The End Of Poverty is a new documentary release directed by the brilliant Philippe Diaz. Imagine listening to politicians, economists, and leading experts in the world, along with the voices of people living in poverty. This movie is the first of it’s kind.
The End of Poverty asks why today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources, and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate? Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies — in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries.
The film premiered in NYC this past weekend at Village East Cinema, sold out some show times, and had better box office numbers than every other film playing at the Village East including Disney’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. Unfortunately because a lot of the Hollywood blockbuster’s are coming out this weekend, ‘The End of Poverty?’ will only be playing in New York for one week (ends on Thursday), so make sure to check it out and tell all your friends in NYC.
November 18th 2009 there will be a benefit preview screening in Los Angeles for Office of the Americas. A panel discussion with the director, Philippe Diaz, the founder of OOA Blase Bonpane, and philanthropist Aris Anagnos will follow the screening. Everyone will receive a free gift bag. Tickets are still on sale. Go here for more information: http://www.facebook.com
• The richest 1% of the world’s population owns 32 % of the wealth.
• Today more than one billion people live in the slums of the Southern hemisphere.
• Almost 1/3 of the world’s population has no access to affordable clean water.
• Almost 16,000 children die each day from hunger or hunger- related diseases.
• Cutting global poverty in half would cost $20 billion, less than 4% of the U.S. military budget.
Systems that create poverty have been in place since 1492 when the Spanish and the Portuguese conquered the Americas; indigenous people were killed in mass murders, mineral wealth was plundered, local economies were destroyed, and a plantation culture was established. Although the institution of slavery was abolished in the 19th century, it still exists around the world where at least 80 million people are forced to labor in terrible conditions for very little money. The filmmaker interviews poor workers who complain about being treated like slaves, abused and humiliated, and always forced to live with no security or hope for a better life.
The economic damages wrought by colonialists, with an assist from Christian missionaries, stemmed from a series of power plays that encouraged the private ownership of land, the destruction of the communal way of life, the promotion of individualism, and the stamping out of indigenous cultures. All of these developments solidified the enormous gap between the rich and the poor.
Capitalism with its emphasis on greed, profit, and political wheeling and dealing has further widened the abyss between the haves and the have-nots. Under the aegis of neoliberalism, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have subjugated poor nations — especially in Africa — with the burdens of international debt and economies based on raw-material exports. Two scary stories illustrate the structural violence of neoliberal polices. One is the privatization of the water supply under Bechtel (which was overturned by the angry response of the poor who could not afford it) and the injustices perpetrated on poor Africans who cannot pay for hospitals and schools.
The voices of those who have suffered set alongside the consensus of the experts bears witness to the deprivations heaped upon Southern peoples by the nations of the North who have accumulated more than 80% of the world’s resources for only 20% of the world’s population.
French filmmaker Philippe Diaz discusses his latest gem, The End of Poverty? about the systemic causes of poverty, what is terribly wrong with our system of global capitalism and its control of Western foreign policy. Interview by Jim Dingeman.
This is truly a powerful and moving video that touches the heart at a soul level. A story of living in courage, written in sand animation by Kseniya Simonova, who exhibits such power and intention as she moves us through this story. A requiem to those who died during the patriotic war. Kseniya is the winner of Ukraine’s Got Talent. Her work carries a serious message.
This next video is of Kseniya’s work and includes a personal interview. Feeling the sand is alive and has a story to tell – each carrying their own message, Kseniya beautifully projects this to us, as the viewer. Kseniya is a very busy mother, model and sand artist. She is preparing to collaborate on a tribute to Michael Jackson, and is busy preparing a one woman show. This is a courageous woman, who when her family lost everything, turned to listening to the messages in the sand, in a unique and moving way.
My beautiful courageous friend Nicole McKinney received this insightful passage this morning from Sue Urda @ Powerful You. I wanted to share it with you, by paying it forward.
“Change is inevitable and sometimes predictable. As we see with the economy and the seasons, cycles come and go and they often repeat themselves. These changes and cycles allow us the opportunity to take a deep breath and move forward into what is truly important. As you look around you and see what is here for you, welcome it. It either serves as a lesson, a new beginning or a renewed sense of personal values. Everything is exactly as it is supposed to be, and it is here FOR you. Breathe it in.
By the way, did you know that the Chinese symbol is exactly the same for chaos as the one for opportunity? There is great wisdom in this.
We wish you the wisdom of the elders – and the Chinese.”
This message is very timely. Our world seems to be in chaos….what do you see? I see opportunity, change, a bright future in store for those that have the eyes to see. The world we all share, we have collectively created. The future depends on each of us. Anyone tired of war, disease, pain, chaos, suffering, limitation, fear or doubt? Anyone? I though so….then what are you waiting for? Jump on the ride that takes you to peace, love, joy, health, courage, abundance and happiness. This ride is long overdue.
Today I am in the mood for some courage quotes to kick start the day. Here are a few by people I consider courageous. Courage is required to reattempt a task after initial failure, and to continue on until success is reached. Reading quotes of courage, fills me with confidence and a sense of inner power. Quotes are like condensed life lessons – to be shared with the world.
Have the courage to love your humanity free as it seeks to balance the mind and heart. In this balance you will find your freedom. Debra Oakland
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. Winston Churchill
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt
Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it… that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear. Dale Carnegie
One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in, and where you want to go. Sheila Murray Bethel
One man with courage makes a majority. Andrew Jackson
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. Anais Nin
All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney
Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. Mary Tyler Moore
Thanks for visiting, and make it a great day – Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Marcel Proust
Who would want to visit a garden that is full of waist high weeds, colorless and uncultivated? I would not, simply because it is lifeless, neglected and kind of sad. Even if you planted a beautiful seed, it has no water, or care. There is nothing to nourish this beautiful plant to take root.
Now imagine a colorful garden full of beautiful flowers, or food growing in abundance. The area has been prepared, seeded and the little plants raise their courageous heads to the sun, in anticipation of growth and change. You can compare these two scenarios to the mental bodies of the human race. Each person is different, according to what has been planted in the garden of their consciousness. The mental body is a magnetic field, and through the power of your attention, draws into itself whatever it is being fed. What are you feeding yours? Garbage such as anger, judgment, blame, jealousy or even hate? Or, are you feeding it peace, joy, abundance, love, and a sense of knowing that you get to choose? The healthy plant that is loved and cared for carries a pattern of perfection within itself, just as you do. Are you willing to hold that pattern in your mind in a receiving way until it can be externalized? Have the courage to cultivate, feed and water this pattern of perfection that wants to expand and express itself in, through and around you.
When you get an idea, it is the responsibility of the mental body to hold this idea clearly – long enough for your feelings to breathe it into life. How does this happen? By breathing love, enthusiasm and expectation into the idea. It is like a rhythm that accompanies this pattern of perfection you wish to manifest into form. How do we fail or fall short of this? As I mentioned earlier, our mental bodies are meant to be a clear, magnetic field. It is cultivated and ready for planting. When we put accumulated concepts, mass consciousness of fear, doubt, failure, doom and gloom into this beautiful garden of our mental body, there is no space for the good stuff to grow.
The mental body receives through the power of your attention, as well as through the activities of the senses. So imagine your attention connects with something, good, bad or otherwise. Now your mental body forms a picture of it in your mind, and through the senses, whatever you have placed your attention on, enters the mental body and adds to what is already there. In many cases, there is an accumulation of discordant garbage. If we keep storing the same old garbage, there will be no room for the beautiful life we all want to live. Start by pulling some weeds out of the garden of your consciousness. Maybe your garden is beautiful and yields great and wonderful life experiences. Now and then, you may find a few new weeds, or a couple of really big ones that need removing. Go on in, and pull them out. Then move on, without resistance, just knowing that all gardens need weeding, and constant tending to stay beautiful. Just like you.
Here are some very wise rules to live by that will help your garden grow.
Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes.
Watch your attitudes; they lead to words.
Watch your words; they lead to actions.
Watch your actions; they lead to habits.
Watch your habits; they form your character.
Watch your character; it determines your destiny.
The Charter for Compassion is the result of Karen Armstrong’s 2008 TED Prize wish, made possible by the generous support of the Fetzer Institute. It will be unveiled to the world on November 12, 2009.
You may wonder what Charter for Compassion is all about. Their Golden Rule is to put themselves in the shoes of others. How do you want others to act toward you? Do the same for them. Harmlessness. This is a group of multi-faith, multi-national council of thinkers and leaders. Charter for Compassion seeks to change the conversation around compassion, so it becomes a key word in public and private discourse, bringing clarity that any ideology breeding hatred or contempt, be it religious or secular, has failed the test of our time. To show that in our divided world, compassion finds a common voice. May we all Live in Courage and Compassion.
The wonderful video below is of Karen Armstrong as she accepts her 2008 TED Prize and asks the TED community to help her build a Charter for Compassion — to help restore the Golden Rule as the central global religious doctrine.
Karen Armstrong’s book “The Case For God” is a tour de force. A brilliantly written and passionate book about God. Karen is one of the most interesting religion writers of her day. We all have many names for God, to fit our comfort levels. Karen Armstrong explores those names, and our deep inner beliefs about God, in a way that opens up our minds to expand, not contract.
I view Karen Armstrong as a most courageous woman, who explores a very sensitive subject with great sensitivity.
Here are some editorial reviews from Amazon:
“Karen Armstrong’s book is simply superb. Wide-ranging, detailed, well researched meticulously argued and beautifully written, it is a definitive analysis of the role of religious belief and transcendence in our history and our life.”
—Dr Robert Buckman, author of Can We Be Good without God?
“Karen Armstrong, in writing The Case for God, provides the reader with one of the very best theological works of our time. It brings a new understanding to the complex relationship between human existence and the transcendent nature of God. This is a book that is so well researched and so deep with insight and soaring scholarship that only Karen Armstrong could have written it. The Case for God should be required reading for anyone who claims to be a believer, an agnostic or an atheist.”
—The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, D.D., Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, D.C.
“No one is better qualified or more needed than Karen Armstrong to enter the hot public debate between believers and non–believers over the existence of God. Her latest book, eagerly awaited and received, rings out with the qualities she brings to all of her work—The Case for God is lucid, learned, provocative, and illuminating. Indeed, Armstrong once again does what she always does best by shining a clear light on the deepest mysteries of the religious imagination.”
—Jonathan Kirsch, author of The Harlot by the Side of the Road
A Global Climate Wake Up Call went out on Monday, Sept 21 2009. Members of Avaaz and TckTckTck Campaign sent out a wake-up call to world leaders. Courageous people gathered together in 134 countries. There were over 2,600 events from Australia to Europe which reached heads of state and cabinet ministers. The amount of phone calls to government officials, crashed many phone lines. For photos and maps of the event, go to the Avaaz link above, and view “The World in Action.”
