text:
When something bad happens, you have three choices: let it define you, let it destroy you, or let it strengthen you.
The heart of the difference is not ability or even talent, but desire
The purpose of life is to discover and develop your gift. The meaning of life comes from sharing your gift with others. - David Viscott
Monday, October 02, 2006
Monday, October 2
Please, if you are out there, think good thought of him these days.
He is in the lower right corner. Isn't he my son? :)
11 comments:
What a crazy fun picture! : ) Thinking good thoughts....ReplyDelete
Sending out best thoughts to you and your family.ReplyDelete
Lots of good energy on his way from all around the word yeah!ReplyDelete
He is doing it!
- Anonymous2/10/06 23:07
All the best and most positive thoughts to Alex and his sweet Mom!ReplyDelete
I will send my prayers to Alex and all of the family as well and to the kid who has his arms folded. He looks like he could use some encouragement.ReplyDelete
Positve energy coming your way Olga.ReplyDelete
My thoughts and prayers are with your family and especially Alex.ReplyDelete
We think good thoughts for him and your family every day. We'll put a little extra into it.ReplyDelete
Positive thoughts from over the Atlantic.ReplyDelete
Haha great pic. I'm with Rob, what's with the kid with his arms folded? Looks like he's not having fun.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous3/10/06 14:39
positives vibes going your way and alex's. i echo everyone else's words... the kid with arms crossed did catch my attention.ReplyDelete


text:
Monday, July 14, 2008
Chauncey DeVega says: Operation Blackout and Jesse Jackson's Anti-Obama Outburst Explained
From: Chauncey DeVega, field operative
Re: Operation Blackout's Success with Principal Targets Jesse Jackson and Bernie Mack
It has been several months since my initial reports on Operation Crabs in a Barrel and the Obama-Wright Affair. As outlined in my earlier recommendations, the Wright doppelganger has been under close surveillance. Also, in my efforts to determine how to best contain the threat posed by Reverend Wright, I have consulted with our experts in the psychic warfare division (their particular brand of "science" has always made me a bit nervous, and these most recent encounters are no exception). Ultimately, these meetings gave birth to Operation Blackout.
Operation Blackout's principal goal is to push undecided and swing voters to the Obama camp through the application of covert means such as the use of remote mind-control and personality conditioning, as well as the deployment of agent provocateurs within the McCain camp and at Fox News (by example, our cultivation of Geraldine Ferraro and Bill Clinton worked wonderfully, and Agent 69's seduction of both targets was rewarded with a commendation and promotion).
Our intelligence division correctly identified the dynamics of Obama's weakness among "hard working white voters" some time ago and we have been scrambling to find a solution. McCain's closing of the gap with Obama in several polls is further evidence that we must initiate more radical plans if we are to ensure an Obama victory. Unfortunately, some in the white working class may be beyond either the reach of normal political appeals to material self interest, or to the wisdom of voting for Obama as a function of common sense.
Several months ago, we became aware that a sleeper cell of Greater Opposition Party (GOP) agents had been activated in Flag City. This area has long been a hotbed of GOP activity and we have kept it under close scrutiny (in fact, Flag City was originally one of the "model communities" that Cobra's elite Crimson Guard had infiltrated in the mid 1980s) . As is typical GOP standard operating procedure, they chose to hide their control over the city in plain sight--the same way the Soviets used to operate with their command and control centers during the Cold War--and even went so far as to have their contacts at the Washington Post write a feature story about Flag City's residents.
Even when allowing for ideologically rooted ambivalence towards Barack Obama, the levels of anti-Obama animus among Flag City residents was shockingly high. Following through on my concerns, I pursued an intuition and inserted a small team into the hills surrounding Flag City to begin a more intensive surveillance campaign. I also requisitioned one of the new Reaper drones from an ally in Air Force Intelligence. This drone was put on alert and began signals intelligence over Flag City. On my orders, this drone was equipped with a high band electromagnetic energy spectrum analyzer. As expected, the drone detected anomalous readings from within Flag City. My worst fears were confirmed: the GOP was in fact controlling the residents of Flag City with a Brainwave Scanner.
It has been several years since we last came upon one of these horrific devices. As a reminder, the original devices were limited to targeting a very small area, and were ideally used for controlling only one person at a time. The energy readings from the device we detected in Flag City were orders of magnitude greater than those emitted by the comparatively simple models in use some decades ago. As per standing orders (whenever a grade one threat is encountered standing order 101 allows us to circumvent the Posse Comitatas Act and deploy our forces on U.S. soil) I deployed our troops with the following mission: 1) to seize the device with a minimal loss of life, and 2) remain unseen and unidentified by the residents of Flag City.
A small group was inserted into the town where it was supplemented by some former members of Task Force 145 (Delta commandos and Seal Team 6 mostly, with some operators from 1st Recon in the mix as well) who have joined our cause. The strike team formed a perimeter around the main science building of the local university, forced entry, and applied non-lethal force to subdue the human security in the area. Our team did encounter a surprise upon breaching the control room for the Brainwave Scanner: Battle Android Troopers (BATS) were defending the device. Fortunately, the team had deployed with a targeted EMP device and were able to deactivate the BATS without damaging the Brainwave Scanner).
Note: upon reading the after action report I was reminded of our early struggles against those damn machines and how they make those robots from the Terminator films look like children's toys.
The presence of both the BATS and the Brainwave Scanner pointed to the presence of one obvious foe, Dr. Mindbender:
We believed that Dr. Mindbender was "off the grid." True, he had recently worked with Roger Ailes at Fox News and was a long time confidante and adviser to Karl Rove, but after the Iraq debacle it was thought that Mindbender had decided to ply his craft overseas. Luck was with us again, as Mindbender was seized while attempting to leave town via speedboat and he was immediately secreted away to one of our safe houses.
Mindbender is a treasure trove of knowledge regarding mind control, interrogation techniques, psychic operations, and the occult (his father and grandfather were key members of Hitler's Thule society and were indispensable to the Nazi's efforts to obtain the Spear of Destiny). It was at this point that I made the faithful decision to move forward with a plan to deploy the Brainwave Scanner in order to influence key opinion leaders, targets of opportunity, and any others who could be used for our cause.
Personal Note: this decision has caused me no small amount of anxiety and doubt. Yes, there is a precedent for working with a war criminal for the greater good (our use of Nazi scientists to develop the space program following World War 2 comes to mind), but I still hope that we are making the right choice. Our plan will certainly raise some eyebrows when in the far future its full dimensions come to light (as is common to all of our missions, Operation Blackout's records will be sealed for 100 years). I am a firm believer in our democracy, but from time to time it must be helped along. I know I both speak for the agents under my command, as well as reflect your leadership, when I state that it is this common faith in our cause which empowers us to make these types of difficult decisions.
Operation Blackout began with several small tests of concept and operation which proved immediately successful (the singer in Denver who substituted the Black National Anthem for the Star Spangled Banner was our first target). Rather than attempt to influence the public in mass through a direct application of the Brainwave Scanner, a rather clumsy tactic in my opinion, I developed a counter-intuitive strategy with a high level of plausible deniability.
For phase one, I developed a list of targets according to the following criteria: What persons could be turned against Obama, and through their actions draw white voters towards Obama's camp? Accordingly, this application of the truism "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," involves provoking blacks (and others) that many in the the white public have extreme dislike for into attacking Obama. Phase Two will involve the conditioning of prominent conservatives, individuals who should by all measures be against Obama, into eventually supporting his candidacy for president. The sum effect of Operation Blackout will be a net gain for Obama in the presidential campaign.
Operation Blackout's first targets include(d)
1. Jesse Jackson
2. Bernie Mack
Both of these targets followed their programming. Jesse Jackson was programmed to express a desire to "cut Obama's nuts off" for "talking down to Black people." Although, he was not programmed to do so, Jesse Jackson may have used even stronger language to describe Obama (we are still analyzing the tapes). Mindbender believes that this second outburst, if it did in fact occur, was a result of the Brainwave Scanner freeing Jackson to state opinions that he may in fact deeply hold. In total, we believe that the Jackson-Fox event is pushing whites towards Obama--Fox News's decision to censor the interview hints that the GOP agents at Fox may also be mindful of this effect.
Bernie Mack's conditioning resulted in his using off color language during a comedy routine he performed at an Obama campaign dinner. Although this could have potentially embarrassed Obama, the plan worked as outlined with Obama playfully chastising Mack at the event and earning more praise from the public and mainstream media.
Future targets for phase one include:
1. Al Sharpton
2. Louis Farrakhan
3. Marion Berry
4. Charles Barkley
5. Harry Belafonte
6. Sheila Jackson Lee
7. Carol Moseley Braun
I will continue to update you on Operation Blackout as it develops. We are still in the process of developing a target list for phase two. If you have any suggestions for persons or groups that should be added to the target file, please forward them to my secure email. We are also open to expanding the target list to include "progressives." Per procedure, you will be updated should the plan encounter either unexpected difficulties or surprising successes as we continue to shape the battlefield prior to the Democratic and Republican conventions.
Chauncey DeVega
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, Obama's Nuts, and Jesse's Pain: An Exclusive Interview with Jesse Jackson
We Are Respectable Negroes News Network (WARNNN): Hello, Reverend Jackson, we appreciate your agreeing to this exclusive interview.
Jesse Jackson (JJ): Yes, thank you, it is a pleasure to be here.
WARNNN: You have been at the center of a whirlwind these last few days following your comments on Fox News where you stated that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama should "stop talking down to Black people," and that you want to "cut his nuts off." Can you please share with our readers the context of these comments? Why would you say such a thing? And how have you been feeling these last few days following the incident?
JJ: Well, first of all, I would like to apologize for my comments. I did not mean any harm. They were indeed mean-spirited, untimely, and a mistake. You know, we are all deeply flawed creatures and no man or woman is above admitting guilt. Only God is perfect, and I know I am not. Second, what I meant to actually say was that faith based initiatives are not an adequate solution to the structural problems of inter-generational poverty, white supremacy, and racism--factors which still explain the problems in the black community...I would really like Barack to focus more on those issues. I have been a supporter of Barack for many years. I know him and his wife and children. I actually care a great deal for him as a person and perhaps I stepped over the line because of how close we are.
WARNNN: Some have wondered if your comments directed at Obama are rooted in some type of bitterness or anger towards Obama's success as a presidential candidate? Are you "hating" on Barack at all? Is this some type of "player hating" on the part of the old guard Civil Rights leadership towards younger black politicians?
JJ: No, no, no. No player hating here! Let the waters fall from the mountaintop as we celebrate Obama's success. This has been a long struggle and Obama is part of a legacy that goes through me, Shirley Chisholm, A. Phillip Randolph, Malcolm X, and of course Dr. King and all the other black freedom fighters who worked to make American democracy the fulfillment of a prophetic vision.
WARNNN: Back to your comments about Barack Obama's testicles. Don't you think your comments were tasteless? And why his "nuts?" Wouldn't you have been one of the first voices to clamor for the public censoring of a white politician if he wanted to castrate a leading black public official?
JJ: Now, we know context matters. If a white politician wanted to castrate a black man there is a whole historical legacy of slavery and lynching there, and he or she would know better than to make such an allusion. I am not a hypocrite, this is a deeply personal issue for me and I am really saddened by everything [begins sobbing].
WARNNN: Are you okay Reverend Jackson? Why are you crying?
JJ: This is so hard you know? I have held the movement on my shoulders for so long. I was there with Martin. You have seen the picture right? I felt like when I held Martin as he laid dying that the mantle was passed to me [still sobbing].
WARNNN: Please tell us more.
JJ: I, just, I am exhausted is all. I have fought against white supremacy for so long. So many marches and struggles. So much loss and pain. I have had this burden for so long and I am just spent. And you know? I have never told anyone this, through all of my efforts to help black folk I have begun to see that we are our own worst enemies. There I said it...back in the 1990s when I said that I was scared when I saw a young black man walking towards me, I really meant it.
WARNNN: Are you serious Reverend? Would you like a break?
JJ: No, no, please don't stop me.
WARNNN: Okay. So you hate black people? Then why have you worked for so long to help the black community.
JJ: It isn't that at all. I love black people, I just have come to realize that I have internalized white racism. I have to make a confession because it is through bearing ourselves that we are made strong in the eyes of God, I have been in therapy for several years. And my comments about Barack were a result of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.
WARNNN: We are familiar with PTSS, but please explain it to our readers.
JJ: You see slavery and its after effects have damaged black people in a profound way. Jim Crow, segregation, racial violence, Ronald Reagan, Hurricane Katrina, we are damaged by all of this hate and this hurt was never dealt with. Like many others I have internalized this pain. And this psychosis has made me fixate on what I believe is the greatest threat against our people: the black man's nuts.
WARNNN: Jesse, are you saying that you want to get rid of black men's "nuts" in order to save the black community from itself?
JJ: Yes, think about it. White people are afraid of our sexual potency, the life energy in our nuts. When I said that I was afraid of the brothers on the street that is what I was afraid of--the energy in their nuts. Plus, think about it, all the social dysfunction and chaos among the black poor, lots of it is caused by these young brothers being cum droppers. They just go around making babies and laying with women. They can't help it because it's their nuts that is behind all of this madness.
WARNNN: What about your behavior? Your affairs? The love children that you have with your mistresses? Is that because of your out of control testicles? Do your chocolate, salty balls rule your life?
JJ: Yes, now you understand. I don't want to cut off just Obama's nuts. I want to cut mine off as well. Even Bill Cosby, he has baby mama drama too--the most upright among us can't resist the urges in our nuts. If we cut them off we will be better as a people. R. Kelly, our most gifted artist, he was almost brought down by his nuts. And my weaknesses for the flesh have caused me so much pain [sobbing again].
WARNNN: How?
JJ: The ways I have been made fun of. Did you know that people have made Christmas cards with my likeness which mocked the control that my nuts have over my life? Hell, someone even made a poster for a gay phone sex line that featured my image and the slogan for Operation Push. It just hurts so much. I am so weak, I just want to cut them off.
WARNNN: But then, how will we reproduce?
JJ: We will figure it out. Did you ever see that beautiful queen Alexyss Tylor on youtube? She talks a lot about the life force in our nuts. She understands what I am talking about:
And I feel so ugly inside and out. During all this mess, I had the occasion to look in a mirror and I realized just how unattractive I really am.
WARNNN: You do bare a striking resemblance to a character from the Star Wars films, the one who was flying the Millennium Falcon with Lando in Return of the Jedi:
JJ: I know I do, his name is Nien Numb. I have been getting hate mail for years with his picture attached to them.
WRNNN: Any closing thoughts? Are you getting help for your Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Reverend Jackson?
JJ: Yes, I am. It is a long road to healing. I just hate my nuts and want them removed because they have caused me so much pain. I just had a moment of weakness--the doctors call it transference--where I put my pain onto Barack is all. I don't want to cut his nuts off, I really just want to cut off my own. I am so sorry, I am just so very confused. Please forgive me [sobbing].
Just When We Start Hip Hop Week Jesse Jackson Goes and Does Something Stupid
Remember when the OJ chase interrupted the NBA playoffs? In an eerily reminiscent fashion, it seems that Jesse Jackson wants to cut Obama's nuts off. In the darkest recesses of our minds we couldn't have imagined this wonderful news gem. Accordingly, we are quite reluctantly forced to preempt hip hop week. Rest assured, we will return to it shortly. But, coming up later today, we will have an exclusive interview with Jesse Jackson in which Jesse discusses his comments towards Obama, and reveals to the world his shocking, long held, and deep feelings towards Obama's testicles.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
A Hipster Hip Hop Timeline
Public Enemy move into the realm of sonic genius due to their innovative approach to dissonance; piss off even more white parents with their militant, anti-white politics
MF Doom releases Operation: Doomsday, a creative masterwork blending 80s easy listening R& B, monster movies, and cartoons. And he does it all while donning a metal mask as part of his character's back story. He's essentially doing ghetto performance art!
Jay-Z declares himself the greatest rapper alive; draws parallels between the corner drug dealer and the corporate maven; transcends the ghetto niche with witty lyrics and pop beats.
Outkast channels Funkadelic and broadens hip hop's palette: they're from the South, one of them dresses funny, they experiment with electronic music
Record labels Def Jux, Anticon move hip hop out of the ghetto, expanding boundaries by making cerebral hip hop that's more like indie rock in its approach
Buzz builds around 50 Cent, a NY rapper who embodies primal black aggression and sexuality; plus, he was really shot 9 times. How authentic!
Caushun, the first openly gay rapper, starts getting national publicity
Def Jux, Anticon become too white and corny; not in touch with what's going on with real people
For the first time in hip hop's history, Kanye West presents a complex black persona--no longer do rappers have to be either thugs or preachy conscious artists.
Critics in the know realize that Camron and Dipset are Dadaist geniuses.
Dangermouse hits the postmodern critical jackpot by blending the music from The Beatles' White Album with the vocals from Jay Z's Black Album to make The Grey Album
Wu Tang is back! Well, Ghostface is, at least
Common is the antichrist: he dresses strangely and panders to a pseudo-intellectual, racially insecure fan base
The Streets, MIA, Dizzee Rascal wow music fans. The UK is the future of hip hop
MF Doom, Dangermouse become corporate shills and drop a shitty album for Cartoon Network
Lil Wayne, The Clipse deliver the 2 greatest mixtapes ever (of the 3 we've heard)
Lil Wayne drops The Carter II, which instantly becomes the greatest rap album ever
UGK puts Texas rap on the map
Several great rappers emerge from New Orleans, Miami, Houston, Memphis. The American South is the new UK!
It's officially OK for white people to say "nigga" as long as they're ironic and not really racist
With Kingdom Come, Jay-Z abandons the "realness" of the hood and becomes an elitist corporate shill. He starts to suck
By declaring hip hop dead, Nas snatches the hip hop antichrist mantle from Common
A record number of black people (5) show up to the Pitchfork Music Festival. They are cordial and honor most people's requests to take pictures with them.
The Cool Kids bring a fresh, retro approach to a stagnant hip hop landscape
Unfortunately, Caushun revealed to be a hoax
Race, gender, region, skill, access to equipment no longer barriers to rap success; knowledge of rap no longer a barrier to writing hip hop music criticism. Hip hop finally becomes the embodiment of the democratic ideal!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Chauncey DeVega's Trip to the African Caribbean Festival of Life-A Photo Travelog
So rather than look at these professional pictures of the day from our local big city fancy paper (lies and propaganda! all of it!), please join me on my journey as I bring you only those facts which are fit to tell.
Exhibit Number One: All that Ails the Captive Black Nation in America can be Cured at the African Caribbean Festival:
The black community is afflicted, literally and symbolically by gas, bloating, constipation, and stress. If we all had a communal drink of this wonder elixir our problems would be fixed tomorrow and we would be happy, healthy, and wise.
Exhibit Number Two: Obama! Obama! Obama!..T Shirts for Sale
I do hope Obama gets some residuals because his face is everywhere and is on everything. The festival was a great example of "politics as popular culture" because in every badly sung bit of music there was an Obama mention. For example: Badly sung Caribbean fake Patois Lyric (insert Obama) Badly sung Caribbean fake Patois Lyric (insert Obama) Man jumps around stage like Buju Banton or Shabba Ranks circa 1994 (insert Obama) (insert blast horn/air raid siren noise) repeat indefinitely. And by the way, the Chi-lites performed and they looked like a wax museum brought to life--except the wax statues continued to age while they were in the museum.
The stakes are high folks. I actually risked my safety to bring you this photo as the vendor confronted me about "stealing his intellectual property," and that "I should buy a T Shirt rather than documenting my day." I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was selling bootlegged, counterfeit T-Shirts himself...he was old and angry, so in the interest of peace I simply moved along.
Exhibit Number Three: It is Sexy Time
Exhibit Number Four: It is Thelma from Good Times
Exhibit Number Five: Guns, Money and the Bible?
Exhibit Number Six: The Queen Mother of the World
This is more like it. Did you know the black woman, a woman in Africa, was the first modern human--the queen mother of all? Did you know that the black woman is a queen? Did you know the first person to ever have a thought was a black person? I bet you didn't? Why? Because hip hop has poisoned your mind through its negative depictions of black women. As a corrective, I suggest you go to the African Caribbean festival (or your local AfroCentric bookstore, flea market, or Marshall's department store) and heal your mind and body by purchasing, studying and reflecting on the spiritual uplift provided by "positive" black artwork.
Exhibit Number Seven: Black Man and Black Woman We are Bonded to Each Other!
Exhibit Number Eight: Black Man and Black Woman We are Carved from Each Other
Exhibit Number Nine: The White Man won't Let Us have Our Day
Blacktown. net please empower me against this assault:
Regardless of the way the day ended, it was still wonderful to be out and about with my people. It was a wonderful day of multicultural fun (Gordon do you get the hint?). I feel rejuvenated in my blackness and I am now ready to struggle on.
Gordon Gartrelle says: Obama's turn to the right?
What brilliant left bloggers like Field and Greenwald have been saying about left ideology and policy is unsettling. Obama, many on the left argue, is pandering to the right with a series of public policy positions over the last couple of weeks. The assertion that Obama is strategically moving to the right or the center has gone largely unchallenged in the mainstream media. No big surprise there. That few in the popular blogosphere (which is said to foster a higher level of political discourse) have challenged the supposed "Obama is moving to the center" truism is more serious—it highlights one of the major problems with self-identified "liberals": they are driven by uncritical attachment to ideological orthodoxy, so, in effect, they are not considerably different from the conservatives they loathe.
Just to be clear: I agree that Obama is trying to preemptively combat the right's ridiculous charges that he's a radical liberal. These left critics have every right to call out Obama on matters of principle and consistency. What's bothering me is that they take for granted that Obama's recent policy positions are undeniably right-leaning (or at least antithetical to progressive causes).
I'm willing to admit that the left has some inherent base principles—respect for legitimate difference; advocacy for the relatively disadvantaged, for instance. However, aside from supporting gay legal rights, there is no major current policy position that characterizes left principles. All others—pro-affirmative action measures, pro-choice policies, pacifism—don't cut it. My problem with the Obama-as-ideological-turncoat meme is that Obama's recent policy positions don't actually undermine any fundamental left principles. I don't think his positions are conservative; I think they're practical. Big difference.
Let's have a look at some of these positions over which Obama's taking heat from the left:
1.) On Father's Day, Obama blasted "cum droppers" who fail to take responsibility for their children. And what do negroes do? Run him down for criticizing black men in earshot of white folks. "He's become Cosby." Shit, I hope so! Everybody with sense (including Dyson) knows that The Cos' was right. Yet, many on the left are content to let people claim personal responsibility and fatherhood as conservative values (but only in public), while the majority of kids in the most vulnerable neighborhoods languish without fathers. No wonder "liberal" is such a dirty word.
2.) After years of support for gun control laws, Obama recently stated that the recent 5-4 Supreme Court decision overturning D.C.'s ban on handguns would "provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country" and suggested that he had always backed the individual rights view of gun ownership. That's all fine with me, but I wonder how many of the liberals condemning him (well, the black ones anyway) valorize the Panthers and the Deacons for Defense?
3.) While we're on the subject of the Supreme Court and 5-4 decisions, Obama disagreed with their recent 5-4 decision that a State nay not impose the death penalty for child rapists (and, more broadly, for criminals whose victims did not die). So, Obama supports the death penalty for child rapists? What a callous monster!
4.) Obama declares that he would like to reform and expand Bush's program to send government funds to religious charities and is catching hell from the left. I am certainly no fan of the erosion of the separation of church and state, but segments of this country are seriously fucked up. There are areas within our borders that resemble mini failed states, and given our spending habits, government cannot fix this mess by itself. I don't even fuck with religion, but that sounds practical to me, especially since he's against these faith-based programs discriminating based on creed.
5.) Obama panders to AIPAC, gives his full support to Israel, and talks tough toward Iran, and all of a sudden, he's a spineless neocon. Uh, how many prominent politicians in the U.S., progressive or otherwise, fail to publicly profess full support for Israel?
6.) Obama gives a speech on his patriotism, and he's a Reaganite. Hey, I don't understand any form of collectivist ideology, especially those of the flag-waving variety, but why should Obama be criticized for holding these Mr. Smith goes to Washington ideals? Didn't the whole flag pin nonsense reveal that Obama's was a more critical brand of patriotism?
7.) Obama states that he may need to "refine" his policy on Iraq, and the response to this non-story is swift. Is he backtracking? Is he pandering? Will he keep us in Iraq as long as McCain would? Whatever. Don't we rail against Bush for his stubborn refusal to change his policies in light of new information?
8.) Obama supports the FISA compromise. In all fairness, the left is correct to criticize Obama for this position. No good can come from expansive government spying Greenwald has done great work on Democrat's FISA capitulation.
Again, it's healthy to criticize Obama's recent positions; it's troubling, though, to take away his progressive card for taking these particular positions. By ostracizing anyone who doesn't toe the ideological line, I fear that those on the left are conceding that the mark of progressive thought is not critical thinking—challenging the status quo, and seeking to overturn unjust traditional power relations—but simply being against conservatives.
That is called groupthink.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Chauncey DeVega says: Introducing the U.T.A.O.--Uncle Toms Against Obama
It seems that there are some self-hating black folks who are actively organizing against Obama (I emphasize the "active" because I really don't care if you are self-hating, stay in your house, and mind your own business). I also don't believe in either orthodoxy tests for "blackness," or in arbitrarily kicking people out of the "tribe" so to speak because they neither sufficiently nor correctly perform "blackness." However, black Republicans and their decision to support a party which clearly doesn't have the interests of their community at heart has always vexed me (except if you are rich, in which case it would make sense to this respectable negro--black utility heuristic aside--to vote your pocketbook).
With that having been said, I would not deem black Republicans to be any more or less "black" than I would kente cloth wearing, spoken word, all day pontificating, conspiracy theory possessed, Border's bookstore chess-playing, former black Panthers. In my opinion, I have found these distinctions and conversations to be both unproductive and purely normative. For me, the question has always been: Do you love your people? Do you believe in justice? And how are you working toward that end? We can fight about the details, but ultimately, I care more about the end goal, than how we get there.
However, some black conservatives work so feverishly in the service of ingratiating themselves to "White Folk" at the expense of justice, common sense, and decency that they must be called out. Random thought: isn't it funny how these sycophants often don't realize that the very white folks whose butts these lapdogs are kissing, actually don't respect them as people?
To that point, it seems that the National Black Republican Association (a.k.a. Uncle Toms Against Obama) is running a series of advertisements where they attack the presumed Democratic presidential nominee. Some choice excerpts from the Washington Post:
Here's a sample of what you might hear on your radio: "Bitter is what Obama called blacks and whites who love God. Racist is what Obama called his white grandmother who raised him and made sacrifices so Obama could get a good education and become a millionaire," says the narrator one of the spots.
"Obama's mentor for 20-years was Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who said innocent Americans deserved to die on September 11th," says the voiceover in another.In reading the article, I felt like I had stepped through the looking glass. Maybe, I said to myself, I am in alternate reality of sorts? A reality that is profoundly different from my own, where the arguments offered by the National Black Republican Association actually makes sense?
Hmmmm....that's it. I am displaced in time and space: I have fallen down the rabbit hole!
It seems in my confusion, that I may need to seek out truth seekers to guide me on my journey: Fortunately, I think I may have found one in Mr. HK Edgerton:
Preach brother:
Are there any other mentors, personal gurus who can me find the Right path back to the light? Is there anyone--Larry Elder can you hear my pleas?--anyone at all, who is able to help this profoundly confused, respectable negro? Maybe I need to go to the source, to embark upon a quest to find the holy grail: a Rosetta stone that will help me understand the alternate reality in which the National Black Republicans reside?
Luckily, I think I may have found it:
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
John Horn--The Guy Who Shot the Ign'ts Robbing His Neighbor's House is Found Not Guilty
Hopefully, Mr. Horn has a legal defense fund we can contribute to--just kidding, or am I?
Here is the Horn story and the link to one of our first blog posts which is to this day (at least by our humble standards) one of our most popular posts. Given that we have grown a bit in our readership over the last few months, a flashback seems both timely, and appropriate.
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- A Texas man who shot and killed two men he suspected of burglarizing his neighbor's home was cleared in the shootings Monday by a grand jury.
Joe Horn shot and killed two men last November after he saw them crawl out a neighbor's window.
Joe Horn, 61, shot the two men in November after he saw them crawling out the windows of a neighbor's house in the Houston suburb of Pasadena.
Horn called 911 and told the dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill the men. The dispatcher pleaded with him not to go outside, but Horn confronted the men with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot both in the back.
"The message we're trying to send today is the criminal justice system works," Harris County District Attorney Kenneth Magidson said.
Horn's attorney, Tom Lambright, has said his client believed the two men had broken into his neighbor's home and that he shot them only when they came into his yard and threatened him.
The two Horn suspected of committing burglary, Hernando Riascos Torres, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30, were unemployed illegal immigrants from Colombia. Torres was deported to Colombia in 1999 after a 1994 cocaine-related conviction.
The episode touched off protests from civil rights activists who said the shooting was racially motivated and that Horn took the law into his own hands. Horn's supporters defended his actions, saying he was protecting himself and being a good neighbor to a homeowner who was out of town.
Don't Miss
- KHOU: Local coverage
"I understand the concerns of some in the community regarding Mr. Horn's conduct," Magidson said. "The use of deadly force is carefully limited in Texas law to certain circumstances ... In this case, however, the grand jury concluded that Mr. Horn's use of deadly force did not rise to a criminal offense."
Lambright did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment from The Associated Press.
Texas law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves if it is reasonable to believe they are in mortal danger. In limited circumstances, people also can use deadly force to protect a neighbor's property; for example, if a homeowner asks a neighbor to watch over his property while he's out of town.
It's not clear whether the neighbor whose home was burglarized asked Horn to watch over his house.
This is gonna be a long one...
A few months back, a story circulated regarding a drug called, "jenkem." Apparently, this "new" drug, a product of Africa of course--where those poor natives do nothing but fight famine, suffer under genocide, live in failed States, and huff shit--consists of human feces and urine in a bong. Here, the "user" would take a "hit" by inhaling the noxious fumes generated by this ungodly concoction:
2. .09: the New Black Panthers make their appearance. Doesn't their leadership look like something out of Reverend Slick's, "Jive Soul Bro' Video?"
3. .11: "You are a disgrace to your race, get a job"--white symbolic racism in action
4. 1:02: "U.S.A., U.S.A."--Uhh ohh, the "White Power," oops I mean "U.S.A." chants have begun. Frankly, I prefer the honesty of Seig Heil and those honest skinhead types who advertise their bigotry and don't hide behind slogans of "equality" or "freedom"
5. 1:17 to 3:07: motorcycle's revving their engines and more U.S.A. chants--You know motorcycles scare off black radicals. Note to any white racists reading this post: motorcycles are more effective than water when it comes to scaring away black people.
6. 3:56-7:40: More U.S.A. chants
7. 8;37-8:51: More rebel yells, motorcycles revving, and The New Black Panthers beat a hasty retreat
Member of Cobra
Code Name: Revolution
Real Name: Ty Jackson
Bio: Recruited from the legendary rap group Public Enemy's cadre of elite bodyguards, The S1W's, Revolution is an expert in political theater and all manner of clowning and cooning. Although only 5 feet tall, Revolution has spent time in the Army National Guard where he received a dishonorable discharge for drug use and insubordination. Revolution, later went to prison where he was recruited by Cobra. Following his formal training on Cobra Island, Revolution was tasked with corrupting black radical organizations. As a member of the "Ebony Guards," Revolution worked in parallel with The Crimson Guard. While the latter was tasked with infiltrating suburban communities, corporations, and industry, the Ebony Guards were tasked with urban "renewal" and ghetto "pacification."
Weapon specialties: Saturday night specials; zip guns; Molotov cocktails; spoken word poetry; bad fashion; revolutionary fury; instant recall of conspiracy theories; and knowledge of self.
Postscript: Now, I would of course be Snake-Eyes, Zora would be Scarlett, but Gordon who would you be? Maybe Doc, or perhaps Alpine?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Chauncey DeVega says: Sometimes You Can't Make This Stuff Up--Man Arrested While Trying to Collect and Drink Young Boys's Urine
Here is the story and the video:
Man Accused of Obtaining Boy's Pee to Drink
An Ohio man faces charges after allegedly hiding in public restrooms to obtain and drink boys'urine.Alan Patton, a convicted sex offender, was found trying to collect urine inside a men's restroom at Sports Ohio in Dublin, according to police. Sports Ohio is a facility that features miniature golf, batting cages, Go Karts and a picnic pavilion, among other amenities.Police said that Patton, 56, had shut off water to the urinals and placed cups inside them. Police charged Patton with criminal mischief, reported WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio.Patton faced the same charges in 2006 after putting plastic wrap and cups in urinals in public restroom toilets in an attempt to collect and drink the urine of young boys, reported WCMH-TV in Columbus.After his arrest in 2006, Patton told police that he suffered from urophilia, a sexual fetish involving urine. He also told police that drinking boys' urine made him feel like he was "drinking their youth," WBNS reported.At that time, Patton was told by a Franklin County judge that he was not allowed to enter a public restroom nor facilities such as movie theaters and libraries. He is supposed to be under electronic surveillance, WCMH reported
Now, I know we have quite a few resident pee pee drinkers...well actually folks that like to pee on others...in the black community, and some of them are celebrities:
But, rather than impulsively judge someone else's lifestyle, I decided to do a little research about pee pee drinking and its "positive" effects.
So here's Johnny!...no, oh well...Let's play the "did you know?" game instead.
1. Did you know that urine is therapeutic? Apparently, it is good for the skin, and if you drink pee, it works in a holistic fashion to heal all that pains the body? I learned something new. From Natural Skin, Natural Beauty:
"Dr John Armstrong (author of The Water of Life) emphasizes the need to massage with urine. He insists that cures work faster and more effectively in those who are bathed, massaged, rubbed and soaked in their own urine. He highly recommends it for more serious illnesses, since urine is absorbed through the skin and the hormonal and protein-based contents are slowly reabsorbed into the system, bypassing digestive juices that otherwise may have neutralised their potency. In this way, it also works as an excellent cosmetic for moisturising and healing skin blemishes, burns and scar tissue. However, for this usage, it is preferable to use urine that is 4 to 8 days old. The smell of ammonia in the old urine is not toxic but actually beneficial if used topically only, and not taken internally. Urine can be massaged topically for the most chronic and stubborn skin problems, such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, ringworm, sores, fungal infections, insect bites, wounds, burns and even gangrene. (Ureacin, is a urea cream for skin problems)."
2. Did you know that villagers in China tout the health benefits of drinking urine? Maybe we Americans are behind the curve on this one? Is this going to be a an Olympic sport? Are good non-pee drinking Americans going to be competing against super-powered, pee drinking Chinese supermen? Not fair. But, given that China is exotic and mysterious, with thousands of years of history, maybe the Yang Guizi should consider drinking a little of nature's natural lemonade?
3. Did you know that this is why Africa is a failed continent? Apparently, the government of Cameroon has banned urine drinks because they are a health hazard. Come on folks, if China, a rising superpower, has endorsed pee drinking, perhaps our friends in Africa can get behind this initiative as a way of improving their societies?
4. Did you know that apparently, India, another decrepit and old culture, also loves pee drinking? See, I knew we folks were behind the curve.
5. Back to America's heartland aka "Bush Country": Did you know that Meth heads will do anything to get high? It seems that these folks are now filtering their urine in order to recapture any meth they may have excreted out through urination. Damn! I thought crack heads were crazy back in the day, but did they ever drink their own pee? Wait a minute, you don't have to answer that question...
6. Did you know that I love creative writing? I love the prose, the language, the rhythm of words put to paper. Apparently, some creative types have found inspiration for their writing by fantasizing about pee and golden showers. From the Sprinkles, Golden Showers website here is some wonderfully inspired, erotic, pee pee inspired writing:
"The morning was hot and sunny so we ordered a big breakfast and set out to do some desert exploring. We took a lot of water with us as well as sodas and some snacks. We took a big blanket, and set out to see the desert around Albuquerque NM. We went to the north and struck out on a little dirt road that looked interesting. We soon found ourselves in a little canyon that had a small waterfall and was green and cooler than the surrounding desert. We decided to take a swim. We striped out of our clothes and ran naked to the cool water. I had drank a 2 liter bottle of water and had to pee so bad when I hit the cool water, I swam up and jumped on my friends back and let go a stream of hot pee down his back. He immediately got hard and turned around to let a hot stream go on my bare tits. Oh did that make me horny. I started to splash him with water and we had a big water fight...."
I have to admit, I am a bit titillated.
7. Did you know that if you read the above story, and you are a "piggy" who wants to "get in the tub" and enjoy some "water sports" make sure to click on this link to find all the "wet" and "hot" nightspots in the Boston area? We do strive to serve the public after all.
8. And yes, there is always a black one:
9. Did you know that Al Pacino once starred in a movie called, Cruising, where he played an undercover cop trying to arrest a gay serial killer? It really is a cult classic, Al dances with men, Al exposes New York City's gay kink subculture, and Al let's the rest of us in on the secret codes of the street (make sure to choose the yellow handkerchief:
Monday, June 30, 2008
Chauncey DeVega says: In Flag City USA, Good, Old, White Folks, Aren't Racists, They Simply Believe in Tradition
A select quote from the Washington Post story, "In Flag City USA, False Obama Rumors Are Flying:"
"People in Findlay are kind of funny about change," said Republican Mayor Pete Sehnert, a retired police officer who ran for the office on a whim last year. "They always want things the way they were, and any kind of development is always viewed as making things worse, a bad thing."
When people on College Street started hearing rumors about Obama -- who looked different from other politicians and often talked about change -- they easily believed the nasty stories about an outsider.
"I think Obama would be a disaster, and there's a lot of reasons," said Pollard, explaining the rumors he had heard about the candidate from friends he goes camping with. "I understand he's from Africa, and that the first thing he's going to do if he gets into office is bring his family over here, illegally. He's got that racist [pastor] who practically raised him, and then there's the Muslim thing. He's just not presidential material, if you ask me."
I guess change is scary. This fear is compounded by the fact that conservatives have an intolerance for ambiguity and struggle to process new information--some researchers, in their less polite moments, would argue that conservatives have authoritarian personalities (in layman's terms they are attracted to "strong" leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and Premier Bush aka Cheney's Number Two).
This story reminds me of the time when my parents upgraded from rabbit ears to cable. This change caused quite a bit of frustration in my childhood home-all these buttons, that big heavy clunky cable box, with the wire connected to the remote, and more than five stations...so confusing for older Americans. Then my dad discovered the Playboy station so things were okay--I also loved the Playboy station because you could manipulate the fine tuning on the cable box in order to make the station clearer. I am sure many a young boy's masturbatory fantasies were given both fuel and fire by some fine adjustment on yee' old cable box.
I also fondly remember the anxiety when we upgraded again from records, to cassettes, and then to compact disks. Pops was scared again, but low and behold--and once he figured out how to put the CD in with the label facing upwards--things were once more copacetic.
It seems older folks are still scared of Obama. Perhaps our brother needs to partner with the AARP? I can see it now, a legion of gray ghosts fanning out across Florida, small town USA, and Manhattan, spreading the truth, and working against the concerted disinformation campaign targeting Obama (and by the way see this great article on one of my favorite people, Danielle Allen, and her research on the Obama smear campaign--I love to see smart (actually genius level) black folk doing their thing).
But, lest I be accused of picking on the elderly, Americans in general don't appear to be too bright. This is the reason I don't support democracy. For your examination, here is some recent public opinion research demonstrating the wisdom of the masses:
1. 7 percent of Americans believe Elvis is still alive.
2. 13 percent of Americans believe the Da Vinci code is real.
3. 39 percent of Americans believe in Creationism (boy our schools have utterly and truly failed haven't they? And not just the young black ign'ts, but white folks too).
4. 33.3 percent (that is one third by the way) of Americans believe in UFOs, witches and astrology--hey UFO's are real, just ask my man Riley Martin--you didn't know that black apartment dwellers also get kidnapped by aliens? You best get up to speed people!
5. 41 percent of Americans believe that Saddam had something to do with Al Queda and 9-11. Goodness.
Ohh the good, old days, we all long for them. We had manicured lawns, well behaved children, all the race mixers kept their love private, those Negroes knew their place, everyone spoke English, and those foreigners stayed on their own side of the tracks, water, fence, ocean, continent, etc.:
And most importantly, John Wayne--not that demi-God Chuck Norris--was the order of day:
We lost a giant....
I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the recent loss of one of our greatest political analysts and commentators. He was a giant, a tireless inquisitor who never ceased to wrangle with the political elite. He was known for his meticulous preparation, and he made sure that his shows were imbued with his hard work and indelible energy.
I'm talking, of course, about George Carlin. What? Did you expect me to say someone else?
I have a feeling that Carlin is looking down on us and smiling.
If he were alive, Carlin would tear into all of those who attempt to eulogize him: first, because the "speak no ill of the dead" rule is stupid: why should your opinion of someone be dependent on whether he or she is alive?; and second, these same pseudo-journalists are responsible for ouranti-intellectual culture, for the weak "everybody's a winner" ethos, for the boomer yuppie narcissism and corporate tyranny that Carlin made it his life mission to deride.
If any non-black cultural critic should receive honorary respectable negro status, it's Carlin. He deserves it because of his mastery of the language, his unparalleled bullshit-meter, and his refusal to blindly accept the platitudes and senseless conventions that people rarely challenge.
At the risk of (racking up demerits on) my negro card, I consider Carlin the greatest stand-up comedian who ever lived--greater than the Cos'; greater than Pryor; greater than Bruce (Bruce gets an honorary negro card too for all the shit the law put him through).
Sometime in college, I adopted Carlin's detached, misanthropic worldview. He, more than any other, understood the fundamental paradox of humanity: that without collectives, we could never survive as a species and as a collection of societies; yet the idea and practice of groups (and groupthink in particular) spawn the other-ing that is responsible for the most loathsome human behavior.
Despite his seeming contempt for his fellow humans, in his final interview, Carlin acknowledged that he does care about people—his disdain, he argues, is based on our squandered potential. This contradiction resonates with me as a self-proclaimed respectable negro. While I am uncomfortable with all forms of collective identity, I care about people as a whole, and I have a special interest in black people, no matter how much we fuck up in the aggregate. Though I've been wrestling with their implications for years, I still haven't worked out a consistent position on linked fate and the black utility heuristic. Who knew being a negro was so psychologically taxing?
7 Dirty Words gets the most attention, but these three bits are among my favorite Carlin pieces, and are, I think, representative of his genius.
1.) A brilliant, parsimonious deconstruction of the 10 Commandments:
2.) An honest look at our country's culture of war and history of racism:
3.) A bit about the euphemistic "soft language" that pervades modern English:

subset: commoncrawl


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By ROLAYNE FAIRCLOUGHCoalition for Utah Traffic Safety
Despite the fact that Utah has one of the highest seat belt usage rates in the nation, nearly 200 of our citizens die each year in crashes because they weren't wearing a seat belt. Clearly, education is not enough. Utah needs to take the next step and adopt a primary seat belt law.
The law would allow police officers to pull people over when the driver or their passengers are seen not wearing seat belts and immediately cite the driver, instead of having to wait for some other infraction to occur. The main argument against passing a primary seat belt law seems to be that is unnecessary.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Last year, 174 of our fellow citizens died because they weren't wearing a seat belt.
The high incidence of non-belt use in fatal collisions indicates that education alone is not enough. Those who know the benefits and still elect not to belt up constitute the majority of fatal victims. Research shows they are likely to respond to a primary seat belt law.
Adult men between 19 and 35 years are overly represented in fatal crashes and serious injury crashes that often lead to life-long complications. These young men are often fathers, husbands and productive members of our society. The existing primary law, covering only people up to 19 years of age, does not protect these individuals. Nor does it protect the citizens of Utah from the costs associated with victims' medical care and disability. In Utah, 85 percent of medical costs for crashes fall on society, not on the individuals involved. As taxpayers, we cover nearly $7 million in unbelted crash victims' hospital fees each year. In fact, for the past five years, average hospital charges for unbelted occupants have been more than double the charge for belted occupants.
In a recent poll conducted by the Utah Highway Safety Office, 71 percent of Utahns indicated they want a primary seat belt law. For the cost to taxpayers and most importantly for the tragic cost to society of lives cut short, AAA urges the Utah State Legislature to pass a primary seat belt law during the next session. We simply can't afford not to.
Rolayne Fairclough is the public affairs and legislative representative for AAA Utah and serves as the chair of the Coalition for Utah Traffic Safety.


text:
To pursue a new direction in the luxury SUV segment, Acura designed the MDX as the first SUV to combine a car-like ride and handling with a family-sized SUV interior. By avoiding some of the compromises that other manufacturers have accepted, MDX combines dynamic performance, utility and luxurious accommodations with the value expected of all Acura vehicles. The MDX concept rests on these four fundamental principles:
- Interior and exterior designs that are consistent with Acura philosophies of intelligent design, elegant styling, thoughtful features, packaging efficiency and high value
- Exterior styling that subtly expresses the vehicle's athleticism and complements the surprising flexibility and functionality of the interior
- The versatility to quickly and easily adapt the interior space to a variety of useful and practical layouts that reflect the varied and often contradictory needs of SUV buyers
- Well-balanced vehicle dynamics to reward the driver with a feeling of exhilaration during sporty driving, the capability for medium-duty off-road driving, the competence needed to conquer winter conditions and the power required for towing
The Acura MDX design concept was born at Honda's R&D facilities in Torrance, California. Designers selected the freedom of the Southwest as a conceptual theme for the exterior design. MDX is purposely different from conventional SUVs - a theme that carried through from the very initial stages of development.
The MDX adopted a clean, strong and elegant exterior design to complement a functional and versatile interior space. The lines create a natural flow from front to rear, as if MDX was sculpted from one solid piece, reinforcing the sense of strength and ruggedness. The individual surfaces of the hood, fenders and doors are finely sculpted with detailed character lines that are both attractive and functional - simultaneously strengthening the panels and managing airflow over MDX's aerodynamically efficient shape. The solid front is anchored by the familiar pentagonal Acura grille, and continues with an intricately detailed greenhouse area that culminates in a D-pillar that sweeps gently forward. This D-pillar design is important to the overall shape of MDX - it finishes the look of this finely sculpted shape while providing a functional design for MDX's rear liftgate. Form and function work hand-in-hand as the forward upper edge of the liftgate allows the rear hatch to open with minimum clearance required behind the vehicle. This simplicity and elegance of design is a metaphor for MDX as a whole - each design element has been carefully thought out to produce a vehicle that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to drive.
To make this product a significant leap forward in environmental awareness and, ultimately, the intelligent SUV choice for sophisticated buyers, MDX designers shaped the vehicle's exterior to minimize aerodynamic drag and specified the use of recycled materials where possible. The aerodynamically efficient shape results in low wind noise and improves highway fuel economy for this environmentally conscious vehicle.
MDX designers mapped out a fresh set of proportions to meet these development goals, incorporating a full-size interior into a mid-size SUV's exterior space. That meant stretching exterior width to maximize the available interior space and benefit dynamic stability. They made the cabin as long as possible in the interests of interior roominess. They selected a short hood and a strong frontal appearance and they shaped the vehicle's corners to refine MDX's aerodynamic performance. To enhance off-road capability, they specified a high ground clearance but also provided a low door opening to ease entry and egress. In the side view, the body-to-glass proportion was optimized for a sporty demeanor. Windows were maximized for excellent outward visibility.
MDX's body structure meets the rigorous design requirements - including best-in-class collision performance targets. Several advanced unit body concepts have been applied to yield a structure with outstanding levels of occupant protection. High rigidity is another top priority. A stiff structure is essential to achieving balanced and predictable handling and assuring that the ride is smooth and quiet for the life of the vehicle. For 2003, the MDX receives a series of structural reinforcements that increase dynamic torsional rigidity by 35 percent compared to the 2002 model. This enhanced torsional rigidity helps provide the MDX with precise handling by minimizing any unwanted movement of suspension components and changes in geometry.
Reducing weight is a key to the well-rounded performance demanded of MDX - dictating the use of high-tensile steel in many critical areas. To achieve their high goals for safety and performance, MDX engineers used powerful computer simulation and analysis tools to optimize body design and conduct virtual collisions before the first prototypes were even constructed.
To meet the MDX's ambitious strength, stiffness, and weight targets, body engineers selected a unit body design with rubber-isolated front and rear subframes. The high level of bending and torsional rigidity designed into the MDX body structure helps improve handling precision by providing a rigid platform for mounting the suspension components.
Like all Acura products, MDX's body is designed to deform progressively in front, side and rear collisions. Engineering front, side and rear sections that help absorb the energy of a collision reduces the likelihood of occupant injury. A highly rigid passenger section is reinforced laterally and longitudinally to maintain its size and shape for omnidirectional protection.
Much of the MDX's rigidity and resiliency comes from its robust floor construction. Two longitudinal rails run the length of the vehicle, from bumper to bumper. These rails are buttressed by a total of eight box-section crossmembers at critical points along the vehicle's platform and further reinforced by two bumper bulkheads. This provides the strength needed to resist standard barrier impacts at the front and rear, offset crashes, and side impacts. For 2003, both the rear floor and wheel house have been reinforced for increased rigidity.
A passenger compartment safety shell design is used to protect occupants with structural "rings" at the A, B, C, and D pillars that run continuously around the circumference of the vehicle to help minimize intrusion during side impacts. Reinforced steel stiffeners inside the doors at the beltline provide a continuous horizontal connection between the first three pillars. High tensile-strength steel tubular beams inside the door structure at wheel height provide additional intrusion resistance. A single-piece side-ring design is used to assure tight and consistent fit and finish in the critical closure areas (doors and windows), and the doors are made using laser-welded tailored blanks. This innovative door design uses higher-gauge steel in high-stress areas and lighter gauge steel in other areas to save weight yet maintain structural integrity for durability and safety. About one quarter of MDX's steel body parts are high-tensile steel. Longitudinal rails, floor crossmembers, and pillar reinforcements that carry heavy loads are made of the stronger heavier gauge steel. A roof-mounted reinforcement is provided to secure the center passenger's upper-shoulder belt.
One of the toughest challenges facing an SUV body-structure engineer is achieving adequate stiffness in the rear hatch opening. For 2003, reinforcements were placed on the right and left of the tailgate opening to enhance body rigidity even further.
The use of high-strength, closed-section steel bumper beams enhances occupant safety and decreases damage sustained during rear end collisions. In crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the MDX received the highest ratings given.
A low aerodynamic drag coefficient was essential to achieving MDX's goal of outstanding highway fuel efficiency. Toward that end, MDX was styled with a sloped and tapered front-end. The windshield is tilted at a low angle to help air flow smoothly over the roof. At the trailing edge of the roof, a tapered surface minimizes wake turbulence. A chin spoiler integrated below the front bumper deflects air to the sides that would otherwise flow under the vehicle. A strake (air deflector) is also positioned ahead of each front tire to direct air to the smooth sides of the vehicle. The coefficient of drag of the MDX is 0.36. As a result, highway fuel efficiency is an impressive 23 mpg.
Front-of-vehicle illumination is integrated into attractive and aggressively styled halogen lamp assemblies. Following the lines of the grille, the lamp assemblies wrap around to the forward edge of the front fenders, providing a natural transition from the vehicle's front to its side. A clear outer lens provides a clean look and allows smooth air flow around the vehicle's front corners. The innermost lamp is for high-beam illumination; and uses a round reflector. In the middle position, a multi-faceted, rectangular-shaped low beam provides for excellent near-vehicle illumination. Turn signals, marker lamps, and reflectors occupy the outboard position.
Fog lamps are standard MDX equipment. For a consistent appearance, a clear lens and a multi-faceted reflector are used for this lamp. The fog lamps are positioned just below the bumper surface adjacent to the lower air intake.
Four lights and a reflector are integrated into one lamp assembly positioned at each rear corner of the MDX. At the top is a combination stop and tail-lamp. Directional signals and back-up lamps reside in the middle position. A tail/stop lamp is located in the bottom half of the assembly. At the lower edge is a reflector. A circular back-up-lamp reflector provides extra illumination at the rear when backing.
Excellent visibility, giving drivers a commanding view of the road ahead and passengers a pleasant open feeling, was a high priority in designing the MDX. To that end, MDX provides an outstanding 286 degrees of outward visibility.
To control the migration of water over the front door glass, windshield side moldings were extended to create a dam that helps channel rain and sleet up and over the roof. Squaring the rear edge of the outside rearview mirror's mounting base benefits air flow patterns and reduces wind noise.
Many SUVs have plastic cladding on their lower body surfaces. A damage analysis study by MDX engineers revealed that cladding positioned low on the side of the vehicle actually offers little protection from parking lot and garage scarring because contact is far more likely to occur at the mid-point of the door or higher. For this reason, and in the interests of providing customers with a clean, strong, and elegant appearance, MDX is not equipped with side-surface cladding.
Another discovery was that dirt and mud can build up on vertical sill surfaces below the door seals. This is an annoyance because the dirt often soils pants, dresses or other clothes as occupants enter the vehicle. To avoid this problem, an extra seal has been included at the lower interior edge of each door. These seals rest against the side sill garnish and block the build up of dirt and debris, ensuring clean and hassle-free entry and egress - no matter what outside conditions might provide.
Special measures have been taken to make MDX highly resistant to intrusion by thieves and vandals. The liftgate is not equipped with an exterior lock cylinder and can be unlocked with either a remote key fob or the interior switch. Reinforced steel guards have been installed to deflect break-in tools away from the front door lock rod and latch mechanism. Double thick steel around the driver's door key cylinder stops vandals from prying their way into the vehicle - and for added security only the driver's door is equipped with a traditional key-lock cylinder.
The window sashes are equipped with continuous window frame guides that completely surround the door glass and limit access through this sometimes vulnerable area of the vehicle. Rear lock rods are positioned behind the center sashes so they are inaccessible from outside the vehicle.
New for 2003, the MDX features auto on/off headlights. A sensor at the front of the instrument panel senses outside illumination levels; when darkness occurs during automatic mode, the headlights, taillights, and instrument panel lighting turn on automatically for nighttime convenience. When the vehicle is parked at night, the lights remain lit after the ignition switch is turned off, but extinguish automatically when the driver's door is opened.
The MDX features "diffuser" side mirrors that smoothly channel air between the mirror and the side window glass resulting in less wind noise and improved aerodynamics.
The use of blue-tinted side mirror glass greatly reduces sun and headlamp glare to the driver. Owners of the MDX with optional Touring Package, receive two keyless remote key fob units that can be pre-programmed so the mirror (and driver's seat) settings automatically match the memory settings of that particular driver.
The MDX Touring Package adds another handy feature - when the transmission is shifted into reverse, the right-side mirror angles down 15 degrees for better visibility near the vehicle. This feature can be disabled by moving the power mirror adjuster switch out of the center position. MDX engineers provided electrical heating to the outside mirrors not only to defog them in winter but also to reduce the likelihood their surfaces will be damaged by contact with ice scrapers.
As part of the MDX's "defeat winter" goal, engineers invested extra effort in the vehicle's window washer and wiper systems. For 2003, the MDX with Touring Package features rain-sensing front windshield wipers that, when in the "automatic" position, adjust wiper speed depending on the amount of rain that is falling on the windshield. A sensor located on the windshield behind the rearview mirror monitors the amount of rain on the windshield and adjusts wiper speed accordingly. For individual preference, the driver can adjust the sensitivity of this sensor. The driver can also select either of two pre-set wiper speeds.
The wiper arm is a clean, one-piece design. A jet-type washer nozzle is positioned to help distribute the fluid for quicker and more thorough rear-window cleaning. Fluid is delivered almost the instant the wash button is touched thanks to use of a check valve in the delivery line.
Single-piece wiper arms are used on the front windows. Fluidic nozzles are fitted here for several reasons: they have a large orifice that covers more surface area, they are less likely to clog than a conventional nozzle and they clean the windshield with fewer wash cycles.
Designed to accentuate both the styling and utility of the MDX, the integrated design of the roof rack (standard on the MDX with touring package and available as an option on the MDX) consists of two fixed cross bars that mount in the rain channel of the roof. The cross bars are designed to carry items weighing up to 150 pounds when properly loaded. Engineers optimized the location of the bars for loading convenience and the roof rack cross-bars have an airfoil-shaped cross-section to avoid wind noise. They are made of plastic-sheathed steel for high stiffness and durability. The adjustable end stays are sturdy zinc die-castings covered with stylish trim. Accessory components are offered to facilitate transporting skis and bicycles or a variety of other items.
The MDX's antenna is a short, flexible, damage-resistant design positioned at a rear-center location on the roof. This antenna provides excellent reception, with the security and enhanced appearance roof-mounting as opposed to more common fender or A-pillar type mountings.
A compact spare tire is carried under the rear load floor and can be lowered by turning a hex-head mounting bolt with the provided lug-wrench. The mounting bolt is neatly concealed under a cover conveniently located inside the rear hatch trim area. This arrangement guarantees the security of the spare and keeps it readily accessible without disturbing luggage or cargo carried onboard. Room is provided to stow a flat or a full-size spare in the compact spare's location. All spare tire mountings and hardware are made of stainless steel and polymer materials to minimize corrosion.
Wind noise can be annoying when the sunroof is open in a vehicle with large interior volume. MDX engineers solved this problem by providing a wind deflector that automatically rises into the air stream when the glass moonroof is opened. An aluminum blade and composite end pieces are used to save weight. As a result of the wind deflector, the MDX is one of the quietest SUVs on the market with the moonroof in either the open or closed position.


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This married very drunk B- list NCIS actor was being flirted with and he told her to cut the crap and shut up unless she wanted to f**k him
. She said she would so the very drunk actor left with her in his car.
Shemar Moore in those shows?ReplyCancel
No hes not dipshit try again (trolling myself)ReplyCancel
Well, I hope she was driving. DUIs aren't fun (and I'm guessing drunk B- actors who pass before the deed is done, let along begun, aren't, either).ReplyCancel
Michael WeatherlyReplyCancel
who says chivalry is deadReplyCancel
DUIs aren't fun for the other drivers, either – should have clarified that.
Mr Sandy, I'd go hide in the woodshed. Shemar Moore is universally beloved in these parts, and I sense a pack of ladies who will have your parts for such a suggestion.ReplyCancel
I did call myself out though @7 and changed my answer to a more respectable oneReplyCancel
Mark Harmon?ReplyCancel
Haha @ sandy trollin' himself!ReplyCancel
I hope the chick was Liza Minelli–that would be highlariousReplyCancel
Shemar Moore isn't on NCIS and HE WOULD NEVER! Unless he would, then I am totally heading to LA with a new laminated list. Who has whiteout??ReplyCancel
Mark Harmon would never cheat on Pam besides hes A-list Tv. 🙁ReplyCancel
@TTM —will he be the one to finally shut you up?! **jokes*** xoReplyCancel
Derek: there's only one way to find oot!ReplyCancel
Wheatherly…the guy is a sleezeReplyCancel
My guess would be Sean Murray. He lost a lot of weight when he quit drinking, but recently started putting it back on. Weatherly's wife is an MD and they have two tots under age two. I doubt he gets out much any more. Hell, she probably has his balls in a jar for safekeeping!ReplyCancel
@chilonj, I believe there was a BI on this site that suggested some issues with drug cartels. I'm not at a place where I can google it, though. From what I remember, the BI was pretty specific and she was the popular guess.ReplyCancel
One of my friends would be very upset at that suggestion too. So would I, but only because it'd mean my pretty damm accurate gaydar had failed. I LOVE Criminal Minds and Shemar is gorgeous and funny, but he is so camp when giving interviews my 'dar goes off loudly.ReplyCancel
When LL cheats, its not with women.ReplyCancel
Not to worry LowKey I often call myself out.ReplyCancel
The white guy on the LA show who plays LL's partner, he married young and had a litter of kids. He played Robin when he was very young.ReplyCancel
@7 I thought Vergara was the international drug lord and Cote de Pwhatever had some sort of fling in set?ReplyCancel
@Kristin, I surrender to the opinion of the wiglet.
@7 Gah! You're probably totally right. I have a terrible memory.
Don't be scurr'd. I know that thing on Travolta's head last night rattled us all, but I think we are safe from the lumpy Sci-Wiglet. I mean, it's not like it'll crawl out of the bogs at night and steal the children, right? RIGHT??!ReplyCancel
So the tyranny stories are true?
When I lived in NYC there were stories of LL trolling lower Manhattan for chicks with dicks. One lady was on Wendy Williams' radio show telling a story about how fond LL was of tyranny BJ's. I thought that the lady was misstaken and just blew a guy who resembled LL. Wendy used to out all the gay rappers back in the day.
@Kristin, I'm probably wrong, it happens far too often for my taste. {grumpy milakunis cat face}
I almost lost a lovely sip of two buck chuck last night when you gushed about your SCI-BEAST – that was so many levels of wrong that made it so right!ReplyCancel
@7 I am fascinated by that man's hair systems. I've been telling my loved ones about the sea monkey farm he's been trying to grow on his head for the last decade.
Last night was my vindication. Like Tim Robbins in Shawshank after he crawled outta that sewer…or something.
Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'.ReplyCancel
The spellcheck on my tablet is really aggressive. Of course I meant TRANNY.
Thanks for the defense. Have a GOOGLE day. ;^)
Ahem, fancy, but it's been long enough for 'humanly possible,' and it was awesome. I was all dictatorial an' stuff. Neat 😉
I'm not so much trying for the white knight kingdom of CDaN 'net, though I seem to be claiming it the past few days. However I'm really *seriously* confident you know how to spell tranny. Really.
And I still love having a Google day XDReplyCancel


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Agilent Technologies' Electromagnetic Professional and Momentum Software Selected by OSAT for Next-Generation Circuit and Antenna Development
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2012
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that OSAT Company, which specializes in engineering analysis, testing and inspection techniques, is using Agilent's Electromagnetic Professional software, EMPro, and the Momentum 3-D planar electromagnetic simulator to design and simulate innovative new antennas and circuits.
EMPro is a 3-D modeling and simulation platform. Tightly integrated with Agilent's Advanced Design System software, EMPro is used to create 3-D models and analyze the electrical performance of packages, connectors, antennas and other RF components. Momentum is the leading 3-D planar EM simulator used for passive circuit modeling and analysis. Accurate EM simulation enables designers to improve the performance of their designs, while increasing confidence that the manufactured product will meet specifications. Momentum is integrated with both ADS and Genesys RF and microwave design software, as well as third-party tools.
"Designing cutting-edge circuits and antennas requires access to the industry's most advanced modeling and simulation tools," said Alexandre Vouzellaud, chief operating officer at OSAT. "The speed, performance and flexible features of Agilent's EMPro and Momentum software are providing our R&D department with the functionality we need to maintain a leading edge in the highly competitive wireless, microwave and millimeter-wave markets in which we compete."
"We are pleased that OSAT selected EMPro and Momentum for the development of its next-generation circuits and antennas," said Todd Cutler, general manager in the Agilent EEsof EDA organization. "The accuracy, speed and capacity of our software are enabling them to bring quality products to market ahead of the competition."
About Agilent EEsof EDA Software
Advanced Design System is the leading electronic design automation software for communications applications. ADS pioneers the most innovative and commercially successful technologies, such as X-parameters* and 3-D electromagnetic simulators, used by leading companies in wireless communications and networking as well as the aerospace and defense industries. For more information about Agilent ADS, visit www.agilent.com/find/eesof-ads.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The company's 18,700 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $6.6 billion in fiscal 2011. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.
*X-parameters is a trademark of Agilent Technologies. The X-parameter format and underlying equations are open and documented. For more information, visit www.agilent.com/find/eesof-x-parameters-info.
# # #
Janet Smith, Americas
+1 970 679 5397
Sarah Calnan, Europe
+44 (118) 927 5101
Iris Ng, Asia
+852 31977979


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Named Scholarships
When it comes to earning a college degree, the greatest obstacle can be the funds to do so.
For this reason, The University of Akron is pleased for the opportunity each year to assist talented, deserving students achieve their dreams, thanks to more than 1,300 Named Scholarships established through the kindness and generosity of thousands of UA alumni and friends, corporations, and foundations.
Scholarships truly are the best way to ensure that today's students persist to graduation. Scholarships allow students to enroll full time and remain focused on their studies; they also reduce drop-out rates, decrease the stress of student loans, and shorten the road to graduation.
The need for scholarships grows each year, however, as students continue to face an increased financial burden in pursuit of a college degree. In fact, 94 percent of today's baccalaureate students borrow to pay for college – versus just 45 percent in 1993. And across the country, the average college-related debt for borrowers in the class of 2013 was $35,200.
If you are interested in making a significant contribution to student success, please consider establishing a scholarship at The University of Akron. Scholarships can be created to honor a living person, in memory of a loved one, or to contribute to the growth of an area of study. To learn more, please contact the Department of Development at 330-972-7238.
Please note: All scholarships are distributed through the University's Office of Student Financial Aid. Students interested in applying for a scholarship may visit the Financial Aid webpage, call 330-972-7032, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com. The Department of Development does not accept applications for or distribute scholarships.
Search for a Named Scholarship
Christian Values in Business Endowed Scholarship
The Christian Values in Business Endowed Scholarship was established in 1998 by alumni of the University, Ronald W. and Beverly J. Ocasek. This scholarship was established by Mr. and Mrs. Ocasek to reward aspiring young business people who show definite promise of Christian service in the business community.
The Christian Values in Business Endowed Scholarship provides tuition assistance to a student enrolled in the College of Business Administration. These scholarships are to be awarded to students who are active members of a Christian church in Summit County, who demonstrate an exemplary spiritual life, and show definite promise of Christian service in the business community. Applicants should be students who maintain good academic records and receive a recommendation from their local pastor. To remain eligible for the scholarship, the student must maintain a 2.5 GPA at The University of Akron. Selection of the recipient will be determined by the College of Business Administration without regard to race, creed, color, sex, or national origin.
Note for students interested in applying for a scholarship: The Department of Development at The University of Akron does not accept applications for, or distribute, scholarships.
For information on how to apply for a scholarship, please visit UA's Office of Student Financial Aid page.


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Did You Know? Countdown to Mother's Day (05/05)Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
Did You Know?
Facts, Figures & Folklore:
Motherhood & Mother's Day
May 05 : 04 days till Mother's Day
Did you know that Mr. Roger's mom knit many of the sweaters he donned on the set of his popular children's television show?
It's true! It's true!!
BTW – Did you know that Mr. Roger's red sweater is now part of the Smithsonian Institute's Treasures of American History collection?
Mother's Day is a time of commemoration and celebration for Mom. It is a time of breakfast in bed, family gatherings, and crayon scribbled "I Love You's." So join our Mother's Day festivities as we present a new "Did You Know?" fact each day as we countdown to Mother's Day on May 09th!
Signup for our Did You Know? Holiday Countdown emails or follow us on Twitter – twitter.com/holidaysnet (@holidaysnet)


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'They Saw a Protest': Cognitive Illiberalism and the Speech-Conduct Distinction
Dan M. Kahan
Yale University - Law School
David A. Hoffman
University of Pennsylvania Law School; Cultural Cognition Project at Yale Law School
Donald Braman
George Washington University - Law School; Cultural Cognition Project
Danieli Evans
Yale Law School; Cultural Cognition Project at Yale Law School
Jeffrey J. Rachlinski
Cornell Law School
February 5, 2011
Cultural Cognition Project Working Paper No. 63
Stanford Law Review, Vol. 64, 2012
Temple University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2011-17
"Cultural cognition" refers to the unconscious influence of individuals' group commitments on their perceptions of legally consequential facts. We conducted an experiment to assess the impact of cultural cognition on perceptions of facts relevant to distinguishing constitutionally protected "speech" from unprotected "conduct." Study subjects viewed a video of a political demonstration. Half the subjects believed that the demonstrators were protesting abortion outside of an abortion clinic, and the other half that the demonstrators were protesting the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy outside a campus recruitment facility. Subjects of opposing cultural outlooks who were assigned to the same experimental condition (and who thus had the same belief about the nature of the protest) disagreed sharply on key "facts" – including whether the protesters obstructed and threatened pedestrians. Subjects also disagreed sharply with those who shared their cultural outlooks but who were assigned to the opposing experimental condition (and hence had a different belief about the nature of the protest). These results supported the study hypotheses about how cultural cognition would affect perceptions pertinent to the "speech"-"conduct" distinction. We discuss the significance of the results for constitutional law and liberal principles of self-governance generally.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 52
Date posted: February 9, 2011 ; Last revised: April 16, 2013
Suggested Citation
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Sbicca Freedom Wedge Sandal
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Blogs Cliopatria SMILEJul 31, 2009 4:29 pm
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- Jewish history is under siege in the middle east and these volunteers are risking their lives to protect it
- 'Amazon should stop selling Holocaust denial books'
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Reaches Milestone of 1 Million Visitors
- What Makes a President Great? Clipping? Sipping? Slashing?
- Carla Hayden says Frederick Douglass "might have a lot to do with the fact that I am a librarian"
- Historian and Antiwar Activist Marilyn Young Dies at 79
- Trump Chooses Historian H.R. McMaster as National Security Adviser
- Holocaust Historian Deborah Lipstadt Explains Why People Believe Trump's Lies
- Princeton's Harold James warns World War Three is now a "serious threat"
- Israeli schools' history lessons create good soldiers, says pundit


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Let's see if we can figure out what's causing your symptoms.
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Publications Tagged: korean war
- Added March 01, 2004
- China and North Korea: From Comrades-In-Arms to Allies at Arm's Length. Authored by Dr. Andrew Scobell.
- Since the ongoing nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, which emerged in October 2002, the United States and other countries have pinned high hopes on Chinese efforts to moderate and reason with North Korea. Yet, as the author points out, it would be unrealistic to raise one's expectations over what China might accomplish vis-à-vis North Korea.
- Added July 01, 2003
- The Lessons of History: The Chinese people's Liberation Army at 75. Edited by Ms. Laurie Burkitt, Dr. Andrew Scobell, Dr. Larry M. Wortzel.
- With the armed forces of the People's Republic of China (PLA) celebrating its 75th anniversary on August 1, 2002, it only seemed appropriate and timely to take stock of the world's largest military. The PLA has officially been in existence for three-quarters of a century, and its history is one filled with turmoil and warfare.