Hiding in today's e-mail avalanche was a touching story about Harry Truman that is particularly relevant to today's political deterioration. Its author was not identified. But, I loved it so much that, after doing some fact-checking to make sure that it was basically accurate, I wanted to share it with you in its entirety...

A chain e-mail has been circulating that shows the following photo of Obama clasping his hands while everyone else on the dais either is saluting or has their hand over their heart:

How I Finally Hit Bottom as a Man

It was 2002. My first wife had ended a marriage I had been certain would last a lifetime. I felt like a complete emotional train wreck. I had lost all connection with my mojo. My life mission had become so blurry that I felt legally blind emotionally -- I could not see well enough to drive the road of life. In desperation, because nothing else I was trying seemed to be helping, I enrolled in a weekend workshop that opened doors nothing else had opened.

Do you have personally effective leaders when it comes to role modeling healthy habits?  Dr. Edward M.

I am heartbroken over the soliders who were gunned down at Ft. Hood by one of their own. I am disgusted by those who are choosing to spin the actions of one obviously insane man into sweeping statements about all those who cleave to the Islamic faith. If you are among those who are tempted to believe those generalizations, I strongly recommend that you read an interview with another Muslim soldier who is stationed at Fort Hood before you become wedded to such an opinion.

As you might imagine, I receive an awful lot of "sign this petition" requests from the left, from the right, from advocacy organizations, and also from concerned individuals who pass these along to me. I received such an e-mail today from someone wanting me to sign a petition to have the FDA ban BPA.

After your last visit with family did you make some vows about how you'll behave differently with them the next time? Did you maybe even do some inner work since your last family visit so you might be less susceptible to being triggered by the things that seem to happen during your visits?

Well, guess what? No matter how good your intentions, you may still be at risk of abandoning your growth and your best laid plans!

In case you still care, the nonpartisan fact checking website PolitiFact has published its analysis of the Republican response to the current version of the health insurance reform legislation being considered in the House of Representatives. Read this piece and then watch the talking heads repeat half-truths and falsehoods over and over because they believe the American public is so stupid that a lie spoken often enough will be perceived as true.

Former House majority leader Dick Armey said in September 2009: “Europe is governed by a concern for the well-being of the collective. That’s what they care about. What makes us different is we begin with the liberty of the individual. We got it right, and they got it wrong.”

Holidays can activate powerful emotional charges, calling forth as much distress as joy. These “emotional charges” may be connected with past memories or with wishes you have in the present for yourself, and those you love. This article reveals practical strategies for creating a more fulfilling and less stressful holiday experience, no matter which holiday it happens to be: religious or cultural, or personal celebrations such as birthdays and anniversaries of all kinds.

I received an e-mail yesterday asking my opinion about the 10% withholding tax surcharge that went into effect in California this week and has reduced employee take-home pay. Here's what the person wrote:

"I heard today on the radio, that the state of CA passed a new (Tax) of 10% on withholdings on payroll. They claim it's not a tax, but a loan. This was not voted on by anyone. It supposedly took place during the dark of night."

Read more

I regularly receive messages from people who believe that capitalism is a corrupt economic system that can never be anything but corrupt. I believe these comments reflect a basic misunderstanding of capitalism, and that this misunderstanding developed because of the ways capitalism has been hijacked and perverted since the birth of the United States.

I mentioned in my last blog post about Dan Brown's sensational new novel, The Lost Symbol, how he surprised my colleague Lynne McTaggart by prominently mentioning her and her book The Intention Experiment in his latest Robert Langdon thriller.

Now you have an outstanding opportunity to join Lynne for a powerful 90-minute teleseminar on "Powering Up: Living and Healing with Intention," on November12th, 2009: