Tuesday, January 19, 2010


A man pulls the body of an earthquake victim from a coffin in order to steal the coffin at the cemetery in Port-au-Prince, Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on Tuesday leaving thousands dead and many displaced.
(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Boris Kodjoe owns a mansion in Atlanta. But when he goes to answer his door, the black actor knows what it's like to be an outcast.

"When I'm opening the door of my own house, someone will ask me where the man of the house is, implying that I'm staff," said Kodjoe, best known for starring in Showtime's "Soul Food."

It's a feeling some African-Americans say is all too common, even to this day in America: No matter your status or prominence in society, you're still typecast. That's why the recent arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation's most prominent African-American scholars, has stirred outrage and debate.

Jelani Cobb, an author and professor at Spelman College in Atlanta, says it's troubling on many levels when "one of the most recognizable African-Americans in the country can be arrested in his own home and have to justify being in his own home."
"It's really kind of unfathomable," Cobb said. "If it can happen to him, yeah, it can happen to any of us."

That's a sentiment echoed by Jimi Izrael. "If a mild-mannered, bespectacled Ivy League professor who walks with a cane can be pulled from his own home and arrested on a minor charge, the rest of us don't stand a chance," Izrael wrote Tuesday on The Root, an online magazine with commentary from a variety of black perspectives that's co-founded by Gates.

"We all fit a description. We are all suspects."
In an interview with The Root, Gates said he was outraged by the incident and hopes to use the experience as a teaching tool, including a possible PBS special on racial profiling.

"I can't believe that an individual policeman on the Cambridge police force would treat any African-American male this way, and I am astonished that this happened to me; and more importantly I'm astonished that it could happen to any citizen of the United States, no matter what their race," Gates said. "And I'm deeply resolved to do and say the right things so that this cannot happen again.

Gates was arrested last Thursday in broad daylight at his Cambridge, Massachusetts, home for disorderly conduct -- what the arresting officer described as "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space." The charge was dropped Tuesday on the recommendation of police, and the city of Cambridge issued a statement calling the incident "regrettable and unfortunate."

Gates had just returned from a trip to China when a police officer responded to a call about a potential break-in at his home that was phoned in by a white woman.

According to the police report, Gates was in the foyer when the officer arrived.
The officer asked Gates to "step out onto the porch and speak with me," the report says. "[Gates] replied, 'No, I will not.' He then demanded to know who I was. I told him that I was 'Sgt. Crowley from the Cambridge Police' and that I was 'investigating a report of a break in progress' at the residence.

"While I was making this statement, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, 'Why, because I'm a black man in America?' "

According to the report, Gates initially refused to show the officer his identification, instead asking for the officer's ID. But Gates eventually did show the officer his identification that included his home address.
"The police report says I was engaged in loud and tumultuous behavior. That's a joke," Gates told The Root. "It escalated as follows: I kept saying to him, 'What is your name, and what is your badge number?' and he refused to respond. I asked him three times, and he refused to respond. And then I said, 'You're not responding because I'm a black man, and you're a white officer.'"
Known as Skip by friends and colleagues, Gates is the director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African-American Research at Harvard University, and an acclaimed PBS documentarian.
While Gates' arrest lit up talk radio and blogs, it prompted others to defend the police against charges of racial profiling.
"I'd be glad if somebody called the police if somebody was breaking into my house," neighbor Michael Schaffer told CNN affiliate WHDH.
For others, the incident symbolized something more. Seeing the police mugshot of Gates brought some African-Americans to near tears.
Kim Coleman, a Washington radio host, cultural commentator and blogger, said she grew numb when she saw the mugshot.
"I was not prepared for that," she said. "To see one of my heroes in a mugshot was not something that I was expecting. ... It just tells me we're not in a post-racial society."
She said there's a reason why you don't hear about prominent white people arrested in their homes: "because it doesn't happen."
It's time for America to have a long overdue national conversation about race, Coleman said. "When are we going to have that," she said. "When are we really going to sit down and strip down and say, 'This is what I feel about you and this is what you feel about me. Now, how are we going to get over that?' "

Rebecca Walker, an award-winning author, said the arrest was devastating to scholars, writers, and artists "who work so hard to keep a free flow of information."

"It seems eerily ironic Mr. Gates was returning from China, where surveillance is so high and freedom of speech and ideas so curtailed," Walker said. "To see the mugshot of Skip was a blow to all of us who feel some sense of safety based on our work to try to mend all of these broken fences in America -- to make ourselves into people who refuse to be limited by race and class and gender and everything else."
"To end up, at the end of the day, treated like a criminal, unjustly stripped of our accomplishments and contributions even if only for a moment, is profoundly disturbing. We must ask ourselves what it means, and to allow ourselves to face various scenarios regarding power and freedom and how these will intersect in the coming years."

Last week, President Obama spoke at the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, saying that while minorities have made great strides "the pain of discrimination is still felt in America."

"Even as we inherit extraordinary progress that cannot be denied; even as we marvel at the courage and determination of so many plain folks -- we know that too many barriers still remain," the president said.

Kodjoe, the actor, said Obama "has affected a change in people's consciousness regarding such issues as racism and prejudice." But he said the arrest of Gates underscores that there's more work ahead.

"I think we're moving in the right direction. But no doubt, there still is a lot of work to be done," Kodjoe said. "It's not just a problem here. It's a problem worldwide. Racism is universal."

Gates said he has a newfound understanding of exactly what that means. "There's been a very important symbolic change and that is the election of Barack Obama," he told The Root. "But the only black people who truly live in a post-racial world in America all live in a very nice house on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."

Thursday, July 9, 2009


Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family

By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 07:44 p.m. EDT, Jul 07, 2009

Akron police say they aren't ready to call it a hate crime or a gang initiation.
But to Marty Marshall, his wife and two kids, it seems pretty clear.

It came after a family night of celebrating America and freedom with a fireworks show at Firestone Stadium. Marshall, his family and two friends were gathered outside a friend's home in South Akron.

Out of nowhere, the six were attacked by dozens of teenage boys, who shouted ''This is our world'' and ''This is a black world'' as they confronted Marshall and his family.

The Marshalls, who are white, say the crowd of teens who attacked them and two friends June 27 on Girard Street numbered close to 50. The teens were all black.
''This was almost like being a terrorist act,'' Marshall said. ''And we allow this to go on in our neighborhoods?''

They said it started when one teen, without any words or warning, blindsided and assaulted Marshall's friend as he stood outside with the others.

When Marshall, 39, jumped in, he found himself being attacked by the growing group of teens.

His daughter, Rachel, 15, who weighs about 90 pounds, tried to come to his rescue. The teens pushed her to the ground.

His wife, Yvonne, pushed their son, Donald, 14, into bushes to keep him protected.
''My thing is,'' Marshall said, ''I didn't want this, but I was in fear for my wife, my kids and my friends. I felt I had to stay out there to protect them, because those guys were just jumping, swinging fists and everything.

''I'm lucky. They didn't break my ribs or bruise my ribs. I thank God they concentrated on my thick head because I do have one. They were trying to take my head off my spine, basically.''

After several minutes of punches and kicks, the attack ended and the group ran off. The Marshalls' two adult male friends were not seriously hurt.
''I don't think I thought at that moment when I tried to jump in,'' Rachel Marshall said. ''But when I was laying on the ground, I was just scared.''

Marshall was the most seriously injured. He suffered a concussion and multiple bruises to his head and eye. He said he spent five nights in the critical care unit at Akron General Medical Center.

The construction worker said he now fears for his family's safety, and the thousands of dollars in medical bills he faces without insurance.
''I knew I was going to get beat, but not as bad as I did,'' Marshall said. ''But I did it to protect my family. I didn't have a choice. There was no need for this. We should be all getting along. But to me, it seems to be racist.''

Akron police are investigating. Right now, the case is not being classified as a racial hate crime. There were no other reports of victims assaulted by the group that night.

The department's gang unit is involved in the investigation, police said.
''We don't know if it's a known gang, or just a group of kids,'' police Lt. Rick Edwards said.

The Marshalls say they fear retaliation at home or when they go outside. They are considering arming themselves, but they're concerned about the possible problems that come with guns.

For now, they are hoping police can bring them suspects. They believe they can identify several of the attackers.

''This makes you think about your freedom,'' Marshall said. ''In all reality, where is your freedom when you have this going on?''

Akron police say they aren't ready to call it a hate crime or a gang initiation.
But to Marty Marshall, his wife and two kids, it seems pretty clear.
It came after a family night of celebrating America and freedom with a fireworks show at Firestone Stadium. Marshall, his family and two friends were gathered outside a friend's home in South Akron.

Out of nowhere, the six were attacked by dozens of teenage boys, who shouted ''This is our world'' and ''This is a black world'' as they confronted Marshall and his family.

The Marshalls, who are white, say the crowd of teens who attacked them and two friends June 27 on Girard Street numbered close to 50. The teens were all black.
''This was almost like being a terrorist act,'' Marshall said. ''And we allow this to go on in our neighborhoods?''

They said it started when one teen, without any words or warning, blindsided and assaulted Marshall's friend as he stood outside with the others.
When Marshall, 39, jumped in, he found himself being attacked by the growing group of teens.

His daughter, Rachel, 15, who weighs about 90 pounds, tried to come to his rescue. The teens pushed her to the ground.

His wife, Yvonne, pushed their son, Donald, 14, into bushes to keep him protected.
''My thing is,'' Marshall said, ''I didn't want this, but I was in fear for my wife, my kids and my friends. I felt I had to stay out there to protect them, because those guys were just jumping, swinging fists and everything.
''I'm lucky. They didn't break my ribs or bruise my ribs. I thank God, they concentrated on my thick head because I do have one. They were trying to take my head off my spine, basically.''

After several minutes of punches and kicks, the attack ended and the group ran off. The Marshalls' two adult male friends were not seriously hurt.

''I don't think I thought at that moment when I tried to jump in,'' Rachel Marshall said. ''But when I was laying on the ground, I was just scared.''
Marshall was the most seriously injured. He suffered a concussion and multiple bruises to his head and eye. He said he spent five nights in the critical care unit at Akron General Medical Center.

The construction worker said he now fears for his family's safety, and the thousands of dollars in medical bills he faces without insurance.
''I knew I was going to get beat, but not as bad as I did,'' Marshall said. ''But I did it to protect my family. I didn't have a choice. There was no need for this. We should be all getting along. But to me, it seems to be racist.''

Akron police are investigating. Right now, the case is not being classified as a racial hate crime. There were no other reports of victims assaulted by the group that night.

The department's gang unit is involved in the investigation, police said.
''We don't know if it's a known gang, or just a group of kids,'' police Lt. Rick Edwards said.

The Marshalls say they fear retaliation at home or when they go outside. They are considering arming themselves, but they're concerned about the possible problems that come with guns.

For now, they are hoping police can bring forth suspects. They believe they can identify several of the attackers.

''This makes you think about your freedom,'' Marshall said. ''In all reality, where is your freedom when you have this going on?''

Monday, April 13, 2009

Quotes of the Day - "Equality"

“Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”

- Alexis de Tocqueville


“Nobody is more inferior than those who insist on being equal.”

- Frederick Nietzsche


"The doctrine of equality! There exists no more poisonous poison: for it seems to be preached by justice itself, while it is the end of justice."

- Friedrich Nietzsche

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Word of the Day

dispirit –

To lower ones morale; make despondent; dishearten.


Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dispirit

I choose this word because of the fact that I feel that a lot of Americans have become, or are becoming more-and-more dispirited with our current social construct as well as with the direction that “our” country is headed. A lot of people are losing hope for the future of America and the “American Way”.

Quote of the Day


"There is nothing more painful to me, at this stage of my life, than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved."

- The Reverend Jesse Jackson, as quoted in US News, 3/10/96

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Quote of the Day

In his book, "Days of Grace", Arthur Ashe writes concerning the brutality of the Los Angeles riots:

"I felt sick. That's not us, I thought. That's just not us. It was as if spirits from another planet had come to earth and invaded black bodies. We were once a people of dignity and morality; we wanted the world to be fair to us, and we tried, on the whole, to be fair to the world. Now I was looking at the new order which is based squarely on revenge, not justice, with morality discarded. Instead of settling on what is right, or just, or moral, the idea is to get even."

I may not agree with Arthur Ash on everything he writes in this quote (we were once a people of dignity and morality); however, I do agree with what he says about how blacks want revenge. This is going to happen more-and-more as time goes on. Blacks do not want equality; they want revenge for something that is irrelevant to your everyday person. These were not "spirits from another planet", as Ash writes; they are ever-intensifying, always-present spirits that are surfacing more-and-more among blacks. Again, it is only going to get more intense as their agenda "snowballs".

Monday, March 16, 2009

Quotes of the Day

..."Let your gun be your constant companion on your walks".

- Thomas Jefferson



“Before all else, be armed.”

- Niccolo Machiavelli



These quotes are self-explanatory. Just great quotes from great men and a note-of-encouragement/support for gun rights, the second amendment, etc.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Quote of the Day

“Tolerance is the virtue of men who no longer believe in anything.”

- G.K. Chesterton

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Quote of the Day

"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats."

H.L. Mencken

I chose this quote because it "spoke" to me. I am a true believer in a man staying in-touch with his primitive violent side. It is there for a reason. Someday it will be called upon and will hopefully keep you alive, or at least keep you a man.

Real-Life Scenario

Whether out of naïveté, guilt, force, or genuineness, white people, for-the-most-part, look out for the welfare of other races, at least more so than the contrary. However, other races do not reciprocate. That is, white people help “advance” other races at their own peril.

I work for a company that is encouraged to hire “minorities”. When these minorities come on-board they naturally gravitate towards one another and take one another under their wings and rarely assimilate with white people, at least beyond a superficial level. They are not concerned about white people and helping them succeed. They are concerned with themselves and their fellow kind. They will mentor their kind and will look out for their kind while whites are left to fend for themselves. And if white people tend to “stick together”, which is natural when they are shut-out by minorities, they are seen as racist. This makes for a very hostile work environment and raises the stress-level of white’s.

Moreover, minorities tend to be more outspoken then white’s about discrimination because they are free to do so. When management sees that minorities are having a problem with white’s, even though whites are doing nothing wrong, management will tend to hire more minorities to appease the minorities and keep the squeaky wheel greased. That is, management will hire minorities to make existing hostile minorities happy, because they can’t discriminate against them and they know white people have no recourse. It is a fix that is easiest, regardless of right or wrong.

Therefore whites lose out because of their own naïve self-destruction. Whites will slowly become extinct in the work place.

Honestly folks. Sit back and think about it. We are pushed to assimilate non-whites and to “help” them get ahead. Do you think they will do the same for you when you are a minority? I think not.

This is a wake-up call.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Yet another example... And people will still whorship this guy.

Can you image a white player doing something like this? For example, if there was a ceremony during a game for Martin Luther King's birthday and a white player says, "I don't celabrate this shit; I'm white". Do you think he would be treated the same. I think not.



Dallas Mavericks' Josh Howard disrespects national anthem

07:11 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 17, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

Josh Howard's decision-making has again come into question after he was filmed disrespecting the national anthem. And the Mavericks are taking steps to help Howard and their other players avoid controversy in the future.

Mavericks/NBA

In a video posted on YouTube, the swingman is shown at Allen Iverson's charity flag football game in July. When the national anthem is being sung, various participants are shown mugging for the camera. When the camera gets to Howard, he says: "The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on. I don't celebrate this [expletive]. I'm black."

Howard goes on to make a difficult-to-discern comment that includes a reference to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The video comes on the heels of his July arrest for a late-night street race in North Carolina and last season's admission that he is an occasional marijuana user. He also had a birthday bash for himself after the Mavericks lost Game 4 of their playoff series against New Orleans, even though coach Avery Johnson had asked the players to keep extracurricular activities to a minimum during the playoffs.

Owner Mark Cuban said the Mavericks dealt with Howard's flag football episode after it happened in July.

"That said, we will be going through some advanced communication-skill sessions together this training camp," Cuban said Tuesday. "I have explained to him that cellphone cameras are not your friend and that what you think you said on camera is never what people will hear when it shows up on YouTube or TV.

"There is only one universal response that works: 'Both teams played hard."

This is not the first time Howard has been cast in an un-American light. He rejected an offer to join the U.S. Olympic team when he said the initial training camp in 2006 conflicted with his summer camps.

Howard's agent, Mark Schwartz, did not return phone messages.

The Mavericks received numerous off-season trade offers for Howard, but almost all were from teams who presumed a low-ball offer might prompt a deal. Team officials have said repeatedly they're not interested in trading Howard.

"Josh really is a good guy with a great heart," Cuban said. "He just doesn't do a good job of showing that side of himself publicly. We will work on that."

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Yet another example...

Soon you will not be able to use any term, word, etc. that contains the word "black". Eventually you will not be allowed to say any words. This is a court room for God's sake, where reason and justice is supposed to prevail. This is scary folks.

WAKE UP "PEOPLE"!


Dallas County Officials Spar Over 'Black Hole' Comment

A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon.

County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole." That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term. A black hole, according to Webster's, is perhaps "the invisible remains of a collapsed star, with an intense gravitational field from which neither light nor matter can escape."

Other county officials quickly interceded to break it up and get the meeting back on track. TV news cameras were rolling, after all.

Source: Kevin Krause: http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/07/dallas-county-meeting-turns-ra.html

Article of the Day


DENVER - Mayor John Hickenlooper's annual State of the City address may get more attention for what wasn't included than what was.

At the start of the event Tuesday morning, City Council President Michael Hancock introduced singer Rene Marie to perform the national anthem. Instead, she performed the song "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," which is also known as the "black national anthem." When she finished, the audience responded with mild applause. The national anthem was never performed. Governor Bill Ritter (D-Colorado) discussed the incident on The Mike Rosen Show on 850 KOA on Wednesday morning, calling it "inappropriate."
"I don't think it's fair artistic expression," said Ritter. Ritter went on to say he felt Marie's actions were "wrong" and "outside the bounds." "It certainly is operating as a distraction," said Ritter. Marie told 9NEWS she kept her plans to switch songs quiet until the very last moment. She says only she, her husband and a friend knew she was going to sing something other than the "Star-Spangled Banner. "She says she wanted to express her love of her country by mixing the lyrics of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" with the melody of the "Star-Spangled Banner." "When I decided to sing my version, what was going on in my head was: 'I want to express how I feel about living in the United States, as a black woman, as a black person,'" said Marie. Hickenlooper's staff picked Marie to sing the national anthem. The mayor says he believes Marie did not intend to offend anyone or make a political statement. When asked if he was offended, Hickenlooper said, "You know I was more confused and I think I was more – what I was, was disappointed and confused and that's why I wanted to talk to her." "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" was written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson in 1899 and set to music by his brother in 1900. City Councilman Charlie Brown took to talk radio Tuesday afternoon to criticize the absence of the national anthem at the State of the City proceedings. "There is no substitute for the national anthem, period," Brown said. "And that's what really bothered me. You know when we fly the flag, the American flag, it's always the highest flag, as it should be. And that didn't come across today, that didn't happen today." In hindsight, both Brown and Hickenlooper say they should have stopped Marie or began singing themselves. Marie says if she had the benefit of doing it over, she would sing the same song. When asked if she would apologize for what happened she said, "No I do not." Marie has been singing professionally for 10 years. Brown says he doesn't have a problem with people expressing their views, but he says Marie chose the wrong venue.

(Copyright KUSA*TV. All Rights Reserved.)

Quote of the Day

“What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

Letter to William Stevens Smith (November 13, 1787), quoted in Padover's Jefferson on Democracy

Source: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Article of the Day

Commentary to the below article:

Welcome to the double-standard that is today’s racial environment, particularly between Whites and Blacks. This is just the beginning my "friends". If this does not wake you up to the reality of the fact that racial harmony will never exist and that a large portion of blacks are only out for their own interests, then you are going to be in for a rude awakening. Not only are these people in it for their own interests but they are hell-bent on making life as difficult as possible for Whites.

It is time to realize that “African-Americans” are by definition not Americans and that they are only in it for themselves. They are discriminating against Whites freely and arrogantly with little to no repercussions and will continue to do so until everything is in their favor. If you think that they are only in it for equality then you are a fool. They want complete and total control and are praying on the over-active virtues of Whites to get what they want.

Are you sick of reading about "African-American" this and "African-American" that? How about your heritage? Are they concerned about that? I think not. Wake up “people” and begin the resistance before it is too late.

It is time to pick a team and fight for your survival.





TV One to cover Democratic convention -- but not Republican

TCA -- Given Barack Obama's historic run for the Oval Office, African American-themed cable network TV One plans to break from its usual entertainment programming to provide extensive coverage of the Democratic National Convention in August.

"Sen. Barack Obama running for president is a huge deal for TV One as it is for the African American community," said Johnathan Rodgers, president and CEO of TV One, a channel in about 40 million homes. "African Americans have fallen in love with his candidacy, his family … we will be covering the democratic convention all the time."

But John McCain shouldn’t expect the same treatment. The network doesn’t plan any coverage of the Republican Convention.

"We are not a news organization," said Rodgers, speaking at the opening session of the semi-annual Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills. "We are a television network designed to celebrate African American achievement. If Hillary was the nominee, we would not be covering this year's Democratic Convention."

"My audience is 93% black," Rodgers added. "I serve my audience."

TV One does have a Republican pundit as part of its convention coverage, comedian Sheryl Underwood. But she’s also voting for Obama.

When critics pressed a panel of TV One’s convention pundits about whether African American republicans will feel slighted, Underwood said, “I speak for all eight of us -- we are not slighted ... McCain is not going to win it, that's why I'm over here, because I want to be with the winners -- and I'm a Bush Republican."

When TV One's coverage panel was asked if their coverage will raise criticisms of Obama, contributor Hill Harper, who said he's been a friend of Obama's for 20 years and serves on his National Finance Comittee, said "the whole purpose of the event is celebration. We're not covering a debate."

But Rodgers added, "It's primarily a celebration but, yes, we'll also be critical when necessary."

As a cable network, TV One is likely exempt from any equal time access rules. Federal Communications Commission rules state that broadcast networks are required to give equal time to presidential candidates.

In 2007, when “Law & Order” actor Fred Thompson entered the race for the Republican nomination, NBC pulled episodes that featured him, but cable network TNT did not pull “L&O” repeats. Still, the matter is also considered a regulation gray area, with the FCC largely untested on the issue.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Article of the Day

The reason I chose to post the following article is due to the fact that it is utterly despicable that any athlete, especially at the Olympic-level, would result to cheating, in any form, especially that of performance enhancing drugs.

This type of cheating and the fact that they are cheating is inexcusable. They are frauds and deserve to be honored as such. They are among the lowest forms of life that steal glory from those that truly deserve it. As far as I am concerned, they are up there with murders due to the fact that they essentially steal people's hopes, dreams, and life's-work. The might have well stole there lives.

I can only imagine all of the hard work and life’s-dedication that an athlete puts forth in order to compete at such a high level. It is down-right criminal to win an event such as this against those that do it with just hard work, dedication, and a dream. Imagine being someone who truly dedicates themselves to a sport and works tirelessly to achieve a goal, only to have a low-life cheat an opportunity of a life-time from you. Those people who cheat like Antonio Pettigrew should be locked-up and have there dreams stolen from them. This is despicable, unforgivable, and down-right criminal in my opinion.





Michael Johnson to return Olympic relay medal
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 | 11:26 AM - Sports Antonio Pettigrew, Alvin and Calvin Harrison and Michael Johnson of the USA on the podium after winning gold in the Mens 4x400m Relay Final at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. (Mike Powell/Getty Images)U.S. athlete Michael Johnson says he will return the men's 4x400-metre relay gold medal he won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

He said he is "shocked" by former teammate Antonio Pettigrew's doping admission made while testifying at the trial of disgraced U.S. track coach Trevor Graham on May 22. Pettigrew admitted to using banned substances throughout his career.

Johnson wrote in a column on Tuesday in London's Daily Telegraph newspaper that he no longer wants the medal and feels "cheated, betrayed and let down."

"The news that Antonio was scheduled to testify to having taken performance-enhancing drugs shocked me like no other drug-related story," Johnson wrote. "He was someone I considered a friend."

Pettigrew's admission makes him the latest member of the 2000 relay team to be tainted by drugs. Two other members of the team, twin brothers Alvin and Calvin Harrison, both served suspensions for doping.

Alvin Harrison admitted to doping in 2004 and was given a four-year ban, while Calvin tested positive in 2003 and was given a two-year ban.

Michael Johnson holds the world record in the 200 and 400 metres and has won five Olympic gold medals.

Another of Johnson's relay teammates, Jerome Young, tested positive for steroids in 1999. He nevertheless ran in the preliminary 4x400 heats at the Sydney Olympics, and, as a result, the team was stripped of its gold medal in 2004. At the time, Johnson and Pettigrew fought to keep the medal, which was reinstated the following year in an appeal.

Johnson said he is "amazed that [Pettigrew] could talk to me about this knowing all along that he was guilty and that the medal was tainted anyway."

Johnson wrote that he is disappointed in the sport of athletics, and that he was naive to defend it to a media that focused on doping and not the accomplishments of the athletes.

He said, however, that he will "not give up on this sport" and will continue to support young athletes.

source: http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/athletics/story/2008/06/03/athletics-michaeljohnson.html

With files from the Associated Press

Friday, May 30, 2008

Thought of the Day

There is a difference between intelligence and education. I believe that they can be related, obviously. However, there are many individuals that have "educations" but whom are not intelligent, or at least lack intelligence to some degree. I'm sure we can all think of at least one individual that has a "good education" but lacks common-sense, logic, and reasoning capacities to whatever extent. Also, we can all probably think of someone who may not be "educated" in the traditional sense, but yet they are very intelligent and educated in different ways, sometimes better. After all, "life experiences" are the ultimate education, and these all happen to everyone, however, some have more than others.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Word of the Day - Quixotic

Quixotic -

Quixotism is the description of a person or an act that is caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals. It also serves to describe and idealism without regard to practicality. An impulsive person or act can be regarded as quixotic.

Quixotism is usually related to "over-idealism", meaning an idealism that doesn't take the consequences into account. It is also related to naïve romanticism and to utopianism.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quixotism

This is by far one of my favorite words, which is ironic due to the fact that I hate what the word represents. I believe that this word describes what has become, or is becoming, of a lot of Americans. Americans, especially Liberals and the left, are quixotic, that is, they are impulsive, overly-idealistic, and do not look at the total picture or are incapable at looking further into the issues at hand. They act on emotion and are, for-the-most-part, shallow-thinkers and "surface reactors", that is, they see things at face-value and make rash and emotional judgments based on the surface appearance of things. Quixotic people, to me, make decisions, a lot of times, based on political correctness, or what they perceive as the "right" thing to do with little or no regards to logic, human nature, or it's full and real impact. I believe that this way of thinking, no matter how well-meaning, is unproductive and does not drudge up the real issues and only provides for a superficial existence. Quixotic individuals lead fantasy lives and are sheltered from the true nature of things. They are overzealous, do-gooders that sacrifice true understanding for a false sense of well-being. They also put burden on those people which would be negatively impacted by there ill-thought-out decisions.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Thought of the Day

It is my contention that the biggest threat to this world and humanity is that of un-checked human proliferation and the inability of humans to cohabitate peacefully over the-long-run. I argue that with each new human, the value of existing humans is diminished, i.e., the more people that exist the less important "human-life" becomes, in the context of the whole. Also, the collective impact of individual humans is less, especially given the fact that the more people who exist, the more variances between humans exist. Thus, “individual” influence and compatibility is decreased with the expansion of the human population. Moreover, I believe that this is a "hard fact" and can never be mitigated within the confines of our present global condition.

It is no secret that with most things, the more we have of any given item, the more dispensable these items become. As harsh as this may sound, humans are objects, albeit sophisticated objects. Therefore, it is logical to believe that with the more humans that exist the less “important” they become; obviously from the stand-point of the whole.

Furthermore, the more distance and degrees-of-separation that exist between humans the less consequential their existence to each other becomes.

Human nature is at the root of these conditions and from the high-level perspective it is an inevitable fact that, if not addressed, will increase the violence nature of humans and the exponential diminishment of the value of human life.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Word of the Day II

Maxim -

(1.) A saying that is widely accepted on its own merits.

source: "maxim." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 01 May. 2008.

(2.) An expression of a general truth or principle, esp. an aphoristic or sententious one.

source : "maxim." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 01 May. 2008.

(3.) A succinct statement or observation of a fundamental principle, general truth, or rule of conduct.

source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/maxim

I choose this word because I personally like maxims and think that they play an important role as a literary device as well as in rhetoric.

Some of my favorite maxims are:

You can't judge a book by it's cover.

Actions speak louder than words.

Word of the Day

Truism -

A truism is a claim that is so obvious or self-evident as to be hardly worth mentioning, except as a reminder or as a rhetorical or literary device.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truism

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Quote of the Day

"Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate, than that these people are to be free; nor is it less certain that the two races, equally free, cannot live in the same government. Nature, habit, opinion have drawn indelible lines of distinction between them."

-Thomas Jefferson

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Realization I Had Today

I have pretty much come to the realization that race will always be a factor in society as long as there are identifiable races. Unfortunately, this is an inevitable fact. Ironically, if this fact was widely accepted, I believe, it would actually ease racial tensions slightly. That is, if everyone would realize that we are all "racist" to some extent, then we could all start-off at the same bargaining table and be on the same "playing field". Until then, it will just be a matter of pointing fingers and calling this person or that person a "racist" until violence errupts. Total, signifacant, and satisfacory racial harmony will never exist; it is a dream. It is just that MLK; just a dream. This is unfortunate, but it is a fact I believe.

If you have a white person who was intoxicated while driving and kills three black people in a car; people will say the white person will be let off easy because they are white and the victims are black.

If you have a black person who was intoxicated while driving and kills three white people in a car; people will say the black person will be judged more harshly because they are black and the victims are white.

Word of the Day

Orwellian -

The adjective Orwellian describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being unfavourable to the welfare of a free-society. It connotes an attitude and a policy of control by propaganda, misinformation, denial of truth, and manipulation of the past, including the "unperson" — a person whose past existence is expunged from the public record and memory, practiced by modern repressive governments.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwellian

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Thought of the Day

Is it me or does it seem like Al Sharpton and his minions have exclusive rights to oppression and discrimination?

From what I can gather; there are many forms of discrimination and oppression based on things other than race and arguably much of them just as consequential. Not to mention the fact that this form of discrimination is not one-sided as he portrays it to be. I think it is safe to say that we all experience discrimination in one form or another, regardless of whom we may be.

If Al Sharpton was truly interested in justice and "equality" than I would believe that he would address the following as much as he does race. I think it is safe to say that Al Sharpton is truly agenda driven and is not as much interested in justice for all as much as he is interested in his overzealous plight. I know this will not come to shock most people, but nevertheless, I think that it needs to be addressed whenever possible.

Discrimination due to heritage.
Discrimination due to height.
Discrimination due to weight.
Discrimination due to education.
Discrimination due to political beliefs and affiliations.
Discrimination due to religous beliefs.
Discrimination due to age.
Discrimination due to income.
Discrimnination due to wealth.
Discrimination due to perceived attractiveness.
Discrimination as a result of nepotism.
Discrimination due to our dress, appearance, etc.
Discrimination due to what we drive.
Discrimination due to where we live.
Discrimination due to "popularity".
Discrimination due to what we read.
Discrimination due to what we eat.
Discrimination due to what kind of house we live in.
Discrimination due to whom we associate with interpersonally.
Discrimination due to professional status.
Discrimination due to level of vulnerability.
Discrimination due to physical deformity.
Discrimination due to lack of hair.
Discrimination due to the sound of ones voice.


More to be added to list as it will probably never be exhausted...

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Term of the Day

Social Construct -

A social construction or social construct is any institutionalized entity or artifact in a social system "invented" or "constructed" by participants in a particular culture or society that exists because people agree to behave as if it exists or follow certain conventional rules. One example of a social construct is social status.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_construction

Word of the Day

Inhuman -

–adjective

1. Lacking qualities of sympathy, pity, warmth, compassion, or the like; cruel; brutal: an inhuman master.

2. Not suited for human beings.

3. Not human.

4. Deficient in emotional warmth; cold.

inhuman. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved February 19, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inhuman

Thought of the Day

The "lowest-form-of-life" to me is that which enforces laws that they do not believe in or are so "virtuous" as to be inhuman and contary to common sense.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Quote of the Day

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." - Plato

Thought of the Day

It is my belief that people who oppose war, especially the idea of war, should not benefit from any of war's positive externalities. In other words, people who despise war should not be able to benefit from any product that comes about by the act, result, or preparation of war. This would be analogous to bighting-the-hand-that-feeds-you.

It seems to me that it is extremely hypocritical to benefit from things that were created/invented in the name of war while being opposed to the thought and actions of war. Actually, I can not think of anything more hypocritical.

Now, it is impossible to measure all of the products of “war” that were beneficial to man. I would argue (not an original idea of course) that our brains were a direct result of "war". It is no secret that the government utilizes the best and brightest of our society in the achievement of national defense/offense. It is also no big secret that military "intelligence" is the biggest asset to any nation that wishes to sustain itself and thrive. Our brains developed from our instinct to survive. And, unfortunately or fortunately, survival entails protecting one self from aggressors and occasionally being the aggressor, the ultimate form of this being war. As far as I can see, we have benefit from “war” from the beginning of time. Essentially, our existence is the direct result of war, it is intertwined with our fabric-of-being. To separate it from us would be to unravel ourselves. So, for the sake-of-argument, I will only refer to modern times.

I am no expert on the military, but I can assure you that a mind boggling amount of products that we use on a daily basis comes as a direct result of military expenditures. More to come…

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Word on Word of the Day

As you can see from my "Word's of the Day", the words I choose are not unusual or for the most part ones you have never seen/heard before. These words are not meant to insult your inteligence. However, I chose to list these words because of their relatedness to my other writings as well as to focus on them and really contemplate their meanings. These words may be spoken or heard numerous times a day, however, I believe that they get diluted and that their true meanings get washed-out, overlooked, and taken-for-granted. We essentially get desensitized to their true and whole meaning. The idea is to bring out their substance and to put the word into your cognition.

Word of the Day

Truth -

The meaning of the word truth extends from honesty, good faith, and sincerity in general, to agreement with fact or reality in particular.[1] The term has no single definition about which the majority of professional philosophers and scholars agree. Various theories of truth continue to be debated. There are differing claims on such questions as what constitutes truth; how to define and identify truth; the roles that revealed and acquired knowledge play; and whether truth is subjective, relative, objective, or absolute.

Source: Wikipedia
1. http://m-w.com/dictionary/truth

Quote of the Day

"God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please - you can never have both." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I posted this quote because I think that is poignant, and again, like every good quote, it speaks volumes with great efficiency.

This quote speaks to me for various reasons. One, being that I think this quote speaks to the fact that truth is not always easy, popular, and straight-forward and it can be down-right painful. Truth to me is an at times dynamic, elusive, and multi-dimensional enigma. Also, I believe that this quote alludes to the fact that the pursuit of truth is not a pursuit for the light-hearted and that superficial, shallow-thinkers will probably miss it all together. However, if truth were black and white, it would probably be a pretty dull existence for man. The desire for truth is probably the greatest propellant of all.

Interesting Essay

I found this essay. I thought that it was very interesting and unique. I personally like opinions/ideas that make you think and look at things from a different or new perspective. I also like to read things that are not inhibited and guarded with political correctness. Even if you do not agree with everything, something might touch you and get your "wheels turning". If you can take one thing from a reading, speech, etc., that sparks your mind and intellect, then that effort, no matter how extensive, was worth it. In today’s society it seems that we have to say and do everything perfect, with no fault, in fear of being criticized or ostracized or labeled as "crazy". Sir Isaac Newton devoted considerably more of his time and writing to the study of alchemy than he did to either optics or physics, for which he is famous. He wrote many works that would now be classified as occult studies and a lot of his endeavors are/were considered fanciful and pointless. However, no one would argue his immense contribution to society. There are countless examples of individuals that contribute things that are incalculable, yet they are not infallible and may have been sporadic in their genius.

I like original thinkers and believe the truth is always waiting to be uncovered and that this is not always an easy, straight-forward task. It is my opinion, that there is the truth and then there is the truth, i.e., the truth is (at least in this day and age) not always readily apparent and what may appear to be the truth is often times not. The “pseudo-truth” may be due to a popular or easy-to-swallow consensus. The “real truth", if there is such a thing, is at times elusive and covered-up by many layers, not to mention at times not always pleasant. As the world becomes more complex, so does the truth in many instances. As our speech and thoughts are surpressed, so is the truth.

Plus, this essay has some topics that I find interesting and important. Freedom-of-speech and thought is our most important rights as humans and should be vigorously, and if needed, aggressively protected.


Please comment.

“The Dilution of America”
“Schizophrenic Nation”


By WD8Z3A9M9UP

A government gives direction, manages, controls, rules, and most importantly provides for a functionally cohesive and largely contented society. A government at its core is an organization. An organization is a structure through which individuals cooperate systematically to deliver a product or to resolve and curtail ever-arising problems. Cooperation is the ability to work together for a common purpose, benefit, or resolution. These are undisputed facts, essentially definitions.

Therefore, it is virtually impossible for an organization to function effectively, productively, and efficiently without a certain sustainable and acceptable level of cohesion and cooperation. Aside from reasonable differences-of-opinions, a group at some point must cohere in order to function as a single outcome producing unit. The degree of cohesiveness and cooperation is directly proportional to the effectiveness of that organization.

That being said, the more like-minded and compatible an organization the better output it will produce, taking into consideration the normal and reasonable array of objective perspectives that are needed to achieve a broad-view and list of most likely scenarios. Also, an organization has to have some degree of collectiveness and unity in order to secure its identity.

When an organization becomes too unlike or too contrasted in ideation and deduction, then that organization becomes impotent and misaligned, thus becoming non-effective to a degree that is correspondent to the degree of its variances. Any discernable productive output becomes inefficient at best. Aside from productivity, the vulnerability to applicable competing organizations is a major side-effect.

I believe and fear that this is what is occurring in America today. As America becomes increasingly heterogeneous and contrary, it becomes unbounded. America has become diluted. America has been, and is in the process, of losing its identity, i.e., it is losing the collective aspects of the set of characteristics by which it is definitively recognizable or known. We can no longer answer the question of “what defines America”, without spewing out politically correct, nonsensical, fanciful, and vagarious answers that do little to form and support a robust and potent citizenship. The US Government is becoming more and more detached from its core citizenry and its associated culture and ideologies.

In effect, this country has become a schizophrenic nation. There are, in some instances, severe signs of emotional blunting (people are in fear of expressing their emotions), intellectual deterioration (as seen in our educational institutions and interpersonal relationships), social isolation (one form being self-segregation), disorganized speech (in the form of speech suppression), and aggravated behavior. The United States is in a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory and incompatible elements the likes-of-which are, in many ways, impervious to one another with little to no hopes of confluence, not unlike the reaction of oil mixed with water. Consequently, this adversely creates a divide in an otherwise generally harmonious, upstanding, and proven community. These barriers, of which, are unprecedented and ever-growing will continue to be irresolvable at the expense of our national prosperity and individual pursuits of happiness. History, in this case, will not add any insights or testaments to possible resolutions, as the degree of this setting has never before been seen and renders cultural pluralism outmoded.

Therefore, the productivity, as seen in various forms, of the United States has become compromised by its “mental health”, which is in turn a product of its lack of cohesion and conflicting, unaligned special interest groups. The US Government, under the ulterior veil of tolerance, has become blinded by illogical, impulsive, naïve, overzealous and shallowly-thought-out persuasions and misguided actions. It has become an inefficient, unorganized, and detrimentally-divided organization as a result of a nation that has ultimately become too contrasted and too unalike. Tolerance, having an unchecked positive connotation, has inherent, a permissible range that is absolutely limited by common sense and logic and should not be quixotically endured at the expense of unity and national well being. Moreover, under the rash wedge of diversity and tolerance we are effectively being divided and conquered. “United we shall stand, divided we fall”.

It is proposed that a realignment of sorts must occur before it is past the point-of-no-return. If this essay speaks to you then be prepared, be alert, and be proactive.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Word of the Day/Thought of the Day

Wasteful

–adjective

Given to or characterized by useless consumption or expenditure: wasteful methods; a wasteful way of life.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I chose this word due to the fact that this has been and is increasingly becoming one of the biggest problems facing this country. Again, I know that this is no big revelation that we are wasteful and that there has probably been numerous articles written about it, but it has gotten to a point of absurdity, to the point were it is not only creating a problem for us pollution-wise, but also limiting and inhibiting us as a logical, self-sustaining society. We have become a society that just throws things away and gets a new one (I believe someone referred to this as the “throw-away” generation). We buy things that we do not need; manufacture things that have little life-expectancy and are not easy or able to fix. We are dupped by sales people into thinking that we need something we do not, or are not given the cheapesy way to fixing a problem. Also, somewhere along the line, manufactures realized that if they make an inferior product that the public can overlook than they can sell more when they need replaced. Or, the product is produced just to function long enough for sale and the ride home. Long-gone are the days when we buy something and if we maintain it properly it not only lasts our lifetime, but can be past down to generations. Also, we are so busy working to buy the next disposable item that we can not maintain things properly (this seems to be my case). It seems like another viscous circle that is not getting better. It has almost come to the point, if not already there, where it makes more economical sense to produce an inferior product. Consumers are as much, if not more, to blame for this. It seems to me that we are buying a lot of things just because they are cheap.

This is an extremely broad topic that can me spoken-to from numerous angles, but it was just something that was on my mind. This is something that humanity needs to reel-in before we bocome inhuman, or atleast more so. I believe that this wasteful state we are in is contrary to our essence and a detriment to our well-being.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Thought of the Day/Article of the Day

Trust me; I am a capitalist through-and-through. I have a degree in finance and follow the market and economy more than the average person, in my opinion. My love for prosperity and finacial well-being is second-to-none.

However, I think that the success of our nation is being directly and seemingly only related to the growth/health of the economy. Again, I know that the health of the economy is huge and no doubt is the bottom-line to most. However, call me what you will, but shouldn't the measure of our success be tied to, what I think is equally important, our levels of contentment and tranquility as a nation. It seems to me that we are blindly sacrificing our well being at the expensive of building/sustaining our economy.

For example, we as Americans are extending ourselves financially beyond our means to sustain a life that is, for the most part, materialistic in nature and wasteful. We are almost urged to spend, spend, spend, which in turn is good for the economy (at least in the short-term and or mid-term), but we do not save and make smart fincial descisions, thus making things harder on ourselves, not to mention the fact that the more we spend the more we are charged. It is a viscous cycle if you ask me. It seems to me the more we spend and don't ask questions the more we get gouged.

Also, for the "sake of the economy", we outsource jobs to other countries, allow people to migrate to this country with seemingly no forethought, etc., just to expand the economy. We do not measure the "costs" of these actions against the reward. In a lot of instances I believe we are sacrificing our tranquility for the perceived betterment of the economy. I know that there are very valid reasons for the aforementioned, but my gripe is when we do them for purely financial reasons, as well as unethical ones. It is a quick-fix that has long-term implications or a long-term process that will have abrupt devastating consequences.

I have attached and article that is good news about "getting-back-to-the-basics" but bad news for the economy (don't worry our economy will always thrive, it just won't be artificially propped-up). We need to realize that we can do without somethings and that we need to put America's "mental health" at least on the same level as its economic health. We also have to put a stop to being gouged and taken advantage of as consumers. We need to stop being gluttonous and wasteful and greedy. If more people would say I am not paying this price for that then that price would come down. It is my observation that people who freely throw their money around (mostly people who do not have it to through around) make it harder on us who want to be more responsible with our money so that we will not have to be indebted our whole lives and also someday want to have the opportunity to break free and become financially independent. It seems like the "better" or economy gets the more headaches we have to deal with and the more compromised our tranquility becomes. It seems to me that our economy is a giant that we must keep feeding at all costs regardless of the consequences in order for it not to squash us. We are trading economic growth for gluttonous consumption. At best, we are breaking even, more likely atrophying economically.

This is an extremly complicated subject that is far from "cut-and-dry", but the underlying sentiment is there.



Americans Prepare to Live Within Their Means
CREDIT, US ECONOMY, CONSUMER, RETAILThe New York Times
The New York Times
| 05 Feb 2008 | 09:55 AM ET

For more than half a century, Americans have proved staggeringly resourceful at finding new ways to spend money.

In the 1950s and ’60s, as credit cards grew in popularity, many began dining out when the mood struck or buying new television sets on the installment plan rather than waiting for payday. By the 1980s, millions of Americans were entrusting their savings to the booming stock market, using the winnings to spend in excess of their income. Millions more exuberantly borrowed against the value of their homes.


But now the freewheeling days of credit and risk may have run their course — at least for a while and perhaps much longer — as a period of involuntary thrift unfolds in many households. With the number of jobs shrinking, housing prices falling and debt levels swelling, the same nation that pioneered the no-money-down mortgage suddenly confronts an unfamiliar imperative: more Americans must live within their means.

“We don’t use our credit cards anymore,” said Lisa Merhaut, a professional at a telecommunications company who lives in Leesburg, Va., and whose family last year ran up credit card debt it could not handle.


Today, Ms. Merhaut, 44, manages her money the way her father did. Despite a household income reaching six figures, she uses cash for every purchase. “What we have is what we have,” Ms. Merhaut said. “We have to rely on the money that we’re bringing in.”

The shift under way feels to some analysts like a cultural inflection point, one with huge implications for an economy driven overwhelmingly by consumer spending.

While some experts question whether most Americans, particularly baby boomers, will ever give up their buy-now/pay-later way of life, the unraveling of the real estate market appears to have left millions of families with little choice, yanking fresh credit from their grasp.

“The long collapse in the United States savings rate is over,” said Ethan S. Harris, chief United States economist for Lehman Brothers. “People are going to start saving the old-fashioned way, rather than letting the stock market and rising home values do it for them.”

In 1984, Americans were still saving more than one-tenth of their income, according to the government. A decade later, the rate was down by half. Now, the savings rate is slightly negative, suggesting that on average Americans spend more than their disposable income.

Though the savings rate does not account for the increased value of stock and property, or the gains on retirement accounts, many economists still view it as the most useful gauge of the degree to which Americans are making provisions for the future.


For the 34 million households who took money out of their homes over the last four years by refinancing or borrowing against their equity — roughly one-third of the nation — the savings rate was running at a negative 13 percent in the middle of 2006, according to Moody’s Economy.com. That means they were borrowing heavily against their assets to finance their day-to-day lives.

By late last year, the savings rate for this group had improved, but just to negative 7 percent and mostly because tightened standards made loans harder to get.

“For them, that game is over,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Economy.com. “They have been spending well beyond their incomes, and now they are seeing the limits of credit.”

Many times before, of course, Americans have found innovative ways to finance spending, even when austerity seemed unavoidable. It could happen again.

The Me Decade was declared dead in the recession of the early 1980s, only to yield to the Age of Greed and later the Internet boom of the 1990s. Over the longer term, the economy should keep growing at a pace that reflects improving productivity and population gains.

But for the first time in decades, credit is especially tight as the bursting of the housing bubble has spread misery across the financial system. In homes now saturated with debt, conspicuous consumption and creative financing have come to seem a sign of excess not unlike that of a suntan in an age of skin cancer.


The return to reality is on vivid display at shopping centers, where consumers used to trading up to higher-price stores are now heading to discounters. Wal-Mart and T. J. Maxx are thriving, but business has slowed at Coach, Tiffany and Williams-Sonoma.

Not long ago, Elena Gamble would have looked at the Cadillac parked across the street from her modest home in Elk City, Okla., and felt a twinge of jealousy.

“We live in a small town, and everybody looks at your clothes and what you drive and where you have your hair done,” said Ms. Gamble, who earns about $2,600 a month as a grievance counselor at a local prison.

Now, she and her husband — a prison guard who brings home $2,000 a month — are grappling with $10,000 in high-interest debt. They no longer go to the movies or out to eat, except occasionally to McDonald’s. They quit their Internet service. Their car was repossessed. “What we say now is, ‘If we can’t afford it, we can’t buy it,’ ” Ms. Gamble said.

And when she looks across the street at that Cadillac, her envy has been replaced by pity for the neighbor on the hook.

“I say, ‘Oh my, you’re living here, and driving that? There’s got to be something wrong,’ ” Ms. Gamble said. “ ‘You’re in debt, and you’re in trouble.’ ”

For decades, that envy has been a prime engine of economic growth. Debt-willing consumers hungering for the latest-generation this and the fastest that kept factories busy from Michigan to Malaysia.

From 1980 to 2007, consumer spending swelled from 63 percent of the economy to over 70 percent, according to Economy.com, while the share of after-tax income absorbed by household debt increased from 11 percent to more than 14 percent.

During the technology boom of the 1990s, an extravagant mind-set took hold. In ads for the discount broker Ameritrade, a spiky-haired hipster ridiculed middle-aged professionals for settling for conventional returns.

Even after the “stock market as money machine” line of thinking proved bogus, extra spending continued. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to near record lows, banks marketed mortgages with exotically lenient terms and another fable of wealth creation took hold: the notion that housing prices could go up forever.

The come-ons for stocks were replaced by a new crop of advertisements. A house was no longer a mere place to live; it was a checkbook that never required a deposit. Between 2004 and 2006, Americans pulled more than $800 billion a year from their homes via sales, cash-out mortgages and home equity loans.

“People have come to view credit as savings,” said Michelle Jones, a vice president at the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta.

Some Americans have so much wealth that they can spend enough to fuel much of the economy. The top fifth of American earners generates half of all consumer spending, noted Dean Maki, chief United States economist at Barclays Capital.

For the others, some say credit is an intrinsic part of modern life, and Americans will soon be back for more. “A river of red ink runs through the history of the American pocketbook,” said Lendol Calder, author of “Financing the American Dream: A Cultural History of Consumer Credit.”

“Partly because of desire, partly because of optimism, partly because lenders have been free to invent useful borrowing tools that minimized shame and bother,” he added, “I think it will take a great catastrophe, greater than the Great Depression, to wean Americans from their reliance on consumer credit.”

Credit counselors are now swamped by calls not just from people of modest means, but from professionals earning six-figure incomes, their access to finance warping their distinction between necessity and desire.

“The longer someone has lived on a high income, the harder it is for someone to cut back,” said Manuel Navarro of Money Management International in San Diego. “I ask them, ‘Do you really need to have a 60-inch flat-screen TV hanging on your wall?’ ”

Fran Barbaro has an M.B.A. and a résumé of computer industry jobs with salaries reaching $150,000 a year. She used to have a stock portfolio worth about $1 million. She hung original art on the walls of her three-bedroom house in Boston.

But divorce, illness and motherhood drained her savings. Her home is worth less than she owes, and she owes another $200,000 to credit card companies, banks and tax collectors.

Ms. Barbaro, 50, said she knew she was living beyond her means. But her house demanded work. Her two boys needed after-school programs running $25,000 a year. Medical bills multiplied.

“These were simple day-to-day expenses,” she said. “The money was always there.”

Until it wasn’t. Her take-home pay is $5,200 a month, but her debt payments reach $4,400.

Ms. Barbaro has rented out her house while negotiating to lower her mortgage. She has moved to an apartment, where her sons sleep in the lone bedroom while she sleeps on a pull-out sofa.

“It’s the worst,” Ms. Barbaro said. “How do you salvage what you have and hopefully go back?”

Copyright © 2008 The New York Times
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Quote of the Day

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

I like this quote because it is not only a great antidote but also does very well what a quote should do; speak volumes in few words. Not to mention it is the ultimate topic.

In my interpretation, I believe that this quopte portrays liberty as being fragile and always being suppressed and that liberty must always be defended vigorously defended. It has many more underlying meanings in my opinion.

Word of the Day

Liberty

In modern times, liberty is generally considered a concept of political philosophy and identifies the condition in which an individual has the ability to act according to his or her own will.

Source: Wikipedia

1. freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.
2. freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.
3. freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.

Source: Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved February 05, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberty

I chose the word liberty because I think that it should be the basis for all governmental actions, meaning that liberty should always be at the forefront of any law or rule that the government imposes. I believe that in today's environment liberty is taking a back seat and that we are suffering from an ever-increasing body that threatens our liberties. I believe that a large part of society is ignoring the basic idea that this country is founded upon.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Today's Observation

I drive a lot on the Baltimore and Washington Beltway's among other various interstates.

I have noticed that "18 wheelers" are increasingly becoming "10 wheelers". The usual two-tire combinations are being replaced by single "jumbo" tires. I thought that this was interesting. I am sure this has to do with economics, but I am not sure of the exact reasons they are showing up more-and-more. I will try to do some research.

Word of the Day

Vice

Vice is a practice or habit that is considered immoral, depraved, and/or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity, or merely a bad habit.

Quote of the Day

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." - Abraham Lincoln

This quote, for the most part, speaks for itself. However, I personally believe that this speaks to the complexity of us as human beings. We are always condemning ourselves and others for our vices, but these vices in essence are what makes us dynamic human beings. We are fallible and probably meant to be that way. If we were meant to be perfect than we would probably be pointless. We must embrace our character flaws in order to be whole. Also, I believe that this speaks to our modern day epidemic of overzealous political correctness. We are expected to be perfect but at the expense of our uniqueness and true selves. We are becoming a bland lot.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Word of the Day

Greed
noun

1. excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves

2. reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: avarice]

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

The reason I choose this as the word of the day is that I think that this is one of the major underlying problems with this country today. I know this is no huge revelation due to the fact that greed has been with us since the beginning of time, however, I believe that it is getting worse and worse and it is getting out-of-control. I believe greed along with some people's sense of entitlement is what is a big factor in crippling this country.

Examples to come...

Today's Observation

This is just an observation that I have been making for a while. I know that it is just a superficial observation with no scientific research behind it, at least from the standpoint of my blog. Take it for what it is worth.

I ride the DC Metro (subway system) to work on a fairly regular basis. After a few months of riding it and observing what people read from time-to-time, I have noticed that men tend to read newspapers and non-fiction books whereas women tend to read fiction. Just an observation. Maybe someday I will research to see if there is any substance behind this.

By-the-way, is it me or is the Metro the most efficient way to lose faith in humanity as well as to be dehumanized. Just curious.

Quote of the Day

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from his government." - Thomas Paine

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Word of the Day

Tranquillity - quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity. As such it is a public good. Psychological research has highlighted why tranquility is important; being in a tranquil place allows people to relax, to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life and to “recharge their batteries”.

The reason I chose this word is because it shows up in the Preamble of the US Constitution and I believe that our tranquility is being compromised more and more. Also, I believe that this is a right also given to us by God and nature and that any civilized society should have this at the forefront of their ambitions. Tranquility, after all, is what we should be striving for and is what is at the root of our efforts. Think about it, why do we do the things we do; work hard; save money; invest in our children; etc., etc,. It is to be able to sit back some day or at the end of the day and experience a little tranquility. We want piece-of-mind; satisfaction; security; contentment; tranquility. The further tranquility is from our grasps the more confused and unmotivated we become about our efforts. There is a direct correlation between our hope of tranquility and what is needed to get there. We get separated from our purpose if the gap is too much. We fall apart personally and as a society. We become fragmented.

Preamble (this should be tattooed on our forearms):

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." - The United States Constitution

A Geat Quote by a Great Man - Quote of the Day

This is a quote that I like a lot:

"Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men or women, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and Nature." - Benjamin Franklin

We are born free, always remeber that. Freedom is not dictated by anyone or anything. As the world becomes more convoluted, so does our "psuedo-freedom".

First Ever Blog

Obviously, from my title this is my first ever blog. I have been thinking about creating a blog for a while now. I was reading a news article and felt compelled to finally get to writing my opinions as a source of venting and hopefully to get feedback from others. Sometimes I just feel like I need to get my thoghts out there and share things that I find funny, aggrevating, interesting, enlightening, frustrating, intolerable, etc. I guess this is a common human trait due to the popularity of blogs. I believe that opinions are important and that deep-thinkers are a necessity to humanity. Also, I believe that truth should always be seeked, something that is not being done these days in the United States. Truth and justice are becoming an American casualty. I think the typical Ameriacn needs to wake-up before it is too late. I foresee some drastic times on the horizon for the true America people.

Furthermore, I have decided to start my blog for probably the same reasons most others have. I want to share my thoughts and bounce them off others to see if others agree, disagree, think I am a genius and/or crazy, or any combination there of. Like most people I am sure, I believe I have a unique perspective and see things from a different angle than most. I like to believe that I can see things for what they really are.

I read a lot of news, thus I have a lot of opinions and see things that other people may not get a chance to read. I would like to share these things as well as to publish my opinions, comments, and things I find interesting.

I hope that my blog is sucessful and rewarding.