Here is another video capturing a police officer assaulting a 15 year old special needs student.  I don’t think you would of believed it unless you saw it. Apparently, this particular officer has a violent history but was allowed to continue his career in law enforcement.

Cop assaults 15-year-old special needs student

When the bird flu broke out a couple of years ago, I was afraid it would get worse and eventually make its presence known in the US.  Fortunately, it was contained for the most part across the ocean.  This swine flu happening on home isn’t just something you watch on TV because its in our own backyard.

Our state governor Arnold has already declared it a state of emergency. He took preemptive action just in case it got worse.  Reuters:

Richard Besser, acting head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said he expected more bad news even though most of the 65 U.S. cases of swine flu were mild.

“We’re going to find more cases. We’re going to find more severe cases and I expect that we’ll continue to see additional deaths,” he said.

Obama Promises to Cut Government Spending

Obama Promises No Earmarks
The unfortunate part is now we can watch Obama do exactly what Bush did on record too.  We see him breaking these promises made during his campaign and after the election.

Obama on ‘Earmarks’ – Broken Promise

While the Obama administration and the Democratic controlled Congress continues on with wasteful spending, we have many Americans becoming homeless and many tent cities popping up everywhere.

“Tent City” Rapidly Growing in Sacramento, CA

Tent cities spring up in LA

The Six Greatest Gifts You Can Give Your Loved Ones (Plus Audio Tips on Achieving Goals)

Posted: 24 Dec 2008 02:00 AM CST

“So if we love someone, we should train in being able to listen. By listening with calm and understanding, we can ease the suffering of another person.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

It’s Christmastime and it’s the season of giving … what are you giving your loved ones this year?

The holidays often mean giving a lot of gifts, sometimes expensive, but often we lose sight of what’s most important.

What gifts do your loved ones really want, whether they’re your children, your significant other, your parents, your friends, or other family members? Is it an expensive electronic item, or some other material or tangible item? Perhaps.

But the gifts I list below are more important. Sure, they might not be as fun to open on Christmas morning (or whatever other holiday you might celebrate), but in the long run, they’ll value these gifts more.

1. Your Presence. This means making it a priority to spend time with them — if they are truly important, you can make the time. You might have to change things in your life to make the time, but it’s worth it.

Beyond just making the time, though, you have to actually be present when you spend time with loved ones. That means learning to stay in the moment, rather than having your mind on other things, checking your iPhone or Blackberry every two minutes, or trying to take care of other tasks and chores while spending time with them. Instead, drop everything else and focus on being there with your loved ones — really listen, really have fun, really be present.

2. Your Love. This is perhaps an obvious one on the list, but it’s too important to gloss over. It’s imperative that you tell your loved ones that … well, that you love them. Regularly. But just as important is that you actually show them you love them, in your actions every day, throughout the day. Hugs, intimacy, smiles, doing kind things for them, considering their needs and feelings … just little things that mean a lot.

3. Your Compassion. How is this different than giving the gift of your love? Well, it’s possible to love someone and not show compassion. For example, we parents often discipline our children and love them at the same time … but often compassion is even more important than discipline.

Compassion is finding empathy with your loved one … trying to see things from their eyes, trying to understand what they’re going through … and then doing your best to be kind and to end their suffering and to make them happier. Read more.

4. A Voice. We can give so much just by paying attention to a loved one, and really listening, and showing that we’re interested in what they have to say, and showing that what they say is important and respected. Too often our children or spouse might talk to us but are only met with a disinterested nod or other small acknowledgment, or we’ll make light or fun of what they say, as if it’s not important. But giving a person a voice, and showing that their words matter, will have a long-lasting different in their lives.

5. A Healthy Lifestyle. When you spend time with your loved one, try to do so while enjoying a healthy and fun activity, such as going on a hike, playing a sport, tossing around a Frisbee, going for a walk or jog, doing some yard work, and so on. When you get together to eat, try to eat healthy foods. Make the habits of good health a part of your lifestyle, and encourage your loved ones to do the same — it could save their lives.

6. Your Belief in Them. Simply believing in another person, and showing that in your words and in your deeds, can make a huge difference. Studies of people who grew up in dysfunctional homes but who grew up to be happy and successful show that the one thing they had in common was a significant adult who believed in them. Do this for your child, and for the adult loved ones in your life as well. Support their dreams and passions and hobbies. Participate with them. Be nothing but encouraging. Be their greatest cheerleader. Whether they actually accomplish these dreams or not, your belief is of unlimited importance to them.

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” - the Dalai Lama

If you are interested in the audios, then you will need to click to his Zen habits site. He has tons of amazing reading material there that makes you realize there is much to be thankful for.

For a year we have officially been in an unofficial recession. The White House, US Treasury, and Federal Reserve all denied it through out the year. Specifically Bush, Bernanke and Paulson refused to utter the “R” word like it was taboo. Americans could see it anyways everywhere they looked.

We are now in a severe recession with record breaking foreclosures, massive layoffs, a falling stock market, and unbelievable state and federal budget deficits. It will eventually get better that’s for sure. It’s not the end of the world. The question is how long will it last? No one really knows but history is a good place to compare and get a timetable.

NewYorkTimes:

The National Bureau of Economic Research — the widely acknowledged arbiter of recessions — announced today that a recession began in December 2007. That means the downturn is now a year old, and no one thinks it’s on the verge of ending.

Here are the longest recessions of the last century:

1929-33: 43 months
1910-12: 24 months
1913-14: 23 months
1920-21: 18 months
1973-75: 16 months
1980-81: 16 months

Economists have been forecasting that the current recession will likely end sometime in the spring (which is, presumably, when some of the new stimulus money will start to be spent). If they’re right, this recession will be roughly as long as the 1973-75 recession and the 1980-81 recession, both of which were 16 months. To find a longer one than that, you have to go back to the Depression.

Theoretically, if this downward cycle did start last December then we have already done 12 months time in recession prison.  Maybe, the economy will let us out on good behavior.

On a personal level, look at your income, prioritize what’s important in your budget, and spend accordingly.  Be sure you put some of it away for a rainy day or in this case for a rainy year.

There definitely is a silver lining during these rough times as there always is.  I think everyone begins to appreciate what they already have and want less material things, and refocus their lives on their loved ones, family, friends, and health.

The best thing to do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I hope the new Obama Administration can make a change that will continue to inspire hope and bring the needed change in the coming years.

Today, in my email subscription I received his 32 Ways to make Someone Happy Today. I reprinted it below and thank Leo from Zen Habits for his wonderful site.

Just thought I’d give all of you a nice list of things to think about. This isn’t an in-depth post, but more of a thought for the day — is there someone you’d like to make happy today?

Making others happy is one of the best ways to have a great day yourself. It can brighten the world around you.

This list is just to spark some ideas, and please note that not every item on this list is appropriate for every person in your life. I trust you to figure out which actions go with which people.

Make someone happy today!

1. Smile.
2. Help them carry something.
3. Send a thank-you email.
4. Call just to see how they’re doing.
5. Pick them flowers.
6. Cook them a nice meal.
7. Tell a joke and laugh your butts off.
8. Clean.
9. Write a love letter to a loved one.
10. Give them a cherished book.
11. Bake cookies.
12. Praise them publicly.
13. Thank them for a job well done.
14. Listen.
15. Be there when they’re in need.
16. Give a free hug.
17. Spend time with them, having fun.
18. Do errands or chores for them.
19. Say I love you.
20. Help them get ahead.
21. Be proud of them.
22. Babysit if they need it.
23. House sit if they need it.
24. Buy them movie tickets.
25. Create a care package.
26. Coffee. Mmmm.
27. List the things you love about them.
28. Secretly leave them thank you notes.
29. Give a back rub when appropriate.
30. Deliver a nice lunch to them when they’re having a rough day.
31. Love them, completely.

Be happy yourself

I am a big Anthony Robbins fan and have listened to his CDs. I have also watched the Secret video. I am truly grateful for all the blessings in my life. I blog to share what I can with you. Awhile back I was reading different blog posts from the Millionaire Mommy Next Door which I subscribe to her RSS feed so as to not to miss her posts. One of the posts she shared was very touching because it was very personal.

I mentioned it on my blog and emailed her for permission to reprint it here because I really liked it. She emailed me back and said it was OK with some conditions. Thank you, Jen, for allowing me to do so.

Below is a post of “I Choose Happiness. Do You?” by the author Jen from Millionaire Mommy Next Door reprinted with her permission.

I Choose Happiness. Do You?

Four years ago, my husband and I sold our country farm home. Our intention was to kick start our early retirement with a year-long travel adventure across America in an RV. We planned to submit our adoption paperwork before leaving so we’d keep busy during the long wait for a referral. During our road trip adventure, we planned to keep our eyes peeled for the perfect place to call our next home. We were ecstatic about the prospect of living as vagabonds for a whole year, then welcoming a child into our lives.

Two months after selling our home and placing our pet goats, chickens and horses with new owners, my mom was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. Whoa. Not only did our trip preparation come to a screeching halt, but so did my carefree and positive outlook. My mom wasn’t just family– she was one of my dearest friends. She was only 59. She’d always been extremely active and healthy. She was going to be such an incredibly fun “Gramz” for our future daughter. I was completely thrown for a loop.

My mom lived with my husband and me for much of her two-and-a-half-year-long battle with cancer. I watched helplessly as her once strong body weakened, withered and starved. I’ve never before felt such intense and prolonged pain.

I realized I had to do something to avoid going completely out of my mind with fear, grief and overwhelm. I tried all the usual things: support groups, therapy, sleep. While these things certainly helped, I discovered something even better. And it was so ridiculously simple.

During this intensely difficult time, I realized that I could be happy anyway.

How? I made it my mission to look for at least five things each day that make my heart melt, my soul sing and my smile grow. I wrote a list of five happy moments everyday. I actively searched for things to add to my list. My focus changed and in turn, so did my mood. I learned that happiness takes practice. With practice, I developed a habit of feeling happy.

At first I felt like a traitor. How could I think about happy things while my mom suffered? Was I being unfair, insensitive? Fortunately, I realized that I couldn’t be a good caregiver for my mom when I felt bad. Fortunately, I chose happiness over guilt.

I learned an invaluable and powerful life lesson: It isn’t circumstance that dictates whether I live a happy life — rather, it is a matter of choice. I can succumb to sadness and overwhelm or I can choose to feel gratitude, love and happiness.

I know it sounds hokie, but give it a try anyway. Right this minute, grab a notebook and write down five things that make you happy. If a negative thought pops up, wave it away and look for something positive. Just in case you’re having a really “bad day”, I’ll offer a few ideas to get you started:

crisp autumn air

the smell of puppy breath

reading the Sunday newspaper

creative photography

vine-ripened garden tomatoes

family

friendships

a good book

surfing the internet

wildflowers

setting a goal

enjoying a massage

watching birds congregate at my birdfeeder

playing hide and seek with my child

chai tea

my favorite wine

buckets of sunflowers at the farmers market

The power of focus is amazing. Recounting painful memories in the beginning of this post was making me feel a bit blue. But after compiling the list of “happy things”, I’m once again feeling, umm… happy!

I continue to develop and practice my happiness habit. I choose to feel happy. What about you?