Who is Scott Franco?

Hello. My name is Scott Franco, though many of you know me as the musician, Scotter. I am a self-employed musician who lives in New York. I make rock guitar music and techno house music.  

I have produced such hits as, "Friday Afternoon," "Interracial Love Song," "Most Beautiful," and Wireless Electricity". (All of which hit number one on their respective charts.) But enough about music, let's talk about my past.

In high school, I was a tap dance choreographer at Amber Perkins School of the Arts in Norwich, NY. I won the Young Choreographer of the Year in 2000 and Dancer of the Year Award in 1998 and 2000. I went to nationals of Rhee Gold in Las Vegas, NV and placed within the top 5 dancers nationally in 2000. At Brown University I danced in a West African dance company with Michelle Bach Coulibally, the Tap Dance Company (aka What's On Tap), and frequented meetings of the Break Dance Club. I have taken Ballroom Dance classes and continue to tap and break dance even though I've gained some weight.

I was also a Constitutional Orator for the American Legion in High School, which is why I was rather angry at some of the unconstitutional bullcrap that Bush did from 2001 to 2009. I am a peace activist and involved with MoveOn.org and several other peaceful organizations. I hope Bush goes to jail.

Right now the media is trying to make me appear as some kind of racist nazi because of my article on this page called, "What's Wrong with Cable News." Read it, know it, LOVE IT.

PS- I love people of all ethnicities. I'm not going to claim that I've never THOUGHT a racist word, but I don't discriminate based on race or religion. Racial Unity is what "Interracial Love Song" is all about.

Religiously, I was raised Catholic and Methodist, (Yes, I had to go to church twice on Sundays.) My birth father (I am adopted.) was Jewish so when I was at Brown, I considered myself a Jew and joined AEPi. So for 4 or 5 years I was Jewish, then I made good friends with my Muslim friend, Dean, and I thought I'd give Islam a shot. After 2 years, I decided that it was too hard to be a Muslim in the USA, so I became a Unitarian. I am also very into Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Wicca and Zoroastrianism.


Right now I am putting together a rock band called Influence. We will have a few singles out in a few months. Keep looking for us.

This summer I am going to Tanzania, Africa to work with children with AIDS and HIV to teach them music in their classrooms and continue testing a holistic treatment (drug free) for this disease.


Other than that, I recommend reading my blog from bottom to top starting with older posts and don't forget to click on my profile page.

PS- I email people back, unlike other professional musicians so feel free to write me at scottfranco@live.com

We can end hunger!

Hi, 

I've just taken action with the ONE campaign and asked my senators to set an example for the world by fully funding President Obama's request for $1.36 billion in global agricultural development funding.

I hope you'll join me: http://www.one.org/us/ag09/index.html?rc=ag09taf

This action couldn't be more urgent. Next week, President Obama and world leaders will meet in Rome for the G8 Summit. If we can convince the senate to step-up the fight against hunger now, America will set an example for the world and put pressure on other countries to invest in a global effort to end hunger.

http://www.one.org/us/ag09/index.html?rc=ag09taf

Together as ONE we can make a difference!

Thanks!

Franco Economics.

This is not a spam blog, Please read it.  I don't write spam blogs.  CLICK HERE

How to beat the recession.

CLICK HERE

Wolf Blitzer, I'm sorry...

I want to apologize to Wolf Blitzer for any insensitive comments that I may have made in the past.  I can't and won't say them here, but I want to apologize.  It's sad, sometimes my negative thoughts get the best of me and when I kept seeing these corrupt government contractor commercials on CNN and no news coverage about what they were doing to the environment and to the people of this Earth, I couldn't take it anymore.

I was wrong to blame an innocent party, but I was right about CNN's need to be more selective about who it lets advertise on its important and in depth news channel.

Golden Opportunity For the IMF

 Hi,


I just signed a petition and sent an email to the Managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and I hope that you'll do so too here:

http://www.one.org/us/imfgold/?rc=imfgoldtaf

At the G20 summit in London, the IMF was tasked with coming up for a plan to sell some of their gold reserves to provide emergency funding for developing countries struggling through the financial crisis. I sent a letter to the IMF, because I want them to provide as much funding as they can, and provide it in way that won't create debt for developing countries, which may find their economic recovery cut short if they have to take high interest loans.

The issue of debt is an important one, and we need to let the IMF know that people care about it so they do the right thing. Please join me in taking action to let them know here:

http://www.one.org/us/imfgold/?rc=imfgoldtaf

Thanks,
Scott Franco

Why can't Capitalism and Communism get along?

Capitalism and Communism have had war after war after war in the past century.  Now I'm not here to tell you that they are evil.  That's not my place to pass judgement.  I'm simply going to analyze the conflict.

Capitalism wants the world to be controlled by money.  Not a bad idea, if you already have a lot of money, but the Communists DON'T have a lot of money.  Communism on the other hand wants to control a one world government and is very resentful of Capitalism.  Communism wants to force Capitalism's hand to show that it is truly in control.

Communism claims to have the consent of the people, but there are no elections.  Elections can be corrupt but they are the best tool we have to judge the consent of the people.  Russia became democratic to prove the consent of the governed and that was a wise decision.  Russia is a better place for it.

The key to defusing the conflict between Capitalism and Communism is trade.  The trade sanctions that the US has on Communist countries should be lifted as soon as possible.  And why?  To defuse war.

War is a categorical evil in this world.  While both Capitalism and Communism think that war is good for the economy, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY!  Look at what the Bush years did for the economy.  He left Obama with a big old mess to clean up.

In short,  Capitalism is not all good, but Communism is not all good either.  At least in Capitalism you are allowed to believe in God.  They don't take away people's bible like the Soviets did to the Polish after WW2.  So I suppose I side with Capitalism, but NEVER to support war.

More blogs by this author

MY PROFILE

If you would like to hear or license my music, click here.

CLICK HERE

More links for peace activism

http://www.earthfuture.com/stopthewar/

http://www.peacenowar.net

http://www.mideastweb.org/arabpeace.htm

http://engageonline.wordpress.com/category/peace-activism/

I want peace with everyone.

If somebody has something negative to say, then well, say it.  BUT REMEMBER THIS:  What goes around, comes around.  It's called Karma and it exists.  SO BE POSITIVE.  Negativity is infectious.  Don't be negative all the time, or people will be negative toward you.

I want to apologize to anyone I might have offended.  I'm sorry.

I voted for Obama and I'm proud of him.

He's doing great.  Stocks are up from the stimulus package.  And now we are going to create new jobs.  It's going to work, I believe.

I believe he is going to get us out of Iraq.  I know he will, so we can give soverignty back to to Iraqis. 

Why I'm a Unitarian and my new treatment for AIDS/HIV

I love people of all races and ethnicities and I believe their biblical stories.  Why should I not listen to the Dalai Lama and his message of peace and forgiveness.  Why should I not listen to the Pope or to the Caliph if the Muslim people ever decide on one.  Peace be upon them.

I am a Unitarian because I believe in unity and peace.  I am a member of One.org and I am very interested in world politics.  I am going to Tanzania to test an experimental treatment for AIDS and HIV.  It involves magnets and the thymus gland.  You stimulate the production of T-cells by hot wiring hemoglobin to the Thymus with a small Neodymium magnet.  The thymus is located near the heart.  And it dies in some people, as you get older.

You see, T-cells are self-predatory.  They need to be flushed out of the thymus with hemoglobin and lymph and the magnet draws the hemoglobin and lymph to the thymus.  It works.  It increases T-cell counts by 20% or more, so I am going to help spread this treatment to the world.  I tested it on a friend of mine.

In any event, it is a drug free treatment and it works. 

Rachel Maddow is the best.

She makes me laugh and laugh and laugh.  She is a special person.  I love her thoughtful and objective commentary on public life.  She is hysterical.  Now I know the news is not for kids, but if I had kids, I would let them watch her.

She just speaks to me.  She never gives up.  She is tenacious and enjoyable to watch.

Mercy.

The press has not a shred of mercy between them. Have a little mercy on me and don't talk about me all the time. I am a human being, with human feelings. No one in the history of mankind has had more disturbing things done to them than me. Why must this continue? Have you no hearts? Have you no mercy?

Why I love Shakira...

She is the singularly most talented person on the planet.  She can dance, sing, play guitar, synth, you name it.  It is my dream to someday meet this precious jewel of a person.  More precious than amethysts, tanzanite, rubies and diamonds is she.  Her words are like apples of gold in a setting of silver.  I just want to hold her hand and kiss her fingertips.  I want to give her butterfly kisses after making sweet love to her.  I love her.  Te amoro.

My love for her is deeper than the craters of the moon.  More distant than the stars above.  More heavenly than heaven itself.  I feel closer to her than to the very neurons of my brain.  She is love.

Would you like to hear or license my music?

GO TO www.soundclick.com/scottfranco

How to get involved in Peace Activism

Two links for Peace Activism:

http://activism.net/peace/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_activist

Enjoy.

Intellectual Supremacy, Elitism and Delinquency in the Classroom

Now, it would be disingenuous to declare that no concept of intellectual supremacy exists, because every school has A, B, C, and D students.  Students are going to compare grades and then feel either better or worse than each other based on these unfortunate, but necessary, measurements of academic skill.

This concept can become fuel for delinquency, however, when there is elitism.  Elitism is when there becomes a pecking order due to academic skill in the classroom.  If you would like to review my first post, "How to Teach Kindness,"  this might be a good time to do so.  It's at the bottom of the page.

Elitism runs completely against kindness AND equality.  Surely a D-student can do some things that an A-student cannot do.  As a teacher, it is up to you to find out what these things are and to reassure your struggling students.  Whether they can play guitar, or sew, or draw really well, it is up to you to find out what makes the D-student an equal with the A-student and to display that.  This will help build high self-esteem in the D-student and may raise the poorer student's grades in the long term.

Consider giving a classroom grade for kindness, hard work and participation.  This will boost morale for the students who don't naturally do as well. 

Naturally, an A-student is going to get a lot of postitive attention, because they know all the answers to all the questions, but a C-student in math might be the next Mother Theresa or Hillary Clinton with the right encouragement from the right teacher.  (Not to say that either one of these fine women was bad at math, but the point's been made.)

The potential achievement of a child is limted only by their own self-conception and you as a teacher or parent have a lot to do with how a child sees himself or herself.

In short, don't fall prey to elitism in the classroom.  Look for ways to let all your children shine.

Obama at the G20 in London and how to reach him...

Subject: Obama at the G20

Hi, 

I just signed ONE's petition calling on President Obama to urge other G20 leaders to address extreme poverty because of the devastating impact the financial crisis is having on the developing world. I hope you will too:

http://www.one.org/international/obamainlondon

The financial crisis threatens to push 53 million additional people into extreme poverty this year. For a crisis of this scale, we need a comprehensive global solution.

The G20 Summit in London provides the opportunity for leaders to seek this solution, and Obama, in an unique position of leadership, has the ability to push leaders into action.

Thanks,
Scott "Scotter" Franco

Cross Cultural Solutions: How to become a hero.

If you want world peace, if you want to be a hero, you have to go out and do it yourself.  That's why I wanted to tell you about Cross Cultural Solutions.  It is one of the best volunteer organizations that you can join.  They have Scholarships and Grants and you can go anywhere from Latin America to Asia to Eastern Europe to Africa.

I'm planning on going to Africa this summer to work with youth and persons with HIV and AIDS.  I'm raising money for it locally and I'll be going for 3 weeks.

If you'd like to make a difference without having to evangelize people, try Cross Cultural Solutions.

You can email at info@crossculturalsolutions.org.

You can check out the programs at http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org

Hope to see you in Africa this summer.

Scotter

What's wrong with Cable News...

They obviously never learned to be kind as children.  Children should be sheltered from Cable News.  All they do is get admiration for tearing down people's good reputations.  While sometimes, in the case of former President Bush or AIG, this is justified, but many times it is not.  If you must watch news or teach current events, give them a newspaper, preferably local or watch local Network News.

The goal of Cable News is to enrage people into continuing to watch.  It worked like a charm on me for a long time, but now I don't watch anymore.  

Do you realize that CNN and Fox News get money from Lockheed Martin, a major weapons manufacturer and lobby, to get people angry about war so they feel that continuing it indefinately is justified.  Let me explain.

The more people in other countries that are killed by the US, the more money Lockheed Martin makes to continue bombing them into submission.  You use one bomb, you need another.  So Lockheed loves war because they make more money when we are at war and use it for nefarious purposes (See http://www.contractormisconduct.org/).  Of course, CNN and Fox make more money from Lockheed the more war there is as well, since Lockheed is a major sponsor of both news channels.  So they seek to enrage you into supporting war that is at best futile and at worst categorically evil.  THESE PEOPLE NEVER LEARNED ABOUT TOLERANCE OR KINDNESS AS CHILDREN AND SEE WHAT THEY DO NOW...

Opportunity to reach President Obama

Hi, 

President-elect Obama will have historic opportunities to bring hope and dignity to millions currently suffering from poverty and preventable diseases, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS.

We can make a difference by showing our support for an inaugural affirmation of Obama's pledge to fight poverty and preventable diseases worldwide, and for an FY2010 Presidential budget request that puts the U.S. on track to meet Obama's historic commitments to the world's poorest people.

I just took action with ONE and you can too, here:

http://www.one.org/inauguration/

Internal vs. External Kindness

Now there are internal and external kindnesses.  For the sake of sociology, external kindness is more important.  For the sake of personal mental health, internal kindness is more important.  But they are both important to say the least, but how does one with good external kindness increase internal kindness and vice versa?

Each one increases the other.  If you practice external kindness, over time internal kindness will increase.  If you practice internal kindness, naturally external kindness will display itself.

That's my advise about internal and external kindness.  Do not be moved by others lack of external kindness and I guarantee that lots of kindness will come your way.  Perhaps not by the same people but eventually.  Hindus call it karma, and I do believe it exists.

Kindness, Peace and Love,

Scotter

Compassion, Mercy and Gratitude aka Kindness

Compassion:  This is one of the hardest concepts to teach, but one of the most important.  It can be cultivated through playing in skits, prayer, or through carefully guided imagery.  Take a second and try to feel compassion.  It's a great feeling.  Now ask yourself, why don't I feel like this all the time?

Mercy:  Mercy must be taught by example.  If a child notices that you are angry at them, instead of a draconian punishment, show your class that even though the child has been disrespectful to you, you are not going to be disrespectful to the child.  When you show mercy,  make sure that people know about it sometimes.  That's the best way to teach mercy.

Gratitude:  This is one of those, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink," topics.  You can make a child say thank you, but you can't make them mean it.  Again, acting in skits, prayer and carefully guided imagery can help.  Once again, take a second to feel gratitude...  Now doesn't that feel wonderful.  And you can do it whenever you want and it doesn't cost a dime.

Peace,

Scotter

How to Teach Kindness

The world is obsessed with the idea of supremacy and delinquency.  It is the goal of this blog entry to attempt to establish a link between the propogation of the idea of supremacy (whether racial, ethnic, class, gender or any other concievable dividing line between humans...) and the creation of delinquency.

In other words, the more you teach (whether by word or deed) that there is a pecking order, the more people will end up on the bottom of somebody's pecking order list until we are all at the bottom.  

Delinquency is used as a means of getting attention as well as a way to vent anger and frustration.  This is especially true if the reason for the pecking order is flawed, biased or unfair.  Often these people are just like everyone else only they have low self-esteem and need someone to reach out to them and help.

So how can we teach kindness without creating a pecking order?  It is not a simple task.  Teaching kindness to children is difficult, but teaching kindness to adults who never learned to be kind as children is downright impossible.

Kindness in humans, needs to have a solid base in self-esteem.  However, there is constructive and destructive high self-esteem.

Constructive high self-esteem says to a person, "You could be the equal of anyone else in history."  While destructive self-esteem says to a person, "You already are the equal of anyone else in history and superior to many."

That's the problem is that many people tear down other people's self-esteem to boost their own.  This is unhealthy.  

ALSO, it is important to teach diversity along with kindness.  I am quite aware that in certain school districts there is a lack of diversity, making it difficult to teach in an applied way, but that does not mean that diversity cannot be taught at all.

Kindness can be broken down into 3 constitutent parts; compassion, mercy and gratitude.

I'll write more later about the 3 parts of kindness.