Freddy's Open Mind

Forget the Alamo: Remember the Mix Tape!!!!

2012-01-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

I don't know how many people took the time to make mixtapes back in the hey day of the cassette players, but I know that I was fairly addicted to the practice. The assembling of music in such a way that it conveys how you feel to another human being is special. Well, it is to me anyhow. I've given them as gifts before, because that's exactly how I saw a mixtape that I compiled for someone.....a gift. An expression of my feelings for them in a way that I couldn't create organically.

I remember digging through my dad's records (all of which are now mine....thanks dad) and writing down what songs I wanted to put together. I would write them down, file the records in order and then look at the list again to make sure it was just how I wanted it to be. When making them for myself, I was a bit more forgiving on how rigid I would be with my criteria. There seemed to be one or two songs that found their way on to almost every mix tape I made for myself, that just didn't fit. If I were taking the time to make a mix for someone I knew, the criteria became much more clear and the rules got a bit more unforgiving.

I am of the belief that you should use a 60 minute cassette. An hour is a good amount of time to invest in music without thinking it's sucking the usefulness out of your day. The 90 minute cassette was a blessing for my own mixes, but when making one for another person, I tried to stick with 60 minutes. Didn't want to wear out my welcome. Plus, the more songs you add, as I mentioned before, the higher the chances that you put one or two songs on there that you wish you hadn't. That shit can haunt you!

Creating a mixtape was always kind of cathartic for me. If I were having some troubles or needed to feel a certain way, I would fall back on my favorite songs to get my mind right. Or, sometimes, I'd just roll around in my own misery or discontent and make a mix tape that heightened my emotions. I saw, and still do see, a well planned out mixtape (mix CD now....blah) as an extension of who I was. I would take someone else's art and fashion it into something that made me feel a certain way. How many things in life can we do that with now? How many people slow down to actually put together a piece of "pleasure" for themselves or someone else? Sure, it's easy to burn a playlist, but I'm talking about compiling some songs and listening to them as you do so. There was a bit of magic to it. For those of you who do not understand, that's OK.....you just missed out. Or, perhaps you were out partying, working on your future, or getting laid, while I was sitting in front of a stereo system surrounded by tapes, records, pens, and pieces of notebook paper. That kind of paints a sad vision of my mid-teenage years, right?

I could write quite a bit more on this, but I think I'll stop here. I could go into the little rules that people like me made up. It was almost an art. Here's an example; always start out with an attention grabber and then one just a bit better than the first. After that you can slide back down and settle into a stream of good tunes that hold to a theme. Never end a side or a tape with a throw away song. Begin and end with songs that best convey your intentions with the tape. OK, so I didn't quite stop....but as you can see, there is a little bit more to it than what meets the eye of a person who doesn't get the concept.

If you want to see a truly terrific film about romantic relationships, friendships, unfinished business, and how music connects those things for many people, check out "High Fidelity", starring John Cusak. It's based on a novel by Nick Hornby and has some great scenes involving how music makes us feel and how we can take that music and turn it into a love letter, a break up letter, personal manifesto, or just a thread of songs that can make your time driving in your car more enjoyable.

Here's a great scene of "Rob" creating a mixtape for a female journalist he met. She wants to do an interview and talk about his "Top 5" songs (which is another blog entirely....the "Top 5" thing....it's what we media geeks do) and he knows the best way to do that is to make her a tape. It's a really good movie. I highly recommend it. I'm pretty sure it's the first thing (and best thing IMO) that Jack Black was in.

Well, there that is. I don't suppose there is much entertainment value for anyone to read. I do feel like the more nostalgic among us may get the itch to visit an old mix tape they have thrown in a box or in their sock drawer. So, if nothing else, perhaps I've sparked something in one of you that will lead you to either re-visit an old tape or maybe make a new one for yourself, a friend, or a loved one! Remember, you are making personal art out of someone else's personal art. Be respectful of the process!

What We Do On The Internet, Echoes In Eternity!

2012-01-17T19:13:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking about the culture lately. Last night as I was contemplating my own demise, which face it, could come at ANY moment now that I'm in the age zone for heart attacks and strokes, along with my less than human being type diet. What will we each leave behind when we finally kick the bucket? What will be left for people to remember us by?

In days past, there were usually just some photos and a few artifacts from our lives that someone in our family kept and passed down from generation to generation. The more time that passed, the less people remembered you or even cared that you existed. Unless you were a person who left your mark as a performer, politician/leader, writer or artist, you just eventually became ashes and blew into history with billions before you.

These days, it's different. Quite a bit different. Everything we do seems to be recorded. The digital age allows us to take THOUSANDS of photos and store them without taking up space. There are CD's and DVD's crammed with photos in almost everyone's computer desk. Not that these will ever get looked at again. Or at least they won't until someone dies. Then we can drag 'em out and put together a video montage. I think that's pretty cool and a nice keepsake. We also have digital video recorders now. Besides the piles of video tapes with lots of shit you'll never watch (or edit...you KNOW that you have promised yourself to edit them. You will not do it.), you can now store the videos on your computer or portable hard drive....and not watch them.

And then, there is the internet. Most people under the age of 50 have a Facebook page. Some arrogant and egotistically self-important jag offs even have blogs. Don't forget emails. And what about those message board comments? A lot of us do those too.

Where does this stuff go? We know that we keep some of it. We know others keep some of it. And then, we REALLY know that Google keeps some of it.....all of it. All this information about us and our lives....just out there on the wide wide world of webs. We now have the ability to have almost everything about us live on indefinitely into the future. And I think that's a good thing in some ways. But in other ways, it can be either hilarious or ghastly, depending on how you wanna look at it.

Let's take a look at a few pictures that you probably should have considered NOT putting on the interwebs.

Yes, I've used this picture in another blog, but couldn't help going back to it. Not the worst picture, but certainly one that her daughter there won't be showing off to friends when "Momma" bites the big one and is swept off into eternity. Come on already.....let's lose the pooched lip thing.

Gotta love the "People of Walmart" pictures. There is no way to even begin to think that's cool. None. I'm not convinced that woman is alive. She's fictitious. A photo shopped creation. NOBODY does that. Do they?

Look dear, here is your grandmother passed out on the night of my conception.

"What we do in Walmart, echoes in eternity!!!"

And these are just pictures. Imagine all the stupid shit people have written as Twitter or Facebook updates. Think about all those e-mails!!

Oh, and these blogs. Ha Ha.....if I die tonight (I'd say even odds) there is no way that my kids won't know that they had a mentally ill, pot head, angry, goofy, self-centered, confused, ridiculous father.

And this isn't me, but I want to sound off the warning;

IF YOU HAVE ANY TAPES OF YOU HAVING SEX, EITHER WITH YOURSELF, ANOTHER PERSON, OR OTHER PEOPLE, MAKE A CONTINGENCY PLAN WITH A FRIEND ON THE EVENT OF YOUR DEATH FOR THAT STUFF TO GET DESTROYED! (yeah, that'll happen...wink, wink....I got you covered Chris)

That is a public service announcement right there. That's just me, I like to help out. And if you have any porn saved, just get rid of it. We have online streaming these days. It's like Pee Wee getting busted at a peep show in the 90's.....we had fuckin' VCR's you dummy.

Consider what is left behind for your family and friends to find (and probably either hate you over, want to die themselves over, or make fun of) when you take the dirt nap?

It's enough to make you think, ain't it?

There ain't no grave can hold my body down
There ain't no grave can hold my body down
When I hear that trumpet sound I'm gonna rise right out of the ground
Ain't no grave can hold my body down

"Ain't No Grave"---Johnny Cash

Doug Stanhope, Alex Jones & The Austin Incident

2012-01-12T17:27:00.000-05:00

Doug Stanhope

Last week while doing a search for some comedy on You Tube, I stumbled across a video from a show that Doug Stanhope performed in Austin, Texas in 2004. Anyone who has paid attention to my blog over the past year or so knows that I really dig the type of stand up that Stanhope, Joe Rogan, Bill Burr, and Louis C.K. perform. They seem to be the offspring of the brilliant, but now deceased Bill Hicks, who was every bit as much a social commentator as he was a comic. I love to watch a good hour of stand up, but what made this one appealing, just from the title alone, was the word "incident" and the name "Alex Jones". At that point, I'm all in. Keep in mind that this show was performed just after we had invaded Iraq and there was quite a bit of uncertainty, fear, and tension about the war.

Alex Jones

I assume from the video that Stanhope was just going to give his performance. Nothing that merited any special attention, just doing what he does best....making people think and laugh. Alex Jones is asked to introduce Stanhope on to the stage and does so, after about 8 or 9 minutes of New World Order ranting. Jones, for those who are not familiar with him, is a conspiracy theory guy. He is involved in making some really good documentary films (The Obama Deception) and hosts a radio show. He's out there, and tends to go way over the top, but he does provoke thought and discussion. On this night, I'm not sure if it was booze or what, but he just took over the stage. He went on a long rant about how the government sets up dictators so we can have enemies to fight and how asleep the American public is about it. Honestly, there isn't much of a way for me to describe it that is going to be as interesting as seeing it. So, I'll post his opening rant, without the entire show behind it. Here is the first ten minutes, eight of which is Alex Jones going absolutely ape shit. By the end of this, he's arguing with the crowd, and when Stanhope finally takes over, he has to deal with some hostility and high emotions from the audience for the rest of the show.

Stanhope never really gets back on track as far as his act goes, but he starts interacting with the audience, which leads to truly organic and great moments. Yes, this act goes totally off the rails, but there are some great laughs. I'm not sure how many comics would want to push through a show like this, but it's really great to see something so real. 99.9% of the time, any show you pay to watch, is so pre-arranged and set up that you don't get an ounce of spontaneity from the performer. Watching Jones and then seeing Stanhope's face a couple of times when he comes on stage, it's hard not to get the feeling that he was enjoying the chaos that Jones was creating between himself and the audience. If you love stand up that makes you think about our culture, this one is for you. Interesting, annoying and entertaining all at the same time. I tip my cap to Doug Stanhope. He keeps it real!

If you are interested in seeing the show in its entirety, here you go!

Hello 2012, Sorry I'm Late To The Party!

2012-01-09T17:47:00.000-05:00

Alright then....I know....I know....I'm late. It's nine days into 2012 and I've yet to make a post. But, let's be fair to me, I have picked up a lot of writing to do for work, so my personal stuff has taken a big hit. But you don't care about that, do you? You and the legions of fans are clamoring to know what's going on upstairs, are you not?

I kicked off 2012 the same way I ended 2011. Listening to one of the best little rock n roll bands I've ever known, rocking the stage one final time (or so they say). The V-roys have been a favorite of mine ever since a friend (Brian) took me to a show they were playing with The Los Lonely Boys on the Louisville riverfront. I was really taken with them (Goodnight Loser sucked me in) and never missed a show when they came to Louisville or Newport. They disbanded back in .....uhhh....1999 I think it was. Never thought I'd see them again. But, they released a "Best Of" collection and decided to play together one more time, which turned into two more times when they added a date at the Southgate House in Newport, Ky. The Southgate House will be closing and after many a rockin' show there, the boys felt the obligation to let loose one more time on the banks of the Ohio River. I attended the New Years show in Knoxville, Tennessee with a few really good friends (Chris, Brian, William) and had a helluva time. One of the best days I've had in quite awhile. The show was top notch and I didn't feel like I was watching a nostalgic reunion. The guys sounded like they never never split up. I tip my cap and thank Paxton Sellers, Mic Harrison, Jeff Bills, and Scott Miller for giving the fans one more show. The pictures I'm including from the show are used without any permission whatsoever from Lynn Point, who I stole them from via Facebook. Lynn, if you don't like 'em being up, let me know and I'll take them down.

I also took the year 2012 to mean that it was time to get rid of my computer. I have been using the same machine to blog, ~~steal music~~, read message boards, ~~download porn~~, photoshop, and email on since 2002. I was due. The old boy lived a pretty good life, but the new Lenovo model is a real gift. I spend a lot of time on the 'net (work and play) and I was growing tired of not being able to open up more than 2 or 3 web pages at a time. The final straw for the old machine was when I was writing an article for work and had it 2/3 complete when the computer crashed. I planted my right fist deeply into the keyboard. I know....just KNOW that I heard it whine. Served you right, bastard.

I'm gonna end this by doing what everyone does this time of year.....announce the resolutions they'll never keep. I had one last year, and just like the rest of you, I didn't keep it. I vowed to do stand up at an open mic. I never got to it. Wrote some stuff....just never found the time to develop a five minute set and prepare myself. So sue me. With that, let me tell you about some more shit I ain't gonna do;

1) Lose 25 lbs. I COULD do this. Done it before. Several times. At 43 I'm just not likely to knuckle down and do it. I like to eat. Again, lawyer up and serve me with some papers. I'll probably die of a heart attack before we go before a judge.

2) Do a 5 minute stand up set at an open mic. See, I didn't break my resolution....I just put it off.

3) Stop putting shit off.

4) Smoke less marijuana. I think of brilliant jokes (or what SEEM to be brilliant jokes) when I get high. But usually it's late when I partake and I'm too lazy to get up and write anything down.

5) Maintain a more even and positive attitude.

6) Smile and laugh when I think about how stressed I used to get at my old job. Now I smile and laugh, for the most part, while I do my new job. My what a change of scenery can do for the soul. If I had a soul, that is.

7) "Tebow" at a local church. Will anyone notice?

8) Break number 4. (as a matter of fact, I've already done that...so here is ONE resolution I'm gonna keep)

I hope everyone has a great year....the best of your life. Talk to you soon. If I can think of anything to tell you.

War On Christianity, War On Christmas .... yada yada yada...

2011-12-17T11:24:00.000-05:00

Alright, we have an ongoing pissing contest in a Texas town over a nativity scene. Big deal. Happens every year, or so it seems. A nativity scene goes up on public property and some big bad atheist group wants to have it taken down. There are many times....hell, most times where I think "Who really cares?". But that is just a personal view on it. A nativity scene and religious symbols surrounding the holiday doesn't really bother me, even though I don't believe in Bible god or Jesus. It's like Santa Claus to me. Do I worry about a man coming down my chimney and invading my home? Of course not....it's not real. The nativity scene could have baby Sponge Bob laying in the manger and it would be just as real to me as the Jesus baby. But, despite my personal opinion, there are valid reasons for not allowing a religious nativity scene on public property.

First of all, our nation's founding fathers (most of them) believed that church and state should remain separate from one another and that the state (government) shouldn't support a religion. That is not only for the benefit of the government, but it's also a benefit for religion. Religion gets the gift of living a tax free existence, in regards to how much money it brings in. Religion is allowed to flourish, so long as it is not infringing on the rights of others in a tax payer funded place. That means public parks and government centers are off limits for religious displays. If we allow religious displays on public grounds, then perhaps we should expect churches and religious organizations to start paying taxes and have their books audited. And perhaps the government should step in and start looking at the curriculum that private schools teach in regards to religion. Maybe government officials can be on hand at every service to make sure that political candidates were not endorsed? If you want to be a part of the government by being able to display and promote your religion on tax payer funded ground, then you must expect that the public wants to know exactly what is going on inside of the churches. Maybe getting this out in the open and making religious organizations pay taxes could be a good thing. Atheists can start going into these churches and handing out literature on Sunday morning. Gonna feel a little persecuted then?

There is no "War On Christmas". It's a fallacy. There is no "War On Christianity". It's a fallacy. There are organizations out there that want to beat back religious influence, that's for damn sure, but to believe you are being singled out for persecution because of a nativity scene being challenged is sort getting yourself worked up for no good reason. Would it be OK to start displaying symbols and depicting scenes from other religions on publicly funded ground? If it's OK for a nativity scene to go up, then it must be fine for an atheist group to place their own nativity scene right beside it, right? Or put up a big sign saying "There is no god, Jesus is a fairy tale".....down with that? Perhaps the Muslims could start sitting outside every courthouse in America and do scenes about Muhammad catching a winged horse to heaven? Maybe Satanists could do their version of a nativity scene? Is that OK?

The story of this small Texas town got to me and I posted on my Facebook page that I sort of thought....ehh....just leave it be, it's only for a week or so. But, I had a friend make some very good points to me about why you can't give an inch. If you give an inch here and an inch there, when does it stop? And who does it stop? We don't need anti-religion propaganda on tax payer land any more than we need the religious propaganda. And if you allow a Christian display and don't allow other displays, there is no line between church and state at that point, as Christianity would be basically endorsed by the state. What about the Muslims who may live in that town? Are they not tax payers? Do they not have the right to not feel like they live in a town where one religion was not preferred over another? Here is a snippet from the story I'm going to link from FOX News;

Pastor Lorick said it’s time to draw a line in the sand — and start standing up for the Christian faith.

“Christianity is under attack in America,” he told Fox News & Commentary. “Our country is quickly heading down a direction which the Christian faith is taking a hit — it’s quickly becoming suppressed.”

The attorney general (Greg Abbot) agreed with that sentiment.

“There has been an ongoing battle between the forces of atheism and the forces of those who are antagonistic to all things religious against those who recognize the religious heritage of this country,” Abbott said. “And by defending Nativity scenes, by defending the Ten Commandments and by defending students who try to say a prayer at a graduation ceremony, we’re trying to preserve, protect and defend what we know is perfectly legal.”

Don't Mess With A Texas Violation Of The Constitution

Those quotes make me cringe just a little and chuckle a little more. You can have a nativity scene at ANY church and you can leave it up year around if you like. You can have a nativity scene at any privately owned place. You just can't do it on public grounds where people who may not agree with you also go and pay taxes to use. Those comments above have no place in the discussion. You can display the Ten Commandments in school. A Christian/Jewish school. You can openly pray to a Christian god at graduation. A Christian school graduation. You can hand out Christian literature at church or in private places. You shouldn't be able to wield your influence in public places, unless you are ready to accept all that is going to come with that. That would be a bad deal for both the Christian and non-Christian.

Let's face it. Christmas is not a religious holiday. It's pagan. That's it. Pure and simple. Many of the traditions that Christians (and everyone else) follow every year are from pagan cultures, not Christian ones. Besides Jesus, there are other "gods" who claim birth on December 25th. All of them came before Jesus. Coincidence? And let's face something else. If about 80% of Americans consider themselves Christians, what are you afraid of? How can you feel attacked with that number? How can you feel attacked when almost every political leader in our nation brings up god every time they give a speech? How can you feel attacked when "In God We Trust" is on our currency? How can you feel attacked when the pledge of allegiance has the words "one nation under god" firmly in place? How can you feel attacked when a great deal of the Christmas music played is religious in nature? It's nonsense and just a reason for Christians to kick and scream a little bit. If you are offended that a small group of people want to ruin your fun, then shouldn't you also feel concern when a large majority wants to have it's way, simply to have its' way? Try a little self awareness and try to put yourself in the shoes of someone that doesn't agree with you.

Muslims were not allowed to buy a piece of property and build a mosque in New York City, but Christian groups feel persecuted because they can't put a nativity scene up on public ground? Ha Ha......wow.....talk about having your head up your ass! It's WAY up there.

The answer is this. Find any church or private land and put up your nativity scene. I'd love to take my kids to see it. For full disclosure, if they have a live scene at a local courthouse, I'd take my children to see it if they wanted to go. But that doesn't mean it should be there. There is a can of worms that can be opened and I don't think Christians want that to happen. Once we start giving in to open season on religious displays in publicly funded places, you are not going to be happy with what ensues. You'll be begging to follow the Constitution of the United States again. Enjoy yourselves. Enjoy your religion. Enjoy talking about the birth of Christ with your friends and family. Religion is a personal venture that can have a real impact in people's lives in a very positive way. But everyone doesn't believe and that should be respected.

And for atheists and agnostics who feel they have to battle religion at every turn. I support the fight to keep government and religion separate. But, get over the anger. Sure, I have my own anger story from my "transformation", but at some point you have to let it go and work from love and knowledge and not from disdain and anger. A dogmatic fundamentalist Christian is no less annoying to me than a spiteful, angry atheist who won't concede that religion can (and does) have a positive place in many corners of our society.

Let's try to respect each other and not spill our anger, venom, and frustration into areas where we only cause a greater gap to emerge between one another. Love and understanding is the only way to truly bridge gaps. If every move that everyone of us made came from love, how much better of a world would we live in? If we cared more about human beings than getting people to believe or not believe, couldn't we build towards a society, a country....a WORLD, where no child goes hungry? Where no child has to fear a bomb being dropped on their home? Where a mother doesn't have to stay up at night worrying about her 19 year old son or daughter fighting in wars? Wouldn't it be a great world if every child got a meal, not just at Christmas, but every day? Aren't those the important things? Put the nativity scenes on church grounds or private places and enjoy the season. Perhaps you may draw in some non-believers and you can share your religion with them....or not. Maybe we can all enjoy the hope, joy, love, and peace that seems so promisingly close at this time of year.

May you enjoy thinking of Christmas' past with friends and loved ones who are no longer with us. May you enjoy the presence of friends and family and appreciate the love and compassion we can show one another. May each of us share a little love and compassion with a stranger who is need of comfort.

Happy Christmas To You All!!!

Ahhhh, Hell........

2011-12-11T19:29:00.000-05:00

well yu laugh now abot these things like its a joke god is not a joke n yu will c what happens to yu !!

This was a comment made on one of my posts about a Bible story some time ago. I welcome comments on my blogs, even negative ones. This just struck me in a strange way, especially in light of a conversation I had with a friend on the subject of some Christians who love the concept of hell.

If there is a hell, and if everything I've heard about Christianity all my life is true, then I'm going there (hell) when I die. I accept that. Just like I accept that if I dig in the back yard, I'll eventually get to China. Or if someone scares me when I cross my eyes, I'll be stuck that way.

I'm not going to carry on about this too long, because I've blogged on hell a couple of times before. As David Bazan says it's "the poison in the well". For any Christian to revel and actually threaten someone else with hell is a concept that I don't understand (although I have a couple of theories on why some like to bask in the glory of another person going to hell), but it's not foreign to me at all. First off....judgemental much? If you are telling someone else they are going to hell, well, who died on the cross on made you judge and jury? And if Jesus is about love and forgiveness, why does he love talking about hell so much? And why even create a hell? Satan didn't create hell to torture souls in, God did.

The hell thing was constantly on my mind all through my childhood and it lasted clear on up until the very moment that the inner voice said to me "What are you scared of? There is no Bible god." It's as if a huge burden was lifted. I can live my life, not harming others, taking care of my responsibilities and go about my business. I don't have to carry that concrete block. It's stupid. It kept me awake at night as a child.....so you can bet your collective asses that I do not speak to my children about hell, nor will anyone else.

Here is a link to the blog about hell I wrote a year and a half ago. I still consider it one of my more heartfelt and real posts.

The Hell Thing: August 2010 CLICK ME

All that aside, if you are a Christian and it makes you feel better or somehow superior that you get to tell others that they will burn in hell, or even if you harbor that in your heart and mind, you should really re-evaluate what has drawn you to Christianity. I'm positive that some of you have probably read something I've written and said to yourself "Well, how hard will you laugh when you are in hell!!!??". Just like the person who wrote that message to me did. The threat of hell shouldn't cause a person to worship a god, love and need are better reasons. Just like going to prison shouldn't deter any of us from killing, and stealing or whatever. If you are a Christian because you fear hell, you are doing it wrong. How's that for a judgement?

Just a quick little anecdote and I'll get out of your hair with my bitching. When I was about 20, the brother of a friend of mine (who I also considered a friend) was killed in an accident that involved alcohol. A relative of mine, who is a fundamentalist Christian, told me, immediately after I had gotten the news during a phone call, that my friend was in hell now. Thanks for that support, love, and judgement. That has stuck with me for 20+ years. I can't think of anything more disgusting and hurtful that's ever been said to me. I say to you, if the only thing that really keeps you chained to Bible god is hell, maybe you oughta look into dropping it and living your life like this is the only one you get. No getting to say your sorry, to tell someone you love them, to give your kids a hug, or to hold grandma's hand in heaven.......you are taking an awful big chance putting off the love you can share now, because you think you will get to see them again in heaven. And you are putting an awfully big burden on your mind being scared that you might go to a hell that likely doesn't exist.

Here is the difference between Dante, Milton, and me. They wrote about hell and never saw the place. I wrote about Chicago after looking the town over for years and years.

Carl Sundberg

What Do I Want For Christmas?

2011-12-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

I'm a man of simple pleasure. I don't need anything more than my 42" Samsung plasma television. I have an HD DVD player. I have a PS3. I have 5.1 surround sound with a Panasonic receiver that can shake the pictures off the wall. I have an IPod classic that I only keep 6 or 7 thousand songs on. Sure, I may have a Roku 2 and a Technics turntable and 300 blu ray movies. But again, I am a man that doesn't need much. Just my TV, my HD DVD player, PS3, surround sound, IPod, Roku, and my turntable. Oh, and don't forget the 300 blu ray movies. Shit....also, I like my Kindle...forgot about that. So other than all the aforementioned (and the Kindle) I'm a man of simple pleasure. So, I won't be asking for gifts of the physical nature from Kris Kringle. As a matter of fact, he can't do squat for me in 2011. You guys need to go out and shake some stuff up for me. This life is my movie and it ends when I say it ends.....so amuse me!

1) For heaven's sake.....stop going to Adam Sandler movies. Please. He sucks now. Sure, he can still make the face and go "zipppiditeee dooooo", but that was funnier when he wasn't almost 50. He has become the movie star that he was making fun of with Seth Rogen in "Funny People". It's just sad. Make the man raise his game before you go plop down $8 to see his next piece of garbage....which will probably be called "Jack & Jill: Still Sucking".

2) Enough with the going nuts over a cell phone already. Seriously. If a phone, let's call it the "Douche Bag Talker", comes out in January and you stand in line for it, you do know that they will release the much anticipated "Douche Bag Talker 2" in April, right? And then, they'll add that second camera, so you can take a picture of yourself taking a picture, in August and you'll be in line at 4 a.m. on a Tuesday morning to buy the "Douche Bag Talker 3", which will cost twice as much because it's a limited edition Kelly Ripa model that they are only producing 33 million of.

3) Stop supporting stupid, careless, corrupt, egotistical ~~bloggers~~....ummm, politicians. Stop listening to their bullshit as if what they are saying is true. You can bet that if something they do improves your life, it was an accident. An accident they will all too eagerly accept credit for. President Obama gave us "Hope & Change". Hope isn't all that great. If you are stuck in a cave with two broken legs, you better HOPE someone finds your ass, or you're dead. That kind of hope is OK. But to sit at home and say "I HOPE I can get a better job or I'm going to lose my house." doesn't seem to be the place we really wanted to be at as the richest country in the world. And lest I forget, thanks for the change. Now if I can get a few pieces of paper money to go with it, that'd be great. Oh, and before any of you conservatives think you're getting a pass......ha ha ha ha ha.....Newt Fucking Gingrich seems to be the candidate of choice for the Republicans. What, John McCain isn't available again? If the stable of candidates is SO bad that Newt Gingrich looks really good, maybe we should just stick with Obama, because at least we know just how fucked up he is. No sense in trying to top the last two war mongering, money grubbing bastards.

4) Can't we all agree that there shouldn't be a "Lady Ga Ga"? No, I still have never heard a song by her, and considering how much I love music, this should clue in the rest of the planet as to just how little we need her. I've never listened to Amy Winehouse either, but since the technology of "Frankenstein" era medicine doesn't exist, we should hope maybe Ga Ga either goes away or meets up with Amy to make a duet cover album. And by the way, Madonna should probably sue this jackal for stealing her act and taking it to a new low.

(...and really what's wrong with this picture? A 15 year old girl, with no pants on, standing next to a character from "Alice In Wonderland" Was it pedophile day at Disney World?)

Happy Christmas, holidays, or whatever, and all that. I hope everyone remembers the less fortunate and perhaps grabs a kid off the Angel Tree or drops a few bucks in Santa's bucket. If you drop in $5, ask him to do you a favor and knock it off with the bell until you get out to your car. And remember the reason for the season; making sure that we reduce the number of unemployed by hiring temp workers, being pissed that our relatives never call until the holidays, and ensuring that mutli-billion dollar corporations make as much money as they can, as you buy happiness from them.

Growing Food In Space? NASA Is On It!

2011-12-08T16:51:00.000-05:00

We’ve all seen the movies and television shows that portray space travel as being more than just a few days or weeks living in space, which is a far cry from reality. The media tends to show an exciting future where living in space for very long durations is possible. But, what about food in space? Currently astronauts get their nutrition from tubes or bags of specially prepared meals. But, NASA is finding out that there may be a healthier and more satisfying way for space travelers to enjoy their food. Hydroponic growing in space!

Some day man will colonize the moon or perhaps another planet, such as Mars. There are a dizzying amount of problems to solve and one of the main trouble areas is how to maintain food supplies. It wouldn’t be very cost effective, or even practical, over time to continuously have to deliver food from the earth to other heavenly bodies. In response to this problem, NASA has begun to study what methods of growing are best suited to space travel and colonization. Hydroponics and aeroponics are two strong contenders to solve the problem of renewable food sources in space.

Carrying soil and being able to renew nutrients in that soil would prove to be difficult in space flight. But, using lighter growing mediums or no medium at all could be the answer. Using and reusing water and a mix of nutrients would be much more suited to situations where weight and space was an issue. Imagine astronauts as self-sufficient farmers as well as being highly trained pioneers and scientists. Plant growth could produce and renew oxygen supplies and eliminate carbon dioxide from inside of a spacecraft. Presently, scientists are studying which crops are compatible to grow together in small areas, and how zero gravity affects growing plant life. Other possible problems being studied involve the amount of light some plants may need and which fruits and vegetables are more aggressive in the use of nutrients.

It will likely be essential for astronauts and space explorers to be able to produce their own food in future projects that will take years to complete. Imagine that, the current dreams of a youngster will likely be played out in reality over the next couple of decades. No longer will it be science fiction, it's going to be science fact!

This is ground control to major Tom, you've really made the grade

And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear

Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare

"Space Oddity" -- David Bowie

Anyone Can Have Soul!

2011-11-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

In the last couple of years, I've really come to appreciate soul music. The sound of 70's soul just does it for me. It feels really good to relax with music that isn't overbearing and sounds just as good loud, as it does at a soft volume. Recently, I've discovered a few albums that have wiggled their way into my consciousness and have found their way on to my IPod and garner regular listens.

Never in my life, before a few months ago had I heard of Gil Scott-Heron. I was watching a documentary (Still Bill) about the legendary Bill Withers and Withers wife commented that she had her first date with him at a Scott-Heron show. That got me interested and I found "Pieces Of A Man", one of the 16 studio albums released by this unheralded gem. I chose "Pieces Of A Man" because it had the legendary power to the people anthem,

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

That pre-rap song doesn't do the rest of the album justice. Scott-Heron tapped into the minds of the poor and hopeless, as well as to his own need to find positives in a world so full of trouble for people who are living at or below the poverty level. I have to be honest....I've listened to this and I've listened to "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye and with all due respect to the great Marvin Gay, Scott-Heron's album is better. Just listen to "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" and you will realize that this man had a talent that simply didn't get the exposure that it should have.

Everyone knows that Al Green is a superstar soul, and r&b singer who was on fire in the 70's. But, he can still tug at your heart and soul today though. A few years ago, Green released "Lay It Down", a new collection of soul music that harkens back to his highly successful "Let's Stay Together" album, but maintains a modern element. The song "Lay It Down" is as good as anything.....yes, anything that Green has ever released. Don't believe me....give it a click!

Some other r&b or soul artists I really enjoy is the aforementioned Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers as well as The Isley Brothers, Sam Cooke, Kool & The Gang, and Otis Redding. Oh, and I would be remiss if I did not mention Beck. Yeah.....Beck. Who knew?

This is a GREAT home made video of Beck's solid soul tune "Debra"....

"I met you, at JC Penny"

"Step inside my Hyundai"

"I wanna get with you, and your sista, I think her name is Debra"

Only Beck can make those words work the way they do!!

Lay Down, Perch, and Pray Like An All-American!

2011-11-19T18:56:00.001-05:00

Yes, I realize this picture has nothing to do with what I'm getting read to lay down, but it's funny. And it's my blog.

Dammit, I love some good old fashioned stupidity as much as the next guy. I've been involved in some low brow, immature shenanigans in my life. I'm good for a laugh, right? Hell, I used to walk around the Jefferson Mall with my buddy Larry, hiding a box inside my jacket that laughed. I pushed the button and it laughed and we walked behind people, keeping straight faces. We would also use the slick floors as a spot to slide headfirst with one or the other of us being the umpire. I was safe more than I was out! So, as you can see, I'm not immune to stupidity. But, I put those things behind me. I told Larry last week that it was my final time sliding in the food court. I've grown. Matured.

So, I suppose by now, you wanna know just what the hell I'm grinding on about. Well, I'll tell ya. This stupid bullshit..........

Planking

Owling

and Tebowing

Planking? Cheese O'Reilly, are you kidding? In case you are not versed in "plankdom", planking is lying flat in an awkward space. Yeah, you read that shit right. Lying flat. Lying down. You are lyying the fuck down. No effort. No sweating. Just awkward embarrassment when a normal human being walks in and catches you. Of course, there should be a person there taking your picture, because we have just about run outta shit to look at on the internet I guess. Personally, I have never seen planking in action. I'm going to take that away as a positive if I can make it until death without ever having viewed some talentless, humorless, attention whore lying flat on a "WELCOME" sign in front of a McDonalds.

Just look at this guy. Seriously, this is on the interwebs. It's harrowing, yet the first thing that came to mind was how good it would be to pitch a boiling pot of water on him.

Alright. Planking. Even "The Office" had a show where the folks at Dunder-Mifflin were exchanging planks in unacceptable ways. So, I'll just leave it alone. But it won't leave me alone. Owling. Owling. Oh, yes, my dear.....owling. I'm sorry I have to just write these words....but it helps me clear my mind and look at it in a way that makes me believe maybe it's not stupid. But guess what....it doesn't work. I'm sure that most of you are aware that many a young man out in the world are involved in "douchebaggery", but did you know that there are many a young (and old) person involved in "owlbaggery"? Owling is when you sit like an owl in an odd location. Again, usually someone is there to capture the "event" for future generations to look at. Can't you hear it now;

FUTURE PERSON 1:

Hey, Carl, look at this picture I found from 2011.

FUTURE PERSON 2:

What is that person doing?

FUTURE PERSON 1:

It looks as though he is sitting like one of those extinct flying animals. They used to call them "owls".

FUTURE PERSON 2:

Things must have been really awesome and going great in the world back then if they could occupy their time by paying homage to the owl and preserving it for us to appreciate.

Yep, the fuckin' planet is going to hell in Kim Kardasian's change purse and we are out there fighting the man, by perching our over sized asses everywhere like Gollum taking a dump over a bottomless pit.

OK, owling is it, right? Has to be played out. What is there to do but move on in life and maybe go rake the yard, donate an hour of your time to the local food bank, or goof off with the kids? Oh.....glad you didn't ask, but I'm telling you anyhow. Tebowing. Yes. Tebowing. As in Tim Tebow, current quarterback of the NFL's Denver Broncos. Apparently, Tebow prays a lot. And apparently, it's so much that people who don't even know who the hell Tim Tebow is are doing it. Not familiar? Ummm.....you simply go down on one knee and rest your head on your fist as if you are talking to the almighty. I really do wish I was kidding. Hooray for humanity. Tebow is now a verb and will likely get a spot in Websters next edition. There are roughly 37,000 suicides in the United States each year. That's not enough.

Yes, young and old alike are in on the Tebow. Looks like a lot of fun. Maybe that can be a new pose for my meditation sessions. By the way, if Tebow really is praying that much, he isn't getting much of a return on his investment, at least so far as his NFL career goes. But, I'm positive it will help him hit pay dirt at the pearly gates.

Oh, and here is a picture of the rare "owlingplanker". Enjoy and be amazed!

PS.....I have to add this, for full disclosure;

The owling is hilarious. I can't help it. I want to hate it with all my heart. As Clayton Bigsby would say; "Open up your heart and let that hate out." I just can't help but laughing at it. It's so ridiculous. Or maybe I'm just smokin' some really good shit. :-)

And honestly, how pissed off can this planking business make me? In the end, we all wind up planking.

Occupy Wall Street

2011-11-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

Last year saw political upheaval, and civil unrest in many countries in the middle east and Europe. Now, it seems that those events have started to inspire folks, here in the USA, to start fighting back against the status quo and powers that be. It seems that this movement (along with the Tea Party gatherings) polarizes the opinions of those who are not directly involved. People either support the cause or they do not. Sure, there are segments of the population who don't care, but those people don't care about anything except the new season of American Idol.

Where do I stand on it? I support grass roots movements that are started and maintained by people who want to effect change in how their world operates. So, the OWS movement is alright with me. I also supported the Tea Party deal until it got overrun by the right wingers in the Republican party. They basically booted Ron Paul (a constitution serving politician) and sucked up to Sarah Palin (a self serving politician, celebrity, social commentator or whatever she is calling herself these days). The OWS, to this point, is not organizing in a manner that is allowing too much infiltration by political components. And with that said, I don't know how long it will stay that way. There is always the urge to compromise, especially when you believe you can gain greater exposure by succumbing to being "sponsored". So long as the OWS movement stays away from direct relation to a political party, donors, or corporate organization, I'll probably agree with their direction, even if it's not specific as it could be.

The nation, we Americans, live in was founded by groups of people who were fed up with having their futures decided for them by the powerful politicians, laws that were unfair, and exclusionary corporate growth. A group called The Sons of Liberty was formed in the mid 1770's to rebel against the rule of the British. The hard work of the colonists was being taken advantage of by the powers in England, who had little to do with the colonies flourishing. A quick check of a good history book or Wikipedia will tell you that the British government defeated France in the "French / Indian War" and then decided they would build offices and bases to house thousands of soldiers and this would all be done using money collected from the British colonists. If the colonists had representation in the British Parliament, perhaps there would not have been the wide spread anger and resentment that led to anti-government groups springing up. The most powerful and influential being The Sons of Liberty. The SoL idea was birthed in Massachusetts and soon started spreading to other cities in the colonies (sound familiar?). These people were fed up in not having a say about what was going on where they lived. These people were fed up with being ordered to pay taxes for something that was forced upon them. They were fed up with having to give money to a government that they didn't have any representation or stake in. (sound familiar?)

Today, we have situations happening, not just in our country, but all over the world. The "haves" are taking advantage of the systems that should ensure that everyone has an equal ability to make good. I'm going to stick with the United States when discussing this, although OWS type groups are springing up in many of the world's major cities.

Our currency is in the control of the Federal Reserve Bank. OK, you say, right? Big deal, right? Well, sort of. The Fed isn't a part of the government. They are not your representative. It's a private banking entity which controls much of the policy in regards to United States currency. They set interest rates. They control when money is printed. They are partly, if not greatly, responsible for the devaluing of every dollar you earn. They also are in control of large loans which they collect interest on. Your money is not yours. It's not even truly the property of the USA...it is in the hands of a group of bankers called the Federal Reserve Bank. And it's about as federal as Fed Ex shipping. The Fed is not beholden to you, me, or anyone else, but themselves. You can't vote out those in control. The Federal Reserve Bank was signed into being by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. I don't have the knowledge, time, or space to go into it much more. You should research the Fed and decide for yourself it's been good for us and if it should continue. Obviously, the OWS folks are against letting policy be decided by the unelected. They want the power to go back to the people.

Another problem that the OWS people are protesting against, are the major, multi-national corporations who have sold out the middle class. They have lined the pockets of politicians to get favorable laws, including tax and trade agreements which actually reward them with lower taxes for sending jobs to other countries that will provide cheaper labor and less restrictions on how their business can be run. There are companies who have taken jobs overseas and actually received federal government tax rebates for doing so. What does that do? It drives down wages in the USA, as competition for jobs increase. Driving down wages leads to a lower standard of living and increased debt for the middle and lower classes. We have allowed small stores and restaurants all over the country to be wiped out and dissolved by selling ourselves out to these corporations. Now, that was easy to do. When people need to cut corners, they can't go to "Joe's Grocery Market" and pay $3.00 for a gallon of milk. Why? Because they can get it for $2.00 at a big chain store. That's competition of the market and I get that, but it is a false competition. When people have less money, they have less choices. Once the smaller companies are swallowed up, the larger companies are free to manipulate prices and to extend jobs that are low paying, have few benefits, and are geared towards the less educated.

Our politicians have allowed this to happen. Greed, corruption, and a simple lack of care seems to be what every politician is about these days. Major corporations give major contributions to politicians and parties and they don't do it to support the system, they do it to exploit the system. And our leadership is all too willing to accept this money in exchange for favorable legislation. The lawmakers make laws which are geared to support their own self interest and the interests of those who contribute to keeping them in office. Don't think you are going to get support from a political party, they are all a part of the problem and it's obvious that they do not care about the middle class and average tax payer. If they pass legislation that happens to help out, well, that's just a bonus for us. But never believe that what they do is for the common people. It's about maintaining the state of things as they are. The power and wealth in the hands of the few. We are all their servants and if you have gotten any sense of what I believe from past blogs, we can only control this if we never get on the ride. Once you start in on the process of living, without giving thought to what you really want out of life, it's tough to go back.

Finally, the media is another huge problem. Most of the media is in the hands of a few companies and those few companies are conglomerates with all sorts of interests that are in direct contradiction with what it means to have a free, investigative, and truth seeking press. We were sold a war in Iraq in 2002/2003, with very little investigative journalism. FOX, CNN, and MSNBC, as well as the networks were all too happy to show us what our weapons looked like, what they could do, and how much they cost. It was like seeing what may be available as a prize on The Price Is Right. They helped our government rattle the war sabers and rallied us around a false sense of nationalization and revenge. And even if you lay those sorts of things aside, look at how they feed us the news. It's cloaked on channels devoted to news, but really, it's 80% or more news analysis. They tell you what they think and how you should think about what is going on. And, they don't even bother to cover anything that will directly impact the advertising support they get from large corporations or the government. An example; the Obama Administration didn't like the way FOX was covering them in the early days of his presidency, so he sought to keep them from having access to him. Even if FOX was unfair, they are a news organization and a large one. I'm not defending FOX at all, they are a part of the problem too....just showing that those in power seek control. Once the media is controlled by money it ceases to be about truth and it becomes a propaganda machine for those who have power and the wallets to feed the machine.

Alright, so I really haven't addressed OWS in connection with these things. But I shouldn't have to. You can do that. You can see that, even though you may be doing quite well personally, others are not. We all know that the system is screwed, but most of us are right smack in the middle of it and doing OK. But how many times do we stop and think about those who are outside of the system? Those who are young and trying to break into the job market that has seen decreases in numbers and compensation, probably feel cheated. Cheated by the promise of a system that doesn't work the way they were told it would. Get a college education and you can succeed. Sure......some people can. But not everyone. The opportunity is not there. These kids are told to get an education, take out tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal student loans at about 6-9% interest and then come out to a world of opportunity. The reality is, the kids take out the loans and come out to a job market that is depressed and then they are told by people like us to get a job at McDonald's. The powers that be have destroyed the American dream. It is the "haves" versus the "have nots" in every sense. These young people should be angry. They should demand change. Didn't we all think we were going to get massive change with Obama? How'd that work out? Most of the Bush policies were continued (whether you agreed with them or not) and are still going strong. Change? Despite the Dems having total control, nothing, no change. No recovery. During much of the 00's, the Republicans had total control....and where did that get us? Into two wars, at the cost of a trillion dollars a year, as we cut taxes, underfunded education, and passed legislation that rewarded companies for taking advantage of trade agreements that saw cheap goods come into America, while good jobs went out.

Article on Jobs & The Middle Class CLICK HERE

I have a feeling that Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison and many other "Founding Fathers" would be appalled at what has happened to this nation. I also think they may well be pleased with the uprising of the people against this tyranny, accumulation of consolidated wealth, unconstitutional monetary policy, and marriage of politics and the press. I can't be sure, but if you look at the history of our country, read the constitution, and take heed of the words that our nations founders spoke, it's hard to get the feeling that they would not be in support of the people, the rank and file citizen, taking action against a system that is geared towards enslavement of the middle class by the very few....the very rich....the very powerful. If civil unrest is what it has to come to for us to change the way things are, so be it. That's a tough pill to swallow, especially having young children. But, blood, tears, sweat, and tough times were the foundation of our country. The Boston Tea Party would be looked at as terrorism and vandalism by many Americans today. We are distracted by consumer goods and a media that is about anything other than what is substantial and real. OWS has yet to rise to the level of the SoL. Our founding "terrorists" and "scumbags" destroyed the property of their oppressors. They burned buildings. They destroyed tax stamps that were issued by the British authorities. They wore masks. Their aim was to overthrow British rule, which they saw as unfair, oppressive, and against the rights of a person to live free. (sound familiar?) We may very well be witness to the birth of the next great uprising in our worlds history. Two hundred years from now, these OWS protesters may be seen as hero's and game changers. They may be seen as people who decided to make a difference.

A frog sitting in a pot of water on a stove will sit there and boil to death. If you pitch a frog into boiling water, he will jump out, or at least try to jump out. What do I mean? Those of us who are sitting comfortably among all of our possessions, our car, our house, our big TV's, our IPods, all paid for by decent paying jobs, may be the frog sitting in the water. How can we know what it's like to feel the pain if we just sit and let it happen in such small doses we don't notice it until it's too late? The young people (and I'm not talking about those who are just going out there to be in some trouble...I'm talking about these OWS'ers that are genuinely afraid and upset about their nation and world and the direction it is taking) may be the frogs who are tossed into the boiling water. They don't want it. They are going to fight it. I think they should. They are the only ones who really can, because they are the ones that truly understand what it's like to see their futures hijacked and the American dream ripped out of their capable hands.

I'll leave you with some words from the past that were uttered by men who wanted to live in a free society where everyone had the same opportunity to succeed. Success is never guaranteed.....even to those who work hard. But, if everyone is given equal footing in as many situations as possible, then that's about as fair as it can get.

"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it." Abraham Lincoln

"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of Liberty." Thomas Jefferson

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety."Benjamin Franklin

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government."
Patrick Henry

"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." Thomas Jefferson

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." Abraham Lincoln

"If taxes are laid upon us without our having a legal representation where they are laid, we are reduced from the character of free subjects to the state of tributary slaves." Samuel Adams

"A rigid economy of the public contributions and absolute interdiction of all useless expenses will go far towards keeping the government honest and unoppressive." Thomas Jefferson

Guy Ritchie's "Revolver" & Our Ego

2011-11-09T15:34:00.001-05:00

Wow. I only found about this movie about six weeks ago, and already, I've watched it five times. It took me three times to really settle in to what I was watching. The first time seeing it, I couldn't decide if I was watching a revenge film or an action flick. It's neither, although that's how it was marketed, from all I can find out about "Revolver". This film is about the individual self defeating the false ego.

We are all born lacking self awareness. That usually doesn't begin until around 18 months or so. At that point we start becoming more conscious of ourselves and surroundings. We can react to specific events and catalog them away for future use by our brains. And that is also what begins to happen on a larger and larger scale as we age. We begin to develop a personality and trains of thought based on what we experience and learn. We start to build up a protective self, the ego. As we age, we nurture it and protect it. We believe we are protecting ourselves and in a physical sense perhaps we are. But mentally, we are simply doing what the voice in our heads tells us to do. We develop automatic reactions and thoughts. Our ego, or false self, is that voice in your head that says "I hope you hit a telephone pole." when someone cuts you off in traffic. It's that voice who returns any type of negativity with negativity. It's what we do. If we feel attacked or wronged, we believe we must react to defend ourselves. But why? Is responding to a negative with a negative helping us mature as human beings? Will doing so lead to a happier self? Are negative responses leading to positive feelings and situations later down the road? In my life, I've found the answer those questions to be no.

In "Revolver", the main character, Jake Green (Jason Statham), is imprisoned and then released after seven years. The responsible party seems to be Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta, in a more than solid effort). Macha has everything a person could want. Wealth, power, material possessions, and a life of total leisure. Except for the underlying feeling that it all hangs by a thread, that his happiness is thrown out the window for the perception of power and superiority. As Green leaves prison, he makes attempts to strike back at Macha, through mind techniques he learned in prison. But as he begins to get his pound of flesh out of Macha, he finds that he has only a short time to live, but two con men, Avi and Zach (played by Andre Benjamin & Vincent Pastore) tell Green they can save him if he does exactly what they say. Green reluctantly agrees and the film carries on from there; Green trying to save himself by letting go and letting someone else make his decisions.

If you plan on seeing the film, and don't want spoilers, I don't intend to give you any. A couple have and will slip out, but the movie won't be ruined by knowing anything. It's not a film you can really get in touch with unless you have dove into it a time or three.

The ego is powerful in most everyone. Director Guy Ritchie shoves that down the throat of the viewer, even if the viewer can't see the forest for the trees. The character Macha, has everything anyone could ever want. But, you never see him enjoy anything. He is in a constant battle to keep up appearances, to avenge humiliation, and to protect himself from enemies that may only be the manifestation of his own fear, and uncertainty....both of which flutter just below the surface of the character. The character is all ego. All action and reaction is done to save face, avoid ridicule, and to seem in control. It's something I can relate to when I stop and examine how I've lived my life and how I've reacted to every major situation in my life. And yeah, day to day, I can see my ego defending itself in the smallest of experiences. By becoming mindful of the present, I've started being able to slap the ego back and respond to each moment of my life in a way that benefits me and anyone involved in the most positive way. Even if that means seemingly giving up power, seeming weak to others, or allowing myself to be humbled. For you Bible folks.....that would be the very heart of "turning the other cheek" and part of "do unto others...." A negative reaction to a negative situation never brings conclusion. It can only lead to more negativity, even if it isn't immediately apparent. React with love rather than defending the ego.

Most of "Revolver" is metaphor. You need to watch the movie as if you are seeing parts of the lead characters minds working. The film has very little sense of time period or place. It's depressingly brilliant in its' look and feel. The bright lights and glitter seem too overbearing to be real and the dullness of the streets reflect misery and/or unhappiness. It's only when Green is talking with his new "friends" over a game of chess that the surroundings seem to be settled and normal. So, in a sense, when he is figuring out who he is and starting to learn that he has an enemy, but the enemy is inside his mind, that's when he is the most in touch with himself and almost pleased. If you go into the movie trying to watch it, as pure entertainment, that is exactly what it shows you, (examples, "Oceans 11" or "Armageddon") you will be severely disappointed. You have to allow your mind to consider that each part of the film is showing you something that is familiar, but you just have not figured out how to see it yet. That's why the film works so well on repeated viewings. There is one scene that is all about the Biblical story of the children of Israel and the Egyptians. Watching the movie with the commentary on is very enlightening, but I don't suggest that if you really want to tackle the film on your own and try to make sense and meaning on your terms. Draw your own conclusions before giving in to the commentary.

The film only gets a 16% from critics on RottenTomatoes.com and that's about right, given the things that are criticized about the film. Most of the critics were watching the movie, not experiencing the film. Why? Because they can't understand what it means. They are not open to the metaphors in the film that refer to the mind. They have no frame of reference for exploring the false sense of self. Again, it's not that they are stupid or bad film critics....it's that (notice how I word it, this isn't a put down) they CAN'T understand it. After all I have explained to this point, it can be made no more obvious than in how Roger Ebert chose to talk about the film. In his words, it's obvious that he has no understanding that the film is not "Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels" or "Snatch". He is looking at it for immediate sensory satisfaction, not as a piece of art to be poured over, thought about, and then discussed. Anyhow....here is what Ebert said;

The plot. What is the plot? Jason Statham has spent seven years in jail, between a con man in the cell on one side and a chess master on the other. Back on the street, he walks into a casino run by his old enemy Ray Liotta and wins a fortune at the table. Did he cheat, or what? I dunno. Liotta sics some hit men on him. Then two mysterious strangers (Vincent Pastore and Andre Benjamin) materialize in Statham's life at just such moments when they are in a position to save it. Who, oh who, could these two men, one of whom plays chess, possibly be?

I find it unbelievable that Ebert missed it all so badly. He's a major league film critic who wrote a review without trying to find out what the film was about. That's a very unprofessional rant. He asks what the plot is, but fails to address it in a learned manner. It's all one dimensional to his eye. Oh, well, on with the show.....

Our egos control most of us and most of what we do. That systematic building of responses and actions that happen in an instant without us even giving a thought, are part of that ego. It can be changed. The ego is part of what gives us confidence and tries to see to our "well being" at all times. While there seems to be nothing wrong with that, is it how you really want to live? Is it how you want to feel? Frankly, I'm tired of uncertainty, fear, arrogance, and anger determining my responses to what life offers me. Those things have held me back and continue to do so. If I didn't stop and be mindful of my life and the fact that I am going to die, there is no way I would have made the personal strides I have made. Some may not believe they are positive, but in my skin, most of what I have let go of has made me a much happier human being. I'm wiggling free of the ego. Hell, I just quit my job of 15 years. Odd thing is, other than the "voice" telling me that I was an idiot and I should just stick with the safeness and stability of where I am, my mother has been the only other person to have a negative view of what I've done. Is it a coincidence that the false self, the protecting of the self by my ego happens to agree with my mom? The person who raised me and without a doubt was responsible for some of the negative traits in my personality as well as the positive? Not knocking mom. Just saying that we all have influences and stimulus. They have shaped who we are. But, if those things shaped us, then are we who we think we are? We didn't make conscious decisions to become the people we are. It was all built by learning or being taught how others behave.

I urge anyone who is even mildly interested in this stuff to do some soul searching. Think about how you react to the world every single moment of your life. Is it all negative? Are you constantly kicking others (even if just in your head) to make sure you feel safe and superior? If a person who made your hamburger forgets the pickle, do you need to ask them how smart they have to be to make a burger or do you simply ask them to take care of the mistake? If your kid spills milk on the floor, do you need to scream and overreact or could you just help him/her clean up the mess and assure them that the world isn't ending? Which reaction in those scenarios creates the best result for everyone involved? Which reactions will likely allow the event to be inconsequential and which could spiral into more negativity, even going beyond the parties involved?

The end of "Revolver" involves a sort of show down between Green and Macha. It is the finale'....the "high noon" shootout. Green confronts Macha, his fear of elevators, and his fear of humiliation all within a five minute period that is brilliantly acted by Statham and Liotta. Liotta's "Macha" and Statham's "Jake Green" make their decisions and the results are obvious. Choose to be a slave of the ego or choose to be in control of your every moment. The film came down to that in a very powerful way. Again, Liotta is great in this scene.

So, I've kind of half assed gave you a lecture on ego and sort of given you some help on how to watch Guy Ritchie's "Revolver". What's it worth? About the same thing the rest of my blogs are worth. I hope any of you who read this and are truly wanting to move towards a way of thinking that allows you to be released from caring how others perceive you and/or want to prioritize how you feel about yourself, study up on ego, mindfulness, and consciousness. If I died tomorrow, I will die knowing that pushing back against my self-serving ego saved my life.

I know so many people who think they can do it alone
They isolate their heads and stay in their safety zones

Now what can you tell them
And what can you say that won't make them defensive

Hang on to your ego
Hang on, but I know that you're gonna lose the fight

Brian Wilson----The Beach Boys

The War Of Terror...oops...War ON Terror: Can We Win?

2011-11-02T18:31:00.001-04:00

I fully realize I am going into enemy territory by writing what I'm going to write. But, I don't care. Who the hell reads this anyhow? Is it anti-American to point out what you believe to be bad policy? Is it anti-American to criticize failed policy that continues? Maybe to some. But I don't think so.

I believe it to be high time that we rethink our strategy in regards to combating terrorism. We all know that there is no "winning" the war on terror. No matter how badly we want to think that we can smash anti-Americanism into the ground, we all know deep down that it's not possible through military action and causing chaos wherever we send our military. Now, I'm not going to sit here and claim to know anything more than anyone else. It's just an opinion, but an opinion born over a period of 10+ years of sitting on the fence as well as having been on both sides. It's been a huge cycle of emotion for me, this war on terror that we (the USA) have waged.

We got hit and hit hard on September 11, 2001. Some spoke of it as a wake up call. I say it was a wake up beating. Our wake up call should have been years earlier when these smaller incidents were taking place. The USS Cole, the first WTC attack, the hostages taken in Iran, the US base and embassy bombings in Beirut, the embassy bombing in Kuwait, and numerous hi-jackings that took place against American interests. These events were taking place in the 80's and 90's and for some reason, we never put them all together and said "You know....I think we have a problem with militant Islam." No, we just went about our business, because that stuff wasn't happening on our soil (for the most part). Our leaderships refusal to see what was happening was neglectful enough to allow the killing of thousands of civilians in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. in 2001. We paid the price for thinking it wouldn't happen here.

Not that we were unaware that something could happen on our turf. There were enough clues, that were never shared between security agencies, that should have led to more widespread investigation into various terror threats. Hell, we actually funded or indirectly supported many of the "bogeymen" that we have been whacking over the past decade or so (Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Mohmar Gaddafi). Build 'em up, then tear them down. But enough about "woulda, shoulda, coulda" for now. There is enough blame to go around, from Jimmy Carter, straight on through to Barack Obama. But this isn't about blame. It's about taking a look at what we are doing and thinking about if we can do things differently to get a different result.

There isn't anyone reading this, who should think I'm being critical of our armed services or the men and women who serve in them, directly. It's our policy that I'm concerned with. The hi-jackings on September 11th had nothing to do with Iraq, yet we have terrorized that country by, crippling their infrastructure and killing hundreds of thousands of civilians (directly or indirectly). Our embargo of goods to Iraq after the first Gulf War was responsible for the death of several hundred thousand children. Madeline Albright thought it was an acceptable situation and said so on "60 Minutes".

Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanctions against Iraq: We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it.

--60 Minutes (5/12/96)

Well, I don't think the price was worth it. And the second war in Iraq wasn't worth it either. The attack on the Taliban in Afghanistan was justified in my opinion, as they were responsible for training and funneling money into terror groups like Al-Queda. But, after putting them on the run, we focused on Iraq (and building a billion dollar ~~base~~, err embassy) and now the Muslim extremists are enjoying a resurgence. We are going to leave Afghanistan defeated, just like the Soviet Union did. The price is going to be tremendous as it is going to further embolden militant Islam in its' fight against the United States and our interests around the world.

I suggest that maybe we put some of these smart people in DC to work, figuring out ways to come to terms with our own imperialistic ways. Our military and our nation deserve better. Enough of killing as a way to stop killing. It's not working. Shouldn't we try to understand our enemy? What makes them hate us? If it's because we like to eat at McDonald's and listen to IPods, well, fuck 'em. But, maybe it's because we involve ourselves in their politics. We push to choose their leadership. We threaten their way of life, many times, because it's not OUR way of life. Education, knowledge, and understanding is the ONLY way that we are going to solve this huge problem. And it's not our problem. It's the world's problem. We ALL need to start seeing each other as part of the same humanity. And yeah, negotiating is part of that. If we are not willing to listen to and talk with any leadership of any nation on this planet, we are part of the problem and not a part of the solution. When we sacrifice the lives of the innocent to maintain our interests (ie, protecting oil fields in Iraq while the ammunition caches were left open or having our soldiers protecting poppy fields 24/7, while we spend billions of dollars fighting drug use and smuggling) we are the problem.

I blame our leadership for being at the beck and call of the "Military Industrial Complex" that Eisenhower warned us about. But, we, the common citizen have to take some blame. We buy into the false nationalism. We buy into the thought pattern that is sold to us, that we are just over here minding our own business and they hate us because we eat deep fried Twinkies. Bullshit. We have been using Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, and Iraq for decades as temporary bases or fly over areas so we can launch attacks on other Muslim nations. We cozy up to foreign governments in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, while their people are treated like animals and impoverished. We have bullied and coerced our way into sucking up their resources on the cheap.

The USA is better than this garbage.......or at least, we, the people are. Stop listening to the politicians and the news media and start researching and thinking for yourself. Read some interviews with anti-American Muslim leadership. Listen to Osama Bin Laden.....I don't condone the killing of people to make political points, but after reading this, there is no way you can come away feeling like there would never be a reaction to our actions;

Osama Bin Laden:

(d) You steal our wealth and oil at paltry prices because of you international influence and military threats. This theft is indeed the biggest theft ever witnessed by mankind in the history of the world.

(e) Your forces occupy our countries; you spread your military bases throughout them; you corrupt our lands, and you besiege our sanctity, to protect the security of the Jews and to ensure the continuity of your pillage of our treasures.

(f) You have starved the Muslims of Iraq, where children die every day. It is a wonder that more than 1.5 million Iraqi children have died as a result of your sanctions, and you did not show concern. Yet when 3000 of your people died, the entire world rises and has not yet sat down.

Bin Laden's Letter To The USA After 9/11/01

Oh, I know some of you are gonna be pissed for me putting that in here. But all I'm doing is trying to get you to see that there is another side to the war. They have an entirely different way of life and we have used our power to infiltrate it. How many of you bitch about China owning so much of our country? What if Iran put a base in the Gulf of Mexico? What if South Korea put a military base in Canada? Do you think we'd feel threatened? What if Russia led an embargo of oil to the United States? Would any of that make you feel threatened and angry?

I'm closing with this; I am in NO WAY saying we deserve anything that has happened. But, we saw the warning signs and our leadership ignored them. Now, we are paying the price. I'll get into your head a little more......what if our leadership WANTS us to be scared and threatened? Isn't it easier to get a hold on resources and make decisions if you don't have to worry about the reactions of a scared population? Recently we have been hearing about cuts to military spending and operations will hurt the economy even further. Wow...really, so now we have to continue bad policy, continue to put our young men and women at risk, and threaten the lives of civilians around the world, so our economy will remain "stable"? And I think to myself....what a wonderful world.

Cut Defense, Hurt The Economy?

I won't ask you to agree. But I will ask you to think.

Looking Back......

2011-10-16T18:41:00.000-04:00

Looking back at the past few years, I am coming away with the feeling that I've changed quite a bit more than I had previously believed. Lately, my reactions to different (seemingly negative) situations have varied. Sometimes, I let things roll off my back, sometimes I just laugh, and other times, I sort of lose my mind. To me, that's a win. OK, maybe not a "win", but I think I'm ahead going into the 4th quarter.

Most of my life, I've worn my emotions on my sleeve and have dealt with stress by going into a depressive state or by lashing out. I've always tried to be a problem solver and that usually worked when dealing with other people's problems. With my own, I wasn't so good. I'm still not great at it, but I do think I'm learning.

Thing is; I want to be a person that others can rely on. I want to be a person that my wife and kids love to be around and can trust to be a consistent person day in and day out. Like anyone else, I need to be accountable to myself for what I say and do. And to make that a reality, I've tried becoming more self-aware.

Guilt is something I carry around with me constantly. If I don't have anything to feel guilty about, give it a day or two and I'll always find something. Why is it so easy to forgive others, but so terribly hard to forgive myself? How is it that I can see the big picture for others, but my life narrows into pressure packed moment and basically a standstill when I confront my own issues?

Not sure about the answers, but I'm working on it. Hopefully I can prove to my family, friends, co-workers and eventually to myself that I can be the best Freddy I can, much more often than not. 50/50 or even 70/30 isn't good enough for me. Live in the moment and do not fret over what I can't control. I should have that tattooed on my forehead. But then, I wouldn't be able to see it would I? Just another problem. Where to put the tattoo?

The Big East: A tragically sad ending

2011-10-07T09:12:00.000-04:00

I want to start this out by saying that you guys know I don't follow sports like I used to. Pro sports are pretty much out altogether for me and I've distanced myself from the college game too. What I'm about to lay down comes from my heart and a piece of my heart is given to Louisville Cardinal athletics, even if I'm not a hard core fan any longer. I've been asked about twenty times in the last couple of weeks what I thought about Louisville's situation and the Big East. I'd rather address how I feel about the Big East coming undone than talk about Louisville. The Cardinals are not in a great position right now. The fate of the schools sports programs hangs in the balance. I don't think things will ever be the same.

So, here are my thoughts on the Big East athletic conference being torn apart;

This has probably been said a couple of thousand times, but what a shame it is to see this conference crumble from the inside. It's always been a really good, bordering on great, conference, so I don't mean just since UL came on board. This is one of the final nails in the coffin for college athletics as we know it, in my opinion. Everything is about getting bigger to grab more revenue. I guess that's OK, but what about the college game? What about rivalries? What about the ability of the fans to travel to far away schools to attend games? Shouldn't that sort of thing matter in college athletics. We hear all sorts of talking heads, coaches, and league officials carry on about the integrity of college athletics, but rarely will they display that or loyalty when it comes to the almighty dollar. And we expect the players to show class, integrity and loyalty? Ha! Absurd. Get all you can get kids, because they are making their bones off your backs.

Imagine if the SEC started breaking up in football. I think it would be awful if Alabama and Florida, pulled out of the SEC. What if Duke and North Carolina State left the ACC? Tradition is supposed to mean something in college athletics, isn't it? Pitt and Syracuse are Big East schools. It's their identity and their identities were built in a tough, exciting Big East conference that has seen greatness and actually was still going strong. The Big East was not unraveling. It was plundered and those who were plucked, rolled over with greenbacks dancing in their heads. And they did so, without a hint to anyone. Shady people, make shady deals.

Since Louisville has been in the Big East, I have felt like it was a privilege as a fan to get to be a part of watching college history. Now, we are on a path of super conferences that have no allegiance from one school to the next, nor is their any regard for geography, or their fans. These conferences are going to generate a great amount of money from new TV deals and the mid-level conferences are going to suffer for respect and attention even more than they do now.

I'll liken this to the take over of our culture by huge, multi-national corporations. Just swallow up the competition and leave just a few big entities to eat the whole fucking pie. The mom and pop stores are dying and so are the traditions and structure of college athletics as we remember it. It'll be OK, I'm sure. Louisville may well get into the Big 12, which is a fine conference. But the Big East was something special and only in the last couple of years, did I feel like Louisville had finally arrived and was a true part of Big East tradition. Now, it seems as though the Big East will be either a glorified mid-level C-USA type of league, or it will crumble, leaving the football schools scrambling for a new home and a way to take on a new identity.

I say shame on the school presidents and league leadership that goes out and plunders and make decisions behind closed doors, that will cheapen the college game. Let's just call it what it is. Professional sports. If the schools are not going to retain loyalty to tradition, why should anyone else? Let's just call it a spade America, we are right smack in the middle of the "bad ol' days". Nothing is sacred in the face of getting a larger piece of a finite pie.

Link to Josh Pennock article on sports and greed: CLICK ME

Rock N Roll Comics!

2011-10-03T19:15:00.002-04:00

*disclaimer, if you click on any of the videos, you may hear "bad" language. if you are offended by "bad" language, you are probably at my blog by mistake, try here: Lost? Click Me Now

I just love listening to stand up comedy. There is quite a bit of really good stand up going on right now, and yes, there is some bad stand up....but you gotta know what to look for. It's no secret to anyone who has ever read this blog before, that I am a big fan of Bill Hicks. You can read what I have to say about him, if you just click the link to an earlier blog post.

Bill Hicks: A Man Ahead Of His Time

Discovering Hicks led me backwards a bit. I learned some tid bits about Lenny Bruce, which led me back to George Carlin, which led me to Richard Pryor. Those three broke down barriers. They said things, in public, that used to be taboo.....even illegal. Imagine that. Telling a joke in a club, using certain language could get you arrested in the not too distant past. You can watch their acts and get the feeling that they were just saying those things for shock value. Or, you could think about it from the other side and know that they were really trying to free us from ourselves. They were all about freedom of speech and expression. Carlin, in particular, loved to show that a word is just a word. It's the intent behind the word and the mind of the person hearing it, that gives it power. Take a word like "fuck" for instance. The word itself has no power. It's our judgement of the word that gives it power. I happen to use that word quite often. Why? Because I like it and it carries no more meaning to me than if I were to say "fudge" instead....or "darn"....or "shoot". Just words and "fuck" is a strong word and can pull emotion and attention out of people who hear it. Carlin, Bruce, and Pryor were pioneers and I don't feel like they get their due from the average American. Just like there may not have been a wide open rock n roll scene without Chuck Berry, Elvis, Fats Domino, and the Beatles, there may not have been Eddie Murphy or Robin Williams without the greats before them.

Anyhow, back to the topic. There are some great comedians out there today who are following in the footsteps of the greats. Bill Hicks deserves to be among the "Holy Trinity" of early stand up. Although he died in 1994, his influence is felt more today than ever. He is more popular now than ever. Before his death, he was a major star in the U.K., but in America, he was just too far ahead. He was talking about world politics, war, the poor, and social taboos in the 90's, and some of those things people are still not that comfortable with today. The fear and the barriers created by fear are broken down by edgy comedians. Not just for shock value. But to give us the ability to see the absurdity of the culture under the protection of comedy. The comics that are taking Hicks mantle and running with it are what I call "Rock N Roll" comics. These guys are not scared to address issues of the day. They are not scared to break away from routine and riff on current events and they really are not scared of the "sacred cows".

The best comedians working today are the guys who are real. The guys who don't care about who may have their sensibility offended. Jokes are jokes and almost anything.......maybe EVERYTHING.....can be funny. Doug Stanhope, Bill Burr and Joe Rogan stick out like sore thumbs against the average comedian. They don't do a "shtick" like Larry The Cable Guy or Frank Caliendo. These guys address real issues and the most private parts of our lives, and they make it funny. They show us the absurdity of life and how it's OK to take that life and absurdity head on.

Bill Burr may be the most open and overwhelmingly funny comedian working. His bits on relationships, pets, growing old, and the emergence of "do it yourself" consumerism are pure comedy gold. I dare anyone to get relaxed and watch a Bill Burr special and not have to hit pause 15 times because you are afraid you are going to miss something while you are crying with laughter. The man is a great.

Bill Burr: Let It Go NETFLIX <<<< Click Here For Bill Burr On Netflix

Doug Stanhope is another great comedian. He flies just below the radar. Mainstream audiences don't know him that well, but people who follow comedy very much, realize that this guy is a fantastic stand up. He gives off the impression that he is doing everything off the cuff (yeah, most great comics do that, but he FEELS like he's actually making the shit up as he goes) and isn't afraid at all to take a swipe at himself, as well as our society and even his own audience. If you are in the building to be entertained and Doug Stanhope is who you are going to see......you will get your money's worth! He tackles drug use and alcoholism with no restraint and when he lectures on societal ills, it's hard to determine whether the guy should be president or you should just laugh.

Stanhope has a reputation for really not caring what he says. If it's funny, the man will lay it on ya. I'm linking up to an archive page from his website called "Bobbie Barnett & Baseball". He has a bit he does on "Bobbie Barnett" a girl he had sex with years ago. He tells the story of her losing a bet on a Twins/Red Sox game and having to sleep with him. It's a part of his act. Then, years later, she emails him and asks him to stop telling the story. And he posts the email and his reply. It's just a good ol' time! Oh, and if you get the chance, look for his stand up video on Netflix or Amazon or wherever called "No Refunds". Hysterical.

Bobbie Barnett & Baseball: CLICK ME FOR AMUSEMENT!

The last but certainly not the least, is Joe Rogan. Rogan is mostly known for being a commentator on UFC matches and for hosting "Fear Factor", a show he said he didn't think would last past the first episode. Well, it did and Rogan seemed to learn a lot about humanity from hosting that terribly great "game" show. Rogan, like Burr and Stanhope, doesn't seem to be much of a bullshit artist. What you see is what you get. He even opens up the mic at the end of his shows to take questions from the audience. He loves to interact with people and there is a certain humanity to him that is really lacking in many celebrity types today. Rogan is not scared of the truth and if you hang with him long enough, his stories always pay off. And hell, if you are not careful, you might learn something.

CLICK ME: Netflix Link To Joe Rogan Live!

Don't get me wrong, there are other great comics out there. I just happen to think that these three guys are carrying the torch that they picked up when Bill Hicks dropped it. They are realists and they are funny. They push the boundaries of what is funny and for the most part, I've found that anything they feel like talking about is funny. So, if you really dig laughing your ass off on a consistent basis, I highly recommend you checking out stand up acts from these guys. They are also included (along with Bill Hicks) in CoEdMagazine.com's, 24 Most Underrated Comedians.

24 Most Underrated Comics: CLICK ME!!

By the way: I am deeply apologetic to Louis C.K. for not including him. He is another great comedian and in no way did I mean to disparage his greatness by not putting him in this blog. Now I have!! Louie, you rock, my man!

Still Bill: The Story Of Bill Withers

2011-09-18T09:18:00.000-04:00

I have to admit it......I have a man crush on Bill Withers. Yeah, he's 30 years older than I am, but maybe he'll wait?

How is it that I have just found out over the past six months or so, how great Bill Withers and his music are? I've been a lover of music since I was moving into my teenage years. Sure, I had a handle on the classics, "Lean On Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine". Plus, "Use Me" along with "Just The Two Of Us" were also on my radar. But he has done much more than that. He has crafted out some soulful tunes that can pick at your emotional heartstrings as well as prompting your brain to understand how valuable relationships with others are. He brings you a story and dares you to not care. The mans voice has such richness and earnest that it's most difficult to not feel his music as well as hear it.

A song like "Grandma's Hands" is a one in a million. A very short tune that is devoted to one of the most iconic characters in our young life. Often times there is a reverence, almost a mystical connection between a grandmother and the offspring of her children. Withers allows you to pull out the file in your mind.....the one that houses the memories of your grandmother and let's you appreciate her without becoming overly sappy or emotional. You know it just feels good to think about grandma's love and care.

In listening to some interviews with Bill Withers, it hasn't been difficult for me to pick up on his want to be at peace with those in his life. Pride is usually a big obstacle when two friends have a rift between them. Nobody wants to be in the wrong and sometimes, it's really easy to hurt the ones you love. Withers wants to put that away and focus on using the time we have left in the world on making connections and spreading love. Isn't that a better way to spend time with the people we care about? Isn't sharing much better than withholding?

When Withers was making his first marks in the music world back in the late 60's and early 70's, the insanity surrounding the nations feelings about the Vietnam War triggered quite a bit of commentary from our artists, whether it be in the form of a television show, a song, a film, photography, or painting. With the grand scope of the war and our reactions to it, there were many great pieces of art that didn't quite touch all the way down to the bone.....all the way down to a personal level. This great song is about a young person who had his arm taken in the war and how he sees his life and the world in the aftermath of his injury.

These are just a few of Withers more culturally significant songs. Withers also does the "love" songs well too. Many times focusing on the dynamics of a relationship that are not always topical. Mistrust. Paranoia. Doubt. Forgiveness. Admiration. Dedication. This is his last "hit" song, but it's certainly not among the least of his work. It's sweet and mellow Withers begs that we not "hesitate" or "wait too late" to enjoy the love in our life. I barely remember this song from the early 80's, because back then I was too hopped up on MTV and Top 40 radio to understand that R & B and soul had just as much, if not more, to offer a confused, love torn, and frustrated teenager.

Finally, I want to pimp a documentary (Still Bill) that I have BEGGED people to watch. Even if you don't like his music, there is a wisdom and patience to the man when you listen to him talk about the things he went through in his life and how he has shaped his life the way he wants it to be with little influence from those outside of his family. He is his own man. Withers has a lot of wisdom in him and it probably wouldn't hurt any of us to stop and see the world from the outside from time to time. Withers jumped off the "world go 'round" and is enjoying his life. The documentary, if nothing else, reveals a man who knows where he's been, where he's at, and where he is going. His life is lived on his terms and he doesn't say or do anything that isn't who Bill Withers is. How rare a trait that is, in our culture. To hear him talk about how he wouldn't change himself for the music industry is awesome. Withers said he had a job at a toilet factory and if he couldn't make his music, his way, he'd just stick with that. No compromise. You can find "Still Bill" on Netflix, IFC, Hulu, and you may be able to watch it on You Tube.

Well, if you have made it this far down the blog, then I am guessing you have enjoyed hearing about Bill Withers. So, I'm going to give you a treat for sticking with me......

Clear your mind and let Bill Withers lay down some rays of sunshine for you. Damn, there are certain songs in this world that just make you happy to be able to breathe the air!!! Thanks for checking out my blog.

Change Yourself, Change The World pt. 2

2011-09-17T11:13:00.001-04:00

Well, I said I would follow up my last blog with more of the same, so here I am. Being mindful of your moment to moment existence can be a wonderful thing. I have a friend who is making great strides in his personal and day to day life by practicing meditation and mindfulness. He is much more confident, patient, and clear. Often times, when someone hears "meditation" they immediately think of the Beatles sitting around with the Maharishi or some dude like the Dali Llama sitting lotus for 38 consecutive hours. But that's just not reality for the regular human being who has a lot to do on any given day. The five minutes of turning yourself inwards I talked about in the last blog? That is meditation. If you start it and you find that you like the re-focus it brings, try upping the amount of time you spend on it by just a little bit, or try doing it 2 or 4 times a day, as time allows. But, you have to make time. If you really want to gain some focus and start living in the present, it takes practice.

I guess today, I want to touch on finding out who we are. Before I write about that, I want to add my usual disclaimer; I don't know shit. I only know what I know and I have just a basic understanding of some of the stuff I talk about. Anything I suggest or whatever might not be for everyone. I just know what is working for me. I slip up and bust my ass sometimes, but for the most part this stuff has helped me develop insight into the nature of our society and culture. It has also helped me get a better understanding of who I am and how I need to treat others. Old patterns are hard to break (hell, I spent an hour yesterday arguing on an internet thread......bad Freddy......bad Freddy), but a good first step is to recognize when you fall back and get right back to moving forward again.

Who are we? Who knows? Most of us define ourselves by our race, nationality, body type, job, political affiliation, and our sports or pop culture "fandom". If I AM "Freddy, the white warehouse manager" then I don't have much to live for other than pleasing an idea of myself and not developing who I really am or want to be. A good first step after attempting the mindfulness thing is to try to get inside your own head. That voice in there, try to think around it. Don't let it carry you off, focus on how you are living your life. How do you see other people? Are you worried about how they see you? How do you perceive the lives of others?

As an example of what I'm getting at, I'll use myself. Freddy has more times than not, been a person who was quick to be aggravated, was (still am) selfish, didn't (still don't) deal with failure well, disregarded those he didn't know personally, had a short attention span for those he loved at times, as well as worrying a lot about the future. Now, I'm sure I have some good traits too, but those are not what I saw (or see) very often. If I see all of the aforementioned as negative traits and I don't want to be that person, then I have to change my thought patterns. I have to keep my reactions from becoming automatic. I have to gain control of my thoughts to become the person I should be (or want to be).

My goals are to be more like this (in no order of importance);

1) awake to how the world around me (society/culture) works

2) be more patient and understanding when dealing with other people

3) react to each situation and live from the standpoint of love

4) be "in the moment" when talking with my kids

5) help other people (who want it) to remove obstacles in their lives, if I'm capable

6) deal with the truth and the reality of our world and our minds

7) give back as much as I take

8) live in the moment

9) looking at other living things with respect, compassion, and love

All those things are attainable for me (and for anyone else). But, I have to work on it. Those are things, that if I correct and put in to action, I can be happy with. I would love for that to be me. When I talk to that inner voice, that's what I want going on. I am making strides in these areas. I slip up constantly, but there are some areas that I have changed in my "personhood" that may never come back....and that makes me hap-hap-happy. Hell, I'm ashamed when I tell someone to "have a great day" and they look at me like an alien ate me up and I'm just a pod person now. I know they don't expect me to be pleasant or care about how their day goes. Again, I'm ashamed of myself for being that way for soooo long. So long that it's become how other people see and define me.

So, once a person becomes comfortable with starting to figure out who they are on a moment to moment basis, it probably won't hurt to start reviewing your beliefs. Not just religious beliefs, but your world view. How do you see strangers? When you see a young kid with his pants drooping off his ass and hat on backwards, do you immediately think "idiot, loser"? Yeah, me too. But, that's the very thing that we need to guard against. Maybe the kid is not an idiot loser. Maybe the kid really is smart, he is just a slave to the culture he is being brought up in. Perhaps he is socially awkward and the only group at his school that seems to accept him are the "droopy drawer" kids? Try to remember how you felt as a young person and some of the "rebellious territory" you staked out as you conformed to your peers or the culture of the moment. I've hired quite a few kids that other places wouldn't. Young men with tattoos all over them, earrings, nose rings, and that sort of thing. Often times they work out. Sometimes they do not. But, it's about the person and our attitude towards them that will bring about reality and not a preconceived, stereotypical vision of someone. Honestly, we tell ourselves we are not bigots or racists, or we're not prejudiced, but sometimes we sure act like it. A woman cuts you off in traffic and you think....or even worse, yell, "fucking dumb ass woman driver!" Or if you are approached by a panhandler, you think "get a job you piece of shit". Is that who you are? Is that who you want to be? Is that making you a happier human being? Is that how you want the world to be? It's moments like those when you can practice mindfulness and not judge the situation or the person. Maybe that woman has problems on her mind and wasn't even trying to cut you off? Maybe she was in a hurry because her father had been taken to the hospital? Maybe she's just a bitch? But what does that have to do with you and your sense of being? Perhaps that "lousy bum" was a war vet? Perhaps he is a person who lost his family and now doesn't have a choice but to live on the street. How are you improving your "soul" or mind by judging him right out of the pocket? How do you feel when that happens to you?

Working on how you see our culture and society is tough. I won't go into my religious stuff, simply because I've done that here before. If you want to know how that has changed me, do a search of my past blogs. The thing is, I started examining what I believed from the other side of the table. I took a look at my former flag waving, war supporting, self righteous self and compared it to the person I wanted to be. It didn't add up. I love the USA.........but I never stopped to examine our policies and how we just might be wrong on some things. Am I OK with my government killing and injuring hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children in countries that have no ability to run us off or fight back? Is that something we should feel GOOD about? The hand over the heart and the flag on the car patriotism, which is manufactured by our psyche at the want of the media, isn't real. We think of the idea of America and what it stands for and transfer it on to what is really happening and it makes it very easy for us to lose perspective, and more importantly, lose compassion for people with other points of view.

Can we be OK with ourselves if we support killing children and destroying countries? What are we doing for humanity? When does justice stop and spiteful revenge take over? When will we take a look at large corporations and how they control our government and how we think, feel, and consume? When will we see that over the course of decades these corporations have bought off politicians and those politicians have passed laws that allowed for our country to be one big pile of steaming commercialism that has sucked our manufacturing jobs out of country, allowed companies like G.E. to pay less federal taxes than you and I (yep...that's the truth), and provided them with the means to exploit middle and lower class Americans? Can you see it? It's in front of your nose, if you will only think about what you believe differently. Can we be a "Christian" nation if we allow our government to kill and torture people without accountability? Can we be so if we have kids living in the streets and even the ones who have a roof over their head are going hungry? Where is our compassion for other human beings? Is a starving African kid less important than a starving American kid? Can we be a country of equality, freedom, and promise, if we fight tooth and nail to keep two people who love each other, but happen to be of the same sex, from having the same benefits to the American dream as the rest of us? It's not a matter of whether you like it or agree with it....it's a matter of you thinking in the moment and allowing yourself to stand in their shoes. To see the world their way. To see the world with love.

I want to put this video up as another recommendation. This film was done by several middle class kids who wanted to see how other people lived. They wanted to get a feel for what it was like to be a human being from a different plane of existence. It's not the best documentary I've ever seen, but it is one of the most important that I have ever watched. It's called "The Human Experience". You can also find it on Netflix. Here is the trailer....if it doesn't spur your interest, you probably shouldn't be reading this blog anyhow.

I don't feel like I accomplished a lot with this blog. As usual, I think this may be more for me than for anyone who may read it. I hope some of that stuff made sense. I simply believe we can't continue to stand in concrete in regards to our personal beliefs and move forward. We have to be willing to change how we see things. I can give you quite a list of bullshit that we are fed each and every day that is meant to pull on our pro-capitalist, pro-war machine, pro-producer, and pro-consumer heart strings........that all sound good going in the ears, but when you put them to the test of reality, they suddenly turn very ugly and distorted.

Maybe I'll write more on this stuff later. I just feel sort of self-righteous telling people they need to sit across the table from their beliefs and take those beliefs on. I know that's how I sorted out my own beliefs. For me, it's now all about people, as much as it can be, in regards to where I am at in my "evolution". Regardless of race, religion, or nationality.....we have to be on the side of people. Not on the side of a government, a big chain store, a religion, or a false set of ideas of who we are supposed to be.

Before I go, I think I will touch on religion, but not in a way to bash it or whatever, but in a way to get to the bottom level. All religions talk about the love of "God". How "God" loves everyone. How "God" has mercy and compassion. Well, if that is so (and in my beliefs I think that is true, though I have no use for practicing religion), then how can we be on the side of anyone or anything that isn't for helping people? Strip away all the stuff that is on the surface of a religion and get down to what the creator of our universe (whether its' consciousness, nature, or a living creator god) may have had in mind for us. Does anyone believe that a creator would want us destroying each other and the planet we live on?

Think on it. Be in the present in your mind. If you do these things, you can change yourself. If you change yourself, then you will change how you see the world. And if others notice it in you, they may be curious as to how they can start taking control of their own mind. We pass it on. We raise consciousness. We make the world a better place with the truth, love, and compassion........not just for Americans, but for everyone.

Fever, breathe in your own cool, blue air

Look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle

Look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle, everywhere

Brother, brother, don't you care?

My Morning Jacket

"Sec Walking"

Change Yourself, Change The World Part 1

2011-09-15T20:03:00.001-04:00

This blog is specifically for a friend (Jere') who asked "Please tell me how we can do this?" to a post I made on Facebook. Yeah, I really showed Facebook didn't I? Never mind that post from a couple of weeks back.

Here is what I posted:

Truth isn't specific to any religion or political ideology. The truth just is and no amount of twisting it or ignoring it will make it go away. Let's wake up and take our world and country back from those who control us with fear and the promise of a happiness that can be bought.

Now, I'm not talking about day to day things that people are involved in that may work for them and not for others. In those regards, truth can be held by the individual and not necessarily a truth for another individual. But ultimately, there is a truth to our existence, and the way our culture and society work. That's what I'm talking about.

Before I even get going, I want to make this clear.....

I am as full of shit as anyone else. I don't believe I'm any smarter than anyone else. I don't have any secrets that others don't have access to. Really, seeing the world differently is a choice. But it's a tough one.

Our brains were cultural blank slates when we were babies and even a little older. We didn't recognize sound, sight, noise, or smell as being separate things like we know they are now. Everything was stimulus for us. We were wide eyed, taking in everything, with no way to really process it. We were without ego. But, then as our brains developed a sense of self, we started developing our minds and who we are. All of things we have encountered, been taught, seen, listened to, etc., started forming paths in our mind. These paths would eventually map out our personality and soon after that, our world view. We even started functioning on "auto pilot". We started responding to things automatically based on our experiences. Think about how you react to a situation. Sometimes we overreact to something and then later we think back and wonder why we got so bent. Why did we react the way we did? Because it has become automatic. We were not in control of the moment. We let our unconscious mind respond the way that it had calculated we should, based on our past. That is the very thing a person has to start working on changing, if they want to start understanding themselves and who they are a little better. It's the way to change how you feel about people and our world. Most people really do want to live a life that is controlled by love....not fear, hate, or anger. Easier said than done. It takes practice and self awareness to begin controlling your mind and not allowing your brain to function on "auto pilot".

Let me ask you this; moment to moment, what are you thinking about? Are you in the moment most of the time, or are you thinking about the past? Are you thinking about the future? People spend most of their time somewhere other than the present. There is a saying almost all of us have surely heard; "there is no use in crying over spilled milk.". Think about that. It's telling you that it's nothing to sweat. It's just spilled milk. Why be upset? That saying is about mindfulness. Realizing there is nothing to be gained from being upset or angry over something that is beyond our control. Each moment SHOULD be like that. Realistically, we are not likely to get to that place. But, we can get to a level where most of our time is spent surrounding the present and reacting to situations with a "here and now" approach. Trying to be mindful of the present has helped me quite a bit in my interaction with my wife, kids, friends, and co-workers. I don't get near as many people coming to me at work saying "Let me tell you what happened....you're gonna be pissed.". I am doing my best to take each situation and approach it from the present and use the following mindset: There are no problems, only solutions. (thanks John Lennon) What can I do to change any situation that has happened? What can I do to "unbreak" something? Nothing. All I have is what I can do in the present to make the situation better or fix it.

Every time that a person takes control of the moment and reacts differently than their immediate, emotional reaction wants to, they are creating a new pathway in their brain. A different approach. The old way is still there. And it will be for quite some time. But, the less you use it, and the more you use the new path, the better things will become. The "new" way will replace the "old" way. You will slip. You will fall back into your usual patterns. But, you have to immediately change that as soon as you bring yourself back to the moment. It's work. But if you want to change your world and how you feel about it, you should be willing to work on it.

I'm going to have to break this blog up some, because this is something I could write a book on. So, I'll leave this little exercise for you as a closing point for what I'll call part one of this "Change Yourself, Change The World" blog.

Take five minutes every day and find a place where you can just sit by yourself without any stimulus going on. No radio. No TV. No kids hollering at you. Do this with that five minutes; focus entirely on your breathing. Feel the air coming in and going out. No effort. Just feel yourself breathing and try to only think of your breathing. When you start to float away and think about something else (your day, dinner, plans)........and you will......don't be upset or beat yourself up mentally. Just come right back to the breathing and focus on it. Just keep pulling yourself back. Start doing this every day and you'll get better and better at it. Then, throughout your day, when you think about that five minutes or this blog (and hopefully you will) stop and bring your mind to the moment. If you are doing your job, be in the present and have your mind only on what you are doing, without thinking of what you are gonna do when you get home, who will win the game, how you are gonna pay the mortgage.....just push that out of your mind and focus on what you are doing. Bring your mind into the moment. Even if it's while you are washing dishes or some little task. It matters. It's practice. Even if you can only do it for a few seconds at a time. You are retraining your mind.

Devote your mind to the moment. Because really, that's all we have. We can't go back to the past. We can't instantly be in the future. All we are and all we will ever be is the present. The past is gone and the future is an illusion....it's just an idea. NOW is the most important time of your life. Live in it.

I realize that most people are not going take the time to watch and focus on an hour of You Tube, but if you ever get the time, I recommend this video...........

The speaker is Jon Kabat-Zinn and this video is from a class he did for Google on mindfulness. Sitting with total focus on his words and putting myself in that class room, doing everything he asked, has had a significant impact on my life. Being in the present as much as possible is the most important thing we can do for ourselves. It really is. It allows you to deal with your life on a moment to moment basis instead of concentrating on what has happened and what MIGHT happen.

Our lives are happening right now. There is no starting gun. If you are waiting for you life to begin or waiting to be an idea of yourself, you are going to look back with some confusion at the end of your life. How many of us ask, what the hell happened to the last 10 years? They happened while we were busy thinking about other shit, like the previous ten years or the next ten years. Chances are, most of us are doing that right now.

My next blog will focus on taking this a bit further. Trying to find out who we are. I'm not talking about our name, our body, or how others see us. I'm talking about......who the hell is that voice in my head. If you took your mind out and put it in someone else's body, would you cease to be you? No.....what is in your mind IS who you are. Don't define yourself by a job, body type, skin color, religion, political affiliation, or favorite ball team. Who are you?

People asking questions lost in confusion,
Well I tell them there's no problem,
Only solutions,
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind,
I tell them there's no hurry...
I'm just sitting here doing time,

John Lennon

"Watching The Wheels"

Freddy's Open Mind on You Tube

2011-09-15T18:56:00.000-04:00

I've created an audio/video blog on You Tube. If interested, check it out and subscribe!

Under Pressure 2011

2011-09-02T22:04:00.002-04:00

Facebook: Buh, Bye......

2011-08-28T19:55:00.002-04:00

I have to admit it. I believed I would stop messing with Facebook after I wrote this. So sue me, I couldn't do it. I still believe this to be one of my better offerings. I'm bound to hit a bulls eye once in awhile, right? So, I wanted to acknowledge that my self-imposed ban was lifted rather quickly. Anyhow, in case you missed it the first time, here it is again.....and I still stand by every word.....more or less.

I have to admit.....I really, really enjoy Facebook. It's a great tool for expressing yourself and keeping in contact with others. But, I've had two bouts in the past year or so, where I thought I was spending too much time on it and used it as a forum for my dissatisfaction with our government. Thus, I have decided to let it go, until I need to plug this blog, of course. If anyone is interested in keeping contact with me, I have email; freddycaple@gmail.com and there is this blog. I will NOT be checking Facebook every day.

Before I put Facebook in my rear view mirror very far, I, of course, want to have some fun at its' expense. This will probably take a slap at some of you reading this, because I know damn well it's gonna be a slap at me! Please don't get offended, this isn't specific to anyone.

Come on, let's just admit that there are some pictures people put on Facebook that just don't belong there. The funniest ones are when people put up pics of themselves half naked. Often these pictures are self taken and that in and of itself should send up a red flag that maybe you like yourself a bit too much. Another weird thing is, a lot of these pictures are taken in a bathroom. Creep-O-Rama! Sure, people you know are going to tell you how great the picture is and how super you look....and maybe you do....but they are getting a good laugh behind your back. How do I know this? I do it. And I'm positive I've been laughed at too. It's OK.....it's just a picture and it's just Facebook. But, don't ever think it's cool. It's not. It's hilarious. On second thought....keep it up! Everyone deserves a laugh.

Here....some examples for you.....and I pray to Zeus that I don't put up a picture of anyone who owns firearms. Who wants to see this garbage? It's sick and offensive. Downright disgusting!

Now, that's not to say that I think it's silly or disgusting to post all self taken pictures. There are some that are really tasteful and I'd say, in many respects, downright artistic. I felt obliged to include a few in this blog to offset the pain that I put you through with the above photos!

OK, while I'm stuck on the subject of Facebook pictures, let me get this off my chest.........OK, got it. These pictures of the "pooched" or "kissy" lips have got to be destroyed. I don't know who started this, but this shit needs to end.....NOW!!!!!

See, look at what you've done. Even kids are doing it. Are you happy?

Another thing that kills me, is Facebook status updates that involve way too much boring, sappy, or self-righteous information. And this is one I'm really guilty of. We've all done it, but it doesn't make it right!

Here we go.......

FREDDY: Just got finished with dinner. Had salmon and potatoes.

Really! That's awesome. Tell me more about your dinner. Did you have buttered rolls? Maybe a glass of tea? How would I have gotten through my day without this knowledge?

************

FREDDY: Be happy. There is no god. You will be dead someday.

Hey, shut up! What the hell do you know about it anyhow? You smoke a little herb, watch a McKenna video and suddenly you have the answer to all of ills that have befallen the planet? Get over yourself, jack ass! Hey, Tommy Chong, go live with the hippies at Ashbury / Haight.

**************

ANYONE: Hey, babe....thinkin' 'bout ya! Luv ya.

Besides the person who you are probably embarrassing into hanging themselves, most of us don't wanna read that shit. Get a fuckin' room already. Why not post "Luv ya babe, that rim job was sublime." Hilarious thing is, I'd bet a dollar to a donut (and I LOVE donuts) that they are probably in the same house with the person and on different computers talking back and forth (how do I know, you ask? never mind) Just yell up the steps and save us the uncomfortable push of the "LIKE" button. If your relationship is so unbalanced that you need to be petted and assured of love from a significant other via a Facebook post, keep a Dr.Phil book by the bed and think long and hard about a pre-nup or keeping an attorney on retainer.

*********

What about NOT telling us about your awesome vacation? Is it a worthy update? You bet your ass it is, but why do you want to rub our nose in it? I have a couple of friends who go to Florida or the Bahama or some place great like that every year or more. If you selfish people cared about ole' Freddy, he'd be piled up in the back of the mini-van with the kids!

ANYONE: The sunset is awesome. Having a pina colada. Life is good, here at Club Med!

Yeah.....gotta push "LIKE" on that too....but you know what the rest of us are looking at? Perhaps the dog taking a dump in the backyard. Going over the spelling test our kid got a "D+" on (how do you miss "saw"? it's three friggin' letters). Watching the beautiful smog flow over the city and jets leaving pretty "clouds" behind them. I'm watching the 300 lb neighbor who served as an extra on "Planet of the Apes" on the riding lawnmower with no shirt, and you get to look at bikini clad people all day, while knocking back spiced rum and eating shrimps n' shit.

*********

ANYONE: I have the guts to post that I support our troops. If you have guts, you'll post this for one day as your status.

Weeeellllllll......fuck you, bub. Saving any lives with that post? Feeling a little superior and bossy today? I support the troops by paying my taxes and wishing they would be brought back home before one more of them had to die for reasons we are not even sure of anymore. Honestly, those posts and the ones about disease and such are nice and thoughtful. I just thought I'd be an equal opportunity hater.

***********

ANYONE: I lost my car keys. I prayed to Jesus to help me find them. The cat puked on the floor and there they were! Thank you, Lord.

Oh, for Christ's/Allah's/Vishnu's sake......a kid is dying of cancer somewhere and you just took Yahweh's eye off the ball by worrying about your car keys!!!

All of which brings me to a crashing conclusion.

Who the hell are some of the people who want to be my friend? Seriously! What the hell? I had requests from people all over the damn country. Never met any of them. Are they so hungry for some sort of validation in their life that they go around collecting internet friends. Shit....I don't want the friends I have*, let alone have to add some bastard in Cheyenne, Wyoming who thought I was interesting because I listed Dick Cheney on a favorites list somewhere on a political site fifteen years ago (and that's something you just can't take back, so be careful). I had something like 80 "friends". I don't even know the names of 80 people. I've seen people with 500+ friends. Wow.....that's gotta be hard to keep up with when sending out the Christmas cards?

*Just kidding about not wanting the friends I've got thing. I love (or strongly like) you guys. If you were one of the 80 people on my list, it's probably because I felt a bit of kinship to you, you are a family member, we are friends in "real life", or I just happened to share interests with you.

One person I have as a friend (David A) is a person I've never met, but because of Facebook, I hope I get to hang out with him at some point in my life. That's one of the things I'll miss. That rare connection we get from sharing parts of our lives that are important to us and have it mirrored in another person somewhere else on the planet.

Well, there's that. Have a great week and be sure to check back regularly if you care to. I'll be here. Sometimes often. Sometimes not so often.

Oh...and for those that know me, you won't be surprised that in the time it took you to get to this part of the blog post, I've changed my mind and will keep the account in case I really need to contact someone. Plus.....hell, I'm self centered....I need a place to pimp the blog. It's my life. Up yours! :-)

If this time should be

anything like the other time,

this time, will be the last time

"This Time"--Waylon Jennings

The GOP: God's Own Party

2011-08-16T19:30:00.000-04:00

Obviously, anyone who has read very much of what I write knows that I'm not fond of religion. I don't equate "god", or your idea of "god" with religion. So, when I use the term religion, do not assume I'm talking about "god". Hope that is clear. Nobody has the truth cornered or there would not be thousands of religions, all saying they worship the one and only deity.

Now that I have that disclaimer out of the way, I can get to it. I never intended for this blog to become so political. I did it mostly to air out things that aggravate me and to expand my ability to amuse myself and a few others. Well, since I don't participate in political discussions on any groups, I use my Facebook account and this blog to comment on politics. Look here, I realize that many of you who read me have always thought of me as being fairly conservative. Well, I think I still lean that way on many fiscal issues and even on a few social issues (which I'm more moderate on than subscribing to an ideological point of view). I just dislike what is happening in politics. More now, than ever. And at the heart of my dislike is my disappointment with how the evangelical Christian movement has infiltrated and taken over the Republican party and have also ruined the politics of the Tea Party. And it has never been more apparent than looking at the top three candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination.

I was really going to take this to the next level and get in depth on the candidates. Instead, I think I'll choose the "pro/con" route. It'll probably depend on your point of view or politics as to what is pro and con, so I'll stick with what I think (and even what I DON'T think, if I can get some humor out of it!). You can go to Wikipedia or whatever to find out serious stuff about the candidates.

Mitt Romney

The reason Romney is not a runaway success as a Republican candidate is because he is a Mormon. To me, being a Mormon is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from being a Scientologist (damn, I hate having to capitalize that). A lot of Christians don't even consider Catholics to be a part of their faith, so you know the Mormons have no shot. As a Mormon, Romney can't partake of anything that is enjoyable. No drugs. No tobacco. No alcohol (unless it's wine you make yourself). No coffee. Romney believes that Jesus came to North America and took a look around, and his pappy wrote some sacred tablets that only Joseph Smith would be able to decipher. Cuckoo..........

So, what about his religion makes him an attractive or unattractive candidate?

CON: Mormons do not allow women to become priests. A bit exclusionary, ya think?

PRO: Jesus is the older brother of Satan. Now that explains a lot! I'd like to see Jesus assert himself....oops, Himself a little better and slap the master of abortions around a little more.

PRO: Mormons love to take on extra wives. (sex)

CON: Mormons love to take on extra wives. (everything else)

PRO: Says he will not have a litmus test for appointees and will not rule out atheists or people of other faiths.

MOST TROUBLING: He was pro choice....now he is pro life. Was for (and implemented it in Massachusetts) social medicine....now he is against it. Says he won't bow to the NRA....now he is a member of the NRA. Was for the bank bailouts.....and then was against the bank bailouts. He says drug use is immoral, but says it's best not to describe water boarding as torture. How's that for some morality?

My bottom line on Romney is that I think he would probably make a decent enough president, based on his success' with the 2002 Olympics, some of his private sector work, and his governorship in Massachusetts. I just don't know if I can trust a guy who has changed all of his problematic positions. If he has to be someone else to get the Republican nomination, what will happen with him when he gets to DC? Is there room for people to change what they believe? Hell yeah. But he has 180'ed on the very things that would NOT put him in a favorable position with the far right. Romney is one of the most disappointing politicians in my opinion. If he had stayed closer to the man he was when he became the governor of Massachusetts, he'd get my vote, despite his crazy assed beliefs.

Rick Perry

Here we are, finally. Everyone knew Perry was going to run, but he waited until he could make a splash and take away the thunder that would be the Iowa straw poll.....which is a total scam. Hell, if I had enough buses and money, I could have won that poll. Perry, like Romney, is smart guy. He handles himself well and comes across as a person who is in control of himself and what he believes. He's done an OK job in Texas and he has to be doing something right....he's been the governor there since W. went to DC. I don't think there is any doubt that this guy would love for America to become a theocracy. If you think it's insane for many middle eastern countries to be Islamic theocracies, then there should be no reason for you to support that happening in America, whether you are a Christian or not. Read up on the following and you'll understand why; Dominionism: Not As Cool As It Sounds

CON: No embryonic stem cell research. PERIOD. None. So, he does not support one of the leading scientific paths to healing cancer, spinal injuries and a host of other afflictions and ailments. We must protect the sanctity of a cell that is less complex than the brain of a house fly.

PRO: Death penalty for aggravated rape. No, I'm not much for the death penalty, but it's hard for me to hold a position on something like this. I can see how both sides of this issue have valid points. So, I'll go with PRO on this one, although "Thou Shalt Not Kill" sounds kind of final, doesn't it?

CON: Whoops......he vetoed a bill that would have banned executing mentally retarded inmates. Maybe he missed that commandment. :-)

PRO: Medical marijuana legalization should be up to the states.

CON: Supports executing marijuana users. (OK, I made that up.....sorry)

CON: Held a 3 day "Prayer - A - Thon" to end the drought in Texas back in April. The drought continues. Will we have a 3 day prayer event for jobs? Is that a policy? Geez, social security is out of money? Pray for a couple of days. Yeah, makes perfect sense.

PRO: Believes the civil rights movement fulfilled the Declaration of Independence.

CON: Doesn't see any trouble with prayer in public places that are funded with tax payer dollars.

CON: Believes "Intelligent Design" is scientific.

MOST TROUBLING: How about this quote: "God has chosen an elite, his new apostles here in America, to rule over the land through great monied business associations whose sole purpose is to further their divinely ordained agenda: economic, social and political."

I simply can't trust that this guy will do the right thing by America and for ALL Americans. He's going to follow a rigid set of standards that are self-imposed as a direct result of his religious beliefs. Electing Perry could be like the proverbial snake. You grab the snake and it bites you. Then you are pissed off that it bit you. Well, it's a snake....that's what it does.

Michelle Bachmann

This should be lots of fun. But, first things first. It seems that she is the type of person who is sincere in her care for her family. She has taken in many foster children and has been very charitable in helping teenagers with eating disorders. Also, while in congress she, at times, was very measured in her comments on how to go about a "troop surge" and whether or not it was needed and how it would effect our ability to get out of Iraq more quickly. Alright......from here on, she kind of comes unglued. It will become obvious to you, that if this woman were of any other religion, her ass wouldn't sniff politics in this country. If nothing else, she is a straight up "reconstructionist" or "dominionist". So, if you prefer personal freedom, which includes freedom from the government being able to implement Christianity as our national religion, then this isn't the girl for you.

PRO: Believes in the strength of families.

CON: So long as those families are the way she describes them.

PRO: Seems to be committed to her marriage.

CON: She is married to a ~~gay guy~~.....errr....yeah....I'll leave that alone.

CON: Thinks the swine flu break out under Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama are related to them being liberal Democrats....only the outbreak in the 70's began under Gerald Ford's watch.

CON: Wants to do away with the minimum wage to create jobs. We did that once. Pretty sure we called it slavery.

CON: OK, this isn't a "con", it's just a very stupid thing she said....and I could fill this blog up with that shit. "That's why people need to continue to go to the town halls, continue to melt the phone lines of their liberal members of Congress, and let them know, under no certain circumstances will I give the government control over my body and my health care decisions."

PRO: Talked to Michael Steele the way any white person should talk to a black person. ''Michael Steele! You be da man! You be da man!'' :-)

PRO: Maybe this isn't a "pro", but you have to give it up for the sheer intellectual vacancy she displays. As if somehow considering herself lacking in knowledge is a favorable trait. "I look at the Scripture and I read it and I take it for what it is. I give more credence in the Scripture as being kind of a timeless word of God to mankind, and I take it for what it is. And I don't think I give as much credence to my own mind, because I see myself as being very limited and very flawed, and lacking in knowledge, and wisdom and understanding. So, I just take the Bible for what it is, I guess, and recognize that I am not a scientist, not trained to be a scientist. I'm not a deep thinker on all of this. I wish I was. I wish I was more knowledgeable, but I'm not a scientist."

PRO: She helped start a K-12 school called "New Heights".

CON: She took government money for it and then proceeded to include "The 12 Biblical Principles" into the curriculum.One parent who was opposed to it being added to the curriculum was told that a member of Bachmann's team said that god spoke to them directly and said that they all should be "laying it down" for Christ every day.

PRO: Now, here is a quote I can get along with. “The Lord says be submissive. Wives, you are to be submissive to your husbands.”

MOST TROUBLING: "I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States . . . [W]e have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play. And my husband and I are both Christians, and we believe very strongly the verse from Genesis [Genesis 12:3], we believe very strongly that nations also receive blessings as they bless Israel. It is a strong and beautiful principle."

Not that I'm against supporting Israel, but they are a sovereign nation and we should not blindly follow a policy that is based on a book....or series of books that was written thousands of years ago. Hell, we barely pay attention to the US Constitution anymore.

I could go on and on about how delusional and out of touch this woman is. It's OK to believe anything you want, but when you are running for political office and especially if you are wanting to be the leader of the free world, you must be accountable for what you say and do. Bachmann has said that god told her to get a tax law degree (she worked for the IRS at one point), marry her husband, and run for political office. Well, is that supposed to comfort me? Whoever is elected, I'd like them to use their experience and knowledge of the US Constitution and bill of rights when considering issues. If she is the nominee, Barack Obama should thank Jesus....Allah or whoever the hell he prays to! Bachmann is a bad candidate if you love freedom, and equal civil rights for everyone. I have not even started to touch on all the ways that Bachmann is a supporter of theocratic government. I got you started. If you are alarmed, and you should be, do some more research.

I think I'll stop with these three. Rick Santorum would be another easy target, but he has only a slightly better chance to be the GOP nominee than Elvis does and he's been dead for a few decades. Santorum says he's pretty sure that it's "God's will" that he run for president. Newt.....not gonna get it....hope he doesn't get it.....better not get it. Herman Cain? I like his demeanor, but running a pizza parlor doesn't mean you should be president, and I'm not totally convinced his claim about Jesus healing him from cancer so he could become president is true. Ron Paul? A very interesting candidate. I really like his libertarian views. But, he has advocated in the past that it's OK to bring religion (and by religion, I mean Christianity) into the world of tax payer funded government. He also has supported it being OK to keep atheists from running for public office.

Now, here is an interesting dude....Jon Huntsman. Here is a quote from Huntsman he gave to TIME; "I'm a very spiritual person," as opposed to a religious one, he says, "and proud of my Mormon roots." Roots? That makes it sound as if you're not a member anymore. Are you? "That's tough to define," he says. "There are varying degrees. I come from a long line of saloon keepers and proselytizers, and I draw from both sides." Doesn't sound like he is using his religion (or lack of it) in his campaign efforts.

He has worked for Obama as the ambassador to China. He is pro-civil union, he believes we should take better care of our environment, and he has done a great job as Utah's governor by adding jobs and cutting taxes. At one time he had an 80% approval rating in Utah. He has worked for Reagan, the Bushes, and Obama. It's hard to get a candidate who has had that sort of experience working with different styles and different ideology. Did I mention that this guy actually has a sense of humor and loves rock n roll? Here is what he had to say when he was told an event in South Carolina was going to be "black tie"...."That kind of sucks." What does he say about how to deal with difficult situations? "You can be stern and forthright, and that's my management style," he tells me, "but when you lose it totally, that's a sign of weakness." I'm going to link up the TIME article. I think this guy, from my limited knowledge of him, is the one person in the GOP primaries who really deserves attention. If you are a Republican and are having a tough time with Bachmann, Romney, or Perry, perhaps this is a guy you may want to find out about and start talking about him to others. Perhaps?

TIME article on Jon Huntsman

I don't want to give the impression that I don't think it's OK for politicians to talk about their faith. Faith is important to many people and they like to share it. But, we have a Constitution and bill of rights. That comes first when you are sworn to protect those things. We are a nation that is diverse. There has to be room for everyone's beliefs on god and no religious doctrine should hold influence in our government to the detriment of others. I'll be back to a lighter subject later in the week. Tah, Tah!

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients: Part Two

2011-08-09T19:26:00.000-04:00

OK, I've been involved in and following four threads on Facebook about the topic of drug testing welfare recipients. It's been a hot topic today and I've enjoyed reading what people have had to say.

I wrote my blog today on my lunch break and was in a hurry to get it done and posted. So, I didn't hit this the way that I probably should have. With a more measured hand. So, I will try to do that with this companion piece to my earlier entry.

First off, I believe each and every one of you should be concerned with what happens with your tax money. That said, if we all had outspoken opinions about how Washington DC handles our money, like we have with this issue, maybe they wouldn't be so quick to waste it. Which makes me wonder, why are we so fast to beat up how the poor (some of the poor) MAY be using our tax money, while we just have a passing interest in our tax money going to fund poetic cowboy conventions in Nevada, an indoor rain forest in Iowa, exotic pet research, rock n roll education for children, and other projects that are not necessary or perhaps should not be funded with tax payer money?

I believe there is something about us, as a society/culture that makes us want to see the poor suffer a bit. We blame many of those who are on public assistance for their plight. You know...."get a job ya bum"! Well, I may be mistaken, but the official unemployment number is at 9.1% and that's the governments number. Some say it's much higher. Are we to expect the poor to get jobs in this economy, when most of us would have a lot of trouble finding work if we were to lose our current gigs? And, do very many of us know that getting a job can effect welfare in many states? Say you are a welfare mom with two school aged kids. You get maybe $200 or $250 a week for food and other bills. Hey, you find a part time job, making $8 an hour for 15 hours a week. Then you lose about 2/3 of your welfare. Where the hell is the incentive to work? The woman would be worse off, trying to find childcare in the summer and when school wasn't in. We ask them to work, but allow politicians to make laws/rules that actually make working the fast track to being homeless.

Anyhow, this is about the drug thing, right? We should take the time to humanize this. I've heard that the kids won't lose their benefits, just the parents. OK.....so a 4 year old is going to cash a check or take his/her food card to Kroger and shop? Let's stay in the real world. We would be ensuring that kids would get nothing in this case, because their guardian would have control of what the kids get.

Honestly, I wasn't aware that there was some great problem with drugs being bought with welfare benefits. I'm sure it happens.....maybe even a lot. But, with all that is happening in our world, this is how we have to make our stand against the poor use of our tax money? By pinching the poor, at a time when many of us are just a couple of missed paychecks away from filing unemployment and paying our bills (including food and medicine) with credit cards.

What becomes of the family who loses their benefits? First off, if my kids couldn't eat because I smoked pot....I'd quit smoking pot. I think most rational people would do the same. But, the focus should be on the hard drugs. Anyone can quit smoking pot. But, meth and crack are a different story. People don't use those for recreation very often. Those are addiction drugs. Would cutting off an addict and his/her family be wise? Is it ethical? Does it fit in with your values? We will be asking these addicts to clean themselves up, while we talk about how much courage a rich ball player or celebrity has when they go into rehab. Or we hang our heads at the loss of a musician as they succumb to the pressures of stardom and addiction. What about the pressures of being in the projects, with little hope of upward mobility, and being an addict? Is that not glamorous enough to care about? Is an addict just going to be able to stop cold turkey and get it together? Stats say no. Common sense says, they will get their drugs by hook or crook.

As for solutions, I don't know that I (or anyone else) has to have a solution for commenting on an issue. But, I do think it helps to draw out more thought and conversation. With that, I have a couple of thoughts. Not perfect. Maybe not even good. Perhaps not even practical. But how about we test every 6 months and require folks to re-apply for benefits? Constantly updating where they are in job searches, living conditions and such. Why not identify pot users and tell them, the next time, they must be clean or they will be required to take drug education courses and do community clean up services to continue their benefits? Also, the hard drug users can be identified and targeted for help to deal with their addiction. Those people will also have to have an assessment of their living conditions and how they are spending their benefits.

Are those things costly? Yes. Do they require more bureaucracy? Yes. Would this be towards helping human beings and children? Absolutely.

Are we going to drug test all welfare recipients every month? What's that gonna cost? Who is gonna pay for that? Oh....that's right, you and I will be. Every month we are going to test every adult recipient? What kind of strain is that going to cause on clinics in poor neighborhoods, because you are not gonna want these people sitting around in YOUR doctors office with you, right?

Florida is going forward with their program. But perhaps it would be wise to take a look at who may actually benefit from this. Is it you and I? That is debatable, I suppose. Thanks to Misty (friend of a friend on Facebook) for finding this link;

Conflict of Interest?

The governor of Florida and his wife own 62 million dollars in shares of Solantic, a company in which he (Governor Rick Scott) co-founded. Oh....by the way, Solantic........well....hell, I'll let you read this for yourself;

During the election campaign, he had estimated the worth of his Solantic holdings at $62 million. Jacksonville-based Solantic has 32 clinics statewide, including two in Palm Beach County, and plans rapid growth and an eventual initial public offering, according to company documents.

Why does that matter? Because Solantic does drug screenings at about $35 a pop. Wow.....the governor is in support of the legislation to test welfare recipients? I'll be damned. What a helluva coincidence.

Jeff (a discussion participant on Facebook) seems to support this testing in theory, but acknowledges there are better ways to go around it. He along with another fella (Daniel), proposed that a bigger problem that should be dealt with in regards to welfare are those who cheat the system. And, I have to agree with them. Fraudulently receiving benefits should be a major concern to us all. That is stealing and far more criminal (in my mind, if nobody else's) than a drug user getting benefits.

As I wind this down, I want to appeal again to our sense of compassion, love, understanding, and caring for our fellow men, women, and children. We are in dire economic times, whether you, reading this blog, can feel it or not. Hard drugs are bad. They destroy lives. But, those are the drugs of addiction and we can't just throw people to the wolves. Steve Howe was allowed to come back to major league baseball over and over again, as he struggled with cocaine addiction and was labled a hero. Rock stars and Hollywood celebrities (too many to name....just pick someone) shuffle in and out of the Betty Ford clinic, like it was Club Med, and we love to hear their stories of courage. They get a second chance. They are the richest and most affluent among us, but we find more compassion for them than some guy living in inner city USA not knowing how to get his shit together enough to take care of his kids. It's an entirely different subject, but some of these people.....no....MOST of these people are born into poverty. Not everyone has bootstraps. Are we gonna punish people for where they are born? Are we gonna punish children, because their parents can't, won't, or don't know how to "do better"?

Funny, in Florida, they still can't decide what voting machines are best to use to prevent fraud or confusion and it's been 12 years since the Bush/Gore election, but hell.....give 'em a year or so and they can find out how to keep the poor from being helped. Ahhh....the wonder of it all.

Until next time......

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients

2011-08-09T14:01:00.001-04:00

So it's come to this, has it? It's not bad enough that the poor are, well.....poor. We have to rub their noses in it and assume that they are all a bunch of junkies. But, let's test 'em all!!!

It does kind of sound good, doesn't it? It kind of feels good too! If my tax money is going to the poor, I don't want them using drugs!

But, maybe I should stop and critically think. Perhaps I shouldn't just react to this because it FEELS right. There's a novel idea. I think I'll think this through for a minute and see where I stand.

First off, if an adult smokes pot and has a couple of kids, what happens to those kids when the food is cut off? What happens to those kids when the electricity is cut off? Are we prepared to sacrifice children who are already under the boot of society, because their parents like drugs? And I don't want to hear the argument that "they aren't taking care of their kids anyway" because you don't know that. It's like saying making fried chicken illegal would cause black people to starve. It's absurd, and stereotypical.

Last time I checked with the local drug dealer, he didn't take food stamps. Maybe....probably....some do. So what? What are we supposed to do about that? If everyone on assistance had a "food card" and a photo ID, then there is no argument to be had here either. That money could not be spent on illegal products.....even if very much is now.

Why do we have studies for EVERYTHING, but there are no hard numbers on how much government assistance is actually used to pay for drugs? If food stamps can be used for drugs, then it can also be used for cigarettes and alcohol. So, why are we not testing for nicotine and alcohol? Is it OK to use those drugs with money that isn't meant for it, but not for pot?

Let me be clear. If a parent is using crystal meth or crack, they shouldn't have their kids in the first place. We'd be better off testing to see if they could care for or even keep their kids than testing to see if they kept their government aid.

We can't NERF the world. I've heard a lot of people talk about how great this is, but why do the same people not demand that our politicians spend our tax money better? We are TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS of dollars in debt and we are worried that Joe Blow is spending 60 bucks on a quarter bag? Talk about tunnel vision!!! Ha Ha!!!

Let's call a spade a spade. People (and this may be you) who are worried about this issue and are really concerned about welfare recipients taking drugs are only concerned about the person getting benefits at all. You don't give the first fuck how they eat, live, or take care of their children. You care that they are somehow cheating the system. You don't like that they get to lie around in a concrete block building, already under the thumb of our modern society, do you? You think somehow these people are enjoying the good life? Get in your gawdammed car and drive through the projects and tell me just how great some of these people have it. Face it. YOU DO NOT CARE where their next meal or their kids next meal comes from. It's not your problem, right?

I can already see it. Some of you will be bitching and complaining about stores and houses getting broken into by these same people when they need to find money for their drugs or food for them or their children. What then? Put them in jail? And then, we can pay for their health care and housing at the tune of $40,000 a year. Boy.....we sure showed them, didn't we? And their children can become wards of the state, moving from foster home to foster home (which you don't give a shit about either) and be set up for potential abuse and then released into the "wild" at 18 with no real chance to live a normal life.

Why not offer help, support, and love to people? This is going to hurt children. If pappy smokes a joint, but his kid goes to bed at night without a growling stomach, I'm OK with that. My money could and does go to worse bull shit. Like bailing out billion dollar banks or automakers. I guess giving billions to billionaires is OK. How about demanding our government not to give tax breaks to corporations that send jobs over seas. Yeah, you'll bitch about that and then run in to a Wal-Mart to grab a 21 gallon jar of pickles for 17 cents.

Perhaps some are too big to fail and others are too small to succeed.I want to ask some of you Christians who are on fire for this legislation a question. Who would Jesus feed? Did Jesus say, "Fuck The Poor"? Did Jesus set conditions, other than faith on your salvation? If we don't care about the poor, who will?

If you support government assistance being taken away from those who use drugs without any other conditions or leniency, there is no other way to say this than, you do not care about your fellow human being. It's all about you. So, up yours. And that comes from the bottom of my heart. A heart that would rather see people being helped in these tough times rather than being shit on by people who are eating all they want, when they want.Search your soul and look at other aspects of your life, our society, and how little opportunity there is for most ANYONE to rise above the level they are now. If you have a soul, and you have a heart, you just might find that compassion and love doesn't really come with conditions.