The Learning Curve of a Decade

By Joe Jenkins

“When I am grown to a man’s state I shall be very proud and great. And tell the other girls and boys not to meddle with my toys.”
--Robert Louis Stevenson

Everybody told me it would happen. I just didn’t want to listen. So to my elders that promised me that one day I would wake up and be something resembling an adult, you were right. Feel free to send all “I told you so’s” here.

As the ball was dropping to close out 1999, we all closed our eyes and winced at the possible pain that would result from Y2K. While I was distracted with the lack of explosions, financial crisis, and the marvel of just how many 5 gallon jugs of water and cases of Spaghetti-O’s were needlessly purchased, nobody told me that this would be the precise moment when somebody would stomp on the gas pedal of my life, and leave me just trying to catch up. Now, in what seems like mere moments after I realized that Y2K was a non factor, my teenage angst can’t even be seen in my rear-view mirror and I’m pushing 30. What the hell could I have possibly learned over the course of 10 years that seems more like 10 seconds?

Let’s see here…

World/News/Politics

*I learned—within the first few seconds of this decade—that I shouldn’t over react to every potential scare that the media brings to our attention. Sometimes what we perceive to be the big problem really isn’t that big of a deal. At least fear mongers got to dust off their cold war bomb shelters! Thanks Y2K!

*I learned that it doesn’t necessarily matter how many people vote for a guy to be President of the United States, it matters more where they vote for him…

*I learned that one fateful day in September can stand as a reminder that our day-to-day safety is a luxury not to be taken for granted. I learned that there are much better people than me out there that are willing to sacrifice themselves for a greater good. I learned that it is less important to wonder “Who could do such a thing?” than it is to be aware that there are people who simply will. I learned just how quickly we can set aside our differences when we really want to. I then learned how quickly we can forget about all of that and return to a life of arguing about the chasm that stands between two relatively similar political views.

*I learned that starting wars is pretty easy. I learned that claiming that the Mission was accomplished is pretty easy, too. I’m now very sadly aware that the ability to end a war is much harder than we were lead to believe.

*We learned that William Mark Felt was “Deep Throat.” Turns out he was just as flawed as you and I and not the superhero I had made him out to be. He came clean as his health was fading in hopes to spin a few dollars for his family out of some book deals. I guess sometimes the perceived truth we spend time pursuing can be a lot more romantic than the unfiltered reality.

*I learned that there are enough people in this country that are open minded enough to listen to what a man is saying, and elect him to the highest office, regardless of his race.

Pop culture/Entertainment

*I learned that I can use reality TV stars and Lindsay Lohan as a barometer for just how normal I really am. The fewer parallels I can draw between myself and anyone that refers to himself as “The Situation,” the better.

*I learned that for every Ted Bundy that nobody expected to be a killer, there’s a Phil Spector, where everyone should’ve known it just by looking at the guy.

*I’ve learned that there’s an app for that…and by “that,” I mean everything. If you need an app to evaluate your dietary needs based on the odor of your flatulence, I’m pretty sure there’s an app for that. If there’s not, I have friends that have established a definite need. For the good of mankind, we need to get this lined up.

*I’ve learned that no man can come out of a break up stronger than Justin Timberlake. JT bailed on Britney; showed Janet Jackson’s Boobie; showed us he’s a pretty good actor; made his solo music good enough to make us forget about N’Sync; and joined the ranks the pantheon of “Legendary SNL hosts” along with Alec Baldwin, John Goodman, and Christopher Walken. Oh yeah, and his list of post-Britney women reads like a “women we’d all wish could do Playboy but probably never will” list. I am now convinced that if JT went swimming in a 50 year old septic tank, Calvin Klein would try to bottle the smell for his latest fragrance. That’s the kind of pull this guy has now.

*FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. have changed the way we view the world. Celebrities, politicians, athletes and standard issue private citizens no longer need journalists or newspapers to convey their message. As a result, we no longer care that our news is “correct” or “accurate,” just that it is the latest information. It is beyond my abilities to properly describe the impact that this will continue to have on our country and the world.

*I watched as “LOL” ceased to be an abbreviation, and became punctuation. It has now attained comma or period-like status. I’m still learning how disheartening this is for me…

*I learned that paying for commercial free radio is worth every penny.

*I learned that a pothead screaming things like “Charlie Murphy!” and muppets teaching kids about STDs can make you laugh so hard you’ll shoot Easy-Mac out of your nose.

*I learned that when people responsible for so many of the sights, songs, sounds and quotes of your youth die (Michael Jackson, John Hughes, etc.), you get a little bit older whether you like it or not…

Sports

*Most people learned about Tom Brady… (Some of us knew him from his Michigan days, but let’s not nitpick here…). Most people outside of New England and Michigan now just wish he’d go away.

*I learned that retiring from the NFL doesn’t mean that you’ll actually stop playing.

*I learned that baseball curses are alive in well in 2003. One involving a Billy Goat that is of particular pain for me…
…only to learn the following year that the cure for all of them is to assemble a group of people that very simply don’t care.

*I learned that in order to properly make a movie about Barry Bonds, you’d need to cast Chris Rock for the Pirates years, and Michael Clarke Duncan for the Giants years.

*I learned that it’s only when a consensus dick-head started toppling “sacred” records that baseball started caring about steroids.

*I learned being a world class golfer doesn’t automatically make you a world class human being…I’m still trying to learn if that last part is even any of my business.

*I learned that defense may WIN championships, but it only takes one Rex Grossman to cancel it out.

*I’m beginning to learn that Chicago might really be where quarterbacks go to die. (I’m even factoring in Cutler’s Minnesota performance here. You can’t treat me to one steak dinner and expect me to accept you as my girlfriend…)

*I learned that the days of all the guys getting together “super bowl party-style” on a Saturday night to watch the big pay-per-view fight is now reserved for MMA and not boxing.

*I learned that with the NFL being specifically designed to steer every team toward 8-8, New England, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh are just insanely good.

*I learned that there’s nothing more amazing than to have gone so far only to find myself standing in the exact same place: I spent the last October (okay…November) of the decade the same way I spent the first: Watching those damn Yankees win the World Series.

Personal

*I learned that when you chase your dreams for your whole life, you may not be thrilled with the way they look when you catch them.

*I learned that “one more last drink” at the bar can cost a lot more than $5…

*I learned that getting broken up with is pretty painful…

*I learned that breaking up with someone is significantly worse…

*I learned that it’s not the capacity to drink that diminishes with age; it’s the ability to recover.

*I learned that two people can truly love each other and have completely different definitions of what that really means. As intellectual and heady as I like to be, I still haven’t learned too much about why this is. I have, however, learned that Don Henley was right back in the ‘90’s when he told us that at the heart of the matter lies forgiveness.

*I’m learning as I write this that I have left a lot out. Fill in what you feel I have missed.

*I learned that I can’t ever start completely over—and why would I after all that I’ve learned?

*I’ve learned that the path ahead of me is more uncertain than it has been in years…
and I’ve learned that I can’t wait to see what happens next…

Happy New Year/New Decade everyone.

The Year is Ending. Say I love you... among other things.

by Chris Wright


Another year has come to an end and this is the time that many of us reflect.

Did we get the things done that we wanted to get done? Could we have done more? Did we waste time? Could we have shown more love or spent less time hating someone? Could we have saved more money? Could we have made more money? Did our family and loved ones get the best of us? The worst of us? The least of us? Did we give our employer what they paid us for? Did we let an opportunity slip away? Overall, do we have any regrets about the last 12 months? Well if you do, 2010 offers you a mulligan. (In golf terms, that's a do-over. For those of you who don't understand that word). Yes. A Do-over.

Reflect on those that past away in 2009. They get to do it in the hereafter. So do not feel sorry for them. Only those that are there know if it is a good or bad place. But YOU get to do it here on Earth. A few things that you can do to get it started. Three basics:

Say 'I love you' more. Some people hold tight these words like it's money. Only giving it out in small portions. Well, let it flow people. It's free. Tell your friends, your family, your co-workers, and everyone that you think deserves it. We all can use a bit more love in our lives. I have friends who I really have little in common with. We think differently politically, morally, ethically, and any other "ally" that you can think of. But I love them to death. They made my 2009 more interesting. To them, I love you.

I love my family. We have so much fun. We laugh. We have fun. We fight. We stress. We chill. But most of all, we love each other. They made my 2009 more interesting. To them, I love you.

To my co-workers. We compete. We drink. We eat (a lot). We congratulate each other. We disagree with one another. We piss off each other. We moan and groan about our job. We celebrate our wins and mope over our losses. But we have so much fun. To them, I love you. They made my 2009 more interesting.

To my extended family that I rarely see or speak with. We check on each other from time to time. Months go by without even a hello or a phone call. We ask others how they're doing. We take for granted that they will be here forever. They provide fun memories; even bad memories. They're part of what makes memories. To them, I love you. They made my 2009 more interesting.

MMM (Make More Money). In these days, people are always talking about how bad the economy is. But many in my circles never even mention the economy. We're buying big-screens, new homes, fabulous toys, cars, boats, and so much more. And if you are not one of these people. Then go and make more money! Do not stand by and watch the parade. BE THE PARADE. There are so many ways to make money. You have a talent, a skill, a hobby. People like you. You have personality. If you have any of these attributes, you can make more money. Network. Sell a widget. Get a better job. Stop holding on to the nothingness that you might have. You deserve more. Your family deserve more. You will be happier. I personally spent a few hundred dollars on some DJ equipment a few years ago and just decided to Make More Money. Yes. I stumbled. I made mistakes, but today, because of the persistence and desire to Make More Money, I'm ok. And I never panic about money, because when it gets low, I know how to MMM.

You can create a business from an existing business; Avon, Pampered Chef, Amway, Mary Kay.

You can create your own business. DJ, Photographer, Videographer, Artist, Yoga Instructor, Massage Therapist, Caterer.

You can sell your knowledge. Poetry, write, sing, advise, consult, console.

For every person out there selling something, there's a thousand waiting to buy it. MMM.

Last. Time. Don't Waste It. I'm not saying don't watch movies or play video games or hangout on facebook everyday (please hangout on facebook, I would miss you). But I'm saying make an agenda and do it! Spend a little time everyday on your dream. Because if you don't, your little friend name Procrastination will spend all of your time on your demise. I don't care if it's an hour, half-hour, or all day. Dedicate time to making those changes in your life that's going to do you some good. Read an article. Make a list. Buy a tool. Talk to an expert. Talk to a friend. Ask a question. Do that extra little thing at work that will get you recognition or get you a promotion. Network. Watch some valuable TV like DIY or History Channel or Discovery or any TV that can teach you something.

Cut your conversations short. Sometimes there is no resolution. There is no right or wrong. There is no winning opinion. But sometimes, it's great to converse and just get your feelings out. But don't spend too much time on it. We can debate national healthcare for an hour, but at the end of the 60 minutes, we will still have the same opinion. So when 15 minutes are up, just say, "I hear ya" and move on.

Make some phone calls and go back to strategy one. Call family and friends and see how they're doing. We never have time for that. Send an email, a text, something is an improvement to what you might be doing. All in all. Use time to make our lives more fulfilling. There is only 24 hours in a day. Sleep less and live more.

Happy New Year everyone. Mine will be.

Jersey Shore and the Hip Hop Effect

By Chris Wright

Art imitates life... And some people don't like it.

The subject is MTV's Jersey Shore. A reality show about a group of 20 something buffed and sexy Italians partying, sexing, and fist pumping in Seaside Heights, NJ. These kids act out all of the stereotypes that many Italian-Americans are not so proud of. Some of them sound like Stallone. They interact with colorful characters named Vito, Vinny, Tony, Michael and of course the usual Joey. They wear tight shirts which accents their biceps. They have slick dark hair with the best gel that money can buy. Many of the girls look and act like Adrieonna on the Sopranos; popping chewing gum while at the same time dropping F-bombs in tiger striped tights.

Now of course, older proud Italian-Americans and anti-defamation groups and lawmakers are coming out of the woodwork demanding that MTV remove the show from the air. Mostly because it airs Italian-Americans in a bad light. And more importantly, might taint the youth who want to emulate the characters in the show.

It is so stupid! Then need to just STFU! You know what that means.

As a black man (I prefer that label over African-American, thank you) my life and being has been greatly affected by the hip-hop generation; both good and bad. Hip Hop has dominated American culture ever since The Sugarhill Gang told us to bang bang boogie and up jump the boogie in Rapper's Delight. Clothes got looser. An new lexicon was created with words like fresh, dope, chill and even now common words used by even the most intellectual Americans like "dissed". Hip hop is in everything we watch today from alter-egos to name changes. There were no Ochocincos in the NFL in he 70s or Answers in the NBA. You didn't see people with Grillz on the sidelines. Even the 85 Bears did the Super Bowl Shuffle.

While many Americans have enjoyed the lighter side of hip hop and have enjoyed the glee that it has bestowed upon our society, many black people have suffered from the negative side of hip hop which brings stereotypes, negative perception, decreased expectations, and quite simply racist views of Black people in general. I've been told "You're not really Black", "you talk like a white guy", "you dress like a white man", "you date white women, you must wanna be white", "you have a white job", "you're ashamed of being black", "why are putting a brother down", "you need to look out for a brother", "oh, i didn't know you listened to hip hop", "who's that? alanis morrisette? why you listening to her", "you're going to a green day concert?", and many more extremely offensive questions and phrases that aren't meant to harm. It's just how people have perceived black people since Hip Hop has dominated our society. People also say things like, "he speaks so well" or "i was surprised at how eloquent he spoke". In my business, I speak to customers by phone, then set up appointments. When they see me, I sense the surprise in their eyes and demeanor that I'm Black. I'm never offended, only amused.

But don't let the smooth taste fool you. I am hip hop. Every part of me. And I can slip in and out of it with the grace of a Chinese acrobat. Because of who I choose to be, the career I have, the interest that I have, and mostly the fact that I have children, commands that I behave in a responsible adult manner and not be Hip Hop.

What does this have to do with MTV's Jersey Shore? The fact is, these young people exist. As much as lawmakers and Italian Anti-defamation groups may want them to disappear, they are very real! I know them. I grew up in Philadelphia. South Philly is a prime locale for Italian-American residents. The community is well-known for the Mafia, Italian restaurants, and fist-pumping Italians. It's no mistake that Sylvester Stallone chose Philadelphia when creating Rocky. And Rocky Balboa, a fictional character is more synonymous with Philly and Jersey Shore Italians than Mario Lanza. Does this mean that ALL Italians are this way? Because you might meet an Italian that doesn't say 'YO", does that make him less Italian? If he doesn't have his hair gelled up like whoa, does that make him less Italian? Some Italians have made millions of dollars being "urban italian" like Robert DeNiro. Then there are others who you would never know they were Italian if they did not have a vowel at the end of their name.

MTVs Jersey Shore does not define Italians. It only shows you a group of young Italians at the Jersey Shore! We should embrace that and enjoy the entertainment for which it is created for. I love the Italian American culture, even down to the colorful derogatory names that they use for Black people. I'm never offended because they're so good! Who could make up names like egg plant, mulignan, and mooley. And who can make the "C" word sound like a fine Italian cuisine with a word like pucchiacha. Only the "urban italian".

Like hip hop has allowed the art of so many thugs in American homes and on young people's walls like Jay-Z, Nas, The Wu-Tang Clan, and Old Dirty Bastard when ordinarily one wouldn't even allow these types on their front door step; we too have accepted Tony, Big Pussy, and Don Corleone into our lives and into our homes. Doesn't it make it easier when your son or daughter brings home a friend that might be different? And because Casey might bring his friend Rasheem home from school and Rasheem has on baggy Rocawear jeans and cornrows in his hair, you might not be so quick to put your valuables away, just as little Rasheem says, "Hi Mrs. Potter, thank you for allowing me into your beautiful home".

One more thing that should be understood. Young people have dreams and aspirations to be in acting and entertainment. Justin Timberlake had a desire to be a Hip Hop/R&B singer, but N'Sync was a foot in the door. He did what he had to do. Omar Epps wanted to do more straight roles like the one he does in "House", but he had to play 10 various Hip Hop roles in movies like Juice, Higher Learning, and The Program in order to get his break. Tupac was hardcore in music, but very poetic and a very good actor in movies like Poetic Justice and Gridlocked. And finally, Ice Cube was fucking the police with NWA and now he's entertaining your kids in "Are We There Yet?". Sometimes, these stereotypical roles are a means to an end. We have to let the art breathe because there is something for everyone.

Mike Sorrentino, aka "The Situation" was a male exotic dancer before getting his shot on MTVs Jersey Shore. This according to TMZ. My question for the proud Italians is would you prefer he bounce his banana in a hammock or fist pump on the Jersey Shore?

The BCS and the Soccer System

by Joe Jenkins

The BCS and the Soccer System

Wow…
…and here I am just trying to discuss the Earth-shattering importance of college football…
Writing about the BCS has become a bit of a cliché. It’s been debated, re-debated, bashed, praised, questioned, rumored, tweaked, protested, and potentially brought in front of a court of law on anti-trust charges so many times that it’s all been worn down into two distinct camps: Those that demand a playoff system; and those that claim that the regular season is the playoff and a bracketed playoff system would devalue the regular season.

Sooooo….
Where does this leave us? What’s the point in rehashing something that’s been—well—hashed…repeatedly…to death?

I suppose we have to bring something new to the table.

Look, we all know the BCS supporters are full of crap because their argument is just plain wrong. With every other major sport using some variation on the standard bracketed elimination system, each one stands as a turd in the punch bowl of the BCS argument. This is a lot of turds. Too many turds to ignore. One might say that only one would be too many. Yet every year, we’re stuck staring at the same turdy punch! (Is turdy a word? I’m leaning toward no. But if college football can make up a “playoff system” using only polls and computers, I can make up words like “turdy” to describe it. I might one day be inclined to call it “supercraptastic.” Stay tuned…)

Here’s the bad news:
Because we keep feeding the machine, the BCS probably won’t be going anywhere for a long time. I wrote a few years ago that the only way to really stop the BCS beast was to stop watching it…
…and I actually tried it…

…and by Tuesday of Bowl Week I had achieved Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting levels of withdrawal. Would I have dove into that toilet for my football suppository? Hard to tell, but I’m pretty sure there was a moment during the Capital One Bowl where I was caught licking my television screen like someone had just told me that the schnozberries taste like schnozberries. It was my first bowl season with HD. Don’t judge me.

So what does all of this mean?

It means we need to get off this playoff obsession for the time being and work on making the best out of a supercraptastic situation.

The truth is a few changes to the BCS system would make it pretty easy to make most college football pretty satisfied with the outcome. The key isn’t to focus with only working over the top, but also tweaking the bottom. I’ll wait while your mind works through all the potentially dirty possibilities of that last statement…

…Good?

…okay…

We can all agree that the BCS needs a plus one format in which the winners of the top two bowls meet in the BCS championship so we can at least pretend that the whole thing is decided on the field. Let’s be honest, the 2009 season was an absolute anomaly with 5 undefeated teams. A top 4 format works 99 times out of 100.

This isn’t the real problem from the people clamoring at the bottom. As a fan of a non-BCS FBS school, I can tell you that the rallying cry from the bottom up to the middle is one word: “Inclusion,” and I don’t just mean a pity invite to a BCS bowl. Every fan wants to go into the season knowing that their team at least has a chance to one day compete for the BCS/”National Championship.” Right now that doesn’t exist and the travesty that took place with TCU getting paired against Boise State is the glaring proof.

The answer to the inclusion problem lies with a very different sport that goes by the same name roughly 3,000 miles away.

Premier League soccer relegates its bottom feeders to a different league and in turn promotes the top performers from the Football League into its ranks. It, in effect, keeps the league constantly operating at a competitive zenith at all times.

The rules to the soccer system would be simple: Any champion of a non-BCS conference (MAC, MWC, C-USA, Sun Belt, WAC) that wins its bowl game would be issued an invitation to the BCS conference that makes the most geographic sense. They would replace the team with the worst winning percentage over a 3 year average. This not only prevents the new entries from being one and done, it also protects quality teams that throw up a one year stinker due to injuries or the discovery of flip cup and beer pong tournaments.

Picture a college football world in which no conference has a concrete alignment. Imagine a season in which teams like Northwestern and Indiana aren’t just playing out the string with a 2-7 record in November, they’re playing for their Big Ten lives. What would the interest level be in a Baylor vs. Iowa State game in which the loser could potentially spend the next season slumming it in Conference USA?

Better yet, Imagine TCU proving that they are the best team in the country instead of everyone guessing. Under the soccer system, the Horned Frogs would’ve been playing in the Big 12 this year thanks to their conference championship and victory over Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl last year.

The soccer system also allows for stiffer penalties for the teams committing egregious NCAA violations. So the next time USC wants to pay its players or Michigan wants to enforce sweatshop hours on its players to get to the top, they can sleep at night knowing that they will spend the next three years relegated to one of their non-BCS counterparts—a move that would cost a major program millions in television, bowl and advertising revenues. Likewise, a non-BCS school caught committing the same crimes would be ineligible for promotion to the BCS promised land. Who wants to cheat now?

How is it that we have completely ignored this model?

How would this model do anything but add value to the regular season from top to bottom?
Who could possibly hate this system?

How is it that there wasn’t a single freaking doctor in attendance to attend to Creed after Drago turned his skull to pumice in Rocky IV?

Why am I continuing to ask questions when nobody can answer me?

Aside from the complete lack of medical staff on hand for the Creed, Drago fight, the soccer system isn’t a quantum leap from the current BCS structure! It’s not vast sweeping changes that could potentially alter the entire landscape of college football as we know it. Its tweaks! Its subtle changes for the better. It’s parceling out hopes and dreams to teams that currently don’t have it. It’s promoting greater competition at every level of major college football regardless of record or conference standing.

Now… While we’re talking about all the important things…can we touch on getting the Cubs to the World Series?

Welcome Our Feature Writer; Joe Jenkins

As you know, I razzed Joe Jenkins a little in a previous blog about not writing enough. Well not only did it work, but he will be a feature writer here at IWEWIW! I'm so excited.

Joe is a professional journalist and he was a sports columnist for a paper in upstate NY. He's funny, insightful, and brilliant and the best part is, I rarely agree with him. He's my friend and former co-worker and I know a few members of his family. The Jenkins family is a huge sports family and although i've never been invited to thanksgiving dinner at their home, i'm sure that the conversations are colorful. Bears fans, Bills fans, Jets fans, Cubs fans, Pistons fans and God knows what else has provide world-class entertainment.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome, Mr. Joe Jenkins.

A $871 Billion Dollar Change

Oh boy. I don't even know where to start with this one.

The senate passed a Health Care Reform Bill this morning and all is not well in America. Not all Americans have a desire to have health care reform. I have heard several reasons from those that oppose and mostly it's "Who's footing the bill?". I have heard arguments from "what's wrong with what we have now" to "this will cripple our country for years to come". I've heard that the Medicare coffer will be empty in 10 years to we are sacrificing our children's economic future for today's gains.

The last thing that I want to do is to make this a Left vs Right post. That is not my agenda here. But seeing that all Dems voted for and all Republicans voted against leave me no choice. This whole debate is full of testosterone and there is much posturing and flexing of muscle going on at Capitol Hill. But let's for a moment bring it back to our cities, villages, towns, hamlets, and most importantly, the waiting rooms. I had the privilege of working in the pharmaceutical industry for 3 years and witnessed first hand as an observer the need for health care reform. In many respects, I actually worked for an industry that is very instrumental in the decline of health care and actually perpetuates the very issues that calls for reform.

The republicans have not made an argument against "health care reform". Their argument is the cost of health care reform. Which says to me, that they agree that we need it but we just do not have the means to pay for it. I also hear that Americans get sick and can't afford health care and people die, get over it, that's the way of the world. That is not what's being said, but that is what I am hearing. One guy told me yesterday that it would create an air of jealousy because, "na na na na na, my coverage is better than yours". Well are these good reasons to not make change? Why is it that we care so much about the future of America and maintaining the country's wealth for the sake of our children when it comes to social programs. But yet, we hardly sneeze at the proliferation of war or the investment in climate change (which is a blog for another day. I must say that I agree with the Republicans on the whole Global Warming farce).

Much can be said for the abuse of social health care. People can give me examples all day of isolated incidents of medicaid and medicare fraud and demographics that partake in such crimes. But health care reform isn't about the poor and it is not about the wealthy. It is about the middle class; the very group of people that are most times impacted by all bills passed whether it be tax, health care, welfare, or corporate. I say to you Mr. and Mrs. Family-under-$200K-a-year; you want to see your bank account and retirement shrink faster than a penis in cold water, get sick. Become terminally ill; cancer, heart attack, stroke, etc. After co-pays, and medication, and 24 visits per year to the doctor, you will either get a second job, sell your home and move in with your children, or just put a bullet in your head. And what about those insurance companies that say no to pre-existing conditions. Oh, i'm sorry Anthem, this gout does not have a switch to turn on and off. How about the rip off that is COBRA? Have any of you ever used this? And if you did, did you sell your car to afford it?

To the opposition, I know that your soapbox is big and you're shouting from the rooftops that President Obama is an idiot. I hear you. But he made a good point that since President Roosevelt, American presidents have been trying to make this work with multitudes of opposition. If we have been trying to reform health care since 1912 while at the same time trying to appease both sides, it is an exercise in futility. For this same 100 years, we have said no to reform and yes to keeping things status quo. And to this, I say NO! We asked for change when we voted for Barack Obama and it's time to see the change promised. For those of you that oppose the President's actions for change, just sit on the sidelines and watch. That's why bleachers are built.

Remember this. The creed of the Republican is less government. So to ask for sweeping health care reform by government is a no-no. They would much rather health care be a corporate venture with very little or no government intervention. They also want the health care industry to regulate themselves and hope that if crimes are permitted then the justice system will step in. Much like they do in regards to illegal trade and Ponzi schemes. As millions of Americans are screwed in the process, then people meet, talk, make changes, suffer through litigations, and Americans continuously go broke in the process. But ultimately, things stay the same. And the sad part is, we have stood on the side of contentment as long as it did not affect us personally and watch this debacle unfold. See, health care is personal. Very personal. It's a national expense as long as it does not affect us personally or our families. Then when mom is stricken with cancer and the bills are piling up, we will take help from anywhere; government or otherwise. When little brother is infected with HIV, we call everyone to find out how can this treatment be paid for; social service programs, hospitals, etc. It won't matter will it.

This is a change that has aged President Obama in his first year. It is a change worth the stress.

Chris Wright

The Media: From a Tiger's View

This is my first post. This is my first post on the Tiger Woods Drama. I'm doing this one first because I hope to not be writing another post about Tiger in the future and I really want this to be over with. But for those of you who do not know who Tiger Woods is, let me humor you. Bear with me.

His name is Eldrick Tont Woods, nicknamed Tiger by his father. December 30th, he will be 34 years old (Happy Birthday Tiger). He was born in Cypress, California and he is 6 foot 1 inches and a very lean 185 lbs. He attended Stanford University for two years and opted to turn pro in 1996. He's 3rd all-time in wins with 71 and has won 14 majors (4 Masters: The Grand Daddy of them All). Tiger has won over 200 awards worldwide, most recently and most significantly Athlete of the Decade by The Associated Press. Tiger's ethnic background is African-American, Chinese, and Native American. Throw in the sprinkle of Thai and Dutch that he is and he is pretty much the World's Athlete, with heritage almost touching every continent. I will stop here as far as his accomplishments in golf. And now Tiger has added to his life's achievements the title of Adulterer and has tallied up to allegedly 18 mistresses (more than his tally of Majors. One more mistress and he would have had as many mistresses as Jack Nicklaus has Majors). We have all heard various media outlets take on this and here is mine.

When that Cadillac Escalade hit the fire hydrant and the tree and the airbag did not explode, I thought, this is exactly how Tiger's life is and has been. He's invincible and can not be touched. An airbag would not even attempt to punch him in the face. Then, the first officer on the scene said that when he arrived, Tiger was "sleeping". He didn't say unconscious. He said, "sleeping". You have to be mighty relaxed to be sleeping after an accident. Again, I thought, this is Tiger's life. I can do what I want, when I want, catch a nap, the world will be all the same tomorrow, for I am King of the World. Tomorrow I will tell the world my story as I see it and they will believe me and I will prepare for a new golf season and dominate the world and increase my billions with my beautiful Elin on arm and my children Sam and Charlie in tow. We will be viewed and sought after like the Kennedy's.

What Tiger did not realize is this. For as many people that love and adore him, there are just as many people watching and waiting for him to make a mistake. They were patient, like hunters. Calm, cool, knowing. It was just a matter of time. Five years, 15, 20, it didn't matter. It was inevitable. He could NOT be this perfect. That fire hydrant was a like the glacier that ripped through the Unsinkable Titanic. It started out as a minor accident and turned into an event of great proportion. It ripped through his exterior and within hours, mangled and destroyed the interior. Truths, image, endorsements, and integrity fell off his ship like those falling from the Titanic. And like a ship's captain, he attempted to keep everyone calm with his brief statements. "Everything is good ladies and gentlemen. I am Tiger Woods". And this is the era we live in.

The real question is, why didn't he realize this? Why was he so careless? Did he not know that everything that his family built and dedicated to this institution called "Tiger Woods" could be torn apart with the smallest of crinkles? Did this institution become so arrogant even they believed that they were invincible? It took only 3 or 4 years to build this robot called Tiger and about another 15 years or so to perfect. By the time he was 20, he was primed to be America's first Billionaire Athlete. Ladies and gentlemen, it takes one helluva plan to do this. His father Earl was a genius. Likened his son to Ghandi. It reminds me of the Death Star in the movie Star Wars. Perfectly built with one flaw. But it was a very small flaw but if penetrated the Death Star would be destroyed.

My speculation is that mom and dad reins were too tight. They had invested too much into Tiger Inc and they were NOT going to let a few minor temptations like girls ruin it. No chance of teen pregnancy or hanging with the wrong crowd. Tiger Inc would not let these flaws of natural adolescents hinder the greatest machine ever constructed. Girls are a natural weakness of men and takes much discipline and focus to avoid the pitfalls that come with relationships and girls or women. I'm sure that Tiger looked. Hell, he went to Stanford. In California. Do you know how many Miss America contestants went to Stanford? It's no wonder he only did 2 years! A year or two more and he would have a girlfriend god-forbid. I'm sure that Tiger had his college buddies conceal some of the things that he did in college to avoid the eruption of Mt. Earl. All in all, he just could never be a boy. I am not justifying his actions as an adulterer. But parents, telling your son that adultery is bad is not as good as prepping him to do the right thing. Barring him from the very temptations that are a natural attraction is as good as saying, "do it later". Telling your teenager that a boyfriend or a girlfriend is forbidden will most certainly create a closet freak within a few years. One part, to get back at you and the other part is just catching up. If you interview all of the sex addicts in the world, most of them will tell you that relationships were forbidden when they were growing up. The normal bump and grind game that teens play was not experienced. Sneaking kisses at 11 and 12 was a no-no. I believe that this was Tiger. When Earl died, the chastity belt was unlocked and the penis was exposed. In Las Vegas, LA, Paris, Upstate NY, everywhere. Tiger just let it all hang out. It was done with reckless abandonment. And Tiger Inc became vulnerable. The media pounced. And Tiger is pissed.

Should he be? Yes. And this is why. He is being accused of being a fraud. He's not a fraud. He is a human being. He never said that he was perfect. He never projected an image of sovereignty. He never pretended to be better than others. He never made political commentary, racial commentary, or sexist commentary. He was asked by the black community to be an advocate. He said No. I'm more than just black. He's been asked by political parties to endorse. He said my political affiliation is private. He's never criticized or made commentary about others in the entertainment industry. In fact, I've never heard Tiger make comments about anything but golf. Now, there are those in the marketing industry that are paid huge bucks to create perception and image. And this is why you drink Pepsi or Coke. This is why you buy BMW, Ford, or Chevy. This is why you drink Gatorade or smell like Acqua Di Gio. Because a marketing ad man created an image for you to believe in. Tiger didn't do it. The guys on Madison Avenue did it. Tiger is the face. I don't know. Maybe he should have told Tag Hauer or Gillette that he had a weakness for women. Maybe these companies even supplied him with women. Who knows? My point is that we should not hold anyone up this high and expect perfection. And if we do, then make sure that we pray to him or her once a week. Do not blame Tiger for taking the money. It was easy to be the guy that these companies wanted him to be. Earl created the machine that way.

Earl just forgot the girl thing.

Chris Wright