Intellectual Intercourse

Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad

2011-12-25T11:22:00.000-06:00

Election Day 2012: November 6, 2012

2011-11-06T15:43:00.002-06:00

One year from today the grand Presidential Election of 2012 will take place. Of course, there will be plenty of other candidates and issues to occupy your attention. But nothing will matter more than who will be the next President of this country. The political divide predictably has been occupied by the Democrats and Republicans. Unpredictably though, The Tea Party Movement and the Occupy Wall Street movement have made this political season very interesting. I watch it all with a peculiar excitement over what will happen next.

John Lennon, Instant Karma

2011-10-17T13:34:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to shine. ;)

Today's Poem: "Dreams Never Die" from November 1997

2011-10-15T14:31:00.003-05:00

Another great poem that has aged well. I used the Circle of Life theme to bring this poem alive. I like to think sometimes that a poem has a soundtrack and so that song from The Lion King is on the soundtrack to this poem.

November1997

"FullForce" Poem #5: The Finale

Dreams Never Die

Millennia have passed

Stars born and died again.

Every dream remains alive

With pieces of life born again.

In the eyes of a newborn

Lies a desire to grow.

To learn of the world around it

Grasp all forces in control.

Bushy haired toddler lies in a sandbox

Grains of mineral gather in mane.

Wishes of fun and joy

Gather in his tiny veins.

Young teen not confused but doubted

Parent's love wants to be the guide.

His dreams he must follow

To solidify his own pride.

College world has opened its gate

Entry to the beginnings of a man.

Thought-out aspirations rattle in hismind

Molded into a legit plan.

A father stands over his children

Wife snuggled beside in secure arms.

Their hopes jump rope and wrestle beforethem,

Products of passionate love and charms.

An elderly couple inspects the night sky,

Wool plaid blanket keeps them warm.

Smaller sparkling glimmer appears fromafar

As their first grandchild is born.

Written

Korey Jackson

“SHADOW”

“As dreams are born of us, we are born ofthose same dreams.”

Poem: Sparkle to Shine, November 1996

2011-10-13T20:22:00.000-05:00

November 1996

Sparkle to Shine

Looking for a glimmer of hope,

Just wanting to survive,

You need a solid focus,

Something to make you feel more alive.

A spark flickers within you,

Waiting for that moment to shine,

A hope, a chance, an aspiration,

An inspiration to make you feel fine.

Maybe you lack a true friend,

Or a sensual, tender lover,

Requiring they understand and not judge,

Maintaining a trust together.

The attention isn’t there,

Like it greatly once was.

Perhaps you want to be noticed,

Creating a buzz.

A first impression was awful,

You look to even the score.

A second chance to be yourself,

To charm, attract, and adore.

The best has yet to be done,

You failed to follow through.

Another opportunity is your desire,

To capture all that’s overdue.

It’s time to face the world,

With all this sparkle so divine,

To succeed and achieve,

And simply shine.

Written

Korey Jackson

“SHADOW”

“Sometimes you need a little spark inorder to shine.”

Fade To Shadow: The Analysis

2011-10-08T15:17:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, it is good to analyze your own work. Here's an analysis of "Fade To Shadow" that I wrote for an English class back at MU. It is very much on the mark and quite accurate of what I was going for when I wrote the poem.

Fade to shadow. This concept simply means finding yourselfagain.

Peoplegrow up not knowing just how to enter adulthood, to deal the

oncomingstresses of the adult world. Peoplesometimes lose touch with their inner self. Those who especially choose to go on with a college education start tofeel the pressure, the need to grow up fast. With that accelerated pace, adefining part of who they are is sometimes left behind. The need to find thatpart arises. To look into one's self isfading to shadow.

My life stands as the strength behind thispoem. The forming of my own self-esteemand confidence is the basis for this poem. The concept of this poem isone I have used to survive the initial stresses of the real world. The second stanza speaks of being burntout. I am in my fourth year of college andfought off this feeling quite well. Thethird stanza is central to this poem. Ilook into the mirror every morning just to see if I like the reflection. Sometimes I don't and I set out to fixit. But the tainted reflection can onlybe fixed from the inside.

The long phrase "found to be lost orlost to be found" sets up the fourthstanzaand the confusion involved with growing up fast with time ticking away. Arevision was key here because this is the climb to the conflict within thepoem. It is central in any poem to nail down the conflict and make the readerfeel a part of the poem. I feel Isucceeded with that in this revision. The last two stanzas remain the same for aresolution to the conflict. It isessential to bring them down from the conflict and not leave them there. The last word I leave the reader with is"fade." That leaves room forthought and curiosity to keep this poem on their minds long after they haveread it.

Journal#1-Evaluation of "Fade To Shadow" English105: Korey Jackson

Poetic Past: Fade to Shadow, August 1998

2011-10-08T14:53:00.002-05:00

August 1998

"Dreams Never Die"Poem #3

Fade To Shadow

Life.

A blessing to those

who embrace it

and race to their dreams

conquering any doubt aboutthat.

A match.

It strikes to ignite aflame.

Sometimes the effort, themadness,

your desire to succeed burnsshort

only to extinguish to smoke.

The reflection.

Define the face

you see in the mirror.

Is it spotless, homemadewith pride

or maybe scratched andtainted

beyond the naked eye?

Found to be lost

or lost to be found.

The seconds' hand ticks away

and you cannot stop it

unless you find your way.

Release.

Extend the boundaries

of your personality.

Don't whither and stress

in limited identity.

Open your eyes

and begin looking

into yourself:

Recognize that shadow

and fade.

Written

Korey Jackson

"SHADOW"

Word of the Day: Personification

2011-09-13T15:17:00.002-05:00

per·son·i·fi·ca·tion

–noun

the attribution of a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure.

the representation of a thing or abstraction in the form of a person, as in art.

the person or thing embodying a quality or the like; an embodiment or incarnation: He is the personification of tact.

an imaginary person or creature conceived or figured to represent a thing or abstraction.

the act of personifying.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/personification

In a nutshell, the Hewlett-Packard situation...

2011-08-21T13:46:00.003-05:00

From user "dpaus" over at The Tech Report site, summarizing the current HP situation:

Let's see...

first, HP buys Palm for $1.8bn (actually, $1.2bn and then some directly-related expenses bring it up to $1.8bn)
then, HP makes approx $5.1bn in 'support' acquisitions (music services, video libraries, cloud services, etc.)
then, HP spends $0.6bn with TV and print advertising for the Veer and TouchPad
then, HP discovers that it's going to take another 'several hundred million dollars' {source: earnings call} to achieve tenable position in tablet market. Hmm, spend another $0.7bn to get value out of $7.5bn investment? Obvious solution: pull plug, burn bridges, walk away.
at the same time, HP's CEO decides he wants HP to be more like SAP. Oh, did I mention that HP's current CEO is the former CEO of SAP? And that he was turfed from SAP for diminishing shareholder value?
so, HP announces that it's going to buy a software company that sorts e-mails for $10.4bn - approx 35x earnings. Analysts estimate value of company at about $4bn
the market responds by selling HP stock like it was bubonic plague. Drops 22.6% and still falling...
Estimated value wiped out in 48 hours on stock alone: $13.9bn
Estimated value lost in Palm acquisition (so far): $7.5bn
Estimated value pissed away on 'Autonomy' purchase: $10.4bn
Total amount of money wasted: $31.8bn
Likely cost of inevitable shareholder lawsuits: unknown
Value of lost reputation, lost opportunities, etc.... Priceless

The Dream Computer Case

2011-08-09T15:51:00.004-05:00

Introducing the Corsair Obsidian 800D computer case. It is my dream case. It is simple yet elegant, sleek yet built like a skyscraper. When it hits the price point I have saved up for, it shall be mine. It sure is nice when you can make a dream come true; that is, for the right price.

Poem Update

2011-08-05T12:09:00.003-05:00

"The Waters Rush" is finished and likely will be retitled after a few edits here and there but the idea I want to get across is there. In the meantime, I've done some random thinking and brainstorming on the "Inception" poem which will likely embrace a new interpretation of my own dream philosophy and likely be written under my "Return of the Classic" series. I actually have a poem titled "Return of the Classic" that I wrote last year to celebrate 21 years since my very first poem but for now I'm keeping that poem to myself.

Thanks to my renewed interest in philosophy and a recent Ethics class I took, the "Inception" poem will be a fun and interesting thing to write. "The Kick" could be a possible title for the poem or I could certainly incorporate the concept into the poem itself. Yes, I will be watching the film very soon.

The Kid In Me

2011-07-30T14:01:00.004-05:00

Those that know me best know that when I was all but 12 years of age, I was a serious kid who began writing poetry. By 19, I was a very serious college sophomore that poured himself into the page and did an occasional poetry reading. Bottom line, that kid in me was preparing me for what I face now: the responsibilities of adulthood. Making things hard on myself as a kid has prepared me for the challenges I face today. I knew that small town life was easier but I also knew I would not be sticking around there. As I look back on the past and my works of poetry, I begin to appreciate that kid in me more and more. For all the lovely mistakes that kid made, there were successes that my adult self benefits from today.

Poems in the works, October Poetry Anniversary

2011-07-30T13:30:00.005-05:00

It's hard to believe that is has been 22 years since I wrote my first poem. In honor of this occasion, I plan to have at least one new poem posted here to the blog with the potential of a second new poem. If I get into a groove, a third new poem inspired by the movie, "Inception" is a very real possibility. My own philosophy of dreams did a little dance when I first watched the film and repeated viewings since have only made it dance more.

Poems in the works

1> Nightlife
2> The Waters Rush
3> Untitled "Inception" poem

Hugh Hefner and the Dangers of Quick Love

2011-07-30T11:20:00.004-05:00

Hugh Hefner is both blessed and cursed with the ability to quickly fall in love. Of course, this has benefited his Playboy empire immensely. For 40 plus years, he has portrayed the image of the ideal bachelor with equal parts zeal and class. Unfortunately, his best days are behind him. Most bachelors and bachelorettes know that once they reach thirty years of age that quick love (Eros) typically never works and often fails to grow into spiritual love (Agape). With quick love, far too many flaws in a relationship get glossed over in the name of passion. Unfortunately for Hef, the fallout from this latest relationship has become very public.

While the stockholders begin to look for signs of damage to the Playboy brand, it would not be a shock to see the Crystal Harris saga help the brand. After all, the general public does have an uncanny attraction to real life soap operas.

Clarity and Random Thoughts

2011-07-19T06:51:00.005-05:00

There comes a moment in a person's life when the day to day existence just starts to make sense. July 18, 2011 now stands as a day filled with those moments like the rush from a waterfall. My thirst for knowledge, my status as a student of life has longed for days such as this. Knowledge is power but it is also clarity when those waters begin to rush.

And with that, I now have a title to the little poem I've been working on. It is amazing what a day of clarity can do for you.

And congratulations to Japan on that Women's World Cup win. The country needed it for obvious reasons.

A quote on creativity....

2011-03-26T14:52:00.000-05:00

A Quote for the lady from the lady...

2011-03-22T00:14:00.005-05:00

You may not be her first, her last, or her only.
She loved before she may love again.
But if she loves you now, what else matters?
She's not perfect, you aren't either,
and the two of you may never be perfect together
but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice,
and admit to being human and making mistakes,
hold onto her and give her the most you can.
She may not be thinking about you
every second of the day, but she will give you a part of
her that she knows you can break her heart.
So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze
and don't expect more than she can give.
Smile when she maked you happy,
let her know when she makes you mad,
and miss her when she's not there.
-Bob Marley.

Japan

2011-03-12T04:11:00.006-06:00

There are few cultures that have impacted my interests, appeased my curiosities, and have broadened my understanding of the world more than the flag of the one represented above. To say that I have a deep respect for this culture does not begin to describe my admiration for all the things that are simply "Japanese" in my life. While the country itself remains relatively intact, there is no doubt that these natural disasters will leave this proud nation with its share of scars. However, those scars are excuse enough for this country, its people, and its culture to reshape, recover, and redefine its future in its own unique way....as it always has.

Quote of the Day or Perhaps the Quote of My Lifetime

2010-12-13T15:23:00.004-06:00

In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart where it spreads its roots, the answer, and ask yourself, must I write?

--Rainer Maria Rilke

New Poem: The Challenge

2010-10-28T11:18:00.004-05:00

October 2010
“Return of the Classic” Poem #1

The Challenge

Push forward. Become more than the example
birth put in front of you. Whether you were born
with a silver or rusty spoon in that mouth
this time is now yours.

The path to gold is not laid before you.
You make it, create it, shape it
from your will, your purpose, or whatever force
helps to start yet another day.

This one life deserves your fill
Shove your entirety into it.
Chisel your mind to drive the body or
sharpen your body to fortify the mind.

Accept the excuses that will only delay
not stop you from a goal’s reach.
As long as your death has not ended you
the air you breathe makes success possible.

Look yourself over in the mirror
Get to know that cheeky sweet smile.
Your face will begin to hurt from it
as you embrace this challenge.

Written
By
Korey A Jackson

“Regret is inevitable but never fatal.”

Poetic Past: Time and Chance, May 1994

2010-10-24T15:33:00.004-05:00

I listened to a lot of music back in the day and one particular song by the same name by Color Me Badd led to this poem. Of course, the bible verse the song was inspired by was likely the better inspiration.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. -- Ecclesiastes 9:11 (King James Version)

May 1994
“Senior Farewell Poem” #3

Time And Chance

Grade school is now a memory,
High school will be soon.
The seniors will stand tall,
On one final, unforgettable, afternoon.

Not all of you were blessed with two parents,
Pushing you along the way,
But at least you had someone,
That would never let you go astray.

There were teachers who cared enough,
To give you their very best.
Other teachers didn’t like you at all,
They were your toughest tests.

You had brilliant classmates,
That now have money for college.
Those left might take jobs,
To earn dollars for extra knowledge.

Recruiters gave many the opportunity,
To fight or earn cash to learn more.
Some of you heard their words,
The remaining chose to ignore.

Life is not fair to all,
No matter who you are.
The rich boy might fail,
And the poor girl will go far.

A diploma may soon bear,
Each of their names,
But a little time and chance,
Will always treat them the same.

Written
by
Korey Jackson
“SHADOW”

"Chi, chi chi, le, le le, Chi chi chi, le le le"

2010-10-20T16:42:00.004-05:00

Leave it to Stephen Colbert to get a good honest laugh out of Chile's finest moment in history. Click on the link post above to watch the clip.

We got the president we elected

2010-06-02T15:09:00.003-05:00

Scroll below to read an excellent commentary piece from CNN's Gloria Borger on the current state of the Obama administration during the Gulf oil crisis.

We got the president we elected
By Gloria Borger, CNN Senior Political Analyst
June 2, 2010 1:03 p.m. EDT

Editor's note: Gloria Borger is a senior political analyst for CNN, appearing regularly on CNN's "The Situation Room," "AC360°" and "State of the Union," as well as participating in special event coverage.
Washington (CNN) -- The news about Al and Tipper Gore deciding to separate after 40 years of marriage shocked Washington -- and those who know them -- into a kind of frenzy: How could this be? They have always been the genuine political couple. The ones who were affectionate and caring; the ones who had fun. The couple who dared to smooch onstage at a national political convention.
Al and Tipper were like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Always better together.
And maybe they were. And what we saw was true. And maybe now -- because it once was true and isn't anymore -- they've decided to split.
We don't know, and it's not our business.
But the shock it sent is about us, not them. It's about the way we perceive (and choose to perceive) what's put in front of our eyes, especially when it comes to the political world.
All of which leads to President Obama. He was elected because he is cool, calm and analytical. That's what we wanted to see after George W. Bush, so we made him president. But now the disaster in the Gulf has made many of us want to see someone else -- with plenty of anger, emotion and bravado. We want him to yell at BP. We want him to loudly tell us he's whipping the cleanup effort into shape.
We can't tell BP ourselves, so we want him to do it for us.
Fair enough. But that's not the person we elected.
So we want him to morph into something he isn't -- which is exactly what we hate about our politicians. We want him to be another Barack Obama, an actor. Maybe we want him to be George Bush with the bullhorn after 9/11. Only he isn't.
And he isn't the first president to have his empathy gene questioned, either. Remember Bush 41, who had to flatly tell us, "Message: I care," when we didn't think he did care? Or his son, who had to declare his concern for the Gulf Coast when playing catch-up on Katrina.
There is one president, of course, who never had to be prodded into the empathy zone: Bill Clinton. He felt our pain all the time. Last week, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell put it this way: "If Bill Clinton was president, he'd have been in a wetsuit, trying to get down to see the spill." He's right, of course, but think back for a moment: That's exactly what Americans came to distrust about Clinton. By emoting too much, they never knew what to believe. What was real and what wasn't?
Perception is important, of course. Maybe if the president had gone to the Gulf sooner -- and met with fishermen instead of functionaries -- we would have eased up on him. Surely we would have felt better. It's important for a president, as a leader and national pastor, to let Americans know he gets it, so an early trip to the Gulf matters. That's why the White House sprang a leak-a-thon when it told reporters that the president had gotten angry in private, telling advisers to just "plug the damn hole." Message: I emote.
But the real problem, of course, is that the "damn hole" isn't getting plugged, with junk or anything else. The oil continues to spew out of the well, a daily reminder in the corner of our cable screens that there is something out of control that we cannot yet stop. And Obama rightly suffers: As president, he's in charge. He's the one who told us he wanted to preside over a smart government that can work. And he finally accepted responsibility for dealing with the mess last week, and we approved. But the hole remains unplugged.
So as the oil continues to flow, Obama sent Attorney General Eric Holder to the Gulf to announce massive criminal and civil investigations into the disaster. The president himself now tells us almost daily that the spill is his highest priority, as is the cleanup. And his press secretary, Robert Gibbs, responded to a question about the president's emotional state by saying, "I've seen rage from him."
Good to know, I guess. But if Obama were full of rage, he wouldn't have been elected.
True to form, we want it all. We want a leader who can feel our pain while rising above it. We say we don't trust government, but we look to it for answers and cleanups. And we elected Barack Obama. Now we want to change him.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gloria Borger.

Fall to Only Rise Stronger Again..

2010-01-18T22:31:00.008-06:00

Not one country or its people deserve the tragic events that have struck the nation of Haiti. I wish the best for its people in this harsh time. I also encourage anyone who is thinking of donating, please contribute to the Red Cross. I am. And may Haiti rise again from this fall.

Quote for all but especially our politicians...

2009-09-30T23:39:00.002-05:00

The final end of government is not to exert restraint but to do good.

--Rufus Choate, U.S Senator

Michael Jackson, Iran, and The Media Circus

2009-07-01T13:13:00.004-05:00

What was my first reaction up hearing Michael Jackson had died? Like most, I did not believe it. However, unlike most, I did not believe it because the first reports came from TMZ of all places. I rely on primarily one network to verify and inform me on daily news and that's CNN. There's a good reason I link them on the front page of this blog and quote many of the articles in full: They get the news right. I specifically told my mother on June 25th that "I will believe the man is dead when CNN confirms it." I commend CNN for wading through the media circus and verifying his death from the one professional in charge of doing that, the coroner.

Before news of Michael Jackson took over all other news, CNN had extensive coverage of the Iran election protests. Furthermore, the Iranian government kept journalists from reporting on the protests. Therefore, CNN relied heavily on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and various other social media network tools for their reporting. As Bill Maher recently joked, "Twitter didn't save Iran. Iran saved Twitter." CNN's use of this relatively young media technology surprised me a bit. When CNN had to rely on video from YouTube for their reporting, that was an extraordinary event taking placing: the embrace of new, hip web technology that only the "kiddies" used.

As much as I like these technologies (I occasionally check my Facebook account), they are not quite ready for use in mainstream, professional journalism. Yes, they can aid, compliment it, and be used in extreme circumstances as CNN has shown. But they should never replace good, old-fashioned reporting. It's good old-fashioned reporting that continues to get the news right.

Postcard from Somali pirate capital

2009-06-17T13:36:00.003-05:00

The following is a great article about the Somali pirates from the BBC. Read the article in full below to get some insight on the pirates and the people who live amongst them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postcard from Somali pirate capital

By Andrew Harding
BBC News, Eyl

It is a slow, rough drive to Eyl - the tiny coastal town that has become notorious as the centre of Somalia's lucrative pirate industry.

A dusty track meanders across hundreds of kilometres of rocky wilderness before slipping steeply down the side of a reddish canyon and hugging the contours of a small river out towards the roaring waves of the Indian Ocean.

"If you go without guards the pirates will take you for ransom - that is guaranteed," warned a United Nations security adviser before we left the regional capital, Garowe.

We duly took six heavily armed guards, provided by the authorities in Puntland, the autonomous north-eastern region of Somalia now struggling to clear its coastline - and reputation - of the stain of piracy.

At first glance, Eyl seemed quiet and dilapidated.

The only obvious sign of the millions of dollars worth of ransom money that have flooded ashore in recent months were the dozen or more shiny new cars parked between crumbling stone houses close to the shore.

“ We are all against the pirates here, they have brought bad culture ”
Businesswoman Abdi Hirsi

"Night and day, they drive their cars up and down," said a fisherman named Abdul, repairing a fibre-glass skiff on the beach.

"It's dangerous for our kids. These criminals have brought nothing but harm to our town."

He gestured out to sea, where two large ships - one cargo, one trawler - wallowed just beyond the surf.

"Those have been hijacked by pirates. We don't know where they're from. The pirates bring them, then get their ransom, then take them off somewhere else. It's a cycle," he said.

In town, a crowd quickly gathered around us, anxious to defend Eyl's battered reputation.

"We are all against the pirates here," insisted a businesswoman named Abdi Hirsi.

Airstrikes fear

"They have brought bad culture here. They come here with their shiny cars, collect their money and leave. We worry that our children will be attracted to crime.

“ We are not pirates, we are gentlemen ”
Convicted pirate Jamal Akhmed

"We are very fearful of the pirates, and of the international community. We hear reports that the West will launch airstrikes against our town."

But if there were any pirates on shore in Eyl, they were keeping a low profile during our visit.

"They come only at night now," said Abdi Hirsi.

The new government in Puntland insists that in the past few weeks a combination of persuasion - an effort led by Islamic clerics - and police action has pushed the pirates out of Eyl and other towns in the area.

"We've done a lot," said Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole.

"We're in full control of the major towns where they used to operate.

"But we would be more effective if the international community would help us to establish a taskforce. Piracy cannot be beaten off-shore. It has to be eradicated on the ground."

Sweltering cages

The authorities here have tried and convicted some 90 pirates in the past three months - most of them handed over by foreign navies patrolling the coast.

The convicts are being held in what amount to sweltering cages in a stone fortress outside Puntland's main commercial port of Bossasso.

"We are not pirates," declared Jamal Akhmed, 32, who has just started a life sentence.

"We are gentlemen, defending our shores against foreign fisherman. It did become a business, but it was forced upon us because we were attacked. We have bills to pay and families to care for."

Bossasso's police chief, Osman Hassan Uke, took us to see two alleged pirates who had just been dropped off at the port by a French warship.

The men insisted they had been sailing to Yemen to find work when they were attacked by helicopters.

"These pirates are thieves and cowards," said Mr Uke. "We will defeat them. They are not organised in the way we are organised."

He bitterly condemned the payments of ransom by foreign companies and governments.

"It is completely wrong," he said. "Whenever 10 guys get paid ransom money, 20 more pirates are created."

'Military secret'

In Bosasso's port, a handful of captured pirate boats lay on the quayside.

Moored near them was a broken speedboat with the words "Puntland coastguard" painted on the side.

A harbour official refused to confirm reports that it represented the entire Puntland navy.

"That is a military secret," said Colonel Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed stiffly.

President Abdirahman confirmed that the entire annual government budget for Puntland was "about $20m (£12m)".

But although piracy is clearly a major headache for the local authorities and for coastal communities in Puntland, Mr Abdirahman sought to put it in context.

At a cabinet meeting, the focus was on the wider conflict gripping Somalia and the widespread fear that Islamic militants in the south could seize control in the capital Mogadishu and then threaten Puntland.

"From the international point of view, piracy may be considered the number one issue," said Mr Abdirahman.

"But from our point of view, it is a tiny part of the whole Somali problem - a phenomenon prompted by the collapse of the Somali state."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8103585.stm

Published: 2009/06/16 17:16:10 GMT

My Next Keyboard (When Its Cheaper)

2009-05-31T16:04:00.002-05:00

The Logitech G19 Gaming Keyboard

Hit the link above for the full details on this beauty.

The 6-Overtime College Basketball Game

2009-03-13T14:04:00.004-05:00

College sport teams that play each other year after year typically have their rivalries. The Missouri/Kansas rivalry is the one I know quite well. The rivalry between Syracuse and Connecticut last night took a major step towards epic and nationally known rivalry with a 6 overtime game last night, a game I did not start watching until the end of regulation. For those of you who may not know, a typical game in Men's college basketball lasts about 2 hours or 40 minutes of game time with a halftime in between. This game went on for nearly 3 hours and 50 minutes and 70 minutes of game time (5 games minutes extra for each of the overtimes). Like most still awake and watching, I wanted the game to end but also, I did not. This is truly a once in the lifetime sporting event and I was happy to have witnessed it. Hit the link about for ESPN's recap of it all.

Good times rolling on for Mardi Gras

2009-02-20T16:00:00.002-06:00

In these tough times, we all need to unwind. Quoted in full below from CNN.com is a short article on Mardi Gras and New Orleans, a city I will return to someday.

By Marnie Hunter
CNN
(CNN) -- The sad state of the economy doesn't appear to be affecting the festive mood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"Things are sort of buzzing down here right now, and it feels good," said Michael Valentino, a local businessman who owns three hotels in the French Quarter. "Didn't know what to expect this year, but it appears that interest is high and people are acting on that decision in order to make Carnival part of their travel plans."
Hotel bookings are on pace with last year, and the city is anticipating between 700,000 and 800,000 Mardi Gras visitors this year -- at least as many as 2008. Some tourism officials and business owners expect this year's attendance to top last year's numbers because Fat Tuesday, on February 24 this year, falls nearly three weeks later, giving visitors more time to plan and budget for the trip after the winter holidays.
As of Thursday, Valentino's Place d'Armes Hotel was about 96 percent booked for Mardi Gras' busiest weekend, in line with the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association's indications for Saturday bookings, the season's peak night. iReport.com: Send your travel photos of New Orleans
Other early indicators also are promising. Crowds for last Friday night's Pygmalion and Oshun parades were as thick as Valentino has ever seen them. He operates bleachers along St. Charles Avenue and is on the street every year. Typically the early, smaller-scale parades don't draw much attention, he said.
"It just appears that people feel the need to relax and celebrate, and Mardi Gras is an opportunity to step back from what they're dealing with every day and spend a little time in a mellower, less threatening, more carefree type of an environment."
Despite high expectations for Mardi Gras, the city's tourism industry hasn't completely dodged the economic downturn. Valentino has seen a dip in corporate and meeting inquiries at his hotels and less interest from leisure travelers during times that don't surround special events.
Still, visitation levels for the first quarter of 2009 have remained strong, according to the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, which spokeswoman Kelly Schulz attributes to meetings and conventions, Mardi Gras and marketing efforts to promote the city as a value destination compared with other popular American cities.
New Orleans' sparkling culinary reputation is part of its unique draw, and Patois, an Uptown restaurant away from the throngs of revelers in the French Quarter, is looking forward to a strong weekend.
By Thursday afternoon, the 60-seat restaurant had 90 people on the books for Saturday night. Chef-owner Aaron Burgau said business has been better since the beginning of the year.
Patois is closing Sunday, when the restaurant usually is open for brunch, and Burgau plans to ride in the Bacchus parade for the first time Sunday night. The ride comes at no small cost: Burgau estimated he spent about $2,500 on beads, krewe dues, a float assessment and other expenses.
Orders from krewes for beads and other throws are up this year, according to Daryl Fletchinger, owner of retail store Mardi Gras Spot and a wholesale business.
"Interestingly, everybody wants to put all of the sad, pessimistic, negative news out of their minds and do something that's very normal for New Orleanians, and that is put on the greatest free show on earth."

Remember those dreams, this New Year (A Quote)

2009-01-31T23:04:00.003-06:00

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

~ Langston Hughes ~

Chicago labor sit-in captures support from Obama

2008-12-08T06:41:00.002-06:00

This is the right way to fight for job or at the very least, the rights you have when laid off from your job. Quoted in full below from CNN, is the story of laid off workers in Chicago and the appropriate act they took to fight for their employee rights. Major kudos to them.

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- A weekend sit-in by laid-off workers at a Chicago window factory drew high-profile support from President-elect Barack Obama ahead of a Monday meeting between union leaders and the plant's major creditor.
About 200 workers from the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America have conducted what they call a "peaceful occupation" of the Republic Windows and Doors plant since Friday, when their abruptly announced layoffs were supposed to take effect.
The workers said Republic told them Bank of America had cut off credit to the company and gave them three days' notice that they were losing their jobs. Federal law requires either 60 days' notice or 60 days' pay for the laid-off workers.
"We had started to notice things, like machines, disappearing from the plant, during the weekends under cover of darkness," UE member Melvin Maclin said. "So we began asking questions, and management assured us everything was fine."
Company executives have not commented and did not take part in a Friday meeting between the union, Bank of America and U.S. Rep. Luis Guiterrez, D-Illinois. Another meeting between bank officials and the workers is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Leading political figures in the Chicago area have turned out to support the sit-in -- including the former South Side state senator who was elected president last month.
"Number one, I think that these workers, if they have earned these benefits and their pay, then these companies need to follow through on those commitments," Obama said during a news conference Sunday.
"And, number two, I think it is important for us to make sure that, moving forward, any economic plan that we put in place helps businesses to meet payroll so that we're not seeing these kinds of circumstances again."
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson delivered turkeys to the workers Sunday, and Democratic congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said Republic needs to follow the law and provide the required pay and benefits to the workers.
"These are 300 jobs we ought to save, a product they make we ought to save, and we need to work out something better than just saying 'bye bye, workers.' That is not satisfying," Schakowsky said.
Bank of America says the company has walked away and ignored its obligation to the workers. But union leaders argue that since the bank received $25 billion in taxpayer funds as part of the U.S. Treasury's efforts to stabilize the financial markets, it should step in where the company has failed.
"These people would be out on the street three weeks before Christmas with nothing," national union representative Mark Meinster said. "But what's happened here is workers have decided to stand up and say no, enough is enough. You got that big bailout -- you can make sure we get the money we're owed and say, 'no, enough is enough.' "
In a written statement issued over the weekend, Bank of America said Republic has faced "extreme financial hardship" and that it would soon decide how to proceed.
However, it added, "Neither Bank of America nor any other third-party lender to the company has the right to control whether the company complies with applicable laws or honors its commitments to its employees."

Bloodied Mumbai defiantly forges on

2008-11-30T15:45:00.002-06:00

During the height on these attacks on this beautiful city, I was glued to CNN's coverage. Here's a short article from CNN.com on how the city and its country deal with the aftermath.

By Saeed Ahmed
CNN
(CNN) -- Terror attacks have come with depressing regularity to Mumbai -- and each time the city, brought to its knees, has dusted itself off and forged on.
It did so in March 1993 when more than 250 were killed in a series of bombings on the stock exchange, on trains and at hotels.
It did so in August 2003 when two taxicabs loaded with explosives blew up outside a crowded market, killing 50.
And again in July 2006, when bombs ripped through packed commuter trains and platforms during rush hour and took 209 lives.
This time, residents say, is no different.
"Am I being more careful when I go out? No, not at all. Why would I change my habits?" said resident Netra Parikh Saturday. "I'm a proud citizen and I'll face and fight for anything that comes my way."
In a brazen series of coordinated attacks, gunmen swarmed ashore Wednesday night and launched attacks on nine locations in the city that left at least 195 people dead. Watch more about the operation to retake at the Taj hotel »
Authorities locked down the city of 13 million and asked residents to stay inside Thursday. The stock market in the city -- the financial hub of India -- was closed, as were schools and colleges. The city is also home to Bollywood, the world's most prolific film industry.
"I think I'm still in a state of shock, sort of," blogger Arun Shanghag, said that day. "I'm still very cold today. I'm just like, (I) want to take pictures and I just want to document this today. I think it has changed me. I hope it does not." The Mumbai crisis in pictures »
The very next day, a shell-shocked Mumbai gradually hobbled back.
The stock market reopened as did some businesses. Most high court judges sat for cases, but adjourned court after few lawyers and litigants showed up.
More people stepped outside, apprehensive but defiant. But false rumors of shots fired at a railway station and a nearby hospital sent panicked Mumbaikers scrambling.
By Saturday morning, tired of being glued to the TV watching the hostage crisis unfold, throngs of onlookers gathered outside the Taj Mahal hotel -- one of three locations where the gunmen engaged police in a gun battle. They cheered on officers with chants of "Bharat mata ki jai" (Glory to Mother India).
Watching the century-old iconic structure in flames was one of the hardest parts for many Mumbaikers, said Dina Mehta.
"There's a lot of sentiment associated with that structure," she said. "It's part of our cultural heritage. People can't get past those kinds of visuals."
After almost 60 tense hours, the reign of terror appeared to be over Saturday after security forces overtook the Taj -- the terrorists' last stand.
Now, residents said, a dispirited city will need to re-channel its feelings of helplessness and frustration into a can-do attitude.
"I went to the hospital and there were a lot of people donating blood," said resident Asfaq Tapia. "It was really wonderful to see so many people come out and help."
Mehta said many of the people she has bonded with via social networking media, such as Twitter, plan to gather at Cafe Leopold for beer Sunday. The popular hangout for tourists was one of the first locations the gunmen targeted.
"We can't let this get to us. Life has to go on," she said. "Most us haven't ever met each other but when you go through something like this, you want a big group hug."

As Captain Jack Sparrow once said...

2008-09-30T16:04:00.002-05:00

"Allow me to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket."

Quote of the Day: Cornel West

2008-07-26T13:41:00.003-05:00

"To be an intellectual really means to speak a truth that allows suffering to speak."

Michael Eric Dyson: Black in America

2008-07-26T13:10:00.002-05:00

As part of CNN's special investigation, "Black in America," Professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson has contributed the following story about he and his brother and the prison system here in the United States. I watched the entire special and very much appreciated the input and story Dr. Dyson contributes. As usual, the story is quoted in full below. And in case you missed it, the entire 4 hour "Black in America" investigation airs again starting at 8PM EST on CNN.

(CNN) -- Whenever the segment featuring me and my imprisoned brother, Everett, from Soledad O'Brien's searing CNN special "Black in America" airs nationally, I invariably receive an e-mail, call or comment from a black person saying our story is their story.
Not necessarily our particular truth -- one brother, an author and professor, the other a prisoner incarcerated with a life sentence -- but something close. So many black families are plagued by a similar mathematics of misery: variously stable and prospering members are divided from loved ones behind steel bars and sharply varying educational achievement, bracketed by the cruelly ironic twists of fate.
One may teach, as I did for years, at Penn. The other, like my brother, could be locked away in the pen.
The temptation is to believe that individual choice alone accounts for such differences in destiny. Successful black family members did their work and played by the rules; suffering family members ran afoul of the law and were justly locked away. Watch the brothers' story »
Of course, that is true in many cases, but in far too many cases, it's not the entire truth.
There is a vicious prison system that hungers for young black and brown bodies. The more young black and brown folk are thrown in jail, the more cells are built, and the more money made. It has been well documented that we spend far more money on penitentiaries than university education for poor black and brown males. During the 1980s and 1990s, state spending for corrections grew at six times the rate of state spending on higher education.
By the end of the last century, there were nearly a third more black men in prison and jail than in colleges and universities. That means the number of black men in jail or prison has increased fivefold in the last 20 years. In 1980, at the dawn of the prison construction boom, black men were three times more likely to be enrolled in college than incarcerated.

In 2000, there were 791,600 black men in jail or prison, while only 603,032 were enrolled in colleges or universities. In 1980, there were 143,000 black men in jail or prison and 463,700 matriculating in higher educational institutions.
In effect, the cellblock or classroom choice is oppressive. We would permit no other population of American citizens to be locked away with such callous disregard for the educational opportunity that might help stem the tide of incarceration.
Everett certainly made self-destructive, choices: He sold drugs and admitted he was a pariah to his community. But he is innocent of the charge of murder for which he is serving a life sentence in Michigan.
And he is not alone. There are thousands of black men who are rotting in jail cells who have done nothing to merit incarceration. And even when they get in trouble, a great number of black men go to prison for nonviolent drug offenses. Often, crippling racial profiling and suspicion of black men put them on a path to prison, while white males who commit similar offenses are arrested and convicted in far smaller numbers.
The point is not affirmative action for black thugs. The point is that white males often get second, third and fourth chances for reform -- either because they weren't suspected to begin with, or they are given far lighter sentences and far more favorable treatment -- while black males are severely punished for even relatively small infractions.
Besides the choices we made, Everett and I are also examples of an ugly trait that persists in black communities: the ruin of color consciousness. I am a light-skinned brother; Everett is a deep chocolate black man.
I am not suggesting that the mere difference in shade has led to his brutal circumstances and my rise. I am arguing, however, that the persistence of colorism -- a sometimes subtle hierarchy of social standing historically dictated in part by darkness or lightness of one's skin, measuring the proximity to, or distance from, the vaunted white ideal -- affected how he was viewed as a developing youth, impacting the view of what gifts he might possess while shaping the presence or absence of social opportunities open to him.
It is true that many darker skinned blacks prosper, and that lighter skinned blacks suffer. But their relative successes and failures are often unconsciously molded in a crucible of race that assigns higher value to the physical features and cultural traits that reflect those of the dominant society.
Everett is a highly intelligent young man who made grievous errors in his life, but none that deserve the fate he presently suffers. It pains me deeply -- often, by myself, to tears -- to see him suffering so long for a crime that he didn't commit. It hurts as well to know that prisons are being built to fit the failures and struggles of other young black and brown men just like him.
I feel an obligation to raise my voice in defense of millions of young black and brown men and women who may one day follow his path. I want to warn them away from the destructive personal habits that make them vulnerable to prison.
But I must also cry out against a society that would punish them in such unforgiving fashion while extending mercy to millions more who aren't poor or black.
In my mind, that inequality and injustice are the real crimes.

Tim Russert: 1950-2008

2008-06-17T13:21:00.001-05:00

It's rare to find a professional who expresses the pure joy of doing his job while keeping a smile on his face. Tim Russert was such a person and he will be dearly missed in all the lives he touched. I especially remember his work during the 2000 election while staying up into the early hours of the morning awaiting election results. This season just will not be the same without his political insight and knowledge. To say that he will be missed is an sore understatement. May he rest in peace.

"Wright issue will haunt conservative media elite" by Ronald S. Martin

2008-05-30T04:46:00.002-05:00

Copied in full below is an article by CNN political commentator Ronald S. Martin on the Rev. Wright controversy and other outspoken preachers and pastors in this country.

Now that Sen. Barack Obama has denounced his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, many of his critics, especially those who call themselves conservative, are happy he has put the dashiki-wearing, American-criticizing former Marine in his place.

See, these same voices, many that are allegedly Christian, have reacted with glee by calling Wright a prophet of hate and a race baiter.

They hold themselves up to be so concerned about their fellow brother and sister, yet if you looked at their personal lives, I doubt you'd find many with African-American friends and associates (and I doubt their staffs are the most diverse in the world, but that's another story).

But be careful what you ask for.

Now that Wright has set the so-called standard for what isn't acceptable for religious leaders, let's see these same critics take their own kind to task for making absolutely outlandish comments.

But don't stop there. Demand that candidates don't seek counsel from them. Demand that Republican candidates not go to their churches and sit in their pews and accept their contributions. And if elected, make sure those same candidates don't allow them access to the White House or halls of Congress. Turnabout is fair play, and that means guys like the Revs. Pat Robertson and John Hagee should not be sought out for their endorsements, and should be removed from any committees associated with a candidate or a political party.

Oh, I can't wait to get the e-mails from folks who will say, "Yeah, but Obama was a member of the church."

True, very true.

But if the marker is now saying anything unacceptable to the masses, then that should be the standard for any pastor: white, black, male, female, conservative or liberal. And any candidate, member or not.

I've read many of the columns and listened to the shows of these so-called conservative patriots, and few, if any, have said a word about conservative white pastors who have called for the overthrow of the government for not following Christian values (the late Francis Schaeffer, a little "g" God on the Religious Right), or who have called for the destruction of the Islamic religion of a number of Americans (Pastor Rod Parsley) and folks worldwide.

Over the weekend, Bill Moyers of PBS; E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post; and Frank Rich of The New York Times have all spoken or written about this double standard that exists in America when it comes to who can speak and about what, and they -- all white men -- were focusing on the leeway white pastors are given.

OK, take race out. Take ideology out. If comments Wright made seven years ago are now a part of the standard, let's see these so-called American-loving conservatives use their radio and TV talk shows, columns and Internet platforms to hold their own accountable for their post-September 11 comments.

Trust me, I won't be holding my breath.

Why? Because conservative religious hate has been deemed a winner at the ballot box. In fact, the more you hate, the better chance you have of getting access to the White House for tea or to be feted by the usual assortment of conservative interest groups. What these conservative media elite do is say, "Oh, poor man. The liberals just don't like you."

For them, Wright's "hate" was a stench. Their "hate" comes up smelling like roses. But to every politician, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican: Beware. The die has been cast. The repeated denunciations of Wright will now lead each and every single one of you to have your pastors' oral and written words examined. If even one thing is said that can be construed as criticizing America or deemed hateful, then expect to see it on YouTube and replayed for millions to see. I suggest you go to your pastor now and say, "Please, watch what you say. I don't want to have to denounce you on national television."

To my media pals who are part of the conservative media elite, we'll be watching. And listening. Let's just see if you're as willing to tear apart one of your own.

Trust me, I won't be holding my breath.

The Blog Digest: May 2008

2008-05-29T14:28:00.006-05:00

David Cook. The fact that Blue Springs, Missouri is home to the latest American Idol winner doesn't surprise me one bit. What does surprise me is that a Rock performer has won the big contest. Then again, perhaps a Rock performer would be preferred over a Country or Pop star although Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson are doing very well for themselves. Speaking of fame and scrutiny its brings....

Positive stories about Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears are a welcome change. Spears has turned into a reliable comedy actress while Lohan has turned to doing the same (along with some tasteful nude modeling). And speaking of the less than tasteful...

This presidential election season hasn't always been the prettiest to watch but it certainly has provided some quality entertainment before the Writer's Guild Strike ended. Race and gender have played huge roles in the demographics of this election season for obvious reasons. I very applaud the discussion of these issues in the public and political arena. While Clinton and Obama are here now, I would hope their candidacy opens up avenues for more women and people of color to run for the presidency in the future.

As it stands now, the harshness of this election season is understandable due to the high stakes of being the potential first African-American or woman to become President of the United States. If this election season has shown us anything, it is how divided our country continues over the issue of race and gender. Since the New Hampshire primary, I have always thought the Democratic candidacy has been Obama's to lose due, in large part, to the issue of gender. As Clinton continues her candidacy in the shadow of Obama's inevitable clinching of the Democratic nominee for President, she will continue to prove that like Obama, she's not just another candidate you can easily dismiss. Like Mike Huckabee's both admirable and annoying run to the very end, Clinton will NOT drop out until the "very very" end.

Shop Ebay, Buy Stolen Military Goods

2008-04-14T15:42:00.005-05:00

If you thought the military had its hands full in Iraq and Afghanistan, think again. Below is an article, quoted below in full from CNN, on military loot is being being sold on Ebay and craigslist.

"Stolen military items for sale online"

From Jim Spellman
CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sensitive and stolen U.S. military items are being sold on eBay and Craigslist, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.

Government investigators posing as buyers were able to purchase a dozen prohibited military items on the popular online selling sites. The report notes that the items purchased could easily have been shipped overseas and "used directly against our troops and allies."

The items include:

• Two F-14 fighter jet components. The United States has retired its fleet of F-14s. Only Iran is currently using them.

• Night vision goggles specially made to military specifications that allow the user to identify U.S. troops at night.

• Army combat uniforms. The military has prohibited the sale of uniforms to non-military personnel since January 2007, when Iraqi Insurgents used U.S. military uniforms to sneak into a base in Karbala and kill five U.S. service members.

• Special "enhanced" body armor vests used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not available to the general public.

EBay says that it has more than 113 million items listed for sale at any given time and that military goods account for well under one-tenth of 1 percent of those.

A quick search of eBay revealed several Army combat uniforms for sale, despite the sale ban. "With 7 million listings being added every day, we do the best we can, but things slip through from time to time," said Kim Rubey, senior public relations manager for eBay.

Testifying before the House National Security and Foreign Affairs subcommittee Thursday, eBay Vice President Tod Cohen said the company vigorously works to keep prohibited items off the site. "We created prohibited and restricted items policies and built tools using state-of-the-art technology to enforce those policies" he said.

Craigslist says it uses similar measures and relies on users to police the site. The company has only 25 employees.

Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster told the subcommittee that the rules about what can and cannot be sold are confusing.

Asked by Rep. John Tierney, D-Massachusetts, what Congress could do to make the situation better, Buckmaster answered, "It would simplify things greatly if a law were passed banning the sale of any U.S. military item less than 50 years old."

"Its sort of amazing to me that we haven't had a law to ban the sale of that." Tierney replied.

Most of the items the government investigators bought were stolen from U.S. military facilities, the GAO said.

At the subcommittee hearings, Rep. Chris Shays, R-Connecticut, pressed a Defense Department official for answers on how military goods are making their way into the marketplace.

"Do we have a serious theft problem, or do we not even know if we have the ability to know we have a serious theft problem?" Shays asked.

"I might say the latter might be more accurate," replied Charles Beardall, a deputy inspector general of the Department of Defense.

From the mind of Charles Bukowski, a Quote:

2008-04-01T05:36:00.001-05:00

"Observation put into action is the essence of art."

Quote from T.S. Eliot

2008-03-16T16:12:00.002-05:00

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

When I Can't Fall Asleep...

2008-02-28T05:13:00.004-06:00

What's a part-time writer to do when they can't fall asleep? I think I have found the answer. Since I last decorated this page with words, life has been busy, exciting, frustrating, as well as several other adjectives anyone can think of. Rollcoaster would be a good term, a solid cliche that would describe things but "on the up" would be a much better statement to describe things as they are now.

As they New Year hit, my focus turned towards returning back to school and embarking on yet another academic journey into full-fledged computer geekdom this time. Cisco routers currently light the corners of my mind as I have discovered just how secure my adventures on the web have been.

When the 31st birthday hit, January 25th, I celebrated with my "Lady Love" in the usual grand style. My fondness for "White Russians" and seafood made for a wonderful and much need relief from the workplace and school grind.

Speaking of work, in order to pull off actually going back to school, I now work four hours-a-day, from 16:30-03:00. Granted, I am a night owl and attend class on days off, but the newness of the situation has taken some adjustment and good ol' fashioned tender loving care.

Reading about the passing of Heath Ledger and the circumstances that led to his death made me take notice. Taking better care of myself has become a priority. What I have always realized is that writing, of any kind, is an important part of that process. Finding that inspiration and drive to write regardless of how much time I have in the day is so very crucial to my own well-being. The brain, after all, must breathe.

The breath of fresh air, a great piece of entertainment that has inspired me lately is a flick the whole world, except some developing nations, likely know by name: Juno. The file embodies the concept of being true to one's self while facing an otherwise adult situation. It's full of good laughs and when the inevitable adult situations must be handled, the movie doesn't ignore the responsibilities. Of course, more will be said about "this little movie that could, would, and did" later..but now..I do believe I'm feeling sleepy.

The Holiday Debate

2007-12-31T14:46:00.000-06:00

As another year draws to its expected close, it is time yet again to pother the continuing controversy over the acknowledgment of paying respect to holidays other than that one called "Christmas." For the good of profit, retailers have had no problem acknowledging the Christmas season as it is their guaranteed way to get back into the "black" for the year. Best Buy, however, has taken things one step farther and recognized Christmas, Kwanza, and Hanukkah in all of its various ads for this festive season. Perhaps the Best Buy solution is the way of this nation to simply recognize the multitude of holidays that fall around the year's end.

Christianity has dominated all year-end celebrations for at least the past century in this country. More recently however, those who hold their Bibles and the accompanying holiday dear have voiced dissatisfaction with the country's secular "Happy Holidays" acknowledgment rather than the usual "Merry Christmas." Some higher education institutions have gone as far as to question whether or not to display the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, this debate has gotten blown out of proportion. It's time to settle this debate.

The fundamental tenets of all faiths are based on a wealth of knowledge. It is through this knowledge, through differing philosophies, that grants humankind its daily purpose. Without faith, there would be no purpose. So I encourage humanity to be all it can be through Buddha, Allah, God or whatever deity or deities you worship. At the end of the day, no matter which religion you adhere to, it has given your life purpose. Without purpose, without reason to live and thrive, humanity surly would become extinct. Religion is purpose and its time that we all acknowledge that purpose no matter its form. Stand tall and proud and celebrate your faith and do not take it too personal when institutions and businesses do what is in their best interests. And with that I say to you all Happy Living and please have a happy start to 2008.

New Orleans' streetcars roll again

2007-11-15T14:43:00.000-06:00

Here is a nice little article copied in full below from CNN in regard to the continuing process of the New Orleans revival.

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- Amid a Carnival-like atmosphere, streetcars began rolling past the historic mansions of this city's Garden District Saturday for the first time since Hurricane Katrina halted the St. Charles Avenue line more than two years ago.
While only about half of the line is reopened, many see the return of the 1920s-era green cars as a sign of progress in the city's recovery and a morale booster.
"It's like having another piece of the puzzle, another piece of the city" back, said Melisa Rey, who rode on the first of a string of cars with her husband, Tom, and 10-month-old daughter, Jeanne-Marie. "It's so nice to finally have some good publicity," Tom Rey added.
Six of the 13 miles where the cars once ran are now open on the St. Charles line, and officials hope to restore full service by spring.
It's been slow going in large part due to the cost and scope of the storm's damage to the line's power system, due for an upgrade before the August 2005 storm. Mark Major, general manager of the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, praised federal highway officials for providing $14 million that he said was key to the resumption of the service.
Politicians and local officials were on hand, as they were in December when an initial loop of about 1.2 miles opened. But the feel was different, more festive.
On Saturday, a marching band led the streetcars down to the Lee Circle loop. Revelers dotted the oak-lined avenue -- some waving or holding up drinks, others carrying signs that read "No More Bus" or "Welcome Back," or offering riders Mardi Gras beads or high-fives.
Councilwoman Stacy Head called the streetcars part of the city's identity -- "everything from the noise, the clanging down the avenue to the lights at night." The St. Charles line was the oldest continuously operating line in the world before Katrina shut it down in August 2005. It began operation in September 1835.
"It's what makes New Orleans feel like home," Head said. "It's as important as red beans and rice and Mardi Gras, and it's hard to explain to people who aren't part of this city how important this is as an icon and a real-life form of transportation."
Karen Miller grew up riding the streetcar and took it to work before Katrina. It's not just for tourists, and it's far more fun than riding a bus -- especially when the windows are down, she said. A warm breeze blew through the car in which she was riding.
Transit officials expect to run about five cars on the St. Charles line. The fare is $1.25 beginning Sunday; people got to take rides for free Saturday afternoon. Four or five streetcars also are running on the Canal Street line and two are available along the riverfront.

Those Who Dare To Speak Boldly: Kevin Smith

2007-11-15T01:32:00.001-06:00

Kevin Smith. Jersey-born Writer, Director, Actor, Comic Book Fan, Husband, and Father. Of course, I could continue with yet another list of descriptors in no particular order and it still would not describe this "common man" celebrity. For those whom call themselves his fans (myself included), Mr. Smith is famous because he relates so well to folks who will never become celebrities. His movies, Clerks and its sequel in particular, present the viewpoint of ordinary people living their everyday lives trying to make a quick buck in jobs and situations they sometimes love and sometimes hate. However, Smith also introduces dialogue and lines of thought that many of us common folk are too afraid to voice. Dialogue is king in Smith's movies and does indeed breathe life, humor, intelligence, and reason into his characters ranging from the slacker to the father raising a daughter without her mother (Yes, please go rent or buy Jersey Girl).

Kevin Smith continues to define his own celebrity with his "uncomfortably candid diary" that is always hilarious and never really safe for work. While he prepares to start shooting the movie for his latest "approved" script, it is the "unapproved" script for "Red State" that will redefine him as a director. His identity as an approachable "dude" will remain intact.

A Poem To Start the Day

2007-10-18T05:11:00.000-05:00

Youth

by Czeslaw Milosz

Your unhappy and silly youth.
Your arrival from the provinces in the city.
Misted-over windowpanes of streetcars,
Restless misery of the crowd.
Your dread when you entered a place too expensive.
But everything was too expensive. Too high.
Those people must have noticed your crude manners,
Your outmoded clothes, and your awkwardness.

There were none who would stand by you and say,

You are a handsome boy,
You are strong and healthy,
Your misfortunes are imaginary.

You would not have envied a tenor in an overcoat of camel hair
Had you guessed his fear and known how he would die.

She, the red-haired, because of whom you suffer tortures,
So beautiful she seems to you, is a doll in fire.
You don’t understand what she screams with her lips of a clown.

The shapes of hats, the cut of robes, faces in the mirrors,
You will remember all that unclearly, as something from long ago,
Or as what remains from a dream.

The house you approach trembling,
The apartment that dazzles you—
Look, on this spot the cranes clear the rubble.

In your turn you will have, possess, secure,
Able to be proud at last, when there is no reason.

Your wishes will be fulfilled, you will gape then
At the essence of time, woven of smoke and mist,

An iridescent fabric of lives that last one day,
Which rises and falls like an unchanging sea.

Books you have read will be of use no more.
You searched for an answer but lived without answer.

You will walk in the streets of southern cities,
Restored to your beginnings, seeing again in rapture
The whiteness of a garden after the first night of snow

In Remembrance: 9-11

2007-09-11T16:36:00.000-05:00

Remember those who lost their lives.

Pray for those who survived with physical and emotional scars.

Persevere and live the best life you can for them all.

Quote of the day: Bukowski would agree..

2007-09-07T17:33:00.000-05:00

"I don't want to be a genius. I have enough problems just trying to be a man." --Albert Camus

New Orleans: 2 Years Later

2007-08-29T20:09:00.001-05:00

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of the "lady" that nearly wiped out New Orleans. As I was flipping through the channels today to find news stories about the city, I got the feeling that it just had not been long enough since the disaster. A good number of the stories were of hope and other were about the facts and the work still yet to be done. Much of New Orleans' future is now tied to the aftermath of engineering failures and the engineering revival that now follows. Will the Army Corps of Engineers get it right this time? Is the money being spent towards hurricane protection helping to prevent future flooding of the city?

Many more questions surround the future of New Orleans but this next question likely is the easiest to answer: Will the crime ever decrease in the city? Considerable effort is being put forth (local, state, and federal) to make sure that crime does not take over the city and keep people from returning to the place they once called home. Yes, like many of the stories heard today I still do have hope. In a way, I too take on the resilience of the people of New Orleans. The city will make a full return from the "lady." Its people who love it so won't have it any other way.

Michael Vick

2007-08-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

The once great NFL career of this quarterback has obviously now come to a screeching halt. As is typical, Vick did not live up to the responsibility that comes with being a famous player making lots of money. In fact, I would blame the money more than anything in the federal case forcing his guilty plea. In Vick's defense, his money has done a fair amount of good. While his charity work does reflect this good, it is unfortunate now that it will be outweighed by the "Bad Newz Kennels" business. I'll leave it to the public to continue the debate over dogfighting and humane treatment of animals. However, what I won't leave to the public is the issue whether Vick deserves to play in the NFL again. He will face the punishment for his crimes. After that punishment has been served, he does deserve the chance to once again play professional football. The man is only human after all, nothing more and nothing less. As much as many people now would hate seeing him have a second chance, many more people would love to see how a man can comeback from a setback like this. I know I would.

The Bridge Collapse

2007-08-03T02:09:00.000-05:00

Living here near the Missouri River, it's quite common to drive over an Interstate bridge on a daily basis. You see the water down below and think nothing of the marvel of engineering that has made the sight and your drive possible. I think now I will no longer take that for granted.

It's quite unfortunately that it takes tragedy to remind us how life is so very precious. As I await the outcome of the bridge collapse, I can only hope that the magnitude of lives lost turns out to be less that what some are predicting.

To those in and around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, the residents of Minnesota, or for anyone awaiting the full outcome of this tragedy, my heart goes out to you.

Fitting Word of the Day

2007-07-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

Recrudesce (verb)

To break out anew or come into renewed activity, as after a period of quiescence.

Term of the Day: Burn Notice

2007-06-29T09:22:00.000-05:00

As quoted from Wikipedia:

A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is an unreliable source of information or has become an unreliable source.

It is defined by the US Department of Defense's Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms as:

"an official statement by one intelligence agency to other agencies, domestic or foreign, that an individual or group is unreliable for any of a variety of reasons."

In Japan I Trust

2007-05-31T18:49:00.000-05:00

Although I am a fan of anime, I have yet to get into any of the manga that often inspires it. However, if Japan goes through with the idea that the following article promotes, I just might have to start reading manga on a consistent basis. The article is quoted in full from CNN.

Japan plans 'Nobel Prize' of Manga

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan will hand out its first "Nobel Prize of Manga" this summer for artists in the comic book genre abroad, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday -- another step in its efforts to harness the power of pop culture diplomacy.

The International Manga Award -- which manga enthusiast Foreign Minister Taro Aso likened to a "Nobel Prize" when he first proposed it last year -- will be given to an artist working abroad whose work best contributes to the spread of the manga form worldwide, the ministry said in a statement.

Manga, a name used for Japanese-style comic books, often combine complex stories with drawing styles that differ from their overseas superhero counterparts, particularly in their frequent emphasis on cuteness.

The winner and three runners-up will receive a certificate and trophy at an awards ceremony set for July 2, and will spend 10 days in Japan meeting with local comic book artists and publishers, the statement said.

"Manga and anime have been spreading overseas and are selling quite well," Aso said in announcing the award at a regular press briefing. "I want to further boost the communicative power of these so-called pieces of pop culture."

Anime is the Japanese term for animated films.

Aso has argued that warm feelings for Japanese comics and animation can translate into warm feelings for Japanese foreign policy.

He has proposed sending animation or cartoon artists overseas as cultural ambassadors, and the government has named a panel of executives to advise ways to market Japanese animation and culture to foreign audiences.

The award committee, to be composed of manga artists and publishers, is expected to make its selections around June 22, the ministry statement said.

The prize carries no monetary reward, ministry official Nobuyuki Watanabe said. The trophy's design has yet to be finalized, but it would be something "appropriate," he said.

The image says it all...

2007-04-25T17:41:00.000-05:00

Roland S. Martin: "Imus might be spark for debate on sexism"

2007-04-13T15:30:00.000-05:00

Ronald S. Martin, a radio talk show host for WVON-AM in Chicago and CNN contributor wrote the following article, quoted in full from the CNN site, about uproar over Imus. Like the Whitlock article, it is an excellent read.

(CNN) -- No one would have thought that when Rosa Parks opted not to give up her seat to a white man in 1955, a dozen years later blacks would have the full right to vote, the ability to eat in hotels and restaurants and see Jim Crow destroyed.

We might look back in a few years and come to realize that the removal of Don Imus from the public airwaves put America on a course that changed the dialogue on what is acceptable to say in public forums.

The downfall of a long, successful and controversial career, on the surface, took eight days. But for Imus, this has actually been 30 years in the making. He has used his sexual and racial schtick to pad his pocketbook. Only this time, he ran up against a group of women who presented such a compelling story, his bosses couldn't ignore the reality of his sexist and racist rant.

Although the National Association of Black Journalists led the fight to oust Imus, there is no doubt that it was that moving news conference by the Rutgers University women's basketball team that cemented the demise of Imus. Vivian Stringer was poised and strong in demanding that America look at the 10 women and see them as the real face of Imus's slurs.

And that is really the issue we must focus on. So many people tried to make this a race issue. But for me, that wasn't the primary point. I never wavered from the attack as one of a sexist. It didn't matter that he was trying to be funny. He insulted a group of women who are already accomplished.

Then again, that happens to women every day.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, a New York Democrat, is smart and talented, but to many, she's nothing but an opportunist. She's called too aggressive, not cute and is slammed regularly. But she should be praised for being a woman who has achieved a lot in her career.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is portrayed as a bumbling idiot, but her academic credentials are impeccable. You can disagree with her ideology, but to question her womanhood is silly.

Women all across this country have to play by a different standard. They often make less than men, even when doing the same job; are accused of being too tough when they are the boss; and are treated as sexual objects.

America, we have a problem with sexism. Don't try to make this whole matter about the ridiculous rants made by rappers. I deplore what's in a lot of their music and videos, but hip-hop is only 30 years old. So you mean to tell me that sexism in America only started in 1977?

Now is the time for this nation to undergo a direct examination of the depths of sexism. My media colleagues shouldn't go just for the easy target rap lyrics. That is no doubt a logical next step, but sexism is so much deeper. It is embedded in our churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, Fortune 500 companies and in the political arena. We should target our resources to this issue and raise the consciousness of people, and expose the reality.

Don Imus should not be the period. He can be the comma. Civil rights organizations, media entities, women's groups and others have an opportunity that they can't pass up. We have the chance to seize the moment to begin a conversation -- an in-depth one -- that has the opportunity to redefine America along the lines of race and sex.

I hope and pray that we have the courage to do so.

Jason Whitlock: "Imus isn’t the real bad guy"

2007-04-12T17:47:00.000-05:00

Quoted in full below from The Kansas City Star is Whitlock's take on the Imus situation and the real work that needs to be done in the Black community.

Instead of wasting time on irrelevant shock jock, black leaders need to be fighting a growing gangster culture.

By JASON WHITLOCK
Columnist

Thank you, Don Imus. You’ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.

You’ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.

You’ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

The bigots win again.

While we’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos.

I ain’t saying Jesse, Al and Vivian are gold-diggas, but they don’t have the heart to mount a legitimate campaign against the real black-folk killas.

It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.

Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.

It’s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud.

I’m no Don Imus apologist. He and his tiny companion Mike Lupica blasted me after I fell out with ESPN. Imus is a hack.

But, in my view, he didn’t do anything outside the norm for shock jocks and comedians. He also offered an apology. That should’ve been the end of this whole affair. Instead, it’s only the beginning. It’s an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda$.

I watched the Rutgers news conference and was ashamed.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for eight minutes in 1963 at the March on Washington. At the time, black people could be lynched and denied fundamental rights with little thought. With the comments of a talk-show host most of her players had never heard of before last week serving as her excuse, Vivian Stringer rambled on for 30 minutes about the amazing season her team had.

Somehow, we’re supposed to believe that the comments of a man with virtually no connection to the sports world ruined Rutgers’ wonderful season. Had a broadcaster with credibility and a platform in the sports world uttered the words Imus did, I could understand a level of outrage.

But an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction.

In the grand scheme, Don Imus is no threat to us in general and no threat to black women in particular. If his words are so powerful and so destructive and must be rebuked so forcefully, then what should we do about the idiot rappers on BET, MTV and every black-owned radio station in the country who use words much more powerful and much more destructive?

I don’t listen or watch Imus’ show regularly. Has he at any point glorified selling crack cocaine to black women? Has he celebrated black men shooting each other randomly? Has he suggested in any way that it’s cool to be a baby-daddy rather than a husband and a parent? Does he tell his listeners that they’re suckers for pursuing education and that they’re selling out their race if they do?

When Imus does any of that, call me and I’ll get upset. Until then, he is what he is — a washed-up shock jock who is very easy to ignore when you’re not looking to be made a victim.

No. We all know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old white man with a bad radio show. There’s no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out.

Not All About Imus

2007-04-12T15:57:00.000-05:00

As I type these words, CNN has broken the news that the "Imus In The Morning" radio show is no more. Perhaps this story will finally die down now that those who called for his firing finally got their wish. As a country, many of the current citizens are trying to make amends for a past riddled with racism and sexism. Imus' words served to remind many of that past, a past that various people of various cultures wish to see gone. In my opinion, Imus' words were insensitive and sexist and consistent with many males' perception of female athletes in the country. The "nappy-headed hos" comment was his attempt at being "Black," colorful, and in-league with the current hip-hop generation. During an extended political season where a watchful eye is placed on all those media professionals with political connections, Imus' firing is the collective result of bad words said at the wrong time and a loss of revenue for the networks tied to his show.

The only good that can result from this situation is the attention that needs to be focused on more critical issues that racism effects; among those being socioeconomic status and institutional (and often covert) racism. This is a rare moment in our country when the issue of racism can be explored deeper and further beyond the overt acts of discrimination. I truly believe Imus is the country's scapegoat for this country's own more covert racist attitudes. Though it will not be easy, hopeful someone with knowledge of this issue will bring it to the attention of those who are now willing to listen.

Douglas Laycock on The Pledge of Allegiance

2007-03-27T10:51:00.001-05:00

A respected lawyer and Associate Dean at University of Texas School of Law, Laycock was quoted as saying this about The Pledge:

"People don't get angry at a recital of historical and demographic facts. People get angry because they know what it means; it's plain English. They believe what it means, they want people to say what it means, they want their kids to say what it means. And I'll tell you a dirty little secret: They want to coerce other kids to say what it means and what they believe to be true. They know that 'under God' means under God."

Yet another common sense quote from a respectable lawyer. "Under God" isn't merely words people say. They carry meaning and people do, in fact, embrace that meaning.

Senator Barack Obama on The Pledge of Allegiance

2007-03-22T07:06:00.000-05:00

Here is the Senator's June 2006 quoted response to whether the words "under God" should be in the Pledge:

"But a sense of proportion should also guide those who police the boundaries between church and state. Not every mention of God in public is a breach to the wall of separation - context matters. It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase 'under God.' I didn't."

As a graduate of Harvard Law School, Obama's words are certainly grounded in legality and good old-fashioned common sense.

Tweaking The Pledge of Allegiance?

2007-03-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

Throughout my time growing up in elementary and high school, I have been required to recite the Pledge. In those times, I recited it word for word without any change or tweak from the "so-called" official version. However, lately and upon hearing the pledge recited on the job, I've humored myself with the following substitution in the words of the pledge:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under ALLAH, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Perhaps this country's own current sensitivities with all that is Islamic has encouraged me to poke fun at those very sensitivities. In the aftermath of 9/11, all that Islamic and/or Muslim was damned and discriminated against in this country. Inserting Allah into the Pledge is way for the comedian within me to test those sensitivities in a relatively safe manner. However, it is also a way for me to revisit the history of the Pledge and why, to this very day, it remains a controversy in public schools throughout this nation.

Since "under God" was added to the Pledge, opponents have cried out with some claiming this addition violated the First Amendment rights of those who are forced (school children in large part) to say it. As political organizations and religious groups continue the debate and take it onto websites, the people involved in such organizations should take a look again at the First Amendment and remember that their right to criticize as well as my right to poke fun at them are all protected under this amendment.

From a Jones Soda Bottlecap...

2007-03-07T15:59:00.000-06:00

"Nature, time, and patience are the three great physicians."

This great quote is not a consumer-submitted quote to Jones Soda but a Chinese proverb. However, I could very easily see myself submitting one of my own quotes in the near future.

Tech Crime and Punishment

2007-02-13T23:26:00.001-06:00

From MSN copied in full below is the story of a substitute teacher convicted of allowing pornographic images to be shown in a middle school classroom. Does the punishment fit the crime? Decide for yourself by reading more below.

Teacher’s porn conviction sparks tech debate
Graphic images inadvertently appeared on classroom PC, Conn. woman says

WINDHAM, Conn. - Until recently, Julie Amero says, she lived the quiet life of a small-town substitute teacher, with little knowledge of computers and even less about porn.

Now she is in the middle of a criminal case that hinges on the intricacies of both, and it could put her behind bars for up to 40 years.

She was convicted last month of exposing seventh-grade students to pornography on her classroom computer. She contended the images were inadvertently thrust onto the screen by pornographers’ unseen spyware and adware programs.

Prosecutors dispute that. But her argument has made her a cause célèbre among some technology experts, who say what happened to her could happen to anyone.

“I’m scared,” said Amero, 40. “I’m just beside myself over something I didn’t do.”

It all began in October 2004. Amero was assigned to a class at Kelly Middle School in Norwich, a city of about 37,000 people about 40 miles east of Hartford.

Amero says that before her class started, a teacher allowed her to e-mail her husband. She says she used the computer and went to the bathroom, returning to find the permanent teacher gone and two students viewing a Web site on hairstyles.

Amero says she chased the students away and started class. But later, she says, pornographic images began popping up on the computer screen by themselves. She says she tried to click the images off, but they kept returning, and she was under strict orders not to shut the computer off.

“I did everything I possibly could to keep them from seeing anything,” she says.
Prosecutor David Smith contended at Amero’s three-day trial that she actually clicked on graphic Web sites.

Several students testified that they saw pictures of naked men and women, including at least one image a couple having oral sex.

Computer consultant Herb Horner testified for the defense that the children had gone to an innocent Web site on hairstyles and were redirected to another hairstyle site that had pornographic links. “It can happen to anybody,” Horner said.

The defense argued that the images were caused by adware and spyware — programs that are often secretly planted on computers by Internet businesses to track users’ browsing habits.

They can generate pop-up ads — in some cases, pornographic ones.

“It’s absolutely plausible,” Ari Schwartz, deputy director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said of Amero’s case. “It’s a huge problem.”

But many remain skeptical, including Mark Steinmetz, who served on Amero’s jury.
“So many kids noticed this going on,” Steinmetz said. “It was truly uncalled for. I would not want my child in her classroom. All she had to do was throw a coat over it or unplug it. We figured even if there were pop-ups, would you sit there?”

The Federal Trade Commission has been cracking down on companies accused of spreading malicious spyware to millions of computer users worldwide. And pop-up blockers that can prevent so-called porn storms are now in wide use.

Amero and her supporters say the old computer lacked firewall or antispyware protections to prevent inappropriate pop-ups.

“What is extraordinary is the prosecution admitted there was no search made for spyware — an incredible blunder akin to not checking for fingerprints at a crime scene,” Alex Eckelberry, president of a Florida software company, wrote recently in the local newspaper. “When a pop-up occurs on a computer, it will get shown as a visited Web site, and no ‘physical click’ is necessary.”

Smith, the prosecutor, would not say what he plans to recommend when Amero is sentenced March 2. John Newsone, a defense attorney in Norwich familiar with the case, said Amero might be spared prison or face perhaps a year to 18 months.

Principal Scott Fain said the computer lacked the latest firewall protection because a vendor’s bill had gone unpaid. “I was shocked to see what made it through,” he said.

But Fain also said Amero was the only one to report such a problem: “We’ve never had a problem with pop-ups before or since.”

© 2007 The Associated Press.

The bottom line is this could have happened to any student in that same classroom. Since this happened to a teacher, she was held accountable as an example to those students that the same could happen to them. But the question does remain whether or not the punishment truly fits this so-called crime.

Anna Nicole Smith: 1967-2007

2007-02-08T20:34:00.000-06:00

As I came home after work and logged onto the net, the news of her death made my jaw drop. Yes, she is another celebrity but she was also another rare celebrity who did not take herself too seriously. That, in turn, made it easy to root for her during the fight for ex-husband's fortune. The passing of her son just 5 months ago was a tragic event. Her passing now only adds to the tragedy. She will be missed but her infant daughter will grow up and miss her most of all. May Anna Nicole now rest in peace.

A Quote for the Day

2007-02-06T22:24:00.000-06:00

When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it.

--Bernard Bailey

The Super Bowl, Race, and Character

2007-01-24T19:04:00.000-06:00

Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, dear friends and fellow NFL coaches will meet in Super Bowl 41 for a chance to capture the championship. What is notable and what the NFL continues to promote is the fact that this is the first time any black head coach has advanced to the championship game. Now there are 2 black head coaches advancing to the big game with the guarantee that the first Super Bowl will be won by a black head coach.

Over on ESPN.com, columnist Michael Smith adds a some much needed perspective on this event. His excellent article is quoted in full below.

It's character, not color, that separates Smith, Dungy
By Michael Smith
ESPN.com

So just how big a deal is it that a brotha (two as it turned out) finally led a team to the Super Bowl? Put it this way: a big enough deal to make black folk in Baltimore root for the hated Colts.

"We're leaving Baltimore," Colts coach Tony Dungy recalled, "and the bus drivers, they were all black guys. They said, 'We were rooting for you today [in the divisional-round game against the Ravens] and we're rooting for you next week. Even though we live in Baltimore, we want you to win and get to the Super Bowl.'"

In the African-American community, the excitement of having Dungy and Chicago's Lovie Smith -- two of the league's six coaches who happen to be members of said community -- make history by becoming the first such coaches to reach pro football's biggest game (played during Black History Month, no less) is similar to when Halle Berry and Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx won Oscars for leading roles. The difference is that awards and elections are subjective. Having two coaches whose skin happens to be darker than most of their peers lead teams to the Super Bowl simply is the inevitable result of equal opportunity.

"It's just like we've said all along," Dungy said. "If you give enough people an opportunity, it's going to be just like everything else -- you're going to have some guys that rise to the top, you're going to have some guys that do well, you're going to have some guys that have to change situations. We're going to be no different than anybody else. Eventually there will be plenty of guys that get there."

For Dungy and Smith to get their teams here had nothing to do with where their ancestors originated. Just as a person's ethnicity, ideally, should have nothing to do with ... well, anything.

So, then, why are we wasting so much (air) time talking about the colors of these men's skin?

I've been guilty of it for six paragraphs, but no more. It distracts us from what's really important: what's inside these men. And, trust me, it would do people good to see more of that.

Dungy and Smith are role models, not just for coaches who look like them or men who look like them, but for all coaches and all men. They live their lives the right way, and as a result they do their jobs the same way. Their priorities are, in order: faith, their families and football. The outcome of the Super Bowl or any game does not define them. They personify words such as class, grace, dignity, honor and integrity. We all can draw inspiration from men such as these.

Dungy and Smith haven't sold their souls in pursuit of the game's Holy Grail, and yet here they are, reminding us that good men can do great things, that nice guys can and do finish first. Dungy learned from Dennis Green and Chuck Noll and passed it on to assistants Smith, Mike Tomlin, Herman Edwards and Rod Marinelli (all head coaches now) that it's OK to enjoy life outside the facility. Dungy and Smith are family men. And they still win.

You won't hear either utter a word of profanity. And they still win. They care about and foster relationships with their players. And they still win. They serve their communities. And still, somehow, they find time to do what it takes to prepare their teams.

Dungy can -- imagine -- spend the Saturday evening before the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots at the mall with his family. Or Dungy, Smith, Edwards and each of their wives can gather for dinner at P.F. Chang's the night before Dungy's Colts and Edwards' Chiefs met in the first round of the playoffs. And yet it didn't halt the Bears' or Colts' journeys to Miami.

Dungy and Smith are Christian men who serve the Lord first and spend nearly as much time serving their communities. Doesn't prevent them from winning. And often. In just three seasons Smith, last season's Coach of the Year, has helped build the Bears into a league power. Dungy has won more regular season games than any coach since 1999. Where does color factor into that?

After they won their conference championships, you heard Smith talk about his "being blessed" and Dungy give thanks to God. That isn't just lip service with these guys. As Christians they believe it is their responsibility to let their light shine whenever they're in the spotlight. Just as they have a game plan for each other come Super Bowl Sunday, both plan to use the global platform that the Super Bowl provides to speak words that could make an impact beyond football. At his oldest son James' funeral last year, Dungy used the eulogy as an opportunity to teach lessons about manhood and fatherhood.

Neither man gets caught up in, you know, being the head coach. Talk about humility: Smith was seated among the fans at the RCA Dome for the Colts-Chiefs playoff game (the Bears had a bye) when a fan approached him for an autograph. Smith, who had been signing for several minutes already, politely told her "not right now" and said he would like to turn his attention to the game. But he watched as she returned to her seat, and during the next break he went over and gave her the autograph.

Regarding a coaching matchup between friends and former colleagues, these are the kinds of things we should be talking about exclusively leading up to the game, the class way in which Dungy and Smith lead their respective organizations. Not something as trivial as Dungy and Smith's skin color. It seems as if every day we hear about players getting arrested or being involved in some embarrassing incident -- and failing as role models. When Dungy walks away from coaching he likely will devote more of his time to the prison ministry about which he's so passionate. He and Smith are examples of what a strong man is. Never mind what they look like. They're the perfect people to represent not just the African-American community but the NFL community.

On Jan. 15, the nation celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We could honor his dream by celebrating Dungy's and Smith's achievements not because of the color of their skin, but the content of their character.

There's a lot of talk about hoping for a day when black coaches in the Super Bowl won't be a big deal, when we won't find it necessary to refer to a coach as a "black coach" (or any person by their race, for that matter).

What's wrong with that day being today? Dungy and Smith have made history, and we happily acknowledge it. As for our practice of categorizing NFL head coaches, let's make that history, too.

Dear Blog

2007-01-20T20:20:00.000-06:00

Dear Blog,

I have perhaps neglected you in the most important period when you needed me most: the harsh winter months. However, I want you to know that you've never been too far from my thoughts. In fact, I've have time to reflect on the very words I was going to use to fill this space. In the month and 19 days since I last etched upon your surface, much has happened in the real physical world. Therefore, I will now use the next lines to look back at those happenings.

Although this country has a new Secretary of Defense the war in Iraq rages on.

Time magazine named "You" as the Person of the Year.

Charges of rape were dropped against three Duke lacrosse players as men around US college campuses continue to behave badly.

The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, died on Christmas Day. Later that day, "Get Up Offa That Thing" became the main ringtone on my cell.

Gerald Ford, former President of the United States, died the next day at the age of 93.

Saddam Hussein, 5th president of Iraq, was executed 4 days later.

Seven policemen charged in a deadly Danziger Bridge shooting in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina turned themselves in at a New Orleans city jail.

Hitachi broke the 1 terabyte barrier in hard disk drive capacity as I heavily consider buying a new hard drive for my main computer.

Orange juice is likely to get very expensive as The Winter Freeze of 2007 hit the California orange crop.

Snow Days

2006-12-01T21:14:00.000-06:00

Boone County, Missouri, city of Columbia, was witness to a rare weather event in the early hours of this morning. Any kid desiring a day off from school or any adult wanting a reason to not go into work need only wish for more thundersnow. Thundersnow is meteorological proof that snow and thunder mix together quite well. There are fifteen inches of proof right now, outside, in and around my car. This is the only day in memory that I truly wish I had a gas guzzling, 4x4 car that could drive through the flaky white that has infested the roads.

For those fortunate enough to own one of these cars, they were out and about today helping out those who most needed it. Nurses and doctors still needed to get to work and take of those who needed care no matter what. Senior citizens who rely on a daily meal delivery still needed that food. And the newspaper journalists and newsreporters, sensing the stories in the making, will find a way to get out there and tell them.

A Weekend for The Gamers

2006-11-19T13:18:00.000-06:00

Being the computer and videogame geek that I am, this weekend cannot go on without at least a mention of the console launches of Sony's Playstation 3 and Nintendo's Wii.

The Playstation 3 continues Sony's tradition of using console launches to introduce new technology to consumers. The Blu-ray disc drive technology makes its debut in the PS3 with the promise of offering greater storage capacity for high definition video than the present DVD standard. However, unlike the Playstation 2 which introduced DVDs to consumers, PS3 has a competing disc format (HD-DVD) which could beat it out to replace the DVD standard. At $499 USD for the basic system and $599 USD for the premium system, the technology is there for those who can shell out the money. However, there are no guarantees that Blu-ray technology will catch fire.

The Nintendo Wii ($250 USD) is representative of Nintendo's long-standing strategy to make consoles that do one thing well: play the games. While Nintendo has never been concerned about forwarding the technology standard, their great concern has been with raising the standard of gameplay. To that end, the company has crafted the Wii Remote, a motion sensing controller that integrates actual bodily movements (hands and arms) into gameplay. It is an innovation that is sure to put more exercise back into videogaming much like DDR. Again, much like Sony's Blu-Ray, there are no guarantees that the Wii Remote will catch fire among the populace.

In the battle for mindshare and dollars, Sony and Nintendo each have their own strategy that has proven to work in past launches. While each console maker has their own legion of diehard fans (or fanboys), each system as time goes on will prove to be beneficial for all who are curious to play them.

Ed Bradley: 1941-2006

2006-11-09T18:21:00.000-06:00

As a legendary news journalist, primarily for his work on 60 Minutes, Ed Bradley will be missed.

May he rest in peace.

Hacking Democracy

2006-11-05T14:20:00.000-06:00

Those with the privilege to have HBO or know someone with the privilege must check out this documentary. It is an in-depth exposé on how voting machines can be easily manipulated to alter the course of an election. Granted, some may look at the film as a piece of political propaganda designed to attack President Bush and the Republican party. However, this documentary does not place sole blame on the political machine of either party. It does, however, show how votes can be manipulated without evidence of that manipulation. This film should open the government's eyes to what must be done to prevent any such manipulation that could change the course of history.

Those Who Dare To Speak Boldly: Katie Couric

2006-10-26T21:56:00.001-05:00

Katie Couric. The anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News has put her own imprint on the nightly news cast. Among these is the excellent segment on each newscast called "Free Speech" where people from across the political and social spectrum are allowed to talk freely about a reigning issue of the day. As Couric continues to reshape nightly news, she will undoubtedly bring along the advancements it so much needs. With all due respect to Brokaw, she is clearly following in his footsteps and becoming this century's pacesetter.

Breast Cancer Awareness

2006-10-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

Although this month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, this is an important time to also be aware of any type of cancer that could potentially be affecting a family member. Don't hesitate to get you or someone you love checked out.

In other words: Livestrong.

On the Literary Front

2006-10-19T23:53:00.000-05:00

"Searching for the Muse," one of my latest works in progress, seems to have found its living, breathing inspiration. I have a good feeling that a night of writing is in my future, in my very near future. When one sees the strength and resilience of an individual as I have seen this night, one can't help but being drawn to that person. If nothing else, defining her will help to define me. In this time of transition in my own life, writing for any answers is necessary.

Life Imitating Art

2006-10-16T19:54:00.000-05:00

"Lost In Translation" is one of my favorite Bill Murray movies. It also seems like the movie is one of Murray's personal favorites as it has seemingly inspired a trip to a party. Details are below in the brief article from CNN.

LONDON, England (AP) -- Bill Murray created a small sensation in the Scottish town of St. Andrews, joining Scandinavian students at a late-night party and even helping to wash the dishes, a newspaper reported Sunday.

In the movie "Lost in Translation," Murray plays a lonely middle-aged actor in Japan who befriends a young American woman and goes partying with her.

And in what The Sunday Telegraph said was life imitating art, the 56-year-old Murray joined up with 22-year-old Norwegian student Lykke Stavnef, who took him to a house where a student party was in full swing.

"Nobody could believe it when I arrived at the party with Bill Murray," Stavnef, a social anthropology student, was quoted as saying. "He was just like the character in 'Lost in Translation.'

The newspaper reported that Murray met Stavnef at a bar where he was drinking with fellow golfers after playing in the October 5-8 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St. Andrews with other actors.

To Stavnef's surprise, Murray accepted her invitation to a party and accompanied her and her friend to a party, the newspaper said.

She said she was first concerned when the apartment had no clean glasses left, but that Murray was happy to drink vodka from a coffee cup and also helped wash dishes in the cramped kitchen.

The Sunday Telegraph article was accompanied by a photograph that appears to show Murray, dressed in a checkered shirt and a brown vest, washing a metal pot at the sink.

As news spread around the city that Murray had turned up at the student party, the house became crowded with people wanting to meet the star of "Ghostbusters," the article said.

"He was joking with me about reheating some leftover pasta and how drunk everyone was," said partygoer Agnes Huitfeldt, 22.

Tom Wright, 22, another college student, said "the party was overflowing with stunning Scandinavian blondes."

"He seemed to be in his element, cracking lots of jokes," Wright said. "It was the talk of the town the next day."

Shortly after doing the dishes, Murray left the party, the students said.

Jonathan Swift on wisdom

2006-10-09T22:41:00.000-05:00

No wise man ever wished to be younger.
- Jonathan Swift

As I approach my 30th birthday arriving in a few months, I am reminded by this quote that with age comes wisdom and knowledge. I look forward to it along with the gray hair and baldness I know I will have.

Next Generation

2006-10-05T23:38:00.000-05:00

In the early to mid 90's, Next Generation was known as one of the best gaming industry magazines in the U.S. Since that time it was cancelled and is now currently resurrected as a website. The website continues the strong tradition of excellent writing and in-depth perspective on the videogaming industry at-large. The site goes above and beyond the mere reporting and reviewing of games. The site studies the trends and influences that drive the videogame industry today. As such, this site is highly recommended to anyone who desires to make a start in this interactive industry.

Charles M. Schulz on Life

2006-10-04T23:30:00.000-05:00

My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?

Yes, this truly does sound like something Charlie Brown would say.

Basement Jaxx: Crazy Itch Radio

2006-10-03T23:13:00.000-05:00

Browsing around Amazon as I so often do, I discovered that my favorite electronica duo had released a new album nearly 3 weeks ago. Therefore, I immediately went out and purchased the album. There's nothing better than bringing the club music to your house or car. Basement Jaxx continues their pioneering ways by reinventing what electronica is all about. A creative soul like myself thoroughly appreciates the fusion of music genres represented in this duo's work. And may they continue to do it for many years to come.

Crazy News Day

2006-10-02T22:41:00.000-05:00

There's little more that can be said than that.

Former Rep. Foley by now knows that email is not a confidential form of communication.

And unfortunately, a small Amish community in Pennsylvania knows that the violence of the world is not out of their reach. May those whom lost their lives rest in peace.

Bukowski on Politics

2006-09-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting.

Factotum

2006-09-29T19:06:00.000-05:00

Fac‧to‧tum [fak-toh-tuhm]:

1. a person, as a handyman or servant, employed to do all kinds of work around the house.

2. any employee or official having many different responsibilities

Factotum, Bukowski's second novel, was released in its movie form just last month in the U.S. I'll be checking out this movie tonight with a keen eye on the performance of Matt Dillion, portraying the author's fictional alter-ego, Hank Chinaski. After watching this movie tonight, I will very likely be compelling to do something I have never done: read a Bukowski novel.

Schoolboy lands lunch date with beauty queen

2006-09-28T22:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you never know until you ask. Other times, you simply get very very lucky. Short and offbeat story posted below for chuckles, glee, and a bit of shameless jealousy on my part. IF only I did this when I was 17...if.... :)

SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- A plucky Australian schoolboy who asked a former Miss Universe to his school dance, only to be rebuffed, has finally had his dream date over lunch.

Daniel Dibley, 17, needed a partner for the school dance in the Australian country town of Bathurst, west of Sydney, and he decided to aim high.

He wrote to Australia's best-known beauty queen, Jennifer Hawkins, to ask her to the dance, and was stunned when the 2004 Miss Universe accepted.

But in a decision that would break any schoolboy's heart, Hawkins later pulled out of the date because the overwhelming publicity had overshadowed plans for the end-of-year dance, which is for students in their final year of high school.

Instead, the Seven television network said Hawkins visited Dibley's Bathurst High School on Tuesday for a private lunch date with Daniel, and to speak to the school assembly, where she apologized for all the fuss.

"I didn't want you guys to think I didn't want to come to Bathurst, or I didn't want come to the formal [dance]," Hawkins, now a television presenter, told the school assembly.

"I did. It just became too big. I just wanted a low-key thing."

Wikipedia: Poetry Portal

2006-09-26T21:52:00.000-05:00

I do believe I have found another favorite home on the internet. I could spend hours sifting around this well spring of poetic information. Yes, I am truly a geek. I have also likely upset Rudyard Kipling from his grave as his well-known poem "If" is apparently the most anthologized poem ever, a fact he began to recognize shortly before his death. Pardon the pun, but if I had known this tidbit of info, I'd likely would not have posted the poem on this very blog. On the other hand, bad poems do not get published in anthologies over and over again. Of course, I'm likely to find the poem that proves that opinion wrong.

Term of the Day: "Cold Open"

2006-09-25T22:10:00.000-05:00

A cold open (also referred to as a teaser) in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. Shows which air some form of titles before jumping in to the story and then running a formal opening sequence are also considered cold opens.

Cinematically, the cold open can last anywhere from less than a minute up to ten minutes (or more in rare circumstances). Perhaps the best known example is the pre-title "teaser" which occurs in all James Bond films since From Russia with Love. An extreme case happens in The Last Action Hero, The Mummy Returns, Gangs of New York, Lost in Space, and Miami Vice, five films in which the whole movie could be considered the cold opening, with the usual "opening titles" appearing at the beginning of the end credits.

Kudos to tonight's episode of Studio 60 for bringing this term to my attention.

Herman Hesse on Character

2006-09-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

"People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest."
--Hermann Hesse

Perhaps I would be better off as a dishonest person in this world. As some of my own family members remind me, it certainly is much more fun. The fundamental reason why people do not trust courageous and trusting souls is due to belief that all human beings have at least one flaw in their character. We live in a cynical world and it is those flaws that we seek in each other first before searching for virtues.

Clinton v. Fox News: Must See Video

2006-09-24T23:56:00.000-05:00

I will confess now that I loved Bill Clinton as a president. And this moment only solidifies that love.

Social Stratification

2006-09-24T23:36:00.000-05:00

During my most recent tour of duty in graduate school, the topic of social stratification was brought up among a group of fellow students. This is to say that these students felt that social classes here in the United States were shaped in such a way that made the janitors and waiters just as neccessary as the CEOs and presidents of companies. However, no one here in U.S. as far as I know aspire to be a janitor or a waiter. Most aspire to have a job that has some sort of prestige and the money that often comes along with that prestige. Also, the higher a desired job pays, the longer it takes for a person to find that particular job.

As much as this country needs presidents, CEOs, and college professors, it also needs individuals willing to work what many consider to be bottom feeding jobs. Not everyone has access to the education I have received and therefore, their choices are limited. As scholars and economists continue to debate social stratification, they must realize that is their salaries and the world's obsession with money that drives the entire system.

A Niles Crane Moment

2006-09-23T21:20:00.000-05:00

Public restrooms often scare me to the point of often "holding it" until I can get myself home. However, when holding means suffering more than one would like, it's nice to know that some bathrooms do feature those loves paper toilet rings to slap down on the seat. If a bathroom were not to feature these lovely paper rings, there's always the Niles Crane method of covering the entire toilet seat with paper. But then there's the question of just how much a protection streamer thin paper could provide against the microbes from the seat's prior occupants. Yes, it could be time to bring along my own toilet paper if I ever decide to use a public restroom again.

Quote on "Shyness"

2006-09-22T11:58:00.000-05:00

"Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people."
--Andre Dubus

3DTV: TV of the future

2006-09-21T22:50:00.000-05:00

Televison of the future could add a third dimension. Also, this could likely be the time that HDTV becomes standard around the world. The BBC article is quoted in full below.

3D TV 'could be three years away'

3D television could be in homes within three years, according to a European research consortium.

Levent Onural, co-ordinator of the multinational 3DTV network, said the technology was already in place for 3D TV and cinema to become commonplace.

The consortium, funded by the European Commission, consists of about 200 researchers in seven countries, and is halfway through its four-year duration.

However, Prof Onural said holographic television was at least 10 years away.

He said: "We do think holographic 3D TV is feasible, but the technology is not in place yet.

"If you ask my opinion, it will take another 10 years to get there, but some say it will take 14 to 20 years."

However, he said that it would offer the "ultimate viewing experience".

"For example, take a football game. Viewers would be able to look at a TV that will be like a coffee table and see small-scale real football players made up from light running around on that table."

Lower-end technologies

The research consortium is looking into all aspects of 3D technology, such as capturing 3D motion scenes, computerised representation, transmission and display.

Professor Onural, who is based at Bilkent University, Turkey, said: "Lower-end technologies, such as stereoscopic 3D (a method of displaying an image that gives the impression of depth) will be commonplace in homes and cinemas in about three years."

He said the technology had been present for many years, but recent advances would mean the motion sickness that has made 3D films an unpleasant viewing experience in the past could be reduced.

The research consortium has also developed and tested 3D stereoscopic displays where the viewer can look at 3D images without special glasses.

Professor Onural said: "With stereoscopic cinema, we think that there will be huge interest from the movie-goers, and we think it will be available in regular movie houses in three years.

"We think that some people might want to purchase 3D television sets for home viewing. "

However, he admitted that he did not "yet know how the consumers will behave and what the commercial success of that project will be".

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/5360742.stm

White House uses YouTube

2006-09-20T17:55:00.000-05:00

No, you won't find any secret Clinton videos but one will find anti-drug message videos. Should our government use YouTube as an extension of its anti-drup campaign or are they speaking to the wrong audience? Bottom line: The message about the dangers of the drug use need to be straight forward and direct and not feature a frying pan and a smashed egg like the commericals of the 80's. Ultimately, its the strength of the message and its impact on peers of youth that will curtail the kiddies' desire to experiment.

Studio 60 Impressions

2006-09-19T23:05:00.000-05:00

In short, the show did not disappoint. The character that most impressed me was the network executive played by Steven Weber. It was also amazing to see Matthew Perry being his funny self in that Aaron Sorkin, wit-filled way. I hope the show draws an audience because the quality is certainly there and the pilot did its job by establishing several reasons why the viewers should watch.

On the Tube: Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip

2006-09-18T21:02:00.000-05:00

Very soon, I'll be checking out this new show from the creators of the beloved "The West Wing." The show has a tremendous amount of hype surrounding it. Accordingly, I need to see what this hype is all about.

I do suspect the show will have the crisp writing that "The West Wing" had and the comedic wit that "Sports Night", another Aaron Sorkin show, displayed during their original runs.

Those Who Dare To Speak Boldly: Spike Lee

2006-09-17T20:21:00.001-05:00

Spike Lee. This filmmaker started his career by making films that make the viewer think about a variety of issues including race relations and politics. Thankfully, he continues to make those same films today. 25th Hour, a movie featuring Edward Norton as a convicted drug dealer enjoying his last day of freedom, is one of Lee's best and underappreciated films. It is also one of the first films to incorporate the events of 9/11 into its plot.

When the Levees Broke is Lee's latest and documentary about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It is a four hour, four part in-depth examination of the aftermath and response to the diaster. It is also an exploration of reasons why the levees broke and why they did not have to break.

As Lee continues his work, his films are a reminder that controversial and difficult issues need not to be buried in our own discomfort. By facing that discomfort and putting ourselves in the shoes of the characters in his films, we do learn something so very valuable about ourselves.

State of The Blog: Year 1

2006-09-17T18:44:00.000-05:00

After a Labor Day sabbatical and a reluctant move back to the first place I ever called home, the time has come to look back on the year that was the first for this place in webspace.

First and foremost, there are so many other things I want to explore using the space I've adopted here. The Islamic faith is one religion I firmly believe I need to explore in a series of posts. As it stands now, Islam is synonymous with the word "terrorist" in this country. Yet, there are millions of people who practice this faith around the world who are not terrorists. I truly want to explore this topic further but especially because of the sensitivity that surrounds it.

Exploring the aftermath of Katrina and New Orleans must also continue to be a focus of this space. This blog was only weeks old when New Orleans became a flooded plain of death. Although the storm has passed, the real crisis for the city has just begun. There is still much work to be done on many of the low lying areas including the 9th Ward. My love for the city will keep me more than curious about its revival.

On the lighter side of things, it's time I get back to "the funny" and the ridiculous. I no longer have the pressure of graduate school upon my shoulders and with that weight gone, I'm breathing so much better. There's a new pressure, however, the pressure to get that job to fully take care of myself. At times, I find myself fighting that "I want it now" feeling realizing that "the dream job" hunt takes time. Now, more than ever, I need to laugh at myself, at my own attempts to get it right and make it through this one life I get. The summer story currently in progress truly reflects this.

When I created this blog back on August 10, 2005, I vowed that this journey would be "hilarious, serious, introspective, political, philosophical, and mundane." And so, it will be continue to be just that with a tweak here and a tweak there, much like my own growth.

Year 2 has already begun and now it shall continue.

Those Who Dare To Speak Boldly: Tuesday's Children

2006-09-11T21:06:00.002-05:00

For this, post number 200, I could not let this day pass without bringing notice to a group of very courageous children. On that tragic day five years ago, nearly 3,000 children lost a parent. Today, these children form the group, Tuesday's Children. Together at camps and other functions, these children share their feelings and experiences dealing with the lost of at least one parent. As I watched the 60 Minutes newscast last night, many of these children spoke out, stating in no uncertain terms about their anger and discomfort in being constantly perceived as victims of the tragedy. One boy, now 15, spoke of being angry at everyone for a long time, perhaps unable to process his own emotions. However, each of thse children spoke of the strength they drew from one another at the events established by the organization. The organization continues its work and continues to let these children work to make their lives as normal as possible.

Posted on main website today, the organization passes on the following messge:

In commemorating September 11, 2001 join Tuesday's Children in performing an act of kindness. Examples of past good deeds include helping a senior citizen with much needed tasks or errands, helping around the house without being asked and volunteering to babysit or food shop for a needy family. Any good deed is acceptable.

The Ultimate Gas Discount?

2006-08-31T22:05:00.000-05:00

Now, this seems like a the gift that keeps on giving...with an interesting catch. Story found on CNN and quoted in full below.

SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Hot and bothered by rising pump prices? Australian brothels are offering clients discounts based on their gas bills.
Brothel owners claim the system works much the same way as supermarkets that offer shoppers discounted gas prices by presenting their grocery bills when they fill up their tanks.
"If you come in and spend time with one of our lovely ladies, we'll give you a discount of 20 cents a liter," Kerry, manager of Sydney brothel the Site, told Reuters on Wednesday.
There is no link between brothels, petrol providers or supermarkets, but brothels such as the Site and Madame Kerry's say the system is simple.
Once you've filled up your car, bring your receipt to the brothel, and they'll discount the price of your visit.

Quote: Oscar Wilde

2006-08-27T13:13:00.000-05:00

Genius lasts longer than beauty.

For other brilliant quotes from Wilde, just click the link above.