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.

San Antonio Super Spurs?

     The adjectives "nasty, destructive, methodical and reborn" are just a few of the many that are attributed to this insane twenty game win streak for the San Antonio Spurs.  As the trio of Duncan, Ginobli and Parker are viewed as getting "old" in the basketball sense, the team as a whole is one of the youngest in the NBA, coming in at an average of 26 years old.  The Spurs have played ten to eleven deep throughout this run and it is the depth of the bench that has added to this amazing feat.
     The rebirth of Ginobli and Parker have undoubtedly led the way as Duncan, while seemingly losing a step has shown that he has just enough left in the tank for another championship run.  Who would have thought though, that this, of all teams could last into another Western Conference finals, especially against a young and faster team in Oklahoma City.  The Thunder were the prohibitive favorites by  many to roll through the West and battle the Miami Heat for a title.  That seems to be on the back burner for now as the Spurs keep rolling along as if  they are on a mission of no mercy.
     Is there anybody that can match their defensive consistency as they have only allowed over 100 point once throughout the playoffs?  Can even the Heat, with or without Chris Bosh, stop this steamroller from Texas?  Duncan, with his three championship MVP's, four titles, and steady leadership might have something still left to prove. While his spot in NBA lore is already solidified as arguably one of the top ten players this league has ever seen, a fifth title would be especially sweet. This original "Big Three" has been playing as if they were 24 again and there looks as if nobody is going to stand in their way.  A look back at the past 14 years has shown the Lakers and Spurs in the NBA finals 12 times with only the Mavericks breaking that barrier twice.  The West was undoubtedly looking at the Thunder as the new "team to beat" from their conference, but the old regime does not want to go quietly.
     Twenty games in a row dating back to the regular season is the longest such streak in the NBA and the Spurs look as if they are determined, focused and just plain relentless.  The West has been tough for so long, you almost feel bad for the "ringless wonder" in Miami.  Just when you would think that the boys from Miami seem to be on the verge of plowing through the playoffs and getting LeBron his elusive championship, the men in San Antonio are spurring through the league with no remorse.  Duncan will win his fifth, LeBron will be left at the altar yet again, and the talents from South Beach will have to go back to the drawing board to build their bench in order to get over this hump that is the Western Conference.

Sports in NJ--You Bet!!!

     One thing Governor Chris Christie can never be faulted for is not trying to improve the state of NJ for all residents.  Since Governor Kean, this state has seen swindling politicians promoting embezzling, pay to play and taking from our schools to line their pockets for their own good.  Christie may be abrupt, to the point and not beat around any bush, but that is the perfect remedy for this long dismayed state.  Christie has battled to balance a budget, make our school districts safer with the strongest anti-bullying laws in the country, ended all possibility of pay-to-play and outright roned with authority to help both sides of the political fence to somehow get along for the good of all constituents.
     Christie was blunt to come out and tell jersyans to get the hell off our beaches during hurricane Irene, then the next day, reverse that by telling them to get the hell back on the beaches so the economy does not suffer.  This kind of leadership is exactly what the "rough around the edges" state of New Jersey needs to hear.  We, as a state, are not prone to pacifying feelings (just ask the bennies that vacation here) and do not need a leader that thinks we are ignorant or soft.  Just tell us what it is and keep it moving.  That right there is Christie's strongest point.
     Now, at a time where our governor can advance our state monetarily by the billions of dollars, I applaud his gruff and directness by battling the "man" to allow sports betting in NJ.  With the casino industry in Atlantic City and our four racetracks, this is an opportunity that past leaders failed to capitalize upon when placed in their lap.  Christie has made the claim that in the next three months, we will be able to place legal bets on sports.  He may be the only one this state has ever seen that has the gumption and wherewithall to accomplish this feat.  At a time where, although in his tenure, Christie has only added about 35,000 jobs to this state in a troubling economy, this may be the revenue needed to amply assist our state for decades.
     Anyone opposed to this must understand that half the revenue will, and should be applied towards gambling addictions for the unfortunate that need help.  Also realize this: addiction is prevalent in any society and is part of the human makeup.  It is not a disease that will ever be conquered.  As a community, we can only try to help the best we can.  Do not let that sway the opportunity to build our towns, teach our children and improve the quality of life for all in this state. Chris Christie has pretty much stayed with his word throughout his governorship and taken this bankrupt, dilapidated and severely suffering state and carried us on his shoulders.  He refuses to allow democrats and republicans to stay divided without resolve.  Christie has become a national symbol by coming up with ways to allow both sides fair ground to stand on, as long as it is for the good of the people.
     Allow Christie the opportunity that he has afforded us, as his constituents: backing in a pical battle that can only improve our state.  Right now, the criminals take the bets and make the money.  People will always place bets on all sports.  Why not regulate it, tax it, and control it for the good of all?  Give Christie the support he needs after all the support he has given to us over the years.  Just remember, come 2016, the state of NJ may very well never see the likes of a governor as Christie has been as most likely he will be running for president; that, my friends, you can surely bet on.

Bleed Ranger Blue

     With the Eastern Conference Finals between the NY Rangers and NJ Devils complete and a full day to grasp the loss as a Rangers fan, I can say that I'm still going with my initial feeling: utter disgust and disappointment.  The Rangers, in first place the full season and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs continually left themselves in precarious situations that caused them to play as if every game was a game 7.  This was never more evident than in the Devils series as they were out hustled and looked very weary after a year of blocking shots and being just plain beat up.
     I have to give kudos to the one player that myself, as well as others, were not sure what he had left in the tank for another run.  That is none other than the true king, Martin Brodeur.  Marty played as if he was 25 again, and clearly proved that there is no better goalie this league has ever seen.  They will be a formidable opponent for the LA Kings in the quest for the cup.
     The Rangers let leads slip away, as well as dug there own holes in trying to mount comebacks throughout this postseason and not disposing their opponents when they had a chance.  This might have been their mantra the whole year, but that is not how the playoffs can be won.  Good playoff teams finish and close the door when the opportunity arises.  Good playoff teams do not lose sight of what got them to the point they are playing at.  Good playoff teams not only fight, but never give up.  With every series, the Rangers seemed to lose a little bit of their identity.
     Although Ottawa seemed to give them fits at times, and yes, they needed a comeback in game 6 to force it back to the Garden for game 7, their theory and style seemed to never waver.  The Capitals matched their energy, shot blocking and wits to wear the Rangers down and in turn, get to King Henrik.  That is where the playoffs turned for the Rangers.
      When the Devils came to town, the Rangers were not only worn out, but the Devils forced them from game 1 to change their style of play.  Each game, the shot blocking became less, and the energy seemed to dissapate.  As soon as the Devils started cracking Lundqvist, the series was all but over.  But one thing the Devils did better than any one else from what I've seen throughout the playoffs has been an amazingly simple theory; puck awareness.  Each forward, defenseman, and even Brodeur seemed to have radar on the puck and was able to ascertain the very move of the puck.
     The Rangers lack of puck awareness cost them the chance to go to the finals and meet the Kings.  This is the one area that utterly disgusted me because the Rangers are better than that.  There is a great hope though for next year and moving forward as we see the likes of McDonaugh, Kreider, and all the other youngsters that have a bright career ahead of them.  This is going to be an exciting club for years to come, and as a fan, even though I am utterly disgusted at this years result, I am still proud to be a fan.  Thank you Rangers for the exciting year and good luck to the Devils.  Kill the Kings!!!

NY Mets--Do You Gotta Believe?

        The New York Mets, long the red-headed step child from Flushing is doing what none could have ever imagined in 2012; win ball games with a star-less roster.  Several games have been played with a complete nine man roster of home grown talent that, except for David Wright, make less money than what they are still paying Bobby Bonilla.  These kids have shown a mettle that their cross-town big brothers have lacked.  The youngsters are making baseball fun again, while the Yankees look boring, clueless and altogether lost while waiting for their bats to liven up the Bronx.  At 24-20 and in fourth place in the NL East, the Mets can not claim to be smothering their opponents with flawless baseball, but they remain a fresh breath of air in a long season that is hard to keep watching.
        Wright, the Mets only proven star is tearing the cover off the ball batting over .400, while David Murphy has become the constant two-out hitting machine that has become the norm in this short season.  There are names like Baxter, Nieuwenhuis, Tejada and Johnson that are making a major league impact for a lineup that would be hard-pressed to win a minor league championship.  Yet these individuals, with a solid starting rotation and bullpen, have made for an interesting start towards the all-star break.  The one individual in the lineup that they sorely miss is the big bat of--no I'm not going to say Jason Bay--Ike Davis.  While many can most likely say that they expected nothing of Bay, and yes, I am one of them, we all expected Davis to have a solid year. 
         That has not been the case as Ike has been dismal at the plate batting just around the .160 range with not enough power to make the fans look the other way.  Ike may need a break down in AAA for a bit in order to find that stroke that was prevalent at the beginning of 2011 before injury closed his season.  The Mets, however, seem to stay on track by taking control of the later innings and converting on two-out, two-strike pitches better than anyone in the majors.  For now, as fans, we are enjoying this season for what it is; hope that a second wild card is in our cards.  The Mets, if nothing else, have taught us once again that money does not always buy happiness--the Yankees will attest to this.  As a fan, it is in my blood to follow this dismal franchise with the only motto I can ever live by--You Gotta Believe!!