Can You Hear Me Now?

You know, I know I'm going to take some flak for this, but I'll come out and just say it: I'm not all that disturbed by these recent NSA Prism revelations. Yes, I'm serious. I know, I know -- the U.S. government has been tapping into our mobile phone and e-mail content. Oh. Mah. Gurd!!!!

Really?

And???

How is this news? I've always figured my conversations, emails, and Facebook doings were being monitored somehow, somewhere. This blog, too, in fact. It's probably all being filtered through some government data analyst's server farm buried deep in the Black Hills of South Dakota. But do I think anyone cares about what I have to say or write? Hell no! I say: let them do all the snooping they want. Do you really think I'm dumb enough to put out there anything incriminating or of a threat to national security? Do I honestly believe anyone in the higher echelons of our cloak & dagger shadow government agencies actually cares about my Game of Thrones musings, or latest Facebook rant on men who carry around large shoulder bags?

Please, grow up! I don't exactly know why everyone's so surprised by these revelations. Or so afraid all of a sudden. Surely you couldn't have been that naive all these years, right?

Didn't think so.

Is it wrong that our privacy and basic liberties are being trampled upon? You damn right it is! And I'm mad as hell about that. Because if they can do this, then what's next? Don't answer that! It's scary as hell.

Look, ever since I first logged on to this here Interwebs of ours back in September of 1994 (when we were still using Mosaic for access, and the World Wide Web was in its infancy) I've done so with the express paranoia that some super AI or think tank out there would be eavesdropping, just waiting for certain keywords to pop up in all that digital noise and send the black helicopters out to pick me up in the middle of the night. So I just made sure I never put anything out there I wouldn't want my closest friends or family members finding out about. Plain and simple.

If, however, you're one of those pseudo anarchists who uses Facebook as a soapbox to rave about how badly you want the government to implode under an onslaught of a thousand terrorists' dirty bombs--well then, Jethro, you might want to keep you ears peeled for those super silent helicopter blades approaching your bunker.

I hear Guantanamo ain't so lovely this time of year.

We Have A Winner!

So, yeah, here we are. Wednesday morning.

Two days ago when I wrote this blog piece, I did in fact say that this morning would prove me right. And it certainly has. It's official: sanity has been restored! I'm feeling quite ebullient today to say the least. Despite the prognostications of the punditry who seemed intent on making this a very close race for the sake of ratings, all the so-called "battleground" states with the exception of North Carolina went to Barack Obama. So, really, how close was it all anyway? According to the majority of "in the know" political insiders before the election, there was no way Obama was going to get a clean sweep of these key states. Similarly, I began to hear such nonsense about how the prez could likely end up winning the electoral map, but lose out to the popular vote. The latter claim, because this country isn't run like a sorority, doesn't have any legal merit anyway. But it was being predicted nonetheless. And even that did not come true. By final count, Obama had 303 electoral votes to Romney's 206. There needed to be 270 to win, so the deal is done. We keep the same man in office for the next four years. And in popular votes (so far), he's garnered 50.3% (59,854,458 votes) to the challenger's 48.1% (57,176,621 votes). Even better. I don't know about you, folks, but I see no equivocation in those results. There's a clear-cut winner here!

We're sooo going to Disney World after this.

This race was nastier than it had any reason to be. It left many exhausted and embittered, disillusioned and hopeless. But sometimes that's politics. I remember feeling much the same back in 2000 and 2004. And yet, that too passed. Because I do believe that this country has already been headed in the right direction, I actually have a lot of optimism about the next four years. I believe we as a country needed the stability of keeping the status quo in order to truly get ourselves back on the right track. Mittens would have wrecked all that. So, yes, this is a HUGE win in my opinion. I also feel vindicated for having supported John Kerry back in 2004. I didn't want him as our candidate (I was rooting for Howard Dean), but I went along with my party because I thought getting Bush out of the White House by any means was worth swallowing my doubts about the man. But the rest of the country made me eat humble pie over that decision, and I was okay after a few days. Republicans will have to do the same now. Hello, this was your John Kerry! Mitt Romney was never the right person to send up against the Obama machine, but every Republican pretended to act as if he was. Hogwash! No one in their right mind should have believed in this flip-flopping corporate shill. But they hated the idea of a black man in the White House even more, to the point of ignoring common sense. And so, this is the result. You reap what you sow.

Mitt watches Karl Rove make an ass of himself
on Fox News. That sinking feeling . . .

Ah, yes. Vindication. It feel so good! And now, this ends your obligatory political blog post here on The Bimillennial Man for perhaps another four years. If even that.

Stay frosty, my friends.

EDIT:  For those wishing to view the clip of that blubbering ass Karl Rove desperately trying to deny Obama a win in Ohio--going against even the sober admissions of his cherished Fox News compatriots, no less--simply click here and sit back to enjoy the circus. I know I did.

My Thoughts On Tuesday

I try not to get too political here on The Bimillennial Man, and that's not about to change. Not because I'm afraid of offending anyone (I'm entitled to my own opinions after all, aren't I?), but because I see it as rather pointless. After all, to those on the same side of the political fence as I am I'll just be preaching to the choir. And to those who hold opposing views to mine on how this country should be run . . . am I really going to be changing their minds? I didn't think so. So, yes, what's the point?

But seeing as how tomorrow is going to be a fairly important day on the political side of things here in the U.S. of A., and because I will be doing my civic duty as a tax-paying citizen, I thought I'd just briefly and even vaguely describe my general feelings on things.


1) I think it's fairly obvious that the guy I'm backing is in fact going to win. I mean, the media and polls will have us believe this thing is going to be scary and close, and may even involve another Florida voting disaster ala 2000's presidential election. But I'm not buying any of it. I think it's going to be fairly by the books and that my candidate will win. Not because I'm being overly optimistic and hopeful, but in fact realistic. I've been telling my family members this for several weeks now. I have the same feeling now as I did in 2004 when I was absolutely certain John Kerry would be receiving the short end of the stick with Bush's bid for a second term. It's eerie how very similar things now compare to the race back then, in certain respects. But for me to say more I would have to become specific, and I've already stated that this blog entry would not be about that. We'll just have to see if my feelings are correct come Wednesday morning. The world as we know it won't end whoever wins, however, so don't expect any major losing of one's shit here on this blog then. It's going to be business as usual for me regardless, so don't cry for me Argentina.

2) If you are a citizen and don't vote, you are an ignoramus. I'm sorry, but it's true. I don't care what your carefully rehearsed excuses are about the political leanings of the state you live in, the demographics of your neighborhood, or how you no longer live in the voting district you're currently registered for. Just STFU and admit that you suck at being an informed, participating citizen and would just like the country to run itself. It's okay, really. This country was set up to include and represent people like you, whether the rest of us like it or not.

3) Please stop with this Popular Vote vs. Electoral College debate already. People whom complain about the electorate voting system in place here in the States obviously don't know shit about how demographics work. This country would be a disaster if we chose our presidents based on a popular system. The nuances of the Electoral College are many, yes, and at times they may seem convoluted to the point of deliberate obtuseness bordering on the criminal . . . but it's still a whole lot more accurate than a popular vote could ever be. I will always support the electoral system we have in place here, even when at times it may seem to favor the other guy in the race. Just because the candidate you didn't vote for wins by a very small margin in electorate ballots doesn't automatically make the system bunk. It's still a far sight more civilized than the chaos and mob rule mentality that would reign were we ever to go back to the populist format. Ugh! No thanks, please. I'd like my leadership choosing system not to resemble American Idol-style pandering, thank you very much.

4) To those complaining about too many attack ads and annoying commercials on tv, I say: you still watch commercials? WTF dude, it's called a DVR. Fast forward through that crap! Or, skip tv altogether and do something else. I think throughout this entire year I might have seen maybe three pro-Romney or pro-Obama ads combined. And somehow I've managed completely to miss any negative ads out on both candidates. True, New York is not a battleground state and so I have less inundation of these particular tv spots than those in say, Ohio, do. But then I also believe commercials were made to be ignored, and you have only yourself to blame for paying so much attention to them. Me? If I can't fast forward through them, I find myself checking e-mail or Facebook on my phone until the program I'm watching resumes. Romney could come on tv hawking Joseph Smith's golden underwear and it would barely register a blip on my care-o-meter. If you already know where each candidate stands on the issues, as well as their track records in such regards, then those ads have nothing new to tell you anyway. Just ignore them. The rest of us certainly do.


And there you have it. My general thoughts and feelings on the political climate the day before an election. I may elect (pardon the pun) to post something equally vague and non-impacting come Wednesday when (hopefully) all the hooplah is over. Or I might not.

Just please, for the mother of all that's good, please go out and vote if you are eligible to do so. Don't be a mouth breather, not on this.

Thanks all!

We Interrupt This Broadcast . . .

. . . To bring you this rare political-themed blog entry.

I thought for once that, considering all the commotion going on over this latest "victory" in the war against terror, I'd chime in here with some really quick reactions to the news. But first, I'll encapsulate it all with just one humorously captioned Internet pic:

Teh LOLz! I imagine him pointing straight at Donald Trump, don't you?

So what are my reactions, exactly? Well:


1) I'm glad this one man was found and finally put to justice. And in his case, justice really could only mean a bullet to the brain. It's harsh, but hey . . . thems the rocks, kid.

2) No one in America truly believes that this is the end of Al Qaeda or U.S.-directed terrorism. So all the smarmy commentary I keep reading online from overseas instigators about how Americans should tone it down and face reality can go shove something sharp and lengthy into their left eye socket. Dudes, we know! Now can you just shut the fuck up and give us this moment? Jeez!

3) That being said, from one American to another -- yeah, we should probably not be shouting and screaming in the streets like a frat party gone wrong. Ebullient and proud? Sure. Toot off a few horns and chant USA at a baseball game? Hmmm, maybe. Burning effigies and name signs in the street while chanting ROT IN HELL? Eh, I can really do without that kind of behavior now. We're supposed to be the civilized ones, remember? Remember????

4) Stop telling us that this was only one man, and that the effort, cost, and time it took to get this done was so not worth just one's man life. This was more than one man, people! In our search to catch him, scores of top level Al Qaeda leaders, soldiers, informants, and sympathizers have been apprehended or otherwise put out of business over the past decade thanks to the dedication and hard work of an international coalition of top professionals. Was it worth all the money and time? You bet your ass it was! We truly are safer now than we were before these steps were taken.

5) Yes, this was largely symbolic. But you know what? So were the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon. Only an idiot would have believed that our financial base could be negated by the fall of the former, or that our military might would be realistically crippled by the destruction of the latter. So, therefore, it was symbolic. And so is capturing and killing the head mastermind of said symbolic act.

6) No, Obama is not taking the credit from something started back in Bush's presidency. If you'd be willing to think back all of 5 years ago, the Bush administration specifically said they were scaling back CIA operations tasked with finding Bin Laden. Simply put: his capture was no longer being considered a realistic, attainable goal. However, when Obama came into office, one of the first things he said he would make a priority (after re-focusing our attention on Afghanistan) was the apprehension of one Osama bin Laden. He said this! And, guess what? He delivered!

7) If you honestly think this point will be forgotten come elections next year, you're either a crazy tea-bagger (heh, heh) . . . or FOX news.


And there you have it. Pretty much all I have to say, or will ever say, on the matter here on this blog. Life continues, and I can't say I feel any more safe than I was already feeling before the news broke (which was pretty darn safe, I might add). But it does feel like closure to have this monster no longer in our world, and for that a little part of me does sigh in relief. To our brothers and sisters fighting on our behalf out there . . . thank you for your sacrifice and dedication to protecting this nation.

And to SEAL Team Six, whoever or wherever you are: You guys ROCK! Thanks for a job well done. I look forward to playing an FPS game based on your mission sometime very soon. Because, let's face it, you know EA or Activision is already all over this!

I Just Have To Chime In Really Quick Here . . .

This isn't a political blog by any stretch of the imagination, but I felt I just had to take a quick time-out from tales of writerly woes and video games past and present to comment real quick on the Tuscon, AZ shooting tragedy over the weekend. Or, more specifically, comment on Sarah Palin's tragedy after the tragedy. Because, of course, she's the real victim here.

That sound you're hearing is the sarcasm alarm going off above your PC monitor -- I hope you changed the batteries within the last 6 months.

Anywho, I know I'm a little late in responding to the Palin video and Facebook page statement that's been making the rounds of, oh, just about EVERYWHERE in the past 36 hours. However, rather than dissect it piece-by-piece as has already been done by many bloggers much smarter than I . . . I thought I'd parse out one particular passage from her written statement below. The bolded sentence is what I find particularly ironic:

"After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event. President Reagan said, 'We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.' Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies … journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible."

This sounds reasonable, doesn't it? After all, she's only asking the rest of the country (i.e., the liberal media) to do as she has done. To follow by her example. Who can forget, when the now infamous "Ground Zero Mosque" debate was starting to boil over just before midterm elections, how Sarah Palin waded into the thick of the ignorant hatred and beseeched us all not to blame the entire Muslim world for the acts of those handful of extremist wackjobs responsible for 9/11? Don't you all remember that? How much the voice of reason Palin was during that whole ridiculous brouhaha? We shouldn't blame the many for the few, right? Right???

Oh, wait. My bad. No, that's not what she and others in her party said at all.

Oopsie.

So I guess this idea of not laying the finger of blame for the acts of one or more individuals on an entire race, demographic, or even political campaign applies only when it aims to benefit Mrs. Palin. Color me shocked!

No, no. There's nothing to be alarmed about here, folks. Why should her reaction make anyone upset? It's not like this is a "blood libel" against an entire religion and culture, right? She's just saying that Muslims in general shouldn't build mosques at all anywhere near lower Manhattan because of what "they" did on 9/11. That's all.

Yeah.

Shame On You, George "W" Bush!

Relax, this isn't going to be a political bash story. You'll find out what significance the title of this entry has in just a brief moment.

Now for those of you who know me on Facebook, you've probably heard me gush like a giddy Japanese schoolgirl over the HBO original series, Tremé, more than a few times over the past year. I believe I might even have an archived entry here on this blog where I pleaded with you all to check it out when the show originally aired back in April.

None of you listened. And I mean NOBODY! Sheesh. I swear!

Tremé (pronounced: "truh-may" or "treh-meh", depending on who you ask in the area) mostly covers the historic black and Creole neighborhood of the same name in New Orleans, just 3 months into the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It follows the stories of 10 characters (some of whom know each other, but most of whom don't) as they struggle to put the pieces of their varied lives back together again in the city they love and call home.

Anyway, the point I'm making is that you all missed an incredibly AWESOME tv show. I'm sure the real reason is that you don't own a subscription to the premium cable channel. Yeah, that's it! Too bad, too. Because, in addition to being an engrossing and well-acted drama, Tremé was also notable for its focus on the amazing musical tradition the city of New Orleans is known worldwide for.

The show had its regular cast of established actors (some of whom are quite familiar to fans of other HBO shows, if not movies), but what really stood out was the rather large inclusion of a great many local and real life musicians. At times, it felt like I was watching a documentary on the who's-who of New Orleans Jazz and modern brass band luminaries.

Because of this, I've been dying for the soundtrack for this amazing show to be released. And now, ladies and gentlemen . . . that day has come AT LAST!!! Well, only if you purchase your music online, it seems -- like via iTunes or even Amazon's .mp3 downloads store. The actual physical CD won't hit brick 'n' mortar stores until the end of October (bummer!). But hell, who buys CDs anymore?

I'm particularly happy I finally get to hear the intro theme song that plays when the credits roll before each episode. Click here to see (and hear) the opener for yourself. Ain't that just the coolest? :)

The other song I could only hope upon a dream they would release--and was surprised to find out they did!--was the reworking of Smiley Lewis's hit 1957 single, "Shame, Shame, Shame" for the show. The lyrics here were altered to provide a satirically damning slam against George W. Bush, particularly his bungling of the whole disaster recovery affair after the tragedy of Katrina in 2005. In the fifth episode of the season, local "Nawlins" DJ and aspiring mayoral candidate, Davis McAlary (played here by the spastic, but always lovable, Steve Zahn) somehow manages to beg, plead, entice, and/or inveigle some of the Tremé's most notable musicians into helping him record his biting yet humorous take on this song for use on the campaign trail. The end result is a thing of beauty, and must be heard to be believed. I've included a clip of the relevant scene from that episode below so you can see what I mean:



In the show, the song is received with huge success and bolsters McAlary's cause to be the anti-anything that is plaguing the local New Orleans political scene. I was never sure this would ever be released as a real song, but now that I've downloaded the album and found it included among the track list, I can safely say I've since listened to it at least 6 times on just this one day alone. And I'm sure I'll listen to it a few more times before the day is done.

It's a really catchy tune, no?

I have no idea when the show will release on video. Most likely a few weeks before the 2nd season premieres next year. And, oh yes, there WILL be a 2nd season. HBO already confirmed it.

I can't wait!

Inspiration Comes From Anything

I just finished watching the Jimi Hendrix special they had on the Biography channel this week, a 2-hour program by which the life of this crazy-talented guitar god was retold in his own words, via Bootsy Collins, as pieced together from various interviews, letters, and recordings during his brief time in the spotlight from 1963 to 1970.

One thing he said really stuck with me. It was while Hendrix was just setting out to make a name for himself during a tumultuous time in America's social upheaval during the 60s:

"I went to Nashville, where I lived in a big housing estate they were building. Every Sunday afternoon we used to go downtown to watch the race riots. We'd take a picnic basket because they wouldn't serve us in the restaurants. One group would stand on one side of the street, and the rest on the other side. They'd shout names and talk about each other's mothers and . . . every once in a while stab each other. Sometimes if there was a good movie on that Sunday, there wouldn't be any race riots."

Wow, that really resonated with me. It just goes to show how silly all this hate and fear mongering really is, that it can be so easily set aside the minute some cool new flick is out in theaters. It also serves to illustrate how dangerous idle imaginations can be. I know I'm egregiously oversimplifying things here when I say this, but I truly do believe in entertainment--be it books, music, movies, or video games--as a venue for relieving stress, anger, fear, and all the other pent-up energies that threaten to undo society when not allowed a safe and harmless release.

But it also got me to thinking about such moderations on society, and how this benefits the government and/or religious leaders who use entertainment programming to keep the unruly mob in check. And, yes, Sunday sermons and church pontificating is the oldest and most effective form of entertainment there is out there. What, you don't believe me?

Naturally, such thoughts then led me to an interesting premise for a sci-fi story. Although, my work would be cut out for me if I chose to pursue this route, what with the Matrix trilogy and various other sci-fi stories already beating me to the punch with this idea of a complacent mass media-consuming society kept under wraps by its manipulative overlords.

Still, that's one of the great things about speculative fiction writers: we're not always inventing new ideas, but sometimes re-inventing and re-interpreting old ones.

Oh, How Very Christ-Like Of You

To Pastor what's-his-face down in FL who think it's a keen idea to encourage the burning of a certain religion's holy books in service of his Lord, here's what your Lord had to say about the matter some 2,000 odd years ago:

"On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
                                                                        -Matthew 7:22 - 23

Those who call themselves Christians should probably spend a lot more time reading their own holy book before condemning and destroying that of others, no? Call me crazy, but I doubt very much Christ would approve of this self-indulgent and hateful act done under His name.

Am I wrong?

The Hypocrisy Is Strong In This One

LOL! I love The Daily Show. Jon Stewart and crew should charge us admission to watch them make utter and complete fools on a continual basis out of those ignorant bigots over on FOX News. The show could be about nothing but this and I would happily watch. Check out this clip from the latest episode, and tell me he did not get them but good! Especially watch for that one dumbass, Eric Bolling, with his index cards and yellow highlighted "facts". Yes, "facts" that just happen to have question marks after them:



I've decided not to say anything here on the blog over this ridiculous issue re: the Cultural Center/Mosque *near* Ground Zero. I've said enough on Facebook, for better or worse. So this video will have to suffice as my officially endorsed mouthpiece to the thoughts churning around furiously inside my head this week.

And of course, because this is Jon Stewart, it's full of the funny.

A Certain Point Of View

Observation: When watching the original Star Wars trilogy, isn't it funny how we as Americans automatically identify with the rebels?

Why is that, I wonder? Probably has to do with this sense of "the rebel spirit" many Americans connect with. After all, we had our own "Evil Empire" to contend with in the early days of this nation's forming. We beat the British! And no one beats the British. Well, certainly not back in the 18th century when they ruled the world. So, yeah, we're the rebel scum that beat back the Empire and won our freedom. Naturally we're the good guys, and the Empire represents the bad.

However, when you think about it, this is completely the opposite reaction from anyone watching these films outside of the United States. To the rest of the world, unfortunately, we Americans are the evil Empire. When people in the Middle East or in Somalia--or, hey, even on reservations here in the U.S.--watch the SW trilogy, they probably project themselves onto the rebels on a personal level, and cast the American military in the role of the Storm Troopers. We even sorta resemble the Troopers, certainly in our indigenous policing tactics if not actual dress. What haven't we done that is not unlike the Empire reaching its arms across the vast cosmos and clamping down on even the slightest hint of militarized insurrection? How not like the Empire are we increasing trade with certain favored nations and excluding others in the form of retribution and/or punishment?

Like Obi Wan says in Return of the Jedi: "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."

More apt words have never been spoken. Except, in the case of many Americans, I would insert the word "desperate" before the phrase "point of view."

Just some food for thought.

Well Iran And North Korea Have More In Common Than Just Illegal Nukes

They're also very quick to brand outsiders as "spies" whenever someone wanders by accident over their vague borders. Seems to me if you were concerned about spies slipping into your country, you might do a better job of policing said borders. At least put up some signs, sheesh!

I was just reading a brief account written by Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two Korean-American journalists who were detained in North Korea and charged with being spies before being set free. You can read the details of their ordeal over at their employer's website, Current.com.

I hope the N. Korean authorities are feeling rightly stupid about now. I mean, they couldn't have asked for more attention brought to the issue of defection if they'd paid good money for it. LOL, what dumbasses!

The report by the two women probably would have languished in moderate obscurity if they'd just let them stay on the other side of the border that fateful morning. By detaining them and thus bringing international attention to the ordeal, they've effectively ensured that a great deal of people will be paying attention to anything these two women say now about the plight of N. Korean refugees in China and abroad.

Nice going, guys. Seriously. You've made the jobs of humanitarians the world over a tad easier virtually overnight.

Thanks a million!

Cash For Clunkers

So lemme see here:

Program instituted to get Americans to turn in their old, inefficient gas-guzzling road tanks and get credit towards purchasing a new, "greener" car. Check.

Billions of dollars set aside to back the program, and hopefully spur the economy. Check.

Money estimated to last three months, based on fiscally conservative projections. Check.

Republicans scoff; call Democrats naive for thinking such an ill-thought out scheme can pull a change in the lagging auto industry. Check.

Program begins. People go ape shit. Car dealers are raking in the new sales like gangbusters. Money runs out in days rather than months. Check.

Democrats proclaim unprecedented success. Economy stimulated, car owners ecstatic, more environmentally-friendly vehicles are on the road. Ask for more money to continue program. Check.

Republicans (and Fox news) cry foul; blame Democrats for mismanagement of funds; proclaim entire program an unmitigated failure. Label Obama a commie.

Check.

*sigh*

Same old song, same old dance. And the band plays on . . .

Obama Gets His Karate Kid On

I mean, I knew he had skillz...but damn!



My only comment: watch out Kim Jong Il. This is what you're up against, if you keep on the crazy. Just saying.

Who Reads The NY Post Anyway?

There's been some uproar recently over a political cartoon published in the NY Post which some have taken to be a racist slant against our President.

Now, look, I'm all for calling out racism when it rears its ugly head. I would be the first to throw down if this were in fact a truly racist cartoon. But, folks, seriously . . . come on now? You all can't be *this* stupid!

Before I go on, for those of you living under a rock and who haven't read the cartoon in question, here it is:




Now, keep in mind that this cartoon is coming out a couple of days after a poor woman was attacked and viciously mauled by her friend's chimpanzee, an incident in which police had to shoot and kill the chimp. Combined that with the recent brouhaha over the stimulus bill making the rounds in Congress over the past few weeks, and you see the backdrop against which this silly cartoon was painted.

And, yeah, if you *want* to act really ignorant and choose to look at the cartoon in a certain light, yeah it *might* seem overly racist. The knee-jerk reaction being that the cartoon is comparing Obama to a chimp gone crazy.

But hold on here. Is this really what the cartoon is saying? I offer that it is not. First off, Obama is not the author of the stimulus plan. He didn't write the thing out himself by the dim light of the midnight oil in the oval office. The bill was drafted by a number of authors, all of whom work in Washington. What the cartoon is satirizing here is not the President, but the chimps in Congress who drafted and ok'd the bill. Yes, President Obama backs and endorses the bill, but he did not write it. And even if he did, the cartoon is saying that the bill is so lopsided and full of nonsensical holes that it MIGHT AS WELL have been written by a bunch of chimps.

And let's be honest here, folks, it kinda does seem like it was. I'm a huge supporter of Obama and a tried and true voting Democrat, but I can't lie and say I'm entirely put at ease by this huge stimulus package. For now I trust Obama and his advisers, but at the same time I can appreciate the need for and the execution of a wee bit of humor at the expense of those backing the bill.

Come on, people. Let's not make a mountain out of something that is definitely not deserving of this much attention. It was silly, maybe a little bit in bad taste (considering the poor woman who now needs facial reconstruction because of the chimp), but was in no way comparing our President to a simian.

I just wanted to be clear here. Let's all move along now and get back to our normally scheduled programming.

Some "Journalists" Are Just Itching For A Fight!

I used the word journalist in quotes because sometimes I have to wonder how these people have jobs. I mean, who fact-checks this stuff? Clearly this is a case of someone needing to meet a quota or something, because to think that he wasted time that could have been spent on more newsworthy items instead of this fluff, there has to be no other explanation.

Here's a link to the article in question, about the use of Barack Hussein Obama's name today. And here's an excerpt:

"An announcer welcomed Barack H. Obama to the Capitol's west steps. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to Barack Hussein Obama, who repeated his full name. And the ceremony ended with the Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction for Barack Obama. The various names reflect the delicate approach that Obama's campaign took, when aides tried to de-emphasize the middle name that reminded many of deposed and executed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The campaign also battled unfounded rumors that Obama was secretly a Muslim."

Like, WTF? Were we watching the same inauguration? Because I watched it live from beginning to end, and I clearly heard them use former President George Walker Bush's full name, as well as VP Joe Biden's full name. In fact, quickly looking back at W's first inauguration, his full three names were evoked during the oath of office part as well. But on the announcement preceding the oath--when they introduce the people coming out onto the stage, they used just the middle initial when introducing the man. Exactly as was done today.

In other words, it's ALWAYS done like this. When announcing the arrival of the VP- and the President-Elect, their names and middle initials are used. When swearing in on the bible, the full three names are spoken. And when the media reports on the event, they use either format they choose for the moment, preferring for the most part to only use the first and last name.

That's all it is. Conspiracy's over, people. Go look elsewhere to start a fight. There's nothing to see here.

Sheesh!

The Secret Service Are No Joke

Is this not cool or what? I would say I want this ride, but then I saw the gas mileage and top speed and thought otherwise. Jeez, just think how heavy this car must be!


And LOL at Obama just lounging in the back like the PIMP daddy that he is. :)

(click here to enlarge the pic if the above does not work)

A True "World Leader"

This video clip taken from CNN is just amazing. It shows how Barack Obama's win was a big deal not just for Americans, but for all stripes of people in nations around the world.



Seriously, does that not give you goosebumps? Who can say they've ever seen this much positive reaction to an American election in the world before? The folks are celebrating as if he was *their* President.

And that's the beauty of our country . . . we truly do represent the world. And it's not because we're better (we're not) or superior in any way other than arms (we're still not), but because America shows the promise of someone born and influenced from other cultures making it to the very top of the political system here. If that's not the true meaning of the word "hope," I don't know what is.

I've never felt so connected with the rest of the world than I do now. This is something just another old white guy in the White House couldn't have made happen. Even before he's officially taken on the mantle of President and expounded any kind of policy at all, Barack Obama is already a symbol of hope and something different than what the old regime has offered. To a lot of folks around the world, that is enough. To the rest of us, we wish and pray that he can live up to all the hype.

No, I don't think he's the second coming. Nor do I think our country will immediately heal from all which ails it. But I, along with the rest of the world, can see this moment as the *possibility* for something really good to happen. And we need that glimmer of the possible more than anything right now.

One Helluva Night!

Last evening was one of the most surreal nights ever! I was having misgivings over the weekend and during the day Monday. But when I woke up yesterday and voted it started . . . this indescribable feeling of giddy hope that washed over me. It stayed with me the entire day, making it hard for me to concentrate at work. I swear I was only going through the motions. Then I came home and breezed through my 4-mile run without even remembering doing it. I literally blinked and my 16 laps were done! I was just so enraptured by the news broadcast the entire time.

I barely remember cooking dinner and watching some Tivo'd programming with Lisa, all the while switching back and forth between the live coverage on normal tv. It was an anxious night, and I didn't have much of an appetite. I was more excited than nervous, though. I pretty much knew once I came home which way the polls would go. Normally I wouldn't dare jinx something this important . . . but as soon as I saw Lisa I told her: don't worry, he's got this. I just *know* it.

And he did. Oh damn did he!

A strange thing happened to me when they announced Barack Hussein Obama as our next president. When the networks started running the footage of crowds in Times Square cheering and hugging each other and crying . . . I felt the tears well up in me too! I couldn't believe it, but it's true! I was actually overcome with emotion. Chills went down my spine; my vision went blurry. I simply could not believe the highest of my hopes had been realized.

I stayed up late into the wee hours listening to the speeches by both McCain and Obama. I've never been so proud to be an American as I was on that night. The streets around my neighborhood were alive with celebration. People were running up and down the street screaming "OBAMA!!!!" at the top of their lungs. Cars, taxis, and even city buses were honking their horns in unison. I've *NEVER* in all my years seen this kind of a reaction to a presidential election.

Even today it still seems so unreal. My doorman was grinning from ear to ear when Lisa and I left for work this morning. "Thank you for your 2 votes . . . thank you!" he said, over and over. He's from the islands, and is not a U.S. citizen. But even he looked close to tears. I just had to smile, because it really wasn't like we did much. Only followed common sense. But it made me feel good to see so many people this morning in such great cheer and actually smiling. SMILING, do you hear me? This is New York. No one smiles in the morning here, if ever. But everyone was happy beyond belief.

What a great moment in time. I don't think Obama is anything more than a common man, mind you. He won't deliver us from evil or heal the sick. Let's be real here. But at the same time, I do think he's brought a paradigm shift with him. And, from the tone of his speech, might actually bring about some measure of unity across this great country.

I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off of my soul. A weight I've been carrying around for exactly 8 years.

UP THE UNIVERSE!!!!

The Young Vote

I'm getting sick and tired of hearing about the "young vote." Never have I heard such a crock of shit than the belief that young people will decide this election. Who's been lacing the Kool Aid?

Truth of the matter is, young voters are STUPID and LAZY. Every election the media makes a big deal about voter registration drives on campuses across America, rife with footage of earnest young people proclaiming how the right to vote is sacred and how they take their responsibility SO seriously.

You know what, young people? Go STFU!

Because after every election comes the reports of historically low voter turnout among young voters. Just look at the last election. Remember "Rock The Vote" and "Vote or Die"? Remember MTV rallying all the Puff Daddies and Eminems out there to charge up the young vote and get them to the polls? Yeah, remember how well that went?

So, it's cute for the media to pretend that the 18-24 vote actually matters. But let's be honest, we relied on it the last time and it got us nowhere. I'm not implying that young people would vote more liberal if they *did* exercise their right. But the fact of the matter is that that last two elections were really close. And the young voters did not show up. If they had, do you not think things might have turned out differently? I think so.

When I went to the polling station this morning, the line was out the door. But you know what? I can honestly say I saw maybe 5 people younger than me. Only 1 was under 24. Trust me, I kept an eye out for this. I'm sure most of this was due to the fact that it was 7am in the morning. I did say they were LAZY, didn't I? I really shouldn't have expected a college student to be up at such a godforsaken hour of the day. What was I thinking?

Anyway, the youth vote is a joke. Obama's people are wasting their time e-mailing and texting these poor excuses for human beings. Young voters believe that they don't need to vote because the right decision will be made regardless. And that, whatever the outcome, it doesn't affect them anyway. Because their own personal problems are so much more important. Yeah, okay.

Yes, I know I'm only 32. But sometimes I look at these young people and feel such a gulf between our priorities, despite only being 8 or 10 years apart.

Well, here ends my old man rant for the day! :) I'll write about fluffy kittens in my next entry to make up for it.

Well, That Was An Experience!

Got up super early this morning and went two blocks over to get my voting in before heading to work. I figured it would be crowded, so I gave myself an extra 30 mins. Turns out I should have given myself 90!

Jeez, the line was out the door, down the block and around the corner! And once inside, it was pure madness. I've never seen such a large turnout before, and I've been voting since 2000. And people were EXCITED! I couldn't believe how many black and hispanic people were actually looking proud to be on line voting. You could see it in their faces. This is huge because, in past elections, this was not something I was used to seeing. Voter turnout in the Bronx is iffy at best, due to the majority of people feeling apathetic and left out of the political arena at large.

Now of course no one said who they were voting for, but I think it's pretty obvious. :)

The only thing that can damper the experience was the fact that NY is going blue anyway, so whether the Bronx had a bigger than usual turnout or not, the end results are still going to be the same. Huge turnouts here are just overkill. If only the popular vote meant more . . .

Anyway, I came into work (eventually) and it seems the excitement is not just limited to NY. Early indication is that there is larger voter turnout all up and down the Eastern seaboard. Time will tell whether or not this fervor will spread West, but I think it will.

It's a funny feeling, but I think Obama has a VERY good chance now. I wasn't feeling it over the weekend, but I've never seen a voting climate so charged like this. Since McCain is really nothing new, I can only assume this is due to Obama. Unlike Bush/Kerry 4 years ago, people actually care this time and are fired up. Especially the Democrat base, which was pretty lamely backing Kerry last time. I mean, we voted for him, but no one was really all that happy about it. And yet we almost beat Bush regardless.

Obama has far more going for him than Kerry, and McCain has far more going *against* him than Bush did. So we'll see . . .

I hope the rest of you go out and vote today. No matter who you choose, your ancestors fought long and hard and sacrificed so much so that you would have this freedom. Don't toss it aside lightly.