Fair-Minded Words

IL Senator Barack Obama recently made a speech to a religious renewal organization in Washington, D.C. A friend sent me the text of the speech and, just because I like all things political, I read the entire thing. I'm not making any statements on what Sen. Obama said in this speech, but he finished his speech with a short story.
During the last election, Sen. Obama received an E mail from a constituent who also happens to be a college professor. The professor said that his beliefs were in conflict with what Sen. Obama's political stance is, yet, he still may vote for him.

However, there was one catch: something the professor read on Sen. Obama's web site.
Apparently, the Senator's staff had created the site using the (as he stated) "boiler plate" rhetoric of his party. The web site statements conflicted with a speech recently given by the Senator and were, in fact, insulting to the constituent.

THIS is where Senator Obama showed character as few politicians do: he looked at his stance, his speech and the wording on the web site. Which one was not congruent with the others? The web site. And the wording was changed immediately.

Do any other politicians have this much character? If so, we certainly don't hear it in the headlines – and that is shameful. This makes me wish I lived in IL and could vote for the guy!

To read the full text of the speech, click here:
http://obama.senate.gov/podcast/060628-call_to_renewal_keynote/index.html

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Back In Time

Today, on my favorite radio talkshow, the question was posed: If you could go back and see a 15 year old version of yourself, what would you now, as an adult, tell that teenager?

This question was posed by Dave Glover and Glenn Beck on 97.1 FM here in The Lou. I listen to the Dave Glover Show almost every day when I'm in town and I can truly, truly say that this show has enriched my life and knowledge bank more than any form of media ever has. It's due to thought-provoking questions like this that make me stop and say, "Huh...I wonder what I WOULD tell that 15 year old Marcus." There are a million things that this 31 year old version of myself would like to share, but let's face it - we can't swallow large amounts of information. So, I think it'd all break down to this - I must speak to that kid on the level where he could receive the information. No long, drawn out philosophical discussions about life, love and the human experience are going to stick in his head. So, what I'd tell him is this, "Kid, the Beatles said it best, Ob La Di, Ob La Dah, life goes on." Yep, Life goes on. Simple and what is quite possibly the most universal of all truths. What would you tell the 15 year old version of yourself? Is it the same thing you'd have said a few years ago? Think it'll be the same five years from now? Either way, just be sure you're living the advice you'd give yourself - no one likes a hypocrite.
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Reciprocation

This morning, I received an E mail from a gentleman in Colorado asking if he could use one of my articles for his web site. Everyone is welcome to re-print articles of mine, please just include my contact info and let me know! I like to look at who are the new folks who might be getting something positive from my words!

www.jtchandler.com

and you can find my article right on the home page, along with some other great stuff! Check it out and thanks, JT!

ezinearticles.com

For those who are looking for old editions of The Marcus Engel Newsletter,

you can find them at:

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Engel


This is a great site and you'll probably find other such articles from yours truly,

as well as other writers.




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Happy Birthday Stephen!

Today is the birthday of Stephen Foster. If life wasn't finite, he'd be 180. What's that? You've never heard of Stephen Foster? Maybe not, but you're certainly familiar with his work. Foster wrote such American classics as "Camptown Ladies", "Oh, Suzanna!" and "Hard Times Come Again No More." He is consistently covered in the Americana/NoDepression genre of music I love so much, but more importantly, what child gets to age 10 without learning a few of his songs?

Yet, one thing I didn't know about Foster was that he died at 38 years old with mere pennies in his pocket - all his earthly possessions able to fit into a fist. Sad, considering he's one of the most classic songwriters to be born on American soil... especially on America's birthday.

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Going and Going and Going...

A few months ago, my Rotary Club invited a local guy, John O'Leary, to speak to our club. In my 18 months of being a Rotarian and sitting through meetings every week, John is, hands down, the best speaker I've heard speak in front of this club. His message? As a nine-year-old-kid, John was severely burned over nearly his entire body. Through long months and years of surgeries, rehab and therapy, he stayed positive with support from family, friends and even some nationally known sports stars. John has now become a friend and colleague in the speaking biz, sharing his message of overcoming this trauma and working to better the community and the world. John is also a chaplin at a local children's hospital, runs a non-for-profit agency and consistently volunteers for lots of great programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

So, here's why I'm writing about him! John has been nominated for the Energizer Battery "Keep Going" Hall of Fame and is one of ten finalists. Quite an honor! The thing is, to win the contest, we need to help John get votes. As many as possible. That's where you come in! Please visit John's web site:

www.rising-above.com

And vote for him! You can also do this through the energizer.com site, but come on, stop by John's site and take a look at an amazing story while you're there! Also, drop him an E mail and let him know you're a friend of mine, or leave a comment on the blog - we want him to win this and know where all his support came from! Thanks, folks!

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Is There Really A Problem Here?

I found this little blurb on one of my fav web sites, www.newsoftheweird.com.

Chuck Shepherd's News of the Weird
The "indecent" CBS drama "Without a Trace" for which the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a $3.3 million fine of the network and affiliates was apparently complained about by only two (at most) actual viewers of the estimated 8.2 million who watched it that December 2004 night, according to FCC records that CBS cited in a June filing to the commission. Those two (and 4,209 complaints from people who apparently only heard about the show) did not start arriving at the FCC until 12 days afterward, which coincidentally was the day that a family watchdog organization began alerting its members about the show. The same CBS program had aired in 2003, with no complaints. [Reuters, 6-14-06; MediaWeek.com, 6-13-06]

***

Look at these numbers - does this really spell out a problem of the decline of America? If you look at the numbers from the "wardrobe malfunction" at the Superbowl a few years back, you find very similar numbers of folks complaining (i.e., hardly any). What does this tell us? That the media likes to make mountains out of molehills.

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A Lesson In Success

Fox News is currently running a segment where accomplished Americans share experiences from their childhood that helped propel them to success. Bill Russell had this to say and I thought it was quite profound and a lesson for us all:

A Special for Young People
By Uma Pemmaraju
Sunday, July 2 at 10 p.m. ET, FOX News presents

NBA great Bill Russell says he doesn't feel comfortable being described as an icon or a legend. He simply says his greatest achievement is that, "I am my father's son. My father was my hero." When he was about 5 years old, Russell's father talked to him in very interesting way. He describes a conversation where his father said, "If you decide to be a ditch digger here in this town, find out how well you can do it. What I want for you is that after you've done it for awhile, they'll be people in New York, California and Florida talking about how well you do your job." Russell's father meant that whatever you do, find out what's essential to make it good or successful and not only excel at it, but use your imagination and see how far you can take it.

Despite his towering height, Russell is a soft-spoken and gentle man who really wants to reach out and help young people who often don't have parents or a mentor to turn to. He believes that his success as a champion basketball player is simply one chapter in his life and that his life is meaningful in so many other ways whether it's spending time with his family or working to help youngsters who have dreams of becoming basketball stars. Russell says life is full of possibilities and often thinks about his mother's advice: "You can't know love unless you love yourself."

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Thank You. Thank You Very Much...

Today, President Bush took the prime minister of Japan on a guided tour through Graceland. At first, I thought this was a total waste of time - do our world leaders have nothing better to do than walk around looking at 30 year old jumpsuits and sequined sunglasses? Then, to watch Bush and the prime minister having such a good time (the prime minister is a big fan, BTW), it just showed two friends bonding over something that was a bit more lighthearted than anti-nucleur proliferation. Then, it really struck me that, well, frankly, I don't really care how two people bond, provided they ARE strengthening their friendship. Elvis or chess or at an 80s hair rock concert - what does it really matter? The better the relationships between two world leaders, the better the relationships between their respective countrymen.

The Things We Hold On To

When I was about 14, the local community center in High Hill, MO (my hometown), liquidated its' "library"; a locked room that was stacked floor to ceiling with old books. It was first come, first take and I, as a greedy 14 year old, was taking books I knew darned good and well I'd never read. One book I thought I -might-flip through was entitled something like, "Ozark Folklore and Magic." Hardback, about 200 pages, this book gave all sorts of legends and myths that come from the Ozark Mountains. I don't remember a whole lot about the book, but there was one chapter on weddings and funerals. For whatever reason, I remember that rain holds special meaning to both weddings and funerals (according to myth, obviously). If it rains on a wedding day, the marriage is doomed. If it rains on the day of a funeral, it is a sign from God that the soul of the person reached heaven.

There are things in our life we just can't shake, no matter how ridiculous they are. I mean, does anyone really believe that a drizzle on a wedding day means the two folks walking down the aisle will end up on an episode of "Divorce Court"? Highly doubtful.

But, every time I attend a funeral, I hope for rain. Just one of those things I hold onto.

Monday morning (just three days ago), I received a call at 6:30 a.m. that my paternal grandmother passed away in her sleep. She'd struggled for the last eight months and this was truly a blessing that she was released from her pain. And today is the funeral. And isolated T-storms are in the forecast. And it's something I hold onto - that little bit of knowledge that, however ridiculous it might sound, proves that my grandmother made it into the paradise of the hereafter.

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Personal Connections

This morning, my favorite morning talk show had a guest in the studio, baseball Hall of Famer, Lou Brock. Listeners were invited to call in and give their favorite memories of Lou and I was sorta surprised by those who did.

There were no calls about, "Hey, in the 1974 series with the Cubs, you stole three bases... I was in the crowd that day!" In fact, there was very little focus on his "on the field" life-most everything was the personal connections Mr. Brock had with people in the outside world.

One woman, now in her 40s, called to say she'd won a contest in the mid-70s and she, as a little girl, got to hang out in the Cardinals dugout and talk to the players. She has a pic of her sitting on Brock's lap with Hall of Famer Red Schoendist to her side. Another caller thanked Lou for all the work he has done in the past with camps for children who are deaf and hearing impaired. Another thanked him for the time he spent talking to her son five years ago at a charity event.

Here is Lou Brock who is most well-known for his baseball abilities... and the biggest testament to his life is that his actions off the field are even more meaningful. THAT is the way we should all live – that our actions both in our professional careers AND in our private lives reflect one another.

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It's What She Would Want

Last Wednesday, during the height of excitement and fun at Camp TAMBO, I received a call that my very good friend, Tempe Humphrey, was killed in a motorcycle accident.

For those who've read the 2nd edition of my autobiography, you met Tempe as my main superior when I interned with the Missouri Division. of Highway Safety while a junior in college. Tempe was the youth safety specialist and helped establish my career as a professional speaker, simply by introducing me to various youth and safety organizations around the state. Tempe and hr husband, David, became good friends – so much so that when Dasher, my first Seeing Eye dog, retired he was lovingly adopted into the Humphrey household. Last Tuesday, Tempe and her husband were riding their motorcycle when they were struck by a truck. Tempe died almost immediately and David was critically injured.

Both the visitation and funeral were held before my week of camp had ended. Could I have left camp early to pay my final respects to Tempe? Sure. Did I think about it? Sure. But when it gets right down to it, I think Tempe would have wanted me to be where I was, doing what I do. She'd dedicated the last decade plus to helping youth, and I hope the work I did with the young people at Camp TAMBO did, in someway, help to carry on the legacy Tempe has left behind.

She will be missed. Terribly.

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Ka-BOOM!

Experts estimate that sometime this fall, the U.S. population will reach 300 million.

It's impossible to have an accurate total for population since every eight seconds a new life comes into the world within the American borders. Throw in immigration and we're adding a significant amount to the population every day. Even with the deaths of millions of Americans per year, there is still a large uptick in our population.

Not sure about you, but this scares me a bit. At this rate, within my lifetime, we could see America's population density reach the levels that India now hosts. Um, that's too many people for this mid-western boy who happens to like his backyard; NOT people living on top of me.

Still, no matter your take on this, it is a significant time in American history. It's quite obvious that the world, not just America, may be populating itself right out of a food supply.

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The Week That Was...

If you've checked the blog in the last week and found no entries, well, there's good reason. For the last seven days, I've been in the wilds of Missouri filling my annual role of camp counselor at Camp Mo-Val/TAMBO. A very special thanks goes to all the wonderful high schoolers in my family group, not to mention my co-counselor, Vicky, and our triad leader, Clovis. Words cannot express just how awesome all of you are and how special this week was. Congrats to all the graduating seniors and I hope to see y'all back at camp when you're ready to fill in as counselors!

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TIME

LONDON (June 21) - For those who think the world is obsessed with "time," an Oxford dictionary added support to the theory Thursday in announcing that the word is the most often used noun in the English language.
"The" is the most commonly used word overall, followed by "be," "to," "of," and, "a," "in," "that," "have," and "I," according to the "Concise Oxford English Dictionary."
On the list of top 25 nouns, time is followed by other movement indicators with "year" in third place, "day" in fifth and "week" at No. 17.
The dictionary used the Oxford English Corpus -- a research project into English in the 21st century -- to come up with the lists.
Among nouns, "person" is ranked at No. 2, with "man" at No. 7 and "woman" at No. 14. "Child" appears at No. 12.
"Government" appears at No. 20 while "war," at No. 49, trumps "peace," which did not make the top 100.
The list of top 25 nouns: time, person, year, way, day, thing, man, world, life, hand, part, child, eye, woman, place, work, week, case, point, government, company, number, group, problem, fact.

Owls

When Hurricane Katrina hit the N'Orleans area, we saw one of the stupidest, stupidest things ever witnessed-the government handing out $2000 debit cards to people who were displaced. Now, before you call me a cold hearted, penny-pinching conservative, I was all for this...but no one, NO ONE in their right mind wanted to see these cards have no limitations as to purchases. In the last few days, worst fears are confirmed. Porn videos, booze, strip clubs-precisely what you'd expect if you gave out federal monies with no restrictions.

Well, who'd have thunk it, but Hooters restaurants are now a pretty good place, in my book at least. Granted, they're overpriced, the wings aren't that great and sometimes I'm a little afraid of what I might catch in there, but hey, live on the edge, right?

Well, one of the ridiculous purchases made on a debit card was a $200 bottle of DP; a champagne only consumed by people with too much money and too little sense. Well, FEMA ran up a cool $1 billion on these debit cards and they've been crying the blues ever since the report came back telling how abused this program was. Well, Hooters offered(and the feds accepted), a reimbursement of the $200 bottle of champagne. Who'd have thunk owls were so generous?

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Charity At Its Best!

Today, Bill Gates announced that in two years, he'll stop handling the day-to-day duties of Microsoft. Why would the richest man in the world give up the baby he's raised since the 70s? His answer was simple: to concentrate more of his energies on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Really, how much money can one person have? Apparently Bill has asked himself this question and come up with an answer - no one knows for sure, but I have enough! I love this idea that a businessman will put aside the usual tasks of making everything bigger, faster, better and, of course, more profitable. Seeing Gates do this now really makes me know that there are businessmen out there with true integrity that want to help the world.

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New York Times Article!

For Disabled Travelers, Many an Obstacle Along the Way
By SARA J. WELCH
In March, Carol Cocuzzi and her boss flew to Denver on a business trip. When they arrived, two men who worked for a company hired by the airline came aboard to help Ms. Cocuzzi, who uses a wheelchair, get off the plane.
The normal procedure is to transfer passengers from their seat onto a "straight chair"— an armless chair that can roll down the aisle — and then wheel the person off the plane, where a wheelchair is waiting. But in this case, the situation went awry.
"One of the men looked at my boss and asked, 'Can she stand up?' " recalled Ms. Cocuzzi, who is a vice president at Accessibility Development Associates, a Pittsburgh firm that advises businesses on complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. "She answered, 'She's sitting right there. Why don't you ask her?' "
Ms. Cocuzzi, who has brittle bones because of a genetic disease, told the men that she needed to be lifted and could not raise her arms. "One of them asked me, 'Could you put your arms around my neck and hold on?' " she said. "They didn't get it."
Ultimately, Ms. Cocuzzi said, she was helped by a baggage handler who had brought her wheelchair onto the jetway. "The baggage guy said, 'My brother has a spinal cord injury and I lift him every day,' " Ms. Cocuzzi said.
Accessibility for disabled passengers is mandated by the Air Carrier Access Act, which was passed in 1986. The Americans with Disabilities Act, which bars discrimination against the disabled, was passed in 1990.
Even so, many people who are familiar with the issue said that experiences like Ms. Cocuzzi's were all too common. Businesses, they say, may be following the letter of the regulations in accessibility, but not the spirit of them. All too often, they say, companies fall short in the way they accommodate people.
"The hospitality industry has done a fairly good job of making the physical aspects of travel accessible," said Cricket Park, former deputy executive director for the Association on Higher Education and Disability and now an independent meeting planner in Columbus, Ohio. "But there is still work to be done as far as educating people so that the attitude toward disability is one of welcome, rather than something they have to put up with. Unless someone has a relative or other personal experience with a disability, it's just not on people's radar."
"There is major customer service inconsistency," said Eric Lipp, executive director of the Open Doors Organization, a nonprofit group based in Chicago that researches travel by people with disabilities. According to an Open Doors survey from 2005, more than 80 percent of adults with disabilities who have traveled by air encountered obstacles. Their two most common complaints were the handling of devices like wheelchairs or scooters and the quality of the contracted workers, such as those who were unable to assist Ms. Cocuzzi.
Mr. Lipp is optimistic the situation will improve. In mid-May, he met with representatives of several airlines and their trade group, the Air Transport Association, to address these complaints. "The fact that 13 airlines showed up is amazing," he said. "They're really starting to open their eyes."
The airlines trade group helped organize the meeting. "We're always looking for ways to help our members improve their delivery of services and ensure that they comply with the law," said Sophy Chen, a senior attorney at the trade association, who attended. The Open Doors survey showed that 71 percent of disabled adults — more than 21 million people — traveled in the last two years. And a 2002 study revealed that disabled people spent $13.6 billion annually on travel.
"This is a huge market," said Joan W. Stein, chief executive of Accessibility Development Associates, and Ms. Cocuzzi's boss. Census Bureau figures released in April showed that 51.2 million people, or 18 percent of the population, had some sort of disability.
"That doesn't even touch the whole demographic of seniors," Ms. Stein added.
Mr. Lipp agreed. "There are a lot of mature travelers who don't self-identify as disabled but could use a walker or a large-print menu," he said. "They won't necessarily ask for it ahead of time, but if it's offered to them, they'll take it." Open Doors estimates that disabled and mature travelers spend $38 billion on travel. "This segment of the population has been overlooked," said Suzanne D. Cook, senior vice president of research at the Travel Industry Association of America. "Given that aging and disability are correlated, there will be millions more of these travelers."
Level Travel, an organization in Coatesville, Pa., has a Web site (http://www.leveltravel/ .com) that ranks hotels and restaurants in major cities on their accessibility for four groups: older travelers and travelers with mobility, hearing or vision impairment.
Jamie Sharples, Level Travel's president, said he founded the company three years ago because of inconsistencies he found in the travel industry. "We wanted to provide a standard instead of getting someone's opinion" on whether a facility was accessible, he said.
Kevin Maher, a vice president who handles adherence to regulations at the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said he had not heard any complaints that accessibility for the disabled was inconsistent within hotel chains. "Our industry is heavily franchised, though, so that may occasionally create some disconnect," he said.
Marcus Engel, a motivational speaker in St. Louis, Mo., who is blind and travels with a seeing-eye dog, said that contrary to the experiences of many disabled travelers, he had few complaints. "My career is about teaching people to overcome problems, so I may gloss over things, but in 11 years of traveling I've only had one true case of discrimination," he said. In January, he was returning home from a business trip and was refused entry into a taxi cab because of his dog, he said.
Mr. Engel added that he was suing the cab driver. "I hate to sue anyone, but when I give presentations people ask me what they should do if they're refused admittance anywhere," he said. "My answer is that it's a question of civil rights. Dr. King fought for everyone's civil rights, and I'm going to fight for mine."

Goin' Green...sorta

Robert Redford was interviewed on NPR this morning. Not about his career in film (though most callers asked entertainment related questions), but rather about his new favorite interest: the environment. After the usual complaints about how no one in government does anything positive for the environment, a reader E mailed in her question: Do you, Mr. Redford, drive a hybrid car? His answer? "Well, I have one ordered." He further explained that all sorts of dealerships had offered him hybrid cars, but those promises never panned out. While I don't believe him, it's a feasible response. Still, at the very heart of this matter, it doesn't show a whole lot of integrity.

A couple of months ago, film crews followed around several lawmakers in D.C. to see what they drove to press conferences; press conferences that were specifically about energy consumption, gas prices and how to protect the environment. What was reported (and who really knows if the media gives the full story), was that the Senators and Congressmen were driving ginormous SUVs, luxury sedans and other gas guzzlers to these environmental conferences. One showed up in a hybrid car, gave his program and then drove away in the same hybrid - only the media crew filmed him then exiting his hybrid just a block from the conference. Then, being that we know politicians have such great integrity, he proved it by then getting in an SUV that was the size of a northeastern state.

Look, everyone is a hypocrite to some extent. But to be the person who blows the horn of despair over the environment, but yet take no personal responsibility, is the paramount of hypocriticism. This isn't just the environmental issue. It's with anything that is a hot button issue. If you can't walk it like you talk it, then shut up!

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Friday Fun!

Yesterday, I had the opprotunity to play in a golf tournament for chairity. The organization that benefitted from the money raised is Camp Weloki; a camp that promotes healthy relationships for kids with their peers, family and community. Learn more about them at:

www.weloki.com

The sponsor, Renaissance Financial, is who I go to with any and all issues surrounding money. That and the fact they employ several of my friends! Their site is:

www.renaissancefinancial.com

Now, I'm all about taking personal responsibility to donate to chairitable organizations. And, I'm also all about having fun! Is there a better way to accomplish both? Thanks to my golfing partners yesterday, too... God knows my game needs work, but you three gave me some great tips for improvement!

A Warning For Your Dog

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called "Theobromine". It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Just a word of caution — check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens. Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate — especially dark or baker's chocolate — which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

For more info:

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Critters (Cocoa Mulch)

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Any Questions?

Yesterday, I went to my doctor for a physical (figure those are good to get every half decade or so). My father was with me and I invited him into the exam room, mainly so he could hang onto Carson while the doc was checking me over.

After the exam and after exhausting my laundry list of questions, she turned to my dad and asked, "Do you have any questions?" This was totally, totally appropriate. Had she come into the room and addressed my father before me, I'd have been insulted (it's that all-too-typical thing of looking past the person with the disability and addressing the non-disabled person). Yet, she didn't do that. She answered all of my questions. When I could think of nothing else to ask, she THEN turned to my father and asked if he had any questions. It's the chronology that is important here - first addressing the person who is receiving the services. Then, the icing on the cake comes when the family is included. This is the sorta thing that'll keep me going back to Dr. Christine Sigman for years to come.

Mark of the Stupid

All over the media today, there's all this crap about today being 06-06-06. And the kind of people who believe that rock-n-roll is Satanic are stirring up all sorts of hoopla about today being a cursed day. Ya know what I call it? Tuesday.

Now, fools can say whatever they want - that's their first amendment right. In fact, if the military would take me, I'd go to war and die for the fool's right to spout off about 666 and the mark of the beast and Satan and the like.

The thing is, this last part isn't just something I said right here and now; it's simply history. The uniqueness of today is overshadowing the real history of today: the 64th anniversary of the invasion at Normandy. Nearly 4000 Allied troops died to keep dictators like Hitler from taking away the rights of all people...and what sort of respect does the American media show for these people now? Oh yeah... the re-release of "The Omen" to the big screen.

Take a minute and forget the stupidity of 06-06-06 and remember the reason we're allowed to recognize such foolishness - the sacrafices of tens of thousands of Americans to protect our Constitutional rights.

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Catering to Young People...Finally!

One thing that really, really hacks me off is when business owners get all disgruntled about teenagers hanging out in their places of business. In high school, my friends and I would often hang out on the parking lots of local convenience stores, only to be shooed off a few times per night by the owner who thought we were "bad for business." Sure, we were loitering, but we were also bringing a significant amount of $$$ to his store. After all, half a dozen high school football players can drink a ton of Mountain Dew!

So, while reading the Sunday paper, I found an article that really made me smile. Across the river in the land that is affectionately known as "the east side", the local transit system is not only welcoming teens to use their services, but making it easy, cheap AND encouraging them to do so. In these days where rising gas prices have brought the old idea of "cruising" to a standstill, the bus system in Collinsville, IL has created a youth bus pass; unlimited rides all summer for teens. For $10. That's like an ounce of gas...or the equivalent thereof! What's even better is that the youth pass went from $20 last summer to the current charge of $10. And what does the bus system get out of this? Customer loyalty. Their mindset is that if they can get teens to start using the bus now, they'll be more likely to use it in their adult years. Pretty smart thinkin', eh?

If every company thought like this, extended such great deals to teens and directed their marketing to young people, teens might actually do more than just suck down gallons of Mountain Dew all night!

Cha ching! Cha ching! Cha ching!

While reading stuff on line today, I came up with these two articles (both edited for space):

1. Women's handbag designers, uncertain about the effect of Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana's alligator habitats, spent the winter searching for new supplies
of hides, according to a March Wall Street Journal report. The fall gator harvest saw prices rise 50 percent from two years earlier, forcing Ralph Lauren,
for example, to raise the price of its most prestigious alligator purse to $14,000, and hide prices were expected to rise another 50 percent this summer.
Wall Street Journal, 3-18-06]


2. An alligator or crocodile has indeed been spotted in one of the two small bodies of water in Lafayette Park. LeaAnne DeRigne, Tower Grove resident, was with her daughter Ruby at the park last Wednesday, when they spotted the creature, estimated to be 2 feet long. The Arch City Chronicle has confirmed multiple sightings of the animal, and according to Leslie Compton-Pruittt, spokesperson for the Dept. of Health, Animal
Control has responded. In addition, both bodies of water have been netted by the Manager of Animal Regulation and the head of the Parks. Nothing has been
found by either Animal Control or park personnel, so it is entirely possible the creature is still at large.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 31, 2006
I don’t know about you, but when I read these two articles (within about 15 minutes of each other), a little something clicked, a wheel turned and dollar bills flashed in front of my eyes! Anyone up for gator hunting? We don’t even have to go to Florida!

www.marcusengel.com

www.myspace.com/marcusengel

Summer Reading

I'm generally a big fan of talk radio, but lately, the constant political battle over the war and Iran and foreign affairs has left me disgruntled; mainly because everything seems politically motivated, not an open and honest discussion of the issue. So, I flipped on NPR while I was having lunch when what to my wondering ears did appear? A discussion of literature that has recently come off the presses, or is scheduled to this summer. The two literary critics fielded questions about what great historical novels, poetry, childrens books, etc. will soon be available.
This isn't really anything amazing, but it brought a smile to my face at a great discussion of something meaningful that was NOT politically motivated nor anything that has to do with foreign affairs. Sometimes we just need to put something fun and positive in our brains instead of the usual dribble of talking heads coming through the idiot box.

And, if anyone is interested, I, too, am happily anticipating the next Harry Potter!

www.marcusengel.com

www.myspace.com/marcusengel

Memorial Day Jam

Thanks to all who came to Schorr Lake Vineyards yesterday to hear my guitar/vocal performance. It was a bloody hot day, some 95 degrees, but with a cool breeze off the lake and plenty of good friends and fellowship, it helped to make a really great afternoon. I've done plenty of open mic performances in the past, but this was the first "gig" I've booked where I was the only entertainment (other than my best bud running around trying to catch a turkey with his bare hands). Thanks to all who came out and enjoyed the day with me! Look for more performances coming soon!

www.marcusengel.com

www.myspace.com/marcusengel

My Space Schtuff

A school district in Lake County, IL is now monitoring the MySpace accounts of its students. Now, if the powers-that-be find anything offensive on a student's MySpace account, especially anything discussing illegal substances, then the students can be disciplined.

Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm the biggest supporter of free speech you're going to find out there, but more than the illegality aspect, I'm concerned with what students may post about other students. In America, we tend to believe anything once we read it, even if the source isn't reliable. Students talking about anything illegal is really only hurting that student, but bringing in others to the mix has the tendency to open a whole bunch of new doors.

This is a little concerning to me since I've just set up a MySpace account:

www.MySpace.com/marcusengel

and I've invited everyone with MySpace accounts to link to my lens. And, not only do I welcome this, I encourage it! Am I lessening my professionalism by allowing my lens to be linked with those who may have offensive material on their places? Maybe, but does it make me look bad? Or them? It's a risk I'll take. So, bring it on, MySpace friends!

www.marcusengel.com

Happy Birthday, Bob!

If you've heard me speak or read my autobiography, you know that I credit Bob Dylan's song, "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" with saving my life; specifically the lyric that states, "Negativity don't pull ya through." This is just one of the most perfect examples that rock-n-roll music DOES have redeeming qualities, no matter what the PMRC says... but, I digress.

May 24, 1941, Bob Dylan came into this world. And the world is a much, much better place because of his sheer existance and musical and lyrical contributions. So, happy birthday, Bob! Look forward to seeing you the next time you're in town!

www.marcusengel.com
www.myspace.com/marcusengel

This Sunday - A Different Side of Marcus

This Sunday, May 28, I'll be doing a solo acoustic guitar performance on the patio at Schorr Lake Vineyard in Waterloo, IL.

Just me, a microphone and a six string beating out Springsteen, Cash, Dylan, Prine and the like, all afternoon long.

Should probably start around 3 p.m. and go until 6 p.m.

For info on Schorr Lake, check out:

www.schorrlakevineyard.com

So, if you're at least 21, stop on in,

try a sample of primo vino and enjoy Memorial Day weekend with me!

Da Boys

Just returned from a bachelor party for my bud, Chris Spiek. New Orleans may never be the same again, but Hurricane Katrina may have nothing to do with it! Ten guys from around the country descending on the crescent city and ready to send our friend off into married life - you be the judge how much fun we had! Congrats, Cougar, and thanks to all the boys for such an awesome, awesome time! Viva la Rio!

www.marcusengel.com

http://www.myspace.com/marcusengel

Marcus on My Space

I just set up a personal account on MySpace.com.

Check it out for new pics and random fun stuff!

Oh, and if you also have a MySpace account, let me know!

I'd love to add you to my friends list!

http://www.myspace.com/marcusengel

Tonight

Tonight on History (the best channel on cable television, BTW), there's a segment about the mysteries of Freemasonry. This is all in accordance with the build up to the release of "The DaVinci Code" this weekend.

Folks, one reason the whole DaVinci thing intrigues me so much is that I've been a member of the Masonic Lodge for the last seven years, and the York Rite bodies of the Masonic Lodge (Royal Arch, Council of Cryptic Masons and Commandry/Knights Templor) for the last six years. It's amazing how much "mystery" there is surrounding this fraternity that is so close to my heart. And most all of the rumors you hear are complete bunk.

So, if you watch the History special on the Masons, or you see "The DaVinci Code" this weekend and walk away with questions about the order, E mail them to me. There's really nothing to hide. After all, the bodies of the Masonic Lodge have spawned some of the greatest world leaders of the last couple of centuries.

Keith's Little Helper

Okay, so unless you haven't paid attention to the news in the last few weeks, here's a little update:

Keith Richards, guitarist for the Rolling Stones, fell out of a coconut tree. Now, we're not even going to explore what a 60-plus year old former drug addict is doing in a coconut tree in the first place, but the story doesn't really stop there.

After he was released from the hospital, Keith held a press conference where he thanked his nurses, calling them the angels who help the night pass more quickly and with less pain.
All I have to say is...Amen, Brother Stone! Until you've been there, there's just no way to adequately express gratitude to those wonderful nurses who take care of you when you can't take care of yourself. And, as this all came down during Natl. Nurses Week, it feels appropriate to comment...even if it does cause a chuckle or two at Keith's expense.

Saved by One

First off, this is not; I repeat NOT a political commentary!

MSNBC is reporting that the jury that convicted Zacarius Moussaoui had a single (that means just one) person who voted for life imprisonment instead of the death penalty. During the deliberation, votes were taken on whether to put the terrorist to death, or to imprison him for the rest of his life. A single juror kept our country from executing this man who helped plot the Sept. 11 attacks.

Now, let me say it again, this isn't a commentary on the news item, but this just shows how much power a single person can wield. Were it not for this one juror, we, as Americans, would have exacted what our system considers justice on this individual. One person. That's it. And Moussaoui and death penalty opponents everywhere rejoice...thanks to a single person.
When people throw that comment around, "What can I do? I'm only one person..." it gets under my skin. Well, here's a prime example of how one person can change the course of world events.

Lake Forest High

Thanks to Lake Forest High School in Delaware for a wonderful time on May 9, 2006! You guys are awesome! Special thanks to Mark Gonzalez and the SADD and YELL groups for bringing me in!

Belated Thank Yous!

Belated thank yous!

At every speech I give, I try to get pics and post those on this blog with a word of thanks to the organization. Well, the camera malfunctioned the last two programs, so here's a "Thank You!" in text form and... yes, I'm getting the camera issues worked out!

Thanks to...

Truman State University and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for a great event on April 25! This was my first time to Kirksville, MO in nearly 20 years... and thanks for making it such a great time! Special thanks to Kim Getman, Seth and Cara for all your hard work with promotion and for a great dinner (though no chipolte pizza!) out on the town! And extra special congrats to Kim and Seth for their upcoming marriage!

Next, thanks to Meramec Community College for a fantastic day on April 27! Everything from beginning to end was just fabulous! I was honored to be the keynote speaker for the ceremony to award the achievements of students with disabilities and, let me tell ya, it was way cool to do a college program not only in my own town, but my own neighborhood! Thanks to the professors that allowed me to spend a few minutes with their classes and talk on the various subjects they also teach. That is a truly special experience and I thank you for allowing me to provide a little additional insight to your students!

Thanks to all the folks in the disability access office, especially Amy Bird, for being such a great contact person and a darned funny E mailer, to boot! I hope I can be back next year for the program once again!

A long time in the making...

Four years of this...

has finally produced this...


www.afterthisbook.com

is coming soon!

Check the blog to see exactly when the

book release event

will be!

Thanks Folks!

Just want to say a quick thanks to all the friends and colleagues who wished me a happy birthday yesterday. It means a lot to me!

Come to Missouri - We'll Save your Butt!

This past week, a Missouri motorist suffered a massive heart attack while driving. Luckily, the first people to arrive on the scene were two nurses and (get this!) a difibulator salesman. He pulled out the very product he sells, put the paddles to the victim's chest, shocked her and it saved her life. So, rest assurred that we keep these people on hand for emergencies just like this! Okay, okay, that's not actually true, but it's still a great story, don't ya think?

COMING SOON!

This Thursday, April 27th, I will be speaking at MERAMEC COMMUNITY COLLEGE in STL! If you're in the area it would be great to have you come by! Drop me an e-mail for more info!

Marcus@MarcusEngel.com

BOOKS!!!

The shipment of the 2nd edition of my autobiography has arrived!

As of 1 p.m. on April 24,

"After This...An Inspirational Journey For All the Wrong Reasons"

is officially in print!

Soon, very soon, the P.R. campaign will kick off and the book will be available nationwide! It's been a long, long road, but folks, this is finally it! Thanks to everyone who has helped along the way, and soon,

look for the release of

http://www.afterthisbook.com/

A site completely dedicated to this new book!

Founder’s

Just returned from a great weekend spent at my alma mater, Missouri State University. Reason for the trip? Celebration – pure and simple. Congratulations to the Mu Rho chapter of Kappa Sigma on your (okay, “our”) 22nd anniversary at MSU.

Always a great time with you guys and I can’t tell you how proud I am of what the chapter has become. AEKDB. Thanks for the hospitality, the burgers, the Friday night festivities at Ebbett’s Field and for thousands of stories! Until next year…

Anniversary

Seven years ago today, I was speaking at a private high school here in St. Louis, Mary Institute-Country Day. As I was leaving the school, someone told me about the incident at Columbine - and the world of education changed forever.

I soon got used to having to wear a badge around the school, to being looked at suspiciously because, well, you just never know what might happen. The most horrible tragedy in recent memory dealing with schools… and today? Today in Kansas, law enforcement officials thwarted a plan to do a copycat crime. Sometimes it’s just so difficult for me to imagine that teenage life is so horrible that students would want to shoot up a school, not to mention themselves.

All I can say is that I’m glad our schools are more security minded, and I’m glad that parents try to take notice of behaviors and the computer traffic their kids have. You never know - it may just save someone’s life.

Done... Almost!

Yesterday, the first shipment of my new autobiography rolled off the presses. While they’ll be in my greedy little hands within a day or two, look for a release date with all the hoopla sometime in June. A special web site just for the book, message boards for readers to leave feedback, and an accessible manuscript for anyone with visual impairments. One thing that has really, really annoyed me over the last few years is the inability to read my own book. Now? It’s open for all blind folks! Thanks to all who’ve been part of this journey… more to come soon!

Legacy

Today is opening day for my beloved St. Louis Cardinals. Every year, opening day is a thrill; the return to baseball, the re-birth of warm summer months and the unmistakable joy of going to a major league ball game.

However, those of us in St. Louis have something extra to celebrate this opening day: a new stadium. The old Busch Stadium has served our fair city well over the last 40 odd years, but now it’s time for a change. I think we all welcome this progress and are looking forward to viewing Cardinals baseball in a whole new way.

Yet, what is a baseball team, or a stadium, or a city without the people who support these ventures? Our local NPR affiliate interviewed a gentleman this morning that might be one of the best pieces of radio I’ve heard recently.

Prior to Busch Stadium, there was Sportsman’s Park. At Sportsman’s, Busch and the new Busch, you would and will find a man named Ed Kraft. Ed is 80 years old and started his career by selling 12 oz. bottles of beer in the old Sportsman’s Park. Now, at an age where most people are content to sit and watch the world go by, Ed is starting yet another baseball season, now selling programs and yearbooks to info-seeking fans-the first and only individual to ever work in all three venues.

As the season gets underway, I raise my $8 glass to Mr. Kraft and cheer on the Cards to another great season!

University of Central Florida

UCF ARENA

April 06, 2006

Special thanks to Chad Humphrey, Belinda Boston,

the Kappa Sigma chapter and all the Greeks

that helped make my UCF experience so great!

You guys rock!

University of Dayton

March 29, 2006

Special thanks to:

Andy Blankemeyer for continually helping me to get my e-mail

and Selena Hilemon for an impromptu tour of Dayton (ha ha!).

Also thanks to everyone associated with the

Center for Social Concern

for the opportunity to work with the U of Dayton Students!

A Lesson

Friday morning, major news stations told the story of an eight-year-old Florida boy and his call to 911. As he watched, the boy’s father shot and killed his mother, then the boy’s grandmother, then decided that he, too, would like to see what buckshot tastes like.

While this is a horrible story, it isn’t all that uncommon. Sadly enough, we’re no longer shocked by very much. After 3000 Americans died on September 11th, 2001, we may never again find the innocence to find ANYTHING shocking. But, I digress…

As the Today show played the tape from the 911 call, I was most struck not by the horror of the act, but by the sheer honesty of the 911 operator. This little boy was obviously highly traumatized, but still had enough wits about him to make the call.

The panic in his voice was only overshadowed by his question to the operator: “What’s going to happen to us?”

The operator, a mother herself, bypassed all the comfort and compassion for a truthful answer: “Honey, I don’t know.”

How come it is when there’s a problem, we feel it’s our job to minimize the problem and comfort the hurt? This is usually thought to be accomplished by comforting words like, “It’ll be all right” and “Everything will work out.” Yet, what if everything won’t be all right? What if there is something so horrible that we’ll not be able to recover to the level prior to the trauma? Is everything going to be all right for this little boy? Nope! His parents are both dead. Nothing, NOTHING is going to change that fact.

Again, the operator’s compassion, and gut-honesty, is a lesson for us all.

Louisiana State University, March 23, 2006

GO TIGERS!

Special thanks to:

Lindsey Landry, David Gunn, Kenny, Cara, Jay, Ryan

and everyone else that gave me a taste of authentic Louisiana fun!

Can’t wait to go back to The Chimes!

Almost There!

Today, March 21, I have officially given the nod to begin printing the second edition of,

After This…An Inspirational Journey for All the Wrong Reasons.

This has been a long, long time in the coming, but by the time you read April’s newsletter, the printing should be complete and we should be ready for distribution. The book release event and party are being planned for mid-June. More info will be coming soon! Keep checking the blog for updates!

Oh, and thanks to everyone who’s been patiently waiting for this to arrive. Your support and excitement mean more to me than you know!

Chefs Hat

In 1997, I was a junior in college. That was also the year that millions of college students nationwide sat, mouth agape, and watched this new show, South Park. A simple cartoon about a bunch of kids with dirty mouths. South Park is probably responsible for more laughs per minute than any other show in the last decade. One reason I like it is because nothing, NOTHING is sacred - everything is made fun of. Religion, race, politics, sex, scandal, every group and sub-group known to mankind is fair game when it comes to South Park’s humor. Well, now we find that it has offended Isaac Hayes, a.k.a., the character of Chef. Apparently, he’s been cool with making fun of Jews, Christians, Muslims and every other religion on earth, but they stepped on his toes when they picked on his religion, Scientology. Here’s his quote on the day he quit the show:

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

Pardon? You can’t accept a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices? But you’re fine doing a show where Jesus and Satan get in a boxing match? Or a show that shows a convention of pedophile priests discussing how they can get away with their evil? And, dear Isaac, you’re okay with Cartman making fun of Stan’s Jewish heritage on every show? Yeah, that makes sense.

Look, any fool who’s ever watched an episode knows the true genius of South Park is that no one is safe, everyone is in their crosshairs and, believe it or not, the things they make fun of are legitimate social phenomena. Don’t go getting your boxers all in a wad, Mr. Hayes, because now they targeted your belief. That’s just hypocritical.

If you can’t do what you say, and say what you do, then basically you should just shut up. So, Mr. Hayes, stick that in your Chef’s hat and smoke it

But…it’s educational!

In Japan, Nintendo has now developed a game and gaming system that is targeting older users. No longer for young males intent on shoot ‘em up games, the new Nintendo is moving forward with the intent of helping senior citizens retain and improve brain function. Who’d have thunk that the childhood days I spent playing Duck Hunt might someday turn into a game that’ll ultimately help my brain? Lord knows I can use all the help I can get!

Loyola College in Baltimore, MD

Special thanks to Kelli Larson for being such a great person to work with...
and for running me all around Baltimore trying to find my luggage!

A Shame?

Did you watch the Oscars last night? If so, you were part of an estimated 40% of American TV watchers who were doing so. I can’t figure out if this is good or bad.

Everyone in America seems to polarized and splintered these days. Therefore, I think anything we do collectively is a good thing. Yet, isn’t it a shame that the thing we do is sit in front of the TV watching unrealistic actors get awards for movies that cost too much to make? Just my post-Oscar musings.

Search Dogs

Just heard a radio spot for the National Search Dog Foundation. Wow, what a tear jerker!

It’s a search dog, Brutus, who is “interviewed” about a search he did last year.

Amazing commercial!

Check out

www.searchdogfoundation.org

and see if you can find out more!

Caravel Academy

Me, Carson and Mr. Donald Keister

Thanks guys! You were great!

(Brrr! It's cold up here!)

chillin'

Soakin' up the sun!

Muskingum College Feb. 22

Special thanks to Kerry Nelson and Danielle Davis

for a great lunch and road trip to Muskingum!

Mecca

Just returned from a long, exhausting weekend in Nashville, TN, where I helped celebrate the end of bachelorhood for my bud, Ted. Congrats, Teddy, and thanks for a great time! Hope the R & R holds out until the reception weekend!

So, while a group of a dozen or so guys helped him celebrate, we ended up in the downtown clubs that, to me, are kinda like Mecca to a Muslim, specifically, a true blue honky tonk named Tootsie’s. If you can name a country singer, chances are, he or she has played there-and the joint is only the size of my living room. It was just an incredibly cool experience to be in a place that has been graced by some of my biggest musical influences; Hank Sr., Willie, Johnny Cash, and the list goes on.

At one point, I just stood there in awe of the incredible creative powers that have shared that room over the years. Quite exciting! If you get to Nashvegas and are over 21, stop on in…and wear boots. Not to fit in, but because the broken glass on the floor will slice your feet to shreds!

Alter Ego

Recently, I attended the annual conference of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (www.aath.org). Had a great time and thanks to all those who attended and gave me a great few days in Austin!

One of the main points I took away from the program this year came from a keynote by Christine Cashen (www.adynamicspeaker.com). Christine is a speaker from Texas who is just great on the platform, and really gave me something to think about - alter egos.

When someone acts in a way that is inconsistent with his/her usual demeanor, consider that a person’s alter ego. That the unexpected behavior is not really him / her, so don’t hold their “crime” against him / her.

Let’s face it; we all have different dimensions of our personalities. We all have things about our actions and behaviors we’d like to change. So, to name that undesirable faction of personality “alter ego” gives us a way to recognize and embrace that part of ourself that may sneak out every so often.

Thanks, Christine, for that little nugget of info!

Happy Birthday Carson!!

Yep, today, Carson turns the big 5!

It’s hard to believe that when he and I were placed together,

he was just a pup of 19 months.

Time flies when you’re having fun!

Anyway, feel free to drop the old boy a “Happy Birthday!” E mail at:

carson@marcusengel.com

I’m sure he’d love to hear from you!

And yes, I’ll give him some extra pats and scratches and play time from everyone!

Small Town Trust

This morning, I booked a room at a bed and breakfast in the small Ohio town where I’ll be speaking soon. My client had already told me that the owners of the B & B were really nice, but I didn’t know just how nice!

I told the owner that I’d arrive around 2 and would spend the afternoon at the college, but before heading to campus, I might want to drop off my luggage. He said, “No problem! My wife and I both work during the day, so we’ll just leave the key to the front door under the doormat. Just come on in and make yourself at home!”
Not only are these folks opening their home, but they’re trusting me with their business. And they do it so casually that it reminds me of growing up in my small, rural hometown. And sometimes I miss those simple gestures of trust.

It was 20 years ago today... or 42...

Forty-two years ago today, the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Who would have thought that something with that many decades behind them can still generate as much excitement in young people as they do? Almost inevitably, I meet a Beatlemaniac at almost every speech I give. All I can do is smile and thank the universe for the betterment of the world that the Beatles brought to all of us.

N C A A

For my friends and clients at colleges and universities:

I have just been put on the list of approved speakers for the NCAA’s Health and Safety Speaker’s Grant program. This means that any school in the NCAA can apply to the NCAA to help cover expenses for the programs I provide for college students. Please visit the following web site for more information:

http://www.ncaa.org/health-safety

Rolling In Graves

The funeral of Coretta Scott King was a disgrace. It is a shame that those who took the mic are so strong in their political convictions that they completely forgot about honoring the life of the woman in the casket. A funeral is held to recognize the life of an individual and to give the family closure for the loss of their loved one. It is never, ever a time to grandstand about anything other than the life of the deceased. Those who spoke at Mrs. King’s funeral had an obligation to recognize her life and accomplishments - not bring up events to promote their political views. They should be ashamed.

On that same topic, there is a church in Kansas that feels it is their mission to hold anti-homosexual protests at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, even if the soldiers aren’t gay. Pardon? Hey waiter, can I get some logic over here?

The lowest points in a person’s life can often be noted by the loss of a loved one. The last thing I want done at my funeral is to have someone start talking about a political topic, even if it is one I completely agree with! People should have a little respect for the families of the deceased and let them have their peace. There is a time and place for everything, but a funeral only has a time and a place for gracious respect for the deceased.

First: IDIOT

The BBC has a section called “Ouch!” which is a segment concerning all aspects of disability. Maybe I’m a big ol’ Monty Python lovin’ nerd, but I totally dig this type of humor…and to think, it makes a great point. This is one of the “Ouch!” articles by a man in England who is blind. I, for one, feel his pain of being lumped into the “blind category” with people who are 1. idiots and 2. blind, not vice versa. Read on…and enjoy!

Other Disabled People Make Me Cringe
by Damon Rose

Do you sometimes think that other disabled people out there are letting you down? Specifically I'm talking about other people who have got the same impairment as you?

I'm still reeling from a story told to me last week. If you were here, you'd see me shaking while writing this - wincing with horror, distress and spackyness-by-proxy.

The other day, somebody very innocently told me about an incident that happened in a clothes shop. It featured a fellow blind person. It's the kind of story that makes you want to disassociate yourself from all other blind people. But you can't. No one will let you.

This other blind person did something so ridiculous, so utterly stupifyingly horrendous and shaming, something so completely alienly appallingly crassly idiotically pathetically ridiculously arseholeishly cackishly berkishly tosserishly gittishly ludicrously BLIND ... that I think I may want to kill him.

Let me breathe a second. I'm editing it right down to the salient facts to spare you, but this is the gist:

There's this blind man. He goes into a shop with his wife. The two of them are looking around for clothes. They find a pair of trousers that might suit him. They agree it would be a good idea for him to try the trousers on.

What happens next is the shameful bit.

Our blind man ... in the view of the whole shop ... drops his trousers to try them on. Yes. Idiot. He takes his trousers down thus showing his underpants and skinny legs to everyone.

For some reason, he thinks he's in the changing room (shudder).

To add to this trauma, it dawned on me that the person telling me the story seemed to be relating it in a way that says: "so, you see, I understand blind issues and therefore understand what it must be like to be you."

Newsflash: I would never, not in a million billion years, pull my trousers down in the middle of a shop believing myself to be in a changing room. Oh no. No way Jose. Who do you think I am? What do you think I am? This was not a blindness incident, this was a total stupid idiot incident. I disassociate myself. I deny thee. The fact he is blind probably has nothing to do with it. I am not like him. He is not like me.

Just as an exercise to prove what a prat he was, here are two easy foolproof questions he could have asked himself before undoing his buttons:

1: Am I in a big wide open space or behind curtains in a very small cupboard type thing?

2: When I chose the trousers off the peg on the shop floor, did I then go and find a changing room ... or did I just stand still?

Of course, it's always possible that this didn't happen at all. It could be just one of those stories. But it doesn't matter because this story will do the rounds and do its damage as it goes. Damage to me!

Is this paranoia too far? I don't think so.

I remember going on a first aid course while at university. The tutor stood in front of the group and told us about lots of accidents he'd witnessed or heard about. Later in the day, the blind thing came up.

"Perhaps I shouldn't be saying this in view of the fact that one is in the room today. But, there was an incident I heard of when a blind man unfortunately drank from a bottle of bleach believing it to be lemonade. He burnt his larynx very badly."

It's the old bleach for lemonade story. It's such an old chestnut that people really believe it might be possible to pick up one of those huge, chunky, non-inviting plastic bottles with the angled child proof tops and think: "oh, I didn't know I had a bottle of Sprite left under the sink in this cupboard where I wouldn't normally keep soft drinks. My my, what luck. Oh and it doesn't smell of lemon, it smells much stronger, they must have enhanced the flavour."

Did that bleach drinking blind person ever exist? I'm sure you've heard of him. If he did, he has helped to drag me down like the blind clothes store flasher. And hey, maybe you've heard of him too?

I can't believe this is just a blind thing. Do you hear stories, or urban myths, about people with your impairment that you just cringe at? Someone who screws up all the positive liaising that you do? People who destroy your entire lifelong marketing work?

This is not politically incorrect. This is real life and today it's open house. If you've got a cringe worthy story about someone with your impairment who is letting the side down, or who is perhaps a walking talking cliché? I want to hear about it and experience your pain. Use the form below to tell me about it. Don't pull your punches.

State of the Ignorant

Last night was the President’s annual state of the union address. Did you watch it? I didn’t! I happened to be out at our favorite hangout fulfilling a two-year tradition of getting together every Tuesday night. Thus, I missed all the hoopla surrounding the speech.

Apparently I wasn’t the only person who missed it. Today, I was running some errands with my uncle who is a HUGE fan of talk radio. Every caller seemed to have an opinion on the President’s message last night. Now, I pretty much despise the radio host we were listening to, one reason being is that the host categorizes those who call in. “Who’d you vote for?” the host asked repeatedly, never giving the caller’s point any validity. Finally, after being asked, “Who’d you vote for?” about half a dozen times, the caller admitted that he did not, in fact, vote in the last Presidential election. What the???

It amazes me how someone would be so apathetic to NOT stop by his/her polling place to participate in the Democratic process, but would wait on hold to express his/her views on a nationally syndicated radio show! Can you say “misguided”?

As a kid, my great uncle had a bumper sticker on his pickup truck;

If you don’t vote, don’t b/?*3

Six words sum up the “rules” for engaging in political discussions today.

Thanks, Uncle Les, for teaching me that lesson… with your bumper.

Disaster

The average person goes to the bathroom eight times per day. Eight times per day times 365 days in a year multiplied by my 30.5 years on this earth. Um, that’s a lot of bathroom trips.

Twenty years ago today, however, was probably the most memorable trip I ever took to the little boys room. And, since I was in 4th grade, I truly WAS a little boy.

Anyway, it was in the restroom of Jonesburg Elementary School in Jonesburg, MO where my principal said, “You know how we sent a rocket into space this morning? They think we lost it.” I was confused. How can you lose a rocket? I had yet to understand that “lost” could also translate to “destroy” “disaster” or “dead.”

For the next 15 years, the Challenger crash was the American definition of “disaster.” That is, until September 11th. When the Columbia shuttle crashed in the spring of 2003, it didn’t seem so bad. Yet the same sort of accident had set America’s understanding of “disaster” some 17 years earlier.

“Disaster” no longer equals a handful of astronauts dying. After 9-11, our definition changed. That is one of the horrible truths of the American mindset - until something tops the fall of the WTC, every other horrible occurrence will be judged as something bad, but certainly not to the scale of “disaster.”

Happy birthday, Mozart!

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Ask any random person on the street, classical music fan or not, and they can probably hum along with a Mozart song or two. His music is so intertwined with the world today that it’s hard to imagine a time before his music was around.

Yet, Mozart died and was buried in a mass European grave-not exactly a great final resting place for the man whose music would change the world. He died penniless and virtually unknown outside of his local area.

What does this prove? That what we do today may not even be recognized for generations to come. Mozart left something behind for all people throughout time to enjoy. What can you leave behind?

A Good Kinda Sad

All right, prepare to hear something obvious:

I have never had a baby.

Yup, no infants have ever sprung forth from my body.
Yet, after the last week, I think I sorta know what post partum depression might feel like.

A week ago, my editor and I finished work on the second edition of my autobiography, After This… An Inspirational Journey For All the Wrong Reasons. Friends, we have diligently been working on this thing for the past three years - and that’s a heck of a lot longer than pregnancy, unless you’re an elephant or something.

Anyway, this has been something I’ve laughed over, cried over, sweated over, gotten pissed off over, and pretty much every other emotion under the sun has, at one time, smacked me upside my stupid head. Now, it’s over.

While I’m very, very excited about having this in the hands of you, the reader, I’ve gotta admit I’m a little sad. Even though I’m excited for the future, this is something I’ve been anticipating for years. And now it’s almost here.

So, I celebrate the end of the working process, but I mourn it a bit, too. The solution? I start writing another. Actually, that’s not true. I’ve already started writing another, and I’m some 50 pages into it. Look for a release of my next book in early 2007. And thanks for helping to make this a reality, folks.

what i do

I do not like them on a train,I do not like them in the rain

Taiwanese scientists have created green pigs that glow in the dark. No, I’m not kidding. Goggle it if you don’t believe me.

So, some scientist (anyone want to bet he’s a stoner?) figured out that taking a protein from a jellyfish and injecting it into the embryo of a pig will produce (what else?) pigs that glow green in the dark. And apparently these pigs don’t just glow green, they ARE green, inside and out. Bones, organs, everything. I do not like this, Sam I am!

Seriously, folks. Do the world’s scientists have nothing better to do than crap like this? And how can anyone, in good conscience, financially support an educational institution (University of Taiwan) if they spend their money on this? Or, were the scientists shooting for Christmas pigs, but got distracted by those millions of people dying of cancer and were only able to get half the yuletide color combo?

It just goes to prove that even really, really smart people can also be idiots.
Note: According to researchers at Harvard (who apparently have better things to do with their time than create neon swine), the genetic manipulation to create these pigs isn’t harmful - just a waste of time.

What IF I'm Wrong?

There’s a popular story about Clarence Darrow, the attorney who represented the evolution side of the ancient evolution vs. creationism argument. When asked what would he say if he (Darrow) died and went to heaven and stood in front of God, Jesus and the disciples, he simply replied, “I would say, ‘Gentlemen, I was wrong.’”

Darrow’s name is associated with one of the staunchest political positions in U.S. history. His name will forever be ranked right up there in the evolution hierarchy with Scopes and Darwin.

Yet, don’t you just love his answer? “Gentlemen, I was wrong.”
I cannot count the number of times where I’ve been immoveable from a position… only to discover later that I was wrong. Folks, I hate, HATE being wrong. So, in an effort to lessen my “wrongness”, I’ve tried to adopt an approach of education. Teach me where I’m wrong; show me exactly how you have arrived at your stance. Then, maybe we’ll both learn something.

Woo hoo!

Woo hoo!
Okay, for those of you who’ve had to endure me talking about this for the last couple of years…well, the book is finally, finally at the printer! As of today, January 9, the manuscript has been E mailed, the hard copy of the manuscript has been dropped off at the Post Office and now we’re just going to have to wait until its all published up and ready for distribution! This blog, the web site, the monthly newsletter - trust me, if you have any communication with me at all, you’ll be one of the first to hear! Thanks so much for everyone’s support and encouragement throughout this process. I think this edition of my autobiography is going to knock your socks off!

My PSA For The Day

Carson’s alma mater, The Seeing Eye, Inc. in Morristown, NJ is always, always looking out for its’ dogs and grads. This news release was sent out today and every dog lover will want to be aware of this
.
According to reports we have received and that you might have heard in the news, anyone using dog or cat food manufactured by Diamond Pet Company should
discontinue its use immediately. The products are sold under the brand names Diamond, Country Value, and Professional.

Contaminated Diamond pet food has been linked to deaths of 23 dogs and the illness of many others as of Friday, Dec. 30, according to the FDA. The company,
based in Meta, Missouri, recalled 19 varieties of dog and cat food when they were found to contain a chemical present in a fungus on corn, a common pet
food ingredient. The chemical, aflatoxin, can cause symptoms of energy loss, lack of appetite, vomiting, fever, and jaundice. Severe cases can cause liver
damage and death. Diamond company officials say the recalled product was distributed in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Tennessee, West Virginia, Vermont, and Virginia.
For more information on the recall, including specific date codes, please visit the Diamond website at www.diamondpet.com.

Goin’ to the Chapel

Okay, I need a favor from you folks. My friends, Debi and Craig, are getting married soon. They’re finalists in a radio station’s mega wedding giveaway thingy.
If you would, please help them win by voting for them! Here’s what to do:

Go to:
www.y98.com

Click on the button labeled Mega Wedding
Then, go down the list of the four finalists until you get to Debi and Craig.
Then vote for themThen wait for some good karma to kick in.
These are some really great peeps and I really want them to win! Thanks!

One Degree

Here in St. Louis, we have a kick butt place called The City Museum. In addition to making fun things out of garbage, City Museum also has some real oddball things. Today, they decided to sell one of these oddities: an albino two headed snake. On EBay, no less. So, if you have a cool $100K lying around, and you want a pet, then I know where you can get one!

I mean, how odd is our world when one can buy an albino two headed snake over his/her computer? The world gets one-degree stranger…

They Just Shouldn't

Today, a student at Kirkwood High School was killed in a horrible car accident. The little snippet on the news says that high speeds and lack of a seat belt are to blame. While that is a strong possibility, let’s not forget that a kid is now dead. And kids shouldn’t die. They just shouldn’t. Buckle up, folks…and watch that speed, too.

2006

Home. Fire. Movies on cable. NOT being out partying with all the amateurs.
That’s the way my New Year’s Eve was designed… and that’s the way it’s turning out.
Sweet!

So, was watching the news this afternoon and everyone is showing New Year’s celebrations across the globe. Obviously there are different time zones and the further east one goes, the sooner it gets to the New Year. Well, I’m watching these celebrations by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq this afternoon and thinking how cool it is that there are tons of different ways to celebrate the New Year. Moreover, how cool is it that it seems the New Year’s celebration is actually recognized worldwide? Not everyone celebrates Christmas, not everyone celebrates Hanukkah, not everyone celebrates 4th of July, not everyone celebrates Boxing Day (come on, Canadians, is this a real holiday?)… but, unless you’re some weird animal cult that divides time on a different scale than everyone else on the planet, you are celebrating New Year’s. And, how cool is that? We can barely agree on what to order at dinner most of the time, much less on religious and cultural celebrations, so this is especially cool to see folks around the world all celebrating the same thing.

Enjoy it, folks, and here’s to a great 06!