All I'm Saying Is Give Peace A Chance

United for Peace & Justice is supporting a robust campaign of grassroots activities throughout the summer and fall, culminating in an international day of action for peace on October 27, when 8 regional mass demonstrations will take place around the U.S., and more will be held around the world.

Check out their website to learn how you can be a part of a movement calling for peace.

Another Reason for Impeachment

Bush Aides See Failure in Fight With Al Qaeda in Pakistan
By MARK MAZZETTI and DAVID E. SANGER - NY Times (click here for the 411)
President Bush’s top counterterrorism advisers acknowledged that the strategy for fighting Osama bin Laden’s leadership of Al Qaeda in Pakistan had failed.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Today, Rep. David Vitter came out of "seclusion" to apologize for the recent scandal connected to his patronage of an escort service. So it turns out David was once a "John" for a local DC prostitute. He's a sinner. Tsk, Tsk. What is interesting is David has the following voting record in the Senate:

6/25/07 - Pushes for Reauthorization of Abstinence Education Program: Maybe he can teach the kids how to say "no" when their loins are craving some action.

He also joined the bandwagon on the Marriage Defense bullshit. I wonder if he took calls from the DC madam in between meetings on how to protect the sanctity of marriage.

Be Careful the Tales You Tell

People love telling stories. Telling tall tales is always a temptation. I know I've been guilty of a few. Sometimes the motivation is just to make something seem funnier, scarier, or just plain more interesting than what really happen. There are also times we fib to save our own asses or someone else. So, perhaps it's human nature to weave a web, and often it ends in becoming entangled within it.

Today while watching The Next Food Network Star one of my favorite contestants got booted, because he got caught lying on his resume. Yes folks, JAG, as he liked to be called, never graduated from culinary school. And, on top of that while it was true he served in the Marines, he was never sent to Afghanistan. What an idiot. He made it to the final two, and had to bow out because he got busted. What a shame he didn't believe in himself enough, to let his true history shine. It was also a shame because he actually had the chef skills that were able to get him far and maybe win the contest. All that effort down the drain because of a lie.

I have sympathy for him, mainly because he's a young guy, and probably lacks the life experience to have known better. I also think he was lacking some brain cells since he told easily checkable lies.

I'm reminded of that Dean of Admissions at MIT that lied about not only her undergraduate degree, but TWO graduate degrees. Mind you she got away with those lies for many years. I don't have much sympathy for her because she had all those years to get her educational credentials right and maybe move on.

Lying to get a gig is nothing new, in fact I bet it's pretty common. But, at the end of the day is it worth it? I remember when I was job searching and had my Associates degree on my resume, a friend told me to say it was a BA degree. I thought about it for a minute. I then realized that one thing I'm not good at is having to look over my shoulder. Take me as I am! To hell with crafting a fake me, that eventually will be found out.

So good people, be careful the tales you tell.

A Comment on The Huffington Post

I thought this was greatly put by Professor Duh on The Huffington Post

"Advertising is about manipulating the public, while journalism is about informing the public. Advertising, not journalism, is now the dominant mode of discourse in the United States.
George W. Bush was sold to the American people entirely as a product, as the image of a great leader who was, paradoxically, a “regular guy” with whom you’d like to have a beer — not as the reality of a combat-dodging C student and serial business failure who’d spent most of his adult life drunk. As is now the rule, the American people bought the image and ignored the reality, in part because they now see themselves as consumers, not as citizens.
Americans have now tried the product, and have found that it sickens them. They are fed up not only with the product, Bush, but with the brand, Republican."

La Lupe Queen of Latin Soul

Okay, she was the Cuban scandal of Latin Soul. La Lupe! Get her music NOW.

A Moment of Grace

None of today pop-tarts come close to the scandal that is La Grace Jones. Let us have a moment of Grace.

Back With The Yungins

Okay good people, the students participating in the summer program at Cross High School arrived today! As always the first day is very exciting. I get to put faces to the names, that I've been reading off the many variations of lists given to me. I know them by grade, ethnicity, GPA, credit needed and zip code. Today, they became real young people.

This year the program has expanded and we have rising freshman, sophomores and juniors. So basically these kids range in ages from 13-17. Ahh, to be that age again - hell no! Yet, you have to go through it.

It's interesting how I take in first impressions, however; they don't last long. I've learned from experiences that what you first see is not what you are going to get. These young people are more complex than that. They soooo have an internal life going on.

Last year kids that started off shy and withdrawn opened up towards the middle of the program. And, kids that were extroverted and gung-ho vanished after the first few days. It takes time to know a person. After awhile all the masks start to peel off, especially with young people.

So I am up and running again with the young people of Cross High School in New Haven. What is always consistent with my students is that they need the motivation, information and guidance that will help each of them be successful, using their full-capability, come September.

I'll keep you posted.