Vision Circle

Dance Off

Bush vs. Kerry.

This is funny!

The World of Disney

Thoughts about my vacation to Disney World.

• It was draining on the wallet. But it is an interesting thing to behold.
• Going during the time I did, it has a more international flare: many families were from the U.K. and Japan on "holiday."
• Under the section of TMI, the restroom facilities were VERY clean. When I'm in public for a long time, I often alter my eating habits so that I don't have to use the restroom for other than #1. With Disney World, it wasn't an issue.
• The Epcot Center is nothing but a great big advertisement for things other than Disney. For some reason, I can understand Disney selling Disney, but I couldn't understand Disney advertising GM, who paid Disney to advertise for GM.
• Kids who are tired, become "bad" kids. Kids, who are bad AND tired are on their own level. A few times, the wife and/or I wanted to scream, "Smack the kid then give him/her a nap!"

NACME

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering.

Our Mission:

To provide leadership and support for the national effort to increase the representation of successful African American, American Indian and Latino women and men in engineering and technology, math- and science-based careers.

Our Purposes:

Our goal is diversity with equity, our metric is parity in the workforce and our methodology is the formation of partnerships with those corporations, educational institutions, foundations and governmental bodies that share a commitment to these aims. NACME and its partners will foster research-based changes in policies and practices that ensure equal opportunities for the preparation and participation of all Americans in science, engineering and technology.

They helped in funding for me to complete college. Please provide your support. I do. Although I don't see my name in the annual report for donors. :-|

Security

Bin Laden(?)

Your security is not in the hands of [Democratic presidential nominee John] Kerry or Bush or al Qaeda. Your security is in your own hands. Any nation that does not attack us will not be attacked.

Now, to the folks who said that Kerry is what the terrorists want, how do you now respond? Will you at least admit that your comments were, at best, asinine?

Do you remember the "Shoe Bomber"? Do you remember that this happened after 9/11? Do you remember the anthrax deaths? Do you remember that this happened after 9/11?

Do you feel stupid now or what?!?!?!

The U.S. Population Has Been Duped Rant

Sigh, I had a nice rant going and didn't save it, so this is take two.

The U.S. population has been duped by the ruling political elite. And the U.S. is worse off for it.

Some people at my job are making snide comments to each other because of opposing political views. While vacationing in Florida, "friends of the family" commented about the anger still residing over the previous Florida mess. And with respect to some people, the anger isn't generated by Democrats, it's generated by a real belief that their votes were not counted. And some for durn good reason.

Meanwhile, a "friend of the family" told us about people shouting at each other over the current political battle. Or, a boss a work saying that if Kerry is elected, all bonuses will stop right away. Hmmmmmm.....

Meanwhile the safe political elite are sitting back laughing their butts off. Those who are not safe are campaigning like their lives depend on it, which to an extent, it does. They want to stay a part of the political elite power grid. (Or is that greed?)

And the "K Street" lobby is laughing, safe in knowing that no matter who wins, they have enough contacts to still be at the political elite power grid control board.

The sad part is, Blacks have allowed themselves to be duped into being a part of this mess.

Look, here's something I found while surfing. BAMPAC is trying to be a player. Now look at this page from their annual expense report.

Administrative expenses are more than 6 times the amount that they have made in direct contributions. Before I give to charity, I check out their expense report to make sure it's being spent wisely. I wouldn't give BAMPAC a dime!

With the political elite Black pols calling other Black pols sellout, who benefits? With political elite Black pols calling other Black pols race hustlers or saying the Black population is on a plantation, who benefits?

The Patriot Act was passed without members of congress reading it. Look, that's not from Micheal Moore, members of congress said it at first. Now they are claiming otherwise.

Baah baah baah, American sheep.

Al Sharpton

Point to consider: look at the comments Sharpton has made during is run for the Dem. presidential nomination.

If you look at the comments, and drop the hate of the man, you will find that he has probably done more to damage Black ties to Democrats than any Black Republican could have done.

Eminem's newest

I know my man S-Train doesn't care much for Detroit. But I know he has respect for its musical history, from Motown to the Detroit Emeralds to the Floaters to the P-Funk All-Stars to Rhythm is Rhythm to Reese and Santonio to Eminem. Seeing Mathers' latest all I can say is: what.

Well...no. I can say more.

Detroit. What.
Saginaw. What.
Inkster. What.
Pontiac. What.
River Rouge. What.
Ecorse. What.

WHAT!

Africana.com and Bush's Make-Believe Worlde

This week's edition of The Black Slate deals with a couple of surface issues. The first is a poll saying that more blacks are voting for Bush this year than in 2000, a lot more if surveys are to be believed. The second is a poll examining the level of knowledge Bush supporters have about his efforts in Iraq.

But it really boils down to a number of conversations I've been having with people close to me.

In some ways those of us able to read my words either on Africana.com (soon to be Black Voices), or here on Vision Circle, are blessed. We don't have to think about politics necessarily if we don't want to. We may have strong preferences one way or another--but these preferences at a national level just tweak our lives a bit. I remember when a radio show host was giving Ben Wallace the business for having an Afro and not being "political."

Hell...we fought so you COULD wear an Afro without being "political." Do we really want to revisit that?

But I wonder whether it is absurd to ask people to make decisions based on reasoning that can be verified and more importantly DISPROVEN. 72% of Bush supporters appear to live in a world where WMD's not only exist...they were actually found.

What??

Now like I said yesterday, I'm seguing away from this. If I can get another column off Monday urging people to go to swing states and protect black people's vote--whatever their party affiliation--I might have one more election oriented column in me. I suspect we might have to wait a month or so, so there might be one more.

Moving Forward--the Big Questions

I'm going to write about the election a few more times depending on how many months it takes for us to ferret out the winner. And tomorrow's Africana.com column will deal with Bush's African American support base as well as the growing ignorance of Bush supporters in general. But let's be clear. Even though I do believe that this election is the most important one I've participated in--Bush won't get sixty Senators to override a filibuster.

It's time we begin to segue into the next phase. Getting back to the local issues that I think merit a real republican black/democratic black/leftist black/ black nationalist dialogue. Education is a biggie.

ANd today my wife has made the tentative decision to homeschool our kids, a decision I support. I say tentative because there are some details to work out.

But while I'm with Darkstar on vouchers, I do not understand how black parents with resources can do anything other than pull their kids out of urban public schools.

Political Punks

Quite a few times I've said that I considered the political Black leadership in congress, The CBC, to be political punks who lack any knowledge of using their power.

The Black Commentator NAILS this one.