R.O.A.M. T.E.A.M. -- SEPTEMBER 5, 2008 -- APPRECIATING OTHERS

When my attention was drawn to listen to the respective presidential candidates vying for the office of President and Vice-President of the United States, my perspectives on the philosophies, on the attitudes, on the economic challenges, and on the global impacts of their speeches assisted me in confirming my discerning findings. In the next 60 days prior to November 4, 2008, many potential and prospective voters will be asked to assert their preference regarding party affiliations, issues that are personal to them, and the future of our Republic. VOTE AS THOUGH YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON YOUR DECISION!

From what we have observed in the Democratic and Republican Conventions, the lines are clearly drawn regarding the stances, the issues, the focus, and the long-term consequences of their political responsibilities. Both parties are advocating CHANGE in some form or another. With CHANGE comes adjustments and flexibility to adapting to the new political environments. With many political advocates entrenched in their comfort zone at the Federal levels, these CHANGES will necessitate a giving and a taking along partisan lines.

IF WE ARE AMERICANS, WE WILL DO THE AMERICAN RESPONSE TO MAKE POSITIVE, EFFECTIVE, AND EFFICIENT CHANGES. Time will tell if the voters get what they expect on November 4, 2008. However, the time is now to make sure that ALL VOTERS prepare to research and to listen beyond pure rhetoric and politician spin as usual. Obtaining the Holistic picture means to go beyond the typical internet, newspaper editorials, television commentaries, biased polls, and extremist opinions that create fear rather than good judgment.

Appreciate the dedicated political professionals who have made their impact on our current political status. Also, realize that some pundits and political insiders who are Washington entrenched want to use SMEAR, DISCREDIT, AND DESTROY tactics that have been used for over 50 years in the Washington political environment. Being critical and discerning will require special attention of all HONEST VOTERS who really want to make a difference in this election year. Obtain your information from as many reliable resources as you are able to secure. If the information sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. SINCERITY REQUIRES "RINGING TRUE" under scrutiny.

Appreciate all of the many individuals who are trying to bring the best information for effective decision making for all voters. YOUR VOTE ALWAYS COUNTS, and YOUR COUNTRY IS COUNTING ON YOUR VOTE! As OTHERS have pioneered the way, PUT YOUR COUNTRY FIRST, PUT YOUR AMERICAN SPIRIT FIRST, PUT YOUR VOTING WHERE YOUR MOUTH LEAVES OFF....VOTE THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE THAT RESPECTS ALL AMERICANS no matter what their status in life, their income base, their positive philosophies, and their respect for the handicapped, the innocent, the underprivileged, the dependent, and the uninformed and the misinformed. BE PROUD TO BE AMERICAN FIRST!

SEPTEMBER 3, 2008***** CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE TIPS

For many of us who have observed the increase in technological devices used by consumers, the most notable communication product is the cell phone, which is widely used worldwide with instantaneous communication features. At one time the telephone was limited in its portability and usage. However, as computers became more available and in smaller sizes, the telephone took on a new look as a portable device anywhere in the world assuming the necessary technology support to allow for effective services. If you think everyone has a cell phone, think again. Many persons are still using the answering phone and extension phones that may be portable as their way of receiving and making necessary calls for private use.

However, with all new technologies, there is the issue of etiquette that makes the cell phone a good target. We have all witnessed the "security blanket" syndrome of the cell phone. That is why we are looking at the etiquette side of this wonderful technological invention for the the 21st century. Here are a few tips that may be appropriate to consider regarding the impact on OTHERS who may want your conversations to stay private rather than public broadcasting.

1) Use your cell phone for all obvious emergencies for yourself and for OTHERS when the need arises.

2) Make cell phone calls privately away from the general public especially if you are in a doctor's office, in line at a fast food restaurant, in the churches that you attend, in school classrooms where you are trying to learn, and in any area that is in approximate reach of OTHERS. Your telephone conversation is not the concern of OTHERS...Keep it private.

3) Avoid making cell phone calls while you are operating an automobile. If you really need to make a cell phone call, pull off to the side of the road, if possible, or to some other location that takes you away from traffic. Concentration on the road is affected by your focus on your cell phone call.

4) Allow your cell phone to go to voice mail when you are in a public gathering of any kind. If the call is an emergency, then you have the right to go away from the public gathering to respond to this call especially if you are a health care professional or responder.

5) Turn your cell phones off when attending any entertainment event such as a movie, a concert, a recital, a sports event, etc. Your consideration of OTHERS is always first. Courtesy goes a long way to say: "I care about you and your right to privacy."

6) Use your cell phone for what the cell phone was intended. Making a toy out of a cell phone will cost you more in monthly expenses. Texting anothers is appropriate when you are alone rather than in the company of OTHERS. Courtesy is better than being rude and uncaring about your surroundings.

7) Being cautious about taking pictures with your cell phone especially of OTHERS who may not want to be photographed. These individuals are entitled to their privacy, and you may want to respect the "space" of OTHERS.

There are many more situations in which cell phone courtesy is appropriate. Remember that OTHERS are counting on your courtesy and positive actions. Walking around with a device on your ear, being hooked up to your cell phone by other attachments, and visually attached to the cell phone may be appropriate for the work place and in an area that is considered your informal work place. However, when OTHER people are involved, you need to practice a positive, courteous approach with your cell phone by excusing yourself to go to a private area or outside where your signal may be better.

Respecting Others Awareness Month, September, 2008, is designed to make us all aware of how we can respect and reach out to those around us without creating a negative attitude about your selfishness. Being positive brings positive results. Your positive attitude about using your cell phone effectively and efficiently will render an atmosphere of airing, sharing, caring, and bearing.
Together Everyone Achieves More when we think of OTHERS FIRST with RESPECT AND COURTESY. Your cell phone is ringing...how will you answer it?

R.O.A.M. T.E.A.M. --- SEPTEMBER 2, 2008

In order to respect and to reach out to OTHERS, we need to be aware of their needs and wants and to understand their environments. There are a couple of special areas that may be worth while to ponder in consideration of OTHERS.

TIPS FOR THE ON- THE- ROAD AWARENESS:

1) Observe the posted speed limit, which means avoid going 60 mph in a 45 mph posted speed zone.

2) Remembering to use turn signals when making left and right hand turns rather than using the turn signals as you make your intended turn.

3) Keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you when traveling at any speed. Bumper driving is asking for serious consequences.

4) Watching out for erratic and impatient drivers who love to weave in and out of traffic with little warning. This type of driver causes road rage. Remember to keep your hands on the steering wheel rather than giving the "finger fickle of fate."

5) When on a two-lane road, staying in the right hand lane to allow persons to pass you even when you are keeping the speed limit. Speeders we always have with us. Allow the authorized law enforcement to do their duties safely.

6) If you insist on driving in the passing lane, move over to the right hand lane when you are obviously below the posted speed limit. Safety first is the rule!

7) If you need to make a phone call, pull off the side of the road and park. Also, if a rest stop is available, you will be able to have a safe conversation without endangering other safety-conscious drivers.

8) Driving after dark requires more attention with lighting and your vehicle lights. You will notice that the scenery is very different after dark. Drive carefully and give more room for approaching vehicles before passing another vehicle. Unnecessary car accidents can be avoided by good common horse sense.

9) When you are feeling tired, you may need to pull off the road and find accommodations for the evening rather than erratic driving from fatigue.

10) If you have had too much to drink with alcoholic beverages or you are on medication that would impair your judgment, give your keys to someone else to drive. Driving drunk or after too many alcoholic beverages is like driving a death trap for you and for OTHER drivers. You now are lethal and dangerous.

You may think of many other safety tips for drivers on the road. Being conscious of how we make OTHERS safe by our own safe driving, makes good common sense. Respecting Others Awareness Month, September, 2008, is a good way of reminding us how special OTHERS are in our scheme of life's journeys. A good safe driver is a friend of the road rather than a menace of the road. Your family, friends, and strangers will applaud your efforts to keep our highways SAFE!

SEPTEMBER, 2008*****RESPECTING OTHERS AWARENESS MONTH (R.O.A.M)

Congratulations to all of those who labor for the benefit of OTHERS especially on this LABOR DAY CELEBRATION! Let us remember ALL OF THE PERSONS WHOSE PAST LABOR ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE EFFECTIVELY ENCOURAGED THE MOST FORGOTTEN PERSONS IN THE HUMAN RESOURCE ARENA....THE UNEMPLOYED, THE UNDEREMPLOYED, AND THE OVEREMPLOYED! In addition, WE THANK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE PERSONS WHO EMPOWERED THE INITIATIVE AND THE CREATIVITY OF THEIR HUMAN RESOURCES POOL TO BE INTRAPRENEURS...CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY...THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Yes, we applaud the AMERICANS who dedicated their lives to make jobs happen on the private sector which eventually brought about new careers and new avenues of thinking. The small business entrepreneurs who made possible the numerous careers that were thought of "outside of the box" for the benefit of all Americans. Yes, we are a nation of AMERICANS...FIRST...rather than hyphenated Americans. We appreciate the cultural diversity that has made our country UNIQUE with Proud Heritages and Promising Futures.

We have agreed on using ONE language to communicate with OTHERS rather than confuse and to divide our country. Although some cultures still want to have numerous languages as the official language of our great Country, yet with one voice and one mission...WE ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA....AMERICANS WHO USE A COMMON LANGUAGE for ALL.

Let us remember the many ways that we can Respect the Cultures of OTHERS when the occasion dictates that special respect. Let us unite as ONE when we are counted upon to be AMERICANS FIRST....respecting all legal AMERICANS who respect the law of the land while holding on to their special cultural customs with their families and their friends in private occasions. During this month of September, 2008, let us attempt to be more aware of the many opportunities to RESPECT AND to REACH OUT to OTHERS in their time of need and in their time of getting to know them better.

Communication requires a COMMON UNION...a meeting of the minds. Their is no communication when we experience complications. The meaning of our thoughts, words, and actions are found in the minds of our readers, our listeners, and our observers. WHAT WE DO IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ALL CONCERNED. "Do unto OTHERS as you would have them do unto you" is still a respected GOLDEN RULE! Encouraging OTHERS WITH A HAND UP IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN A HAND OUT. Let us be willing to learn from OTHERS and to be OPEN to learning from OTHERS even if we agree to disagree with their opinions and comments.

If you would like to share your favorite way of assisting OTHERS, you are encouraged to share that thought with everyone and yet keep your privacy. Let us make SEPTEMBER, 2008, a month to remember by REACHING OUT AND RESPECTING OTHERS AWARENESS with an emphasis on TEAM BUILDING...TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE!

RESPECTING ALL ACHIEVEMENT LADDER ENTHUSIASTS

For all of those persons who may have voted recently in local and state primaries, the issue of human life continues to be a dividing policy for many candidates for public office. For many public officials, their attitude is nonchalant, indifferent, or ignorant about the origin and the beginning of all human life. Using only socially accepted or promoted misinformation by extremists, their perspective is lacking in respect for the dignity and the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death. To pledge on their platforms that they will provide this service, or that economic result or encourage health benefit challenges for the poor or low income, these same individuals are ignoring the very essence of respecting the innocent human life of the very young and the very elderly. The programs that they are promoting often incurs a higher taxation to pay for these programs; and these programs are expensive and ineffective, inefficient, and useless campaign promises. If the program sounds too good to be true, they are too good to be true and authentic. Human life is a continuum from conception to natural death.

Imagine if all of the souls of aborted babies for the last forty years would rise up from their Heavenly homes and demand an account from abortion providers, the abortion rights supporters, the health care professionals, and the politicians who supported abortion on demand because they say that they are protecting the reproductive rights of the mother. We may witness more than a 2 billion aborted babies worldwide who have been affected by the actions of selfish individuals and money-making abortion providers who were acting out of ignorance, social pressure, governmental interference with our traditional definition of a family, and controlling population by godless methods. We pray that all of these 2 billion aborted babies will pray for all of their terminators who thought that they were obeying the human law that they created even though the human law was contrary to divine law...God's law...

Hopefully, the platforms of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party will include statements that will protect the CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE INNOCENT UNBORN HUMAN BEING FROM THE FIRST MOMENT OF CONCEPTION TO NATURAL DEATH. In every elective abortion, A INNOCENT BABY DIES.

CHOOSE LIFE, CHOOSE LIFE, CHOOSE LIFE...YOUR OWN LIFE MAY DEPEND ON THIS SACRED STAND AS AN AMERICAN, AS A CITIZEN, AND AS A PERSON WILLING TO BE FREE TO ACHIEVE THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL IN LIFE!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE U.S.A. OLYMPIC TEAM 2008!

As we watched the Olympics during the past two weeks from Beijing, China, we observed 204 countries participate with awesome pride and enthusiasm. We noticed the positive respecting of the cultural diversities from these various countries; and we saw the intense competition that still illustrates a spirit of authentic sportsmanship exhibited by the Olympic athletes. In all cases, whether the athlete won a medal or not, all of the Olympic athletes were WINNERS and were exceptional ACHIEVEMENT LADDER ENTHUSIASTS.

In all of the experiences and the challenges that these athletes encountered on their way to qualifying for these 2008 Olympics, each athlete has a special story to tell and to share with the world. If the world is willing to listen and to honor these Olympians, we will learn how the climb up the Ladder of Achievement affected the Olympians in their quest for making their mark on Olympic history. Each country's athletes represented their country, their family, and themselves. Each person will take back a very special memory that will be shared with their friends and family for years to come. We are all proud of how our AMERICAN OLYMPIC TEAM conducted themselves and how they effectively and graciously represented their United States of America in words and actions.

What we may have learned from these experiences is that we need UNITY rather than DIVISION in our daily dealings with OTHERS. We are AMERICANS...rather than hyphenated AMERICANS. We need to grow and to improve our worldwide image by respecting the cultural diversities of OTHERS, but we are AMERICANS FIRST. When we pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, we admit that we are a REPUBLIC for which the Flag stands as ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR 2008 AMERICAN OLYMPIC ATHLETES WHO EXHIBITED THEIR PEACE, JOY, AND LOVE OF THEIR COUNTRY BY THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE XXIX OLYMPIAD. We are a small world after all with individual dreams that transcend governmental influence and pressure. WE HAVE WITNESSED IN THESE COURAGEOUS ATHLETES, "CITIUS, ALTIUS, AND FORTIUS....FASTER, HIGHER, AND STRONGER PERFORMANCES." May all of our Americans continue to give their best in all that they do and to strive for personal excellence as worthwhile Achievement Ladder goals...now and always.

THE GREATEST WOMAN OF COURAGE AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL TIME

Have you ever stopped to think and to consider the greatest example of womanly courage and achievement of all time? There is only one such person that fits that description worthy of consideration. Have you ever considered the challenges that a woman who chooses motherhood and accepts the responsibilities of parenthood must be willing to endure with courage and faith. You may have heard the expression, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going!" Courage in the face of unsurmountable challenges and conflicts makes the decision even more honorable.

Yes, the woman that best matches the spiritual courage and the human courage to live her motherhood to the maximum is the Mother of Jesus Christ, Mary Immaculate. From her first yes to God's calling to be the Mother of Jesus Christ, she exemplified the Woman of Courage title for her entire earthly existence. Her final yes to God's will was an eternity that her Motherhood continues for all of the human race until the end of time. She always accepted God's calling to DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU...She carried her Son in her womb, which was blessed through the power of the Holy Spirit . She was conceived immaculate from the first moment of her conception to be the fitting tabernacle for her Son, Jesus. She saw Him born, grow up, work with his Foster Father, Joseph, as a Carpenter until His public life began at the age of 30.

Imagine the impact of each of her Courage moments when she saw her Son touch many lives and heal many aching souls. She saw Him bring together the first Apostles, the first followers of His Kingdom to be leaders of His New Way. She saw Him abused, ignored, condemned, ridiculed, insulted, and unwanted. She saw Him arrested even though innocent, and He was charged with false accusations that would eventually end in a death on a Cross. She was with Her Son every step of the way to be there for Him. When He died on a Cross, she was there to hold Him in Her arms. Her faith was strong to realize that He would rise again, which He did on the third day after His death. She was there to console the many friends and followers, and to assure them to have faith, hope, and love as Her Son exhibited throughout His lifetime.

She was there with the Apostles when the Holy Spirit touched their lives to be bold enough to live the full Christ-centered lives as Jesus had taught them during His lifetime. And Yes, She is now with Him for all eternity, body and soul through her assumption into Heaven. Mary continues to be the Spiritual Mother of each one of us, and she will always assist us through her intercession with Her Son, Jesus, for all eternity. What a woman of outstanding courage and achievement who prays for each one of us now and at the hour of our death. Amen!