Enough is enough

If you are anything like me, you love football. You love the fans, the teams and most importantly the anticipation on Sunday afternoon right before kickoff.

But lately there have been some hiccups.

Let’s take a look back at the long and strenuous negotiations of the at this point last year between the players and the NFL. This battle threatened the entire 2011 season and caused the fans (like me) to become far too familiar with revenue splits and stadium credits. I think I can speak for most NFL fans that when both sides reached an agreement with a mere two weeks before the regular season.

Are you ready for some football, I sure was!

Not so fast…It is that time of year, what I like to refer to is Lockout season. The NHL is locked out and so are the NFL referees, which will surly impact the game experience.

The referees have reached an impasse and their CBA expired at the end of last season and both sides have been in talks since last October.  But talks have broken down and the NFL announced on  earlier in the season that they will be hiring “replacement referees” just in case no agreement is reached before the start of the season.  

Well here we are in beginning of week 3 and still no agreement. That being said, you may all be aware of the final play of the Seahawks and Packers game from Monday night, which was said to be the worst of the worst of the countless bullsh**  calls in just three week of the regular season

The Hail Mary pass was caught, but was believed to be an interception, despite being ruled the winning touchdown.  The play has been creatively named “Fail Mary” and "The Inaccurate Reception." But my favorite is “Seattle Screwjob”

I would be amiss if I did not mention my home team of New England, and the bogus call that was made at the end of the game. Raves kicker, Justin Tucker, made the game winning field goal on Sunday night, or so he thought. What it looked like from my seat, was that it hooked right and went over the uprights. But the refs rule sin a field goal and the Raves won by 2 pts.

In week there, on coach’s challenges, 80% of the ref’s calls were overturned. We saw tha most penalty first down in NFL history and we saw at least one game that was decided by clearly bad calls.

Here is my thing, the NFL’s experiment with these replacement refs is no longer funny or working. Every time I watch a game, I feel like I am in a bad episode of Punk’d.  While there were some laughable calls in the preseason, we are in the regular season now and it’s time to let the big boys do their job.

They simply are not qualified to do their job. It’s like putting a second year med student in the position of doctor, they know the basics, but they are out of their element. This cannot be truer when you consider the report from the Lingerie Football league saying that several of the replacement refs, who are now in the NFL, were fired because they were “incompetent."

But I fell like I have to remind the refs that this  is not an episode of Punk’d. This is a million dollar a year industry and the Mr. Commissioner owes it to the fans to get down business with these refs. The longer they wait the more and more fans they will lose. Who do they think makes up the Million dollar industry?

This is enough, this can’t continue and the fans should not put up with it. We have to take it upon ourselves to say enough is enough and we have absolutely no desire to watch this circus anymore.

Unfortunately, the damage is done! Let’s end this shameful lockout before this season is ruled “bogus”

NFL fans we have officially been Punk’d 

Photo credits to Google images. 

The Undecided.......Really???

The election is a mere 44 days away!!! I can feel the excitement in the air...

But…

There are still 20% of Americans who are still “undecided” on the presidential race. This is considered to be an important group that could decide the outcome of the 2012 election. This group of “independent” voters usually weighs the pros and the cons each candidate carefully before making a decision.

Really? They do?

These, to me, are the least informed, lazy people in the United States. If you cannot tell me who the candidates are than you have to do two things, one, you have to admit you don’t really give a shit and two have your head examined. If you cannot tell the difference between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, you’re not a swing voter, your color blind.

What more information do you need? I live in Massachusetts and I see political ads every commercial cycle that could sway you either way.  I would like the media to stop treating these people like they will be the “deciders”

Here are a few “undecided” celebrity voters: 1. The Octomom, somebody asked her this week if she knew who Mitt Romney was? She responded with, “I have no idea”. That is what we do, put these uneducated individuals, who will most likely not vote on November 6^th,  in the hot seat and make their dull lives a little better. These people are not searching out every last bit of information, they are not looking over policy positions of the candidates, they are simply uneducated. 

I went to school for Political science and do you know what we call these voters “low-information voters” it’s a nicer way of saying political dipshit or as I like to call them, the Republican Party.

But I can’t say the republican are all dumb. In a recent Pew Research study, 40% of Democrats do not know that the Republicans are the conservative party.

Another gem this week is that Kim Kardashian, described herself as a “liberal Republican." There are none of these  people left anymore, but this is the kind of knowledge presented by the undecided voter.

We have all seen, or may I say annoyed, by those political adds on television. They are all made to pander to the “undecided” voter, who, if I could say one thing to the candidates is just not that into you. 

When is being a “no nothings” something to be desired? There are many reasons why I go to the doctors when I have a problem and not to my neighbor.

We should skip all the bull and start targeting the educated. This country des not need any more “undecided” then we already have.  

I still cannot understand the concept. Everybody has political beliefs, If you deny that, then you are an idiot. Oh sorry, I mean “undecided”

Energy drainers...

I say “energy drainers” in reference to the people in our lives that seem to have a perpetual dark cloud over their heads. They seem to have the magical ability to make good news bad. We tend to avoid these people, I did, I worked with a girl like that and everything was an excuse or some bad news, but sometimes we cannot escape them.

They are simply just negative people.

A recent study in neuroscience demonstrates how negative people affect us. “Being exposed to too much complaining can actually make you dumb. Research shows that exposure to 30 minutes or more of negativity – including viewing such material on TV – actually peels away neurons in the brain's hippocampus. That's the part of your brain you need for problem solving." (Minda Zetlin)\

So one of the main results to this is that our exposure to negative or critical people can basically turn our brain to mush.  This has the same effect even if you are passively listening to them.

I try to be a positive person and I tend to attract positive people. But there is always that one person, who has to be negative. I feel that a constant barrage of negativity van prove to be extremely harmful to others in the group and can make you feel negativity as well.

So the next time you are with such person, I would try to be positive, maybe they are having a bad day and they need cheering up. . You might come away a happier person because you have helped out someone else. . And you might even come away a bit smarter or, at the very least, not any dumber.

In the spirit of election season...

In the spirit of this election, which as been a good one thus far, I have decided to make a campaign song. No I will not be singing for 2 reasons. One, I can't and two don't have the time. What I have done here is taken the melody form "All I want for Christmas is you" by Mariah Carey and wrote "All I want this election"
It goes something like this....

Verse 1:
I don't want a lot this election
There is just one guy we need
I don't care about Republicans,
Explaining how to set us free
I just want him for the job
He is my Hawaiian heartthrob
Make my wish come true.....(ooooh)
All I want this election...is....
Barry

Verse 2:
I don't want a lot this election
There is just one thing we need
(and I) Don't care about republicans
"Choosing for us what we need"
I don't need to change my mind
Voting republican is just blind
Mitt Romney wont make me happy
his tax cuts just seem crappy
I just want his for the job

He is my Hawaiian heartthrob
Make my wish come true.....(ooooh)
All I want this election...is....
Barry
You... Barry

Verse 3
I won't ask for much this election
I won't even ask you to vote
(and I) i'm just gonna keep on waiting
Please vote Barry to keep him afloat
I won't make a list and send it
To the house and the Senate
I will even stay awake to
Hear those votes counted real quick
Cuz, I just want him elected that night,
Even though he is not white
What more can I do?

All I want this election...is....
Barry
You... Barry

Verse 4:
Oh, all the democrats ate shining so brightly everywhere, ( So brightly baby)
And the sound of reelection cheers fills the air (oooh)
And everyone will be singing
People wont you bring  us the one we really need
Wont you please bring Barry to Commander and Chief!

Oh, I don't want a lot this election
He is the guy I will vote for
I just want to see my Barry
Standing outside the White house doors
Oh I just want how for the job,
He is my Hawaiian heartthrob,
make my wish come true.....
All I want this election....is...Barry...
You..Barry

Yeah, I know, corny right! I like it though!!

I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick or easy, I never have; you did not elect me to tell you want to what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth

The DNC has officially come to an end.

            President Obama reminded Americans to hold onto hope and look forward. Nothing comes quick and easy in life. Change takes time, and we must have faith that we are on the right course.

Like Lincoln, Obama came into office with one crisis dominating his agenda. But on Thursday night, the president flaunted other achievements: Obamacare, the death of Bin Laden, the rescue of Detroit. His plan was light on specifics but what he made me feel was that, despite the downturn, the foundations are in place for a new era of growth.

He has seen our country through some dark, dark days, and he, alone, has made decisions, always with input, always with advice. But when it comes time to make the call, he's made the call. Now he's the president of the United States, and after his speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, there is no room for even a hint of a question of how seriously he takes his job.

But most importantly, with his speech, Obama reminded us of how seriously we must take ours.

We are the change, he reminded us. We are. If we lose hope, if we stop striving, if we stop pushing, if we stop embracing people because they are not like us, our country stops. We are the engine of this great nation.

My family has a lot at stake in this election: education, college, women's rights, jobs and health care. I listened carefully for those issues in Obama's speech, and he provided me with hope that America is on the right path. His positions on jobs, taxes, energy, education, and war and peace will have a huge impact on generations to come.

I appreciated his statement that hard work will pay off, responsibility will be rewarded, and everyone should play by the same rules. I agree that firing teachers won't help us grow our economy or compete with China. Teachers not only educate students, they teach them to be citizens. Obama's position that no child should have dreams deferred resonated soundly with me, as did his statement that "teachers must inspire; principals must lead; parents must instill a thirst for learning, and students, you've got to do the work." Obama's speech delivered a clear choice for my family and for America.

“If you turn away now, if you buy into the cynicism that the change we fought for isn’t possible…well change will not happen, if you give up on your voice to make a difference then other voices will fill the void lobbyists and special interests; the people with the $10 million checks who are trying to buy this election and those who are making it harder for you to vote; Washington politicians who want to decide who you can marry, or control health care choices that women should make for themselves.”

Obama contended with a simple “I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick or easy, I never have; you did not elect me to tell you want to what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth”

It was great and inspiring to know who is on the people side. There is a different between President Obama's speech and the Republicans candidate’s speeches. President Obama speaks with sincerity and compassion for the people and the economy, while Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan speak lies with a big ego.

The night also included some big names such as Scarlett Johansson and Eva Longoria, Johansson dressed in stilettos, a tan blazer and a shirt featuring an American flag, spoke about growing up in a struggling middle class family in NYC. Her family was dependent on benefits for school transportation and food; she also said that some of her friends still depend on Planned Parenthood and Medicaid “That’s why I’m here today,” she said. “To use whatever attention I’m fortunate enough to receive to shed the spotlight on what’s at stake for all of us.” She then contended with a line that seems to have scared Democrats “I’m not going to tell you who to vote for,” she said. “I’m here to ask you to commit to vote.”

Longoria, wearing a conservative blue dress, spoke about growing up in Corpus Christi. Her mother works as a special education teacher and her father on an army base. “There was one cardinal priority: education,” she said, Because money was tight. Longoria had many jobs to pay back her student loans, some include flipping burger at Wendy’s and changing oil at a mechanic shop.

This led to an attack on the Romney Campaign by Miss Longoria “Mitt Romney would raise taxes on middle-class families to cut his own and mine. And that’s not who we are as a nation. And I’ll tell you why,” she said. “The Eva Longoria who worked at Wendy’s flipping burgers, she needed a tax break. But the Eva Longoria who worked on movie sets does not.” “I'm here not just as an actress,” Washington said, “but as a woman, an African American, a granddaughter of immigrants who came from Ellis island, a person who could not have afforded college without the help of student loans and as one of millions of volunteers working to reelect President Obama.”

What really brought home the reelection of Mr. Obama was one of the quotes that Senator Kerry put forth “President Obama has kept his promises,” Kerry declared. “Ask Osama Bin Laden if he is better off now than he was four years ago.

Partnership over Partisanship?

This is going to be a long one so hang in there: 

 Day 2 of the DNC is winding down after a wonderful and passionate speech by former President Bill Clinton. But I will get to that later.

One of the main highlights of the DNC tonight was Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke, who shot into the spotlight earlier this year when Republicans refused to allow her to testify to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the importance of insurance plans to cover birth control during a discussion on whether insurance should have a contraception mandate.  Miss Fluke made her way to the national stage tonight to address the Democratic delegates and show her support for President Obama.

Sandra Fluke painted a horrifying picture of what the USA would look like if Mitt Romney were elected President. “An America in which access to birth control is controlled by people who  never use it, in which politicians redefine rape so survivors are victimized all over again” which she received a high reception from the audience, which she should have. Because we all know, as women, no one knows the vagina and the women’s reproductive organ better than a group of old white men, who still give a shit about Castro, Oh wait, we have Castro! Who may I say has an Obama-esque way and we may see him as the next Democratic Nominee, he is a force to be reckoned with!

Fluke singled out running mate Paul Ryan who worked on legislation that would actually “redefine rape” banning all abortions under any circumstance and cut off all federal funding for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. “It would be an America in which you have a new vice president who co-sponsored a bill that would allow pregnant women to die preventable deaths in our emergency rooms,”

She spoke specifically to women when she said that we have to ‘amplify our voice” and to “keep moving forward and stop fighting old battles.” Miss Fluke could not be more right. The talk of a women’s right to choose has flooded the political arena and with the gender and age gap in both of the parties, women are a minority that has to be worked with. Many women do not feel, for whatever personal reasons or circumstances, that they are ready to raise a child. Women have the right to choose either abortion or to deliver and raise the child. Personally, I don’t not want to have children and have been on the pill since I was 15 years old. I don’t judge people who want to have children, it’s your right. But for me I cannot see myself having children, ever. This basic and important reproductive choice should not be made by the government or any other outside force against the woman's wishes but solely by the individual woman herself.

Miss Sandra concluded with a powerful “Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s now time to choose.”…

Now let me gush for a minute.

I admire President Clinton I everything he does. To me, he is a political Rockstar whose presidential legacy will live on for years to come.  Anyone who has Mr. Bill Clinton as an endorser, will surly have a surge in the polls, but I digress

Former President Clinton, who rocked a blue suit and a red and blue tie, fired up the democratic audience, saying that the policies of incumbent Barack Obama her in fact healing the country, slowly. The improvements made now will lead to dramatic enhancements in his second term.

Bill Clinton sure brought the house down. If Tuesday was about reminding voters of the excitement that surrounded Barack Obama’s first White House race, tonight presented voters with a sharper contrast with Mitt Romney and his Republican allies. But Clinton dipped his knives in honey and offered voters the most comprehensive rebuttal of GOP attacks on the president this year.

To the cheers of democrats packed onto the convention all, Mr. Clinton said of Obama "I want to nominate a man who is cool on the outside but who burns for America on the inside." This speech was CLASSIC Clinton, it was long, the delivery was precise with the insults followed by a folksy grin, all designed to improve Obama’s chances for re-election in the area where the unemployment is at a painfully high 8.3%. 

Mr. Clinton stressed one point that has been bugging me for years: Why is there so much hatred from the right? What was surprising was that president Clinton worked with republicans in Congress to have a budget agreement to cut spending. “President Obama, a gusher of new spending” Why there is so much opposition from the right. Well maybe it because he is skinny. The republicans are jealous because they don’t have a body like Barack. I hope you can see my sarcasm. But I think we all know why there is so much opposition for the right. It’s because he is black. I hate to say this but it just blatant racism that is coming from the right. But I digress, again…

 “The most important question is, what kind of country do you want to live in,” Clinton asked. “If you want a winner-take-all,  you’re-on-your-own, you should support the Republican ticket.  But if you want a country of shared opportunity and shared responsibility, a we’re-all-in-this-together society, you should vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.”

In conclusion, the speakers of the night praised Obama record: passing healthcare reform, fighting to lower student loan costs, supporting veterans, bailing out the U.S. auto industry. They all said and agreed that things have gotten better under his watch.  The country is no longer bleeding jobs, each speaker noted even if the rate of recovery is slow. But the great weight of effort of tonight seemed to be to cast a bad light on the Romney and Ryan team.

In Conclusion Clinton said it best:

“Look, I love our country so much. And I know we’re coming back. For more than 200 years, through every crisis, we’ve always come back. People have predicted our demise ever since George Washington was criticized for being a mediocre surveyor with a bad set of wooden false teeth. And so far, every single person that’s bet against America has lost money because we always come back. We come through ever fire a little stronger and a little better. And we do it because in the end we decide to champion the cause for which our founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor — the cause of forming a more perfect union. My fellow Americans, if that is what you want, if that is what you believe, you must vote and you must re-elect President Barack Obama. God bless you and God bless America. 

This is who we are!

Honesty, integrity, perseverance are some of the key words used in the many speeches made at the Democratic National Convention.

The highlight of the convention would have to be the Keynote speaker, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro. Castro, at the ripe age of 37, is the youngest mayor to give a keynote speech, ever. His life story was one of great triumph. In his keynote speech, he explains his first introduction into politics, his mother Rosie. Rosie raised 2 boys as a single mother, pushing them to stay out of trouble and to keep excelling in school. It is a success story not unlike the President's himself. She was also a pioneer in fighting for Mexican American Civil rights.

Castro went on to paint a picture of Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan. He explained that this budget plan would "dismantle the middle class" who, as he said later in his speech, is the engine of America. This is making reference to the auto industry that our current president bailed out to save the economy.

He also painted Mitt Romney as a man against women's rights "when it comes to respecting women's rights, Mitt Romney says No. When it comes to letting people marry whomever they want Mott Romney says No. When it comes to expanding health care, Mitt Romney... Actually Mitt said Yes, and now he says No" this last remark was in reference to the Massachusetts health care overhaul, which he championed while he was Senator in my great state of Massachusetts. Tonight, the main point of his speech opportunity. This is our chance to reelect President Obama and bring America successfully into the future.  We need to invest in opportunities for people who care about education and invest in the skills that will help America compete in the global economy. There is more hard work to do. But that is what America was built on, hard work. There was no "starting a small business and borrowing money from your parents" America was built on hard work and perseverance. I do agree with the  San Antonio Mayor, we do have a choice to make, between a country where the middles class pays more, so that millionaires can pay less? How does that work? I have always that if you made more, you were taxed more. I guess I misunderstood. We  have to be a nation of "fairness" where everyone has a fair chance at a great education, a fair chance to succeed, and a fair chance live the American dream.  Barack Obama answered the call and made a historic lift in our nation’s schools. By expanding Pell Grants, more young people can afford to go to college. This is to ensure that there is no talent that goes unharvested or  unnoticed.

This is who we are, a nation of hard workers. Personally, I have gone to 4 years of high school, 4 years of college and plan to go to law school. I have worked multiple jobs to pay for school. Most of my schooling was covered by grants and loans. I don't know if you all have ever had student loans but you have to maintain a certain GPA in order to keep getting the student loans. This is who we are. The 18-25 age group, we are the future. We have to make the right decision and vote!  We are the talented, hardworking individuals that San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro talked about in his speech. We are the next generation. we have to make a difference and now is our chance.  Although at times, Mitt and Barack may have the same message like changes in healthcare, education and foreign policy. I actually feel like he means what he says. To me, he generally WANTED to make changes and not just what he wanted to change; we have to look what he has been faced with in these last 4 years. In my opinion, no president since FDR has had it harder than he does right now.  I can say that not everything he promised came true, but there was a hell of a mess when he came into office. It is going to take time to bounce back from this economic decline, just like it took time to get to this point.

We all need to look at what San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro said "It begins with re-electing Barack Obama. It begins with you. It begins now"

White Limos to the right, Black limo's to the left.

A few months ago, I had gotten a letter in the mail concerning my high school reunion. (It’s been 5 years)  I politely responded with no and went on with my day.

Fast forward to today…

A letter that lists a “whites graduates only” party as one of the activities planned for a class reunion was put on the invitation in St. Martinville, La.

For over 40 years, the graduates of St. Martinville High School Class of 1973 have been holding racially segregated class reunions.

But…..this year, ABC affiliate KACT reported that they graduates have decided to change this, making the reunion non-segregated.

However, a letter announcing the change also included a letter for an after party for "white graduates only." is to be held at a home of one of the graduates, after the actual reunion. 

This was not the first “white only” event that has caused a uproar in recent months, According to the Huffington post in July, Pastor William J. Collier and his church where planning to hold a “white only” Christian conference in Alabama In his explanation to this  awful incident he responded with “we don’t have the facilities to accommodate other people. We haven’t gotten any to Black Muslim events” (yeah because everyone who is black is Muslim) of course we are not invited to Jewish events and stuff” Nothing says being Christine like segregation. Even in 2012, when we are supposed to be advanced in all walks of life, we still have this. I can’t believe that this was the FIRST year they attempted a desegregated reunion. I wonder what people thought when they got the letter in the mail. Were they mad?? Were they happy??  One might say that they issue isn’t about a private person having the “right” to be racist with respect to who is allowed in his or her home. The issue is that the school’s reunion planning committee has clearly given its official stamp of approval to this racist behavior but letting them put it on the invitation.

How would they feel if it was the other way around? Racism is an irrational belief in the superiority of any given group, nation or people. It amazes me to hear that racism has declined because it obviously hasten. If states continue to be as blind as they are, we will never live up to the name “The United States of America” We may look different, but we all serve a very important purpose. We are all fingers on the hand of life. I hope that we would be able to overcome all those incidents and live in a place where we do not care about an individual skin color or nationality.

My thing is if a reunion is being held for the class of 73, all individuals she be invited, PERIOD! 

Lets watch a group of white trash Americans parade on stage...Oh I mean the RNC!

The RNC has come and gone, I know you are as sad as I am, but what did we learn from these republicans???

Lets start off with ratings. The new TLC show Honey Boo-Boo pulled better ratings than the RNC did on any signal network. What is more astonishing is that the RNC ratings were down on every network except FOX during Mitt Romney's acceptance speech.  Our of 300 million Americans, a staggering 9.6 million in total watched Romeny's speech, that is an estimated 1 in 30 people.  We can all agree that the "convention, whether it be Republicans  or Democrats  has no greater impact than strictly campaigning. ( We will not know the ratings of the DNC, but I think they wont be much higher). American's just see these as a ginat infomercial. 

What I saw that was of may substance was the fervent attempt to shun Ron Paul supporters. In a current interview  former GOP chairman Michael Stelle called this "the height of rudeness and stupidity" because of they way they ostracize what could be a new generations of young voters. for what reason I might ask??

The nomination was wrapped up regardless of how many Ron Paul delegates were seated or who spoke at the convention. 

What I think needs more attention is Marco Rubio's speech. We all know that he is a political rock star. His speech on Thursday night showed his is a major political star. I can say, with confidence, his speech was the best of the night. He was at ease in the MASSIVE national spotlight. His story telling was a compelling touch, but he did mix in jabs directed towards the president. One example was that he said that the president is not a bad person, but just a bad president) I hope that they republicans see what a gem they have in this party. He is force to be reckoned with in the coming presidential races. 

I would be remiss if I did not bring up Clint Eastwood. Stick to your scripts, Clint! I cannot believe this part would allow this side show to be conducted in this manner. Invisible Obama telling Clint to "Go Fuck yourself" this is very inaccurate to how I have seen Obama. Clint proceed to ramble off the script repeatably. He was downright incoherent at times and was a unnecessary distraction to the convention.