Good medicine. . .

U.S. Senator Max Baucus -- known as the "Senator from K Street" because of his ties to corporate lobbyists -- is retiring! Former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, a bold progressive populist who supports single-payer health care, would be a strong ally of Elizabeth Warren and lists Paul Wellstone as one of his heroes wants the job. If you're in Montana, let Baucus know where to find the exit by shaming him for voting with gun manufacturers against 79% of his constituents who want background checks. While Max Baucus takes millions from Wall Street, insurance companies, and special-interest lobbyists, Schweitzer is one of the most popular public figures in Montana precisely because he fights big corporations.

Asked about his political heroes, he says, "One is Teddy Roosevelt, who took on the trusts, who recognized—as we ought to recognize today—that corporations are controlling not just our governments but our everyday lives, and there needs to be some equity for families and small businesses. It was Teddy Roosevelt who recognized that there are some pieces of land on this planet that are so special that they need to be conserved for future generations. It was Teddy Roosevelt who warned us about getting into foreign entanglements: “Speak softly, carry a big stick . . and the second would be Paul Wellstone, for many of the same things. Paul Wellstone was the conscience of the United States Senate. When other Senators would line up and cower behind the curtains of big insurance and the military-industrial complex because of their huge campaign contributions...it was Paul Wellstone who often times was the one vote when 99 votes went the other way. Those are the kinds of leaders that we need in this country.
(source:  wwww.boldprogressives.org)

By The Way,  Two Upcoming Performances in the Maryland Area:

1.  Friday, April 26, 2013 @ 6:00PM
Bread & Circuses Bistro
27 E. Chesapeake Avenue
Towson, MD  21286
410-337-5282
http://bandcbistro.com/

2.  Friday, May 3, 2013 @ 6:00PM
Elk Run Vinyards
15113 Liberty Road  Mt. Airy, MD 21771 
Phone: 410-775-2513 • Fax: 410-875-2009 •
TOLL FREE: 800-414-2513
elk_run@msn.com



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Serious . .

 . . . candidate?. . . 

NO ONE should be placed on a pedestal.


From Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow, Media Matters for America (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-boehlert/ben-carson-fox-news_b_2998799.html)
". . . Obviously, if (Dr. Ben) Carson aspires to be a serious national leader and wants to groom himself for a possible presidential run he shouldn't have spent the last two months making nearly 20 appearances on Fox News. And he certainly shouldn't have teamed up with comically unserious Fox if one of his crusades is to help educate voters whom Carson thinks are being poorly informed by the press.

"You know, intelligent people tend to talk about the facts," Carson recently said, condemning those who reduce political disagreements to the kind you find on a "third grade playground." He urged partisans to "find some accommodation" and to "tone down the rhetoric a little bit."

He said these things while appearing on Fox News, the cable bastion of name-calling and blind partisanship.

So yes, it's difficult to take Carson's pontificating seriously when he treats Fox News, of all places, as a serious meeting place of ideas. Did Carson not think it was odd that people on Fox were constantly saying things like, "I would vote for you in a heartbeat." "This guy's a star." "Hallelujah. Amen. I don't think that anybody could have said it better." Is that what he considers to be normal political give and take, or did he knowingly sign up for hero worship duty?. . . "


(from Marcela Y., Odenton [MD])
"To say that, and I quote Daniel Rodricks, "Ben Carson had firmly developed, antiquated beliefs that he wants a wide audience to hear," is an understatement ("Ben Carson's conservative views are drawn from the Bible" Mar 30). Dr. Carson is an admirable man because of the contributions in pediatrics that he has made throughout his career, but as a human being and as a member of our society, he needs to educate himself and understand that this is 2013 and we, as a society, need to evolve. How sad to know that such an intelligent man is so narrow minded and ill informed."

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My latest release, Black & White Then Back,
can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak3)



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Peace . . .

The Palestinian president's recent comments on the refugee issue got a rise out of both Palestinians and Israelis.  The long-forgotten prospect of peace negotiations re-entered the Israeli consciousness while Palestinians branded their leader a traitor.

Abbas was asked about his birthplace of Safed  and his response included remarks to the effect that he does not claim the right to live there.  The President's advisor said he was being "realistic" by making such statements.   Bringing back 5.5 million Palestinian refugees is certainly not realistic.

Disappointment was felt by Palestinians that their leader made an overture to Israel without any reciprocation.   Some went so far as to say Abbas is a failure.

Comments of the like, of course, prompted a little two-stepping with additional comments that what he said was a personal position and it did not mean conceding the right of return.

Political opponent Hamas completely rejects the idea of negotiation and believe that only violence will gain what Palestinians desire.

Cool reaction from Netanyahu In Israel, officials debated how serious Abbas was. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his Cabinet reacted coolly, even mistrustfully, to Abbas' remarks.

And complicating the issue with an uncharacteristic burst of honesty, Israel lately admitted killing a deputy of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.  Thank goodness Israeli moderates view these developments as a chance to negotiate with a person they consider a partner for peacemaking.

The world can only hope that this could at long last revive the prospect of peace in the area.
(Source:  NBC News)

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Mutiny . . .

. . . but no Bounty. . . not really a mutiny either . . .

Possibly a ship or two though. . .

Chretcher Flistian said, "If our leader is no leader, then let's join forces and tell him so.  But let us not tell him only that.  Let us help him.  We will explain to him that we want him to succeed as a leader.  We want this outfit to be successful.  We want to make money and we want him to get the credit for all this.  But alas, it will not happen if he is left to his own devices.  Surely if we all address this situation together as one, united front (and one, united front with our leader's best interest and well-being in mind) he most certainly cannot refuse.  In fact, we will tell him that he cannot refuse.  The choice is either operate this venture as it should be operated, or it will most surely and certainly, in time, fail.

This will not be an easy task for him nor for we.  For in order for us to accomplish this titanic undertaking, we must purge every self-serving, deceitful, dishonest, disingenuous, agenda-driven thought from our minds and truly work together as one, honest, transparent, dedicated team.  In this way, and ONLY this way, can we pull of this bold and daring plan.

Or, we can run away to Tahiti. . . "    . . . and the men thought it was good.

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This guy is actually a businessman. . .

. . . wish he were running for president, or just my next door neighbor, or even simply my friend. . .

(from joelmanby.com/the-seven-principles/)
"The seven principles explored in Love Works actually come from one of the oldest and most respected authorities on human behavior: the Bible. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the apostle Paul writes, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

From this verse, HFE created a leadership model that would embrace love as a behavior, not an emotion.

Patient
Have self-control in difficult situations.
Leading with love is not an excuse to be “soft” on people. As leaders, we must hold people accountable. Yet at the same time, we must always admonish with patience and respect. Our objective isn’t simply performance; it’s to protect the dignity of the people on our team. Whether we correct and train our employees in public or in private, our goal is always to do so with respect and love. After all, that’s exactly how we want to be treated.

Kind
Show encouragement and enthusiasm.
Kindness is intentionally creating and maintaining the right environment in your organization so employees can deliver an enthusiastic guest experience. The goal is to make deposits in people’s emotional bank account, operating on a 3 praises to every 1 admonishment ratio. With this model, management is kind to employees, employees are kind to customers, and customers are loyal and enthusiastic. Everybody wins.

Trusting
Place confidence in those around you.
Leaders must trust their employees to perform their best. You can show trust in your team by listening well and not interrupting with your own ideas. Letting employees make and be involved in decisions they are responsible for is another sign of trust from leadership. Trusting the people we work with is crucial to building a climate of positive morale and results.

Unselfish
Think of yourself less.
Being unselfish isn’t just for individuals—it’s for organizations too. The gift of leadership brings with it the awesome responsibility of giving properly of our time and resources, part of which includes delegating.  A leader who delegates not only becomes more efficient, but also displays a great level of selflessness. They are demonstrating a willingness to allow others to make decisions. Leadership also entails being a steward of giving for the organization. At HFE, we have established the Share It Forward foundation to help our employees in need. It all starts with the selfless donation of employees and is matched by the selfless donation of the company. This foundation has now helped thousands of employees.

Truthful
Define reality corporately and individually.
Leading with love means caring enough about an individual or a team to give and solicit truthful feedback. Sometimes this feels foreign and out of our comfort zone, but it is healthy and sets in motion the opportunity for great things to happen. When leaders provide their teams with the truth about their performance as well as the tools to be successful, regardless of personal feelings, this is a sure sign of leading with love.

Forgiving
Release the grip of the grudge.
Forgiveness is sometimes agonizing, and it doesn’t always lead to a happy ending. I am not suggesting that we toss out our organizational standards and goals—but simply keeping our hearts soft enough to be open to forgiveness. It may not always be the easiest thing to do, but it is always the right thing.

Dedicated
Stick to your values in all circumstances.
If you choose to lead with love, others around you may not “get” what you’re doing. Do it anyway. This type of leadership is more important than the temporary approval of your coworkers. Choosing to lead with love is the single most difficult decision a leader can make, but a wise leader dedicates him or herself to it because it is also the single best way to lead an organization
_____________________________________

Leaders who are dedicated to the attributes of love outlined in Love Works, do not only get strong financial results—that would defeat the purpose of these principles.  Leading with love not only results in positive business outcomes, but also will certainly place that leader in a unique yet very successful minority in business, government and the nonprofit world. I encourage you to lead with love today, tomorrow and forever."

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