...but I haven't blogged anything in awhile- and I'm not alone. Many folks prefer Facebook or Twitter as opposed to writing more words.
I suppose we all have some form of ADHD.
Meanwhile, it's raining pretty good here in the Portland/Vancouver area, and I'm hearing that it's snowing out on the Oregon coast. Winter isn't going down without a fight, is it?
While I was out, I have been keeping up with the Occupy protests, chimed in on my Facebook page about it- some opinions supporting, some opposing (I prefer "tough love", actually...). So, if you friend me on my Facebook page, you'll see some of the pictures and video I took.
At any rate, I'll come back here soon enough.
(C) MMXII, by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
I came across this story moments ago from a TV station in the Mobile-Pensacola area, WPMI Local 15 TV, in fact, about a program that the police chief in Bay Minnette (in Baldwin county, Alabama) and area churches have come up with. This program, which the police chief calls "crime intervention", allows first time offenders to serve their sentences by attending church services on Sunday morning for one year in lieu of serving them in jail or doing community service. I looked at some of the responses and some are supportive of the idea, others not so much. One I looked at asks the question of oversight, and whether pastors will demand tithes in exchange of good reports. Another asks why a similar program isn't in Mobile itself. So I created a poll on my Facebook page this afternoon, and the three options are:
Yes, its a great idea. There are people in Mobile-Pensacola, and across the country who believe that God can do what no police officer or judicial judge can accomplish- change an offender's heart, and make a disciple of Christ out of her/him. Plus make her/him a contributor to society.
No, this reeks of violation of the separation of church and state. There are others who believe that God is some imaginary fairy out of Grimm's tales. And who the fuck needs church anyway, especially when attending kind of feels like going to jail anyway. Besides, some people prefer jail anyway. At least you won't have to hear those threats of swimming in fire and brimstone. This said, some people hate the idea that offenders have to choose between church and jail- because to those folks, the line between church and state is diluted.
What freaking difference does it make if the offender wants to re-offend? And then there are those who believe that all the church services and talk of Jesus, if you're Christian, or Allah, if you're Muslim making everything A-okay if you would only follow Her/Him means absolutely nothing if your heart is set on knocking off some bank, raping some woman or child, or whacking some fucko just because he is wearing the wrong colors or simply having the wrong features. Furthermore, with all the news of pastors and priests committing all kinds of conduct unbecoming a Christian, what difference does it make anyway?
Watch the story, feel free to chime in, friend me on Facebook or on Twitter (@mydearalex). I'm very interested in hearing what you think.
Copyright (C) MMXI by Darren W. Alexander All Rights Reserved.
Monday 5/2/2011 1:54:12 PM/13:54:12 PDT: "Yep, He's Dead Alright"
Photo: Hamid Mir. Text: Darren Alexander
Poor Osama bin Laden. Even a fortress of his own building couldn't protect his pussy ass. One of the most evil terrorists ever to disgrace planet Earth was killed last night. Yeah, he went down fighting in a blaze of glory, but he used one of his wives as a human shield (that wife is very happy with him, no doubt...)
Someone said that the files have to be declassified, and let the video be seen. I have to agree with this, and when the time is appropriate, I would love to see how it was all done, and hear from the people who performed the raid on him. Oh, just picture this: the bastard sitting down eating whatever the hell he was eating...or perhaps he was getting a blow job from one of his wives. Who knows? All I can say is when those helicopters went down, and the Navy SEALS and CIA people did their home invasion heard around the globe, he tried to make his escape. But a bullet in the eye took care of that, didn't it?.
There is this saying "Be careful for what you ask for. You just might get it." Only, I doubt that the 72 faces greeting him are angels, let alone virgins. In fact, I'm, like, picturing him...no, let's go into the depth of hell to hear this conversation.
INT. HELL
ADOLF HITLER and SADDAM HUSSEIN sit on the stump. A flame hits Adolf on the ass. Of course, 'Dolfie screams like the little bitch that he was when he ran Germany into the ground in World War II.
The newest resident, OSAMA BIN LADEN waltzes in, and slumps down between Adolf and Saddam.
OSAMA: I don't believe this. I was supposed to be greeted by 72 virgins. Sure the bitches looked fine, and man, you should have seen this one. I couldn't tear myself from her. But now--
Osama scratches his nads. He also notices a couple warts near the shaft of his penis.
SADDAM (to Osama): How did that work out, infidel? OSAMA (to Saddam): Who you calling infidel? At least I didn't fuck a country in the ass. SADDAM (to Osama): Oh yeah? At least I didn't try to turn Islam into some twisted cult. And what's with this name al-Qaida anyway? For all I know, you probably insult the beloved Muhammad with that name. (to Adolf, gesturing to Osama) You know what he did? He goes to New York, knocks down the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, and America brings a jihad against me. ME! At least I didn't hide my face when I did my dirt.
Osama rolls up his sleeve and shakes his fist.
OSAMA: Why you-- HITLER (to Osama): What are you sweinhunds bitching about, ? At least the women you got were better than the ones I got stuck with.. (Gestures at Saddam) And this...this dumbkopf! He smells and whimper like one of those fat cows who never heard of feminine wash-- OSAMA and SADDAM (unison): Oh shut up.
Adolf shoves Osama, who kicks Saddam...who punches Adolf. It's safe to say that we have a nice little brouhaha here, folks.
DARREN (V.O.): And so it goes.
Copyright 2011 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
Thursday night, the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer played their fourth game (ever as an MLS team), and christened it with a 4-2 win (and their first win as an MLS franchise). But before the game came the National Anthem, and here's how the Timbers Army did it:
I'm telling you, America. I fight back tears as 20,000 fans at Jeld-Wen Field sing their hearts out. Who needs those Hollywood stars lip syncing or American Idol-wannabes screwing the song up when the fans can do it better?
But one person was not impressed. Bob Ryan of ESPN's "Around the Horn" had to open his piehole.
A civic joke, Bob? The crowd lifting their scarves up at each drum beat, and in great fervor is a "civic joke"? If you're a friend of mine on Facebook (I use my real name, BTW), then you see how big of a fan I am of Bob Ryan. So big, that if I were the President, I'd deport his un-American ass, leave him somewhere in the middle of some ocean or in the middle of some desert, and let the wildlife devour him (but then, said wildlife would come after me for bringing in some biohazard). Ryan must work for Gaddafi, either that, or he must be some al-Qaida operative. How dare he say that the Timbers fans were not patriotic for being excited as they sang the "Star Spangled Banner". How dare he say that it's a civic joke to wave scarves around in deep passion as they're equally impassioned singing.
And even though Portland, Oregon (where I live, and have called home for going on 14 years) isn't perfect (the Poison song "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" rings in my head as I write this part of the entry), I still love this city! AND I LOVE MY TIMBERS (and my Blazers, too)! HOW DARE YOU MOCK MY CITY, BOB RYAN!!
I've began noticing highway signs saying "If This Man Is Seen In The Portland/Vancouver/Salem area, SHOOT ON SIGHT!" And they all have Bob Ryan's face on them. In a bulls-eye.
Copyright 2011 by Darren W. Alexander.
All Rights Reserved.
One, my crazy laptop keyboards are in act up mode again (what else is new? It'll be fixed in post).
And two, I haven't really blogged here in awhile.
Blame those demonic creations we call Facebook and Twitter, which allows me- and millions of others- to speak our minds in short order- with the emphasis on the word short.
I took a look at one of my entries today, and read a comment. The person, who chose to stay anonymous (nothing wrong with that...), said that I was getting better. That means a lot me, and I want to thank this person for the compliment.
In short order, I'll be back blogging here on a regular basis, though it may take a bit longer, as I'll also be doing research for the entries (something, I'll admit, I haven't always done. Just speak my mind, which I'll continue to do. Yes, research is a pain in the arse, but it is a necessary evil...).
So, if you don't hear from me in awhile here, don't worry (you can find me at the aforementioned social networks).
Copyright 2011, by Darren W. Alexander.
All Rights Reserved.
Boy, aren't we a bunch of puritanical hypocrites here in America.
MTV's "Skins" is a series featuring teenagers who indulge in sex and drugs on a regular basis. It is a version of a British TV series of the same name. Only Britain isn't going ape crazy over kids having sex and showing bare butts and/or genitalia.
One such episode, which may or may not have aired on January 31, featured a teenaged male running down the street with his bare buns. Viacom, the corporate parent of MTV, told MTV that the changes had to be made. But this didn't stop the Parents Television Council (PTC) from asking US attorney general Eric Holder to investigate for possible child pornography.
Will those meddling PTC types ever learn that Viacom- let alone MTV- is not in the business of playing parent? These people are supposed to be doing their jobs as parents- like telling their kids not to watch certain programs and the like. They're just wasting their breath on trying to lobby that MTV is made more "family friendly". Look, I don't mind if this group warns parents of sexual and drug content on the TV screen- hey, a lot of parents don't want their kids looking at this (I know I wouldn't want my kids to). But the way I see it, they need to just pick up the fucking remote and change the channel. Problem solved. But instead, they're not happy unless they find something to bitch about. And since "Skins" is a highly-rated program on MTV that attracts its main demographic...well, connect the dots here, folks.
The definition of child pornography, of course, is photographing and/or filming a child for sexual purposes. Now, I wholeheartedly understand that a 40-year-old man or woman filming him/herself having sex with a child, say, aged eight or ten is despicable. Yes, I would define that as child porn. But the actor, Jesse Carere, is 17, and here is where I see a gray area. Let's say that there is an episode or film where a man- or woman- my age (BTW, I'm 43) dates a 17 year old girl or boy. The two have sexual relations and are in degrees of groping and undress. There's nudity- partial, full, and perhaps even graphic nudity (which is showing said genitalia), along with some graphic sexuality. In the 50 states, there are age of consent laws, which mention the minimum age where a person can consent to sex. The age of consent in some states- Georgia, Alabama, Indiana, and the District of Columbia, among others, is 16. It's interesting that Georgia, Indiana, and Alabama are "red states, with Alabama and Georgia in the part of the US called the "Bible Belt". In Illinois, Colorado, and Louisiana, among others, it's 17. and in California and Oregon- considered "blue states", by the way- it's 18. So, given the fact that MTV airs in every state in the Union (and around the Globe for that matter), would showing the episode- and let's say that it airs unedited, bare ass and all- in question be considered child porn in the states where the age of consent is 16 or 17? I know many would say that federal law- specifically 18 USC (Chapter 18 of the United States Code)- trumps state law in this instance, but let's say that federal law doesn't apply (and given the fervor from quite a few happy Tea Party and militia types over the past couple of years, it probably doesn't to them). Then what?
Think about it.
I think the PTC just needs to stick to helping parents decide which programs they allow their children to watch- and butt out on telling the media companies how to run their programming.
(author's note: I'm seeking out the name of the person who created the above photo/poster. I want to properly credit him or her, so if you have to be this person, please leave your name in the comments box. Thanks...)
Yes, true believers. There is a new Messiah in our midst. Too bad that you have to be a conservative to be a child of this Christ.
Ever since the late former actor Ronald Reagan entered the White House- and I'm talking 30 years ago exactly- he's been lionized by just about everyone who wears the conservative badge. Rush Limbaugh, the late William F. Buckley, and the late Robert Novak (all that damn slouching killed him, didn't it?) It's almost like every conservative wants to jump on the Ronald Wilson Reagan bandwagon.
However, 30 years after entered the Oval Office, it looks like the conservatives are sullying their Messiah's name (sacre bleu!). Reagan advocated for smaller government and personal responsibility- just like the conservatives of today. But what differentiates the Gipper from today's so-called conservatives- yes, I'm talking to you, Glenn, Sarah, and especially you, Rush!- is that he was a bit more civil to the other side. These tea party types may carry the badge of Ronnie, but they've been anything but civil in discussion. And already, there have been physical casualties from this. The Tucson, Arizona shooting last month is a great example. Yes, you can say that Jared Lee Loughner is a nutcase several fries short of a Happy Meal. But some people forget that he's also an intelligent young man who felt slighted by democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords (who continues to recover miraculously from being shot in the head...now there's a true hero if there ever is one) and anyone else in the federal government. Many would say that he got caught up in the tea party fervor, and whether or not anyone wants to believe it, that's their personal choice. But I do believe that his mental health issues interspersed with his being caught up in the tea party brouhaha has created the first victims of what may be a violent faction of an otherwise civil group. To be honest, it's only begun. But returning back to Reagan, would he be elected President today, as a Republican (as such was the case 30 years ago)? Most likely not. Reagan would be called "too civil" by today's conservatives, and even face that accusation many moderate and liberal Republicans face- being a RINO (Republican In Name Only).
In 2011, Ronnie would be tarred, feathered, and ran out of DC. So much for carrying on the Reagan legacy.
Monday 2/7/2011 (Week 6 Day 38) 12:31:54 PM PST: "A Pox On All Of You!, Chapter Two" The weather is beginning to suck again. Rain showers are supposed to fall all day, taper off by tomorrow afternoon- in time for the Spectrum, meeting at St. Stephens Episcopal- and the rest of the week is supposed to be nice before the rain returns Saturday.
Okay, let's move on...I sold 13 papers today, and at least one will be sold on Tuesday (to Jan Barber...I'll give Jan another copy to give to Sharon Agnor, wo can pay whenever she can. No pressure, of course. If Jan doesn't have te money to pay, I wont ride her ass over this...). I think I have the sufficient amount to pay the GoPhone account to extend it into June or July... Actually, May (but it doesn't hurt to dream a little, right? )
Monday 2/7/2011 1:25:43 PM/13:25:43 PST: How long have I been here at Black Cat? About an hour and thirty (or, as I prefer to put this...a buck and some change...).
I think I'm going to go with the used camera option oin with Adorama or Used Cameras. On the camcorder department, brand new Sony Handycam models, NEX-VG10 and DR-PJ10...and I will throw in te Zoom Q3HD audio/video for good measure.
Monday 2/7/2011 7:38:37 PM/19:38:37 PST: This laptop's back into the act-up mode again. Pain in the ass, but what else is new? It still works, but I'm going to need one of those flexible USB keyboards pretty damn soon, as well as te portable hard drive (I could ave ad it already, I know, but I'm not beating myself up over it. Not yet anyway...).
Okay, next item...the Zoom Q3HD andy video/audio recorder, with the accessory package (soft sell case, windscreen, AC adapter, tripod, cables- HDMI and AV) , and te Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Production Suite, All bout from Sweetwater, nd Ill probably use PayPal, or a money order to send te order in. This will go in next month.
Also next month, the Lucky Lines game will be played. The minimum jackpot I'm playing for is $30,000- which I get back $18,285 after taxes. There is no maximum limit, however, the number of sets will be limited at 100 maximum (minimum is 50 sets. In both cases, $2 per ticket).
Keith Olbermann of MSNBC says it so forceful. If you like, go to the link provided. If you can't wait that long, here's the clip now, and in its entirety:
Happy now, Jared Loughner, the alleged shooter of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona? Did it make you happy that you shot down an "enemy" of freedom, whatever your definition of this is? I looked at this guy's website, and reportedly, many of the residents he speak of are illiterate, and aren't dreamers. I can't help but wonder what he means by this? Is Mr. Loughner dreaming of a day when civil rights for blacks, Latinos, etc comes to an end? Does he dream of a day when white supremacy isn't a scorn, but a badge of honor for America? Perhaps he looks forward to a day when the American flag features a swastika (I think that the Arizona state flag may do so in the near future, given Pima County sheriff Clarence Dupnik's comment about Arizona being a hotbed of bigotry and hatred). Judging from what I've seen on his reading list, apparently he believes that the current government is sapping away his energy. And that "Mein Kampf" should be read alongside the Bible.
I can't help but wonder how Sarah Palin is reacting to this. Glenn Beck. Bill O'Reilly. Even Portland's own Lars Larson. Yes, they're second amendment supporters, but this entry isn't about the second amendment, or even guns. This is about the people- particularly those who are mentally unstable- who hear such messages that America is going down a path toward hell, and that the- I'm sorry, but I must use the word- nigger who calls himself a President is the face of Satan. Sure, those commentators I've mentioned above have the right to say what they want- as does Mr. Olbermann in the clip above, and fellow lefties such as Randi Rhodes, and Ed Schultz. But what this boils down to is that Keith Olbermann is dead center right. We are all guilty of saying things that may set someone off. We never know who among us in the crowd is suffering from some kind of psychosis or delusion. One innocuous message could be the very thing that makes the mentally unstable person explode, which results in something similar to yesterday's mass shooting.
In closing, Jared Loughner may have believed that the government was out to get him, and his actions was a way to convey this. But I also see a troubled young man who may have had a direction in life, but chose to stray from that path, and in the process lost almost all control. If he would have gotten the help he needed, I seriously doubt that Gabbie Giffords would be in a hospital room right now.
(C) 2011 by Darren W. Alexander.
All Rights Reserved.
Yesterday evening, I went on this rant about Alabama attorney general Troy King about his anti-gay views. Now his bashing of gays and lesbians is all fine and dandy to me, given his First amendment rights, but apparently he forgot about his own homoerotic desires- as several reports from two years ago point out.
But the point in general is that these anti-gay types- politicians, televangelists, and their ilk- talk of the "evils" of homosexuality, but then find themselves eating their words- so to speak- when they go to some gay bar and fellate some hot piece of man meat in the bathroom stall. Now, in the case of Mr. King, apparently the alleged lover's wife caught them in bed doing the back door dance. Yes, this incident happened two years ago, but the point is it's a nice way to show that you're anti-gay, Mr. King. That makes gay rights supporters, such as myself, dance in glee when these hypocritical jackals get trapped in their own lies.
This video rant is just like this blog- basically unfiltered, on the fly, and definitely uncensored.
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
wix.com/dwastudios11/dwastudios
Anteus Magee, 28, reportedly broke into a woman's home in Roseville, California- just outside Sacramento- and climbed into the bed next to the woman. The woman woke up suddenly at around 2:30 AM this morning and found a man next to her. Magee ran, but was later caught by authorities, and is facing charges of sexual battery, burglary, parole violation, and failure to register as a sex offender.
When I first read this, I thought, something fishy is going on here. After all, there seemed to be no sign of a break-in, right? And perhaps the woman forgot that she had invited Magee over, then when he got amorous, she screamed. Yeah, very unlikely that she would panic if she had let him sleep with her., Likely, the woman may have left her windows open- it has been a bit warm down there (in contrast to what this author- along with his fellow Portlanders and Seattlelites- had to go through over the past couple of days. Oh, it's been a bit warm. As for dry, however, I can hardly tell...). But this still gives Magee no excuse to break into the woman's home.
It's so wonder his fool didn't get his nads blown or cut off.
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
wix.com/dwastudios11/dwastudios
Never before have I become extremely excited over a product such as the Sony Handycam NEX-VG10 interchangeable lens camcorder. From all of the videos I've watched over the past couple of months- many from Swiss-based videographer Charles Michel, but also from the Sony and Sony Style websites themselves- I've been nothing short of impressed at the sharp quality in video and sound the NEX-VG10 has.
Just take a look at this video from Michel's Video Academy, based in Zurich, Switzerland:
Charles Michel Videoacademy/You Tube
Now I have the urge to head to Zurich for the 2011 Streetparade. You can use this puppy for nature videos, news journalism, and perhaps even doing student films. It works very well in low light- though if you need a bit of extra light, the NEX-VG10 has dual accessory shoes that take video lights, external mics, and more. In short, I'm picturing using this at the 2011 Mardi Gras, and even the weekend urban jungle that is the Portland, Oregon city center.
The NEX-VG10 will be out later this month. You can count me among the crowd that's in line.
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
This is a report from last night's ABC's "Nightline", where Terry Jones, the pastor of Dove World Christian Center in Gainesville, Florida is preparing for a Koran burning, which is scheduled for this Saturday- on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Now, I don't have to agree with this guy- who does, with the possible exceptions of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and the fan bases of Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck?- but unfortunately, he does have the right to burn the Koran, thanks largely to the First Amendment. Jones has received death threats over this, but he remains bound and determined to create an inferno made of wood and over 200 copies of the holy book of Islam.
I can't help but wonder if Muslims across the world were to plan a mass burning of the Christian Bible- no matter the translation. Of course, if Muslims do burn the book many Christians believe is inspired by God- and here on good ol' American soil nonetheless- just imagine the outrage that would be expressed. Picture the cross burnings, and mosques being destroyed (and you can thank the KKK, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Terry Jones, and their rabid fan bases for this...okay, maybe Mr. Beck and/or Ms. Palin may be among the voices who are telling Pastor Jones not to go through with this, though I sure as hell can't tell, given their lack of responses thus far). Kristallnacht would have nothing on the rampage that would ensue if Muslims burned the Bible here in the U.S. Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit on the aforementioned, but still, some nutcases who identify as Christian would be on a hunt until every Muslim is either hunted down, or deported.
And why the fuck would this church even carry the name "Dove"? Given that some of the members openly carry firearms, it's so wonder the church logo doesn't have a dove with a Glock in its beak. Yes, the members- all two of them- does the speaking of tongues and play the "in the fire of the Holy Spirit" dance (or whatever those conniptions they go into are), but I see them as some little church- and pastor Jones- as entities who are nothing more than some hideaway social club. One that denies membership to anyone who isn't white, Christian, and members of the National Rifle Association. Now I'm not saying that the Dove Christian Center and its members are racist, and I'm not even saying that they're xenophobic or even Islamophobic, though I'm having a hard time telling that. All I can say is that when this conflagration takes place Saturday, many folks will no doubt pray that pastor Jones would only jump into the fire. But then, he'd only be a martyr. Damned if you do...
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
I listened to the 911 tape in its entirety. The operator tries to reason with Omar, telling him to surrender peacefully. Now listen carefully at around the 3:51 mark of the video provided by WFSB (just click to the link above to watch this). I believe that's when Omar Thornton shot himself dead.
I don't buy the story that Omar, who shot eight people before killing himself, was the subject of racism. Of course, every workplace has its share of racist knuckleheads of all stripes, but likely, such conduct gets dealt with one way or another. Whatever problems Thornton had at the job, he should have dealt with them in a more reasonable manner. He did talk to his supervisors about some racist graffiti he saw in the men's room, but knowing that the supervisors didn't deal with it, he should have went to some kind of state agency- or somewhere- and told them about his problems.
Co-workers, I understand, describe him as someone who stayed to himself, and at times disgruntled. Of course, the video evidence of him stealing beer from the warehouse doesn't help his case any. As far as this goes, his argument of being racially targeted is flushed down the loo by such evidence. What I think is that Mr. Thornton himself was the racist, and that many of his co-workers had tried to reach out to him. Now understand that I don't work for Hartford Distributors, and I can't speak for them. Nor did I know Mr. Thornton, obviously, so again, his stories of racial harassment may have had merit. Otherwise, he just simply used the race card, and subsequently a bullet to his own head, as excuses not to face up to the discipline he had just faced.
I'm sorry, Omar Thornton, but I just can't accept your soliloquy about being treating bad on the basis that you're black. As I- an African-American- has said often times, playing the race card is a good way to lose an argument.
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
Man, I don't know what will it'll take to get those who are dead against same-sex marriage to get the message that they're worried about nothing. Proposition 8, the ballot measure that was passed in 2008 to ban same sex marriage in California was overturned by a federal court yesterday, but these so-called evangelistic terrorists still think that if gays and lesbians were allowed to marry, the San Andreas fault will be so pissed that the Big One finally happens. Never mind that the ground and just about everything else is still standing in Massachusetts, and in one of the most conservative states of the Union- Iowa. My take is that if same sex marriage were allowed, these crybaby types will lose their spouses to their one and only true love, that true love being of the same sex. Of course, that won't be the case in many instances, but in many others, hmmm...
Eventually, this will reach the Supreme Court of the United States, and if those justices- including the just confirmed Elena Kagan- say that gays and lesbians have the same rights, let's just say that every Pat Robertson and Rod Parsley will attempt to incite a riot and shit tons of bricks. Hey, that's all they're good for these days, stirring up shitstorms and just being stupid.
Of course, me? I'll just walk my gay friends down the aisle and watch them say "I do."
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
This morning in Manchester, Connecticut- just outside Hartford- Omar Thornton, a 34-year-old African-American worker for Hartford Distributors, reportedly walked into work this morning and shot numerous people. The latest report (as of press time, 2:10 PM Pacific/5:10 PM Eastern) says that nine people, including Thornton himself, are dead. Thornton was reportedly asked to resign from his job after being caught stealing beer. Some people described Thornton as a loner, and disgruntled, while Thorton reportedly told his supervisors that he was racially discriminated, after seeing racial slurs and a noose at the workplace.
I can't help but wonder if Thornton himself had used the race card to escape the fact that he was in trouble for committing acts against the company, namely theft. Was he wongly accused of theft? Did his co-workers use racial epiphets against him? Or was Thornton just someone workers couldn't get along with? I'm not buying the racial discrimination story, to be honest, but if evidence of such does come to light, then Hartford Distributors must own up to the problem and deal with this. Otherwise, all I'm seeing is just one pissed off man who took lives for no apparent reason.
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
I'll admit that I haven't been doing a lot of blogging as of late- that is, unless you count my Facebook and Twitter rants. But I've been busy over the past couple of days working on a new website, courtesy of the folks at Wix.com. Wix allows commoners- such as myself- to build websites. Without costing one red penny. So, the site I'm building now will eventually have photos and video, plus I'll feature some art work- paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of art. The site looks a little out of sorts right now, but when everything falls into place, this will turn out to be a great site. It'll take time, but I'm getting somewhere at least.
The name DWA Studios is the name of what will be a video production entity- before the year's out, I'll have the name incorporated.
Copyright 2010 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
In the United Kingdom, there is no clear majority in the just concluded elections. The Conservatives, who got the most votes at 306, were 20 short of being the outright ruling party. The Labour Party, which the current Prime Minister Gordon Brown is a member of, has 258, and the Liberal Democrats got the smallest number of the major three party, with 57. This is the first hung parliament in 36 years, and things will get very interesting over the next several days. I've been watching the coverage from the BBC, and right now, I'm learning that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are talking about a deal of power-sharing- a coalition government, actually.
Think that'll work here in the States? I know, dumb ass question. But I can't help but wonder, perhaps even picture a 2012 presidential election where neither the Democratic candidate, the incumbent president Barack Obama, nor the likely Republican candidate, Sarah Palin, will get the required 270 electoral votes. Especially given if several "third-party" candidates run, and given the fact that both American major parties are drawing the ire of the tea party movement, that could very well be the case. Call me crazy, but I think the madness of 2000 will have nothing on the forthcoming 2012 elections.
I do know that the idea of doing a coalition government will not wash with the Democrats and the Republicans.
(C) MMX, by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
Normally, I wouldn't talk personal business here at this blog. But I never did follow any rules- I don't think there were any (at least in the days when this blog was called "The Alex Chronicles" and "The View from Planet Alex").
Recently, I began a new relationship- even though it's only three days, for all intents and purposes, I suppose I can call it one. I won't divulge much at this point, and any updates will be on my blog at MySpace.
So, go ahead and read the entry. It could last- or I may be looking for someone new. Only time will tell.
(C)MMX, by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
On Thursday, Comcast- who is already buying a majority stake in NBC Universal- announced that it has bought the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, the corporate arm of the Jehovah's Witnesses faith. The deal was approved by government regulators last week.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and Watchtower president Don Adams (no relation to the late "Get Smart" actor) jointly announced that with the power of Comcast behind the Watchtower name, the quest for world domination is fully within reach. "Who better to reach customers than the Jehovah's Witnesses?," Roberts said. "They knock on doors, and sell Watchtowers and Awakes- now part of the Comcast stable. and now, they also will tell you when you cable bill is late. It really saves us from mailing those pain in the ass notices."
Adams went on to say that with the deal, "This makes the (Watchtower) Society more open to everything. Every idea. Every person we reach."
Among the proposed changes the new Comcast-Watchtower deal are:
allowing women and openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and crossdressing persons to lead congregations,
changing the names of the two main magazines: "The Watchtower" will keep its name, but will drop the "Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom" subtitle. The Watchtower symbol will also feature the NBC peacock prominently inside the symbol. Also, the format would change to that of Comcast cable listings and profiles on stars on the NBC Universal TV networks. "Awake" would become "NBC Awake", and would feature stories from NBC's "Today" show,
congregational meetings will become more entertaining, and the religious aspect would become optional, as opposed to the stiff and formal settings that now take place.
Many of the Kingdom Halls would be renamed "Comcast Halls". several others will keep the "Kingdom Hall" name, except now, the Kingdom Hall name is trademarked by Comcast. Furthermore, some Comcast/Kingdom Halls will serve as broadcast facilities, mainly for NBC news programs.
At the 2010 District Conventions, across North America, big name pop stars, such as Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, and Taylor Swift will perform at several venues (of course, venues and dates are still being negotiated at this time). Also, "Today" will broadcast from at least two convention sites.
Except for making programming better, there should be no noticeable changes, Adams says. Adams will be vice chairman alongside Roberts, and is in the running for running some of the NBC Universal networks and NBC-owned TV stations.
In 2007, I had two short short stories published- both in local anthologies, "Unexpected Metaphors", in August 2007, and "See The Water Rise/Ver Las Aguas Subir", in November 2007. I'm a 2009 graduate of Humanity in Perspective, a academic year-long class run by Reed College and the Oregon Council of Humanities.
