Aug. 30, 2001 – The animal anti-cruelty bill died a quick but far-from-painless death Thursday evening in the Senate Rules Committee. It was killed by a 2-2 vote on a motion by Sen. Adelbert Bryan to table the measure.
"The bill dies in committee," Rules chair Carlton Dowe, who supported the bill, declared.
The causes of death: cockfighting and politics.
After listening to informed and impassioned testimony from the bill's supporters during the St. Thomas hearing, Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel declared she could not vote for something she found "hypocritical." She said the bill didn't outlaw cockfighting, which she objected to. "All animals should be protected," she said, adding that she would vote for the bill if a cockfighting ban were included.
Mary Edwards, manager of the St. Croix Animal Shelter, explained that a ban on cockfighting was originally in the bill. She said Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, the bill's sponsor, had told her if she wanted the bill to pass, the cockfighting section had to come out. "It was a take it or leave it situation," Edwards said, as Donastorg had made clear to her that the cock-fighting lobby was strong enough to kill the bill.
"We've been trying to get this bill passed since 1996," Edwards said she told Pickard-Samuel. "I disapprove of cock fighting as much as you do, but we want to get this bill passed."
Edwards earlier had given moving testimony in a plea for the stronger penalties against animal abuse the bill set. She said that on Tuesday a woman had called the shelter to report that a dog was dying in front of her house, bleeding on the sidewalk but still alive. She said the woman asked to have the dog picked up and put out of its misery. Before the dog could be picked up, the woman called back to say somebody had put the animal in a plastic bag and put it in the compactor of a garbage truck.
Also testifying were animal advocates Rita Roth and Lorraine Mason; Laura Michalski, a social worker from Family Resource Center; and Hubert Brumant, Humane Society of St. Thomas shelter manager. All spoke of the link between cruelty to animals and violence against humans.
The witnesses reacted in shock at the abrupt vote to table the bill. Bryan had long shown open disdain for the measure, ridiculing it at every hearing. Thursday he railed about what he termed the bill's "hypocrisy," invoking racial issues. He wondered if the people who started slavery had been cruel to animals first.
After Edwards said animal cruelty is now a felony in 32 states, Bryan retorted, "If you want to live with this bill, go back to those 32 states." He said no one would tell him what to feed his animals, adding, "Alpo, Science Diet brought in by Topa Equities, it's hypocritical."
Edwards said the bill's language about animals being fed properly meant fed and watered adequately. She said some people think rabbits get enough water from grass and don't give them water to drink. "The bill is simply common sense," she said.
Bryan asked where the witnesses against the measure were. Dowe said he had invited public testimony on the bill.
Sens. Donald "Ducks" Cole and Dowe affirmed their support of the bill. Cole said he attends cock fights. "We eat chickens and it's no problem," he said, "so I wonder about the cockfights — it seems like a contradiction." However, he said, "We are all God's creatures, and we must be protected."
After Pickard-Samuel said she would support the bill with a ban of cockfighting included, Edwards suggested she write an amendment to that effect then and there. Pickard-Samuel, however, said Donastorg should write it and bring it to her to submit. Cole said he would support the bill with a cockfight ban added. "I voted for it without it, and I will vote for it with it," he said.
Voting to table the bill were Bryan and Pickard-Samuel. Voting against tabling were Dowe and Cole. Rules Committee member and bill sponsor Celestino A. White Sr., who had been in the Senate chamber earlier, was off the floor when the vote was taken. The other two committee members, Sens. Almando "Rocky" Liburd and Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, were excused. Liburd is away from the territory; Hansen was on St. Croix for ongoing Finance Committee budget hearings.
After Dowe adjourned the meeting following the vote, tempers flared in full force in the hall outside the chamber. Shouting, Cole and Pickard-Samuel accused Donastorg of killing his own bill by omitting a cockfighting ban. "You killed it, yourself," Pickard-Samuel told Donastorg, accusing him of playing political games and adding, "I won't play them." He angrily threw the same charge back at her.
Brumant vainly tried to convince them all that the bill should be passed as Cole and Pickard-Samuel continued shouting about getting an amendment to ban cockfights. "You write it, and I'll move it," Cole told Donastorg. Bryan was in the hallway but didn't enter the fray.
In an emotional statement to reporters as he left the building, Cole said he would submit an amended bill to the committee with the cockfighting ban. "All I have to do is take it to Dowe, and I know he will put it back on the Rules agenda," he said. But he insisted, "Donastorg has to write the amendment."
Cole and Pickard-Samuel were adamant about not wanting to author such an amendment. Cockfighting is a lucrative activity in the territory with a large following.
Donastorg is not a member of the Rules Committee and so could not have written an amendment during the hearing.
In a release issued by his office later, Donastorg said, "A scam was perpetrated against the people of the V.I. by their senators. Once again, they're trying to confuse people and cloud the real issues at hand."

Aug. 30, 2001 – Some 2,000 youths and adults from across the nation attending the national Weed and Seed conference in Philadelphia that ended Thursday got to see what the program is all about in the Virgin Islands — and it's about a lot.
Members of St. Croix's Grove Place Weed and Seed Banjo/Calypso Players performed on Sunday at a luncheon, immediately following an address by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.
On Wednesday morning, the Eulalie Rivera Elementary School Steppers performed at a plenary session. Also within the V.I. delegation were three teen-agers who are certified master scuba divers from the Bovoni Weed and Seed dive program on St. Thomas. All told, about a dozen youngsters from St. Croix and another dozen from St. Thomas took part in the conference.
The Bovoni dive program is the only one of its kind in the nation. David L. Atkinson, acting U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands, noted that the program was recently featured in Insights, a national magazine published by the Weed and Seed executive office.
Atkinson said that due to the huge success of the U.S. Justice Department initiative across the nation, President Bush's budget for 2002 calls for a $25 million increase in funding for the Weedf and Seed program. According to a release, from Atkinson's office, the increase is expected to be approved in Congress, where the program has broad bipartisan support.
Weed and Seed is a strategy (as opposed to a grant program) within the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs that incorporates community-based initiatives. It is a multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention and community revitalization that aims to reduce, control and prevent violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods across the nation.
According to its web site, Operation Weed and Seed, as it was first named in 1990, became a key component in the previous Bush administration's anti-crime efforts and helped shape the national debate about how to prevent and control crime. The initiative "wins back our inner cities by weeding out gang leaders, drug dealers and career criminals and seeding communities with expanded employment, education and social services," then-President George Bush said.
A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding strategies, according to promotional material. The program began with three sites in 1991; today it has nearly 300.
The V.I. Weed and Seed groups were started two years ago under the leadership of former U.S. Attorney James Hurd, who resigned in January. The Boys and Girls Club of the Bovoni Weed and Seed won a prestigious Environmental Quality Award earlier this year from the national Environmental Protection Agency for its island cleanup projects.
Among those attending Sunday's opening session of the conference at the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel was Delegate Donna Christian Christensen. The conference theme was "A Decade of Weed and Seed … Leave No Neighborhood Behind."
The conference — for Weed and Seed staff as well as youth delegates — included daylong "Learning Labs" on such topics as conflict resolution, empowering communities through technology, the mobile community-outreach police station concept, and drug demand reduction. There were bus and trolley tours to the sites of the six Philadelphia Weed and Seed projects.
The members of the Eulalie Rivera Steppers who made the trip are Neheh Barry, Kimesha Bloodman, Christine Chooran, Shamela Flemming, Rashema George, Shana Gilbert, Iyanna Jones, Nneka Richards, Shawndell Simon, Shenelle Warden and Jamilah Williams.
The Banjo/Calypso Players who took part are Juan Becerril, Demaris Belardo, Crystal Belgrave, Ray Christian, Sasha Greene, Kathleen Guadalupe, Laquida Iles, Jahmeelah Matthews, Jahnailah Morris, Tanisha Poleon, Nailah Richards, Alenna Rivera and John Williams.

Aug. 30, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has submitted his proposed allocation of $2.189 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funds to the Legislature. He proposes apportioning the money among 37 not-for-profit and government agency projects.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the program is administered in the territory by the Planning and Natural Resources Department.
The deadline for the territory to submit its proposal to the federal government was July 31. Turnbull sent his request to the Legislature on Aug. 13. In his letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd accompanying his proposal, Turnbull wrote: "Recognizing that you and your colleagues would need additional time to consider and approve the bill, I will request an extension."
Planning and Natural Resources reviews all applications received for CDBG funding and makes its recommendations to the governor. For this year's funding, 89 applications were submitted, and the total funding sought was $13,403,219. By federal law, no more than 15 percent of the grant money may be used for public service projects. All of the remainder except for program administration support is to be used for construction projects. By V.I. law, the total funding must be divided equally between the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John districts. The Legislature must approve all V.I. participation in federally funded programs.
The governor stated that funding was sought for a total of 37 public service projects, of which 19 were approved; for a total of 52 construction projects, of which 18 were approved. Total proposed allocations by island are $803,950 for St. Thomas and $71,650 on St. John for a total of $875,600, and also $875,600 for St. Croix. The allocation for administrative support is $437,800.
Here is how Turnbull proposes to disburse the CDBG project funds:
Public service
St. Thomas:
Anglican Outreach Services — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Down Street People — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Faith Wesleyan Holiness Church — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — operation of a swimming program for low- to moderate-income youths, $10,000.
Kidscope — crisis intervention, counseling and other support services to young victims of abuse and violence and their families, $15,000.
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — operation of an outreach center for the homeless, $27,300.
St. Thomas Livestock Association — operation of a summer agricultural program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
V.I. Housing Authority — operation of a scuba diving program for low- to moderate-income youths within the housing projects, $7,500.
V.I. Missions — operation of an after-school and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled — operation of an after-school training program for the disabled, $15,000.
We From Up Street — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
St. Croix:
Camp Arawak Program — operation of a job-skill training program for low- to moderate-income individuals, $50,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — operation of an after-school sports clinic for about 100 at-risk youths, $25,000.
Proyecto SAL — operation of an after-school program to provide tutoring services to children experiencing difficulty with the English language, $16,900.
V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled — operation of an after-school program for the disabled at Ricardo Richards Elementary School, $25,000.
St. John:
Carabana Ensemble Theatre Company — operation of an after-school theater program and a weekend library, $10,825.
John Folly Learning Institute — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $10,825.
V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled — operation of an after-school program for the disabled at Julius Sprauve School, $10,000.
Construction
St. Thomas:
American Legion Post 90 — renovation of facility to improve lighting and remove asbestos, $40,850.
Education Department — installation of lifts and ramps at various public schools to increase handicapped access, $50,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — renovation and upgrading of restroom facilities at Coki Point Beach, $39,300.
Long Path/Garden Street Association — construction of a community center and playground for neighborhood residents, $250,000.
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — matching funds for 8 single-room units for the homeless, $24,000.
St. Thomas Administrator — rehabilitation and expansion of the fishermen's facility in Frenchtown, $220,000.
St. Croix:
Adventist Development Relief Agency (Hispanic) — construction of a facility to provide after-school programs and operation of a soup kitchen, $60,000.
Agriculture Department — expansion of the St. Croix Farmers Market, $50,000.
Arma Pavie Sport Club — rehabilitation of a facility and improvement of a baseball field, $40,000.
Education Department — installation of lifts and ramps at various public schools to increase handicapped access, $162,700.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — construction of a recreational and community center at Canegata Ball Park, $200,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — expansion of the Vincent Mason pool recreation area to include existing slab, adding of picnic benches and installation of lights, $20,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — renovation of the Police Athletic League Burning Bush recreation facility and construction of a handicapped-accessible restroom, $40,000.
Our Town Frederiksted — grants and low-interest loans for homeowners in the Frederiksted area to rehabilitate their residences to safe and decent living conditions, $115,000.
St. Croix Foundation for Development — renovating to revitalize historic town structures in Christiansted and Frederiksted, $50,000.
Women's Coalition of St. Croix — construction of a fence to secure a public facility and ensure the safety of clients, $21,000.
St. John:
Carabana Ensemble Theatre Company — rehabilitation of a facility for use for theater workshops and as a weekend library, $10,000.
Education Department — installation of lifts and ramps at Julius Sprauve School to increase handicapped access, $30,000.

Aug. 30, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has submitted his proposed allocation of $2.189 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funds to the Legislature. He proposes apportioning the money among 37 not-for-profit and government agency projects.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the program is administered in the territory by the Planning and Natural Resources Department.
The deadline for the territory to submit its proposal to the federal government was July 31. Turnbull sent his request to the Legislature on Aug. 13. In his letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd accompanying his proposal, Turnbull wrote: "Recognizing that you and your colleagues would need additional time to consider and approve the bill, I will request an extension."
Planning and Natural Resources reviews all applications received for CDBG funding and makes its recommendations to the governor. For this year's funding, 89 applications were submitted, and the total funding sought was $13,403,219. By federal law, no more than 15 percent of the grant money may be used for public service projects. All of the remainder except for program administration support is to be used for construction projects. By V.I. law, the total funding must be divided equally between the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John districts. The Legislature must approve all V.I. participation in federally funded programs.
The governor stated that funding was sought for a total of 37 public service projects, of which 19 were approved; for a total of 52 construction projects, of which 18 were approved. Total proposed allocations by island are $803,950 for St. Thomas and $71,650 on St. John for a total of $875,600, and also $875,600 for St. Croix. The allocation for administrative support is $437,800.
Here is how Turnbull proposes to disburse the CDBG project funds:
Public service
St. Thomas:
Anglican Outreach Services — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Down Street People — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Faith Wesleyan Holiness Church — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — operation of a swimming program for low- to moderate-income youths, $10,000.
Kidscope — crisis intervention, counseling and other support services to young victims of abuse and violence and their families, $15,000.
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — operation of an outreach center for the homeless, $27,300.
St. Thomas Livestock Association — operation of a summer agricultural program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
V.I. Housing Authority — operation of a scuba diving program for low- to moderate-income youths within the housing projects, $7,500.
V.I. Missions — operation of an after-school and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled — operation of an after-school training program for the disabled, $15,000.
We From Up Street — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $15,000.
St. Croix:
Camp Arawak Program — operation of a job-skill training program for low- to moderate-income individuals, $50,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — operation of an after-school sports clinic for about 100 at-risk youths, $25,000.
Proyecto SAL — operation of an after-school program to provide tutoring services to children experiencing difficulty with the English language, $16,900.
V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled — operation of an after-school program for the disabled at Ricardo Richards Elementary School, $25,000.
St. John:
Carabana Ensemble Theatre Company — operation of an after-school theater program and a weekend library, $10,825.
John Folly Learning Institute — operation of an after-school program for low- to moderate-income youths, $10,825.
V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled — operation of an after-school program for the disabled at Julius Sprauve School, $10,000.
Construction
St. Thomas:
American Legion Post 90 — renovation of facility to improve lighting and remove asbestos, $40,850.
Education Department — installation of lifts and ramps at various public schools to increase handicapped access, $50,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — renovation and upgrading of restroom facilities at Coki Point Beach, $39,300.
Long Path/Garden Street Association — construction of a community center and playground for neighborhood residents, $250,000.
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — matching funds for 8 single-room units for the homeless, $24,000.
St. Thomas Administrator — rehabilitation and expansion of the fishermen's facility in Frenchtown, $220,000.
St. Croix:
Adventist Development Relief Agency (Hispanic) — construction of a facility to provide after-school programs and operation of a soup kitchen, $60,000.
Agriculture Department — expansion of the St. Croix Farmers Market, $50,000.
Arma Pavie Sport Club — rehabilitation of a facility and improvement of a baseball field, $40,000.
Education Department — installation of lifts and ramps at various public schools to increase handicapped access, $162,700.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — construction of a recreational and community center at Canegata Ball Park, $200,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — expansion of the Vincent Mason pool recreation area to include existing slab, adding of picnic benches and installation of lights, $20,000.
Housing, Parks and Recreation Department — renovation of the Police Athletic League Burning Bush recreation facility and construction of a handicapped-accessible restroom, $40,000.
Our Town Frederiksted — grants and low-interest loans for homeowners in the Frederiksted area to rehabilitate their residences to safe and decent living conditions, $115,000.
St. Croix Foundation for Development — renovating to revitalize historic town structures in Christiansted and Frederiksted, $50,000.
Women's Coalition of St. Croix — construction of a fence to secure a public facility and ensure the safety of clients, $21,000.
St. John:
Carabana Ensemble Theatre Company — rehabilitation of a facility for use for theater workshops and as a weekend library, $10,000.
Education Department — installation of lifts and ramps at Julius Sprauve School to increase handicapped access, $30,000.

Aug. 30, 2001 – Frank Rinehart's teaching legacy at the University of the Virgin Islands goes back to when it was still the College of the Virgin Islands, but after 24 years, he is moving on.
He has taken a post as the dean of Science, Health and Business at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, and leaves Saturday for his new home.
His wife, Elena Vimercati, said she will continue her work as a web designer and will continue to service her Virgin Islands clients from Rochester.
Rinehart described himself as a chemist. He has taught sciences at UVI and served a stint as chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics.
He said he is grateful for the professional experience he had at UVI and that the staff and administration there are supportive of his decision.
"There's time for a change in everyone's life," he said.
"We're going to freeze this winter, but we'll have a beautiful fall first," he said, adding that Rochester offers a variety of cultural events and opportunities.
He's also excited about Monroe, saying "It's probably one of the 30 best community colleges in the U.S."
Vimercati, a native of Italy, has fewer years in the Virgin Islands, but also made a mark on the community. She was a charter broker for three years before going into web page design. And for several years she acted as interpreter and facilitator for Italian tourists visiting Caneel Bay in August.
Some parting advice from Rinehart: Two institutions in the Virgin Islands that are particularly worthy and in need of support from the community are United Way and UVI.
A past president of United Way, he served on the board for six years. He said the organization has set an ambitious challenge this year, raising its annual fund-raising goal from $500,000 to $650,000. It will need the entire community pulling together to meet the goal, he said.
The university also needs financial support, he said. "Faculty salaries have slipped," especially those for junior faculty, he said.

Volunteers are needed for Mangrove Restoration at Salt River, a project of the St. Croix Environmental Association.
Join the V.I. ReLeaf Program to replant red and black mangrove seedlings.
Students can earn community service credits for school requirements if they participate.
The volunteers are needed to transport materials, drive a boat, collect seed and plant seedlings.
For more information call 773-1989.

The public is invited to attend the next Casino Control Commission meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the Commission's offices at #5 Orange Grove, Christiansted.
The agenda will include consideration of casino employee licenses, casino servicing entity licenses, authorization for the operation of new casino games and the required preparation for the implementation of the newly enacted Internet Gaming Act.

The public is invited to attend the next regular meeting of the Casino Control Commission at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12,at the Commission's offices at #5 Orange Grove, Christiansted.
The agenda will include consideration of casino employee licenses, casino servicing entity licenses, authorization for the operation of new casino games and the required preparation for the implementation of the newly enacted Internet Gaming Act.

I hope you will find the following useful and inspirational. If you do, why not forward it to friends? We never sell or buy mailing lists, so all our subscribers come from referrals from people like you.
Sound mind, sound body (in three parts)
1. As you sit and read this, check your neck, shoulders and arms for tension. Those of us who spend time at a keyboard tend to hunch and to carry the weight of the day in those areas. Quick remedy: Sit up straight, lift your right arm straight into the air, let your left arm dangle down loosely. Now stretch up the right arm, stretch down the left arm. Stretch all the way out to your fingertips. Hold for 15 seconds. Then switch arms and do the same things. Do this three times per side. Ahh, much better!
2. Tea-drinkers' alert: Probably you already are aware that tea (especially green tea) contains substances that help counteract the free radicals in your body. Recent research shows that these substances are most effectively released if you steep your tea for 10 minutes (about 75 percent of their potential are released if you steep for just three minutes). Best news: The cheaper teas tend to be the most healthful.
3. Maybe you have heard about the anti-depressive power of St. Johns Wort. Even better news: Recent research shows that this herb also counters the growth of certain types of bacteria, including some that are resistant to penicillin and other antibiotics.
Try to remember
A study at Tufts University found that people find it easier to remember something when they look to the right. You might also try the following, which is based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming studies: If you're trying to remember something visual, look up to both sides; if you are trying to remember something auditory (e.g., something someone said), keep your eyes level but try all the positions from left to right. And if you are trying to remember something that had emotional content, try looking down and first to one side, then the other.
Pen and paper: What a concept!
As handy as e-mail is for quick messages, sometimes old-fashioned pen and paper (or at least computer and paper) do the job better. A study at Wake Forest University took at look at how much weight members of Congress gave to their e-mail. The answer: very little. They put their e-mails on almost the same "no response needed" level as petitions and mass mailings. What impressed them most was a personal letter. A personal visit was even more powerful. Whether you are writing to a valued friend, trying to sell an editor an article idea, or making a business contact, consider what the impact would be of a personal letter, maybe typed or printed, but with a hand-written P.S.
Did you know that these items are only a little taste of the kinds of creativity and productivity tips and techniques you will find in every issue of "Brainstorm," my bi-monthly newsletter? Each issue is jam-packed with useful information, and in that format I have space to go into more depth about the ways you can turbo-charge your work and your life. Note: A Brainstorm subscription makes a great present.
To subscribe in the United States, send a $19.95 check or money order to Brainstorm, 7957 Hemingway Ave., San Diego CA 92120. In the UK, send £14.95 to Brainstorm, 85 Ridgmount Gardens, London WC1E 7AY. Wherever in the world you are, you can charge the subscription to your Visa or Mastercard by calling us +44 207 580 4997.
Are you lying?
In the last issue we looked at a lie many people tell themselves, from the book "Seventeen Lies that are Holding You Back & the Truth that Will Set You Free" by Steve Chandler. Here is one more: "It is all about who you know." Chandler says no, it is all about what you do.
Having worked in the film and television business for a while, I had to think about whether this is true. Connections count for a lot in this field. In fact, who you know has a lot to do with what you do. If you do something that impresses people favorably, they become your fans. After that, knowing them can be a major asset. When I had to hire two people recently for a writing project, yes, the people I chose were people I knew, but they also were people I knew to be excellent writers.
A related truth: If you do not let people see what you do, they cannot be impressed by it. I do not know if it is the same in your business, but many inexperienced writers are so afraid someone will steal their ideas that they never want to tell anyone about their stories. They do not know yet that ideas are a dime a dozen; it is how you execute an idea that is really important.
Action: If you think the foregoing might apply to you, take 10 minutes to write down who in your field you would like to know, who might be in a position to help you get ahead. Then go over all these names and figure out what you could do in order to impress those people with your ability. It might be as simple as writing to them with a sample of your work. Many will not have the time to answer, but if even one or two do, that could be enough for a breakthrough.
A quote from J.D. Salinger: "I am actually a paranoid in reverse. I suspect that people are secretly plotting to make me happy." I am not sure when he said this, but considering how grumpy he is these days, I think he has changed his mind. Nonetheless, what a great philosophy. For a day, try paying attention to all the things that go right, the trains that are on time, the counter clerks who give you a smile, the movie you see that assumes you have an I.Q. of at least 100. Compare how you feel at the end of that day with how you normally feel. It might become a habit. Til next time, Jurgen
P.S.: Check out our web site, www.BrainstormNet.com. You also might enjoy my book "Do Something Different." It's available now in the U.K. and scheduled for U.S. publication in October. You can pre-order it in the United States from Amazon.com.

Editor's note: Requests to subscribe (or unsubscribe) should be sent to BstormUK@aol.com. We also welcome your comments and suggestions, and we do not sell or share our mailing lists. (Contents copyright 2001, Jurgen Wolff)

Aug. 30, 2001 – The Sax Cymbals have a return date at the Hard Rock Cafe on Sunday, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Band leader Rusty Vellek on saxophone will have his "five-piece trio" in place for this gig. He'll be joined by "Mustang" Sally Smith on piano, Rhett Simmonds on bass, and Dean Prince and Robert Luke handling percussion.
"We promise you an evening of mellow music — at a reasonable volume level, too," Vellek said. "What better way to relax between trips to the beach? And, of course, we'll try to have a few surprises for you."