Brian Prows

Social Issues and Debatable Topics

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Mitigators Dominate Google Plus Social Circles

Mitigator and Google Plus Member

Mitigators Invading Google Plus Circles Mitigators, a growing breed of socially active people are joining Google Plus in droves.  After a thorough study of social networking Americans, I've concluded that the elite in Google Plus circles and elsewhere are the greatest users of the words mitigating, mitigated and mitigate. No pie recipes online here; these folks take their careers seriously.  Mitigate - Mitigated - Mitigating Dictionary.com defines them this way: "mit·i·gate [mit-i-geyt] … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Power, social media Tagged With: mitigator

Weather Unknown Says Sprint Smartphone

While playing with my Nexus S tonight, three words appeared at the top of the screen: “Weather is unknown.” I have  a mobile app that spits out insignificant news stories and the weather. When it launches, the weather forecast pops up for a second. Usually, it’s “45 cool overnight, 66 tomorrow.” But, tonight, no one knew or bothered to check tomorrow’s weather. So…..”weather unknown.” Not surprising. Unlike Iowa, where unknown weather can kill a crop, most Californians don't pay much attention … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Humor, Learning Tagged With: weather, what we don't know

Selling Gold Memories in Hard Times to Pay the Bills

As the U.S. economy staggers along, many people are selling gold jewelry to pay their bills. In bad times, precious metals rise in value, especially gold, now selling at over $1,700 per troy ounce worldwide. Google's index for "sellling gold scrap" now numbers over 14  million. The elderly get hit the worst. Selling cherished memories, found in gold and silver jewelry, cameos, old rosaries and music boxes to profiteers, are melted down for cash. Famous or not, those who lack the basics in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economy, family, jobs Tagged With: gold jewelry, sell gold scrap, sell memory, todd tyre

David Foster Shines Again with Jackie Evancho

Time passes and I had forgotten about Jackie Evancho, a young woman with an angelic voice, who has on PBS specials with David Foster.  The producer and musician who brought us Josh Groban, Foster has helped dozens of young musicians launch successful entertainment careers. Not any type of career. But music--an art form that brings joy and happiness--and occasionally tears--when our hearts are touched deeply. That's what great music and musicians do. Especially singers, who raise feelings that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bellief, life, People, Singing Tagged With: david foster, jackie evancho, to believe video

Future Hope – Soweto Gospel Choir of South Africa Sings to Life

Soweto Gospel Choir of South Africa

In these pages, I've written about the power of singing. Several thousand miles away in South Africa sings out a Future Hope--the Soweto Gospel Choir, kicking off their North American tour this month. Different styles, countries away. But both St. Victor's Catholic Church in San Jose, CA and the Soweto Gospel Choir sing in their own styles, expressing Future Hope. When you think about it, hope and the future are tied together. Some hopes are trivial in the larger sense ("I hope the Giants … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Singing Tagged With: future hope

Parents Parenting & Children – A Tribute To Families

Tribute to Parents

During our lives, we meet many people. Some we admire, others not. Some bring us joy; others, sorrow. But no people form us more as human beings than our parents parenting. I'm fortunate to have had two caring, loving parents who helped me and my sister grow up with integrity. In March, 2009, I produced a short slide show video on YouTube about our Mom and Dad--Ken and Sally Prows,  dedicated to all parents everywhere who care deeply about their kids. So far, over 6,000 people have watched … [Read more...]

Filed Under: family Tagged With: children, parenting, parents

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Health Care Benefits for Congress?

To the Congress of the United States regarding your health care benefits: Over the weekend with the Senate's narrow but passing vote to "debate" health care legislation, it's become crystal clear that some members of Congress don't care about the health care crisis. With a few exceptions, the … [Read More...]

Bridges Connect People in the Bay Area? Drain the Bay

Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area awoke again today not knowing how to quickly commutel from one side of the Bay to the other. The Bay Bridge, connecting Oakland/East Bay with San Francisco, was shut down again due to safety issues. (On Labor Day, the bridge was also closed to fix a dangerous … [Read More...]

Living in Silicon Valley: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Something is terribly, terribly wrong in Silicon Valley. Probably the rest of the nation too. But, as they say, everything starts in California then heads east. So whatever's happening here will soon hit your home town if it hasn't already. Yes, living in Silicon Valley takes its toll on incomes and … [Read More...]

Dictionaries for Kids at Hayward’s Park Elementary School

How many of you remember dictionaries when you were a kid? I'm not sure the year a dictionary and my eyeballs connected (probably early in my education), but I do remember the Webster's dictionary my Aunt and Uncle gave me as a high school gift--the most useful and lasting gift I've ever … [Read More...]

Great White Sharks Return to Golden Gate Bridge

Great White Sharks Return to Bay Area Californian's are a strange lot, no doubt, but neither earthquakes nor floods nor swine flu nor collapsing bridges bring us to our knees. And that goes for sharks too. We're a hardy bunch here in the Bay Area and we treat recent reports of great whites poking … [Read More...]

Contracting Universes and the Law of Abundance

Before I begin, let me flatly state I'm not a physicist, an economist nor a guru on the lecture circuit telling people how to get wealthy. Neither am I a religious zealot, a Republican or Democrat. That should allay any concerns that I have an agenda to push or answers to ultimate questions of the … [Read More...]

Fort Hood Reminds Us of Veterans and the Ultimate Sacrifice

And we still remember Ford Hood a year later. The incident reminds us of veterans and the ultimate sacrifice.  Written and performed by Jeanie JaeCie Cunningham. 1. How can we look in your eyes, and not feel the pain of empty broken hearts… Aching with hope for another day, for one more hour. In … [Read More...]

California Broke :Send Your Coupons to Sacramento

California Broke: Clip & Mail Your Coupons to Sacramento

  (Updated October 7, 2012) California broke? Around two years ago I proposed in a blog post that citizens and non-citizens of the State of California donate their unused gift cards to balance California's budget. Yes, I know others have claimed they were the first to come up with … [Read More...]

Are Retailers Killing Off their Customers?

The news in this morning's paper--front page--is the same. Retailers are hysterically worried about another "bad Christmas." Consumers have tightened their belts, hidden their credit cards and won't even walk into a retail store unless there's a big "70% off" sign in the window. What's going on? I … [Read More...]

Health Care Reform Stifled by Drug Companies

The Washington Post reported two unrelated stories that, considered together, demonstrate a concerted effort by large drug companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to kill health care reform. The reports are disturbing and reveal two major challenges to controlling health care costs in the … [Read More...]

Smart Meters Invade Northern California

Over the past two years, so-called wireless "smart meters" to measure electricity have been installed in millions of  Northern California homes by PG&E, our utility company. The company claims with great fervor that smart meters are accurate to a nano-kilowatt; home owners beg to differ, … [Read More...]

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