Shut It Down! No Compromise, No Checks.

Shut it down. Shut it down until they get it right. Haven't the people been clear? Keep it up, and we will vote you Republicans right up out of there. Shut it down. So what, you can't take the kiddies to the Lincoln Memorial for a few days? Shut it down. Stop bickering over issues that only represent 12 percent of the total budget. Let's talk about entitlements, and defense. Especially foreign defense. One hundred military bases on foreign lands. 200, 000 U.S. troops. Shut THEM down. At least half of them. Couldn't we use them on the border? Can't we use the money? Can we at least start having a dialogue about it? This is political jockeying. You are wasting the peoples time. Democrats, you have to give up SOMETHING. Just cause you have a democratic President, doesn't mean you can have everything you want. Allow him to broker compromise. Or, shut it down. Don't worry Grandma, you'll still get your S.S.I. check. But you should write your congressman, and ask him about his check. How bout we talk about some of their benefits? Let's cut those.The government needs a public audit. Let the people see where the money goes. Or shut it down. And Obama, you need to be out in front on this. Dependence on foreign oil leads to excess defense spending, in order to protect foreign interest. Its all symbiotic. He and everyone that matters know this. I don't know who, but somebody's pockets are too fat to stand up on this issue. And until we find out who they are, we should JUST SHUT IT DOWN!

And So Legend Of Blake Griffin Begins...

"Blake Griffin jumped over a car!" That's what you will hear in recreational centers and playgrounds across the country today. The legend will grow, and it will be total B.S.. He jumped over the HOOD of a car. That's something that, at least, 145 players in The Association can do. Nothing really special for an athlete at that level. The lie lies in the hype machine that is sports media. For days leading up to the contest, analyst, after analyst marveled at what Griffin "potentially" could do. He was THE media pic. He had the best hype man in dunk contest history, in Kenny Smith, who happens to work for the network broadcasting the event. He had been priming the home viewing audience, the people that vote on the winner, for Griffin, for about two hours prior to the event. And then there was the choir, the car, and the expectations. Everyone WANTED him to jump the car. No one wanted to be disappointed. Than it happened, and everyone went crazy, just like they were supposed to. But, in reality, the presentation was way better than the dunk itself. And, honestly, I wasn't surprised. The Clippers front office, as a whole, would of went into cardiac arrest had he actually tried to jump over the roof of that car. We ARE talking about the Clips, a team with the worst track record EVER concerning #1 draft picks. His agent, and sponsers wouldn't have been happy with him either. And with all the build up, he couldn't afford to miss. He had to do it on the first try. So he played it safe. But a standing ovation from the judges? The crowd reaction? Everyone simply wanted him to be icredible, so in their eyes he was. Hype, and expectation sometimes blurr the actual results. Even Sportcenter led with "Griffin jumps over car", misleading at best. But, the thing is, HE was the story THEY wanted, and the player THEY hyped. So, I guess they are going to spin it the THEIR way. And so the legend begins.

They Shoot, They Miss: The Robbery of Reggie Miller

The Basketball Hall of Fame has long been, for me the hardest to figure out. What criteria do they use? I throw up my hands when some small town high school coach is a finalist. I shake my head at the fact Dennis Rodman, with his five rings, DPOY's, and handful of rebounding titles doesnt even get a mention, because he was..er.."different". But this latest farce makes me want to head butt my PC. You mean to tell me, Mr. Pacer, Reggie Miller isn't even a first ballot FINALIST? Really? Do they watch the games? WHO votes? I need names, socials, and picture ID's. Only 14 players in NBA history have scored more points. His name is on the deed to "Mecca of Basketball", MSG. Or, at least it should be. Behind MJ, was there a better shooting guard in the 90's? I mean seriously. When you were on the playground, from '90-'98, and you shot a three, who's name did you yell? "Reggie"! Well, I guess a few white guys still yelled, "Bird", but I digress. The point is, his impact was enormous. He used the the three point shot as a weapon more effectively than ANYONE in NBA history. Not to mention, the many, many defining playoff moments he had. Ask Spike Lee. This isn't a snub. This is a John Starks slap in the face! (Y'all know that was too weak to be a punch) The question I have is why? East coast bias? He played in the "birth place" of basketball Indianna, and had his best moments in the Big Apple, so that doesn't compute. Lack of a ring? That is weak. HOF induction shouldn't be a team honor. Barkley? Whatever the reason, Reggie Miller's omission from the Hall, diminishes its luster. And SOMEONE should be ashamed of themselves. So, in protest, I will hince forth refer to the Basketball Hall of Fame, as the Hall of Farce. That is all.

Gangs, Politics, and Socialism in America

First, let me state that I hate partisanship. I think it is the number one thing hindering the growth of our country. I am not a Democrat, or a Republican. I've been in a gang, so I know gang banging when I see it. I know how it limits individuality. Gangs frown on independent thinking, much like political parties. A gang is defined as "a group of people with compatible tastes or mutual interests who gather together for social reasons". Sound familiar?Furthermore, I refuse to have my opinions or beliefs represented by a group. This is a totally illogical concept that undermines the very principles democracy was built on. Beliefs are fluid, they change as we change, through life experience.That being said, the Republicans are really, really, on my nerves right now!Talk about sore losers. Name calling? Are they serious? Why are all these so called "voices of the party" running around calling the President a "socialist"? Why are they misrepresenting not only our President, but also the term itself?For those who don't know, socialism is divided into multiple theories. One theory, democratic socialism is defined as "selective nationalization of key national industries in mixed economies, with private ownership of property and of profit-making business". Social democrats also promote tax-funded welfare programs and regulation of markets.Again, doesn't that sound familiar?We have been a social democracy since at least 1935, when Roosevelt, considered by most to be are greatest president, enacted the Social Security Act. The act, which was amended in 1939, established a number of programs designed to provide aid to various segments of the population. Unemployment compensation and AFDC (changed to TANF, and more commonly referred to as welfare), are two of the programs that still exist today.By any definition, Social Security, welfare, and state funded unemployment compensation are "socialist" programs. Ask the people that benefit from these programs if they think they are a bad idea.Then why do Republicans?Are their no Republicans on unemployment?Do none of their grandmothers get checks in the mail?Well the answer is simple. They don't really disagree with the principles inherent in these programs, or the ones proposed by the current President. These are highly educated people,(I'm assuming), who know that in this socioeconomic climate, the playing field has to be leveled, to a certain extent.What they are doing is deliberately misleading people, not as educated as them, who only associate socialism with the more oppressive doctrines of Communism and Marxism. When they say "socialist", most people hear "fuckin' Commie"! They know We The People fear "isms"!This is a plain, old fashioned, scare tactic. It is despicable and it pisses me off!Isn't this the flag waving party of Lincoln? The self proclaimed peoples party? Well, what could be more unpatriotic than misleading the American people, and slandering the President? A president, by the way, that was actually voted in by the majority of said people. It is a shame that it has really come to this. Even my six year old knows name calling is wrong!I'm just hoping America doesn't fall for the banana in the tail pipe.For some reason I'm not so confident. July 8, 2009 at 6:27pm ·