Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Happiness

I love when I notice I'm smiling when I'm alone. The smile isn't falsely constructed to please anyone else. Rather, it's naturally powered by my inner bliss, which radiates and beams through my being.
After many years of deep, inner work, I'm at a place in my life where I seem to have found greater peace and more bountiful joy. My mind is free to dream. My heart sings. My spirit dances. My body feels all that is sensual and good.
My parents told me they named me "Joyce" because they were rejoiced by my birth. I'm grateful for this life and to my parents for choosing my name which means, "Happy." For happiness is most certainly the path I choose.
After 20 years of counseling clients and working on my own psycho-spiritual journey, I recommend the following ways to choose happiness:
1. Don't attach your happiness to anything external. We run into problems when we make our happiness dependent on our relationships, jobs, finances or bodies or on anticipated outcomes. Recalibrate your expectations to zero. Happiness is an inner experience that is yours to claim. Everything else is impermanent.
2. Don't take yourself too seriously. Identifying with your mind exacerbates stress, anxiety, and pressure. Our egos use anger to preserve and protect themselves, causing disconnection and displeasure. Detach from your ego and get over yourself.
3. Give freely. Give and share what you can, whenever you can. Give compliments, love, affection, help, resources, time, consideration, thoughtfulness, respect, empathy, etc. It feels delightful and karma will bring it back to you, threefold.
4. Receive openly. Accept compliments, help and gifts. Embrace touch and praise. Absorb love and affection. Remember that the act of receiving allows other people the experience of giving.
5. Drink in the love. Hard to explain, but let me try... When I kiss my beautiful daughters, I consciously absorb the love power. Kissing my Claudia's freckles refuels my "happiness tank" in seconds flat.
6. Appreciate cuteness. Don't be too busy or caught in your own "mind chatter" to notice the little bird out your window, the newborn baby in her mother's arms in the elevator, the elderly couple holding hands, or the fuzzy ducks in the pond. Take time to notice all that is precious, tender and miraculous in life.
7. Play and be silly. Remember how it was to play freely as a child. Shed self-consciousness, let go and have fun. I love playing with my kids; surprising them and reminding myself about the impish little girl inside me. Perhaps nothing makes my heart swell more than hysterical fits of laughter shared with my daughters.
8. Consciously connect with sunlight. Be aware of the sunlight and mindful of feeling it on your face and body. Bask in its warmth and light. Feel your connection with this life-giving energy source.
9. Be mindful of physical pleasures. Notice how soft your bed feels, how good your food tastes, how soft your lover's skin feels... Enjoy and appreciate these wonderful sensations.
10. Stay firmly rooted in the present moment. Unhappiness occurs when we obsess about the past or worry about the future. Peace and serenity are found in the present moment. Practice deep breathing, meditation and other mindfulness techniques to establish presence.
11. Look for the good part. Practice gratitude to stay positive. See the goodness in yourself, in others and in the world around you.
12. Be a duck. Let negative stuff roll off your back. Life's too short to expend energy getting your feather's ruffled.
13. Tend to your environment. Make your home and office comfortable and cheerful. Surround yourself with things that elicit positive emotions and make you smile.
14. Take excellent care of yourself. Take care of your physical and mental health as if you were your own precious child whom you love very much.
15. Set healthy boundaries. Set the limits you need at work and at home with regard to time, space, money, etc. Don't over-schedule or over-commit.
16. Surround yourself with people who ignite your inner fire. I so cherish my friends who make me laugh with abandon. It's with them that I choose to spend my time.
17. Practice self-care. Everyday. Prioritize your wellness and practice yoga, go for a run, read a novel, tend to your garden or do anything that reboots your mind, body and spirit.
18.Express yourself freely and openly. Find your voice and say what you need to say. Dare to show yourself via your writing, artwork, dance or other creative expression.
19. Ensure you like yourself. Be kind. Have integrity. Be the person you have always wanted to be.
20, Be true to yourself. Be honest. Be real. Be vulnerable. Be brave. Let your inner light be your guide.
"Happiness is not something you get in life, happiness is something that you bring to life." -- Wayne Dye

This is Rahm on

July 9, 1978

'Face Of Jesus' Appears After Rockslide In Colombia (Fox32)

'Face Of Jesus' Appears After Rockslide In Colombia (PHOTO)

This photo has been banished from Twitter.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Just who is Rahm Emanuel?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel, official photo portrait color.jpg
55th Mayor of Chicago
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 16, 2011
Preceded byRichard Daley
23rd White House Chief of Staff
In office
January 20, 2009 – October 1, 2010
PresidentBarack Obama
DeputyMona Sutphen
Jim Messina
Preceded byJoshua Bolten
Succeeded byPete Rouse (Acting)
Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Preceded byJim Clyburn
Succeeded byJohn B. Larson
Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007
Preceded byBob Matsui
Succeeded byChris Van Hollen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 5th district
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009
Preceded byRod Blagojevich
Succeeded byMike Quigley
Senior Advisor to the President
In office
January 20, 1993 – November 7, 1998
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byHenson Moore
Succeeded byJoel Johnson
Personal details
BornRahm Israel Emanuel
November 29, 1959 (age 55)
ChicagoIllinoisU.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Amy Merritt Rule (1994–present)
ChildrenZachariah
Ilana
Leah
Alma materSarah Lawrence College
Northwestern University
ReligionModern Orthodox Judaism
Signature
Rahm Israel Emanuel (/ˈrɑːm/; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician who serves as the 55th Mayor of Chicago. A member of the Democratic Party, Emanuel was elected in 2011, becoming Chicago's first Jewish mayor.
Born in Chicago, Emanuel is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Northwestern University. Working early in his career in Democratic politics, Emanuel was appointed as director of the finance committee for Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. In 1993, he joined the Clinton administration, where he served as the Assistant to the President for Political Affairs and as the Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy before resigning in 1998. Beginning a career in finance, Emanuel worked at theinvestment bank Wasserstein Perella & Co. from 1998 to 2002 and served on the board of directors of Freddie Mac.
In 2002, Emanuel ran for a seat in

Who cares what Fioretti says?



FIORETTI IS THE KIND OF GUY THAT TAKES HIMSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. HE'S CHANGED HIS MIND. SO WHAT? NOBODY GIVES A SHIT WHAT HE THINKS. HE BECAME COMPROMISED WHEN HE DISCUSSED CAMPAIGN DEBTS WITH RAHM. 
-Mayor Rahm Emanuel welcomed an endorsement by former alderman and mayoral candidate Bob Fioretti, Sunday.
Although, Fioretti has long been a critic of the mayor, he feels Emanuel is the man tohelp the city's financial problems.
"We know the problem, its grave and I don't believe Mr. Garcia is ready to deal with the issues and the problems that face our city here," said Fioretti. "He has not demonstrated it on the campaign trail, in the debates or what he will do after the election."
Jesus "Chuy" Garcia and Mayor Rahm Emanuel have been hitting the streets vying for votes and endorsements.
Fioretti faced questions over why he's choosing Emanuel over Garcia.
He says he plans to ask Emanuel's supporters to help pay off his campaign debt and the mayor says it's certainly a possibility.
"I would be endorsing the mayor anyway..." added Fioretti. "I'm here to endorse the mayor here today. Because I do think, I do think he's the right person."
"The fact is, I did it in the past I know what it's like to have campaign debt. Where you owe other people who are on your staff, their getting paid," said Emanuel. "So the fact of the matter is I've done it before and I'll do it again, but that's not the reason why he's standing here."
Garcia, an honorary marshal at the Greek Independence Day parade spoke about Fioretti's choice, Sunday.
"It doesn't matter. It's about what you build in the field and on election day, you'll see what this campaign has mustered up," said Garcia.
The Chicago Principals and Administrators Association endorsed Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, Sunday.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Putin shakes hands with Aussie motorcycle cops before boarding for ...



Watch this carefully. It shows something about Putin's character. I don't know if other world leaders ever do this. 

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

$10,000,000.00 without any documentation.

The most incompetent governor in the history of Illinois will be explaining this one to a federal grand jury.

Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday ordered a clout-heavy Chicago TV and movie studio to give back a $10 million state grant that his predecessor, Pat Quinn, had awarded to the studio’s owners to buy land that isn’t for sale.
The Rauner administration’s action came one day after the Chicago Sun-Times revealed that owners of six of the seven properties listed in the grant say they have no plans to sell their land to Cinespace Chicago Film Studios or anybody else. There’s no indication the seventh property is for sale, either.
Quinn’s administration, the Sun-Times also found, awarded the $10 million without any appraisals to justify the projected purchase prices listed by the studio’s owners.
Additionally, the former governor’s Department of Commerce and Economic opportunity had nothing to show that Cinespace had pending contracts to buy any of the properties — or even had been in negotiations to buy them, according to documents obtained under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
“The administration has very serious concerns about the lack of supporting documentation and the failure of the Quinn administration to abide by normal procedures for issuing grants,” Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said. “Following a review, Gov. Rauner has ordered the $10 million grant to Cinespace be terminated and the funds returned.”
The check Cinespace received from the state | (Sun-Times file photo)
The check Cinespace received from the state | Sun-Times file photo

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Talk of hypocrisy, Starbucks management wants to impose some standard on us but ask them how many Starbucks coffee shops are located in Harvey, Gary, Benton Harbor, East St. Louis, Ferguson, Maywood, Englewood or Matteson.

NEED TO GET THEIR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER FIRST

Perhaps it is time that the US Justice Dept. launch an investigation as to why Starbucks doesn't open stores in black neighborhoods. Let's have that discussion about how blacks continue to be deprived of their economic rights by corporate people like Howard Schultz and Mellody Hobson. 
The talk of the Twitterverse Wednesday began with a cup of Starbucks that brewed up a storm on social media.
And it was Chicago’s own Mellody Hobson — a financial whiz who is president of Ariel Investments and an African-American member of the Starbucks board of directors — who may have started the coffee brewing
At issue was a plan by Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz to start up a conversation about race relations — inspired by the police killings of unarmed black men in Ferguson and New York — an initiative titled “Race Together” in which Starbucks baristas write the phrase on coffee cups to inspire customers to discuss racial relations in a more public forum. #RaceTogether was trending on Twitter on Wednesday.
But what was intended to be a quiet water-cooler discussion in the atmosphere of what has become a “third place” to go during the day — began to backfire on social media, prompting criticism and a dollop of derision.
Even Gwen Ifill, the highly respected African-American PBS “NewsHour” anchor, tweeted Tuesday: “honest to God, if you start to engage me in a race conversation before I’ve had my morning coffee, it will not end well.”
Sneed is told the race initiative may have been Schultz’s brainchild, but it was influenced by a TED conference talk by Hobson in March 2014 in Vancouver on being “color brave.” TED is a forum where speakers are invited to share powerful ideas on almost any topic.
Schultz told shareholders at the company’s annual meeting in Seattle on Wednesday: “Over the last 10 years, we’ve had the benefit – I’ve had the benefit — of having Mellody Hobson on Starbucks’ board. She’s an African-American woman, and she has risen to the heights at the highest level of corporate America. She’s been an adviser and counselor to me on a number of issues, but specifically this issue [of race in America] as I and the company try to navigate through the process of not being a bystander and effectively and respectfully trying to make a difference in the communities we serve.”
Back in 2014, Hobson told the TED gathering: “Race in America makes people completely uncomfortable.”
“I’m asking you to show courage, to be bold,” she added. “I’m asking you not to leave any child behind, not to be colorblind but to be color brave, so every child knows that their future matters and their dreams are possible.”
“She clearly planted the seed,” said a Sneed source — which eventually resulted in a corporate meeting called by Schultz months ago to talk about race relations.
“There was a firestorm at that meeting,” a source said. “There was even crying. Workers who talked about police brutality in their life experiences and how they made sure their children would be protected by going unnoticed.”
On Wednesday, Hobson addressed the Starbucks shareholders meeting: “Race today is still one of the most controversial and uncomfortable issues to discuss in America. Bring it up at the dinner table or the workplace, and the effect is the conversational equivalent of touching the third rail — shock followed by a long silence.
“But we all know the first step in solving a problem is to stop hiding from it. The first step toward action is awareness. So I’m here to talk about what I’ve seen and what I’ve lived, with the hope that we can all feel a little less anxious and a little more bold when it comes to conversations about race.”
Sneed is told Hobson was surprised by the runaway backlash against Race Together, but strongly felt that starting a conversation leads to more empathy and understanding.
Is this coffee controversy a hill of beans, a tempest in a teapot or grounds for a new kind of dialogue on race?
Bravo, Howard. Bravo, Mellody.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Spoken from the heart.

" this race has nothing to do with me and Matt Hynes. I have not even seen matt Hynes in over 10 years and to my knowledge none of the Hyneses even live in the 19th Ward anymore. I got involved with Chuy as a volunteer. I am not getting paid a dime. I am working for Chuy because he is much better for our neighborhood. Chuy grew up in a Chicago neighborhood and attended St. Rita High School while the other guy grew up in Winetka attended New Trier and wants to tells us about "Chicago values". The neighborhood I grew up in was safe, neighbors looked out for each other and our public officials demanded the best in constituent services from city hall. Now our police resources are forced to spend much of the time on the east end of the district which isn't even in the ward. Everybody knows somebody or has themselves been the victim of crime. We are paying very high taxes and our children have only a marginal chance of being accepted into the Ag School and Morgan Park is not safe with many out of students living out of the district being allowed to attend because of gang rivalries. The grid system for garbage pick up is a complete waste of money and now instead of neighborhood people doing work and looking out for neighbors,we have some bad actors who live outside of our neighborhood casing houses for burglaries. Matt O'Shea is a very nice guy but it is a slap in the face to Alderman Sheahan and Rugui he sneaks the mayor into the neighborhood to give him undeserved credit. Rahm had $30 million, Obama, every political endorsement, most union officials' endorsements, incumbency, early voting, low turnout and a million dollars negative against Chuy and he still barely broke 40% in the ward. Now Rahm says Chuy is a good man and wants to run a campaign on the issues. A leopard can't change his stripes and now Rahm will attempt to paint Chuy as a nice guy dummy. Really it is rahm who has lied to Chicagoans about hiring 1000 new police officers and if he is re elected he will double our taxes while enriching his big money out town donors. This race has nothing to do with me or Matt Hynes. Chuy will be in the neighborhood plenty between now and the election. I am confident that he will earn your vote". 
Sincerely, Mike Joyce
AND QUITE HUMBLE TOO, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

CAGE FIGHT!!!!!!! April 7, May the best man win.


Look who is standing right behind Chuy Garcia.

Forget the Rahm vs Chuy election. That's a sideshow. The real fight everyone will be watching is between 2 sons of Beverly. Mike "Pickle" Joyce vs Matt "Spoons" Hynes. These guys have been itching for this showdown for years and now it's going to happen. If you live in the 19th Ward, chances are

Thursday, March 19, 2015

POS UNION OFFICIAL SEEKS TO DEPLETE THE PENSION FUND ON A TECHNICALITY

Wants a teachers pension too.
A walking breathing example of what is wrong in Illinois. 
A union lobbyist who qualified for a teacher pension windfall by subbing at a school for one day is now suing a state retirement board because his benefits were scaled back once his sweet deal was exposed.
Retired Illinois Federation of Teachers lobbyist David Piccioli, 65, is arguing that lawmakers violated the state constitutional provision that says a pension cannot be “diminished or impaired” once it is set.
Piccioli is already collecting $31,485 from the Teachers Retirement System. If he wins his case, his teacher pension could increase by more than $36,000, the Tribune estimated — more than doubling what he gets now.
Piccioli also gets a second state pension worth just over

Try cutting the waste and patronage!

Metra- the place where the employees are paid too much.
Transit fare increases and service cuts are “very likely” if Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal to trim nearly $170 million in state funding from the CTA, Metra and Pace becomes a reality, RTA officials warned Wednesday.
The Chicago Transit Authority would be “disproportionately” and “hardest hit” by the plan, shouldering a $130 million revenue loss — up from an original estimate of $105 million, Regional Transportation Authority officials said.
To put the CTA revenue loss in perspective, the RTA estimated it was the equivalent of what a hefty 30 percent jump in CTA fares would generate.
Hypothetically, a 30 percent fare bump would bring a typical L ride to nearly $3 from the current $2.25. But a CTA spokeswoman emphasized it was “way too early in this process” to speculate about what might happen.
“This is a huge bite out of the CTA’s state subsidies,” said RTA chairman Kirk Dillard, who nearly upset Rauner in the 2014 Republican gubernatorial primary. “It’s nearly half of their state subsidy at a time when the ridership on the L has never been higher.”
At Metra, officials estimated a 6 percent fare increase would plug the much smaller $20.8 million cut Rauner proposed to

Saturday, March 14, 2015

American Irish History Week


Irish American Heritage Center

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Irish American Heritage Center
Irish American Heritage Center.JPG
Irish American Heritage Center in Irving Park, Chicago, IL
Established1976
Location4626 N. Knox Ave.
Chicago, IL 60630
P. 773-282-7035
TypeHeritage center
PresidentJohn Gorski
Websitehttp://irish-american.org/
The Irish American Heritage Center is a non-profit organization located in Chicago that seeks to enhance the study of Irish culturewith programing centered on Irish dance, literature, heritage, music, and Irish American cultural contributions to the United States. [1]The center also supports Irish immigrants, and three Presidents of Ireland have attended ceremonies at the center.[2][3]
The center's building in the Irving Park community area houses a library, museum, art gallery, archives, auditorium and classrooms, as well as an Irish pub and gift shop. Founded in 1976, it opened its building in 1985. [4] The center oversees and administers the Irish American Hall of Fame.[5] It is a member organization of the Chicago Cultural Alliance.