LikeMindr

Ode to Joe Wilson

Alex D. — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:28:58 +0000

angry politician I can’t listen to you cry
it’s clear you are a racist by the flag you fly
your evil ways are dated and the world’s left you behind
even jesus wouldn’t try to cure a man so blind

you know you’re just a puppet and money pulls the strings
power and corruption are your favorite things
and when you get the pulpit it’s routine for you to lie
funny when it’s you the rules do not apply

you’re a stubborn old man who’d rather win a fight than learn
you don’t care about a moral if it limits what you earn
you’re soul’s escaped your body with no hope of its return
last year you were a patriot my how the tides do turn

sit your ass right down because it’s you who spreads the lies
your actions in the news reveals the fear behind your eyes
the rules only mattered when you knew you’d win the game
i guess a bill’s only a law when the checks are in your name

you’re the one who bares the cross of the uninformed fool
to the corporations in control you know you’re just a tool
you think that you have power but you know that it won’t last
there’s more right with the future than your dwelling in the past

An Homage to Kanye West Interrupting Taylor Swift

Alex D. — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:09:39 +0000

Kanye Swiftly takes the mic!

Here it is. I thought, how can I commemorate the event that shook the pop world?
So I pumped up the autotune and made it into a track. I hope you enjoy it! Hit me up Kanye, you know I made you sound much hotter than you do in real life.

Swift.mp3

How Gen-X! How Fanboy! How Geeky! Sooooo pointless.

Always Remember

Alex D. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:44:46 +0000

Two people who were important figures in my life died 8 years ago today. One of my brother’s best friends, Christian, a firefighter and a marine was caught in the collapse of the towers, saving people’s lives. We also lost my old girlfriend’s brother, who was a model of a man, a family man, a moral man who loved unconditionally, who went in early to his first day of work, Michael was 36 with 2 kids. These were big losses for me, surely bigger losses for their families. It was one of the most horrifying days in most of our lives. The images are implanted in our memory forever. The news reports, the pentagon, Pennsylvania, the anthrax attacks that followed, the widespread fear, we were all seemingly frozen in time. The events were so shocking that many of us couldn’t figure out our next move. What is going on? Why is this happening? Is this just the beginning? Who did this? Am I safe? Is my family safe? How many people have we lost today? Why? WHY?

Only God knows why things like this happen. But I’d like to attempt to give you my interpretation of why we all bore witness to such a horrible series of events. I think the universe knows what it’s doing.

When I watch the news today, it seems like remembrance is about flags and lights, bugles and choirs, moments of silence, lists of peoples names and news anchors looking solemn. Yes, this is part of it. But not the biggest part. The biggest part is how we live our lives. The biggest part of how we remember those we lost is how we go on. I support memorial, I think it’s necessary, I just think we don’t take it seriously enough on 9/12 and beyond. I’m not suggesting we all paint our houses red white and blue and put NYPD and FDNY badges all over our jackets – although it is definitely honoring and I wouldn’t discourage it. But there’s something much more important that I fear many of us miss – the point of all this – what sacrifice is really about.

We need to go beyond the cliches of “Never Forget,” and “our hearts are with the families,” and get to the meat. These people who died, I’m sure they appreciate the gestures today. But I guarantee you that what they really want from us is much more real and much more permanent. They would want us to stop being greedy, stop fighting wars, stop depriving the impoverished and stop punishing the sick. Stop the selfishness and ego that western culture has been encouraging for the last 30-40 years. Start doing something that helps people not hurts them. We need to make remembrance a daily habit not a yearly one.

Christian was a great man. I knew him for about 12 years. In that time he went from being a cute high school kid chasing girls and causing trouble to becoming a humble hero. He was and still is an example of what’s right with people. His generosity towards man was what made him great. Yes he was also a handsome devil and funny as hell, but I’ll always remember the great pride I felt knowing where this guy came from and what he made of himself.

Michael was a pure soul, I knew him for 10 years. He never did anything just for himself. His whole life was about giving. He gave to his church, he worked extremely hard to feed his family and he too was very handsome and funny as hell. We lost a dictionary example of a mensch that day.

Remember these people and those who many of us all around the world lost by being a better person. Please. For the sake of our future and our children’s futures – get past the divisions we all dwell on and serve your fellow man. Love unconditionally even those you disagree with. Work harder to make people’s lives better. I know that none of us will ever forget. It’s how we remember that is important.

A Letter to Michael Jackson – Please Forgive Us

Why You Should Sell All Your Stocks

Alex D. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:50:10 +0000

Sell! Sell! Sell!

This whole credit crisis, it’s very real, a lot more real than the government or the banks want you to believe. As this and many other developed countries shed jobs, consumption will continue its downtrend. Further productivity gains fueled by technological progress will accelerate the job losses. Also, it doesn’t seem as though the giant corporate chiefs have any plans involving pay raises for the average worker. Further, if we don’t fix this health care problem, real wages will continue to get smaller as health costs explode. Verdict, slow to no growth for a number of years.

Savings rates are growing rapidly as people shy away from increasing their debt loads and everyday spending. Mortgage defaults continue which are resulting in lower real estate values which means lower overall wealth for the average consumer. People just don’t have the money to spend.

The sectors that I think are likely to get hurt the most by this inevitable decline in consumption – travel, high-end retail, electronics retailers, computer manufacturers, defense and energy. The sectors that should perform the best – commodities (as the dollar continues to plummet), discount retailers, biotech and software.

But still, even those sectors that I think will do the best should really be framed as “suffering the least.” We are all going to continue to feel the pinch in our wallets, decline in our asset values and rising health costs. What are we to do? Well, selling all your stock now is probably a smart way to hedge your losses. I think that there will be a nice entry point in late ‘09 and after another recession due to the fed being forced to raise rates come next spring.

This is all actually good news for consumers though. As we lose our power to buy, demand for goods is coming down. Just go to your local Best Buy and you’ll see 42″ televisions for 500 bucks. Go to Target and you’ll see 80% off a lot of items. So, just because your 401k or your IRA climbed back 50% or more in the last few months doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods. Be careful, invest wisely, take it easy with the exuberant positivity. It’s still very, very bad out there. Ask Michigan. Ask California. Ask 2 out of 10 people who are functionally unemployed. Not sure if you realize this, but the Great Depression lasted about 4-5 years in America. So we’ve got at least a couple more years to go! Be careful!

P.S. Thanks GOP. You really made the economy awesome. Can we have our money back now?

Fox “News” belongs on VH1 – The Real Tool Academy

Alex D. — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:29:57 +0000

Fox of Love - One Network - 3 million people to fuck

I shuffle through the channels as I am known to do now and again, it irritates my wife – can’t you just stop on something? I almost invariably stop on a channel with a reality show. It’s kind of hard not to do that! I know, these shows are really nothing but boobie-revealing, douche bag embarrassing, slut-making, competition-engouraging, materialism-enforcing, family-destroying tools of evil. So once in a while I get up the courage to change the channel and save some morals myself. But what channel do more Americans watch for actual reality than any other? Fox fucking News. Talk about a misnomer.

There is very little “news” on Fox News. There is plenty of opining, punditry, lefty bashing, Nazi labeling, socialist accusing, misinformation, bias, deception and paid-for propaganda. Why is it that they get to call what they do “news?” Why is Real Chance at Love associated with the word “reality?” Why is it that you’re allowed to do false advertising if you run the network? Why does everyone continue to apply these false labels?

I would like for the “reality show” moniker to be replaced with something like “experimental social programming.” Because there is really nothing real about these shows. Not even the people on these shows have a shred of sincerity, integrity, depth or actual emotion. If this is what we’re going to call reality, actual reality is in a lot of trouble.

On that note, I would like Fox News to change their name to Fox Opinions. I know as a “press” organization that they’re protected by the first amendment. I know you constitutionalists will say I can just ignore it or I am being a baby about it, or I’m wrong, it’s the only “real” news channel or whatever nonsense argument you’d like to throw back at me. But for real, if Fox wants to keep calling themselves a “news” organization, and get press passes to events, they should stand by the ethical rules of the press, like being truthful and investigating both sides of every story fairly.

At least MSNBC doesn’t solely call themselves MSNBC news. They clearly acknowledge that they do more than just inform, they entertain, offer counter-arguments, teach you about dog-grooming and potty training, etc. Fox, you suck balls. Maybe you should move O’Reilly to VH1 with all the other “reality” television.

The Republican Party Should Be Called: The Pretend Party

Alex D. — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:05:12 +0000

shhhh don't let 'em know what we talked about, k?

The Republican party should be called the Pretend party. A la: let’s pretend nothing happened for the last 8 years, let’s pretend Sarah Palin is qualified, let’s pretend we didn’t create this economic mess, let’s pretend global warming isn’t real, let’s pretend there are weapons of mass destruction, let’s pretend we care about Iraqi citizens, let’s pretend we are the “values” party, let’s pretend we didn’t ruin the global opinion of this once Good ‘ol, US of A, let’s pretend that the Bush family doesn’t have a history of blood for oil, let’s pretend we’re not “The Government,” let’s pretend we didn’t steal 2 presidential elections in a row, let’s pretend that Nixon never existed, let’s pretend Iran-Contra never happened, let’s pretend that we’re not solely driven by power and money, let’s pretend we don’t use fear to control the weak and the gullible, let’s pretend, let’s pretend, let’s pretend! Everybody!:

Let’s pretend that we support our troops!
Let’s pretend war is not in our plans!
Let’s pretend that half of us aren’t in the Ku Klux Klan!
Let’s pretend those Dems’ll take away your rights,
That ol’ Patriot Act we didn’t write!
Let’s pretend they’re gonna take our guns away!
Let’s pretend our legislation isn’t pay for play!
Let’s pretend we didn’t help all of those banks steal!
Oh and Obama’s birth certificate, let’s pretend it isn’t real!

That Hollywood crap we’d never support,
Law and Order – Fred Thompson what’s your retort?
Ronald Reagan, Schwarzenegger and Jack Kemp,
I think even Larry, Moe and Curly I’m not so sure about Shemp

Let’s pretend we didn’t put this country in the tank!
Let’s pretend that it is US who you should really thank!
Let’s pretend we love America so dearly,
We’re honest on our taxes sir, we pay them yearly!

Oh let’s pretend that our intentions, the rhetoric at our conventions,
and our philosophy aren’t shrouded in mass deception,
OHHHHH we can’t hear you when Bush is mentioned!
Oh let’s pretend, Cmon! Let’s pretend!
GOP! GOP! GOP!

[jazz hands]

(brought to you by PP – the Pretend Party)

There, I got it out.

If this post can get 50 comments, I’ll set this poem to music as a gift for reading my blog and participating…thanks!

Angry conservative viewpoints are welcome but not encouraged for your own continued feelings of self-worth.

How Do You Measure a Patriot? – A Poem For Our Fathers

Alex D. — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:16:19 +0000

My father died when I was six. He had pancreatic cancer.
In 1982, his form of cancer was nearly untreatable.
His early death was almost certain.
We were all too young, but that was how it was then.

In 2009, for many of our nation’s fathers, greed and politics have become the deadly diseases.
Because of businessmen and those who serve them in our government –
America’s sickest and poorest are denied medical care.
Still more families are suffocated by insurmountable debts.
Who among you would deny a child’s father more time on this glorious Earth?

This is not a health care legislation issue.
This is not an economic issue.
This is a human rights issue!
We must value every American citizen’s life!
Our country is sick, let us care for all of her children!
How do you measure a patriot?
Measure him by his compassion for his fellow citizen!

“America’s health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system.” – Walter Cronkite

Why Are So Many Cultural Pioneers Dying Lately?

Alex D. — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:31:26 +0000

Les Paul died today. I was moved deeply by his passing. I own a tobacco-burst Les Paul Classic electric guitar. It’s got a slim neck, the frets are buttery, the pickups are hot. It always sounds the way it should. I saw Les’ ghostly face in the haze of my rainy-day-lit studio and he swam through my soul, a cool breeze with a bluesy center. I had to give my baby some love and plug her in. Thanks Les.

Today, we lost a guy who changed popular culture so much by his inventive spirit. One person’s relatively short existence can have an awesome, accelerating effect on our speed towards the future of humankind. It seems like so many of these pioneers have died in the last year: guitar legend Les Paul, Zoo York original Andy Kessler, iconic filmmaker John Hughes, Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, Walter Cronkite – each one of these guys were pioneers in their field. They all had a direct or substantial indirect effect on my life and I’m sure on yours as well.

I believe that their deaths are happening so close together so that we spontaneously, collectively realize the majesty of the human spirit. We each must tap our own individual potential for the sake of each other. People everywhere should be getting in touch with their own true self for our own well-being. I know it’s happening, you know it is too. Let’s be positive about it. Don’t be scared and go screaming at your peers, you’ll just look ignorant and frightened like an unfed baby or a turtle spinning on its back. Simply smile and strive.

Let’s reach higher! But not for money, or fame, but for peace, love and unity. Let’s figure out how to make all of us happy, not just me and mine. Let us find ways to live beyond even our dreams – like they did. Let’s stop thinking we know everything and start thinking we don’t and appreciate that fortunate result of the human experience – we won’t ever know, there’s just so much possibility out there.

That woman sitting next to you on the train later, might just be your hero some day, or maybe, even cooler, you’re the hero? Or cooler than that, way cooler, every one of us is a hero.

What, I need to wear tights with a big symbol on the front and leap tall buildings in a single bound?

Acknowledge your heroes every day by taking their example of focus and strength and apply it to the good of humanity. You’ll feel way better, and so will I.

No related posts.

Choice – The New Favorite Word of the GOP

Alex D. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:01:31 +0000

Don’t let them fool you. The conservatives have co-opted a traditionally liberal word to veil their evil plans to keep the poor poor and the rich rich. Choice! The government, according to the current GOP talking points, wants to take away your choices. Specifically, they want to take away your choices when it comes to two very important ideas – healthcare and financial products.

Healthcare –

According to these right-wing nutjobs, if the government offered a plan that allowed the rest of us to have access to affordable healthcare, it’d take away our choices. How? I’m still trying to figure this one out. The best example I’ve heard of to reveal how N/A the conservative argument is – the US Postal Service. Clearly the USPS hasn’t made it hard for UPS and FedEx to exist. They still compete. They’re thriving businesses! So has the government bureaucratic system taken away your options for sending packages? Uh, no. How is healthcare different?

Financial products –

According to these right-wing nutjobs, if the Obama administration gets its way with financial regulations, we, as consumers, will have no more choices when it comes to products like mortgages, credit cards, etc. How? I’m still trying to figure this out. OK. This argument is even dumber than the healthcare one. If the gov steps in and says that banks can’t mislead you with outrageous products like ARMs and 30% credit card interest, they’ve taken away your choices! You can’t choose to be robbed blindly anymore! That’s not fair to the consumer!

Oy vey! This is just getting out of hand – with the lying and the smugness – the GOP doesn’t want you to even understand the “choice” you make. Their greatest tool for passing corporation-centric (consumer unfriendly) laws is misinformation. Hopefully fairness, reason and transparency in the markets will prevail. Hopefully a healthcare bill will pass and it will be reasonable enough to offer the less well-off Americans a CHOICE besides bankruptcy and an early demise. Hopefully a consumer protection agency will offer Americans the CHOICE to not be ROBBED.

We’ll see. I think the country is starting to wake up. It took a huge financial crisis. To quote the Woody Allen movie I saw last night – “whatever it takes.”

For your entertainment – look how misinformed this boob is:

Broke? Hate Your Job? Start a Corporation!

Alex D. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:44:18 +0000

A ton of my friends are either unemployed, partially employed or almost out of a job. It’s a scary place to be. Believe me, I know. I was unemployed for 3 months without insurance – that was not fun. A few people very close to me are out of work and miserable. They look to me for advice because I was once a recruiter or because they simply value my opinion. The one thing I find myself saying over and over and over again – start your own company. Let me tell you why you should do it right now.

Incorporating will cost you maybe 5-600 dollars after paying the legal fees and the state filing fees. It varies from state to state. I recommend you get a discount lawyer, since this is the kind of work they do all the time, and it’s cheap as heck. You can even do it online!

I myself have been a part of or incorporated 3 separate companies. I’ve learned a lot along the way. (I’m not a lawyer, don’t hold me liable, do your research!)

Let me give you a few reasons why you should consider it:

1. Taxes! Corporations pay tax AFTER everything is spent, and individuals pay tax BEFORE they spend their money.

2. TAXES!!!! Seriously, you need to talk to an accountant, you’ll see right away the huge advantages afforded to you as a corporation. So many more deductions! Maybe you heard Warren Buffet, the richest man in America? He basically said – his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does. I would guess he pays about 8% of his earnings on taxes. That might even be too high of an estimate.

3. Liability. If you crash your car into a crystal store, man, you are screwed – bankrupt most likely. If you crash your corporate car into the same store while “working” – your corporation may be screwed, but you aren’t. (To clarify, different types of corporations have different levels of liability. A general corporation affords you the most protection) If you messed up, you can just start a new company. Yes it’d suck, but at least you’re not bankrupt, XYZ inc. is. Your credit score is safe!

3. A feeling of self-fulfillment. Nothing feels better than bringing in your own money on your own terms. You set the prices, you determine the quality, you get paid what you can manage to bring in, etc. etc. Being self-sufficient is the best feeling in the world.

4. You learn a lot about the way the business world works. You’ll start to realize why being an employee is basically a dead end – even more so in this current climate of unemployment and the deleveraging of debt. You will most certainly start to see how much more you are actually worth if you do it all yourself.

5. Work whenever and wherever you want! Rent an office, build a bungalow, work in the basement, get a laptop and a Starbuck’s wifi membership – wherever! You will never be forced to be tied to a desk in a cubicle. Want to go get ice cream at 3pm on a busy day? Just go!

6. MONEY! If you are successful at the business you have built, you will make a lot more money than you ever could have made as an employee.

7. Retiring can make you rich! If you decide you’re done with your design business – sell it! You can’t sell work you did for someone else. But building a business is creating a very valuable pile of assets – clients, designs, inventory, computers, etc. Whatever you have is easily bundled into a package that you can sell for sometimes 10 times the annual sales. So if you had a company that was bringing in just 200k per year – you should walk away a millionaire if you can sell the company.

8. Have a family? It’s much easier to take care of the kids when you don’t have to be at work all the time. You make your own schedule. So now you’re free to go to your daughter’s all-state gymnastics meet on a Tuesday afternoon.

If you decide to make the leap and you pursue starting a business and you do it with assertion and dedication, you will succeed. I promise. Expect to learn along the way. Be willing to make mistakes, ask questions, get friends to help you. Just go out and make it work! Don’t take “no” for an answer and stop saying “no” to yourself. I can’t think of a better time to do it.

Good luck!