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August 31, 2004
Today is the last day of August, so I thought I'd finnish up the month and write something.
All in all, it has been a good month. I am healthy. I still have a positive outlook on the future. My destiny is in my own hands. These are good things. I am employed as a private contracter casino support staff for It's Your Party LLC. They are into event design and productions for private and corporate parties. Betsy Jenkins is president, and owner of the company. She is impressed with my casino background. There is a strong possibility that I will start working closely with the company in the casino area. Betsy would like me to train casino staff, and help expand the casino nights theme. I have some ideas about introducing pai gow poker as a game people can play. I think it would be a big hit. The hours are slim starting off, but it is a start. My hourly pay will greatly increase once I have got some time in with the company. It has possibilities, and I am happy about that. I can't make a living just doing this right now, but it is something I can build on.
Am working out again, and it is a real shock realizing I'm not the man I was nine years ago. When I was forty, I was a workout machine. I could do anything. Old man time has shown me how important it is not to take anything for granted. I can get back to where I was, but it is going to be a struggle. All in all, I am still in fantastic shape for someone my age.
The biggest shock is how bad my lungs are. They have never been good. There is a long history of emphazema in the family, and even when I was in top shape, my lungs would pound with pain. I just sucked it up, and forced myself to breath deeply. Now I am feeling dizzy, and am having difficulty getting a deep breath in. I will focus on exercising my lungs, along with my knees and my abdomen. If I keep these things strong, I will be ok. All those years of breathing in second hand smoke in the casino environment, given my proclivity to lung aliments, wasn't good. But you have to work with what you have, where you are, so this is what I must do.
I'm looking forward to good things happening in September, and the remainder of 2004. I plan on getting myself into top shape in the following months so I can begin a corporate fitness/karate program in 2005. It will be a blast. I am not comfortable doing anything at the present because I need to get myself physically, and in some ways, mentally into shape so I can lead others. If you talk the talk, you have to be able to walk the walk. If you can't do that, you are just like the rest of the Bruce Lee want to be types who have watched a few martial art movies and think they are kung fu masters. I shouldn't care what they think, but ignorance still irratates me to some degree. I need to work on that.
August 30, 2004
I truely enjoyed the Summer Olympics, and am sad they are over. Competitions of a grand scale only occurr so often, and the lessons they teach us last a lifetime. Your true idenity doesn't reveal itself when things are easy. The true character emerges when you are stressed, exhausted, and struggling. Watching the Olympic atheletes deal with the high and lows of the Games gives the world an opportunity to peer into the soul of humanity. Through this spectacle, we learn who we are, and what we want to be as individuals, as a people, and as a nation.
Few will forget Rulon Gardner, the "gentle giant" who emerged onto the world stage in the Sydney Games of 2000. A relative unknown in the world of Greco-Roman wrestling, he defeated Aleksander Karelin, a Russian who dominated the sport, and was thought to be invincable. The victory won him the gold medal. This time around, he captured the bronze. Just getting to Athens was a miracle. After falling through some ice on a snowmobile, he survived 18 hours in fridgid waters and sub below tempatures. His body tempature was 80 degrees when he was finally resuced. He knew that if he fell asleep, he would die. Medical science tells us the human body shuts down at 82 degrees. He fought death, and won. This is the true spirit of human endurance. To push the envelope beyond what is possible. His courage rings true to the Olympic Spirit, "faster, higher, stronger." Atter winning the bronze medal, his final match as an olympic athelete, he took off his shoes and put them into the center of the wrestling ring. This symbolized his retirement, and a call to the next generation to carry on, and "fill his shoes." It was a moving, powerful moment I will not forget.
I hope people do not characterize Athens by the sole act of this fruitcake who disrupted the Marathon. I don't blame him. I hold the legal systems responsible.
Man gets one-year suspended sentence for grabbing marathoner
Associated Press
Athens - A defrocked Irish priest with a history of disrupting sports events was given a one-year suspended sentence and fined $3,600 Monday for grabbing a runner who was leading the Olympic marathon with three miles to go.
Cornelius Horan was convicted by a misdemeanor court of violating Greece's laws on extracurricular sports for knocking Vanderlei de Lima into the crowd on Sunday. De Lima continued running, but he soon lost his lead and finished third.
Horan, 57, was wearing a green beret, red kilt and knee-high green socks when he pushed de Lima. Horan, who apologized to the court, was told he would have to serve the sentence if he violated any other laws in Greece in the next three years. He was expected to return home to London.
De Lima insisted he might have won the gold medal if Horan hadn't grabbed him. Still, the Brazilian said he harbored no resentment toward him.
"But this means he will probably do this again and get killed, as in Formula One, or kill someone," de Lima said.
Roberto Gesta de Melo, head of the Brazilian Athletic Federation, said he had hoped for a stiffer penalty.
"Crazy man has done something like this before. He could do it again," he said.
Horan has been barred from practicing as a priest for the past decade. He once published a book called "A glorious new world very soon to come" that predicted the world would soon end.
Horan, in a costume similar to Sunday's, ran onto the track at the British Grand Prix last year and stayed there for more than 20 seconds, forcing Formula One racers traveling at more than 200 mph to swerve around him. He was carrying a sign that said: "Read the Bible -- the Bible is always right."
British authorities said Horan also attempted a protest on Wimbledon's Center Court during a rain break, and tried to disrupt cricket and rugby matches.
On Sunday, Horan jumped from the crowd, ran across the street and grabbed de Lima. A police officer following the leader on a bicycle jumped off and helped free the runner.
August 28, 2004
Some nice quotes here. Trying to stay on a positive plane, despite the fact that I am facing a great deal of adversity in my life. Have decided to stay clear of negative influences, and negative people. Unfortunately, that narrows down my circle of present friends to zero. If I don't find any positive people for awhile, that's fine. To those individuls who I thought were my friends, I wish you well.
"The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can."
Robert Cushing
"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
Muhammad Ali
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
Albert Einstein
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
Theodore Roosevelt
"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises."
Demmosthenes
"That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well."
Abraham Lincoln
August 24, 2004
Excellent article on how to succeed. I liked it so much, I'm adding it to the blog so you can read it yourselves. No matter what you are doing for a living, the power of positive thinking goes a long way.
The Power of Optimism
Ray Smilor
President Beyster Institute for Entrepreneurial Employee Ownership
No one follows a pessimist—at least not for long. There is a role for pessimism in critiquing strategy, evaluating policies and determining tactics. But the naysayers and the forecasters of doom rarely have a lasting follower-ship.
Every successful endeavor needs a leader who believes in the possible.
In reading hundreds of business plans, in my consulting on entrepreneurial ventures, and in my teaching of entrepreneurship, I have observed something remarkable and universal about the entrepreneurial process. In fact, it is the only characteristic that is common to every plan, the only element that applies to all entrepreneurs, no matter their age, gender, background, or experience. Every entrepreneur believes that his or her company will succeed. Think about that. No business plan ever predicts failure. No entrepreneur ever tells a potential investor, "You’re sure to lose your shirt on this one!" No projection of revenues ever presents an upside-down hockey stick.
This belief in the future, this sense of the possibilities of things, is what inspires others to follow.
Psychologist Martin Seligman in his classic book,Learned Optimism, conducted groundbreaking work on optimism and success. He found that optimists, even when their good cheer is unwarranted, accomplished more than realists. The more difficult the task and the greater the pressure, the more important optimism became to the success of any undertaking.
Secretary of State Colin Powell put it this way: "Spare me the grim litany of the ‘realist,’ give me the unrealistic aspirations of the optimist any day."
But what accounts for someone being able to see the glass half full, even when it’s pretty much empty?
No doubt, some have a basically positive attitude, the result of some combination of nature and nurture that permits them to see the proverbial bright side of things.
But I think there are also actions one can take to increase one’s sense of optimism, and even to make that optimism contagious for others.
First, see for yourself. Rather than hear about problems from others, go and investigate with your own eyes and ears. Do site visits, listen, and talk to those directly affected, gather personal knowledge about an event or issue. In my view, experiencing something first hand can provide not only a sense of understanding, but also a better feeling of control and a clearer direction for action, all of which can lead to more effective solutions to problems.
Second, focus on the talents, not weaknesses, of others. A talent is a recurring thought, feeling, or action. So attention to detail, empathy for others, and completing tasks on time are examples of talents that can contribute to organizational success. Too often, we hone in on what others do not do well, rather than on the real talents they possess and enjoy exhibiting.
Third, label differently. I rarely hear entrepreneurs who lead companies say that they failed. Rather they say that they miscalculated, had a setback or got off track. Or they say, "the market wasn’t ready" or "things didn’t quite work out." In other words, they see failures as learning experiences rather than personal faults. How we think of something usually affects how we feel about ourselves.
Is all this talk about optimism a Pollyanna approach to enterprise? Not at all.
Medal of Freedom winner John Gardner in his excellent book, Self-Renewal, stressed the role of tough-minded optimism in people who create lives full of meaning, purpose and achievement. He says, "Both the tough-mindedness and the optimism are immensely important. High hopes that are dashed by the first failure are precisely what we don’t need. We need to believe in ourselves but not to believe that life is easy. Nothing in the historical record tells us that triumph is assured."
As optimists, entrepreneurs are leaders who don’t know what they can’t do. Their optimism is not only a remarkably potent resource for overcoming obstacles but also a magnet for encouraging others to follow them.
August 22, 2004
What is it about herion that makes you want to kill people? This story reminds me of the Sid Vicious saga. As bass player for the Sex Pistols, which had broken up a year earlier, he was a member of one of Britain's most influential and incendiary punk-rock bands. Nancy Spungen, 20, had been his most ardent fan. Together, the couple were in the forefront of rock's avant-garde. The two dog-collared nihilists brought their twisted, gothic romance to its ill-fated end at the New York City's fabled Chelsea Hotel in the early morning hours of Oct. 12, 1978. Miss Spungen died from a single stab wound to her abdomen. When the police arrived, Vicious was in a drug induced haze, apparently unaware of what had happened. Facing murder charges, Sid took his own life on February 2, 1979. He was 21 years old. He died from a fatal overdose of herion.
It might be impossible from a legal point of view to determine what happened just before Shane John Hill smashed his brother in law's head in with a brick. Common sense tells me he was shooting up.
Jail for house-brick murder
Townsville Bulletin
news.com.au
A man who beat his stepbrother to death with a house brick has been jailed for 18 years.
Victorian Supreme Court judge Justice Bernard Bongiorno today ordered 38-year-old Shane John Hill to serve a minimum non-parole term of 15 years for his stepbrother's murder.
The victim, 39-year-old Craig Anthony Reynolds, was struck on the head between five and seven times on February 17, 2002.
Justice Bongiorno said Mr Reynolds died in hospital five days later from meningitis as a direct result of injuries inflicted by Hill.
At the time Hill, his girlfriend and Mr Reynolds – all heroin users – shared a house in Tonbridge Street, Carrum.
Hill, who had a $200-a-day habit, believed Mr Reynolds was cheating him over heroin deals.
Hill also believed Mr. Reynolds had sought sexual favours from his girlfriend.
The judge said the relationship between the two men had been hostile, although it was difficult to determine what happened immediately before Hill launched the brutal attack which led to Mr Reynold's death.
August 19, 2004
Being close to the same age, I remember Micheal Jackson and the Jackson 5 vividly. Everyone loved them, and their music. Now, the camp is divided. I have my own opinion of Mr. Jackson. I will say this. Howard Stern was correct when he said that criminals in this country are treated like royalty.
I'm not saying Micheal Jackson is a criminal. That will be determined. If you or I were in his shoes, with the evidence against us being equal, you can bet we'd never see the light of day ever again.
Bronze May Be Better in the Race for Happiness
By Steve Brody
He is a psychologist in Cambria, California and author of the novel "The New Commandments"
Champion Press, 2004.
Think your love life's a failure? How about your job? And what about that 10-year-old bucket of lug bolts you call your car? Well, you probably don't need a psychologist to tell you that what you think creates how you feel. But it's true. It's the bottom line of what's called cognitive therapy.
Abe Lincoln said it best: "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."
So what to do about it? Take a lesson from the Olympics. That's what three research psychologists did in a now classic study published in 1995 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
They looked at silver and bronze medal winners as they stood on the podium receiving their medals, and they rated them according to how happy they appeared to be. Who do you think was happier: the silver or the bronze winners?
The answer may surprise you. It was the bronze winners, even though they had performed worse than the silvers.
Why? Because the silvers compared themselves up: "If only a second faster, I'd be the best in the world. Now here I am, a loser."
The bronze compared themselves down, to the rest of the field. They were thrilled just to be up on the podium. After all, they could have been only one of the field.
The reactions of the winners Tuesday in the women's gymnastics finals in Athens were a textbook illustration of the study results. As the results became clear, the U.S. team, which had expected gold but instead got silver, sat dejected and forlorn while the Russian team appeared happy and gracious in winning the bronze.
The take-home lesson here is that how you feel depends upon what you say to yourself, especially whom you compare yourself to. From a spiritual point of view, it's why the Dalai Lama encourages folks to be grateful for electricity, plumbing and the other basics, things we didn't have 100 years ago — and things many people in the world still don't.
So next time you're working yourself into a lather about how little money you have, or how your sex life isn't what sex life is on TV — think bronze and be thankful for what you have. According to the research, it's good psychology.
August 18, 2004
There is a dark side to everything, and the martial arts are no different. I know, I belonged to a karate academy for five years. I could tell you stories of abuse, humiliation, and ridicule, but I won't. There are bad instructors, and there are good ones. Despite this, the potential for abuse is great. There is an unwritten law in the martial arts that this treatment is good for you. It makes you stronger. It builds your character. Since the main instructor has a higher belt ranking, it also goes without saying that they are better than you. It is their job to bring you up to their level of superiority. That is something you won't find in the brochure.
What action will be taken against the coach? A slap on the wrist, if anything. The only mistake he made was being caught. For that, he may be punished.
OLYMPICS
Judo coach expelled for slapping competitor
Posted Wed, 18 Aug 2004
A South Korean judo coach has been expelled from the competition venue for slapping his competitor after she lost her match, the International Judo Federation (IJF) said on Wednesday.
The coach, Suh Jung-Bok, was seen slapping Ye Gue-Rin after she lost to Germany's Julia Matijass in the under-48 kilograms bantamweight quarterfinals on Saturday, IJF spokesman Michel Brousee said.
"We cannot tolerate such an attitude," he said.
The IJF has instructed the Korean Judo Federation to take action against Suh, he said.
August 12, 2004
Associated Press - The California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that San Francisco's mayor overstepped his authority by issuing same-sex marriage licenses this spring. The court also voided all the marriages of gay and lesbian couples sanctioned by the city. The court said the city violated the law when it issued the certificates and performed the marriage ceremonies in a monthlong wedding march that began Feb. 12, since both legislation and a voter-approved measure defined marriage as a union between a man and woman.
I really don't know what to think about legalizing gay marriage. Live and let live I have always said. I suspect it might be more about the cost of exspanding insurance coverage for gay couples than the morality issue.
Matt Groening is right on top of the situation. This upcoming event should prove to be as popular as the episode "who shot Mr. Burns"?
I vote for Carl and Lenny. I'll even bet Lenny cross dresses for the wedding.
Simpsons ties knot with gay marriage
David Wood
Wednesday July 28, 2004
Guardian Unlimited
The feverish public debate in the US over gay marriages is to be played out in a forthcoming episode of The Simpsons, it emerged today.
The show's producers have revealed that the cartoon classic will feature an episode in which gay marriage is legalised in Springfield.
Hints about the plot line were dropped by show producer Matt Groening at a San Diego comic convention, where he revealed that Homer Simpson becomes a minister by registering online.
Producer Al Jean added: "We have a show where, to raise money, Springfield legalises gay marriage. Homer becomes a minister by going on the internet and filling out a form. A long time character comes out of the closet, but I'm not saying who."
Mr Groening even joked that it would be Homer Simpson who comes out in the episode.
Simpsons fans have already begun speculating about who the most likely character to come out would be.
One early favourite is billionaire Monty Burns' ever-devoted sidekick Waylon Smithers, who has been revealed in previous episodes to have a Mr Burns screensaver and dreams of a naked Mr Burns jumping out of a birthday cake.
Other candidates include Homer's cohorts at the nuclear plant, Carl and Lenny, as well as Moe the bartender, the Reverend Lovejoy, Principal Skinner and Comic Book Guy.
The gay marriage-themed episode is scheduled to air in January.
The show's producers also outlined other upcoming plotlines including a row among Springfield residents over Mayor Quimby that results in a campaign to kick him out of office, and a satirical take on the California recall election in which Arnold Schwarzenegger defeated then governor Gray Davis.
Celebrities expected to lend their voices to the show's next season include actress Kim Cattrall, best known for playing Samantha in Sex and the City; actor James Caan; and rapper 50 Cent.
Groening also said plans were still under way for a Simpsons animated movie, but said that work on a big screen version of the hit cartoon won't begin until the TV series bows out, which could be some time.
Now heading for its sixteenth season, The Simpsons still pulls in massive ratings in the US and is a big hit on UK television, giving UK channels such as Sky One and BBC2 bumper audiences. This autumn Channel 4 will begin airing the show, for which it reportedly paid $1m an episode, on Friday nights at 9pm.
Hot off the press - 3:45PM (CST)
N.J. Governor Resigns, Admits He Is Gay
By John P. McAlpin
Associated Press Writer
TRENTON, N.J. - In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said.
"Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony," the married father of two said.
"It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexecusable."
The Democrat said his resignation would be effective Nov. 15.
McGreevey said he would step down because his secret — both his sexuality and his affair — leaves the governor's office vulnerable.
August 11, 2004
When I read stories like this, it makes me feel like I am on the right track. I am at ground zero. My mind, body, and spirit needs attending to. I can't go forth with my plans on teaching martial arts when my own house isn't in order. I'm not going to fret about it. Rome wasn't built in a day. Arriving is important, but the journey never ends. I've taken the first steps on my long walk. I know I will find others who will walk with me. Remember the scene in Forrest Gump? He started running alone, and ended up leading others on there own spiritual journey. Silence speaks volumes.
Importance of alternative therapies highlighted
Karnataka
BANGALORE, AUG. 8. Alternative systems of medicine help individuals to be healthy and live in harmony with the environment, M.P. Prakash, Minister for Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, said here on Sunday.
Speaking at a seminar on "Drugless therapies" organised by the Institute for Soul, Mind and Body Development (SOMBO), Mr. Prakash said in today's fast-track world and changing lifestyles, people suffered from various ailments for which conventional medicine was not the only answer. Alternative therapy, including Reiki, Yoga, and meditation, which had their roots in our ancient culture, could help restore good health and have a sound mind and body. This knowledge should be passed on to the younger generation, he said.
Bananje Govindacharya, scholar, said there was evidence to show that some ailments such as nervous debility could be cured by "touch-healing." Most of the ailments were of the mind and if that could set right then the body was cured, he said. Vishnuvardhan, actor, said: "We should be proud of our ancient culture and heritage that have preached the goodness of alternative therapies. It is a pity that people in other countries are using these therapies to make their lives better while we are not giving them the status they deserve," he said.
August, 10 2004
Today is my birthday. I remember growing up. Birthdays were something to look forward to. Something was always on the horizon. If you were just another years older, this or that was possible. You could drive a car. You could drink and party in nightclubs or bars. You could go out with girls that had bigger tits. It was all good. It still is, but the allure has faded. It is harder to be enthused about being another year older, especially when you live in a culture where youth is paramount. I'm trying to stay upbeat today. There is so much ahead of me to accomplish. I still have a zest for living, but at times, my life is a sad and lonely place. And with age, the sadness and the lonliness are just that more intense. No, things don't get easier. They get harder. The key is turning the heat up, and pushing the envelope. I remember Clint Eastwood talking about working out at age 70. He said it wasn't fair that in order to maintain a certain degree of fitness, you have to work twice as hard at 70 than you did at 40. I think life is like that. In order to maintain a degree of happiness, you have to work twice as hard when you get older than you did when you were younger. It's hard. I have to accept this. At this point in my life, I have to accept a lot of things. It's not all good anymore. But, it isn't all bad either. I hope you like reading my crazy news stories. They make me laugh. And when I'm laughing, I'm too busy being happy to be sad.
I love this story. It seems the Swiss have a fetish for hookers wearing roller skates. According to the story, the gals aren't taking them off in order to fulfill their contractual duties. And, how stupid can you be? If the story is out that babes on skates are rolling guys, why bother employing the services of someone wearing them? It just goes to show that men are morons. All women have to do is sit back, and watch us make fools out of ourselves.
Swiss prostitutes get their skates on
Ananova
Prostitutes in the red light district in Basel, Switzerland, are wearing roller skates so they can escape from police.
One of the girls working in the area said: "You can get away from police patrols more quickly that way."
She told Swiss magazine 20 min: "If you want to rob one of your tricks, you're off in a flash."
Police in Basel say dozens of prostitutes are working the streets of the city on inline skates, and the number is increasing.
August 8, 2004
Being a student of history, I remember this quote from the past, "The greater the man, the greater his enemies." So much for understanding the great unwashed. I made a promise a long time ago to a very special individual that I would not hate anyone, no matter what the circumstances were. I have tried to live up to that promise. I will continue to live up to that commitment. I stand by my word.
On a lighter note,
I used to watch The Flip Wilson Show. I don't know if many of you remember it. It was funny. Flip used to dress up in drag and play this charater called Geraldine. Everytime Geraldine did something stupid, she would always say, "the Devil made me do it." Seems like blaming the Devil for pulling a boner is still popular.
Ananova
July, 30 2004
Priest and nun caught having sex
A Catholic priest and nun have been caught having sex in a car at an airport car park in Malawi.
The 43-year-old priest and 26-year-old nun were caught "in the act" in a tinted saloon car parked at Lilongwe International Airport.
The pair were brought before magistrates where they received a suspended six-month jail sentence with hard labour.
"It was a bizarre spectacle, the public alerted airport police after noticing the car shaking in a funny way," police spokesman Kelvin Maigwa told the BBC.
In a packed and giggling court-room, both the priest and the nun pleaded guilty to the charge of indecent behaviour in a public place and disorderly conduct.
The nun told the magistrate she regretted her brief lapse in judgement, while the priest said that as a man of God he accepted Satan had tempted him.
Magistrate Arthur Mtalimanja accepted their pleas in mitigation, but admonished them saying that as servants of God they were the last to be expected to misbehave in public.
"I therefore sentence you to six months imprisonment with hard labour, but I will suspend it... because you have shown remorse," he said.
If the couple repeat the offence in the next 18 months they will go to jail, the magistrate said.
August 6, 2004
I am in the process of looking for a new job. Getting jobs has always been difficult for me. I rub people the wrong way. That is putting it mildly. I meet people who at first glance can't stand looking at me. It seems the main focus of their lives that moment is to prove me wrong, put me in my place, and teach me a lesson. I don't understand this. Are people that insecure and childish? I'm no one special. Why is putting me down such a great accomplishment? Needless to say, I haven't had a great deal of success building a career. The closest thing to a career I have had was dealing cards.
I was good. And again, my co-workers despised me. They would sit around in their gossip circles and say to one another, "where did Stonne ever get the idea it's OK to be better than we are? He thinks he is a big shot because he is in the high roller pit dealing to the hotel celebrities. He's an ass hole." For one thing, I didn't get any extra pay for dealing to the high rollers. The pressure was mind numbing, and these millionaires looked at us normal hard working stiffs as inferior. The richer they were, the worse they treated you. That is a fact. Strutting around like a rooster in the hen house isn't my style. I've always believed in the saying, "pride goes before the fall." I've always considered myself as a low key individual. I don't like drawing attention to myself because I like my privacy. If having confidence is arrogance, then I'm arrogant. I remember an interview Reggie Jackson had once. He was asked, "people say you are arrogant. How do you respond to that?" His response, "it isn't arrogance if you can back it up."
I was talking to a friend of mine at the bar, and I mentioned this dilemma. I know I can be abrasive. I know I rub people the wrong way. I've always marched to the sound of my own drum. I've never been able to run with the rest of the rats in the big race of life. I've paid a price for that. I'm not happy about it, but I am who I am and I really would never change anything about me just to please other people. I have often told people right to their face just what I thought of them. My personal observations can cut to the bone. Sure you are going to piss people off. But this hating me on site crap doesn't make sense to me. Without saying a word, complete strangers have leashed anger and hatred on me that is quite frankly disturbing from a mental health point of view. I've always wondered, "is everyone in this world loosing their minds?"
After listening to me vent my dismay, she told me something I never considered. "You have a very intimidating look about you Johnny. You scare people. And when people are scared, that is how they react." When I look in the mirror, I see a sweet and kind man who has never done anything to deliberately harm anyone. I see a person who deep down inside is a softie. Again, my friend told me, "no Johnny, there is nothing sweet about the way you look. You have a hard look about you and people are afraid of you."
There must be some truth to what she was telling me. I'm not going to let other people's insecurities run my life. I am not a people pleaser. I don't kiss ass. A pit boss once said to me, "hey Stonne, you are one of the best dealers in town right now. And you know why you'll never get promoted to anything?" I said, "because I won't kiss anyone's ass." He laughed and said, "you know that?" And I said, yea, I know it. There are two kinds of people in this world, those who have to kiss ass to survive, and me." He said, Stonne, you're right. But you are going to have a rough road ahead of you." He was right. I hadn't thought about that conversation for a long time. Not until my friend told me people didn't like me because of the way I look, which is a reflection of the person I am inside.
I can change. I don't have to sell my soul, but I can try to understand why people find me so unapproachable. That is why I know deep in my gut I have to someday get my own martial arts studio going. I would run the place. People would come to me because they would want me to teach them what I know. I know the path to success. I have the vision, the knowledge, and the skills to teach people a lot of good things. I know people. I see inside them. I've never used this skill to hurt anyone, even though I could. People don't realize the restraint I use everyday to treat people with respect, even if they treat me like a dog. That is my way of making the world a better place. Treating people with more respect than they have ever shown me. I won't change that.
I'm grateful my friend shared her observation with me. It clears up some confusion. If you understand something, it is possible to move forward. If water isn't moving, it becomes stagnant. People are like that. Everyday you have to try and move forward, even if it is just a small move. That is what we mean in the martial arts by "climbing the mountain." The mountain is always there, and even if you succeed in conquering it, there is another one on the horizon. The path of self improvement and challenge is eternal.
I love the tone of the following shark story. What are they implying? Asians cut the fins off, and toss the rest of the shark away? "No thank you, I'll just chew on the fins." I'm all for protecting the environment, and who wants to destroy the animal life on planet Earth? But let's keep it in perspective.
Shark lovers take the plunge
Reuters
August 2, 2004
Most people get married flanked by friends, but on Saturday a couple of Italian environmentalists tied the knot in a tank surrounded by sharks.
Daniela Consolaro, 31, and Maurizio Andreosi, 40, each wearing bubble-helmet immersion suits, were lowered into a shark tank cage at a Cattolica aquarium, on the Adriatic coast.
Fourteen sharks swam around the couple, whose nicknames are Bull Shark and Nurse Shark, as they exchanged vows via a phone link.
The couple wanted to draw attention to finning, a practice where fins are cut off for use in shark fin soup.
Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy in Asia and environmentalists say the practice is severely depleting shark populations around the world.
Can you spell "discrimination"? When I read stories like this one, I tend to look out the window. I almost exspect to see Nazi brown shirts goose stepping by. I mean let's get real here. Who were these other passangers anyway? Born again Pentacostal snake charmers? "Hey, pass me the snake and praise the Lord!" I see more breast on televison, and I'm not talking cable.
Couple kicked off flight because of T-shirt depicting breast
The Canadian Press 2004
August 1, 2004
MIAMI - A couple returning home from a Costa Rican vacation was ejected from an American Airlines flight because the man was wearing a T-shirt depicting a bare breast.
Oscar Arela and his girlfriend were removed from Flight 952 on Saturday after he refused to change the shirt or turn it inside out at Miami International Airport.
The couple, who were making a connecting flight, said nobody on their earlier flight objected to the shirt and claimed the airline violated their constitutional right to free speech.
"It's a picture of a man and woman, and the woman's breast is showing," said his girlfriend, Tala Tow. "The flight attendant basically walked up to us and yelled, 'You have to take off that shirt right now."'
American spokesman Tim Wagner said Sunday that crew members acted properly, and said the shirt was more graphic than the couple described. The airline gave them a refund, he said.
Wagner noted on American's website the policy clearly states that someone who is "clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offence to other passengers" can be removed from a flight.
Having lived in Las Vegas for 12 years, I can't honestly say I was aware of this stench problem. I didn't venture to the Downtown. I wasn't impressed with the Freemont Experience. The entire objective of the Freemont Experience Project was to revitalize the downtown area. By revitalize, I mean get rid of the homeless, the prostitutes, the drug dealers, and the pimps. Just what the hell were they thinking? My first thought after reading the story was the drainage system is clogged with dead bodies, and that is what the stink is all about.
Las Vegas to spend $100,000 to solve mystery of downtown stench
Associated Press
August 1, 2004
LAS VEGAS - Along with neon lights and casinos, the downtown area of Las Vegas has become known for the "Stench of Fremont Street" - and city officials are fed up.
"I'm not a connoisseur," said city engineer Charlie Kajkowski. "But it smells."
The stink emanating from the storm sewers has plagued the area around the Fremont Street pedestrian mall for a decade, and every time the city has thrown time, effort and deodorizer at the problem, the "sewer-type" aroma has just returned.
On Wednesday, City Council is to consider a $100,000 US consulting contract aimed at finding the source of the olfactory offence.
A tiny closed-circuit television system would be used to examine the downtown storm drains, smoke would be pumped into the system to identify outlets and dye would be used to follow water flows.
"We've worked with this for like 10 years, and it has just cost money to have manpower out there to clean the pipes and use the industrial deodorizer," Kajkowski said. "If they find and clean it up, we won't have to mess with it anymore."
The storm drain smell has become more obvious since the city started scrubbing out alleys in April, said city manager Doug Selby.
"When you eliminate one odour, others that were masked by those odours become more apparent," he said.