OLD BLOG- Bones Rodriguez- Actor,Author, Entrepreneur

I shoot a commercial for... AARP!?!?!

2011-01-19T22:54:00.000-08:00

I went to an audition for AARP, and my agent giggled. Then I went to the call back, and I posted that on facebook, and my friends had a ball making "You're getting old" jokes.

But then I actually Booked the commercial!!! Thankfully, I am not yet the subject of an AARP commercial, but I was proud to be a part of it, and we had fun shooting it. The woman who is the subject took a zillion takes of the same thing over and over, and she kept the same level of heart-tugging the whole day. I was an upper-middle income shopper in the same store. Fun day, and MANY, MANY jokes on facebook!

This is for a GAME??

2011-01-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

The video below is a preview for a video game.
This video game is from the Writer of Red Dawn and Apocalypse Now.
It is another step towards the end of movies, and everything becoming
video games instead:

I think I'd better start doing voice overs for games FAST!!

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Got to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

2011-01-19T16:46:00.001-08:00

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

This Blog is no Longer in Use- Go to http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

What kind of PERSON do we want America to be?

2010-11-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

People are always talking about America being a world leader in this and that, and I wonder how true that is. We've been losing ground in every area, just like someone who got comfortable with their lead, and then just stopped trying to be better.

That made me wonder what kind of PERSON we want America to be in the world scene. If every country were a person in high school, who would America be? I se us lately as becoming a bully, as someone who is really dumb, getting dumber, but has an amazing sense of self-confidence.

He (most definitely is a man) likes to flex his muscles and threaten people from doing whatever he doesn't agree with. He also thinks his religion is the best, and everyone should speak his language.

But what kind of a person do we WANT America to be? Well, for me I'd like someone who is respectful of other ideas and beliefs, who is popular among the crowd- not because he kisses ass, but because he values other people. I would also like to see him (that's right- him) study and learn as he goes along, looking for who can help, and giving other people help where ever he can.

I'd like to see him invited to the barmitzvah's, the quincineras, and the mosques not becuase people want to convert him, but because they respect him and his spirit.

I would like to see a kind but firm person- someone who understands fairness and justice, someone who seeks to promote understanding rather than forceful compliance.

Financially, I think we're headed towards America being a workaholic that values nothing other than the bottom line, at the expense of family, health, future, past, contribution.

As we move towards the future, I'm going to use this idea to help me make different decisions about what I want my country to be like when I vote.
What do YOU think?

From Neale Donald Walsch...

2010-10-14T11:26:00.001-07:00

I got a great message today from Neale Donald Walsch, and I thought I'd pass it on...

"On this day of your life, Bones, I believe God wants you to know...

....that love is not what you want, it is what you are. It is very important to not get these two confused.

If you think that love is what you want, you will go searching for it all over the place. If you think love is what you are, you will go sharing it all over the place. The second approach will cause you to find what the searching will never reveal.

Yet you cannot give love in order to get it. Doing that is as much as saying you do not now have it. And that statement will, of course, be your reality. No, you must give love because you haveit to give. In this will you experience your own possession of it."

Who would YOU rather be like?

2010-10-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

WHat a great new video for HUB, with Spryte's warm voice over it.
If you'd like to make a difference in the world, and in your own life,
then GET WITH IT and join HUB today:

Click HERE and join HUB today!

Your Dollars, Your Choice

2010-09-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Humanity Unites Brilliance created a new short video to promote some of the ideas that we are working to get into the common consciousness. This video "Your Dollars, Your Choice" makes a great short arguement for what our world SHOULD be:

If you dig it, CLICK HERE to visit YourDollarsYourChoice.org

A true Duck Story- How We Can Help!

2010-09-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

A wonderful story of how we can help each other.

A True Duck Story from San Antonio , Texas
Something really cute happened in downtown San Antonio this week. Michael R. is an accounting clerk at Frost Bank and works there in a second story office. Several weeks ago, he watched a mother duck choose the concrete awning outside his window as the unlikely place to build a nest above the sidewalk. The mallard laid ten eggs in a nest in the corner of the planter that is perched over 10 feet in the air. She dutifully kept the eggs warm for weeks, and Monday afternoon all of her ten ducklings hatched.

Michael worried all night how the momma duck was going to get those babies safely off their perch in a busy, downtown, urban environment to take to water, which typically happens in the first 48 hours of a duck hatching.

Tuesday morning, Michael watched the mother duck encourage her babies to the edge of the perch with the intent to show them how to jump off. Office work came to a standstill as everyone gathered to watch.

The mother flew down below and started quacking to her babies above. In disbelief Michael watched as the first fuzzy newborn trustingly toddled to the edge and astonishingly leapt into thin air, crashing onto the cement below. Michael couldn't stand to watch this risky effort nine more times! He dashed out of his office and ran down the stairs to the sidewalk where the first obedient duckling, near its mother, was resting in a stupor after the near-fatal fall. Michael stood out of sight under the awning-planter, ready to help.

As the second one took the plunge, Michael jumped forward and caught it with his bare hands before it hit the concrete. Safe and sound, he set it down it by its momma and the other stunned sibling, still recovering from that painful leap. (The momma must have sensed that Michael was trying to help her babies.)

One by one the babies continued to jump. Each time Michael hid under the awning just to reach out in the nick of time as the duckling made its free fall. At the scene the busy downtown sidewalk traffic came to a standstill. Time after time, Michael was able to catch the remaining eight and set them by their approving mother.

At this point Michael realized the duck family had only made part of its dangerous journey. They had two full blocks to walk across traffic, crosswalks, curbs and past pedestrians to get to the closest open water, the San Antonio River , site of the famed "River Walk." The on looking office secretaries and several San Antonio police officers joined in. An empty copy-paper box was brought to collect the babies.

They carefully corralled them, with the mother's approval, and loaded them in the container. Michael held the box low enough for the mom to see her brood. He then slowly navigated through the downtown streets toward the San Antonio River The mother waddled behind and kept her babies in sight, all the way.

As they reached the river, the mother took over and passed him, jumping in the river and quacking loudly.

At the water's edge, Michael tipped the box and helped shepherd the babies toward the water and to the waiting mother after their adventurous ride.

All ten darling ducklings safely made it into the water and paddled up snugly to momma. Michael said the mom swam in circles, looking back toward the beaming bank bookkeeper, and proudly quacking.

At last, all present and accounted for: "We're all together again. We're here! We're here!"

And here's a family portrait before they head outward to further adventures.. .

Like all of us in the big times of our life, they never could have made it alone without lots of helping hands.

I think it gives the name of San Antonio 's famous "River Walk" a whole new meaning! Maybe you will want to share this story with others. Doctor York told me she had forwarded it to 20 people. It's too good to lose!

How to Start a Movement

2010-05-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Derek Sivers ends this obvious lesson with a twist that I hadn't thought of:

Fair Trade Coffee from HUB

2010-05-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Fair Trade Coffee creates FREEDOM for farmers in other parts of the world;
that's why I'm helping:

CLICK HERE TO HELP THE FARMERS

The Zeitgeist Addendum Movie- Watch this NOW!

2010-03-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

This movie may change your entire life... not a joke. Lately I've been talking about a lot of different ideas that are in this film, and I think I somehow asked the Universe to send it to me. I hope you watch the whole thing:

If you liked it, CLICK HERE

A Great New Segment on HUB

2009-09-09T13:24:00.001-07:00

This is a great short segment on Humanity Unites Brilliance, and how the model of giving is changing.

Looks a little kooky with everyone holding hands, but maybe it shouldn't.

Calgary's Homeless Musicians sing for their center...

2009-08-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

We Congratulate the Calgary Musicians & the Calgary Drop In Centre
and we THANK HUB Impact Associate Louise Gallagher - Production Manager

Homeless musicians from the Drop In Centre in Calgary, along with local musicians, stand together in this spirited rendition of Ben E. King's Stand by Me. In their standing together to perform this powerful song, hope is strengthened, spirits rise, and lives are changed. HUB Impact Associate Louise Gallagher of the DI was the Production Manager of this video.

What a great job- again, HUBBIES from all over the world are filling in the gaps!
Thank you Louise Gallagher!!

Training by MEGAPHONE...

2009-08-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is a Video from the StarShine Training in Liberia- 700 People showed up!
The power went out (it happens), so the women had to teach by MEGAPHONE!
Where there's a will, there's a way!

liberia_8-20-3B_s_with_Megaphone.MOV - DivShare

Rare footage of Helen Keller Speaking...

2009-08-27T20:03:00.001-07:00

Look at the love that these women have for each other... it's amazing:

Patience and love- what can't they do?

Former KKK leader: "How one old black man defeated the klan"

2009-08-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Great story as told by Johhny Lee Clary, Former Ku Klux Klan leader about meeting Reverend Wade Watts:

When we use our heart, how far can we go?

The Bumpy Road to a New Computer Training Center

2009-08-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

Spryte Loriano, fresh off Liberia’s largest teacher training in its history, heads out to the countryside to follow up with impact programs in the rural areas.

This is her report:

The HUB/StarShine 3-Day Teacher Training may be over for now, but now the journey of impact continues this week into the “interior” of Liberia. The road to Grand Bassa County and the city of Buchannan took us five hours on Saturday, which was slower than usual, due to a cautious driver on very bumpy roads – the usual joke from visitors is, “I like a little road with my potholes.” I must be getting use to being knocked around by the roads in Liberia, for I actually slept most of the way there – either that, or I was just exhausted from the excitement and energy of the previous few days!

Upon arrival, we dropped off a new generator and two new computers to complete first round of ten computers at the Youth Action International Computer Training Center!

This center is the fulfillment of a promise made to the youth of Grand Bassa over a year ago, when Charlie and I first visited in July 2008. The center will provide consecutive 3-month training programs in Microsoft Office Suite to 64 youth. They will receive a Certificate of Completion and the skills to give them a leg up in finding employment. As funding for the center is completed, this building will also house a reading library for the youth with internet access and additional computers to download empowerment programs and audios. This is where HUB Faculty will be able to share their brilliance directly with the youth of this rural community, who are hungry for knowledge and an opportunity for them to grow into the future leaders of their country and the global community.

This is the only program of its kind in Buchannan. What makes it different is the cost. The current computer training program that exists in Buchannan is not accessible to most youth because it costs $200US. When you realize that most professional teachers, for example, in Liberia are paid anywhere from $30 to $100 per month, and most youth don’t have access to good paying jobs – this training is just out of reach. YAI charges the students a one-time registration fee of $10.00. As you can imagine, the youth are lining up early to fill out their applications, with hopes of being the first to be trained. Over 200 young people will apply for this quarter, but only 64 will be chosen. They are chosen based on their current level of education (high school grad’s or pending graduation), their age (they must be under 30), and their dreams and goals, as YAI wants to be sure that the most ambitious and driven students have the opportunity to expand their skills first.

This program is essential to this rural community. It will help aspiring rural youth compete for access into still a limited university system, and it will provide a more skilled employment base in the rural areas for the businesses that are re-establishing themselves after the war. Once a thriving, resort area, Buchannan, like the rest of Liberia is picking itself back up, and hopes to once again become a fine destination spot for tourists. Personally, I think it’s one of the most beautiful, lush landscapes on the ocean I’ve ever seen, and coupled with the tranquility, kindness and peacefulness of its inhabitants, Buchannan and it’s lovely people feels like home and is a place that has my heart.

from Grand Bassa with love … Spryte, HUB Chief Humanitarian Officer

PLEASE NOTE: Anyone called to donate Computers and/or shipping of computers to Liberia please contact executive@hubhub.org

The United States of King Midas...

2009-08-26T08:48:00.001-07:00

In case you don't know the story, King Midas was granted one wish by Dionysus, and he wished that everything he touched be turned into Gold. He soon realized that he couldn't eat or drink, because everything he touched was turned into gold. Seeing his despair, his daughter hugged him, and she too turned into gold.

Starving and distraught, Midas begged Dionysus to take back his golden touch and to return everything to how it was. Dionysus made Midas wash his wish away in the river, and restored his daughter. King Midas then lived with less gold, but felt "richer" because he appreciated everything a lot more... He went back to being a regular King (!).

If you see The United States as King Midas, I think there are a few parallels we can see:

1- The U.S. has been king in many areas, but it hasn't been enough; our "golden touch" country has citizens who are homeless, starving, and sick. Our food industry poisons us because it creates more gold for the companies.

2- We reduce our citizens to assets or liabilities depending on whether they are producing or consuming- many of our citizens are virtual slaves, whose sole purpose is to work to pay off debts.

3- We are turning our children into golden statues, teaching them to get money-producing jobs over expanding their minds and finding happiness through their contribution to our kingdom.

The United States has had this "Golden Touch" for many generations now, as the sole purpose for doing anything in our culture is to create money. Just about everything we do has the "does it make money?" question attached, and it justifies products that kill like cigarettes, services that let people die, like health insurance, and entire industries that destroy our planet like logging.

I'm far from being one of these lefty-pinko-commie guys- I thoroughly believe in the profit motive- but I don't believe that the profit motive should be the ONLY question.

I think this generation can be the one that washes the wish for the golden touch from our bodies, and instead go back to the wish of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".

If you like this post, you may also like "The Bottom Line Vs. Humanity"

The Bottom Line vs. Humanity

2009-08-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

A woman's husband gets a terrible sickness, and is denied coverage from their carrier. The husband dies. The woman says "we were covered, but they decided not to pay- I thought they were here to help us."

WRONG. And that's the problem with our capitalist system:

It's focus is THE BOTTOM LINE- nothing else.

It assumes that the "best" business (meaning the one that helps the most people) will be rewarded the most. Under the classic capitalist idea that would be true, but it is NOT true in practice. I'm a BIG Ayn Rand fan and all of that, but there's no point in arguing theory versus truth.

The ONLY focus of a business is to count the profits, so it gets more investors, who want to grow their profits together, there is NO OTHER CONCERN.

That means if a product is dangerous, but it makes money- it is JUSTIFIED.
If a business kills people (or, more to the point, lets them die), it is JUSTIFIED.

The BOTTOM LINE is never looking out for Humans. It has NO concern whatsoever other than increasing itself. However, in our system, humans are also only looking out for the bottom line.

And it's time to change that.

I am thrilled to see so many companies coming out under the realization that the bottom line is not enough- that HUMAN BEINGS have to come first, and then profits second.

That does NOT mean there are no profits, it means they aren't FIRST.

How would YOU like to take part in something like that?

Try this: CLICK HERE.

Today’s Word…Wow!

2009-08-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

Today’s Word…Wow!

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Written by: sprytel

Hope for Liberian Teachers have been returned to them this week. 15 years of war saw practically all teachers flee or be killed. Now through HUB’s teacher training program with Phoenix-based StarShine Academy and Youth Action International, hope has returned and a plan to bring education to a country has been fostered.

Spryte Loriano, HUB’s Chief Humanitarian Officer, files this momentous Day 3 report from the Civic Assembly Hall, Monrovia Liberia:

“Trish wanted to ‘wow’ them today, our over 600 student Teachers in the HUB/StarShine Teacher Training.

So we arrived exactly at 10:00am when the workshop was to begin. We arrived through the back door that lets us directly onto the stage. And the four of us – Trish, Jan, Amber and myself were wearing traditional Liberian dresses complete with headwraps! As soon as they saw us appear on stage from behind our makeshift screen, they began cheering, applauding, hooting and stomping for us in appreciation of our outfits! We ran to the front for a big bow, and Trish told them that we wanted to honor them today, and to share ‘our gratitude’ to them for showing up in droves each day! They went wild in appreciation for us – and we all got very teary.

It was a day of continued learning. It was also a day of clarity for them, as today we rolled out our complete plan to them. The topics I covered with them was what they will receive when they are in complete partnership with us, and what we expect of them to uphold their responsibilities to the program.

Here’s the plan: They receive…

Student manuals for each of the students they teach for School Year 2009; Student manuals for each year for those who follow the requirements of the program; the opportunity to receive additional training from StarShine; the opportunity to earn US college credits from Maricopa Colleges (Phoenix, AZ); and a Community Resource Center – a HUB in the center of Monrovia just for them, where there will be computers, internet and additional training provided on an on-going basis, and where they can ‘connect, create and collaborate’ with their fellow teacher community!

The applause and cheering was deafening after reading off each line!

Here’s what we asked of them…

To respond within two weeks, when their student manuals arrive, with the first of the tracking information on all of their students; a response within 2 weeks on all communications requesting updates and reports and to fill out all forms we send them for tracking purposes completely; regular status and update reports filled out for themselves and for all of their students over the school year.

Kimmie told us after the day was over, how surprised he was at the turnout through the entire workshop, ‘Normally in a training of this kind, you would see the full amount come the first day, then the attendance slowly dwindle as the workshop progresses; but not in this case. We were all happily surprised that every single person attended all three days, and stayed for every moment. They received a great value – and they knew it.’

The day did not end without some mishap – which I’ve found common working in Liberia. We ran out of Certificates for Graduation! So while 90% received their graduation certificates, about 10% had to wait almost two hours after the ceremony to receive it. And, EVERY one of them stayed! Each person shook our hands, gave us hugs and told us of the deep appreciation they have to us and all of our supporters.

Over and over we heard a similar comment from teachers and principals who look you deeply in your eyes with authenticity and soul, ‘During the war, many of the brightest of Liberians fled, and the others were killed. We are desperate for education to rebuild those who are here into leaders for a peaceful, sound country. We thank you so much for traveling across the sea to help us! We are deeply grateful to you.’

And at the end, after dancing to two rounds of ‘Mama Liberia,’ one of the most fantastic, rhythmic and exciting national songs I’ve ever experienced, THEY requested, yet one more time….’Fly Like an Eagle!’ and we all sang and danced together as a community in partnership for education, empowerment and sustainability for all.

Where else but HUB can you be a part of this kind of miracle and know that you are not only contributing from financial support, but that because you allow yourself to be in a ‘giving-receiving model,’ you are also in a true partnership of ‘empowerment’ for all? Each of you, will have the opportunity to partner with these pioneers of education and change in various ways.”

You will find out how very soon!

Day Two – Empowering Teachers to Change Their Country!

2009-08-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 21st, 2009
Written by: Lois

Today’s report filed by Spryte Loriano, Chief Humanitarian Officer, HUB:

Today was a day like none other – we thought that the worst was behind us from the pandemonium of trying to register so many people the first day! And arriving in the morning, Kimmie and his staff plus over 20 volunteers were already there leading a smooth as silk process for the second day. The world seemed perfect – I went upstage and the Audio/Visual manager was preparing and testing his equipment, the camera technician was setting up – all was right with the world. And then five minutes into the training of the day, Trish and Jan were on stage, having a ball, and so was the audience – and the audio equipment completely stopped working! There is no way in a crowded auditorium such as this that one could possibly shout loud enough for all to hear – so we did the next best thing… I ran out to the lobby and grabbed the MEGA-PHONE from Kimmie!

Can you imagine trying to teach your class with one mega-phone between two speakers? But these girls pulled it off with grace and class and lots of laughs at their expense that everyone just rolled with without a single complaint from them or the audience – I’m sure that’s not an all too uncommon occurrence to this audience! And gratefully, we were back up with microphones in about an hour.

A few startling facts that surfaced during the day…

Trish asked the 600 teachers how many of them had ever used a computer – about ten hands raised!

She asked how many had a television – about five raised their hands!

She asked how many watched at least one television show during a week – less than 20 raised their hands!

And when she was teaching about how to share reading skills with their classes and taught them that the average person uses only 220 words every day in ALL of their conversations, and that this was the basis for books wisely written by Dr. Seuss, specifically “The Cat in the Hat,” and asked how many knew about Dr. Seuss books – ONE person raised his hand!

A sobering experience, and one that speaks so loudly as to the mission that we are on. How can people be empowered to exist on an equal playing field in the world economy without access to the resources that so much of the developed nations take for granted?

But what Liberians do have is the newspaper. I have been amazed since my first visit to Liberia by the number of people I see in the streets reading a newspaper…it is their only access to what is current, relevant and possible in their own country and beyond. And they read it fervently and daily.

One of the programs we support through YAI is national school libraries. I remember visiting here in March, when we were dedicating the first of such libraries at the Special Project High School in Monrovia. I asked Kimmie Weeks what he felt it meant to the students to have a library. He responded, “Well, for most of us, it would actually seem strange and absurd to have a school and not to have a library in it. So for these students, it means everything to them to have access to text books, non-fiction and fiction books that they can use to dig deeper into their lessons and expand their thinking. It will open a whole new world of opportunity and possibility for them.”

Trish and her team went on to share with them ways in which they could empower themselves with the resources they did have to expect the best of themselves and their students! One of the ways that they stressed was through community service, especially around cleaning up their environments and picking up trash and creating school projects of pride for the whole community. I happened to walk into the lobby at one point during the day and Kimmie introduced me to the Mayor, Mary Broh, who had come down from her office in City Hall to see what was happening. She’s famous in Monrovia for riding around in a truck with a broom and whenever she sees trash, she stops and gets out and sweeps it up herself! She has also hired a crew of street cleaners that can be seen sweeping up the streets in uniforms! She told me that it’s very difficult to engage the community in clean-up because for generations before the war, Liberians had those in society that would do “that kind of work” so though there is now massive poverty in the city, culturally it is ingrained for them not stoop so low as to clean up the streets. She said that it is her hope that she can inspire business owners to lead the charge for the rest of the community.

And the day was topped off with an experience that only those of us from the US or die-hard rock-and-roll lovers may possibly appreciate. Trish McCarty is married to Steve McCarty, formerly of the Steve Miller Band, who wrote the famous song “Fly Like an Eagle.” Though most of the teachers had never heard it before, Trish put the words of the chorus up on the screen (which is actually two pinned together sheets hanging on the back wall of City Hall) and had them all stand up to sing and dance with the song. She explained the lyrics ahead of time…”shoe the children that don’t have enough to eat; house the people, living in the streets; oohh, there’s a solution,” to which there were cheers and applause. But the greatest joy was watching them join us crazy white girls on stage flapping our arms like eagles during the chorus and seeing a sea of Liberian teachers in love with the exploration of life and love and community!

Yes, another amazing day. And an experience that they will and we will never forget.

with gratitude, Spryte

The Conscious Army - Love Is The New Religion

2009-08-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

Would you like to join us?

SOLAR WAVE of 2009 - This film was created to inspire participation in a GLOBAL EVENT that has the potential to change the world. This event is the SOLAR WAVE of 2009. This event takes place at Equinox Sunrise ~ September 22nd, 2009. WHY, You ask? Because the fate of our planet, and the quality of life for all living things is in our hands. PARADISE is in OUR HANDS!

News from StarShine Academy in Africa

2009-08-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Written by: Lois

HUB Members Field Report:

HUB members Trish McCarty, Amber Halvorson and Jan Stoop from Star Shine Academy in Phoenix, Az, are spearheading the largest teacher training in the history of Liberia organized by HUB and Youth Action International. This is their report from activities they have been witnessing.

There’s a saying in Africa that you learn within your first 24-36 hours here. Well, if you’re lucky, you learn it within 24-36 hours, because once you know it, you will be much more ready to deal with how things happen in Africa. The system and process of how things happen here is as unique as the individuals that occupy this country.

The saying is ‘D.I.A.’ meaning “Dis Is Africa.” …translation: we’re on Africa time and Africa ways….and as I can tell you from just my little experience here so far, Africa time and Africa ways are unlike any other ways I’ve ever been around. Example being, our training was scheduled to start here today Wednesday August 19, 2009 at 10:00am Local Time. The letter that Kimmie Weeks and his staff sent out stated the training started at 9:00am, taking into consideration D.I.A. This is why your ‘On the Ground’ Team is critically important.

Additionally, Kimmie and his team handled themselves like pros today. They had to deal with 400 teachers confirmed and well over 700 (we think, possibly more) actually showed up. It was a lot to deal with and they worked very hard under Kimmie’s guidance.

At one point I dove into the registration process to help. The ground versus on the stage offered an even hotter experience as the temperature must have exceeded well over 100 degrees on the floor. My clothes sticking to me and my hair wet all around my face, I looked up to see an absolute sea of people all clamoring to get in and registered. Not one to panic quickly, even I was taken aback a few times at the realization of how many people we were faced with and the look on their faces desperate to get in.

There’s an energy to a large crowd, and you can feel it. The temperature rising the closer it gets to the edge. Very close to boiling, this was as close to a crowd on the edge as I’ve ever seen or been near to.

It’s not because this is a group that’s impatient or unkind. It’s because life here is hard. It’s very difficult and, like I saw hope in the eyes of the press yesterday, I saw desperation today in the eyes of the very large crowd standing before me trying to get in to a training they so very much needed and wanted.

Finally, in a large hall that is not air-conditioned, with people packed aisle to aisle and literally to the rafters, we commenced our first day of teacher training for over 600 teachers.

For as many people that were there, I have never seen a crowd so still and attentive. Ever.

After a welcome from each of our partners, Kimmie with Youth Action International and Spryte with HUB, Trish opened with an overview of StarShine, trauma and the brain, and what we would be covering over the next three days. Jan followed with an explanation of a StarShine Opening. With over 600 people on one foot breathing in and out, Jan explained why it’s important that every student start their day in a positive space and how to prepare their brains to learn by doing the StarShine Opening every day. I followed with the equally important StarShine Closing, detailing the importance of students staying in a positive space, sharing the best part of their day and stating their goal for the next day, thus keeping them excited about school until their return the following day.

All three of us were certain to detail the importance of the StarShine community, and how they can build a community both in their classroom and in the school as a whole. A large focus was also placed on the brain and what the audience could do immediately to engage their classrooms more with specific classroom techniques.

The afternoon continued with the character traits, executive protocol, goal setting, and when the door opens, to “run through it!”

The audience’s participation, respect and attentiveness was unlike anything any of us had ever seen. At times it was so moving it took everything we could to maintain our composure on stage.

We talk a lot about the pent up demand of an educational system that meets the demands of the world we live in. Those of us that have this conversation frequently readily admit it takes a kind, caring, passionate human populace that will be the carriers of such a system. Without a shadow of a doubt there were 600+ such individuals in that hot hall today. Our message as we explained it was reflected in an understanding written across everyone’s faces, and the passion for both what we know, and their deep commitment to understand it, was palpable.

In any speech or concert there is a two way message happening – one in which the presenter sends out, and one in which the crowd sends back in response to the message. By the end of the day, our presentation notes and outlines were thrown to the side and the crowd guided our content and its delivery. Today was far beyond a presentation. Today was a dialogue, and we learned as much from them as we brought to teach.

We are all better together and at no time has this been more apparent – from the partnership between Kimmie Weeks, HUB and StarShine, to our interaction with the crowd today. It took the work of many people to make this happen. Trish, Jan and I may have been physically on the stage today, but there were many, many others standing behind us.

To the StarShine family back home: your endless support to make this trip happen and your strength and ability to maintain everything while we’ve been gone has been paramount to this entire process; you were on the stage with us today.

To all of the spouses, friends and families of StarShine: we wouldn’t be where we are on this project without you. You were with us on the stage today.

To everyone else that’s done their part to help keep the StarShine project moving and keep all of the people within it smiling; you were with us on the stage today.

The world is watching and the events of today will have effects that will continue on long, long after we leave next Monday. We are working on the system that will continue to support and educate this community. Making everyone in the auditorium promise to share what they learned today with at least two other teachers empowers everyone to go out and do their part.

We’re all in this together, and our combined efforts are having a profound effect.

Thank you to you all,

Trish, Jan and Amber

CLICK HERE AND HELP US CONTINUE THIS WORK FOR ONLY $10

Liberian Press Gathers for Teacher Training Launch

2009-08-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

Written by: sprytel

The HUB/StarShine Teacher delegation’s first day in Liberia started with a press conference at the Youth Action International office. About 20 journalists from Liberia news, radio and television were there to hear about the Teacher Training and expanded programs HUB is bringing forth with a plan to impact 40,000 students.

Kimmie Weeks, founder of YAI, explained that HUB has been to Liberia four times in this past year, and as the press remembers, we were just here a few weeks ago, mid July. He explained that after the last trip, HUB recognized the urgent need for empowerment education of k-12, and that we had immediately set to work in bringing the finest education curriculum and teacher training from the US to Liberia, bringing back with us StarShine Academy, founded by HUB Member Trish McCarty, and her team of two US teachers to conduct this three-day intensive training that would help to supplement Liberia’s current education curriculum to provide US and National accreditations to 400 local teachers.

Spryte Loriano, HUB’s Chief Humanitarian Officer, explained to the press that HUB’s mission is to help transition our world from Survival through Self-Empowerment to Sustained Abundance through a unique for-profit Social Enterprise whose main objective is to recirculate profits of the company into humanitarian programs which benefit society.

She quoted Muhammad Yunus, winner of two 2006 Nobel Peace Prizes, who said “To a poor child, the most important thing is a good education,” and went on to share that HUB partnered with StarShine and our in-country partner YAI to help uplift Liberian students into being the future leaders of tomorrow through this first program which has the potential to reach 40,000 students in its first pilot year.

Trish McCarty shared StarShine’s philosophy of going beyond the basic academic skills to reach the “whole” child and to empower teachers and children through prinicples and training in public speaking, financial literacy and self-respect as the cornerstones of growing up a nation of “creative thinkers.” The HUB/StarShine delegation was welcomed and well received by the press.

New Library!

2009-08-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Written by: sprytel

Today, the HUB/StarShine delegation visited one of the schools that HUB has supported this past year to supply it the first school library and computer lab. Laurence, the Principal of the school, will be at the Teacher Training with ten of his teachers for his 720 students.

Trish and Jan at HUB-supported Elizabeth Crawford High School

In the New Library and Computer Lab

HUB and StarShine Academy partner to train 400 teachers in Liberia

2009-08-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

HUB and StarShine Academy partner to train 400 teachers in Liberia

Trish McCarty of StarShine Academy is a Founding Arc Angel HUBbie from Phoenix, Az

HUB has partnered with StarShine Academy, to provide a HUB/StarShine Quintessential Teacher Training Program to 400 teachers in Monrovia, Liberia August 19 to 21, 2009! StarShine Academy was founded by HUB Founding Arc Angel, Trish McCarty of Phoenix, AZ. Trish has built several successful companies based on creating long-term relationships with customers. She relies on her strong corporate and banking background at AT&T, Mellon, and Norwest to infuse companies with a “keep it simple” philosophy and an attitude of teamwork and accountability.

In 2000, acting on her belief that every person deserves to be educated with the best resources available, McCarty formed Education Resources to address increasingly complex and critical problems in the education market. She created joint ventures to produce proprietary educational

solutions for individuals, companies, government and schools. Partners included Gateway, Learning Station, MBNA, Insight Learning, Cox Communications and the State of Arizona.

In 2002, Mrs. McCarty opened a k-12 school for high-risk, inner-city Phoenix children to prove that with the right help, all children learn to reach for the stars, so she named the Community Learning Center: StarShine Academy In Sept. 2004, the academy hosted an international event for Peace with the United Nations Children Organization.

She has been featured in INC Magazine , the New York Times , Working Woman and several other publications. She has been recognized with awards including, Working Woman’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, Los Angeles Music Humanitarian Award, Arizona Interfaith Golden Rule Award for Education and named one of the Top 100 Women of Arizona of 2000.

StarShine Academy holds two exceptional and sought after Accreditations: NCA CASI and CITA.

Founded in 1895, North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement or NCA CASI (www.ncacasi.org) accredits over 8,500 public and private schools in 19 states, the Navajo Nation, and Department of Defense Schools. NCA CASI is an accreditation division of AdvancED. AdvancED is also the parent organization of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE).

The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation or CITA (www.citaschools.org ) is a global leader in accreditation, providing systems of accreditation around the world. CITA Standards promote quality schools and continuous improvement to enhance student success. CITA accreditation engages CITA schools in the world’s largest network of accredited schools. CITA provides customized accreditation protocols and standards for schools across the USA and for national and international schools around the world. Today, members of the CITA Alliance accredit more than 32,000 schools in 100 countries, touching over 17 million students.

STARSHINE uses a diverse approach to inspire and educate children and teachers alike.

The StarShine Academy Principles are the foundation of everything we do, teach and stand for.

Every person born is unique and perfect and on their own road to discovering their dreams and highest calling.

We are on the planet to help one another toward achieving individual goals for the Greater Good of All.

We each do the best that we can on each day, depending on what we know and understand, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy.

Music is the first language.

Beautiful, safe environments that are clean and include art, music and nature inspire creativity and help to secure man’s sustainability.

Teaching and learning gardening is a necessary part of becoming one with nature and the environment and is a means for personal health and community building.

Celebrating local culture and global diversity allows for a rich life.

Practice Connect versus Convince; Exercise Compassion versus Judgment, Love versus Fear.

Individuals practice being Ambassadors for their own country as well as a country other than their own.

Co-learning demonstrates that every person is a teacher and every teacher is a student.

Financial literacy fosters hope, belief and abundance as it facilitates a wise use of assets.

Partnering and mentoring fosters interdependence toward building common ground, as in “the world agrees on time so everyone can communicate.”

Holistic education explains that each event reinforces all. The pursuit of success and happiness, both individually and collectively, must include body, mind, spirit, health and wealth.

Leveraging technology facilitates connecting people; personal contact is vital.

World peace is a result of individual peace.

The Quintessential Teacher Training that will be delivered in Monrovia, Liberia August 19 to 21st was first taught on July 28, 2008 to 25 StarShine teachers. The focus of the training was to provide training for teacher’s individual, personal commitment toward body, mind, spirit, health, wealth and happiness and to give the teachers a foundation of support and vision for the change that they are creating within each of their students, as well as the world.

QTT has a proprietary and proven way to bring cutting edge solutions to administrators, teachers, volunteers or others who work, particularly in schools known for their high risk student population. Through reenergizing teachers, these students, in the US and around the world, are lead into the discovery and fulfillment of their very destiny. At the earliest ages students begin to live purposeful, passionate, prosperous…and peace-full lives.

CNN films HUB/YAI

2009-08-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

CNN films HUB/YAI

HUB is to be on CNN!

CNN sent a film crew to feature Kimmie Weeks during the July HUB Purposing trip. The program, “Voices in Africa,” is projected to start airing worldwide on CNN towards the end of August 2009.

Kimmie has certainly become a major voice in Africa as probably the continent’s most acclaimed youth activist. Billboards with his picture and quotes to empower the youth of Liberia are located on road sides around the capital.

The feature was arranged by HUB UK’s Daniella Boutin and followed HUB and Kimmie’s YAI visiting multiple impact locations, as well as featuring one on one interviews. CNN is now in talks to produce a Social Enterprise program dedicated to the HUB business model.

Since its launch in 2008, HUB has attracted regular positive news features in the USA from FOX (Miracle on Main Street, Homeless in LA and The Obama Bracelet) as well as in Canada as HUB Calgary GAVE BIG http://www.divshare.com/download/5480143-5f7.

“As soon as we arrived in Liberia, Kimmie and I were featured on a 2-hour talk radio program across the country and then, after an initial press conference, HUB’s first year impact in Liberia was detailed prominently in the national newspapers. It is good to move from “we are planning” to “we have accomplished xyz and look forward to continued expanded programs,” states Charlie. ”The CNN pieces just continue to add credibility for our members to share HUB more effectively. Spryte and I were delighted to bring this attention to Kimmie and the extraordinary developments we witness in Liberia.”

Inspirational Tool Of The Week

2009-08-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Professor Muhammad Yunus

Medal of Freedom Recipient

HUB's birth coincided with us hosting two events for Professor Muhammad
Yunus, the world's pioneer of social enterprise. He encouraged Charlie with
words about moving forward as a for-profit business, circulating dollars
and focusing education and enterprise as our core impact. We have followed
this counsel.

Last week Dr. Yunus received the Medal of Freedom from

President Obama, and his long-time colleague and HUB speaker Sam Daley
Harris, chairman of the Micro Credit Summit, wrote this news item featured
in HUB News. Included on the page with the article is an interview with Charlie Rose.

Click here to read the article and hear the interview.

Shine Week

2009-08-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

August 16th through August 22nd

Greetings, HUB members!

When we birthed HUB, I had learned much as executive
director of the Sole of Africa with Nelson Mandela as patron, and was
influenced greatly by Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

The biggest lesson these great teachers gave us was that in our quest to make
poverty disappear, we must first see the developing world shift from just
receiving aid to giving valued products made within their own communities. This means both in farming and energy to
deal with malnutrition, and in the making of products for an expanding global
market place

This week, HUB's community, with your essential support, starts to carry
out a program which may have the greatest long-term impact in Liberia
emergence.

With Youth Action International and one of our education partners, Star Shine
Academy, HUB is embarking on a program teaching teachers... starting
with 400 of them!

Mandela stated, as many have since, "We must teach the fisherman to fish."

HUB is not only giving the fish until the fisherman gets the fishing rod,
BUT now we are teaching teachers to inspire and educate an entire generation.

As we all move together towards a Future Worth Choosing, HUB thanks you
and asks for you to embrace and take action around this vital program as we
unveil the details to you.

LOST GENERATION- a must see.

2009-08-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

I love this video- Brilliant work:

What is YOUR Gift?

2009-08-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

I think Charlie Gay delivers a great talk about what you might want to do with your life, and what contribution you want to make to the world. It was originally just an audio, but I made this quick video just for the heck of it:

Of course, he is doing some fantastic stuff with HUB, and I'm super-glad to be part of the team. If you'd like to watch this video externally:

GO HERE

Unlock Your Inner Wisdom, and Impact Our World!

2009-08-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

This presentation has been designed to unlock our natural wisdom and provide us with powerful insights and tools that will help us manifest our highest visions in life.

We will learn about three simple keys that can activate our true leadership potential:

1) The key of PURPOSE to help us connect us with our True-selves and discover why we are here on this planet.

2) The key of PRESENCE to help us connect with our team members and communicate from a place of power and authenticity.

3) The key of PASSION to help us connect with the people we are called forth to serve and take inspired action that will positively impact their lives.

Finally we will learn how to align our purpose, presence and passion to become visionary leaders and co-creators of a more prosperous, peaceful and sustainable world.

Listen to a clip from last week's session NOW:

- Visionary leaders are those who operate from the vision that we are all One and understand that the best example of leadership is leadership by example. Instead of motivating others to change, they become the change themselves so that others feel inspired to follow their vision - a vision that is not fueled by any personal material gain, but by our desire to be of service to others.

This Week: The Key of Purpose

Last week's wealth teleseminar taught us about the events that Trigger people to buy:

This week Craig Elias continues his four week series by sharing three simple strategies to get more customers and a bigger downline by getting to those who recently experienced a Trigger Event, before anyone else.

Craig Elias is the winner of a $1,000,000 prize in a global Billion Dollar Idea pitch competition and the creator of Trigger Event Selling™, Craig has for almost 20 years been a top sales performer at EVERY company he has worked for - including WorldCom where he was named the #1 salesperson within six months of joining the company.

Craig's knowledge of Trigger Events has resulted in coverage on NBC news, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Sales and Marketing magazine, and having his last company chosen by Dow Jones as one of the 50 most promising companies in North America.

Charlie Gives a One Year Status Update of HUB! Watch Now!

2009-08-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

Charlie Gives a One Year Status Update of HUB! Watch Now!

Charlie gives a status update from Liberia one year after HUB’s initial impact there.

My recent trip to Liberia…

2009-08-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

My recent trip to Liberia…

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Written by: annette_mccoy

My recent trip to Liberia as part of the HUB team was the jewel in the crown of my 7 week overseas fact finding tour.

What an amazing experience; a privilege to meet so many people from this small, war ravaged yet pulsing and loving country; my honour to meet such inspirational and dedicated souls as Kimmie Weeks, Head of Youth Action International and the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Both these people have been born to lead. Ellen and Kimmie are both determinedly focussed on ensuring that every Liberian citizen has a sustainable, healthy and productive life.

So we witnessed these two dedicated leaders in action and in doing so we also saw many others keen to make a difference in their lives and so enhance the lives of those around them.

At the Enabled Project we shared with several young men who have been maimed by landmines.

Annette McCoy, HUB Member with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia

Through the inaugural Empowerment Course for Women Graduation ceremony we met proud, enthusiastic and determined women keen to make a difference in their lives and those of their families by creating businesses using their new skills and confidence.

In a country where most people could tell horrific stories of torture, destruction and grief beyond belief, I was moved and inspired by the love and gratitude, acceptance and forgiveness.

My week in Liberia has verified my belief that we in the ‘western world” which is driven by materialism, greed and fear have much to learn from our counterparts in the “third world” who are rich in the assets that count

Annette McCoy, HUB Member – Purposing Your Brilliance – Liberia ‘09

Photos from Liberia “Purposing Your Brilliance”

2009-08-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Photos from Liberia “Purposing Your Brilliance”

Friday, August 7th, 2009

: Spryte at the Women’s Center showing off their products

: Elizabeth with Becky School Children

: Chief Humanitarian Officer, Spryte Loriano with Children at Grand Bossa

: HUB Member Hermia Nelson at womens center

: Book Gifting thanks to I Am Foundation

: CNN recording Kimmie Weeks and Cynthia Kersey

: Elizabeth at Heaven’s Hill

: Elizabeth with teachers at womens center

: HUB Group in Liberia

: Children impacted by the Orphanage Programs

: New Latrine at Elwou Orphange – donated by HUBie Cynthia Kersey!

: Charlie’s favorite position during Purposings

Impact Program Updates: Liberia

2009-08-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Impact Program Updates: Liberia

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Projects supported through Youth Action International

EDUCATION

Liberia Programs

Community Women’s Center

This is the first center of its kind in post-war Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. HUB helped support its opening phase, as well as supports the ongoing education and training through its six curriculums: Sewing, Tie-die, Interior Design, Beading, Baking, Cosmetology. The first year of the program supported 75 students involved in a six month education and training. In July 09, this first group of women graduated (62 in all) with a certificate of completion and a grant to start their own business. Though they are given a grant, it is agreed that each woman will pay back a portion of her business income weekly into a POOL that will continue to build and support future classes and groups of women! In addition to their training we are also working with them to create fair-trade products viable to a global market that we can offer for sale in HUB’s online Global Village. We have already purchased hundreds of dollars of products and the sales orders continue to grow.

The 2010 school year will have a class of 300 women!

Becky Primary School

HUB Faculty Member Cynthia Kersey donates completion funds to build Becky Primary

Serving 600 students in Margibi County, this is the largest school project generated by Youth Action International. HUB funding has helped to begin building the foundation of the school, as well as organize the design and planning of the entire project as well as will fund the library and computer learning center. The completion of the build-out of the largest primary school in this county is funded by HUB Faculty Leader, Cynthia Kersey through her Unstoppable Giving Challenge.

Temas Orphanage

Serving 78 children, the Temas Orphanage has received funding from HUB for all of its furnishings. When we first visited them in July of last year, they had no furniture in the main room and study area, as well as no beds or mattresses. Now the orphanage has school chalk board, tables and chairs for study area, couches and chairs for main lounge area and bunk beds with fine mattresses for both the boy’s and the girl’s dorms.

Spryte imitating HUBie Marilyn Powers of the I Am Foundation, during the book gifting of 500 I Am Affirmation books to Elwou Orphanage

School Library Projects

HUB has helped to fund the first of three Libraries through Youth Action International. The Special Project High School in Monrovia (serving 1000 students), The Lakerri Mission Library and Becky Primary School (serving 600 students). The funding of the projects paid for the gathering and delivering of all the books, including complete sets of school text books from algebra to science, encyclopedias, dictionary’s, and fiction and non-fiction titles (many of which were donated to YAI) representing an exceptional cross-section, the shelving, tables and chairs for the libraries, and computers.

Mother Goose Teacher Training and Early Childhood Education

YAI is piloting a program with 65 schools that have received a year long Mother Goose Preschool curriculum, that comes complete with teacher training, and each month packaged as a “program in a bag” that includes directions for projects and many of the supplies! If successful, YAI already has the cooperation and financial backing from the Minister of Education to roll this program out nationwide. HUB is proud to be able to support these exceptional educational projects in partnership with YAI. Through HUB’s consistent and sustainable model, we are able to help make this and other important early to secondary education programs possible.

Project Enabled

Currently supporting 75 disabled war affected youth and adults through education and the global marketplace. HUB last year helped to retrofit a building for the official training and education center. This year we have helped fund two of the first vocational training programs: Sewing and Wood Crafts. We are also supporting this program by working with them to create fair-trade products viable to a global market that we can offer for sale in HUB’s online Global Village.

Sustainable Youth Agricultural Project in Grand Bassa

The first Sustainable Youth Agricultural Program for YAI and HUB

The first environmentally conscious planting, harvesting, exporting of natural plants to Liberia such as cayenne pepper, kasava, cocoa and more, on a pilot lot of 50 acres that has been granted to YAI for youth educational and vocational training in Grand Bassa and the creation of sustainable agricultural projects. HUB has also supported YAI in the launching of a nationwide campaign that will inspire the war affected youth of Liberia to leave the overcrowded, high unemployment capital of Monrovia, and create employment and commerce in the rural communities through sustainable agricultural projects like this. Once successful this sustainable agriculture program will roll out to a total of 4000 acres.

A Champion of Yes We Can

2009-08-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

A Champion of Yes We Can

Friday, August 7th, 2009

When President Obama presents the Medal of Freedom to 16 distinguished American and international “agents of change” at a White House ceremony on August 12th one of the honorees will link Mr. Obama to both his past and to the future he is so committed to creating. Among the 16 leaders who will receive America’s highest civilian honor is Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, which makes tiny loans for self-employment to some of the poorest people in that country. Prof. Yunus is also one of the world’s most effective champions of the “yes we can” spirit.

Decades ago the economics professor and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate described his search for new bank clients as a process of “looking for the most timid.” He wasn’t looking for the villagers who were the first to step forward to ask for a micro-loan starting at less than $10, he was looking for those who were last to come forward and who trusted their abilities the least. To those villagers he and his staff would say, “Yes you can.”

Thirty-three years later nearly 8 million members of Grameen Bank (a total of 40 million when you count their family members) are saying “yes we can” to the whole world. Since its inception Grameen Bank has lent more than $8 billion to the poor in Bangladesh.

So how does one start an enterprise that reaches nearly 40 million people in one’s own country and touches the lives of tens of millions more in replications around the world? Dr. Yunus had his own “yes we can” moment as a young economics professor who faced an agonizing famine that left him doubting his value as a teacher and as a human being.

He was so shaken by the sight of people dying of starvation that when he set foot into Jobra, the village next to his campus, all he wanted to do was to see if he could be of use to one person for one day—not 40 million—just one. It was in that village that he met a stool maker who horrified him when she explained that she earned only two cents a day for her beautiful craftsmanship. With no money to buy the bamboo she needed, Sufia Khatun was forced to borrow from a money-lender who demanded that she sell her finished stools back to him at a price he set—a price so low that she made only two cents a day profit.

When he asked whether she could earn more if she was freed from the moneylender, she told him, “Yes I can.” Professor Yunus had a student to look for other villagers who were in the same dilemma. The student found 42 people who needed a grand total of $27 to pay-off the moneylender, buy their raw materials, and sell their wares to the highest bidder. That’s right; all they needed was an average of 68 cents each. With her loan of less than $1 the stool-maker’s profits soared from two cents a day to $1.25 a day.

Now Prof. Yunus has set his sights on titans of business and industry with his social business concept and the chairmen of Dannone, Intel, and BASF are beating a “yes we can” path to his door to create new non-profit/non-loss businesses that have as their sole goal improving people’s lives. The corporations can recover their initial investments in the social businesses, but after that, all profits are plowed back into these new companies. They include a joint venture with Dannone producing nutritionally fortified yogurt for malnourished villagers, another with BASF producing chemically treated bed-nets to protect people from mosquitos carrying malaria, and still another with Intel bringing information technology solutions to rural villages.

When the US President shakes the hand of the Bangladeshi micro-banker at the White House ceremony this week, Mr. Obama will be touching his own past and the microfinance work his mother did in Indonesia. And when Professor Yunus opens the Microcredit Summit next April in Nairobi, Kenya, the micro-banker from Bangladesh will launch the next phase of microfinance in the birthplace of Mr. Obama’s father and throughout the continent.

President Obama should accompany Muhammad Yunus to that Summit in Kenya to join in the micro-banker’s most inspiring appeal—a daring call to put poverty in the museums where it belongs.

Yes we can!

Impact Program Updates: Kenya

2009-08-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

Impact Program Updates: Kenya

Friday, August 7th, 2009

View the following video to learn about Amina
and the impact made in her life by micro loans

Raincatchers:

18 Raincatchers have been installed throughout Kenya through the HUB Impact Partner program, providing fresh drinking water to thousands of people and families. Two of these raincatchers were provided to women who attended the Women and Water Conference in 2009 sponsored by Women’s Earth Alliance.

As we know, lack of fresh water and dirty water that causes disease is the number one killer in the world. HUB is proud to be able to provide such a simple, cost-effective and real solution to thousands in such a short period of time. Our vision is to see every school roof world-wide with a raincatcher as a way to maximize natural resources in the best way possible.

Microloans:

Our Microloan program is Kenya is facilitated by Equity Bank, called the Listening, Caring, Financial Partner, to over 34 million people in Africa! Their mission is to be the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of the people of Africa. Unlike many who may charge higher interest for Microloans, Equity Bank has been able to provide microloans to tens of millions of borrowers at just 1.5% interest! Each Microloan group goes through extensive counseling and financial literacy and business training before loans are provided. And then our HUB Kenya Field agents continue to work with, uplift, empower and provide expanded business opportunities for all of the women. We are proud to partner with Equity in a full-service Microloan program that is enriching lives of women and families in Africa.

The Self-Empowered Women of Korogocho (also known as KOCH) has thirteen women. All but two now have their loans. (The two who don’t just had babies, and the women will decide together when it is best for them to take on a loan for their business, so they are successful. In the meantime, the other women are helping these two women and are still keeping them as part of the group!) The women and their businesses are:

Monicah – She bought baking equipment and supplies with her loan and is making and selling bun-cakes.

Jane – She bought large quantities of groundnuts and sells some raw in smaller sizes, and roasts some and sells them in cones.

Margaret – She bought a sewing machine with her loan, and is finding empty cement bags, cleaning them, sewing them into market/grocery bags, and selling them

Grace – She buys greens/ vegetables and resells them

Rispha – She buys shoes and resells them

Alice – She buys cosmetics and resells, and also does hair styling and has a beauty shop

Annah – She is a shopkeeper

Karimi – She buys and sells water

Schola – She creates tie and dye

Amina – She is buying and reselling charcoal

Teresida (Muemi) – She buys greens/vegetables and resells them

All of these women are also being trained by our field agent Rachel Njeri, and working with local experts, to create products like beading bracelets and beading sandals, for sale in the Global Marketplace. They have already made and sold several hundreds of dollars worth of product, which is what provided the funds for them to buy school uniforms and enroll their children in school and begin living with less stress and more hope as they were waiting for their first microloans! All of the women are on track with repayment of their loans and are experiencing a better quality of life. These women are also supported as part of a larger food program through Feed The Children, who because of learning of these women through HUB, have been providing a month’s worth of staple food items to 300 people in Korogocho! Another example of how Humanity continues to UNITE Brilliance!

The Bank of HOPE Self Empowered Women has fourteen (14) women from the rural town of Rui.

These women have had many difficulties in coming together in trust as they come from different tribes. Before they could receive their loans, they had to go through several months of conflict resolution, team training and financial literacy through the help of Equity Bank and our HUB field representative, Rachel Njeri. They all received their loans in April 2009, and are working together as a family unit. They have however, already earned hundreds of dollars through the sale of Obama bracelets in our HUB Global Marketplace, and will continue to be trained to make other products for sale.

Olympic Primary School:

In the heart of the largest slum in Kenya, Kibera, the Olympic Primary School provides two meals a day to nearly 3000 students thanks to the sustained support of HUB through Feed The Children. These children not have food for themselves, but as we personally witnessed, each one of them takes their leftovers home with them each day. The thousands of children who are fed through this program are actually helping to feed thousands more!

The need for food at school is great. When a child is fed at school their test scores are higher, their attention is greater, their social skills are improved – they just learn more, like school more and receive maximum benefit from the education that is provided!

Wisdom Center: Brad Yates – Part 1

2009-08-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

Wisdom Center: Brad Yates – Part 1

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Written by: admin

Everyone’s talking about EFT. Do you know what it is? Want to learn more? This 3-week series teaches you the keys.

The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system. That’s the Discovery Statement of EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, a wonderful healing modality for removing the negative emotions that limit our success. It is based on the same principles that have been used for thousands of years in acupuncture – but without the needles. EFT has been reported successful in thousands of cases covering a huge range of emotional, health and performance issues. It often works where nothing else does.

Join Elizabeth Jarosz in this three part series with EFT Practitioner, Brad Yates. Brad will explain how by using this technique you can gain the emotional freedom to truly pursue being, doing and having what you really want in life.

Brad Yates likes to think of himself as an Evolution Catalyst. He feels blessed to be known internationally for his creative and often humorous use of Emotional Freedom Techniques® (EFT). He was trained and certified at the respected Hypnosis Motivation Institute in Tarzana, CA, where he served on staff. Combining this background with training in energy psychology and various schools of thought in the area of personal growth and achievement, he coaches groups and individuals in achieving greater success, health and happiness in their lives.

For more information on Brad Yates, go to www.BradYates.net.

2004-05-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

is this working?

2004-02-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

I keep hearing about what a shamelss self-promoter I am, and I say you're damn right.

BUT NOT TODAY.

TODAY, YOU, reader and friend, will experience something you have NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE!
NO self-promotion today AT ALL!
"IMPOSSIBLE!" you say? Well, instead you will get:

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WANTED- for instance:

1- Where the HELL is KUNDALINI KOMEDY?

2- Where do you find THE BEST VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT in New York?

3- Why has BONES RODRIGUEZ been ranked #28 in a WORLD-WIDE contest?

4- Can you DISCOVER THE SECRETS to beautiful, radiant skin?

5- What music will CHANGE OUR NATION?

6- Who worte about MOZART in a FOURSOME??

7- Where do I find THE LAUGHTER in New York for FREE?

8- WHY will today's SMALL BUSINESSES be TOMORROW'S GIANTS?

9- Can I really LEARN HOW TO READ 3x FASTER after reading ONE email?

PLUS!- One EXTRA BONUS answer that will leave you shivering in your BONES!

ANSWERS:

1- Kundalini Komedy has been working on separate projects lately, but has begun formulating a plan to have a WILD FUNDRAISER to fund our projects of a FULL-LENGTH SHOW and our upcoming MOVIE! Look out for details- visit www.KundaliniKomedy.com

2- For those of you who are NOT looking to do you Valentine's Day Shopping strictly from rite-aid, my friend Curt Williams has the BEST VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT in New York, because it is a TAILOR-MADE EXPERIENCE- Visit : www.Everywhim.com Where they specialize in the creation of unforgettable EXPERIENCES that blur the line between fantasy and reality and transform the world in which you live.

3- What? Me? Yep- 28th in the WORLD on BURNOUT 2- a racing Videogame for Xbox. #28 for "BIG SURF" Track. Beat THAT! (is this self-promoting? Not really, it's a challenge....)

4- Before I was "Bones", I went to The Bronx High School of Science, where I met Barbara Smith, and her mom, GEORGIANA. Georgiana looks like she's thirty- here's why: www.georgianacreations.com- Where Georgiana's recipes for beautiful skin are brought directly to you.

5- I remember when Hip-Hop had me asking about what I was gonna do with my life; not how I was gonna end someone else's. Strength of a Nation,Vol 1. - a totally clean, hard hitting compilation album designed to uplift America’s youth. Strength of a Nation is setting a standard of responsibility and concern in the hip-hop community. www.cdbaby.com/source-

6- Mozart was freaky! My friend Jesse's mother wrote about the TRUTH! "Marrying Mozart," a novel about the life and loves of the young Mozart and a family of four beautiful musical sisters, has just been released by Viking Penguin. It is now available from dozens of booksellers online. http://www.StephanieCowell.com. She used to let us play Dungeons and Dragons in her living room!

7- That's right- FREE LAUGHTER! Where the HELL can you find that in NEW YORK? Well, thursday nights I'll be perform a little Stand-up along with some hilariously sick people at "DEEP THROAT 'EM AT TOTEM" (see what I mean) at Totem- 505 East 12th St between A and B. Every Thursday at 8pm. Come and get DEEP THROATED!

8- Donald Trump said that in the New Millenium, any business not on the web, will not be in business. My friend Jon Van Giesen and Fictional Company is making sure that artists and "small business" folks stay in business: Whether you're looking to host a site for yourself, a theater, record company, print magazine, webzine, or small business, FictCo has a hosting plan that's right for you, as well as several that are wrong for you. We recommend you choose the plan that's right for you. http://www.fictco.com

9- I get asked all the time for tips on speed reading. I tell people to use your finger and make your eyes follow your finger instead of the other way around. People say that they don't get it unless they sound out the words one by one. Here's proof that you don't need to do that at all:
"Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Fcuknig amzanig huh?

I just tripled your speed. Trust me.

10- Here's the BONUS that will have you SHIVERING in your BONES! It's cold outside- if you go out without clothing, you'll be thrown in JAIL!

AND I NEVER PROMOTED ANYTHING OF MY OWN!!!!

P.S.- For those of you who are UNINSURED for your HEALTH- We have a new program-
This program is called the “BASIC MED PROGRAM” and includes the following:
1. Doctors
2. Hospitals
3. Ancillary Medical Services and
4. Prescriptions

The cost for this program is only $39.95 per month- www.YourHealthcareNetwork.com

P.P.S.- I couldn't resist- looks like you were right!

Let Your Light So Shine Before Men,
John "Bones" Rodriguez
Bones@BonesRodriguez.com
www.BonesRodriguez.com

2004-02-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

WAYSO- What are you SCARED of?
I'm sending this before I chicken out...

WAYSO- It is a mantra, and a movement. WAYSO brings attention to the little, seemingly insignificant fears that govern our lives on a minute by minute basis. WAYSO empowers us to stop and analyze our fears, allowing us to live the free life we are all entitled to.

WAYSO.

One night as I was tossing and turning in my bed, I noticed how SCARED I was. I was SCARED about being wealthy enough, SCARED if I loved enough, SCARED if I was healthy enough, smart enough, good looking enough, sensible enough,

-SCARED enough.

I asked myself if I wanted to live this way, and feel this way. I asked myself- “What Are You Scared Of?”

WAYSO.

I’m not talking about the SCARED that is a mental disorder, I’m taking about a SCARED that is seen as “practical”, “prepared”., or “aware”. Often I find these little fears disguise themselves as “precautions”, or “practicalities”. But ask yourself- WAYSO?

I think I had become accustomed to the little voice in my head that mentioned all of the things to be scared of in every situation. So I started to ask myself –

WAYSO. And I answered. Then I asked again- WAYSO. And I answered. WAYSO. I asked until I found what the REAL FEAR was, and I decided that I didn’t want to be SCARED in some instances, and I was fine being SCARED in others. WAYSO.

It is a simple word- WAYSO. It has empowered me, and I believe it can empower all of us.

Please pass this short letter on to people you care about- we all could use help, and you could be the one who helps someone do something incredible. You could be the one who helps them get over being:

SCARED to say I love you,
SCARED to give,
SCARED to try,
SCARED to say,
SCARED to DO,
SCARED to feel,
SCARED to share,
SCARED TO SAY WAYSO,

SCARED TO JOIN THIS MOVEMENT AND PASS THIS LETTER ON.

Try it. If you don’t want to, ask yourself-

WAYSO.

Thanks, and Let Your Light So Shine Before Men,
Bones Rodriguez
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WAYSO
WEAR the mantra!
http://www.cafeshops.com/WAYSO

MLMers can MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

2001-08-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE to see what happens after the $10 sale...