Power&Politics

METANOIAAugust 2014

A NEW WAY OF

THINKING

2

PUBLISHERS

COPY CHIEF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

PHOTO ARCHIVIST

CONTRIBUTORS

METANOIAEXECUTIVE AND STAFF

METANOIA MAGAZINE is a publication of METANOIA CONCEPTS INC. For questions, comments, or advertising contact by

Phone: 604 538 8837, Email: [email protected], Mail: 3566 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC, Canada, V4P 1B5

SALME JOHANNES LEIS & ALLISON PATTON

CALEB NG

JR LEIS AND HEINO LEIS

DAL FLEISCHER

GALINA BOGATCH

Maureen BaderAlex Barberis

Andy Belanger Donald J. Boudreaux

Tim BrownBrian Croft Miki Dawson

Cheryl Gauld Kulraj Gurm

Marilyn HurstRichard King IV

Peter and Maria KingsleyMarilyn Lawrie

A NEW WAY OF THINKING

Hank LeisSalme Leis

Chris MacClureSeth Meltzer

Caleb NgJanice Oleandros

Allison PattonLuis ReyesCara Roth

Kaela ScottPepe Serna

Dan WalkerHarvey White

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METANOIAEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

LADIES & GENTLEMEN

LASER & THE COCKROACH

POWER & POLITICS

I AM LIMITLESS

RANT

INTEREST RATES

SNOWDEN

CANADA DAY

MAN FROM RENO

INEVITABILITY

DAN WALKER CHRONICLES

BETTY (NOBLE) TURNER

DONALD BOUDREAUX

HOROSCOPE

CONTENTS

47891012131516182022232527

By Dr Allison Patton

The Lesson To Be Learned

By Lawrence McDonald

Dr Caleb Ng Explains Amino Acid Therapy

It’s All Just Too Complicated

Seth Meltzer Asks, “What’s The Deal?”

Freedom Fighter or Rebel?

The Speech By Dr Allison Patton

Pepe Serna About His New Film Project

By Hank Leis

Tibet

A Tribute To Our Favourite Texan

Missives

Love Her or Hate Her, Our Fortune Teller is Back

4 METANOIA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

METANOIAMETANOIA

HUNTER S. THOMPSON (JULY 18, 1937-FEB 20, 2006) IS CREDITED WITH FIRST DESCRIBING HIS STYLE OF JOURNALISM AS “GONZO”. ESSENTIALLY, WHAT HE MEANT BY THIS WAS THE AUTHOR BECOMES PART OF THE STORY AS HE TELLS IT. IN SOME RESPECT, ALL JOURNALISM IS “GONZO”. BECAUSE IMPLICIT IN EVERY STORY IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WRITER AND THE STORY. HOW THE STORY IS TOLD HAS TO DO WITH THE PSYCHOLOGY, STYLE, POINTS OF VIEW, AND THE BIASES OF THE WRITER IN GLEANING OUT THE PARTICULARS OF EVERYTHING THEY CHOOSE TO DESCRIBE.

METANOIA HAS NEVER TRIED TO CONCEAL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WRITER AND THE SUBJECT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HAS INTENTIONALLY REVEALED THESE CONNECTIONS. OFTEN TIMES WE SELECT OUR STORIES BECAUSE WE KNOW THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. OTHER TIMES WE GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE BY DOING THE NECESSARY RESEARCH FOR OUR STORIES.

THIS MONTH WE PRESENT ONE OF DR. ALLISON PATTON’S SPEECHES. AS WELL, LAWRENCE MCDONALD DESCRIBES POWER AND POLITICS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. SETH MELTZER, DR. CALEB NG, AND HANK LEIS PROVIDED THEIR PECULIAR INSIGHTS ON HOW THE PLANET OPERATES.

OF COURSE THERE IS MORE. ENJOY!

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By Hank Leis

The Greek origins of the word METANOIA [met-uh-noi-uh] convey the notion of an experience or a moment that is transformative. In fact, the change itself would be so remarkable as to shift paradigms. These shifts actually would cause a change in behavior and ultimately the consequences of those behaviors. The articles in this magazine are intended to introduce a different way of thinking so ideas and notions we take for granted can be reframed in such a way as to renew our life by making it more interesting, challenging and rewarding.

Many of us have abandoned our intelligence, our ability to think, our creative gifts and instead joined the masses, whose only goal is to perpetuate the species and dwell in a complacent and apathetic state amounting to nothing more than mere existence.

We at Metanoia believe we are all capable of more than that and, more importantly are able to generate epiphanous moments for you. We hope our plethora of deep-thinking writers will be able to transform your life into something meaningful and wondrous. Every one of us, to a varying degree, has experienced these moments and most of us who have been so transformed are driven to rediscovering the process that first allowed us our enlightened clarity of mind.

In the last decade, scientific advancements have given insights into human phenomena that were previously thought science fiction, such as the viral theory as a contributing factor in the feeling of “love”. Anthropologists may have noticed nuances in human behavior early in our development, but these scientific discoveries now actually explain the physiology of “metanoic thinking”. Our own behaviors are being re-examined in light of these discoveries about brain function, and in particular, how our usual way of thinking leads us to our usual results. Moreover, mostly we do not think- but react- not unlike reptiles- and this process does not always serve us well.

Humankind is evolving, and more and more the primitive fears that govern our behaviors are being discovered to be limiting rather than opportunistic. What we are discovering about ourselves is what our evolution is all about; the beast within will soon be quelled and what will emerge is anybody’s guess.


The context of one individual within a population of seven billion suggests his/her insignificance – let alone a lifetime in the span of eternity. And yet we still have this narcissistic sense that our existence is of tremendous relevance. While there may be something to this belief, how do these enormous discrepancies in size and time fit together to explain the relevance of this epic story? Simplified, what is the relevance of a person making a living to pay for food and shelter to the formula E=mc2? Our mission, certainly for Metanoia, is to explore all those ideas, and to change ourselves, and you, in pursuit of this intelligence. To put it another way, we want your brain to be engaged in ways it never has been before. Are you ready for the challenge?

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7

My mother was a nurse, my father an educator. I learned very early in life how im-portant a person’s health is to them and only later, as a doctor, how education is linked to health and illness. The more I tried to teach my patients about this linkage, the more I realized that politics was the only road to go to have any major effect on saving the larger and larg-er number of patients who sought relief from their suffering.

Education is the beginning. No longer is moth-er’s nurturing the be all and end all to sustain us in our journey through life. By the time we are fi ve years of age, we lose that warm and fuzzy connection to our mothers. We are taken to strange places where strangers tell us what to do and how to do it. These strangers do not have our mother’s warmth, which comes with mother’s love. They have a job….

The strangers have expectations of us and they are absent of the feeling that made us comfortable with our mothers. We are not free to explore, to examine the fl ora and fau-na around us. We are ordered to sit on hard wooden chairs from morning to afternoon, to pay attention and to learn how to fi t in. Those of us who do are rewarded-and those of us who do not are banished into irrelevance. And so the separation of joy and duty begins. Duty wins out because the system demands it, and as it does we lose our joy, and each day we be-gin to accomplish our list of tasks in hopes that someday there will be time for joy. Most think that retirement will be the day this will start, but

Ladies and Gentlemen-

By Dr Allison Patton

sadly it does not; fulfi lling the demands of the system has had its way with us-and we are too unhealthy and too old to enjoy that which was rightfully ours in the fi rst place-that is our young, healthy, vigorous minds and bodies.

We have donated our minds, bodies, and our time to a system that has no kindness and that delivers us to caretakers who watch over us so that we have a life, but cannot live. We be-come a drain on society. Emptying the pock-ets of young people who would like to enjoy their own life. We become the subjects of deri-sion as we shuffl e through shopping malls and stumble along sidewalks with our canes and walkers. This is the gratitude-that they will not let us die-because they have a job to keep us alive-even when we don’t want to.

So I, as a doctor, am a solution. One of many, of course, but what I want is to give them more, so much more. As I get to know my patients, I hear their stories and I get to know them well. Every once in a while, I lose one, and the sad-ness I feel is beyond even my own compre-hension. Each person I treat has a face that is memorable. Each person has a personality that is unique and profound. Because I truly love these people, I want to care for them, and make their visits to me and the after effects of their treatment produce to them the best years of their lives. And for some, this has been pos-sible-but unfortunately not for all.

Hence, I chose politics to do something about it. Health must start at the beginning and con-tinue throughout one’s life. Love should not be discontinued at the age of fi ve; where vulner-able children are transferred to hostile places-away from mothers and fathers; who now see the child peripherally as they try to manage their own anxieties to maintain the good life. The choices they have to make are no longer between good and evil; but between tolerable and horrible. We need change in our educa-tion system because benefi cial change will ad-dress the high costs of health and the journey towards our afterlife.

Remember, “Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same.”

8

Th is weekend, I watched documentaries on Jay-Z, Elon Musk, and Mark Cuban which inspired me and frustrated me at the same time.

Here is the inspiring part:

Jay-Z (born Shawn Corey Carter in 1969) has risen from dealing drugs in the Brooklyn projects to a top corner offi ce near Times Square. Jay-Z wanted to be a rapper, but aft er years of denials from record companies he started (“out of necessity” he says) a record company with two partners called Roc-A-Fella Records. He simply would not quit. Today he is a rapper, songwriter, fashion mogul, author, New Jersey Nets owner, and involved in many other business interests with an estimated net worth in excess of US$500 million, and quickly on his way to billionaire status.

Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1971. He taught himself computer programming at age 12 and developed the soft ware for a computer game that he sold for $500 that year. His fi rst real payout came from a soft ware company he started with his brother called Zip2 that developed an online city guide for the newspaper publishing industry. He sold Zip2 to Compaq for US$307 million in cash and US$34 million in stock options in 1999 of which US$22 million went to Musk. Later in 1999, Musk co-founded

what would become PayPal, and three years later in October 2002 PayPal was acquired by eBay for US$1.5 billion in stock; Musk’s share was US$165 million. Today he is CEO and CTO of SpaceX and CEO and Chief Product Architect of Tesla Motors, a commercial space exploration company and electric car manufacturer, respectively. Today Musk has an estimated net worth of US$8.2 billion.

Mark Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1958. His fi rst business transaction came at age 12 when he sold garbage bags to raise money to buy his favorite basketball shoes. During college Cuban purchased and ran a successful bar and in 1990 sold his fi rst company, MicroSolutions (system integrator and soft ware reseller) to CompuServe for US$6 million, his share was US$2 million. In 1995 he started what would become Broadcast.com (sports webcasting) with his college buddy and in 1999 sold it to Yahoo! for US$5.9 billion in stock. He has since diversifi ed into the entertainment business (he’s a “shark” on ABC’s Shark Tank), movie theaters, and sports as owner of the Dallas Mavericks. His estimated net worth today is US$2.5 billion.

Here is the frustrating part:

Th ese guys have accomplished more than I have.

Here is why they have (and where the title of this article comes from):

Th e Laser. Th anks to ehow.com: “Th e typical incandescent light bulb produces a broad spectrum of light, meaning that it puts out the entire visible spectrum of light. Th is is why these bulbs appear to be white. Lasers put out a specifi c wavelength of visible light. Th is wavelength is what dictates a laser’s color, as seen by the eye. An incandescent bulb puts out light in every direction at the same time. Th is is why it lights entire rooms when on. Lasers emit light in a single, narrow beam, lighting only a small area.” What is so apparent from their stories is they have an absolute laser focus. All of them surmounted real and perceived obstacles which sidetrack most people, but their focus on a single target is awe inspiring. Th ey simply do not waver no matter how dire things seem. I’m proud of many of my accomplishments up to this point in my life, but to take my game to a new level I need to be more of a laser than a light bulb.

Th e cockroach. Cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion. Th ey can also live for several weeks without a head. Enough said. Th ey just don’t quit.

With laser focus and persistent determination, all things are possible.

By Seth Meltzer

Lessons from the laser & the cockroach

9

The politician of today has become an ineffectual, redundant expense to the taxpaying electorate in British Columbia. Traditionally, the role of a politician is, to reflect the opinions and wishes of the constituents, propose and debate new legislation, modify existing laws, facilitate Royal Assent of new bills and above all; be accountable to the electorate!

Unfortunately, over the past 25 years, these obligations and duties have been insidiously delegated to unelected, nonresponsible entities.At the forefront of this litany of “nonresponsible entities” are; Translink B.C., B.C. Ferry Corp., B.C. Hydro, I.C.B.C. (Insurance Corp. of B.C.), W.C.B. (Workers Compensation Board), Vancouver Coastal Health , Fraser Valley Health et all, the B.C. Human Rights Commission, and the myriad of review panels and boards. These entities dramatically affect the life of the B.C. voter. Yet the voter has no way to express disagreement and displeasure or to effect change. Complaints to the elected M.L.A.’s are met with a shrug and a wink and the comment that “these entities are self-governing “and don’t report to the M.L.A.

The advantages, from the politician’s point of view, of this unfortunate shift of decision making to these non-elected entities, is self-serving. If no decisions are made, then no voter is offended. Voters base their electoral decisions on the criteria of which political party has managed to offend

Power & PoliticsThe “New Politicians” in

British Columbia By Lawrence McDonald

them the most in the previous four years. No decisions, then no offence. The decisions that no politician wants to be accountable for under any circumstances, are a reduction in entitlements or an increase in taxation levels. Best to defer these no win decisions to non-elected entities.

Consequently, these “quasi-governing” bodies have supplanted politicians in making decisions that affect the governance of British Columbia. Bureaucrats employed by these “quasi-governing bodies” have no accountability to voters and avoid culpability from; incompetence, incorrect decisions, financial abuse of the taxpayer, failure to operate within budget and have absolutely zero chance of termination of employment. Perhaps the ultimate example of this reality is in Vancouver Coastal Health’s enlightened attempt to socially reengineer alcoholism and drug addiction treatment. They have decided that hourly doses of free vodka for alcoholics and 25 cent crack pipes and Insyte Injection Site for drug addicts reflects the preferences of the B.C. electorate. Why does the voter expect meaningful change as legislated by elected politicians when “quasi-governing” bodies are the decision makers in B.C.? These are our “New Politicians”.

To further compromise the current politician’s ability to respond to voter preferences are the deputy minister of each government department and the acolytes and sycophants of

each deputy minister. If the elected politician is “resistant” to advice and direction from the deputy minister then information is easily withheld or presented in a manner that can discredit the elected politician, thereby ensuring a brief tenure as minister.

Is there any hope for the future? When will the next W.A.C. Bennet, Tommy Douglas or even Preston Manning arrive on the B.C. political scene? Will men and women step forth with a vision for B.C. that will implement fundamental voter generated change in B.C? Will these visionaries be willing to endure the scorn, vilification and abuse from the media and political opponents? If this “Visionary Political Party” is to succeed, it will need to eliminate or severely curtail these “quasi-governing” bodies and bureaucrats. This will be a mammoth task for after 25 years entrenchment by these bodies; they will not depart quietly.

The future of B.C. should be decided by politicians who are responsible to the taxpaying voter; this will result in a society reflective of the voters’ vision rather than a society reflective of the vision of non-elected “quasi-governing” bodies and bureaucrats. Is this concept delusional in present day British Columbia?

Do any of the current four major provincial political parties have the mandate to be truly responsive to the electorate’s preferences rather than a further proliferation of these “quasi-governing bodies?”

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repeat after me ... “I AM LIMITLESS”

A movie made recently had, as its main character, an ordinary man, who suff ered from being limited by all things that ordinary men suff er from. By circumstance, he is given a pill which enables his brain to process, understand, and utilize information to such a high degree that he is able to make decisions and live his life such that it works well beyond the capabilities we have today.

Such a magic drug has yet to be discovered – but if it were, one feature would be to enhance the nerve’s ability to transmit electrons to jump the gap that is known as the synapse. Although the movie does not make it clear how the pill functions, we do know enough about the brain and the nervous system (that both operate optimally when the neurons are undamaged) that the synapse area between neurons is able to effi ciently and eff ectively transmit electrical impulses from one nerve to the next.

Human beings are limited. Each of us, in our own unique way, try to expand our abilities to live a more meaningful life, and we have come to realize there are many ways to achieve it. But one way stands out, because it involves enhancing chemical pathways that are natural to the human experience. Natural, because the “drug” which enhances eff ective behaviour is manufactured by the body itself and that substance is called an amino acid.

Humans use over twenty diff erent amino acids from dietary sources for the building blocks of protein synthesis, fuel for energy or the organic molecules of communication in the brain, neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters have become a pivotal area of neuroscience over the last century as we have learned they are essential for thought, perception, and feelings.

Since the discovery of the fi rst anti-depressant 60 years ago, the pharmaceutical industry has invested considerable eff ort into discovering and developing medications to increase the fi ring of neurons to facilitate functionality in those suff ering from mental health disorders. In essence, the medications increased the exposure time of the neurosynapse to neurotransmitters in hopes of increasing the ability of neurons to propagate their signal from one neuron to the next.

Inevitably, by altering normal function, drugs have come with side-eff ects with an astonishingly high incidence rate. In fact, prescribers are taught to use the side eff ect profi le of a drug to treat patient concerns if possible; so treating a patient with depression and insomnia with an anti-depressant that has a common side-eff ect of drowsiness would be considered prescribing a “two-fer”.

Although prescription medication is considered more humane and an advent for people suff ering with mental health issues, it has been used perhaps too frequently creating an overmedicated society walking around in a numbed emotionless stupor. It has become part of our society and so commonplace that we accept the satire of being medicated for almost any discomfort.

Amino acids may off er a better alternative to altering normal function (aka “drugs”) through correcting relative nutritional defi ciencies. Conditions that were previously only treatable with medication can now be treated eff ectively using nutrients to enrich neurons for optimal communication based on each individual’s requirements. By having the fl exibility of tailoring the direct precursors to our most important neurotransmitters we can achieve greater relief of symptoms and do so in a manner that does not aff ect normal metabolism and kinetics of our neurosynapses, but enhances our interneuronal connections. In eff ect, we have the ability to make ourselves more functional.

We now have the evidence that taking specifi c amino acids like 5-hydroxytryptophan and l-dopa in certain ratios can alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety with virtually no side-eff ects. This therapy also has the ability to improve many other conditions related to a defi ciency in neurotransmission. The question we are attempting to answer now is, can we create better versions of ourselves using the same approach? If so, perhaps we have uncovered a real-life NZT that allows us to access more than the 10% of our brains we have come to accept.

To learn more about amino acid therapy at Mountainview Wellness Centre, attend our Amino Acid Therapy Presentation on October 23rd at 7pm. Call today to reserve your seat: 604 538 8837.

By Dr Caleb Ng

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MountainviewMountainviewMountainviewWELLNESS CENTREWELLNESS CENTREWELLNESS CENTRE

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MountainviewMountainviewMountainviewWELLNESS CENTREWELLNESS CENTREWELLNESS CENTRE

Amino Acid Therapy TalkThursday October 23, 7pm

604.538.8837www.mountainviewwellnesscentre.ca.3566 King George Boulevard South Surrey

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12

Try starting something new. My rant here is not suggesting you don’t – it’s just that everything and I mean everything is just too complicated.

If, for example, you think that you have a good business idea, and all evidence indicates you should proceed – the only reason for making such a rash decision would be that you haven’t thought about it long enough. Most of the problems you encounter have very little to do with the idea (which also may be fl awed) but with all the procedures that need to be followed. Can you come up with the name for your organization that has not yet been used by another business? Are you going to incorporate or have partners? How will the people you plan to work with pan out in the long run? Will your friends and family be supportive of you when you work long hours, or when things go wrong? And worse, what happens in the unlikely event that things go right? The anxiety and stress of succeeding often times are worse than failing – hence the reason why people are satisfi ed by failure more than success.

Where do you get enough start-up money? Do all the legal papers needed to raise the money refl ect what your needs

are? What happens when things go wrong and your investors take legal action against you? Are you able to handle payroll deductions? Can you understand fi nancial statements? Are you able to deal with all the regulatory requirements? When unexpected events such as illness, accidents or death become concerns, are you in a position to deal with them as well as your business?

These questions are but a few of the illustrations that demonstrate the complexities of the modern world. Procedures often become the confusing direction to engrenage; trapped if you do and trapped if you don’t.

Many people come to me for business (and occasionally personal) advice after bad decisions have been made and cannot be reversed. The idea that everyone can become a millionaire is no more true than everyone can have a happy married life. Mostly things don’t work; repairs are a constant until even the repairs no longer repair and the real complications begin when we try to fi x that which cannot be fi xed.

We want to be happy all the time, but every happiness lasts in a short bursts and then we have to create a reason for the next one. Mostly we are working

on things because they don’t work or because we are not accepting of it when they do. We want bigger, better, nicer and that makes everything more complicated. At some point not only can we not do it ourselves – but we also can’t fi nd or afford others to do it for us. There are too many agendas, too many ulterior motives, too many demands and too many damn things to take care of.

In our desire to make a better life for ourselves, we have made it worse. The time saving devices give us more time to get more time saving devices, and we do so with alacrity until we no longer have any time for ourselves. Our ritualistic behaviour, condensing the joy of doing, into just getting it done – no longer serve the purpose of just seeking joy. We do things in order to complete, so that we complete more- and the spare time, what there is of it, is utilized during exhaustion and recovery.

More people, more things to do, more confl ict! We live longer than our ancestors – but mostly with less meaning – absent of short term joys or long term expectations! Rich, poor – it’s all the same – complicated.

By HANK LEIS

RantRantRantRantRantIt’s all just too complicated

13

RantI recently had the chance to sit down with Melanie L. Kvam, Vice President of the Commercial Real Estate Division at TD Bank in Latham, New York, and took the opportunity to get her perspective on the current state of US interest rates. The following is what I learned.

The Prime Rate is the most common benchmark in setting interest rates on credit cards and home loans, and in turn is based on the federal funds rate which is the primary tool that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) uses to infl uence interest rates and the economy. In 1981, Paul Volcker raised the federal funds rate to 20% which drove the prime rate to a record high of 21.5%. Since December of 2008 the FOMC has voted to keep the target range for the fed funds rate at 0%-0.25% therefore the prime rate has been 3.25% since 2008. It is expected that the increase of rates will be slower than it has been historically. The Fed’s recent statement, “even after employment and infl ation are near mandate-consistent levels, economic conditions may warrant keeping the target federal funds rate below levels the Committee views as normal in the longer run, indicates that the general theme of lower for longer remains intact.”

An increase in the federal funds rate eff ectively slows down the economy. As interest rates increase, the cost of borrowing, increases across the board for business, consumer debt, student loans and mortgage debt which translates into a lower consumer spending. Conversely, key rates on deposits, certifi cate of deposits (CDs), and other fi xed income products should rise, driving better returns for savers and those

What’s up with Interest

Rates? Ask a Banker.By Seth Meltzer

approaching retirement. It’s a balance for the Federal Reserve between promoting growth in the economy while keeping infl ation in check.

What’s in store for the future of the federal funds rate? Per TD Bank Economic Report March 2014: “A slow move back to their 2% infl ation target will give the Federal Reserve leeway in maintaining accommodative monetary policy. The Federal Reserve is expected to leave short-term interest rates at its current level until the fourth quarter of 2015. At that point, we expect to see a slow removal of monetary stimulus, with the federal funds rate reaching 3.75% by the end of 2018.”

While TD Bank has always maintained high credit standards, from a broader industry standpoint, commercial banking credit quality and practices tightened signifi cantly during the recession. Driven by regulatory changes and the economy, commercial loans underwritten post-recession typically represent lower leverage and better cash fl ow quality than pre-recession standards. Because of the stronger metrics the impact of higher rates on the credit quality of commercial mortgages should be less dramatic than in the pre-recession economy. From an investor standpoint, increasing interest rates may signal an increase in cap rates which could potentially decrease returns on investment and slow the volume of transactions.

With so many economic and geopolitical forces at play, these forward looking statements could be rendered worthless tomorrow, but at least it gives us a general idea of where rates are headed.

Melanie L. Kvam (left ) and Seth Meltzer

14

Mountainview WELLNESS CENTREWELLNESS CENTRE

HEAL YOUR GUTthursday November 20, 7pm

AT CHOICES MARKET604.538.8837

www.mountainviewwellnesscentre.ca.3566 King George Boulevard South Surrey

TTTHHHEEE“It is my belief that being happy and healthy starts with, trusting your gut”

that’s right, your other brain. Your body contains a separate nervous system that is so complex it has been dubbed the second brain. It comprises an estimated 500 million neurons - which can effect things like: stress, depression, ibs, mind fog, weight gain, and much more.

WELLNESS CENTREWELLNESS CENTRE

TTTHHHEEE

Dr Galina Bogatch

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15

My father once told me about a class in University where they discussed the book “1984”. Everyone seemed to agree that such a rigorously supervised state would be most displeasing; they would hate a world where every action was judged and where personal rights and freedom were abolished. The self would be lost completely; innovation, creativity, and exploration of life almost impossible. It was at this point my father’s professor turned to him and asked “What do you think?” My father had remained silent until this point. “The thing is” he said, “We already live in 1984, the surprise is, we like it.”

Edward Snowden may have pointed out something that has been going on for over a decade. Did we really think the powers that be, aware of all the information they could access, would say no to surveillance based upon some kind of integrity? “But the Russians are doing it and the Chinese and….” You can see how all the reasons for looking in on its people began to pile up. The more we demand, “Stop Terrorism! Stop Shootings! Protect our Rights!”, the more we handed over our rights, our freedoms, and our privacy and we still want more. In my view, the separation of church and state had an odd eff ect our forefathers did not expect. Our government has become our church, and we expect everything from it; morality, regulation, justice, surveillance, and freedom. Never did we think all these things couldn’t coexist. And now we have warmed so to the idea of surveillance and little personal freedom we no longer know what freedom is. I pose the same question as my father, “Are we really surprised at what Snowden revealed or do we really want him to shut up because we like it the way it is?”

Traitor or freedom fighter?Snowden Snowden Snowden The Question

By Buzkashi

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16

CANADA DAY

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ON CANADA DAY. CANADA IS A GREAT COUNTRY.

CANADA OFFERS NEW BEGINNINGS FOR ALL OF US. IT IS A GREAT COUNTRY BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE RIGHTS BUT WE HAVE FREEDOMS. AND THERE IS A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE. EVERY COUNTRY PROCLAIMS TO HAVE RIGHTS-BUT SOMEONE ELSE DECIDES WHAT THOSE RIGHTS ARE. IN CANADA WE HAVE FREEDOMS AND THAT GIVES YOU THE POWER TO DECIDE.

I AM THE DAUGHTER OF A REGISTERED NURSE AND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINICPAL. I HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SERVE-AND FOR THAT REASON I BECAME A DOCTOR. I WAS TAUGHT THAT A GOOD EDUCATION LEADS TO GOOD HEALTH AND THAT GOOD HEALTH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION. AS CANADIANS WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN BOTH COME TOGETHER, WE ARE ABLE TO FOCUS ON OUR DESTINY, TO CONTRIBUTE, AND TO BE THE BEST THAT WE CAN BE. GOOD EDUCATION AND GOOD HEALTH MAKES FOR GREAT CANADIANS.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-IT IS MY PLEASURE TO

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18

EXCLUSIVEPEPE SERNA, a veteran actor of both stage and screen (Scarface, Car Wash, and Day of the Locust), stars as a small town Sheriff trying to solve a grisly murder with the help of a Japanese crime novelist in MAN FROM RENO, a Japanese-American Seven Arts co-production, directed by Dave Boyle. MAN FROM RENO won the Best Narrative Film Award at the highly prestigious Los Angeles Film Festival this past June.Entering his fifth decade as a motion picture actor, when most thespians are thinking of retirement, the 70 year old Serna is experiencing a late in life career upswing with completed roles in 7 upcoming feature films. Serna most recently completed a role in the upcoming romantic comedy film, CAKE starring Jennifer Aniston, William H. Macy and Adriana Barraza. Upcoming for the actor are roles in, AGURUPHOBIA a satirical comedy film, directed by Richard Montes who co-wrote the screenplay with Jade Puga in which Serna plays a mystic opposite actress Jade Puga, who finds herself obsessed with the Guru. In a dramatic turn on opposite sides of the law from his MAN FROM RENO, Serna plays a psychotic serial killer in RED ON YELLA, KILL A FELLA, a horror film written and co-directed by Justin Meeks and Duane Graves. Additionally, Serna stars as road house club owner who is a Mafioso in the soon to be released family crime drama GINO’S WIFE. RESTORED ME , a faith based movie opposite Bill Duke, FROM THE DEAD, as an Old “Curandero” medicine man, ANA MARIA directed by Georgia Garcia Reidel, SUPERPOWERLESS and MONDAY NIGHTS AT SEVEN, produced by Edward James Olmos round out the rest of the productive actor’s recent film output. The instantly recognizable actor numbers more than 100 film roles and 300 episodic television credits over his long career that includes such films as the Western classic SHOOT OUT opposite Gregory Peck, AMERICAN ME starring with Edward James Olmos, the science fiction cult classic THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI. Clint Eastwood’s THE ROOKIE, Lawrence Kasdan’s SILVERADO, John Schlesinger’s DAY OF THE LOCUST, Michael Schultz’s CAR WASH and Dalton Trumbo’s JOHNNY’S GOT HIS GUN.Pepe has the distinction of having played super star Jennifer Lopez’s father, early in her career, on the TV series “Second Chances” and spin-off, “Hotel Malibu.”

PEPE SERNA MAN FROM

RENOLUIS REYES, Author

19

Serna is perhaps best recognized today for his role as Angel, the doomed Cuban refugee buddy of Al Pacino’s Tony Montana, who meets his demise at the end of a chainsaw in what Entertainment Weekly described as “One of the top 100 Bloodiest Memorable Movie Scenes” in SCARFACE.In addition to his Hollywood success, Serna is an internationally recognized painter and a motivational speaker. His art work has been exhibited in galleries nationwide and was most recently showcased at an exhibition of international art in Dubai. Serna took time off from his busy schedule to talk about his Award winning film MAN FROM RENO which has been described as a modern film Noir. (Film Noir, a term coined by French critics describing a series of American Movies with a dark cynical usually urban edge made in Post-World War II America (1945-1960) highlighted by stark and stylized black and white photography.)Q: How did you land the role in MAN FROM RENO?SERNA: I worked with director David Boyle on his first film and we became fast friends and he said to me that one day he would write a leading role for me in one of his movies. Many people say that in Hollywood but very few, if any come through. The only exception in my own case was Edward James Olmos who early in his career said I would be the guy to kill him in his passion project AMERICAN ME. When It came time for him to star and direct the film, he cast me . I worked with David on another film and he said to me ‘I have a role for you’ in what came to be called “MAN FROM RENO. It took him 8 years from the time of our initial meeting to get the film made, but sure enough, true to his word, he cast me as Sheriff Paul De Moral.Q: What was the preparation for the role? SERNA: We had a year to work on the script. We would meet often when possible and have the luxury that you don’t usually have on a regular Hollywood movie, the time to rehearse and work on the script and our characters. Ideas would come from rehearsals as Boyle and his co-writers would refine the script to make it more dramatically interesting and plausible. When we started shooting everything was very organic and everything flowed bi-lingualy in English and Japanese. The multi-lingual-multi-cultural aspect works well and is an integral part of the final film.Q: Tell us about your character.SERNA: Paul Del Moral is a small town sheriff who has had a full life and is approaching retirement age. Interesting that his name is Del Moral which in Spanish means “With Morals” and he becomes the moral center of the movie, the traditional American hero, which the audience can identify with. He is dedicated and responsible and seeks truth and justice for all.

Q: Tell us what you can about the movie.Serna: It is the unconventional pairing of a Japanese crime novelist and a small town Sheriff in two stories that come together, a mystery that works on an emotional level with a traditional police procedural.Q: How does the film begin for the Sheriff?SERNA: One fog laden night while returning from patrol in his police vehicle on a stretch of rural road with limited visibility, Del Moral accidentally hits a man wandering on foot in the middle of the road. The yet unidentified man is taken to a local hospital to treat his injuries where he regains consciousness and walks out of the hospital unnoticed. This incident and the resulting investigation leads the Sheriff to San Francisco. Del Moral is not a fish out of water, he can work equally well in a big city or in a small town. He crosses the bridge back and forth from San Francisco to his small town in the process of unraveling the mystery.Q: Speaking of locations and atmosphere, where was the film shot?SERNA: MAN FROM RENO was filmed entirely on location in the streets of San Francisco and in a small historic town 90 miles southeast of San Francisco called San Juan Bautista where portions of the classic Hitchcock film Vertigo were shot.Q: How do the Japanese crime novelist and Sheriff team up?SERNA: The celebrated Japanese crime novelist and the Sheriff’s paths cross in San Francisco and he is well read and appreciates her crime mysteries. Del Moral is a lot like her fictional character creation of Inspector Tanaka. A promise Del Moral makes to the novelist, “That he would tell her how the story ends,” becomes an obsession.Q: Anything else you would like to say?SERNA: I am very proud of my role in the film and due to the critical and audience praise at the Los Angeles Film Festival and its subsequent award, Director Boyle is talking to several major film distributors for release of the film. Make sure to catch MAN FROM RENO when it comes to a theater near you.

(L-R)

Tetsuro Kuramochi (actor) Ayako Fujitani (lead actress), David Boyle Director/writer) Pepe Serna (lead actor) Elisha Skorman (Featured actress))

20

In politics, almost nothing is a sure thing. Nevertheless, the fi rst sure thing I predict is that Putin’s rule will end catastrophically and second that China’s ruling Communist Party will collapse.

In the case of Russia – even the easily bought off Russian intelligentsia realizes that no good will come of Russia’s annexation of Crimea nor the continuing stirring of the pot in Eastern Ukraine.

Putin has exposed himself and his government for who they are. And most Russians support him. For those in the West who thought Putin was the transitional leader, who would bring Russians from darkness to light, his antics have been particularly horrifying. The Harvard boys who taught Russian oligarchs capitalism, and the sorry American politicos who taught Russian politicians the art of manipulating voter preferences, knew little about how this would

unleash the dark side of the Russians and that this would create even a greater threat to world peace than the U.S.S.R ever did. Opposition and dissidents in Russia can be got rid of anywhere, anytime by methods that are virtually undetectable. For those of us, what we do to win is almost always relatively measured – both in terms of how heinous the act we choose, the consequences of such considerations as to behavior in the long run. But for Putin, there are no such considerations. His mind, hence his propaganda machine, is focused on restoration of the Russian Empire even satisfying the yearnings of Russians who have nostalgia for the good old days of communism. He operates with impunity and there is nothing he won’t do if it can be done – and long term implications are left to be taken care of by those who live in the long term. No one is safe anywhere from the long reach of someone

who not only thinks they can – but also will actually do what they are able.

Hence the plot supersedes discussion or negotiation. Those who oppose the regime merely get annihilated or disenfranchised. The unbelievable support of over 80 percent for Putin’s actions suggest that Russians, as a whole, have the mindset of Attila the Hun and his hordes. This mindset is not about to change by having millions of Russians watch the Oprah Winfrey Channel. This will require generations of therapy and thousands of Dr. Phils to create a new way of thinking. Surrounded by fearful and hateful neighbors created by the Russians themselves – the mass paranoia in Russia will persist. The teaching of the Harvard Professors – about economic capitalism were music to the ears of the future oligarchs. But they took their education to the next level to the place where the paranoid always take it. Why compete with

InevitabilityBy Hank Leis

“Revolutions are started by the children of the indulgent – and often seek the support of those who have nothing to lose.”

21

“Revolutions are started by the children of the indulgent – and often seek the support of those who have nothing to lose.”

better goods when you can just eliminate your competitor by whim? And of course the politics taught paranoid politicians how to frame their opposition, how to manipulate the fears of an ignorant and backward population. Russia now is an extension of America – only more ruthless and decisive on how they deal with their own and the enemies they create in doing what they do. When the mind is paranoid, the lessons learned are quite different from what the teacher intended. In a country without systemic balances there is nothing to prevent the extremists from manifesting a paranoid destiny. Nothing is really new in today’s Russia. And ultimately when the transfer of power occurs it will be the same as always. Putin is dead – long live Putin.

It is not diffi cult to predict the collapse of Chinese Communist Order. The powerful and wealthy Chinese are themselves betting on it by investing their private capital in homes and other accommodations in the West. If the rest of world does not know it, the Chinese themselves know that Armageddon is coming – and no amount of effort will prevent it – perhaps only slow it down. So those who can – prepare for the inevitability of complete social breakdown in China. China’s growth cannot be sustained, but even if it were, income inequality is the greater issue. China is in an ongoing battle – waging war against its own people. The Tiananmen Square student revolt though

best known by Westerners is just one of the approximately 180,000 so called mass incidents that take place each year. In a country with well over a billion people – this may be no surprise – but the history of Chinese revolutions does not suggest that when the big one occurs – who the last man standing will be.

Unlike Russia – the Chinese population mass has been stabilized by minimalist peasant expectations. Excesses were unheard of – even by the leaders (even though any photo of Mao suggested an indulgent individual) themselves. But this state of affairs had a sense of fairness about it. No one could indulge at the expense of the rest and everyone was required to go to work each day to live another.

But today, the disparity in incomes, lifestyle, attitudes, and importance are all visible. No one wears those charming little outfi ts worn by Mao. There are special people – watched by not so special people. They indulge with alacrity, while others’ suffer.

But it is not the poor and destitute who start revolutions. Revolutions are started by the children of the indulgers – and often seek the support of those who have nothing to lose. Policing those who recall the freedom felt by those demonstrating in Tiananman Square twenty fi ve years ago then being moved down by the military, will not work when everyone has access to computers or cellphones. Stopping this is an act of desperation by leaders on a losing path. It merely slows down what is inevitable and will make the transition to democracy more violent. A secret is not a secret if everyone already knows. Silencing people is a prelude to an explosion. Ours is but to wait and see, and another Revolution (so much embraced by Mao) is already in progress.

22

Th ere was no mercy shown in consideration of the rarefi ed atmosphere at this altitude - we were walked to the huge monastery not far from the hotel where there were hundreds of steps to climb. At fi rst glance I declined, as my knees were still killing me from the day before, but eventually went for it. Th e original monastery was constructed in the time of the tea caravans, however the government has totally redone it including repainting all the murals. Th ere are 3 huge gilt Buddha statues in three diff erent prayer rooms, and many smaller statues, but the atmosphere lost something as tour groups stomped through led by guides with portable loudspeakers. Th e monastery is near the old city, which is much smaller than any of the previous three. We had a good lunch with yak meat at a touristy restaurant - actually most of the old town is touristy. Our guide, Nayma, says the locals don’t buy anything there. Most shops are not owned by locals and they give no discounts from the high prices to residents. Marilynn did fi nd a blouse she liked and bought it. We visited the log and wood home of a local family. Th e owner was there, and when through the guide, I told him we had lived in a log house in Canada and liked his place, he was very pleased. Th e people here advertise their economic status - one fl ag over the house is a poor person, two fl ags are doing OK and

three fl ags are for the wealthy. Th e passengers were very amused when we took a local bus back to the center of the old town. Th ey were very welcoming and friendly - I was sitting beside a Tibetan monk who went into fi ts of laughter at me trying to fold my legs into the aisle - no way they could go in front of the seat.. By the time we covered some miles in the old town our feet were killing us, so we went for a foot massage. Th e price was similar to the previous one - about $9.20 - and it lasted about an hour. It was well worth the price! It was a short walk out of the old town to where our driver waited. Although it was only mid-aft ernoon we decided to go back to the hotel. We were both bagged, and had to catch up on a number of things. Nayma was telling us that the schools in the villages are very short of teachers due to the low wages they are paid. In other parts of China elementary schools are closing due to lack of students from the one child policy. Spoiled children are a problem for teachers, which along with low pay is makes teaching a much less desirable profession. Dinner was accompanied by the very good local wine. Th ere is a winery in the city producing both red and white wine of good quality. Th ey would have to bring the grapes in - they wouldn’t grow at this altitude.

Dan Walker is an adventurer, a businessman, and raconteur. He has visited every country in the world. His trusty Rolls Royce has taken him across

many conti nents. He includes his grandchildren in some of his travels allowing them to select the

desti nati on. Originally, he hails from Victoria, Briti sh Columbia, but now resides in Costa Rica. At our request he has honoured us by writi ng a journal of his most recent trip to China. We are pleased to

present the Dan Walker Chronicles.

The Dan Walker Chronicles

23

Above all, Betty Turner is a true friend because she tells it like it is. Her story never changes. She is someone who is proactive, introspective, intelligent, and articulate. She, with her husband Jack Rice Turner, were some of the fi rst people who welcomed me to Corpus Christi, Texas when I fi rst arrived, and they extended their friendship to me by including me in the many activities in their life and introducing me to their numerous friends and acquaintances.

Betty Turner’s life story is well documented in her book, “The Noble Legacy.” It would take another book to list all her achievements, however, the most important thing about Betty, for me personally, was to have her friendship.

What most people know her for is that she was a leader. She is the progeny of a well-known publishing and book selling family (see Barnes & Noble).

She earned her BA degree from Vassar College and her Master’s degrees from Texas A and I. She was Psychologist and Director of Programs and Public Relations at the Corpus Christi State School; Assistant Director of Development and Public Relations for Corpus Christi State University, President of the Corpus Christie Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of Governmental Aff airs for HCA hospital system in South and Central Texas.

Betty Turner Nomination

She was elected the two term mayor pro term from 1981-1985 and the mayor from 1987-2001. She was the fi rst female mayor of Corpus Christi. Her accomplishments during those terms were many.

As mayor, she was elected to the board of the Texas Municipal League, served as a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was honoured as mayor by elected offi cials in public ceremonies in her hometown of Yonkers, New York. She has received awards for many of her accomplishments.

The list of her achievements goes on and on. They include her membership on the AARP board, Gulfway National Bank boards. She was also on dozens of awards of non-profi t organizations.

She was also elected to Class 1 of Leadership Texas by the Governor of Texas and to Class 2 of Leadership Corpus Christi.

I truly believe that Betty Turner is an example of the extraordinary people of the Greatest Generation. I am honoured to be allowed to participate in the nomination of Betty Noble Turner.

I wish her all the best,

-Hank Leis

“Above all Betty is a true friend because she tells it like it is.”

US $21.95Political Science


DONALD J. BOUDREAUX

A LIVELY CRITIQUE OF THE SLOPPY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC THINKING THAT PERMEATES AMERICA—DELIVERED ONE LETTER AT A TIME

A D D S C H

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ITSDONALD J. BOUDREAUX

Each day, Donald Boudreaux, professor of economics at George Mason Uni-versity, writes a letter to the editor of a

major American publication. Often, he writes in response to an absurdity off ered up by a columnist or politician, or an eye-catching factoid misleadingly taken out of context. � ese are his best letters, each one off ering a well-reasoned counterpoint to an exaggera-tion, misunderstanding, or outright deception printed in a newspaper.

Without swearing allegiance to any party or ideology, Boudreaux takes aim at pundits and politicos on the left, right, and everywhere in between. He tackles issues ranging from “lookism” in the offi ce and the futility of border walls to naïve faith in alternative energy and the all-too-common tendency to trust a fallible and ever-expanding government.

Hypocrites and Half-Wits won’t change your deeply held convictions. But it will sharpen your eye for shaky facts, faulty reasoning, and intel-lectual dishonesty—all of which are threats to a free, prosperous country.

� is collection, comprised of one hundred of economist Donald Boudreaux’s best letters, provides intelligent, witty rejoinders to questions like these:

• Are taxes “really just prices”? (New York Times)

• Does the Tea Party suff er from a “fatuous infatuation” with the Constitution? (Washington Post)

• Is it “obvious” that “if there are fewer guns, there are fewer shootings and fewer funerals” (New Orleans Times-Picayune)

• Has “slowing population growth” proven to be “critical to long-term economic growth”? (Wall Street Journal)

Whatever your political affi liation, you’ll be entertained and enlightened by Boudreaux’s incisive responses.

ECONOMIC MYTHMAKERS, FORCE FETISHISTS, REGULATION ENTHUSIASTS, PAUL KRUGMAN, FOX NEWS—

THEY’RE ALL FAIR GAME FOR DONALD BOUDREAUX’S BITING, INTELLIGENT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COVER DESIGN BY GREENLEAF BOOK GROUP LLCAUHTOR PHOTO BY CARRIE CONKO

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WWW.DONALDJBOUDREAUX.COM

Boudreaux/CMYK

DONALD J. BOUDREAUX served as chairman of the department of econom-ics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, from 2001 to 2009. He runs a blog, www.CafeHayek.com, with noted economist Russ Roberts and has lectured in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. He is the author of Globalization (2008), and his writing has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Regulation, Reason, Ideas on Liberty, the Washington Times, the Journal of Commerce, the Cato Journal, and several scholarly journals.

Before chairing the economics department at George Mason, Boudreaux was president of the Foundation for Economic Educa-tion; associate professor of legal studies and economics at Clemson University, and assistant professor of economics at George Mason University.



DONALD J. BOUDREAUX


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DONALD J. BOUDREAUX


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DONALD J. BOUDREAUX


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FROM DONALD J BOUDREAUX MISSIVES

Editor, Wall Street Journal1211 6th Ave.New York, NY 10036

Dear Editor:Everyone on the planet who worries that free markets

generate “unsustainable” economic growth should read Matt Ridley’s superb essay “The World’s Resources Aren’t Running Out” (April 26). An insight implied in Mr. Ridley’s refutation of environmental doomsayers is the late Julian Simon’s understanding that the ultimate resource is the human mind.

Most environmentalists think that resources are “natural.” But they’re not. No substance on earth - not iron ore, not petroleum, not even land - is a resource unless and until human beings creatively figure out how to use that substance to produce outputs cost-effectively. And innovative, free markets are by far the most powerful engine ever stumbled upon to power such human creativity. As the economic historians Gavin Wright and Jesse Czelusta put it, “the abundance of ... mineral resources should not be seen as merely a fortunate natural endowment. It is more appropriately understood as a form of collective learning, a return on large-scale investments in exploration, transportation, geological knowledge, and the technologies of mineral extraction, refining, and utilization.”*

So the great irony is that the chief source of “natural resources” is the very economic institution - entrepreneurial capitalism - that environmentalists accuse of destroying natural resources.

Sincerely,Donald J. BoudreauxProfessor of Economics andMartha and Nelson Getchell Chair for the Study of Free Market Capitalism at the Mercatus CenterGeorge Mason UniversityFairfax, VA 22030

Editor, Wall Street Journal1211 6th Ave.New York, NY 10036

Dear Editor:On economic matters you consistently and correctly explain

that government’s capacity to gather enough knowledge to intervene productively is weak and that its incentives to promote special interests (including its own) at the expense of the public interest are strong. Yet, as in your defense of NSA spying (“Honey, I Shrunk the NSA,” May 22), on national-security matters your mature skepticism of government is replaced by a childish faith that government officials are wise and trustworthy.

I’ll never understand this political schizophrenia.

Of course, the NSA and its champions assert that its activities protect us and keep us free. But why are such claims any more believable than, say, the FDA’s assertions that its testing procedures are beneficial, or the IRS’s claims that it never pursues political agendas?

In fact, we would all be safer and freer if more of us heeded - for all government activities - H.L. Mencken’s wise warning that “[i]t is the theory of all modern civilized governments that they protect and foster the liberty of the citizen; it is the practice of all of them to limit its exercise, and sometimes very narrowly.”*

Sincerely,Donald J. BoudreauxProfessor of Economics andMartha and Nelson Getchell Chair for the Study of Free Market Capitalism at the Mercatus CenterGeorge Mason UniversityFairfax, VA 22030

* H.L. Mencken, “On Liberty,” Chicago Sunday Tribune, March 21, 1926.

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HOROSCOPE By Onieh SielYour POWER

LeoJULY 23-AUGUST 22

The lion roars and everyone listens. When you watch that lion you know only one thing matters to him, he’s at the top. Being King is something you’ve always known about yourself. It is absolute. Even if you were utterly powerless in the eyes of others, you would never know it. You came into this world knowing it belonged to you. But even leaders fall and knowing how it might happen can be a great alley in staying King. Look at your weakness and let it be your compass to being Emperor.

VirgoAUGUST 23-SEPTEMBER 23

To assume the purity of the virgin, you often approach life from an ideal place. Perfection has to be achieved in your own mind. It has very little to do with what others think about ideas of power or integrity. You live by your own laws and you dismiss or accept others based on your rulebook. But if you become gridlocked by the Virgo handbook, it may be time to tear it up and jump into the unknown.... because believe it or not organized little Virgo, the chaotic world is where you do your best.

LibraSEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 23

You are lucky you beautiful thing! Everyone sees you as the ideal, because you have that outer appeal. People these days tend to dismiss beauty as only skin deep. But smart beauty can achieve great things. Know that this is a gift that can get you farther than most; only if you can

see the illusion and laugh can you be truly enigmatic.

ScorpioOCTOBER 24-NOVEMBER 22

Let’s be honest you are the bad guy. You always know when you’ve met someone intelligent because they can see right through you. That’s why you surround yourself with such stupid people. Building an empire on stupidity may work well. But knowing that’s your strategy and not assigning virtue to what your doing will be the best

way to see that work go to its best use.

SagittariusNOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 21

You have become so used to not utilizing that brain of yours you are almost robotic. Do the same thing over and over thinking it will get you what you want. Your persistence is the best part of you. However you need a good measure of thoughtfulness so you’re not becoming

repetitive but meaningful.

CapricornDECEMBER 22- JANUARY 20

You do a lot of contemplation, and you have a strong sense of how to play the game. Your true self is often something you hold very close and no one person knows the real you. It has become such a way life that you don’t even know you do it. Calculating every move and thing you say. Find one person and be genuine, this person can give you a reflection of your true self which

can only make you better at what you do.

Aquarius JANUARY 21-FEBRUARY 19

Mystery is an underestimated strength. Your independence and aloofness can often make you invisible to all those seeking the crown. You wait on the sidelines with just enough power to make a move when it comes. Make sure you don’t miss it and don’t be afraid to show off a little of what you got. A little boasting can go a

long way.

Pisces FEBRUARY 20-MARCH 20

Sweet innocent Pisces, your whimsical nature is often misunderstood. It’s almost like the world you live in is separate from most. You see beauty in thing most others do not appreciate. Criticism is something you find useless and distasteful. The world of power is so far from anything you could care for. And yet this world needs you too. Your abstract thinking, although sometimes out of touch can also hit something spectacular. You are crazy, but all the best people are.

Aries MARCH 21-APRIL 20

You have a mental list. The road is paved and every piece is perfectly in its place. Why does it feel so empty? Why does all your real pleasure come from the dirty and dark places of your mind? Having secrets is okay, but

make sure you aren’t hiding the truth from yourself.

TaurusAPRIL 21-MAY21

All the power of a bull, you take things on with great ease and agility. People often can’t keep up with you. This is not your fault. You were born wild and perfect. Embrace these qualities and seek others with similar or

greater power.

Gemini MAY 22-JUNE 21

Always living in duality can be confusing. You see all sides of a situation, which can leave you with no clear path. Your chaotic nature is appealing to those around you. They find you exciting and are most willing to come to your rescue. If you find yourself unclear about a choice, do the thing that makes you the bad guy, and

watch the power you have reveal itself.

CancerJUNE 22-JULY 22

You care a great deal what people think. A lot of the time you find yourself listening to one person’s advice and upsetting another, constantly being pushed back and forth trying to please everyone. One person in particular loves the power they hold on you. Choose only one person to be your advisor, pick carefully and make

sure their intentions align with your own.

“There is nothing “There is nothing “There is nothing more diffi cult to more diffi cult to more diffi cult to take in hand, more take in hand, more take in hand, more perilous to conduct, perilous to conduct, perilous to conduct, or more uncertain or more uncertain or more uncertain in its success, than in its success, than in its success, than to take the lead in to take the lead in to take the lead in the introduction the introduction the introduction of a new order of of a new order of of a new order of of a new order of of a new order of of a new order of things.”things.”things.” Niccolo

Machiavelli

Power&Politics

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