Thoughts On... Sexism & Current Events

There's a show that airs Fridays on HBO called Real Time with Bill Maher. I would say that I watch this show religiously, but then Bill Maher would come to my house and hit me with a large, heavy book. Bill Maher is known for being exceptionally politically aware, not pulling any punches in his commentary, and asking difficult questions to both left AND right-wing party members. The bulk of Mr. Maher's show on HBO is taken up with a panel discussion going over relevant topics for the given week in a wide arena of topics.

In this past Friday's panel discussion, Mr. Maher made a statement that the emerging democracies in the middle eastern Muslim nations won't really take hold until they reassess their attitudes toward women. At which point, panelist Tavis Smiley argued that we (meaning the U.S.) are not free of sexism against women in this country. The debate then went into a question of the degree of sexism and I find myself agreeing more with Bill Maher... up to a point. 

Where the US has succeeded is in taking the gender discrimination out of the system of law. For example, Mr Maher made the point that in the middle eastern nations for a woman to divorce a man she has to take him to court. For a man to divorce a woman, he has to make a statement 3 times. In this country, if you want to get divorced you go to court, man or woman. For the most part, the system treats both sexes the same. So, the bulk of the sexism in this country lies in the hearts and minds of the people. And that's the trick since the system is enabled by the people who work in it. So while our laws may not be sexist, that doesn't mean people won't run into a sexist cop, or politician. And that's where we still have work to do.

But I don't really think we as a country have a right to really comment on what issues the emerging democracies have to tackle in order to succeed. We won our freedom in 1783. That gives us the benefit of being 228 years into a democratic government. A country that's turning to democracy THIS WEEK still should be given some time to iron out the wrinkles, don't you think?

Not to mention that after the U.S. won the Revolutionary War in 1783 (which I'm using since that's when the British Empire gave up all rights to the US in the Treaty of Paris) , it took us 137 YEARS to give women the right to vote (in 1920)! Granted, we did have other issues to cover: Slavery, the Civil War, and WWI; but the point is that re-assessing the legal status of women in this country was not exactly a priority.

The nations of the Middle East are evolving. The ongoing turmoil & protests are proof of that. Yes, they do need to really update their attitudes towards women. But they aren't on a specific time table for that. Give them time to straighten out their own political issues, before asking them to also make massive social changes. Real change always takes time. 

An Insight Into My Mind...

About a week ago, I was at lunch with some of my co-workers when the topic of cartoons came up. We spent our lunch reminiscing about which cartoons we watched, which ones have stood the test of time, and other such nonsense. During the conversation, one my co-workers mentioned a site that you could look up various tv shows and commercials based on the decade it was released. He couldn't remember which one it was, though. I did a quick search and found one site, RetroJunk.com. In looking through the list, I found a show that I had COMPLETELY forgot that I watched: 3-2-1 Contact. 



Now, 3-2-1 Contact was a live action tv show that ran on PBS in the early to mid 80s. The show taught scientific principles and how they were applied in the modern world. It was immensely popular (not that I knew that at the time) and ran for about 7 seasons, though to be completely honest, I didn't watch every single episode of the show. But I do remember a lot. My personal favorites were any segments dealing with computers (obviously) and a kid detective segment called "The Bloodhound Gang". 

After reading up on that show, I found another show that I watched as a kid: Mr. Wizard's World. This one aired on Nickelodeon (back when it was a fledgling network and struggling to make a name for itself) and it's success put Nick on the map. The show starred Don Herbert as Mr. Wizard, a science hobbyist, who would have local kids come over and explore basic concepts of science by performing experiments using stuff found around the house.



By this point, my brain had stepped up to the challenge and kicked out a couple of other shows I watched as a kid: Where In The World is Carmen Sandiego based on the series of computer games. That one's pretty famous and you can look it up on your own, dear readers. The real gem for me was a lesser known program called: Square One TV.

Square 1 is another live action series from PBS which taught math concepts using a wide variety of content including sketch comedy, cartoons, MTV-style music videos, serials, and game shows. My personal favorite segments were "MathNet", where two FBI style agent solve crimes using math Dragnet style; "MathMan", a Pac-Man style video game segment where MathMan could only eat things based on a given math concept (like prime numbers); and the ending magic shows with my favorite magician of all time: Harry Blackstone Jr.



I've always thought of myself as kind of a freak. When it came to school, I was always regarded as one of the smartest kids in my classes, earning me such nicknames as "Walking Dictionary" and "Mr. Professor" by the time I was in sixth grade. But, there wasn't really any proof of above average intelligence in my family. And none of them EVER seemed to be able to gather random information, and link it together like I did. This has always lead me to ask: Why? How come I was able to do this?

I've recently come to the realization that the person you are is MADE, not born. Over the course of my life, I've made decisions about what I wanted to expose myself to, what stimulated me, and what kept my interest. While most kids were out playing, I was watching shows like those above, reading books like Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew. Gathering knowledge, learning about the world around me, and building the type of mind that I have now. I am the way I am because I made myself this way. There were outside influences. For example, I spent a great deal of time alone since both my parents worked and they didn't let me out of the house much, so I watched a lot of tv. But I chose how I let those influences affect me. And those choices started before I even knew what I was doing. It's an interesting insight into who I am. And it all started because of some random cartoon conversation at the lunch table. Awesome, huh?

Anti-Valentine's Day CD 2011

And here we are, dear readers, on possibly the dumbest holiday in the American Pantheon: Valentine's Day. Also known as: National Single's Awareness Day. Today all of us who are single get to be made keenly aware of that fact as the world focuses on a flying toddler in ill-fitting diapers who apparently was deemed worthy to wield a bow and arrow and shoot people!! These are the times, I want to go around and smack the world. 

For those of you who are with me and refuse to join in the cultish viewpoint that is celebrated today, I have created a soothing balm for your woes. The next installment in my Anti-Valentine's Day CD series... I'm going to call it: The Darker Side of Love. Rejoice in your malfunction! Embrace your solitude! For you have freedom, and power and are not a slave to societal convention!! Here is your musical manifesto:

01) Glee Cast - Hate On Me
02) Cee Lo Green - F**k You
03) En Vogue - My Lovin (Never Gonna Get It)
04) Puddle of Mudd - She Hates Me
05) Evanescence - Call Me When You're Sober
06) Theory Of A Deadman - Not Meant To Be
07) Natasha Bedingfield - Single ('06 Mix)
08) Enrique Iglesias - Taking Back My Love (Jody Den Broeder Radio Mix)
09) Whitney Houston - It's Not Right, But It's Okay (Thunderpuss Mix)
10) Kardinal Offishal - Numba 1 (Tide Is High) (AC Beats Moto Blanco Radio Edit)
11) Blu Cantrell - Hit 'Em Up Style
12) Joe (Feat Mystikal) - Stutter (Double Take Remix)
13) Michelle Branch - Are You Happy Now?
14) Boyz II Men - U Know
15) En Vogue - Hold On
16) Maroon 5 - Misery
17) Pink - U & Ur Hand
18) David Guetta - Love Is Gone (Fred Rister & Joachim Garraud Remix)
19) Joss Stone - You Had Me
20) My Darkest Days - Porn Star Dancing (Ft. Ludacris, Chad Kroeger, & Zakk Wylde)

And so, my dear readers, as you listen to these tracks, wash away the sugary coating the world has placed on you this day. And take comfort, for this too shall pass...

Internet Meme-O-Rama: Cycle 3: The Search for Memes

This is the last time I am going to copy off my friend David's blog! For this month... No, I'm serious. I won't copy David's blog for the rest of this week! I promise! I will place my right hand on anything you deem holy and swear that I will not copy David's blog for the rest of today. Why are you still looking at me like that?

It's almost like you don't believe me! Okay, look, I'm being honest here. While you're getting over your trust issues, check out the final set of answers for this deceptively complex psychological analysis of my subconscious mind.

68. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?

Too many to name. No, I'm serious! Don't believe me? Fine. Tell me when you've had enough: Californication, Leverage, House MD, Lie To Me, How I Met Your Mother, Castle, V, Angel, Brimstone, Fringe, Supernatural, CSI, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Quantum Leap, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files, Knight Rider, MacGyver, The A-Team, Brimstone, The Others, Eyes, Nikita, The Vampire Diaries, Everwood, 24, Alias, Heroes, Farscape, Invisible Man, First Wave, Numb3rs... What? Tired already? Told you!

I'm currently geeking out over Criminal Minds, though.

69. WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES?

Play them against each other so they are too busy to bother me.

70. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?

Strawberry

71. DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES?

Of course, how do you expect me to count to 20?

72. DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER IN YOUR ROOM?

Of course, I do! If I had my way, my whole HOUSE would be a computer!! (You'll notice this is a different question from David's list. That's because I went to the ORIGINAL for this list of questions!! Ha ha!!)

73. PLANS FOR TONIGHT?

Cook dinner, eat, watch Criminal Minds!

74. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER?

Silicon Valley! No, wait Atlantis... THE MOON!! Alpha Centauri? Hmm, I can see how this could require some thought.

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?

Don't really care. This is just fun for me!!

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas

77. LAST THING YOU DRANK?

Broth from my soup.

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

My friend, Ellie.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE SEX(ES) YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO?

I notice her soul! The best parts of her personality, the aweso... Okay, let's be honest here. I'm a man. I notice her boobs and butt.

80. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

Read, write, watch television, play video games, debate issues with friends, make out with women..

81. FAVORITE THING TO HATE?

Idiocy!

82. FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR?

I was going to put something funny here, but I figured why start now? My favorite season is Fall. The warmth of summer mitigated by the chill of winter, and without the rain of spring. And all the pretty colors as a bonus.

83. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF CANDY?

My favorite type of Candy is the one with the 3 sizes too small Nurse's outfit. She has this one trick where she can blow out a candle without using... *gets pulled aside* Huh? Oh.. OH!! Um, yeah I don't eat candy. I prefer gum.

84. HAVE YOU EVER REALLY AND TRULY HAD A BEST FRIEND?

Yes.

85. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR?

Black

86. EYE COLOR?

Dark Brown

87. SHOE SIZE?

13-15 W, depending on the style of shoe. And yes, everything they say about big feet is true!

88. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?

Detroit Fried Chicken in Newark, NJ.

89. FAVORITE RESTAURANT?

Outback Steakhouse!

90. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?

Yes!

91. WATCH TV TODAY?
Not yet. But I will.

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?

Halloween!

93. PLAY ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?

Yes, I play trombone and the Baritone Horn. No, NOT baritone SAX, Baritone HORN. Yes, there is a difference. Look it up!!

94. POLITICAL PARTY?

I'm not associated with any political party.

95. KISSES OR HUGS?

I prefer kisses myself. Especially long, lingering ones...

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?

Definitely relationships! There's more chances for manipulation, deceit, and humiliation! You know all the necessities of a long term relationship.

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?

Gas. No worries, I didn't need that soul anymore...

98. WOULD YOU EVER BE A HOUSESPOUSE?

I wouldn't mind having a Sugar Momma..

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?

Right now? Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. I went a year into the future picked myself up a copy and then came back to the present to read it.... Yes, I could have just said none, but that wouldn't be creative!

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE:

Love life? Dude, I fill out internet questionnaires  for fun. I don't have a love life. I couldn't name 5 women who want to be in love with me. Or as the french would say, Qu'est que c'est "love life"?


Thusly, we have concluded the Internet Meme-O-Rama. I thank you for your kind attention and beg of you to comment below. Once again, thank you.. Now, GET OUT!!!! 

Anti-Valentine's Day CD 2009

Once again, it's that time of year where roses triple in cost, candy only comes in pastel colored hearts, and the only color that paper comes in is the red of passion, where people stop walking and float on little puffy pink clouds, and every single song on the radio is talking about you and your lover. It's the season of love which reaches climax on that magical 14th of February in a burst of passion as couples everywhere celebrate their relationships and how wonderful the world is. Yes, that's right, Valentine's Day is almost here. We are closing in on the annual celebration of romantic love.


To be completely honest, I'm all for that. I'm a big fan of love. I've even "liked" it on Facebook! I'm also for taking time to forget your troubles and rejoice in the love you share with that special someone. The issues I have with Valentine's Day stem from a different place. See, V Day is supposed to be a celebration of love, and love is not always a positive thing. Like everything else born of humanity, love has a dual nature and that duality is not being celebrated.

For a day that essentially celebrates the beheading of a priest, Valentine's Day seems to have no room for the pains that come part & parcel with the joys of love. The hurt of unrequited love, the rage of betrayed love, the pain of lost love, the ache of rejected love, or the anger of terminated love. This callous disregard for the other side of love is the core of my hatred for this holiday. There are other issues, but that story is for another post.

To start equalizing this season, I started a series of CDs called my Anti-Valentine's Day CD. I'm currently working on the 2011 edition of this CD, but in the meantime here's the track list for the 2009 edition. For those of you suffering the agonies of love, I hope this helps!

Anti-Valentine's CD 2009

01) Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name
02) Paramore - That's What You Get
03) Amerie - Losing U
04) Marc Anthony - Tragedy
05) Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder
06) Milk Inc. Feat Silvy - I Don't Care
07) Mark Morrisson - Return Of The Mack (AC Beats Remix)
08) Alih Jey - It's Ok (English Club Mix)
09) Rockapella - Blah Blah Blah
10) Vanessa Amorosi - My Problem Is You
11) Safri Duo (Feat Clark Anderson) - Rise (Leave Me Alone)
12) Joi Cardwell - It's Over
13) Michael Jackson - Who Is It?
14) Alanis Morrisette - You Oughta Know
15) Maroon 5 - This Love
16) Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats
17) Weird Al Yankovic - One More Minute
18) Amber & Zelma Davis - No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)

Living On The Fringe...

In my push to catch up with the currently airing episodes of Criminal Minds, I had fallen a little behind on my other shows. Not much, because most were/are on their winter breaks, but some. I'm catching up with the shows, and I just caught up with Fringe. And for all my gushing on the show, I had no idea they could accomplish the impossible!

See, a few posts back, I wrote about my increasing frustration with television shows having the romantic entanglements of their characters take over the storyline of the show. Now, these shows are about people and people fall in or out of love, so romance is going to be involved. That's fine with me. I have no problems with that, so long as it's balanced with the overall story of the show.

In the post linked above, the biggest offender was Bones. But, another offender was Fringe. Starting with the startling revelation that Agent Dunham had feelings for Peter Bishop at the end of Season 2, the developing romance between Dunham and Bishop began taking over a larger portion of the show. Unlike, Bones, it never got to intolerable levels on Fringe, but given that producers of TV watch each other to gauge what's "hot" and trend towards that, it was worrying me.

When I watch a tv show, I always put myself in the universe of that show. So, right now somewhere in this country, Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop (and the rest of the Fringe team) are running around doing what they do, trying to keep my sorry ass from dying in some weirdo experiment related to "The Pattern". So, I watch to see how it's going. When they start focusing on who's hooking up with who, I lose interest because it has no bearing on my life. Catching murderers or serial killers, or stopping the nuclear bomb, that affects me. Two people on the team deciding to "bump uglies" doesn't. That's their business. NOT mine. Until, I saw last Friday's episode of Fringe. That's when they did the impossible...

That's when Fringe made the romance between Peter & Olivia pertinent to my continued existence.

There's been an ongoing storyline this season about Peter and his connection to a machine that has some mysterious purpose. And that purpose is tied to Peter Bishop. For the bulk of this season, they've also focused on Peter's relationship troubles with Olivia, mostly because he was in love with the Olivia from the alternate universe, while thinking that it was the Olivia from THIS one. When the indigenous Olivia returned, their relationship got.... complicated.

In last Friday's episode, they revealed that the machine can destroy either this world or the alternate world depending on how Peter's mind is tuned. So, dear readers, you're probably asking how does Peter's mind get tuned? Well, there's the rub: Peter gets tuned by which Olivia he's in love with.

Nice, right?

And then just to twist the knife a little bit more, they also reveal that Peter still has feelings for the other universe's Olivia! So if Peter gets in that machine right now, we're all going to die! I didn't think it was possible, but now I care about who Peter ends up with. Since the me in the Fringe Universe is going to DIE if Peter picks the wrong one!!

J.J. Abrams, I salute you. You made me care about a romantic relationship between two fictional characters. You have accomplished the impossible. Touche, good sir. Touche.

Internet Meme-O-Rama - Cycle Two: The Meme Strikes Back!

I was sick this weekend, and since I didn't have anything better to do, I decided to continue copying my friend, David's blog, and continue with this really stup.... er.. stupendous, yeah that's right STUPENDOUS questionnaire!! :-)

Oh, and one further note: #36 was pissing me off, so I erased it from existence. I got some heat from the mathematicians, so I brought the number back, but the question is gone forever! Not even David could find it!!  *cue evil genius laugh*

Okay, so, without further ado (what the hell is ado, anyway?), here is part two: The Meme Strikes Back...


34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF YOUR HOME COUNTRY?
 Actually, I have. When I was younger, I went to my family's country of origin: the Dominican Republic. I don't remember much about the trip except for the flying cockroaches. They were fun!!

35. WEAKNESSES?

Weaknesses? Qu'est que c'est "Weaknesses"?

37. FIRST JOB?

My first job... Hmm... Ah, yes. I worked as a landscaper at a cemetary. Cutting grass all day was fun!

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?

That's a negative, ghost writer!

39. DO YOU THINK EVERYONE OUT THERE HAS A SOUL MATE?

This post says all I have to say on that subject. Even if it is badly written, and is in SORE need of updating.

40. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED THIS OUT?

I was working and being a productive member of society. Now? Not so much...

41. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?

Yes, I did. I had my appendix removed. It was one of the scariest moments of my life! My first surgery! I keep my appendix in a nice little jar on my coffee table. It's a great conversation piece!

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?

My hands. Which is kind of ironic, considering I rarely touch people.

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?

Nope. My teeth are fine where they are!

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?

A HUGE dance party! With tons of hot women in skimpy clothes grooving (meaning bouncing and jiggling) to some good music! And lots of presents for me!! And one of those women to spend the night with me!!

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT AND WHAT DO YOU WANT THEIR NAMES TO BE? (OR IF YOU HAVE KIDS, TELL US ABOUT THEM.)

Given my personal history, I don't think it's a good idea for me to reproduce. But if I do inflict my progeny on the world, names that I like are Diana (for Pestilence), Vanessa (for Famine), Lester (For War), and Ezekiel (For Death).

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

I was named after some kid in a McDonalds commercial. My mother says the boy was so cute. Personally, I think my mother was on drugs and didn't tell anyone. It was the late 70s after all!

47. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST TURN OFF OF THE SEX(ES) YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO?

Idiocy. I can't stand idiots!!

48. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LIKED ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

My crew in the Marching Band!

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?

Head & Shoulders. "But, you don't have dandruff!" I know.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

Actually, I do. Especially since it appears to be some kind of code that only I can decipher!! I was thinking about licensing it out to the NSA, but then why add to the U.S. mighty empire?

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Salami!! I loves me some salami!! There's a dirty joke in here... can you think of it?

52. ANY BAD HABITS?

Me? Bad habits? I am PERFECT!! Do you hear me? PERFECT!!

53. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?

Did you not read my last response? What do I have to be jealous of?

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Of course, I'm an interesting, and funny man. And only SLIGHTLY creepy.

55. DO YOU AGREE WITH FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS?

Official Guy Answer: Hell, yeah!!
Honest Truth for me: Not really. The concept works in theory, but in practice.... too many people get hurt.

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?

Honestly? No. I've been with gorgeous women that I couldn't stand to look at because of how stupid they are! It's all about how one feels with the other person.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?

Play video games, sing along to Eminem "It's so empty without ME!!", answer silly internet based questionnaires.

58. WOULD YOU RATHER GAIN 58 POUNDS OR LOSE 58 POUNDS?

I'd rather lose 58 pounds. Plus another couple hundred or so..

59. WHAT'S YOUR MAIN GOAL IN LIFE?

To understand everything.Yes, I know it's impossible. But having an unattainable goal keeps me humble, just look at my response to #52. Trust me, I need humility!

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?

The red car from the M.A.S.K. cartoons!

61. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE?

Um, all of them? 0-9 are all in my cell. That's how I DIAL the numbers, people. Are you even thinking when coming up with these questions?

62. WERE YOU A FAN OF BARNEY AS A LITTLE KID?

I have to thank all that is good and holy that Barney did not exist when I was a kid.

63. DO YOU USE SARCASM?

Me? Use sarcasm? That would be like dogs wanting to bury bones. Please...

64. MASHED POTATOES OR MACARONI AND CHEESE?

BOTH!!!

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A LOVER?

Two important qualities: Intelligence and the willingness to admit to being romantically involved with me.

66. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?

Too many to be listed and none that I'd like to announce to the world.

67. FAVORITE SUPER POWER?

This is easy! Control over the electromagnetic spectrum. With that power, I get so many others, like flight, energy blasts, etc...

Thus ends Cyle Two... Prepare for Cycle Three: Reven.... RETURN of Meme later on...

Catching Up on The B.A.U...

I was sitting at the lunch table with my co-workers one day talking about tv shows. We all go around talking about our favorites. There is a disturbing amount of reality tv discussed and I tune that out. Until one of them mentions a different type of show. One that I had intended on watching when it started, but for some reason, completely forgot about. That show is Criminal Minds.

For those of you that don't know, Criminal Minds is about the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI and their goal of hunting down serial killers. Unlike other police procedurals, this show solely about getting into the mind of the killers. Understanding their delusions, figuring out why they pick the victims they do, how they take their victims, etc..

And this show is excessively addictive! In the past two weeks, I've watched the first 3 seasons, and I STILL can't get enough of the show. And despite what you may think, dear Readers, it's not just about the serial killers. The team itself is also very interesting. My personal favorite team member is the leader, or Unit Chief, Aaron Hotchner. For the first few eps, he comes across as a cold, emotionless bastard. But after a little while, you find out that Hotch isn't without feelings, but he holds them in check so well that it lends him an intensity. And he gets more intense as the series progresses.

I would say this show is like a weekly dose of Silence of The Lambs or Se7en! I still have a couple of seasons to go through to catch up with the currently airing episodes, and I can't wait to see how the show evolves. If you're looking for a show to watch, and are into psychological dramas, check out Criminal Minds! No, I'm serious, this show is different from what I normally watch. There isn't much techno-babble and there's a lot more inter-personal development. Seriously, check CM out! You'll thank me!

Oh, and don't worry about the show disappearing anytime soon, they're starting a spin-off series called Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior in a couple of weeks! I've seen the promos for it and it looks really good!!

Internet Meme-O-Rama - Cycle One

I've been running low on ideas for blog posts for a little while, and so I did what I always do. Look around for inspiration. And, one of my friends,David, came through in the clutch!! Of course, he stole the idea of this post from one of his followers, who in turn stole it from a blog called Sunday Stealing. Still, it's all in good fun.

As I understand this, the list of questions is split into three cycles. This is Cycle One. Just note, some of these questions have been answered in a sarcastic and humorous fashion. You've been warned! Ready? Here we go...


1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
Well, there's the one on my left thumb. Actually, it's a rather boring story. In eighth grade, I fell down the stairs of my school's amphitheater and scraped my hands up pretty good. That scar on my thumb is the last remnant of that event. Told you it was boring...

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
Posters. Of Dragons, and various movies!!

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
I sleep like the dead, so I have no idea. But I've been told that if I sleep in the wrong position, I snore. Take that as you will.

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
I listen to everything. I know everyone says this but it's true. Check out this list of artists from my iTunes playlist at work: Ram Jam, Coolio, Tyrese, Lily Allen, Bloodhound Gang, Hoobstank, Bob Seger, Paulina Rubio, Huey Lewis & The News, Billy Ocean, Jennifer Lopez, Evanescence, Babyface, Leona Lewis, Rihanna, Offspring, Apache Indian, Daft Punk, Golden Earring, Pink, Styx... I think you get the idea..

5. WHAT TIME WERE YOU BORN?
I believe it was sometime around 2 am...

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
Come on, I'm a man, do you really have to ask? Money! Lots and lots of money! Like $100K would be awesome!

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
I miss having intense debates with fellow geeks and nerds!

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
My movies. Yes, my precious movies... my precioussss...

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
I am six feet tall. With afro: 6 and a half feet.

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
Not unless my life is in danger...

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
Only when the lights are on.

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
Denis Leary during his latest comedy special. I was laughing so hard, I was crying!

13. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
Losing what little sanity I have left. At least that's what the Voices tell me!

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON PEOPLE YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO?
I tend to go for dark colors. But I am open to anything.

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF PROPOSING?
See, I'm something of a goofball, so I'll go for whatever she finds romantic.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
Neither. I go for Coke. or Pepsi.

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
Pepperoni. Classic, timeless... awesome.

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Lasagna! Nature's perfect food!

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
Dude, look at the formatting for this blog. Black, duh!

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH? 
No, but I had a teacher named Goldfish!

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED? 
My first girlfriend sent me a card for no other reason than I was a good boyfriend.

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH? 
On a regular, everyday person? Not anymore... See further down for my celebrity crush!

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
No, but wouldn't it be awesome!

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Once again, I'm a guy. My favorite clothing is black and comfortable. End of story.

25. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?
This is a two part question. My favorite Female celebrity is Alyssa Milano. Goofy, gorgeous, and smart! Male celebrity...I'd say David Boreanaz.

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
No, I could never live with an animal that found me an acceptable roommate!

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
Ah, yes. It's a Non-Existent, Non Corporeal Being. They make such great pets!

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
It's my opinion that you can't control falling in love, but if I could, I would. Just because a person is leaving doesn't mean they aren't coming back!

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED?
"A # from 1 2 a 100". People come up with some tougher questions!!

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Brunettes! Not that blondes are excluded, mind. But the way I see it is like this: Blondes may have more fun, but brunettes are more naughty!

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?
"I may not like what you say, but I will defend with my life your right to say it." There is some debate as to who said this quote, but I attribute it to Voltaire..

33. FAVORITE PLACE?
New York City. The place were I was grown... where you can stand out and be anonymous all at the same time. Gotta love the NYC!!!


Thus concludes Cycle One! Prepare for Cycle Two sometime later.....

Thoughts on... The Revision Of History

One of my favorite comedians is Bill Maher. He has a show on HBO called "Real Time with Bill Maher". In the latest ep of the show, he mentions an article about someone releasing a "revised" version of Mark Twain's novels, removing the "N-word" and other politically incorrect terms. Now, I'm someone who enjoys getting things in the form they were originally intended by their creator. I want my books the way the author wrote them at the time they were published, not some revised version. And why in the name of all that's holy, is modern society so fixated on white-washing our history??

Anyone who knows anything about History knows that, at best, History is suspect. After all, the records we have are written by those who survived whatever events they are writing about. And that colors the perspective of what is written as "this is the way it was". Of course, we can't really do anything about it because we only have what was recorded. Plus, the problem gets worse the further back into our historical records we go. And if that wasn't bad enough, now we have to worry about people going back and fixing it to make it more palatable?? And, it's not just this guy revising Mark Twain, it's also the push to digitally remove "offensive" items from movies (cigarettes/cigars from old Bogart films, or the guns from E.T., for example), or revising the Holy Bible to make it more politically correct. What is going on, here?

In an earlier post, I quoted the philosopher George Santayana's statement, "Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This implies that by seeing the mistakes we have made in the past and how or why those mistakes came to pass, we can choose different paths to take and become better. But how are our children to learn anything if we wipe out all evidence of our mistakes? How can we teach future generations about who we are and who we were if any record of our real lives is redacted and/or modified to what is considered pleasant? 

Humanity has a great capacity for self delusion. As a species (let's be honest and admit as individuals, too), we don't want to deal with or even face uncomfortable issues of any kind. And what's worse, we want to hide our children from it. That guy wanting to revise Mark Twain has his heart in the right place, since the books he's revising are banned in a large part of this country because of some of the language in it. We don't want to face the uncomfortable truth that we denigrated an entire race of people in this country because we thought it was right. We don't want our children to see us as the flawed individuals we are or the even more deeply flawed people we were.

But we aren't perfect, and we weren't perfect in the past. The world as it stands now, is a DIRECT result of it. Our fuck ups and their aftermaths, our successes and their consequences, all of that leads to where we stand now. We are responsible for the world as it is now. That is the true lesson of history. And for our children to understand that lesson, they have to see all that we have done. So they can understand where they are and the challenges that they will face. It's the only way they can truly be prepared for their future.

Yet as harsh as this sounds, there is another angle to this. You see, dear readers, we have changed. As a direct result of some of the darkest chapters in our history, we have become better. And, our history, as it stands without revision of any kind, shows that. It shows future generations that we worked on our problems and came up with the best solutions we could. We don't know exactly how our actions will play out for them, but our history shows that we are trying. Why take that away? What is the point in hiding our efforts? Why would we handicap ourselves like that? Why can't we see that in the end, we are only hurting ourselves when we revise our past to suit our present?