Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Chris TheScholar Rodgers posted an announcement to the cause Prevent BITCHASSNESS.
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In 2007, the FBI noted that Detroit had the sixth highest number of violent crimes among the twenty-five largest cities. Recently, the crime rate has dropped; however, the types of crimes are changed drastically. I cannot say with true certainty it this can attributed to the having one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, which would falsely categorized most unemployed in the wrong light. John Foster Dulles once said, “Of all the tasks of government, the most basic is to protect its citizens from violence.” But the types of crimes that are committed recently have to arouse concern even in those who are rarely rattled or surprised by anyone.
This week, two teenagers attacked and beat up and 85 year old woman in the parking lot of a store to steal her purse. They gave her a black eye. The elderly are being victimized even in their own homes. Postal workers are being robbed at gunpoint. Utility employees are being accosted while performing their jobs. Individuals are robbing banks, within and outside the city limits. Months ago, students used assault rifles to kill other students near Henry Ford High School. Even in Beverly Hills subdivision, police are looking for a man driving around trying to pick up little boys on their way to school. Now, we gotta worry about our boys getting snatched by strangers too? WTF!!!??? And just last week, a college student was fatally shot while attending class by an admirer. This is the reality of the moral decay in which we live. BITCHASSNESS is one thing, but this takes things to another level. To be honest, these heinous crimes make light of any type of text message scandal or city council blunders.
I speak directly to those of you who are parents, aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters. Isn’t it time for our children, little brothers and sisters to be able to enjoy the same type of social activities that we did in our youth? Shouldn’t they be able to go outside and play or even walk to the store with fear of being a victim of a violent crime? Many people say, “Damn I wonder what going to happen with my social security?” At the rate that our children are killing each other off, need you ask?
Initially, I hated watching the news because it all seemed to depressing. But now I watch it everyday, sometime twice to make sure that I stay abreast of the madness and the pitfalls.
This is not just a note, but a plea to cause. The cause related to stepping up like our parents did and ensure that these get to school safe; a plea to encourage you to stopping looking the other way when you witness something to harmful and fatal to your neighbor. My neighbor called me last week and said, “Hey Chris, I thought I saw someone on your porch. He knocked for a while and left. Were you expecting someone?” That’s what I’m talking about! We gotta look out for one another. Shit, if they break in my house, they can get in ours next door too. If they rob me in my drive way, they can get you too…Hell, you may be next. This is a plea to take some initiative and correct the actions of our children when you see inappropriate behavior or at least say something to the parent(s). I refuse to believe that any parent tells they’re child “Hey good morning, go cuss out a couple of adults, ya know, say “Fuck you a couple of times…shoot somebody if you can, rob somebody else for some snack money and have yo ass at home when I get off work. I love you, baby. And don’t forget to take the trash out.” Parents hope that when they send their children out that they are a true reflection of their home and carry themselves appropriately. We owe it to each other to correct their poor behavior and communicate it to each other. If we don’t support each other, where will we be in twenty years? I fear the answer. A scholar once said, “It takes all kinds of people to make the human race. And everyone fits in their own way.” I ask you, “Where do you fit in…” Preventing BITCHASSNESS was just the first step in correcting ourselves and our communities. Let’s take the next step.
----------------
View Announcement - Invite Friends
Thanks,
The Causes Team
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/207032/53367520?m=6d54c0aa
----------------
In 2007, the FBI noted that Detroit had the sixth highest number of violent crimes among the twenty-five largest cities. Recently, the crime rate has dropped; however, the types of crimes are changed drastically. I cannot say with true certainty it this can attributed to the having one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, which would falsely categorized most unemployed in the wrong light. John Foster Dulles once said, “Of all the tasks of government, the most basic is to protect its citizens from violence.” But the types of crimes that are committed recently have to arouse concern even in those who are rarely rattled or surprised by anyone.
This week, two teenagers attacked and beat up and 85 year old woman in the parking lot of a store to steal her purse. They gave her a black eye. The elderly are being victimized even in their own homes. Postal workers are being robbed at gunpoint. Utility employees are being accosted while performing their jobs. Individuals are robbing banks, within and outside the city limits. Months ago, students used assault rifles to kill other students near Henry Ford High School. Even in Beverly Hills subdivision, police are looking for a man driving around trying to pick up little boys on their way to school. Now, we gotta worry about our boys getting snatched by strangers too? WTF!!!??? And just last week, a college student was fatally shot while attending class by an admirer. This is the reality of the moral decay in which we live. BITCHASSNESS is one thing, but this takes things to another level. To be honest, these heinous crimes make light of any type of text message scandal or city council blunders.
I speak directly to those of you who are parents, aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters. Isn’t it time for our children, little brothers and sisters to be able to enjoy the same type of social activities that we did in our youth? Shouldn’t they be able to go outside and play or even walk to the store with fear of being a victim of a violent crime? Many people say, “Damn I wonder what going to happen with my social security?” At the rate that our children are killing each other off, need you ask?
Initially, I hated watching the news because it all seemed to depressing. But now I watch it everyday, sometime twice to make sure that I stay abreast of the madness and the pitfalls.
This is not just a note, but a plea to cause. The cause related to stepping up like our parents did and ensure that these get to school safe; a plea to encourage you to stopping looking the other way when you witness something to harmful and fatal to your neighbor. My neighbor called me last week and said, “Hey Chris, I thought I saw someone on your porch. He knocked for a while and left. Were you expecting someone?” That’s what I’m talking about! We gotta look out for one another. Shit, if they break in my house, they can get in ours next door too. If they rob me in my drive way, they can get you too…Hell, you may be next. This is a plea to take some initiative and correct the actions of our children when you see inappropriate behavior or at least say something to the parent(s). I refuse to believe that any parent tells they’re child “Hey good morning, go cuss out a couple of adults, ya know, say “Fuck you a couple of times…shoot somebody if you can, rob somebody else for some snack money and have yo ass at home when I get off work. I love you, baby. And don’t forget to take the trash out.” Parents hope that when they send their children out that they are a true reflection of their home and carry themselves appropriately. We owe it to each other to correct their poor behavior and communicate it to each other. If we don’t support each other, where will we be in twenty years? I fear the answer. A scholar once said, “It takes all kinds of people to make the human race. And everyone fits in their own way.” I ask you, “Where do you fit in…” Preventing BITCHASSNESS was just the first step in correcting ourselves and our communities. Let’s take the next step.
----------------
View Announcement - Invite Friends
Thanks,
The Causes Team
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/207032/53367520?m=6d54c0aa
Friday, April 17, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Ed Freeman
Ed Freeman
You're an 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8 - 1, and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you're not getting out. Your family is 1/2 way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.
Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter, and you look up to see an un-armed Huey, but it doesn't seem real, because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.
Ed Freeman is coming for you. He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come.
He's coming anyway.
And he drops it in, and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 2 or 3 of you on board.
Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire, to the Doctors and Nurses.
And, he kept coming back.... 13 more times..... And took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out.
Medal of Honor Recipient, Ed Freeman,died last August 21, 2008 at the age of 80, in Boise , ID ......May God rest his soul.....
I bet you didn't hear about this hero's
passing, but we sure were told a whole
bunch about some Hip-Hop Coward
beating the crap out of his "girlfriend
Medal of Honor Winner
Ed Freeman!
Shame on the American Media
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
March for the babies
Please join me in supporting March of Dimes March for Babies
From: Heather Breeden (peddyva@marchforbabies.org)
Dear Carol,
I am very excited to be a part of March for Babies, please support my participation by making a donation.
Why March for Babies? Because the March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will help:
- support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects
- educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby
- provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care
- push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children
Won't you please help me in this worthy cause? Contributing to my walk online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.
My personal web page address for donations is ...
http://www.marchforbabies.org/HBreeden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P_dFD0J47I
From: Heather Breeden (peddyva@marchforbabies.org)
Dear Carol,
I am very excited to be a part of March for Babies, please support my participation by making a donation.
Why March for Babies? Because the March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will help:
- support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects
- educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby
- provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care
- push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children
Won't you please help me in this worthy cause? Contributing to my walk online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.
My personal web page address for donations is ...
http://www.marchforbabies.org/HBreeden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P_dFD0J47I
Saturday, April 11, 2009
33%
Here we are roughly a third of the way through 2009. I'll be 50 in October.. yes, 50 (wow!). So, for me that's 1/2 to my goal.. yes, I'm planning on 3 digits (hence, my quest to stay healthy and take care of my body). Time is FLYING by!
Work is a drag with all the budget cuts and questions about whether the program will be cut or not. More importantly, what will happen to the population we serve if the carpet is yanked from under them. On the flip side, it has made me realize how important it is to get the ball rollin' on my vision of an all encompassing education program for children. Still working on the mission statement because I realize that with that right, all else will fall into place.
I'm so glad the weather is warming. I just don't function well in the cold / winter. I hate hate hate being cold. I also hate saying hate.
The recent tragic events all over the news makes it hard to keep my mind right. Hearing about these kids being abducted and killed, the murderous rampages here in NC, in NY and elsewhere, and the craziness that seems to dominate the headlines is so overwhelming. I feel so powerless. I know there are so many people aching with loss, desperate for answers they'll never have, and feeling the void left from the senselessness of it all. A prayer is all I know to give.
So what's up for the other 2/3rds of the year? Well, taxes today (eww!). Lord's blessings tomorrow. My goal is to have my mission statement completed by the end of April. Rough draft of step 1 by end of May. Re-evaluate at that time to ascertain the real possibility of this year will see an actual start up.
Court dates through May / June makes for some stress and could derail my timelines, as those actions require full attention as they come to the front burner.
Enough for today.
As always, you comments are welcome.
Happy Easter!
Work is a drag with all the budget cuts and questions about whether the program will be cut or not. More importantly, what will happen to the population we serve if the carpet is yanked from under them. On the flip side, it has made me realize how important it is to get the ball rollin' on my vision of an all encompassing education program for children. Still working on the mission statement because I realize that with that right, all else will fall into place.
I'm so glad the weather is warming. I just don't function well in the cold / winter. I hate hate hate being cold. I also hate saying hate.
The recent tragic events all over the news makes it hard to keep my mind right. Hearing about these kids being abducted and killed, the murderous rampages here in NC, in NY and elsewhere, and the craziness that seems to dominate the headlines is so overwhelming. I feel so powerless. I know there are so many people aching with loss, desperate for answers they'll never have, and feeling the void left from the senselessness of it all. A prayer is all I know to give.
So what's up for the other 2/3rds of the year? Well, taxes today (eww!). Lord's blessings tomorrow. My goal is to have my mission statement completed by the end of April. Rough draft of step 1 by end of May. Re-evaluate at that time to ascertain the real possibility of this year will see an actual start up.
Court dates through May / June makes for some stress and could derail my timelines, as those actions require full attention as they come to the front burner.
Enough for today.
As always, you comments are welcome.
Happy Easter!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Livin' the thug life
DRUG LORD
Such as: Pable Escobar, Manuel Noriega, Frank Lucas, Guy Fisher
List is too long to name all.
Will seduce you into investing / addiction preying on your naiveté.
Will keep you contributing / coming back for more based on your desire to maintain your status / feed your habit.
Will prevent you from asking questions based on perceptions of his/her power.
Has no concern for the damage inflicted on his consumer / investors / buyers.
Has no regard for moral or legal repercussions.
Will likely maintain a large percentage of wealth and status despite a potential prison sentence due to the persistent and pervasive rape of his/her client base over a long period of time.
Will likely get a lesser, if no, prison sentence due to his/her ability to payoff / corrupt the system to their benefit.
Has only remorse to the degree to which he/she got caught.
Has no conscience and/or sociopathic tendencies.
CORPORATE EXECUTIVE
Such as: Madoff, Jeffrey Skilling, Kenneth Lay, AIG execs, Jake DeSantis, Christian Milton, Joseph Cassano. List is too long to name all.
Will seduce you into investing / addiction preying on your naiveté.
Will keep you contributing / coming back for more based on your desire to maintain your status / feed your habit.
Will prevent you from asking questions based on perceptions of his/her power.
Has no concern for the damage inflicted on his consumer / investors / buyers.
Has no regard for moral or legal repercussions.
Will likely maintain a large percentage of wealth and status despite a potential prison sentence due to the persistent and pervasive rape of his/her client base over a long period of time.
Will likely get a lesser, if no, prison sentence due to his/her ability to payoff / corrupt the system to their benefit.
Has only remorse to the degree to which he/she got caught.
Has no conscience and/or sociopathic tendencies.
Drug lords have been preying on the weak, economically depressed, most desperate populations for decades. No one really pays much mind to the populations destroyed by drug lords because, well frankly, our society considers the poor to be more or less, a fact of life and expendable. They have no voice, no advocate, no place in our neighborhoods. Who notices when a homeless crackhead ends up dead in a back alley. Who cares? If he has a family, they've long since faced the inevitable, because there is no help or concern for the drug addicted / mentally ill that plague the bottom tiers of our society. Help or concern, meaning from those that provide funding or assistance to combat these ills.
Corporate executives prey on populations causing them to become weak, economically depressed and desperate. No one really pays much mind to these populations that destroy because, well frankly, our society is to concerned with maintaining our status (keeping up with the Jones's) by whatever means necessary, and willing to turn a blind eye to million dollar bonuses and the rape of resources until our checking account / retirement account is directly impacted. Who notices when corporate execs are vacationing in the islands with celebrity entertainment, private jets, and high dollar hookers? No one, until the price tag for all that bling comes due. Until one person stops the madness and asks a question. Imagine how surprised John McEnroe was when he found out his high dollar art piece was part of a Ponzi scheme. And then the house of cards is blown down and the trickle down effect begins. There is no help or concern for the lawn and pool addicted middle class that fill the middle tiers of our society, but they'll get the legislation and politicians in action to get at least some recovery. I mean, really, should that population be forced to live within their means? Should they be required to sell the Mercedes and SUV and drive a Kia until they get their money right?
I don't have the answers, but I do know that Corporate robbers should be treated the same under the law as drug dealers / drug lords and common thugs. They should be spending a long long time in general population prison and lose their assets. All their assets. If you traffic drugs in your car, you lose your car. The CEO who defrauds bases his entire life style on the money he/she made through that fraud; as such, it should all be confiscated. If he/she ever gets out of prison, he should not be allowed to serve as an executive or consultant where his judgment and values will cause monetary risk to others. He should not be allowed to associate with known corporate executives. I say, a thug is a thug! Just my opinion.
Such as: Pable Escobar, Manuel Noriega, Frank Lucas, Guy Fisher
List is too long to name all.
Will seduce you into investing / addiction preying on your naiveté.
Will keep you contributing / coming back for more based on your desire to maintain your status / feed your habit.
Will prevent you from asking questions based on perceptions of his/her power.
Has no concern for the damage inflicted on his consumer / investors / buyers.
Has no regard for moral or legal repercussions.
Will likely maintain a large percentage of wealth and status despite a potential prison sentence due to the persistent and pervasive rape of his/her client base over a long period of time.
Will likely get a lesser, if no, prison sentence due to his/her ability to payoff / corrupt the system to their benefit.
Has only remorse to the degree to which he/she got caught.
Has no conscience and/or sociopathic tendencies.
CORPORATE EXECUTIVE
Such as: Madoff, Jeffrey Skilling, Kenneth Lay, AIG execs, Jake DeSantis, Christian Milton, Joseph Cassano. List is too long to name all.
Will seduce you into investing / addiction preying on your naiveté.
Will keep you contributing / coming back for more based on your desire to maintain your status / feed your habit.
Will prevent you from asking questions based on perceptions of his/her power.
Has no concern for the damage inflicted on his consumer / investors / buyers.
Has no regard for moral or legal repercussions.
Will likely maintain a large percentage of wealth and status despite a potential prison sentence due to the persistent and pervasive rape of his/her client base over a long period of time.
Will likely get a lesser, if no, prison sentence due to his/her ability to payoff / corrupt the system to their benefit.
Has only remorse to the degree to which he/she got caught.
Has no conscience and/or sociopathic tendencies.
Drug lords have been preying on the weak, economically depressed, most desperate populations for decades. No one really pays much mind to the populations destroyed by drug lords because, well frankly, our society considers the poor to be more or less, a fact of life and expendable. They have no voice, no advocate, no place in our neighborhoods. Who notices when a homeless crackhead ends up dead in a back alley. Who cares? If he has a family, they've long since faced the inevitable, because there is no help or concern for the drug addicted / mentally ill that plague the bottom tiers of our society. Help or concern, meaning from those that provide funding or assistance to combat these ills.
Corporate executives prey on populations causing them to become weak, economically depressed and desperate. No one really pays much mind to these populations that destroy because, well frankly, our society is to concerned with maintaining our status (keeping up with the Jones's) by whatever means necessary, and willing to turn a blind eye to million dollar bonuses and the rape of resources until our checking account / retirement account is directly impacted. Who notices when corporate execs are vacationing in the islands with celebrity entertainment, private jets, and high dollar hookers? No one, until the price tag for all that bling comes due. Until one person stops the madness and asks a question. Imagine how surprised John McEnroe was when he found out his high dollar art piece was part of a Ponzi scheme. And then the house of cards is blown down and the trickle down effect begins. There is no help or concern for the lawn and pool addicted middle class that fill the middle tiers of our society, but they'll get the legislation and politicians in action to get at least some recovery. I mean, really, should that population be forced to live within their means? Should they be required to sell the Mercedes and SUV and drive a Kia until they get their money right?
I don't have the answers, but I do know that Corporate robbers should be treated the same under the law as drug dealers / drug lords and common thugs. They should be spending a long long time in general population prison and lose their assets. All their assets. If you traffic drugs in your car, you lose your car. The CEO who defrauds bases his entire life style on the money he/she made through that fraud; as such, it should all be confiscated. If he/she ever gets out of prison, he should not be allowed to serve as an executive or consultant where his judgment and values will cause monetary risk to others. He should not be allowed to associate with known corporate executives. I say, a thug is a thug! Just my opinion.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
week in review...
So I'm thrilled that they're seizing assets belonging to Madoff, discouraged, disappointed and dismayed that yet another professional athlete has shown extremely poor judgment that, this time, cost somebody their life and destroyed the lives of countless others. I think 10 or 20 dollars extra in my paycheck is pointless, but I believe the economy is making a turn. My heart is sick over the old people that were killed in that rehab home, just sick. I'm wondering what the hell is going on that it seems like a lot of children come up missing this week and likely, things will not end well. I had a really bad and emotional day on the anniversary of my brother's death, but was able to keep myself in check by reminding myself that, first, he's better off than had he lived; second, I feel like he's my own personal guardian angel; and third, I'm so blessed and their are so many people suffering far more than I ever have. It might've been nice to have someone around that I could've talked to that day though. To wind up all the negativity, I hate reading about some state or federal agency that has so corrupted themselves; such as, the prosecutors here in NC that were letting people off of their DUIs and the judges in PA that were convicting kids and throwing them in detention so they could collect kickbacks. Wow! What a drag!
On the other hand, the kids I work with (emotionally / behaviorally troubled teens)had a pretty good week. We were able to see some progress with several of them, where they made good decisions and controlled their behaviors. I can't explain how satisfying it is to see the hard work we do pay off, even if it's just a little bit. My dog has matured enough to be trusted loose in the house for short periods (as opposed to being in her crate while we're gone), and she's been very cute this week. While I was sleeping, she very quietly snuck up on the bed. I guess she didn't think I'd notice, and I didn't for quite a while. I got paid (still have a job) and my bills are paid. The weather is warming, so I just feel better for that. I worked on my mission statement and made some progress and I feel very good about. I'm feeling more motivated and have a more positive outlook on things. Perhaps all the motivational quotes I've been reading on twitter are more effective than I thought. I have also been using them for the 'quotes of the week' at work and the kids seem to have benefited. I joined some online groups that will probably serve to be very good connections and resources going forward on my goals.
All in all, it's been a good week!
On the other hand, the kids I work with (emotionally / behaviorally troubled teens)had a pretty good week. We were able to see some progress with several of them, where they made good decisions and controlled their behaviors. I can't explain how satisfying it is to see the hard work we do pay off, even if it's just a little bit. My dog has matured enough to be trusted loose in the house for short periods (as opposed to being in her crate while we're gone), and she's been very cute this week. While I was sleeping, she very quietly snuck up on the bed. I guess she didn't think I'd notice, and I didn't for quite a while. I got paid (still have a job) and my bills are paid. The weather is warming, so I just feel better for that. I worked on my mission statement and made some progress and I feel very good about. I'm feeling more motivated and have a more positive outlook on things. Perhaps all the motivational quotes I've been reading on twitter are more effective than I thought. I have also been using them for the 'quotes of the week' at work and the kids seem to have benefited. I joined some online groups that will probably serve to be very good connections and resources going forward on my goals.
All in all, it's been a good week!
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