Please fly a flag on September 11th

A friend of mine forwarded this email to me, and I think it's one of those rare "chain" emails that we actually should pay attention to, so here it is:

September 11th, 2009

We have a little less than one month and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America.

THE PROGRAM:
On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, to the emergency response workers ; their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the symbol of the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds

ACTION PLAN:
So, here's what we need you to do .

(1) Forward a link to this page (or copy this to an email and send it) to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Please don't be the one to break this chain. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.

(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11/09

If you send a link to this page (or send the email) to least 11 people and each of those people do the same ... you get the idea.

Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless the United States of America!

It's a long time comin'

A dear friend sent me this article. It makes sense, and if each of us reads this and passes it along we can spread the word and, together, eradicate our current representatives over the course of the next two elections. That will send a message and also get us back onto a saner, more accountable course.
Take a read. Let me know your thoughts:

This article was taken from the Orlando Sentinel Star newspaper

THE 545 PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF AMERICA'S WOES

BY CHARLEY REESE

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don't set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of the 235 million - are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered but private central bank.

I excluded all but the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it.

No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislation's responsibility to determine how he votes.

A CONFIDENCE CONSPIRACY

Don't you see how the con game that is played on the people by the politicians? Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of Tip O'Neill, who stood up and criticized Ronald Reagan for creating deficits.

The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating appropriations and taxes.

O'neill is the speaker of the House. He is the leader of the majority party. He and his fellow Democrats, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetos it, they can pass it over his veto.

REPLACE SCOUNDRELS

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 235 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility.

I can't think of a single domestic problem, from an unfair tax code to defense overruns, that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.

When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red. If the Marines are in Lebanon, it's because they want them in Lebanon.

There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take it.

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exist disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation" or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people and they alone are responsible. They and they alone have the power. They and they alone should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses - provided they have the gumption to manage their own employees.

Valley Girls

After many months of looking at spaces, negotiating terms, planning space and looking at blueprints, we are just weeks away from moving our office, and I can't wait!

We've been in our current office for six long years. It's in an old brick farmhouse that is part of a larger historic section of Mt. Washington, which is a neighborhood in Baltimore. Our building has been part restored and part renovated. To look at it, it is really great. Exposed brick with horsehair mortar, exposed beams, tin roof, plank floors, and juxtaposed with blond wood and built-in iron beam desks with Italian laminates. It is beautiful. The problems though, are many, unseen and insidious. First, there's the noise -- if it rains or the wind blows, the roof is so loud that work can't be done, phone calls can't be heard. There's no insulation - anywhere- so we freeze in the winter and fry in the summer and pay hefty electric bills just the same. The phone and IT system is antiquated and maintained by the landlord, so it's out of our control......and now he's tripled our rent! So move it is.

Our new space is perfect. Out in "the valley" -- that's Greenspring Valley, hon. Horse country. Or in our case, we front onto a field of bison. See photo. It's a new building in an old village, and our space is being built out just for us (tenant improvements here we come).

The landlord is great - all through the negotiations and the build out it's been fun and relatively stress free.

In the long run, it's all about the landlord and the space.

We move on June 1. I can't wait to get back to the work of advertising, versus the work of moving.

Tea Party in the rain

on April 15th I attended my first political rally, a TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party in the largest local town in the rural community where we live. I was impressed that so many people came out for it, as it was pouring rain and hovering right around 40 degrees, and at 6:30pm -- when most people are home feeding the kids or commuting from work.

Despite that, and the short notice to drum up attendance, there were well over 300 people there and a kind of energy that you'd feel whenever a crowd gathers in anticipation of a great event.

I've never been a political activist, but lately I do feel the urge to speak up about certain issues. And now that we ordinary citizens have new tools, like facebook, blogs, email and Twitter, we actually can reach out to politicians and influencers in real time to express our point of view and be heard unlike ever before.

So, if you have the urge to speak up about an issue, it's your right and really, your duty to voice your opinion, help to shape the conversation and positively affect the outcome.

Breaking Bread

I've been making a lot of bread lately. It takes my mind off regular things and focuses it on the task at hand. Making a great loaf of bread is a challenge. It requires great ingredients and a complex process, but it's very simple - just water, flour and salt. I use old recipes just as the french bakers did in the 1500s. the only difference is they used a wood-fired oven.

Lately my favorite loaves are focaccia. I have a starter that I made a few months ago and I keep it nourished and ready to use to start the new loaf.

I've also been making the old world pain levain bread. It's delicious. And a new favorite is Lemon and Dill Sourdough rye bread.

I deliver the warm loaves to my friends around town. At first they were gracious, and thought I was just strange. But over time my bread has gotten really good. Now they call me to see if I'll be baking and put in their requests.

Back from St. John. Where is Spring?

Now that we've had a short fix on warm weather, it's harder than ever to go out in the cold. Funny how quickly we can get used to 80 degrees -- like in about five seconds. But it takes days to thicken the blood for these 20 degree temps.

Spring is just 25 days away. My trainer just told me that. I guess it's incentive to get in shape for swimsuit season. Reality is that I just had swimsuit season. Now I'm back to flu season.

Start the countdown to Spring right now.

You REALLY want to know?

I have been tagged by a beloved colleague, Susan Anthony of Sawmill Marketing, to provide 7 insights about me that most people don't know. Hmmm..... This is just moments after I completed 25 random notes on my FB page, and just seconds after reading this very funny article about the whole phenomenon of online journal notes (http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1877187,00.html). In the spirit of adventure, and just in case you actually want to know, here goes:

1. When I was 13 I was in an automobile accident. More precisely, I was hit by an automobile while crossing a street. Okay it was a highway. Nevertheless, it took a long while to recuperate.
From this experience i learned several life lessons at a young age. They are: things are never as bad or as good as you think; don't ever let someone else (or you own mind) put limits on your physical condition; enjoy the challenge of the journey, not just the destination; and, don't take what you have for granted.

2. Favorite Drink: Venti, 1/2 caf, skim, 1 splenda latte. Repeat.

3. I am much better as part of a team than as an individual.

4. I make and keep lists for everything. I have lists in my pockets, purse, stuck on the dashboard of my car, on my desk, etc. And they work. I would be lost without my lists.

5. I wanted to be a Communications Lawyer and rise up to become a member of the FCC. I spoke out against advertising to children while studying communications in college (University of Maryland). Then I went to Seton Hall School of Law and took a "sabbatical" after year 2 to take a job verifying ad claims at a large advertising conglomerate (IPG). Shortly after that I became a loaned lobbyist for the ad biz (AAAA). While there I met all kinds of account and creative types. And then I got hooked on the ad biz and haven't ever looked back. I am so glad I never finished law school. The FCC looks awfully boring now.

6. Right out of college a roommate took a job at the fledgling CNN in Atlanta. She called to say she could get me in on the groundfloor, too. I turned her down because I thought CNN was never going to make it.

7. I was the goalie on my very good high school and so-so college field hockey teams. I've heard every cliche line there is that caring folks say when a goal scores. I'm here to tell you none of them make you feel any better. I still always root for the goalie.