He’s stated that he has not met them in real life.  His credibility is being called into question because of the lies he initially told regarding the scandal.  His judgment is part of that controversy in regards to his career. Many people are wondering whether someone who would lie to his constituents, his family, his friends, and the media could do his job with honesty and integrity.

Anthony says that he admitted to his wife of 11 months, before they got married, of his inappropriate online relationships that took place before his marriage; but it appears, that she was not aware of his recent interactions.  His wife, Huma Abedin works for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Media reports say she is consulting with the Clintons about how to save Anthony’s job in the shadow of the scandal.

Questions abound in our world about the role that social media plays in the lives of everyday people and people who are famous, public figures, or people in roles of leadership.  How people conduct themselves online has a direct affect on their work, their reputations and in their relationships both online and off.

Whether Mr. Weiner is able to retain his position as a lawmaker will depend on what information is garnered through the ethics investigation that Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has asked for.  If he has violated the rules of conduct or has used government resources in these circumstances…he could lose his standing among his fellow lawmakers not to mention other repercussions if any laws were broken.  His marital relationship has to be addressed as well; counseling would probably be advised for the best possible outcome, if they wish to heal the damage.  The pressure has to be tremendous as many people are calling for him to resign; which at this point, he has refused to do.  One would hope that in his quest to save his job, that he doesn’t sweep the issues under the rug that allowed him to make choices that were so potentially detrimental to his well-being.

It is human nature to try to avoid consequences when we screw up…however, the responsibility of a person in the position that he holds requires that he hold himself to a higher standard than most.  I am sure that he wishes he could go back and undo what he says he has done regarding posting those pictures and writing allegedly sexually charged exchanges with those women.  His actions supposedly goes back a few years…so this is not new behavior.  Yet, it was unchecked because he has continued to reach out through digital means & through the phone to women who are not his spouse to interact with racy exchanges.  It is said that these types of relationships can become addictive.  We know that they can be destructive.  It will take a lot of work to regain trust and respect of those people in his life that he had those things from, before this behavior came to light.

The whole situation goes beyond Democrat/Republican politics…because it doesn’t matter what a person’s political stance…this issue is a human issue.  I hope it doesn’t get turned into that kind of a discussion…because outside of his particular offense… both political parties struggle with individuals who have made serious mistakes in their behavior regarding sexual boundaries and values.  Immoral behavior is immoral behavior…no matter what party you belong to; in my opinion.

In any case, Anthony Weiner will have to show true remorse and take steps to correct the mind-set that allowed him to place himself in such a position as to lose ground as a lawmaker, and as a new husband.  In America we do believe in second chances and the opportunity to turn your life around…whether he will deserve that opportunity to go back and restore his reputation will depend on what they find out from the investigation, how he handles that information; and, whether he reforms how he conducts himself in the future.

Trust, dependability, integrity, honesty = a person’s reputation…the value of those attributes are immeasurable.  A person’s name and reputation is important.  There were so many plays on Anthony Weiner’s name in the last few days in the news headlines…but, truthfully, all that kept running through my mind was a little advertising commercial jingle that Oscar Mayer had on television, years ago, as I grew up.

IF I remember right, it goes like this.  “oh I wish I was an Oscar Mayer wiener, that is what I truly want to be; cause, If I was an Oscar Mayer wiener, everyone would be in love with me”.   Right about now, I would imagine that Anthony Weiner wishes his first name was Oscar, so that he too could have the love and support of all the American people, much like the kind of relationship the company Oscar Mayer has been able to forge over the years with the public.  Then again, to the best of my knowledge, that company has never been involved in any kind of scandalous behavior…

What is your opinion on the situation with Anthony Weiner…should he remain in office?

A lot has been said about Jack Kevorkian in the media over the years.  For many years he used the media to get his message across to people around the world; he felt that people should be allowed to take their own lives.  He allegedly thought physicians should be allowed to assist them by providing the means (medicine) to accomplish that goal.  Many individuals (allegedly over 100 people) with chronic illness or disease, who were suffering, sought him out to help them end their lives.   He was eventually convicted of murder by prosecutors and served approximately 8 years in prison; but, he was released early because of his own medical conditions.

His battle with public perceptions and the public’s moral and legal viewpoint, on his stance towards assisted suicide, opened up many conversations around the world.  If nothing else, I do believe that the media attention helped people to examine their own beliefs about the idea of assisted suicide and the concept of whether people should have end of life choices when faced with chronic illnesses or diseases.

My own personal feelings aside, I can’t help but wonder as Jack was stripped of his medical license after being in prison for assisting suicides in the past; if he could have, would he have taken his own life at the end?

I mean, Jack’s life and career appeared to revolve around death and dying.  He didn’t have access to his machine, that he invented to assist those who wanted to commit suicide, while he struggle with his illness in the hospital.  Still, he has had health problems for years…which was part of the reason he was released early from prison.

One wonders, why didn’t he commit suicide himself during that time.  Could it be that he realized the value in living even while chronically ill?  Did he ever regret helping others to commit suicide?  Publicly he remained defiant…but, when released from prison he agreed to no longer assist people with their suicides.  Still, if he would have taken his own life…there is nothing that the legal system could have done to him after his death.   He chose not to do that…and I am glad.

It is said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary situation.  There are reports of people who have attempted suicide and somehow survived who report being glad that their attempt failed. Suicide leaves many victims…the survivors or loved ones of people who are successful at taking their own lives struggle with many issues.

Suicide prevention is important because people are in distress when they consider taking such an extreme action.  Those stresses are intense…but often they are fleeting situations and if a person has an intervention that helps preserve their life than can go on and live a rewarding life (even if it is hindered by disease or illness).  For those of us who have moral convictions about the idea of suicide, it is with sadness to hear of someone losing their life to suicide whether it is assisted or not. The subject is emotionally charged for most people…those who believe in the right to take their own life and those who believe it is wrong to do so.

Having lost a loved one myself, this week, after a long battle against a chronic disease; I can only imagine how much more complex the loss would have been, had that person chosen to take his own life.  He suffered greatly, and yet he struggled to live; was he ever tempted to take his own life?  I am sure there were moments when the pain became too much to bear…and yet, he fought for every moment he was allowed to have with his friends and family.

What are your thoughts on death and dying…Jack Kevorkian or assisted suicides?  Our condolences to his friends and family at their loss.

I first met Peppermint Jim back a couple of years ago in person in Michigan.  He’s had an impact in Michigan where he helped to save his family’s heritage mint farm from foreclosure.  He did this through hard work, and with the help of loyal customers.  Jim believes in using organic farming practices that help build up the soil and protect it from poor farming practices that harm the earth with dangerous chemicals and destructive, or careless techniques that don’t look beyond the season’s current harvest.

I have to say that I was impressed with the man’s knowledge not only of those issues; but also, the intensive passion he shares for mint farming and for supporting struggling independent producers who are trying to make a living in a very competitive world.  He’s done this by not compromising his faith or his belief in doing things in such a way as to honor God’s creation.  He does his best to educate others and to provide products that promote health and well-being for the consumer as well as the environment.

In fact, Jim supports Southern Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce and Mrs. Greens World Care to encourage green practices in communities and businesses.  The Tucson Arizona community is familiar with this way of thinking and it is a great place to connect with like- minded people.

In the May edition of Guideposts magazine you will find an article on Peppermint Jim and the story of his legacy from the role that his family’s heritage mint farm played in his professional growth; to the place that he is in now and, the direction that his experiences are leading him to, in the future.  Don’t miss it…get the May 2011 edition of Guidepost’s magazine to learn more about Peppermint Jim and his life partner, wife Lilian and the role that their mint based business will play in the forward thinking communities who are wise to a greener and more sustainable world.

Jim has taken his knowledge, passion and purpose to Arizona and is introducing community members and loyal customers to his new line of products.  His commitment to sustainability is contagious and he educates others to this way of farming.  He is an encouragement to other farmers and independent producers of consumer goods; to do what they know is right and to have an opportunity to provide a living for themselves by bringing products to the marketplace that envelope all that they believe in.

You can see Peppermint Jim’s line of pure mint oils, body care products, farming tools, his handmade candies and goodies as well as his soil rejuvenator which feeds plants from seedling to bloom/harvest.  You can find out more about what’s good for you and your family at Peppermint Jim

So, how does someone who has a great product go about letting it be known that they have a great product and get people to buy without all of that ugly over the top hypey advertising.  How does an honest marketer revolt and let others see what they are doing online to make money in an honest and ethical way?  They do it by being genuine…they do it by being real; by creating great products your customers can use, and raising the standards of their own conduct and raising the standards of what their potential customers can expect.

This is what the Real Guys are doing…but their product is only available for the next few days until March 31, 2011.  Watch this and see if there isn’t a part of this message about what they are trying to do with their product and the way that they are getting the word out about how they do business.  They have a great product that teaches targeted traffic methods and list building and includes a private label rights aspect as well.

This video series helps teach people who are looking to make money online at home the best way to do it…and it includes a product that they themselves can market.  It is a product that provides great content and allows them to market online with every confidence that they are providing real value to their customers. They have over-delivered a quality product with which everyday real people can make money in an honest and ethical way.  The people behind the Real Guys are well known internet marketers who themselves have a strong and loyal group of customers who have great things to say about how each of them conducts their online businesses.  Check it out the program here:  Real Guys

*Just so you know…this article includes an affiliate link…and should you purchase anything from the Real Guys I would be compensated.  However, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a great product…because it is a great product…but it is only available for a few more days.

Businesses who use video to get more online traffic find it to be an effective tool.  Visually connecting with your market is one of the best ways to catch your customers interest.  In fact, your competitors are probably already using video to their benefit.  Therefore, I am sure that you can see the importance of being able to harness the power of video editing.

In fact, video is used for connecting individuals together for business, family and for entertainment.  So, it is important to know how to, not only capture those moments on video…but, to be able to know how to edit those videos effectively & professionally; and, to preserve them in formats that are useful to the increasingly technological world that we live in.

Understanding how those cameras work and how to render and upload those videos can appear to be overwhelming.  Reading manuals isn’t for everyone…some people learn better from training tutorials and this program called Video Editing Simplified, VES, is done in a wonderful way that breaks down tips, techniques and transitions or special effects into usable videos that actually make it easy to understand.

Each of these 40 training tutorials are from 2 to 14 minutes in length.  They show you what to do with the files and how to edit them to make them interesting and to smoothly showcase your videos in a way that accomplishes your goals whether it be for preserving personal family moments, entertainment, or for business purposes.  Check out the VES program and see if it doesn’t provide you with the information that you need for editing your digital videos; this program can make you look like a technical genius.

This product stands alone on a level of completeness.  Everything is there for the purchaser to make a lot of money from a high standard product.  This is not a hyped up product that is full of fluff or has empty spots where content should be.  It really is a product that overdelivers. It contains everything it says it does and more.  I believe that marketers Jeff Wellman, Paul Counts and Eric Holmlund have raised the bar of what a customer should be able to expect from a PLR product.

Internet marketing has gotten a bad reputation in the last few years because some marketers have thrown junk out on the market and promised customers the moon…and instead delivered blue cheese instead.  The bar needed to be raised in the quality of products for sale and the Real Guys believe that it is time to provide products that stand very high over and above the other products available to potential customers.  Each one of the Real Guys has a loyal customer base from past customers who are thrilled at the products and services that each brings to the table.

If you are looking to make money online, don’t get scammed by marketers that promise you jillions of dollars for merely clicking a button and having an instant online business.  That is never going to happen.  For one thing, an online business requires you to invest some elbow grease.  Anything worth having is worth working for.  The they have simply done a lot of the work for you…made it easier for you to make money in less time because they have eliminated a lot of the background work that goes behind each and every product that gets sold in the online money making products available for sale.

Go check out this product and see for yourself what the Real Guys can deliver to a person who is looking to earn some Real Money in a legitimate way online. Check out the comments left behind by satisfied customers from each of these marketers past products if you aren’t sure that they are who they say they are!

These are some of the questions that the guys, behind the program Real Guys Real Money, have attempted to answer with their free videos. The average person getting started in internet marketing, who is looking to do an honest business, is often intimidated by those big name marketing gurus who flaunt their mansions, expensive cars and other material goods.  They may think, that isn’t my style; I don’t need all of that…I just want to provide for my family.

Many people who consider starting an online business just want to add to their income; or, possibly replace their day job with a career from their online money making pursuits.  Some of their claims of the big internet marketing gurus are so sensational that it seems almost unbelievable.

Does everyone who tries to make money online have to conduct themselves in the same way, with sensational headlines & promises of great financial rewards, to be able to compete in the business?  Can you have traditional values with your internet business and still make money?  Someone considering an online business may even wonder if it’s even possible for someone new to the market, a little guy, to make a steady stream of money online.  Check out their videos and see what you think.

If you are one of those people interested in making money online…you would be wise to listen in to Paul Counts, Jeff Wellman and Eric Holmlund as they give you some great content in these teaching videos.  You don’t have to sign up or opt in to hear & see the free videos.  This is some great info…it isn’t merely filler videos full of fluff and stuff.

It costs you nothing to click here Make Money Online Niche.

*Just so you know…if you do purchase a product through them in the future…i may be compensated for referring you.  But remember…there is no cost to watching the FREE videos! Not only that, but you don’t even have to opt in to view the videos!  Enjoy and thanks for visiting.

That show, called Two and a Half Men, has stopped production on their show for the rest of the season; since Charlie has made a public statement on interviews that disparages the producers of the show, television show creator Chuck Lorre, Alcoholic Anonymous, his ex wife, and women in general.   He says horribly vile things about Chuck Lorre and shows nothing but contempt for women, in my opinion, when he says things about women such as he has fame and those women have nothing and that all they will ever have is that night with him and that he will forget about them as soon as they leave.  He says that he is “special” and will never be one of the AA because they are a “bootleg cult”.  Seriously? 

It comes across through many of these examples that he considers himself above everyone else.  He believes that he alone cured his (in his opinion) so called disease with his own mind.  He has made recent statements to the fact that he is in control of his partying.   The truth of the matter is that he couldn’t be more wrong.  He has been in legal trouble for alleged domestic violence, he has had custody issues with his ex-wife who does try to support him in public while at the same time  tries to shield their daughters from the horror of these out of control antics that are harming him physically, emotionally, spiritually,professionally, and financially. His young sons with his second wife are very young…but they will grow up with the legacy of their father’s public displays as well.

People who work with individuals who struggle with addictions will give you all of the facts on how addicts fool themselves into thinking that they are “in control” and the rest of the world is the one with a problem.  Charlie may not live on the streets, he might not be homeless, he might not be stealing to support his habits…but he is in denial about his lifestyle choices and the effect that it is having on those who care about him (meaning his friends and family).

He has children that are growing up; and they are now, and will continue to be affected by his behavior and the choices that he makes.  He has a famous brother Emilio Estevez and then of course, there is his father Martin Sheen they have stepped up and said they continue to love him, support him and pray for him.  He has ex-wives who love him enough to try to work through their issues to maintain some sort of relationship for their children. Who can help an adult who is in a situation such as this? Can he be forced to get help through an emergency order? Is he having some sort of emotional breakdown or is he just acting out because of the damage caused by his partying?  He appears to feel all powerful and that no one has the right to tell him no, or draw a line in the sand regarding his conduct.   He has fans that he asks to support him; even though he is acting in ways that are hard to support.  He wants them to help him fight against the injustice of it all…saying that his fans are his people…not “theirs”.

In response, to the decision of his show stopping production, he slams the powers that be for stopping it…saying that they are keeping money from him, his family, and the crew of the show.   In my opinion however, if they continued to produce the show they would be irresponsible…enablers of a man who seems to be bent on self-destruction.  A week or two ago, there were articles that claimed that Charlie said that he only partied when he was bored and not working.  When he was working, he says, he was fine.   There are consequences to behaviors…and recent pictures of him show him possibly having had his teeth affected by his conduct.

Relationships suffer, professional connections become damaged and finances can become scarce because of a persons addictions.  In his case, this doesn’t just affect Charlie…he has a whole crew that is going to suffer consequences because of this situation.   A professional intervention needs to happen, because even though he says he is clean…that doesn’t mean he is stable.   I say, if he isn’t careful to get medical help, put his rehab knowledge and education to heart, and live addiction free…he is going to be bored to DEATH; and, we will be reading Charlie’s very sad obituary.

That would be a terrible waste of life; how much better to see him find his way to health and wellness and use his experience to help others in the same situation?  People who do not have fame, fortune or money deal with addictions too and the consequences are no less severe for them or their loved ones.

What are your thoughts? Do you love someone who struggles with addictions?  What have you done to survive the ups and downs?  Where did you find help?

Miley Cyrus became so rich and so overwhelmingly popular that she began to make changes like dressing more provocatively.   She not only “grew up”; she changed her image.   She made very grown up videos with older men and she was caught on film smoking Salvia in a bong (which is not illegal in California but which has hallucinogenic affects on the people who smoke it).   Billy says that he always tried to be a friend to his children and now he regrets not being more of a disciplinarian type of a parent. Many parents realize this type of mistake…but, when there are people who form a wall around your child, I would imagine it is harder to talk things out.   Billy didn’t have the title of being his daughter’s manager in business either…so he had no official say so in those business decisions of hers.  He feels that much of what has happened in recent months has been out of his control.

Maybe that is true…yet truthfully, his children and his wife play a part in this scenario as well.  If they all respected him as the head of the family (instead of having the balance of power out of whack by earning power) then his opinion would carry more weight in their choices.  This is doubly sad because they all appear to love one another…but, there seems to be no authority except of those in their business life; who may or may not have their family’s best interest at heart.  Billy says that he has not profited from Miley as a person on her staff such as a publicist or manager.  I think that fact brings him some kind of comfort…but it has to be a small comfort.

Miley makes a lot of money through the sale of all kinds of merchandise & music.  She has become a powerhouse in the celebrity field and as such…she is afforded many “handlers”.  Those are the people who promote, publicize, and schedule Miley’s appearances and her image.  They are the only ones in control of her image. They are her authority, instead of her father or her God.

Miley’s father Billy says that when he has questioned some of those handlers about his daughter and the reason behind her handlers alleged attempts to desperately get their hands on some anonymous  young people’s cell phones and computers; he was allegedly told that it was “none of his business”.  While that may be true professionally, it certainly is not morally or in the area of parental concern.  His daughter and circumstances surrounding her well being most certainly are his business.  That is a God given right!

Now I don’t know about you…but when a man or woman’s child becomes a property that is so large that the parent is considered to be interfering when asking questions about how that child (even if that child is over the age of 18) representatives are dealing with details in his/her life; then, I have to question the motives of those behind the image.

When the Cyrus family came to California with the lure of the career and fame, they were supposedly a family united in faith.  It seems to me that Billy has regrets about where his family has found themselves at this point.  I can’t say that I blame him.  He and his wife Tish have separated at the end of 2010.  His children are all scattered.  He says that he would give it all up in a minute to go back to the way things were, if his family could be back where they started.

All I can think of when I read articles based on that interview is, Matthew 16:26 which says; “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or, what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”  They each made a decision to pursue their careers…and so it doesn’t just fall to the father.  Still, their intentions could have been the best when it all started.  After all, the show was a clean family show…who could have seen where it would lead?

This story still makes me sad, because like many Christians, you have to wonder if they thought they would go into the big city and change the dark places with the influence of their careers.  Instead, their family seems to have been changed, and if this interview speaks to the truth of the matter, Billy Ray Cyrus doesn’t appear to believe that those changes were not for the better or, worth the risk.  May God get into the midst of this family’s business and repair and heal the damage that has been done; restoring their faith and family values.  What are your thoughts?

Like those friends that you have in your Twitter or Facebook social media streams that post way too much private information online and embarrass you;  Barbie and Ken have created a bit of a public scene.  Ken took out ads on billboards trying to get Barbie back.  After a bit of to and fro online it seems Barbie could not resist the call of the plastic perfect Ken.  Uggg…do we need drama introduced to our children through their playthings?  I mean really, isn’t the real drama enough, in most children’s circle of influence through their parents, schoolmates family lives and relationships in school enough?  Do we really need to buy into some fabricated dysfunctional drama through our children’s dolls?

As much as I grew up with the make believe work of Barbie and all of her professional unrest…truly the woman just couldn’t decide what she wanted to be when she grew up!  She is like 50 right? Now she is reuniting with her main man Ken after a seven year separation where they each went their own ways supposedly?  What has Ken done as a partner in the relationship?  He is not clearly defined.  He does not have a clear role as a male role model.  What does Ken “do” for a living?  What does he have to offer a partner?  What caused him to decide that he and Barbie could resume a healthy romantic relationship after their previous failure?  Were they in counseling together?  Did they seek to work through individual issues before considering trying to rebuild their relationship?

If I am going to buy into the publicity of this reunited relationship of Ken and Barbie and encourage children to get involved…as an adult who wants stability in my children and grandchildren’s lives; I would want to see a healthy relationship develop.  Today’s families have way too much unhealthy emotional drama in their lives.  I think, the publicity on this thing went in the wrong direction.

Then again, some people don’t often demand healthy relationships of the people in their lives either. Some allow dramas to play out on our social media streams without trying to encourage people to clean up their relationships and get real help for their troubles; instead of temporarily patching things up just to keep repeating unhealthy patterns of behavior.

I, for one, won’t be encouraging this public pandering of Barbie and Ken because I don’t happen to see any socially redeeming benefits.  Have we heard about why Barbie and Ken took a vacation from their relationship only to be wooed back into a surface relationship without benefit of working through their issues?  Are they getting help from a qualified counselor to build up their relationship and repair the troubles that broke them up in the first place? No…we only see that they have decided that they miss one another and still are attracted to one another.  Not good enough.

Kids need healthy boundaries and good role models to encourage strong, healthy relationships in their own real life world.  I understand this is about advertising & marketing…but, if they want the public to go with the flow then the powers that be that came up with this Barbie and Ken drama should have followed up with more than…it is Valentine’s day and I want you back because you are hot, and you sweet talked me into it, kind of script.  Don’t we have a right to expect better from Mattel?

What do you think? Does Mattel have a responsibility to promote their products in a healthier way to children?  Baby boomers are loyal…but, most of us have achieved some semblance of maturity in how we conduct ourselves.  Don’t we have a right as consumers, who helped to build their brand, to expect a better standard of respect for our families than just a gimmicky way to promote sales of their iconic dolls to our children and grandchildren?  Let me know what you think of this controversy!