The Times Observer

2009-07-14T21:01:00.007-04:00

The Times Observer Has Moved . . .

The Times Observer has moved to a new address, with a new look. It is no longer hosted by Blogger, but find out the reasons why.

The new address is at:

www.thetimesobserver.com

2009-03-23T16:57:00.001-04:00

Who’s Killing The Newspapers?

With many newspaper companies closing their doors, it makes one wonder what will happen to our society.

Because it is newspapers that normally make the national news because of their investigations. Most local TV news stations, or even CNN, do not bother with investigative journalism much. They do reaction coverage of events as they unfold, but it’s usually the newspaper reporter who digs in the mud to uncover corruption.

And while many newspapers are finding a home on the Internet, for many it has become too little, too late to do so. Many newspapers did not embrace the power of the Web and now they are paying a heavy price for it.

But the Web cannot be the sole murderer of your friendly, neighborhood newspaper. A bigger co-conspirator is society itself. Many people polled from different surveys claim that they do not have the “time” to pick up a newspaper and would not care if their local daily or weekly folds.

It’s interesting that for a society that does not have “time” to pick up a newspaper or just log onto their local newspaper’s Web site that many people do find the time to text-message their friends, download some new songs or engrossed themselves with mind-numbing reality TV.

And while the Web is an excellent tool for newspapers, sadly, it does not have that “in-your-face” presence that newspapers have when they are found in your local Wawa or on the street corners.

So, when the last newspaper publishes and corruption from politicians goes unnoticed but its effects are felt, just remember that it was society that put the American watchdog to sleep.

2009-03-16T10:02:00.002-04:00

Where have I been?

Sadly, I have been too busy with work, family and being sick to update The Times Observer as much as I want.

However, I have also been very busy with it at the same time. I am recreating The Times Observer and it will find a new home in the near future.

Yes, I am being very cryptic, but you will soon find out. So, please keep visiting because I will make my final announcement on here as to where you can find the new Times Observer.

2009-01-19T23:07:00.000-05:00

How He Got Here

Many will say that it took too long for a minority to become the president of the United States of America. But it’s better late than never, as others will say.

President-Elect Barack Obama will become the first bi-racial black and white man to hold the office of Commander-in-Chief.

Many black, and even white, Americans suffered from the racial injustices of evil men of both colors. Many black Americans dared to dream of a better life and some, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., paid with their lives for having such dreams of freedom.

And in so many ways, Obama is the embodiment of that dream of Dr. King’s. His mother was white and his father was black and many Americans voted for him because of his character. Dr. King would have been so proud.

And now, Obama is one of the few Americans who has the power to become a racial bridge of equality and will hopefully establish a more color-blinded society. A growing society that will live up to the dream that Dr. King envision:

That people are judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

2009-01-19T23:06:00.000-05:00

More Freedoms Needed
For Independent Voters

There is a growing minority in our country and it’s not a racial one, but a political one.

This political minority believes in the actual plans that politicians have for our country and have little to no interest for partisan loyalties and near-propaganda speeches. In fact, this minority do not even belong to a political party.

These people are independents and many of them have the true American spirit, more so than Republicans or Democrats who blindly tow their party line. Independent voters want to have their voices be as equal as the two major parties.

But sadly, independent voters are shunt away by Republicans and Democrats, both the elected leaders and the voters themselves. Many independents in many states in this past presidential race could not participate in the election like their Democratic and Republican counterparts.

Many of them were not allowed to vote in the primary elections, robbing them of their rights to express their opinions and beliefs by voting.

However, both Democratic and Republican leaders are all too eager to use independent voters -- swing voters -- to help them win elections.

But there are many organizations and groups who fight for independent voter rights. They work hard to get legislation passed so independents can enjoy the same freedoms as Republican and Democratic voters.

For example, the Committee for a Unified Independent Party, Inc. works tirelessly to have politicians to commit themselves to work on behalf of independent voters. In fact, the organization has a free conference on Sunday, Jan. 25 in New York, where many issues will be discussed. More information can be found here.

It’s important that all American voters, despite their leanings, have an equal voice in our system of government. If we do not grant these voters the same rights as others have enjoyed, than we would be guilty of discriminating against a political minority. And that is truly un-American.

2009-01-07T22:42:00.000-05:00

The Calls We Didn’t Hear Regarding
Israel’s Battle Against Hamas

For the last few days we have heard in the news of the U.S., the U.N. and even foreign leaders calling for a truce between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

But why haven’t we heard more calls from these groups to support Israel in destroying Hamas? Why haven’t we heard from President Bush, who has been a huge supporter of erasing terrorist organizations, that the U.S. will be donating weapons or supplies to Israel in their fight against Hamas, as well as sending humanitarian aid to the Palestinians?

Hamas is allegedly a major political party and has a lot of seats in the Palestinian National Authority’s elected legislative council. But many of its members are still terrorists who are bent on destroying Israel and her people.

In fact, if Hamas was any type of decent political party, they would not have broken the truce that started this latest round of chaos.

Dealing with terrorists like Hamas only results in more bloodshed. They cannot be reasoned with or trusted.

And of course Israel will act aggressively against them. If someone indiscriminately fires rockets into Israeli cities or digging infiltration tunnels to send suicide bombers into Israel, then Israel is justified in its actions.

However, some restraint should be shown towards the innocent Palestinian people, even though it seems doubtful that they will condemn Hamas for starting the aggression.

But the world needs to realize that Hamas is not serious about a truce, cease-fires or even peace talks.

It is time that the world starts putting the blame on Hamas and starts finding real solutions in stopping them from constantly breaking the brief relieve between battles that Israel and the Palestinians infrequently enjoy.

2008-12-26T07:58:00.000-05:00

What 2008 Meant To Us

It has certainly been an unforgettable year. America saw its economy slowly sink to near depression levels, but America was also able to look beyond a person's skin color and elect the first bi-racial black man to president of the United States.

The U.S. Presidential Election of '08 highlighted for the first time in recent history that a woman was one of the strongest candidates to possibly enter the White House as the first female president. And while Hillary Clinton did not win the title of Commander-and-Chief, Barack Obama did.

Obama will become the nation's first half-black, half-white president. He is truly a minority among minorities. For a variety of reasons why he was elected, Obama won in a land-slide victory and with that, issuing new hope to a struggling economy and a world caught in the grip of deadly terrorists.

But 2008 also saw the American economy, as well as the world's, slowly decaying into financial ruin. Some people who had wonderful, enterprising jobs are now finding it hard to find a new one, despite their impressive resumes. Many are so desperate for work, they are handing their resumes to strangers in the streets.

But how will 2009 treat us? Well it be the final stroke of economical doom for this country or will it cradle us until the time is right to breathe new life into the nation's financial world?

With wise decisions and fiscal responsibility by all, only time will tell.

2008-11-26T23:47:00.000-05:00

India’s Attacks Reminds
Us Of Terror War

As India is in a literal grip of horror, their living nightmare should be a reminder to us all that we are still at war with terrorists.

Just because the death toll is currently not as high as it was on Sept. 11 or the destruction is not as devastating, this heinous act by alleged extremist Muslim terrorists should not be brushed aside.

While these coordinated attacks are centered on areas populated by foreign tourists, especially Americans, according to CNN, it is a grim reminder that no one is safe from these heathens.

President-Elect Barack Obama must make the terrorist threat his highest priority, in addition to a crippling economy. Just because America has been bless with no further grand terror attacks on its soil does not mean that the threat has quietly gone away. That type of ignorance can be very deadly.

Increased military action against terrorists and those who harbor or aid them and better communications and open dialogue with some extremist Islamic governments, but are seeking peaceful relationships with the West, are just some of the methods that can be used to combat the danger that has gripped the world.

Tomorrow, many Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving and be grateful for what they have in their lives. Let our prayers also be with those suffering in India and pray for a peaceful resolution.

2008-11-25T14:25:00.006-05:00

Great News For The Times Observer

As many have read, there was a slight battle between The Times Observer and Google bots over whether or not this blog is spam.

Although no e-mail has been sent by Blogger or Google, the issue appears to have been resolved. As I was updating an editorial this afternoon, I discovered that the Word Verification code has been removed. So now I can freely post or edit editorials and columns again with ease.

Thank you Blogger or Google for realizing what many readers have already discovered: That The Times Observer is not spam.

2008-11-09T23:11:00.001-05:00

Gays Acting Like Sore Losers
Over Marriage Ban

Thousands of gays and their supporters have taken to the streets of Los Angeles and San Francisco in the past few days to demonstrate their discontent over the gay-marriage ban.

Many are upset that Californians on Election Day voted 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent for Proposition 8, which would have made gay-marriage illegal in the Golden State, according to CNN.

While many can understand the frustrations that gays feel, taking to the streets and blocking traffic and demonstrating outside religious institutions, as it’s been reported, is not the way to go.

In this country, the majority win. Crying in your beer and whining like a child because you did not get your way, while stopping traffic for thousands of irritated Californian drivers, is self-indulgent and pitiful. Our government is built upon a very simple system that the majority wins and the minority loses.

Of course, it’s only fair to point out that if Proposition 8 failed on Election Day, religious leaders and supporters of the ban would be the ones wallowing.

But there are better ways of getting the laws you want passed without massive protests and national media coverage, which is creating an embarrassing spectacle of the issue in the process.

Sure, many will complain that no state needs its court and legislature systems clogged with proposal laws that the majority of the people voted against. However, it is the only way of getting things done and the right way of doing them. It would make far more sense to use every possible legal maneuver than to continuously protests in the streets and creating unneeded resentment from Proposition 8 supporters and citizens.

But it’s important to note that while some religious leaders and their followers have said that gay marriage would destroy society, let’s remember that these are the same people who predicted that Rock-and-Roll was supposed to corrupt Americans. It certainly did not happen, but if the people of the 1950’s were forced to listen to today’s rap and heavy metal, then they might have been more receptive of Elvis “The Pelvis” Presley.

Gay marriage is too big to be a government issue and it is best left up to the states. But all those involved must accept the will of the voting majority in a responsible, respectful way. By not doing so, it is going against the very nature of our system of government: a democratic one, where everyone’s vote is equal.

2008-11-04T22:59:00.004-05:00

Showing Respect For
The New President

Maybe it’s a generational thing. The previous generation was fighting two unpopular wars: a combative one in Vietnam and a civil rights one on the home front.

More than 40 years ago, that young generation was split into two groups: one showing respect for the establishment and the other spitting in its eye.

And as time went by, it seems as if each new generation grew bolder in showing disrespect with elected leaders to the point where it went beyond petty remarks to downright nasty comments.

These new attitudes have become increasingly brazen and shameful towards the president in recent years.

Many Americans, sadly, were atrocious and downright belligerent to President George W. Bush these last eight years, as a recent example.

Many have allowed their political bias to take over, causing them to call Bush stupid, a murderer and a warmonger, with little regard to the fact that he is the President of the United States of America.

A lot of these same people have childishly said that he is not their president because they did not elect him.

And sadly, this same immature demeanor has unjustly been aimed at President-Elect Barack Obama. Because certain people cannot see beyond either his skin color or simply his political beliefs, they have already said that he is not their president.

This type of ignorance is being spread far and wide, from liberals to conservatives, from politicians to voters. It’s the increasing political bias of the people that is creating this near socially accepted disrespect for any elected official.

Believe it or not, there was once a time in this country when saying a discouraging word about any U.S. president would result in a bloody nose by anyone, despite his party affiliation.

But where is that respect now? We must respect whoever is in office, whether we have voted for that person or not. Yes, we can disagree with the president. We would not be called Americans if we ignored our First Amendment rights and kept silent about things we do not agree with. It was not what our forefathers fought for.

However, there is a strong, bold line between disagreeing and being disrespectful. We must bring back that level of respect to our elected officials, especially the ones we disagree with most. If not, it just furthers hateful feelings and severely slows the healing process this country desperately needs.

So I welcome, respect and honor Barack Obama as my new president. But I will also respectfully disagree with any of his policies and decisions with which I may take issue.

Hopefully, all of my fellow Americans will do the same in welcoming Barack Obama into the White House as commander-in-chief. After all, it’s the respectful thing to do.

(Editor's Note: This editorial has been edited for clarification.)

2008-11-03T10:52:00.003-05:00

Not Sure Who To Vote For?

This editorial is dedicated to Violet Pinto, my grandmother. She suffered a major heart attack and stroke last week, but according to her doctor yesterday, she’s making very good progress. My 88-year-old grandmother is a Democrat, but it’s from her long conversations about politics with me that have shaped my objectivity of America’s political parties. While a lifelong Democrat, she has always been the first one to call them on any political gaffes, shenanigans, or any other dirty handed deed that they have done. And she’s certainly has given an equal blasting at Republicans for doing the same things. This country would be in far better shape if we had more people like her.

Get well soon Grandmum.

The 2008 presidential election is coming to a close and there is much anticipation about the voting results.

And while many voters have already decided which major candidate they will be voting for, many undecided voters are still scratching their heads over which one to choose: Republican Presidential Candidate Sen. John McCain or his political rival, Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

The die-hard staff of these candidates have been working hard to cater to undecided voters by giving them pamphlets of information about the candidates and telling them which pro-candidate Web sites they should go to for more information.

And while their intentions are honorable, the information that the supporters are giving out about their candidates are biased, dishonest and/or deceitful.

Most of the information and Web sites do not go into great detail about how the candidates plan to get the money to help fund a lot of the spending that they plan on doing, as one example. And let’s not go into how both Obama and McCain have been less than honest with the American public in their attack ads against each other.

Thankfully, there are many Web sites out there that give unbiased information on McCain and Obama. Hopefully, undecided voters will find the following Web sites useful in deciding which candidate will be the best one to lead our great nation.

And always remember this: An informed voter who gets his or her information from objective sources is far more powerful than the voter who only relies on political bias and sound bytes from the candidates.

www.ontheissues.org

www.factcheck.org

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/

www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm

www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html

www.votebyissue.org/election2008/

2008-10-17T00:09:00.002-04:00

Riots If Obama Wins?

I have heard a few disheartening things about black Americans recently. Because Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has the support of a good number of black voters, allegedly they will riot in celebration if Obama wins the White House.

I've heard this a few times already and even on some talk radio shows and I have to say that I have more faith in my fellow Americans. I don't want to believe that my fellow Americans would resort to becoming drunken college football fans and start to smash cars and loot stores simply because Obama would become the first American, with a strong black heritage, to be president of the United States.

I want to think that black American voters will walk a bit taller if Obama wins the election and rightly so. But I hate to imagine that they would become drunk with jubilation and trash a city or start a riot out of spite because GOP Presidential Candidate John McCain won the election and not Obama.

After all, Obama surely would not want any American to behave in such a disgraceful manner in his name or anyone else's for that matter.

2008-10-05T10:07:00.000-04:00

Who Won At The Debates?
Not The American Voters

A few days late and a couple dollars short, I realize. But people are still talking about the vice presidential debates and who won.

But I can tell you who lost the debates: The American people.

Debate moderator Gwen Ifill should have placed an important rule on both Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin: They should not be allowed to mention their opponents, promoting their running mates or blame any current or past administrations.

That way, both Palin and Biden would be forced to discuss the issues that the American people desperately want to hear but are not getting it.

Because as far as I'm concern, the debates so far have only been a big, live, political ad with no substance. All of the candidates have studied all possible questions from the moderator and comments from their opponents and all are well polished.

Sadly, this does not give a true reflection of what these people are capable of if elected into office. It would be best if the moderator actually established some ground rules and silence any candidate who decides to go off topic to criticize his or her opponent.

2008-09-23T13:15:00.001-04:00

Campaign Ads Discredits
‘Change’ Slogan

For months we have heard Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama saying he is for change for this country. He says that he is not the same as other candidates or politicians in Washington.

And his Republican counterpart, John McCain, has joined the change bandwagon for a while now. After eight years of the Bush Administration, many Americans are not happy where this country is heading and McCain wants to make it clear that he’s not part of the Washington “same old, same old,” group. While he does have a reputation for being a maverick, he has been in Washington for a good number of years too.

But with Obama and McCain trying to desperately convince voters that they are the change this country needs, their actions do not reflect this. Their campaign ads towards each other are just as dirty and underhanded as the countless ones we have seen before in previous election years.

Is this the best our alleged leaders can do? Trash talk about their opponents as if they were running for an elementary school student body election? Can you imagine if you walked into a professional office meeting as a supervisor and start putting down your competitor without offers any real solutions on fixing your company’s product? Any respectable CEO would not allow that type of worker as a supervisor and we should not allow these candidates to act this way either.

But the only way to do that is to stop with the political bias that is so strong with Democratic and Republican supporters. Sure, it’s fine to have party loyalty, but it should not get in the way of fixing the problems that this nation is facing.

And McCain and Obama are their leaders. They should be leading by example, by showing ads and giving speeches that explain in detail how their plans will work and how they will actually change this country for the better. But instead, just like an elementary school student body election, this presidential election, much like others in the past, is very much like a popularity contest.

But let’s be realistic. Many supporters from both parties are too blinded by their candidates to care about the details of fixing this country. For them, a 2-minute sound byte from the local news report is good enough for them and the candidates know this. Essentially, getting elected to be president is as cheap and easy as a McDonald’s ad: Give the people what they think they want in the fastest, simplest way possible.

Which is why it cannot be stressed enough that all voters, regardless of their party affiliation, must demand from their respected candidates to offer the American people something more than a cheap car sale slogan. Yes, researching the candidates’ voting records and any bills they created or sponsored is great and using nonpartisan Web sites is fantastic. But the candidates are making us work too hard to do the job that they are supposed to be doing.

But sadly, this is not how the game is played.

If this is how the game is played in order to win an election, then there is something severely wrong with not only the political process, but also us, the voters, who seem to either tolerate it or are too much in awe of these candidates to care.

2008-09-18T14:45:00.003-04:00

Still Being Spammed!

I apologize for not being able to update my blog as much as I would. Lately, it's hard to find the time to research a topic and then writing about it, as I normally do.

But another problem that I am having is with Blogger. Their Googlebots seem to believe that The Times Observer is spam, which I wrote about earlier this month. I don't understand this at all.

Another thing I don't understand is why after sending three requests to have a Word Verification code removed I still have it. Once I sent the first code removal request, it should have let some human know at Blogger that an actual living person operates this particular blog.

So that has also played an important role in me not being able to update my blog.

But hopefully soon, things will calm down some and I'll be able to comment, or rant and rave, about what is happening in the world.

But please continue to stop by, as I never know just how soon "soon" will actually be.

2008-09-11T11:51:00.001-04:00

Teaching Children About 9/11

One of the few devastating dates in American history that will forever be burned in our history books and in our hearts and minds is Sept. 11.

Today, many are reliving the nightmare of seven years ago and are sharing personal stories of where they were when they discovered that their nation was being attacked and what they were doing at that very moment.

But there are a group of Americans who do not know what happened on Sept. 11 because they were either too young to remember or comprehend the day’s events or were not even born.

That is why it’s important that we teach America’s children and youth about the importance of this day and what it truly means to be an American, with all of the glories, sorrows, duties and responsibilities that are attached to being a citizen of this great nation.

While young children may not fully understand the complexities of the horrific events that occurred or how it changed our lives or forced this country to go into war with the enemy, they still need to know the importance of what went on.

Explaining it in simple ways that children can understand will help them grasp the meaning of 9/11. While just labeling “terrorists” as “bad guys,” may seem like sugarcoating what they truly are, it will help a 6-year-old boy or girl to know what happened.

Some parents will feel that explaining to a young child that planes were used to destroy buildings or to kill thousands of innocent people is too harsh, then simply saying that the “bad guys” attacked this country might be enough to satisfy their curiosity until they are older to understand.

But children should also learn about the heroism that was displayed by the passengers and crew on Flight 93 and how their sacrifice saved countless lives. They are the embodiment of what it means to be an American and to be a hero.

Yes, the details of what happened in Shanksville, Pa., are not pleasant and it will be hard to explain it in children-friendly terms, but it simply needs to be taught to the children. It is a critical piece of education for them.

Just like it is important to explain to them how this country came together on 9/11 and how people, total strangers really but Americans nonetheless, from different states where going into New York City and Washington, D.C., to help with the rescue and relief operations.

Children need to learn about these modern-day heroes, because they are as legendary as the citizens who came together and fought against tyranny and for independence more than 200 years ago.

We must never forget what happened on this date and it is our duty that the next generation of this country does not forget either.

2008-09-10T22:38:00.002-04:00

We're Still Here!

Well, the atom-smasher test started and the world is still happily spinning around. But you didn't need me to tell you that, huh?

Sadly, I haven't had the time to find any news articles that interviewed the doom sayers who said the atom-smasher was going to destroy Earth. I would have enjoyed to hear what they had to say.

2008-09-09T12:10:00.000-04:00

World Won’t Be Ending

A lot of people and scientists are afraid that the Earth will blow up tomorrow when scientists are going to power up the world’s most powerful atom-smasher.

Some fear that it will cause micro black holes or even a second Big Bang, which is a theory by the way. It’s hard to get worked up over a side effect that may or may not have happened trillions and trillions of years ago and no one actually saw.

So, do people have a legitimate concern about the experiment that will take place on the French-Swiss border tomorrow? Sure, when dealing with something of this magnitude, you have to be careful. And one would like to think that these scientists took a lot of precautions.

However, smaller atom-smashers have been around for the last few decades and the Earth is still here. People feared that nuclear power would blanket the world with deadly radiation, and some still do, and we’re not glowing in the dark.

And just going back a few years ago, people actually had fallout shelters and stocked food and water because the Y2K thing was going to launch nuclear warheads and cause the end of civilization. But it didn’t happen.

Or how a few believed more than 10 years ago the water would be too poisonous to drink and the forests would be a thing of the past because of global warming. The water is still safe to drink and people are enjoying campouts and hunting in the woods.

For those truly concern about the test tomorrow, it’s best to remember the doomsday predictions that have not come true in the past.

But hey, if the world does blow up tomorrow because of this atom-smasher, you can all tell me “I told you so,” as we’re hanging onto a chunk of Earth as it’s flying pass the moon.

2008-09-01T03:55:00.003-04:00

This Blog Isn’t Spam!

While I was posting my recent editorial about John McCain’s choice of picking Sara Palin to be his vice presidential running mate, I noticed that I had to place a word verification code in order to post my editorial.

I thought this was odd and I clicked the “Why Do I Have To Do This” link, which took me to a page where Blogger explains to me that someone marked The Times Observer as a spam blog.

Needless to say, I was angry and insulted. When I write an editorial or column on here, I spend about a good two hours or more creating it. Writing takes time. I just don’t write whatever comes to my head. Most of the time is spent on researching the topic by reading various news stories from different media outlets. Then I try to find objective news articles or sources that are hyperlinked within the commentary to backup my opinions or just to inform you, my readers, of what is happening in the news. The remaining part of the time is dedicated to writing and editing the commentary and finding the right picture or video.

But who could have done such a thing? Why would someone think that my blog was spam? More importantly, why didn’t I receive an e-mail notice from Blogger explaining to me that I’ve been flagged? I would certainly like to have detailed information, such as who flagged me (or at least their IP address), and the date and time I’ve been labeled a fraud.

But then I remember reading something awhile ago. Allegedly, a lot of Obama supporters would flag people’s Blogger blogs if the blog was against the Illinois senator in anyway.

Of course, it makes sense, because my last post (not counting my vacation notice) was an editorial about Joe Biden and how his 30 plus years in the Senate puts an uncomfortable spotlight on Barack Obama’s inexperience.

Sadly, if it is a case of a die-hard Obama supporter, then this person clearly has never read all of the columns and editorials that I have written. Because if this person took the time, he or she would realize that I have written in support of Obama and I have criticized McCain. In fact, the most recent editorial is how McCain picked Palin simply because she’s a woman, even though I mention other credible attributes that she can bring into Washington. Of course, it’s true that I’ve written things that praised McCain and attacked Obama, but a little more on that later.

Now, if it is an Obama supporter wearing rose-colored glasses, and it’s a strong possibility that this person is a Democrat and liberal, then this person certainly blast the stereotype that liberals embrace freedom of speech. By flagging my blog as spam, this person started the process of restricting my right to free speech. And I would imagine that Obama certainly wouldn’t want a supporter to stop an American’s right to freely speak his mind, even if it is against him.

Yes, I’ve both blasted and praised many Republicans and Democrats (including presidential candidates and presidents) because I’m an independent voter. I just can’t root for one party and turn a blind eye to their shenanigans. It goes against my grain. And I call them like I see them. If an Obama supporter really did flag my blog, hopefully he or she will read this and follow some of my hyperlinks to other pieces that I’ve written, which will support what I’m saying.

And more importantly, a human from Blogger will be reviewing The Times Observer soon after I sent a request to have someone look at my blog and realize it’s not spam. I feel sorry for Blogger that they have to waste their time with such childish acts by closed-minded people, if that is the case. But I do appreciate that they gave me the benefit of the doubt and allowed me to continue to publish my commentaries with the word verification code. It maybe a pain, but at least I can work on my blog.

Hopefully, this will be the last flag-spamming incident for me, because this has left me with some bad heartburn and bad puns.

2008-08-30T11:02:00.003-04:00

Palin Picked Because Of Sex?

Who is Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin? She’s basically the counterpart of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Essentially, they’re the same: Very little political experience, both pretty young compared to their older partners and both are minorities, more or less.

Presumed Republican presidential candidate John McCain made a calculated risk that just might help him. He selected Palin just because she’s a woman and to attract the good number of Hillary supporters, especially women, who are still bitter that Obama got the Democratic nomination and not Hillary Clinton. Many have already joined McCain’s camp.

But what does Palin offer besides her female attributes? Actually, plenty. She has been elected to a city council, then a mayor and then onto the governor of Alaska. While not having much experience in the big political pond of Washington, D.C., she does have more experience than Obama when it comes to being a leader.

Obama has been in the Illinois Senate and a U.S. Senator, where he represented the people. Palin has held positions where she has led the people. That means that people voted for Palin to be their leader, which is a bigger responsibility than electing someone to represent you.

She has certainly worked very hard on the state level and even upset fellow Republicans when it was not in the best interest of the party. While appointed chairwoman of the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, she investigated fellow commission chair and Republican Randy Ruedrich about breaking state ethics law. The result was that Ruedrich resigned and that he paid a $12,000 fine.

This and other incidences shows that Palin has what it takes to stand up to her own party in order to do what’s right. Certainly a very courageous talent that is desperately needed in Washington. This should make Republicans and Democrats shake in their boots, because Palin seems to be the type of leader that isn’t going to be intimidated by higher powers and she’ll easily adapt to the big changes that Washington has to offer.

Some have criticized McCain for choosing an inexperienced Palin to be his vice presidential running mate, because he has been attacking Obama on his inexperience. Certainly fair, however the difference is that it’s the experienced McCain who is running to be the president, not the inexperienced Palin. Certainly a big difference and it is an inexperienced Obama who is running for president.

But with her tough-as-nails leadership, even Palin must realize that there is only one reason why McCain picked her over veteran politicians who are more familiar with the goings on of Washington.

The question is: Is Palin OK that McCain is using her sex to help him win female voters and the election? That and many similar sex-base questions are certainly going to bombard the Republican duo and they should be asked. After all, Palin seems almost perfect to counteract a biracial Obama. He will certainly get a lot of the black vote, while Palin can help with getting the women vote.

It does seem to be blatantly obvious why McCain singled out Palin to be his vice presidential running mate and a slick political move. It's clearly a desperate attempt by McCain to unseat Obama's growing chances of winning the White House.

It is a shame that Palin is not solely chosen for her impressive, but limited political leadership. Only time will tell if this was a wise political move on McCain's part come November.

2008-08-26T00:38:00.002-04:00

Going On Vacation

Hello all. I'll be away on a mini vacation and I'll be back Wednesday evening. I won't have e-mail or Internet access until then.

Of course, I didn't time it well since the Democratic Convention will be in full swing while I'm away, but you have to take a vacation when the getting is good.

2008-08-24T01:45:00.011-04:00

The Biden Factor

The wondering has ceased and the political world cannot stop talking about Barack Obama’s choice to be his vice presidential running mate, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.

Many Hillary Clinton supporters are no doubt furious that the presumed Democratic nominee did not choose the New York senator, but it was a calculated maneuver that he had to take. As it has been mentioned before, having a double-minority ticket would be too much for some closed-minded Americans to accept.

In addition, many are already having a hard time swallowing the hypocrisy of having Clinton throwing support to the Illinois senator after hearing from her about how unqualified he is to be president during the long campaign trail.

But sadly, many of us have to deal with a double dose of that hypocrisy, because Biden too has said that Obama does not have what it takes to be president. And that’s not all he said.

“I am not running for vice president,” Biden said at the time, as a Democratic presidential candidate himself, in an August 2007 interview with FOX News. “I would not accept it if anyone offered it to me. The fact of the matter is I’d rather stay as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee than be vice president.”

Of course Biden would take it. Not too many politicians would refuse to have that job title. But that is something that Obama has to be concerned about: Biden’s infamous “running of the mouth.” Who can forget in a February 2007 interview that the Delaware senator said this to his possible future boss?

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man,” Biden said in a New York Observer article. That “openness” created a backlash and it just might cost Obama his chance at the White House.

However, Biden does have a lot to offer as vice president because of his long history of being in the Senate. And his liberal voting record may help Hillary supporters swallow the bitter pill that Obama picked someone else, but who does mirror Clinton’s views.

Biden’s experience will clearly help Obama’s inexperience and he can certainly guide him on important issues. But this grandfatherly portrayal just might magnify Obama’s inability to lead this nation.

Only time will tell if Obama made a wise choice in Biden.

Yet, Obama seems to be one step ahead of his Republican counterpart, John McCain. The Arizona senator is expected to announce his own vice presidential running mate soon, but Obama made sure he beat him to the punch by doing it first. It shows that Obama is more organized than McCain and the Democratic Duo has already politically attacked him.

McCain will have to make a quick recovery and wisely choose his partner if he hopes to overcome an Obama-Biden ticket in November.

2008-08-22T16:37:00.000-04:00

Real Life Superheroes?

Move over Batman and Robin, there are some other vigilantes going after drug dealers: New Jersey Ninjas.

Two young men decided to dress up as ninjas and armed themselves with their collection of ninja-style weapons (swords, nunchucks and even a cross bow), and wanted to send letters warning drug dealers and users of the dangers of illegal substances after their friend was caught up in it.

While these young men may have had good intentions, what they did was dangerous. As the old Italians used to say, “Never bring a knife to a gunfight.”

Sadly, too many people see a Chuck Norris film and watch “Hidden Tiger Crouching Dragon,” 20 times and they start to think that a ninja can really flip in the air five times and dodge bullets and kill the bad guys with his sword and throwing stars.

The reality is that doesn’t happen. It might if the drug dealer laughs so hard that he cries and doesn’t see the nunchuks coming towards his head. But his fellow drug dealers will probably see it and pull out a weapon that uses ancient Chinese gunpowder.

Assuming that their aim was to scare drug dealers and users into giving up their deadly ways, it was clearly misdirected. Yet, many can see the frustrations from citizens who are in the grip of the crimes and dangers that are created by the drug world. In a world of instant entertainment, people want instant results.

While the Wild West ways may yield those instant results, it may very well create a slippery slope that can easily lead to chaos.

But hopefully this will send a message to police and elected government officials that citizens are tired of the drug war and would like to see the type of results that can only be found in action movies – the instant kind.

2008-08-19T22:26:00.003-04:00

School Responsible
For Gay Boy’s Death?

A gay junior high school student was shot and killed in school last February by a fellow classmate because of a variety of reasons it turns out. And now his parents want to sue the school district for not enforcing the dress code when the boy was dressing in women’s attire.

In fact, the whole case has been riddled with drama from the beginning: The victim, Lawrence “Larry” King, allegedly came from a broken home. His mother was a drug abuser and his father was gone, according to a Newsweek article. It seems as if he was adopted by Greg and Dawn King at age 2 and at age 15 Larry King was living at a group home at the time of his death due to alleged problems with Greg King, according to the Newsweek article.

His alleged murderer, Brandon McInerney, 14, killed him because either there was a confrontation between the two boys or simply because King was gay. McInerney has been charged as an adult for King’s murder.

Certainly, that’s the sad part. Now here comes the astounding part:

The parents of Larry King, who attended E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, Ca., are suing the school district for not enforcing the school dress code when their son would wear makeup and feminine clothing to school.

Granted, these are grieving parents of a 15-year-old boy and no parent could imagine what type of hell that is, losing a son who was murdered possibly because of his sexual orientation.

But it really cheapens King’s death even more so by suing the school district for not enforcing the dress code. But according to the California Attorney General’s Office, the school couldn’t stop King from wearing women’s jewelry or makeup because the state has a hate-crime law that prevents gender discrimination.

Clearly, the Kings should have been the ones responsible for how Larry King dressed, not the school. The school was caught up in a politically correct legal web, thus it could not enforce any school code on Larry King. Yet, today’s parents seem to believe that teachers and school officials should also play the role of “parent” when it comes to their children. But that is a role only reserved for them and it shouldn’t be handed to anyone else.

Yes, Larry King did not come from an ideal home and he was living in a group home at the time of his death. Clearly, this is not a typical living arrangement. But his parents were able to reach him and instruct him.

Teenagers face growing difficulties with each passing generation. And while it’s commendable that society is becoming more accepting to gay Americans, that acceptance is not carried out by most teenagers, who are still trying to find their way in the world.

Regardless of gender discrimination laws and dress codes, someone should have told Larry King of the consequences of dressing inappropriately in middle school and that person should have been one of his parents.

But let’s not forget who is solely responsible for Larry King’s death and that is his alleged killer.