Dawning-Yawning...

A couple of interesting things in the news: Osama trash-talks Obama and Hitler gets taken from his parents. What a morning!!! Somewhere in between is a nice little place I like to call 'my world'...

3 years???

Has it been that long? Amazing...

Well- here is the latest about my life:

1] Leaving the I.T. field to go into law enforcement. Big difference? I don't believe that to be the case; clients\public expect service and problem resolution. Difficult situations require troubleshooting and ingenuity. Possibly dangerous situations if you make the wrong choices. Sounds very similar- except, I will have a firearm. I have every bit of faith in myself.

2] I have a 2yr old daugther that is a HANDFUL! Strong, independent, curious, persistent. Sound like anyone you know? I wish! That girl is way beyond my personality. I look forward to watching her grow.

3] Living in Colorado! From the midwest, to the west coast, to the continental divide: prairie\river valley, to ocean, to mountains. Restless? Not at all. This is where I will be for the next 20 years...

Anyway, I will be keeping this blog up to date a lot more than before- when I am not swamped with academy studies and parenting. Stay tuned!

Conservative Christians appear to be more 'conservative' than 'christian'...

An article in the Washington Post attempts to focus a little attention to the apparent hypocricy of the 'Religioius Right' when it comes to one of Jesus' most touted practices: caring for the poor. The absence of any outcry from the Conservative Christian movement in regards to government plans to cut services to the poor [while also cutting taxes for primarily the rich] seems to point to their Republican ideology over-shadowing the religious beliefs. The response:

... groups such as Focus on the Family say it is a matter of priorities, and their priorities are abortion, same-sex marriage and seating judges who will back their position against those practices.

So, let me get this straight... Jesus had 'priorities'? He didn't just speak on EVERYTHING- he would focus his efforts more on the BIG things like defending 'Christmas', getting the 10 commandments put into EVERYTHING [schools, gov't buildings], and keeping 'under God' in the pledge of allegiance?

Thanks for clearing that up for me...

Cancel that "Up North Trip"...

According to an article on SOHH.com, it seems that Canada may be closing its borders to 'Gangsta Rap' imports.

With a member of Parliament recently requesting that Canadian Immigration deny 50 Cent entrance into the country, reports are surfacing that Canuck authorities are seeking to ban "gangsta" rappers from performing up north.

Toronto MP Dan McTeague recently asked Canadian Immigration Minister Joe Volpe to deny Fiddy access into the country for a tour... In his initial request, McTeague contended that Fif's music glorified gunplay and that a concert wouldn't be appropriate considering the numerous gang-related shootings that have taken place in Toronto this past year.

Meanwhile, others claim that Canadian authorities are not only concerned with the artists' criminal records, but are looking to ban black American artists or rappers for "being too gangsta."

I guess the historic 'welcome mat' that had been extended to Blackfolk since the days of slavery has been rolled up in this instance. Though I may agree with the position on the tastelessness of the music, I wonder if this is something that goes ACROSS THE BOARD- for all music genres that carry similar content. I would hate for this to be ONLY about Black artists...

My 'beliefs' [or lack thereof...]

My wife & I have been trying to figure out exactly what we believe- as a couple and as individuals- regarding 'God'. We have found ourselevs more interested in a Bhuddist or Agnostic stance, but I am a little more radical than my wife. After studying several religions and spending more than half of my life under the tight grasp of a very religious Southern-Baptist family, I am more apt to dump religious theory altogether.

With that in mind, I listened to a recent "This I Believe" essay on NPR from Penn Jillette [the 'talker' in the magic duo Penn & Teller]. He explained his position on Atheism FAR BETTER than I ever could. I will admit that the guy can be a little wordy or 'intellectual' at times, but I like what he had to say. I am asking you to please read this with an open mind and consider some of the things he mentioned.

I am not trying to convert you or 'debunk' your beliefs; I am hoping that some of the things he mentions make you think about how we can change our PRESENT world, instead of looking forward to the 'after-life'.

[Saying] "This I Believe"... seems to demand something more personal, some leap of faith that helps one see life's big picture, some rules to live by. So, I'm saying, "This I believe: I believe there is no God."

Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me. It seems just rude to beg the invisible for more. Just the love of my family that raised me and the family I'm raising now is enough that I don't need heaven. I won the huge genetic lottery and I get joy every day.

Believing there's no God means I can't really be forgiven except by kindness and faulty memories. That's good; it makes me want to be more thoughtful. I have to try to treat people right the first time around.

Believing there's no God stops me from being solipsistic. I can read ideas from all different people from all different cultures. Without God, we can agree on reality, and I can keep learning where I'm wrong. We can all keep adjusting, so we can really communicate.

I don't travel in circles where people say, "I have faith, I believe this in my heart and nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or another two words that the FCC likes less. But all obscenity is less insulting than, "How I was brought up and my imaginary friend means more to me than anything you can ever say or do." So, believing there is no God lets me be proven wrong and that's always fun. It means I'm learning something.

Believing there is no God means the suffering I've seen in my family, and indeed all the suffering in the world, isn't caused by an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent force that isn't bothered to help or is just testing us, but rather something we all may be able to help others with in the future. No God means the possibility of less suffering in the future.

Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have.

Sorry to keep you waiting...

I know I have been gone for a while; I haven't had a chance to focus my mind on things worthy of blogging. A new job will do that to you.

Well- I am back. I was catching up on my news reading\viewing from last week and watched the 11/17 episode of "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer". One of the topics of discussion was possible perceptions and thoughts regarding Bob Woodward's disclosure that he was possibly the FIRST journalist that was a recipient of the CIA 'leak' information.

Interesting...

2 years after the fact, he lets this information out. Not only that- this guy went on TV criticizing the prosecutor for pursuing this case and championing Judith Miller's position for a while. Wow! I guess he still thinks that 'Deep Throat' covers his ass on all things regarding secret sources. Woodward and a lot of other journalists are still moaning about the importance of confidential sources in uncovering wrong-doing and other questionable actions by powerful people\organizations.

My position on that? Hmm- two things:
1] This case doesn't involve a 'whitsle blower' that needed to be protected from a vengeful boss; in fact, the guys blowing the proverbial whistle have more power than the guy they were smearing.
2] I am getting tired of 'confidential sources' and the supposed 'trust' we are asked to give newsroom editors in regards to vetting these sources and stories for accuracy and validity.

I think it has been proven that two of the 'most respected' newspapers in the US [NY Time & Washington Post] have editors that are incapable of handling their star-staff. Miller dragged the NYT through her mess without explaining what she REALLY knew, and now Woodward kept his bosses in the dark while he reported [and commentated] on Miller's situation- while he was IN the same situation! I heard that some people are calling him "Mr. Run Amok"...

Instead of 'Woodward & Bernstein' from the Watergate Era, is it now 'Woodward & Miller' giving us the scoop on 'Iraq-gate'?

As my man Chuck D would say:
"CAN'T TRUSS IT!!!"

Straight from out the BOONDOCKS!!!

The following are the GREATEST theme song lyrics of ALL TIME:
I am the stone that the buidling refused-
I am the VISUAL, the INSPIRATION...
That made lady sing the blues.
I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.
The same spark that lights the dark-
So that you can know your left from your right.
I am the ballot in your box, the bullet in the gun;
The inner glow that lets you know to call your 'brother' SON.
That story that just begun,
The promise of what's to come...
And I will remain a soldier until the WAR is WON.

And with that... I begin the criticism, in REAL-TIME while watching the show:

[The first 10min] I am FEELIN' this show! This is my mindstate as a child; one foot in the 'hood, the other in the 'burbs. Sure, there are moments when I felt that the show went over the top, but so does The Family Guy! It's far-fetched, yet funny in the ghetto-sense; an exaggerated version of my grandparents telling me to behave in front of white people,then calling them 'peckerwoods' after they left the house.

It makes fun of us, 'them', and anyone in between. It uses the 'n'-word the way MY FAMILY used it! The adults told us not to use it, then turned around and used it themselves. That was the old "do as I say" rule.

[The last 15min] The way we hate on each other was exposed to the world in the form of Uncle Ruckus. He is the 'Flavor Flav' element to counteract young Huey's 'Public Enemy' persona. The rich white boy being 'blacker' than anyone else in the room was a sight to behold. Charlie Murphy's shout-out to Dave Chappelle was nice, too.

Once again, the 'dreaded n-word' was tossed out a few times. I think the context was appropriate and showed our contradictory behavior as a people. I heard about the slight uproar online and on the radio shows. I started my TiVo recording of the episode waiting to be offended; however, I was blessed with an enjoyable experience! The show was as close to the comic strip as possible, in my opinion. I feel the people that object to the show are probably upset about the airing of our dirty laundry..

hold up... wait...

WHAT IN THE HELL is Uncle Ruckus singin?!?! That crosses a bit of a line for me. I can hear the white kids in junior high singin' that song amongst themselves, then- like the idiots that some of them are- trying to sing it to their 'black friends' as if they are ONLY relating how the show went...

Hmmm- I am now officially conflicted. I love the show AND don't like some of the elements of the first episode. I feel like I am watching a movie like 'Crash' or 'South Central'; you know- the type of movie that you love and hate at the same time?

Needless to say, I will not be removing this show from my recording list on TiVo. I got Aaron's back, but I reserve the right to chin-check him once in a while.