In Remembrance...

It is September 12. The day after the 8th anniversary of the demonstration of pure evil that flows through the reality of the world the way electricity flows through a circuit board. I spent a good bit of my day yesterday dwelling upon that day 8 years ago as the rain fell upon me with chilly september showers. I had hoped to actually get more out of the experience I sought, but it was disrupted and distracted by the induction of my life long hero into the National Basketball Hall of Fame and the countless beers I drank from the end of the work week until the end of my stream of consciousness. Regardless, I need to express the thoughts I was able to gather in an attempt to remember those who were lost or those who lost someone.

Much theory and speculation has surfaced in the explanation of 9/11. I have heard numerous accounts of scientific theory, conspiracy claims, conspiracy debunking, “official” statements... none of which seem to connect any sort of explanation. While we may never know what actually happened or how or why, we do have some concrete, indisputable facts that come from the result of the horrifying event that took place. Make no mistake about it, we are a different nation in all aspects of what we once were.

One fact that seems to go unnoticed in the lead up to the attacks was the fact that government agencies knew these terrorists were plotting on our soil. They knew they were being directed by an extremist organization in Yemen. They had all the information they needed to stop the attacks before the terrorists even walked through the doors of those airports that September morning. “It’s not my job responsibility” bounced off the walls of the agencies who exist solely to protect the American People. Somehow, the documentation made it’s way to the hands of the newly elected president one day as he was shooting for par on a presidential golf course. He paid no mind to the folder passed onto him as it may have interfered with his vacation plans. Who knows... maybe he did pay mind to it but decided to let it play out and let the agencies “handle it.” I’m not here to determine that.

From the moment the second plane hit the South Tower, America would forever be changed. The shock, the fear, the hurt, the anger... it took hold of us all. Our hearts began to beat harder. We felt pain and resentment. The confusion of the happenings disrupted our thoughts and that roller coaster of emotion took us on a ride we would never forget. In this crisis, political governance found a window left open and they sure as shit took advantage of the opportunity. Through the manipulation of our anger, fear, and resentment, the Bush administration was able to coax us into going along with whatever they deemed connected with the newly anointed “War on Terror,” sparking a seemingly endless crusade that has claimed hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives.

Since the declaration of the “War on Terror,” we have been forced to sacrifice our freedom for security, thus rendering the rebuilding of the “Freedom Tower” quite the hypocrisy. The direct results of failed cooperation of government agencies led to the passing of the Patriot Act and the subsequent wiretapping of the American public... illegal wiretapping as we have come to learn years later. Other direct results that came from the “War on Terror” were the expansion of executive powers, the insurmountable funding for homeland security, and an eternal justification of war with any nation we cite as terrorist sympathizers.

The eternal war is what gets me. We have invaded countries for no more than political indifference but it has been spun to the citizens at home as a protection of our freedoms. Sadam Hussein threatened us no more than he ever had and he had no ties to al Queda. They found no weapons of mass destruction when they knew damn well up front that they weren’t going to find any. So we invaded Iraq for political indifference and perhaps for reasons unknown to the common man not inside the oil business or the war racketeering business. Then we have Afghanistan, which we were told we invaded because of the Taliban and because there may or may not be an al Queda strong hold. We have threatened Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Iran... I’m sure that if France had terrorists residing in their country and we disagreed with their political structure, we would threaten them as well. This is not a Christian Crusade on Muslims. This is a racket of war. Endless war with an endless budget that is handed out through no bid contracts to businesses who are politically connected (think Halliburton and Cheney). Meanwhile, the declaration of war on an extremist idea has only further fueled the enemy’s cause through the continuous occupation and destruction of their land and the unfortunate civilian casualties.

The endless budget has caught up to us as we sink deeper and deeper into a quicksand of debt. On top of the ceaseless printing of currency to help fund these wars (while devaluing the currency at the same time), our brilliant former president spoke to the people of this torn country after the attacks and told them to “shop” and help contribute to the rebuilding of morale. Never in the history of this nation were we told to spend in such irresponsible fashion during time of war. Over the course of the last 8 years, we have lived well beyond our means and we were not only provided the opportunity to do so, we were encouraged. The end result is evident every where you look these days as the recession has painted a grim picture on the overlay of this once great nation.

We have been played like a violin in the aftermath of the attacks 8 years ago. Our emotion and feelings were taken advantage of and with the short attention spans that seem to encompass the majority of American citizens, we have not paid much mind to it much like our commander in chief paid no mind to the important information that was placed between his palm and the handle of his golf club. Our new president has taken a lot of flack over the course of the last week for speaking out to the school children across the country about responsibility. How dare he demand responsibility! Has nobody told him, that is not what we do here in America... not anymore at least. Perhaps had the highest regarded man in the country spoke out about responsibility 8 years ago, we would not be in such bad shape as we are today. Instead, we allowed everything we stood for to burn in the fires and collapse with the towers.

Uncertainty

Uncertain about the leap into uncertainty.

Uncertain of where the road will lead.

Uncertain of where the money will come from.

Uncertain of how long the journey will take.

Uncertain if the journey will end.

Uncertain if the end goal is indeed the end.

Uncertain if the end justifies the means of expense.

Uncertain if one is capable of the overload of work on top of work.

Uncertain of one’s self-confidence being hampered by fear.

Uncertain if one is ready to embrace the leap into uncertainty.

Uncertainty.

Life is uncertain.

Embrace it and leap.

Progression demands it of you.

Jitters

The first day of class has come and pass in a refreshing fashion. I honestly did not know what to expect from a real school that costs more money to attend in one year than my previous five combined at community college. The thought of sheer failure after all was said and spent has literally stressed me for weeks. I have been so shaken by the idea of it that I haven’t been able to even attempt to write anything since the thoughts of doom and gloom began taking over my uncontrollable mind. Darkness swept in and swallowed my entire existence for weeks. I’m talking about a pure darkness... not the muted gray that defines me on a weekly, if not daily, basis. But something changed when I arose the morning after my 26th birthday.

It was a brisk day yesterday... my last day of life as I’ve known it for some time now. It had been roughly three years since I had a “last day of summer vacation” but this one felt no different than any other back to school experience I’ve ever known. The cool and calming day was followed by a chilly, autumn-esque night. I cracked open a window before bed for the first time since I moved into my new home 5 months ago. A slight breeze whisked into the room and soothed my nerves as I lay starring at the ceiling, stirring in uncertainty not knowing what the first day of the next few years of my life would bring me when I awoke the next morning. A deep breath and a good laugh at a Family Guy re-run cleared my mind of worry and I drifted into a land of strange dreams.

The morning brought pure coldness to my bones. A sort of cruel, self-inflicted obstacle to hurdle upon reluctantly pulling back the covers at 6 AM on a Monday morning... OK, so it was a Tuesday morning. I was off on Monday so Tuesday sure as shit felt like a Monday to me. Typical weekday morning until I decided to grab a jacket before I left the house. For some reason, the simple act of reaching for a light jacket brought joy to my soul. As I turned from locking the door behind me and began walking to my truck, that old familiar smell of Fall found it’s way my way sending a chill down my spine. It was the most refreshed I had felt in years.

When you work the same time, every day, every week, every month... there is no separation. Life becomes more of a mono-toned existence. Throw in the pure repetition that comes with being locked behind a desk in an office and an insurmountable feeling of insanity will soon begin to battle your mental stability. Once that comes to a boil, toss in your reoccurring fear of failure and your tally of debt that is roughly 150 times your net worth, sprinkle in the possibility that you may lose your job in the coming months (if not weeks) and you may start to understand why I began to spiral back down the dark road of self-loathing bitterness wrapped in a blanket of self-pity.

I can’t express my gratitude for the way the last 36 hours have played out and the importance of their timing. The lost familiarity that comes with the “First day of school” and the subsequent feelings it brought really revived my motivation and has given me a new found sense of hope and confidence as I steer my way into deeper waters. I felt good about being in class once I found my way there after another dismal day at work. I even began to feel at ease about my worries of not finding work after graduation just an hour into my journey. I realize now that if I can just commit myself to something I know is meant for me, the universe will light the way.

Jason Whitlock is a Racist Prick

I don’t understand how Jason Whitlock has a syndicated column. His whole shtick is racism. He is a racist who shuns racism. Yes, you read that correct. His entire gig is the accusation of racism through the rhetoric of one of the most racist human beings to ever be given a published public forum. This post is my dedication to the disgust that his most recent article has sparked in me. Jason Whitlock may never read this… then again, I imagine he sits around and Googles himself most of the day… but I just have to express my complaints so I can resume the rest of my day.

The Erin Andrews scandal is by no means any kind of racial issue no matter how Whitlock tries to spin it. The Erin Andrews scandal is an issue of privacy… a violation of privacy without knowledge while behind a closed and locked door. If I were to go to the hotel next door and place a reverse peephole viewing camera on the door of a paying customer (black or white, male or female) inside the hotel, I would be arrested without a shadow of doubt. I would be charged and input as a Peeping-Tom in the National Sex Offender Registry.

With the pictures and video circulating the web, this has become a national embarrassment to Ms. Andrews and to publicly discredit the issue by accusing ESPN for being racist by NOT further embarrassing one of their own employees is a disgrace to the ethics of media journalism. Jason Whitlock is a downright scoundrel trying to create a stir out of a non-issue and further promoting the divide between the races that make up the majority of this nation.

His examples of “injustice” to the black community bear no resemblance or relevance to this particular issue. Stuart Scott’s alleged text message scandal was never a national issue. In fact, his column was the first time I heard of the alleged “Lemme know” text that proves nil and promotes nothing except speculation.

Isiah Thomas’ suit against him for sexual harassment went to court and he was ordered by a jury to pay 11.6 million dollars to the accuser. Shannon Brown’s civil suit got just as much attention in the media as Ben Roethlisberger’s civil suit sans criminal investigation so there is no point to be argued there either.

The biggest negligence to truth came in his reference to Pacman. Pacman Jones’ off-field drama last season was not just a media exploitation… it was more of a snowball building of numerous stories that surrounded the troubled corner back. In the span of 2 years, the man got in an altercation with a valet attendant while on probation, was pulled over and arrested for being connected to a cocaine bust, was arrested and charged for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after spitting in the face of a woman at a nightclub, beat down his own personal security guard while in a drunken stupor, was involved in shooting at a Las Vegas strip club after publicly assaulting a stripper, and was accused of allegedly ordering a hit by members of his entourage after an altercation at an Atlanta nightclub. The media attention that he got was very much warranted and it had to do with the fact that he was an out of control hooligan, not because of the fact that he was a black male athlete.

Athletes of all races are targeted by gold-diggers and con artists for the money in their pocket, not the color of their skin. The reporting of bullshit cases get tired and wears on the audience.

I am surprised and regularly appalled by Fox Sports for the publishing of Jason Whitlock’s columns on a weekly basis, but his most recent article in regards to the Erin Andrews story has struck a nerve so deep that if I ever see that pigheaded, overzealous bastard, I will surely leave knuckle indentations on his bloated jaw line. The fact that this guy won an award for National Journalism is a greater disgrace to the industry than the political and corporate alignment of the major market newspapers. At least they aren’t fooling anybody.

Putting to Rest the Pervert of Pop

Disgust is hindering my productivity over the last hour because of the debacle that has become the Michael Jackson funeral. I've been trying to avoid this topic, but I have to let some of this out.

First off, I’d like to get it out there that I was one of the millions of fans who listened to every MJ record when it came out. I used to moon-walk through the kitchen, do a spin, and grab my crotch when I got to the fridge. I was a childhood fan of the biggest pop phenomenon of my generation. I even remember where I was when the Black or White video first premiered. But then, I got older and started to understand what a whacko the guy was. At first, I was cool with it. There’s nothing wrong with being weird in a world full of weirdoes and crazies. But then the mother fucker hangs a baby over a balcony and has case after case of lawsuits filed and charges pressed against him accusing him of being a pedophile.

That was it... the end all be all. He became a habitual line stepper and with his musical genius vastly beginning to slip away, the obscurities of the King of Pop came to the forefront. The “smooth criminal” was now a perverted criminal with more under-the-knife experimentations than a college level biology class. Eventually he disappeared from the lime light, lost every dollar he ever made, and buried himself in what the Wall Street Journal estimated at $500 Million of debt.

The first headline Michael Jackson made in the last 10 years was when the story broke in the Los Angeles Times that he was dead. There was a reason for that. Some people had enough decency not to give a sick and twisted child molester the glorification that everyone has all of a sudden began to embrace since the passing of the perverted icon. I’m not trying to be the cynic here. I’m not making an argument for the sake of making an argument. I’m looking at this from the perspective of someone who hopes to someday have children. Who the fuck has the audacity to praise a man for his music and disregard the fact that he may have molested children?

One reason the man died broke and immersed in a mountain of debt was the fact that he settled out of court in each case to avoid federal prosecution, much like politicians and catholic priests accused of the same crime have done. I would be willing to bet that not a single god damn person praising Michael Jackson in his passing would have even considered the thought of sending their child to visit and stay with him for a weekend. If you would have, then you’re a sick bastard and you should consider neutering yourself and putting any child you may already have up for adoption so they can have a nurturing home to grow up in, free from the possibility of rape and molestation.

The thing that really gets me though… besides the assholes who went out and got tattoos commemorating the King of Perversion… is the people who are genuinely offended that the city of Los Angeles has asked the Jackson family to help pay for the funeral ceremony which will play host to millions of drooling diehard fans with nothing better to do than cry and praise their fallen hero on a Tuesday afternoon in the streets of a major city facing economic collapse. The last thing the city of Los Angeles needs is for their streets to be shut down by rioting lunatics in tears and a multi-million dollar bill to foot the cost of attempting to control the mass hysteria. If the Jackson family wants to have this huge celebration then they need to pay the tab at the end of the day. If I died tomorrow, the city or town I live in is not going to cover the cost of my funeral and that's without the expectation of millions of cooks with sequined gloves impersonating me and showing off their tattoos wishing me a peaceful rest.

Congratulations America... You're getting even fatter.

In America, we live among abundance. We buy more than we need and we consume more than we produce. There are fast food franchises all over the place and the shelves of our supermarkets are swelling with food that is just as bad for you. Children are growing up drinking soda that is overloaded with high fructose corn syrup and pure sugar with a splash of caffeine. Then we wonder why they grow up to continue their awful diets that lead them to bowling ball bellies and cascades of cellulite.

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It's becoming an epidemic and it's being masked behind brand named ailments like diabetes and heart disease. The truth of the matter is, our diets and our lack of exercise lead us to these unhealthy levels and this new standard of being overweight is growing more and more accepted.

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And how do we respond to the growing number of lazy obese citizens taking over our communities and monopolizing all the handicap parking spots because they might pass out from overheating while walking an extra 100 feet?

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We glorify them.

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Fat Power!

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Welcome to the country where Obesity has demanded its own civil rights movement. Believe it or not, there is a "Fat Acceptance Movement" currently making strides in a social community near you. We actually give these fat bastards a chance to demand acceptance in a public forum. It amazes me. Obesity is not something you are born with. It's unlike race, gender, sexual orientation, mental health… all issues that demanded a defending of their rights. Obesity is a disease of obsession. Obsession for food (shit food to be precise)... laced with trans fats, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, steroid induced meats, grease... the list goes on and on.

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Sugar is a fat man's crack. Think that's an overstatement? Lock a fat person in a room without anything to eat except fruits, vegetables, and lean meat. Give them some water, close the door, barricade it shut, and proceed to watch the fits that they go through over the course of 3 days. It will enlighten you. Granulated sugar actually has a chemical affect on your body and your brain. I detoxed myself over the course of 3 days and the headaches from my blood sugar dropping was debilitating. There is something to be said about that.

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There is something purely addictive behind refined sugar that keeps us coming back for more and that is where the obsession comes from. It’s marketing genius really. Hook line and sinker. Cigarettes use nicotine to ensnare its customers. The food industry uses sugar (and who knows what else) to keep us craving the foods that are so horribly bad for our figures and our health that we normally would not continue to eat.

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So take heed to the foods you consume and make sure to get your exercise in at some point during the week, for there is a tornado of portliness and health problems that will sweep you away with the rest of the nation if you do not… adding you to the statistics.

FDA Malpractice

The federal government has once again appalled me through the scapegoat of one of its over-funded, unnecessarily important, and mismanaged goons. The Department of Health and Human Services’ top hound dog, the FDA, is now poking it's nosiness into the world of pain killers, voting to lower the dosage of acetaminophen in Tylenol and eliminating Vicodin and Percocet all together... "Liver failure" being said as the cause for this decision.

Let us look at the effects this decision will have as a whole...

1. People who take Tylenol to ease aches and pains regularly take extra dosages to alleviate as much pain as they can, complaining that the current dosage is not enough. By lowering the dosage per pill, the number of pills being taken will be sure to increase which will in turn sell more bottles of Tylenol as they will not last quite as long as its predecessor.

2. Vicodin and Percocet are prescribed to people with serious chronic pain. They are the last resort scripts written before the script of oxycodone, aka Oxycotin... the closest thing to pure heroin one can get via a licensed drug dealer. Mind you that Oxycotin is by far the most addictive and most damaging drug available through prescription. In fact, Percocet is often prescribed as a transition drug to wean patients off their Oxycotin prescription.

So somebody please tell me how the FDA is improving service to the citizen customers of this country when cigarette and alcohol sales go relatively unregulated in terms of toxin dosage. When it comes to over-the-counter medications, nothing is going to stop people from taking whatever dosage they deem fit for themselves. Some people take 4-5 pills now... you're trying to tell me that they're not going to take 8 pills from the new proposed packaging because the FDA says the present day pills are too strong? There's common sense that destroys all reasoning behind this. It's almost as if they are trying to put more people in a bind. More pain. Higher cost for patients/consumers. More dope addicts. Is that the intent?... because that's how it's looking from this side of the fence.

You may think I'm going a little far by accusing the FDA of purposely attacking the well being of The People. I don't think I am. Government funded programs are notorious for civil rights infringements. The FCC attacks Free Speech on a daily basis. The Department of Education has ruined our education system by lowering standards and teaching children to think what they are told to think as conformity runs amok. Shit, the FDA is the culprit who regulates the vaccinations loaded with mercury that we give our children and has been linked to the autism breakout in our country. So why the hell should we trust these agencies with our well-being?

Maybe the FDA should focus more on preventing the spread of E.Coli and Salmonella from disease infested factories to the cafeterias of our schools and eliminating the use of pesticides on our crops and growth inducing steroids on our cattle. Maybe then they can occupy their time better and stop prying into a world that has helped far more people than it has hurt. If you want to go after liver disease, I would think alcohol should be #1 on the Most Wanted list... not Tylenol. In fact, I bet if you looked up all persons hospitalized for liver failure with acetaminophen being the accomplice, chances are they took more than double the recommended dosage. Anybody who puts something in their body should know what the possible side effects are. If they don't, there is nobody to blame but themselves.

Decorated Dysmorphism

I've never been good at dealing with the mishaps of life... I always drowned them in a sea of alcohol and self-sedatives to distract myself away from the damages of disheartenment. I favored disillusionment. It's probably the most detrimental way of dealing with life that one can decide to delve upon. At times, you will find yourself depressed and ready to dive head first into an empty pool; The coldness of the concrete diverts the attention to the cause and soothes the soul. Disembodiment is a common fantasy... dreaming of the day that you will free your mind from the entrapment of disappointment that you've grown so accustomed to. Dissuading reality from truth is the directed endeavor of each passing day. Hide forever in the darkness and despair will merely pass you by; Poke your head out and venture once again down the intertwining roads of life, and soon you will find disgruntlement hunting you down like the wounded dog that you are. Rely not on desperation, for even desperate times will leave you defeated and drunk with disgust... It is the never-ending debt detainees of life pay to death.

We Talkin' 'bout Practice Man

With tonight’s NBA draft approaching by the minutes; I'm in the mood to talk some basketball. Growing up in the Greater Philadelphia area, I've been through my ups and downs as a Sixers fan. When I was a kid, I loved the Sixers when we had Charles Barkley running the court and throwing it down with authority. Then they traded him Phoenix, spurring a hatred for the Sixers, the Suns, and Sir Charles.

I was a child who took the moving of all-stars to heart. I was once an Eagles fan in the days of Randall Cunningham and Reggie White, until they were traded away by poor management for guys not fit to carry their predecessor’s jock strap. To this day, I hate the Philadelphia Eagles and I have moved on to brighter days as a Giants fan.

As a true to life fan of basketball, I could not continue hating the Sixers forever. I tried. Believe me. When they drafted Iverson, I was still a hater. I was a larger than life Bulls fan in the 90's... and not because I felt obliged to hop on the Michael-Scotty bandwagon. I had family in Chicago and throughout the time I spent out there I grew a fond love of all Chicago sports teams. Regardless, it took me until I got to see Iverson play in person before I grew appreciation for the little guy with the big heart.

The way Iverson laid it out there on the court like every game was his last impressed me in a way I had never realized before. Michael Jordan was my hero as a kid. He represented the guy who made himself great through hard work and dedication. When Jordan played, he played as if he was a superstar night in and night out. But when Iverson played, he played like he was never going to get another chance to step onto the court again. He played through every imaginable injury a player can deal with and he brushed off practice as if it just didn't matter.

“We talkin’ 'bout practice man.”

He had the mentality of a kid from the streets who was thankful for what he had but never knew how long it would last... how long he would last. It was a sad day when he demanded to be traded because of a coach who had no business being a head coach... especially after the trials and tribulations that transpired during Larry Brown's tenure as the Sixers coach. But Mo Cheeks was the last straw for Iverson and before you had the chance to speak about the situation, he was gone. Traded to a team where for the first time in his career he had to share the spotlight.

Monday morning quarterbacking will show you how that worked out as he was traded twice in 3 seasons to end up in a situation where he wasn't even getting the minutes or the starting rotation in a deep seeded Pistons lineup. Midway through the season, he called it a season because of back spasms. Never before had Iverson quit on his team because of an injury, but the team quit on him. Now, with the offseason in full tilt and blockbuster deals being made sending all-stars across the league, we sit and wonder what will be to come for Allen Iverson this season.

There's nothing I would like to see more than to see AI come back to Philly and put on the "new" retro jerseys and pick up where he left off, flying around the court like the mad dog he is. Ball games are not what they once were in the Wachovia center these days, and if they don't do something to get the fans back into it, it could end up becoming the next rendition of the dark ages for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball franchise.

A Repetition of Mistakes

When will we ever wake up and realize that we are re-living past mistakes? Our constant meddling in the affairs of sovereign nations is further complicating our future and distracting us from the present day problems at home. As we continue to fight undeclared wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both products of our overly pervasive “War on Terror,” we find ourselves facing military involvement in North Korea, Iran, and a handful of African nations allegedly being overrun by al-Qaeda. There are only a handful of countries across the globe that do not hate us… the rest regularly express their loathing for the mighty American empire.

We once represented something that was so great and powerful that we were taught as children that the world was jealous of us because we were “free.” Unfortunately for the millions of Americans who don’t pay attention to the current affairs outside of the Hollywood spotlight, they still believe that. But for those of us who reject the reality TV era and maintain our ability to process logical thinking, we have begun to understand the repercussions of our hypocrisy abroad and the deceit beseeched upon us on the home front. We are no freer than the socialist French and yet we despise what they stand for as our government strives to attain the same way of life. We promote democracy and invade countries to spread it and yet the invasion itself contradicts the cause we seek.

The hypocrisy is running rampant and only the minority of the population within our borders has the interest to take notice. It’s the way they promote the movement that irritates me. Instead of pointing out the misconceptions, they point the finger in blame. They blame the Republicans for getting us into this mess; they blame the Democrats for the continuation of Republican ways; they blame the media for being biased… the list of complaints and card-turning in the blame game goes on and on. However, it is the people of this nation who are to blame.

Since the 1960s, there have not been any political movements that forcefully represent The People. It’s as if the hope for change that so many people voted for last November died with the last casualty of the Vietnam War. After the fallout of Vietnam and the civil rights movement, people began to disconnect from political involvement. But Why? Why, after all the demonstrations and demands that were heard, would we stop fighting for our say in the affairs of our ruling body? Why the dropout?



Some might say it was the drugs (mainly heroin and other opiates) that caused the activists to falloff into a complacent trance to help them come down from the rush of fighting “The Man.” That may have contributed to it and it may even give the liberty brigade another excuse for the failing movement of grassroots involvement today as drugs are as potent and destructive as ever in this country. There’s even the theory that our government agencies are helping to fuel the fire of drug abuse in this country through a rather sickening form of population control. But once again, it’s more of the same old blame game.

Rather than complaining about the misinformation and distractions being infused into the mainstream, why not direct people to the same information we find valuable and informative in a pure sense? The information is available if you know where to look. The unfortunate scenario that faces us is that the majority does not know where to look and what to look for. With the mainstream media manufacturing consent with each passing day, the “informed” public will continue to support the same detrimental course we have been lead along for some time now, not realizing the path of destruction we leave behind and the repercussions of our ways. With an administration that seems set to adhere to the D.C. political play, it’s going to take a lot more than hope in our new president to really change things.

It seems that things are going to continue the way they were and most likely escalate. The hour glass is running thin as internet censorship and warrantless wiretapping is becoming common place throughout the globe, even in “the land of the free.” Our window for action is still open, but for how long is not known. We must take advantage of what we have available to us. Corporations control Congress and the White House and we must stand up to take them back. We must dig into our history of defending our freedoms to protect our future and the future our children will one day face.

There is a fine line between Fascism and Freedom and we are treading it with clumsy work boots tripping each foot with each careful step. Orwellian tactics are being instituted all around us, slowly closing the steel door of control behind us and locking us into the cold cell of conformity. Some may argue that it is necessary to protect us and keep us safe and secure. These people have lost their way in a dark sea of fear mongering.

Benjamin Franklin once famously stated, “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

We need a stand by the people, For The People, if we hope to improve modern life as we know it. By focusing on fixing our problems while letting other sovereign nations govern themselves, we have a better chance to rebuild and bounce back setting the example for all other nations who wish to find the way. WE have the structure to make it happen, but we are letting private interest groups block our progression. Let us stand up for what we believe in our hearts and souls, and let us not be denied by those whose pockets stand in our way. Our tax dollars should go back into investing in our neighborhoods and our country, not the countries whose governments fail their people. Let us lead by example, not by the barrel of a semi-automatic rifle.

The Great Irony of Life

The enumerate number of paradoxes that continually peak through the blinds that hang from in the window frames of life will suffocate your happiness if you allow them to. Trust those words.

I haven't been able to keep them away and my sanity is eroding as the days pass by. I'm sure anybody who is reading this can relate with something from their life experiences. You could make good money but passionately hate your job. You could have a wonderful woman or man in your life but your crazy, psycho-delusional Ex- won't leave you be. Whatever it may be, the latter always distracts and distorts the enjoyment of the former. It makes it impossible to fully enjoy yourself in whatever the aspect plagued by the paradox I speak of.

In the recognition and acknowledgement of this Great Irony, one becomes fully engaged by aggravation and exasperation. Trust Me. This is becoming an all-too-common theme in my journey through the years.

I feel as though I can't catch a break in time where I can just sit back and soak in the pure bliss of life. As much beauty as there is in life, I have begun to find the opposing negative aura and it has left me in a state of lethargic existence. The yin yields the yang. The balance of man with the universe is potent with purity and diluted with putridity. True balance. Undifferentiated Tao. Ho-hum!

Positivity is a difficult mentality to maintain but it is absolutely essential to one's sanity. As negativity creeps into your perception, it grows on you like a plague. A bacterium of vileness. Life will no longer be fun anymore. The bareness of misery will take hold and fill you with frigidity the way the cold comes through the Northeast every winter burying civilized living beneath a thick blanket of snow and ice.

Cynicism has been a part of me since I could speak. Call it a birth defect if you wish. I blame growing up around paranoia and pessimism. Regardless, I'm treading water in an ocean without the ability to swim, continually fighting to keep my head above the darkness below. Some days I want to just let go and sink until I exhale my last bubble of life, but I shake it off and tread away hoping to see the lights of a rescue vessel emerge from the horizon.

This may be a dark piece. Some might even say, "a depressing piece." It is what it is. That's the reality of life right now as I sit here typing my way to some sort of peace of mind. By no means am I depressed. I'm thankful for the wonderful joys I'm blessed with. But goddamn the motherfucking yang!

"I'm vacationing on a beach with no sand... tryin' to check to time on a clock with no hands. Feel like I'm gettin' close but I'm nowhere near it... I touch it but don't feel it, listen but don't hear it." - Joe Budden

The Beauty of Night

Allen Ginsburg was a genius with words and the vibes they produced, using them to attack the materialism and conformity that swept our nation by storm years ago. He infused darkness with light with such poetic mystique that makes you appreciate the negativity that produced such radiance. In a time that we can all relate to the obscurity that shadows all the good that life has to offer, we should all take the time to appreciate those who inject beauty into repugnance and embody the illumination of night by the glow of the moon.

"Light up the darkness."

-Bob Marley

The New Dumb

Today, we find a new kind of dumbness circulating around us that is particularly aggravating to all persons with at least half a brain. Dumb, unintelligible people are now boldly attacking those who have the ability to think, learn, and formulate thoughts outside of those being fed through the television screen. What is this world coming to? It’s as if we promote this “New Dumb” by giving these simpletons an open forum to speak and unknowingly embarrass themselves. The worst part is, they don’t realize how foolish they sound.

One half-a-twit had the audacity to tell me to “Learn Something” as if he had any idea what he was even talking about. Not a single point (not even an opinionated point worth arguing) came out of his comment that was entirely intended to offend me because I did not agree with his statement. He lacked the ability to formulate sentences that made sense and used reckless passion as the driving force to express his incoherent retort. I’ve never been more annoyed by stupidity until I was called an “Ignorant Idiot” by a grown man who had the intellect of a 7 year old. Ignorance is not demonstrated by making valid points… Ignorance is demonstrated by assholes that have no understanding of a particular subject and result to CAPITALIZED TANTRUMS TO EXPRESS THEIR DISAGREEMENT WITH A DEFICIENCY OF FACTS.

This was not my first run in with an uneducated person (who actually attends college) that watches Steven Colbert twice a week and thinks he/she is thoroughly up to par with their current events. Sadly, these people are growing in numbers and leaving our country and our world in the shambles of mediocrity. These half-minded fools who absorb information solely through high definition television screens are infecting our standards and lowering the bar for those pursuing a “higher” education. Education systems have gone down the drain since the government took control of it, but I guess that’s to be expected when those in power want to feel more powerful than they were ever intended to be. Regardless, We the People have to deal with these lowered standards and we are left to ponder why the world we know is falling apart through regression. At least we were given “Reality” TV to numb the dead weight that sits upon our shoulders.

The getting was good while it was to be had, but it is no more. We are now descending down the dark side of the mountain where the trek seems destined to be far less rewarding than the ascension to the peak of civilization. Oh how I wish I lived my life already.

The Gutter of American Society

In my town, you can go to Wawa in the morning and even the Mexican landscapers are high on heroin. It makes you think you've lived in New Jersey too long when spotting dope addicts is as natural as spotting a pregnant woman in her third trimester.

For those who have lived outside of the tri-state area all of their life, Wawa is the common ground for the common people. At some point in the week, every local resident makes a stop at a Wawa, whether it be for a cup of coffee, a sandwich, a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper, whatever. Need to tap the Mac machine? Wawa. There's one just about every square mile it seems, and there's always a handful of people inside, so it's safe to call Wawa the common pool of New Jersey society.

In that very pool of class mixture, one can get an accurate portrayal of the character of that town, with South Jersey having the most diverse of settings. In one town, you get the aura of the inner city projects, while 10 minutes down one road you enter a farmland of hicks, and 10 minutes down another road you'll find yourself parked between a BMW 325i and a Mercedes SLK. Different worlds separated by invisible lines. There is consistency in the lack of consistency in the sense of class structure, but there is a common theme shared throughout the state. No matter what town you live in, no matter what major city is closest, every town has a deep rooted river of drugs that runs right through it.

Most towns are extremely well at hiding it from out-of-towners, but those who live locally know all about it. High schools all around suffer from the problem of an ignorant youth drinking the date rape drug from a water bottle before homeroom, or mixing their own concoctions of drugs into gel caps and swallowing them as they leave their third period math class. Students passing out during the Pledge of Allegiance are common place in South Jersey whether it appears so from the outside or not.

That is why I stole the title of this piece from a friend who described South Jersey as "the gutter of American society." When observing a house from the street, the gutter system is designed and trimly built to look neat and efficient as well as functional, hiding the grime and incestuous muck that flows through it spilling out into the neatly cut blades of grass surrounding the house. There is no better way to describe it.

To understand the causes of the epidemic decline of the once promising farm land with suburban growth potential, one must experience the struggle of the middle class to grow and prosper and even maintain in a state that costs so much money to live and do business. New Jersey has one of the highest cost of living standards in the nation thanks largely in part to the booming standards of North Jersey and its metropolitan location.

North Jersey is New Jersey. It's as if South Jersey is its own state that is forced to suffocate under the shadowing standards cast down by its Northern sibling. Standards that drive our youth and elders alike to horrifying drug habits used to cloak the discomfort and discontent served on a hopelessly rusted platter. You’re only chance at success comes by way of survival, affability, and procreation.

The American Dream is as dead as dead gets here in the Dirty Jerz, so put that in your pipe and smoke it.

A Boxer's Toolbox

Andre Ward… you have silenced the critics. Welcome to the land of spoken talent, where names are known, respected, and defended with true heart and skill. You showed tonight that you have more tools and more heart than most of your colleagues that you will find straggling up and down the ladder these days.
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A tough and feared opponent, Edison Miranda, has been compared to a panther who stalks the prey he hunts between the ropes, but tonight he was domesticated and tamed to what one television announcer referred to as a “pussy cat.”

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As each round rang to an end, another round of disillusionment fell upon Miranda as he walked back to his corner.

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Ward gave him a new feel and a different look every time he rose from his stool. He was fluent in switching his stance. He moved front to back, side to side. He boxed Miranda head on. He boxed Miranda from every angle, inside and outside of his peripheral. He used a long jab. He closed the gap and fought a battle inside. He bullied Miranda on the inside for an entire round, pushing him around and smothering him with uppercuts and short hooks, breaking the heart of his puzzled opponent.

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He frustrated Miranda in a way that showed the depth and range of the skill set the young gold medalist has in his repertoire and established his seat in a group that sits atop the Super Middleweight division.

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Although Ward may lack the power to really make waves in the dying sport gasping for mainstream appeal, he represents what boxing once was before the days of Iron Mike and his incredible punching power. Andre Ward demonstrates technical boxing in a true-to-form, gold medal style, ass-whooping.

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Great fighters don’t rely on their power punch. Ask Edison Miranda to comment on how well that game plan didn’t work for him. He fought 10 out of 12 rounds with his right hand cocked back, waiting for an opportunity that didn’t seem to open up the way he was hoping it would.

Impressively, Ward maintained his focus and demonstrated his adversity to the skeptics as he fought through an early cut above his left eye (due to an illegal head butt), taking the fight to Miranda relentlessly and dominating control over Miranda’s one-dimensional fight style. Not only was he able to hold the door closed on Miranda’s one-pop game plan, but he was almost instantaneously pouncing on the smallest of openings in Miranda’s defense. The underdog stalked the panther and attacked confidently.

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After the fight, Ward said that he was disappointed in his outing as he felt he left himself open too much even though Miranda was too confused and dumbfounded to take advantage. Ward was also upset with his inability to stop the fight earlier than the 12-round unanimous decision. In a division of heavy hitters and strong chins, Ward may have to get used to the fact that he might not have the power to keep knocking opponents to the canvas. Skillful boxing and a good cardio program to expand and sustain his stamina will no doubt propel him through the ranks.

When Can We Put Segregation Behind Us?

I read an article yesterday that was promoting a new book, "Searching for Whitopia: How the Whiter Half Lives" by Rich Benjamin, and although I agree with the basic idea of what Rich is saying in that there exists a definite line dividing race, I believe he himself is part of the problem. When discussing race, it's amazing how touchy a subject it is. There are only roughly 40 years between today and the Civil Rights Movement, so I understand that in the big picture it hasn't been all that long that "whites" and "blacks" have been equals. But an all out attack on "whites" because of the unearthed and ongoing problem is an utter disgrace and essentially more of the status quo racial tension building.

The problem exists in the recognition of the problem. The incestuous profiling of other human beings is so detrimental to the very idea of equality that we are only further putting ourselves, as a nation, back years that we have already fought through. It's bad enough that the generations of today are influenced by the older generations that we learn from while growing up, but we must stop spreading that racist propaganda and segregated way of thinking if we hope to ever weed out discrimination in this country. The idea that Rich Benjamin, a dark-skinned man, is attacking "Whitopia" for segregation is an absolute hypocrisy and an adverse train of thought.

The fact is, "whites" and "blacks" are equal in nature, but they will never be so in this country, "the home of the free," if we continue to acknowledge racial distinction and blame each other for the ignorant thought process of the minority of the population (and I don't mean minorities as in the racial way, I meant as the minority of the population; as in not the majority). Last time I checked, not all white people wear white hoods or tattoo Nazi symbols on the back of their shaved head. But according to Rich, all of "Whitopia" does. He even slightly touches on the idea that largely black populated urban areas are not the safest places to live, and yet he doesn't understand why people move away from those neighborhoods and head toward suburban and rural settings for peace of mind and sanctity.

The existence of crime-infested low-income neighborhoods is a result of failed government policy rather than the heavy-handed middle class, ignorance rather than self-education, escapism rather than fortitude, and anger rather than understanding... all negative characteristics which will never net a positive outcome. If black people in general think that the election of the first African-American president will help them out of unfavorable situations, then they are sure to be disappointed. Time and time again, I hear how “Obama is going to help us out because we are his people.” We are all his people. He’s Our President, not just a representative of blacks. So put your hand back in your fucking pocket and take some goddamn responsibility for your life and stop blaming white people for your "suffering."

**That’s right Henrietta Hughes, I’m talking to you. Obama is not going to help you because you’re black and he’s black and you bought a house you couldn’t afford because somehow you couldn’t find a job for six fucking years and now you’re broke as shit and homeless. You’re lack of ambition is Your problem, not Our problem. You’ve taken enough of our tax dollars and pissed them away on God knows what. Not our fault. Not Obama’s fault. Deal with it.

The constant complaining about the racial divide is setting this country back decades and is making Martin Luther King's dream a never-ending night of tossing and turning in the sheets. Believe it or not, there are a lot of white people, such as myself, who want to see the equality between men and women of all colors, shine with a glisten of a freedom we all deserve. I despise living in a world surrounded by racial acknowledgement rather than individuality. We are not equal in abilities by any sense… that is in actuality what makes us special individually. But we are all born equal by rights, rights that should not be denied to us based on the color of our skin. Nobody deserves special treatment. You get from life what you put into life. It’s a tough lesson to learn, but a necessary lesson all the same.

*Disclaimer: I am by no means a racist. I am a human being. I am a human being who is aggravated by the eternal existence of racial division in a country that deems itself the "land of the free." No other country has the racial discrimination problems we have here in America, donning this The Great Hypocrisy of American History.

Oh the Madness!

Can Villanova relive the excitement of the upset they laid upon Georgetown

in 1985 when they face the heavily-favored UNC this Saurday?

March is an awe-inspiring month for the spirit of what was once the Great American Dream. As we all scrambled to fill out our brackets between the passing of Selection Sunday and tip off that following Thursday, we lost our sense of perception of what was really about to take place. Sixty-five teams thrown into the tournament pot together, all with equal opportunity to dance the big dance all the way to a national championship. Regular season schedules, who you beat, who beat you, who was hurt... none of it matters. If you were good enough to get in, you're in and you're given the same opportunity as the other sixty-four. An equal opportunity for all. Win and move on. Lose and go home. The upsets and the 'almost' upsets are what we thrive on with relation to the underdogs; the small schools trying to make themselves known on a national level. Powerhouse programs personify the same percentage of upper-class socialites. We love to watch them play, but we thrive to watch them fall at the hands of the blue-collar, middle-class representatives. This year it was Arizona, Cleveland State, Dayton, Wisconsin, and Western Kentucky that did the dirty work and won over the respect of the majority of those watching. Arizona was considered on the outside of the bubble prior to the selection hour, and yet they won two games before being ousted by a Louisville team that was firing on all cylinders on the night they met. Not a single one of the other sixty-four could have beat the Cardinals that night, but who would have predicted Arizona would have made it the Sweet Sixteen when expert analysts didn't even give them a chance to get in the tournament. When duds take out the studs as Cleveland State did to Wake Forest, excitement runs rampant throughout the field no matter who you picked in your bracket. Some become frustrated when their pick to win it all gets knocked out in this wild pack of wolves hunting the same game, but they should let it go and appreciate the big picture. What fun would it be if the same teams were in the final four every year? We need that diversity and maliformity to revive our appetite for ambition, especially now in the year of the Great Recession of '09. We can all use a little feeling of equal opportunity as we stand side by side while they lower the casket of the "Dream."

Department of Disgrace

To The Richland County Sheriff's Department,

Your pursuit of a case against Michael Phelps, which was opened in relation to a photograph of Mr. Phelps holding a bong, is the most ludicrous initiative of a Sheriff's Department and an absolute waste of time and resources in pursuing such a case. The only reason you have a "case" to pursue is due to the celebrity recognization of Mr. Phelps. If such a photograph was taken of any other college student on the campus of the University of South Carolina, not only would the case be dismissed if brought to the table, it would never be initiated. If I am wrong on this assumption, then there is something seriously wrong with the way you handle your department.

Marijuana possession is a misdemeanor charge (if that) in just about every state and county across the country; however, what is the charge to be brought up against a man for being photographed with a bong (most notably, somebody else's bong) if he was not arrested during said possession? How can you even prove that said bong was used to smoke marijuana and not tobacco as many Americans do each day? Or did you not even think about how you would present such a case to a Judge and prosecute an American Olympic Champion who, rest assured, will come to court with the best lawyers he can afford with money made from the endorsements he still retains? You are dragging his name through the mud with your warrantless case, arresting and harassing any and everybody who can provide incriminating evidence against Mr. Phelps. If I was Mr. Phelps, I would turn around and sue your entire department for slander and defamation of character.

Your department is an embarrassment to the American justice system. It is officers like you that give police departments across the country a bad reputation. Instead of pursuing actual criminals and protecting and serving the American People, you aggressively pursue citizens for victimless crimes, using an unjust and unconstitutional "war on drugs" as a basis for the justification of your bully tactics. You should be ashamed of the way you perform your duty to your country. Not a single person has ever died from smoking marijuana, but you treat it as if it's a crime against fellow citizens. Victimless crimes such as this take away from our granted rights and freedoms as Americans. Bogus laws to criminalize the use of harmless drugs is an argument for another day and another audience; but this assault against Mr. Phelps, who was NOT caught and arrested at the scene, is a disgrace to not just the Constitution which you are paid to protect, but the American People who's tax dollars fund your livelihood.

Sincerely,

My Name
Concerned American Citizen

In response to the reading of this article

United Diversity

We live in strange times where nothing is what it seems and personal opinions are based on things other people tell us. We have lost a sense of individuality and in the mess of it all we have lost the ability to think for ourselves. I strongly believe in reading and listening to the opinions of others, but in doing so we must not confuse opinion with fact. We must use our ability to process interpretation effectively as not to confuse the two; we must think for ourselves, independently. We are all unique in every sense of the soul, whether in body or mind, and our thought process differs greatly from person to person.

Somewhere along the way, we lost sense of the existence of diversity and our strong-minded, thickheaded stubbornness created a partition in unity, and an inability to think outside of the box that so many trapped themselves in. A direct result and a prime example of this in America is the culture war that is currently dividing our country. You could literally draw a series of lines dividing our country into quadrants to represent that very diversity that I speak of, and in that diversity we have argued and fought over everything in the political spectrum.

In the south, we have the bible thumpers and evangelical Christians who think that the Bible should be declared the Constitution of the land. In the west, mainly California and the notorious Sin City itself, Las Vegas, we have the addiction of the spotlight and the experimentation and open-mindedness necessary to maintain the mainstream aura it has become accustomed to. The Northwest is comprised of so many believers in individual liberties and a “throwback to the old school” mentality that they are often written off as not being with the present times. The Midwest is similar in this fashion but they are so drenched by Industrial Politics that it has become a seesaw of giving into personal ethics and beliefs. And you cannot forget the East coast that is a smorgasbord of different views, as there is such an assorted mix that it becomes hypocritical most of the time.

Regardless of our differences, we are a united group and to stay that way we have accepted the idea that the only way to do so is to be ruled by a centralized government and financed (and I use that turn loosely as it is more of an enslavement institution than a financially wise one) by a centralized bank. The centralization continues to grow and expand into our everyday lives. Our homes, our investments, our cars have all been added to the emergent control of our government over the course of the last year. We have become indebted subjects to a group that has taken full advantage of our relinquishment of our democratic right to have a say in our “free society.” Well I have news for you; we are not free, not anymore. Maybe we are free when compared to other nations, but we have sacrificed so many of our freedoms and civil liberties that we were given many moons ago. We have no say in the objections we shout about. We passed on our right to do so in exchange for a secured piece of mind. We gave up our right to think for ourselves and question things without being labeled unpatriotic. Not all of us signed up for this but we are subjected to it nonetheless. If only there was another “New World.”