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Problem Solver Series Episode #2 Youth and Education [Podcast]

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Problem Solver Series LogoA passionate panel of individuals who work with youth related causes:

Listen

[audio:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/joehackman/2011/10/19/problem-solver-series–youth-and-education.mp3?localembed=download]

Summary

The three passionate panelists discuss the realities of the problems with keeping youth on track and solutions to achieving that end.

The Problems

  • Lack of Adult involvement
  • Digital Distraction
  • “Shutdown”
  • Drugs, Alcohol and Sex (Adult problems)
  • The critical hours 3-6PM

The Solutions

  • After school programs
  • Awareness
  • Animal therapy
  • Constructive safe environments
  • Communication

Quotable

“What animals do for a child is display non-judgmental unconditional love. A child is able to read and talk to an animal and get no negative feedback.” – Patrick Major

This episode was live on Blog Talk Radio on 10/19/2011.

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Efficiency is the essential 21st Century Skill

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You’ve probably heard the term sustainability thrown around a lot recently. It’s for good reason, we see evidence everywhere that businesses, governments, educational systems, laws, and everything else under the sun has to be able to survive the tests of time. There is no such thing as “too big to fail” just look back in history and we’ve seen Empires collapse under their own weight. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how great you think you are, if you aren’t prepared to sustain whatever you are doing it won’t last forever. Knowing that we need to be sustainable and actually functioning in a sustainable fashion are totally different things.

Be careful what you ask for

It’s time for every individual, business, political party, interest group, etc. to think long and hard about what they are asking for. If you are thinking today that someone else is going to rescue you, think again. At best they will delay the inevitable.

A society of individuals that aren’t taught to sustain themselves will fail.

Who doesn’t love the idea of a social service? I believe it is part of human nature to want to care for each other. I would even go so far as to argue that life without caring and serving others is probably not life worth living. Sometimes really caring though is asking for the right things, sustainable things, like teaching people that they matter and can stand on their own. Mentoring kids, especially those in difficult situations is one way you can really do this.

Never pass up a chance to tell a young person that they can do anything they set their mind to do.

Why Efficiency is the essential 21st Century Skill

We don’t have the luxury of excessive budgets to pay for inefficiencies and blow money on things that don’t work, the party is over and we just got the bill. Today we all have to emphasize the reality that we have to do more with less. With our debt piling up and our social systems strained to a breaking point there is only one real answer to the crisis – doing more with less while also being mindful of what we ask for.

3 Years ago my company leased an entire rack at a co-location facility to the tune of $900 per month. Today I rely on companies that leverage resources in a much more sustainable and efficient way to provide those services. The co-location facility has to do without my business, and so does the staff that is no longer needed to operate it, but in hindsight it would be pointless to place my business in the precarious and un-competitive position to support that co-location facility and the staff to operate it. This could easily be looked at by many as “killing jobs” but if my company goes under I’ll be out there competing for a new one.

The old way was not sustainable, the new way is and in the future it is my responsibility to ensure that it stays that way.

Opportunity is everywhere

Human beings have adapted to survive some incredibly challenging environments. We’ve launched successful business ventures during economic crisis’s including the Great Depression. We’ve huddled together to survive unimaginable natural disasters and hardships including horrific wars and genocides. Today you don’t have to look too far to see an incredible amount of energy being exerted, people are angry, they are fed up, many appear desperate and I think many of us are yearning for something I know that I am. What am I yearning for?

I yearn most for people to seize the opportunity to work together to solve the problems we face, instead of blaming others for them.

What do you yearn most for?

This is personal – Pancreatic Cancer Sucks

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Mom Christmas Eve 1999

Mom Christmas Eve 1999

Around the holidays in 1999 my mom was experiencing serious abdominal pain. Within 1 month she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She passed away early Easter Sunday morning just months later. Mom was in her sixties and at the time had a half a dozen kids and 7 grandkids, I rarely talk about it and it is the hardest experience of my life. The rare occasions that I do are usually just because a casual conversation leads to me speaking of mom in the past tense and people inquire about her. I then just usually say:

My mom is deceased, she passed away from pancreatic cancer.

Thankfully for our family we were close and the experience of losing a parent brought us even closer together. I also learned about the resilience of young people, specifically my nieces and nephews on that day. Easter celebrations went forward and the kids laughing and experiencing Easter was very therapeutic for all the adults watching. Mom passing at that point was in many ways a relief, there was nothing peaceful about her suffering and watching it changed me forever.

Pancreatic Cancer is a Lethal Disease

I recently learned from survivor Diane Borrison that 43,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease this year and 39,000 of them will die from the disease. Diane’s story as a survivor is somewhat rare, and I am grateful that I will be able to speak with her on June 8th along with two other guests that lost parents on my Blog Talk Radio program.

There are two reasons you are reading about this on my blog. The first is that I read several serious posts on blogs that I am a frequent reader of but in particular Danny Brown’s post “You Don’t Have to Die to Live” where he recounts a very dark moment in his life. (Thanks for paving the way, mate). The second reason is one of my panelists, Judy Loyd, was a past guest on my program. We happened to be exchanging E-Mails recently and she asked me if I would do a show about Pancreatic Cancer awareness. Neither one of us realized at the time that we’d both lost parents to the disease; Judy definitely came to the right person and for me at the right time. I honestly don’t think I could have come within 1,000 miles of an episode on Pancreatic cancer up until about maybe 2 years ago. I applaud Judy, Diane and my third panelist Michelle Monhart for their courage to champion the cause of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness as part of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Mom’s Inspiring Legacy

While losing Mom was a horrible experience, I consider myself to be extremely fortunate. I was extremely lucky to have grown up with her as my mom. She left quite a legacy behind and it has driven me to be a better person and example to my own son. I have been told from time to time that I wear a friendly inviting smile, I still remember mom’s smile beaming back at me teaching me at a young age that it was important (coincidently whenever I picture her she is always smiling, that is how I will remember her). I share similar smiles with my son every day. Service to others is part of my life through Rotary and volunteerism. Mom was a tireless volunteer her entire life and introduced her kids to it by bringing us with her some times. My mom had a reputation for loving babies; she had a total of seven. It is often said that mom was happiest when she was pregnant or caring for her many babies. Even though you may have not met my mom, rest assured there is a good chance that if you know me you know her too. I am grateful for her powerful and inspiring legacy.

A simple request…

I hope you will join me in raising awareness about Pancreatic Cancer. Please visit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Like their Facebook Page, Follow their Twitter Account, Donate or share with your network of friends. If you’d like to join the discussion on June 8th, listen to the show on Blog Talk Radio. If you are in Northern California or wish to make a trip to the Napa Valley in June, you can also join in the 9th Annual Walk Through the Vineyards.

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Get Involved

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Get Involved

Episode Summary David Kaa aka @TheManwife on Blogtalkradio (Podcast)

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I started following some guy on Twitter earlier this year who called himself “TheManwife”. He seemed to be a pretty funny guy and I wanted to learn more about his story and thought it might interest others as well. I invited him to be interviewed on my Podcast on Blogtalkradio and he agreed. What ensued was a very diverse conversation with a normal guy from Boston, living in New Mexico making the best of a employment challenged situation. Some of the interesting things that came out of the discussion:

  • It’s not cool to drive a mini-van.
  • When you’re the man wife people respond when you ask questions like “why am I so cool?”.
  • His followers provide better jokes than he does.
  • He made “periwinkle” trend for 5 minutes on Twitter.
  • He watches Lifetime Television for Women (for the “crappy” Titles).
  • Reads Quantum Physics Books.
  • German’s love aliens.
  • He’s the man wife because Mr Mom was already taken.
  • They have Road Runners at the zoo in New Mexico.
  • Gary Vaynerchuck is going to do an episode about Recession Wines next week for David

Asking @garyvee for Recession Wine Tipsand Gary is a good sport:

@garyvee is game for some recession wine tips

Listen to the episode while you read on:

[audio:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/joehackman/2010/11/11/twitter-personality-and-humorologist-the-manwife.mp3?localembed=download]

David Kaa Allstar Quotes :

“When you’re not working pants are just like the days of the week, they’re not necessary.“

“I’m actually more of a Lifetime Television type of Guy.“

Exclusive! David’s book:

David is working on a book based on Twitter, that will be a completely social media driven book. It is expected to be released in 2011.

Where to find David

David Kaa @themanwife or http://themanwifechronicles.com

Check out his question of the day #manwife

The Manwife’s Twitter Recommendations

I like to ask my guests who some of the “lesser known” people that we are probably not already following that we should check out. Here are the man wifes suggestions. (By the way I keep a complete list on Twitter of “Recommended by Friends” Tweeple)

Melissa M @lisacandrive
“Lady J” @blondication
SuperMunk @supermunk

If you’re listed here and have a blog you’d like me to link to, please leave it in the comments below.

Listeners, what was the funniest thing you heard during the interview?

Interview: Melanie Notkin aka @savvyauntie on Blogtalkradio

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Melanie Notkin the "Savvy Auntie"

Melanie Notkin

I had the distinct honor to chat with Melanie for an hour last night on my Podcast. For those of you who might not be familiar with her work, she is the founder of savvyauntie.com a website that caters to PANKS (Professional Aunt No Kids). When I first stumbled on to her site I thought what a brilliant focus and it is authentic because Auntie Mel is very passionate about being both a Auntie By Relation (ABR) and Auntie By Choice (ABC). She carries this passion in everything she does and her cup was still running over at 10:30PM (her time) last night when I interviewed her. I hope you will check out the interview and if you enjoy it be sure to subscribe to my podcast to be informed of new interviews in the future.

Are you a Savvy Auntie? What did you think of the interview? I would love to hear your feedback.