Returning from Vacation

I’ve been away from the blog for a couple of weeks now. A lot of good and bad things have been happening in my life, but I gotta thank the Lord for helping me through it all. I love my God, family, and friends. I’ve been blessed and that’s all I will chose to dwell on. In Philippians 4:8 we read Paul’s advice:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (NIV)

That’s something that requires training and discipline, but the rewards gotta be worth it. Here’s to a successful week for you! God bless.

Two Ideas for Public Libraries

I appreciate the inroads of technology in our local public libraries. Thank you to all those involved in this momentous transition. An example of modernization is my local library providing free wireless access (also known as Wi-Fi) to all that posses a free library card. All I do is bring my laptop, accept their terms, and I’m on the Internet.

I conduct some of my learning and research from the library. In fact, I often enjoy writing articles for this site at the library. What’s better than to sit down in air conditioning (I’m in Florida) in a quiet, smart, and thought provoking environment while listening to Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli playing in my headphones.

With that said, I look ahead to further inroads in the years ahead. One idea I have is for libraries to open a coffee shop, a la Barnes & Noble (BN). What’s better than a latte and a novel on one of the library’s comfy couches? Or you can take it to go. Hey, that’s one reason I enjoy going to BN.

How about a late night at the library? I would absolutely love if the library stayed open until 11 pm? Another thing I love about BN. If I feel like exploring books or connecting with people, I can do so at 8 or 9pm on a Thursday or Saturday and it would be perfectly alright.

I do believe that in order to implement these two ideas the environment of libraries, their objectives, and leadership will have to be transformed. With computers and the Internet becoming commonplace at many homes, the library cannot find itself irrelevant to culture, especially our youth. What innovative changes would you like to see take place at your local public library?

A Toast Through Time

Tonight I attended the Cape Coral Toastmasters Club. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills.¹

I’ve heard the good benefits of getting involved in this type of organization. Aside from the opportunity to socialize, meet potential business clients and partners, and build my list of contacts, I hope to learn and improve the art of speaking, listening, and thinking.

The members were friendly, receptive, smart, and fun. Though the meeting was professional, the feel around the room was relaxed, positive, and quite immersing. One definitely has to be interested in the art of public speaking to enjoy this type of meeting. There were several guests present tonight, and I think we all had a positive experience.

It was great to meet, chat, and briefly introduce myself to several members. I went in there with a positive attitude and even participated on my very first day! It has been a long time since I’ve been involved in any type of organization in the professional realm. Showing up to tonight’s Toastmasters meeting felt great. I felt like my good old self again.

Just to give you an idea, several years ago I was very involved in the community around me. Back then it was the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s student community. I served in the Senate, was Vice President of the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, was a Resident Assistant several terms, wrote for the campus newsletter, and served in other organizations inside and outside of campus.

Since moving to Florida I sort of fell off the map. After a chain of disappointments, I sort of fell into a depression and lost touch of my talents. I even picked up on a little enemy called fear and self-doubt. Yuk!

But it’s all good now. I’m fighting back. This fisherman ain’t finished yet. With God all things are possible! Plus God will not be done with me until his work is accomplished in me. I look forward to joining the next Toastmaster session, and God willing, people can say once again… Look out world, here comes JCruz! as I work in my vocation and share with others the limitless love of God. Make it a wonderful week!

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

1. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toastmasters_International [↩]

House Says No to Government’s Warrantless Spying on Citizens

The historical closed session of the United States House of Representatives was reported¹ to be driven by passionate debate culminating in a vote that said no to warrantless spying of the government on its people, you and me.

One thing I am happy about is holding the massive telecommunications corporations responsible for violating our rights and breaching our privacy and trust.² Moreover, I am glad the President and the secret government agencies are being stopped from acting omnipotent, from thinking they can ignore portions of the Constitution, and for thinking they can rule and act as they please.

However, this is what the President had to say:

Companies that may have helped us save lives should be thanked for their patriotic service, not subjected to billion-dollar lawsuits that will make them less willing to help in the future. The House bill may be good for class action trial lawyers, but it would be terrible for the United States.

Please understand I am not a fan of the litigious system in the United States. I do not like the fact that people without common sense can sue corporations and win because the coffee was too hot. duh I think the issue at hand is greater than the interest of protecting corporations exclusively.

If I had to choose which party to protect the rights of, the people or the corporations, I would chose the people. That’s partly why I’m against giving corporations immunity. I would prefer there be a balance in legislation where the rights of both people and companies be protected, while the interests of our nation be served.

I do not have a problem with warranted spying, that is spying after obtaining a warrant. Therefore, I did not agree with the President’s argument that the judicial process, or the court system, was cumbersome (perhaps he meant slow and ineffective). I don’t agree with that statement because if the court approval process is the problem, then a legislature or a committee should look into modernizing and improving our judicial system. Do not get me started on that topic…

I did search Google News and Slashdot for confirmation of this news. I recommend you look at news outlets like these and others (MSNBC, Fox News, etc) as a vehicle to expose you to the news. However, you should try as much as possible to go to the the source. In this news story, I went to the House of Representatives website and searched for the the vote count and then the resolution by name. It seems like the major news outlets think I’m stupid because they just included the vote count but not the resolution number. Some provided neither. So after I searched the House website for the vote  213-197, I found the resolution was called H.R. 3773 - FISA Amendments Act of 2008.

The legislative process continues. The debate is only starting to heat up. The House resolved an amendment to a Senate legislation. But what will happen next? What do you think should be the Senate’s response? How should the President and the Supreme Court respond?

All in all, I think we have the right to differ in opinion. However, we do not have the right to hate each other, or draw separating lines between people. I respect the President, both parties, and the judges. God loves them all, and so do I.

I hope you enjoyed this article. If so, please consider contributing to my writing efforts by purchasing an item from my Amazon.com Wishlist. Thank you so much and God bless!

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1. The reported sources referenced here are: New York Times @ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/15/us/15fisa.html, and Slashdot @ http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/03/14/2033212 [↩]
2. Class action lawsuits are being filed against companies like AT&T and Verizon. Please refer to the first footnote to better understand both sides of the debate and then refer to CBS News reference @ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/23/national/main3868291.shtml [↩]

Tonight: A Historical Closed Session for the House of Representatives

I am very much opposed to the warrantless spying the government, corporations, and agencies have been allowed to do in the name of security and to fight terrorism. I don’t understand why the government these days wants to exert much control over everything. Government was not assembled to rule our lives. Government is a servant of God and represented by the voices of the people - all people, not corporations, not only the wealthy, nor to serve the greed and visions exclusive of lawyers and lobbyists.

This evening I was very excited to read that the United States House of Representatives of the 110th Congress would have a historical closed session on the matter of the Eavesdropping Bill (alternate source), also known as FISA, immunity, wiretap, and surveillance bill/legislation. It can go either way, but at least I feel like they are going to have an honest and open discussion/debate on the proposed legislation. Weeks ago, I sent my Florida delegates an email stating my point of view. They both responded, one favorably. I hope the interests of the majority of The People, like you and me, is preserved.  In God we trust.

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I’m not very happy about the actions, the leadership, and the role the United States government has taken during my lifetime. I’m only twenty five. I hope in the future I can positively influence this system. How? Not sure yet, but I desire to serve my people and help our people by being their strong voice. Even more, I want to glorify God in whatever capacity he desires me to be in.

I am a Christian, and yes, that is my foundation and Jesus is the Christ is my bias. I can’t bare the thought of watching my nation’s current leadership bring us down the path of monarchy, communism, destruction from within, deception, greed, lust, and ultimately, revolution. To the Democrats and Republicans: did you forget the famous speech by Mr. Abraham Lincoln?

We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation.

Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented.

In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.

I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided.

It will become all one thing or all the other. (quote with my emphasis)

Dear sirs and madams serving in places of our government. If the word slavery seems too strong or out of our present context, duly replace it with whatever the issues dividing our people, our society, and our livelihood as a nation.

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A warm and sincere thank you to all of you who serve with a clear conscious, conviction, and humble spirit. Check out the U.S. House of Representatives website for the latest information on this and any pending matter. Please continue to pray for our nation’s leaders. Hope you have an awesome evening. God bless.

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NIU Lecture Hall Shooting

My condolences and earnest prayer to those affected by the Northern Illinois University shooting. God bless.

Happy Valentine’s Day

From the bottom of my heart I want to wish all our readers a Happy Valentine’s Day!  To celebrate let’s all meet under the tree full of hearts. Just kidding. Make it a great day! 

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God’s Love

God’s love is his unselfish giving of himself to us to bring about good and blessing in our lives in spite of the fact that we are unlovely and that we do not deserve it.

God loves us unconditionally - without conditions the way you are.

I want to receive God’s love in my life.

Happy New Year!

I’m back to writing at the official place where you can read all my blah-blah-blah, the JCruz Presents Blog. This week I’ve got plenty of useful information to share with my readers, from the latest projects, to briefly looking at the value of language, and of course the Cruz Personal Index.

I’m hoping to write off this blog in 2008 as resourceful, informative, personal, and inspiring! I ask my fellow readers to help me stay accountable to that goal by sharing your comments at the end of every article. You don’t even need a free account to write in your quick comments. Make them count!

So, do I have any New Year’s resolutions? No, personally, the new year starts on my birthday. I set goals around my birthday and review them a few weeks right before that time the following year. I know resolutions have their place in our lives. At the very least they indicate the hope that dwells in us to do and be something better in the NEW year. It is almost like starting over with a clean slate.

If you have New Year’s resolutions I hope you have not broken them yet. Oh please don’t tell me you did! Keep aspiring to be the best person you can be, in the name of Jesus, for his glory. Amen!

More Bed Time

I am recovering from a surgery that took place on Monday. I was away from work on Monday and Tuesday doing some major recovering and resting. The two and a half hour surgery was successful according to the doctor and my pain was controlled, thank God. Wednesday I returned to work feeling a bit dizzy and discomforted.

The last three months have been very bad for me health-wise. I’m hoping that God will bless me with good health so I can focus on other areas of need, like my finances, business, outreach and ministry to others.

On a good note, the move went well. God sent us a strong friend to help us move the heavier stuff. Most of the house is set up. Now all that remains is unpacking all the little extras tucked away in boxes and totes.

I expect this week to be tough, as I try to get back into the groove. Maybe I should call this week, how JCruz got his groove back. Be blessed.