Happy Independence Day, America...and a minor tribute to LT black rabbit...

This is an early post, as I will be incognito for the holiday weekend. Still, I wanted to say something to register, respect, and recognize this most important and significant of American traditions. Ours is a unique experiment in self-governing. The mere idea of a "republic" was revolutionary and transformative in 1775...and has been an example of an ideal to attain for cultures and peoples hence. To maintain this, we rely on folks that volunteer their time, experience, and lives to make sure that what was established so many decades ago... remains...and will remain...intact. To those brave souls... I say...and I speak for a majority in this great country...simply, thank you. Those of us who choose not to serve will never know the sacrifices you and your families make...but we offer...two simple words...packed with heartfelt knowledge...thank you.

One such person is one of my best friends...in fact, I've known this guy longer than any other close friend that I have...he is the famed black rabbit. He is currently serving "in-theatre" , and is eagerly expected home by his wife and family within a few months. Simply put, he is one of the most courageous, genuine, and loyal persons I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. The thing is...we have thousands of others ...whom I've never met... that serve with him and are probably those things...and more...to others. So...to LT black rabbit...and those who are with him...I say...be well, be safe, and know that we aware.

Having lived in foreign lands for extended periods of time, I say this with an untempered resolve...this country is amazing...and I'll be damned if I let others who are either ignorant of history... or malicious in personal contempt...cloud our founding ideals...in the hope of some sort of trans-national and ideological utopia...that has been tried...and never realized or actualized. We, as Americans, have had, do have, and will have, deficiencies and inequalities to overcome...but this is the greatest nation...and political experiment...to ever exist in human history...more so than Babylon...more so than Athens...more so than Rome. It is worth preserving...it is worth respect...it is worth admiration. Let freedom ring true and loud. God bless the United States of America.

Michael Jackson, R.I.P.

I don't have much to say about MJ's passing that wouldn't or couldn't be said by many who are my age or close to it. In short, he was an incredible entertainer who didn't just transcend pop culture for a time...he was pop culture. He was my generation's Elvis. Yet...Elvis never ran around with a monkey...and didn't have a penchant for molesting sickly children.

I am still in awe of MJ's talent...go listen to "Who's Lovin You" to see how amazing he was at an early age...and will dance to his music until my soul escapes this world. Still, we can't lose sight of the person he became. In many ways...he personified the character of life on this planet....he delivered so much good...and exhibited so much evil.

So...rest in peace "King of Pop", if you can, and I'll moonwalk for the both of us.

Top 5 Michael Jackson songs:

1. Billie Jean

2. Who's Lovin' You ( technically Jackson 5...but he carries it).

3. Don't Stop Till You Get Enough

4. Rock With You

5. P.Y.T.

Honorable mention: Lady In My Life, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Workin Day and Night.

recent thoughts and musings 6/17/09...

wow...it has been a while. there are times, when my first response to current happenings is to turn to this place of exposition, contemplation...and sometimes...confession. still, a barrier has formed for me...one of life... one that has impeded submission. now, though, i feel the need to write, albeit, briefly:

1. politics. so much to say....because so much has happened. so...let's recap...those of us who voted against Obama ( and make no mistake...mine was not a vote for johnny mac)...did so with an informed suspicion that he was a velvet socialist...that the federal government would begin it's slow creep into our everyday lives. and here we are... in a few short months, we've seen our federal government, under the guise of crisis, take over 2/3 of our auto industry, force banks to take money...and then refuse to let them pay it back, appoint 22 "czars" to "oversee" industry and national productivity, threaten to tax everything from employee health benefits to work related cell-phones, and....please, let us not forget the bang-up job Obama's done with foreign policy...

my point is this: this guy was, and is, nothing more than a 21st century Fabian. in short, these folks believe that the government...not local government, mind you, but federal and unaccountable government....is the solution to every social and political problem. the ideology of socialism reeks of the blood of those helpless folks that bought into the idea of a forced equality...only to find the hand of an unfettered product of the system...tyrrany...waiting for them. just ask the venezuelans. our country has too much left in the founding tank to let this happen...yet.

2. music. at this moment...i'm revisiting a comfortable friend...miles davis' "kind of blue". this said, my musical tastes have been mercurial...gypsy kings, sade, the flaming lips, zero 7, bobby darin, allman bros, whatever compilation "that 70's guy" is working on....all satisfying in their own way.

3. readings. well...the last time i wrote, i mentioned that i'd be reading "atlas shrugged"...what i didn't know is that i'd be reading it with 5 guys that i trust implicitly...and that...as a group...would be a vestige of the famed "history 5". the reading went well...and i gleaned knowledge and perspective. an exposition is forthcoming. now, however, we are on to "that 70's guy"'s first submission (we collaborated to come up with a list...with each of us getting a "non-negotiable"...and this is his) aristotle's "politics". thus far, i'm intrigued...and skeptical as to application...still, an interesting tie-in to a randian projection of objectivism and individualism in a collective society.

4. life. without going into detail...let me say...that i am happier now than i've been in a long, long time. i feel blessed.

Our Agenda Usurped

Greetings,

It is easy to be outraged at the recent usurpations by the federal government. It is frightening when one considers the possible future--the country has definitely changed. A hand up from the community--in which the Church was the primary agent--has become the indiscriminate Robin Hood state we have encountered in Europe and can now observe burgeoning in DC. While i will not argue that we should not give Caesar his due. Caesar has, over the past century usurped the Christian agenda. Perhaps at a later time I will expand on this concept since it goes further than a simple usurpation of agenda. Even so, I cannot help but believe that the Christian world is a little culpable for this development.

When Christians ceased to be the principle source for relief from poverty and disasters in the world, whether from a lack of ability or a dearth of empathy (understand that I am not trying to posit blame), the door was opened for those seeking political leverage to snatch the agenda from the Christian community. It is difficult for me to consider the recent turn of events in Washington or the past century's government expansionist follies apart from the impoverished classes' support for their "relief" programs. I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO READ YOUR IDEAS CONCERNING THIS.

Sirach 7:32-36 along with many other references in scripture strongly urged us to be the agents for poverty and disaster relief in our communities. If not us then who? Well we know the answer.

I would now like to turn this over for comments and debate.

Peace

Things old and new...

1. Wedded Bliss. First things first...one of our own wed his beautiful bride last Saturday...congrats, Dr. Zeius. The service was simple, classy, and appropriate. This...however...cannot be said of the three days of dionysian revelry that preceded this most important of days. If I see another bottle of Crown Royal in the next 6 months...it will be too soon. Also... it is just over a year since the stars aligned...causing the self-proclaimed "Bloggers Convention 2008" to occur in Savannah, Ga....for those who were there...you would be satisfied to know...that we had a Hall n Oats redux...ha!

2. On That Midnight Train To....Tennessee? Well....folks...as you can read below, I've been in a transition period, with regards to job, location, direction, etc...and I've now resolution, of sorts. I've accepted a position at a financial institution in Tennessee, and will be moving next week. Actually, my office is located in the same town as my under-grad Alma mater. Now...I am very excited about the job, as it is a considerable promotion...and am excited about being near so many folks that I care about. Still, I make this move with a trace amount of trepidation. Why? I'm not sure....it possibly has to do with the feeling of working so hard to get out of a place...only to return. This said, I am blessed, and embrace the opportunity with a full and thankful heart.

3. Hope and Change. There are so....so...many words I want/could/should type about President Obama's performance and attempt to move our nation towards a centralized and neutralized economy and politic...and will at some point. Right now...though...I just don't have it in me. Well...it's there....but I'm just...so....effing....angry...scared...and frustrated...that I'm not ready. I will say this though...both Rahm Emanuel and Hillary Clinton have been quoted recently as saying, " Never waste a good crisis.". Clinton said it most recently with regards to climate change. Think about that...these people know that families are struggling...losing jobs...losing homes...losing life savings...and their avowed and open response to this is "how can we use their suffering to advance our national-socialist agenda...". As I wrote...there will be more rants in the near future....but for now...I want to go on record as saying...this will not work. The mere premise...much less action...of redistributive economic policy is anathema to the American spirit. We will rise up, if tread upon...and we won't just flood the streets...as we have careers and families...but we are the producers...the business owners...the innovators...the do-ers...we make it happen...and we expect liberty while we do it...nay, we demand it. After all...isn't it written somewhere that it is an inalienable right endowed by our creator...not some "community organizer" who has dreams of a forced and coerced utopian equanimity. Which leads me to...

4. "Atlas, Can I Join You?". In light of the stench emanating from D.C. these days, I find it required of me to visit Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, as it deals with some of the issues referenced above. Feel free to join me...I'll have a post soon on my related thoughts.

5. Music To My Ears. I've been visiting with my dad and grandparents all week...kind of taking things in before the move. My days have been largely spent reading and listening to music. One of the folks that I've spent an inordinate amount of time with is Mendelssohn. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite composers. His is an under-appreciated and undervalued talent...as compared to the "bigs"...Mozart, Bach, Haydn, etc..

And, finally...I am very excited about an artist that I've recently discovered. Her voice is the right mix of sensual simplicity and crisp earnestness....and her story is very compelling. She went to Europe to study French, German, and Italian for a Master's degree in Comparative Lit...and was discovered for her voice. Gentlemen, if you are so inclined....get a good bottle of wine, slide your arms around the waist of beautiful woman, and enjoy the gift of Stacey Kent.

The road less traveled...

A few thoughts on recent goings-on...both personal and otherwise:

1. Life's little surprises. Well....I've happened upon another little fork in the road...having just resigned my position with a financial institution. The thing is...at this stage of my life...any decision I make regarding work is a career decision...one that has long-lasting implications. Aside from the economic downturn that has folks..shall we say...hesitant to hire...frankly, I'm not sure what to do. I enjoy what I've been doing these last few years...and this particular path would be fairly lucrative, were I to continue. Still, I have this thing in me that wants to strike out again...as it were...to abandon reserve and travel. In fact, I've already sent multiple resumes to international schools in Europe, South America, and Asia. So...we'll see. While it can be scary...life is always an adventure.

2. The anti-stimulus stimulus. Regardless of one's political affiliation...how difficult is it to rationally discern that to call something an "emergency stimulus package", the funds would need to be dispersed fairly soon? Meaning, what are funds allocations doing in an "emergency bill" if they aren't used until 2011. I truly believe Pelosi to be the worst Speaker in a good long while.

3. A supporting list. The other day, Dr. Zeius and I were speaking...and the conversation turned to " best supporting actors of the last 25 years". The first name that came up....Bill Paxton. Think about it....Aliens, Weird Science, Tombstone, Apollo 13, True Lies, etc...this guy was in many many good movies...and his characters were all memorable. So...here is a list very quick and thoughtless list of my nominees( in no order):

Bill Paxton
Bruno Kirby
Marissa Tomei
Kevin Bacon
Ed Harris

4. Finally...a bit of music. This is one of my favorite songs...from one of my favorite albums...from one of my favorite bands in the 90's. I don't listen them much...but when I do...nostalgia sweeps me up. Ladies and gentlemen...Mazzy Star.

My terminal truancy...

My rather conspicuous absence here is about to end...and there is all of maybe 10 folks left out there that would even care. Nonetheless, blogging should begin anew some time before Christmas. Until then, here is video of a couple of songs that I've grown to appreciate. Both are performed with an iconic aura...and a serious weight problem. Enjoy.

* i've also included a brief clip from a movie that i had no idea that i would like...and did...that includes a very brief rendition of my favorite secular Christmas song.