NRU silver and gold

I kinda wish I could have been at this meeting. Coincidentally, I was wandering around Los Angeles on this day.  I hope that this story gets significant media coverage -- Homeboy (& Homegirl) Industries need as much attention and support as possible.

I am sorry that it has taken the brutal deaths of several men on death row for the public to begin to see the futility of the death penalty.  However, I will take it as a win if it works to eradicate vengeance from our so-called justice system.  By the way, I know this guy didn't mean what I just said ... but I think he is correct in suggesting that we need to either go all the way to brutally killing people or give up the death penalty. I am not convinced, even in our current gun-promoting craziness, that we will support the firing squad.
  

I guess I have to say that is it very sad when a kind gesture is met with fear.  Is it a sign of our times because the media hypes every little thing in an attempt to fill airtime or because our world is that scary?  I am not convinced we are living in a truly scarier world.  Though when I read the comments on newspaper articles, I can imagine that scary world.  I wondered as I drove around listening to the news if the internet and are new relationship with anonymity is what gives the rebels in the Ukraine or the military in Israel the idea that shooting at innocents is okay as long as it is done remotely.

I guess I should have made another color for those things that are both awful and yet there is some silver glint to its lining.  This op-ed, in my opinion, has this quality ... and I think it was the quality the author was trying to express.  We should be proud that we have far enough in our un-learning prejudice to elect a not white president.  But we should continue to hold people responsible for their racist actions, words and calls to action.  Because of how far we've come, the racist/prejudice people have learned how to couch their feelings into words/campaigns that need to be scrutinized carefully.  But we are capable of doing just that ... instead of merely repeating the ugly things they say.

One of the joys of reading newspapers online is that you get to see headlines from sections into which you might not otherwise venture.  This is a gold nugget from the sports section I would have totally missed.  I want to be in this guy's social circle ... and I would learn to talk about football (not derisively that is) for the privilege.  Just love this guy!

This is another pure gold story about how eating healthy andwell are coming to "fast food" – not sure how fast this is since they all sound like sit down restaurants.  These are chain restaurants I can whole-heartedly get behind!  Also there is a quick shout out to my hometown and a family-owned farm providing greens to one of these chains. 

I am not sure how to categorize this op-ed on the border "crisis" - it twists and turns around ideas, some silver linings and others just the truth.  I just wish we could all figure out how to find charity in our hearts ... I think if we could just take stock of what we had, what we don't need and what we can easily share, then our notions of abundance would blossom.

It would appear that there is good that can come from technology – and the geeks that are willing to donate their time.  This is a lovely article about the tech community in LA, including those still trying to break into the industry, giving to nonprofits that would otherwise not have the funds or the geek power to create apps.  I am confused about the judging and winning aspect of the Causathon, but the results sound really good to me.