Copyright © 2003-2011, Aishah Schwartz. Permission granted to circulate among private individuals, groups, or in not-for-profit publications in full text and subject title. All other rights reserved.

March 29, 2012

Go Bobby! Go Bobby! Rep. Bobby Rush Wears Hoodie on House Floor

WASHINGTON - Rep. Bobby Rush, a prominent member of the Congressional Black Caucus, donned a hooded sweatshirt on the House floor this morning, breaching decorum to make a blistering statement about the killing of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

"Racial profiling has to stop," the Illinois Democrat said, removing his blazer to reveal a gray sweatshirt, pulling up the hood, and donning sunglasses. "Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum." (Read more)
See also: 
'Million Hoody March' For Trayvon Martin In NYC

March 11, 2012

What can we HONESTLY afford to live WITHOUT? Think about it!

By Aishah Schwartz

What can YOU live without?

Finances. An all too familiar uncomfortable discussion in your household? I was in a chatting recently with a good friend who happened to be feeling somewhat overwhelmed and torn between those things you think you just have to do or have now and those things that were part of a list of long range goals. The conversation got me to thinking; a lot.

One of the traps we tend to get caught up in is the commercialism of holidays. Add to the scores of holidays scattered throughout our annual calendar, the birthdays of family members and friends, co-workers, anniversaries, special commemorative events, etc., and what is the bottom line - REALLY?

Let's do the math. Pull out a calendar. Go through it and circle every holiday, every birthday, every anniversary, and any other commemorative holiday related to family remembrance, national honor, etc., then go back through and count them.

Next, trace through your memory (or your check book), and run a total on the amount of money, as close as you can estimate, that was spent over the course of the year (or the year to-date) for those events/holidays...and share your comment about the first thing that came to your mind when you hit the total button on your calculator.

Then ask yourself how far back the total of those expenditures has taken you/your family away from reaching short and/or long-term goals.

Now, slice-and-dice that number down to something (1) a little less shocking; (2) a little more manageable; (3) a little more goal oriented...

You know what I have learned in my 50-years?

It is absolutely amazing what one can live WITHOUT. *smile*

On a personal level, I've lived without a microwave oven for almost five years now; something I would have never imagined! Truth? I learned to live without a microwave; and have no desire whatsoever to buy another one! I would venture to say that not only has living without a microwave been better for my health, it's also bound to have contributed to a decrease in the amount of my electric bill over these past five years!

Lets make a list! What can YOU live without?

Hey! I just ran a search on the subject and found some interesting links to share - in fact, Oprah Winfrey did a "What can you live without" experiment back in 2009 - posted below are a few links from the website in addition to links for a few articles on the subject.

But really, I would love to hear back from some of you! Seriously! What can YOU live without?

RESOURCES:

Oprah Winfrey's What Can You Live Without? Experiment
http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Oprahs-What-Can-You-Live-Without-Experiment

Families Learn to Live with Less
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Families-Learn-to-Live-with-Less

Kristin and her children go back to basics
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Meet-Followers-of-the-Simple-Living-Philosophy

The importance of simplicity
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Importance-of-Simplifying-Your-Life-Video

Others reveal how they're cutting back
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprah-Asks-Audience-Members-What-Can-They-Live-Without-Video

Secrets of Simplicity
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Excerpt-from-Secrets-of-Simplicity-by-Mary-Carlomagno

Oprah's What You Can Live Without Survival Guide
http://media.oprah.com/tows/what-can-you-live-without-survival-guide.pdf

NY Times: What could you live without?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24kristof.html

What can you live without or make yourself?
http://www.wbtv.com/story/14601137/what-can-you-live-without-or-make-yourself

What can you live without travel sacrifices
http://www.traveldudes.org/travel-tips/what-can-you-live-without-travel-sacrifices/15527