Two Week Count Down: Artist Kobina Wright Pulls "Happy" From Public

SANTA ANA, CA – June 30th marks the last day, Kobina Wright’s painting titled, “Happy,” can be purchased in limitless quantities. The milestone date also ends Wright’s promotion of its public viewing.

The watercolor and wax original was sold to a private party in 2008. Because of Wright’s decision to stop offering future prints of “Happy,” the only image available for circulation will be those of the owners of the original and those who have purchased prints prior to the end of June 2011.

“Happy” is a light hearted painting depicting a jovial butterfly with human facial features as it hovers over a giant opened flower.

To view “Happy” for quite possibly the last time, or to purchase a print of “Happy” or other works by Kobina Wright, go to: http://fineartamerica.com/ featured/happy- kobina-wright.html.



Contact: Selah Haki @ regalwrighter@lycos.net

PO Box 1894, Tustin, CA 92781

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Greenpeace Campaigns Against Barbie (I Mean Mattel)

If you haven't heard, Greenpeace has constructed a huge (I mean HUGE) campaign against Mattel, the world's largest toy manufacturer. On June 8, 2011, Greenpeace launched "Barbie, It's Over." In the campaign, Greenpeace criticizes Mattel's use of Asia Pulp & Paper's products in its packaging. According to Greenpeace, Asia Pulp & Paper contributes to the Indonesian deforestation that threatens species native to the rainforest. Destruction of the rainforest conflicts with Mattel's stated corporate responsibility policy.

The following message is what Greenpeace sends to their supporters:

Ken has dumped America’s sweetheart Barbie. Why? Because of Sumatran tigers. That’s right, Mattel is using packaging linked to notorious Indonesian rainforest destroyer Asia Pulp & Paper.

The rainforests on Asia Pulp & Paper's chopping block are critical for endangered Sumatran tigers as well as protectors of our shared climate.

Every day, Asia Pulp & Paper is driving rainforest destruction at an alarming rate to provide the packaging for Barbie and other Mattel products - leaving the tigers with no where to go.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Mattel can act RIGHT NOW to save Sumatran tiger habitat. They have been ignoring this problem for too long -- now its time for them to hear from you. Don’t let this be the end of the Sumatran tiger. Send your letter to Mattel and urge them protect forests and dump Asia Pulp & Paper today!

Just one year ago, Greenpeace estimated 9,300 acres of Indonesian forests were being destroyed every day- that’s the equivalent to 7,200 football fields!! Loss of habitat means loss of food and shelter, forcing the tigers to roam closer to villages where conflicts with humans- and the killing of tigers- happens all too often.

The Sumatran tiger is found exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. And it wasn’t that long ago that the Sumatran tigers thrived in those forests, free from the threat of losing their habitat. Today there are only 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. What will this look like a week from now? A month? A year? At this current rate of destruction, the forecast for these critically endangered animals isn’t looking good.

Companies like Asia Pulp & Paper are driving the destruction of tiger forests, bringing the species closer to the brink of extinction every day. And they show no signs of letting up. As Asia Pulp & Paper operations gets bigger and bigger, tiger populations grow smaller. Soon the Sumatran rainforests could be a thing of the past. And sadly, the Sumatran tigers will disappear with them.

"Happy" Available Until End of June

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Jun 07, 2011 – SANTA ANA, CA – Writer, artist and actress, Kobina Wright, is withdrawing her painting titled, “Happy,” from public viewing. It will only be available for public display and purchase until the end of June.

“Happy” is Wright’s depiction of a giant butterfly, with jovial human facial features, hovering over a giant flower. The original was sold in 2008 to a private party.

Wright’s latest conceptual work involves fractured circles paired with abstract ink on paper sketches.

Wright intends to purge more of her work from Fine Art America in the future, a website where the majority of her public work is currently displayed.

To view or purchase “Happy” or other works by Kobina Wright, go to http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/kobina+wright/all?page=1.

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To Be Great, Or To Be Greater? That's The Question.

Just this past weekend I was talking to my mother about Malcolm Gladwell and a couple of his books that we’ve both read (The Outliers and The Tipping Point). She was trying to turn someone else on to The Tipping Point, just as I had done for her. Tying into Gladwell is my great dilemma about what actions should be taken to stimulate a stagnant career (wait, did I say career? What career…).

I am posting an article from my favorite newsletter – you know the one – ETR, and it is a great reminder to us all that though we may be good at what we do, relying on our outstanding skills and talents can hold us back. Confused? Don’t be. Pushing past our greatness into unexplored talent terrain can present a philosophical issue: If you are great, is it necessary to exert more effort to be greater? Is it sufficient to be simply great?

That’s for you to ponder. Read the article below on Peter Fogel’s take.

Are You Great at What You Do... or Could You Be Greater?
By Peter Fogel

Imagine being one of the world's top athletes in basketball - unfathomably gifted and operating "at the top of your game." And then realizing that's what's holding you back from reaching your true potential.

That's what bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell asked panelists at the 2011 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference to consider.

The opening session focused on the "10,000 hour rule" from Gladwell's 2008 book Outliers. The rule states that success in any field can be achieved through the purposeful practice of a specific skill for 10,000 hours.

As moderator of the discussion, Gladwell asked for opinions on what value should be placed on pure natural talent versus work ethic and the capacity to accept instruction.

The talk turned to NBA player Tracy McGrady, who, as they say, was the whole package. An amazing athlete with a combination of size, speed, power, and grace that, early on, catapulted him into being a dominant force in the game.

According to Jeff Van Gundy, McGrady's Houston Rockets coach (2004-2007): "McGrady's talent and skill were otherworldly... the man should be a future Hall of Famer."

Regrettably, McGrady was unwilling to further cultivate his natural talents. Van Gundy estimated McGrady at "probably 1,000 hours of practice" - one-tenth of Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule.

Fellow panelist Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets, added: "I do think [his natural abilities] got in the way of Tracy's development."

"Much of the game was so easy [for him]," said Morey. "When it's that easy to dominate at that young age because of your physical tools - his wingspan was freakish, his size was enormous, his IQ - my sense was, all that did was get in the way of Tracy reaching his highest heights."

Confused? That's okay, So was I when I read that. But pause and ponder it in regard to your own career and you'll see that it makes sense.

Have some things come so easy for you that you took them for granted and never pushed yourself further?




I believe you always want your competition to be better than you. It pushes you to achieve more.

When I was studying Kenpo Karate, I always wanted to work out or spar with black belts. I wanted to compare my movements to theirs. I wanted to experience firsthand what they did differently while on the journey to my own black belt.

As a comedy writer in Hollywood, my partner was better at certain aspects of scriptwriting than I was. That was good. I didn't want to team with an inferior writer. What would be the point? By having a partner who was strong where I was weak (and vice versa), we were able to learn from each other and craft superior scripts in half the time.

In Today's Competitive Marketplace, You Have to Have a "Plan B"
If you're always bigger, stronger, smarter, faster than your competition... you might not challenge yourself to develop and expand your skills. And in today's economy, that's a big problem.

The Great Recession has humbled even the greatest of peak performers on their own playing fields. If you're in your 40s or 50s, for example... there's a good chance the skills needed to do your present job are either being outsourced to a Mumbai call center or assigned in-house to someone half your age (and at half your pay).
You have to have a Plan B to fall back on.

That is why so many people are taking steps to reinvent themselves in their present careers. Doing this not only helps you enjoy personal fulfillment, it propels you into becoming an indispensable employee.

Reinvention Is NOT a Luxury, It Is a Necessity!
Think of a major league pitcher coming back to the game after having arm surgery. His bread and butter has always been his fastball. But he's not what he once was. So, if he was smart, he kept working on his secondary pitches right along.
In other words, he had a PLAN B to keep him "in the game"... just in case.
Here are five quick tips to successfully reinvent yourself in the your present career.


1. Stay focused on what's going on in your own company and in your industry in general. Is the marketplace changing? Where will your company be in five, 10 years? And where will your industry be?

2. Nurture the passions you have that can be transferred to new skills that can boost your company's profits. Plain and simple - discover new revenue streams or cost reductions that can add to your company's bottom line and you can write your own ticket to earning gobs more money!

3. Regardless of your age (and how set you are in your ways), find yourself a mentor who has "been there, done that." You might not need 10,000 hours of practice time to reach your version of elite status. But you will need a watchful eye to guide you and help you strengthen your weaknesses.

4. Join a mastermind group. Make sure these folks are at or above your level. You want to UP your game and learn from them.

5. Discover what your "USP" (unique selling proposition) is at work. What makes you different than every other employee? What specialty, skill, or innate talent do you have that can help you leap over your competition and stand out from the crowd? Reveal it, develop it - and you can easily become the "Go To" person in your department or division.

Finally, never rest on your laurels or be satisfied with where you are. Change is inevitable. And because it is, reinventing yourself does NOT have to be a scary experience. On the contrary, it can be quite exhilarating as you take control of your future.

The rules have changed! You don't want to just survive in today's economy, you want to thrive. Reinventing yourself makes that possible.

If You Like the Information, Pass it On

On Tuesday you viewed a video about the deception of the presidency. It was a bitter pill for some of us, but a necessary viewing experience.

On Wednesday you read The Wrighter's book review of Under the Bridge, a story that covered the brutal killing of 14-year-old, Canadian, Reena Virk.

On Thursday The Wrighter gave you a mission to see the 1976 film "The Network." A reposted mission from October 2008.

If you've benefited or have been entertained by The Wrighter this week, please pass the information along. Knowledge is for sharing, and we can always use more subscribers.

Don't be stingy. Share.

Live. Think. Evolve.

Mission #1 - Reposted

In October 2008 I wrote a post titled “Mission #1” that I am now reposting today, because it is just as relevant now as it was then. In fact, I’m not sure my dear readers actually followed through with the mission, and so I’ve reposted the October 2008 entry as a reminder. That things are serious. They have been for a while now.

Mission #1
Times are crazy right now, and though you can't bank on much else these days, you can bank on the fact that in the coming months, they will get even crazier. No consolation to you, or anybody else, I know. However, The Wrighter is going to give you a mission for this weekend, if you so choose to accept it, that may set you on a path of a realignment in your thinking and therefore your behavior. It is a simple thing to do, yet it may prepare you a bit for the turmoil that seems to be inevitable.

Here is the mission:
Go to your local video store, or place your order in your queue on Netflix (make it #1) and pick up and watch the 1976 film titled "Network." Yes it a 70's film - a great one... I might add, a mine of gems ready to be picked, rinsed, cut and set into your everyday life. It stars Faye Dunaway, Robert Duvall and Peter Finch and is about the exploitation of an ex-television anchor who has seemingly lost his mind. As you watch the movie, listen carefully to the monologues of Peter Finch's character, Howard Beale. DO NOT dismiss any part of the movie as it being "just a movie." Ponder on it intensely and glean as much as you can from it.

It sounds simple enough doesn't it? Rent the movie "Network." Once you've watched it, you'll understand why The Wrighter has made this movie a mission.

Book Review: Under the Bridge by Rebecca Godfrey

Under the Bridge is a blend of hard journalism and creative narrative covering the murder of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk, an Indian-Canadian girl trying to fit into a clique of troubled, "cool" girls.

Godfrey interviews the cast of players from Reena's parents to a convicted murderer as she shed's light on the mentalities and energy behind the sudden brutal violence.

Like many teenagers, Reena Virk, at fourteen, became enamoured with the tough girl image demonstrated by several of her peers. She was a little awkward herself but wanted to prove that she was one of them. The act that she chose to execute to prove herself, is also the act that lead to her unfortunate death.

Godfrey is careful not to blame Reena for her own death, reminding the reader constantly about Reena's religious conflict at home, her issues with being overweight, her insecurity and immaturity that comes with youth.

Godfrey also explores the mob mentality that forms in the hearts and heads of a handful of angry teenage girls and an emotionally troubled boy, who we discover is a major player in Reena's death though he hardly knew her and was never offended by her.

I came to read this book because the story of Reena Virk was covered on MSNBC, and the book was mentioned as the author was interviewed. As noted in the cover story and in the book notes, Under the Bridge is an award winning book, winning the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Nonfiction of 2006 and the British Columbia Award for Canadian Nonfiction. However, I find the writing style to be sophomoric and at times, melodramatic. It was the story itself that propelled me through the book.

I recommend this book because the death of Reena Virk and how a silly and immature act could lead to such viciousness is a very curious story. One that should not be taken lightly.

Live. Think. Evolve.