Major Slapage

Hey Rush! I Found an Obama Ex-Girlfriend!

2012-01-27T20:29:00.003-05:00

Bag of Severed Heads Left Near Mexican School

2011-09-28T14:54:00.005-04:00

Texas Governor Rick Perry's camp immediately takes responsibility

Five severed heads were left in a bag near a Mexican primary school, the latest example of the ruthless violence plaguing the country. Authorities speculate the cloth bag, found near an Acapulco resort, is connected to Mexico's growing drug violence, or to a stunt to rebuke charges Texas Governor Rick Perry is soft on illegal immigration.

"To think that Rick Perry isn't ready to protect our borders is simply wrong.", insists supporter Bebe Rodgers. "This here sends the right message. As President, Rick Perry can do even more because he can eliminate federal interference. I'll personally strap on my gun and ride with him into Mexico next time." While the governor’s top aides publicly insist they have no plans for real or even symbolic changes to their campaign, the only pivot they’ll make, they have said, is to "become more aggressive".

This defiant response in the face of unsteady debate, and a decisive trampling in Florida's GOP straw poll, is a reflection of Perry’s own pugnacious style — the best defense is a good offense. In responding to his young campaign's first dose of adversity (allowing children of illegal immigrants to pay discounted tuition to Texas colleges), he's doing what he's always done: hit harder.

"You want to stop something? Leave a sackful of heads.", chuckles Arlen "Trout" Rodgers, Bebe's grandfather. "I'm not for sticking them on poles at the border, but a sackful next to a school will make people think won't it? Come into this country legally, or don't come in at all."

Local police also speculate the grisly find may have been connected to extortion threats against teachers. Some 140 schools have closed their doors in recent weeks due to frightened teachers going on strike, according to The Associated Press. With the government cracking down on the drug trade, gangs are turning to extortion, and last month dozens of teachers in Acapulco said gangs had threatened them with violence if they did not hand over half their salaries.

Gender Affirming Toys

2011-09-09T22:04:00.010-04:00

Of course we want all little girls to feel . . . well . . . special. But somehow, I think these toys take the little ones in an entirely new direction.

DISCLAIMER: I've always liked maids and strippers. But I'm more than a little disturbed by these toys.

My cleaning trolly. Really? Teach little girls to be like Jennifer Lopez in that horrible chick flick? Here's another;

And here are real winners - both racial and gender insensitive. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say both of these toys were manufactured in China.

And here's another (I gotta admit - having a bi-racial child, I chuckled at this one).

Tramp stamps for little girls. This will be the rage at next seasons' child beauty pageants. By the way, did you know that had she lived, Jon Benet Ramsey would have turned 21 this year?

And finally, my absolute favorite:

What do these say about us, as Americans? Actually, nothing. But they speak volumes on how Americans are perceived by other countries. Think about that for a while.

The middle class in America no longer exists. Children have two paths to choose from. Get incredibly lucky and therefore impossibly rich - or be simply satisfied with your lot in life. Its a sad end to a Century of Aspirations.

Who would buy toys that encourage their little girls to be maids or strippers when they grow up? Someone is.

Fish Water - Pic

2011-06-10T21:20:00.004-04:00

I was at Walmart, and found this in the pet department. I was speechless. The sheer balls of the guy who came up with it gave me new hope for the human race. Imagine - selling bottled water (at $2.97 per bottle) , for fish. Yeah, designer water, for fish! I had to take a picture cause no one would believe it.

I figured it would cost the bleeding heart tropical fish owner around $120.00 for a twenty gallon tank. And $40.00 for a partial water change every week. What are these fish eating anyway?

One of Brandon's favorite stories illustrating just how stupid his father is, relates to our own fish tank upstairs. We were in the living room when thunder rolled and lightening began. I told him to run upstairs and close all the windows before the cloudburst was overhead. He asked why, and I quickly replied, "So the fish don't get all wet."

Getting away from my senior moment, let's get back to this bottle of water. . .

Half of Last Month's New Jobs Came from One Employer — McDonald's

2011-06-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Half of Last Month's New Jobs Came from One Employer — McDonald's | The Weekly Standard

R.I.P. Macho Man

2011-05-25T20:35:00.004-04:00

Hide and Seek

2011-05-11T17:43:00.001-04:00

Anita O'Day

2011-04-01T18:12:00.000-04:00

Life of a Jazz Singer

2011-04-01T11:34:00.001-04:00

The most important concert film ever made (exempting the original Woodstock) was a 1960 release called Jazz on a Summer’s Day. Of course, at the time I couldn’t have cared less (I was six). But as I have grown older, I’ve begun to appreciate the process of “WHY”; how things became as they are. Perhaps the fifty year mark turns people away from reading fiction, and more toward history and biographies. I don’t know, but I have realized the past, is just as important as the present. I comb through Netflix for documentaries, on any subject. Jazz on a Summer’s Day is a vitally important work, yet I saw it for the first time only four months ago. More on that film in later posts, but today, I want to talk about one performance, one artist, who took my breath away as I watched.

Anita O’Day (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006) was one of the finest Jazz singers ever. Her sense of rhythm and dynamics was incomparable. And her voice was, quite simply, sexy as Hell. Her short set at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival documented in Jazz on a Summer’s Day, has turned her into an obsession with me. There is no doubt her Sunday afternoon performance was the finest of the whole festival. Which is why I urge every to go to your Netflix account right now, and order Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer.

The documentary, released in 2007, was produced and directed by Robbie Cavolina and Ian McCrudden. It is fantastic. It chronicles her life without passing judgement. But most of all, it lets you see performances you will never see anywhere else. She was true to the Hard Swing Styles of the Big Bands, but her rhythmic and dynamic improvisational skills puts her right up there with the likes of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Christian and other Be Bop legends. You must see this documentary to believe it. Aside from the performances, the film also explores the dark side of her life, in her own words. No excuses.

You must see Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer. It won’t change your life, but you will learn to appreciate music differently.

Pic - At the game.

2011-03-20T11:46:00.002-04:00

(left to right) Brandon, Brian, and David at D.C. United's season opener.

1st Chessboxing Worldchampionship PT1

2011-03-18T23:19:00.000-04:00

I'm posting this without comment. Knowing full well, Abaad should have something to say about it lol.

Waiting for Superman

2011-03-04T09:10:00.005-05:00

Last night I was able to finally see the documentary, Waiting for Superman. I would never go out and see a documentary in a movie theater, as my movie experiences usually consist of back-to-back fart jokes my son and I can enjoy together. But I've wanted to see this movie ever since I saw a few brief glimpses on the news. It is finally at Netflix, and I urge everyone to see it.

It is a masterpiece. A true documentary that objectively examines an issue, without tainting its conclusions with pre-conceived notions or a blatant political agenda. Did I mention Michael Moore should be fed ground poodle until he suffocates in canine paste? Davis Guggenheim (I can't believe this is the same guy who came up with "An Inconvenient Truth") does a truly remarkable job. The lottery scenes at the end are pure edge-of-your-seat suspense. Yes, I'm talking about a film that presents options to improve public education.

I don't think you need children in public schools to get something out of it. But having an eleven year old out there, I teared up more than once. Anyone who supports the unions in Wisconsin need to see this movie, but of course they won't. Just like I refuse to pay to see Michal Moore's latest rant (by the way, did you know the rich aren't rich at all - they are just holding the money, which is an American natural resource (!), and they need to give it back now that we need it?) Charlie Sheen makes more sense than Michael Moore.

As a moderate Republican with a strong Libertarian slant, it pains me to say I would vote for Barrack Obama's re-election, providing he replaces Arne Duncan with Michelle Rhee at the Department of Education. Under Michelle Rhee's chancellorship, D.C. secondary schools improved their standardized test pass rates by 14% in reading and 17% in math, while elementary school pass rates improved 6% in reading and 15% in math. Graduation rates also improved by 3%, up to 72% in 2009. However, Rhee's critics (no doubt funded by Teacher Unions) complained her speed left them without input on the changes. The District Council also criticized Rhee for being unresponsive to Council members' requests for information about school operations. Its easy to turn the tide when Union money comes rolling in. Mayor Fenty is killed, and Rhee with him. Waiting for Superman is a lasting legacy for innovative educational policy, not just Michelle Rhee's crusade, but to educators who get it. To simplify Wisconsin's situation as "union busting" is horribly wrong - its about bad teachers who can't get fired, poisoning children's chances before they have a chance.

See Waiting for Superman. You will be glad, and angry.

On another subject; who in HELL decided not to teach children cursive writing anymore? Was there a vote? Some sort of press release? Anything? Imagine - the next generation of America's youth WILL BE UNABLE to read the Constitution of the United States.

Al Jazeera English: Live Stream

2011-03-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

Al Jazeera English: Live Stream

Muammar Gaddafi - Zenga Zenga Song - Noy Alooshe Remix + Download

2011-02-28T00:26:00.000-05:00

Nick Lowe - Marie Provost

2011-02-14T22:33:00.000-05:00

Pic - And you think soccer isn't a rough sport?

2011-02-12T21:02:00.000-05:00

Quoting Norio Ohga

2011-02-11T17:01:00.002-05:00

Norio Ohga, born January 29, 1930 in Numazu, Shizuoka, is a Japanese electronics businessman who originally trained as an opera singer. After being dissatisfied with the low quality of a Sony Corporation tape recorder, he sent a critical letter to the company that resulted in his being offered a job, and he rose through the company's management. He was made the President of Sony in 1982, and the CEO of Sony in 1989.

"We have many assets here. The most valuable asset of all are the four letters, S-O-N-Y. I tell them, make sure the basis of your actions is in creating the value of these four letters, S-O-N-Y. In other words, when you consider doing something, you must consider whether your action will increase the value of S-O-N-Y, or lower its value."

I've kept this quote in my wallet for ten months.

State of the Union Was Tantamount to Plagiarism

2011-01-27T15:06:00.000-05:00

Off politics for a bit - plagiarism is running rampant through our culture, and no one seems to care enough to do anything about it. As far back as high school, I was taught copying another's work (especially uncredited) was the worst crime intellectually you could commit. But that was in the seventies. Now, and in popular music particularly, the gloves are off. Rappers gleefully admit "biting" another rapper's work. Sampling is common place .

Lady Gaga (whom I like) admits to being influenced by Madonna, but I don't think you could say she was stealing from the Material Girl. But right now, there at least four ambiguously sexual, rail-thin, spooky chicks drinking Gaga's Little Monster Kool-Aid. The last BET Hip Hop Awards (which I am compelled to watch because of work) was three hours of the SAME SONG.

I only point this out to say blatant plagiarism is still criminal, but like popular culture, politics seem to have been given a free pass.

Obama's State of the Union Was Tantamount to Plagiarism - Alvin Felzenberg (usnews.com)

D.C. worst for time, money spent in traffic

2011-01-20T22:05:00.000-05:00

Who didn't know this?

Report: D.C. worst for time, money spent in traffic - wtop.com

Pic - January 12, 2011

2011-01-13T13:30:00.001-05:00

This bothers me quite a lot.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

2011-01-10T04:48:00.000-05:00

If you are in D.C., try not to miss this. Brandon is taking trumpet, so its a no-brainer for us.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis - Washington Performing Arts Society

Afghan sex practices concern U.S., British forces

2010-12-21T17:18:00.000-05:00

Afghan sex practices concern U.S., British forces Washington Examiner

United Nations mulls internet regulation

2010-12-17T20:28:00.000-05:00

UN mulls internet regulation options - Security - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au

Austria: Judge Rules That Yodeling Offends Muslims

2010-12-15T18:40:00.000-05:00

Austria: Judge Rules That Yodeling Offends Muslims - Politics & Gov't - Israel News - Israel National News

Meet NYC’s Pole-Dancing Card Store Owner

2010-12-09T19:42:00.000-05:00

Meet NYC’s Pole-Dancing Card Store Owner

Police Spend 8 Hours Investigating Blood-Splattered Hotel Room

2010-11-28T12:51:00.000-05:00

I love this.

Horror Film Set Prompts Police Investigation

Homeland Security seizes domain names

2010-11-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

First you target what most will view as "bad", then its the rest of us. Watch and see.

Homeland Security seizes domain names of sites ignoring copyrights

Washington D.C. Area - where money grows on trees

2010-11-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

You live in nation's richest counties - wtop.com

Former White House Reporter Helen Thomas to Cover Redskin's Locker Room

2010-09-16T21:53:00.001-04:00

Actually, I don't have time to write a satire right now. I just wanted to get Inez Sainz on my blog.

Pic - Those wacky Japanese

2010-07-26T23:16:00.002-04:00

As if you didn't already have a hard time peeing.

World Cup frenzy reaches fever pitch as final looms

2010-07-10T22:50:00.000-04:00

World Cup frenzy reaches fever pitch as final looms

Could this be the year soccer earns its stripes in the U.S.? Man I hope so.

NASA Does Muslim Outreach - Mona Charen - National Review Online

2010-07-08T16:54:00.000-04:00

NASA Does Muslim Outreach - Mona Charen - National Review Online

America's new culture war: Free enterprise vs. government control

2010-05-23T11:44:00.002-04:00

This excerpt is the from The Washington Post's Outlook section; "America's new culture war: Free enterprise vs. government control" by Arthur C. Brooks. No matter what side you are on (I'm sure you can guess where I stand on this), its a great read. Click here to go to the article.

This is not the culture war of the 1990s. It is not a fight over guns, gays or abortion. Those old battles have been eclipsed by a new struggle between two competing visions of the country's future. In one, America will continue to be an exceptional nation organized around the principles of free enterprise -- limited government, a reliance on entrepreneurship and rewards determined by market forces. In the other, America will move toward European-style statism grounded in expanding bureaucracies, a managed economy and large-scale income redistribution. These visions are not reconcilable. We must choose.

Comedy Central developing Jesus Christ cartoon -- The Live Feed

2010-05-06T11:41:00.000-04:00

Comedy Central developing Jesus Christ cartoon -- The Live Feed

I'm glad to see this for several reasons. Personally its a slap in the face for those idiots offended by deities documented in cartoon form (don't forget this by the way) . Secondly, no matter who satiric in nature, a cartoon like this could very well promote positive elements of religion to a largely disaffected audience.

Will it offend the majority of Christians? Probably. I'm a lapsed but still struggling Roman Catholic, and I might find it uncomfortable. But satire is meant to make people feel uncomfortable. I'm sure there were Victorians upset by the notion that cutting off a child's legs at the knees would prevent them from reaching doorknobs and escaping from the house. That's why Johnathan Swift wrote it all those years ago, and why people still laugh at the absurdity today.

When I do a satiric piece for this blog, my email averages 6:1 negative to positive. Four out of the six are idiots and not worth discussing. Two may hate the post, but they take the time to thoughtfully frame their arguments, and generally avoid the word castrate. I really appreciate their effort. After all, they could be doing something more valuable with their time. Sometimes they admit it was a funny idea, they get the joke, but its a little too close to home. And that my friends, is why people write satire.

Seattle cartoonist launches "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" - Seattle News - MyNorthwest.com

2010-04-25T09:05:00.001-04:00

Seattle cartoonist launches "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" - Seattle News - MyNorthwest.com

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Election 2012: Barack Obama 42%, Ron Paul 41%

2010-04-15T01:05:00.001-04:00

Election 2012: Barack Obama 42%, Ron Paul 41%

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#086: Chris Anderson

2010-04-09T16:02:00.002-04:00

#086: Chris Anderson – all about FREE

Giving away music for free: does it help or hinder an artist’s career? There are those who believe that giving away music devalues it and makes it disposable. Others believe that free music is an essential marketing tool that artists can use to expand their reach and build their fan base. Both Schools of thought offer valid points.

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Arpaio gets inmates moving on electricity-generating cycles

2010-04-06T08:56:00.001-04:00

Arpaio gets inmates moving on electricity-generating cycles

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Disney resort hit by staff suicides

2010-04-04T14:15:00.000-04:00

Disney resort hit by staff suicides - Times Online

Its a small world after all. There is a short story to be written to here. But Disney would kill it. Errr- I mean stop it.

Picture - Brandon and his friend David

2010-03-23T21:58:00.003-04:00

A rare moment of Relection . . .

Football Celebration . . . I think

2010-03-17T16:20:00.003-04:00

Not going to say anything about this one either . . .

Going Shopping

2010-03-17T16:15:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, there is just nothing to say . . .

Nappy Roots - Ride

2010-02-19T22:06:00.001-05:00

This is kooky! I like it!

Nappy Roots - Ride - Listen Now

Sarah Palin and Scott Brown set the United States frothing

2010-02-13T18:10:00.000-05:00

heh heh . . .

Sarah Palin and Scott Brown set the United States frothing - Times Online

NVCC Manassas features Michael B. Platt art exhibit

2010-01-30T17:26:00.000-05:00

Michael B. Platt is easily my favorite local artist. His vision is clear and well defined. If you can, make the trip out to Manassas before March 2nd. You can meet Platt at a reception on February 11th from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

NVCC Manassas features Michael B. Platt art exhibit | InsideNova.com

Senate permits gov't to borrow an additional $1.9T

2010-01-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

Senate permits gov't to borrow an additional $1.9T

The New Republican

2010-01-26T17:19:00.000-05:00

This is an article which should become the Republican Manifesto.

The New Republican - Alex Castellanos - National Review Online

Hard Times Come Again No More

2010-01-23T13:26:00.001-05:00

Mary J. Blige - MTV Shows

Miracles are everywhere

2010-01-23T12:51:00.003-05:00

I just finished watching the telethon - sets the bar pretty high. My friend Ema is spot on when he said Mary J KILLED it! I was crying, and my son was making fun of me. If you haven't already, please go to Hope for Haiti Now. I know its hard for everyone, but there are so many miracles out there.

Wait! What? Did I actually post something positive? Crap.

Are Republicans Listening to the Scott Brown Message?

2010-01-21T19:24:00.000-05:00

Are Republicans Listening to the Scott Brown Message? by Larry Kudlow on National Review Online

Prague's Franz Kafka International Named World's Most Alienating Airport

2010-01-21T10:00:00.001-05:00

12-Year-Old Boy Scouts Offer To Give Breast Exams

2010-01-21T09:55:00.002-05:00

Foster Brooks - great comedian (1973)

2010-01-16T13:39:00.000-05:00

It's a Good Thing for Martha Coakley That There Are No Catholics in Massachusetts

2010-01-15T10:45:00.000-05:00

Unbelievable.

It's a Good Thing for Martha Coakley That There Are No Catholics in Massachusetts - Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner on National Review Online

Disney Unveils Latest Genetically Engineered Child Stars

2010-01-14T17:19:00.000-05:00

Sarah Palin: "Backwoods Barbie" or "Crazy Like a Fox"?

2010-01-12T18:35:00.001-05:00

It seems the Palin bashers only have themselves to blame for making her such a star. And Fox is happy to take advantage of it.

Sarah Palin: "Backwoods Barbie" or "Crazy Like a Fox"?

Halle Berry and boyfriend bypass airport line

2010-01-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

Halle Berry and boyfriend bypass airport line

Now you know if it was me Halle would STILL be in front of the scanner.

Ford Unveils Car For 2010: The 1993 Taurus

2010-01-08T19:36:00.003-05:00

2010 - Time to adjust myself

2010-01-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Here are a few observations / resolutions:

Virginia needs to bring back Blue Laws. It's a win for everyone. I'll be talking about this in future posts.

It is wrong for people my age to dismiss West Coast Hip-Hop entirely. Stop it.

Kanye West should be waterboarded, and his screams auto-tuned and released as a download on CD Baby.

My fellow Republicans seem to have their green-cast panties in a bunch over these airport "naked body scanners". Psychologically demeaning, so that the government can control the populace? Total crap. For every power mad, TSA goon who may wait all day to catch a glimpse of a hot college silhouette, remember the next fifty guys going through that scanner look like - well, me. Do I care? No. I am however, going to have to allow extra time at the airport to slip into the bathroom with a magazine, to make sure I am "adequately represented" in front on the scanner. If you catch my drift.

Here are my resolutions for 2010.

1.) Lose more weight. This has been on every list to myself since 1973, along with marrying identical twins from Brazil. I lost 22 pounds this year (from 264 down to 242), so I want to lose another 22, to get down to 220. At this rate I'll be where I want to be by 2011. I'll still be obnoxious, but thinner.

2.) Trash my porn collection. Yes, its time to get rid of all my naked friends. Not because I've suddenly matured. But my son is now ten, so he is of the age where he will actually look for stuff in his daddy's bottom drawer (credit: Zappa). I remember finding my father's Playboy collection in his home office, and while I appreciate the life lesson, Brandon will have to work harder for the same epiphany. So, there goes my beloved Exploited Black Teens video collection. It is strangely liberating to get rid of any personal effects you don't want around, after you're dead and gone.

3.) Defeat my personal addiction to aspartame. I never had a problem with nicotine and narcotics. Hard liquor wasn't much of an issue either - it was BEER. Lots of it. Inordinate amounts of it. I admit I've been a binge-drinking, beer-swilling alcoholic for years, but it was actually easy to finally taper off, and then to give up beer entirely. I cannot say the same for the crack-like carbonated allure of Diet Pepsi. Damn PepsiCo! Is it the caffeine? I think not! The artificial sweetener the FDA pushed down our throats, creating a tidal wave of future cancer. Fluoride and aspartame are both on my hit list this year.

4.) Stop playing Eve Online. Eve is an attack on your reality. I'll concentrate this year on tangible things instead, like practicing saxophone, studying magic, and watching pro wrestling.

Half-pint, Counter Half-pint

2010-01-07T20:55:00.002-05:00

The last word on the Mac / PC debate.

Little asian PC girl vs. MAC parody - watch more funny videos

Yale students Sam Tsui and Kurt Hugo Schneider

2010-01-07T10:48:00.003-05:00

I just think this is funny. Hopefully you do too.

Phantom zip codes get stimulus money

2010-01-07T01:54:00.000-05:00

Phantom zip codes also found in Virginia | Washington Examiner

Women in Boxes

2010-01-06T18:15:00.001-05:00

Interesting doc.

Iowa Man Spells Out Wife's Birthday Message in Manure

2010-01-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

Iowa Man Spells Out Wife's Birthday Message in Manure

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T00:40:00.000-05:00

Brandon at five years old.

Reagan Raised From Grave To Lead GOP

2009-12-30T22:11:00.000-05:00

DEA Recruits Lil Wayne To Use Up All Drugs In Mexico

2009-12-30T22:06:00.000-05:00

4 Factors Shaping the Wind Energy Industry in 2009

2009-12-30T11:21:00.001-05:00

4 Factors Shaping the Wind Energy Industry in 2009

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Stop Releasing Terrorists

2009-12-30T04:08:00.000-05:00

Stop Releasing Terrorists by The Editors on National Review Online

A Very, Very Carbon-Neutral Christmas

2009-12-25T16:43:00.000-05:00

A Very, Very Carbon-Neutral Christmas by Rich Lowry on National Review Online

Run Rudolph Run

2009-12-18T11:27:00.001-05:00

Today is Keith Richards' birthday. If this were a polytheistic society, Richards would be God of The Open G - Ruler of All Rhythm. This day must become a globally recognized holiday. Wouldn't it be better? A half-curled lip, a right armed half-windmill, and a guttural "KEEF!" yell, all could become generally accepted seasonal salutations. As many of us may no longer utter the words, "Merry Christmas", except among small pockets of Resistance, and as how many of us still feel uncomfortable blurting out the politically correct, "Have an ambiguously secular winter event and/or events." to store clerks, taxi drivers, and passers-by, why not recognize the seemingly immortal rocker instead?

I don't care what anyone says - Keith Richards is the best guitar player of all time. But, he can't climb a palm tree to save his ass.

Merry Christmas all.

David Pryce-Jones on National Review Online

2009-12-18T01:35:00.000-05:00

David Pryce-Jones on National Review Online

Save the SEALs by Clifford D. May on National Review Online

2009-12-18T01:26:00.000-05:00

I don't get it . . .

Save the SEALs by Clifford D. May on National Review Online

FOXNews.com - Reid Compares Opponents of Health Care Reform to Supporters of Slavery

2009-12-08T09:26:00.001-05:00

FOXNews.com - Reid Compares Opponents of Health Care Reform to Supporters of Slavery

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Al Sharpton Blasts Tiger Woods for Lack of Mistress Diversity

2009-12-08T01:37:00.001-05:00

Al Sharpton Blasts Tiger Woods for Lack of Mistress Diversity

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Superior man arrested for trespassing on his own land | Duluth News Tribune | Duluth, Minnesota

2009-12-05T17:04:00.001-05:00

Superior man arrested for trespassing on his own land | Duluth News Tribune | Duluth, Minnesota

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Boy Finds Own Real Life E.T.

2009-12-01T13:14:00.001-05:00

Wasted On The Young

2009-11-27T01:02:00.000-05:00

Bizarre calf mutilations found on Colorado ranch

2009-11-27T00:49:00.000-05:00

Bizarre calf mutilations found on Colorado ranch

A True Tragedy

2009-11-15T12:19:00.003-05:00

Every once in a great while, something happens that affects forever; literally changing the way you think through the rest of your life. Without warning, you feel an explosive punch to your psyche, and your spirit begins a black, spiraling fall far beyond helplessness and despair. There is no coming back to the safety one felt before. The death of a family member is an obvious example. Or a catastrophic blow felt by millions, usually labeled by those anxious to make sense of history as a date on the calendar. December 22, 1963. September 11, 2001. These blows change humanity forever.

Friday, November 13, 2009. This date will haunt me for the rest of my life. It is the date, my best friend here in Virginia stood in an Arlington County courtroom, and was told he would spend the next twenty one years in prison.

I'm not here to talk of guilt or innocence. It is the sentence itself which has impacted my life, and the lives of others.

Though my friend and I saw each other no more that once every two or three months, we talked nearly every other day. We shared many conservative political views. We talked about the craft of writing. We argued if Eastern philosophy was more relevant today than Western religious thinking. We supported each other, when job hunting became harder and harder. We laughed at everything ridiculous. We gave each other fatherly advice, even though he is fifteen years younger than me. In short, it is and always will be a close friendship, and one I will always cherish.

On Friday afternoon, the breath was knocked out of me, and I'm still grasping for some sense of normalcy. I know the pain I feel is nothing compared to the pain his wife is suffering. Or that of his mother, father, and members of his family. I will never understand what they feel. But I try to make sense of all this, through my own feelings and experiences. And all I can think about is his ten year old son.

My son is ten as well. I simply can not imagine what it would be like to spend the next twenty one years without him. He is my sole purpose in life. I have to prepare him for the world beyond my lifetime. I couldn't do it from behind a thick plastic window, on short Saturday afternoon visits. I have to be there for him. I am being selfish I know. Almost fifty five years old, and I can't bear to be without him by my side. When I think of that young boy, cut off from his father, I wince in agony. How can this be? He may never hold his father's hand until he himself is thirty one years old. His father will be sixty one. What will he miss? What will he miss without his father being there? I look at my son and see a lot of me in him. And as Brandon grows, I believe he will understand why he is as he is; and that his father helped gently guided him into what he becomes. Shared experiences, sage advice, practical jokes, social interactions - all of these will become important to him. My friend's son will rely on well intentioned family members, and a fading memory of his father. No matter how well intentioned, it will not be the same. He's ten. What will he remember?

If it was me and I was told I couldn't be there to see my own son grow into an adult, to see for myself how I have influenced him to become a man, I would have little reason to live. I would get a running start in my tiny cell, and slam my head into the steel bars. "My Dad died." "My Dad is in prison and he won't get out until 2033." For my friend's son, neither answer is better than the other.

I have learned a lot about myself in that courthouse this week. My friend is loved by both family and others. When he needed them the most, his friends rallied behind him and testified in his behalf. I have known him for six years. Others have known him for as long as twenty three years. We wanted the jury to know just what kind of man he was. I guess we failed to do that. But I've been thinking - if it was me on trial I bet I couldn't find three people who could testify for me. I wanted Brandon to start school in Virginia, and at least finish sixth grade in the same house I lived in as a kid. To get spend as much time as possible with his grandmother, who turns eighty one next week. I thought of it as a personal sacrifice on my part. And to be honest, I did my best not to enjoy my time here. I need to rethink everything somehow.

I'll probably not live long enough to see my friend set free. But while I am still here, I will continue to value his friendship.

Stockholm's bunnies burned to keep Swedes warm

2009-10-15T23:59:00.001-04:00

Forgive me. I don't know why this is so funny to me.

Stockholm's bunnies burned to keep Swedes warm - The Local

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Interracial couple denied marriage license in La.

2009-10-15T23:53:00.001-04:00

Can you believe this?

Interracial couple denied marriage license in La.

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A Fitting Prize, in a Way by The Editors on National Review Online

2009-10-09T12:57:00.001-04:00

A Fitting Prize, in a Way by The Editors on National Review Online

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Comment: absurd decision on Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize - Times Online

2009-10-09T12:53:00.001-04:00

Comment: absurd decision on Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize - Times Online

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New Anti-Smoking Campaign

2009-10-07T14:31:00.001-04:00

New Anti-Smoking Ads Warn Teens 'It's Gay To Smoke'

Capital Crunch: Obama confronts waning political capital

2009-10-05T09:23:00.001-04:00

Capital Crunch: Obama confronts waning political capital

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Death Panels Are Real!

2009-09-23T15:54:00.000-04:00

Death Panel Advisors - watch more funny videos

Creativity and Education - Watch This!

2009-09-19T23:07:00.005-04:00

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Legalize illegals to get them health care

2009-09-18T09:22:00.001-04:00

Obama: Legalize illegals to get them health care - Washington Times

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POLITICO: House guidelines for Presidential put-downs

2009-09-15T21:19:00.001-04:00

POLITICO: House guidelines for Presidential put-downs

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Okay this is the last Kanye thing I'm posting

2009-09-15T21:04:00.002-04:00

Hitler Weighs In On Kanye's Tirade

2009-09-15T10:23:00.002-04:00

Kanye and Taylor to Record Together

2009-09-14T13:48:00.006-04:00

(ACORN MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE - New York, N.Y.) According to close relatives of country music teen sensation Taylor Swift, she and hip hop bad boy Kanye West were planning on recording together - even before West's "meltdown" at last night's MTV Video Music Awards. Does this mean Kanya's impromptu outburst was staged, like Sacha Baron Cohen's ass ride on Eminem's face last year?

Here is what we know:

1.) Kanya West has booked studio time at Sound Investments Recording Studio in Scranton, Pennsylvania, not far from Swift's home town of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania in early December.

2.) Representatives of Swift have secured the recording rights to the song "Strange Fruit", a Billie Holiday classic written by a high school teacher around 1936. Several members of the Video Music Awards audience "quoted" lines of the song as Kanye West was escorted out of Radio City Music Hall.

3.) Taylor Swift, born on December 13, 1989, is in fact old enough to have sex in Pennsylvania.

MTV is insisting they were not part of West's tirade in front of a live television audience, but have yet to release an official statement.

Kanye's Apology to Taylor Swift

2009-09-14T00:44:00.004-04:00

Kanye's web site apology to Taylor Swift for his outburst at the MVA Awards. Autotune that mutha. Has the English language come to this?

I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE'S IN THE BLEACHERS! ........................ I'M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT!................. BEYONCE'S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!!! I'M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!! I'M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOOO ME BUT I'M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN' THE SHOW AT THE CRIB RIGHT NOW CAUSE ... WELL YOU KNOW!!!! I'M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!!! BOOOYAAAWWWW!!!! YOU ARE VERY VERY TALENTED!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME... THAT'S WHAT IT IS!!!!!!! I'M NOT CRAZY YALL, I'M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I'M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!!!

Why He Will Not Read Your Fucking Script

2009-09-12T20:11:00.001-04:00

Why He Will Not Read Your Fucking Script

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POLITICO Source: Wilson breaks $1 million

2009-09-12T20:00:00.002-04:00

POLITICO Source: Wilson breaks $1 million

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Detroit Lions and Their Special Day

2009-09-11T16:14:00.000-04:00

I Got the Music in Me

2009-09-11T12:48:00.001-04:00

After a break of twenty two years, I'm going slowly back into music.

Back in 1987, my first wife and I divorced, and I elected to give up music professionally. I got a real job; the high ticket / impulse sales world of off-site time-sharing. My priorities changed completely almost overnight. And to be honest, I was way too busy to even listen to music. My job was commission only, until I was promoted into management, and it didn't take too long before I promoted to Sales Manager. But that wasn't my real goal. My goal was to be successful enough to build a sales organization on-site - on Paradise Island in The Bahamas. Before long I moved to the most beautiful country on earth.

While in The Bahamas, I worked constantly, and listening to or playing music was almost impossible. Sure I heard (and sometimes sat in) with the local hotel bands on the island, but that consisted of playing "Yellow Bird" and other tourist favorites. When I left Nassau and moved to Freeport, I played occasionally with country star Jimmy Dean (yes, the sausage guy). He had long since retired from music and his business (he sold the sausage company and continued to earn one million a year working one day a year making those commercials). He lived on his yacht docked at the Xanadu. If Jimmy got drunk enough, he would come looking for me. He would bang on my door at 2-4 in the morning, and made me come downstairs and play bass for him, while he sang and played the lobby piano. It was always entertaining, but that abruptly stopped when he figured out I was working on nailing his daughter Connie.

After twelve years, my second wife and I moved to Jamaica. I didn't even bring my bass with me. But I started listening to local reggae, and more importantly, Jamaican Dancehall. The rhythmic assault was inescapable, it literally held the country together. In Ocho Rios we lived close to the center of town, and the music blasted until daylight. I developed a real appreciation for Dancehall, which I still have to this day. But as I said, I wasn't playing music, just avidly listening to Beanie Man, Bounty Killa, Lady Saw, Tanya Stevens and a host of artists around town.

Fast forward five years, and I'm back in the States. I've been content to ignore music here. But now Brandon is nine, and I've been giving him saxophone lessons. Hes been at it for a three months now, and is showing remarkable progress. That is giving my the motivation to go into the books and re-learn what I've buried into my subconscious. I am totally enjoying the process. I've got two years to bring him up to speed, and I'm using this time to teach him both saxophone technique and music theory. By the time sixth grade rolls around, Brandon will have a huge head start!

I'm listening to a lot of sax around the house now, trying to show the kid what the instrument is capable of. And for the first time; I pulled out my bass and held it reverently in my hands.

I have a long way to go. I'm going to take advantage of the fact I haven't played in twenty two years by entirely re-learning the instrument. I used to play with a pick, and used a fretted Fender Jazz Bass. Just before I "retired", I put an incredible fretless neck on it, but never really got around to practicing with it. Now, I have the time to study fretless, as well as learn a three finger technique so I can throw those guitar picks away.

My goal is get technically proficient enough to take a online course or two this Spring from the Berklee College of Music, without looking like a complete idiot. Wish me luck.

Reflection

2009-09-11T12:05:00.001-04:00

Today is a day of Reflection. I didn't lose someone close to me eight years ago, but that fateful morning change my life forever. As it did the entire country. I was living in Jamaica at the time, and Brandon was nearly two. We came downstairs, wrestled the TV control from his stepbrothers, and I watched in horror as America was lashed again and again. Brandon's mom couldn't understand the deep sense of lost I shared with my country. I remember watching CNN intently that morning, but I also remember quickly looking back at my two year old often; making sure he was close by, and safe.

We lost so much that day. We will never feel completely safe again.

Dead Aid, a review

2009-08-31T15:36:00.001-04:00

Dead Aid, a review

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