...Just Like Grape

What happens in Mexico...

2005-01-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

...will happen before the eyes of my darling daughters (eight and six), so me and Mrs. Churl will keep it clean.

Going on vacation to the sunny Mexican Riviera for a week. Blogging will be on my mind though, so if I don't post during my whirwind tour of our southern neighbor, rest assured I'll do so upon return.

And just when I get a hat t ip from one of my favorite blogroll-ees! Thanks, Dawn.

--Duke

We have met the enemy...and he is Mr. Huxtable?

2005-01-01T20:08:00.000-08:00

First off, welcome to a new year. If you're reading this, you've been blessed with continued life, and hopefully the company of loving people to share it with.

So in that spirit...here's a little something to get things off on the wrong foot.

Ellis Cose, in his Newsweek article "Does Cosby Help" goes after the funnyman and ~~notorious albatross around the neck of America's black youth~~ truthteller. But perhaps we're judging too harshly? According to one young man named "Kenny"...

"Cosby is ... talking about me holding up my end of the bargain. Listen ... I robbed 'cause I was hungry. If he's going to put food on my table, if he's going to give me time to pursue education vigorously, then fine. But if he's not, then I'm going to hold up my end of the bargain and make sure I get something to eat."

Hmmm...add extortion to the list of young Kenny's possible crimes. Believe me when I say that "take care of my needs, or I'll do what I will to take care of them" is not the social contract Mr. Cosby, nor any of us signed. It is indeed curious and disturbing when this young man equates pulling licks to flipping burgers or working at Wal-Mart as equivalent career choices to meet his needs.

I've encountered youngsters like Kenny in the juvenile justice system (many future posts will come from that experience). I've seen the face of evil. I've also seen the growth that happens after you empower young men and women by letting them know that their future is determinded largely by their choices. Every man, woman, and young person who reaches for that something better, and struggles against the darkness of their environment brings truth to the lies and defeatism.

I can truly say that this attitude (propogated by other MSM excuse-makers) does no good for the young people they seemingly defend.

Season's Bleatings, and Happy New Year

2004-12-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

Pretty sparse here, eh? Sorry I'm too busy reading other people's blogs. Pulled from the dustbin of '04 resolutions is to start and maintain my blog, with personal, societal commentary for the rest of us.

Until next year, God bless.

-duke

La Shawn Barber's Corner

2004-12-31T14:45:00.000-08:00

Conservative blogger La Shawn Barber hits Instalanche gold resulting from her comments about her ~~new moonbat pet~~ critic.

I personally find La Shawn enlightening and thought-provoking (enough to blogroll her here). Is she a bit on the shrill and contradictory side when she simultaneously directs critics to start their own blogs, yet decries their commentary? Sure. Going as far as to attack people who talk about you or link to you in completely different venues is a bit much in my book.

But, then again, (a) as the Queen/Benevolent Dictator of her castle, she can do that, and (b) our little friend at La Shawn Barber Exposed, with his lack of substance or coherence, makes it oh so easy to discount him.

Congrats on the extra traffic, La Shawn. You'll need it for all the goblins coming out to get you in 2005.

My (Democratic) Party Was Gone..

2004-12-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

Without a strategy by Joe (not a Republican by ANY stretch of the imagination) Lieberman and company, no amount of Pretending can bring it back.

I went back to the Party/even the Red State countyside
They'd paved over the middle/those fringe elements that had no pride
Centrism had disappeared/All moderate halls
and bleating filled the air
from DU, down to Daily Kos
Oh, way to go, my Demos...

Double Indigestion

2004-09-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Finally tried the Applebees Buffalo Wings recipe. I'll have to go back to the lab and tweak it. Bad reaction...queasy stomach, too much vinegar.

Kind of like this snivveling article on all you poor, unwashed pajama-wearing bloggers, and how you should hit your knees and thank God for the presence of the MSM and the journalists "who do this for a living". Didn't this type of condescending paternalism go down with the Empire?

(To be fair, here's an article along a similar path..but at least it actually has a point. It's an opinion, but delivered a lot more respectfully and less ham-fisted).

Where to start. I'm might fisk this when the nausea subsides...from the article, as well as the wings.

Duke

Just like Grape...the first press...

2004-09-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

Mr. Myagi, the wise sage of the Karate Kid movie franchise remarked to young Daniel-san...

...You Karate do, "yes", or you Karate do, "no". But you Karate do, "guess-so"...then "SQUISH" , just like grape.

While Mr. Miyagi's wisdom was regarding embracing commitment and avoiding indecision, unfortunately, this mindset has been co-opted and twisted by some to describe what happens to those who are "middle of the road"--in life, in politics, or whatever venue.

This describes anyone who attempts to ignore "Conventional Wisdom", rejects the "you're supposed to be/do/act/vote/enjoy like this..." or asks questions that delve below the layer of "time honored traditions", "natural" assumptions, or finds credence in the saying "even broken clocks are correct twice daily".

We live in a world of many dimensions...

Welcome to the journey through the mind of a African American (that is what we all agreed to call ourselves during the conference call to the Mothership last week, right?)...

...Who's a centrist Democrat (with a love-hate love affair with Bill Clinton)
...Who is this close to voting for Bush,
...gives the President an A+ for vision in the War on Terror (tm) (but a D for execution)
...Who believes Applebee's Buffalo Wings are symbolic of life's pleasure and pain distribution
...Who believes Afirmative Action as we know it is pretty much dead (as well it should be) , but isn't quite ready to let folks off the hook yet......

Get in...sit down...speak up...hang on...

Duke

*Miyagi could also say, "Duke, you too much TV", and he'd also be right. Go figure