Absolutely RA-DICKULOUS!!!

     This is the last image an opposing batter sees before flailing and fluttering at one of the most wickedly ridiculous pitches major league baseball has ever seen.  Conventional knucklers like Niekro, Hough, Wakefield and the lot had great movement on a hard to hit pitch that came in at 60 to 70 miles per hour.  After a couple of innings it was possible to "catch up" to those knuckleballs, draw some walks, and get a few runs on the board.  There is nothing conventional, though, about this knuckleball pitcher that commands the mound for the New York Metropolitans.  This knuckleball pitcher, the one who wears #43, is the only pitcher who has ever been able to control the knuckleball.  Not only control it, but throw it harder and more consistent in the strike zone at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.
     This knuckleballer is none other than R.A. Dickey.  The man who nearly drowned swimming across the Mississippi river.  The man who climbed Kilamanjaro.  The man who has found inner peace in the most unpeaceful pitch known to baseball.  R.A. has become one with the knuckler and there does not seem to be any way to stop him, let alone get consistent hits off of him.  R.A. sits amongst the best that are in the game today with a 12-1 record, 2.15 ERA, 116 strikeouts and a microscopic WHIP of 0.88.  What do these numbers mean?  That R.A. will most likely be starting the All-Star game for the NL and he is on a roll to possibly win 26 games this year.  Add this tremendous pitching and the fact that the Mets scrappy players are scoring runs for him and you have an almost impossible hill to climb for an opposing team not named the Yankees.

     R.A. has 2 one-hitters already this year, one of which should have been a no-no, with 2 complete games and a strikeout to walk ratio that is incredible at 116-25.  I've seen Wakefield and other knucklers over the years and never has one been so dominant over a 16 game stretch that Dickey is on.    Is it impossible to dream for a Mets fan that this may be the year that we have been waiting for since 2000?  Johann Santana has already given us the first no-no in the teams history and now Dickey seems as if this is the reincarnation of Seaver.  For a man with such a troubled past as Dickey has, he has seemingly come to grips with an area of his life that most will never figure out for themselves.  He has clearly taken his turmoil and found what will work for him and translated that into his professional career as a pitcher.
     Now Mets fans can only watch and wonder in amazement as hitters look absolutely dumbfounded and shake their head in amazement as they walk back to the dugout.  They are now victims to a pitch that is incredibly RA-DICKULOUS to hit and even harder to understand.  The Mets fans are enjoying this ride into the All-Star break relishing the fact that Dickey is one of their own and not the opponent.  Believe!! Mets fans.  This is going to be an Amazin' year as we watch this determined group of ballplayers led by the most dominant of knucklers the sport has ever seen.  

Arkansas...Do You Need a Change?

     The 2012 elections are coming up quick and all states have some serious soul searching to do due to the current situation in our political landscape.  While GOP and Democrats alike are arguing over the ACA(Obamacare), who is at fault over The Fast and the Furious fiasco, unemployment, and of course the usual, taxes, what are you doing Arkansas? Have you taken the time and actually read the law http://www.healthcare.gov/law/full/  that will shape the nations healthcare for generations to come?  Do you realize that although this law may not be perfect as a whole that it may be possible to put the right politicians in place that can mold this law into the great bill that it can be?  Have you finally had enough of the way republicans and democrats are becoming one and the same with every passing year?
     Do you, Arkansas, grasp the fact that the American people need to take back our country, but have been going about it in the wrong fashion?  For decades we have elected a POTUS based on the platform he has provided and promises he has not kept.  Well now is the time to change that path of destruction that has led to this sad predicament we reside in as citizens of what is supposed to be the greatest country in the world.  If you do not approve of the way that government is run, then educate yourself on the way your representatives are voting on your behalf.  if they are not voting in your best interest, then you need to eliminate the incumbents that are ignoring your wishes.
     All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for re-election this November.  If you do not approve of how Congress has performed then as educated voters, we can make a difference.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Response	Gallup News Service (November 3-6, 2011)	Gallup News Service (December 15-18, 2011)	Gallup News Service (January 5-8, 2012)	Gallup News Service (February 2-5, 2012)	Average
Approve	13%	11%	13%	10%	11.75%
Disapprove	82%	86%	81%	86%	83.75%
No opinion	5%	3%	6%	4%	4.5%
Number polled	1,012	1,019	1,011	1,029	1,017.75
Margin of error	+/-4	+/-4%	+/-4%	+/-4%	4%

As you can see by the above Gallup poll, numbers for both republicans and democrats are in the tank.  The only way to change the direction of our government is to start voting from bottom to top.  The POTUS, being Obama, or possibly Romney, need the backing of the House and Senate in order to carry out their promises and be the leader they have set out to be.  No POTUS can survive as a lame duck and that is exactly what Obama has become. He has been fought tooth and nail and bashed on so many issues that there is no possibility of change.  Do yourself and the nation a favor and actually go to http://www.arkansashouse.org/members and research the representatives in your district that you live and make sure they are working FOR you, not for peronal gain.  Understand that by voting in your local, state and federal elections that change will eventually happen.
     Your state motto being Regnat Populus, The People Rule, is a very meaningful phrase to live up to.  Do you follow that motto?  Or do you blindly elect your leaders based on name recognition or simply party affiliation?  Maybe it is time to take back your government and let the fools who we have elected in the past know that we will not tolerate this pathetic display of infighting.  Register to vote at http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/Pages/voterRegistration.aspx and let the people rule once again and do not let it be a #saddayforusa2012.  By educating yourself to the truth instead of what the politicians want you to believe as truth, you will give yourself, your neighbor, and your country the opportunity for true peace and prosperity.
http://portal.arkansas.gov/residents/Pages/residentsResources.aspx

Arizona 2012...Do You Need a Change?

   
     The House of Representatives elections for your great state of Arizona  is coming upon you very quickly.  This is the time of year that with the primaries coming up on August 28th and the elections close behind, many decisions must be made.  I applaud your voters for having a relatively new House of Representatives compared to the first two states I've researched.  No representative has been in office for more than seven years, and that is just a handful.  Most have only served one term and now is the time to look back at their voting past and decide if they have been doing the right thing by you, the constituents.
     You, as voters, decided to vote Republican across the board in the 2008 election in hopes of gaining an advantage to help your hopeful presidential candidate, John McCain.  Now another decision lies ahead.  Do you stay on your path of strictly republican voting and most likely lose with a candidate like Romney, or do you change your direction and put those in your House that will back the incumbent, Barack Obama.  Just know that no matter who is the POTUS, they need the support of the House and Senate in order to succeed.  Ditat Deus

Party		As of June 2012
	Democratic Party	19
	Republican Party	40
	Independent	1
Total		60

is your state motto, meaning "God Enriches."  Take a good look at both the democratic and republican parties and you might just see that neither will succeed the way the citizens of this nation need them to in this time of recession, high unemployment rates and gluttonous deficit.  God at this time needs to enrich yourselves, the citizens of the great state of Arizona, as well as all citizens of this country with wisdom and faith that the right people will one day come along to right the wrongs of our past.

   Right now, all we can do is hope and pray that all politicians will one day work together and eliminate party stipulations that hinder our growth and progress.  You, as citizens can go to http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=H&SortBy=1 in order to view your representatives, their email addresses and other contact information and learn all that you can before casting your next vote.  Change is indeed needed in this country and only us, as voters can force that change.  Do not settle for the flawed promises of politicians and their political angles.  Hold your representatives accountable for your welfare and commit to replacing them if they are not up to your standards as individuals, lawmakers and leaders of your state and country.  Going to http://az.gov/government_votingelect.html you can register to vote, and find out all there is to know about the upcoming primaries, elections and individuals involved.
  Please Arizona, register to vote, then take your vote seriously.  If this country keeps voting in the wrong individuals, then no POTUS, GOP or Democrat, will have a chance to put his platform into action and make a viable change for our sake.  Do not allow this to be a #saddayforusa2012.  Use the resources provided and research the ones that truly run the government, while the POTUS gets all the credit or blame. If as citizens, we vote from bottom to top, and get each state in better shape and fiscally responsible, then the top, the federal government will eventually fall in line.  It is no longer viable to only be concerned with the POTUS.  For so long, we have been a people that have voted from top to bottom and look at the mess we have created.  The time for change is now and we must start with ourselves and within our state in order to achieve a more fluent federal government that holds to its promise of for the people, by the people.

Alabama 2012...Do You Need a Change?

     After researching and looking at the numbers, I must say that even as a state as set in their ways as Alabama is, I was astounded by the results.  As we head into this election of 2012, we, as citizens, must realize that change will never come from the politicians themselves, but from the power of the people.  Our votes do have an impact on the direction of this country, contrary to popular belief.  By electing the same individuals, or different individuals with the same morals and principles as the last, we are merely repeating the definition of insanity.  We, as the people whom our politicians are supposed to  represent, need to take control back and let our elected officials be held accountable.

      Alabama is one of the good ole' boys of the south that takes great pride in who they are as a people.  The motto of your state says all that anyone needs to know about the state you call home.  Audemus jura nostra defendre clearly notes that "We Dare Defend Our Rights."  You live by this motto and forever will defend all that you hold dear.  Yet, for all that is within your borders, you remain a piece of the great American puzzle that needs your assistance.  The other residents of this amazing country need you to focus on this and all future elections for not only yourselves, but your neighbors and your countrymen.

     Do the great citizens of Alabama understand that this country as a whole needs change?  Do the great citizens of this state realize that it may not be left to the doings of the current POTUS, or the next, to shape and mold our country into the nation that we need to be?  Have you noticed that currently there are 49 out of your 105 representatives that have resided within your House for a decade or more?  20 of those House representatives have been in office for over two decades, while 10 of them have been voting on your behalf for more than 3 decades.  In order to change this nation and offer a chance to our next POTUS, being Obama or Romney, don't you think that the lawmakers and representatives that supposedly work for you are doing their job.  The Alabama state House of Representatives needs to be looked at by you, the people and questions need to be asked.

     Do your elected officials actually vote in your district the way that you, the citizen want them to vote?  Do these elected officials share the same moral and ethical values that you teach in your own home.  Are the incumbents in office running unopposed for various reasons(I will leave those reasons to your own devices)?  Have you, as voters, taken the time to research the representatives that are on the ballot, or are you voting on  name recognition alone?  Please Alabama, for your sake and the country as a whole, take the time to go to http://www.alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp and just take a few minutes to research your representatives.

    Through this site you can find out all information needed about your government, the upcoming elections, and your representatives in each district.  To register to vote you can just click this link http://www.alabama.gov/portal/secondary.jsp?id=votingElections and choose the register to vote option.  Remember, your vote does count and by allowing the same individuals to keep their seat in your house, you are not giving the POTUS the help needed to run this country effectively.  Help by voting out the incumbents that have been a burden on our society and allow the ones that are "in touch" with the people have an opportunity to work for you.  It may take an election or two, but by holding your lawmakers and representatives responsible, our government in not only our states will become more effective, but in the country as a whole.  Give our fine nation a chance to breathe again and do not let this just be another #saddayforusa2012.

Party		As of June 2012
	Democratic Party	40
	Republican Party	65
Total		105

     A full list of all representatives, their district, and even a phone number to reach them is shown here: http://www.alabama.gov/sliverheader/Welcome.do?url=http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/house.html

Alaska, 2012...Do You Need a Change?

      As promised in my last blog, I am on a mission to educate voters as to the need for change in this country.  Everyone seems, as always, to be caught up on only the election of the next POTUS, without giving that POTUS the necessary aid he may need to help this country prosper.  It lies within the lawmakers and representatives that stand behind or against the principles, values and direction of the POTUS that will lead this country for the next four years.  Do not be mistaken, it is not the POTUS that is in control of our government and our future in this great country.  It is not the POTUS that can lead us out of, or deeper into, this recession.  That discretion lies within the representatives and lawmakers that oversee our districts and vote, supposedly how we want them to vote, and give or reject the leadership of the next POTUS.  Do you want a change?  Then you must educate yourself and make your vote count.
     In Alaska, there are forty districts comprising at this point of about one hundred individuals that will be heading into the August 28th primaries to determine the candidates for the republican and democratic parties.  Alaska, since 1996 has seen the republican party as the majority within their House of Representatives.  There are questions that an individual must answer for themselves before going to the polls and counting their vote.  Does the representative that I will be voting for share my core beliefs and values?  Have I taken the time to research the candidates that are running for my district and understand how they will vote in my favor?  Has the incumbent in my district voted the way that serves my best interest as a citizen?  These are just a few questions that are imperative to answer before you cast your ballot in your August primary and in the November election.
     Did you know that Republican Don Young is running in 2012 for his twenty-first two year term as the sole representative in the U.S. House of Representatives for your great state of Alaska? Have you taken the time to research and find out just how he is representing your state for the past forty years?  It is incredible to think that the people of the state of Alaska have just been electing an individual based on a name alone.  You, as citizens can go to http://donyoung.house.gov/VoteRecord/ to find out just how your state representative is voting on your behalf in regards to matters all across the U.S.  It is not so much as to see a name that is recognizable on the ballot, but to never investigate how their vote will affect you is deplorable.  You, as a citizen, can go to http://house.legis.state.ak.us/ to view every representative currently in legislature and get a bio of their history.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click several different links that will show you recent bills, how they were voted on by your representatives and any other information you may want to find out.

     Alaska's state motto is North to the Future and represents your beautiful state as a land of promise. Take a good hard look at your representatives this year and determine how they can best serve yourself as well as your POTUS.  Will they afford Obama or Romney the respect that they deserve as POTUS. Will they help instead of hinder the direction our great leader wants to advance our country?  And most of all, will they represent you and your needs when it matters most, in this most dire of times for Americans as we stare at a bloated deficit, record high unemployment rates, a questionable at best health care system, and of course, the forever rising taxes.  Do not let this just be another #saddayforusa2012.  Take your stand and vote out all out of touch incumbents and let the newcomers understand that their complacency will not be tolerated.  Register to vote at http://www.elections.alaska.gov/vi_vr_how.php  Alaska, and live up to your motto of a land of promise. Click on a name below to find the link for your districts representatives:

The following candidates won election on November 2, 2010:

1. Alan Austerman
2. Alan S. Dick
3. Anna Fairclough
4. Berta Gardner
5. Beth Kerttula
6. Bill Stoltze
7. Bill Thomas (Alaska)
8. Bob Herron
9. Bob Lynn
10. Bob Miller
11. Bryce Edgmon
12. Carl Gatto
13. Cathy Munoz
14. Charisse Millett
15. Chris Tuck
16. Craig Johnson, Alaska Representative
17. Dan Saddler
18. David Guttenberg
19. Eric A. Feige
20. Kurt Olson
21. Kyle Johansen
22. Lance Pruitt
23. Les Gara
24. Lindsey Holmes
25. Mark Neuman
26. Max Gruenberg
27. Mia Costello
28. Mike Chenault
29. Mike Doogan
30. Mike Hawker
31. Neal Foster
32. Paul Seaton
33. Peggy Wilson
34. Pete Petersen
35. Reggie Joule
36. Scott Kawasaki
37. Sharon Cissna
38. Steve M. Thompson
39. Tammie Wilson
40. Wes Keller

#saddayforusa2012...or can change happen?

     In the coming months, there are going to be many decisions made as to the direction this country needs to head in order to solve our many issues.  On the table are the usual debates as to healthcare, economy, jobs and taxes and americans will be hard pressed to actually find a solution within any presidential candidate.  In fact, if you look back over just the past fifty years, no matter who resides in the oval office, GOP or Democrat, all of our problems have never been solved.  You can never please every person that lives in our great country...it is impossible.  But how do we go about making feasible changes that can allow the rich, middle, and poor classes get the most out of our politicians that "serve" their constituents?
     The answer can only lie in the education of voters to understand that while having a POTUS that is respectable, knowledgeable, hard-working, truthful and caring for the citizens, even the most powerful man in the world has checks and balances.  The POTUS needs to balance his ideals and political ambitions alongside other men and women that don't necessarily share the same direction that he wants to take the country.  Our POTUS, no matter what party he belongs to, simply needs help.  That is where the citizens, you and me, need to educate ourselves about the men and women who belong to our House of Representatives.  These 435 seats must be filled on November 6th. These 435 seats vote in all districts of every state, for you, the citizen of that district.  So many of these seats have been filled by the same representatives for two or more decades without reproach.
     These are the very same men and women who will tell you, the citizen, that they know what is best for your district and state as a whole.  These are the very same individuals that challenge most presidents and the changes they want to make, based on the premise that it is what you, the constituent want.  These representatives are out of touch and bow only to the wealthy and their donations(bribes).  Education is the only way to change the direction of this country.  If you are sick of how your state and country are run, there is only one way to change.  Register to vote and make that vote count.  Possibly the only way to start a change in this great country is to vote out ALL incumbents and start fresh with those men and women who are not out of touch with society.
     In the upcoming two months, I will be previewing all states and their representative elections and showing guides on what to look for and how to educate yourself for the most important election in recent history.  Not the presidential election itself, but the ballots that need to be cast in order for the president, be it Obama or Romney, to have a chance at making change for all people of the nation.  Just remember that your vote does count, if you use it wisely.  Do not let this be a #saddayforusa2012.  Help our country prosper instead of continuing this tailspin we have been in for nearly a decade.

Title IX and its Rhetorical Farce

     In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act, which eliminated segregation and discrimination in many areas of life, although mainly intended for African-Americans in this country.  Titles IV and VII are inherently known for their failure to address sex discrimination in the academic environment, even though Title VII did add ‘sex’ to its vernacular when discriminated against in the workplace.  These two provisions and their possible oversight of sex discrimination in schools led to the passing of The Higher Education Act of 1972: most notably Section 1681.  The general wording of what came to be known as Title IX leaves no doubt that Congress was aiming to prevent sex discrimination and exclusion of women within any institution that receives Federal financial aid.  The Title IX provision was a vague outlet that gave women the opportunity for acceptance and equal rights in all aspects of their education.  Section 1681 of the Educational Amendments is a law that has been carefully, and expertly, interpreted by women, even though it does not promote gender equality in any sport, let alone college sports; in reality, nothing is farther than the truth.
     Where the Civil Rights Act of 1964 failed to desegregate the sexes, the Title IX provision accomplishes this goal by clearly (or maybe not so clearly) stating, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." ).  This simply worded law, so generally applied to education, has, because of two words, changed the landscape of women’s intercollegiate sports.  ‘Program or activity’, as clarified in Section 1687, incurs all operations of colleges, universities, and other institutions, and reiterates compliance with Section 1681.  The law aimed to end sex discrimination in college admissions and academic subjects, yet actually defined sports as a sex-specific activity, without naming the term.  It is in this interpretation that all colleges and universities must offer equal sports options for women that are in proportion with enrollment in the school and men’s programs.

      The words, educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, turned out to be the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg for women’s sports across the nation.  Congress left that opening to interpret at a later time if the situation were to arise, as in athletics.  Fortunately for women, they not only challenged, but won the right to include sports as part of Title IX when the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, in 1975, put regulations into law to expand Section 1681 in regards to athletics and their departments.  

     Title IX advocates never considered the questions and issues that would arise from the possibility of women’s sports interpreted as an educational program or activity.  While no language in the original Section 1681 declares gender equality in college sports specifically, Title IX has become a useful tool towards securing equal rights for women to have the same opportunities as men in all areas of education.  The rhetorical farce that was the issue of sports in the 1970’s clearly did not want to change the landscape of its college athletic programs, therefore, when Title IX was pushed into law, sports was not mentioned in the text.  Yet, for those two simple words, women had the ability to interpret and present their version of what the law did not intend to promote; gender equality in college sports.  It was merely up to women to broaden the scope of language, define its meaning, and fight for inclusion into an arena that was once closed because of sex.  

     Forty years later, the arguments over whether college sports have improved because of Title IX can 

forever be debated.  It is a known fact that men’s collegiate football carries most of the financial 

responsibility for college athletic departments.  Women’s basketball has made strides into supporting their 

athletic programs, but it is still not enough.  College sports would have thrived with or without Title IX and its later regulations on sex equality in sports.  Yes, the women’s softball, soccer, and basketball teams have produced some of the best players in the world in their respective sports, but it can never be proven if women’s inclusion in college sports via Title IX has made college athletics any better.  This remains an individual assessment based on personal views of those who want to challenge the question. But applause is necessary for those women who had the foresight to not only challenge the law and its hidden meaning, but to manipulate it and utilize it for generations to come.

The Heat Is On

     For nine years, he has been the Next.  The one to inherit the throne from Michael and those that came before him.  Throughout those nine years, he has been ridiculed and bashed by those that expected him to just waltz into the NBA and take control.  I have been one of those that has laughed at him as he was swept by the Spurs and lost in six to the Mavericks.  As Kobe kept winning championships and given the label of closer, all who watched just snickered at the boy who was waiting to become a man and hoist is own trophy.   Three MVPs and three finals appearances later, the man that calls himself King James has now reached the pinnacle of his sport.
     Throughout these finals against an incredibly talented Thunder team, LeBron had the look of a madman, a  psychopath waiting to pounce on his prey.  That look never faded from the opening tip of the first game to the final seconds as the clock hit zero.  There was no mistaking that LeBron would hoist his trophy and claim the MVP of the series.  James' numbers were incredible in this series as they culminated into a triple-double in game five.  He can now, at least for this offseason, claim his throne as the king.
     Now all of the claims that are putting him in Michaels' company are starting to surface.  This is just absolutely absurd.  The Great One, the best that has ever played the game, the one and only Michael is not to be confused with anyone in the game today.  LeBron is not even in the company of Kobe at the moment considering that Kobe has five rings.  Let King James win a couple more before putting him in anybody's company that has come before him.  LeBron is clearly the most talented player in the league at this time.  LeBron clearly is going to be a force to be reckoned with for many years.  But let's calm down with the Michael talk for a few years so we can see if King James has a few more runs in him.
     There are so many great individual players that the NBA has seen and we are witnessing the next handful of possible all-time greats in this era.  But to put any player in Jordans' company is absolutely insane.  Not LeBron, not Duncan, not even Kobe(who is probably closest) should be crowned the next MJ.  Congratulations to LeBron for getting his first, he is well deserving.  The league may have quite a finals rivalry brewing with the Heat and Thunder over the next few years and this will be incredible to watch unfold.  But until LeBron wins at least another couple of championships, lets just enjoy the look, and the outstanding highlights that he creates on the boards, in the lane, and on ESPN.

The Second Mile--Sandusky's Enablers

     Standing stoic and indifferent in front of the panel of jurors, Jerry Sandusky learned his fate for the rest of is life.  Forty-five out of forty-eight counts were returned guilty and he will now spend the minimum of sixty years behind bars and most likely the majority of those years in solitary confinement.  Yet, there are no winners in this very heinous account of real life which was hidden within the confounds of the game of football and the hope of a charity organization that was nothing more than a hunting ground.
     Sandusky was the defensive coordinator and heir apparent to the legendary head coach, Joe Paterno.  Penn St. was a legendary program under the two, better known as Linebacker U. Now we realize that Sandusky was nothing more than a monster using his power and genius to lure young boys into an insular community that turned its back on the most abhorrent of crimes to our nations youth.  Sandusky is a sick and twisted individual that most likely could not have helped his sexual urges.  Yet there was no reason why his wife, JoePa, Spanier, Curley, McQueary or any other person within that society that knew of is sickness could not of gotten him help instead of covering up his revolting acts.
     Where the hell was the integrity of a program that lasted sixty years under what one was led to believe to be the most genuine of men in JoePa?  Where was Dottie, the wife of forty-five years, who turned her back as children screamed for help from their basement?  Why did McQueary just turn his back and walk out of that shower in 2002 instead of using his size and strength to stop the atrocious act he had witnessed?  What the hell is wrong with society today that a major investigation in 1998 on one of the most well-known campuses in the country is allowed to be sealed and covered up, when even the Freedom of Information Act cannot view its details.
     Jerry Sandusky should never be allowed to witness daylight again after the abominable acts he has committed, we know that as decent human beings.  But it is the ones who walked beside him, the ones who allowed him to continue on the campus of Penn St. long after he "retired" that should follow him to the gates of hell where JoePa is waiting to take them to their destiny.  Sandusky,  no matter who will agree (or will admit it), has a disease that unfortunately cannot be healed or detected beforehand in order to prevent it from surfacing.  Sandusky is the worst monster that could ever be born and should have a far worse fate than living in a cell for the rest of his life.  I cannot even venture to explain what should be done to that man for the unspeakable acts that he has done to those innocent young boys that trusted him.
     The ones who stood beside him, covered up his actions, and tried to mask his deeds to protect the image of Penn St. should not be ignored.  Those people are just as atrocious as the one who stood before the jurors yesterday as each count was brought down.  With the first mile behind us (the passing of JoePa and conviction of Sandusky), it is now time to walk that second mile and indict the very ones who enabled this predator to do is deeds.  Nobody wins in this situation: not the boys who were molested, not the families that have been crushed by the crimes, not the university whose image was destroyed, or any individual involved in this atrocity.  There may never be an end to the healing process for anyone.  But one thing is for sure, if you walked that mile with Sandusky, there is always someone waiting at the end of your road to take you in the direction that you will spend eternity: only JoePa, Dottie, Spanier, Curley, McQueary and any other enablers know which direction they will head.

CEC--Criminals Entertaining Criminals

     You walk through the halls and at first glance you notice the color scheme and the many inspirational signs.  You keep going and are brought through sprawling hallways of an old rebuilt building that looks as if a lot of care and attention has been strewed throughout.  The first interaction with the "counselors" is one of wonderment as they call you "resident" as opposed to inmate.  You are no longer considered a number as the staff begins to learn your name.  The beds are spacious and more comfortable than the bunk you have been accustomed to for so long behind the wall.  You are promised a course of therapy that will help with reintegration into society and for the rest of your life if you follow the program and its leaders.
     That is when you first enter Talbot Hall and its spacious halls and question silently if it would've been better behind the wall.  That is when reality hits and you go to bed starving every night because food is scarce.  That is when you long to see the sun because outside recreation is limited due to lack of staff and you get a demerit just for looking out the window.  That is when you see the program in action and wonder who in their right mind came up with this form of rehabilitation.  That is when you realize that the staff is there only for a paycheck and you really are just a number in their checkbook.  Your name and everything about you seems to fade again as it did behind the wall.
     Groups are half led and the counselors seem disinterested as they are quick to point out that they are very happy only saving one "resident."  Most groups do not come close to running their full time unless there are "visitors" touring the facility.  Then you are herded to your rooms for hours on end while those "visitors" are only shown minute portions of the cleaned up facility.  These "visitors" are hoodwinked into believing that the facility is clean and run the proper way, without realizing that the maintenance staff has just worked 20 straight hours to clean, paint and spruce the place up for their guests.
     That is when they then assess you and transfer you to the next facility after giving you a completion of treatment when you haven't done or learned a damn thing for three months except not to look out a window.  That is when they transfer you to another CEC facility that is run by more criminals and is even filthier than the one you just left.  That is when you shower in mold-ridden bathrooms and eat in a lecture hall set up with dirty tables and no kitchen.  Food is brought to you from the next door facility and served on dirty trays with no sink or soap to wash them.  That is when the "counselors" really have no ability to teach you much but how to take count and go out for smoke breaks.  That is when you finally realize the big business that is the NJDOC and their halfway house facilities.
     CEC, otherwise known as Community Education Centers, is a big business enterprise that houses inmates in a halfway house setting that is supposed to prepare for reintegration into society.  The staff is made up of its share of those that have spent some time or another in prison themselves and knows the criminal mind.  They are quick to point out that they too have recovered in their life from drugs, street life and trouble with the law.  The problem does not lie in the fact that the are underpaid and undermanned for the amount of residents each facility houses.  The problem lies in that their program simply does not work because of the falsehoods that are seen every day.
     How does a program work if groups are cancelled because the degreed counselors are too overloaded to lead them?  How does a program work if the credo is not followed by the same ones who wrote it?  How does a program work if there just is no life within the signs on the wall?  How does a program work if the ones who are leading are the very ones who are setting the bad example?  CEC gets their money for every bed filled in their facility.  The sad part is tat if that bed is filled four times within that year, CEC gets paid four times for that same bed.  That is the nature of how they make their money and the root cause for turnover in halfway houses.  That is why they give demerits for small infractions like looking out windows that add up and send a resident back to prison.
     The inmate population sees the process and the cycle and is hard willed to follow this "program" that teaches serenity and change and truth.  The leaders of CEC can not mask their lies and therefore have a difficult time with their residents because, for most going through the prison system, they have been lied to their whole life.  Now here is another person asking them to believe in something that they themselves do not fully believe in.  It's a sad cycle for most that roam those halls and there does not seem like there is an end to this cycle.
     All anyone can ask is that a proper look into this system is erected because all that have come before have clearly failed.  NJDOC and any other correctional system does not want the recidivism rate to go down because it is a big business that needs to survive.  Why rehabilitate when all we will be doing is losing money?  Politicians such as Gov. Chris Christie will not even respond to questions about CEC because he has backed them for so long.  We need to call out Christie to stop the lies of CEC and their credo to help the recidivism rate in the state of NJ and any other state they occupy.  CEC controls the only two assessment centers in NJ which determine which halfway house an inmate is housed.  It is a monopoly that has been allowed for years and they can easily skew their numbers to send only what they deem as the best quality of inmates in order to make their facilities look good.
     This can no longer be allowed.  An inquiry must be made and a promise must be followed up on in order to improve the quality of life for reintegration in the state of NJ.  Do not turn your back any more Gov. Christie.  Face the cameras and go in to these facilities unannounced in order to see the real quality of life that is happening in those walls.  Do not let the population of inmates suffer anymore as there are many with great talents "behind the wall" that are only looking for a chance.  As most inmates go through reintegration, those chances are lost in those that simply do not believe or don't want to take the time to care.  Do not let CEC stand for Criminals Entertaining Criminals anymore.  Change must start at the top before others will follow.

Amazin'-- El Gocho Believe It!!!

     June 1st, 2012 will forever be etched, not only in the record books, but in the hearts of all Mets fans that have folowed this laughable franchise over the past fifty years.  Today, Johan Santana has done what some of the most talented pitchers that have worn the orange and blue have never done--pitched a no hitter.  Names like Ryan, Seaver, Gooden, Cone, Viola, Hampton, Saberhagen and many others have had this monumental task elude them.  Now you saw Santana, coming off shoulder surgery, take a pitch count to 134 and complete the feat against the best hitting team in the National League.
     I have been a Mets fan for 30 years and have been toyed with emotionally as I saw pitcher after pitcher come and go, while usually throwing a no-no for other teams.  Yet today, the wait was well worth it for all the right reasons.  This team is beginning to show signs of something amazin'.  This Mets team is built with minor league players playing major roles and winning ball games that most would say they have no right to win.  This Mets team battles through every inning, takes pride in the way they play the game of baseball, and gives every fan a reason to believe once again. 
     Terry Collins has been the consummate manager that is teaching the game the right way and is allowing the players to grow together as a unit.  As I look back over the past 30 years especially, there really is no better person and player than Johan to go into Mets lore as the one to break the curse.  As the final pitch was thrown, I just closed my eyes and waited for the called swing and a miss.  History was made, Collins called Johan his hero, and Johan himself admitted that he has never thrown a no hitter on any level--even in a video game. 
     The raw emotion of a lifetime of fandom that has seen this team lose a 7th game to St. Louis to avoid going to a world series, lose back-to-back division leads in '07 and '08, only win once with the most talented teams in the late 80's and many other years of misery and heartbreak are all tossed aside.  This night belongs to Johan Santana, the Mets organization and all its fans.  This night leaves all of us absolutely knowing that with this team, anything really is possible.  That is the joy of being a Met fan.  The Mets don't win as many world series as their cross-town rivals, consistently win division titles like the Braves or Phillies, have a star-studded lineup with the best players(although they try--thanks Bay, Bonilla and Benitez, etc.), but what they do have is a faithful following that cherish all of these special moments.
     This is our team, and we love these Mets because of those special moments that we never take for granted.  As fans, this almost makes our life complete just knowing that the first one is out of the way.  Thank you Johan for restoring the faith and helping us to believe once again that miracles do happen, even for Mets fans.  Throughout the first quarter of this season, you can almost sense that this was a special team and today just solidified that notion. As we head towards the All-Star break and beyond, remember one thing Mets fans--El Gocho Believe It!!!  

Stop Blaming The Fu@%ing President

     This election year, as we watch the candidates through countless debates, forums, speeches and cynical commercial spots, remember one thing: no one man can change the future of America.  For all of you who look at a president as the definitive say in the direction of our country, you are extremely misguided.  I grew up in the days of Reagan and the Iran-Contra scandal, the first Bush and the idiocy of the initial Iraq invasion, Clinton getting sexual favors from interns, all the way to now with Obama and a deficit of over 16trillion dollars.  It is great to have a charismatic leader of the greatest country in the world but you would be hard-pressed to look back and find a president that everyone could agree upon and back, not named Kennedy.
     Understand that presidents such as Kennedy could never survive in this form of democracy.  He would have become too big for the House or the Senate to handle and sway towards their greedy swindling.  Do not be fooled that we have had any president since Kennedy that was nothing more than a puppet for all of the other politicians we have elected.  And that right there is the key to this and all future elections for the American public.  We elect our leaders.  We choose who makes the laws and who sets the standards that we live by each and every day.  We elected the senators and congressmen that have been incumbents for decades and have not earned anything but notoriety for poor decisions.  Yet the public insists on re-electing these individuals that do not allow a president to make change.
     It is not any one presidents fault, GOP or Democrat, that this country has been facing a depression amidst a deficit that keeps growing.  It is not any one presidents fault that our education is listed around 23rd in the world or that the tax laws have more holes than a box of fruit loops.  I stand by my belief that it is the responsibility of all citizens that want change to finally go to the polls and make that very change.  Don't bother starting with the president though.  Start with the very criminals that have been backing laws and fillibusting for personal gain.  Continue with the sheisters that take bribes doubling as donations.  Then conclude with the incumbents that have their constituents hoodwinked into believing that their way is best for your state and country.
     The only way this great country will make a rebound in a positive direction is to hold all politicians to a higher standard as well as a short term.  Vote out all incumbents and let the newcomers understand that if they do not support their constituents, then their term will be a one and done.  Do not allow Congressmen and Senators to become so comfortable as to lose touch with the everday american and his/her dream of hope and prosperity.  I use the hashtag #saddayforusa2012 on twitter because I truly believe that it has come to the point that we no longer have a possibility for change within our government until the people want it.  It truly is sad that republicans and democrats alike do not want to advance anything but their own agendas towards their own prosperity, damn the public.
     Kennedy was the last great president, although I'm sure many will inevitably argue that fact.  We all saw what happened when even the possibility of a larger than life president was in the making.  But one thing is for sure when going to the polls this year and any other election year; you can make a difference with your vote.  If the american public learns to vote from bottom to top instead of top to bottom, then we can all start promising a future for our children and beyond.  Otherwise, it will be just another sad day for the USA.