinated police effort to stem if not stamp out the growth of what in most cases is peaceful expressions of civil disobedience across the country. The eviction of OWS camps at Zuccotti Park in NYC, galvanized thousands in a planned march to commemorate two months of the occupation. The day of unrest threatened to cause disruptions on Wall Street as well as the transit system.  The movement which started in New York and spread globally has shined a light on the surprising income disparity in the US with reporting from foreign news organizations that reveal an America that many wouldn't recognize. Occupy Wall Streeters Evicted in NYC   Clashes in Oakland Students pepper sprayed All of these scenes are eerily similar to clashes occurring around the world. Just look at what flared up only days ago in Egypt. Scenes from Egypt last week The common thread is people tired of the economic disparity, p...

Like a lot of fellow Americans and people all over the world I have been following the progression of this movement.  My last blog addressed why the need for movements like this exist but now I am blogging in response to various claims that these protestors are anti-capitalist and therefore Un-American. So let’s start with the definition of Capitalism.  Unfortunately there is no static universal agreement except for certain elements which include; private ownership of development, manufacturing and distribution of goods and services for profit in a market where prices and wages are set by competition. We’ve all heard about Supply and Demand, well COMPETITION is the heart of Supply and Demand. The other important component of the idea of Capitalism is the expectation that it encourages Economic growth.  One last defining point before I jump into it.   As a student of economics I cling to the portion of the idea dealing with Free Markets which c...

Supply and Demand; basic Econ 101. This fundamental law describes a dynamic between two variables which can be applied to any field.  The relationship is inverse so as the supply of something decreases, say gas, the demand increases. Such is the case in our American political system. The supply of adequate leadership and representation is rare and on the decrease if one examines the field.   The movie “ The American President ” with Michael Douglas comes to mind.  In an exchange the fictional president is told the following: “ People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand.”  Well I’m not criticizing our President alone, because our system doesn’t allow for the country to be run by one person, no Americ...

I wasn’t sure where or how to start this entry.  Obviously it’s an homage to the late great Steve Jobs.  Anyone that knows me, knows the fierce connection I feel towards the brand.  Not just the products but the idea behind the brand.  The mantra of “Think Differently” is ingrained in my soul. When the whole world says white my first instinct is to think black.  Now this isn’t born out of a sheer love of being a contrarian, no it’s the result of having WHY burn inside like a primal fire inherited from my ancestors that received that gift from Prometheus . “WHY” is a gift that allows us to… on the surface question the status quo but go deeper and one will discover that “WHY” actually allows us to innovate. I like to think it’s the flame of genius that consumes those that dare to embrace it as others simply choose to admire its light and warmth. My introduction to computing was on a PC and that relationship was nothing more than utilitarian, a mean...

So here I am, back on my soap-box but this time it’s a  political rant.  On a flight back from Barcelona I saw the movie “Inside Job” which was an excellent critique and analysis of our current economic crisis.  Yes crisis my friend.  If you are the average American then you have seen your real income, the hard earned money you make adjusted for the cost of living, decrease, while the wealthiest Americans have seen an increase. As of 2006, the United States had one of the highest levels of income inequality, as measured through the Gini Index among high income countries comparable to that of some middle income countries such as Russia or Turkey, being one of only few developed countries where inequality has increased since 1980. We are becoming a Nation of the “Haves and the Have Nots” So why is it that our Republican leaders are all calling for tax breaks for the job producers at the cost to the wage earners?  If you think this is rhetoric look at the c...

Well 2011 is off to good start so far.  I have officially completed my first self-published project.  It is a very unique book entitled "Corporate Liaison" and you can take a sneak peek here but definitely order your copy soon, Valentine's Day is right around the corner.  Corporate Liaison by Garfield Harry | Make Your Own Book This project was in the works for some time now, mainly because of the various creative elements that had to be blended together into a single cohesive venue.  First we have the actual story, which drives everything. It's a erotic love story about two ambitious professionals that fall for each other despite the pitfalls of an office romance. A project like this without a strong plot and interesting characters is a waste.  I believe I've been able to capture both. Then we have the WAY the story is being revealed which is what makes this book so unconventional.  It's a collection of poems linked together by short scene description...

Happy New Year.... the end is near.  Ok people it's 2011, one year closer to the dreaded 2012. You know what I'm referring to... the end of the world as predicted by folks who have mis-read the Mayan calendars. Personally I believe the Mayans just didn't create a calendar beyond 2011. They were busy, fighting off Europeans or plagues or something but the fact that the calendar they did create ends in 2012 somehow translates into the end of the world as we know it. People are funny. But you know, we have seen some really bizarre things recently,  slug creatures  in the sewers of North Carolina, we've had  mass animal deaths  as recently as few days ago. On  Wednesday officials in Kentucky reported the death of hundreds of birds that seem to fall out of the sky, for the SECOND time this week.  Sweden reported 50 jackdaw birds found in the streets of Stockholm and 50,000 dead crabs washed up on the shores of the UK. Similar events are being reported ...

Y eah so I thought my first blog of the year was going to be something profound and inspiring... naaaa... it's about James Bond. It dawned on me watching " Casino Royale " with Daniel Craig how the James Bond character is a physical manifestation of the male Id. Now just so we're on the same page, by Id I'm referring to that part of the personality that is pure and basic drive not guided by morals or societal rules like the ego or the super ego. It's the child in us all that just wants to take what we want without concern of consequence and is ruled by the " pleasure principle ", seeking to avoi d pain or unpleasure aroused by increases in instinctual tension. For anyone who has seen the Bond franchise this is not news but the last tw o Bond films, "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace" provides background to why the character behaves the way he does and more importantly it provides a glimpse into why men in genera...