…

Chewy wanted to see the pre-Inaugural work so a bunch of us ventured to the Mall after church and lunch.  The walk was nice, the fellowship was nice but it was cold and crowded.  We only made it to about a few hundred feet of the War War II Memorial, facing west towards the Lincoln Memorial to see the free concert.  We had a decent view of several Jumbotrons but so many people were walking through our position it was sometimes hard to see them or even hear what was going on.

Several themes during the event involved history and freedom.  And I think this is the reason why my history of the Presidents is pretty lacking.  I’d have to say 75% of the quotes came from one of the most famous Republicans that most don’t realize he’s a Republican, Abhram Lincoln, with the rest coming FDR, JFK, Reagan (that was a surprise) and Theodore Roosevelt.  I personally liked all the “I witnessed history.” buttons people were wearing.  Mostly because every inauguration is history.  Then there’s the new slogan “Yes We Can” – which leads me to think we couldn’t before, yet I’m pretty sure we could have and those who wanted to did so. 

The parts about freedom I thought were pretty ironic since they were about our freedoms.  Freedom from racism.  Freedom for those in this country.  Freedom this.  Freedom that.  With an extra side of Freedom Fries.  Yet so many of those who voted for Obama and even Obama himself are against the wars in Irag and Afganistan.  How do these two connect?  What most don’t think is about the moral obligation of the United States to help provide similar freedoms that we have to those around this country.  Freedom from cruel and hateful dictators and opressors of the people.  Nope, what we really mean when talking about freedom in the United States, it’s more about freedom from morality, freedom from responsibility, freedom from being informed and wanting to stay ignorant.  Yep that’s the freedom I was hearing about.

They had several entertainers there and folk from Hollywood.  The funniest, at least in my mind, was when Tom Hanks was giving a speech and then they show a shot of the Reflecting Pool while he’s speaking.  I could only think of the scene from Forrest Gump where Forrest starts running off the steps of the Lincoln towards the Reflecting Pool yelling “Jenny!  Jenny!”

Nonetheless, it was interesting.  If anything it seems like people are excited again.  That in itself is probably a good thing.

Ca-ca-ca-COLD!

Season Premiere of BSG …

Gotta Stop Watching …

First I watch the Terps men basketball team blow a 14-point lead to Morgan State.  Then I see them blow a 17-point lead to Miami last night!  Man that sucks!  Terps have no rebounding or inside presence. 

It’s gonna be a long season …

Gotta Stop Watching …

First I watch the Terps men basketball team blow a 14-point lead to Morgan State.  Then I see them blow a 17-point lead to Miami last night!  Man that sucks!  Terps have no rebounding or inside presence. 

It’s gonna be a long season …

Due to The Economic Downturn, The National Zoo Panda’s Have No Food To Eat …

Well not really. 

It’s odd that the zoo’s bamboo isn’t growing.  I heard of stories of where people had to lay concrete down just to kill the stuff.  Therefore, I bet this is actually a plot by some terrorists!  We can’t let the terrorist win!!!!  We must find a new source of bambo for our pandas!

Almost the End of A Great Era …

Only a few more days for President Bush to be this nations acting Commander in Chief.  I’m sure most are rejoicing this fact and it doesn’t really surprise me.  For those 43 supporters we realize the importance of what President Bush has done for this country.  Most people will think of Katrina, high gas prices, or the current economic woes.  However, those were all not because of the President but because of human greed and stupidity and that’s not the Bush’s greed or stupidity (and I do agree he’s had his moments of stupidity).

First off, Bush returned a sense of high morality back to this country.  Something that eight years of Bill Clinton took from this country.  Bush also promoted Christian ideas through his policies and social reform which again something that was lost before him.  The military was a shamble during Clinton’s stint and that has been restored, even if they are over extended.  Though, I’m sure most American’s wish this money was spent at home, Bush has set policies in place to help fight the spread of AIDS in Africa.  Clinton decreased spending on national security which led to 9-11.  Bush has since then put agencies and resources into making this country safer. 

And I think the most important thing that Bush has done is that he’s helped remove the ignorance of this countries elitist attitude that this country has.  Before 9-11 many American’s were just ignorant of what was going on them.  Interested in their own prospering self that the events of the world were blocked by rose colored glasses.  I remember when Katrina hit they were calling it our Tsunami because of the deaths and damage.  How ignorant to compare the two!  (Death toll – Katrina: Less than 2,000 – 2004 Tsunami: More than 250,000)   Yes, the deaths caused by Katrina was tragic but mostly because it most of it could have been prevented IF the folks listened and gotten out of the path instead of wanting to wait it out.  They had enough warning but the local government and the people failed.  Those affected by the 2004 Tsunami had minutes before it struck.  It sickens me to hear arguments that improperly place blame.

As for gas prices, we know it was oil-speculators and the increase in world demand that drove up the cost.  But looking at the historical numbers, gas prices in January 2000 were on average $1.43 a gallon.  Now, in January 2008 the average cost is $1.75 a gallon.  Not too bad for eight years.  Greed caused the massive spikes in the middle.  Oil speculators were driving up the cost and for all the bills to increase domestic search and drilling they were for the most part denied.  Again, the President is blamed for the greed of oil speculators and those extremely “crunchy” folks.

Now the economic pains were are going through.  You realize that it doesn’t pay to be a smart, intelligent person because if you’re greedy and stupid and problems you’re in or cause will get removed.  I think I’ve harped on this one point many times in the recent past.  Yes, greedy Wall Street and those Madoff type dudes are scum but if folks had some common sense and less ignorance a lot of this could have been avoided.

I remember a few years after 9-11 happened people were quoted as saying they wish things were like it was before the attacks.  That they live in a blissful, ignorant world where they are happy in their own sphere where their rose colored glasses filter all that is bad and informative.  If it wasn’t for President Bush, we’d have more ignorant people in the U.S. 

If anything, it’s been a great eight years just because the monkey has opened our eyes to what’s happening in the world. 

JACK is BACK!

First mistake found.  Dude driving in D.C. answers a cellphone without a hands free set.  That’s against the law!  Those who watch saw what happened next.  And that’s why we have these laws … to protect us.    Even said with a bit of sarcasm, I’m all for the current law requiring a hands free set when on a cellphone use while driving.

2008 Year in Review: The Downward Spiral …

Self evaluation is almost always painful.  Yet if one doesn’t do it then how can one make positive change in their life?  Yes, there’s prayer but there is action involved in allowing Christ to change us.  That action is realizing that change is needed and asking for help in that change for the better.  Some of the things that I know I slipped in this year:

• Still got a tongue like a sailor.  Something I’ve been working on since college.  Wasn’t my parents influence but mostly from where I went to elementary school.  It’s just part of my vocabulary so trying to restrain it is usually pretty hard.
• Still impatient. I try to be patient with people.  Sometimes it works but as you can see this past year so many things were irritating me.
• Just not caring anymore.  For somethings, I’ve just given up on.  I just don’t care.  Won’t go into details about what they are but for all the anguish of trying to enact positive change things seemingly got worse.  All that energy and effort to just not caring.  Sorta reminds me of the line from the Mighty Ducks: (Gordon Bombay: You think losing is funny? Les Averman: Well, not at first, but once you get the hang of it.)  It’s now not a matter of principle or trying to enact positive change; now it’s “I just don’t care.”

2008 Year in Review: Pet Peeves …

Really?  Pet Peeves in 2008?  No way.  I’m not even sure if it’s an accurate description since it’s probably more like these are some of the things that really, really irritated me.

• Folks not being courteous – Whether it’s being cutoff while driving or just overall rudeness it seemed like I noticed this moreso this past year.  Are people just losing their manners or is it more a lack of common sense?  I don’t know.  I remember one time when going home from work and it was raining folks were trying to go down the metro.  It wasn’t the fact that they were not walking down the left side as they do in this area but it was how people with umbrellas were holding it in a manner so no one could walk by them.  This made it so those without umbrellas or hoods would just get wet because no one could get down the escalator.  Lack of common sense or just being discourteous?
• Waste of time / inefficiency – This always bothers me.  Especially when I take the time to actually plan and be efficient and utilize the time given to me as best as possible.  I know they say to take it slow and easy.  I’m all for that but please just don’t waste other peoples time.  It sorta ties in with my next peeve …
• Folks who feel they are due/owed something – You’ve seen them.  Maybe they’re called “Princesses” or “high-maintenance” or “uppity” – you know what I’m talking about.  For some reason they expect others to do what they can do for themselves.  For instance, I was at Home Depot looking for some cellular shades for my in-laws house.  I find them but I needed them cut to the proper size.  I notice this other dude there with his daughter and I hear him say that they called for a associate to help them cut some blinds.  I see him.  He see’s me.  We’re both waiting for a minute or so when I see a “Push Button For Associate” stand so I push it.  All in all about 10 minutes pass by before the associate comes by and he walks right past the other guy who’s like “I’m, uh, over here …” since the associate is walking towards me.  The associate turns off the “Push Button For Associate” stand and asks who was first.  I was actually there first but since I heard the guy say he called for someone already I let the associate help him first.  At this point I’m thinking this shouldn’t take that long.  But alas.  The customer is saying how he needs some blinds cut of a particular type of blinds.  Then he’s looking at the associates as if the associate is supposed to find all the shades for the guy.  We were both waiting for more than ten minutes yet he just stood there.  Didn’t even think of finding the blinds on the shelf to have what he wanted ready for the guy to cut.  Nope, apparently he wanted someone else to find them for him.  Lazy?  Inefficient?  Or a superiority complex?  I don’t know.  It did erk me though as I was waiting there with my blinds in hand.