Archive for the ‘Pop Culture’ Category

As for me — lately — I’ve begun to swirl myself into this big huge ball of atomic energy that needs to burst, albeit in a corrective and civil way. This is really of my own doing, let me explain.

I believe that I am of ‘average’ intelligence. As far as who subscribes to the measurement of my ‘intelligence quota’ or my I.Q. score it’s laying around 165 or so. No! I still don’t think I am a braniac or anything close — I’m just one of those people who loves to learn new things and I do this by experiencing, reading, watching, gathering information, on those kinds of things that interest me. Whew! Took me a long time to get here!

I feel that it is what I know compared to what I don’t know — in reality — that frustrates me, hence the atomic energy as the problem of my own doing. I am addressing issues such as immigration, discrimination, political correctness and how these various functions of humankind seem to me, at least, to be connected in some way. And it really sucks when I can’t figure it all out.

So let’s start with the oldest one of these precepts that I know of and that would be immigration. Trust me when I say that I have studied every Act the United States government has ever entered into starting from 1739 through the ‘wondrous waves’ of immigrants from southern Europe during the early 1800s and then those immigrants who again clashed in the 1820s.

It’s no wonder why the immigrant from the previous decade or longer is resentful of their followers. More on that later. But for now, if I think of the Naturalization Acts of 1909, 1918, then again those Naturalization Acts of the 1940s and 1950’s the energy level continues to rise.

You see folks, name the president or name the congress of this nation and you’ll see that almost all of them have had ‘Executive Agenda’s’ in which to confront these issues…but sadly they never really got around to it. Until the late 1950’s and of course the 1960’s hereinafter referred to as the ‘Civil Rights Acts.’

I am here to tell you folks that I’ve just about had enough of this election campaign bull squat. And like I say…far be it from me to ever critique anyone’s posture on anything; insofar as this excuse for an electoral campaign that is going to affect me in some way, well then, I feel I have a right to say something about it…especially when,

I am paying for it, and one way or another it looks like America is hitting yet another ‘growth’ period

So work with me please for I think I’m developing some heavy issues. Like this one: How can a person say…they want to redistribute the wealth in this country? Seriously, isn’t this the stuff of “Robin Hood”? You know…let’s take from the rich and give to the poor?

Is it me, or do we not live in a nation that was built on a capitalist economy and a representative democracy?

Yet at precisely the same time the same person who is espousing this crap is of the ‘Ruling Elite’ in this nation! Moreover, it seems to me that this individual who spent $600,000,000 six hundred million dollars on his campaign is still whinging at how the civil rights movement didn’t redistribute the wealth nearly as it should have, simply because the courts couldn’t get involved! (Anyone thinking “Race card” here?)

There can be no doubt about it what-so-ever: America is experiencing some economic cycles and some people are not adjusting to them so well. Face it folks, America is changing!

Albeit to the good or for the bad will be decided in the outcome of the forthcoming years. Here is where I get disgusted with the entire pin head puppets we call legislators who have not seen outside of the “Washington D.C. Establishment” in 10, some 20, and some over 30 years!

There is more corruption inside of the “Beltway” (district where the US capital exists) then anywhere else in the country. Senators with other Representatives of Congress taking bribes, insider trading, doing drugs, alcohol, and then carrying on like Nancy Pelosi?

Like I started this little essay, all of this from the JUNK riddled New York Times, to the other main-stream media who think they can print whatever they want is worse than shouting “Fire” in a dark theater, or pyrotechnics in an over crowded music club.

But yet, I will still vote…who really knows what happens to our votes? I don’t and I’ve tried to find out. But for peace, I will vote. Cheers gang!!

Quite openly this answer to this and every other question humankind could ever have is answered in The Bible. You know, that little book you always find in hotels; or the ones at your house that are either grandiose and passed from generation to generation, or more simply, there might be one in your parents’ room.

What would I even take the time to go through that kind of introduction with a title such as: “What does it all mean?” Read on and hopefully I’ll be able to help in understanding what a mess humans have made of Wall Street, credit markets, loans for mortgages, insurance defaults, investment banker bull, and why the financial sector is asking for 700 Billion dollars for a ‘bail-out.’

All throughout life we are ‘told’ to watch our manners, always say please and thank you, don’t shame the name, don’t drink and drive, let’s girls keep our legs crossed, never, ever lie, always tell the truth, and say no to drugs. Ahh, lest I forget the proverbial; “…is your homework done…and we get you everything you need to succeed in school…”

Ironically I have been reading this other blog (my favorite…I love the writer!) called “The Thinker” and the writer has some sort of fixation with maintaining what he refers to as “The Bar of Acceptable Standards.” Mr. Thinker believes that as time goes on or as he says; “From generation to generation the norms and standards that founded this country [America] are eroding” and that’s where he gets his description of ‘lowering the bar’ of standards. In other words, the writer believes that things we’re different and more strict in the 1950s and that through the 60s, 70s, up to now, everyone from government officials…starting with our own parents, to education and life is rotting from inside out.

First thing I would like to do in this entry is to marvel at how Flickr manages to be so precise and spot on when it comes to the photos they select to put in the day’s show.

I couldn’t possibly explain to anyone just how affective and effective those folks are. I have another site here at WordPress and the job they do on that site is unequalled. So kudos Flickr! And thank you for enhancing my sites. Have you really ever noticed how many talented people are at Flickr?

It is those folks–at Flickr–and their gifts that restore my faith in humankind.

And now ladies and gentlemen, it is finally my turn to RANT!!

If you are a democrat, or if you are a member of the left, or the leftist extreme, or even if you consider yourself an elitist of sorts pay attention. Because no where will there ever be a more obvious definition of how those and members of that party are viewed.

This attack on Governor Sarah Palin is one thing; however, bringing issues that deal intimately with her family and loved ones is unconscionable!

As for Mrs. Palin, one would think that this would be the gift of the Equal Rights Amendment, but noooooo! The newspapers, pundits, pinheads, and comedians are having a field day with her…family! Is nothing sacred anymore?

Years ago the ERA went to a process of ‘forget you Congress’ and through Article V of the U.S. Constitution to their vote to the states where as you know it is far more difficult to get something ratified insofar as it takes three-fourths (75%) of state approval to get that Amendment passed. And you know what?

They darn near did it! It was but a few ‘delegate’ votes in one state that held up the infamous “Equal Rights Amendment” for women.

Now the exact opposite is happening! A woman gets the nod; not just any woman, but the governor of the largest state in the Union!

There is no excuse what-so-ever for the hate campaign launched against the Honorable Sarah Palin. Women have worked years for this opportunity–lest we all forget that! Now with the attacks on her family shows just how most people in this country slither on their stomachs.

That’s my day I’m talking about. Damn! It’s hard to get going today and it’s bothering me big time! I don’t know if it’s the weather–95° hot–or if I just don’t feel like another day to strengthen the skin cancer cells that seem to be cropping up all over me!

No big deal; I just disappointed in myself for letting the cooler, earlier part of the day get away from me. Now, I guess I’ll just have to grin and bare it!

When I get into these kinds of moods–and believe me it is a mood–what I need to do is think about Caylee Anthony, the little and adorable three year old darling girl whose been missing for over two months and her mom has been out partying!

And if that’s not enough to get me going, think about worse things: Oh yeah! It can be worse…I could be sitting in a jail cell with no air conditioning; I could be in any one of the dysfunctional countries in Africa fearing that a kid with an AK 47 could end my life forever.

The lousy thing about the last one “The Kid and the AK 47” is it’s not me that’s worried so much; but it’s for the kid simply because “LIFE” simply means nothing but pain and suffering for him. Think about this one: Dead animal carcuses laying around, 100° heat or worse, at least a hundred flies buzzing around my face, when all of the sudden I walk up on a mass grave and see my sister!

Oh yeah! It can get a whole helluva lot worse. I’m done bitching, I’ve got things to do! Make yours a great day!

All too often in our life’s journey we manage without trying really, to make a concoction I call Human Stew. Here’s the very simple recipe: In a body composed primarily of water add 1/3rd volume deceit; slowly add some heat as one becomes further aware that they have been duped.

Prepare to add 1/3rd volume of low intensity anger brought on by doing nice things for others only to be taken advantage of and bring to a medium simmer. In a caldron the Stew is lightly blending deceit and anger because one has come to the realization that no amount of civil communication is going to assist in rectifying the situation. So therefore bring to a boil:

Realizing that your good nature has been taken advantage of, you in turn have done two favors for someone who is reckless and above all shameless knowing full well I should never, ever have even considered violating my own promise of steering clear of these ‘hanger’s on’ types, now add the final 1/3rd of resentment and reality.

And it makes me angry when I violate my own personal integrity so stir well prior to serving. In lovely adorned soup bowls, ladle copious amounts of the tantrum and rant you’d love to throw whilst not holding anything back.

Almost 4 weeks ago this person I don’t know at a chess playing site came to me asking that I “Add” her as a friend so she could challenge me to a game of chess. My staunch rule is to never endorse any person I’ve never met and don’t know. But this person is allegedly from Russia and doesn’t have any friends at the site then.

The next few days I start receiving challenges from her and I’m thinking, “Wow, that was really fast! Let me check this player out.” I go to her home page which indicates a very low rating, no friends, just eagerly looking for a game. Oh what the heck…be nice, be helpful.

Nine moves into the game her home page changes (updated) and she is engaged in 22 games simultaneously and rated almost 500 points ahead of me!

So I do what any person would do-no! I didn’t shoot her! However, I immediately sent her a note asking her to resign from the game in “good faith.” Making the next four weeks short, I emailed, sent friends over to play her and found out that this person doesn’t take messages from people not on her “Friends List.”

Imagine that, I wasn’t even on her “Friends List”! So trying to cut my losses I put in a request for a draw. As at the time of this writing that person has not resigned, accepted my offer for a draw, or added me as a friend. Question: Should I resign? Thank you.

One of the influential people that got me into journaling was a teacher-friend I went to school with. This girl always seemed so collected. You know the type?

Nope, never a hair out-of-place, feathers ruffled, or the least bit of angst for this god-send of a person to whom I owe so much. Anyway one day after the worst events occurring in a human being’s life happening, all of us sitting there, just in the state of licking our wounds, in struts my friend, the teacher. Unbelievably calm, collected, and the best thing was that she has an aire of ‘coolness’ about her.

After that I had to know; straight and simple, to the point, out with it lady! Rather nonchalantly she says, “Do you have a diary?” Pausing in my laughter, I said, a ‘what’? Oh I’m sorry she says, you folks refer to them as ‘Journals.’

Oh!! (In my total embarrassment) No…not really. She quickly states that she’s advised everyone she knows to keep a Journal handy for what ever reason. Ready? A journal when traveling; a journal when driving, walking, at the beach, skiing, a portable journal when in the ‘Ladies.’

“We are to journalize everything!” She’d say…prayers, prayer lists, groceries, the lot…everything, especially our feelings. She believed, as I do now, that if people kept journals and wrote in them ad nauseaum then there would be far less accidents, suicides, hurting, especially rage!

Kind of a long lead-in for two very distinct stories shared with me this weekend. The first one deals with Kirsten Dunst, the highly acclaimed actress and stunner beyond words. Recently Ms. Dunst checked herself into a posh ‘rehabilitation’ spa-type place in Utah for exhaustion, fatigue, and for some needed rest.

I have no problem with this whatsoever! The pressed jumped on to this story with fangs dripping. Who cares if Ms. Dunst wanted a little ‘pampering time’ hell, she’s earned it. But nooooooo! Main-stream media got onto this like she was doing heroine! Fact of the matter is that Ms. Dunst, like 100 million other people in this country suffers from depression and needs a little space and some pampering.

The other doesn’t have nearly the ‘awareness’ factor nor the ending. A dear, dear supermodel from Kazakhstan, Ruslana Korshunova, got depressed and although she used her social networking sites sparingly, plunged to her untimely death from her 9th story Manhattan apartment.

Even as I write this little post I just have one thing to say: If society would take their heads out of wherever, and stop treating, and perceiving people with a little depression like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” maybe people would and could reach out more.

Write it out! Journalize it! We’ve all been depressed! Please join me in my prayers for Ruslana Korshunova and her family as well as for Ms. Dunst.

Lord, please help me to realize that nothing is going to happen in this day that we both can’t handle together…

“Here’s your brain…here’s your brain on Math…” Notice how there is no difference. Nah, all kidding aside there is a point to this madness and that is this: We can make math as easy or has hard as we’d like. Here is some real shocking news for all humans who read this blog.

When one says to themselves, “Oh shoot! I can’t get this…” well the shocker behind that is: You’re right! You never will. Why? Ask me why…Because if you say you won’t you never will! Here’s a few I cooked up for us while reading an article today.

What do you think the New York (Football) Giants said before the Super Bowl last Feburary? Oh we can’t beat those 16-0 New England Patriots. But they did in a convincing fashion. Why? Becaused they believed they could do it. Well gang, that is more than half the battle–knowing you can!

With math arriving at the correct answer is only 1 step away. Even in arithmatic every scenario comes to us and we solve the matter in steps, right? Therefore, if the correct answer is alluding you, go through the steps. Look at how you arrived where you are at that moment. Now start going backward.

It is extremely important to understand this precept: As humans grow up and older our bodies go through tremendous changes. You know the drill; playing on the swings, muscle-ing along on the Jungle Jim, or playing some ball, then we found boys! And for boys, we found girls! Either way it goes, and it will go trust me, the important issue to remember is as our bodies grow and mature so does our brain–what a concept.

Therefore through the years various kinds of math were invented, better yet, found by humans as a way to problem solve. Have you ever looked at one of those 3-D “Stereograms” where when a person looks long enough images begin to show up and we’re going, ‘OMG! There’s a shark in this one!’ (See below.)

Stick around and I will promise to explain how and why this happens. By the way…no taker’s on my other offer. If I said, whoever go this correct, they’d get $1,000.00 (one thousand dollars) would that make a difference? Doubt it. Anyway here goes: You start by drawing these: IX Then you instruct your viewers to do this: Take one solid line and make this a 6. So the directions are: You have some numerals and a single line; take the single-solid line and make them a “6.”

Easy one…remember, you can do this; therefore, believe you can. Cheers everybody!

Oh another one of those days where I think: “You had better be ‘right’ with your maker because no one ever really knows ‘when.’ I am not addressing only Christianity here-insofar as just about every religion-I know of has their own unique myths, beliefs, and stories about the End Times.

Therefore, just today watching my local news-weather-to be precise got me to that point of self-reflection. Let’s look just at the United States: Record breaking floods in Wisconsin and Minnesota which of course are not limited to just those two states. In fact, just about all of Missouri, Alabama, and Kansas are under water too.

Whilst the mid-west and the infamous “Tornado Alley” are seeing and unfortunately experiencing more deadly tornadoes than any other time in recorded history, the folks in Washington D.C. and Maryland experienced a rare storm with proportions that spawned several tornadoes!

So this morning some well-prepared person with camcorder in hand caught a ‘water spout’ or ‘water tunnel, or funnel dancing over the Atlantic Ocean in South Florida; seriously folks, I thought of the film “Twister” inasmuch as that was the only thing I’d seen remotely close to this one.

Connecticut and most of New England are under extreme hurricane or tornado watches while all along the eastern seaboard temperatures are around 100 F or more daily.

Hawaii gets its own paragraph because the ever-flowing Kilauea volcano is now erupting spewing lava everywhere causing mass evacuations. From Washington state to California through America’s heartland to Massachusetts and down to Florida, I certainly can’t remember a time in my life where there were so many drastic changes in the weather.

Notice please…not one word is mentioned here about global warming or anything else ‘green’. “Why?” I hope you ask, because every person everyday should be doing something to advance the cause of Earth’s environment. Other than that, though I’ve never seen a shred of legitimate proof, global warming is going to happen sometime just as global freezing.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the person who takes refuge in Him!…“Those who seek the Lord, will never be in want of any good thing” (Psalm 34:8-10)

Ahh-yes! I love this one and why one might ask? It is definitely a real hemisphere splitter, a huge leap as it were, and a quantitative dance to be sure–really? You betcha!

Why do we have to take math? Why study something we’ll never use? What’s the purpose?

At one time either as a student, friend, sibling, teacher, or parent we’ve heard these three questions. Or even one or two of the three, if not all of them. So why do we? Do we ever use this stuff? Will I ever know the purpose? Read on…

Why do we study math? The most obvious reason is that if there is anything that is remotely close to a ‘universal’ language then it has to be math. We are here to tell you that everything from music to software, light to nuclear energy, even colors has its mathematical breakdown.

Ever see the film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ?

Interestingly the medium used for communication was: music, colors, and their relativity to math! Now you say, “What!” So here goes: For the most part the quantitative discipline starts with Algebra where we look at a problem one way and we don’t understand it. (Not too worry folks, it’s supposed to be that way!)

Most often this is when most younger American students say, “I don’t understand this…what does this have to do with real life?” The real life part of it is that when we look at something the first time about 98% of the population see it exactly the same as we do. However, there is that nagging 1.5% that sees something different, and then again a 0.5% that are seeing things that are not there at all.

Any time educators present material where they encourage or try and inspire a student to view a situation from a different perspective this in education terms referred to as “quantitative analysis.” Pretty fancy sounding; yet, what it means is to quantum leap from the left side of your brain to the right side. Mathematics is without question the best way to do this ‘hemisphere jumping.’ We are presented with a very ordinary problem and because of all the symbols and squiggly figures we just say no way!

Here is one I use a lot, it’s primarily used to show how easy it is to perceive an object in a different perspective. I start with drawing the symbols very carefully: I X Now, I ask them very carefully: “With one single line make this a 6.” ( — )

This will do for our demonstration today. I will ask everyone to attempt this assignment and we’ll compare answers tomorrow.