Between The Blogs

We’ve decided to roll our Conversations over Dinner blogs (both Him and Her) into one. In addition, we are incorporating Between the Blogs into this new, single blog, titled simply “Conversations over Dinner.”

Basically we’ve done this because we’d rather have one blog online, frequently updated, than three blogs, each not being given our full attention. We think that in the long run you will agree.

So please join us at Conversations over Dinner.

Thanks,
Jake & Mandy

In today’s Washington Post — Business Section — there is an article titled Every Click You Make. For those of use who use the Internet, regardless of your interests and/or online pursuits, this is one scary read. It seems that certain Internet Service Providers are, on a contractual basis, monitoring every single keystroke you make each time you sit down to use your computer. Your clicks are then analyzed, sanitized, and sold to companies who use the information to target YOU for certain online ads that it has determined, from your online endeavors, would most interest you.

The companies, ISPs, etc. bury their disclosures of this practice in multi-page documents filled with legal jargon that you agree to when you sign up for your internet account. Worse, they don’t actually state what it is they’re doing. They will, instead, acknowledge that they work with 3rd party advertising providers to collect certain information. Innocent enough, right? Sometimes — but in this case — no, it’s not.

While we’ve all sadly, and to our discredit, gotten used to a certain lack of individual privacy in today’s world, it is reprehensible that these companies should be permitted to mine this kind of detailed information all for the benefit of the few who seek to market their trinkets to you when all you’re trying to do is read Aunt Bertha’s blog about her trip to Hawaii.

I’d call for the government to get involved in outlawing this type of practice by ISPs, but truthfully, I have absolutely no faith in their ability to do so. And that’s sad too.

Technorati Tags: America, fear, society

I didn’t know that everyone who runs for public office is supposed to be perfect in mind, thought, and deed. No only are they supposed to be so now, but they are supposed to have been that way every single day of their past. At least, that’s how it seems if you watch how the press went after NY’s new governor, David Paterson.

It seems that Gov. Paterson had an affair. OK, more than one. It seems that his wife did likewise. They had… what shall we call it… a fidelity crisis brought on by other problems within their marriage. My response to that is simply, ‘OK, thanks, but it’s really none of my business.’ Nor, dear reader, is it any of yours. Nor, dear horribly misguided press corps, is it any of YOURS.

Watching David Paterson handle this pack of wolves has made me smile, perhaps for the first time in quite awhile concerning the antics and goings-on of politicians. The Governor came clean because, as he put it, “I don’t want to be blackmailed.”

Good for you, Governor. Good for you. You’re my new hero.

Technorati Tags: America

The news and the blogs are abuzz with the Reverend Wright’s ‘fiery’ remarks to his congregation. Remarks that some deride as racist.. remarks that some insist must color [no pun intended] the world viewpoints of both Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

I have a few remarks of my own… and a question or two of you, dear reader.

Have you actually taken the time to read the Reverend’s remarks? Not just watch the snippets thrown at you by mass media, but the words themselves. Not the ‘fiery’ delivery of a skilled orator who knows how to rile up his congregation, but the words themselves.

Here are some as printed in today’s Washington Post. Let’s play a game. Let’s see if we can be honest with ourselves and make a decision as to whether or not what the Reverend says is true.

Here goes:

#1: “We [the USA] bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye…. America’s chicken’s are coming home to roost.” — Sermon, September 2001

First off, I don’t know about you, but I’m always curious as to what was actually said in the space that’s left out and simply referred to as ‘….’. But leaving that aside, what about the remark itself. True — or False.

I say that it’s mostly TRUE. We DID bomb those cities and we have nuked a LOT more people than those who died in NY and the Pentagon. No disputing that, no matter how you feel about the USA. Fact is, after all, fact.

I would take some exception to the part about us not having batted an eye at those deaths. America, when it does evil, does have a conscience. Maybe not our leaders so much, as evidenced by our sitting President, but certainly the people themselves do.

As for American’s ‘chickens coming home to roost,’ I would have to say, by and by, that this too is, regrettably, true.

#2: “We [African Americans] are descendants of Africa, not England…. We have a culture that is African in origin — not European. The Bible we preach from came from a culture that was not English or European.” — from the 2005 book, “Blow the Trumpet in Zion”

This one goes to the Reverend. Jesus was not a European. Neither were the Apostles. The New Testament does not have it’s roots in European culture. It is much more African… Mediterranean… in its roots.

That said, I guess this one is: TRUE.

#3: “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no; God damn America! That’s in the Bible for killing innocent people.” — Sermon, 2003

Obviously, I would have no first-hand knowledge as to whether or not the government gives drugs to the black community. That’s been alleged for years. I would, however, ask the Reverend to be a bit more specific on this charge. Perhaps it’s something that should be investigated. As for building bigger prisons, I guess that’s true. There are a lot of folk in prison these days. The Reverend did, however, most probably make a mistake when he said ‘God damn America!’ Some of you may agree with him. Others may not. There are many things that America has done for which it should be damned… and is, obviously, damned by many throughout the world. As for whether God will damn America, I guess that’s up to God to decide.

Evaluation of this remark: May be TRUE. May be FALSE. I don’t know, but I’d sure like to find out, wouldn’t you?

#4: “Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run.” — Sermon, 2006, delivered at Howard University

Sorry folks, but America is as racist as they come. That, unfortunately, was true in the days when it was first founded and, for the most part, is still true today. I’d have to agree with the Reverend on this one.

#5: “Hillary is married to Bill, and Bill has been good to us. No, he ain’t. Bill did us just like he did Monica Lewinsky.”. — Sermon, January 2008

Once again, I’d like to have heard a little bit more. I always thought that Bill Clinton was a strong supporter of the African American community. Perhaps Bill Clinton has done things that have offended that community. If anyone has any input here, it would be appreciated.

I’d put this remark in the UNDECIDED category. Regardless, I wouldn’t exactly classify this remark as anti-American.

I’m going to take a stab at figuring out what’s going on here? I’m thinking that the Republican Party’s incredibly efficient Public Relations machine has decided that the best way to get John McCain elected is to give white America a reason to FEAR Obama. Going after remarks made by Obama’s reverend, then implying that white America should FEAR Obama — that years of listening to this rhetoric must have made some impression on him — is simply the Republican’s way of trying to turn Democrats away from Obama and, knowing that they won’t vote for McCain, instead get them to endorse Hillary Clinton.

The Republicans know that McCain will beat Clinton. They FEAR what might happen if McCain is forced to go head-to-head with Obama.

I say we give the Republicans reason to fear.

Technorati Tags: America, Bush, fear, Hillary, Obama, president, society, terrorism, war

Unquestionably, future history books will give Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton their due.

Overshadowing their amazing accomplishments are the blatant racism and sexism which have taken center stage in the race for the democratic presidential primary.  It was inevitable that the deep divides within our culture would surface with the mounting pressure of a prolonged campaign. Unfortunately, we probably haven’t seen the worst yet.

Election 2008 will be one for the history books. The story yet to be written — how low will we go?

From In The Trenches Productions, Politics and Sexism: Hold the ‘B’ Word, Please

I wasn’t sure I heard what I thought I heard. It couldn’t be. I had to watch the news a second time. Then I had to check several online news sources. I’m sorry to say that I heard correctly.

According to Rep. Steve King of Iowa, If we elect Senator Barack Hussein Obama as our next president, “The radical Islamists, the al-Qaida … would be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they would declare victory in this war on terror.” He went on to say, “His middle name does matter, it matters because they read a meaning into that.“

Yes, he had more to say. He explained that he did not intend to demean Senator Obama. He’s just trying to ‘warn’ us.

As a seasoned politician, King knew exactly what the soundbyte would be. He knew that bigotry and fear are powerful weapons.

Unconscionable.

You have succeeded in instilling fear, Mr. King. Fear that you, and others of your ilk, are among the leaders of our nation. I’m afraid…very afraid.

Today is primary day in Virginia.

Never able to feel ‘at one’ with a major political party, I always left the primaries to others and waited for the general election to make my voice heard.

Here in Virginia, Super Tuesday is behind us and precious few candidates from either party remain standing.

Our country is in crisis on many fronts and, for that reason, I felt compelled to make an extra effort to do my duty as an American citizen.

It is a very cold day in northern Virginia. I am deep in the throes of a major multiple sclerosis relapse, making walking or standing an exhausting chore and my arms strained to the limit. I could not go to work today. I could not blow dry or style my hair. Our five-year old cat became deathly ill overnight and had to be shuttled off the the animal hospital, where his life hangs in the balance, leaving his sister to wander the house, searching in vain for her companion.

Despite the difficulties of working, taking care of me and our pets, my husband managed to find the time to assist me to the car and then into our local precinct where we both cast our ballots.

It’s that important.

John McCain wins Florida. Well, I guess that’s not a surprise. It’s fairly red-neck down there… at least anywhere but in the Miami / Ft Lauderdale area. It is a bit disturbing though, that the voters in this country may line up to put what some see as an older, smarter, shrewder, and slightly more unhinged version of George Bush into the White House for another four years.

I watched John McCain defend his being called too liberal by some in his party. His response was that anyone who spends time as a prisoner of war must emerge from such an ordeal as a conservative. Huh? Think about that statement. It’s downright ignorant.. and, combined with McCain’s almost gleeful proclamation that there will surely be more wars and that America can expect to be in Iraq for 100 years, should set off alarm bells that perhaps there’s something seriously wrong. I don’t know about you, but after the past eight years, even the whiff of instability on the part of someone running for president is enough to make me look for a different candidate. I don’t want to go down that road again.

This country needs someone less controversial… less polarizing. Someone who can begin to heal the rift that’s developed between the political parties, who can do something to shrink the ever-widening gap between America’s wealthy and her poor. Someone with intelligence and with empathy, who will attempt to find a solution to the problem of both America’s uninsured as well as those who has it but will face eventual bankruptcy in an attempt to pay for that insurance.

We need a president who will focus on America. Someone who will work to repair America’s standing in the world, not just as a military might, but as a beacon of hope, of freedom. Our current president has done none of these things; his policies have, instead, unmasked the ugly side of America — of you and me — while revealing our leaders as political hacks willing to authorize unspeakable acts in their attempts to pander to a misguided fool.

I don’t know if any one of the slate of candidates, on either side, has the qualities that America needs in her next president. Our job as Americans is to sift through the sound bites and barely concealed political leanings of the mainstream news media in our attempt to find our next leader. It would be for the best if, at least this one time, we set aside our allegiance to political parties and, instead, concentrate on the person. Maybe, with some luck, we can get it right this time.

Technorati Tags: America, Bush, economy, Edwards, fear, healthcare, Hillary, Obama, president, society, terrorism, war

Dear John,

Well, you’ve got to be feeling a bit discouraged after taking 3rd Place in the SC primary yesterday. Who can blame you?

This morning, Mandy and I watched on CNN as you declared your resolve to stay in the race until at least after the results of the February 5th primaries that span a few dozen states. We were glad, and we were impressed.

This note is to implore to you reach down, center yourself, believe in yourself, and to hang on. Life has taught us, as I suppose it does others, that while you might think yourself unique, there are many others who feel as you do, think as you do, and do as you do. A collective consciousness of sorts.

John, know that Mandy and I have not made up our minds about who we’d like to vote for this November. There are those who we like, those who we feel stand little chance of succeeding, and those who will be weeded out through a process of elimination. You, John, are one of those that we like – A lot. Perhaps it’s your southern upbringing, but you radiate empathy for those less fortunate than you. That’s a necessary trait these days, when so many Americans are suffering. Our current president tries to appear empathetic, but one would have to be blind, deaf, and stupid to be taken in by him. Unfortunately, too many have, and that bodes poorly for our nation. For those people will vote this November for John McCain and, in doing so, relegate America, for at least four more years, to the unenviable position of that of a school yard bully who people fear, but none respect.

Hang in there, John. We like what we’ve seen and heard so far. There are others who feel likewise, of that I’m sure. Given the opportunity, there’s a very good chance that you will receive our votes.

Sincerely,
Jake Crest

Technorati Tags: Bush, Edwards, fear, healthcare, Hillary, Obama, president, America, society, terrorism, war