My, My how things have changed!!!

After an extremely long hiatus I returned to Lancaster recently on a work related call. Don't worry, nothing to do with politics or developing. LOL

In any case, I was appalled at the sheer number of vacant houses and lots in lieu of the developer rush of just a few years ago. Developments such as the older more established neighborhoods are virtually the same, but take a look at Steve Topletz's "Boardwalk" development on the north side of town. I'm sorry...what'd you say? The name isn't Boardwalk anymore?

That's right! Now it's "Boardwood" or "Millwalk" or something nonsensical like that. They say desperation breeds inventiveness and I guess this proves it! Clearly the reason these overpriced and disjointed lots aren't selling has nothing to do with the lunacy of trying to sell $200,000 homes in a city with an average household income of $44,000! It must be because of the name... Yea, that's the ticket! The unmitigated incompetence that these guys continually display really force me to question the sanity of those that have allowed them to rise to their positions. I swear this guy must fart in the tub and bite the bubbles... that's what kind of stupid you'd have to be to think this will work. Changing the name... gimme a break!

Oh yeah, what ever happened to that fancy new school you and Lewis were going to put over there? Guess that didn't quite workout either...

How far off was Dante' in his work, ' The Inferno '

Although a little off point, several changes in my life have led me to a place where looking and learning are far more interesting to me that the trivialities of my past life. For instance, recently I've been going over the Greek original translation of the Bible along with reading Young's Literal translation and Dante's Inferno. (A task I don't recommend for those week in the mind.)

What jumps out at me are the similarities, if not oversimplifications, of Dante in his poetic journey through the catechisms of Hell. It got me to thinking and searching. Realizing that Catholicism has long championed the belief of a Purgatory designed for the holding of wayward yet "non-evil" souls as they await final judgment. To me, it is a perversion of the Hebrew / Greek belief in Hades. A place according to the Greek, designed to hold souls for transition into their final rewards ( good or bad ). Jews in the second century BC accepted the Oral Torah teachings that incorporated the idea of Hades as a place called Sheol designed to hold spirits either in the bosom of Abraham or the place of woe awaiting final judgement as well.

In looking at Dante's work, I see the possibility of separate "chambers" of Hell but without the limitations and constraints that Dante hoped to put on them. It's my belief that our God is bigger than labels. Lust, Anger, Sloth, their all the same in the eyes of a righteous God. You see, I think these chambers could be "pools" of consciousness as related by ones manner or guiding force in life. Live your life in lust, perhaps losing your life in this mindset damns you to an eternity of want. A never fulfilled need or yearning for that which you most seek. Anger, perhaps a constant state of eternal turmoil. An eternity without comfort, without rest, without love.

And so on and so on...

You see, there can be no end, no categories. Each and every person confined to their own hell. Smaller than the whole but all suspended in the lake of fire. The bible make mention of the possibility of these chambers in Deuteronomy 32:22 where it mentions the "lowest hell" and in Psalms 86:13 where it mentions the same. Still more evidence is found in Proverbs 7:27 with Solomon's statement," Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death."

All of these and more point to this possibility. Still, the Lake of Fire is pretty scary in it of itself

How well do you know your rights?

Has anyone read the Constitutional Amendments I-X lately? Also know as our Bill of Rights, the amendments describe in great detail what rights we have a citizens of the United States of America. You know, the country we pay taxes to, support, and for some, die for! It states clearly in our IV Amendment that " The right of the people (us) to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated..."

Notice the word "effects" noting any and every possession a person might deem personal and of a possessive nature. IE. cell phones, computers, etc.

This means, from a practical sense, anyone listening, taping, transcribing or even looking at conversations between two US citizens in the normal corse of conversation is subject to criminal prosecution as described by our IV Amendment rights under the Law. Each count carrying its own separate judgment and consequence. So tell me, how many of us have been recorded by the current administration in the course of "securing our nation?" How many counts of constitutional abridgment can we claim when the smoke of this administration clears? Will that be somewhere in Bush's Presidential library?

I wonder if Republican judges interpret the law as written without attempting to change it or its original intent, why are we recorded in the face of this amendment? Why have we not overturned Roe vs Wade? If not expressed in the Constitution our forefathers clearly state in the Tenth and final Amendment, " The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

This means if it ain't in there, let the states deal with it! Roe vs Wade, Religious activities in school, etc. are all issues designed for state consumption and not for the BIG GOVERNMENT to decide or even preside over! It is in these matters I find myself in ardent difference to the general concept of the Democratic party. While I will vote for Obama as the better of the two candidates in my opinion, I can only hope that we, as a country, begin to hold our leaders accountable to the document that afford them any degree of power at all. It may not have been written with me in mind but I'll damn sure understand it as a protection from ever losing the hard fought rights we enjoy today. Every man and woman in this country should know this document by heart, especially those of color and women that have only recently secured our rights to vote in the general spirit of the democracy. So I ask, have you read your rights today? Discussed them, thought about them, debated their meaning? If not, maybe you should. Maybe we all should.

Empathy vs Sympathy

Having watched the progression of the campaigns in the last few weeks, it's clear to me that Barack will edge out a narrow victory in the election. Will have it protested, recounted and disputed by every conservative attorney with the time and money to donate to the cause and then, when the smoke clears, McCain ( a gracious loser ) will bow out " for the sake of our country."

I find myself more and more drawn into conversations regarding my personal feelings on the vote and most importantly how I'll cast having been Republican for most of my adult life. The true answer is that I can't, by any stretch of the imagination, vote against Barack Obama. I have trouble seeing how any person of color could. Yes, the elephant in the room is race, and yes I say, unabashedly that race is one of my primary decisive issues. How can any one of Caucasian decent even begin to understand this issue as seen my millions of Afro-American voters. How do you explain to them the feeling that finally there may be a president in office that has a very real and tangible experience to draw from in relation to civil rights issues, job fairness, and discriminatory policies often overlooked by past presidents. That isn't to say any of our past presidents haven't had the country as a whole in their best interest but the human being is a being of self centric interest by nature. We can only understand this world from the perspective given to us at birth. How can any Caucasian understand the depth of degradation felt your child is called a "Nigga" by another child at school because of backwards parenting and a closed mind home environment. The answer is that they can't! They can empathize with the matter but not sympathize with it. There is no way to pass that feeling of rage and sadness on sufficiently for them to have the necessary understanding. Therefor the only real choice for us is a vote cast for a candidate most like ourselves. A man made in the image of us all, White and Black.

Vested with understanding of both cultures in a way that only our children are beginning to understand as more and more mixed culture families become the norm.

Many will read this and find themselves baffled at the notion that one would vote solely on this fact but I ask you, How many will vote against Obama solely based on the same fact. I suspect there will be more than one would think. You see, in the privacy of the voting booth anyone can indulge the prejudices they hold secretly in their hearts. After all, who will know when they arrive at work chipper and unaffected. while still wearing the "Vote Obama" pin they bought online the week before...

It's that reason alone lending credence to my assertion that although won, the race will be closer than most think, and at this point closer than I would hope.

Charisma vs Anything at all...

It's not that I'm particularly taken with either presidential option. I'm fairly conservative in my personal views and liberal in my financial views. I understand the merits of unbound capitalism and the drive needed to succeed but wouldn't turn away government assistance in putting my oldest through college. I'm simply stating that in the vacuum that is the presidential debate, Barak is an absolute master at controlling the subject and the course of the conversation. Not just what is said but what is remembered to be heard! McCain, a true American war hero should be walking away with the election but with mobility issues ( related to his imprisonment in Vietnam ), and a forced smile he just can't seem to win the camera. Nixon had the exact same problem with Kennedy in 1960 when the first televised debate was held.

I watched the other night as he repeatedly took hard questions and applied them to a simple formula that always, and I mean always turned to his advantage. He would take a question, redefine the subject matter to something more palatable, then answer the more palatable definition as if prompted by a hidden script. The reason he always seemed to have the answer is because he changed what the question was to suit the answer he was already prepared to give!

Now, many will think I somehow frown upon this ability... quite the contrary!  Anyone that can change the course of a conversation at that level, deserves credit for the ability. It comes from years of preparation and coaching. One might even say, grooming.

Barak will win the election and become the first Black American president, not because he's the better option ( which he may or may not be ), but because he looks and sounds "the part" more than his rival. After all is said and done, the same superficial standards that have often allowed others to ascend to the highest office will now actually work to the benefit of Senator Obama. We live in a world where perception IS reality, and the perception is that Senator Obama is ready to take the lead and change our course as a country.

I once asked my youngest daughter what was so funny while sitting and watching a family movie at home. She laughed almost uncontrollably while manipulating her glasses to cause a blurred, distorted view of the screen. It caused, in her eyes, people on the screen to appear doubled. When asked to stop her laughing so that the rest of the family could "enjoy" the movie, she promptly replied," But dad, I AM enjoying the movie."

Maybe we should all get some of those glasses. It might be the best thing for our country after all. 

Just Wondering?

I was sitting in a capital improvements meeting last week and the thought of Lancaster came through my mind. The many residents that I met and friends that I made that are still living day to day in the land of Lancaster. Much to my surprise, I've taken the adversity of dealing with Tommy and turned it into a better opportunity than I could have ever had before him. I guess God works toward his plan and regardless of our perspective, it is always a bettr plan that we deramed! If anyone ever looks at this, I hope Vic, Margie and the Melchers are doing well. 

I had to take it all in...

I mean, after months of concentrating on what is REALLY important to me, namely my family and professional life, I see that Lancaster is in the news again. Though it's old news, the school's plan to cut a day off of their schedule to save money is the saddest thing I've ever seen. However it is accepted or denied by the general public, the fact that it needed to be proposed is telling of what trouble LISD has behind the curtain that is Larry Lewis' financial policy. Many saw this step of desperation coming and still other prophecies are yet to be realized but they shall come to pass as well. When the Titanic began to sink, there was no doubt that everyone would get wet. It was just a matter of how long they waited to do so!
Can Lancaster turn this around? Can the city step in as a controlling entity and help save this broken administration through financial guidance? I doubt it.
You see, no matter who comes forward at this point, no matter what resolution comes to light, the wheels are off the wagon and it's headed for the cliff. It's my fear that LISD will have to hit bedrock financially before changes are made to repair the Trump-like spending that put them where they are at now.