Sean Stephenson first came to my attention on the David DeAngelo Cocky Comedy DVD Series. He made a big impression on how I look at my own dis-abilities. Compared to Sean Stephenson I have absolutely no excuses. However, what he discusses in his new book is the mental blocks we create throughout our lives and how to overcome them. What makes this book different? I don’t know yet because it’s on my to-read list. What I do know is Sean Stephenson has an exceptional story to tell from his life. And besides being an inspiration I know him to be a very practical person.

Checkout Sean Stephenson’s Youtube Channel for more videos like this.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Today I watched the movie The Sea Inside about the life of quadriplegic, Ramon Sampedro, who decided to end his life because of his physical disability. In the movie he is brilliantly portrayed by Javier Bardem, one of my favourite actors. The director Alejandro Amenábar is a favourite of South African movie critic Barry Ronge, and when you see this film you realise maybe why he is the most respected Spanish director currently making movies in both Europe and America (The Others). This was a film I wanted to watch not in the least because he is my namesake – Ramon – but because I also had several bouts of depression, with at least two of them driving me to towards suicide. So I could see a part of me inside the main character of this film.

Ramon Sampedro campaigned for almost 30 years to be allowed to take his own life, also known as euthanasia, which is illegal in most countries. He believed he was not living with dignity and his the only thing he looked forward to was his death. His main argument rested on the fact that he was sure he wanted to die. Freud called this the Thanatos – or the death drive and is the opposite of eros. Before the accident he travelled all over the world, brilliantly shown by a collage of photos to his married lawyer, Julia (Belén Rueda). She herself has a degenerative disease, which reduces her capacity to walk and function after several strokes. At some point during their engagements there is moments of intimacy that develops between them, especially after Julia reads Ramon’s poetry. She insists that they must be published and that they would eventually jointly commit suicide when the first book is delivered from the printers. This never happens because she has the book sent to him and goes her own way to some extent. Towards the end of the film it becomes clear that her own health had deteriorated to such an extent she was not able to mentally function and follow through on the promise she had made to Ramon.

There is a constant battle between Ramon Sampedro and his brother who does not agree with his choice to take his own life. And he tries to assert himself from time to time, to no avail. One of the saddest moments in the film is when his brother accuses him of making everyone into his slaves. And how they both suffered by not living by the sea – I assume they grew up in a fishing village in Spain. The sister-in-law Manuela (Mabel Rivera) supports his every need with so much sympathy and it is clear that she acts more like a loving mother than anything else. Their son also becomes the son Ramon never had and one of the poems in book is dedicated to Javier. The family’s daily existance seems to revolve around the upkeep of Ramon and his visitors. As his reputation grows with a television interview and other coverage of his groundbreaking court case against the Spanish government various people are shown to visit him but we never get to know them.

One of the visitors, Rosa, clearly becomes infatuated with Ramon early on in their encounters. She is a troubled woman with two children from different men. Ramon accurately but with out tact describes her circumstances with her first visit. Later on after apologising to him on radio, where she worked as a disc jockey, she persists and a friendship develops between them. For a brief moment there seems to be some competition for his affection between Rose and Julia. Rosa gets her way with the family and after loosing her job almost completely dedicates her life to serving Ramon, like his sister-in-law Manuela. She wants him to live because he gives her a reason and purpose to live. Eventually she does come to see his way after his request is rejected by the Federal Court. She eventually changes her mind on helping him commit suicide, and eventually brings him to live with her and helps him take the final steps towards death.

The Indian mystic Osho has described our relationship with death as something we should love and embrace and not fear and run away from. Today we find an entire movement dedicated towards proloning life. Death is the final destination, the final checkout point from life. The moral questions raised in this movie is deep and profound and difficult for me to articulate. In fact it is more uncomfortable than anything else for me because of my own experiences with suicide. Ultimately life and death is like yin and yang. Two two go together and you cannot have the one without the other. When you are going through depression there are moments when you feel dead inside, dead emotionally, and that drives you to consider suicide because you believe, incorrectly, you can never feel again. For Ramon Sampedro I believe the strongest message in the movie is the one about dignity and not being judged.

Popularity: 12% [?]

• what is the biggest challenges facing the life/business coaching industry in SA? I’m meeting with a potential client in that sector today… #
• read Jason Firmani’s empowering book on recovoring from drug addiction: Living Life on Life’s Terms. Add him on Facebook if you need help! #
• is on my way to do some Blogging training at St Albans College in Pretoria today #

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Popularity: 11% [?]

With profound simplicity, Coach John Wooden redefines success and urges us all to pursue the best in ourselves. In this inspiring talk he shares the advice he gave his players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father’s wisdom. He first came to my attention via the monthly Toastmasters International magazine. In this talk poetically about true success, hard work and also basic principles for leadership.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes and “Lost” producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com,

Popularity: 13% [?]

The Jehovah’s Witness organisation, also know as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, has become known as a very secluded and insular organisation. It is one of the more controversial denominations of the Christian religion. From my earliest days in Uitenhage I have been aware of their existence. And for the most part they came across as a group of people who were sincerely spreading their information brochures to clarify their teachings. Its only in the last few years that it has come closer to home because a cousin of mine converted to this religion and married into a Jehovah’s Witness family.

What I admire most about him till today is that not once has he tried to convert me, or has he insisted on me attending any services. I have been with him once or twice to the Kingdom Hall and noted some differences in how the religious ceremonies take place compared to my own experiences in the Dutch Reformed Church and some other Evangelical churches. At the same time my own mother became a reborn Christian in about 1988 when my sister was born, and when I entered high school. She is a staunch advocate against the Witness organisation and all other belief systems like Islam, Hinduism, etc. This stance is something that is difficult for me to reconcile. I have always preferred to find the things we have in common with those from different cultures or belief systems because after all we are all human beings, and we are all created in the image of God.

What Robin Jackson’s book has allowed me to do is become much more intimately acquainted with the discrepancies of the Jehovah’s Witness organisation. The doctrine that is taught by local Kingdom Hall’s and and also the changes in the historical policies that have come from the head office in Bethel, New York.

The most well known controversy that keeps coming up is the issue around blood transfusion. Robin does a splendid job of explaining how the organisation views organ donation, blood transfusion, racism, voting and child sexual abuse. The two witness rule must be one of the most ridiculous policies I have encountered to date, and is directly responsible for numerous sexual abuse perpetrators never being convicted or even when convicted bring treated as if they are innocent by the Jehovah’s Witness community. The organisation has a policy that does not encourage or discourage the reporting of these abuses. And I’m starting to cringe of the similarities between these incidents and those emanating from the Catholic church.

Perhaps the most important lessons from “Losing My Faith” is in the uncovering of the various inconsistencies that has been promulgated over the last hundred years. The end of the world or Armageddon being predicted in the years 1874, 1878, 1910, 1914, 1918 and 1925. The successor to Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the organisation, Joseph Rutherford, continued it’s false predictions and most notably he delivered a discourse entitled – Millions now living will never die – in 1918. This was published in a booklet in 1920. Rutherford himself died in 1942.

There are many more instances from Robin Jackson’s book that reinforce the idea that you should question everything you are told. In fact I like the subtitle to the book, “Truth under Scrutiny” because it is clear that truth as it is commonly referred to is a subjective matter. However, the evidence for truth can never be subjective because the facts can be proven by the deduction or logic. It is clear that this book has allowed Robin Jackson to begin a journey to freedom from repression and religious intolerance. Perhaps I am biased, because I know the author’s family, and those personal stories earlier on the book was some of the most heartfelt writing I have come across in a long time.

This book is highly recommended for those who are confused about what they have been taught as the absolute truth from their church, and not just those who are curious about the Jehovah’s Witnesses. There’s a quote I heard once which goes like this, “Hang out with those who are searching for truth. And run from those who claim to have found it.”

You can connect with Robin Jackson via his Facebook profile or his new Robin Jackson blog.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Living Luminaries on (The Serious Business of Happiness) It has been called “the deepest film ever made”, “better than the Secret” , expanding “What the Bleep” , making the final slot for the perfect tri-fecta. In this film; Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, Michael Beckwith, Don Miguel Ruiz and a dozen more “Luminaries” address a higher power, purpose, happiness and covering most of the world’s religious and spiritual schools of thought. A must for any conscious promoter of peace , forgiveness, self realization and questions about why we’re here and how we can find true purpose and happiness. «

Popularity: 15% [?]

Fifty World-Changing Individuals to be Selected Annually for New, Prestigious Fellowship Program; 20 move to Senior Fellows Three-Year Program

Organizers of the TED Conference today announced the introduction of the TED Fellows program, a new international program designed to foster the spread of great ideas. Initially 50 individuals, selected for the world-changing potential of their work, will be invited to participate in the TED community each year. At the end of the year, 20 of these 50 will be selected to be TED Senior Fellows, participating in an extended three-year program will bring them to six consecutive conferences, along with additional benefits. The principal goal of the program is to empower the Fellows to effectively communicate their work to the TED community and to the world.

The TED Fellows program will focus on attracting applicants living or working in five parts of the globe: the Asia/Pacific region, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East, with consideration given to applicants from the rest of the world. TED will seek remarkable thinkers and doers that have shown unusual accomplishment, exceptional courage, moral imagination and the potential to increase positive change in their respective fields. The program focuses on innovators in technology, entertainment, design, science, film, art, music, entrepreneurship and the NGO community, among other pursuits.

The program was inspired by the TEDAfrica 2007 conference in Arusha, Tanzania, in which 100 fellows participated in a first-of-its kind gathering that catalyzed a new generation of doers — all entrepreneurial, fluent in technology and vested in creating change on the continent. The Arusha fellows brought with them new perspectives, enormous energy, enthusiasm and, through their ovation-generating talks, catalyzed the launch of many initiatives with other attendees. Propelled by their energy, TED decided to develop the TED Fellows program.

“Because TEDAfrica’s success in 2007 was due in no small part to the boundless energy and remarkable ideas of our fellows, we decided to create a permanent program to bring more amazing individuals into the TED Community. TED will help them communicate their ‘ideas worth spreading’ to a much larger audience,” said Tom Rielly, TED Community Director, who is responsible for the program.

Each Fellow will attend the prestigious TED Conference in Long Beach or Oxford, where they will have the opportunity to speak before or during TED and spread their ideas online through TED.com. They will also receive exclusive communications training, a private social network and the opportunity to tell their ongoing stories on the new TED Fellows blog.

Each year, 50 Fellows will be selected to attend the TED (Long Beach) or TEDGlobal Conference (in Oxford, U.K.), approximately 25 at each location. TED Fellows will be awarded the opportunity to participate in the full spectrum of TED community offerings. An international selection committee representing the target regions will then choose the Senior Fellows. Three years from today, in addition to the 50 TED Fellows, there will be 60 concurrent TED Senior Fellows, with 20 joining each year, and 20 graduating to the Fellows alumni.

The first participants include

· Erik Hersman and Juliana Rotich, co-founders of Ushahidi.com, a website for citizen journalism covering crises such as the Kenyan post-election violence

· Faisal Chohan, CEO of Cogilent Solutions and founder of BrightSpyre.com, the leading job portal in Pakistan

· Juliana Machado Ferreira, Brazilian CSI: Wildlife biologist who uses genetic markers to track, interdict and convict illegal songbird traffickers

· Sara Mayhew, Canadian mangaka (manga artist)

· Patrick Awuah, founder and President of Asheshi University in Ghana, which specializes in economics and computer science

· Bola Olabisi, founder and CEO of the Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network

· Katrin Verclas, founder of Mobileactive.org, a global network using mobile technology for social good

· Taghi Amirani, award-winning documentary filmmaker from Iran

· Yatin Sethi, Indian design researcher and children’s education activist

· Kyra Gaunt, professor, ethnomusicologist and recording artist

· Karen Baptiste, post-doctoral fellow from Trinidad and Tobago working on environmental justice

· Tin Ho Chow, former Singaporean military officer and RISD industrial design student organizing design conferences for social change

· Gerry Douglas, founder of Baobab Health – an NGO creating eHealth systems to address health care crises in the developing world with particular emphasis on HIV care and treatment

· Esther K. Chae, Korean-American actor and writer whose solo performance So the Arrow Flies, inspired by true events, tells the story of a North Korean spy and the FBI agent who pursues her

A complete list of the 2009 Long Beach TED Fellows can be found at www.ted.com/fellows/2009.

The program is supported initially by the Bezos family, the Harnisch Foundation, private donors and Nokia, with additional in-kind support from Kodak, Livescribe and One.org. To support the program, email fellows@ted.com.

For more information, please contact Logan McClure at +1 212.346.9333 or via email at fellows@ted.com.

About TED

TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design — three broad subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. Attendees have called it “the ultimate brain spa” and “a four-day journey into the future.” The diverse audience — CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists — is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono.

TED was first held in Monterey, California, in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson’s Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TED Talks and TED.com; and the TED Prize. TED2009, “The Great Unveiling,” will be held Feb. 3-7, 2009, in Long Beach, California, with a simulcast event in Palm Springs, California.

# # #

Tom Rielly Community Director
TED Conferences LLC

55 Vandam St. 16th Floor NY NY 10013
new mobile number: 646.256.7419
Tel: 212.346.9333 Fax: 212.227.6397 tom@ted.com www.ted.com

Popularity: 19% [?]

Every now and then I do an interview with a male or female celebrity. In fact I have two more in the pipeline that will be published before end of Feb. This month I would like to introduce model Sam Greyvenstein. She is also a fitness fanatic who spends 5 days a week in the gym and the owner of Lime Skin & Body salon in Broadacres, Fourways. Sam is a top 10 finalist for the FHM Models 2009 competition. Be sure to register on the FHM website and vote for her on a daily basis.

Anyway here’s my first interview with Sam Greyvenstein for 2009…

[RT] Sam, please tell my readers what is your claim to fame?

[SG] Haha until I have paparazzi knocking at my door, I cant claim that one

[RT] What has been your biggest inspiration in your life so far?

[SG] I don’t have one source of inspiration, I try and draw in from different people in my life, each one has different strengths.

[RT] What are you biggest goals for the next 5 years?

[SG] My biggest goals are for my business to grow, grow in the sense that it will offer various others services and become more of a group, having a hair division, fitness division and nutrition division. I would also like to be as successful as possible in my modelling, especially as it has a limited life span.

[RT] How do you look after yourself, beauty wise, health wise, mental stimulation, etc?

[SG] Well, seeing as I own a beauty salon I think we have the skin care covered I use Babor skin care products. I am a very active person and try to gym at least 5 times per week, mixing cardio and toning. My time in the gym is also my time to reflect, I do most of my thinking in the gym. I don’t follow any particular eating plan or diet, but I believe in the “everything in moderation” rule! I don’t deny myself anything…. and I have quite a sweet tooth

Read more »

Popularity: 31% [?]

Arthur Goldstuck told me about the book Q&A by Vikas Swarup. What amused him was that the character’s name is Ramon Mohammed Thomas, similar to mine. And that I was on the South Africa version of the Weakest Link around the same time that the book was published. This book is on my to-read list.

So it’s no surprise to find out the book has been adapted into a film by the name of Slumdog Millionaire. The title character’s name has been changed and the story possible shorted for dramatic effect.

From Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, comes the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”

For more info about FREE Screenings in your area, visit: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE website. Here’s the trailer one of the few movies praised by FilmThreat.com in reviews.

Popularity: 23% [?]

I’m re-posting this directly from the Times Multimedia because I have been struggling to write anything original longer than 140 characters. Another reason for this is because my friend Natalie Becker has a small role in this film and she informed me about it beforehand and because I love watching movie trailers, this grabbed my attention. And so once I’ve watched the film I will update this will my own review. One thing that bothers me is that the two lesbian women are unusually attractive. Especially the women who is supposedly a mother. Also view the awesome website for The World Unseen.

Sheetal Sheth, the central figure that creates the tension in the plot, has some of the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen. And I’ll be looking for more of her earlier movies like Looking for Comedy in a Muslim World. And it turns out Lisa Ray is a model turned actress with a strong Bollywood background. This is not unusual in the movie business because who wants to look at average looking people in film and television?

Anyway here’s what The Times has to say about it, mostly like taken from another source like IMDB.

In 1950’s South Africa, apartheid is just beginning.

Free-spirited Amina has broken all the rules of her own conventional Indian community in South Africa by running a café – a safe haven of laughter, music and home-cooked food. A ‘grey area’ for those who fall outside the strict ‘black and white’ rules of the apartheid-led government.

Café regulars include Amina’s feisty waitress, Doris, her gentle “coloured” business partner, Jacob, and the sparky white local postmistress, Madeleine. Long accustomed to the racial barriers of the country and its new laws, Madeleine and Jacob nevertheless share a budding attraction.

Miriam, on the other hand, is a doting mother to her children and a demure, subservient wife to her chauvinistic, frustrated husband, Omar. Quietly intelligent, Miriam has never assumed that she has choices in life.

When Miriam meets Amina, their unexpected attraction throws them both off balance. Although Miriam manages to subdue her fascination with unconventional Amina, she finds herself slowly inspired to confront familiar and familial constraints. Shortly after their encounter, Miriam moves to an isolated life in the country, but, even here, apartheid is placing its cruel footprint on society and these injustices bring the two women together again, cementing the basis of their growing feelings.

Meanwhile, Jacob decides to pursue a love affair of his own and he and Madeleine begin a tentative, touching relationship. But the best intentions of both are overcome by practical challenges and indignities of simply spending time together.

Even the fearless Amina, faced with the strength of her feelings and with the reality of Miriam’s situation, starts doubting herself. And Miriam finds herself making some courageous choices that will change her own life forever.

Using the stunning South African landscape and jazz music of the time, The World Unseen explores a system that divides white from black and women from men, but one that might just allow an unexpected love to survive.

Genre: Drama
Director: Shamim Sarif

Popularity: 25% [?]