Its funny to me that someone on a sports forum website got me to realize why I support and will vote for Senator Barack Obama. Here are some of my reasons for voting for Senator Obama and why I can not support Senator McCain.
Mainly because I don't support John McCain. I'm going to tell you why I support Obama also, don't worry.
McCain instills fear in me and I do not trust him. He said it himself, with his own mouth, 'he will say what he has to for his political ambition'. This explains to me why McCain 08 would pander after the evangelical vote by hugging up to Falwell and Hagee after calling them out a few years ago.
He comes off as a warmonger, and is way way to anxious to jump out with military action. And me as a veteran, I do not appreciate his many votes against veterans issues. And yes this is something I follow very closely.
Obama inspires me to believe that our country can be better. Don't turn your nose up yet, because it is important that your leader inspire you. He wants people to stand up and take responsibility for themselves. He wants people, young and old, to volunteer to serve and better the country, kinda like the peace corps in the 60's-70's.
Obama has worked in the ghettos and on the streets to improve the lives of citizens. Our country is 150% headed in the wrong direction and every poll shows Americans overwhelmingly say they same thing. Our standing in the world has likely never been lower, and Obama brings an opportunity to show we can listen as well as lead. His votes and support amongst Republican congressmen and women shows he knows that congress is about compromising and doing whats best for the people. Not just what looks good for the people (i.e. gas tax holiday).
These are some reasons why I will easily vote for Senator Barack Obama! If I have reguritated something from the so called liberal media please point out what it is. These are my own thoughts after doing my own research. And I do watch all 3 news agencies, Fox (fixed), CNN (fair), MSNBC (liberal).
To you I say remember there is a serious difference between political opinion shows (i.e. O'Reiley, Countdown, Hannity & Colmes, Lou Dobbs) and reporting the news.
Obama/Clark '08
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Donate to Senator Obama
I have decided to add a fundraising campaign to my site for Senator Barack Obama. If you would like to contribute to the fundraising effort go to this link and do what you feel. This isn't about me, its about you my friends and family and the campaign.
Thats why the title is Brandon and Friends for Obama, so check it out.
Any amount will help.
Thanks,
Brandon
Thats why the title is Brandon and Friends for Obama, so check it out.
Any amount will help.
Thanks,
Brandon
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Who is the Flip Flopper
So I found this article on an international website that lists the flip flops or possible flip flops by both McCain and Obama.
It lists 5 things that Senator McCain has shifted on, not that he might but he has shifted on; Immigration, The Christian Right, Interrogation Rules, Guantanamo, and Oil Drilling. Sometimes he changes his opinion in the same day on an issue.
Then it lists Senator Obama's shifts or possible shifts; Campaign Finance, FISA, Gun Control, Iraq, and Free Trade.
Campaign Finance - I wholeheartedly support him pulling out of the "public financing" system and letting the public continue to finance his campaign. An overwhelming number of his supporters agree with this also. Good Shift
FISA - I already stated my opinion on this earlier but I will list as. Bad Shift
Gun Control - I like the Senator support the 2nd Amendment, and like the Senator I think states and towns have the right to enact sound gun laws. I don't think a 15 year old should be able to buy a gun. I don't think an adult should be able to buy 15 guns in one day without a backgrond check. That is supporting the 2nd Amendment with states able to make sound gun laws. This is what he has always said and believes. NO Shift
Iraq - He hasn't changed anything on Iraq, he still said he is going to bring the troops home within 13-16 months. He will be refining his policy, which means getting more input from Generals to help him refine the policy. NO Shift
Free Trade - He hasn't changed his mind, and he hasn't made any major or even minor annocement that he has officially changed position. So what has he flipped on with Free trade? NO Shift
We know for a fact Senator McCain has truly flipped on issues. We know Senator Obama has flipped on FISA, and made a smart decision to decline the only 85 million of "public financing" because he can raise more. But hasn't flipped on anything else.
WAKE UP PEOPLE STOP BELIEVING THE SPIN.
It lists 5 things that Senator McCain has shifted on, not that he might but he has shifted on; Immigration, The Christian Right, Interrogation Rules, Guantanamo, and Oil Drilling. Sometimes he changes his opinion in the same day on an issue.
Then it lists Senator Obama's shifts or possible shifts; Campaign Finance, FISA, Gun Control, Iraq, and Free Trade.
Campaign Finance - I wholeheartedly support him pulling out of the "public financing" system and letting the public continue to finance his campaign. An overwhelming number of his supporters agree with this also. Good Shift
FISA - I already stated my opinion on this earlier but I will list as. Bad Shift
Gun Control - I like the Senator support the 2nd Amendment, and like the Senator I think states and towns have the right to enact sound gun laws. I don't think a 15 year old should be able to buy a gun. I don't think an adult should be able to buy 15 guns in one day without a backgrond check. That is supporting the 2nd Amendment with states able to make sound gun laws. This is what he has always said and believes. NO Shift
Iraq - He hasn't changed anything on Iraq, he still said he is going to bring the troops home within 13-16 months. He will be refining his policy, which means getting more input from Generals to help him refine the policy. NO Shift
Free Trade - He hasn't changed his mind, and he hasn't made any major or even minor annocement that he has officially changed position. So what has he flipped on with Free trade? NO Shift
We know for a fact Senator McCain has truly flipped on issues. We know Senator Obama has flipped on FISA, and made a smart decision to decline the only 85 million of "public financing" because he can raise more. But hasn't flipped on anything else.
WAKE UP PEOPLE STOP BELIEVING THE SPIN.
Senator Obama votes for FISA
I know many people are upset about this vote, it bothers me. But I realize no candidate is perfect, no candidate is going to agree with 100% or even 90% of what I want.
What amazes me on this issue is that Democrats never figured away to fight this battle in the public, knowing that a large majority of Americans don't support this new legislation.
Remember with the old FISA they could start wiretapping immediately & had to request a warrant within 72 hours. If I remember also, the secret court in its history only ever declined like 4 requests. Until the Bush gang decided they couldn't wait the possible 3 days to get their pretty much rubber stamped warrant, the old FISA was fine.
Here is the main reason why I can let this vote go and focus on everything else Senator Obama stands for. This would have likely been the death kneel for Senator Obama. The RNC and the 527's would have eaten him alive in the media.
Mainly because people listen to what they say, and it would not have been directed at we who already support the Senator but at people who might support him.
But even more because the Republican spin would have drowned out Democratic logic and branded him as not caring to protect America. They would have said he is trying to protect the terrorists, and people would have listened. If and when the Senator is elected POTUS he will have access to all of these requests. He will also be able to push new legislation with a larger Democratic controlled congress to overturn the legislation then.
Sometimes a flip flop is a flip flop at that moment, and sometimes it’s a setup to get what you want later. Patience, patience, patience.
We Democrats have got to be able to use the media better to get our message out.
Obama/Clark '08
What amazes me on this issue is that Democrats never figured away to fight this battle in the public, knowing that a large majority of Americans don't support this new legislation.
Remember with the old FISA they could start wiretapping immediately & had to request a warrant within 72 hours. If I remember also, the secret court in its history only ever declined like 4 requests. Until the Bush gang decided they couldn't wait the possible 3 days to get their pretty much rubber stamped warrant, the old FISA was fine.
Here is the main reason why I can let this vote go and focus on everything else Senator Obama stands for. This would have likely been the death kneel for Senator Obama. The RNC and the 527's would have eaten him alive in the media.
Mainly because people listen to what they say, and it would not have been directed at we who already support the Senator but at people who might support him.
But even more because the Republican spin would have drowned out Democratic logic and branded him as not caring to protect America. They would have said he is trying to protect the terrorists, and people would have listened. If and when the Senator is elected POTUS he will have access to all of these requests. He will also be able to push new legislation with a larger Democratic controlled congress to overturn the legislation then.
Sometimes a flip flop is a flip flop at that moment, and sometimes it’s a setup to get what you want later. Patience, patience, patience.
We Democrats have got to be able to use the media better to get our message out.
Obama/Clark '08
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Senator Obama VP choice
Ok so I have been thinking about this for a good long while. I have looked at possible choices and have made my decision in who I think would be the best choice for Vice President to run with Sen. Obama.
I am going to go out on a limb and state that I think the choice should be and will be retired Army General Wesley Clark who will bring a tremendous amount of military experience to the ticket. This will counter and shut down many of the 'John McCain is a great war hero' conversations.
But on top of what he brings to the ticket is that he would be ready to be president if worse case happens. He has shown that he is not a fight first ask questions later type of leader. He has shown that he believes in diplomacy and has expressed views similar to or in line with Sen. Obama's views on the country. He believes in personal responsibility and shaping a path to a better America in the future.
So for me, my hope is that we as Americans on January 20, 2009 will be celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Wesley Clark.
Obama/Clark '08
I am going to go out on a limb and state that I think the choice should be and will be retired Army General Wesley Clark who will bring a tremendous amount of military experience to the ticket. This will counter and shut down many of the 'John McCain is a great war hero' conversations.
But on top of what he brings to the ticket is that he would be ready to be president if worse case happens. He has shown that he is not a fight first ask questions later type of leader. He has shown that he believes in diplomacy and has expressed views similar to or in line with Sen. Obama's views on the country. He believes in personal responsibility and shaping a path to a better America in the future.
So for me, my hope is that we as Americans on January 20, 2009 will be celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Wesley Clark.
Obama/Clark '08
Friday, June 20, 2008
Senator Obama is BOLD
I haven't really really finalized my opinion on this but this is what I think so far. I like the look of the new logo, it is appealing to the eye and is very presidential. It is also very bold and almost a little cocky or presumptime. Overall though I guess I like it. Leave me a message and let me know what you think. This is one of the new Obama campaign logos. The latin over the logo literally translates to 'Yes We Can'.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Fox News is crazy
Seriously, seriously, I don't even have to say what is going on in this clip. You don't have to even really listen to what the ladies are talking about, even though the host brings up rumors that 'she doesn't want to bring up' about Michelle Obama.
FOCUS ON THE INFO BOX AT THE BOTTOM!
FOCUS ON THE INFO BOX AT THE BOTTOM!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Senator Obama is the Democratic Nominee
Today in our nations long, tested, and tried history we have seen American history. For the first time an African American, Senator Barack Obama, has won the nomination of a major party for President of the United States. Again this is American history in the making and we are alive to witness it. With a multiracial family background, a father from Kenya and mother from Kansas, the junior senator from Illinois has stunned the world.
It is obvious that the country is ready for a serious change in the path that our nation is on. And we as Americans are not asking for a slight change as John McCain would bring, we are looking for a major change. This is the kind of change that Barack Obama has called for and has campaigned for. He has connected with a wide cross section of Americans to include white, black, latino, asian, and native American voters. He has connected with the poor, the rich, educated, uneducated, and the disenfranchised and is truly inspiring Americans to believe again. To believe in the future of our country, to believe in the hopes and dreams of our country. And to believe that anyone, anyone can reach out and become the President of the United States.
Through all the trials, debates and campaigning, through a hard fought campaign with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and in the face of Republican Senator John McCain lying to the American people, he has come out with the nomination.
Now is the time for the Democratic Party to come together and unify behind their nominee. There has been much anger and much frustration coming from Clinton supporters and from Obama supporters. There was the controversy over Florida and Michigan which led to even more animosity and strife. Yet now the focus and goal is to win the White House in November, and for the DNC to win more seats in congress this fall.
It is obvious that the country is ready for a serious change in the path that our nation is on. And we as Americans are not asking for a slight change as John McCain would bring, we are looking for a major change. This is the kind of change that Barack Obama has called for and has campaigned for. He has connected with a wide cross section of Americans to include white, black, latino, asian, and native American voters. He has connected with the poor, the rich, educated, uneducated, and the disenfranchised and is truly inspiring Americans to believe again. To believe in the future of our country, to believe in the hopes and dreams of our country. And to believe that anyone, anyone can reach out and become the President of the United States.
Through all the trials, debates and campaigning, through a hard fought campaign with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and in the face of Republican Senator John McCain lying to the American people, he has come out with the nomination.
Now is the time for the Democratic Party to come together and unify behind their nominee. There has been much anger and much frustration coming from Clinton supporters and from Obama supporters. There was the controversy over Florida and Michigan which led to even more animosity and strife. Yet now the focus and goal is to win the White House in November, and for the DNC to win more seats in congress this fall.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Rules Committee meeting background
This is my take on the Democratic National Committee meeting of the Rules & Bylaws Committee this morning to determine what will happen with the delegates for Florida and for Michigan. To give the history, some of which I didn’t know until today, this is what got us here.
The DNC in 2006 decided on a schedule for states to hold their primaries and caucuses. The states democratic chairs and committees agreed to those dates and the penalty that if a state went earlier than allowed they would loss at least 50% of their delegates in deciding the nominee. These two states are completely different in what got them to this point.
Florida:
The state legislature is 2 to 1 Republican controlled, and they were working on legislation to update Florida election process and law. This had unanimous support. The Republican led legislature decided to add an amendment moving the primary up earlier than allowed by the DNC. The state Democrats tried to stop this but could not vote against this legislation. They even submitted an amendment to return the primary to a different day but it was defeated by the Republicans. Ultimately the democrats voted for the legislation to protect voter rights and have a paper trail, but included the earlier primary.
Michigan:
Michigan applied along with 11 other states to have their primary moved up to January as the DNC decided to add two more states to the early vote timeframe, joining Iowa and New Hampshire. The DNC decided on South Carolina and Nevada, and the rest of the schedule was set. After the Florida situation unfolded, the Democratic leadership decided that they were going to move up their date. There wasn’t any trickery or back room dealing; they just decided they were going to do it anyway.
Both of these states made their decisions early in 2007, and the DNC gave them ample time to try to schedule another primary later that would be counted. Neither state was able to make that happen.
In Florida I can see having sympathy for the voters and the Democratic leadership who tried all they could to protect their voters. In Michigan though, the Democratic leadership brought this on themselves and now they demand that all their delegates be counted and for it to be counted exactly as the ballot results show.
The DNC in 2006 decided on a schedule for states to hold their primaries and caucuses. The states democratic chairs and committees agreed to those dates and the penalty that if a state went earlier than allowed they would loss at least 50% of their delegates in deciding the nominee. These two states are completely different in what got them to this point.
Florida:
The state legislature is 2 to 1 Republican controlled, and they were working on legislation to update Florida election process and law. This had unanimous support. The Republican led legislature decided to add an amendment moving the primary up earlier than allowed by the DNC. The state Democrats tried to stop this but could not vote against this legislation. They even submitted an amendment to return the primary to a different day but it was defeated by the Republicans. Ultimately the democrats voted for the legislation to protect voter rights and have a paper trail, but included the earlier primary.
Michigan:
Michigan applied along with 11 other states to have their primary moved up to January as the DNC decided to add two more states to the early vote timeframe, joining Iowa and New Hampshire. The DNC decided on South Carolina and Nevada, and the rest of the schedule was set. After the Florida situation unfolded, the Democratic leadership decided that they were going to move up their date. There wasn’t any trickery or back room dealing; they just decided they were going to do it anyway.
Both of these states made their decisions early in 2007, and the DNC gave them ample time to try to schedule another primary later that would be counted. Neither state was able to make that happen.
In Florida I can see having sympathy for the voters and the Democratic leadership who tried all they could to protect their voters. In Michigan though, the Democratic leadership brought this on themselves and now they demand that all their delegates be counted and for it to be counted exactly as the ballot results show.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Video Blog to Senator Obama
Well boy oh boy, do we have a controversy in the primary, and this one is a big one. After hearing the comments and cuts from sermons by Pastor Jeremiah Wright I could not keep quiet. This is my first video blog and I did it in one take. I actually tried 3 times to improve on it and none of those were as good as the original. So here it is my video blog to the senator, please let me know what you think.
Untitled from Brandon J. Vance on Vimeo.
Untitled from Brandon J. Vance on Vimeo.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Visit with my family
Oh man, so I went back home to Louisiana recently to visit with my family. I went to Lafayette to see my niece Requila (Dez) and her mom Tammy, and Sean, and Zach, and Bryan. And of course to see little Morgan Elizabeth. It was such a great trip and I was just amazed to see how much they have all grown and changed. The last time I layed eyes on Dez she was little and Sean was just a little younger than her, and Zach was a toddler. They have all grown up into fine young adults and Tammy is to thank for that. She has been a great mother to her kids and they all love her without question, as kids should love their parents. Bryan is a great guy and though a tad bit quite he was really cool while I visited.
Thats the thing that to me was most awesome. I was a little worried it would be awkward visiting, but it wasn’t, I felt right at home and welcome. Zach and Bryan had me laughing the whole weekend and me and Tammy caught up on so many things. Dez and I talked and hugged and I was just blown away that my little niece is now a full grown woman. And she is in college and doing well. As a matter of fact right after she had Morgan she was right back in school, she didn’t want to miss to many days.
To Morgan Elizabeth, wow, wow, that little girl is amazing. So beautiful and so sweet and so precious. I just don’t really know how to express what it meant to me to be there to see her and hold her. Yep, I’m in love with her already, she is just the most precious thing ever.
If you haven’t yet, check out below and you will see some of the pics from the trip. Sean was off doing his own thing most of the weekend so I didn’t get any pics of him.
Love you guys,
Brandon
Thats the thing that to me was most awesome. I was a little worried it would be awkward visiting, but it wasn’t, I felt right at home and welcome. Zach and Bryan had me laughing the whole weekend and me and Tammy caught up on so many things. Dez and I talked and hugged and I was just blown away that my little niece is now a full grown woman. And she is in college and doing well. As a matter of fact right after she had Morgan she was right back in school, she didn’t want to miss to many days.
To Morgan Elizabeth, wow, wow, that little girl is amazing. So beautiful and so sweet and so precious. I just don’t really know how to express what it meant to me to be there to see her and hold her. Yep, I’m in love with her already, she is just the most precious thing ever.
If you haven’t yet, check out below and you will see some of the pics from the trip. Sean was off doing his own thing most of the weekend so I didn’t get any pics of him.
Love you guys,
Brandon
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Primary Aftermath
Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap, wow yesterday was amazing, I mean utterly amazing. So here is the recap, so I left work early to go vote in the primary. I am in district 3004 and had to vote at Health Careers High School. While I was in line waiting to vote , I would say there were about 20-25 democrats to the 3-5 republicans I saw the whole time. I was surprised but I guess that is in line with what has been happening across the nation.
So I did my voting, I also voted on the local and state issues on the ballot. They gave me a little ticket to come back at 7:15 pm to participate in the caucus, it was like a coupon saying you voted earlier. It was about 5:30 pm when I finished there. So then I found out that Senator Obama was in San Antonio and would be holding a rally downtown at about 9 pm. After speaking to G'nita, who is also a big time Obama fan and supporter she was able to get me a ticket.
So, 7:15 pm I am back for the caucus and to say it was disorderly would be appropriate, they did do a good job of separating us into the right groups, but we were just waiting and waiting and waiting because people were still in line to vote. So I asked one of the leaders about the process, trying to see if I could just sign and leave. Why did he have to tell me that we would be voting people for district delegates to head to Austin later in March to select delegates to the DNC convention. So I had to stay now, and low and behold I was selected as a delegate. As a matter of fact I almost won the delegate chair person after being nominated by another delegate out of the blue. But alas I lost to a Hillary supporter who gave a good speech.
So it is now like 10 pm and I am flying downtown to get to the rally. Since the results were slow to come in Senator Obama waited to take the stage. Once I get to the pavilion where they are wanding people, I can here him speaking. My anticipation level was through the roof. Still waiting in line, he finished his speech, and they stopped letting people through. I was pretty disheartened at that moment. I just figured I would wait for G'nita and Toni to come out.
So I'm just standing around and this late asks if I mind being interviewed, I said of course not, but who are you, was my response. She said she was with Radio France, now I think I lit up like a Christmas tree and I gave the best radio interview I could and signed off in French. Having my blood pumping after that, I was then approached by Japan TV for an interview on camera. I again spoke with great calm and said what I had to say about the loss and about Senator Obama.
So all in all it was a rather good night in the end, I got to vote, I got to caucus, I was selected a district delegate, and was interviewed by Radio France, and Japan TV. Man I love this primary season.
So I did my voting, I also voted on the local and state issues on the ballot. They gave me a little ticket to come back at 7:15 pm to participate in the caucus, it was like a coupon saying you voted earlier. It was about 5:30 pm when I finished there. So then I found out that Senator Obama was in San Antonio and would be holding a rally downtown at about 9 pm. After speaking to G'nita, who is also a big time Obama fan and supporter she was able to get me a ticket.
So, 7:15 pm I am back for the caucus and to say it was disorderly would be appropriate, they did do a good job of separating us into the right groups, but we were just waiting and waiting and waiting because people were still in line to vote. So I asked one of the leaders about the process, trying to see if I could just sign and leave. Why did he have to tell me that we would be voting people for district delegates to head to Austin later in March to select delegates to the DNC convention. So I had to stay now, and low and behold I was selected as a delegate. As a matter of fact I almost won the delegate chair person after being nominated by another delegate out of the blue. But alas I lost to a Hillary supporter who gave a good speech.
So it is now like 10 pm and I am flying downtown to get to the rally. Since the results were slow to come in Senator Obama waited to take the stage. Once I get to the pavilion where they are wanding people, I can here him speaking. My anticipation level was through the roof. Still waiting in line, he finished his speech, and they stopped letting people through. I was pretty disheartened at that moment. I just figured I would wait for G'nita and Toni to come out.
So I'm just standing around and this late asks if I mind being interviewed, I said of course not, but who are you, was my response. She said she was with Radio France, now I think I lit up like a Christmas tree and I gave the best radio interview I could and signed off in French. Having my blood pumping after that, I was then approached by Japan TV for an interview on camera. I again spoke with great calm and said what I had to say about the loss and about Senator Obama.
So all in all it was a rather good night in the end, I got to vote, I got to caucus, I was selected a district delegate, and was interviewed by Radio France, and Japan TV. Man I love this primary season.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Texas Primary Day
So the day has come for Texas to have its say in this great primary season. Just to go on record, I am absolutely in love with this primary season. It is so refreshing to see every state have a say and make a difference, not just a handful of early states. I have been waiting to vote and my visit home this past weekend only makes it that much more exciting. I will be telling all about that visit in an upcoming blog.
So today I will be participating in the Texas two step. I can't really tell you why TX has both a primary and a caucus, I think just to be different, but I will be participating in both. Yep that means missing some work, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island also vote today so we shall see what happens.
So today I will be participating in the Texas two step. I can't really tell you why TX has both a primary and a caucus, I think just to be different, but I will be participating in both. Yep that means missing some work, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island also vote today so we shall see what happens.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Yes We Can
If you haven't yet seen the video produced by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas here is the video. I know I am a little late in posting this but here you go. Just a reminder this is based on his concession speech from New Hampshire. This speech was by far the best of the primary season and dwarfed Senator Clinton's acceptance speech.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Barack wins Iowa
Barack Obama has won the Iowa Democratic caucus which is the first major test on the road to the Democratic parties’ nomination. This is seen as a blow to the campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton, but it is only one states race. The next big test comes on Tuesday January 8, 2008 when New Hampshire holds the first in the nation primary. Sen. Clinton came in third place so it is considered crucial that she have a good showing in New Hampshire, but as of today she and Sen. Obama are tied in the polls. He has made up ground in several key elements including whether people think he is elect able.
On the other side of the political spectrum former Governor Mike Huckabee won the Republican caucuses with a rather strong showing. I actually like Huckabee and rooted for him. One thing that I am fascinated by is how much the media is playing up that evangelical Christians came out in droves to support Huckabee and capture this win. Why I am fascinated by it though is that it seems the media thinks that evangelicals only support republicans. From what I have read and seen of Sen. Obama he is a deeply religious man as well, it’s just not played up as much. I am not going to go on my usual rant about evangelicals; I don’t want to make the few people who do read my blog mad. I guess we will all wait to see what happens on next Tuesday.
Here is the victory speech, very, very inspirational.
(13 min long)
On the other side of the political spectrum former Governor Mike Huckabee won the Republican caucuses with a rather strong showing. I actually like Huckabee and rooted for him. One thing that I am fascinated by is how much the media is playing up that evangelical Christians came out in droves to support Huckabee and capture this win. Why I am fascinated by it though is that it seems the media thinks that evangelicals only support republicans. From what I have read and seen of Sen. Obama he is a deeply religious man as well, it’s just not played up as much. I am not going to go on my usual rant about evangelicals; I don’t want to make the few people who do read my blog mad. I guess we will all wait to see what happens on next Tuesday.
Here is the victory speech, very, very inspirational.
(13 min long)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Family Christmas
This Christmas turned out to be an extra special one. I got to go home and visit with my family. I haven’t gone home in a while. My brother and his family; Arleen my sister-in-law and nephew CJ, are all moving to Washington D.C. within the next month. I really wanted to see them and spend some time with them before they head to the east coast. My nephew is so big now, he is 6 years old and he is so freaking smart. They are doing a great job of raising him. I love that my nephew and I are close. Even though I am not back home in Louisiana he still knows who his uncle is and that I love him.
This brings me to my favorite part of my trip home. So as I stated in an earlier blog, I have a niece that I have not seen in many, many years. I love my niece and have wanted to find her, but of course life gets in the way of our wants many times. Well go figure that I found her mom, Tammy Charles on Myspace. I wasn’t sure if it was her, but I worked up the courage to send her a message and make contact and sure enough it was Tammy. I was beaming from ear to ear to have found them. So I sent Tammy my number via Myspace and she called. We talked for a good while that night and she brought me up to speed on the family. Both Tammy and Requila (Dez) are doing well, as are her brothers, Sean and Zack, they are all still in Lafayette. I wanted to try to drive out there to visit while I was home, but I didn’t drive to LA, so I couldn’t. I am going to go back out there in a couple weeks if they are cool with that to visit and bring gifts.
You can not imagine how much this means to me to be with in a phone calls distance of my niece, who is now a 19 year old woman. I can not believe that she is 19 already. There is no way to make up for time that has been lost, all we can do is try to go forward. There is a whole future out there waiting for all of us, so having more people who care about you to lend you strength and wish you well is crucial. I look forward to trying to be as good an uncle to my niece as I have tried to be to my nephew.
Until next time, keep smiling.
This brings me to my favorite part of my trip home. So as I stated in an earlier blog, I have a niece that I have not seen in many, many years. I love my niece and have wanted to find her, but of course life gets in the way of our wants many times. Well go figure that I found her mom, Tammy Charles on Myspace. I wasn’t sure if it was her, but I worked up the courage to send her a message and make contact and sure enough it was Tammy. I was beaming from ear to ear to have found them. So I sent Tammy my number via Myspace and she called. We talked for a good while that night and she brought me up to speed on the family. Both Tammy and Requila (Dez) are doing well, as are her brothers, Sean and Zack, they are all still in Lafayette. I wanted to try to drive out there to visit while I was home, but I didn’t drive to LA, so I couldn’t. I am going to go back out there in a couple weeks if they are cool with that to visit and bring gifts.
You can not imagine how much this means to me to be with in a phone calls distance of my niece, who is now a 19 year old woman. I can not believe that she is 19 already. There is no way to make up for time that has been lost, all we can do is try to go forward. There is a whole future out there waiting for all of us, so having more people who care about you to lend you strength and wish you well is crucial. I look forward to trying to be as good an uncle to my niece as I have tried to be to my nephew.
Until next time, keep smiling.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Trust part 1
If someone says to you that they want your heart, that they want you to trust them and love them. Isn’t it only fair and right of you to put that to the test? Now I don’t mean go out of your way to screw with them or mess them up. But, in ways both subtle and demonstrative shouldn’t you test the commitment they say they are ready for, especially if that person has broken down that trust by their own actions in the past.
I know I have a tendency to ask crazy questions but most times I ask questions to gain insight or to gain knowledge. Many other times I ask questions to try to get the other persons mind to open up or to wander outside of a comfort zone.
At Disney we have a philosophy called “Being on Stage”. We believe that you are always on stage, thus always representing Disney, when someone can see that you are a part of Disney. To me this correlates with always being tested. Life is about tests and you are always being tested. Sometimes it’s easy to pass, just say what someone wants to hear or just saying the truth. Other times though, it is not so easy, many times you can’t even tell you are being tested.
This all is coming from the fact that I recently asked someone a rather subtle question. Now yeah it may have come off as nosey, but I stated I was just curious. I got no answer and the question was just evaded. Before I asked this question I thought to myself ‘if I ask this question will this person tell me the truth’, it turned out to be a test. I didn’t intend for it to be that but that is what happened. If you want to build trust you have to be willing to answer tough and easy questions even if it is not what the person wants to hear. I truly would have been fine with either a yes or a no answer but to be evaded lets me know that I should not put all my trust back into this person.
Everyone who knows me knows I am an easy going person. They know that though I may not like what someone says, I will let them say it and evaluate it after. I don’t fly off the handle or get mad and pout. That is why I am perturbed by the fact that I could not get a straight answer to my question.
I guess if someone wants to earn your trust again you have to be very careful.
I know I have a tendency to ask crazy questions but most times I ask questions to gain insight or to gain knowledge. Many other times I ask questions to try to get the other persons mind to open up or to wander outside of a comfort zone.
At Disney we have a philosophy called “Being on Stage”. We believe that you are always on stage, thus always representing Disney, when someone can see that you are a part of Disney. To me this correlates with always being tested. Life is about tests and you are always being tested. Sometimes it’s easy to pass, just say what someone wants to hear or just saying the truth. Other times though, it is not so easy, many times you can’t even tell you are being tested.
This all is coming from the fact that I recently asked someone a rather subtle question. Now yeah it may have come off as nosey, but I stated I was just curious. I got no answer and the question was just evaded. Before I asked this question I thought to myself ‘if I ask this question will this person tell me the truth’, it turned out to be a test. I didn’t intend for it to be that but that is what happened. If you want to build trust you have to be willing to answer tough and easy questions even if it is not what the person wants to hear. I truly would have been fine with either a yes or a no answer but to be evaded lets me know that I should not put all my trust back into this person.
Everyone who knows me knows I am an easy going person. They know that though I may not like what someone says, I will let them say it and evaluate it after. I don’t fly off the handle or get mad and pout. That is why I am perturbed by the fact that I could not get a straight answer to my question.
I guess if someone wants to earn your trust again you have to be very careful.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Harry Turtledove Colonization Series
So the next series by Harry Turtledove is called Colonization. It is twenty years later and most of our favorite characters are still alive and causing trouble still. The world is in essence at peace but things can only get crazy when the colonization fleet starts to approach.
In the twenty years since the initial invasion, humans have branched out to space and increased the knowledge of nuclear weapons. They are no longer huge 10 ton bombs that are impossible to move around. Now they are smaller and fit on the end of rockets that sit unmanned in space just waiting to be used. The aliens are still much stronger than the 3 independent nations and their allies in Britain, Japan, and Canada.
As the colonization fleet makes orbit an unthinkable act is committed. An orbiting platform that has been hidden from observation opens up and launches and attack on one of the defenseless ships and in a nuclear blast kills 12 million aliens who were still in frozen sleep. The aliens are beside themselves and declare there will be all out war once they find out who committed this heinous act. Knowing that only 3 nations posses the know how to do something they each are quick to say it was not them. But there must be retribution, so the aliens are allowed to attack some place in each country for symbolisms sake.
As the colonization fleet settles in new difficulties arise especially as it relates to ginger. To us humans it is just a spice, but to the aliens it is like PCP or LCD would be to a human for the first time. Except they get this high, this rush every time they take a taste of ginger. After one taste they are hooked. But no one, not even the aliens were prepared for what would happen when the females of the colonization fleet tasted ginger. Being that the aliens are like lizards, they mate for a season and any other time don’t engage in mating. In the conquest fleet there were no females so there was not a way to study what it would do to females. Once a female alien tastes ginger she instantly went into season and started producing pheromones that sent males into a mating rage. Thus males who were supposed to be on patrol would forget themselves and fight amongst each other over a female.
A lot of this second series focuses on the ginger trade and how humans use it to confound the aliens and make their lives difficult. But we would not be humans if we did not think of fighting and that is exactly what the Germans are doing. Himmler is now Fuhrer and he is power mad, he intends on fighting the aliens again. After his sudden death the world has hope that the war will not come, but Ernst Kaltenbrunner replaced him and decided to take on the aliens. As Germany launches an offensive war against the aliens the rest of the world braces. The aliens pound them flat and nearly destroy all of Germany. At the behest of Russia and the U.S. they pull back from utter and total destruction and occupy the rest of Germany, leaving a flimsy independence.
We finally find out who committed the attack on the colonization fleet. It was the United States by direct order of the president. The aliens want blood and give and ultimatum of vaporizing a U.S. city or the U.S. giving up its positions in space and return its spaceship to Earth. And face continued inspections by the race to reduce its arms. Left with no good options the president makes two monumental decisions, that leave a reader shocked to his/her core. Knowing that we one day want to visit their home planet you can guess one decision he made.
Thus we have the opportunity to be Homeward Bound.
In the twenty years since the initial invasion, humans have branched out to space and increased the knowledge of nuclear weapons. They are no longer huge 10 ton bombs that are impossible to move around. Now they are smaller and fit on the end of rockets that sit unmanned in space just waiting to be used. The aliens are still much stronger than the 3 independent nations and their allies in Britain, Japan, and Canada.
As the colonization fleet makes orbit an unthinkable act is committed. An orbiting platform that has been hidden from observation opens up and launches and attack on one of the defenseless ships and in a nuclear blast kills 12 million aliens who were still in frozen sleep. The aliens are beside themselves and declare there will be all out war once they find out who committed this heinous act. Knowing that only 3 nations posses the know how to do something they each are quick to say it was not them. But there must be retribution, so the aliens are allowed to attack some place in each country for symbolisms sake.
As the colonization fleet settles in new difficulties arise especially as it relates to ginger. To us humans it is just a spice, but to the aliens it is like PCP or LCD would be to a human for the first time. Except they get this high, this rush every time they take a taste of ginger. After one taste they are hooked. But no one, not even the aliens were prepared for what would happen when the females of the colonization fleet tasted ginger. Being that the aliens are like lizards, they mate for a season and any other time don’t engage in mating. In the conquest fleet there were no females so there was not a way to study what it would do to females. Once a female alien tastes ginger she instantly went into season and started producing pheromones that sent males into a mating rage. Thus males who were supposed to be on patrol would forget themselves and fight amongst each other over a female.
A lot of this second series focuses on the ginger trade and how humans use it to confound the aliens and make their lives difficult. But we would not be humans if we did not think of fighting and that is exactly what the Germans are doing. Himmler is now Fuhrer and he is power mad, he intends on fighting the aliens again. After his sudden death the world has hope that the war will not come, but Ernst Kaltenbrunner replaced him and decided to take on the aliens. As Germany launches an offensive war against the aliens the rest of the world braces. The aliens pound them flat and nearly destroy all of Germany. At the behest of Russia and the U.S. they pull back from utter and total destruction and occupy the rest of Germany, leaving a flimsy independence.
We finally find out who committed the attack on the colonization fleet. It was the United States by direct order of the president. The aliens want blood and give and ultimatum of vaporizing a U.S. city or the U.S. giving up its positions in space and return its spaceship to Earth. And face continued inspections by the race to reduce its arms. Left with no good options the president makes two monumental decisions, that leave a reader shocked to his/her core. Knowing that we one day want to visit their home planet you can guess one decision he made.
Thus we have the opportunity to be Homeward Bound.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Gnita
There are a few women in my life who mean the world to me. They have taught me great values and showed me love and honesty. There are women in the world who standout to me and make me proud as a human being and as American for what they have accomplished and stood for.
Most of you have never met my mother, she is a great lady. My mom is Charlene Robinson, and she is one tough cookie, but while being tough she is also my rock. When I have needed to cry, she was there for me. When I needed to laugh, she found a way. She can tell from the first two or three words on the phone whether I have a smile on my face or am sad. She knows me through and through and has taught me about love and about kindness and about determination
My grandmother, my soul mate, the rock of rocks, was a formidable woman. This takes nothing from my mother, but my grandmother was my love and my heart. I am tearing up right now thinking about her, remembering her. She taught me about trusting people and giving people the benefit of the doubt. She taught me not to judge people. I love my grandmother so much and miss her so deeply.
(((Gnita)))
My San Antonio mom, my Chacho’s mom, and the mom to many of us here who don’t have our moms close. Let me tell you about Gnita, she is stern and loving at the same time. She will make us laugh and she will share a tear when we need it. She will snap at us when we are wrong, and congratulate us when we succeed. Gnita has 3 children, we call them the biologicals, but she has many kids. The thing I love most about her is that she doesn’t judge, and she loves all people. We recently got together at her house for her birthday, it was a surprise dinner, there were about 15-20 of us there. Before we ate we all stood holding hands to thank God for bringing her into our lives. I looked around and saw the most eclectic group of people. We had black and white, Hispanic and mixed folk. We had fat people, skinny people, gay people, straight people as well as young and old, and we were all there to celebrate this woman, this woman who could bring all these different people together. Tolerance, tolerance is the word. Love you mama.
Though I never got the opportunity to meet her, I have an abiding since of awe and wonder as it relates to Mother Theresa. I am not catholic and don’t know many of the practices or the saints, but I do know that she is a woman who should be canonized as soon as possible. Mother Theresa traveled the world in the name of God to minister to the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak. Even as she got older and unable to walk as easily, she did not stop. She loved all people and she gave of herself wholly to the human race. I hope I can match a tenth of her love of people.
Oprah Winfrey is just amazing, she is a force and the world knows it. She is a woman who started out with nothing and worked hard, hard, HARD, to accomplish goals she set for herself. She gives back continuously to all people, not just African Americans, but to everyone. What can you say about a woman that everyone knows and knows about her life? She is one of the women I give enormous respect and admiration to.
These are women who I use as guide and compass for my life and for my interactions with other people I meet. They all offer something special to me as a human being and as a man. That is why I am so glad to be able to add Gnita to the list of women who mean the world to me.
I give much love to all the women in the world how are standing tall and trying to find a way, keep hope alive, and keep trying hard.
Most of you have never met my mother, she is a great lady. My mom is Charlene Robinson, and she is one tough cookie, but while being tough she is also my rock. When I have needed to cry, she was there for me. When I needed to laugh, she found a way. She can tell from the first two or three words on the phone whether I have a smile on my face or am sad. She knows me through and through and has taught me about love and about kindness and about determination
My grandmother, my soul mate, the rock of rocks, was a formidable woman. This takes nothing from my mother, but my grandmother was my love and my heart. I am tearing up right now thinking about her, remembering her. She taught me about trusting people and giving people the benefit of the doubt. She taught me not to judge people. I love my grandmother so much and miss her so deeply.
(((Gnita)))
My San Antonio mom, my Chacho’s mom, and the mom to many of us here who don’t have our moms close. Let me tell you about Gnita, she is stern and loving at the same time. She will make us laugh and she will share a tear when we need it. She will snap at us when we are wrong, and congratulate us when we succeed. Gnita has 3 children, we call them the biologicals, but she has many kids. The thing I love most about her is that she doesn’t judge, and she loves all people. We recently got together at her house for her birthday, it was a surprise dinner, there were about 15-20 of us there. Before we ate we all stood holding hands to thank God for bringing her into our lives. I looked around and saw the most eclectic group of people. We had black and white, Hispanic and mixed folk. We had fat people, skinny people, gay people, straight people as well as young and old, and we were all there to celebrate this woman, this woman who could bring all these different people together. Tolerance, tolerance is the word. Love you mama.
Though I never got the opportunity to meet her, I have an abiding since of awe and wonder as it relates to Mother Theresa. I am not catholic and don’t know many of the practices or the saints, but I do know that she is a woman who should be canonized as soon as possible. Mother Theresa traveled the world in the name of God to minister to the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak. Even as she got older and unable to walk as easily, she did not stop. She loved all people and she gave of herself wholly to the human race. I hope I can match a tenth of her love of people.
Oprah Winfrey is just amazing, she is a force and the world knows it. She is a woman who started out with nothing and worked hard, hard, HARD, to accomplish goals she set for herself. She gives back continuously to all people, not just African Americans, but to everyone. What can you say about a woman that everyone knows and knows about her life? She is one of the women I give enormous respect and admiration to.
These are women who I use as guide and compass for my life and for my interactions with other people I meet. They all offer something special to me as a human being and as a man. That is why I am so glad to be able to add Gnita to the list of women who mean the world to me.
I give much love to all the women in the world how are standing tall and trying to find a way, keep hope alive, and keep trying hard.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Harry Turtledove World War Series
Let me tell you about Harry Turtledove and the World War series. Mr. Turtledove is a really good author. The series that I just recently finished reading left my mind spinning and left my creative juices flowing. HT, as I shall call him, is a master of history and at writing alternate history. That is he takes a specific event or time frame and changes a few facts and continues it along the same path.
To the eight books I have just finished reading. The first series is called the World War series and it takes place in 1942 during World War II. At the height of the German Empire spreading and the Allies not truly coming together, aliens invade. Now your first reaction is probably to laugh or scoff but don’t. HT tells a very intricate story, and you get the points of view of nearly every party fighting. You get the point of view of the Americans, Russians, Germans, English, Chinese, Jews and lastly of the aliens themselves.
Their invasion is based upon faulty surveillance though, not faulty but outdated information. The probe they sent to earth arrived in about the 11th century and showed images of humans riding horse back and carrying spears. On their own planet and the other two worlds they conquered life moved extremely slowly so they expected that to be the case for humans. The aliens were rather shocked and horrified to discover in just about 900 years we had advanced so far having; tanks, rotor planes, submarines and fighting a global war. Having expected an inferior technology less race of beings the conquest fleet left with only so much weaponry. Yet even with their lack of quantity of weapons their tanks are far superior, their planes have jet engines, and ultimately they have nuclear weapons.
Once the aliens revealed themselves and entered the fighting we humans had to learn to put our fights aside and join forces or face enslavement of all of humanity. So we see many unions of groups we would not have seen in real history to fight the aliens. One of the most intriguing aspects is how when the aliens arrive they are so repulsed by what the Nazi’s are doing to Jews that the Jews actually aid the aliens. Many of them saw this as their way to survive and as a way to get back at the Germans who the aliens also now loathed. But later the Jews realizing that they intended to enslave all of humanity turned on the aliens as well.
As we humans are good at doing we fight back and eventually steal, borrow, and barter for the alien technology and use what we adapt to fight back. There is fighting literally on almost every continent of the planet. The aliens could nuke the whole planet and solve a lot of problems but there is a colonization fleet that is 20 years behind and they want to find planet Tosev 3 (earth) intact, habitable, and the people subjugated. But to show their power they do unleash nukes on some cities; Berlin and Washington D.C. to be exact. But once we discover this technology we stand toe to toe and fight with nukes as well. Eventually the U.S., Germany, and Russia win their independence but the aliens get over half the planet and uneasily a peace is reached.
But the colonization fleet is still on its way and bringing millions more aliens to colonize earth.
To the eight books I have just finished reading. The first series is called the World War series and it takes place in 1942 during World War II. At the height of the German Empire spreading and the Allies not truly coming together, aliens invade. Now your first reaction is probably to laugh or scoff but don’t. HT tells a very intricate story, and you get the points of view of nearly every party fighting. You get the point of view of the Americans, Russians, Germans, English, Chinese, Jews and lastly of the aliens themselves.
Their invasion is based upon faulty surveillance though, not faulty but outdated information. The probe they sent to earth arrived in about the 11th century and showed images of humans riding horse back and carrying spears. On their own planet and the other two worlds they conquered life moved extremely slowly so they expected that to be the case for humans. The aliens were rather shocked and horrified to discover in just about 900 years we had advanced so far having; tanks, rotor planes, submarines and fighting a global war. Having expected an inferior technology less race of beings the conquest fleet left with only so much weaponry. Yet even with their lack of quantity of weapons their tanks are far superior, their planes have jet engines, and ultimately they have nuclear weapons.
Once the aliens revealed themselves and entered the fighting we humans had to learn to put our fights aside and join forces or face enslavement of all of humanity. So we see many unions of groups we would not have seen in real history to fight the aliens. One of the most intriguing aspects is how when the aliens arrive they are so repulsed by what the Nazi’s are doing to Jews that the Jews actually aid the aliens. Many of them saw this as their way to survive and as a way to get back at the Germans who the aliens also now loathed. But later the Jews realizing that they intended to enslave all of humanity turned on the aliens as well.
As we humans are good at doing we fight back and eventually steal, borrow, and barter for the alien technology and use what we adapt to fight back. There is fighting literally on almost every continent of the planet. The aliens could nuke the whole planet and solve a lot of problems but there is a colonization fleet that is 20 years behind and they want to find planet Tosev 3 (earth) intact, habitable, and the people subjugated. But to show their power they do unleash nukes on some cities; Berlin and Washington D.C. to be exact. But once we discover this technology we stand toe to toe and fight with nukes as well. Eventually the U.S., Germany, and Russia win their independence but the aliens get over half the planet and uneasily a peace is reached.
But the colonization fleet is still on its way and bringing millions more aliens to colonize earth.
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