Olive's Oil

An Encouraging Reminder


Faith Pendant-hollow glass pendant neclace with a mustarseed floating in olive oil, as a reminder of the verse found in the Bible on how faith, as small as a mustard grain, can move mountains!

Matthew 17:20 An Jesus said to them: "Because of your faith. For truly I
say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, transfer, and noting will be impossible for you."

Luke 3:18-19 Therefore he went on to say: "What is the kingdom of God
like, and with what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed that a
man took and put in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the
birds of heaven took up lodging in its branches."


WHY OLIVE'S OIL?

As a young girl, I did what young girls sometimes do. I complained about how wrong, unfair things were when they didn't go the way I thought they should! I pouted, doubted and sometimes even shouted!!

My dear mother, Olive Pearl, lovingly tried to teach me that life cannot always be as we wish, as we think it should be. It is not easy to accept disappointment, but it is part of our existence here, on this earth. She told me of Christ on the cross, and how, eventhough he tried, did the right, his best, he suffered disapointment and even asked his father God, "WHY", as he was truly suffering in pain, on the cross!

Her words, "Even though" you do your best, be your best, try your hardest, sometimes things may or no work out well for your efforts. We hope that all works out as we want, however, after you have tried, done the right, sometimes things just don't work out the way we thik they should. I recall JFK saying in a speech saying that "Life is unfair!"

Even though Christ was on the cross, suffering, he cried out to his father , God and asked "WHY hath thou forsaken me?" His faith was strong even though he was suffering, on the cross, through his Faith, he knew God was there, and He, God knows why! His pain was great, Christ knew he was to be sacrificed, but did he expect that his father would allow him to suffer such pain? He, Christ did not have the answer to this, but he had faith, even in this worst situation, he knew that God was there.

We give thanks, have joy when things go well, Halleluja! However, when things do Not go well, we must have Faith to carry on an to ask God , "WHY", eventhough the answer may not be immediately forthcoming. When sometimes, we my 'figuratively' be on the cross or feel like we are, we trul need a reminder of our Faith to know that God, our Father in Heaven, is indeed there!!


FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED

One day my Mom came home, and she gave me a little box she had taken out of her purse. She kissed me on the cheek as she gave me the box. I opened it and found a necklace, a bottle pendant with a litlle seed fouting in it. I had never seen such. I thanked her for the gift, and I instictively knew it had a profound, uplifting message. Indeed it did. Eventhough I knew it contained an important message. I was really surprised!! She gave me a card and on the card were some Bible versus. I'd hadBible studies at my church, AME Zion in Boston, MA, but I had never read these verses: Matthew 1:20 and Luke 13:18-19.

When this event happened, I was around 12 years old. Now,decades later
I still need to remind myself to have Faith and to draw upon what I was ttaught as a yougster, Faith the size of a mustard seed can sustain. The life long quest is calling on that Faith, eventhough!!

I have moved a dozen times over the decades. Somewhere along the way, my mustard seed necklace was left behind, lost. My Faith, though tested was not!

I have search for these pendants for some time and couldn't find such. But now, I happily have made these, at first just for myself, but then, I realized that they can be an inspiration to others as it has been for me.
I hope these pendants can be a reminder of the message of encouragement, fortitude these Bible verses bring to us all, and to say thank you o my beloved mother, Olive Pearl.

A HISTORY OF NATIONAL FUNDING

This year is a historic year! It is actually one of a kind, at least until another century. November 11th is Veterans' Day. The day is set aside to remember the end of WWI which ended on November 11, 1918 @ 11:ooam. Numericaly, this year, that date and time is:
11-11-11-11

A need for funding began with America's entrance into World War I. America's economy was not ready to supply the needs of the more than 2 million soldiers who would serve in the war overseas. So, to help raise the needed funds, on April 24, 1917, Congress passed the Liberty Loan Act. This act allowed the Government to sell bonds in order to raise money for the war effort.

The Government used many ways to get Americans to buy these bonds. They used rallies featuring mega stars of the day such as Douglas Fairbanks, the George Clooney of that time, and posters to show the valor of American troops saving women and children, as they fought the 'HUNS', as the Germans were then called! The posters were simple, bright, and cheerful so as not to frighten Americans with the horrors of war. The purpose was to get citizens to boldly, and proudly do what they were asked to do. They were asked to support, the brave soldiers fighting a courageous battle. Only a few bold words were use such as calling the Germans, 'HUNS' referring to the Mongols who invaded Europe in c. A.D. 360, and in 1241 they defeated the Germans in Silesia, invaded Poland and Hungary. This, much as the Germans, during WWI and WWII would also invade these same countries. The Government, during WWII, also sold war bonds to help pay for the costs of that war. American school children were also incouraged to help the war effort by recycling scrap metal and rubber, and saving up their change to buy war bonds.

The bond program was successful. Americans spent over $2 billion on Liberty Bonds in June of 1917 alone. However, the sale of the bonds did not raise enough of the money needed to pay for the war. $2 billion a month, even back in 1917, wasn't enough for the cost of war. Congress needed to take further action! The War Revenue Act was passed on October 3, 1917. One part of the act created an income tax to help pay for the war.

People making $1,000 a year were taxed 4 percent of their income. The tax rose with income. The higher the income, the higher the tax paid. Taxes were increased on luxury items, and Postal rates were also raised. These taxes, along with bonds helped pay the more than $20 billion needed for the war, which had begun in Europe in 1914, and ended 19 months after the U.S.A entered on April 6, 1917. The war ended on November 11, 1918 at 11:ooam.

Today, in November, 2011, we are at war. What have we Americans been asked to do to support the war effort, and now, what are the 90-99% able to do? Could, should Americans have been encouraged to buy bonds to fund the war, to support the troups, and to save the economy? Could taxes be increased on the wealthy? Could Congress today, even agree to try such things? When we, Americans, were attacked on 9-11, we were told, encouraged to,

"Go out and shop"!

.

TRICKLE DOWN

Trickle Down!! If you look in the dictionary at the definition of the words, 'trickle' and 'down' you will find :

Trickle:

1. To flow slowly in a thin stream or fall in drops.

2. To move, come go, etc. little by little.

Down:

1. From a higher to a lower place, toward the ground. (this says it all)

Did anybody notice these definitions some thirty years ago when this was sold to us, Americans, as the greatest form of capitalism? Well, it indeed worked well for about 10% of Americans who now own 90% of the income, the wealth in the United States of America, today! The remaining income, wealth, the 10%, is indeed 'Trickling Down' on 90% of Americans. Well as the saying goes,"... let them eat cake"! To add injury to insult, 1% of that wealthy 10%, own over 1/3 of the 90% of the American wealth!!!

The human condition is such that our ongoing struggle is to try to gain, maintain balance in systems, in life, a Homeostasis. If this is not remembered, we will go from one extreme or another. Exactly what has happened as a result of the unbridled quest for even more money, higher PROFITS, and the attending POWER which = 'Unbridled Capitalism'. No system can be maintained once it is allowed to go to its extreme, one way or the other!

Beginning in the mid 1970s, business was encouraged to make even more profit . They found they could do this the old fashion, a proven way, with Cheap labor! Well, the Government, because of the preditory practices of the plantation owners, and more recently the "Robber Barons" of the early part of the 1900s and beyond, the Government got into business's business and established fairer labor laws, and unions were established to make sure workers were not treated as slaves.

But, during the mid-70s, because history showed how well preditory business practices worked to make money, fueled by the sublte master of addition, GREED, with the help from American politicians, such as President Nixon, and Diplomats such as the Bushes, China was opened up as a source of cheap labor with no labor rights concerns. Then, the first workers slaves in China were actually prisoners, much like the old American style, Chain Gangs. The ground work was set for the early 80s when 'Trickle Down' was embraced. The rest, as they say, is history. We are now living with the unintended consequences of these actions!! And, now because of the tightning of immigration laws, we can look for the return of the Gang Gang, as a source of cheap labor for work that cannot be exported!

The Wall Street protestors have a real uphill battle, as do the rest of the 90% of Americans. Most that was done to gain more profit was not illegal. Wall Street and others, for the most part used the letter of the law, as they ignored the SPIRIT of the law!!

Be-Opoly

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." -Lao Tzu.

"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals." - Aristotle.

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." - Frederick Douglas.

Inventor: Yvonne Shields



The Journey-Choosing Steps along the Road


Before one starts on a journey, one must have a direction. Be-Opoly was designed to help with establishing that needed direction. Youngsters know they must go to school, and as such, must be tested. Be-Opoly encourages students to enjoy their present careers, their jobs as students with a zeal for learning, an important step in the right direction on the road to adulthood. One must learn to earn a comfortable income, in a desired career. Be-Opoly demonstates how study, and behavior choices, can facilitate their present jobs as students of earning good grades and making good behavior choices, as a step to earning good money and making good
lifestyles choices, careers!


Brief Description

Be-Opoly is a distinct functional career educational board game that is fun to play, designed to introduce young people to the world of work, careers, and entreprenuership available to them through education, at the earliest time possible in their journey to adulthood. Presently the game is in prototype, however it is functionally complete. Bo-Opoly is a helpful tool also for older students, and adults exploring lifestyle, and career changes. Be-Opoly is fun to play, and at the same time it is successful at delivering information necessary to help build important life skills The patented game offers interactive fun while stressing the importance of education, and behavior choices to prepare oneself to access desired jobs, careers and/or to develop and grow businesses. The game is designed for up to 6 players.


Purpose of the Invention

Be-Opoly is designed to assist young people, and others, to focus on the value of, the importance of their education, and how their education will allow them to access, and to make beneficial choices in the world of work, career, and entrepreneurship. The game is specifically designed to foster important interactive human contact skills for all ages.

Be-Opoly can be use in schools, churches, community centers, by organizations, as a family night activity when players can sit together, interact with each other, thus developing, recapturing needed skills, information, and relationships. Older students, adults can enjoy the game, and reinforce their skills as they help younger students.


Problems solved by Invention

After talking to many young people, students, I found that far too many do not know, have no connection to what is available to them in the adult word of work, careers and entreprenurship. Many do not understand the importance, the practical value of their education. Career information can be found in books, computers, and more recently on TV. The needed attention span, and interactive nature of Be-Opoly causes focus and involvement, making choices, thinking, planning, activities requiring more than fleeting visual images. Interactive skills, and behavior choices are an important skill set focuses of Be-Opoly. These choices are presented in a user friendly way which, due to the steps, presented in an easy to understand way, introduce important life skills at an early age, and beyond. The first 18 years can set the pattern for the life's journey.


Game Board Description

Be-Opoly board game is similar in construction to many well known, tried and true board games. This format has been used dozens of times successfully by other producers because given the right topic, this format works. In addition to being a fun game, it is a game that teaches necessary interaction social skills. Along with teaching interaction skills, Be-Opoly helps children learn, and practice appropriate moves, introduces careers, business enterprises, teaches help with math skills, and helps improve children's attention span. The game does not rapidly change focus every 15 seconds as with TV, or video games. Focus is presented in a pleasant, fun way. Along with each game is a booklet formated to aid children further explore the careers found on the board.


Interest in this Invention?

Please leave your comments!

125,000 NEGRO CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS

Late last year, 2010, there was a bit of an uproar when a new Virginia textbook claimed that "thousands" of African Americans, during the Civil War, fought for the Confederacy. When questioned on the source of her work, the author's publisher cited three web sites the author used; all of the sites are from the Sons Of Confedrate Veterans. This Tennesee group has long claimed that Blacks fought, in large numbers for the South. Information is available to support whatever is wished. The Information Age presents us with real challenges.

Amazingly, cleaver methods have been used throughout history by small groups, mainly by those at the top of the economic chain, but also religious, racial, tribal, etc., differences have been used to get people to
fight. Only about twenty percent of Whites in the South owned slaves, yet they were able to get poor White farmers, laborers, who were looked down on by the wealthy, poor whites who could never prosper because they could never earn a fair wage due to the free labor provided by slaves. And yet, poor 'Johnny Reb' was convinced to fight in a most brutal war, to defend a system that was against his own best interests!

The following account of Blacks Soldiers was written and delivered in 1894, some 117 years ago, addressing the question of just how Blacks served in the Civil War, on the side of the Confederate.


Extract from an address by Hon. T.T. Fortune on Colored People's Day at the Cotton Palac, Waco, Texas -Texan Freeman, 1895

Ladies and gentlemen, it is often said of the Afro-American in the South that he has no past, that he has no history; but the fact remains and it is recorded in the books where it will remain "until the wreck matter and the crush of worlds" that in every crucial period in the history of this country he was very much in evidence.

He was the leader of the party that defied the British in the Boston harbor before actual war had been declared against the mother country, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has but recently dedicated a monument to commemorate the fact, upon whose front is engraved the names of Attucks, the black man, and Maveric and Caldwell who with him shed the first blood that led to the independance of the American colonies and to the establishment of a republic which is today one of the richest and most powerful on the globe. And more than that; there were more than 3,000 Afro-Americans soldiers enlisted in the revolutionary army commanded by Gen. George Washington, of whom it has been written that he was "first in war, first in peace, anf first in the hearts of his countrymen. We, too, have part with those who have launched the ship of state upon the ocean of nations.

Go read what Gen. Andrew Jackson said to the black freeman of New Orleans in the war of 1812, when the British troops invested tha stronghold; read the splendid promises he made them. Then read the valor they displayed in the great battle in which Old Hickory routed the red coats. Then saddest of all, go read how the promises were broken, as they have always been by the American white men, when made to black men! And in the same war of 1812, mark the part the black soldier played in the navy, especially in the splendid victory won by Commodore Perry on Lake Erie.

In all the Indian wars, especially that against the Seminols in Florida, and the Creeks and Choctaws of Alabama, we bore a valorius part. And then in the great war between the states, this vast audience knows that 200,000 black troups fought in the union army--fought like tigers--and that 200,000 of them remained in the fields in the South and made the supplies that kept the Confederates armies in the field, and protected the wives and children of those in the field. Did not these sable children wear the uniform of gray in a double sense?

We fought on both sides of the question. We did so knowing that the success of one side meant freedom to us, and that the success of the other meant continued servitude. Ladies and gentlemen, you will seek in vain for a parallel to this state of the case in all history. How shall we account for it? It is worth the pains to seek for cause of result so paradoxical and unusual in the history of manlkind. I think not. I think that philosophy and logic may both be silent in the presence of a phenomenon for which a dozen reasons may be given. We have the result.
The 200,000 who fought on the Union side received their reward, the gratitude of a reunited people in which a small annual pension reminds them; they received the emancipation of 4,500,000 of their bretheren from the bonds of chattel slavery; received the right to vote, to take part in all high and holy functions of citizenship, of mankind. And what have they who fought for the grey? This is a question upon which there is much difference of opinon.
A short time ago I read of the death and burial of a black man who acted a part in one of the Mississippi regiments. It does not matter what the part was. The man who digs out the foundation of the empire, who cooks the soldier's food or grooms the trooper's charger plays his part as much as the general who plans the battle and leads the army to victory. The mudsill of society is as necessary as the dome that rises to the sky; the Webster, the Calhouns, the Sumners, the Robert J. Walkers--well, this man died. When he breathed his last he was drawing a pension fro the treasury of Mississippi. The hearse that bore his remains to their final resting place was followed by a long line of veterans of the lost cause, battled scarred veterans of high and low degree, who regarded the dead black as one of them. They laid him to rest in the sod of his fellows; and the words of the poet sighed in the trees this requiem;

"On fame's eternal camping ground
His silent tent is spred
And glory marks with silence round
The bivouac of the dead."

When I read this silent tribute in a New York paper my heart swelled within me, and I forgot that the man honored had fought on the lost side of a great cause; I forgot that those who did him honor had had it in their hearts to enslave me and mine. I remembered only that the brave comrades of the brave dead, had stood at the grave of a fellow soldier with uncovered head, and paid him the last honors of war and friendship. I know that it is common to call aloud against the white man of the South for certain acts of his which conform neither to logic nor law, nor gratitude; but even when doing this, I cannot forget that in every state, and city, and hamlet, and plantation in the South, there has always been, and there is to-day a helpful sympathy and interest which sustains the weak, which cares for the sick, and in a measure respects the strong. And I believe the time will come, when every difference, now a bone of contention between the races, will have been composed to the satisfaction of all parties interested. My faith in this respect is strong, because I have seen so many changes for the better in the past thirty years.

Tales of Health, Wealth and History,

The Journey to work, wealth and well being through
an inheritance of messages of wisdom from the past,
and words and events of the present

Boston, MA my hometown, back in the days pre 1960s, money was scarce for many, but education was plentiful, valued and the hope for the future; a future if not of wealth, at least the key to a solid middle class, a belief that, "When people are educated, the distinction between class disappears." - Confucius. Many young men, as was a rite of passage, joined the military to serve their country. We laughing would say of others, you go to Howard University, like Senator Brooks, Harvard, Dartmouth, Hampton, Amherst, U of MA, etc., Yale or Jail. Malcom Little, who became Maclom X, was one who could have gone to Yale, but went to JAIL in Boston in 1946. He was one of a relatively few going to jail back then. Before the 1980s, we had more African- American boys/men in college than we had in prison, as of 2010, we have more in prison than in college! One of my high school students informed me that he didn't have to finish high school, he told me with authority,

"I can get my GED in jail"!!!

Today, too many youngsters, of all races, are lacking human interactive skills, critical thinking, creative stimulation, and other important skills vitally needed to become productive in life, in the labor force today, and into the future. The years of several long term substitute teaching positions, many more than I planned sense retiring from my career in financial services, has turned out to be an education for me; I have enjoy giving back, through sharing of my education, and experiences in the business world to those who can , who will listen.

It was my practice to ask young boys the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Most would say they wanted to go into the NFL, NBA, or play some other sport, or prehaps become Rappers. Well, I was taken aback, left speechless, which is not easy, when I asked that question of one 4th grader. He looked down, shrugged his shoulders and said that he didn't know what he wanted to be when he grew up. I was suprised! A few seconds later, he brightened up, and with great elan he said,

"I don't know what I want to be when I grow up, BUT I KNOW HOW TO ACT WHEN I GO TO PRISON!"

This young boy, a 4th grader, then began to tell me what he had be taught by those "experienced " family members and neighbors, about what he would need to know to be successful in his prison life. He breathlesly, and excited recited, without hesitation, as if it was a pledge, a litany of 'skills' he would need. I sat shocked! This was an 'education' to me, A 4th grader was teaching me about one of life's elements! My experience of teaching and listening, has been an education, an eye opening. Since I have been subbing, three of my former students, two high schoolers, and one middle schooler, are IN JAIL FOR MURDER!!! One more has been arrested for shooting, killing a man during a pizza robbery, and is awaiting trial.

I mentioned Malcom Little earlier as someone who went to jail; when he came out, he was a changed man, as Malcom X. As of late, we have Michael Vich, the football player who also went to jail, and came out a changed man. Well, one of my young students told me that,

"If you're a Black man, you have to go to prison first before you can be anybody or do anything important."

He, ran off a list of a least a half dozen beginning with Nelson Mandella!




I MUST TO DO SOMETHING MORE!!!

I have been busy during this past year. I have not updated my Blog because of my focus on doing the SOMETHING. One of the SOMETHINGS is now with Patent Pending. I have created an Educational Board Game, BE-OPOLY. BE-OPOLY is designed to promote interactive, human contact for two to six players of ages five to ninety five, and beyond, to sit together, think, make choices, interact and thus develop, refine needed skills, and relationships.
(Up date 3/26/11-Patent has now been APPROVED!!)

This is designed to give younsters a window, at the earliest age possible, into the world of work they should look forward to encountering, as a benefit of their education. It is my experience, after talking to many young people that too many do not know what is available to them in the world of work, of careers and entrepreneurship. The intrinsic value of education has been, and remains important; the practical value of education should also be embraced, and promoted for future growth in industry, health and science, in a competative world. We all know information concerning careers can be found in volumnes of books. BE-OPOLY offers this information in a fun, hands on, interactive skills building way.

We must instruct young people that what they do as a citizens is important, how they can help strengthen our country, our world! Just as someone sat that 4th grader down and taught him about what would be expected of him when he grows up and goes to prison, we must sit children down, and not take for granted that they know what will be expected of them, what is available to them, and how to access needed skills.

I have three college educated children engaged in rewarding careers available to them due to their education. I have one grandson, a freshman in college with a 3.8 grade point average. He is the third generation in our family to attend college, Black men! My granddaughter, an 8th grader, is in the honors program at her middle school. W. E. B DuBois addressed this in his book "The Souls of Black Folks", when he talked about the talented 10th. We know that 10 percent is not enough, WE MUST DO BETTER!! Our ancesters from all over the world, are not resting in peace!

ATTACK ON CONGRESS



My Reflexion on past and present events.



On May 23, 1856 during a session of Congress in Philadelphia, Charles Sumner a Senator from Massachusetts, gave an impassioned speech directed against Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina, and the evils of slavery. The Butler family, collectively, were the largest slave owners in the country.

A 37 year old junior senator from South Carolina, a relative of the Butlers, Preston Brooks, became outraged over Sumner's attack on his mentor, his family, and his state. Brooks physically attacked Sumner with a cane; beat him so badly about the head, caused injuries so serious, Sumner was absent from his seat in Congress for a year. It took Sumner years before he fully recovered from the attack. A full-fledge fight between the sections nearly erupted in the halls of Congress. A few weeks after this near riot in Congress, on June 12, 1856, Andrew Butler gave such an impassioned defense of Brooks that the move to expel Brooks failed. Brooks received only a Reprimand from Congress.

When Brooks returned to South Carolina, he was hailed as a hero. He was given SILVER CANES by supporters to commemorate and show support for his caning of Sumner.

Ironically, on January 27, 1857, Brooks who had been ill with a sore throat and fever for a few days, took a sudden turn for the worse, was suddenly stricken with a "spamodic paroxysm" that impared his breathing and within moments, he was dead! A further irony occurred when Andrew Butler, the Brooks defender, died almost a year later to the day that Brooks caned Sumner.

Even though Andrew Butler and Preston Brooks did not live to see the Civil War, the disruption brought in the halls of Congress in 1856 by their actions, could be viewed as the opening blows leading to the Civil War!