I'd like to wish you the happiest of birthdays. It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since you changed my life.

Tenth grade in an all-boys Marist Brothers-operated Catholic high school would have never been the same without you.

You will always be in heavy rotation.

With Love,

Adrian

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The only way I could commemorate the magnitude of such a complicated event is to leave it alone.

I sat out today. No facebook, no twitter, no newspapers, no television. I just couldn't handle the sight of another Anheiser-Busch commercial with Clydesdales saluting the Manhattan skyline over the sounds of orchestral music, complete with the Statue of Liberty in the background and the Budweiser logo outro at the end.

Sure, we must remember the dead. I do. I remember the innocent and brave souls trapped inside those planes and burning towers. I remember the courageous jumpers that the American media refuses to talk about. I remember the selfless first responders who rushed into those buildings only to meet with the faces and sounds of death.

Ten years later, I can honestly say that (even) I underestimated the ability of American marketers to turn any event, no matter how horrific, into a marketing opportunity. It makes me sick to my stomach. I get the same feeling I got when Puffy went on tour with shiny suits to "commemorate" the death of The Notorious B.I.G (cause we can't stop, cause we won't stop). It's crass. It's rude. It's manipulated. The images and memories of 9/11 have been whored to death. The lives and families of those lost deserve respect, not false empathy. Instead of mourning the fallen, I am left with little more than despondency.

America died on September 11, 2001. We traded our rights and freedoms for color-coded false security based on xenophobia and misguided hate. We are mistrustful of our own citizens (see TSA Passenger Security Checkpoints). We've been conditioned to remain vigilant. We hate anyone who looks or thinks differently.

I get it. Fear sells. The sounds of soft pianos over the images of devastation and tearful Americans waving the stars and stripes in slow motion strikes an emotional chord. Attention = money. Money is what this is all about. 

As hard as I try to forget where I was when I heard "the news" (I never will), I try harder to remember where I was on September 10, 2001 - the day before the America I knew was interrupted forever.

I extend my sincerest love and condolences to anyone who lost a loved one on 9/11. I wish you peace in coping with your loss.  

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More at http://sivers.org/ff

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One of the easiest ways to honor those who have given their lives in defense of our freedom is to exercise our basic right to vote.

It is only fitting that this year, Memorial Day happens to come between two very important elections. If you missed out on your first chance to honor the troops, don't stress. You still have time to make it up in a big way.

On Tuesday, June 28, 2011 (mark your calendars), Miami-Dade County will be holding a Special Run-off Election that will decide who the next mayor of Miami-Dade County will be. Now, I know how disappointed you are that Uncle Luke didn't make the cut and that Brother Marquis and Fresh Kid Ice will not be serving as Vice Mayor and Chief of Staff respectively. However, the upcoming election is a most important one for this county whose unemployment rate hovers at the 13% mark. It is important that you become familiar with the candidates and decide:

Which candidate best represents my interests and those of my community?

...but I'm Not Registered to Vote

Not registered to vote and don't know how to register? Don't panic, but do get moving. Voter registration closes 29 days prior to an upcoming election, which means that voter registration for the upcoming Special Run-off Election on June 28, 2011 closes tomorrow (Tuesday, May 31, 2011). Simply take 10 minutes to print, fill out the form below (follow directions please) and proceed with one of the following:

• mail your form (and have your envelope postmarked) by May 31, 2011 to: 

Supervisor of Elections

PO BOX 521550

Miami, FL 33152

• personally drop your form off at the Elections Department at:

Miami-Dade Elections

2700 NW 87 AVE

Doral, FL 33172

Voter_Registration_Form.pdf Download this file

You can check your registration status here once you've mailed or personally delivered your form.

...but I Can't Vote on June 28, 2011

Can't vote on election day? No problem. Vote early (and often...juuuuuust kidding). Early voting will be open from June 18 - June 25. Voters can cast their vote at any one of the 20 Early Voting locations listed at the bottom of this sample ballot.

Sample_Ballot_062811.pdf Download this file

Absentee ballots are not available to dead voters only. They are also available to those who are living and breathing, but find it difficult to physically make it out to one of the Early Voting locations. You can request an absentee ballot online here, request it by telephone at 305-499-8444 or simply fill out the form below and mail it to

Attn: Absentee Ballot Section

P.O. Box 521250

Miami, Florida 33152 

Absentee_Ballot_Request.pdf Download this file

I'd Like to Vote on Election Day, But Don't Know Where to Go Cast My Vote

So you're old school like me, would like to vote on Election Day, but don't know where to go cast your vote? I got you covered. Go here, simply type in the information requested and voila!...you know where to go now.

Thanks, But I Don't Know Who to Vote For

Now, that's where I draw the line. I would never tell you who to vote for. I think it's important that you become familiar with the candidates, research their history of public service for their respective communities (google is a good start) and decide which one best respresents your interests and those of your community.

If you're still not sure who to vote for, just, whatever you do, do not vote for this guy.

Hey, I never said I wouldn't tell you who not to vote for.

For more information on the upcoming election and other elections information, visit the homepage for the Miami-Dade County Elections Department at http://www.miamidade.gov/elections/.

Now high-five a soldier and tell him or her that you're voting in the upcoming election. It'll make you feel very American on this Memorial Day and show that soldier just how much you appreciate what he or she is doing for our beautiful country.

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The first time I encountered Gil Scott-Heron was sometime in the early 90s around 11th grade or so. "The Bottle" was playing on TV. I remember channel surfing and stopping on I-don't-know-what channel cause the cinematography reminded me of one of my favorite childhood television shows - Starsky & Hutch.

The revolution will not be televised. Rest in peace, Mr. Scott-Heron.

"You have to change your mind before you change the way you live and the way you move."

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To refer to Common's lyrics as "raunchy", "rough" and "raw" (that I do agree with) and describe him as a "promoter of cop killing" and worse yet, a "misogynist", shows just how disconnected and purposely-misinformed some people are.  

One can easily illegally download purchase a copy of any of his albums 

to verify the source, but I understand that I may be asking for too much. Instead, just listen to Common's spoken word on this video clip, accompanied by Toure's educational rant and you'll be up to speed in no time.

Big ups to the network who shone a light on one of the best kept secrets in entertainment. All press is good press and "at the end of the day", you did all of us (mostly Common) a huge favor. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Dedicated to those who said "2011 is gonna be my year".

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According to Seth, there used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. A third team, however, has prevailed: the linchpins. Linchpins, he argues, are those people who invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, makes things happen, and create order out of chaos.

In short, linchpins are the essential building blocks of any great organization, the ones with no job description. Why? They solve problems that others haven't predicted, see things others haven't seen, and make connections no one knew existed. A job description or a manual can never describe what they do. Linchpins don't sit around and wait for job assignments from the top. They have a knack for knowing what needs to be done and just do it. No permission necessary.

Creating art (Seth defines an artist as "anyone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to fight the status quo"), and fighting the resistance and the lizard brain are the broader themes throughout the book.

One particular chapter, however, stood out for me.

The Powerful Culture of Gifts

That's the title of the chapter that had me nodding my head in agreement the entire time. It's where Seth takes us back to the tradition of tribal economies (built around the idea of mutual support and generosity) to make a point about the power of unreciprocated gifts. "We've been so brainwashed that it doesn't even occur to us that there is an alternative to 'How much should I charge, how much can I make?'".

Hard to believe, but once upon a time, power was about giving, not receiving. Money and structured society changed the system. We expect to get without ever giving, our titles serving as a (false) sense of entitlement.

However, Seth predicts that the winners will once again be the artists who give gifts.

Giving a gift makes you indispensable. Inventing a gift, creating art - that is what the market seeks out, and the givers are the ones who earn our respect and attention. 

It is difficult to be generous when you're hungry. Yet being generous is what keeps you from going hungry. Hence the conflict.

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I met bad dog.

I'm not sure if it's bad meaning bad or bad meaning good, but judging from the CAPITAL RED letters, I fear it's the former. You see, bad dog isn't all that bad. He's just a little confused. You told him "you're bad!" and he believed you. You told him "eres igualito a el!" (as you pointed to the sign) and he believed you.

I told him the truth. He's doing OK now. Actually, he's quite relieved.

He's no longer happy being bad.

Warm Regards,

Adrian

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Opportunities excite, but having too many choices can overwhelm us to the point where we make no decisions at all (go to aisle 5 of your local supermarket chain and see what I mean). Worse yet, having too many choices can keep us from taking positive risks ("Hmmm...I've always wanted to try the Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch" <----- while reaching for the Kellogg's Corn Flakes®).

For the record, I buy the small variety packs of cereal when I get the urge to consume copious amounts of carbohydrates and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids caused by....well...an appetite. We keeps it fresh and spontaneous like that.

The U.S. economy is currently undergoing one of the greatest (if not the greatest) transformations in its short history. The rules by which we've functioned (as an economy) are being broken and rewritten with each passing day. Ideas are brewing. New systems are emerging. Opportunity is literally everywhere.

Attempting to maximize every opportunity available, however, is a recipe for long-term failure. Identifying an opportunity doesn't necessarily mean that it needs to be acted upon. That only keeps us from investing the time necessary to be great at the one thing we're truly passionate about (10,000 hours according to Malcolm Gladwell).

Multi-tasking is dead. Being all things to all people is a thing of the past. More than ever, the new economy stands to reward those who focus their efforts on one specific niche and specialize in a specific market segment (I believe we call those "experts").

Patience, discipline, and determination are the main ingredients.

Maybe it's time we stop training for sprints and start training for marathons.

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It sucks when we don't have answers to important questions. We don't know what to do; we hide under the covers; we become vulnerable to disease.

It's a natural reaction. We can go ahead and blame the human psyche. We can even blame those who choose not to participate ("Dude, why aren't you worried?").

Whatever the case, not having the answer to a question shouldn't give us a free pass to stop thinking, resort to herd behavior, and stop making meaningful and productive decisions.

Emotions can be irrational sometimes. I think that's perfectly OK. Just make sure to get rid of the keyboards with the red buttons.

We won't be needing those anymore.

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By now, you've swallowed the only grapes you'll eat all year (seedless, I hope), trekked around the block with your neighbor's Samsonite, and safely placed the 10 mm AUTO Glock back in its holster.

A new beginning has commenced.

While we ceremoniously close the curtain on the first decade of the 21st century and look forward to what lies ahead, it's important to look back at the two decades that preceded before we do our best to emulate Walter Mercado. Let's face it, the internet changed our lives forever. The 1990's brought us the evolution of the world wide web. Email replaced the fax machine in many ways. It replaced paper, pen, and the telephone in ways we would have never imagined possible. The latter half of the past decade (the 00's) witnessed how social media (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, blogs, all things Google, etc.) further changed not only the way we communicate and interact with each other, but more importantly, how it expanded the reach and influence of the individual. We no longer depend (or have to) on ABC, NBC, CBS, Univision, and The Miami Herald for information. Traditional media no longer controls the message. The average Joe (or Jose, depending on where you live) with a Flip can.

As we head into The Thank You Economy, an economy that thanks and rewards those who share intellectual property and educate for FREE, it's important to note that having the prettiest website and optimizing it to place first on Google for whatever search term tickles the owner's pickle alone will not be enough. Heck, talent alone is not enough. Being the valedictorian of your high school and placing Magna Cum Laude at Florida International University means shit. The colorful cords you walked down the aisle with over your gown? Use them as jump ropes. Better yet, keep 'em handy in case frustration at your corporate rat race sets in. 

Passion, hard work, and outhustling the competitor is "the play" in the coming decade. Come to think of it, that's always been "the play" no matter if it was a typewriter or a MacBook being used. Stop waiting, stop whining, stop complaining, stop wishing, and start doing. Opportunity is everywhere. It is our obligation to our generation and the ones that follow to be great. It is our obligation to push ourselves and those around us to show gratitude, compassion, and inspire. It is our obligation not to choose mediocrity. It is our obligation not to accept unethical behavior. It is our obligation not to allow social injustice.

The choice is ours. Only we can choose to put down the TiVo remote, the Xbox 360 paddles, and the Rock Band® guitar and get to work.

Good luck and Happy New Year.

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