Straddling the line between bravery and stupidity.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier #respect #honor (Photo credit: FashionbyHe)

As Hurricane Sandy bears down on the United States with dangerous intent, I read an article that the US servicemen who guard the Tomb of The Unknowns, would not be taking refuge from the storm.  They would instead, treat it like any other day and stand guard, just as they have since 1948.  Bravery? Dedication?  Or just plain stupidity?

Now don’t get me wrong, I admire the brave men and women of the armed forces who fight to protect our countries.  I also take my hat off to the many who died in the wars.   Their contribution is admirable.   Still, I think that these soldiers lives should not be put at risk while their superiors are most likely hiding out from the storm.  I am sure that the dead soldiers that they are guarding would rather they seek self-preservation than guard their remains.  It’s a good show of respect yes, but also a good show of stupidity and misdirected commitment.

I think that if the dead unknowns could talk they would say, “Don’t be idiots, we are already dead.  Do you want to end up like us?  Go run for cover!  We’ll still be here when it’s all over.”  I can understand firemen risking their lives to save the living but risking your life to save the dead?  Doesn’t make sense.

Just my take.

Related articles

• Tomb of the Known Unknowns (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Everything Else In D.C. May Be Shut Down, But Not The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier (businessinsider.com)
• Amazing photo: Sentinels brave forces of Hurricane Sandy to stand guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; Correction: Photo taken in September 2012 (twitchy.com)
• Soldiers Stand Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington during Hurricane Sandy (IMAGE) (americanlivewire.com)
• Amazing photo: Sentinels brave forces of Hurricane Sandy to stand guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; Correction: Photo taken in September 2012 (gds44.wordpress.com)

 

Thursday’s Thoughts: Winnipeg’s Praying Police Chief

A few weeks ago, the City of Winnipeg got its first black police chief when Jamaican born Devon Clunis got the nod for the position.  Devon, who has over 20 years of service, also served as the police chaplain.  Since his selection, his strong Christian faith has been a topic of discussion.

In one of his first meeting with the media,  (A Christian news magazine), Clunis wore his faith on his sleeve and said the following:

EXCERPTS from the ChristianWeek story, New police chief: prayer will play a role in reducing violent crime

– “I’m a little tired of us… being ‘(the) murder capital of Canada,’ ” says Devon Clunis, who was appointed chief of police at the beginning of October. “People consistently say, ‘How are you going to solve that?’ It’s not simply going to be because we’re going to go out there and police it away. I truly believe that prayer will be a significant piece of that.

“What would happen if we all just truly — I’m talking about all religious stripes here — started praying for the peace of this city and then actually started putting some action behind that?” he adds. “I believe something phenomenal is going to happen in our city. I truly believe it’s coming. I don’t think I’ve arrived at this position just by chance.”

– Clunis attributes his success to God. He says he has never asked God to make him a powerful person, but rather he has prayed that God make him a leader who treats people with dignity and respect and who is successful in his endeavours.

– Clunis says at the end of the day, he just wants to give of himself to help the community.

– “God still cares, He’s still involved in our lives,” Clunis says, “and I believe without a shadow of a doubt the only reason that I am in this position is because God is involved in it. Without a shadow of a doubt.”

Yesterday, the media was in a frenzy.  ’Chief urges prayer to fight crime’ was the general headline, his words sadly taken out of context.

Chief Clunis has my support.  I am happy to see a man of strong christian values in his position.  I have seen, read and heard of too many ‘bad cops’ and ‘dirty cops” that I, for the most part, have lost faith in them.   Clunis has given me a reason to have at least a glimmer of hope.

As for using prayer as part of his arsenal, why not?  With Winnipeg the nation’s crime capital, what do we have to lose? And while you kneel in prayer for our city,  don’t forget to say one for Clunis.  He needs our prayers and support and we need him to stay strong in his faith no matter what comes.

Oh, and like him, I also believe that the only reason he’s in this position is ‘because God is involved in it’.

All the best, Chief!  Keep the faith!

Just my take.

 

Related articles

• Winnipeg police chief proposes prayer to help combat crime (cbc.ca)
• Winnipeg police chief says comments on prayer and crime misconstrued (ctvnews.ca)
• Combat crime with prayer urges Winnipeg police chief (metronews.ca)
• Local Hero: Devon Clunis preaches the power of prayer (stjohnscathedral.ca)
• Winnipeg police chief to speak to media (cbc.ca)
• Police chief ‘misconstrued’ on controversial prayer statement (theglobeandmail.com)

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

No one bothered to tell me about this show before? I had to find in while surfing the web.  No one also bothered to think that this was a bit odd and wrong?  A 7-year old  parading around dressed inappropriately?  And we wonder about our lost morality and values…  And we wonder why there are so many young girls in Hollywood messed up to the hilts.   We promote it with garbage like this.

So I found out that Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is a show on TLC featuring toddler, Alana Thompson and her family.   Apparently, the family gained famed after being on Kids & Tiaras, another exploitation show.  (Oops, did I say exploitation? I meant beauty show).  In its first season, it was one of TLC’s most watched shows.  So there’s definitely an audience out there for that sort of thing.  We both know what they are called, it’s illegal in some states.

In case you didn’t know, HBB’s mom give her Go Go Juice so she could be alert for her engagements.  Don’t be alarmed, it’s only a mixture of red bull and mountain dew, the equivalent of two cups of coffee.  Nothing a precocious 7-year old can’t handle.

Now I don’t know about you, but this makes me furious.  I know it’s not my kid but seriously?  Have you seen pics of this girl and her family?  Worst yet, have you seen pics of this girl?  Suggestively posing in skin-revealing clothing that some, even you, might find cute but I don’t and I can’t.  How far is this exploitation of children going to go?  I know we are in an economic downturn and people are doing anything for money to take care of themselves and their families.  Fame and fortune at any cost is the order of the day.  But please, not the children.  Let them be children.

You know you should quit when your kid tells you they hate being in the spotlight and hate it when fans approach them.   End it now before it becomes  ”There Goes Honey Boo Boo”

 

Hey, if this sort of thing turns your crank and you are a fan of this show, don’t let me rain on your parade, knock yourself out as they say cuz it’s just MY TAKE.

Related articles

• Kris Jenner Wants To Manage Honey Boo Boo – Report (hollywoodlife.com)
• Honey Boo Boo’s Niece Kaitlyn Already Competing In Pageants (hollywoodlife.com)
• Honey Boo Boo Doesn’t Like Being On TV, Hates Fans Encounters (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Is Honey Boo Boo Headed Towards A Meltdown? (997now.cbslocal.com)
• http://herecomeshoneybooboo.wikia.com/wiki/Alana_Thompson

DeHORNing The BULLies

The web is abuzz on  the sad and tragic story of Amanda Todd, the 15-year old girl who took her own life after being cyber bullied.   you can read it here.

I did a lot of thinking after I read this story, trying to find how bullying could have such devastating effect on someone, not just Amanda.  (Apparently,  Amanda’s life fell apart after she was coerced into flashing her breasts online).

Amanda’s online indiscretion came back to haunt her in a way that she could not deal with.  It followed her to school and everywhere and she responded the way the bullies wanted her to.  She was the perfect victim.   Not everyone  has the mental toughness and attitude to deal with something like this.  Some would shrug it off and tell the bullies to shove it or even call their bluff.  You want to show my boobs on Facebook?  Go right ahead, who cares?  Amanda couldn’t and didn’t and it ate her alive.

Back in my day, bullying was not an issue.  The word ‘bully’ was used casually as in, ‘Leave me alone, you big bully!’  No one was ever accused of actually bullying anyone.  I was called rude names and embarrassed in front of classmates, heck, even my teacher joined in sometimes.  By day’s end, it was all forgotten until the next bullying.   I was never depressed because of it even though it was rather belittling to me.  My wife confessed that she too was bullied because of her early chest development.  Boys would snap her bra and joined the girls in  taunting her.  Again, it was a distant memory by day’s end for her also.   That didn’t mean it was right back then.

In school, I can’t think of anyone who wasn’t harassed or bullied in some way.  Unless it came down to a physical confrontation, it was never an issue and no one complained, not even the victim.

After the tragic fact,  many questions could be asked.  Why didn’t Amanda stay off the computer after being bullied online? Why didn’t she complain to the school authorities? The police, her parent?  All moot now in regards to this poor girl.

Why is bullying getting so dangerous? Are people more insensitive or are our kids overly sensitive?  I don’t know, I am just asking.  Teens everywhere are killing themselves far too often because of bullying.    Why wasn’t this happening years ago?  What changed?  Were we tougher?   Granted, the internet wasn’t around so if a girl bared her breasts, it ended up being her word against those who saw.

In my opinion, our changed society is playing a big part in providing bullies with ammunition they never had before.   Kids cannot deal with not fitting in and being accepted.  Looks are everything.  Self esteem is held together by a thread that falls apart at the first snag.  Computers have provided a breeding ground for a new form of bullying.  Cyber bullies are preying on unsupervised kids with unlimited and uncensored access to websites.  Parents are proud of their 8-year old’s ability to surf the net without assistance.

So how do we change this?  How do we unarmed the bullies and nullify their game?  Anti bullying laws may not be enough.  We could start in our homes. One thing I noticed is that most of the victims are silent until their final act shouts out the fact that they were bullied to death.  Maybe we as parents need to make ourselves and our home a safe haven that our kids can come to with their issues.   We could provide a strong support team that is available to them 24/7, this way they do not feel like they are alone as in Amanda’s case.  She should have never felt that she was alone and had no one to turn to.  Sadly, it’s only after their death that we tell the deceased that we were there for them if only they had come to us.  Maybe in life we did not give them reason to think that way?  Teaching kids to be strong mentally, with respect for themselves and each other is also a step in the right direction.  Although we sometimes cannot control how our children turn out, our homes are usually where it all starts.

We may not be able to actually stop bullying  but we could prepare our children and help them to recognize and deal with all forms of bullying.  Bullying is wrong!  No one should feel the way Amanda did.  If you are a bully or have the tendencies, please seek help.  If you are bullied, never think you are alone.

RIP Amanda!  You were loved!

Never Alone

Related articles

• For anyone who ever dismissed online bullying. Amanda Todd RIP [Mike Turner] (ecademy.com)
• Den Tandt: We have remedies for bullying: What’s missing is will (canada.com)
• U.S. pre-teen encourages kids to stand up for each other in Amanda Todd-inspired anti-bullying campaign (o.canada.com)
• Teen girl’s death after posting video about being bullied (thesun.co.uk)
• Not alone: Amanda Todd case emphasises the importance of helping victims of cyberbullying (mirror.co.uk)
• #109: R.I.P. Amanda Todd (fittingkeys.wordpress.com)
• http://abcnews.go.com/International/bullied-teen-amanda-todd-leaves-chilling-youtube-video/story?id=17463266#.UIFLmm_A-Bw

Politricks

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I must admit that I probably do not pay as much attention as I should to politics.  I used to,  but have concluded that all politicians are the same, more or less.  I usually give political debates close to the same attention as I give WWE wrestlers.  That’s my opinion.

During Obama’s campaign that got him in The White House in 2008, I gave in to the hype that surrounded this historic moment.  A black man on the verge of running the most powerful country in the world? Epic.  As a black man, I could not have been any more proud.  I didn’t care about his political credentials, just that history was close to being created.  As a matter of fact, I did point out the fact that the pickings for the biggest office came down to a fairly inexperienced black man and a guy that should have been enjoying his retirement, not running for president.

I like Obama.  I think he is great for black people in making them realize that dreams do come through and everything is possible.  Forget black people, he’s good for everyone   I however, do still believe that very little separates him from say, Mitt Romney.   They both have their weaknesses and their strengths.  Unfortunately,  weaknesses of any kind is generally not tolerated by the masses.  Obama has made empty promises but that is right in line with being a poli-trickcian.   He has also fulfilled some promises.  Nothing new here.

Should Mitt win the Presidency, which I don’t see happening, I am sure that there will be bright spots in his term..  That’s just how it works.  For all the bad things said about G.W Bush, he was re-elected so he couldn’t have been that bad, right?

Whether I like it or not, politics is important to us all.  In Canada, it is important we keep an eye on our neighbors as we are the first to feel the ripple effect.  Even though in my opinion, there’s never much to choose between candidates, we should all vote and play a part in the selection process.  We should also never underestimate the power of the people.  We put them there, we could remove them also, anytime.  Unfortunately, we always forget that and let ruthless leaders run wild indefinitely.

My prediction is Obama will cruise to another victory.

Don’t forget, this is just my take.  What do I know eh?

Related articles

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Takes of A Background Extra. Take One.

Yesterday, my wife and I spent the better part of the afternoon and evening on the set of the sequel to a popular horror series.  We signed a waiver not to divulge any information on or about the movie so I’m not saying what it was.

I enjoy studying people and how they interact and react in their environment, so as I sat in the extras holding area waiting for our call to the set, I watched and listened. Some of the extras walked around as though they were the main actors and actresses on the set.  They spoke to their friends and other extras about the amount of calls they got and who they met.  I thought, who cares? You are still just an extra.   

Then we were told that a ‘big actress’ was going to be in the movie so we were not only supposed to keep mum on that bit of info but also stay away from her. Have no contact, verbal or otherwise.  I thought, Really? I hate to break it to you people but I’m here for the money, not the fame. My ship has sailed.  When I finally saw her, neither her name nor her face rang a bell anyways.

We were herded like cattle from set to holding and back by a young punk who looked like he was there to impress his bosses.  He kept shushing us as we sat in on a courtroom scene even though the only sound came from the crew people.  Maybe he shouldpay more attention instead of seeking more attention.

Our first snack consisted of sandwiches.  I hate sandwiches! But I ate a tuna sandwich all the same and hid a roast beef sandwich just in case.  I hate sandwiches! I am serious!  Five hours after that, we were called to lunch/supper.  I could smell the hot food aroma before I entered the room and rubbed my hands in anticipation.  It was not for us.  It was for the crew and extras who were part of the ACTRA. (Extras were automatically members if they had a speaking part.  No matter how small or insignificant).

So the crew and the important extras, were treated to lasagna, rice, salad and the works while we were given a bagged meal.  It consisted of a sandwich. AGAIN? an orange, a cookie and a small sample-size bag of chips.  I felt like a kid again.  I later watched as the leftover lasagna was taken to be tossed.

In the hallways outside the set, a table was decorated with bananas, coffee, apples and other nice snacks.  Right across from the table was a water fountain.  We were only allowed access to that.  Talk about teasing and tempting…I suddenly had a craving for a banana.

A female from the production crew told us to wait in room 214 but while we were walking there like docile cows, we were turned back by another crew member who told us to retreat to where we were.  It’s amazing how no one found all this irritating.  No one complained about anything. Not the food, not the herding, not the shushing, not the kids talking to grown and respectable adults as if they were stupid children.  I didn’t understand it.  Put them in a car and try to tell them where to go and you won’t hear the end of it.  Is it the chance to feel like they are part of something? Rubbing shoulders with the elite? Bragging rights? I don’t know.  I was ready to tell this guy where to go with his, “Go here, go there, don’t talk, don’t move.” You can take your job and shove it! You young greasy hair, lasagna-eating punk!

After all that, I will do it again and again because  I love the feeling of rubbing shoulders with the elite and feeling like I’m a part of something.  I also know that the food does not always come in a brown bag.  So see you on the next set!

It’s never a bad day, even when it snows early

On Tuesday, I went to the hospital to visit a friend who recently suffered a massive stroke that paralyzed the entire right side of his body.  I sat with him for a while even though we couldn’t communicate with each other.  He sometimes struggled for a breath of air and tried to speak during his brief moments of consciousness but was mostly incoherent. This was a man who was never lacking for words.  He was intelligent and a great debater.  Now here he was, reduced to a mumbling baby.

As I watched him, feeling useless and wondering if there was something I could do or say, I thought of my frailty.  I thought of how I would feel with my mind trapped in a body that refused to answer its will.  It was a dreadful thought that scared me.

The next day it snowed, prematurely by our expectations as we hadn’t seen snow before December for some time.  I joined the voices of the malcontents and questioned God’s bad timing.  It’s just the beginning of October! What kind of joke is this? How long is winter going to last this year?  This really sucks!  It was just a knee-jerk reaction as I am never one to really complain about too much snow, rain, heat or otherwise.

Then I thought of my friend in the hospital, (See the good thing about having an overactive mind is that it sometimes counters the negative thoughts by coming up with other thoughts, even while thinking).  I suspected that my friend would rather be out here navigating the snowy roads and feeling cold than lying on a hospital bed not knowing what his future holds.  That was a sobering thought that righted my ship.

Later, I was surfing Facebook and came upon the photo above, it was about being thankful for each day as someone somewhere is fighting to survive.  Coincidence?

As Thanksgiving approaches, there’s no better time to think of the things that are taken for granted.  The things that we feel we have earned.  A breath of air, health, possessions.  We feel that no thanks are necessary or saying thanks once should be good enough.

When we have our health and our lives, there is no such thing as a bad day.  Snow falling when we think it’s not supposed to, does not constitute a tragedy.  So now I am thankful that I could experience another winter.  I could feel the cold and trudge through the snow and that’s  more than some could say.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

The Food Of Love – Soca

 

Soca Queen (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Chances are, you have never heard the word Soca before.  You may have heard Soca songs but just thought it was called Caribbean or Island music.   Soca is an acronym for SOul and CAlypso.   It could also very well mean SOul and Caribbean as it is the soul of the Islands.  Our ‘feel good’ music, our party music, our come together music.

 

Soca is my favorite music.  With an uptempo beat like no other, lots of brass and bass, I cannot sit still while the beat of a sweet Soca music is in the air.   I jump and wave, wave something, wine my waist, whatever the song urge me to do.  Or I try the newest soca dance move.  There’s always a new dance.

 

Soca is one of those types of music that could pick you up when you are down.  It lifts your spirits and get you in a party mood, whether you are into partying or not.  Soca is the ultimate dancing music and an opportunity for dancers to grab a girl, any girl and ‘wine up’ behind her.  (Wining is the gyrating of your hips).   Dancing soca music is quite simple.  You basically do whatever you feel like. Move an arm there and a leg there,  it’s all good, as long as you try to maintain a rhythm.  There’s nothing quite like seeing a ‘whitey’ keeping up with the islanders dancing Soca.  A couple of months ago, I was at an after party and I noticed a white guy wining on a black girl.  He was giving such a good account of himself that I went over and fist bumped him.

There are some notable Soca artistes known for producing songs that are specifically aimed at getting you to get off your chair.  Allison Hinds, known as the Soca Queen, Machel Montano, Skinny Fabulous, to name a few.  The old stuff with guys like Mighty Duke, Crazy, Gypsy and Blue Boy is still untouchable though.

 

It does not exactly make you want to fall in love, except maybe with the music, but it does a fine job in elevating your heart rate and putting a smile on your face.  Soca could very well be the best therapeutic genre of music out there.  It is not however, the food of love.

For a sample of Soca music, go to YouTube and type ‘Soca Music’.

 

Related articles

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• The food of love – Rap
• The food of love - Country