Thought of the Day

For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been'.
John Greenleaf Whittier

Thought of the Day

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.
Japanese Proverb

Thought of the Day

Leadership-a preparedness to challenge the status quo with alternatives.
John Smyth

Thought of the Day

There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Thought of the Day

He that would be a leader must be a bridge.
Welsh proverb

Thought of the Day

Our deepest fear is NOT that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God: your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
Nelson Mandela

Thought of the Day

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set ourhearts right.
Confucius

Thought of the Day

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.
Benjamin Disraeli

Thought of the Day

Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.
Bob Talbert

Thought of the Day

None are so poor that they have nothing to give…and none are so rich that they have nothing to receive.
Pope John Paul II

Thought of the Day

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles.
Doug Larson

Thought of the Day

The art of life is to show your hand. There is no diplomacy like candor. You may lose by it now and then, but it will be a loss well gained if you do. Nothing is so boring as having to keep up a deception.
E. V. Lucas

Thought of the Day

99% of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
George Washington Carver

Thought of the Day

Hold a true friend with both hands.
Nigerian Proverb

Thought of the Day

Some people will believe anything if you whisper it to them.
Louis B. Nizer

Thought of the Day

No person was ever honored for what they received. Honor has been the reward for what they gave.
Calvin Coolidge

Thought of the Day

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.
Yiddish proverb

Thought of the Day

The opposite of love is not hate but indifference.
Elie Wiesel

Thought of the Day

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Thought of the Day

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
Auguste Rodin

Thought of the Day

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
Martin Luther King Jr

Thought of the Day

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
Auguste Rodin

Thought of the Day

It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.
Richard Braunstein

Thought of the Day

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss

Thought of the Day

Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else.
Judy Garland

Thought of the Day

If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.
Thomas Edison

Thought of the Day

The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.
Gen. Norman Schwarzkoff

Thought of the Day

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
Auguste Rodin

Thought of the Day

When you're in deep water, the best thing to do is shut your mouth.
Author unknown

Thought of the Day

It is not good for all our wishes to be filled; through sickness we recognize the value of health; through evil, the value of good; through hunger, the value of food; through exertion, the value of rest.
Greek saying

Thought of the Day

Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.
Jerry Garcia

Thought of the Day

Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.
Henry David Thoreau

Thought of the Day

Don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
General George S. Patton

Thought of the Day

In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends.
Joan Churton Collins

Thought of the Day

You never miss the water till the well has run dry.
Irish Proverb

Thought of the Day

Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.
Albert Einstein

Thought of the Day

There is a sense of exhilaration that comes from facing head-on the hard truths and saying, 'We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail.'
Jim Collins

Thought of the Day

Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.
Author unknown

Thought of the Day

New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.
John Locke

Thought of the Day

What is beautiful is not always good, but what is good is always beautiful.
Author Unknown

Thought of the Day

Success often comes from not knowing your limitations.
Frank Tyger

Thought of the Day

Fix your eyes forward on what you can do, not back on what you cannot change.
Tom Clancy

Thought of the Day

Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway.
Harper Lee

Thought of the Day

The majority of people are ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard and give up at the first sign of opposition or misfortune. A few carry on despite all opposition until they attain their goal. There may be no heroic connotation to the word 'persistence,' but the quality is to the character of man what carbon is to steel.
Napoleon Hill

Thought of the Day

The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.
George Orwell

Thought of the Day

People do not lack strength; they lack will.
Victor Hugo

Thought of the Day

Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.
Greek Proverb

Thought of the Day

The question “Who ought to be boss?” is like asking “Who ought to be the tenor in a quartet?” Obviously, the man who can sing tenor.
Henry Ford

Thought of the Day

He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help.
Abraham Lincoln

Thought of the Day

An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.
Friedrich Engels

Thought of the Day

Leadership, above all, consists of telling the truth, unpalatable though it may be. It is better to go down with the truth on one’s lips than to rise high by innuendo and doubletalk.
Alfred Robens

Thought of the Day

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.
Glenn Clark

Thought of the Day

A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.
William Shedd

Thought of the Day

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
Walt Disney

Thought of the Day

It is never too late to be what you might have been.
George Eliot

Thought of the Day

I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
Helen Keller

Thought of the Day

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
Tao Te Ching

Thought of the Day

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.
Benjamin Franklin

Thought of the Day

Always aim for achievement, and forget about success.
Helen Hayes

Thought of the Day

Remove the rock from your shoe rather than learn to limp comfortably.
Stephen C. Paul and Gary Max Collins

Thought of the Day

He who strikes the first blow admits he's lost the argument.
Chinese Proverb

Thought of the Day

Strive for excellence, not perfection.
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Thought of the Day

If I try to be like him, who will be like me?
Yiddish Proverb

Thought of the Day

The real contest is always between what you’ve done and what you are capable of doing. You measure yourself against yourself and nobody else.
Geoffrey Gaberino

Thought of the Day

It is terrible to speak well and be wrong.
Sophocles

Thought of the Day

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thought of the Day

People who have what they want are fond of telling people who haven't what they want that they really don't want it.
-- Ogden Nash

Thought of the Day

Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbons.
--Ann Ruth Schabader

Thought of the Day

It's not the work which kills people, it's the worry. It's not the revolution that destroys machinery it's the friction.
-Henry Ward Beecher

Thought of the Day

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.
-Mohandas Gandhi

Thought of the Day

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson

Thought of the Day

I don’t know why it is we are in such a hurry to get up when we
fall down. You might think we would lie there and rest a while.
Max Eastman

Thought of the Day

We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.
Kurt Vonnegut

Thought of the Day

A guest sees more in an hour than the host in a year.
Polish Proverb

Thought of the Day

Aspire to decency. Practice civility toward one another. Admire and emulate ethical behavior wherever you find it. Apply a rigid standard of morality to your lives; and if, periodically, you fail--as you surely will--adjust your lives, not the standards.
Ted Koppel

Thought of the Day

The pillar of the world is hope.
- Nigerian Proverb

Thoughts on Hiring the Best M.P. for Perth-Wellington

While for some of us, the election date has been permanently stamped in our brains. For others, it could easily be forgotten. Don't forget to vote this Tuesday, October 14th.

I have heard from individuals wondering about strategic voting. I want to be the MP for Perth-Wellington. That being said, I want people to vote for me, not against someone else. I see the NDP platform as strong and myself as a strong candidate. I encourage you to encourage family and friends to check out http://www.ndp.ca/ and http://www.kerrymcmanus.com/ for more info.

Time is running out and while I know there's lots of support, your help could make the difference in who becomes the MP in Perth-Wellington.

Please help make sure everyone has the information they need on me and the NDP. Specifically, please consider emailing and/or talking to family and friends; inviting your friends to the facebook group - Elect Kerry McManus MP Perth/Wellington and changing your profile pic to the 'Elect Kerry McManus' sign for two days.

The percentage of eligible voters who normally don't vote is huge. I believe that if we could reach more of the voters in our riding, we could see a huge voter turn-out and win this election.

Please help. You'll be glad you did :)
Kerry

Thought Of The Day

"The gatekeepers for our culture are not the heroes or the supermen, but the common person. The individuals who represent the ideal inspire masses to pursue the values and virtues of their people; but it is the common person within each society who establishes the boundaries that are required to remain a part of the clan. It is not the extraordinary standard but the minimum standard that is the critical boundary in shaping a culture...It's easy to confuse the minimum with the extraordinary. We do it all the time. In fact, organizations continuously face that crisis. Whenever someone fails to live up to an understood expectation, we are forced to make some kind of reevaluation. Either our standard should change or our actions have to change. When we live below a standard, it is simply human nature to redefine the standard as unreasonable and establish standards that our patterns are already accomplishing. We keep lowering the bar until we clear it."

Erwin McManus, from An Unstoppable Force

Thought Of The Day

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

Nelson Mandela

Thought For Today

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."

Maya Angelou

Thought Of The Day

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Thomas Edison

Thought Of The Day

"You manage things; you lead people."

Grace Murray Hopper, Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Thought Of The Day

"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality."

Warren Bennis

Thought Of The Day

"Character is power."

Booker T. Washington

Thought Of The Day

"Imposing limitations on yourself is cowardly because it protects you from having to try, and perhaps failing."

Vladimir Zworykin

Late night thoughts...

Earlier this week I met with Eugene Sidler's grade five class at Arthur Public School. We had a lively discussion about why I have chosen to enter the political arena and the key issues I hope to address.

I told them about how when I was eight I entered a church and saw a large box announcing there was a famine in Africa and a need for clothes to be donated. Despite being young, I recognized that more than used clothing was needed and I recruited my next-door neighbour and off we went caroling to raise money to send to Africa.

While this event happened about thirty years ago, it reflects how I live. Learning changes me. When I understand an issue that is leaving individuals in a precarious position, I look for ways to help.

Today one student asked whether I had wanted to be a politician when I was young. That was one of the easiest questions I've had so far in this campaign. No, the political arena has not been a dream of mine. I chose to enter because I recognize that right now we are at a crossroads. The scientists have told us that our lifestyles need to change. We need to pursue a sustainable vision for Perth-Wellington, Canada and the world.

What is sustainability? The best definition I have heard came from Chuck Hopkins of UNESCO – enough for everyone forever. As we meet our needs and desires, we need to be sure that we are not impacting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

The New Democrats have a strong sustainable vision. We recognize that there are immediate concerns –the loss of jobs and health crises - that must be addressed while building a long-term vision that protects its citizens – universal health care, fair trade, restoring foreign relations, supporting education and training, reducing our carbon footprint, protecting food sovereignty and food security.

We are all in this together. While I am not a farmer, a nurse or a police officer, I respect that there are challenges faced that could be improved by a change in governmental policy. I may not know the details of your concerns but I welcome your valued opinion and expertise as we work together to address your concerns in Ottawa.

Thought Of The Day

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all."

Peter Drucker

Thought Of The Day

"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still."

Chinese proverb

Thought Of The Day

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Chinese Proverb

Thought Of The Day

"Men are all alike in their promises. It is only in their deeds that they differ."

Moliere

A Poem by Kerry

Enough Already
Full. Bloated. Stuffed.
Enough Already!
Our minds are full of facts
But we're starving for some action.
Enough already.
We know enough.
It's time to act.

Stagnant. Imprisoned. Consuming.
Enough already.
Our wallets are always hungry
But our money has no vision.
Enough already!
We have enough.
It's time to act.

Bored. Disillusioned. Cynical.
Enough already!
Our lives are tedious
While our souls cry for purpose.
Enough already.
We are enough.
It's time to act.

Thought Of The Day

"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat."

Napoleon

Thought Of The Day

"Courage is your willingness to take action with no guarantee of results."

Brian Tracy

Thought Of The Day

"It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem."

G. K. Chesterton

Thought Of The Day

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Thought Of The Day

"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible."

T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia)

Thought Of The Day

"Action is eloquence."

Shakespeare

Thought Of The Day

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends."

Japanese proverb

Thought Of The Day

"Why do we remember the past but not the future."

Stephen Hawking

Thought Of The Day

"We don't remain good if we don't always strive to become better."

Gottfried Keller

Thought Of The Day

"Not merely what we do, but what we try to do and why, are the true interpreters of what we are."

C. H. Woodward

Thought Of The Day

"New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common."

John Locke

Thought Of The Day

"We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane."

Kurt Vonnegut

Thought Of The Day

"A guest sees more in an hour than the host in a year."

Polish Proverb

Trains, Planes... and Tractors?

What a day! I learned to drive a tractor and attended my first all-candidates meeting as a candidate.



Spending time with Tom and Jackie is always a treat. They are both such great people. A few months ago when I joked about not being able to run to represent Perth-Wellington because I couldn't drive a tractor, Tom offered to teach me. Turns out he was right, it was easy.




A morning on a farm doesn't make me an expert on agriculture. Part of my strength as a candidate is that I recognize the importance of listening to others and learning from many different perspectives in developing solutions. My focus is on finding solutions not assigning blame.




I am thankful for the opportunity to meet constituents across Perth-Wellington over the next few weeks to learn more about the challenges and successes happening in our riding. I am thankful that we can come together across differences to work for the common good. If we happen to cross paths, I encourage you to share your stories with me.




Over the past few years, I've realized how fortunate I am to live in a country where we can freely share different views without fear. Tonight's all-candidates reinforced that reality for me. I appreciated the candor of individuals who shared the challenges they are facing with the ripple effect of local lay-offs. These are difficult times for many individuals and families. While we debate our views on policies, my hope is that we never forget that real people's lives will be affected by our action and inaction.

Thought Of The Day

"Aspire to decency. Practice civility toward one another. Admire and emulate ethical behavior wherever you find it. Apply a rigid standard of morality to your lives; and if, periodically, you fail - as you surely will - adjust your lives, not the standards."

Ted Koppel, Broadcast Journalist

Thought Of The Day

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."


Albert Einstein

We're Also On Facebook!

Hello again!

For those of you who use Facebook, you can access our campaign's Facebook group by clicking here.