Book of Revelations

After hearing of Donald Trump attaching his political wagon to the caboose requesting proof of President Barak Obama's birth certificate showing citizenship, I was reminded of a book I'd read many years ago by Irving Wallace titled "The Man."

I suppose I should thank Mr. Trump for triggering a memorable enlightening moment in my young life. Until I'd read Irving Wallace's well written novel I was so naive to the challenges the first Black President would face, not from foreign governments and world organizations mind you, but from that known as the American fabric of western civilization; the American peoples.

The American people and many of its leaders have shown in 2 1/2 years of the Obama Administration what Irving Wallace fictionalized so well in his 1964 New York Times #1 best selling book "The Man"; a black man with all the wit, smarts, respectability and integrity of any leader in American history will struggle more from his skin color than anything else in trying to lead the country and free world forward during turbulent times. Donald Trump has helped confirm that in the year 2011, "Race" in these United States matters.

My Amazon.Com Review of Irving Wallace's "The Man"

This is one of the first books I was entranced by, once I started reading novels. It truly launched my joy and discovery of reading fiction.

The Man, written in 1964, is a story about a black man becoming united states president by line of succession. The vice presidency was vacant because of the incumbent's death. Then a freak accident kills the president and speaker of the house, catapulting the president pro tempore of the senate, a young black senator, into the unenviable role of the first black president of the united states.

Its been years since I read this book, but so great was its influence on me and so powerful its truth, that it changed my view of reading forever by broadening the genre of what I read as well as how I read. I have the great author of this book, Irving Wallace, to thank for writing a book that appealed to a young man who only saw value in reading instructional or historical related books. Mr. Wallace introduced me to the meaning of the infamous quote by Jessamyn West; "Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures."

I write this review many years later because of today's opposition toward and attacks on the integrity of president barack obama, the realworld first black president of the united states. I recommend this book to all citizens of the united states to read in this year, 2011. Hopefully, yesterday's fiction can reveal obscured truths about the reality of race today.

Oakland Raiders NFL Draft

59-yard TD pass to David Ausburry

photo By Mark Avery, AP

Looks like the Raiders went after athletic talent in this year's draft. Their first pick being in round 2, they got what'll be a second generation Raider in OC Stefan Wisniewski. Yes, break out "The Wiz" banners once more as this young man brings some much needed help to our offensive line.

A stalwart to anchor the middle of the offensive line, the Raiders selected center/guard Stefen Wisniewski out of Penn State in the second round as the # 48 overall pick.

The Raiders selected other O-Line help, but shame on me, I'm impressed with two weapons acquired that handle the ball:

running back Taiwan Jones out of Eastern Washington in the fourth round. The head coach saw something special in Jones. “How do you pass up a guy that can make plays like that…a guy that can score touchdowns as often and as fast as he can?” asked Jackson to the press.

the multi-position threat in David Ausberry from the University of Southern California. ausberry plays running back and wide receiver, a big wide receiver.

Bush Administration WMD Claim Still Haunts

The Iraq war taught him that "deliberate deception was not limited to small countries ruled by ruthless dictators," ElBaradei writes in "The Age of Deception," being published Tuesday by Henry Holt and Company.

Former chief U.N. nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei

L.A. Dodgers Ownership A Mess

Teacher: Okay students here's today's assignment. Use the terms Divorce, Takeover and Internal Revenue Service in a sentence.

Students: While in the midst of a brutal divorce, L.A. Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt are facing the teams' takeover by Major League Baseball as well as financial investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.

Teacher: Very good my students. In using the preprositional phrase "as well as," you've cojoined two actions (takeover and investigation) taken against the perpetrators...........I mean the subject.

In the meantime, fans and rivals of the Los Angeles Dodgers can send their get well or you still suck cards to the patient at Chevez Ravine headquarters.

I'm not a doctor, but my training in CPR has taught me to recognize when resuscitation of a patient is needed. We should all stand back while baseball commissioner Bud Selig puts the cardiac paddles on the chest of the Dodgers in attempts to jolt that dead horse back to respectability.

Condolences From World Series Champion

San Francisco Giants

Hockey Highlights Bay Area Sports

It isn't often that professional hockey teams fight back from a 4-0 deficit. However, last night our own San Jose Sharks did just that to force a 4th period overtime and eventually win it 6-5 against the Los Angeles Kings in L.A.. Sharks on the prowl!

Sharks lead the seven game series 2-1 with game four Thursday at Los Angeles.

Meanwhile the San Francisco Giants are playing like Champions as they've taken over the title of hottest team in the N.L. West, while downing the former titlist Colorado Rockies two nights straight. They did it in Rockies fashion with homerun blasts early. Add that to a Giants Championship pitching staff and manager Bruce Bochy's Bill Walsh-like genius and you have a baseball team that's simply unstoppable.

April baseball is getting just as heated up across the bay where last night the Oakland A's put a cap on the visiting Boston Red Sox three game win streak. The league best not sleep on the rebuilt A's this season. They've got pitching, hitting and a man from Japan they call Godzilla (Hideki Matsui), who's two-run double in the eighth inning last night gave the A's a 4-0 lead on their way to a 5-0 burial of Boston.

But there was something for the many Bay Area Boston transplants to cheer about last night. Their beloved Celtics were saved the embarrassment of losing to a New York team in the final seconds of an NBA playoff game. Boston's Kevin Garnett would be the Celtic savior as he hit the go-ahead basket with 14 seconds left in the game, then stole the ball from New York Knick Jared Jeffries to seal the win with four seconds left.

The NFL released the regular season schedules and the Raiders and 49ers both appear to face a good percentage of medium-light competition. But this could all be for null if the NFL Owners, yes Owners, can't overcome their GREED disease and do what's right for the sport of professional football.

GREED!

Excessive desire to possess wealth or goods

with the intention to keep it for one's self.

Transparent to the naked eye, GREED has no form until it infects a human who commits actions performed on its behalf. There is where it grows a mind and body to wreak havoc on the world.

Greed is not a living organism, but an idealistic parasite living off the excessive needs of the human mind.

It restricts the ability for one to feel compassion for another's life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

GREED instructs one to sacrifice (give) only so that they may be positioned to gain (take) more later.

GREED'S only truth is its comand to stockpile wealth and goods while keeping its host blind, diseased and thirsty for more than it can drink

To own the "legal" rights for selling all possible drinking water in a poor land, then implement laws to make it illegal for others to gather rain water from the heavens, is the mechanics of GREED in action.

GREED trusts nobody, respects only itself and lives so that it may claim the fruits of humankind for itself.

GREED is Unkind.

And so it seems that the only thing that kills GREED, is GREED. May it die a horrible suicide!

Twilight Zone Presents

I've seen just about every old episode of the over 150 Twilight Zone series at least once. Everyone that is, except this unique presentation.
LikeTelevision Watch Movies and TV Shows

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

New Ministry Induction

Heinz Chapel in Pittsburgh, PA. Heinz Chapel has 72-foot tall Stained Glass Windows, which are some of the tallest anywhere.

Copied down after silent prayer at the Grace Cathedral Episcopal Church. The signs of the Lord appear everywhere when viewing through spiritual eyes.

This is the pact a new minister makes with his Lord and Flock as well as with himself.

Book of Common Prayer

Celebration of a New Ministry

Induction (pg.562)

The new Minister, if a priest, may then kneel in the midst of the church, and may say

O Lord my God, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; yet you have called your servant to stand in your house, and to serve at your altar. To you and to your service I devote myself, body, soul, and spirit. Fill my memory with the record of your mighty works; enlighten my understanding with the light of your Holy Spirit; and may all the desires of my heart and will center in what you would have me do. Make me an instrument of your salvation for the people entrusted to my care, and grant that I may faithfully administer your holy Sacraments, and by my life and teaching set forth your true and living Word. Be always with me in carrying out the duties of my ministry. In prayer, quicken my devotion; in praises, heighten my love and gratitude: in preaching, give me readiness of thought and expression; and grant that, by the clearness and brightness of your holy Word, all the world may be drawn into your blessed kingdom. All this I ask for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Bishop then presents the new minister to the congregation saying

Greet your new Rector.

When appropriate, the family of the new minister may also be presented at this time.

The Congregation expresses its approval. Applause is appropriate. The Bishop greets the new minister.

The new Minister then says to the people

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People........ And also with you.

The new Minister then greets other members of the clergy, family members, and the congregation.

The People greet one another.

San Jose Sharks Playoff Favorites Again

Thursday, April 14, 2011: Kings 2 Sharks 3 OT

The San Jose Sharks took game one of a seven game series against the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday at the Shark Tank. Its the National Hockey League Playoffs and the Sharks are back to finish the job they so disappointingly couldn't the past four seasons.

They've competed well these past seasons only to come up short in the conference finals. Its more than what the Golden State Warriors can say about their recent past. The Sharks have been the winningest professional sports team in the Bay Area of late if you exclude the San Jose Sabercats.

So here we are with the boys in Teal facing yet another post season. Each of them must've followed the San Franciso Giants improbable road to the championship last fall with thoughts of "If Not Now, When? If Not Us, WHo?" The time is NOW for the Sharks. Its time to ride that Bay Area magic to another championship day parade. And who better to begin against than a Los Angeles team.

If Not Now, When?

Awakening

Its not the awful moments of life that stifles our spiritual growth. Its getting caught in a cycle of re-living those awful moments. We can escape the cycle and live full and fearless life.

I came across a book by spiritualist Adyashanti titled Emptiness Dancing. The author reawakened me to the essence of God and life with a simple sentence; "The truth is that you already are what you're seeking. You are looking for God with his eyes."

Think that's deep? Check out this video if you can subdue your fear of learning ancient truths:

Barry Bonds Verdict: Obstruction Of Justice

Finally, the federal justice system can get back to investigating more important issues than professional sports steroids. Today a jury came back with an obstruction of justice verdict against former SF Giants slugger Barry Bonds. I suppose this is good news for Barry since the other three counts charging him with perjury ended in a hung jury.


I'm not the biggest of Barry fans but I truly believe there was more to this.......witch hunt than seeking justice for an alleged crime. I give Barry credit for not throwing friends and business acquaintances underneath the bus. Barry endured and now comes away with a huge legal tab. Is that justice? Maybe for those who love to see a media-made celebrity brought down by that same media.


Meanwhile, I applaud the jury for enduring this “mock” trial. They hung in there to the end and it seems they felt much like many of us about the charges against Barry; there just wasn't enough meat on those bones to justify a conviction. If only our federal legal representatives were better in touch with everyday society, maybe then those big dollars spent on this failed attempt to prosecute Barry Bonds could've gone to keeping our communities safer, our schools staffed, our homeless sheltered and our government budget better balanced.


It'll be interesting to see what path Barry's life will take now. Experts agree it’s likely that his sentence will carry nothing more than probation and the feds aren't likely to prosecute him again for the three hung counts. Will probation include a ban from major league baseball? I personally would like to see Barry in a MLB uniform one more time. Why? Because he’s endured the hunt and still can be historically considered one of the best hitters in major league baseball. Juice or no juice. Unfortunately, it’s a predator’s world, and they hate it when their prey escapes from their traps.


Bonds Verdict

Latest Raiders News

A U.S. district judge has ordered the NFL and its players to court-supervised mediation beginning this Thursday in Minneapolis. Who the Freak Cares! Bring me an agreement guaranteeing my team is on the field ready to kick butt come this September. Any other NFL news is unacceptable.

Well, there is one small piece of fantastic football news that's always acceptable and just rocks my boat. Its the Raiderette Preliminary Auditions.

The tryouts are in full swing and thank goodness the fantastic females cheerleading contracts are all one-year deals with following year favoritism I'm sure. They seem to be a lovely bunch of girls who are just happy to be there and enjoy entertaining with their brains, beauty and athleticism.

NFL cheerleaders do more than just shake their rumps on the field. They're ambassadors of the game traveling around the world and participating in humanitarian causes. They're assets to their communities and positive role models for young girls.

After all, nobody really wants to watch replacement cheerleaders attempting coordinated routines that were meant for "Real Cheerleaders." Unless of course they all look like the lustrous escort pictured above. Sorry folks, no phone number with ad.

Imagine the types of women a tryout for replacement NFL cheerleaders would lure. Pardon me, but if I wanted strippers with my football I'd watch games at Larry Flynt's Hustler's Club or Hooters. Here's a better example; ever seen a stripper who's routine was taken from her high school cheerleading squad? Exactly, you felt sorry for her and gave a tip in hopes of shooing her along.

Strippers........ I'm sorry, I mean exotic dancers, have no more business on a professional cheerleading squad than pro cheerleaders have slinking down a stripper pole at some gentlemen's club. And that's that!

So be thankful and appreciative for the dedication and hard work of the many young women chosen for an NFL cheerleading position. For if they weren't on the gridiron on Sunday, they might be at a local strip club near you, doing cartwheel splits into your lap.

I know, that was cold and uncalled for. Forgive me Lord!

Giants Receive Championship Rings - Win in 9th

Baseball season just keeps getting historic for the San Francisco Giants. Yesterday they pull out an opening day win in the bottom of the 12th. Today, after opening with a championship ring ceremony, they thwarted the St. Louis Cardinals again with a Miguel Tejada double in the bottom of the 9th.

Both winning hits came on two outs, but tonight's just seemed extra special. Trailing 2-1 with Miguel coming up to bat, who would've thought they'd pull another one out of their hat. Miguel managed to hit a double on the ninth pitch of Cardinal Ryan Franklin.

It seemed the outfielders may have misjudged the depth of the fly ball as Rasmus got his hands on it in an attempt to make a basket catch but dropped it before falling to the track. The ball rolled away and the Giants took the lead and ballgame 3-2. The call on KNBR with the crowd screaming in ecstasy was electrifying. Did I mention that Miguel Tejada does not have a ring......Yet?

Torture is feeling good once more!

Giants Still Torturing Us

Opening Day At AT&T Park

Its now the top of the 10th between the SF Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. I stopped listening after the Cards took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 9th. The Giants were one strike away from winning the game 3-2 with nobody on when closer Brian Wilson gave up walks and hits to the next 5 hitters.

The Beard was finally replaced by Ramon Ramirez with the Giants trailing. This is opening day at AT&T Park for the World Series Champions. They're truly picking up where they left off last regular season with torturous play.

At the moment it doesen't look good for the champs. Cardinals have two on with two outs in the top of the 11th. Torture Again!

Game Update: Giants Win In 12 Innings

Native American Wisdom

THE TEN NATIVE AMERICAN COMMANDMENTS:

Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect..

Remain close to the Great Spirit..

Show great respect for your fellow beings..

Work together for the benefit of all mankind..

Give assistance and kindness wherever needed..

Do what you know to be right..

Look after the well-being of mind and body..

Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good..

Be truthful and honest at all times..

Take full responsibility for your actions.........

UCONN Wins Sloppy Finals Game

April 2004

The NCAA Basketball Tournament had to end sooner or later, but must it end in a game played so sloppy that the halftime analysts appeared to be apologizing for talking about the game?

Halftime saw Butler ahead 22-19, but it was a halftime both teams might want to forget.The game was so ugly that I chose not to post a current pic and instead ran a 2004 Sports Ill cover of then Conneticut Huskie Emeka Okafor celebrating its second championship. Note the Ted Williams banner in Red.

The 2011 Conneticut Huskies took over in the second half and showed that they were bigger, stronger and made the necessary adjustments in order to dominate. Butler had to resort to 3-point shots because of the Huskie big man presence inside. The cinderella Bulldogs couldn't buy a shot nor defend one as they went cold and flat the rest of the way.

Final Score: Butler 41 Conneticut 53

The Hangover II

Either you saw The Hangover and thought it a silly movie about loser white guys doing things too dumb to watch, or you saw it as one of the funniest bachelor movies of the millenium and screamed for more. I screamed for more, and soon that second dose of stupid-comedy overdose pays a visit to theaters near you.

The Hangover II is slated for release this May. As with the first Hangover, there's mayhem, mystery and laughter all along the way. The first one had a tiger mysteriously appear on the scene, this one uses a monkey in what looks like an even funnier effect. Keep an eye out for Mike Tyson, he just might make another crazy cameo appearance. You gotta love Iron Mike onscreen. He makes any scene memorable.

The Hangover II
May 2012
"Remember"

Going To Champions Home Exhibition

THE CHAMP!


Tonight I get to see the Major League Baseball Champion San Francisco Giants play their first game at home since their World Series win in game two over the Texas Rangers. No, I wasn't at that game, but I watched every damn morsel of their cinderella run to the championship.

Damn......Its So Good To Be The Champ!

update: Giants Beat A's 4-3.

Book Review: Famous Libel and Slander Cases

A Democratic Right Of Speech
By W. Powell -

This little booklet details seven famous libel and slander cases throughout history, beginning with Socrates. The writing gets a bit litigous at times, but anyone with the equivalent of a high school diploma can follow the cases.

This book is important in that it shows us how thankful we should be to those in the past who sacrificed themselves in courts of law so that future generations could enjoy freedoms of expression in a free democratic society. While reading the case of libel against Thomas Cooper I was made aware of the Amercian Sedition Act of 1798 and the alien laws of that period.

Mr. Cooper, newspaper editor, politician and scientist, took a stand against charges of libel for printing articles thought damaging to then president of the United States, John Adams. Mr. Cooper's decision to fight the charges of libel was not because he wasn't guilty under the law, but that he felt any law making it criminal to question the capacity of a President to carry out his functions as commander in chief, was a tyrannical law in a democracy.

Did you know that in 1800 you could be fined and jailed for saying or printing anything that put the President of the U.S. in a bad light? Mr. Cooper knew this and yet and still he challenged the law that forbid his right to say and print what he felt was the public's right to know.

This book reminds me of a famous quote I once heard somewhere: "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."


Know Your First Amendment Rights and Those Who Defended it.
First Collier Books Edition 1962 (paperback)

WIll The Real Cinderfella Please Stand Up

Move the hell over Butler Bulldogs, the Virgnia Commonwealth Rams are crashing the final four as a #11 seed looking to get the girl, the watch and the gold ring.

VCU stunned #1 seed Kansas Jayhawks with a barrage of three pointers, outstanding guard play and hustle defense in what may go down as the BIGGEST UPSET in NCAA Tournament history.

They'll go to the semifinals in Houston,Tx. to face the #8 seed Bulldogs of Butler, who've also made believers of many doubters, to see who's fairy godfather brewed the better potion.

Here's the incredible part about VCU; with the tournament expanding to 68 teams, VCU played an additional game, one they weren't expected to win.

I don't know about you, but I'm clearing my calendar for April 2nd, 6:09PM ET. That's when two cindefellas will tip-off to see which stays on the ballroom dance floor and which must leave the ball immediately and stumble home in one sneaker, a brokendown ride and ugly stepbrothers waiting to torment them about their loss.

The Madness of March can be so rewarding, and yet so cruel.