Jeff Garrison is Fiscally Green®

(This article originally appeared in the August 25th, 2009 in the Century City News)

Stonefield Josephson’s President Promotes His Firm as:
“Accountants for Your Green World”

Is accountant and Stonefield Josephson President Jeff Garrison more plugged in to his solar panel than his calculator? Does he prefer a carbon footprint analysis to an audit analysis? Is Garrison, in fact, the green accountant ambassador? While the White House appointment has yet to materialize, it is clear that Garrison’s interest and activities in eco-friendly arenas beyond spreadsheets is altering the geeky, numbers-obsessed image of the accountant, while doing something good for the environment.

“I’ve never worn a pocket protector,” he says. Instead, Garrison, who has led the Los Angeles-based full-service accounting firm Stonefield Josephson since 2002, prefers to spend quality time with his kids and run on the beach with his dog. You can see him doing so in an advertising campaign to show the firm’s personality. “Accountants aren’t dorks,” says Garrison.

To prove it, the company maintains a “Back Porch” section on its website (www.sjaccounting.com) to showcase the private passions of its CPAs, which range from art collecting to surfing to cooking. On the site, CPAs offer recipes for paella, chicken tarragon, and other favorite dishes, and Garrison himself suggests wine pairings. Exposing the firm’s soft side helped it reach its annual revenue, says Garrison, as well as attract clients from successful rock acts and the hippest clothing venues to numerous “green” companies.

“Green business has moved rapidly from the periphery to the mainstream,” Garrison states. “It now holds promise for businesses of every size in every sector. There is, in fact, a growing trend in which more and more people are deciding whether or not they use a company based on its environmental orientation. I believe that if companies don’t alter their habits to fit in with the changing viewpoint of the population, they will soon be left behind by their quicker, smarter rivals. Being more environmentally friendly makes great business sense in many ways.”

Stonefield Josephson takes its commitment to the preservation and restoration of the planet seriously. Its sustainability practice, termed Fiscally Green®, and under Garrison’s leadership, is working to implement sustainability techniques and promote environmental responsibility within both home and office. It is introducing eco-friendly business practices and developing strong business alliances with like-minded companies that share the firm’s passion for protecting the environment and promoting responsible ecological practices that benefit the commercial sector and the community at large.

By reducing waste, developing energy conservation efforts and facilitating community outreach programs, Stonefield Josephson is committing to sustainability as a path to creating business value. Employee engagement in sustainability is an essential component of Stonefield Josephson’s green initiative – one that creates an energized and passionate team environment. “Encouraging our employees to reduce their carbon footprint, and guiding them in how to do so, is just one of the ways we’re making that happen,” notes Garrison. “Stonefield Josephson is proud to be one of the first accounting firms to embrace sustainable practices and become responsible stewards of the environment.”

“Green is a path for creating significant, durable business value,” states Garrison. “Green represents a way of seeing our business and the challenges it faces through a new lens that can bring exciting new opportunities for us into focus. Green business offers opportunities to put money back in the pockets of owners, shareholders and employees by cutting wasteful spending on excessive resource use. We are sold on green’s triple bottom line (TBL) of economic, environmental and social benefit – not just for our clients, but also for ourselves.”

While Garrison is all for the warm, fuzzy aspects of the sustainability movement, his level of expertise runs deeper and continues to deepen and evolve over time. He explains, “Fiscally Green® is dealing regularly with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, with emphasis on: Title IV: Energy and Water Development, IRS codes, and U.S. Treasury grants. If all these green opportunities don’t create a warm, green feeling in business owners’ hearts, they will most certainly create a warm, green feeling in their wallets.”

Garrison concludes, “Embracing a greener lifestyle isn’t just about helping to preserve equatorial rain forests, it can also mean improving your health, padding your bank account, and, ultimately, improving your overall quality of life. Bottom line for our firm -- green business is smart business. Going green provides cost savings as well as a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”


For more information or questions about Fiscally Green® or Stonefield Josephson, please contact Jeff Garrison, President, at 310.432.7456 or jgarrison@sjaccounting.com.
Stonefield Josephson, Inc.
2049 Century Park East
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Have You Had Your Mammogram This Year?

(This article originally appeared in the April 7, 2009 edition of the Century City News)

By Michael Douglas Carlin

There is a brave woman on the front cover of the Century City News this issue. Brave not because she has abandoned what society calls decency by shedding the wig and embracing her cancer. No she is brave because she has stared down the Grim Reaper that came a callin’ for her a wee bit prematurely. She was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer and she embraced her situation willing to follow the advice of her team of doctors and fight – for her life. Three weeks ago she was declared “Cancer Free” and has so far won her fight. The threat of cancer is never fully gone.

But the question is put to all of you by Kimberly Michel because she cares about each of you. Have you had your mammography this year? Early detection could save your life. It is a topic that nobody wants to discuss and yet too many of us mourn our friends that have stared at the Grim Reaper and not been victorious. Too many lives have been cut short by the most deadly killer for women. Kim is also brave to buck societal pressures to cover up and hide behind the wig. But those of you who know her and are able to call her a friend also know that this is a woman that is “salt of the earth” even though she has achieved the upper strata of success. She is hoping by shedding the wig she can help to save a few lives. One of those lives might be yours. Have you had your mammography this year? Seriously, have you?

I met Kim a number of years ago when I started this paper. I met her through my Rotary Club as one of her agents is a Rotarian. I was invited into her company, Michel Financial Group, the Mass Mutual Representative on the West Side of Los Angeles. I knew then that I was in the right place because each and every person at the company had such positive energy. I discovered that all of them followed the lead of Kim who is the General Agent of the Company. Over the years I have become a friend and fan of both Kim and the company and the news that Kim had been diagnosed with breast cancer was very troubling to me. Kim is a woman who has given back to an extent that is certainly not common in our society and she truly is a “pillar of the community”. The day I learned about her battle I felt our community was being shaken. How could someone that is so good be battling something so bad?

One of the ironies is that a particular organization that both Kim and I have worked for is the Lorraine Jackson Foundation that provides scholarships for children that have lost a parent to breast cancer. Kim was extremely involved prior to any awareness that she would be stalked by the disease. Thankfully her children may never qualify for those scholarships. Will your own children qualify? Have you had your mammography this year?

Many of you that know me also know that I participate in humanitarian causes. This past week our little team shipped a container that has 2 echo cardiogram machines and a couple hundred boxes of “single use” medical supplies that will save an unknown but significant amount of lives. I bring it up because those lives are a world away from our community. If we reach out to save them but lose our friends and neighbors in the process how much meaning will it all have? I am grateful that my friend, Kim, elected to take on the fight with breast cancer and has won. What would our community be without all of the Kimberly Michel’s in it? Get that mammography today!

I recently had the opportunity to sit behind closed doors and ask all of the inappropriate questions about Kim’s battle. Kim was very candid and if you want someone to talk to about her battle with the disease I invite you to call her up and talk. She will be most accommodating.

Kim is a mother, a wife, and a business woman. She never thought she would have breast cancer. She has been faithful about going to her screenings every year and in spite of them was diagnosed with two tumors in each breast that have been present for seven or eight years. They were missed because they were deep within the tissue. Her doctor’s appointment for “Hot Flashes” is what led to the discovery of the tumors. She was seeking hormone replacement therapy when the doctor said I think you need to go in for an MRI this Saturday. She quickly assembled an entire team of female doctors that developed a battle strategy that included radical mastectomy and chemotherapy. The result was that Kim needed eight days off every six weeks. The entire process was very painful for her and for the entire family but as a result she tells us that they are all so much closer now. There were a few moments of levity when her five year old grabbed the wig and put it on running around the house yelling “I’m the mommy! I’m the mommy!”

Kim talks about her husband and tears well up. “Tom was a rock. He learned about having to be the daddy and the mommy in our household.” Tom authored a number of letters he called care pages sent out to family and friends to update them on Kim’s progress. Through it all he kept his sense of humor. He learned that you can’t rush cancer. Cancer takes the time it takes. He has learned that you have to wait things out. Tom and the kids were exposed to the indecency of cancer as during those eight days off Kim would go through various stages of the chemotherapy and some of them were not that pretty.

Kim is in the business of selling insurance. As we look out her window we see Insurance giant AIG and that brings up talk of the times we live in. One thing she tells me about her brush with death is the experience she had with healthcare. A single bill she received for $116,000 for a five day hospital stay was renegotiated by the insurance carrier down to $8,000. I didn’t get it at first so I asked her to explain. If you went into the hospital as uninsured you would have paid $116,000 for the services. When her health insurance company got the bill they called up the hospital and negotiated the bill down to $8,000. Kim said, “Our healthcare system is broken.” But that doesn’t mean that Kim didn’t have an appreciation for being insured to the hilt. As an insurance executive she is a believer in being well insured and she has great coverage. Her own experiences have bolstered that belief and she wants to help everyone be prepared for the unexpected. She also wants you to get the medical attention that you need in time to save your life. Have you had your mammography this year?

Like the optimist I have always known Kim to be she tells me about the positive things that have come from her bout with Breast Cancer. She talks about her kids being better kids, the 25 pounds that she has lost, and not having to shave her legs. Now when Kim sits in traffic she no longer gets irritated by it – “Traffic? Big Deal!” Her child was called into the Principal’s office twice in one day… she wasn’t happy but she was slightly amused. The lesson for Kim is that in the grand scheme of things LIFE IS SHORT AND IT’S PRECIOUS. Not just her life but yours. She has taken her wig off to reveal the smooth bald and the now furry bald head that brings awareness to the issue of breast cancer. She is wearing her baldness to save lives. As we part Kim says, “Thank God for hot flashes!”

Eco-Warrior Leads Assault On Climate Change

(This article appeared in the January 24th, 2012 edition of the Century City News)

By Michael Douglas Carlin


Ask David Nahai about the state of affairs in America and he thunders back, “Congress needs to get its act together.” He is referring to the gridlock that paralyzes our political system and he is referring to the uncertainty of Congress ignoring important issues that need solutions now. David Nahai is the foremost authority on the two problems that are facing humanity and he hails from Century City. Where humanity will get energy and water are daunting challenges that face us for our future. David is optimistic that solutions are available but we need to make many changes in how we live. “There is a tremendous interplay between water and energy, 20% of California’s energy is spent to pump water from one place to another.” Clearly the cheapest and cleanest energy unit comes from the energy unit that isn’t used. Changing how we get our water could provide us with significant savings on the energy frontier. David is an expert in the field of water and energy and he talks fluidly about both sides of the equation – production and consumption. Clearly he knows how to preserve every drop of our precious resources… but he also has a vision for how humanity will conquer the daunting challenges that face us.

He encourages small businesses and individuals to make changes now that are voluntary warning that down the road those changes may become obligatory. David proudly wears the monikers of environmentalist and entrepreneur. He tells everyone that going green is a double entendre – meaning that you reduce humanity’s carbon footprint while at the same time making money. The green rush in California is fueling our economy. The green rush is our future.

He speaks candidly about DWP’s challenges that lay ahead. Coal will soon be eliminated as an energy source and DWP is working hard to transition to cleaner sources of energy. David refers to the DWP website for a wealth of information about rebates and incentives for going green. This information is a great resource to make more money or to shave the costs of any household or business. He is quick to point out the green initiatives at Watt Plaza where he offices. Watt has been one of the early adopters of green technology to conserve water, recycle, and reduce their carbon footprint.

With Los Angeles being the tipping point of the world on the green frontier, we in Century City might just be the tipping point of the tipping point. David is available as a lawyer and consultant. He speaks regularly at green conferences worldwide. For more information about David go to
www.davidnahai.com

Biography

H. David Nahai has an extensive record of success in both the private and public sectors, as a lawyer, CEO, government official, environmentalist, business owner and community leader.

Nahai is a partner in the law firm of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith and is a co-chair of the Firm’s national energy, environmental, water, and real estate practice. Nahai is also the President of David Nahai Consulting Services, LLC and is Senior Advisor to the Clinton Climate Initiative.

David Nahai Consulting Services advises and assists public and private entities involved in the environmental sector, with particular emphasis on renewable energy, energy efficiency, water conservation and wastewater treatment and recycling projects.

The Clinton Climate Initiative is a division of the Clinton Foundation. The mission of the Clinton Climate Initiative is to bring about the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale through specific project partnerships with governments around the world.

Until October, 2009, Nahai served as the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the largest municipal utility in the United States. In this capacity, Nahai oversaw more than 9,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $4.5 billion. Nahai resigned as CEO in October, 2009, but served as consultant to LADWP until December 2009.

Nahai was nominated as LADWP’s CEO by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and confirmed by the City Council in 2007. He served for two years on the LADWP Board of Commissioners prior to becoming CEO. He was appointed to the Board in 2005 and became Board President in 2006.
Nahai led an overall transformation of the LADWP that included the unprecedented expansion of the utility’s renewable energy portfolio; the origination and execution of the City’s groundbreaking Water Supply Plan; the attainment of historic reductions in water consumption in the City; the realization of record breaking energy efficiency levels; and the launch and implementation of water and power infrastructure improvement programs. Under his leadership, the LADWP increased its renewable energy portfolio from 3 percent in 2005 to around 15 percent by the end of 2009, and achieved the completion of Pine Tree, the nation’s largest municipally owned wind farm, and the Lower Owens River Project, viewed as the most extensive river restoration program in the United States. Additionally, Nahai oversaw the creation of the Los Angeles Solar Plan, the most ambitious solar program of any municipal utility in the U.S. Under Nahai’s leadership, LADWP garnered numerous environmental awards, including the 2008 Climate Change Leadership Award from Green California and the 2009 Los Angeles Heritage Award from Project Restore.
In addition to his expertise in the energy field, Nahai is widely recognized as a leading expert on water issues. He served for over 10 years on California’s Regional Water Quality Control Board, which safeguards the quality of surface, ground, and coastal waters in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, an area with over 11 million residents.

At the Water Quality Board, Nahai served under three different Governors. He was first appointed by Governor Pete Wilson, and re-appointed by both Governor Gray Davis and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nahai was elected to an unprecedented four terms as Chairman of the Board in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2006.

Nahai is credited with reinvigorating the effectiveness of the Water Board and spearheading some of its most aggressive programs, especially in the area of coastal protection. During Nahai’s tenure, the Board was awarded the Environmental Leadership Award by Keep California Beautiful, in appreciation of the Board’s pioneering work in the area of urban run-off pollution. The Water Board’s prestigious annual awards have been named the “H. David Nahai Water Quality Awards” in recognition of his service. He resigned from the Board in 2007, upon accepting the CEO position at LADWP.

Nahai began his career in the private sector as an attorney three decades ago, working at some of the United States’ largest and most respected law firms. He started at Loeb & Loeb and was a partner at Memel, Jacobs, Pierno, Gersh & Ellsworth, at Finley, Kumble et al and at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. In 1992, Nahai formed Nahai Law Corporation, specializing in real estate, corporate, environmental and commercial law. He divested his interest in the firm in 2007.

As a transactional real estate and environmental lawyer for 30 years, Nahai has represented clients and performed transactions at the highest levels, working on complex matters and supervising teams of attorneys. Nahai is an AV rated lawyer.

Nahai has been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations. In 2003, he received the Environmental Champion Award from the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. In 2008, he was honored as an environmental leader by Heal the Bay. He has been twice honored for community leadership.

Nahai sits on the Boards of the California League of Conservation Voters and Heal the Bay, and has served on the Boards of numerous charities, including the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, the Iranian American Jewish Federation, and the Jewish Community Foundation.

Nahai holds graduate and post-graduate degrees in law from the London School of Economics and the University of California at Berkeley, and was a Visiting Scholar at Berkeley.

Nahai is a frequent speaker and radio and television guest regarding environmental, climate change, water, and energy issues.

THE SECRET of the HOLY GRAIL

by Michael Douglas Carlin

Dear Knights and Prospective Knights,

You are part of the making of history. The Knights of Malta have a legacy of rendering aid on the field of battle, and that tradition continues today with every Knight that declares a life of service to help the plight of the less fortunate. The oath as it is written in this book, Rise a Knight, when exercised by Knights, leaves humanity and the planet better off.

But there is a more profound principle at work here—a secret that will change the world and bring about an unprecedented era of world peace.

Dan Brown touched on this in his book and subsequent movie, The Da Vinci Code, but slightly missed the mark. He correctly postulated that the Holy Grail is the vagina or female form. He also glossed over the true motivation behind the Inquisition—the oppression of women. Smart men knew that the only way to control humanity and leave power in the hands of the few was to oppress women. Peace and prosperity comes from women being empowered and equal.

Our new order is one voice to empower women, as all who take the oath agree not to discriminate against any human for any reason. Imagine a playing field level for all of humanity. Moving in this direction brings us closer to Thomas Jefferson's postulation where he declared, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men (humans) are created equal."

It wasn't true when he wrote it. It isn't true now…but it ought to be. We are part of the historic event ushering in an era during which it will become true. All humans will be created equal, and opportunity will leave no one behind.

We are also part of an era of responsibility, in which every human takes an oath to "first do no harm," and all of us police each other from harming our environment.

Plants, animals, and humans will all benefit from the coming era of peace and prosperity.

Each and every time you Knight someone (men and women) and get them to take the oath, we incrementally move toward more peace and prosperity. We move toward a better world than has ever existed.

This movement is the Holy Grail. It is the "Stone Cut Without Hands" that rolls forth until it consumes the entire world. It is what men and women have dreamed of for thousands of years, and it is within our reach.

I invite you all to share this message with everyone you know and to ask them to take the oath, kneeling as a mortal and rising to a life of service wearing the mantle of Knighthood.

Where men have oppressed and exploited women in the past, I invite you to embrace a new, unprecedented era of empowerment and equality for all of humanity that will lead to greater harmony between flora and fauna and the greatest peace and prosperity the world has ever known.

--

© 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All Rights Reserved.

The Garden of Eden

We all remember learning about the Garden of Eden...a place of abundance...paradise. The first rule of economics is that resources are scarce. We have learned that profits rise when there is scarcity. The reality is that we live in a world of abundance. There is enough food to feed every man, woman, and child alive. The scarcity is manufactured.

The problem with this scarcity is that it is killing the innocent. We pay farmers not to produce food. We destroy other food. We throw away so much too. We do all of this while people are starving. We see the photos, the video and hear the stories but we do nothing.

We live in Paradise and it is time that we provide Paradise to all of humanity.

Michael Douglas Carlin is a filmmaker, author, and journalist. American Federale is available on iTunes, Amazon, and GooglePlay. Rise a Knight is available on Amazon. Peaceful Protests and A Prescription For Peace is available on iTunes.

THE WORK CONTINUES

by Michael Douglas Carlin

I recently visited the Philippines. Our very good friend, Sir Edward, had had a stroke, and I wasn’t getting the information I needed, so I boarded a plane. His eyes lit up when I walked into the room. He struggled to speak. It was clear that something had happened to silence this once fierce warrior of peace. The silence didn’t last long. He struggled to get out a few words; "I had a stroke." I got to meet Klea and see her love of Ed. She has been there by his side for a number of years. I have spoken to her on numerous occasions, but now I finally got to meet this amazing champion of peace. Klea had traveled to Myanmar, Basilan Island, Jolo, Zamboanga, and many other dangerous places with Ed to take relief to those less fortunate, who found themselves in a precarious situation through no fault of their own.

Just prior to Ed's stroke, I had mounted my own mission into the danger zone of Border Mexico. Ed followed my path with great interest. He sent me text messages of concern for my safety. I texted him prior to traveling in and let him know immediately when I returned to safety. Ed taught me how to mitigate the risk, and I heeded his advice.

We never grow tired of the streams of tears when our relief hits the mark. On my trip, a doctor and nurse accepted four duffle bags of medical supplies that had the power to save lives. When they realized that these supplies were a gift from America and that we wanted nothing in return, they welled up. As they helped carry the supplies into the clinic, they could not hold back the tears. When I reported back to Ed, he seemed very pleased that one of his protégés had grown up and begun to comprehend his message.

I am one of thousands of people whom Ed has taught to do good deeds. Over the years and in my many travels with Ed, I have met hundreds of them. It always surprises me how many more there are whom I have never met. Even Ed cannot comprehend the impact that his life has had upon the world. Many of the paths that Ed has traveled were one-time trips. Other people have picked up where Ed left off and continue helping people to recover from war, famine, tsunami, earthquake, fires, floods or typhoons. Ed’s influence lingers, and he teaches so many to open up their hearts and to give.

We sat at the dining room table for hours that day. Ed was able to begin speaking almost normally. Something happened that day as we began telling Klea stories that we had experienced together. I started many of the stories, and Ed began speaking to finish them. We had lunch at the Hard Rock Café in Makati. He greeted new friends and old with that classic "Ed smile." By the time lunch was over, I could tell that Ed was exhausted. We had been together for five hours, and my presence had made him work to remember—to speak. The brain is an amazing and intricate structure. I witnessed synapses reconnecting right before my eyes.

We agreed to break for a few hours to give Ed a chance to rest. I returned at 7 pm for our trip out to dinner. Ed and Klea climbed into the cab, and we visited "Howzat," a local hangout for foreigners. When waitresses spoke to him, Ed struggled with his speech. When we talked to him, he was able to speak with only minor problems. Some of the jumbled words were quite funny, and both Klea and I were swept away with the mixed emotions. "Do we laugh or would that be cruel? We couldn’t help ourselves, and Ed began to laugh too."

During that dinner, I saw moments of total clarity, during which it seemed to me that Ed was one hundred percent back only to disappear back into the fog. From this, I gained hope that Ed would make a total recovery if he worked hard. Those of us who know him understand that Ed can’t do it any other way. When we parted that night, I knew that Ed needed rest. I agreed to give him the weekend.

Early Saturday morning, I headed down to Cagayan de Oro to meet Elmer and Cora Sayre. Ed and Elmer founded the Buffalo Bank there many years ago. What began with an investment in the first twenty water buffalo has grown into a full-fledged microfinance operation that now serves over 3,000 farmers with water buffalo, goats, chickens, pigs, ducks and sanitation. Elmer showed me his operation, which includes meeting spaces, manufacturing of toilets, cottages, crop development, and livestock management. A team of loan officers deals with farmers to evaluate their needs and to structure a borrowing and repayment program for them.

What I came to understand from my visit is that, if Elmer and his team were simply to hand out water buffalo, the water buffalo would be eaten. Attaching importance to them as a tool for the farmer helps to educate the farmer in methods that increase productivity. Farmers are grateful for the opportunity to improve their quality of life. When Elmer talked about criteria for granting microloans, he sounded just like the many bankers I know in Century City. "We look at their character and their capacity to pay back the loan. We shy away from those who are known to have gambling problems." Gambling problems? That was the last thing I expected to hear in this remote region, but cock fighting is one of the pastimes in the Southern Philippines.

The next day, we went to the remote regions, a four-hour drive from headquarters. In the mountainous region, I saw breathtaking views. Farmers were growing their crops on the sides of mountains. I got to see the impact of the water buffalo first hand. A farmer even offered to let me ride his water buffalo, and I couldn’t resist. That was a thrill I will never forget. I also will never forget tasting food for the first time. Every meal on this trip was one hundred percent organic. I ate coconut that was picked fresh from the tree, and I drank delicious coconut milk. Pineapple, papaya, watermelon, fresh vegetables, fish and free-range chicken were also at every meal. No chemicals are used in the farms supported by the Buffalo Bank, and all of the people I met seemed so healthy. All of this began with a single investment by Ed in the first twenty water buffalo.

I again turned my attention to Ed and Manila. We spent the week together pouring over paperwork, talking about pending missions and getting caught up on what needs to happen to continue Ed’s work. What amazes me is that Ed, who clearly suffered a stroke, has no concern for his own health and wants to communicate only to insure that the children to whom he promised surgeries get treated. In a private moment, Ed insisted that I travel to an orphanage and make a donation in his name. Many times I heard Ed insist that he would wage peace until his dying day, but his appeal in that private moment for children who have lost their parents solidified his commitment to continue this work until his dying breath. Happily, I made the trip to the orphanage and complied with his wishes.

The smiles on the faces of those children reminded me of the smile that Ed wears. Those smiles light up the dark spaces on the earth. The little child in Ed wants all of the other children to smile too. We have all seen him rise up to protect the less fortunate as their guardian and protector. We have seen him brave border crossings to bring in life saving relief. We have learned to give at his hands. We have watched him thunder away, threatening warlords. But, Ed is so much happier when the children are smiling.

The work continues…

Do Your Best Work Today

Today is a gift from God... An opportunity to make the world better... Ignore detractors and do your best work ever today!

I am overly sensitive. I over think way too many things. I give those that attack me way too much power and I allow them to temporarily derail me. Then when I gain back my center I plough ahead and attempt to do my best work ever.

The result always speaks for itself. Perhaps it doesn't turn out well... and ocassionally we do something exceptional. But each and every day we tee it up. We play through the pain. We work hard. And if we continue to work something good will happen.

Why not let it happen today? Why not make it happen today?

The Promise of America

The Promise of America is that no matter what your current station you can take advantage of the opportunities in front of you right now and make your life better through working hard and obtaining an education. Aaron Cohen is not only a believer in this promise but an achiever of this promise. Now we are celebrating Aaron as the 2010 Century City Citizen of the Year, an award given by the prestigious Century City Chamber of Commerce. Aaron is an unprecedented two time recipient of this award. Each award was twenty years apart signifying that Aaron not only made it but maintained his position in life and within the Century City Business Community. In any other country this would be a story that would become a legend, myth or fable. In America this is a common story about a man that began in the most humble of circumstances and rose to greatness. Common because others have achieved the same result from their hard work and dedication but uncommon because from a purely numbers standpoint this story isn’t repeated near enough in America or the rest of the World.

Aaron began life in Bulgaria and at the age of 10 dealt with Nazi occupation for two years. He took advantage of an opportunity to leave for Palestine. At 15 ½ Aaron did time in a British Jail for protesting against the policy of not letting Holocaust Survivors come to Palestine as outlined in the British White Paper of 1939. Aaron joined the Israeli Underground becoming one of the most elite commandos. They were known as Palmach and they fought against the armies opposed to the formation of Israel. They passed a single machine gun from village to village to give the appearance that their firepower was greater than it actually was. Aaron would volunteer for these dangerous night missions where failure meant certain death. Together with his battlebuddies they defeated the armies of Syria, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq to bring the dream of a sovereign nation of Israel into being against all odds. While in Israel he was one of the founders of the Kabutz Urin. In Israel he met a woman that would change his life forever. He married an American with full intention of settling in Israel but was sent for when she visited home.

He arrived in New York not speaking the language, with no money, no education and no job. But what he did have was a willingness to work hard and to learn. Three days after his arrival he was in school learning English. He worked a factory job during the week, went to school at nights, and worked a second job on the weekends to make ends meet. At the factory he was named a management trainee just prior to the end of the Korean War. When the war was over he was laid off. He vowed that he would never be laid off again. He came to the west coast where he learned how to clean windows and floors.

There are many people from that era that would love to claim that Mary Pickford gave them their start but Aaron was blessed to be able to work for Mary cleaning her house -this lead to other celebrities homes that needed cleaning and then to Mary’s first commercial building. Aaron landed a contract to clean all of the Hamburger Hamlets and according to his philosophy that all anybody wants to see is a hard working honest guy he landed all of Buckeye Realty’s buildings. He sold his business and stayed on to manage it. Now he hails from ABM the largest maintenance company in the business. The company has expanded their offerings to include security, engineering, and parking to compliment their stranglehold on the maintenance business.

Aaron’s favorite claim to fame is that all three of his kids graduated from the same High-School. Three years to the day after Aaron arrived in the United States he was made a U.S. Citizen. He credits his teachers. One teacher gave him the book he needed to complete the course at a time when Aaron couldn’t afford the book on his own. All of his teachers, and he remembers every single one of them, instilled a deeper appreciation in our Country. In Century City Aaron is known for his patriotism. He regularly leads the Century City Chamber of Commerce Meetings Flag Salute. Then at the end he thunders “AND GOD BLESS AMERICA AND GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS.” Every time Aaron sees any uniformed soldier he stops everything and politely addresses them thanking them for their service. When it comes to the buildings in Century City there isn’t a single one that his sweat hasn’t been left in. Aaron is a proof that the promise of America is still alive and well.

Work For Peace - Prepare for Jihad

This article originally appeared in the Century City News a number of years ago...

America must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to repel attacks on our soil or overseas but we should work for PEACE. We owe this to our children and the children to provide them with a more peaceful and prosperous world.

As we approach the eleventh anniversary of 9/11. The mosque close to ground zero is open. Muslims have just ended their fast of Ramadan. America has the hope that a kinder gentler version of Islam will root out the radical jihadist form of Islam. Hope alone won't bring that vision into fruition. If Islampopulation.com is correct then the Muslim population has topped 1.82 billion members. The estimates of radical Islamists vary but even if there are only a half of one percent the number of "would be" suicide bombers is staggering. The total number of US troops, including active and reserves, is around three million. That means that radical Muslims outnumber American troops three to one.

The threat of radical Islam isn't a threat to be taken lightly. The United States must continue to maintain a strong military prepared to do what is necessary to repel any and all attacks on our soil or overseas. The political will to invade Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 was almost unanimous within America. The outpouring of sympathy was also nearly universal. Many fear the cross hairs of radical Islam, as the doctrine doesn't discriminate among Jew, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or any other religion when it comes to the doctrine of Jihad. All are to be killed or submit to Islam. Thankfully not all Muslims have this view of their religion.

With the declaration of war by radical Islam on the United States comes a need to diffuse a dangerous situation. A kinder and gentler form of Islam could be just the answer.

I am acquainted with the Southern Philippines that is front and center in the War On Terror. Nearly half a million Muslims occupy this poverty-stricken region. Recruitment is fertile because the people there have nothing. Having nothing means nothing to lose. Islam considers this a valuable region because they seek to recruit jihadists that don't fit the profile our law enforcement has on their radar screens. The Civil Affairs Campaign waged by the US Government along with the Philippine Marines is having a significant impact in winning the hearts and minds of Muslims.

The true radicals still place a price on relief workers bringing aid to the region who must travel with heavily armed security detachments. It is very hard to see America as the enemy when medical treatment is brought in that saves the lives of children. As poverty gives way to self-sufficiency, the people there have something to lose which helps them choose peace. We should never expect them to adopt our culture and in respecting their need to have their own culture we can establish a relationship of mutual respect.

In poverty-stricken regions this approach can be helpful when we are allowed to intercede. Most Muslim countries reject our help under any circumstances. Many of the most radical jihadists have never met an American and simply hate us because they were taught to hate us. That leaves very few tools in the war on terror. One proven technique is to empower women. Women have the ability to soften men's hearts to choose peace. A gender gap might help us empower women in the region.

China has been imposing a "One child rule" to curb the populartion growth. Population engineering has been responsible for the female infanticide as perceived surplus baby girls are slaughtered. India also has a problem with female infanticide. This has caused a large gender imbalance in both countries. An underground railroad to transport women who are being abused from Muslim lands to areas where women are in short supply and might enjoy a more empowered life could stem the tide of abuse. Just the threat of women leaving might be enough to inspire a major and positive shift in the rights of women in the Middle East.

A World Court that established basic human rights including religious freedom could also be a tool to create stability and bring radical jihadists to justice. Trading partners would need to recognize the Court as the final authority and allow them to charge any Global Citizen with war crimes when human rights are violated. This would mean that America too would have to be subject to International Laws. There are no guarantees that any of this would work against such a sworn enemy but the futures of our children dictate that we must try. Those that have perished in the war on terror gave their blood to further the cause of liberty. Peace is the goal but not at any price. We will always stand ready to do what is necessary to thwart the efforts of all of our enemies both foreign and domestic. But we will also work tirelessly to further the cause of peace. We owe it to those that have nothing and have never met us to attempt to let them see our hearts and make the choice for Peace.

George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin The Facts Are Irrefutable

This Article Appeared in the Century City News

The facts are irrefutable. Everybody has weighed in on this issue from the President of the United States to everyday folks on the streets of America. It is a highly emotional topic and examining the facts might lead us to better understand the America we live in.

George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin have sparked debate about race in America. There is pent up anger and all voices need to be heard. The FACTS are irrefutable. America imported humans that were bought sold and forced to a life of labor. America is also the country that declared "all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The conversation is healthy and it can be healing if we all confront our biases and vow to become more perfect. The opening words of the Constitution, "We the people in order to form a more perfect union," pretty much say it all. It wasn't perfect when it started, it isn't perfect now, but it is getting more perfect every day we decide to make it more perfect.

We can make the death of Trayvon Martin have meaning by ending racism forever. The world has never had a greater need for men and women to take a vow that they will not discriminate against any human for any reason. The world needs all of us to end racism by changing our own hearts. If every person in America took an oath not to discriminate racism would be ended forever. Over a thousand years ago men kneeled and took an oath to protect the vulnerable. They protected the roads. They lived chivalrous lives. They were Knights. Now the invitation is extended to all of America (men and women) to kneel take the oath and "Rise A Knight." Ask all of the people you know to kneel and take the oath so that we can all work to end racism forever.

THE OATH

I promise to protect the world and all of the vulnerable inhabitants. I promise to recognize nobility in others by their deeds and life of service and to empower them by Knighting them into the rogue order of Knights of Malta, or Hospitallers, the order of Humanity. I also promise not to discriminate against anyone based upon race, religion, creed, gender, handicap, or sexual preference. I recognize that our order has power and influence only because of all of our collective good deeds and I promise to work tirelessly to leave this world better than I found it. I also recognize that this gift of Knighthood is bestowed upon me without asking me for any recompense other than living a life of service. I promise that when I give any gift, including bestowal of Knighthood, that it shall be done without expecting anything in return. On any humanitarian missions I promise not to discuss politics or religion with any recipient and to never share my sacred oath with anyone who might trivialize it.

The book "Rise A Knight" is available online.

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