Death By Bad Decisions Update
There's more news on Nathaniel Jones. His autopsy revealed not only an enlarged heart, but both cocaine and PCP were found in his system. That would help to explain why, aside from his girth, it was so difficult for the officers to restrain him. I wonder what the opportunists will be able to make of the situation now?
My assorted ramblings and opinions on people, entertainment, and current events.
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
Monday, December 01, 2003
Death By Bad Decisions
The news always has something interesting to talk about. Dennis Miller would prepare for his show by reading USA Today. There is just too much craziness going on in the world today.
It seems that the latest controversy centers around Nathaniel Jones, a 41 year old 400 lb black man, from Cincinnati, Ohio. The controversy is that he died in police custody after being beaten by police. A la Rodney King, the "attack" was caught on tape by a video camera in a police cruiser.
The way this whole incident started is rather suspicious. An employee of a White Castle restaurant called 911 to report that there was a man passed out in the grass outside the restaurant, Mr. Jones. The call went not to the police, but the fire department who arrived on the scene to tend to Mr. Jones, who was there with a female companion who was also under medical distress. Mr. Jones regained consciousness and then became a nuisance, according to police radio transmissions.
That is when two police officers responded, Baron Osterman and James Pike. Both of these officers, as seen on the tape, are considerably smaller than Nathaniel Jones. After ordering Jones to stay back, the officers started to strike Jones when he came at them. The entire time that the officers defended themselves, they could be heard ordering Jones to put his hands behind his back.
From watching what was shown on CNN, you could see that the officers had great difficulty in restraining Mr. Jones. You could see Jones punch one of the officers and the struggle took on a cartoonish quality with the camera being the midpoint and the participants moving in out of frame seemingly chasing one another.
More officers arrived on the scene and they were eventually able to subdue Mr. Jones and handcuff him. The fire department had left when the officers first arrived on the scene and were called back when Mr. Jones was once again in distress. Jones was taken to University Hospital and was pronounced dead minutes after his arrival.
Black activists are already in an uproar in Cincinnati and called for the police chief's dismissal, which the mayor has refused. Cincinnati was the scene of massive riots two years ago after a white officer shot a black man. This incident with Mr. Jones will undoubtedly cause more racial difficulties in that city.
I have problems with what happened but for different reasons. I cannot help but include Rodney King as it is somewhat related. I have no sympathy for Rodney King's beating at all. Is it because I am racist? No. Is it for my great love of the police? Ha ha. No. It is because Rodney King is a career criminal. Rodney King was tasered twice before the police started in on him with their nightsticks. I do not consider what happened to him a racial attack for three big reasons. First, one of the officers, his name escapes me, was awarded a medal by the mayor for saving a victim's life by performing mouth to mouth resuscitation. How does this show him not to be racist? The victim was a transvestite, black prostitute. Two, there were two other black men in the car with King, and unlike him, they did not resist the officers. Three, there were black officers on the scene.
Understandably, I have not seen the whole tape and there are things that I may have not seen. However, from what I have seen, Mr. Jones was not only resisting arrest but attacking the officers. Mr. Jones was a very powerful man and his continued struggling with the police only added to his beating and contributed to his death.
I am disgusted with racial opportunists who make martyrs out of scum. Rodney King is a cancer upon society, he has been arrested numerous times since his famous beating, but no one wants to talk about that. In a prostitution sting operation, he tried to run a police officer down with his car. Yes, clearly King is a hero. Now the opportunists are protesting for Jones. A man who is found passed out in the grass and then assaults police officers is someone to protest for?
There is a saying that I have heard in the black community called "guilty of being black." Protestors will undoubtedly be screaming that here as we have the death of a black man and white officers involved. Consequently, of the four officers that arrived as backup, one of them was black. To the people who use the saying I referred to, innocence is equally not automatic because the person is black.
Black activists say the death Sunday of Nathaniel Jones, 41, was another example of police doing little or nothing to stop deaths of black men in encounters with police in recent years. To them I ask, so it's alright for Jones, who was arrested for cocaine possession in 1998, to attack police officers?
Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said it best,
"What I saw was a 400-pound man violently attacking a police officer in a manner that put the lives of police officers at risk," Luken said after viewing the videotape, which police released to the media. "While the investigations will continue, there is nothing on those tapes to suggest that the police did anything wrong."
The news always has something interesting to talk about. Dennis Miller would prepare for his show by reading USA Today. There is just too much craziness going on in the world today.
It seems that the latest controversy centers around Nathaniel Jones, a 41 year old 400 lb black man, from Cincinnati, Ohio. The controversy is that he died in police custody after being beaten by police. A la Rodney King, the "attack" was caught on tape by a video camera in a police cruiser.
The way this whole incident started is rather suspicious. An employee of a White Castle restaurant called 911 to report that there was a man passed out in the grass outside the restaurant, Mr. Jones. The call went not to the police, but the fire department who arrived on the scene to tend to Mr. Jones, who was there with a female companion who was also under medical distress. Mr. Jones regained consciousness and then became a nuisance, according to police radio transmissions.
That is when two police officers responded, Baron Osterman and James Pike. Both of these officers, as seen on the tape, are considerably smaller than Nathaniel Jones. After ordering Jones to stay back, the officers started to strike Jones when he came at them. The entire time that the officers defended themselves, they could be heard ordering Jones to put his hands behind his back.
From watching what was shown on CNN, you could see that the officers had great difficulty in restraining Mr. Jones. You could see Jones punch one of the officers and the struggle took on a cartoonish quality with the camera being the midpoint and the participants moving in out of frame seemingly chasing one another.
More officers arrived on the scene and they were eventually able to subdue Mr. Jones and handcuff him. The fire department had left when the officers first arrived on the scene and were called back when Mr. Jones was once again in distress. Jones was taken to University Hospital and was pronounced dead minutes after his arrival.
Black activists are already in an uproar in Cincinnati and called for the police chief's dismissal, which the mayor has refused. Cincinnati was the scene of massive riots two years ago after a white officer shot a black man. This incident with Mr. Jones will undoubtedly cause more racial difficulties in that city.
I have problems with what happened but for different reasons. I cannot help but include Rodney King as it is somewhat related. I have no sympathy for Rodney King's beating at all. Is it because I am racist? No. Is it for my great love of the police? Ha ha. No. It is because Rodney King is a career criminal. Rodney King was tasered twice before the police started in on him with their nightsticks. I do not consider what happened to him a racial attack for three big reasons. First, one of the officers, his name escapes me, was awarded a medal by the mayor for saving a victim's life by performing mouth to mouth resuscitation. How does this show him not to be racist? The victim was a transvestite, black prostitute. Two, there were two other black men in the car with King, and unlike him, they did not resist the officers. Three, there were black officers on the scene.
Understandably, I have not seen the whole tape and there are things that I may have not seen. However, from what I have seen, Mr. Jones was not only resisting arrest but attacking the officers. Mr. Jones was a very powerful man and his continued struggling with the police only added to his beating and contributed to his death.
I am disgusted with racial opportunists who make martyrs out of scum. Rodney King is a cancer upon society, he has been arrested numerous times since his famous beating, but no one wants to talk about that. In a prostitution sting operation, he tried to run a police officer down with his car. Yes, clearly King is a hero. Now the opportunists are protesting for Jones. A man who is found passed out in the grass and then assaults police officers is someone to protest for?
There is a saying that I have heard in the black community called "guilty of being black." Protestors will undoubtedly be screaming that here as we have the death of a black man and white officers involved. Consequently, of the four officers that arrived as backup, one of them was black. To the people who use the saying I referred to, innocence is equally not automatic because the person is black.
Black activists say the death Sunday of Nathaniel Jones, 41, was another example of police doing little or nothing to stop deaths of black men in encounters with police in recent years. To them I ask, so it's alright for Jones, who was arrested for cocaine possession in 1998, to attack police officers?
Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said it best,
"What I saw was a 400-pound man violently attacking a police officer in a manner that put the lives of police officers at risk," Luken said after viewing the videotape, which police released to the media. "While the investigations will continue, there is nothing on those tapes to suggest that the police did anything wrong."
Saturday, November 22, 2003
JFK - Playboy or Hero?
Today is the fortieth anniversary of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy's assassination. Many consider his death to be the beginning of the decline of this country. His legacy is felt by many to this day and it is wondered what further greatness would have come if he had lived.
The Kennedy's are considered America's royal family. This provides endless entertainment for me as they are such an undesirable group of characters. The family fortune was made from bootlegging. The family faces one scandal after another virtually every year of every decade. It also seems that if you are a Kennedy you are expected to die prematurely in some wondrous catastrophe.
The Kennedy "greatness" all started with Joseph Kennedy. He was a Harvard graduate who along with his organized crime partners made their fortunes through America's great thirst during Prohibition. He was also a great rapist and manipulator of the American Stock Exchange. He was so adept at this that the President of the US placed him in charge of the SEC. Who better to catch the white collar criminals than the greatest one himself?
What Papa Joe wanted the most was for one of his sons to be President. He had all of his hopes resting on the family golden boy, Joe Jr, his namesake. John was always in competition with his older brother. While JFK was sickly, Joe was always strong. Joe did everything better than John, all their lives. Joe became a fighter pilot while John entered the navy because the health requirements were lower. Joe was on his way to glory and eventually becoming president. Unfortunately, he was shot down over Europe and died.
John managed to find glory in the war. He was the captain of torpedo boat PT-109. It was cut in half by a Japanese boat and two of the members died. JFK swam a fantastic distance dragging one of his crewmen with his teeth. Heroic right? That part may be, but how exactly does a torpedo boat get cut in half by another boat? It is believed these guys were slacking off. Anyways, Kennedy's written account of this went on to be a bestseller. He even got married to an older woman but Papa Joe managed to make it disappear.
Later on, Papa Joe bought his son's presidency and Camelot was born. Here the world had the new style President and First Lady. All the women wanted him and wanted to dress like her. Kennedy obliged the masses by making wonderful speeches and sleeping with as many women as he could. There are tales of the orgies of sex and drugs that took place not just in the private homes, hotels, but also the sacred confines of the White House. What a role model.
There is a giant controversy over who is responsible for his death. Everyone from the Mafia, Cubans, CIA, FBI, Secret Service, to LBJ have been named as conspirators. That fateful day in Dallas has been likened to the death of a king. What kind of king is that? He is not the great figure that he is made out to be. He's just another one of those flawed power mongers who rose to power and lost it just as quickly.
Today is the fortieth anniversary of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy's assassination. Many consider his death to be the beginning of the decline of this country. His legacy is felt by many to this day and it is wondered what further greatness would have come if he had lived.
The Kennedy's are considered America's royal family. This provides endless entertainment for me as they are such an undesirable group of characters. The family fortune was made from bootlegging. The family faces one scandal after another virtually every year of every decade. It also seems that if you are a Kennedy you are expected to die prematurely in some wondrous catastrophe.
The Kennedy "greatness" all started with Joseph Kennedy. He was a Harvard graduate who along with his organized crime partners made their fortunes through America's great thirst during Prohibition. He was also a great rapist and manipulator of the American Stock Exchange. He was so adept at this that the President of the US placed him in charge of the SEC. Who better to catch the white collar criminals than the greatest one himself?
What Papa Joe wanted the most was for one of his sons to be President. He had all of his hopes resting on the family golden boy, Joe Jr, his namesake. John was always in competition with his older brother. While JFK was sickly, Joe was always strong. Joe did everything better than John, all their lives. Joe became a fighter pilot while John entered the navy because the health requirements were lower. Joe was on his way to glory and eventually becoming president. Unfortunately, he was shot down over Europe and died.
John managed to find glory in the war. He was the captain of torpedo boat PT-109. It was cut in half by a Japanese boat and two of the members died. JFK swam a fantastic distance dragging one of his crewmen with his teeth. Heroic right? That part may be, but how exactly does a torpedo boat get cut in half by another boat? It is believed these guys were slacking off. Anyways, Kennedy's written account of this went on to be a bestseller. He even got married to an older woman but Papa Joe managed to make it disappear.
Later on, Papa Joe bought his son's presidency and Camelot was born. Here the world had the new style President and First Lady. All the women wanted him and wanted to dress like her. Kennedy obliged the masses by making wonderful speeches and sleeping with as many women as he could. There are tales of the orgies of sex and drugs that took place not just in the private homes, hotels, but also the sacred confines of the White House. What a role model.
There is a giant controversy over who is responsible for his death. Everyone from the Mafia, Cubans, CIA, FBI, Secret Service, to LBJ have been named as conspirators. That fateful day in Dallas has been likened to the death of a king. What kind of king is that? He is not the great figure that he is made out to be. He's just another one of those flawed power mongers who rose to power and lost it just as quickly.
Saturday, November 15, 2003
Money Cannot Buy You Bedroom Skills
I would be remiss if I didn't mention what has taken the world by storm - the Paris Hilton Sex Tape. I had heard of it a few weeks ago and did a P2P search on it, turning up nothing. Oh how times have changed. It is all over P2P as well as a wide variety of web pages.
The tape was made when Paris was 19 years old. The male in the video, Rick Salomon, is Shannen Doherty's husband and apparently was taking either a break from his marriage or this event occurred prior to his marriage. The video was shot with the nightcam feature, so it is rather difficult to see some of the goings-on.
I watched a three minute clip of NYC's "It Girl" and I can sum her performance up in two words - she sucks. While Paris Hilton is rather attractive, she is absolutely horrible in bed. Granted, there are 24 minutes of the tape I haven't seen where she could be throwing down like Jenna Jameson, but I find that rather unlikely. This rich girl has no skills whatsoever. At one point, she even stopped the nookie so she could answer the phone.
Folks, it's true when they say looks aren't everything. If I had the choice between an ugly girl who could rock my world or the untalented, boring Paris Hilton, I would choose the ugly girl. After all, beauty is a lightswitch away.
The song that I am quite fond of is Moses by Coldplay. I heard this song on the radio and it is one of the three songs I like by this talented band. It still comes in second to Clocks, but it is a classic nonetheless. I particularly like the verse:
Come on now, don't you want to see?
Just what a difference you've made in me
I'll be waiting oh no matter what you say
Cause I've been waiting for days, days, days.
It makes me think of a certain someone. They know who they are.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention what has taken the world by storm - the Paris Hilton Sex Tape. I had heard of it a few weeks ago and did a P2P search on it, turning up nothing. Oh how times have changed. It is all over P2P as well as a wide variety of web pages.
The tape was made when Paris was 19 years old. The male in the video, Rick Salomon, is Shannen Doherty's husband and apparently was taking either a break from his marriage or this event occurred prior to his marriage. The video was shot with the nightcam feature, so it is rather difficult to see some of the goings-on.
I watched a three minute clip of NYC's "It Girl" and I can sum her performance up in two words - she sucks. While Paris Hilton is rather attractive, she is absolutely horrible in bed. Granted, there are 24 minutes of the tape I haven't seen where she could be throwing down like Jenna Jameson, but I find that rather unlikely. This rich girl has no skills whatsoever. At one point, she even stopped the nookie so she could answer the phone.
Folks, it's true when they say looks aren't everything. If I had the choice between an ugly girl who could rock my world or the untalented, boring Paris Hilton, I would choose the ugly girl. After all, beauty is a lightswitch away.
The song that I am quite fond of is Moses by Coldplay. I heard this song on the radio and it is one of the three songs I like by this talented band. It still comes in second to Clocks, but it is a classic nonetheless. I particularly like the verse:
Come on now, don't you want to see?
Just what a difference you've made in me
I'll be waiting oh no matter what you say
Cause I've been waiting for days, days, days.
It makes me think of a certain someone. They know who they are.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Milkshakes & More Pvt. Lynch
I wish I could stop writing about Pvt. Jessica Lynch, but there is always something in the news about her. The two latest things are not of equal headline grabbing attention. The whopper only shows that this is not some American hero that should have shows made about her.
The first thing is that her just published book has sold less copies than expected. That really comes as no surprise when you are told everyday that what you had heard about this person is not what really happened. It was revealed that another member of the 507th Maintenance Company, Lynch's unit, killed eight Iraqis that day in the furious gunfight that took place. He killed eight enemy soldiers in combat and won a silver star for his heroic actions, yet this modern day Audie Murphy is virtually unknown to the American people and he is still waiting for word on being promoted.
The big whopper about "America's Hero" is that there are topless and nude photos of her cavorting with fellow soldiers in the barracks. There were reports from a couple of soldiers a few weeks ago about how Lynch wasn't as squeaky clean as she was made out to be.
Well, the proof has come to light in that fellow comrades of Lynch's sold these photos to Hustler Magazines Larry Flynt. He was going to run them in his magazine before having a change of heart and deciding to lock them in his safe. He said it wouldn't be proper to post them but stated that Lynch is not the Joan of Arc figure she was made out to be by the media.
It's so upsetting to learn that both Pvt. Lynch's docudrama and interview with Diane Sawyer lost out to the Elizabeth Smart Story and the reunion of the Andy Griffith Show cast on their respective nights. Would it be safe to say that America doesn't buy into the Lynch fantasy after even Lynch herself said it was mostly untrue?
On a more positive note, the song that I am listening to is Milkshake by Kelis. It is one of those tunes that has elementary school lyrics and an infectious beat and chorus that get into your head and never leave. You'll find yourself singing it and no matter how hard you try won't be able to make yourself stop. The big mystery is what exactly is the milkshake Kelis is speaking of?
I did some research on the 'Net today and found a variety of explanations. Everything from cooking up heroin to blowjobs to a woman's essence and working with what you have are being offered as solutions to this enigma. It was the singer, the talented Kelis, fiance of Nas, who said that it could be about breasts but is about a woman's essence. It could be that she was bullshitting us. Take a look at the lyrics.
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you but i have to charge (x2)
[Verse 1]
i know you want it
the thing that makes me
what the guys go crazy for
they lose their minds
the way i rhyme
i think its time
[Bridge]
lalalala warm it up
lalalala the boys are waiting(x2)
[Chorus]
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you but i have to charge (x2)
[Verse 2]
i have to see you on it
you want me to teach the
techniques that freaks these boys
it can't be bought
just dont please get caught
watch if you're smart
[Bridge]
lalalala warm it up
lalalala the boys are waiting(x2)
[Chorus]
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you but i have to charge (x2)
[Verse 3]
oh once you get involved
everyone will look this way so
you must maintain your charm
same time maintain your halo
just get the perfect blend
plus what you have within
then next his eyes will squint
then he's picked up your scent
[Bridge]
lalalala warm it up
lalalala the boys are waiting(x2)
[Chorus]
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you
but i have to charge (x2)
Milkshake can be whatever you want it to be. Whatever it is, it's good.
I wish I could stop writing about Pvt. Jessica Lynch, but there is always something in the news about her. The two latest things are not of equal headline grabbing attention. The whopper only shows that this is not some American hero that should have shows made about her.
The first thing is that her just published book has sold less copies than expected. That really comes as no surprise when you are told everyday that what you had heard about this person is not what really happened. It was revealed that another member of the 507th Maintenance Company, Lynch's unit, killed eight Iraqis that day in the furious gunfight that took place. He killed eight enemy soldiers in combat and won a silver star for his heroic actions, yet this modern day Audie Murphy is virtually unknown to the American people and he is still waiting for word on being promoted.
The big whopper about "America's Hero" is that there are topless and nude photos of her cavorting with fellow soldiers in the barracks. There were reports from a couple of soldiers a few weeks ago about how Lynch wasn't as squeaky clean as she was made out to be.
Well, the proof has come to light in that fellow comrades of Lynch's sold these photos to Hustler Magazines Larry Flynt. He was going to run them in his magazine before having a change of heart and deciding to lock them in his safe. He said it wouldn't be proper to post them but stated that Lynch is not the Joan of Arc figure she was made out to be by the media.
It's so upsetting to learn that both Pvt. Lynch's docudrama and interview with Diane Sawyer lost out to the Elizabeth Smart Story and the reunion of the Andy Griffith Show cast on their respective nights. Would it be safe to say that America doesn't buy into the Lynch fantasy after even Lynch herself said it was mostly untrue?
On a more positive note, the song that I am listening to is Milkshake by Kelis. It is one of those tunes that has elementary school lyrics and an infectious beat and chorus that get into your head and never leave. You'll find yourself singing it and no matter how hard you try won't be able to make yourself stop. The big mystery is what exactly is the milkshake Kelis is speaking of?
I did some research on the 'Net today and found a variety of explanations. Everything from cooking up heroin to blowjobs to a woman's essence and working with what you have are being offered as solutions to this enigma. It was the singer, the talented Kelis, fiance of Nas, who said that it could be about breasts but is about a woman's essence. It could be that she was bullshitting us. Take a look at the lyrics.
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you but i have to charge (x2)
[Verse 1]
i know you want it
the thing that makes me
what the guys go crazy for
they lose their minds
the way i rhyme
i think its time
[Bridge]
lalalala warm it up
lalalala the boys are waiting(x2)
[Chorus]
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you but i have to charge (x2)
[Verse 2]
i have to see you on it
you want me to teach the
techniques that freaks these boys
it can't be bought
just dont please get caught
watch if you're smart
[Bridge]
lalalala warm it up
lalalala the boys are waiting(x2)
[Chorus]
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you but i have to charge (x2)
[Verse 3]
oh once you get involved
everyone will look this way so
you must maintain your charm
same time maintain your halo
just get the perfect blend
plus what you have within
then next his eyes will squint
then he's picked up your scent
[Bridge]
lalalala warm it up
lalalala the boys are waiting(x2)
[Chorus]
my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
and they're like, it's better than yours
damn right it's better than yours
i could teach you
but i have to charge (x2)
Milkshake can be whatever you want it to be. Whatever it is, it's good.
Friday, November 07, 2003
A Paycheck & More About Pvt. Lynch
Ahhh. The feel of being employed again. I managed to get a new job today. Essentially I am hired, however, I must take a drug test tomorrow and meet with my new supervisor's supervisor. Now I can spread the legend of me to a whole new set of people.
I have mentioned Pvt. Jessica Lynch in previous posts. Her biography is about to be published and there is a new tantalizing fact revealed to the world. Her medical records show that she was anally raped by her captors. While this is most unfortunate, the quote that really got my attention was as follows:
"Jessica Lynch criticized military for exaggerating accounts of her rescue and recasting her ordeal as patriotic fable.... MORE.. Asked by ABCNEWS anchor Diane Sawyer if military's portrayal of rescue bothered her, Lynch said: 'Yeah, it does. It does that they used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff. Yeah, it's wrong' ... Asked how she felt about reports of her heroism: 'It hurt in a way that people would make up stories that they had no truth about. Only I would have been able to know that, because the other four people on my vehicle aren't here to tell the story. So I would have been the only one able to say, Yeah, I went down shooting. But I didn't' ... Asked about claims the military exaggerated danger of the rescue mission: 'Yeah, I don't think it happened quite like that'... "
Drudge Report 11-7-03
I watched Friends tonight. The actors are now chewing on the scenery. Can none of the members of the cast put their artistic integrity before their sizable paycheck and realize how bad their show sucks? If this were the first season of Friends it would be cancelled. This show is horrible.
The song that I currently can't get enough of is "What Happened To That Boy" by Baby featuring Clipse. It is featured in the wonderful new Adidas commercial for the TMAC3 basketball shoe. Give it a listen and feel it's power.
Ahhh. The feel of being employed again. I managed to get a new job today. Essentially I am hired, however, I must take a drug test tomorrow and meet with my new supervisor's supervisor. Now I can spread the legend of me to a whole new set of people.
I have mentioned Pvt. Jessica Lynch in previous posts. Her biography is about to be published and there is a new tantalizing fact revealed to the world. Her medical records show that she was anally raped by her captors. While this is most unfortunate, the quote that really got my attention was as follows:
"Jessica Lynch criticized military for exaggerating accounts of her rescue and recasting her ordeal as patriotic fable.... MORE.. Asked by ABCNEWS anchor Diane Sawyer if military's portrayal of rescue bothered her, Lynch said: 'Yeah, it does. It does that they used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff. Yeah, it's wrong' ... Asked how she felt about reports of her heroism: 'It hurt in a way that people would make up stories that they had no truth about. Only I would have been able to know that, because the other four people on my vehicle aren't here to tell the story. So I would have been the only one able to say, Yeah, I went down shooting. But I didn't' ... Asked about claims the military exaggerated danger of the rescue mission: 'Yeah, I don't think it happened quite like that'... "
Drudge Report 11-7-03
I watched Friends tonight. The actors are now chewing on the scenery. Can none of the members of the cast put their artistic integrity before their sizable paycheck and realize how bad their show sucks? If this were the first season of Friends it would be cancelled. This show is horrible.
The song that I currently can't get enough of is "What Happened To That Boy" by Baby featuring Clipse. It is featured in the wonderful new Adidas commercial for the TMAC3 basketball shoe. Give it a listen and feel it's power.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Whatever Happened To Quality Programming?
Television is in a horrible state right now. All the networks are so in love with these reality shows that they are truly running out of ideas. The newest reality show involves a beautiful woman and a whole bunch of rather homely looking men. The premise of the show? To see if love is truly blind. What crap.
There used to be a time when Hollywood and New York City were filled with talented writers who came up with brilliant ideas to entertain the masses. Now, we are subjected to crap that wouldn't have won a pilot five years ago. A hit Brit sitcom, Coupling, was brought to these shores in an American version and I could only handle 5 minutes before I switched channels. It was so absolutely stupid that it got cancelled after a few weeks.
There are a few wonderful programs left. All of the flavors of Law & Order are superbly written and there are two of them that I tune into on a regular basis. I love That 70s show although it won't be on much longer. Friends has become the worst show on TV next to Will and Grace. Belching the alphabet is more entertaining than these programs.
The CD that I cannot get enough of is The Strokes Room On Fire. It is nice to see that there is an American band out there that truly sounds different than anyone else out there. Virtually the entire album is one fantastic musical triumph after another. Be sure to check out the gems What Ever Happened?, Automatic Stop, and I Can't Win. May their reign continue.
Television is in a horrible state right now. All the networks are so in love with these reality shows that they are truly running out of ideas. The newest reality show involves a beautiful woman and a whole bunch of rather homely looking men. The premise of the show? To see if love is truly blind. What crap.
There used to be a time when Hollywood and New York City were filled with talented writers who came up with brilliant ideas to entertain the masses. Now, we are subjected to crap that wouldn't have won a pilot five years ago. A hit Brit sitcom, Coupling, was brought to these shores in an American version and I could only handle 5 minutes before I switched channels. It was so absolutely stupid that it got cancelled after a few weeks.
There are a few wonderful programs left. All of the flavors of Law & Order are superbly written and there are two of them that I tune into on a regular basis. I love That 70s show although it won't be on much longer. Friends has become the worst show on TV next to Will and Grace. Belching the alphabet is more entertaining than these programs.
The CD that I cannot get enough of is The Strokes Room On Fire. It is nice to see that there is an American band out there that truly sounds different than anyone else out there. Virtually the entire album is one fantastic musical triumph after another. Be sure to check out the gems What Ever Happened?, Automatic Stop, and I Can't Win. May their reign continue.
Friday, October 24, 2003
Even More Sensationalism On The News
The latest news in the media is Princess Diana's former butler revealing all these secrets about Diana's life, most notably, her predicting exactly how she was going to die 10 months before it happened. Apparently Mr. Burrell has written a book that divulges shocking news like this as well as all sorts of other details of her life that didn't necessarily need to be revealed to the world at large. Will this woman ever find peace?
To add to my previous post I wanted to add some comments that were posted on the CNN website tonight. These are comments regarding Spc. Shoshana Johnson, one of Lynch's fellow prisoners. The Johnson family believes that Lynch has received more benefits than Johnson for similar injuries. They feel Lynch deserves all of them but Johnson does as well. The family has Jesse Jackson helping to represent them to the media.
"Jackson said he believed the Army treated Lynch differently because of the media coverage surrounding her rescue.
"First of all, Jessica Lynch deserves all the treatment that she is getting," Jackson said. "She was a victim of Iraq, and the Army built around her this caricature of American bravado. They said she was shot and stabbed and shot to the last bullet, and she did not say that, and that did not happen. But they sought to use her as a propaganda tool for American bravado."
Lynch was rescued in a nighttime raid by U.S. Special Forces on April 1, and the Pentagon released videotape of the operation.
But the British Broadcasting Corp. and The Associated Press spoke with staff members at the hospital where Lynch was being treated who said there was no Iraqi military presence at the hospital, no resistance and no need to come in with guns blazing.
The Pentagon bristled at such a suggestion, saying U.S. military forces would not undertake such a risky mission unnecessarily."
Well, it certainly does seem that time is revealing all. Doesn't it?
The latest news in the media is Princess Diana's former butler revealing all these secrets about Diana's life, most notably, her predicting exactly how she was going to die 10 months before it happened. Apparently Mr. Burrell has written a book that divulges shocking news like this as well as all sorts of other details of her life that didn't necessarily need to be revealed to the world at large. Will this woman ever find peace?
To add to my previous post I wanted to add some comments that were posted on the CNN website tonight. These are comments regarding Spc. Shoshana Johnson, one of Lynch's fellow prisoners. The Johnson family believes that Lynch has received more benefits than Johnson for similar injuries. They feel Lynch deserves all of them but Johnson does as well. The family has Jesse Jackson helping to represent them to the media.
"Jackson said he believed the Army treated Lynch differently because of the media coverage surrounding her rescue.
"First of all, Jessica Lynch deserves all the treatment that she is getting," Jackson said. "She was a victim of Iraq, and the Army built around her this caricature of American bravado. They said she was shot and stabbed and shot to the last bullet, and she did not say that, and that did not happen. But they sought to use her as a propaganda tool for American bravado."
Lynch was rescued in a nighttime raid by U.S. Special Forces on April 1, and the Pentagon released videotape of the operation.
But the British Broadcasting Corp. and The Associated Press spoke with staff members at the hospital where Lynch was being treated who said there was no Iraqi military presence at the hospital, no resistance and no need to come in with guns blazing.
The Pentagon bristled at such a suggestion, saying U.S. military forces would not undertake such a risky mission unnecessarily."
Well, it certainly does seem that time is revealing all. Doesn't it?
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Dying With Dignity
I have taken far too much time from posting on this blog. So much has changed from my last post that was so many months ago. I have since moved to a new city and worked at a software company and left that job. Now I am doing what I do best - being an unemployed schlub.
The media is once again sensationalizing everything that they can. The biggest news events are Terri Schiavo, Elizabeth Smart, and that girl who got shot up in the Mideast doing her duty in the Mideast, Jessica Lynch.
The Terri Schiavo case bothers me because they won't let this person die. Schiavo is in a vegetative state with spinal fluid where her cerebral cortex used to be. She has been in this state for 13 years and her parents are confident that she can come out of it. That would call for a miracle and everyone knows that outside of the bible they are in short supply. The courts decided that her feeding tube would be removed and almost a week after pulling the tube out so she could die as she wanted, the governor was granted the power to order the tube reinserted. According to Michael Schiavo's attorney, this has probably damaged her internal organs and prolonged her suffering. I say let her die.
I have taken far too much time from posting on this blog. So much has changed from my last post that was so many months ago. I have since moved to a new city and worked at a software company and left that job. Now I am doing what I do best - being an unemployed schlub.
The media is once again sensationalizing everything that they can. The biggest news events are Terri Schiavo, Elizabeth Smart, and that girl who got shot up in the Mideast doing her duty in the Mideast, Jessica Lynch.
The Terri Schiavo case bothers me because they won't let this person die. Schiavo is in a vegetative state with spinal fluid where her cerebral cortex used to be. She has been in this state for 13 years and her parents are confident that she can come out of it. That would call for a miracle and everyone knows that outside of the bible they are in short supply. The courts decided that her feeding tube would be removed and almost a week after pulling the tube out so she could die as she wanted, the governor was granted the power to order the tube reinserted. According to Michael Schiavo's attorney, this has probably damaged her internal organs and prolonged her suffering. I say let her die.
Saturday, March 29, 2003
An Interview & A Love Song
It's funny how someone can go so long without getting any job offers and then all of a sudden, all sorts of companies want you. I received an email yesterday from a recruiter in Tampa. I have a phone interview on Monday morning and I'm really excited. I can quite possibly get a better paying job without ever having worked a single day at my current one. There's also the chance that I might be moving to England providing that I can get a work visa. So many choices.
The current song that I'm listening to is "Inside of Love" by Nada Surf. Great melody and lyrics that reminded me of certain times in my life, when dealing with loneliness and the sometimes maddening futility of relationships. The lyrics "making out with people i hardly know or like/i can’t believe what i do/late at night" and "i can’t find my way in/i try again and again/i’m on the outside of love/always under or above/must be a different view/to be a me with a you" really touched me. Give it a listen.
It's funny how someone can go so long without getting any job offers and then all of a sudden, all sorts of companies want you. I received an email yesterday from a recruiter in Tampa. I have a phone interview on Monday morning and I'm really excited. I can quite possibly get a better paying job without ever having worked a single day at my current one. There's also the chance that I might be moving to England providing that I can get a work visa. So many choices.
The current song that I'm listening to is "Inside of Love" by Nada Surf. Great melody and lyrics that reminded me of certain times in my life, when dealing with loneliness and the sometimes maddening futility of relationships. The lyrics "making out with people i hardly know or like/i can’t believe what i do/late at night" and "i can’t find my way in/i try again and again/i’m on the outside of love/always under or above/must be a different view/to be a me with a you" really touched me. Give it a listen.
Monday, March 24, 2003
Applauding Villains and Other Hollywood Silliness
I watched the Oscars last night and I saw some things that I just had to comment on. It was disappointing that Daniel Day-Lewis didn't win the Best Actor award at first. When Adrian Brody went up there and kissed Halle Berry like that and gave one of the best speeches ever, I was happy. Michael Moore made an ass of himself, in my opinion. I think it is wonderful that people have the freedom of speech in this country but there is still a certain sense of decorum that is needed when attending something like the Oscars.
The other thing I wanted to comment on was the attitude that can be found in Hollywood. It is strange to me that people applauded for the child raping fugitive, Roman Polanski, when he won Best Director and booed the President(the inverse of applauding Michael Moore's shameful speech). It seems that peoples' priorities are a little misplaced.
Miss Texas was robbed tonight in the Miss USA pageant. Boo!!!
I watched the Oscars last night and I saw some things that I just had to comment on. It was disappointing that Daniel Day-Lewis didn't win the Best Actor award at first. When Adrian Brody went up there and kissed Halle Berry like that and gave one of the best speeches ever, I was happy. Michael Moore made an ass of himself, in my opinion. I think it is wonderful that people have the freedom of speech in this country but there is still a certain sense of decorum that is needed when attending something like the Oscars.
The other thing I wanted to comment on was the attitude that can be found in Hollywood. It is strange to me that people applauded for the child raping fugitive, Roman Polanski, when he won Best Director and booed the President(the inverse of applauding Michael Moore's shameful speech). It seems that peoples' priorities are a little misplaced.
Miss Texas was robbed tonight in the Miss USA pageant. Boo!!!
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Cry "Havoc," and Let Slip the Dogs of War
The war is in full swing in Iraq and the body count is rising. So far, the Coalition forces are a greater threat to themselves than the Iraqis, as there are many casualties from helicopter crashes, the 101st's traitor, and other assorted friendly fire than combat fatalities. For all the peaceniks out there who cannot see that this war is the death knell of an evil empire, I would like to give you some famous quotes to ponder. Sic Semper Tyrannis!
"Force and terror accomplish what reason and understanding cannot." -Unknown
"The essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility." -Sir John Fisher
"Only the unborn are innocent." -Josef Stalin
"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." -William Tecumseh Sherman
The war is in full swing in Iraq and the body count is rising. So far, the Coalition forces are a greater threat to themselves than the Iraqis, as there are many casualties from helicopter crashes, the 101st's traitor, and other assorted friendly fire than combat fatalities. For all the peaceniks out there who cannot see that this war is the death knell of an evil empire, I would like to give you some famous quotes to ponder. Sic Semper Tyrannis!
"Force and terror accomplish what reason and understanding cannot." -Unknown
"The essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility." -Sir John Fisher
"Only the unborn are innocent." -Josef Stalin
"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." -William Tecumseh Sherman
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Kudos For A Well Written Song
While surfing the Net, I came across this article on Robbie Williams' soon to be released controversial video. Seeking more information, I ended up visiting his website and discovered a gem of a song called Feel. The lyrics in this song struck a chord with me, as they describe how I feel in the present. The line, "Cause I got too much life/Running through my veins/Going to waste" couldn't help but make me think of my helplessness in a world where being educated and talented is of no use to you whatsoever. Endless days spent searching job postings and sending out resumes, on a fruitless quest of finding justification through employment, have become my existence. Well done, Robbie. Well done, indeed.
While surfing the Net, I came across this article on Robbie Williams' soon to be released controversial video. Seeking more information, I ended up visiting his website and discovered a gem of a song called Feel. The lyrics in this song struck a chord with me, as they describe how I feel in the present. The line, "Cause I got too much life/Running through my veins/Going to waste" couldn't help but make me think of my helplessness in a world where being educated and talented is of no use to you whatsoever. Endless days spent searching job postings and sending out resumes, on a fruitless quest of finding justification through employment, have become my existence. Well done, Robbie. Well done, indeed.
Saturday, March 08, 2003
A Simple Day
Today was a rather good day. I woke up at 6:00 AM and made my way home. Traffic was rather light and it only took me half an hour to get home. Howard Stern wasn't particularly funny this morning. I spent it in the comfort of my home and did not have to deal with any unwanted people. I was finally able to determine why I could not publish to this blog and that was a rather nice victory. I read the news and learned of a mother who drove her three children off of a cliff. The world is truly becoming a sad place. It is now going on three weeks that I have not written a poem. Where has all of my inspiration gone?
The song that I am currently listening to is Get Busy by Sean Paul. Booyakasha!
Today was a rather good day. I woke up at 6:00 AM and made my way home. Traffic was rather light and it only took me half an hour to get home. Howard Stern wasn't particularly funny this morning. I spent it in the comfort of my home and did not have to deal with any unwanted people. I was finally able to determine why I could not publish to this blog and that was a rather nice victory. I read the news and learned of a mother who drove her three children off of a cliff. The world is truly becoming a sad place. It is now going on three weeks that I have not written a poem. Where has all of my inspiration gone?
The song that I am currently listening to is Get Busy by Sean Paul. Booyakasha!
Thursday, March 06, 2003
Going Outside Is Overrated
I have been playing Metal Gear Solid 2 for the past four days almost continuously. It wasn't until today that I was actually able to stop myself in an effort to exercise some sort of self-control; so far I am winning. Newly liberated, I actually took the time to go outside for the first time in just as many days. It didn't have anything to do with the video game, only the fact that I have become a hermit. Until this afternoon, the closest I had come to going outside is when I'd say goodbye to Lucy in the morning.
In an effort to curb my anti-social behavior, I decided that I would actually check the mail today as my magazines should be arriving soon. Going to the bathroom and sitting on your throne just isn't the same experience when you don't have quality reading material. Alas, there were no magazines waiting for me, but there was a bumper crop of moronic people at the mailboxes. I got to see who has the mailbox below mine, a rather attractive blonde girl, who decided that she would read her mail right there while I patiently waited for access to my box. Her male, significant other pointed out that I was waiting and she moved out of my way. Then the guy decided to stand right in front of the garbage can preventing me from being able to dispose of my junk mail. After all these annoyances, the guy tried to strike up a converation with me. Staying inside my apartment seems like the right idea the more I think about it. I can hear my PS2 calling out to me right now.
I have been playing Metal Gear Solid 2 for the past four days almost continuously. It wasn't until today that I was actually able to stop myself in an effort to exercise some sort of self-control; so far I am winning. Newly liberated, I actually took the time to go outside for the first time in just as many days. It didn't have anything to do with the video game, only the fact that I have become a hermit. Until this afternoon, the closest I had come to going outside is when I'd say goodbye to Lucy in the morning.
In an effort to curb my anti-social behavior, I decided that I would actually check the mail today as my magazines should be arriving soon. Going to the bathroom and sitting on your throne just isn't the same experience when you don't have quality reading material. Alas, there were no magazines waiting for me, but there was a bumper crop of moronic people at the mailboxes. I got to see who has the mailbox below mine, a rather attractive blonde girl, who decided that she would read her mail right there while I patiently waited for access to my box. Her male, significant other pointed out that I was waiting and she moved out of my way. Then the guy decided to stand right in front of the garbage can preventing me from being able to dispose of my junk mail. After all these annoyances, the guy tried to strike up a converation with me. Staying inside my apartment seems like the right idea the more I think about it. I can hear my PS2 calling out to me right now.
Sunday, March 02, 2003
Can Rollingstone Suck Any Harder?
Rollingstone has truly become an insignificant publication. This is rather disheartening considering its origins as the premiere music magazine, with truly groundbreaking journalists and stories. It has gone the way of mainstream America, where the majority of the populace are lead to believe that people like Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears are to be considered musical visionaries. It is so sad to see this once great music rag contributing to the dumbing down of America's musical tastes and opinions. This should be the very voice of what is wrong with the music industry of today where most every band sounds the same and manufactured boy/girl bands are apparently what the public wants.
The band that I am currently listening to(they actually play their own instruments) is The Music. I read the review for their recently released eponymous album in the aforementioned publication. Rollingstone gave it two stars and pretty much made it out to be crap. I could not disagree with the magazine more. It was interesting to note the number of readers who not only disagreed but objected to the reviewer's opinion. "Take the Long Road and Walk It" is an amazing song, particularly the non-album original also known as the Fierce Panda version. Rejoice, rejoice! A band that actually sounds different from everything else out there. Expect to hear a lot of good things from this band in the future. The first time I heard them, I was reminded of when I first heard Oasis back in the summer of 1994 on Top of the Pops. They are going to be huge.
Rollingstone has truly become an insignificant publication. This is rather disheartening considering its origins as the premiere music magazine, with truly groundbreaking journalists and stories. It has gone the way of mainstream America, where the majority of the populace are lead to believe that people like Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears are to be considered musical visionaries. It is so sad to see this once great music rag contributing to the dumbing down of America's musical tastes and opinions. This should be the very voice of what is wrong with the music industry of today where most every band sounds the same and manufactured boy/girl bands are apparently what the public wants.
The band that I am currently listening to(they actually play their own instruments) is The Music. I read the review for their recently released eponymous album in the aforementioned publication. Rollingstone gave it two stars and pretty much made it out to be crap. I could not disagree with the magazine more. It was interesting to note the number of readers who not only disagreed but objected to the reviewer's opinion. "Take the Long Road and Walk It" is an amazing song, particularly the non-album original also known as the Fierce Panda version. Rejoice, rejoice! A band that actually sounds different from everything else out there. Expect to hear a lot of good things from this band in the future. The first time I heard them, I was reminded of when I first heard Oasis back in the summer of 1994 on Top of the Pops. They are going to be huge.