The Game by Andrea Austin

Hundreds, Thousands, Millions, Billions of opponents one game, unlimited amounts of chances to win and so many choices to make. Some people will kill to get to the finals and the prize comes in different shapes and forms. It varies from person to person and it takes a life time to get for some people. That prize is happiness and the game is life. Let’s be real. Life is nothing but a game. Relationships, work, school, and even your day to day life. The game never changes just the players. So when someone tells you to stop playing games, just tell them it's not a game. It's life.

History’s Lessons by Professor Bert Lorenzo

In most high school history courses students memorize a set of useless dates, names and places. I study history differently. I look for and identify patterns and habits. I learned I can predict the future because events repeat themselves. Only the players and places change. If you know what events and patterns repeat themselves you can test current events and opinions and predict what ideas will work. Below I share with you some other lessons that inform how I view people and live my life.

1. As a group we don’t learn from history despite its importance. Humans have evolved very slowly for this reason. Children make the same mistakes their parents made and so on and so on. Thus we see discredited ideas like socialism resurrected.

2. Science and technology can’t immunize us from history’s lessons. No matter how advanced technologically we still have defective human relations and communication. Technocrats predicted the end of history at the start of the industrial revolution.

3. Not all groups around the world value freedom although many Americans believe it globally longed for so many went to war in Iraq to spread democracy. U.S. Marines, soldiers and other military personnel succeeded at their mission and hanged Hussein but the Iraqis and their neighbors have failed to do their part. Americans there have helped Iraqis write a constitution, build schools and hospitals and rebuild their infrastructure but too many of them don’t want freedom. Some Americans died or were injured in the Baath overthrow but thousands have died or have been terribly injured at the hands of Iranians and other Islamo-socialists since the overthrow. A noble though historically misinformed cause for us turned into the usual tyranny for them. Notice as you study history the places where democracy has never taken root even after many have tried to establish it in those cultures and/or countries.

4. All cultures desire power, whether wielded by a despot or by a benevolent empire or superpower so the masses attend political rallies and support charlatans they view as saviors. As a group most humans have always expected one person to solve their problems and make life’s most important decisions for them. Many in the United States wanted to crown George Washington a king but he did something unprecedented. He peacefully gave up power.

5. Americans will witness the same destiny as the citizens of all other democracies, republics and superpowers witnessed. This could mean many things. It could mean the United States of your parents will look different with different laws, a different economy and a different standard of living within 50 years. It could mean as some already predict China will have a stronger economy than the United States within 25 years. It could mean that through shear mass those who managed to escape the misery they experienced in their countries will make this country more like their own. Nothing in history guarantees we will always enjoy our current or a better living standard. Witness the ex-world dominant and richest country –Spain.

6. Nothing motivates people more than religion, spirituality and the lust for power. Once you learn this you’ll better understand terror and war. As long as people desire others to decide for them and think strangers will solve their problems we will have those who lust for power and those who want to give them the power. As long as superstition and myth continue to guide people and as long as one group wants to dictate how others should live we will have war and terror.

7. Nations and empires rise and fall not because of anonymous government social and economic forces but because of decisions individuals make. Once you learn this you’ll develop a more self-reliant attitude, blame politicians less and expect less from them. Through the efforts of thousands the Israelis built one of the world’s best economies in the middle of a desert surrounded by poor enemies who did nothing with that same land. Today Israelis lead the world in many medical, technological, educational advances and even tourism. Individual Israelis did this not politicians and they did it all while surrounded by Islamo-socialists. It distresses me when I hear people applaud politicians who promise job creation or an end to poverty. Politicians can’t do this but individuals can.

8. Great/good leaders possess four qualities. They hold to a set of principles, have a moral compass, a vision and can build consensus to achieve that vision. Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan exemplified these traits. These four men had much in common yet they dealt with very different issues at very different times in history. Although contemporaries Gandhi and Churchill worked within cultures that lived at different historical/evolutionary stages.

I encourage you to study history beyond what teachers offer. Read newspapers, biographies and historical texts and watch the history channel. The more you know about the past the more you can control your future.

Copyright Bert Lorenzo, 2007

The Man I Love by Kiara M. Rodriguez

Baby you’re the man I love,
The man that makes me fall apart
The man that make me drop to my knees,
The man the makes me weak in the knees,
The man that I dream about all night,
The man that keeps me comfortable every day and night,
The love that we share is so true,
Not even god can separate us two,
Not even if the world was divided in two would they keep me away from you.
I will go anywhere you want me to because I was meant to be with you
You are my strength when I am weak you are the reason I am me.
You are the star that lights up my eyes.
You are the angel that keeps me safe all throughout the night.
Even when am down you’re the only one who can bring a smile.
Even if you hurt me 5million times I would still love you till the end of time.
You are the sunshine in my life.
You are the only weakness in my life.
Even if we were rich or poor you will always be my prince and more.
I will be your princess too.
As our home will be our kingdom too
As long as it’s just me and you.
I promise I’ll be true to you,
As long as you know aint no one better than me boo.
You know how I do, so be true to me and I’ll make your dreams come true.
We can be like Bonnie and Clyde,
Just that I’ll drive while you ride,
You know I am just playing boo you can drive because I am your ride or die chick to the end.
Aint no one taking me from you,
That is how you know that you’re the only one in my heart boo.
Hope we will be together to the end,
Let us just try to make this love work.
I promise I’ll do anything to please you.
You don’t have to be scared to ask.
I’ll be what you need and more,
Just be there for me and I’ll be yours.
I just want your love and compassion.
While we share our endless nights,
In your arms I will be while you hold me tight.
You are all I need in my life Humberto,
And I want to keep you for life.
I LOVE YOU!!!! Kiara M. Rodriguez, your wife.

The Effects of Loving You by Jimmy Jean-Simon

From the touch of your hand I felt your souland the look in your eye it blew my soul awayyou’re laying there with that look in your eyes.the look that made me fall In love You came into my life just in timeYou changed my world with a blink of an eyeThat is something that I can not denyYou make my soul run around me like a kid you made me see what I did not for
These are the side effects of Loving You.
One strong dose of you was all it took….
To leave my heart tangled in the hooks.You really are an angel sent from above
You make life worthwhile it is even better every time you smile
I wish I could talk 'til the end of dayBut now I'm running out of things to saySo I'll end saying "I LOVE YOU" more than what I could show.

What you do to me