America: The Next Generation

The Forgotten Men of This Generation

By Andrew J Thompson

In Amity Shlaes book, The Forgotten Man, the taxpayer, the business person, the man who supported his family and worked under very dificult conditions during The Great Depression, is depicted as the "forgotten man" - the man who paid the taxes and shouldered the burden of the New Deal as our government planned, plotted, and plodded through years of economic turmoil. 

The forgotten man was the hero.  Without him, our country could never have emerged on the other side of the Great Depression.   Today, the forgotten men are still family men.  They still love their children.  They still provide for them.  But there's a difference.

In this generation, the forgotten mene are men who have had their children stripped from a part of their lives, some more than others, some entirely.  They have had no choice in this, didn't want it, didn't ask fo rit, and neither did their kids.  It was done entirely by the women who bore their children.   

Does Israel Need Us to Survive?

In the West, we are used to thinking that Israel cannot survive without the help of Europe and the United States. Tonight I say to you: Maybe we should start wondering whether we in Europe and the United States can survive if we allow the terrorists to succeed in Israel.

In this new century, the “West” is no longer a matter of geography. The West is defined by societies committed to freedom and democracy. That at least is how the terrorists see it. And if we are serious about meeting this challenge, we would expand the only military alliance committed to the defense of the West to include those on the front lines of this war. That means bringing countries such as Israel into NATO.

My friends, I do not pretend to have all the answers to Gaza this evening. But I do know this: The free world makes a terrible mistake if we deceive ourselves into thinking this is not our fight. - Rupert Murdoch, On Receiving AJC National Human Relations Award, March 4, 2009

This is a beautiful, bold statement from Mr. Murdoch.   Elsewhere in his speech he poses important questions, like "Why do we never hear calls for Hamas leaders to be charged with war crimes? And where are the international human rights groups demanding that Hamas stop blurring the most fundamental line in warfare: the distinction between civilian and combatant?" 

These are important questions, and the muting of these questions in much of the popular media begs all thoughtful, humanitarians to turn away from the media sources that suppress them, and to raise the questions in their own circles of influence whenever possible.  For if they are suppressed enough, eventually we will be the ones who do not survive because we allow defensive acts of violence to be condemned, while permissively ignoring heinous acts of aggresssion and barabarism as they creep beyond the borders of their perpetrators homelands, and move into our own. 

Yet, there remains an important and careful nuance to be made to Mr. Murdoch's assertion.  "...if we allow the terrorists to succeed...", by this and other commentary from Mr. Murdoch I understand that he means this to be our fight via intervention, and military intervention when it seems desirable.   Unless I am wrong on that point, it is from there that I have a serious point of departure with his views, and those that have been championed by the political right, with support from a few on the left. 

Moreover, I would also dissent from Mr. Murdoch's view that it is freedom, tolerance and democracy that they hate, nor that we defend.  By arguing as much, Murdoch, like George W Bush, Colin Powell, and Dick Cheney, minimizes the pure religious zeal that fuels the middle eastern terrorist propaganda, and pretends the West's own march toward a self-inflicted death is not occurring before our own eyes. 

Taking these three points in order, first, please consider the problem of intervention.  If Mr. Murdoch were to say we should let Israel defend herself, and we should cheer them on as they do - and then that this would set the framework and example for how we are free and ought of right defend our own nation within our own boundaries - then he would hear rousing cheers from this corner. 

But this is not the case.  Instead, those who support Israel's right of self-defense are always eager to be ready to jump in with our own armed forces.  Oddly though, never entirely to fight on behalf of Israel, but only to stir up other fights in the Middle East.  Let's see, who was it that actually got the Sunnis and Shiites to fight with each other?  It almost begs the question, are we actually doing much of what we accuse the middle easterners of doing themselves? 

As to the second issue - is it freedom, tolerance and democracy our enemies hate?  While we may object to the form of democracy they take, there are many democracies in the middle east.  To say they hate freedom and tolerance requires further definition - what do you mean by freedom and tolerance when you make such a statement? 

What is clear, however, is that they hate the presence, proselytization, and possibility of expansion of othe religions in their own countries.  If this is hatred of freedom and tolerance, however, then perhaps those of us who would intervene to defeat them, hold an equal hatred of the same kinds of freedom and tolerance.  Regardless, their attacks are directed at those things they want to rid themselves of, but they are specifically motivated to do so by religious beliefs that teach them theirs is right and others are wrong.  So it is a fight of principled belief - not specifically directed against freedom or tolerance.  We should be careful to identify what we mean when we say things like this.

Similarly, on the third issue, it's not really accurate to say we are defending freedom and democracy by intervening in these battlegrounds.  We can do this without fighting wars in Iraq, or even Afghanistan.  If we are defending these values, we have done it without specifically intervening in a fight for Israel for over a generation.  More importantly, we come across as weak in the extreme when we palce these values out in front of a long war, in light of what has happened and is presently happening between our own shores. 

We are selling off freedom by the month as our own Congress spends trillions dismantling the economic system we've enjoyed for the past 400 years.  We imprison 25% of the world's inmates and champion freedom?  Our moral fabric and family structure are but a shadow of psat generations in our own society.  Freedom in the West is very much at risk - yet we would showcase our defense of it as if we have never been stronger. 

These tragic misperceptions overlook the real reasons the battles in the Middle East exist, and why so many Americans continue to put so much stock in the fight for the Middle East.  What are the real reasons?  Stay tuned as they come into focus.

 

Issues Marketing: How to Make Internet Connections Work for You

By Andrew J Thompson

These are challenging times to survive in any business.  Credit is tight, and the money for the successful marketing methods of past years is no longer there.  Printing, travel, conferences, exhibits, and other common expenses incurred in business promotion have been trimmed to the bone. 

But has business come so easily that we forget what we all envisioned when the internet became a ubiquitous business tool 10-15 years ago?  Back then, everyone dreamt that once you had a website – any presence on the web – you could reach every conceivable customer in mere seconds.  But is this really true? 

Where do you stand in terms of reaching your clientele via the internet?  Have you spent hundreds or thousands on SEO expertise?  What about advertising?  Are you spending lots of money to promote your site on the web? 

I struggled for a long time deciding how I could best capture and pursue business on the internet.   I tried all of the methods I mention above – but to what avail?  Minimal really. 

For years, my company, Elusen, has run capital campaigns and provided other consulting services to nonprofit organizations of every type in every corner of the continent. 

I run a business from my home in northern Michigan, serving clients in the Pacific Northwest, Texas, New York, even Puerto Rico. 

But I know I can't be working in Seattle and Puerto Rico on the same day. Worse, I lose precious time with my three young children whenever I travel – and they are growing up fast. Last year, I decided a new business model was worthy of my consideration.  There were fewer and fewer opportunities for new consulting engagements.  For three months, I stepped back, thought about my future, contemplated my past, and then decided to try an experiment. 

I decided to pursue a new strategy of publishing on the web.  In itself, it’s not particularly novel, I know, but the approach I’m taking is unique, enjoyable, rewarding, and, though I’m not getting rich (yet), it’s beginning to be profitable with a few thousand dollars a month flowing in.  But the good news is, it’s a building process, and the longer and more I build, the more I know it will grow.

The change came when I decided to quit thinking of myself as a consultant, overcame the urge to be a “writer”, and decided to be a publisher – a web based publisher.  Now I realize that being an internet publisher, in itself, may not come across as tremendously exciting, nor even all that unique.  But it gave me that is both exciting and unique was the opportunity to view my business from a whole new paradigm – a paradigm for which I’m only beginning to fill in the details.

First, I took the model of Elusen, i.e. helping charitable visions become reality, and realized that a very important way I could impact my own success would be to publish content on the internet discussing the value of a wide array of charitable visions.  But why stop there?  I also realized that I have many friends, colleagues, etc. – all of whom have a message to share with the rest of the world, and very few who are actually doing it. 

True, nearly one out of ten adults in America now has at least one blog they have posted, and/or maintain on the web.  But how many of these are actually posting at least one article a week?  The percentage is very low.  Lower yet if you consider those who have done so for over six month – which is the average time it takes before search engines rank your site as they should.  Believe me, I get this.  I’m at four months on my primary publishing sites, and can’t wait to get some more history attached to each of these sites.

And of those who do post regularly, how many are using any of the myriad search optimization tools that are available for blogs as well as any other web page?  Again, there aren’t too many.  Then finally, of those who post regularly and do some form of optimization, how many are actually publishing content that is truly worthy of their readers’ attention – enough so that they are thinking about both coming back to the site for more information in the future, and buying something that is either advertised or sold from the site? 

By the time you consider all of these factors, the numbers are very small – yet, these are the sites that succeed!  Actually, it’s a very simple formula:

1. Choose the theme that matches your business model;
2. Create a blog or other site for updating text-content regularly;
3. Publish regularly (or you will surely perish) – at least one article every week;
4. Optimize your site using the tried and true methods employed by Google; and
5. Maintain high quality content – your readers will come back to sites they find helpful and valuable, and will spend their money with whom their loyalties attach. 
   

That’s my five point plan, and it is a plan I intend to follow as long as I can continue writing.  Now, I’ve started publishing blogs for two clients, write for a third, and publish a few of my own.  On all fronts’ success is building – slowly but surely.  But what I see now is how important it is to get started – and to keep things going once you do. 

A farming analogy fits very nicely.  The tiny seeds will not start to grow until they are planted.  Once they are, in time, the seeds can become plants, mature and bear fruit.  But as they grow, they need watering and further attention to make sure they stay healthy, pest free and properly cultivated. 

For many people, this is a daunting proposition.  Success lies ahead, but taking the plunge into these unknown waters is more than a bit overwhelming.  If that’s you, I can help!  I’ve made some mistakes, learned a lot of hard lessons, and understand how to convert your ideas into business opportunities soon!  If I can help you achieve the dream you’ve always had, tell me what you have in mind and I’m here to help.

Email me: ajt@elusen.com, with your ideas and let’s see if we can work together to bring the success you’ve been waiting to achieve!

Why I Love Typepad and How to Make it Work for You

By Andrew J Thompson

I've used several blogging resources and decided typepad is the best for me.  Here's why?

I've used many other blogging sources and I prefer the degree of control you have with typepad.  No - it isn't free, and there's a good reason.  You pay for being able to control whatever content you want to post, plus the freedom to promote your site however you wish. 

So, with other blog programs, your material might be taken down for reproducing what someone else has already published, but at typepad you may put as much copied material as you like on your blog.  I'm not suggesting that is the BEST way to publish a blog, but you have the freedom to do it on typepad if you wish. 

Also, most other blogs limit or prohibit any promotional links on your blog.  But again, at typepad, you have the freedom to post what you want.  You're in control of your success or your lack of success.

But typepad doesn't leave you entirely on your own either.  They help you at every step of the way.  They have exceptional choices of templates and design formats you can use, and a terrific knowledge base to track down answers to any problems you have in posting your blog.  I think it's tremendously easy to use.

But if you're like me, and trying to use your blog to help promote your business, there are multiple things to consider. Here are some valuable tips: to

1. RELEVANT CONTENT: Relevance and continuity build readership.  You can post anything you want and may want to "shake it up" once in awhile, but it's best to stick to things related to your primary theme.  I like the idea of separate blogs for separate themes, i.e. All Things Travel, All Things Music, All Things Right/Left Wing Thinking, Weddings, etc. - you need a consistent message to come back to post after post.

3. COLLABORATING: "Open architecture" is what it's called in the investment world - same principle for online publishing.  Let other people write pieces for your blog and try to do the same on theirs. I am a big believer in this because it will help both create more links - and that's what it's all about. 

This is an easy deal for some, depending on their topic.  Let's say it's travel.  You can have as many people as you want to write about their best and worst travel experiences, and then add a little tag to promote your own site/services.

It helps too because you need lots of content to get lots of traffic.  The only food source in Google search engine's  diet is words - and it's a very hungry beast!

4. "BORROWING" CONTENT: generally, if you find it on the web you can copy and paste it in your typepad blog - not much is actually copyrighted and even if it is, the author may be really happy for you to post it on your blog - more exposure for him or her. 

The flip side is I've been watching other guys do that for awhile now, and guess what - nobody cares - as in, they don't want to read it on your blog, they want to go to the original source - and guess what again -

Google seems to make sure you rank lower than the original source.  Don't know how they do that exactly, but I've been testing it and decided I won't copy content anymore, I spend too much time finding it and then it doesn't rank well - at least that's been my experience.

Now if you can spend $30 an article getting other people to sell you what they write - and then put your own name on it - you can get a lot of 'original' content up - as long as you can trust your writers not to post it elsewhere and head you off at the pass (the pass you're paying them to help you get by).

Bottom line - original content is best - but it's you can get original content from whoever will share it. 

OK, so now I've given you $1 MM worth of advice, please send me a big, fat check when you make it big!

Contact Elusen for help with online publishing, copyrighting and other internet marketing services.

What if Al Gore is Wrong? Welcome to Winter!

The new Obama administration promises to put climate change front and center in policy making over the next four years.  His chief rivals in the Presidential campaign, John McCain and Hillary Clinton, wholeheartedly endorse this view.  They saw the polar bears!

But what if when no one was watching, 50 or 100 years ago - polar bears were facing the same predicaments they are today?  Does anyone know for sure they weren't? 

It's December, and Winter is upon us.  In the Upper Midwest, record snowfalls and cold temperatures have descended upon the region.  For the fifth consecutive year, there are no signs, absolutely none, on the first day of Winter, that global warming is changing our climate. 

This week, no less of a wintry wonderland than Las Vegas, that's right, Las Vegas, received 3.6" of snow.  Perhaps the polar bears should find their way to Nevada for protection. 

In the News: The First New Deal and the Second New Deal

This week's news challenges us to consider what is really going on in the 21st Century battle of ideas.  As the new Obama regime takes shape, it is setting itself up to be perceived as pragmatic economic managers and sincere in its rejection of heavy handed, interventionist foreign policy. 

But what will follow the enormous injection of more government prescribed remedies for our economic woes?  Here's a sampling of opinion from some good thinkers around us and some ideas to ponder.  When you've sifted through it, from your own perspective, please share your own comments and thoughts.

Obama's "New" New Deal
By ckennedy
The world was greeted on Saturday with Barack Obama’s announcement of a massive public works program to “save or create at least 2-1/2 million jobs so that the nearly 2 million Americans who’ve lost them know that they have a future,” ...

United Liberty - Free Market... - http://www.unitedliberty.org/

Personal Responsibility vs. Government Intervention

Among the ideals that have made America a great and strong nation is that of personal responsibility. We are not a nation of dependents.  We are Americans because of a frontier spirit.  We were founded on the principles of self-reliance and responsibility for our actions. If we were successful in our endeavors, we reaped the rewards; if we failed, we took our "lumps", retrenched and tried again.   Over time, we have begun to lose sight of this concept. Today, we have a Congress does not believe in risk and reward, success and failure, individual liberty and personal responsibility. The action by Congress in regard to the Wall Street and banking failures, and now with the automotive manufacturers has been characterized as "capitalism on the way up and socialism on the way down."  The message is it is OK to take risks while you are succeeding, so much so that if failure looms, the government will swoop in to save you - at least if you have enough assets to get them to pay attention.   The problem in the long run is the loss of accountability and responsibility. Risk has been largely removed for those annoited by the government, and increased dramatically for those who do not have that clout. Corporations may get the message that they can take all the chances they want, be lazy, complacent, inefficient, even corrupt. No problem. The government will rescue you with the taxpayers' dollars. When there is no risk of failure, individuals and corporations lose their sense of proportionate risk; greed replaces a healthy skepticism. What are the lessons we are teaching our children, who will one day run the small businesses, farms and corporations in this land?   It takes courage to oppose the powers that be, to stand tall and say it is not the government's responsibility to step in when businesses fail. But it is the best thing for everyone concerned in the long run. Businesses will learn to be better, smarter, and wiser.   We understand that when a business fails, people lose jobs and livelihoods - it's painful and it deserves the concern of government as well as private citizens.  In a truly unencumbered free market, opportunities will be available for people to start over and build wealth. If we ever actually make policy of these core principles, we will all be better off as individuals and as a nation.

The Will to Prevail

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. - Vince Lombardi

Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps, Roger Federer - what makes these athletes so much better than their peers? In many ways, they are very ordinary human beings. Yet they dominate their peers - and their peers have distinguished themselves in the midst of the world's finest talent.

How does someone like Tiger Woods remain at the top of his game, beating his competition week in - week out, year after year? How does Michael Phelps prevail in every race he competes in against the greatest competition the world has ever seen? What keeps Roger Federer on top of the competition for so many years in a row?

In every discipline, whether it's a sport, a business or other activity, there tends to be one person who reaches a level of dominance over his competition for a time. No one stays on top forever, but many champions enjoy a long run as the best at whatever they do.

Few have succeeded at the level of Tiger Woods. No doubt he will face a whole new set of challenges when he returns, but if anyone can endure the rehabilitation he is facing now, and re-emerge as a champion, Tiger Woods would seem to be the man to do it.

The Republican Party's Role in the Future of American Democracy

We should all sincerely hope that the GOP will leave behind its recent history, when it ran campaigns built on themes of limited government, then governed as if it could not increase the size and scope of government fast enough.
They clearly lost sight of how oversized government has taken over every aspect of our lives, in fact, they became agents to make this happen.  

The GOP lost its way.  The War in Iraq has gone on too long to be acceptable to the American electorate.   The Bush Administration thought it could govern against the will of the majority continually, in fact treated it as if it was its duty.  The core cheerleaders for the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Ann Coulter, etc., then acted as if the American voters had a duty to go and vote for this expansionist view of government power.

American voters rejected the GOP, I believe,

How One Young Voter Changed His Mind

In a time when our President was stuck in foreign policy quagmire in th Middle East, and there was also an economic crisis threatening every American household, it's easy to understand how an 18 year old college freshman from Indiana would cast a vote for change and a new direction for the future. 

It's what I did - but the year was 1980, and Barack Obama was not running for President, he was voting for the first time as well.  The hope and change candidate who prevailed that year was Ronald Reagan.  But he wasn't the candidate I supported.  I voted for John Anderson.  I voted for John Anderson, who promised he would raise the tax on gasoline by 50 cents a gallon at a time when gas prices had soared more than at any previous time in our history. 

But John Anderson would not send me, or my friends, off to war.  John Anderson  was different from Jimmy Carter, who had miserably failed to deal with the crisis of Americans held hostage in Iran.  Jimmy Carter has also reinstituted the Selective Service registration, in the event he at some point decided we needed to draft young men to go to war.  Jimmy Carter's friends, who have tried to rewrite history to make him into a lover of peace should include that fact in their praise and love of him.