When I woke up this morning and turned on the TV for an update I quickly learned about the huge shootout with the marathon bomb suspects that took place over night in the Watertown area. The suspects left a trail of devistation and death throughout the area, allegedly shooting an MIT campus police officer in the head, killing him, injuring a transit officer in a firefight and throwing explosive devices at police during their getaway attempt. One of the suspects was killed in the shootout. The Associated Press has reported the suspects as coming from Chechnya. The surviving suspect has been identied as Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, a 19-year-old who had been living in Cambridge, Mass area for several years. I googled him and I found several comments he posted on a blog in 2011.
(http://umdfyebookblink.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/thin-slicing-turns-tragic/).
The comments he posted sounded reasonably intelligent and rational with no indication of anger or hate. Tsarnaev was awarded a student scholarship by Cambridge in 2011. That year someone with this name was a wrestling "all-star" in the Cambridge Rindge and Greater Boston League. So what changed in the 2 years since then? Will we ever be understand what causes people to commit these acts of violence? How does somebody go from living a somewhat normal life to committing death and destruction? You can never be sure what a person is really about unless you get to know them at great length yet someone apparrently sold them or gave them an arsenal of weapons. Would there be any indication of the path of violence these monsters would ultimately follow if a background check had been done? We may never know but maybe the FBI should do the background checks on these suspest now and see what comes up?
Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Ali and Obama
Ali was beaten by Joe Frazier to everyone's surprise in 1971. Ali had from day 1 been claiming he was the greatest. At the end of the bout he found himself on the mat, losing to frazier. That wasn't his legacy! Ali made a comeback with his "Rumble in the Jungle" victory in 72 and went on to have an incredible career.
President Obama hit the canvas last night in Denver. The president seemed to be distracted and not interested. He was not in the moment. Could it be he was distracted by his day to day? Ali came back and attained status as the "Greatest". I believe that President Obama will come back up off the mat and be victorious.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The Righty Mouse!!
I've had a problem with a mouse recently. No, not a real mouse, the mouse connected to my computer. It doesn't seem to want to go in the direction I want it to go. I was watching MSNBC recently while I was playing cards on my PC and I noticed my nouse wouldn't go all the way to the left of my screen. It seemed to stop in the same place every time. I have taken the mouse apart multiple times and cleaned the rollers. It still stops in the same place. Today it started working a bit better while I was watching Fox News. I go to Fox occasionally to see what they are saying about the campaign but my first place for political news is MSNBC. So now I am starting to wonder if Fox got into my computer some way and is trying to to stop me from going to the far left.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Streisand on The Fourth Estate
Here's a good article posted by Barbara Streisand on the Huffington Post. It's a bit long but worth reading.
It seems these days that the Republican debates have become a forum in which candidates can assert just about anything. With the right amount of aggression, they are able to avoid answering tough questions by bullying the moderator into submission (i.e. not asking strong follow up questions in order to correct the record). We know there is a certain level of theatrics in politics. The electorate assumes that candidates will embellish, evade, and even sidestep at times when asked tough questions. But the line should be drawn when candidates rewrite history in order to protect or enhance their own self-image, which isn't based on the truth.
Americans are busy, working hard to support and provide for their families. They don't have time to parcel out fact from fiction. They depend on the Fourth Estate to guide them and to hold individuals running for office, especially the highest office in our country, accountable. Journalists like Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow knew it was their duty to know the facts and disseminate them to the public. That responsibility in today's media world seems to be diminishing.
As I've watched the Republican presidential primary unfold, I've seen the candidates successfully deflecting answers to tough questions or misleading the public, without forceful and timely push back from the mainstream media. And we all know, the longer a lie or a half truth is allowed to simmer in the public consciousness without being refuted, the harder it is to correct misconceptions down the line.
Newt Gingrich has done this the best. He has claimed in debates and interviews that while serving as Speaker of the House, his leadership helped create 11 million new jobs, which ultimately led to the economic boom of the 1990s. He always leaves out one very important fact, however. The economic boom of the 90s would not have been possible without President Clinton. Clinton pushed for the passage of the 1993 Deficit Reduction Act, which proposed increasing taxes on the wealthiest income earners, cutting programs that weren't working, taxing corporations at 35%, and extending the earned income tax credit. Gingrich vehemently opposed the bill and he and every one of his Republican colleagues voted against it. The deadlock was broken by then Vice President Al Gore and the bill was signed into law by President Clinton. Three years later, the economy was surging, and by the end of Clinton's second term, when Gingrich was forced out of office by his own party, the Administration recorded a net budget surplus. It was the first time the US budget had been balanced since 1968. Given these historical facts, how does any pundit or media outlet allow Gingrich to get away with taking credit for something he worked so hard to destroy?
Also, recently in a debate moderated by Fox News analyst, Juan Williams, Gingrich was questioned about controversial remarks he had made about poverty and African Americans. Gingrich had previously said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. Juan Williams attempted to coax Gingrich into acknowledging that he was playing racial politics. To which Gingrich responded untruthfully that, "more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history." And there ended that portion of the debate with Gingrich receiving deafening applause from the audience, looking strong and principled. What Juan Williams failed to point out in that moment is that Barack Obama has not put anyone on food stamps. The grossly irresponsible and greedy practices of those on Wall Street, which led to the subsequent crash of the housing market, created the most severe recession our country has experienced since the Great Depression (which Obama inherited from George W. Bush when he entered office). These events, along with the continuous deregulation of our financial sector, conspired to make a record number of people eligible for government food assistance. Juan Williams completely missed this important opportunity to reveal the real truth behind Gingrich's racist assertions.
These kinds of tactics are used frequently by candidates running for office. Journalists need to stand strong and do their job, which is to challenge candidates immediately when they are purposefully misleading the public. They should not be polite or fearful of offending someone when the truth is in question. As we continue through the primary and head toward the general election, this is crucial. Without the mainstream media's commitment to holding candidates accountable, we have little chance of having a well-informed electorate on Election Day. And let's look at the facts. The truth is, President Obama's leadership on the stimulus, bringing the auto industry back from the brink of collapse, adding nearly 3.7 million private sector jobs in 23 consecutive months of job growth proves that our country is moving in the right direction. Because of the President's policies, our economy is on the road to recovery and it's time we start celebrating the truth.
P.S. Hooray to everyone who supported Planned Parenthood and spoke out against Susan G. Komen for the Cure, who wrongfully politicized the issue of women's health. This week we saw how the power of grass roots activism can lead to positive change. Bravo!
It seems these days that the Republican debates have become a forum in which candidates can assert just about anything. With the right amount of aggression, they are able to avoid answering tough questions by bullying the moderator into submission (i.e. not asking strong follow up questions in order to correct the record). We know there is a certain level of theatrics in politics. The electorate assumes that candidates will embellish, evade, and even sidestep at times when asked tough questions. But the line should be drawn when candidates rewrite history in order to protect or enhance their own self-image, which isn't based on the truth.
Americans are busy, working hard to support and provide for their families. They don't have time to parcel out fact from fiction. They depend on the Fourth Estate to guide them and to hold individuals running for office, especially the highest office in our country, accountable. Journalists like Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow knew it was their duty to know the facts and disseminate them to the public. That responsibility in today's media world seems to be diminishing.
As I've watched the Republican presidential primary unfold, I've seen the candidates successfully deflecting answers to tough questions or misleading the public, without forceful and timely push back from the mainstream media. And we all know, the longer a lie or a half truth is allowed to simmer in the public consciousness without being refuted, the harder it is to correct misconceptions down the line.
Newt Gingrich has done this the best. He has claimed in debates and interviews that while serving as Speaker of the House, his leadership helped create 11 million new jobs, which ultimately led to the economic boom of the 1990s. He always leaves out one very important fact, however. The economic boom of the 90s would not have been possible without President Clinton. Clinton pushed for the passage of the 1993 Deficit Reduction Act, which proposed increasing taxes on the wealthiest income earners, cutting programs that weren't working, taxing corporations at 35%, and extending the earned income tax credit. Gingrich vehemently opposed the bill and he and every one of his Republican colleagues voted against it. The deadlock was broken by then Vice President Al Gore and the bill was signed into law by President Clinton. Three years later, the economy was surging, and by the end of Clinton's second term, when Gingrich was forced out of office by his own party, the Administration recorded a net budget surplus. It was the first time the US budget had been balanced since 1968. Given these historical facts, how does any pundit or media outlet allow Gingrich to get away with taking credit for something he worked so hard to destroy?
Also, recently in a debate moderated by Fox News analyst, Juan Williams, Gingrich was questioned about controversial remarks he had made about poverty and African Americans. Gingrich had previously said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. Juan Williams attempted to coax Gingrich into acknowledging that he was playing racial politics. To which Gingrich responded untruthfully that, "more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history." And there ended that portion of the debate with Gingrich receiving deafening applause from the audience, looking strong and principled. What Juan Williams failed to point out in that moment is that Barack Obama has not put anyone on food stamps. The grossly irresponsible and greedy practices of those on Wall Street, which led to the subsequent crash of the housing market, created the most severe recession our country has experienced since the Great Depression (which Obama inherited from George W. Bush when he entered office). These events, along with the continuous deregulation of our financial sector, conspired to make a record number of people eligible for government food assistance. Juan Williams completely missed this important opportunity to reveal the real truth behind Gingrich's racist assertions.
These kinds of tactics are used frequently by candidates running for office. Journalists need to stand strong and do their job, which is to challenge candidates immediately when they are purposefully misleading the public. They should not be polite or fearful of offending someone when the truth is in question. As we continue through the primary and head toward the general election, this is crucial. Without the mainstream media's commitment to holding candidates accountable, we have little chance of having a well-informed electorate on Election Day. And let's look at the facts. The truth is, President Obama's leadership on the stimulus, bringing the auto industry back from the brink of collapse, adding nearly 3.7 million private sector jobs in 23 consecutive months of job growth proves that our country is moving in the right direction. Because of the President's policies, our economy is on the road to recovery and it's time we start celebrating the truth.
P.S. Hooray to everyone who supported Planned Parenthood and spoke out against Susan G. Komen for the Cure, who wrongfully politicized the issue of women's health. This week we saw how the power of grass roots activism can lead to positive change. Bravo!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Change Holiday Break to Christmas Break?
Once again one of our elected lawmakers has decided to spend his time and waste taxpayer money to file a bill that is of no value to his constituents. Sen. Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville has filed Senate Bill 1136 in Tallahassee. The bill would require all 67 school districts in Florida to call their December break “Christmas break” instead of “winter break”. Give me a break!
First of all, haven’t we been down this path several times? When I was in school we called it “Christmas break”. Then trying so hard not to offend non Christians we changed it to “holiday break”. I haven’t been able to document how many times we have flip-flopped on this topic but I suspect it has changed more than once. Here are my thoughts on the issue.
First, if you research how Christmas in America evolved and what it means to most people you will find that a majority of us believe that it is a season of giving for all faiths. The celebration of the birth of Christ belongs to the Christians but the acts of giving and good will are celebrated by all including non Christians. It’s a time to enjoy our family and friends and together generate hope for peace in our world.
Secondly, has anyone figured the cost to file a bill in the legislature? I couldn’t find an estimate anywhere but I would guess that the related expenses to create and pass a bill would be significant. We have elected these people to do a job for us, to help resolve the important issues that impact the citizens of our state. Wouldn’t it be better that me Wise spend this time on creating jobs or improving protecting our environment? As of 2009, the annual salary of a Florida senator was $174,000. We pay those salaries with our tax dollars so shouldn’t we have something to say about what these people do with our money? Let people call it what they want and stop wasting time and money.
First of all, haven’t we been down this path several times? When I was in school we called it “Christmas break”. Then trying so hard not to offend non Christians we changed it to “holiday break”. I haven’t been able to document how many times we have flip-flopped on this topic but I suspect it has changed more than once. Here are my thoughts on the issue.
First, if you research how Christmas in America evolved and what it means to most people you will find that a majority of us believe that it is a season of giving for all faiths. The celebration of the birth of Christ belongs to the Christians but the acts of giving and good will are celebrated by all including non Christians. It’s a time to enjoy our family and friends and together generate hope for peace in our world.
Secondly, has anyone figured the cost to file a bill in the legislature? I couldn’t find an estimate anywhere but I would guess that the related expenses to create and pass a bill would be significant. We have elected these people to do a job for us, to help resolve the important issues that impact the citizens of our state. Wouldn’t it be better that me Wise spend this time on creating jobs or improving protecting our environment? As of 2009, the annual salary of a Florida senator was $174,000. We pay those salaries with our tax dollars so shouldn’t we have something to say about what these people do with our money? Let people call it what they want and stop wasting time and money.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Review of getannoyed.com
While trying to be creative on my next post I thought about "things that annoy me" as a topic. When I googled it I found that it was a popular topic. I started reading some of the postings on the many websites and found that is might be more entertaining to poke fun at what has already been posted. These are some selected from "getannoyed.com".
Drivers who don't use a turn signal.
(You must live in Florida)
People who drink directly out of the milk/orange juice container.
(You have never done that? BS!)
Couples who sit on the same side of the booth when there is no one on the other side. (You don't believe in true love)
Parents who bring their young kids to R rated films. (why do you care? They aren't your kids!)
People that don't use coasters. (Who cares, somebody is going to clean the table anyway)
People who blame anything but themselves for THEIR failure. (Purely objective, it's probably your fault anyway)
People who sit next to you on public transportation even when there are other seats available.(If you wear Mickey Mouse Ears and mumble they won't sit next to you.)
Going through the drive thru, then having to go back when they screw your order up. (It works better if you park your car and go inside and ask for a manager and rip him a new AH)
Roadmaps that aren't folded correctly. (Folded by who? Can't get it refolded eh?)
Finding a shoe and not finding its mate next to it (Your closet, Your problem)
People who are mean to animals. (Not just annoying, these people should be given the same treatment they give to the animals)
People who read the paper while driving.(This requires some talent, respect it!)
So many more but so little time!
Drivers who don't use a turn signal.
(You must live in Florida)
People who drink directly out of the milk/orange juice container.
(You have never done that? BS!)
Couples who sit on the same side of the booth when there is no one on the other side. (You don't believe in true love)
Parents who bring their young kids to R rated films. (why do you care? They aren't your kids!)
People that don't use coasters. (Who cares, somebody is going to clean the table anyway)
People who blame anything but themselves for THEIR failure. (Purely objective, it's probably your fault anyway)
People who sit next to you on public transportation even when there are other seats available.(If you wear Mickey Mouse Ears and mumble they won't sit next to you.)
Going through the drive thru, then having to go back when they screw your order up. (It works better if you park your car and go inside and ask for a manager and rip him a new AH)
Roadmaps that aren't folded correctly. (Folded by who? Can't get it refolded eh?)
Finding a shoe and not finding its mate next to it (Your closet, Your problem)
People who are mean to animals. (Not just annoying, these people should be given the same treatment they give to the animals)
People who read the paper while driving.(This requires some talent, respect it!)
So many more but so little time!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Who Me?
We have watched it with Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Gary Hart and a multitude of others.
Now it's Dejevu with Herman Cain.
I'm trying to make sense of it all and I keep on coming up with only one answer.
POWER
Power is an anphrodisiac!
Power is money and money is success.
Individuals that have engaged in questionable practices at times in their political past seem to believe that they can overcome their histories or they can lie their way through the process.
It's sad to note that individuals seeking leadership roles for our country will do almost anything to get elected.
Do any of our politicians really care about us?
Now it's Dejevu with Herman Cain.
I'm trying to make sense of it all and I keep on coming up with only one answer.
POWER
Power is an anphrodisiac!
Power is money and money is success.
Individuals that have engaged in questionable practices at times in their political past seem to believe that they can overcome their histories or they can lie their way through the process.
It's sad to note that individuals seeking leadership roles for our country will do almost anything to get elected.
Do any of our politicians really care about us?
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