Rockin' The Paradise

Hello World Family,
"Tonight's the night we make history...honey, you and I. And I'll take any risk to tie back the hands of time, and stay with you here tonight."
"Dennis DeYoung, Styx, Rockin' the Paradise, Paradise Theatre, 1981

Falcon here. Wow! What an election night here in the U.S., eh? Somehow, in the middle of all the excitement last night, this was the song that popped into my head. After thinking about it, I understand why. Styx was born and breed in the South Side of Chicago (appropriate since that is where President-elect Barack Obama started his community service work) and the song was composed at a time when, under the Reagan administration, many young people were wondering how to change America for the better. Sound familiar?

Falcon and Dove want to congratulate the new first family (yes, there will be a puppy in the White House!) and sincerely pray that now that the election is over, Americans will realize we have a hell of a lot of work to do, and we need to do it together.

I am particularly proud of my home state of Pennsylvania. Obama carried all but 5 counties in the entire state. Unfortunately, those 5 counties he didn't carry surround the greater Pittsburgh area...which gives me pause.

I have a special message for some of the people in those counties:
"Dear neighbor,
I guess you got a lot of those nasty emails about Obama, and read every single one. I wish you would read a newspaper, a book, a noteworthy magazine with the same enthusiasm as you read fear and hate-mongoring emails. If you did, you would know a lot more not only about our national candidates, but our regional and local candidates as well. I can say this with complete confidence because I got those emails, too. (Although I really didn't want to). I understood the mentality of those who create them, but I don't pretend to understand those who spread them.

Those that made them are ignorant individuals whose own self-loathing has become a virus that they cannot even recognise in themselves anymore. Those that spread them I cannot fathom. I do know one thing: there are only two real emotions in the universe (the rest are partial manifestations of these): LOVE and FEAR. I would suppose that those who penned these vile vommitous masses would fall into the latter catagory, since love clearly has nothing to do with it.

Do you really think that your values are unique or separate from those of anyone else? Do you really live in a different America? Do you really only identify with Joe and Plumber, and not Maya Angelou? If so, then this may be a very difficult period for you. As Bob Dylan would say, the times they are a changin' and it is time for those hanging on to immature perspectives and hateful rhetoric to grow the hell up.

I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I do know one thing: America will not go backwards. The paradigm has shifted and minds will only move forward no matter how rewarding or challenging. I hope that your mind joins the party. Don't be proverbially dragged, kicking and screming like an infant having a temper tantrum to revelation of change and growth. It really is for the best, even in the worst of times. No one said it will be easy, but it will...be.

The First Commandment is to Love They Neighbor, as Theyself...don't forget the last part, dear neighbor. We are all in this together, so let's work together to make things better for all of us.
Sincerely,
Your Neighborhors that Love You"

Brothers and Sisters, I was actually going to close this post talking about how proud I am to be an American at this time in hour history. I was going to mention that Obama and I are the same age, have daughters, and sincere hope for their future. I still want to emphasize that...but I think I am going to change my original plans for song lyrics to quote. I was going to post the lyrics to"Rockin'the Paradise" (Paradise referring to America in the song; Styx did this a lot, also see Suite: Madame Blue on the Equinox album). Those of you who don't know the song, you can go look up the lyrics and/or listen to the piece. It is very poinant to the entire American landscape right now. However, the song lyrics I am going to leave you with are from the Progressive Rock supergroup, YES. This was not their most popular song, but in this post-election environment, I feel it is the most important. It is probably one of my most favorite songs ever written by anyone, anywhere. It is a song of hope, affirmation, resolution...and release.

The More We Live
Verse One

You and I can change the world;

The more we live, the more we learn, the more we know.

From this moment on we share the world;

The more we give, the more we love, the more we grow.

The spirit of imagination can lead us through the dark;

The more we see, the more we try, the more we show.

The evidence of our confusion, life has left its mark;

The more we fear, the more we lie, the more we hide.


As we walk into tomorrow

(Turning away from the path we know)

Holding the future with our hands

(We carry the weight of the world we go)

It's up to you and I -- We hold the key; we hold the answers

Verse Two

All our thoughts of doubt and fear are leaving one by one

The more we live, the more we learn, the more we know.

For each of us the road is clear and life has just begun;

The more we give, the more we love, the more we grow.

Each time we reach for goals we set for ourselves,

The more we fear, the more we lie, the more we hide.

All we need is just to believe in ourselves;

We face the truth, we see it clear, with no disguise.


Cast away our doubt and sorrow

(Turning away from the past we know)

The Universe at our command

(Sharing the fate of the world we grow)

Together you and I, we hold the key to all the answers

(All the answers)

Let go...

(Chris Squire)
From the album, Union, 1991.

Today we move forward, World Family. Let's remind ourselves that there is no 'box' and our 'outside thinking' (thinking outside the box) is really reality shifting. Keep praying, and while we pray...move our feet.

Peace,
Falcon and Dove

College Students: VOTE TODAY ONLY!!!

Hello Friends and Family,
Hey college students: have you received an email today, November 4 telling you that you can vote tomorrow if the lines are too long....this is a lie!
You cannot vote tomorrow!

YOU MUST VOTE TONIGHT BY 8pm in MOST STATES, and 9pm in NEW YORK!!!!

If you are already in line as the clock strikes closing time, don't worry; anyone in line will get in to vote. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW ! VOTE TODAY!

THIS IS IT!!!

Brothers, and Sisters, there will be evil forces out there who do not want you to do your civic duty as an American. If for some reason, there is confusion at your polling location about whether you can vote, ASK FOR A PROVISIONAL BALLOT!


THIS IS YOUR AMERICAN RIGHT!

If a machine isn't working, ASK FOR A PAPER BALLOT!

It WILL count tonight! Provisional ballots must be verified, but your vote will eventually be added.

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY EVIL FORCES!

VOTE NOW, do it today! This is the last day that matters for this year's
election!

Good luck!
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Time of Great Change is Here! Finances, Environment, Politics

Hello Brothers and Sisters of the World Family!
Falcon here. Sorry about the absence...family members have passed on recently, and work, school, and the financial markets/environment needed our attention. We have a lot to say...so here we go!

Finances...Mortgages, School Loans, etc.

Wonder what Falcon and Dove think? Here's what we think are the issues at hand:
This financial mess began back in 1999 with some changes in regulations that gave more people opportunities to own homes, but lenders less opportunity to be honest in lending. This was a bad combination. When incentives are in place to make more money across the board amoung professionals and there are few rules to keep them honest, they have shown that they fail absmally.

Real estate agents, originators, underwriters, appraisers all partiipated in the chaos in deplorable fashion. Blaming homeowners is dispicable, because these individuals were the professionals; they should have explained the law and the consequences, but they didn't. Why? Because they were all making their fortunes off of steering perfectly good prospective buyers out of Conventional, FHA, and VA mortgages into exotic loans that garner them hefty commissions and homebuyers mortgages that would ballooon eventually to the point that they were unmanageable. Why would these professionals do this? Because ultimately, the bank that gave the loan wasn't holding on to it; they were selling it elsewhere: to Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac, or eventually in bundles overseas (mortgage backed securities).

These bundles often also contained student loans, so that is why student lending was also impacted. Once upon a time, banks held on to the loans they made, so they were less likely to assume high risk. Appraisers participated by appraising homes where the real estate agent and lender wanted the appraisal to be, even when they knew that the homeowners, particularly in poorer neighborhoods, would never get that amount for their home in a sale, ever. Ironically, this also caused many buyers' taxes to increase along with the home sale. How did these folks sleep at night? They convinced themselves that the buyers would re-finance by the time the balloon hit, or sell (flip) the property, or that the home value would grow at a rate that would keep equity higher than the mortgage, which of course, didn't happen.

They called it a 'housing bubble', but to me, it looked like an A-bomb.
The proverbial house of cards starting coming down in August, 2007,,,and prophet Jim Cramer gave his "they know nothing!" rant...and the public was listening, even if the supposed experts were not.

Student loans bundled with these bad pieces of paper were auctioned overseas...and in february, 2008...they stopped buying them. That meant that the agencies that were funding their capital off these sales now had no more money to lend. That's when things began to freeze up in the credit market. Like a scene from "The Day After Tomorrow", the freeze spread from housing and student loans to everywhere else because everyone owed more than they made. They were 'leveraged' to the hilt, and had no insurance or capital to cover losses. People began to want theier money out of these tettering banks (and the short sellers didn't help matters, along with the ratings agencies) so large losss of deposits only made the situation worse. A slow acing fed chairman, always behind the curve, and the deer-in-the-headlights Congress who took forever to do the obvious, whether they liked it or not...all contributed to where were currently are with a global crisis of supernatural proportions. So now what?

Now...we keep our money in safe, secure banks and credit unions under $250,000 worth of deposits per account, per name. Over $2 trillion has been lost by 401K plans in the last 6 weeks. Many people will have to delay retirement; some delay college (or maybe not...see my sugestions below) and some will cut back on their retirement lifestyle. Small businesses cannot make payroll or buy new goods. It will not be a very merry holiday season for many. It's time to tighten out belts; it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Students: Can you get a loan for next semester? Next year? Federal loans are fine, and state agencies are really stepping up to help. Keep doing your scholarship applications, even if you are in college. DO them during your break; every little bit helps. www.fastweb.com, a great scholarship aggrigator. Ask your university fianacial aid department if you can get a payment plan, or do they have some small scholarship money (especially if your grades are good this term). Many universities have small scholarships they can dole out when needed. Ask family members to support your education, instead of gifts this holiday season. Your education is one of the most important things you can do with your life. Do what you can to stay in school and get it paid for with the least amount of debt.

Environment
From local to presidential candidates, find out where your candidate stands on important environmental issues. You want leaders that remember that this is the only planet we have. There are a lot of distractions out there, but thinking green means jobs, education, employment advances, and saving the world. It is a win-win situation, but those who can't see the possibilities are holding us back, and frankly, making things worse. We cannot afford them, and neither can our future. Get rid of them, and say so at the polls. Vote for candidates who support the environment!

Politics

For those about to vote (or already have in places that can)...we salute you!
Get out to the polls. Americans...this is the most important election of your lifetimes, no matter how old you are. The next president will have his hands full, and he needs a Congress with a clue...so vote local and nationally for those with vision, leadership, acumen, and genius. Don't vote by single issue, or about race, or hair, or gender, because that is an evil distraction.

Falcon and Dove are supporting the ticket of Obama/Biden for President/Vice President of the United States. The choice was fairly easy, especially after McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. Let me explain...

John McCain has been in Congress for a quarter century. He is an Ameican hero. He is, however, an ineffective force in Washington. I cannot think of one piece of legislation that he introduced that has done me or my family a bit of good, ever. He nearly derailed congressional discussion during the economic crisis and showed that he has little leadership capability, or understanading of the macroeconomic problems that face our country.

Sarah Palin is suing the Department of the Interior to have polar bears moved off then Endangered Species List. She wants to drill Alaska into oblivion, supports banning books and used her position as govenor to fire a good man doing his job because he wouldn't fire her sister's husband. She has no foreign policy experience and is educationally lacking when it comes to understanding the nuances of government. Frankly, it's a no-brainer.

Barack Obama is a young leader, who has done an increadible amount in Washington in his short tenure. Is he perfect? Nope. Who is? Joe Biden is strong, dynamic and doesn't always agree with Obama, and I like that. Both will be challenged in this new dynamic we all find ourselves in, but this team is much better qualified to lead our nation into its uncertain and volatile future.

Vote your heart, not your fear. Vote with courage, because we will all need it. November 4 is a beginning of a new phase of American government, and the work doesn't end that day...it begins anew. It will not be easy for anyone; it will call for us to move past our differences and embrace our future as a collective.

Division is a painful illusion we simply cannot afford at this time. Remember, the deisions you make on election day wil effect your elders, your children, and your grandchildren. I want to look into my child's eyes and say that I voted without fear.
Will you?

Peace, World Family,
Falcon and Dove

Conventions are over-Register to VOTE!

Hello World Family,
Falcon, here. Now that the Democratic and Republican conventions are over Falcon and Dove have a challenge for every single American eligible to vote: register and then do it!

Many people in the world would like an opportunity for democratic process the way Americans have, and many take it for granted. Get up off the couch, put the remote down, drop the Wii for awhile and do your duty by registering to vote...now.

If you know that you will be away during the November 4 election, apply for your Absentee Ballot now. Many states have different rules about how and when to do it, so check into what you need to do and do it this week, Americans!

For Falcon and Dove Family around the world, if you have an opportunity to vote for your political leaders then we suggest you do so. Many of you will have a much greater challenge in casting a vote that our American brothers and sisters, but we encourage you to do it anyway. We know that you are brave, and we respect the risk you take to speak your mind. Your courage will inspire others and literally change the course of your country's history. Thank you for your strength and tenacity of spirit.

VOTE! Make a real difference.
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Abused Dog Alex needs our help!

Hello World Family,
Falcon and Dove hope you had a great weekend. We were having a wonderful time, until we heard this sad story. This dog really needs help from everyone who can. I have obtained this information from the Washington Humane Society. Please, please...help Alexamder.

Thank you, Falcon and Dove Family! We know you are fierce friends of animals!
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

When the WAHS cruelty investigator picked up the poor dog, it was the first step in the right direction for an innocent animal who is now recovering from a history of brutality at the hands of his owner.

Named Alexander by staff, he finally felt good enough to eat some wet food from a small bowl held by manager, Lorie Schooley who received the call about the dog at 8am, August 3rd.

One of Alex's hips has been knocked out of the socket and the other hip bone has been broken from the leg. He also has open infected wounds. More examinations will reveal how much can be repaired by veterinary specialists. In the meantime, Alex is resting in the safety of the shelter while police and Humane Officers file the appropriate charges against the owner.

Surgery by specialists can run into thousands of dollars. We are asking for your help to finance this sad and unexpected financial burden which is above and beyond the basics our shelter can provide.

Please share the load for Alex by making a contribution towards his medical bills as we try to make the rest of his life a happy one.

Make your tax-deductible donation* check payable to WAHS and write “Alex” in the memo line.
*All donations in excess of what is necessary for Alex will be used for our other deserving shelter cats and dogs.

Washington Area Humane Society
1527 Route 136
Washington, PA 15330

Middle-earth Cookbook Author at Borders!

Hi Everyone,
Check out this event!
Cookbook author Emerald Took will be sharing some summer recipes from the only cookbook cool enough for Hobbit and Elves alike: Regional Cooking From Middle-earth: Recipes of The Third Age at Borders Books East Side (East Liberty neighborhood) of Pittsburgh, PA on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 from 6:30to 8:30pm. There will be a sample of something with chocolate...I am soooo there! Copies of her cookbook will be available for purchase, and signed of course. How many people can sign their books in Elvish?! This rocks!

There will even be a FREE BOOK for every guest given out during the event! It's for active types or those who enjoy adventure...shhh...it's a secret!

We hope to see you there. Just follow the smell of chocolate...
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Goodbye, Kia-Safe Journey, Randy

Hello World Family,
Falcon here. This is probably the toughest post I have ever written. I must say goodbye to two very special people who left our world this week, and I wanted to tell you a little about them.

One, I have never met; the other, Dove and I had the pleasure of meeting. One was taken by an unspeakable act of violence; the other by an unspeakable cancer. One was my age, a college professor, husband, father of young children; the other was just beginning her adult life, a Salvation Army volunteer, and a mother. Both were special not because of how they died, but because of how they lived. The fact that their spirit has left us to go to a better place is our loss, not theirs.

Kia was a mommy. She was about to have a son on July 30th. She was murdered for that child: tied up, cut across her abdomen, and suffocated. She was only 18 years old. She was happy, helpful, generous of nature, and compassionate by every description I have seen about her. She was murdered by a woman (probably with some help, charges pending) who wanted a baby very badly...for years. She had been in jail before for cutting one woman and trying to steal her baby, and another time attempting to steal a baby from a hospital years ago. The dysfunctional environment that surrounded that woman's situation that brought her no real, permanent help but only enabled her obvious mental illness contributed to this horrible event. Kia was going to help many people every day with her smile and kindness. Falcon prays that in her loss, more will follow her lead: be kind to others, and help when and where you can.

Kia won't get to raise her son. It is the saddest of outcomes that his mother did not survive this vicious attack. I hope that his family never forgets to tell him every day how kind she was, and how she volunteered in her community. She will be watching him from Heaven, that I am sure.
Love never dies.

Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Many of you have watched his "last lecture' video on You Tube, or read his book, "The Last Lecture." Randy created the Alice computer program designed to help kids with their computer skills. He gave away the software to Home School students like my daughter, Dove. I lectured occasionally at CMU, so I saw Randy now and then, and I saw the impact he was having on youngsters who needed more concrete, advanced computer skills, and his students at CMU.

Never did I imagine how many people's lives he would touch with his lecture. The very technology he celebrated helped to include millions of people on his journey to honor his own life, even during the sunset of his life.

Randy was fun, and he was also poignant. He found a way to channel the horror of his illness into extremely constructive areas, like celebrating what is good about living.

So today, in mourning the loss of these two special spirits, let's also remember how lucky we are to have the lives we have. There is still time...for us. Let's respect life more, let's find a way to include more genuine joy in our lives. That comes from living well...in thought, word, and deed.

Live well.
Falcon and Dove