Thursday, January 29, 2009

History Repeating Itself? My Rants on Latest Republican Tomfoolery

I'm a parent (No, I'm not. Mainly, I don't want my potential kids raised around these bumkins here.) who succumbs to my child's whims. I take him grocery shopping and he pitches a fit when he sees a cereal he wants. "No, that has too much sugar," I reply. Immediately, he begins screaming his lungs out. "O.k.," responding to shut him up. This is my analogy for yesterday's House Republicans.

The $819 billion economic stimulus package was passed, but all 188 Republicans voted no. Is this script familiar? Every Republican voted against FDR's Social Security proposal. LBJ's Medicare program received the same result. Both historic periods show Republicans began compromising. This time, I'm not so sure about it, particularly after watching how Republican Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor proposed a completely contradictory stance on the bill.

Cantor and fellow Republicans desperately tried to revise the bill. Minority Leader John Boehner opposed the bill before it was even written. We saw numerous Republicans complain this bill has too much going into infrastructure and road work. They said this probably won't create many jobs. Yesterday, Cantor proposed an alternative measure and said only a small percentage is being allocated to roads and funding. It should be doubled. Contradiction?

Now, I think if the name of our President was still George W. Bush, Republicans would've backed this. Accomplished economists on both philosophical spectrums said there isn't enough being spent on this including Paul Krugman. This is a well-balanced bill that gives tax credits to average Americans despite Republicans complaining about that -- i.e. it should go to financial institutions who reward incompetent executives who were responsible for this mess with bonuses. Consumer spending can only begin when wages are raised and jobs are created. This bill opens the door for both.

Some concessions were made for Republicans, most notably withdrawing $200 million for contraceptives and family planning. How does this stimulate the economy? I've heard average dopes asking this question. Well, it provides resources to agencies severely underfunded, educates would-be-parents on safe sex, and most notably reduces health care costs. Sarah Palin's state is a great example of practicing irresponsible sex. We have all these boner ads out now, and I'm still waiting for the birth control ad. You can have a young man and woman high five each other when she learns she's not pregnant after a drunken one-night stand leaving a bar. Besides, how does a parent explain to a child what Cialis is and does?

Personally, I'm not immune from this Depression. Our company is shut down again next week. This is just a month removed after we were all laid off for two weeks after the week of Christmas. All of us are hard workers and don't deserve to receive that pink slip. I realize conditions might get worse before they get better and we could see this crisis last for several more months.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Rating the acclaimed movies I've seen or plan to see

1. The Reader -- Kate Winslet is amazing in this film. Outstanding script.
2. The Wrestler -- One of the most innovative and visionary directors of our time Darren Arnofsky will deliver another surreal film. I've yet to see it, but I'm confident this will be a great one.
2. Gran Torino -- This is one of Clint Eastwood's greats.
4. Revolutionary Road -- An average film that's regurgitated many classic novels and scripts from the past.

Monday, January 19, 2009

How far we've come and a goofy association

Today, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We're less than 24 hours away from celebrating history by swearing in the first African-American President. I confess I was a little choked up watching and listening those who joined King's Civil Rights Movement. These brave, selfless individuals helped pave the way for a more tolerant society and their contributions are invaluable.

I think President-elect Barack Hussein Obama made profound statement when he said and I'm paraphrasing (hopefully not out of context), This is something our children should take for granted but not those who came before them. I've watched and listened to the widow of Ralph David Abernathy and South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn who reiterated we still have work to do. Clyburn said we're imperfect, but we can strive to make this a more perfect Union.

Those of us who didn't live through the years leading up to 1965 can really grasp how divided we were. Imagine having firehoses spraying you down with such force you're knocked off your feet, gnarly dogs biting you, forced to use poor, unkempt facilities, and treated with disrespect and condescension. It's only been a little more than 40 years and look how far we've come. This has me believing that America is a place where dreams and possibilities are endless.

Connection to the most hilarious movie I've seen this year

I watched a very corny horror movie on FearNet a few days ago, Christmas Evil (or also known as You Better Watch Out). This film portrays a man who has an epiphany about a dream he had when he was six-years-old. As his life moves into a downward spiral, he regresses into his childhood fantasy of believing Santa Claus can bring good riddance to those good and extreme measures for those who are bad.

It was hilarious watching his actions. He would wake up in a Santa suit, turn on a popular Christmas tune, and begin to mimic all the actions he had seen and read through mythology Santa does. He also spies on his neighbors. One young boy he catches looking at a Penthouse magazine he places in the bad book lists: "Picks his nose," "Poor body hygiene," and "Has impure thoughts." After watching this film, I decided for some strange reason to look it up on Wikepedia. It turns out the starring character is the father of Fiona Apple. Immediately, I thought about one of my favorite swanky tunes and first album of hers.

Personally, Apple was unfairly treated by music snobs, particularly those at Spin magazine. She truly was a prodigy who released a beautiful debut album filled with roots in jazz and pop. This song has now been stuck in my head for a few days. I've also highly respected her love for poetry, which I was heavily involved in when this album was released. Her lyrics complement some brilliant compositions. I'm deciding to let this song out for all to hear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVpHFLF2gNY

Thursday, January 15, 2009

America will give President Bush the proverbial middle finger tonight

President Bush delivers his farewell address to a nation tonight that has suffered what seemingly is irreparable damage -- an economy that is teetering toward Depression territory, Iraq occupation, broken health care system, sour international relations, Guantanamo Bay (or as fat ass Rush Bimbaugh has called it, Club Gitmo), Abu Ghraib, torture that has led to several potential terrorists' release due to inadmissable evidence from their shattered mental state, and escalating violence in the Middle East. But, as President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have said, it's the "angry left" who perpetuated these problems, right? Sean Penn calling for this administration to be in "fucking jail" -- oh, he's responsible for our financial meltdown. Susan Sarandon speaking out over our reckless environmental practices -- she's responsible for this administration's stubborn, nepotistic, and incompetent behaviors. That is, if you believe the administration's cheerleading pundits over at Fox Noise who occasionally join the rest of us out of Fairyland. President-elect Barack Obama, in my opinion, faces unprecedented challenges that will take years to fix.

I'm highly steamed about all these problems. Firsthand, I work in the manufacturing industry and naturally, it's tanking. One of my hopes is rebuilding a strong middle class. The more people feel empowered, the less likely crimes and apathy will occur. By the way, how were conditions during the Clinton years? People who still resent him for his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky might want to redirect their thinking on Clinton's overall effectiveness. Our country is served best with policy geeks like Clinton and Obama opposed to a President who will spend time during press conferences talking about clearing brush and catching bass back on his ranch in Crawford, TX.

What really has also struck my ire is Sarah Palin's blame-everyone-but-me attitude she has recently taken in a few interviews. She even went as far as saying bloggers contributed to negative views of her and the campaign. Well, that's flattering, but I think when you present all style and no substance, you've dug up your own hole. She is the poster child for the Republican Party over these last eight years.

You'll hear tonight how much the President enjoyed working with his appointees (many who are fellow frauds), waking up to new challenges each day, facing criticisms that Obama will receive, and helping to secure America's strength and resolve in the world i.e. mentioning we haven't been attacked again since 9/11 despite it happening on his watch. Those are all great sentimental statements that obviously come from a self-delusional, mental midget. He might also play the blame game again. Bottom line, we should remember that we lived in a time when we had the worst President in our history serving us.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

I was that guy in Marley & Me and who will win tonight's big game?

Marley & Me is a great reflection of a couple coping with a rambunctious labrador. It presents a very light-hearted tone with plenty of comical moments. Owen Wilson plays a newspaper reporter turned columnist. There's one scene that caught my attention. Wilson is having a piece reviewed by his editor. The editor has that stern look on his face, while perusing through it. This was no different from the tension I used to have. Wilson began saying he could've written it differently.

I was a reporter for vastly smaller newspapers and did a little freelance work. The worst is having your work turned down. It can be dissected into rubbish, and you feel like the biggest idiot on the face of the Earth. There were times I struggled with flow and transitions. For Wilson, he received praise by his editor.

It was hysterical when Wilson had to cover very mundane topics he complained about. One I recalled was zoning laws. Yep. That struck a familiar memory. Hard news reporting sucks most of the time. You're assigned to cover local government meetings where little to no action is taken and expected to take away something remotely interesting from them. I wish I had to do it all over again where I would've started at a larger newspaper and work my way into a full-time reporter. Hell, reporting on a gas leak downtown would've been more interesting than many stories I had to cover. Showing I have a personality which many reporters lack, I would've loved to become a columnist. There needs to be a more humanistic approach to reporting. This is why you're seeing their circulations going down the tubes due to modern technology -- 24 hour cable news, internet, blogs, etc.

Overall, I enjoyed this film and recommend it. It has heart. Many perceive Marley is the center of attention, but there's a lot more that goes on in this.

National Title Game

My best friend and I leaned towards Oklahoma at the beginning of the season to win the National Championship. Now, the majority of the country believes Florida will win and rightfully so. They have a more dynamic offense and present a lot of speed on both sides of the ball. However, I feel Oklahoma will prevail with persistent pressure on the edges and pressure former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow into making some uncharacteristic mistakes.

Go Sooners and Big 12. I'm sick of hearing my friends talk like the South is the end all be all of football. I realize Texas, Florida, and Georgia produce great talent, but Nebraska and its surrounding areas prove they can play just as well if not better. I'm hoping this is the case tonight.

Great NFL playoff games are on tap this weekend as well. Enjoy it now football fans. We're coming to the end once again.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Endless Roads

That familiar gusty wind smacked my face as my dad and I walked out of Omaha, Nebraska's Eppley Airport. It was this same wind that greeted me when I walked to school, played football on flat fields with friends from school, atop a hill with three tennis courts where I hit more than a thousand strokes, and the cold accompanying it that fights my lungs. Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, "A good traveler is one who has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." My dad should've been given a sword, sheep skin, and a horse for his rogue behavior. He rushed to the rental car area, while I lagged behind puffing on a much needed cigarette.

The scenery separates this great land from others I've lived or travelled in. Small blankets of snow covered the prairie fields. Alfalfa grass is near the highway. Rows of wheat and corn fields have been cut with the finest precision for the harvest season has ended. The roadway is flat with an occasional hill that complements the approaching hills in the prairies before reaching the Sandhills region. As some might see this as monotany, I view it as one of nature's purest last resorts. It's unfettered and controlled by the very few fortunate enough to see its resources provide for countless families.

My nose was filled with congestion. It hit me earlier in the day when we had just stepped onto the train at Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport. Naturally, my dad wanted to wait til we were closest to our destination to stop for taking a piss and buying cold medicine. It was like I was five years old again. "Come on, let's go," he barked. "Stay with me." O.k., Genghis Khan.

We finally stopped at a K-Mart in Grand Island, where several family members once lived there and a few who still do. I bought two Dasani bottle waters and unbeknownst to me, the fucking water was turned to ice. I shook one of the bottles to drain what little water I could get out of it.

My nose still drained like a river upon arriving at my dad's oldest brother's home in a very desolate, remote town of under 200 people. Some of my second cousins were inside running around with blaring voices. One of these distant relatives stood out. I had a chilling conversation with his mother who is the oldest cousin on my dad's side.

Adam has the same enthusiasm for sports and tireless energy I had at his age of 15. His physical features are similar -- braces, tall and scrawny, and short blonde hair. He loves playing basketball, as I did at his age but has a tougher time at it. His mother told me Adam's life is a hellish one, stricken with intense anxiety and thoughts of suicide.

As one of many teachers in our family, I sulked when she told me she hopes Adam just passes all of his classes. Recently, she had to place him on Lexapro. The only signs I saw from my recent family reunion in June '08 and that night was Adam's hurried speech. He talks about Nebraska's football team, basketball, and other topics like someone will interrupt him if he doesn't quickly deliver his musings. After hearing about Adam's problems, I wanted to tell him how I coped; I just didn't care about what anyone thought. Find something creative and stick with it. Be different and question everything. Work on something you truly want to do. I couldn't muster the strength to tell him this.

I sat down with Adam and talked with him. Instead of imposing how I coped with loneliness and bouts of alienation at his age, I mainly listened to what he said. He told me he struggles with his Physical Science class. I responded by giving him advice that he has to continually practice to conquer this subject. "Everything in life has problems where you can find solutions. This is how science is. You'll find the solutions, but you have to keep practicing at it. That's how I got through it." He shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "Yeah." We finished with talking about basketball and some basic fundamentals I told him to use to succeed -- play tough defense by raising your arms straight up to block your opponent's view of a good shot and go for rebounds when the opponent shoots the ball.

The next day, my dad and I visited my grandmother at her care provided home in an apartment-type setting. From our last visit two years ago, I yearned for one thing -- soft serve vanilla ice cream in a cone. I had about three. We approached her room with a "Hillary for President" sticker on her door.

My dad wasted no time showing recent family photos. At one point, she began sobbing. Her younger sister who recently passed away was shown to her. They were separated for years fighting for farm land that my grandfather owned. The dispute arose because their relative, Angelo, an Italian immigrant, settled in Nebraska and first owned the land. Before my great aunt passed away, they made amends. I still believe to this day this is why she might've passed away with peace.

Once again, my grandmother told me how our family first settled in Nebraska with more details I heard for the first time. Angelo was the youngest in his family, so he couldn't inherit the family land in Genoa, Italy. He and his cousin decided to leave. On the night before leaving, they flipped a coin to determine which America they would settle in, North or South. It landed for North, so they settled in New York City. Angelo married but his wife refused to travel West where "she didn't want to be scalped by those damn Indians." Perhaps in an act of determination, Angelo did what he thought he needed to do to survive and eventually prosper. He left her and moved to Nebraska. Since he didn't recognize divorce, like Hemmingway's ex, she didn't get a red cent of his inheritance after his death. This just sounded completely cold-hearted, but Angelo was described as a very loving and caring man.

Concluding this brief vacation, I met up with my better or worse half, Chelsa. She recently moved to Springfield, Missouri with her goober fiancee. He only returns a day or two a month, because he works at an ethanol plant 10 hours away in Indiana. Chelsa told me she's now a grandmother. What? She said this guy's 15-year-old daughter just had a kid. Great. This guy sounds like a winner.

She drove me back to her mother's home where we would watch The Strangers and Wanted. As a fellow horror fan, she enjoyed The Strangers. My kindred rebellious cousin who moved away from Iowa as an exotic dancer and taxi driver told me she is looking for work. I provided her simple advice that she needs to personally visit employers in her area, instead of applying with no face online and hoping someone will return her follow-ups. She shocked me when she received a call from who she said was her girlfriend.

"Yeah, I'm bisexual," she said.

I asked to see a photo from one. Wow. She provided two. One showed this woman's long, flowing brown hair and the other was a photo of well, everything. I began using perverse language to convey what I would do to her lesbian girlfriend. We both chuckled.

Who knows what 2009 will offer? I will think about Adam, my grandmother, and hoping Chelsa does what she does best, performing arts. Each one has lived with struggles and were able to overcome them. I hope Adam finds that one goal he can strive to achieve, grandma will socialize with her neighbors instead of holing up in her room all day, and Chelsa leaves this dope who is two years older than me and doesn't have his shit together. These endless roads are what we travel on. I don't set my sights on one particular destination.