71-Year-Old Madoff to Spend the Next 150 Years in Prison

Madoff, who swindled people out of hundreds of billions of dollars, has received his sentence: 150 years in prison.  So that means he won’t get out until he’s 221 years old.  Good thing they covered all their bases in case he’s a medical mystery and lives that long.

Seriously though, I think this is one of the best examples for why our justice system is flawed.  Madoff did terrible things.  He ruined so many people’s lives, he destroyed families, he stole from basically everyone he dealt with.  So in this country, that means you go to prison for the rest of your life.  That means you sit in a cell and think about what you did for years and years.  You can never make up for what you did, because you’re behind bars.

I agree that prison is a necessary thing.  I wouldn’t want to see murderers or rapists back out on the street.  Prison is a safe way to deal with violent criminals.  But for someone like Madoff, why waste his life away in prison?  I think people like that should have to work off their crime, pay their debt back to society in a positive way.

Send Madoff to a homeless shelter and let him see the effects of poverty on people.  Have him talk to victims of fraud and theft and perhaps start to understand the pain he inflicted on others.  Make him volunteer for the rest of his life and try to help others instead of just having a wasted life that went all wrong.

Is it really fair to anyone to just put these people behind bars forever?  You ruined everything, the end.  There are so many people in our world struggling and hopeless.  There is an endless need for volunteers and assistance for these people.  Why not take people who have helped to put society there and start to reverse it?

Obviously these white collar criminals are intelligent.  Madoff didn’t make billions by being an idiot.  Yes, he used his intelligence for bad instead of good, but why waste that intelligence further by putting him in a cell?  It’s an asset that can be used to make things better.  If we start to change the way these people use their minds, and prove that it can reverse some of the bad in the world, maybe more people will see that and follow their examples.

Everyone loves the story of Scrooge changing his ways after seeing how he made people suffer.  People love to see bad turned to good.  So why not sentence people to be good?  If there’s an option to change things, why do we not take it?  Is vengeance so important to people that they aren’t willing to let positive change happen?  Would people really rather see someone suffer than let them make things right?  I think that’s the case, but I hope I’m wrong.

GM’s Reinvention: “This is not about going out of business, this is about getting down to business.”

General Motors has launched a new reinvention campaign, which I actually think is a brilliant idea.  They’re taking their losses and trying to make the best of it.  By admitting that they messed up, and that they were struggling, they appear more honest and reliable than before.  Instead of saying everything is fine, they are turning it around and showing how they learned from what happened, and how they can repair the damage.

The commercials also show lots of patriotic scenes: American flags, football, big cities.  It’s a not-so-subtle message that they are American made and support our country, something they have always used to try to stand out from the foreign auto companies.

I’m really impressed by the new campaign, and honestly hope that GM has truly learned from these hardships and will come back strong.  Although I lost respect for them in some ways, I have also gained respect for them for the way they’ve handled such a terrible situation.  I don’t respect the fact that so many people are losing jobs, or that they got themselves into a place where they had to ask for so much money, but if they come out as a better, more moral company, then something positive will come of all this.

http://www.gmreinvention.com/

Harvey Milk Day Gets Approved in California

I previously wrote about Sean Penn’s campaign efforts to get Harvey Milk’s birthday recognized as “a day of significance” in California (read that article here).  Well, his efforts proved successful, and on Thursday the California Senate passed legislation declaring May 22nd (Milk’s birthday) “Harvey Milk Day.”  The day will be a remembrance for the work Milk put into the gay rights movement and his achievements as the first openly gay person elected to office in the 70s.  He was assassinated in 1978.

Senator Mark Leno of San Fransisco authored the bill and said, “Harvey Milk gave his life for what he believed in, and with that courage and sacrifice he gave hope to an entire generation of gay and lesbian people whose basic humanity and freedom had been denied and dishonored.”

Click Read More to see Sean Penn’s speech promoting Harvey Milk Day.
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From Miss California to Minister: Nicole Lamarche Speaks Out About Being “Biblically Correct”

The current Miss California, Carrie Prejean, had to answer a question during the Miss USA competition from blogger Perez Hilton about her beliefs on gay marriage.  She responded that she didn’t agree with “opposite” marriage and that in her country she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman.  Many have been offended and outraged by the comment, and some have stood up in support of her convictions.  In any case, it has set off a stream of debates, news reports, and blog discussions of the issue, and some think that it cost her the Miss USA crown.  Watch the clip above to see her answer.

With all the controversy surrounding Prejean’s answer and statements she has made since saying that she was only trying to be “biblically correct,” the former Miss California, Nicole Lamarche, has decided to speak out about her beliefs on the topic, and people’s claim of being “biblically correct.”  What she says is insightful and presents her sentiments perfectly without being offensive to anyone.  Lamarche was Miss California in 2003 and is now a minister in Massachusetts.  Here is what she wrote:

“As a pastor and a former Miss California, I am often asked to interpret what the Word of God has to say on a particular subject. I am quite confident that God prefers that we human beings stick to speaking for ourselves. And yet there are occasions when God’s Word is used as a weapon, and I feel compelled to speak.

In the past few days, much has been made of the words of Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean. She stated that marriage is between a man and a woman. I write not in response to her opinion, but rather about her comments that followed: that the Bible condones her words. She said, ‘It’s not about being politically correct, it’s about being biblically correct.’ While this sentiment is shared by many who seek to condemn gay people and gay marriage, citing pieces of the Bible to further one’s own prejudice fails to meet the Bible on its own terms.

Most people seeking to condemn gay people point to the Book of Leviticus, where we read that men lying with men is an abomination. However, we rarely hear of other verses found in the book of Leviticus that are equally challenging. For example, Leviticus also tells us that eating shrimp and lobster is an abomination. And that a person should not wear material woven of two kinds of material—an impossible mandate for a pageant contestant!

In Paul’s letter to the community in Corinth we read, ‘For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church….’ And yet these words have not prevented Christian denominations from ordaining women, such as myself. Sadly, the Bible has been used to further prejudice throughout history. We have used it to permit ourselves to enslave people; to conquer and kill; and to denigrate the earth.

The truth is that it is difficult to know for sure the intentions of the biblical authors, but we do know something about God. Those of us who know God through Jesus of Nazareth know that he went to great lengths to express God’s love to people who were labeled as outcasts. He spent time with children, prostitutes, and lepers, all of whom were labeled as outside of the grasp of the Holy. As we continue to seek God’s vision for us as a nation grounded in a love for justice, I pray that we might move closer to the cause of grace.”

Victory Gardens

Victory Gardens first came about during the 40s, when America was at war.  The government suggested that people plant gardens as an act of support for the country during a struggling time.  Not only was it a way to grow food for your family and community when the nation was struggling, but it helped to bring people together, working on gardens together and making it a social activity.  Millions of Americans planted gardens.

Today, with the U.S. in the midst of a recession and another war, and with the fear of global warming constantly an issue, some people are asking for the Victory Gardens to be revived.  Michelle Obama has even planted a garden at the White House.  With fewer people growing their own food these days, it has to be shipped across the country, or even from other countries.  The costs of shipping, along with the gasoline used, all adds to the rise in cost of food.  It also adds to global warming because of all the extra travel and pollution caused by the trucks and manufacturing, packaging, and processing.

People have been looking for different ways to cut costs with the economy in this state, but instead of just cutting back, you can add fresh produce to your diet, while avoiding the high prices at the grocery store.  Now that spring is here, it’s the perfect time to plant.  And why not make it a social activity like they did during the war?  Have the whole family get involved with choosing which things to plant and what you can cook once it grows.

Even if you don’t have a yard, you can grow small plants on a porch, balcony, or windowsill.  What you plant also depends on the region in which you live.  You can find out which plants are best suited for your region at the Arbor Day Foundation here: Arbor Day Foundation You also need to know what time of year to plant.  Some plants must be planted early in the season, and some later.  Find out here: Planting Dates

There are many sites available for ordering seeds.  Here are a few options:

Seed Savers

Rare Seeds

Victory Seeds

Gardens Alive!

[Thanks to Katie!]

Lights Out for Earth Hour

On March 28th, from 8:30-9:30pm, cities across the world will turn off their lights to support energy conservation with the international Earth Hour.  Even some of the major buildings and attractions will be going dark for the cause, including The Empire State Building in New York City, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the Sydney Opera House, the Sears Tower in Chicago, Seattle’s Space Needle, the Great Pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Broadway theater marquees in New York City.  Las Vegas will also go dark for the hour — even turning off the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign for the first time ever.  Quite a grand and respectful gesture from Sin City itself.

This is the third year for the Earth Hour event, and with more cities participating than ever, it is sure to start getting some attention.  2,400 cities across 82 countries will be participating this year.  195 of the cities are in the United States.

The event started in Sydney, Australia and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund.  It doesn’t surprise me that it began in Australia, as they are much more environmentally and globally conscious than many other places around the world.  This is another great feat by the WWF, which does so much good for the earth every day, and whose goal is “to build a future where people live in harmony with nature.”

At a time when the world is going through a recession, and people are worried about the weakened states of their own wallets, it’s a perfect time to call attention to the energy issue.  While people find all kinds of creative ways to pinch their pennies, they sometimes forget that just flipping a switch can save them so much.  So why not join the cause and switch off your lights for just one hour tonight?  Maybe it will become a habit and save you and the earth some energy.

Harvey Milk Day

Recently I’ve written a lot of articles about movies spawning remakes, sequels, television shows, and even Broadway musicals.  So what else is left for them to create?  Holidays, apparently!  Sean Penn, who recently won the Oscar for portraying Harvey Milk in Gus van Sant’s film, Milk, has been lobbying to get Harvey Milk’s birthday recognized as a “day of significance” in California.

I completely agree that Harvey Milk was a substantial figure in our country’s progression, being the first openly homosexual man to be appointed to public office.  However, I think it’s a little bit funny that now that he won the Oscar Sean Penn feels the need to go out and fight for a special “Harvey Milk Day.”  When isn’t Penn fighting for some random cause though?  Who could forget the pictures of him out on a boat helping after Hurricane Katrina?  And when is the last time he has spoken publicly without giving his two cents on some political or social concern?

I appreciate when celebrities get involved in social issues, because their voice can be stronger than that of an average citizen.  But I also think they need to choose their battles and concentrate on what is important.  Having a “Harvey Milk Day” isn’t necessarily going to help the gay rights movement, and I’m sure there are more important things Penn could be working on to help that issue rather than getting a day of significance declared.

California state Senator Mark Leno will be introducing the bill today with Sean Penn standing by.  This same bill was previously denied by Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger, but now with the success of Milk they are hoping to prove that the bill holds more significance and should be considered.

Fact Checking Obama

On Tuesday night, our new President gave a passionate speech to Congress, but some people are saying he doesn’t have all his facts quite right.  As much as I love Obama, I like to look at both sides of things, and I think everyone needs a good fact check once in a while.

My Way News (in association with the Associated Press) ran an article that checks out many of the statements and promises that Obama made on Tuesday, and it’s quite interesting to see what they reveal.  Some of the corrections are a little picky, and some are lacking in evidence, so you may have to do a little sleuthing on your own.  But it gives us a starting point for questions we might need to form when looking at these plans.  It’s always important to use caution when listening to the promises of a politician, so it’s nice to have them broken down once in a while to find a balance between hope and realism.

Read the article on My Way News here: Fact Check: Obama’s Speech to Congress

Milk

Milk is based on the true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.  It follows Milk (played by Sean Penn) through his run for office and up to his assassination.  The film is directed by Gus Van Sant (who is best known for Good Will Hunting and Finding Forrester) and also stars Emile Hirsch, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber, Diego Luna, and Alison Pill.

Van Sant created a very niche film in Milk.  I don’t believe that people who aren’t gay or aren’t involved with gay rights will enjoy the movie.  I always look forward to movies like this, hoping that they will show people that being gay isn’t bad, it doesn’t make them bad people, and they really aren’t all that different from the rest of us.  However, this film failed, making the homosexual culture an elitist group of people who are “better than you.”  Even once Harvey Milk is in office, he refuses to pay attention to any issues that don’t focus on gay rights.  Although this was his main concentration, as a political figure you are bound to acknowledge other issues that are presented.  I felt that Van Sant alienated a wider audience by concentrating only on this, instead of using it as a tool to educate those who may not have a great understanding of the gay lifestyle. 
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Yes We Can!

Yesterday was THE proudest I have ever felt to be an American. I honestly haven’t had a lot of moments of pride during my 27 years in this country. But last night, I actually smiled, cried, and jumped for joy for my country. The energy was apparent in the air all day, and when Obama was elected president…I have never felt anything like it. I’m still a little bit speechless from everything that happened, but there is one story that touched me more than anything else.

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