tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25997323496998224082023-11-16T09:07:51.191-08:00Holy Beggar: Raising Funds. Raising Consciousness. Begging for a Job.For years I begged for a job in nonprofit organizations. (I was a fund raiser / propagandist.) When I was laid-off, I began to beg for a job ...
RUDE AWAKENING! Why not just cut out the middleman and pocket the "profits" directly! This blog explores cross-cultural, extra-ordinary giving and receiving, charity and charisma, need and greed.
In short, "Begging, the Question!"
Remember: no matter what ...
Don't forget to ask for the money!Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-10092813071979715552023-01-27T23:36:00.007-08:002023-01-27T23:36:54.770-08:00Star Gazing in The Beggar's Bowl<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I love this piece of reality:</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The mouth of the alms bowl faces the heavens.</i></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 16px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;">Foguo Gaoquan (1633-1695)</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 16px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;">鉢盂口向天。燈籠掛露柱。</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">大慧普覺禪師語錄(卷6)</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks to </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); white-space: pre-wrap;">Ryosuke </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: inherit;">Ueda, San Leandro CA.</span></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-X3WP4BTZMk4zwi0MHZMqswpUAqER8oOhHw9GwTxuTqhqNFQFcb6Mb9wKBlRElxwi0s40wOPAStAjwQaCqKFOAUxclfVUUowk22_sBa7EM3HNiar2Mvl2S6TEnK5VChajV-cahIK3zjrnGfDE8mqIzVO9HXQu58EUjjItALB9cxSC59FSVHlkffV/s824/Mouth%20of%20Alms%20Bowl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="526" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-X3WP4BTZMk4zwi0MHZMqswpUAqER8oOhHw9GwTxuTqhqNFQFcb6Mb9wKBlRElxwi0s40wOPAStAjwQaCqKFOAUxclfVUUowk22_sBa7EM3HNiar2Mvl2S6TEnK5VChajV-cahIK3zjrnGfDE8mqIzVO9HXQu58EUjjItALB9cxSC59FSVHlkffV/w370-h580/Mouth%20of%20Alms%20Bowl.jpeg" width="370" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-76260814162460804422019-10-26T12:01:00.000-07:002019-10-26T12:01:28.952-07:00Homelessness and Begging<br />
<br />
An article from the <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/about-new-statesman" target="_blank">New Statesman</a>:<br />
<br />
<h1 class="title inf_class" data-analyticsid="/politics/uk/2017/10/why-you-should-give-money-directly-and-unconditionally-homeless-people" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Unit, "Helvetica Neaue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/10/why-you-should-give-money-directly-and-unconditionally-homeless-people?fbclid=IwAR02JYUmMvBKWD5xY7n_XVIhY15mVBVYRmHjCFe04OVlcabYZLBEBYeX4WU" target="_blank">Why you should give money directly and unconditionally to homeless people</a></span></h1>
<div class="field field-name-field-subheadline field-type-text-long field-label-hidden" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55; margin: 0.3em 0px 0em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/10/why-you-should-give-money-directly-and-unconditionally-homeless-people?fbclid=IwAR02JYUmMvBKWD5xY7n_XVIhY15mVBVYRmHjCFe04OVlcabYZLBEBYeX4WU" target="_blank">Who are you to judge what they do with that cash?</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<a href="https://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/Roundup_2715_Homelessness_aw.pdf" target="_blank">Studies</a> show that "<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">begging emerges in the “middle-late stages” of homelessness, once people have already exhausted other options. The rock bottom has already been reached."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Is there a proclivity among humans to beg? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Is there a proclivity among human beings to be altruistic? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">To invoke the group as a source of support? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Where does altruism and begging intersect? </span></span></span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-52185307213184054832019-06-16T06:40:00.003-07:002019-06-16T06:43:07.307-07:00Holographic Old-School Wife<img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/18496c2e-0374-4832-855e-838855528017" /><br />
<br />
<a href="https://nonprofitaf.com/2019/06/why-more-and-more-executive-directors-of-color-are-leaving-their-positions-and-what-we-need-to-do-about-it/">https://nonprofitaf.com/2019/06/why-more-and-more-executive-directors-of-color-are-leaving-their-positions-and-what-we-need-to-do-about-it/</a>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-87018696097435437682018-05-29T21:11:00.000-07:002018-05-29T21:13:04.295-07:00$24.69 ... That's what your volunteer time is worth in the USA on average.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DFn8qdjy1L2xymMhNourK_hUdQTjuoMoHJ4OgRsGdvE4BCrC6YxAjt_V2JH78hiUO1FXu-3Z_G49HKmv7-OYGiVmZCrJ9zYl06EpZt_pgDr5wpMRTPZRHfMxP-m8BSrU6x_JFtnZAOU/s1600/beg+bowl+up+to+neck.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DFn8qdjy1L2xymMhNourK_hUdQTjuoMoHJ4OgRsGdvE4BCrC6YxAjt_V2JH78hiUO1FXu-3Z_G49HKmv7-OYGiVmZCrJ9zYl06EpZt_pgDr5wpMRTPZRHfMxP-m8BSrU6x_JFtnZAOU/s320/beg+bowl+up+to+neck.png" width="216" /></a>One of the earliest inspirations for this blog is to figure out how to get Congress to allow the value of volunteer time donated to nonprofit by all levels of capacity to be <i>deducted along with expenses incurred in that service.</i><br />
<br />
I get the same answer always from the <a href="https://www.bea.gov/iTable/index_nipa.cfm" target="_blank">Bureau of Economic Analysis of the US Department of Commerce</a>: "Volunteer hours are not calculable." Here is a <a href="https://faq.bea.gov/papers/pdf/Volunteer_output_paper.pdf" target="_blank">link </a>to their excuse. Basically, because it resembles <i>women's </i>work. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Poppycock! </i></span></b>has been my standard reply. <i>It is the </i>replacement<i> value of paying someone to do the work!</i><br />
<br />
Likewise, <i>childrearing, homemaking and housekeeping done in the family </i>aren't included in the Gross Domestic Product of the USA.<br />
<br />
Points of Light Foundation and Independent Sector calculate the average value of volunteerism each year. It's an <i>average</i>, including work in young professionals helping out in soup kitchens, medical specialists who do surgery in war zones, grandparents who do family day care so parents can work, etc. According to the latter:<br />
<i> </i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
"(WASHINGTON, April 19, 2018)
– Today, Independent Sector, in partnership with IMPLAN, announces that
the latest value of a volunteer hour is $24.69 – up 2.2 percent from
the previous year. That figure, estimated from data collected in 2017,
shows the incredible contributions volunteers make to our communities
and our country.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
"Currently, 63 million Americans volunteer about 8 billion hours of
their time and talent to improve people’s lives and the natural world.
With the new value of volunteer time, these Americans are contributing
approximately $197.5 billion to our nation."<br />
<br />
Just a reminder: Your Holy Beggar works for a living, as meek as it might be. She also volunteers her expertise, time and other valuable resources.<br />
<br />
You are welcome. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">And remember ...</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> No matter what,</span></b><br />
<i><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">DON'T FORGET TO ASK FOR THE MONEY. </span></b></i>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-33595777922147841822017-03-09T18:14:00.002-08:002017-03-10T22:27:37.655-08:00Ford Foundation's Darren Walker: Generosity Generation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8yiPjVINscAphPdgL3Zgwywt00gZa2KlXm_oYHmU5VkPtI9xMh129H95qwevU5lRw3zmirxWPxCgaY4ENZiUAyQ19y6BH9MHpSa5vAMraZbqbYQejY5d-OG0ApgIflEmt_vA5pboQ2f4/s1600/March7_Directors+Series_Darren+Walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8yiPjVINscAphPdgL3Zgwywt00gZa2KlXm_oYHmU5VkPtI9xMh129H95qwevU5lRw3zmirxWPxCgaY4ENZiUAyQ19y6BH9MHpSa5vAMraZbqbYQejY5d-OG0ApgIflEmt_vA5pboQ2f4/s1600/March7_Directors+Series_Darren+Walker.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.fordfound.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Darren Walker</span></b>, president of Ford Foundation</a>, was in Los Angeles recently to hold a public conversation with <a href="http://www.lacma.org/event/director%E2%80%99s-series-2" target="_blank">Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of LA County Art Museum.</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Sadly (to those of us working in the arts) they didn't speak about funding for the arts which are (once again) facing a dismal, dare I say bleak, future with the folks in DC wanting to axe the NEA. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">According to Walker, Ford doesn't have programming strength in the arts, health and even education and will not provide grants in this area. Ford seeks to promote its <i>comparative advantage</i> in the "realm" of social justice with its fully focus on <span style="color: #e69138;"><b><a href="https://www.fordfound.org/work/challenging-inequality/">challenging inequality</a></b></span>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">What he did emphasize was that he wants people to be<b><span style="color: #e69138;"> more generous</span></b>, not in that altruistic way. People need to give until the situation changes, not just when the <i>nachas</i> (prideful pleasure) overflows into the ego.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't agree more. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">When even the most seemingly unimportant situation has a profound blockage that cannot be penetrated,<i> </i>I will often query my inner HB as to whether someone is not being generous. It usually informs the situation.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Your humble Holy Beggar has discussed this in the past, but a refresher is always appropriate. According to <a href="http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/45907/jewish/Eight-Levels-of-Charity.htm">Maimonides</a>,
the next to the highest form of charity is when the donor and recipient
are unknown to each other. The highest form is that support provided
until the recipient can move ahead on his/her own. (Note: Most
institutional funders are not willing to support a project until the
recipient is <i>fully self-sustaining</i>.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Walker also wants the Foundation be a catalyst (my word) to reverse <i>hopelessness </i>and find ways to enliven, revitalize, kick-start (my words) a situation and let it flourish towards sustainability. He supports the notion that eccentric, even avant garde world views can and must dislodge the legacy of status quo if there is to be change. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Bravo!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Thank you, LACMA, for hosting this conversation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.0px;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>And Remember ...<br />
<br />
No matter what ...<br />
<br />
Don’t forget to ASK FOR THE MONEY!</b></span><br />
</span></span>
</span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-62756253727642500612017-03-01T15:32:00.000-08:002017-03-01T15:33:08.421-08:00hereThereDear Passers-by and FotHB (Friends of the Holy Beggar):<br />
<br />
The national election in the USA has zapped all my attention. Instead of improving my begging sign, I have spent much time creating protest signs for the Women's March against the vulgar he-who-shall-not-be-named and his cadre.<br />
<br />
I did not abandon my spot, although someone might come along and use it if I'm not working it.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I'm offering this review by <b>Rebeca Solnit</b>.<br />
<div class="_6a _29ee _4f-9 _43_1" data-hover="tooltip" data-tooltip-content="Shared with: Public" role="img">
</div>
<br />
"From the new book by <b><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=726554544" href="https://www.facebook.com/sunny.taylor.9">Sunaura Taylor</a>
</b> about animals and disability and intersection, Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation, she writes:
Animalization has long been used as a tool to segregate and police
disabled people. We can see this in the “ugly laws” legislation that
existed from the 1860s to the 1970s across the United States, which made
it illegal for “unsightly” or “disgusting” people to be in certain
public spaces. These laws were often intended to get rid of beggars, and
at times overlapped with laws desig<span class="text_exposed_show">ned
to clean the streets of stray animals. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">In her book <b><i>The Ugly Laws:
Disability in Public</i></b>, Susan Schweik, a professor of English and
disability studies at UC Berkeley, describes how anxieties about
disability, as well as poverty, class, race, gender, nationality, and
animality all intersected in these laws. In some instances, human
beggars were compared to stray dogs or other animals, and Schweik
suggests that “the threat of unsightly beggars who might spread disease
or bite the hand that fed them got phrased at times as a problem of
animal control.”</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">While I was not consulted about the begging sections, nonetheless, I trust the recommendation and hope that you will find it useful.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Remember, no matter what,</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Don't forget to ask for the money.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Yours truly,</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">HB </span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-46330393975011260202016-10-05T11:41:00.000-07:002016-10-05T11:41:15.707-07:00Prince Harry of Wales to Receive 2nd Holy Beggar Award!It's Nobel Prize season, but your Holy Beggar is not interested in headlines, rather she wishes to give recognition when it's due.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3MgRRONAvOf1RUKMGZT_XMZiQfBwIsVPP_26aNukCySp1AK5M8t2fP2p61hb7LHRYqjgIQ8dUmHePTid_uN8H8eNLqv-ThdJmBThkBD95OeLKWGIa8k92c8ZTuN21uGkHV5x6SPeTWI/s1600/harry-walkindg_3458865b+James+Watkins_WENN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3MgRRONAvOf1RUKMGZT_XMZiQfBwIsVPP_26aNukCySp1AK5M8t2fP2p61hb7LHRYqjgIQ8dUmHePTid_uN8H8eNLqv-ThdJmBThkBD95OeLKWGIa8k92c8ZTuN21uGkHV5x6SPeTWI/s640/harry-walkindg_3458865b+James+Watkins_WENN.jpg" width="640" /></a>She is deeply impressed by the stamina and personal conviction of Prince Harry of Wales, QEII's grandson, for his courage and clarity in support of wounded military troops who have suffered life-challenging wounds as a result of battle. He'll be walking 1000 miles across Britain with 6 others with a bucket to accept donations from folks along the way.<br />
<br />
From the <i>Telegraph:</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
"He praised the members of the public who've been putting hard-earned
money in the donation buckets as the marchers make their way around
Britain. </div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
"The support has been amazing,” he said. “People come
out to give money and then when they hear what it's for they put another
£20 in." </div>
<i> </i> <br />
More <span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-harry/11902473/Prince-Harry-I-will-dedicate-my-life-to-helping-mentally-ill-ex-servicemen-and-women.html" target="_blank">here. </a></u></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: lime;"> <span style="color: #274e13;">A tip of the Beggar's Bowl to you, Harry.</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Remember ... </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>No matter what,</b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Don't forget to ask for the money!</span> </span></b>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-75130869097523335012016-06-20T14:47:00.003-07:002016-07-05T11:44:47.281-07:00A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Part 1: What to Do When Approaching a Mogol/Mogul<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ9DiuFjb2IImcb4KNhJyKKR3ICeDE4jvh7xS24xXNVZP9LVmKsnMIOe5lNTCGPE_GtOVjhvBoqZjeUqXud9h9yVza6fA3BV4XI092zpkDD_SEwy34a5zjiHovUj22Rx4AJCVvqBoo00/s1600/Screen+shot+2016-06-20+at+2.42.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ9DiuFjb2IImcb4KNhJyKKR3ICeDE4jvh7xS24xXNVZP9LVmKsnMIOe5lNTCGPE_GtOVjhvBoqZjeUqXud9h9yVza6fA3BV4XI092zpkDD_SEwy34a5zjiHovUj22Rx4AJCVvqBoo00/s640/Screen+shot+2016-06-20+at+2.42.19+PM.png" width="489" /></a>The premise of this blog is, of course, that throughout time and space, every culture has witnessed the presence of a Holy Beggar. Whether individuals or institutions, the beggar is the "canary" in a socio-economic context.<br />
<br />
I have introduced you to my begging buddies who provide this function <i>within</i> the context of their cultural milieu.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm going to tell you about two situations that will indicate how complex it is to work <i>outside </i>one's own cultural contexts <i>and </i>across generations.<br />
<br />
I am immediately reminded of <a href="http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/yankee/cyhompg.html" target="_blank"><i>A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court</i></a>, the first story, or so says the author, Mark Twain, about <span style="color: #660000;"><b>t</b><b>ime travel in human culture</b></span><a href="http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/yankee/cyhompg.html" target="_blank"><i>. </i></a><br />
<br />
<i><b>Young Chinese American Storyteller at a (Predominantly) Jewish Community Memorial </b></i><br />
<br />
The first example presented here is based on an occurrence last week at the <i>yahrtzeit </i>(Yiddish: lit. "time of year", annual memorial) of the beloved <a href="http://www.picounionproject.org/laughter-through-tears-theodore-bikel-memorial-evening/" target="_blank">Theodore Bikel</a> held by family and friends, and accessible (as was dear Theo) to all. The venue was the great community center hall (former Sinai Temple synagogue) of Craig Taubman's multi-cultural but Jewish-inspired<a href="http://www.picounionproject.org/" target="_blank"> Pico Union Project</a> (PUP) ain the Pico/Union section of LA.<br />
<br />
The event was not targeted to be "sponsored by" or even to "officially" benefit anything or one else, but it was mentioned in the midst of some reverential comments that if people wanted to make a donation to Mazon, the Jewish organization that addresses hunger throughout the USA, there were some envelopes on the pews. Nothing more was said about it from the stage for 2 hours.<br />
<br />
Toward the end of a very <i>hamish</i> (Yiddish: NOT like "ham" but more like that sweet fellow "Haim") gathering of folks in the folk music community, a few in film and TV, some lefties and an even fewer heads of Jewish community organizations, Peter Yarrow sang songs about hope and inclusiveness of immigrants. He invoked the melting-pot-ness (Bikel didn't believe in it) of our current political dilemma. Folks on the <i>bimah</i> (Hebrew: stage) were taking turns doing solos, and we all joined in on the choruses. <i>Try and stop us!</i><br />
<br />
In the sweet <i>Kum-ba-Yah-nis </i>of the moment, a younger fellow with an Asian face pokes his head through the crowd on stage, takes the mike, and introduces himself as Jason Chu, the PUP Storyteller. "I'm a Chinese kid from Delaware who didn't know Theodore Bikel, but I am moved by what I'm experiencing here today. He spoke first quietly through the humming that honored his words and remained at this level, suggesting "let's all get together, and do what's right", etc.And then ...<br />
<br />
<i>Kapow! Nothing.</i><br />
<br />
My friend Linda and I, both of us who have rattled the begging bowls in our professional lives, simultaneously turned to each other and, in astonished <i>soto voce</i> said, "He didn't ask for money! He had 'em!"<br />
<br />
As the formal program ended, with people chatting and leaving their seats, one woman strained her voice to be heard ... "If you have those Mazon envelopes, please give them to ..." and named a few people, none of whom were necessarily stationed in a specific spot. <br />
<br />
Linda and I were invited to join the Pals-O-Theo as they adjourned to the social hall for refreshments<i>, </i>where we found Jason and brought to his attention this observation. I asked him if he could hear the silence, the anticipation, the power of his voice? "These folks expect / want to give. Jewish people <i>give</i> at times like these."<br />
<br />
He said that it was never his intention to ask for money. We
explained the missed opportunity, especially since MAZON was mentioned previously. He didn't have to bring it up out of
the cold. I plan to meet Jason at another time to discuss this further. He can turn his story-telling prowess into fund raising and to develop philanthropic contributions for PUP.<br />
<br />
The great fundraisers are all story-tellers, much as are lawyers. It is at the heart of a great persuasive "argument" ... the difference is that the intention to wield the power is clearly to channel / convert the listener's cache of emotions toward taking some specific action. <br />
<br />
In <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">Compelling Conversations for Fundraisiers</a></i>, authors Laurie Selik and Janet Levine call this the "pivot". In skiing, it's what one must do when approaching a mogul (a bump/hill of snow, usually found in a series, caused by many people skiing in the same area). I call it Hooo-pA! It is impossible to ski through the gullies on those long boards. So, when you're at the top of the bump, while the view may be lovely, for the sake of need to get down the mountain, take the opportunity at hand (actually, foot!) to make a turn, or slow down, or other adjustment. This is a truly powerful place to be if one uses it correctly!<br />
<br />
To you, beloveds of The Holy Beggar, please do not forget to <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>pay attention</b></span>, and. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Remember</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>No matter what ...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Don't forget to </b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">ASK FOR THE MONEY!</span></b>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-31809938559588067202016-06-04T17:08:00.004-07:002016-06-04T18:11:32.708-07:00COMPELLING CONVERSATIONS ... for Holy Beggars!Kudos (and a shake of the begging bowl!) to my colleague Laurie Selik and her<i> co-author</i>, Janet Levine, for their "<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Compelling-Conversations-Fundraisers-Success-Funders/dp/0990498808" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Compelling Conversations for Fund Raisers,</span></a> </i>one of a series of compelling guides to conversation from <a href="http://www.chimayopress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Chimayo Press</span></a> (Los Angeles). They are here to help Holy Beggars "Talk Your Way to Success with Donors and Funders".<br />
<br />
The street-side HB doesn't have much time to engage potential donors, about a minute or two while the light is red. You need to meet the donor at his/her terms. If you stand in Beverly Hills (can anyone?), be prepared to take credit cards. If you are near a bank or ATM, have change for a $20.<br />
<br />
As discussed, a sign helps a lot, but don't forget to make sure it's right-side-up, facing the windshield. And for goodness sake, make sure your Slurpee cup is empty with the lid off before you offer it as a receptacle.<br />
<br />
If you can get to them to the "I'll think about it" stage ... make sure you're at the same spot, the same time tomorrow. Remind them of their kind consideration.<br />
<br />
Laurie and Janet provide helpful scenarios for the more managed encounter, looking more toward significant gifts, as well as "planned" gifts. The latter could include appreciated property (such as the Mercedes our street-side donor is driving) as well as life insurance. (Given the way drivers behave in Los Angeles, a HB might do well to take out a policy on a driver his/herself and some day, just some day ... )<br />
<br />
Seriously (I was being that!), theirs is a <i>work</i>book ...<br />
<br />
Remember the HB's motto ...<br />
<br />
<i><b><span style="color: purple;">No matter what ...</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: purple;">Don't forget to </span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: purple;">Ask for the Money!</span></b></i>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-88510182132126671162016-06-04T16:50:00.001-07:002016-06-04T18:11:08.269-07:00Got Your Hand Out?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoxjG5UwGsH7xTdk6TFnhewWRLg07flICyoJAQsBeVG1AycOc5fBCZ3iA6gXB66DaOisQKn_RvPEN8Eiumh8s6oRR0sED8WoIHtb-zF1kpu7N_X95NEzpCFV_n0hzAQVRRdHH4T2osdE/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoxjG5UwGsH7xTdk6TFnhewWRLg07flICyoJAQsBeVG1AycOc5fBCZ3iA6gXB66DaOisQKn_RvPEN8Eiumh8s6oRR0sED8WoIHtb-zF1kpu7N_X95NEzpCFV_n0hzAQVRRdHH4T2osdE/s200/index.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Your humble Holy Beggar wishes to demonstrate one of the ways she has been trying to make a living by not directly begging for another entity: ghost writing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Yes, I've sold my words so that they come out of another's "mouth". Shame on them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Here's something I wrote for a translation company ... another person is attributed as the author. Anonymous would have been better.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since the beginning of time: 2161, or at minimum, over 40 Earth years
ago when <a href="http://www.generoddenberry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Gene Roddenberry</span></a> launched the<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.startrek.com/" target="_blank">Star Trek</a></span> enterprise, the crafty
creators of races and galaxies, technologies and tools have been hard
at work to transform everyday Earthlings into a Trekkies worthy of
citizenship in the<span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://www.startrek.com/database_article/united-federation-of-planets" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">United Federation of Planets</span>.</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJf1PibJX0U4nE4vXT028rJqu1WvsCt4dTfKrGG6l5kzP6Qh1C7TvOI9J1BBpW4IZHNz2a5YcOvdUezmIDmMNvNJaGVPWqsSXdJnfZvsh9tVaZyfeViAWx2hrAfjbD9TXCUgUxYSbzoU/s1600/Screen+shot+2016-06-04+at+4.25.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJf1PibJX0U4nE4vXT028rJqu1WvsCt4dTfKrGG6l5kzP6Qh1C7TvOI9J1BBpW4IZHNz2a5YcOvdUezmIDmMNvNJaGVPWqsSXdJnfZvsh9tVaZyfeViAWx2hrAfjbD9TXCUgUxYSbzoU/s200/Screen+shot+2016-06-04+at+4.25.39+PM.png" width="141" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Star Trek franchise builders have not been content to merely
dabble in pop culture and fantasy storytelling. Now over 40 million
human fans world-wide have access to powerful tools to cross the media
threshold and interact with other weekend wanna-be warriors by learning
to speak and read the Klingon language.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The master-mind (and mouth) of the Klingon language is linguist<a href="http://www.startrek.com/database_article/okrand" target="_blank"> <span style="color: blue;">Dr. Marc Okrand</span></a>, author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Conversational-Marc-Okrand/dp/0671797395?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Conversational Klingon</span></a>,</i> the definitive audio book, the <span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Klingon-Dictionary-Star-Trek/dp/067174559X" target="_blank"><i></i></a><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067174559X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687462&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0671797395&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PQS4BWVJ2J2J5S8Y46T" target="_blank">Klingon Dictionary</a></i>,</span></span>
among others. A specialist in an extinct language of a people of
Northern California, Okrand was making a living over-dubbing and
subtitling for the film industry when he was brought into the Star Trek
picture, literally. His first task was to create just four lines of
otherwise non-extant <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Vulcan </span></a>in post- production of<i> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan</span></a> </i>to match the actor’s English language lip movements as an over-dub.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brought back to work on <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088170/fullcredits/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Star Trek III The Search for Spock</span></a>, </i>this
time in the scriptwriting phase, he decided to formally create an
entire new language from scratch, complete with grammar and vocabulary
as well as an <a href="http://bit.ly/10BJoeH" target="_blank">inventory of sounds</a>,
Klingon at once needed to reference the history and current world view
of the inhabitants of that distant galaxy. No detail was overlooked.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since then, new stories and new characters have been blending into
those earlier “realities”, necessitating the development of Klingon’s
greater linguistic complexity. Klingon further morphed as fans began try
to speak and write it in</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">their ordinary, 21<sup>st</sup> Century
Earth-bound lives. There are also lexicons and grammars created by fans,
such as the online program “battle tested” at the <a href="http://bit.ly/10IWAzA" target="_blank">Klingon Language Institute</a> that has attracted many adherents and many efforts to compile English – Klingon dictionaries.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While Microsoft’s Bing search engine identifies 1,060,000 entries for “translate Klingon”, now, in cooperation with <a href="http://www.kli.org/" target="_blank">Paramount and the <span style="color: blue;">Klingon Language Institute</span></a>,
<a href="https://www.bing.com/translator" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Bing </span></a>offers written translation from many languages into both the
“original” Klingon script as well as Roman and Hindu-Arabic characters.
It seems that <a href="https://twitter.com/klingonbilgates/status/8303498910" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Bill Gates’</span></a> team has been considering how to do this for a long time, and released it in time for the premiere of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1408101/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i></span></a>. There are no coincidences!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While we at <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.acclaro.com/" target="_blank">Acclaro</a> </span>have yet to receive a request for translation
into Klingon, we salute the Trekkies who have delved into learning the
language for themselves. To you, we say <i>majQa’</i>…well done!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dearest Holy Beggars by Any (or No) <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Names,</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember,</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<i><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No matter what ...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></i><br />
<b><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'t Forget to </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">k for the Money</span> </span> </span> </span> </span></span></i></b> </span></span></span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-9410357125831806902015-09-20T10:34:00.000-07:002015-09-20T10:36:18.478-07:00Beggars Make the World Go Round: The Invisible Pan-Hand(ler)The fundamental premise of this blog is that begging has had a role in every society across time and space. Perhaps it is an organic by-product of human social order, whether democratic or totalitarian, capitalist or socialist.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWOoWeQFtAyg81dI-u1fjcW72p6JsZn_KRPXjS-oN8y-4vHw0JmasV4ekoJM8Wpeg-5b19zTP64HqwCMF3tKlUPVhI1WYiMl3ilm9QHx8yH6t326Pjq-UeHpUkRFPus1zINXaNsq6QEo/s1600/news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWOoWeQFtAyg81dI-u1fjcW72p6JsZn_KRPXjS-oN8y-4vHw0JmasV4ekoJM8Wpeg-5b19zTP64HqwCMF3tKlUPVhI1WYiMl3ilm9QHx8yH6t326Pjq-UeHpUkRFPus1zINXaNsq6QEo/s200/news.jpg" width="200" /></a>Adam Smith, the wunderkind studied in microeconomics, knew very well about the significant role that the Beggar plays in society by his signature study of the "Invisible Hand".<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDl6XwFsFniqo2AyCBM2wAbu7KQwF2EyQn6BaYM8J47gnE7EpvSmgiz561ddLhZu20Q0ez-b7xr-aLDsmAGhjnK0kEFRYjStQXc3lw7rgQowtuGoEt5dhc8zcoTcIw8ZwDcRvQs0cNnc/s1600/12324.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDl6XwFsFniqo2AyCBM2wAbu7KQwF2EyQn6BaYM8J47gnE7EpvSmgiz561ddLhZu20Q0ez-b7xr-aLDsmAGhjnK0kEFRYjStQXc3lw7rgQowtuGoEt5dhc8zcoTcIw8ZwDcRvQs0cNnc/s200/12324.png" width="200" /></a>Beggars are by nature invisible until they need to come into the public square to search for sustenance. All of a sudden, in a churning milieu alive with friction born of the heat of economic productivity, an empty "hand" intrudes into the usual rhythmic flow. Like a stone dropping into a body of water, the Beggar's presence may or may not send ripples or divert the flow, whether s/he is standing on a traffic island facing the stopped flow or on a subway platform singing operatic ditties well in tune with a boom box.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbC1xkVqgXyjVAvx6U489Nlq9n83U8SqgROlU_RAbkF6ychQ5LMsAKBNqHFQNZpzEPgbKir1ygOPP5XMm3cvaHyUbfeMpdqejvTVMJT6HC4nBTUQDA1CeiordmTJzJwBmB0mZdfMJLtg/s1600/panhandling-thumb-400x298-114423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbC1xkVqgXyjVAvx6U489Nlq9n83U8SqgROlU_RAbkF6ychQ5LMsAKBNqHFQNZpzEPgbKir1ygOPP5XMm3cvaHyUbfeMpdqejvTVMJT6HC4nBTUQDA1CeiordmTJzJwBmB0mZdfMJLtg/s200/panhandling-thumb-400x298-114423.jpg" width="200" /></a>In a benign form, the Beggar has an air of lifelessness. We may not see her/him, or we do and then carry the burden of ignorance of something before our eyes. We know what s/he is doing: helping us to reconsider whether we have enough, just enough for one's lifestyle and what to do with the excess. If it's a perfect world, we find something of the latter and pass it on.<br />
<br />
But this is not a perfect world, as we learn in macroeconomics. Once regulation sets in, there are distortions to what is otherwise a perfectly natural hunter-gatherer environment. To wit, the <a href="http://smallbusiness.chron.com/obtain-panhandler-license-32489.html" target="_blank"><i>Houston Chronicle </i></a>provides a public service on how to obtain a Panhandler License. <br />
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<br />Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-24145724679641241822015-08-11T17:06:00.001-07:002015-09-20T10:57:46.451-07:00Clinging With an Open Hand<div style="text-align: left;">
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<!--StartFragment-->Reading a report about the progress to health of the
beloved Thich Nhat Hanh by Justin Whitaker (July 14, 2015), <a href="http://feedback/"><span style="color: #002ce2;"><i>Thich Nhat Hanh comes to the USA for further treatment,
funds sought to cover costs</i></span></a>, there is an interesting
discussion about clinging ... to life, to teacher ... something Buddhism
disavows. To wit: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"When I have responded
to such misgivings, it has usually been to note that all involved are still
human, or to question the use of the term ‘clinging’ here. In Buddhist thought,
motivation is key, and yet guessing about or supposing to know the motivations
of others is a fool’s game. Perhaps those close to Thay are indeed clinging to
him as much as devoted followers of any religious leader. Or perhaps they
instead see his message that has reached so many people around the world and
wish only to see that message continue in the strongest way possible, through
his continuing to teach and write.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i>"My sense is that too
many people have seized on the message of non-clinging (which is a good and
central message within Buddhism)<b> and tried to apply it here too forcefully</b></i></span><span style="color: #434343;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">. Like all teachings, it should be taken with some
nuance. When driving on a windy mountain road, a good Buddhist clings firmly to
the steering wheel.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #434343;"><i>"Perhaps Thay and his
students see his journey as not quite finished and so hold on and work to see it
through."</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<br /></div>
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I am reminded of a conversation I once had with a Japanese
Zen monk. I advanced my understanding of working / not working toward emptiness
and was basically told that by working or not, my concept of emptiness was
severe.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Back to the pillow. Opening the hand. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And the other hand ...<br />
<br />
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p>Image: </o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;">Geoff Livingston. CC Thanks </span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span></div>
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~</div>
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Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-26702162691300651852015-07-11T17:07:00.002-07:002015-07-11T17:10:34.314-07:00Alwaleed Foundation's Leadership <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, someone get's it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 27px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIy3PvsRp1EyPRBu7MF3ypXfEXkkYWz6VfsFXnO60ZvfZGkwDRWD_HUSlBPSwkSj3c5tcwC2Kx45Gw-ZswO3y3LrKmP5VjMfCdqoalE_HE7P2xaOLjEbq4RnhcHeRS0st4CPE4MjwtC6M/s1600/Instagram-e42fe6fd8bd35d9d39fa91dd3d5d79aa.png.jpg" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 27px;">On July 1, 2015, <a href="http://www.alwaleedphilanthropies.org/who-we-are#block-views-annual_letter-block">Prince Alwaleed </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 27px;"><a href="http://www.alwaleedphilanthropies.org/who-we-are#block-views-annual_letter-block">bin Talal</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 27px;"> b</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: droid_sansregular;">in Abdulaziz Alsaud</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 27px;">of Saudi Arabia </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">announced he's giving away his entire $32 billion fortune to charity. <a href="http://www.alwaleedphilanthropies.org/prince-alwaleed-pledges-his-wealth-philanthropy-32b-groundbreaking-gift-dedicated-philanthropy">Here's</a> the announcement.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His gargantuan<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </em>gift will go to his own nonprofit,<a href="http://www.alwaleedphilanthropies.org/who-we-are"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0) 50%, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0.59375) 50%); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 1.3em; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; padding-bottom: 0.2em; padding-top: 0.2em;">Alwaleed Philanthropies</span></a>, throughout the next several years. There, the dollars will bolster a handful of causes worldwide, like <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">empowering women, eradicating diseases, </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">assisting in disaster relief, ending poverty, increasing intercultural understanding</span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">,</i><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> developing underserved communities. He says he has been inspired by Bill Gates' generosity.</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> The foundation's grantmaking is in several areas: Developing Communities, Empowering Women and Youth, Providing Vital Disaster Relief ... and Bringing Cultures Together. As for the latter, it will</span></div>
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<ul style="font-family: droid_sansregular; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: droid_sansregular; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Involve a university with proven credentials as a center of learning.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: droid_sansregular; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: droid_sansregular; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Focus on research and outreach to promote interfaith and intercultural relations.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: droid_sansregular; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: droid_sansregular; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Promote understanding of Islam in the West and the understanding of the West in the Islamic world.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: droid_sansregular; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: droid_sansregular; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Demonstrate commitment to foster dialogue and discussions.</li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: droid_sansregular;">That kind of understanding will lay off even the most optimistic holy beggar.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-77547273316755810382015-03-09T00:56:00.007-07:002023-05-23T20:37:49.601-07:00Holy Beggar: Oustanding in His Field!<div class="MsoNormal">
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</style></div><span style="font-family: arial;">When I first met my HB comrade Monk Gigen Ono worked in computer business in Los Angeles, but he then decided to take monastic vows in the Soto Zen Buddhist lineage and return to Japan for training.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc42_x7HAy2g_bwYCtCYCIzame5X2uuKwQ59ZevzIHtLBsHJJKICgGMib5NTkEGTxgfM90_O8h8BO6vuhUQpu02kpQIfUbgXdYZZgMYBPbceyMcrPSGY5_2CHVRWEN4XoKS4CUMUaHusQ/s1600/10398024_935160213183369_2658411256186641984_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc42_x7HAy2g_bwYCtCYCIzame5X2uuKwQ59ZevzIHtLBsHJJKICgGMib5NTkEGTxgfM90_O8h8BO6vuhUQpu02kpQIfUbgXdYZZgMYBPbceyMcrPSGY5_2CHVRWEN4XoKS4CUMUaHusQ/s400/10398024_935160213183369_2658411256186641984_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc42_x7HAy2g_bwYCtCYCIzame5X2uuKwQ59ZevzIHtLBsHJJKICgGMib5NTkEGTxgfM90_O8h8BO6vuhUQpu02kpQIfUbgXdYZZgMYBPbceyMcrPSGY5_2CHVRWEN4XoKS4CUMUaHusQ/s1600/10398024_935160213183369_2658411256186641984_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc42_x7HAy2g_bwYCtCYCIzame5X2uuKwQ59ZevzIHtLBsHJJKICgGMib5NTkEGTxgfM90_O8h8BO6vuhUQpu02kpQIfUbgXdYZZgMYBPbceyMcrPSGY5_2CHVRWEN4XoKS4CUMUaHusQ/s1600/10398024_935160213183369_2658411256186641984_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc42_x7HAy2g_bwYCtCYCIzame5X2uuKwQ59ZevzIHtLBsHJJKICgGMib5NTkEGTxgfM90_O8h8BO6vuhUQpu02kpQIfUbgXdYZZgMYBPbceyMcrPSGY5_2CHVRWEN4XoKS4CUMUaHusQ/s1600/10398024_935160213183369_2658411256186641984_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc42_x7HAy2g_bwYCtCYCIzame5X2uuKwQ59ZevzIHtLBsHJJKICgGMib5NTkEGTxgfM90_O8h8BO6vuhUQpu02kpQIfUbgXdYZZgMYBPbceyMcrPSGY5_2CHVRWEN4XoKS4CUMUaHusQ/s1600/10398024_935160213183369_2658411256186641984_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></a><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">He came back a few years after rigorous training at Eiheiji, the headquarters of the lineage, to L.A., his head now shaved and demeanor somewhat more reserved.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We talked about his new life walking through small villages of rural Japan engaging in the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">practice of <i>takahatsu,</i></span> begging. His work takes him him to the front doors of homes upon which would knock and then wait for someone to open. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">His clothing and <i>dogu</i>, equipment / props, made it perfectly clear to the residents that he was a Buddhist monk and more often than not, he reports, they welcome him in. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">His purpose was to offer to chant <i>sutras, </i>Buddhist scripture, at the <i>butsudan, </i>the family altar containing the mementos of recently and distantly deceased, for their benefit in the next life. This short ritual, taking about 10 minutes, earns him a few yen and much appreciation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #7f6000;">"What if no one answers the door, perhaps they are not home?"</span></b> I asked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>"I chant outside the closed door anyway,"</b> </span>he replied.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Our conversation occurred when I had just come back from a job interview
with the L.A. Philharmonic, seeking to join their development team
ranks. Job hunting is so frustrating, as this blog notes early into its
development. I asked him what he thought I could do to improve my
chances, and he hummed "Daiku", the beginning of Beethoven's "Great"
9th. We both laughed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A few years later, I saw Gigen - san again. He was still out on the <i>takuhatsu </i>trail providing folks with a way to stay in touch with the <i>Buddhadharma. </i>In the course of conversation, he asked me whether I thought he would be more sincere looking
if he did not wear his <i>tabi, </i>split toe socks, when going out in the snow. Looking at this photograph (not my pal), it does not seem that the woman is looking at his bare feet. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />Even if no one opens the door ...<br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">
Remember the Holy Beggar Maxim: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't Forget to</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ask for the Money ... anyhow!</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGyyG_vex6Z-xlR90aqUqgKfUrrAqXKre6nTBtj6dAISEI84tGbrLuXcgb3Il_2YnGLxSRaGpc0NM1hZ4S4pIre55_Im95Wfn_XjghY32E6spYLqFxH741yFNzvcX520JLDutYPqJWXE/s1600/OX.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGyyG_vex6Z-xlR90aqUqgKfUrrAqXKre6nTBtj6dAISEI84tGbrLuXcgb3Il_2YnGLxSRaGpc0NM1hZ4S4pIre55_Im95Wfn_XjghY32E6spYLqFxH741yFNzvcX520JLDutYPqJWXE/s200/OX.jpg" width="156" /></span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>*If I were he, I'd opt for sox made of wool from a sheep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy Solstice in the </span><span style="font-size: small;">Year of the <span>Green </span>Wood Goat / Sheep / Ox*! </span></span></div>
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<br />Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-14069773075884997782014-12-26T00:23:00.001-08:002014-12-26T00:50:16.143-08:00The Not-So-Non-Profit "Fourth Sector"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOK6yatK_0JbUlGCMztTUyGZlCR1ZQBtlnPtv-6Fj4xXDc44_lkGR36eQixayZYKsaoJUxjfvDbw00n1I97HlbA938t6BaeBLK-ITxOti3Ba33EZjdU4GPhSv2CvcI-WHsWwVnx4kZds/s1600/beg+bowl+up+to+neck.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOK6yatK_0JbUlGCMztTUyGZlCR1ZQBtlnPtv-6Fj4xXDc44_lkGR36eQixayZYKsaoJUxjfvDbw00n1I97HlbA938t6BaeBLK-ITxOti3Ba33EZjdU4GPhSv2CvcI-WHsWwVnx4kZds/s1600/beg+bowl+up+to+neck.png" height="320" width="216" /></a>Your Holy Beggar may be a candidate to <i>run ... no!</i> to <i>be</i> one of these "hybrid" enterprises.<br />
<br />
Remember, the whole premise of this blog is why not <i>cut out the middleman</i>, the nonprofit organization that would pay me a salary to beg for <i>them</i> ... when I can just <i>beg for myself</i>.<br />
<br />
Perhaps I can be considered for the Nobel Prize in Economics!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><b>But remember ...</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><b>No matter what ...</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><b>Don't forget to ask for the money.</b></span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-46828678307368743692014-12-16T12:23:00.002-08:002014-12-16T12:23:37.139-08:00Classy ... Classic Holy BeggarBravo to this gentleman and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/a.102107073196735.4429.102099916530784/781467185260717/?type=1&theater">HONY's</a> Brandon for capturing the true essence of Holy Beggarhood.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lw3jGCSDN4CmMBCGs5TTB4SxZ4OW5wTFL5Vrm98nO232qBtQnsmyD8XPvxqG1-Q7To56c74-XrR4aGzgHX9AMo_wlGE3CRDjza5ITSLFf9-bQ9lrpir6pUJRBeW41lbYLlGoZGA_pls/s1600/10670216_781467185260717_3656825763727529934_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lw3jGCSDN4CmMBCGs5TTB4SxZ4OW5wTFL5Vrm98nO232qBtQnsmyD8XPvxqG1-Q7To56c74-XrR4aGzgHX9AMo_wlGE3CRDjza5ITSLFf9-bQ9lrpir6pUJRBeW41lbYLlGoZGA_pls/s1600/10670216_781467185260717_3656825763727529934_n.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
From the Humans of New York FaceBook page October 8, 2914<br />
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<div style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><i>"I take my meds but I still have bad days. I know the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span>moment I wake up if it's going to be a bad day. I'm really fidgety and distracted and resentful. I can't even sit out here on bad days. I get too resentful when people walk by and don't help. I know it doesn't make sense, and that I don't have a right to be resentful, but I still get angry. I can't keep a job because of the bad days. I just get too verbal when I'm agitated. I don't even realize I'm doing it. I realize it later. But when it's happening, I don't know it's happening. It's like when I'm in the picture, I can't see the picture."</i></span></span><br />
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><i><br /></i></span></span>
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>No matter what,</b></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="display: inline; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Don't forget to ask for the money.</i></b></span></i></span></span></div>
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Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-69174896797287587932014-12-16T12:23:00.001-08:002014-12-16T12:23:11.679-08:00FULL CIRCLE: HOLY BEGGING FOR TAX DEDUCTIONSHas The Holy Beggar come full circle?<br />
<br />
Perhaps. You be the judge.<br />
<br />
I recently did a pre-year-end accounting of my contributions and my gross income. I have had the urge to make more donations to outcomes-based (e.g. nonprofit) organizations, yet the significant reduction in my own income will really not allow it if I am to remain solvent.<br />
<br />
So I thought that perhaps I should stand on a street corner and beg for donations to these nonprofits -- a generic receptacle promoted by a sign that says,<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOK6yatK_0JbUlGCMztTUyGZlCR1ZQBtlnPtv-6Fj4xXDc44_lkGR36eQixayZYKsaoJUxjfvDbw00n1I97HlbA938t6BaeBLK-ITxOti3Ba33EZjdU4GPhSv2CvcI-WHsWwVnx4kZds/s1600/beg+bowl+up+to+neck.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOK6yatK_0JbUlGCMztTUyGZlCR1ZQBtlnPtv-6Fj4xXDc44_lkGR36eQixayZYKsaoJUxjfvDbw00n1I97HlbA938t6BaeBLK-ITxOti3Ba33EZjdU4GPhSv2CvcI-WHsWwVnx4kZds/s1600/beg+bowl+up+to+neck.png" height="320" width="216" /></a><br />
"Your extra change is NOT FOR ME ...<br />
It's for public broadcasting ... the arts ... the enviornment ...<br />
all 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations."<br />
<br />
I will do just that and increase my tax-deductable donations.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>But remember,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>No matter what,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Don't forget to ask for the money.</i></b></span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-92104052690128182972014-11-17T16:35:00.001-08:002014-11-17T16:35:50.129-08:00Dan Pallotta's TED Talk -- The way we think about nonprofit organizations is dead wrong.I couldn't say it better ...<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong/transcript?language=en</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's the reading list : http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong/recommendations</div>
Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-56058164379014546472014-08-16T22:38:00.000-07:002014-08-16T22:42:16.954-07:00Guest Post: Rabbi David Lapin's "Charity vs. Investment"<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><b>T</b>z</span><b style="font-family: Calibri; font-style: italic;">eddakah</b><b style="font-family: Calibri;"> and
</b><b style="font-family: Calibri; font-style: italic;">Chessed </b><b style="font-family: Calibri;">are different.</b><b style="font-family: Calibri; font-style: italic;"> </b><b style="font-family: Calibri;">They produce different results.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt;">Parshat Eikev 5774<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>©
<a href="http://www.iawaken.org/about/Rabbi-Lapin.asp">Rabbi David Lapin</a>, 2014 Permission Granted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGfOuJ1zndNVj3V9zBUsmUdz2UwrimWz289AY0_hKCAmlmxZSQPyDXKVFYfRdICPExoK4G_SmUKEpq_Xxd3f7vjGbBOOJ3uHG3eVyLJHa0wWKej9FcAjX1zLZbZGfwNstMiXa3-Plp0k/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGfOuJ1zndNVj3V9zBUsmUdz2UwrimWz289AY0_hKCAmlmxZSQPyDXKVFYfRdICPExoK4G_SmUKEpq_Xxd3f7vjGbBOOJ3uHG3eVyLJHa0wWKej9FcAjX1zLZbZGfwNstMiXa3-Plp0k/s1600/images.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tzeddakah Box</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know the story of <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TZCP6OqRlE">The Giving Tree</a></i>? It’s a charming
children’s book [written by Shel Silverstein] about a lifetime’s relationship between a boy and an apple
tree. The boy plays in the shade of an apple tree and climbs its branches. When
he grows up and no longer wants to play, the tree gives him its apples so that
he can sell them and earn money. Later, when the boy wants a house the tree
offers him its branches with which to build a home and then its trunk with
which to build a boat. Finally, the tree, having given the boy all of its
resources, has nothing more to offer him other than the stub of its trunk on
which to sit in his old age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea of generosity that the book illustrates it is not the
Jewish idea of generosity. The book teaches <i>unconditional </i>generosity, a
Christian idea, not a Jewish one. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Torah differentiates between two distinct
expressions of generosity: Generous <b>donations</b> to a cause or a person, and
generous<b> investment </b>in the growth and development of others. Charity is tzedakkah; <b>investment is chessed</b>. <b>Unconditional </b>(and
at times even anonymous) <b>charity</b><b> is generous</b>. <b>Unconditional investment</b></i><i> is not.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The boy – and the world – would have benefitted more from the
tree had the tree required that the boy replant some of its apple seeds and
grows more trees. The tree could have insisted that the boy show gratitude and
that he pays the tree’s kindness forward by showing similar kindness to others.
This would have been a truly generous investment in another. As it is, the tree
simply gave the boy charity and eventually depleted itself. Unconditional
giving is not sustainable, which is why the <i>Torah limits it to twenty percent
of assets or income</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Investment in others, on the other hand, is not only sustainable
it is regenerative and the Torah does not cap it. <i>Olam chessed yibaneh:</i> the world continues
to be built and rebuilt through <i>chessed</i> – investment in others. Investors
have expectations of those who benefit from their generosity; they expect
growth and returns. Not only are these expectations legitimate, they also
inspire the very growth and development that was the purpose of the investment
to begin with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my last essay, “<i>So What Now?” </i> I wrote about
the attractiveness of <i>matnat chinam</i>. You will have noticed that I deliberately
chose not to translate this idea as <b><i>unconditional</i></b> <i>giving</i> but rather as <b><i>unearned</i></b><i> giving</i>. The reason is
because <i>matnat</i> <i>chinam</i> is a gift given to someone not because they had
previously done something to earn it but given to <i>someone who has thus far<b> done
nothing at all to earn it</b></i><i>.</i> However, <i>matnat</i> <i>chinam</i> does not imply a
gift with no <b><i>expectation</i></b> of gratitude or reciprocation in the
future. That would be charity. Charity, a noble <i>midah</i> and necessary
social responsibility, does not build society; it simply preserves society.
Investment in others, and expecting reciprocal returns on that investment,
actually builds a society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The purpose of the Creation was not so that Hashem could provide
us with unconditional charity. Unconditional charity is <i>nahama de’kissufa</i>, as <a href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/SaadiaGaon.html">Rabeinu Sa’adia Gaon</a>
terms it. Were we to be the recipients of free handouts we could not built our
dignity and our stature; our journey on earth would be pointless. Hashem
created the world, the Gaon says, so that Hashem could invest in us expecting
us to reciprocate with our <i>Avodah</i> (service) – serving Him and providing a
service to one another. In this way we could earn His ultimate generosity in
olam habbah and we would not experience it as undignified <i>nahama de’kissufa</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This theme is emphasized over and over again in the Torah and
specifically in the <i>parsha.</i> The <i>parsha’s</i> very name, <i><a href="http://www.iawaken.org/shiurim/list.asp?subcat=482">Eikev</a></i>, implies the
conditionality of investment: You serve me properly and deal justly and kindly
with others, I will continue to shower you and your land with abundant
blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our nation is emerging out of a relatively peaceful era of some
seventy years during the non-Jewish world, shamed by the holocaust tolerated us
and the excellence of our accomplishments. Now we are starting to irritate the
world again, and their irritation is erupting into flashes of vile
anti-semitism not seen since the war. We cannot take God’s protection for
granted; it is not an unconditional handout of charity. We have just
experienced miracle after miracle in Israel, Hashem expects us to reciprocate
with higher standards of <i>avodah, limud Torah</i> and service to
others. Some of us can inspire this reciprocation on large scales, others can
do it within themselves and their immediate spheres of influence. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever your
capability, what are you doing to reciprocate to Hashem? What are you and I
doing to <i><b>earn God’s continuing protection and blessing</b></i> as our nation moves into
a new era of independence, accomplishment, influence and global resentment? How
are we showing ever greater <i>Hakkarat hatov (</i>gratitude) to Hashem
for our being given the opportunity to live in one of the most stunning eras of
modern Jewish history?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Giving Tree</i> took more than it gave. It gave the boy shade,
and apples and wood. But it took away his dignity and his potential to grow in
the most important <i>midah</i> of all: <i>Hakkarat hatov</i> – gratitude, the
very stuff of relationship (with God and with fellow men), kindness and society
itself.</span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more insights from Rabbi Lapin, see his <a href="http://iawaken.org/">iAwaken</a> website. </span><br />
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Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-48613336677638590222014-07-22T11:58:00.001-07:002014-12-16T12:23:53.674-08:00DIGNITY!!!!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tradition of joining the world-wide Jewish community commitment to study a page of the Babylonian Talmud (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px;">2,711 pages in total) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">a day in a 7.5 year-long in a specific cycle -- is called<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> <a href="http://www.dafnotes.com/">Daf Yomi</a>. </span></i>Since the custom, <i>minhag</i>, began in 1923, then the entire cycle has been completed 12 times; the last one ending August 2, 2012. The current one is due to be completed in January 2020.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">I've not done it even for a day, but I have been following <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><a href="http://www.jacquelinenicholls.com/">Jacqueline Nicholls'</a> "<a href="http://drawyomi.blogspot.com/">Draw Yomi</a>"</span> Project in which she not only participates in the reading, but also she draws images from the passages and offers a short commentary or note about its contents for a decidedly personal, 21<sup>st</sup> Century feminist eye. It is a bit haiku-ish in that it is not work that is over thought, but definitely impressionistic. We are who we are when we enter the current of the big river.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A prolific artist who lives in London, Nicholls' other works are mostly in the fiber arts that address women's role in Jewish rituals, exploring the forms and intentions of minhagim, traditions, and projecting them on to personal experiences of life cycles of the body and the peoplehood. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7W6jcOg310oz-efimJZiG0qhID6RfIaPfEzv12tmtLa3GLd26cKXXVcvcxmhT5b2XReoHLmIALKJexvh5RevzS_ve4VJhZxOP4pXEnKxSslovdGYboVvW_pbCYWBhT-njM3zBgg2dBw4/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-07-22+at+11.37.46+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7W6jcOg310oz-efimJZiG0qhID6RfIaPfEzv12tmtLa3GLd26cKXXVcvcxmhT5b2XReoHLmIALKJexvh5RevzS_ve4VJhZxOP4pXEnKxSslovdGYboVvW_pbCYWBhT-njM3zBgg2dBw4/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-07-22+at+11.37.46+AM.png" height="176" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today, after catching up on her daily impressions, I explored once again her<a href="http://www.jacquelinenicholls.com/"> website</a> and entered "rooms" of her many thematic projects. I was struck particularly by her "<a href="http://www.jacquelinenicholls.com/the-kittel-collection.html">Kittel</a>" project today. A kittel is a very simple garment that an observant man (usually) will wear at his wedding, funeral and on the annual days of yom kippur in between. It is white, full length and has sleeves. A perfect canvas for such an inspired, skillful artist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is her thought about the “<a href="http://www.jacquelinenicholls.com/dignity-kittel.html">Dignity Kittel</a>” ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-small;">“I used to spend Christmas volunteering at a temporary homeless shelter in London that provided basic services and support. In amongst the medical and dental care, food, hairdressing, there was a large clothing section. The guests could choose an outfit, and my job was to make sure that these garments fitted them properly, so when they stepped out in their new suit, they looked smart and dignified. We were instructed to make sure that they didn’t look like they were wearing hand-me-downs. The shelter also supplied practical warm coats, but by ensuring that there were people there to make adjustments, they recognized that clothing doesn’t just provide protection against the elements."<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have an obligation to help recognize the inherent dignity of all Beggars, Holy or not. Thus, I’m posting this in two blogs: “Trads in Contempo Life” and “Holy Beggar”.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>But remember,</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>No matter what,</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Don't forget to ask for the money.</i></b></span></div>
</div>
Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-46295192895958714812014-07-09T16:58:00.003-07:002014-12-16T12:24:10.156-08:00Want to Buy a Hole?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0mhHhXfmO3UZH2JmdBDPKlo1ZWAvvixPIOp08sR5VqgDZtJYR4TXgGmDkN6PxWcTB_mygjqPZvB3PWP5sxgT8ZHa-JOp5X9tJ1kSEAX9x_2nfpe3WKURijjo7eufCSGC55YtZYmDQGM/s1600/Untitled1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0mhHhXfmO3UZH2JmdBDPKlo1ZWAvvixPIOp08sR5VqgDZtJYR4TXgGmDkN6PxWcTB_mygjqPZvB3PWP5sxgT8ZHa-JOp5X9tJ1kSEAX9x_2nfpe3WKURijjo7eufCSGC55YtZYmDQGM/s1600/Untitled1.jpg" height="256" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Copyright<i> The New Yorker</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am not kidding that I view panhandlers as colleagues. Haven't you ever wanted to correct spelling or darkened the letters on a begging board ... not to mention turn it right side up ... ?<br />
<br />
Be truthful. There are so many ways to help our colleagues achieve their desired result: spare change.<br />
<br />
This cartoon from <i>The New Yorker</i> is another example of what is at the heart of this blog's mission: to explore the fundamental, foundational essence of redistributing resources to effect a more dynamic flow of a society's economic resources.<br />
<br />
What is the difference between begging and crowd-funding?<br />
<br />
Perhaps in the former, the hat is perceived as being empty; in the latter, the perception is that there is something "inside" to bloom out of that emptiness.<br />
<br />
To fit the Kickstarter mold, the HB (Holy Beggar) might consider putting something to exchange to show appreciation ... perhaps a slip of paper or piece of string ... to show thanks. A few low denomination coins might be nice to enable contributors to make change if all they have is a $20 but would like to give $0.20.<br />
<br />
On another note, an empty hat may be full enough. I have friends who had a huge hole in their newly purchased rural land. It was not really empty, as it had a foundation laid by the original owner who abandoned a project to build a structure. My friends thought that they could fill the hole with all sorts of refuse -- rotting wood, metal parts, etc. -- that was left from the original owner, but they soon realized that the hole was much more than the sum of available stuff, so they paid a lot of money for a contractor to fill the hole with dirt.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm thinking that perhaps there was someone out there who needed a hole or a part of it so s/he could begin to build a lake, a swimming pool, skate park or a house, and so I wondered whether my friends could advertise its availability online, Craig's List, for example.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>And remember,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>No Matter What,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>Don't Forget to Ask for the Money!</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-24494952392074082372013-12-30T02:09:00.004-08:002014-07-09T21:37:44.917-07:00Stuck Between the Tao and a Hard Place: Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis of an Ailing Western Economy<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Money itself has no intrinsic value and is called “currency”
because it is most valuable when in circulation. According to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_medicine">Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM)</a> system, among the signs of health and life is the
unimpeded and proper flow blood and “chi”. Pain is diagnosed in TCM as "blockage". Likewise, when money stops moving, as it has in the vast majority of
Western nations, the economy is sick, and, in extreme cases near death. In TCM
terms, the situations of excess (i.e. bloating), and deficiency need to be relieved
and the patient returned to a more harmonious state to cease to be in pain.<br />
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We’re mostly familiar with the pain of deficiency. It brings
to mind the title of the late<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Been_Down_So_Long_It_Looks_Like_Up_to_Me">
Richard Farina’s</a> 1966 now cult classic roadie novel, “Been down so long it
looks like up to me”, which was taken from even older lyrics of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Will_Turn_Your_Money_Green">“Turn My Money
Green”</a> by Memphis bluesman Furry Lewis. <a href="http://performingsongwriter.com/kris-kristofferson-bobby-mcgee/">Kris
Kristofferson</a>, echoed by Janice Joplin, knew it well when he wrote,
“Freedom is another word for nothin’ left to lose!” The dull pain is so
familiar. You wake up day after day, with the same “nothin’”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The pain from excess, on the other hand, is defined as sharp
and bloating; take just one more and the whole system will burst! TCM
countermands the oft-quoted statement (attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of
Windsor per <i><a href="http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Wallis_Simpson,_Duchess_of_Windsor">Vogue</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">), “You can’t be too rich or too thin.” Well, if
you’re reading this, you’ve outlived her! Obesity is having just “<a href="http://toomuchonline.org/">just one more</a>” ... even one more obsessive
</span><i>less</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> in the case of anorexia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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TCM practitioners use various modalities to rebalance the
patient, including acupuncture and acupressure to stimulate meridians,
energetic crossroads to release the impasses. This enables areas that
are deficient to be slowly enriched, while that which is in excess, will be
carefully drained away. Just as it is dangerous to point a starving man to a
banquet, it is important for the exchange to be gradual and monitored.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/more-proof-rich-getting-richer-poor-poorer-154916333.html">Yahoo’s</a>
economic forecast, however, is pointing simultaneously in both extreme
directions, that the rich are getting richer and the poor are gaining ranks and
losing access to basic necessities. I believe that it is because the haves and have-nots are
not always on the same sliding scale of life. Government can fix that, but charity cannot; the former is mandated by the people; the latter is too prone to the whims of altruism and government provoked incentives (i.e. tax deduction). Ultimately, the “patient” will not
get well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>And remember,</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>No Matter What</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>Don't Forget to Ask for the Money!</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-20338288365041636712013-02-22T12:02:00.000-08:002014-07-09T21:38:02.333-07:00Saving Face: A Tax Deduction Loophole<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">
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<h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73rniBo0mGZj40IXYrAOIcFDc3fzsAREJD9iW5NxLgAyKGz728hfYRIrKIlo1rxUWd_py-3VADBc8tH2lbF8oIsrfbuZYO3D-WjJY6hZ24KbXSqPu84PdqLegtD9tsXK9iot54BToEFc/s1600/Unknown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73rniBo0mGZj40IXYrAOIcFDc3fzsAREJD9iW5NxLgAyKGz728hfYRIrKIlo1rxUWd_py-3VADBc8tH2lbF8oIsrfbuZYO3D-WjJY6hZ24KbXSqPu84PdqLegtD9tsXK9iot54BToEFc/s200/Unknown.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Purim</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">the springtime
Jewish holiday celebrating the power of masking, is focused on events that
happened in Persia long ago and retold in the <i>Megillah Esther</i><span style="font-family: ArialMT;">, Book of Esther. For just one day (unlike other
much longer celebrations of the lunar year) up go the masks, ultimately
victory is ours (whew!), and down they <i>must</i></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"> come.</span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">For Jews, the most notable instance of un-masking is when Moses,
standing atop Mt. Sinai, demands of the Great Donor, "Show me your face
..." (Exodus 33:18) While he has been initiated as a <i>tzadik </i></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">through many hard
trials, still Moses is "only" granted a view of the august back. Further, from the
vantage of the schlep-weary minions below, the much-anticipated encounter takes
place in a cloud, veiled from ordinary view. </span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">The gift of Purim is our lot to mask-up and taste life as the
"other". Yet behind the mundane charade, the <i>spiels</i></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;"> and noisemakers, Purim
is a holiday of giving <i>shalach monos</i></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">, gifts of good cheer and food. It is no
surprise, that masking and giving are brought together in one celebration.</span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">The mask has its good points; it enables us to “save face”. We
hold that the highest form of charity is when the donor and recipient are
anonymous to each other.</span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAkSKBD1yRYWQ4IXocmvgHmuh6LHAWibOJWqGDCt0eT0haEvLuL7xXP-tMPg70oYRnIoQwEL3FFEjVwJN_bovSu5sanu6rbFR40YAeZekDdO-vt-ZFDHp43FetePthr1nYyhGcjzwgKg/s1600/Unknown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAkSKBD1yRYWQ4IXocmvgHmuh6LHAWibOJWqGDCt0eT0haEvLuL7xXP-tMPg70oYRnIoQwEL3FFEjVwJN_bovSu5sanu6rbFR40YAeZekDdO-vt-ZFDHp43FetePthr1nYyhGcjzwgKg/s200/Unknown.jpg" height="200" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Freud as Freud</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZPPXul0NrXXumJUcOC6JS027dd13MgcyMqksnISZdBVo3g8orfr2Igm2KveInRQTH7jsAXy1Q6PJhg1SuksFsUEacvTPnnRs_N-dvzRYW1y9-p0ytl_TdkrfREsRHnI6i7c5p8fYiYw/s1600/1982-M-Busta2_370px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZPPXul0NrXXumJUcOC6JS027dd13MgcyMqksnISZdBVo3g8orfr2Igm2KveInRQTH7jsAXy1Q6PJhg1SuksFsUEacvTPnnRs_N-dvzRYW1y9-p0ytl_TdkrfREsRHnI6i7c5p8fYiYw/s200/1982-M-Busta2_370px.jpg" height="200" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Fraud as Freud?**</span></i> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">Too often, however, we act / hope / pray that, even just this
one time, the ubiquitous someone <i>else</i></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;"> will provide the support for those in need
or organizations we deem necessary to keep the world in a more beautiful
balance. After all, isn’t it <i>their</i></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;"> turn to go up the mountain? Through the
masks, we still only see ourselves*. The heart knows no disguise.</span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">This Purim, whomever you see reflected in the mirror – yourself,
anonymous, a superhero from another galaxy or even Queen Esther, make a
deduction in his / her / its name to your favorite nonprofit ... it’s still tax
deductible.</span><span style="font-family: ArialMT;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: ArialMT;">Chag Sameach! Happy Festival!</span></div>
</div>
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<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: x-small;">*</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Channeling and projecting the Inner Siggy. </i>Marias Bustamante</span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;"> **</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;">http://hemisphericinstitute.org/web-cuadernos/images/AV/1982-M-Busta2_370px.jpg</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>And remember,</b></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>No Matter What</b></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b>Don't Forget to Ask for the Money!</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</span></div>
<div style="font-size: small;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="font-size: small;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-77471255308747916832013-02-04T09:24:00.000-08:002014-07-09T21:36:18.543-07:00Tickling the Beggar's Funny BoneBeggars, holy or otherwise, need a laugh and are even originators of the laughs of others. Kudos to the <a href="http://philanthropy.com/section/Cartoons/203/">Chronicle of Philanthropy for having a cartoon section</a>. :))<br />
<br />
<br />Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599732349699822408.post-85225511759325994122012-11-01T09:58:00.001-07:002014-07-09T21:38:54.580-07:00Burn Out ... Part 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a teaching from Rabbi Dov Baer, the Maggid of Mezritch, on the biblical verse,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise and stand … and gaze after Moses until he went to the Tent.</span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Exodus 33.8). </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Everyone sees himself in the righteous one (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">zaddik</span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">),” Dov Baer wrote. “Therefore, they suspected Moses was guilty of adultery (since he had separated from his wife). But in fact it was they who were guilty [of adultery] with the mixed multitude. [When they gazed at Moses] they saw themselves in the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">zaddik</span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and thus suspected him.” Rabbi Dov Baer suggests this is the core, and tragedy, of a leader: His (or her) selfhood is lost in the aspirations, expectations, and limitations of those “who gaze upon him.”</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your Humble Holy Beggar sees something else ... they are giving Moses the respect due to one who secures the survival for others. (That "nonprofit leader" noted in the previous posting.) </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read the source of this quote and see how humble a human Holy Beggar can be: http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/115376/carlebach-broken-mirror?utm_source=tabletmagazinelist&utm_campaign=85f99372d7-11_1_2012&utm_medium=email</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And remember,</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No Matter What</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't Forget to Ask for the Money</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>Lauren W. Deutschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10062322375647990568noreply@blogger.com0