Roadbrains

Plato, Aristotle and Ayn Rand duke it out in a Bookstore

2018-09-06T14:53:00.000-04:00

Many years ago, while I was a bookseller in a busy downtown Boston bookstore, I did a window display that took me most of the day. My manager was wondering what took me so long.
I was a Political Science major, so I created two pyramids. At the top of one pyramid was Plato's Republic. On the other was Aristotle's Politics. I also included other great works by these two philosophers at the top of each pyramid.

Then I choose books throughout the bookstore that I deemed to reflect either Plato's ideas or Aristotle's. By the end of the day, I had created two diametrically opposed pyramids. (Ayn Rand, of course, was prominently displayed with Aristotle.)

Not sure how many passers-by got the significance of that display, but we did have an uptick in our sales for politically oriented books that week. Also sold three hardcover copies of Atlas Shrugged!
I didn't keep score and didn't discover who won, Plato or Aristotle. In today's political environment—worldwide—the war of ideas continues. Who will win—Plato or Aristotle?
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Meanwhile, allow me to offer Philosophy 101: Plato and Aristotle.
The two most famous philosophers were Plato and Aristotle.
Plato believed in perfect “forms” existing in a perfect dimension. He thought that everything we know and see is a representation of these perfect forms.
Aristotle thought differently. He saw the world with its animals, plants, rocks, land and sky, as simply what it is—not a representation of some other dimension. For Aristotle, this world was dimension enough.
Other great thinkers came after. Many follow Plato’s thinking, and many follow Aristotle’s. In fact, all philosophy is essentially a contest between the ideas of Plato and Aristotle.
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Ken West is the author of the goal achievement workbook, Get What You Want. It was later republished under the title Achieve Your Purpose. Both editions are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Contact Ken at kenwest@bettergripmedia.com. Let him know if you want to be notified when his next book is to be published.

Who Benefits from Billboards?

2018-05-17T08:33:00.000-04:00

Photo by Lauren Coleman on Unsplash

I was driving late at night, on my way to my next workshop. The hotel that my office had booked for me was supposed to be along this highway. It should have been getting close. My GPS was on the fritz. I searched for a sign to tell me what exit I should take. Problem was, I hadn’t seen a sign for the last fifty-seven miles. All I saw were dark outlines of trees.

There were no street lights along this road. This was a “Scenic Byway.” I found out later that this four-hundred and forty-mile road had no billboards or street lamps.

Meanwhile, I kept driving on this dark night. Only had two bars left on my gas gauge. Where was this hotel? Suddenly, I nearly bypassed a tiny, barely visible sign at an unlit exit. My car swerved onto the exit ramp. Found my hotel up ahead. Pulling into the parking lot, I thanked my lucky stars, but no thanks to the “Scenic Byway.”

Since that day, I’ve witnessed a war against billboards, and all forms of “scenic pollution.” Yet, as someone who has driven across a good portion of America, I always appreciated the ability to know what’s up ahead via the local color that billboards offer.

I wrote the following article to show my appreciation for billboards. It was in answer to an anti-billboard group that had ended their diatribe with the question: “Who benefits from billboards?” Whether you’re a fan of these signs or not, I invite you to read my reply.

Who benefits from billboards?
Ask the graphic artists, carpenters, clerks, electricians, executives, laborers, machine operators, managers, painters, receptionists, sheet metal workers, tradespeople—all those whose living depends on the industry.

Who benefits from billboards?
Ask the motorists who are kept alert, informed, awake, and sometimes amused as they travel our highways. Ask the public service organizations who depend on the immediacy of billboards. Ask the motel and travel industries which rely on the great scale of billboards to highlight their services quickly and efficiently. Ask the advertisers who must distinguish themselves in the minds of the traveling public.

Who benefits from billboards?
Ask the business people who struggle to keep the economy growing as they advertise their products and services. Ask the craftspeople, engineers, laborers, salespeople, factory and office workers who are employed by these companies. Ask the consumers who are kept informed of the latest products, services, and trends. Ask the travelers who relish not only the information that billboards supply, but the splashes of color, light, and creativity in a sometimes monotonous, unvaried landscape.

Who benefits from billboards?

Ask the historians who remember the role billboards played in the political and economic history of the United States. Ask the political scientists who recognize that billboards are living symbols of our capitalist economy, proclaiming the goods, services, and ideas of a free nation. Ask the economists who are looking hopefully to our future as we catapult further into the global economy. Ask the futurists who see billboards as vital life signs and show windows to the future.

Who benefits from billboards?
Ask the individuals driving across America who like billboards and resents paternalistic government limiting freedom of choice and information. Ask the independent thinker who recognizes that our economic freedom is an integral component of our political freedom... and that the attempt to curtail or limit economic freedom and speech diminishes all freedom. And finally ask yourself, “Who benefits from billboards?”

Ken West is the author of Achieve Your Purpose! (Formerly titled, Get What You Want; both editions are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.) Ken is a former president of the Association of Objectivist Businessmen, and the New England chapter of the National Speakers Association. He’s also is combat veteran, having served as a U.S. Army paratrooper.

Homeless Entrepreneurs

2018-05-16T07:17:00.000-04:00

Photo by Tomas Anton Escobar on Unsplash

It was raining. I cursed when I discovered that the entrance to the underground garage was locked. I turned, ready to run over to the main entrance about three-hundred yards away. All of a sudden the locked door swung open and a voice said, “good evening sir.” A homeless woman who had taken up her post inside the locked glass door, held it open for me.

I hesitated for a moment—then entered. I thanked her and hurried down to my car. The garage has four pedestrian entrances. Three of them are locked after 6 p.m., forcing patrons to use the main entrance. But I was one of the lucky ones this cold, rainy evening.

For about a year my “doorman” was always on duty after 6 o’clock. Her simple act of opening the locked door and greeting me was a useful service for which I sometimes gave her a dollar or pocket change.

Six month after her tenure as unofficial doorman and greeter, she expanded her business. During the early afternoon hours she worked outside on an adjacent park bench, offering quick “portraits” and drawings to wandering tourists. She had bought some inexpensive sketchbooks and colored pencils for this new venture.

I never found out where she slept at night. Garage security guards would send her away after eleven o’clock. This quiet, resourceful woman is one of thousands of homeless people who would never think of shaking an empty cup in your face. They know that offering value, not pleas for pity, is the right way to go. They are homeless entrepreneurs.

What distinguishes these individuals from beggars, hustlers, and con-artists is their honest attempt to offer uncoerced goods and services as a way to make money. In other words, they’re business people. They find a need and fill it. They may be temporarily homeless, but they’re not down and out.
Homeless entrepreneurs come in every size and shape. Some are street musicians, leaflet distributors, newspaper sellers, door openers, and jack-of-all-trades. Others do whatever odd jobs they can find. What they lack in capital, they make up with ingenuity and spunk. They are proud of their ability to survive.

And like us, they come face to face with the bad fruits of big government. For instance, some try their hand at shining shoes, only to be told by the police that they need a license, vendor’s permit, and sales tax log to do so. Even when trying to find a cheap room, they discover that paternalistic and “progressive” government has shut down the tenement houses which once served the needs of the poor.

Those of us who get exasperated by constant pleas from beggars, should demonstrate our value system by rewarding homeless entrepreneurs instead. They do not resort to pity or threats; they offer their best efforts. They understand the crucial difference between taking money and making money.
With few exceptions, homeless entrepreneurs have been ignored by the media. As with Vietnam veterans (of which I am one), we are offered distorted caricatures of the homeless. This does a disservice to them and to us.

Instead of wasting millions of dollars on handouts, we should be teaching the homeless how to make money. Some of the instructors could come from the ranks of our present homeless entrepreneurs. They could even help teach graduate students on the critical need of focusing on the customer and delivering value.

As I approach a city convenience store to buy a magazine, a tall homeless man snaps to attention, opens the door with a flourish, and greets me as if I’m a big-shot. He doesn’t ask for money. As I leave he wishes me a good evening. There is no intimidation—only a man providing a service usually reserved for hotel guests and the rich. Next time I resolve to put him on the payroll.

Ken West is the author of Achieve Your Purpose! (Formerly titled, Get What You Want; both editions are on Amazon.)

Rep

19 Words That Sparked a Revolution

2018-05-15T12:41:00.002-04:00

As paternalistic government grasps more power over our lives, let us remember the words that helped ignite the American Revolution. I had the opportunity to speak before a group of police officers, demonstrating the power of those words. Here’s how it happened.

I was taking a Saturday morning class at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a public speaking class and most of my classmates were police officers, both local cops and state troopers. They were taking this course as part of their educational requirements for promotion. They were a friendly group, yet I had no doubt that they would handcuff me and shove me into their police cruisers if I were arrested. Most were big, strong, and formidable.

Our assignment for this particular Saturday morning was to recite a small portion from a famous speech. I had chosen a speech by Patrick Henry. Most of the cops were not particularly gifted in their ability to do dramatic readings. Many tended to speak in monotones, as if giving a police report.

My turn came. I got up, walked to the lectern, and glanced at my speech. I had triple spaced it and marked it up according to its high and low points for voice inflection and volume. I was ready. I loved this speech.

I began reading, making sure that I looked out at my audience as if I were talking directly to them.

“They tell us, sir, that we are weak—unable to cope with so formidable an adversary.”

Heads popped up. The tone of my voice and Patrick Henry’s words had their attention.

“But when shall we be stronger? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and a British guard shall be stationed in every house?”

This normally boisterous group was silent and still. There was tension in the room. Patrick Henry’s words seemed to mesmerize them. I raised my voice and paused at certain key moments of the speech.

“If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!”

My voice was rising. “Our chains are forged! Their clanking can be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable—and let it come!”

I suddenly lowered my voice to a loud stage whisper. “I repeat it, sir, let it come!”

I had the rapt attention of my audience. They didn’t move a muscle except for a widening of their eyes. I paused to let the words sink in.

“Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace! Peace!’—but… there… is… no… peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms!”

I looked at the faces of these tough cops. They looked like deer caught in the headlights.

“Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!”

I had the feeling that my audience was about to rise up. They seemed tense, but remained still. It was time for me to speak one of the most famous lines in American history.

“I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

I said these last words making eye contact with one of the biggest and toughest cops. There was a pregnant moment of silence. Then everyone burst into applause.

Later, as the class was breaking up for the morning, the big and tough looking cop told me that my reading of Patrick Henry’s speech had given him goose-bumps. Some other cops standing nearby told me that it had the same effect on them.

It’s good to know that the power of well-chosen words, spoken with passion, can move people. Patrick Henry knew it, and delivered a burning fuse that ignited the American Revolution.

On that Saturday morning in Boston those cops and I felt just a momentary tremor of its power.

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Ken West is the author of Achieve Your Purpose! (Formerly titled, Get What You Want; both editions available on Amazon.) Ken is a former president of the Association of Objectivist Businessmen, and the New England chapter of the National Speakers Association. He’s also is combat veteran, having served as a U.S. Army paratrooper in Vietnam.

How a Safety Device Turned into a Killer

2018-05-14T15:25:00.002-04:00

The Forgotten History of Air Bags

Today, we take automobile airbags for granted—unless or until they malfunction. Fortunately for us, many dangers that accompanied these devices, have been fixed. Yet, what happened after airbag implementation has been nearly forgotten.

This is the story of how airbags came to be mandated, and the unintended consequences that followed.

Step 1. We start with a new and innovative safety device—the airbag—which has the potential to save many thousands of lives. Much work needs be done, from testing to test marketing.

Step 2. Politicians and bureaucrats, not content with the uncertainties of the marketplace, begin to threaten the American automobile industry with a “mandate” for implementation of the airbag.

Step 3. Automobile manufacturers resist this intrusion into the marketplace—but never on moral grounds. They oppose it only for pragmatic considerations, such as the fact that more testing is necessary. They never challenge the underlying premise that government has the right to take such action.

Step 4. Bureaucrats now give the automobile companies a “concession,” putting off the threatened mandate until sometime in the future. They come up with a new mandate—that the car makers install safety belts which automatically wrap around car occupants, and won’t allow the car to start until the automatic belts are snapped into place.

Step 5. Hapless Americans become so exasperated with the new automatic safety belts that they go to backyard mechanics to disengage them.

Step 6. Now that car buyers have an aversion to automatic seat belts, bureaucrats offer automobile manufacturers another “concession”—allowing them to scrap the automatic belts if they phase in airbags.

Step 7. Meanwhile, engineers testing airbags, determine that small children and small adults could be hurt or killed by the devices.

Step 8. Federal regulators dismiss these concerns, ignore the ramifications, and withhold this and other information from the press and the public.

Step 9. The U.S. Supreme Court overrules an attempt by a more market-oriented administration to scrap the airbag requirement.

Step 10. A federal bureaucrat orders the implementation of airbags by a certain date, but makes one “concession” to automakers: only driver’s side airbags will be required for now.

Step 11. A vocal critic of airbags, the CEO of a major automaker, does a 180-degree turn and becomes the first to make airbags standard in all cars manufactured by his company.

Step 12. An advertising campaign is conducted, showing airbags deploying in slow motion—as if they are a marvelous magic pillow that will cradle one’s head in an accident. The violent reality of airbag deployment—hot, dangerous gases whipping the bag out at its true speed of two-hundred miles per hour—is not shown.

Step 13. Americans are swayed by the magic pillow ads, and begin to demand passenger side airbags to protect their loved ones.

Step 14. Over a period of years, as airbags are phased into new cars, about fifty people—infants, children, and small adults—die from airbags as their necks are broken or from some other horrific deathblow from the airbag, such as decapitation. Most of these incidents occur in low speed accidents where, in most cases, the victims would not have been harmed.

Step 15. In addition, thousands of individuals have their eyes, wrists and arms injured because they weren’t aware that one should hold the steering wheel differently when a federally mandated time bomb is in the steering column. No one had told them. Also, people sustain facial burns and abrasion from deployment.

Step 16. The former federal regulator, who had campaigned for the airbags, now blames the automakers.

Step 17. Federal regulators scurry around for a solution, such as “smart” airbags. They say that they may “allow” mechanics to deactivate the airbag system if a person feels they are at risk. But automakers and mechanics are afraid of the legal consequences of deactivation.

Conclusion: Ironically, airbags are not the culprit. They can and do save lives. They are a viable safety device that should have been offered as an informed option, with the dangers clearly explained. But, when government coercion and force are added to this equation, all bets were off.
The initiation of force by government—in this case, the airbag mandate—prevented reasoned deliberation by automobile manufacturers, engineers, airbag suppliers, car buyers and the public. The thought process was short-circuited and the unintended consequences of the airbag mandate continue to this day.

Fast Forward to 2018 — More information on air bag history and safety:
·        Air Bag Safety
https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/air-bag-safety.php

·        Airbag related injuries and deaths:
http://what-when-how.com/forensic-sciences/airbag-related-injuries-and-deaths/

·        Airbag Deployment Can Cause 'Hidden' Cardiac Injuries
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819375

·        Takata Airbag Recall: Everything You Need to Know
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/takata-airbag-recall-everything-you-need-to-know/

·        How to protect your dog from airbags and other potential hazards
http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/5-reasons-your-dog-should-always-be-in-a-safety-harness-or-secured-carrier-in-the-car

Photo by Samuel Foster on Unsplash

33 Ideas to Live the Best Life Possible

2017-08-02T09:22:00.000-04:00

iPhone Photo by Ken West, taken on the Naples, Florida Pier

1) Exercise your body.

2) Exercise your mind.

3) Play games.

4) Find the fun in everything you do.

5) Don't censor yourself, nor your ideas.

6) Let your creativity or lack thereof flow.

7) Be yourself, even if you have to pretend to be yourself.

8) See great art.

9) Listen to great music.

10) Attend great theater.

11) Make new friends.

12) Be a friend to those you meet.

13) Find the best of everything.

14) Be the best.

15) Go boldly toward the unknown.

16) Seek counsel from those who know.

17) Land a job doing what you love.

18) Keep a job that satisfies you.

19) Be a profit center, not an expense in all that you do.

20) Never be afraid of being afraid.

21) Savor your love of life.

22) Act today as if it were only one of x number of days left to live.

23) Seek the most outrageous goal that you really want.

24) Read Ayn Rand, especially The Fountainhead.

25) Do what makes you excited about living this day and this life.

26) Develop your ability to see, feel, taste, smell, and hear nuances.

27) Create new things from old things and combinations of old things.

28) Inhabit the kingdom of life rather than the kingdom of death.

29) Be a light.

30) Be a bridge from ignorance to wisdom.

31) Play sports that are fun for you, without worrying about making mistakes.

32) Treat mistakes for what they are — spotlights of wisdom.

33) Be fully alive on this planet of possibility.

Ken West is the author of Achieve Your Purpose. Ken is also a photographer. His photos can be seen here.

Mere Skill

2016-10-18T07:12:00.001-04:00

Sam Steele was back from the war in Iraq, glad to be alive, and ready to begin his art career. Sam had spent eighteen months in Iraq, much of it in combat. He showed up at the Admissions Office at the art school ten minutes early. Middleford College of Art was considered one of the best art schools in the country. Sam hoped that it would take his artistic abilities to a higher level.

Dean of Admissions, Jonathan Quembly, was running about twenty-minutes late. The young secretary smiled at Sam and apologized for the delay. Finally, after a half-hour, she told Sam that he could go in. Dean Quembly, a tall, patrician looking man, got up and greeted him. The Dean’s eyes were pale, his handshake limp. After some preliminary chitchat, he got down to business.

“So, tell me, Mr. Steele… why do you want to come to Middleford College of Art?”

Sam told him about his longstanding ambition to be an artist. He also told him about his recent tour of duty in Iraq.

“When I was over there in the desert, I made up my mind to go back to school — if I survived.”

He handed Dean Quembly a thick manila folder. It was full of small sketches and drawings.

“I did these over there.”

Dean Quembly seemed fearful of contaminating his hand and desk with the folder. He opened it very carefully. One by one, he gave each drawing a cursory look. They were intense sketches of combat, desert flowers, children playing amid the squalor, and people going about their business in a war-torn land. Quembly seemed reluctant to look too closely at the vibrant scenes. He smiled weakly, shook his head, and handed back the manila folder as if it contained dirt.

“Tell me what you plan to do beyond art school,” asked the Dean with little interest.

“I’d like to become a commercial artist, and paint fine art on the side.”

The Dean of Admissions pulled out an official looking sheet of paper. He seemed to study it carefully. Then he looked at the young man skeptically.

“Your grades in high school were not good. What makes you think that you can do college-level work?”

“I grew up a lot over the last 18 months. I’m ready to work hard. I’m not the same person I was in high school.”

“Even if that’s the case,” said Quembly, “this is an art school. One must have talent.”

“I thought my drawings would prove that I’ve got talent.”

“What your drawings show, my boy, is mere skill,” said the Dean. “Talent is more than being able to draw.”

Sam seemed taken aback, and was at a loss for words for a few moments.

“What is talent?” Sam asked, feeling as if he were sinking into some hidden desert quicksand.

Dean Quembly smiled patronizingly. “Talent is indefinable. It’s something that rises to the surface involuntarily. You can’t control or create it. You either have it or you don’t.

“But is you can’t define it, how do you know when you see it, or have it.”

“You just know it. You feel it,” said the Dean.

Quembly stood up as if Sam’s time was already up.

“Here’s what I suggest,” he said. “Go back to school at night. Try doing college work in our night classes, while you reestablish yourself back in civilian life.”

Sam didn’t get up. He looked up at the Dean. “I don’t have time for that. Night school would take me twice as long to graduate. And, I’ve heard that your night instructors are not from your daytime professors.”

“That may be so, but your work lacks discipline, and, quite frankly, real talent,” said Dean Quembly as he headed toward the door to dismiss Steele. “Try night school for a year. Then come back when you’re more mature, and we’ll discuss this again.”

Sam stood up, shaking.

“Mature? What are you talking about? I spent 18 months of my life in that damn war. Almost died. I dreamt of coming back and beginning my art career. GI benefits will pay for full-time school.”

“It’s not a matter of money, my boy,” said the Dean, turning. “Mere skill is not enough to be a student here. One must show talent.

Sam suddenly thought of something. “Dean, I know you’re busy, but could you show me the kind of work that shows such talent? Give me some examples.”

Quembly sighed, shook his head sadly, then walked over to a long metal filing cabinet, with many narrow drawers, suitable for artwork.

“Come here,” he said.

Sam went over to where the Dean was standing.

Dean Quembly seemed to think deeply for a moment, then pulled out the bottom drawer. He carefully examined the dozen or so watercolor painting in the drawer, then slid out three of them, reverently. He placed the paintings on a low viewing-table to the left of the file cabinet.

“Here’s what I’m talking about. This is what we are looking for at Middleford College of Art.

These represent work by three of our most promising students.”

Steele looked down at the first drawing. It was a blur of colors—red, green, aqua, purple, and yellow—swirling around like hungry, agitated piranhas. Sam looked at the Dean to see if he was serious. The look on the Dean’s face told him that he was deadly serious.

The second drawing was almost blank except for three black splotches about the size of quarters, as if the artist were designing an inkblot test. Sam carefully moved it out of the way so he could see the last drawing. This one was deep purple, with hundreds of tiny yellow check marks everywhere.

Sam could think of nothing to say. He had difficulty believing that the Dean considered these watercolors as showing outstanding promise. He felt like he was in an alternate universe, one where he had no place.

“That is raw talent,” said the Dean in a hushed voice. “No mere skill can take its place.”

Bowing his head as in prayer, the Dean reverently slid the three drawings back into the bottom drawer. Then he straightened up, brushed his hands lightly, and went back to open his office door.

“Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do. My secretary will show you out. Thank you for coming in.”

Sam walked slowly up to the Dean, but didn’t leave. He looked directly into the Dean’s colorless eyes.

“Listen,” said Steele, “I didn’t fight my ass off over there to come back here and get the cold shoulder. All I’m asking for is a chance to prove myself. My drawings, at least, prove I have ‘mere skill’ as you call it. I’ll start on probation. Let me prove that I have the talent.”

Dean Quembly’s face reddened. He seemed to be having trouble controlling his facial muscles.

“Young man, outbursts like that are not going to help you. Let me make a final suggestion. Since you seem to lack the discipline and maturity for full-time college work, try your hand at some adult education classes. See if you can reign in that temper of yours. Maybe, someday, you’ll be able to dredge up a modicum of talent.”

Quembly grabbed the door, and told his secretary, “Show Mr. Steele out!”

“I’ll show myself out,” said Sam. “And, by the way, if those three drawings represent the best in this place, then I don’t want any part of this fraud.”

You, my dear reader, may now choose an ending that you like best from these five possibilities:

1) Year’s later, Sam Steele became a successful commercial artist, after taking a top-rated online course, and working his way into a lucrative career.

- or –

2) About a year later, Dean Quembly hired a local painting contractor to paint his two-story house. One of the painters was Sam Steele. When Quembly came out in his bathrobe on a Saturday morning to get his newspaper, Sam was directly above him on a ladder, painting the second story of the house.

The Dean looked up at him with slow recognition. “Well, I see that you’ve gained serious employment, young man.”

“Yes,” said Sam Steele, “and I owe it all to you.” Then Sam accidentally spilled an entire can of moss green paint on the Dean. Quembly was never able to prove that Sam had done it intentionally.

- or -

3) The young man gave up his art ambition, and learned computer programming at a local technical college. Sam visits the Dean periodically to thank him for the sound advice the Quembly had given him.

- or -

4) Sam Steele got accepted to a well-respected college of art in New York. He became a successful artist and illustrator of children’s books. Meanwhile, Dean Quembly, after realizing that he was a fraud and killer of talent, committed suicide.

5) Now’s your chance to create your own ending. I invite you to submit it, if you wish, with your comments.

Years ago, when I got home from Vietnam, I faced a similar situation that Sam (in my story) faced when coming back from war. The enemy, in both cases, was a Dean of Admissions. That situation inspired me to write this story. Hope you like it. Let me know.

Ken West is a former U.S. Army paratrooper and the author of Get What You Want. He is a former President of the New England Chapter of the National Speakers Association. Ken is currently Publishing Program Manager for The Fusion Group, Ltd., an international sales training and management consulting firm.

4 Ways to Jolt Your Wonder

2015-08-22T16:03:00.001-04:00

Photo by Alex Wigan

There are many way for you to create a better life for yourself and your loved ones, a life full of interesting and exciting things to experience. Here are four ways to enhance your ability to create these "jolts of wonder."

1. Learning
Learning makes you special in the universe. Animals can learn, but humans have discovered ways to store, enhance, and use knowledge to create a better, more interesting and exciting world. You are the master of our life. You are the master of your fate. Your power to learn and utilize your knowledge is what will empower you to get things done and get what you want.

What you learn can help maximize each area of you life. You gain knowledge both about things that you are interested in, and things that have a direct impact on your goals. In a way, whatever you are interested in touches upon some aspect of existence.

Take any one of your interests. Ask yourself if gaining knowledge about that particular area would enhance it and your experience of it. Go ahead.

2. Travel
Travel allows you to experience the magic of special places, not only special to others, but especially to you. You decide where the special places are. They may not seem special to others. Travel is as much a conceptual experience as a geographic one.

The magic of place is what makes travel so special. It doesn’t matter how close or far away your destination is. You can be just as mesmerized close to your home, as you can be traveling to places on the other side of the planet. Yet, both are important. It’s up to you how far you want to go. You’re the navigator-in-chief.

The key is to pay close attention to your surroundings, noticing seemingly tiny or insignificant things that pique your curiosity. Your values, experience, and interests will guide your eyes, ears, nose, and feelings toward those things that give you a jolt of wonder. Get as many jolts of wonder as you can in this life.

3. Ideas
Ideas are the most potent force in your discovery tool chest. They are invisible until given physical form by your actions. They form in your mind, and from there, you give them form by writing them down, sketching an image, working them out, and eventually making them real in physical form.
Ideas come in all sizes: small, medium, large, extra-large, and super-sized. Makes no difference what size they are at the beginning. What gives them power is their implementation.

Let’s talk about generating ideas. One doesn’t have to be a creative genius to generate ideas. We all have ideas in one form or another. Some of us see mental pictures. Some formulate ideas in verbal form. Ideas can come from many sources, but the key is to write them down, or sketch them. Don’t let them slip away. Grab them when and where they come, even if they seem insignificant or even impossible. Grab ‘em.

Ideas are the cornerstone of achievement and discovery. Make sure you set them down and be ready to build from them. Some may not work out. Some will. And some will be amended, combined, or enhanced by other ideas. Ideas are your inspiration and foundation for a better life.

4. Memories
Memories allow you to visualize special moments from your life. Good memories give you instant feedback of love, joy, and pleasure. Painful memories give you instant feedback of the fear, pain, or humiliation you once experienced. As such, memories can not only be experienced, but analyzed and reconsidered in light of what you know now.

To remember the past is a magical thing. It allows you to see your past in the present. By doing so, you are able to reconsider, analyze, and investigate your feelings and what such feelings mean.
But memories can be about the future! How? By the knowledge that you have the power to create new memories from this day forward. It’s an awesome power. By creating a better future for yourself and your loved ones, you are also creating better memories to savor and enjoy for as long as you have the power to remember.

Ken West is the author of the goal achievement workbook, Get What You Want. He is also the Program Manager for an international training and management consulting company.

You Have a Right To Be You

2015-08-08T09:41:00.000-04:00

Photo by Ken West

Your life and consciousness are precious. They can be cut short at any moment for unexpected reasons. Think of the people you’ve known who suddenly are gone. Knowing that your life span is limited and essentially unknowable means that each moment, each day, each spark of opportunity is precious and needs to be embraced.

Fear of talking to strangers. Fear of engaging with other individuals. Fear of doing x, y, or z. All are close-ended attempts to avoid pain and rejection. Dump them. Instead, embrace what you fear. Make love to it. Stifle fear with your creative boldness.

You are the prime mover of your life. No one else can live it for you. No one else can know what you think and feel unless you tell them.

Rich or poor, high or low, powerful or weak, we are equals in our ability to know what we want and our determination to get it. All that is required is the willingness to work for what you want, and to be who you are boldly and unafraid.

Those who like you will gravitate to you. Those who don’t like you will go their own way. There will be those who hate you for being you. That’s their problem, unless they try to interfere or stop you. In that case you have a right and obligation to defend yourself and boldly assert your life choices.

You have a right to be you.

Ken West is the author of the goal achievement workbook, Achieve Your Purpose.

Ken is also a photographer. His photos can be seen here.

Lights, Bridges... Leaders!

2015-04-01T09:20:00.001-04:00

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.”—Colin Powell

What is leadership, and what are its components? We need only to look at great business leaders who have helped shape our world today. These leaders embody myriad qualities, from strategic thinking to outstanding communication; from dreaming to doing. They ensure that their vision is achieved through the people whoare the company or the corporation.

Essentially, great leadership boils down to two fundamental approaches. The best leaders exhibit at least one of these. Many exhibit both. Let’s take a look.

Light Givers

When leaders communicate an inspired vision with style and verve, they are essentially light givers. They are beacons, shining the intense light of their vision. People are drawn toward it, wanting to experience the vision for themselves. The leader articulates the vision. The excitement, motivation, and determination to achieve that vision follow directly from the light. Light givers use their ample charisma to intensify the vision.

Steve Jobs was a prime example of a light giver. His strong vision, and his ability to artfully express it, guided Apple to new heights of profitability. Even after his death, his vision — his light — shines on.

Bridge Builders

Leaders exhibiting this approach provide a safe passage for their people to cross from a comfortable status quo to a scarier, but potentially more profitable future. Unlike light givers, this leader provides a bridge to that future. He or she accomplishes this by leading the way, showing everyone that the bridge is solid and ready to carry them to that new territory on the other side. Bridge builder leadership invites people to follow without fear.

Jeff Bezos is a great example of this style. He consistently leads his people at Amazon (and lately, at The Washington Post) across the bridge. He leads by example. He’s willing to ignore his critics, and encourages his followers to do the same. Years ago when he was packing books himself at his first Amazon warehouse, the naysayers were laughing at Amazon’s year-to-year non-profitability. No one is laughing now. Bezos continues to build profitable bridges to the future, both for his companies and for the rest of us.

Communicate!

At the risk of stating the obvious, all great leaders must be great communicators! Without the ability to masterfully articulate a vision, a leader cannot be a leader. He or she won’t be able to get through to their listeners, the very people that are to be drawn to the light and cross that bridge to the future.

Armed with that powerful ability to communicate, a leader can be both a light giver and a bridge builder. Their passion and purpose create a vision with the power to move people to action. Their willingness to ignore critics and move ahead carry the day. They give their followers encouragement to do the same. They leave the status quo behind as they cross that bridge to a profitable future.

A great example of this is Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Group. He creates bright visions that motivate. He articulates them. Then he builds bridges — fledgling companies — to get from here to there. His 400 (and counting) companies prove the worth of his approach.

Whether you’re a light, a bridge, or both, the bottom line is your ability to paint a motivating vision that moves your followers to action, to the results that you want to create.

If you’re a leader, or aspire to leadership, then… Give light. Lead us across the bridge. Communicate!

Ken West is Program Manager at The Fusion Group, Ltd. He is also the author of the goal setting workbook, Get What You Want.

10 Great Movies about Freedom--and Its Absence

2015-03-22T19:07:00.004-04:00

Casablanca: My personal favorite. It has everything: a love triangle, drama, and the struggle against the Nazi occupation.

Star Wars: Fight between good and evil across time and space.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: What happens when a man of courage comes up against Washington Power Establishment? This is the classic story of such a man.

12 Years a Slave: This is the story of the evil of slavery—how it not only weakens the body and mind, but pollutes the soul of a nation. It’s based on a book written by a free man in New York who was kidnapped into slavery.

Blade Runner: What happens when androids decide to become free, and are hunted down like runaway slaves? Find out in this powerful movie.

The Fountainhead: Based on the book by Ayn Rand. It’s about an architect who must fight against the forces of mediocrity and hypocrisy. The book is better, but the movie is still worth watching.

Braveheart: What does bravery really mean? Find out. Not for the faint of heart.

Easy Rider: If you’re born to be wild, and want to get you freedom lust sated, this movie fits the bill.

Patton: The United States has had many great generals. Patton provides a glimpse of one of the best.

Twelve Angry Men: A classic movie about the courage of one man in the closed confines of a Jury Room. Wonderful movie. Wonderful actors. Highly recommended.

Ken West, author of Get What You Want, is program manager for The Fusion Group, Ltd.

Why Ego Gets a Bad Rap

2014-11-23T20:52:00.002-05:00

Why does ego get a bad rap? For the most part, people mistakenly denigrate the ego because it is linked in their minds to arrogance and self-glorification. They complain about those with "big egos." Yet, it is the unhealthy ego that puffs itself up with hot air of phony superiority. Inflated egos give ego a bad name. It’s not a big ego they display to the world, but a puffed-up impostor.

Those with a self-sufficient ego have no need to display superiority or put others down. They are too busy striving to achieve something in life. Those with healthy egos not only think highly of themselves but also of the world. They see the world as a place where happiness is desirable and possible.

One of the central themes of this blog is the importance of your ego, minus the negative connotations that are so prevalent today. Strong, healthy egos are not a problem. They have no need to show off or put others down.

But, what is ego? Ego is not an it! Ego is an I. Your ego is your self, that which has the knowledge and power to say “I see. I know. I will.”

Your ego (your "I") is able to grasp reality and make choices. It engages with the world, regulates impulses, solves problems, maintains psychic balance, organizes and controls consciousness. It is your active mind and intellect. It is the essential heart and soul of your psyche.

Your ego is a precious possession. To value your ego is to value your true potential. If you have a healthy ego, you know your own value and accept it. If you fail in an endeavor, you don’t beat yourself up about it but learn from your mistakes. Then you try again or change course.

If you have an undeveloped or weak ego (as I have had in the past) you have to work harder to achieve your potential, for you are always fighting to prove yourself to yourself and to others.

If you have a healthy ego, you are fortunate enough to be able to pursue your dreams without the impediment of constantly having to justify yourself. Your ego is what drives your life on the road of your purpose across your lifespan. It is real. It is you.

-

Ken West's latest book is Your Ego: It's Your Salvation, not Your Original Sin.

He is also the author of Capitalism WIIFM, Your Life Zones; Achieve Your Purpose; and Get What You Want.

Fear, Mad Dogs and Strangers

2014-10-14T07:37:00.001-04:00

Fear is the greatest self-made obstacle in your life journey. It can stop you, delay you, or send you off in the wrong direction. This kind of fear comes from internal reactions, some of which are justified but many of which are based on irrational sources.

Yet, there are times when fear is appropriate: as a stimulus to action, to escape, or to change behavior. For instance, if a mad dog arrives in your midst, your fear would be justified. But in situations where there is no immediate or real threat, giving in to fear can cause you to avoid an uncomfortable activity even though you know it would be useful and productive.

Shyness and timidity in approaching strangers or seeking help has limited many people in their life journey. The sources of this fear are buried in the psyche, but in essence, it is the fear of how people will react and what they will think. Consider fear as a major roadblock that needs to be by-passed in your quest to achieve your best.

Questions for Self Reflection:

1. What am I most afraid of? Is it a rational or irrational fear?

2. What do I intend to do about it?

3. What is the most potent kind of fear for me?

What You Can Learn Jumping from a Plane

2014-05-03T12:57:00.001-04:00

When I was in the Army I decided to join the Airborne and become a paratrooper. I had never jumped from a plane before and wasn’t particularly daring. I was also terrified of heights.

The Army however, knows how to train its troops. First we practiced falling and rolling on the ground without hurting ourselves. This is because the Army parachute is fast. Unlike civilian sport parachuting, military jumping is a life and death affair. They want you to get to the ground as fast as possible.

So, we learned first by jumping off chair height platforms and rolling in such a way as to protect our elbows, head, and any projecting bony parts of our body.

Then we spent a week jumping from telephone pole height platforms, strapped into a parachute harness, and transported across a wide expanse on steel wires. The toughest part of this was the harness digging into the tender parts of our bodies.

On the third week we were individually hoisted up a 250 foot tower, fully harnessed with an open parachute. When we reached the top, we were released. Then we drifted down to a well-plowed and soft landing zone surrounding the tower. At each stage of the process our proficiency and confidence level increased.

Finally, it was the week for our five training jumps from an Army transport plane. If successful, each of us would be awarded our paratrooper wings after the fifth jump.

The first jump was terrifying. The biggest worry was whether our parachute would open. It did. The next big worry was hitting the ground without breaking bones. Most of us were successful. Some landed in trees. A few soldiers refused to jump, and were dismissed from the Airborne school.

The fifth jump was the hardest. It was with heavy equipment (ammunition, M-16, body armor, mess kit, and a lot more). I landed hard on my tailbone. I thought I hurt myself, but I sprang up, collected my parachute, and ran to the reception area, a field about a half mile away.

An officer came up to me and pinned on my paratrooper wings. It felt very good. The pain of the last jump disappeared. I was now a freshly minted paratrooper.

Looking back on this experience, some key points about accomplishing anything worthwhile become evident.

First you need a specific target. My goal was to successfully jump from a plane five times and earn my paratrooper wings.

Then, you need motivation. In my case, the initial motivation was my stomach. I had heard that the Airborne had the best food in the Army. But, my essential motive was to become part of an elite unit of the military.

Thirdly, you need to know how to do it, and be willing to practice new techniques over and over to achieve mastery. Fortunately, the Army made sure that this happened.

Finally, you need to believe that it is possible. If you don’t think it’s possible, you won’t even try. Therefore, make sure to believe in yourself.

Ken West, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, is author of Get What You Want! He is a former president of a chapter of the National Speakers Association, and Association of Objectivist Businessmen. Ken currently is project manager for an international training and consulting firm.

Motive Power

2014-01-06T07:22:00.000-05:00

Motive Power

by Ken West

Motive power is the power of a powerful motive. Without motive things are meaningless. Motive is motivation. What is your motivation to do or not do x? Motive power is the power of an internal engine. This engine can create tremendous power OR it can refuse to start, OR it can only rev-up at lower power.

So what is it? It’s unique to you. Yes, humans have certain fundamental motives, such as food, shelter, sex, etc. When one of these motives is unmet, it nags you with hunger, discomfort, strong desire, etc. Motive power, however, is passion mixed with purpose.

It isn’t some mystical power deep in outer space. It’s the power within your self, your soul, your very being. It keeps you focused on what you want. So the problem becomes how to tap into it. It’s actually quite simple.

Close your eyes and imagine that it’s the end of your life. You’re on your deathbed, and have just five minutes to live. What, if any, are your regrets?

If you suddenly think of something, perhaps a big or even small regret, open your eyes and write it down. Close your eyes again and see if there are any more regrets. Don’t waste your five minutes of life on the mistakes you made or things you did that you can’t change. Instead focus on what you wish you had done (or would do if you had more time to live).

Once you’ve written down those regrets, prioritize them. Number one is where you begin—because suddenly you’ve been granted the rest of your life—now!

Ken West is the author of Get What You Want. He currently works for an international training and consulting firm.

Be a Light

2014-01-01T16:29:00.001-05:00

Be a Light

by Ken West

Once upon a time there was a central point of light that was your core, your self, your soul. From that sharp, bright and powerful light you sprang, ready to do whatever you intended to do.

But then you met resistance from those who didn’t understand the light and were afraid that you’d outshine the precepts of this world.

So they taught you to block your light, to deflect it, to send it back from where it came. They taught you (and you taught yourself) to be concerned with the light of others—to want to be in their glow, their spotlight, their view.

Your goal became to please them, to get their approval. You forgot that your own light—the hidden core of your being—was the only spotlight and searchlight you needed to succeed at the game of life. You forgot it was a game. You forgot the rules. You forgot how to direct that light on what you wanted.

Life went on. You learned to further block, misdirect, and/or ignore the light that was you.

But now that you know what happened to you, what can you do about it?

Your job is to uncover, sharpen, focus and direct your light on what is most important to you. If it’s honorable, honest, moral, and isn’t primarily focused on the approval of others, then exploit your light. Let it shine as bright as you dare. Be a light.

Ken West is the author of Get What You Want. He is a former president of a chapter of the National Speakers Association, and Association of Objectivist Businessmen. Ken currently works for an international training and consulting firm.

11 Resolutions for Happy New Years

2013-12-30T22:00:00.001-05:00

11 Resolutions for Happy New Years
by Ken West

1) Realize that your time is precious and irreplaceable.
2) Determine ONE thing you want the most.
3) Choose a target date for its achievement.
4) Think about it daily. Visualize it.
5) Make plans to achieve it.
6) Seek helpful advice and ideas from a positive person whose judgment you trust.
7) Gain whatever knowledge you need to achieve this goal.
8) Write down ideas that come to you throughout the day.
9) Take daily steps—no matter how small—toward your goal.
10) Be willing to pay the price in time, effort and resources.
11) Celebrate the fact that you are alive and working for what you want—and that you will achieve it.

Have a wonderful New Year, and stay positive!

Keys to Opportunity

2013-11-17T17:58:00.002-05:00

Ten Keys to Get What You Want in Life, plus 3 Bonus Keys
by Ken West

1) Your time is limited and irreplaceable. Act accordingly.

2) Always take your dreams for the future seriously.

3) Learn what you need to learn to do what you want to do.

4) Trust yourself, and get out of your comfort zone.

5) Embrace discomfort while you learn a new activity.

6) Do daily tasks that bring you closer to what you want.

7) Beware of perfectionism. Don't let it stop you from taking action.
Accept that you will make mistakes along the way.

8) Ignore negativity from others, but especially from yourself.

9) Find people who are positive influences in your life. Be a
positive influence in their lives as well.

10) If it's important, finish it. Finishing important things is crucial
for your success.

Bonus Key #1: Keep expanding your knowledge. It will keep you
young in spirit, and possibly help you live longer.

Bonus Key #2: Create value in everything you do.

Bonus Key #3: To make money, trade what you do best with the
best value creators you can find.

Ken West is author of Get What You Want. a book to keep you focused on your top values, and create an action plan for achievement. One reviewer wrote this: "The great thing about this book is that it gets right down to business without a lot of confusing or useless information." It works. If Amazon is temporarily out of stock, you can get it on Barnes & Noble and other fine online book dealers.

Your Ego Takes a Test-Drive and Finds Id and Superego in the Back Seat

2013-10-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

Ego Takes Test-Drive… Finds Id and Superego in Back Seat
by Ken West

Imagine this. Your ego is driving on a long trip and suddenly the kids in the back seat are raising a ruckus. They holler out to you, “Are we THERE yet?” When you tell them there’s still a long way to go, they say, “We want ice cream.” And, you might be in the middle of a desert. Or they could say, “We want to go someplace else.” The kids in the back seat are your id.

Your id is the part of your psyche that wants immediate gratification, just like an infant or a child. So, you’re driving, and suddenly you get the kids in the back seat wanting to stop when you’re not ready to stop. To make matters worse, you also have a back seat driver, perhaps an in-law, saying to you, “I think you should have taken a left turn back at that fork in the road,” or “I think we’re going in the wrong direction.” That back seat driver is your superego.

So now you must also mediate between the demands of the kids (id) in the back, and the back seat driver (superego). You’ve got your job cut out for you.

This is why having a strong, healthy ego can be so beneficial. You are able to continue your journey while you firmly handle those in your back seat. But, if you have a weak ego, your id (which wants immediate gratification) and your superego (which is trying to second-guess your every decision) can tie you in knots and make forward motion very difficult and painful.

Your id is the childlike part of you that wants immediate gratification. When you’re a child, your id seeks milk, mother, and nurture. When you’re an adult, you id, seeks whatever immediately triggers it’s desire.

Your superego is the part of your psyche that has absorbed the lessons that your parents and society have taught you (be they rational or not). It’s the deepest component of your conscience. Yet, if it’s programmed with incorrect information, your conscience will make you feel guilty for the wrong reasons.

Your ego’s job is to mediate between these two parts of your psyche and to stay in charge. If the id gets control of your life, you are in danger of becoming a drifter or even a criminal. If your superego gets in charge you could be in danger of never taking bold action when needed.

Your ego is you, the driver and navigator of your life. If it's healthy and strong, it serves you. If it's weak and afraid, you're in danger of a lifetime journey full of back seat drivers. It's your choice.

Ken West, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, is author of Get What You Want! available worldwide on Amazon.com and other online booksellers.

Life Is Exchange

2013-09-22T08:58:00.004-04:00

It’s all about exchange. Life is an exchange. To live you need to exchange your effort for the food, shelter and other necessities of life. You at first make this exchange with nature itself. Then you make exchanges with your fellow human beings via trade.

You exchange your best effort for the best efforts of others. When it’s an unequal exchange, when the other party does not exchange their best effort and you get something of inferior value then you either cancel that exchange or determine to trade with better partners.

Exchange is a natural phenomenon. Nature makes exchanges all the time. The flowers exchange pollen for the vital work of the bee. To make an exchange you must make the object of the exchange desirable to potential traders. This is where your marketing, merchandising, tweaking, advertising, and everything that puts your product in its best light is utilized to its fullest extent.

Life is about seeking betterment. It’s about attraction and desire. It’s about working to get what you want. It’s about creating value. It's about having fun amidst the stress of a busy life. It’s about you and me. It’s about achieving the best that is possible to us. To do that you maximize your opportunities for making exchanges.

Questions for Self Reflection:

What do I exchange?

Who are my trading partners?

Am I getting the most value for my trades?

Ken West, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, is author of Get What You Want! available worldwide on Amazon.com and other online booksellers. In the U.S. at http://bit.ly/alF9vp. He is currently Project Manager for The Fusion Group, Ltd. in Weston, Florida, an international training company focused on communication, sales, management, and strategy.

ObamaCare and the Flannel Straight Jacket by Ken West

2013-08-18T17:34:00.001-04:00

[Originally published in The Matrix Gazette as The Flannel Straight Jacket]

You and I being taken care of by ObamaCare

ObamaCare and the Flannel Straight Jacket

by Ken West

Victor Hugo once wrote that the way to destroy a great nation is to wrap it in flannel and and treat its citizens like children. ObamaCare is just the latest example of this proclivity to treat us like children and order us into a flannel trap.

Government has become the stern parent, and we have become its little subjects. Face it, we have let government at all levels–local to national, order us around like little children.

Each of the various. “States” that I wrote about in a previous column are arrayed against ever allowing us to become adults. Let’s take a look at what we face.

The State of War: By conducting a plethora of foreign wars, the U.S. has taken the role of stern parent for the world. For some strange reason, the rest of the world doesn’t seem to appreciate the authority of the U.S. to BE its parent.

The Regulatory State: Try to build a simple addition to you house (if you’re fortunate enough to still have one). You will suddenly face many stern parents, from local bureaucrats and building inspectors, to the Environmental Protection Agency. What should only take months to build, now can stretch on for years–if you’re ever granted permission.

The Nanny State: Here’s where ObamaCare comes in, joining forces with the Welfare State and the State of Taxation. Government now becomes an even sterner parent bent on “caring” for us. In one giant step on the face of whatever freedom we had left, government now grants itself the power to dictate the medical decisions of everyone–patients, doctors, nurses, hospitals, you and I.

What we will soon learn is that our ObamaCare stern parent will take care of us for a price. Unfortunately, that price is our freedom, what's left of it.

Now it’s the time for the State of Enforcement to wrap us in a flannel straight jacket called ObamaCare. But don’t complain children, the Democrats, living in the State of Denial, voted for this monster legislation. And you let them get away with it.

Of course, what can we do now? We’re only little children waiting for our parent to tell us what to do.

Is there a way out of the flannel straight jacket? Actually, there is. It’s called the State of Awareness. Once you grow out of the child-like mind set that government is your parent or boss, you’re ready to become a political adult. The first word you need to be able to say is “No,” boldly and clearly.

You might be wondering how you can say “no” to a stern and powerful parent without getting slapped down. That will be the subject of another installment. Your next step is to stay in a state of awareness until then

Please share.

Twelve Piranha States Are Eating Us Alive, but One State Can Save Us

2013-08-03T12:19:00.002-04:00

[This following op-ed originally appeared in the first issue of The Matrix Gazette,

under the title “The 13 NEW States of the Union.”]

Twelve Piranha States Are Eating Us Alive, but One State Can Save Us

by Ken West

“The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”

—Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

“The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedom.”

—Justice William O. Douglas

Come with me for a brief journey...

While many of us have been busy doing other things, the United States has grown gluttonous for power. Most of us have been under the delusion that there are only fifty states in the Union. We’d be wrong. There are now sixty-three States!

Twelve of the new States are hungry monsters. Let’s call them “Piranha States.” Fortunately, one other State can still save us from being eaten alive.

Let’s fly over these new States, and see what we’re up against. Then we’ll visit the one good State that can save us. Let’s go…

For your convenience, we’ve prepared the following fact sheet as we fly over each state.

The Surveillance State

State Motto: “We’re watching you, and listening too—yes to YOU!”

State Capital: Somewhere in the Desert

Secret Mission: To know everything about everybody.

State Bird: Snooping Swoop

Main Products: Reams of records of every phone call, Tweet, Facebook posting, letter, post card, etc., etc., etc., and, Drones

State of War

State Motto: “Protecting the world from itself.”

State Capital: Everywhere on Planet Earth (plus a few undisclosed outposts in space)

Secret Mission: Find (or start) another war.

State Bird: Killer Hawk

Main Products: Foreign Wars; War on Terror; War on Drugs

The Regulatory State

State Motto: “Regulate – Regulate – Regulate.”

State Capital: Washington, DC

Secret Mission: Regulate them ‘til they cry “Uncle Sam.”

State Bird: Pirouetting Parrot

Main Products: Regulations, directives, edicts, executive orders, mountain ranges of paper

Nanny State

State Motto: “We’ll wrap you little suckers in warm flannel and protect you from harming yourselves, ‘cause We, the Enlightened Ones, know best what’s good for you.”

Dual State Capital: Michelle Obama's Office, White House, and Mayor's Office, NYC

Secret Mission: Control these ignoramuses.

State Bird: Brooding Hen

Main Products: Hot air, propaganda, and more regulations

Enforcement State

State Motto: “One wrong move and we’ll nail your sorry ass to the wall.

State Capital: SWAT Team, U.S.A.

Secret Mission: Power.

State Bird: Sharp Shinned Hawk

Main Products: Battering rams, tanks, military tactics, brass knuckles, truncheons

The Bankrupt State

State Motto: “We can’t afford a state motto, but we’ll pretend we can.”

State Capital: Washington, DC., U.S.A.

Secret Mission: Prevent anyone from noticing that we’re broke.

State Bird: Albatross

Main Products: Paper money, higher prices, more debt

State of Taxation

State Motto: “If it moves—tax it. If it makes money—tax it. If it’s dead—tax it to make sure.”

State Capitol: Wherever You Suckers Live, U.S.A.

Secret Mission: It’s no secret.

State Bird: Bonestripping Vulture

Main Products: Tax audits, fear, uncertainty, bad economics.

The Bureaucratic State

State Motto: “Let’s all be like the Post Office.”

State Capital: Every Nook & Cranny, U.S.A.

Secret Mission: Keep them waiting. Then, when they reach the front of the line, tell them they’re too late.

State Bird: Belligerent Buzzard

Main Products: Long lines, forms to fill out, more lines.

The Entitlement State

State Motto: “So What if Medicare Bankrupts the Country. We’ll just pay the doctors less.”

State Capital: (We had to sell the farm.)

Secret Mission: ObamaCare for All

State Bird: Portly Pigeon

Main Products: Dependency and Bankruptcy

The Welfare State

State Motto: “Food Stamps for All.”

State Capital: Detroit.

Secret Mission: Turn the country into a huge Detroit.

State Bird: Mooching Magpie

Main Products: Slums.

State of Denial

State Motto: “Ignore that we’re bankrupt, and keep spending money we don’t really have”

State Capital: Washington, DC

Secret Mission: Keep denying there’s a problem.

State Bird: The Oblivious Ostrich

Main Products: Excuses and denials.

State of Uncertainty

State Motto: “Keep them guessing—always.”

State Capital: Wherever, U.S.A.

Secret Mission: Even we don’t know what our secret mission is.

State Bird: Dodo Bird

Main Products: ObamaCare, and Unemployment.

Finally, we come to the one State that still has the power to save our assess from the Piranha States

State of Awareness

State Motto: “Learn what’s happening. Think. Trust Yourself. Take action.”

State Capital: Wherever You Are, and willing to question authority

Secret Mission: (That’s our secret.)

State Bird: The Eagle

Main Products: Knowledge, Thought and Action; Intellectual Ammunition, including the great books and documents of liberty.

In the meantime, start spending more time in the State of Awareness. Won't cost you airfare because you’re already there. Welcome. Let’s get busy.

“If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom.”—Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Ken West is a former U.S. Army paratrooper and the author of Get What You Want available worldwide on Amazon.com and other fine online booksellers. West is a former President of the New England Chapter of the National Speakers Association, and Association of Objectivist Businessmen. He is currently the Program Manager for an international training and consulting firm.

How to Get New Customers in a Bad Economy

2013-07-14T21:33:00.001-04:00

There’s a guy on the sidewalk selling something. I pass by without stopping.

“Next time, I’ll get you,” he shouts to me good naturedly.

I turn and walk back to him. He sits on a black plastic milk crate, a young guy with some front teeth missing.

“What are you selling?” I ask.

“Smiles and greetings,” says the guy.

“How’s business,” says I.

He smiles, slaps his knee, shakes his head. “Not too bad, but I haven’t got you as a customer yet.”

So, I reach in my wallet, pull out a dollar bill and put it in his collection cup. “OK, I’m a customer now.”

“Thank you, sir,” he says, and gives me his best, top-of-the-line smile. “Have a great day and I’ll see you soon, I hope.”

I smile back and head down the street to check the job listings at the unemployment office. For some reason the guy’s smile made me feel a lot better. Few people, even when I was working, bothered to smile at me. The guy on the black plastic milk crate now has a new customer.

Ken West, a former U.S. Army paratrooper, is author of Get What You Want! available worldwide on Amazon.com and other online booksellers. In the U.S. at http://bit.ly/alF9vp. He is currently Project Manager for The Fusion Group, Ltd. in Weston, Florida, an international training company focused on communication, sales, management, and strategy.

Revolutionary Energy Source Discovered

2013-07-04T10:11:00.002-04:00

Cartoon by Tom White

Reported by Ken West

NEWS FLASH > > > We interrupt this program to bring you this important announcement:

The United States Government, along with seventeen-hundred other governmental agencies, has developed a revolutionary, renewable energy source (illustrated above).

Special thanks, however, goes out to the…

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Department of Commerce (DOC)

Department of Education (ED)

Department of Energy (DOE)

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Department of Labor (DOL)

Department of State (DOS)

Department of the Interior (DOI)

Department of the Treasury

Department of Transportation (DOT)

And, of course, lest we forget … the NSA.

Special kudos to ObamaCare for turbo-charging the spinning Forefather.

We urge you to share this important announcement with your family, friends, and colleagues.

The Cornerstone of American Culture

2013-07-03T19:56:00.001-04:00

Follow this link for this special Independence Day message, brought to you by The Fusion Group, Ltd.

The Cornerstone of American Culture