Wednesday, April 30, 2014

 Whistleblowers & Surveillance
Forum
at The Commons

 Washington Square Park
April 26th


 Full Disclosure Event
at
Judson Memorial Church

 Prospect Park
April 27th





PERSONAL NEWS #231
April 1st, I enjoyed a delightful dinner at Pongsri Thai restaurant with Debbie S and Deanna. 

April 2nd and 3rd, I had to work OT at the office with an Associate Director on a deadline Excel project, plus an InterAction assignment.

Apri 4th, I joined friends of mine out at Citifield to see the NY Mets play against the Cincinnati Reds.  Weather was chilly, misty, foggy and windy.  Those that attended persevere and the Mets won 4 to 3.  I left around 7th inning with Deanna, as we were cold, even with 4 layers of tops, scarves, etc.  Despite the inclement weather, we had a good time.

April 5th, I joined other BFP members to hand out flyers for the April 12th Peace Rally and March at Grand Army Plaza.  Afterwards went into the office to do some work and then home to relax.

April 6th, I had a much needed appt / therapy with Dr Tan in Chinatown.  Afterwards I headed back home to do chores around the apt.  Then back into Manhattan to do photography around Bryant Park before going to a friend’s birthday dinner party at Sammy’s on 6th Avenue.

April 7th, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

April 8th, I attended the monthly BFP Fund/PF committee meeting at Ken’s home.  It was productive and detailed.

On April 10th, at work, I learned that I passed the final exam of the five with flying colors.

April 11th, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

April 12th, after doing errands and Dana cleaning my apt, I headed down to Grand Army Plaza for the BFP Peace Rally & March.  It was a beautiful, sunny, warm spring day for this event.  Afterwards, I headed over to Brooklyn Heights for a leisurely lunch, stroll along the Promenade, and taking photos around this wonderful neighborhood.

April 13th, I had to work 4 to 5 hours at the office, as it’s near the tail end of “tax season”.

April 15th, I attended the monthly BFP A&C committee meeting.  Two new people [ie: Terri and John] joined our committee, which is great, and learned that a BFP board member [Tom M] also wants to join.  Awesome news!

April 17th, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

April 18th to 21st – I visited with the parents, brother and sister-in-law in upstate NY.  I watched the following movies on the parent’s cable TV … Speed, Doctor Zhivago, and Easter Parade.  I helped with yard work, hair salon visit, shopping, photography, etc.  On Easter Sunday I drove over to VT in the afternoon to visit Manchester, Arlington and the West Mountain Inn.

April 21st, upon arriving back into NYC, I went home first to take care of chores before heading off to the “ICU: Snowden Surveillance You Me” forum at The Commons.  This forum was hosted by BFP and WCW.  The forum was a success with a turnout of 35 to 40 people.  The excellent panel of speakers at the forum comprised of Debra Sweet [WCW], Carl Dix [Stop Mass Incarceration Network] and Faiza Ali [Arab American Assoc of NY].

April 25th, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.  Also, my friend Cielito is visiting NYC from Seattle, and spent the night.  My sofa bed in the living room comes in handy when friends visit me.

April 26th, after a much need treatment at my acupuncturist office, I headed up to Judson Memorial Church at Washington Square Park for the “Full Disclosure” event.  This event was mainly hosted by “Veterans for Peace” and regarding honest commemoration of the American War5 in Vietnam.  I was assisting BFP with tabling at this fascinating event.

April 27th, I spent the afternoon strolling through Prospect Park and taking lots of photos.  Afterwards, I headed into Park Slope to have vegan dessert and tea at The Cocoa Bar.


April 28th, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

Friday, April 25, 2014

LATEST IN THE NEWS

Sexual Advances That Aren’t Welcome are Harassment, Not ‘Sexual Liberation’
Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet

The Rot of Wall Street Stints All the Way to the Bank
Jim Hightower, AlterNet

How the World’s Only Superpower is Vulnerable to Catastrophe
Emanuel Pastreich and John Feffer, The Nation

Paying for America’s War Machine is a Terrible Waste of Tax Money
Lisa Savage, AlterNet
It’s time to redirect our resources to meet human needs.  It’s time to bring the war dollars home.

What Made the Chicago Teachers’ Strike a Success?  Their Commitment to the Community
Emily Wilson, AlterNet

Yet Another Reason to Hate SCOTUS: It’s Made It Easier for Payday Lenders to Prey on the Poor
Kathleen Geier, Washington Monthly

How the Obscenely Wealthy are Strangling Our Democracy
Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/economy/how-obscenely-wealthy-are-strangling-our-democracy?akid=11740.9992.KYjnnu&rd=1&src=newsletter984467&t=15

Thursday, April 24, 2014

 Busy Month
of
April 2014
 Carousel at Bryant Park
 Celebrating a Friends Birthday
 Spring Finally Arrives to NYC

 BFP Peace Rally & March

 Brooklyn Heights

 Spring is Here!

 Easter with the Parents

 West Mountain Inn
Arlington, VT

 Battenkill
 Dellwood Cemetery

Leaving Manchester, VT
IN THE NEWS

Why the United States is Destroying its Education System
Chris Hedges, Truthdig.com
A nation that destroys its systems of education, degrades its public information, guts its public libraries and turns its airwaves into vehicles for cheap, mindless amusement becomes deaf, dumb and blind. It prizes test scores above critical thinking and literacy. It celebrates rote vocational training and the singular, amoral skill of making money. It churns out stunted human products, lacking the capacity and vocabulary to challenge the assumptions and structures of the corporate state. It funnels them into a caste system of drones and systems managers. It transforms a democratic state into a feudal system of corporate masters and serfs.

Its Not Russia that is Destabilizing Ukraine
Sergei Lavrov, The Guardian

NYC Parents vs. Wall Street-Backed Charter Schools
Lauren McCauley, Common Dreams staff writer
Governor Cuomo and charter lobby ‘strong-arming’ bid to evict special needs students in favor of charter expansion.

Eliminate All Nuclear Weapons
Noam Chomsky – Peace Action Blog

Naomi Klein: Why US Fracking Companies Are Licking Their Lips Over Ukraine
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/04/10-7

US Has Littered Afghanistan With War's Deadly Garbage
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/10-0

Senator King Joins Republicans to Block Equal Pay Act
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/10-3

Leaked Report: CIA Lied, Lied, Lied to Conceal 'Brutal' Torture 
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/11-3

War on Terror's Trickle Down Effect: The FBI's Military Evolution Exposed 
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/11-4

Findings That Fracking Causing Quaking Leads to Drilling Shutdown in Ohio 

Wednesday, April 09, 2014


 NY Mets Against Cincinnati Reds
Friday, April 4th
Mets Won 4 to 3
 Dyanne, Debbie and Deanna
at the ballgame

 Duchess and Margaret
Dressed up Warmly
at a
Chilly, Wet and Windy Game

ATTENDED MARI ELIZABETH'S
BIRTHDAY DINNER PARTY
ON
SUNDAY, APRIL 6th

Thursday, April 03, 2014

IN THE NEWS

Neil deGrasse Tyson Under Attack from Christians Who Want More Biblical Creationism on His Show
Amanda Marcotte, AlterNet

The Supreme Court Just Destroyed Our Democracy in Favor of the Plutocrats
Calvin F. Exoo, Christian Exoo

John Nichols: With McCutcheon Ruling, An Activist Court Opts for Full-On Plutocracy
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/04/02-7

6 Ways America is in Desperate need of a Big Fix
Jim Hightower, AlterNet

In 'Blow to Democracy,' SCOTUS Strikes Down Campaign Contribution Limits
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/02-0

Michelle Chen: $2.13 an Hour? Why The Tipped Minimum Wage Has to Go
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/04/02-1

Senator Bernie Sanders: Supreme Court Voids Campaign Spending Limits
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2014/04/02-4

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Every Morning a Healthy
Organic and Tasty Smoothie
Shared Alongside the
Continued Growth
of my
Paperwhite Ziva's


PERSONAL NEWS #230
On March 1st, I hosted the first annual retreat for BFP A&C committee at my humble abode.  It was a productive retreat with much accomplished.  That evening I went to see “Hobo Grunt Cycle” again, and stayed afterwards to hear the speaker panel.  This panel consisted of three speakers from “Veterans for Peace” organization, plus a terrific Q&A.  Got a ride home afterwards from Charlotte and Oliver.

March 2nd, I had a much needed acupuncture treatment appt with Dr Tan.

March 3rd, I had a private yoga session with Fabrice and Shiva.

March 4th, I participated in an urgent BFP board member conf call regarding the Ukraine crisis.

March 5th, I had a much needed chiropractor treatment appt.

March 6th, I attended the monthly BFP board members meeting at The Commons.  I also finished reading a terrific book by Juliet Nicolson called “The Great Silence”.  The book is about England after the shadow of the First World War to the dawn of the Jazz Age.  I highly recommend it.

March 8th, after a productive morning of errands and chores, I went to get a much needed manicure / pedicure.  That evening I went to Dixon Place [lower Eastside] to hear Capt Paul Chappell speak after the “Hobo Grunt Cycle” performance.  His talk was regarding racism, peace, women’s movement, war and his thoughts on the evening’s performance.  Before and after Capt Paul’s “talk” I was able to chat with him on a few topics.  He remembered me from BFPs Peace Fair in 2012 and my fascination with WW1.  Afterwards, Veronica and I hung out at the Dixon Place bar to chat with a few people who’d seen the show / talk.

March 9th, I had a private yoga session with Fabrice and Shiva.

March 10th, I had a private yoga session with Fabrice and Shiva.

March 11th, I attended the productive monthly BFP Fund / PF committee meeting at Ken’s home.

March 13th, I attended the lecture … Why Peace is Possible: Exploring the Anatomy of Violence and War by Paul K. Chappell [Peace Leadership Director, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation] at Soka Gakkai Buddhist temple down in Union Square.

On March 14th, after work, I went to Dixon Place on lower Eastside to hear a Buddhist monk [Claude AnShin Thomas] speak with honesty from his experiences about how to live a life of peace after the Hobo Grunt Cycle show

On March 15th, after Dana did cleaning of my apt in the morning, I took car service down to Crown Heights in Brooklyn to visit with a friend.  Jackie was showing me how to utilize PowerPoint 2010, plus we had lunch and caught up on news.

On March 16th, after doing laundry, I headed into Manhattan and the office to meet up with an acquaintance that helped me with more PowerPoint training.  All this training is for an exam on March 28th, which I have to pass to keep my job.  In the evening, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

On March 17th, I had an appt with my lung doctor, and the wait was 2 hours.  I didn’t get out of there until after 8pm.  UGH!!

March 18th, I participated in a productive, informative BFP A&C committee conference call.

March 21st, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

March 23rd, at 5am, I was at NY Methodist hospital ER regarding my lung and bronchial tube situation, which started on Saturday.  At least my lung condition has been stable for 2.3 years, which is a huge relief, but the bronchial tubes are an issue.  On meds and took it easy all weekend, which meant I had to miss participating in TRD  L

March 24th, I took a sick day from work, and had an appt with my lung specialist.  We had a lengthy discussion regarding my lungs and bronchial tubes.  Situation may arise were I’ll need surgery on the Bronchial Tubes to address the rupturing of blood.  Will also discuss with my acupuncturist, and get a second opinion from another lung specialist.

March 28th, I had to retake the PPT exam at work.  That evening I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

March 29th, I traveled via MetroNorth up to Brewster with Carol and Kevin to attend the NydoPeace reunion at Karen’s home.  Those in attendance were Karen, Liz, Joe, Kevin, Carol, me and Marianne joined us via Skype [photo below].  It was a delightful afternoon  J

On March 30th, I hung out with my friend Margaret, and went to see the film “The Grand Budapest Hotel”.  It was a fun, entertaining film by Wes Anderson.  Afterwards, I had a private yoga class with Fabrice and Shiva.

March 31st, I attended a forum in Ft Greene area of Brooklyn on "What's at Stake in the Middle East". The speakers were Zachary Lockman, Maya Mikdashi and David Wildman. The discussion centered on women's rights, religious tolerance, refugees, politics, history, human rights and threats of nuclear war.