FIOS does a quadrillion things right and I love it, but they don’t have this Internet/FIOS TV thing down yet. I wish they would stop experimenting on me and do proper testing on their widgets and gadgets. They should test to see whether the widget works and it does though I find having to enter two different codes in order to access the widget a little annoying.

They should also figure out whether or not their widget is useful to anyone besides themselves. From what I can tell, the only entity that will benefit from this widget is Verizon. When I use the application to post what I’m watching, it post the following sentence in my status update, “Belinda Mitchell is watching ‘Our Song’ on Verizon FiOS TV”.

I’m gonna help them out.  If they were to add an image of the show, information about the show, functionality for me to edit the post, possibly adding my opinion of the show or any random comment I choose, I might possibly be distracted from the ugly stark reality of them trying to hijack my Facebook account to advertise their company. I am not appreciating their attempts at pimping me at all. They get an E for Effort. It does what they intended it to do, but it sucks.

I did not love this book, there were a few concepts in it that were hard on my sense of justice and fair play, but is it really necessary to love essential information? It’s still essential.

We are living in rapidly changing times. Our media is for the most part not doing a very good job of getting the information about these rapid changes out to the masses.

I suspect that for many people, reading this book, is going to be the only warning they receive about what’s rapi…more I did not love this book, there were a few concepts in it that were hard on my sense of justice and fair play, but is it really necessary to love essential information? It’s still essential.

We are living in rapidly changing times. Our media is for the most part not doing a very good job of getting the information about these rapid changes out to the masses.

I suspect that for many people, reading this book, is going to be the only warning they receive about what’s rapidly approaching the US in terms of the economic shifts that are currently taking place worldwide. Once you have read the book, if you live in or near a major city as I do, you will certainly look around and think, “it’s already happening and has been for years, but I now have a better understanding of it”. We all need to understand it. Understanding is the enemy of ignorance and insecurity.

If you have children about to attend college, you need to read this book.

If you are a young person entering college within the next 4 years, you need to read this book.

If you are a student who is in college right now, you need to read this book.

If you are planning to go back to school, you need to read this book.

If you are a citizen of the United States of America, you need to read this book.

You may not like it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

Thank you Mr. Michael Jackson. I will miss your work.

My Review:

I read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne a few months ago.  I think it’s a great book and quite a boost for those on the journey to wellness.  It can really be helpful and energizing for those of us who have become discouraged.

Book Description:

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that

will be life-transforming for all who experience it. In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life — money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life. The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers — men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.

The rest of it seems to be about the sympathizer being in a better position than the sympathy recipient with regards to whatever they feel sympathetic towards that person about.  Perhaps they have money and they feel sympathy for broke people or they are healthy and they feel sympathy for someone who is sick or they are well loved and they feel sympathy for someone who doesn’t seem to be as loved as they are.  Perhaps the sympathizer was in one of the previously mentioned circumstances in the past.  Well isn’t that terrific that they can have sympathy for that person.  However, in the absence of action to help lift that person out of their circumstance, isn’t sympathy just another way to stroke one’s own ego?  “I feel wonderful because I’m not that person and I don’t have that circumstance.  My situation is better.  Poor her/him.”  It’s fine to feel wonderful about yourself and your situation, but must it be rooted in how you are doing in comparison to how someone else is doing?

If you believe in the power of prayer, even that would be helpful.  That’s an action, pray for the person who is sick.  If a person seems to be unloved, love them.  Why not?  Love is free.  If you have sympathy for someone in a tough financial situation, why not help them find a better job, give them a good reference if you can, help them inventory their current skills and talents or help them fill out college applications and loan applications, if that is what they need to get on a path towards financial stability.  We all know that in all of the above mentioned situations, people sometimes fall into despair and often, if they don’t have anyone to help them get out of their hole, it can be an incredibly tough climb and some people stay in that hole for the rest of their lives.  It’s possible to handle tough situations alone, but the fortitude required is incredible.  Everybody doesn’t have that fortitude.  Most people can do it once or twice, but by that third time, someone is going to have to help you out.  Just giving someone an ear and a prayer is a powerful thing.  Give more if you have it to give.

This is not about suffering for another, it’s about doing what you can.  Give financially or loan money only when your house is completely in order.  Of course, anybody can drop a $50 on someone so they can buy a bus pass to facilitate their job search, but don’t pay someone else’s rent or mortgage unless your situation is straight.  Even with the most trustworthy person, in this economy, you don’t know when they are coming out of their circumstances, so don’t give what you need.

This is not about supporting people in their negative actions.   Do what you can do to bring them out of their negative actions.  For example, if your loved one is a drug addict and won’t go to rehab and what you can do is nothing but pray for them, then that is what you do.  If your loved one is slinging drugs on the corner and won’t come off that corner and all you can do for that person is pray, give them an ear and advise if they will listen, then that is what you do.  If your loved one is broke and won’t do anything to pull themselves out of that situation and all you can do is pray, listen to them and try to help them find their path, then that is what you do.

Of course you can’t do all of that for everybody in the world.  You can pray for everybody in the world.  You can have good intentions for everybody in the world and vote people into power who  share your good intentions for the people of the world.  On a personal level, start with the people you love and if you have more (time or/and money) to give, help the people in your family, and then help the people in your community and then help the people in your city and then help the people in your county and then your state and then your country and then the world.