Gobble Gobble...

The photo above, albeit rather far away, shows a large turkey which was terrorizing a Brookline neighborhood. It stood on the steps demanding reverence from all of the earth's lesser beings. I took the picture myself.... I would have gotten closer but the turkey scared me with it's beady black eyes and menacing footwork. I took the photo from across the street, perilously brave of me yes... but someone had to do the job.

The woman you see to the left just saved her bewildered, yet foolishly brave cat from almost certain death. I wanted to get her autograph, for to confront that beast as she did, I tell you, it took feats of undetermined strength. My conclusion is that she is in fact a mutant, unbowed by fear and the weaknesses that burden rational mortals. Amazing. You can see her clutching Mr. Fuzzykins in her lightly shaking arms.

I've got to say.... looking that turkey in the eyes... it was though I felt like I would never feel happy again. It was like all of the life was being sucked out of me, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I've been eating a plentiful supply of citrus flavored Popsicles since this harrowing event. Something about that red, orange, and purple ice, in all of it's aspartame-sweetened goodness has helped to nurse the life back into me. I daresay if Kate hadn't been there to provide support, the turkey may have over powered me with it's freakish mind tricks. I wouldn't be here to tell the tale, instead just another victim to fall prey to this cold, cold predatorial creature of the streets.

Prior to my brush with death, Kate and I went to eat at Canestaro's which is an out of the way Italian eatery on Peterborough Street in the Fenway neighborhood. Kate had read some reviews about their pizza and it did not disappoint. We got the boring, but delicious pepperoni and pepper combination that I am very fond of. We will likely be return customers and try more of what their menu has to offer.

As you may have ascertained, my turkey shot was my novice use of my new digital camera. I got a Canon Powershot A630. It was the camera I was going to buy several months ago, and now it had dropped in price significantly so it is mine. I read many reviews saying it is easy to use, but so far I'm finding the manual completely useless. I'm really having to figure things out for myself. I'm going to have to fool around with it tomorrow night quite a bit to develop some more comfort before heading to NYC on Thursday with Kate.

Anyway in the news:

'Wonder Years' actress: 'Smart is cool' : Winnie Cooper tells world that she is still a dork.

Henry: Did Bush make Brown his BFF? : W wows the Brit Labour party leader.... Again?

From the article: And you could hear the audible sighs in the West Wing of the White House when Brown returned the favor by suggesting that he will be a stalwart ally on Iraq, despite the fears within the administration that the new prime minister will break with the president to show he's not "Bush's poodle," the criticism Blair drew.

Jon Stewart had a great bit on his show where a digital image showed a hand (implied that it is Bush's) handing Brown a raw-hide chew bone.

I still didn't get my oil changed....

That was my goal today, and I failed miserably at it. Bed was waaaay too comfortable this morning, and since I usually do not get the sleep I need during the week I ended up playing catch up. The afternoon brought thunderstorms and I read a bit. Eventually I headed out and bought myself some of Domino's hot wings and cheesy bread. I managed to keep the Tabasco sauce off of my testicles, something I've had a problem with in the past. (FYI: Wash your hands after eating hot wings)

While consuming my food, I watched "The Last Detail" (1973) starring Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, and a very young looking Randy Quaid. The years haven't been kind to Quaid. Over the past 20 years he is usually type cast as the dumpy weird middle aged father, most famously in the National Lampoon's vacation series. In "The Last Detail" he plays a green Navy boy, only 18 who has been caught stealing from a charity collection. He is almost unrecognizable resembling Brendan Fraser more than he does Cousin Eddie. Quaid is a kleptomaniac and steals on impulse, regardless of whether he actually needs what he is taking. He has unfairly been given a rather harsh punishment of 8 years in military prison in Portsmouth New Hampshire. It is the duty of Nicholson and Young to transport Quaid from Norfolk to Portsmouth in which they are granted 5 days to do so. Instead of promptly bringing Quaid to Portsmouth, Nicholson and Young (primarily Nicholson) take pity on Quaid and decide to show him a good time in his remaining days of freedom. Nicholson is a self proclaimed "bad ass" and is always the center of attention in every shot he's in. I found the tale to be very amusing, laughing at the debauchery, the chanting, consumption of Shlitz, and Nicholson's proclamation that Heineken is the world's finest beer..(The choice of JFK he says). Well compared to Shlitz.....

The Simpsons on Friday was great... I looked on myspace to try to find the "Spider Pig" song to use on my page but was unsuccessful thus far. Caprio joked at the end of the film "Let's go see the 12:00 showing!" As they say there is usually truth embedded in many jokes. When Jason and I got back to my car it smelled like a corpse inside. Jason and I went to a dive sit-down Chinese place called "Panda Castle" in the Maplewood neighborhood of Malden, which was enroute to the Revere theater. I've got to admit they made a fine beef Teriyaki stick, although their hot and sour soup was on the bland side. Anyway... he took his left-overs and kept them in the car. I thought perhaps his rice and chicken would be OK... but his wonton soup, NO WAY! So when we got back (as I said already) the car smelled like cat urine and feces or death, or just something along that line. I hope he didn't eat it..... I told him it wouldn't last, but hey what do I know... I'm just a scientist.

Anyhow... I sit here typing away, and I could potentially write much more, but alas, I think I'll head off to bed. I want to wash my car tomorrow (something I wanted to do today). I may just go buy a couple of fetching polo-golf shirts so I can look more like a yuppie, and maybe... just maybe finally purchase the digital camera I've been dreaming of getting.

The Simpsons

That is what I get to anticipate tonight, the Simpsons. I'm headed to a 9:30 show with Scotty, Caps, and Jason. Pretty psyched.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows was great. I will not give away the ending. I'll probably read it again at some point although now I'm half way through the Great Gatsby, and additionally I've started reading "The Brothers Bulger" by Howie Carr once again. It's a good book, I've just been distracted by various shiny objects along the way.

Anyhow... the following was the exhaustive result of the simpsonizeme.com website which truthfully doesn't work too great. You can't pick any of the options until the "yellowing" is complete, or it just ignores everything you put in. I came out as a woman the first couple of times I tried.

Anyway the following is the result of my efforts... the shadow is a little too heavy.

Filler...

In the absence of a real post (I must finish Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows)... a montage of Adam West clips from Family guy:

Old Standards and Owls

It was another fantastic Wednesday evening in "the hub" with Kate. We tried an old "hidden gem" which has been serving hungry and thirsty Bostonians for over 100 years. It is called "The Red Hat" and used to be a focal point in Scollay square before the once hoping area was derailed by the construction of "Government Center" in the 1960s. Government Center, for those outside of New England, is an architectural abomination. It consists of the large city hall and government office buildings surrounded by an extensive plaza and large outdoor amphitheater. The city hall building looks more like the outside of a suburban civic center than it does a majestic center of government. I suppose the fortress of cold concrete, consisting exclusively of 90 degree angles is daunting if nothing else. It forms a stark contrast to the warmth of Faneuil Hall and Quincey Market's red bricks that persist across the street.

Anyhow, I digress. The Red Hat was a great place, I definitely plan on becoming a repeat customer. It had a great traditional city bar atmosphere, classy while remaining very casual. The walls are painted with murals of the old "Scollay Square" (See link for historical info and old pictures) and mahogany woodwork and stained glass lanterns and bar accents add special touches to the decor. The patronage was a mix of both young and old. The music was played at a level where you could actually hold conversations and easily hear one another, a rarity. We ate upstairs, I suspect the downstairs bar is a bit more "loud". J.J. Foley's in the financial district was always one of my favorite places for beer and conversation, however I think the Red Hat may have dethroned it. The menu was concise, yet still offered a great array of choices. Kate and I split some nachos which we devoured. Kate had a large garden salad, and I had a buffalo chicken wrap sandwich which was a special. My wrap was a bit unusual because it had cucumbers inside it giving the sandwich a unique flavor.

My day at work was a bit hectic, however I received a nice gift from the company which brightened my day. I was given a $25 gift certificate at Barnes and Noble. I promptly spent it this evening on "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, and "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I haven't read either of these "classics" so I look forward to it. I began "The Great Gatsby" on the way home, it is an easy read and what immediately struck me was the way Fitzgerald captured the rhythm of dialogue and was able to express it to the reader.

I thought I would include this additional picture from my winter NYC trip. I took this picture of a mosaic by Grant's Tomb near Columbia University. Something about the owl amused me, and I must say, strangely enough it is one of my favorite scenery snaps taken on the visit.

Upstate NY, a wedding, and some NYC pics from last winter.

My First long weekend of the summer has officially come and gone.

Kate and I traveled to "up-state" New York near Elmira to attend the wedding of her college friends, Adam Lindquist and Sarah Meyers. It was a picturesque wedding set in Letchworth state park outside of the Glen Iris Inn. A large roaring waterfall cascades (Middle Falls) over 100 feet. The first speakers in the wedding had a little difficulty adjusting their volume to be heard over the drone of the water. Other that.. the wedding was near perfect, great weather, good food, beautiful location and a modest amount of guests.

Adam served as disc jockey for his own wedding with his ipod and a decent speaker set up which must have been rented. I was skeptical on how smoothly this would work, but it actually turned out very well. Adam and his friends performed a few of his own songs to the start of the official pre-programmed wedding mix. Adam plays guitar and writes in a style that can best be described as folk. The sound is more in the vein of Peter, Paul, & Mary than it is Dylan and contemporary folk music. Several of his old friends sang various back up parts and added some tambourine where appropriate.

When the dance floor heated up, Kate & I went out for several songs. We stayed until around 9:30, and then headed out as Kate was overtired. By this time the celebrations were winding down anyway. We saw Adam & Sarah the next day and they said the dancing was pretty much wrapping up by 10:00.

Adam suggested a small motel to Kate. The rooms were great, and at a price of $75 you couldn't go wrong. The bathrooms were old fashioned, however very clean, and the bed was comfortable. The owners are evangelicals and the office was filled with pamphlets advertising salvation, churches, becoming "Newborn" and various other propaganda. The walls were covered with "God-Themed" posters, crosses, and signs reminding us of all the rules to the room, just in case we forget. The woman told me I couldn't smoke in the rooms no less than three times before we bade her goodbye. See the sign of the motel which I snapped a picture of. I wanted to take a picture of the office however, that seemed like a bad idea. Aside from the Gideon bible placed on top of the end table rather than inside, the decor of the office did not parlay into our room itself.

Kate and I also spent a couple nights at her Mom's in Schenectady New York. It was a relaxing weekend overall. Save a speeding ticket which I received on a back road in the middle of nowhere.... the weekend was great.

Sunday night Kate and I returned to Brookline and went to the Upper Crust in Coolidge Corner for supper. The Improper Bostonian rates this pizza joint as the best pizza in town, however I would rank both Regina's and Ernesto's as having a better pie. The Upper Crust's pizza had great sauce, toppings, and fresh mozzarella however, the crust is so thin it is like a cracker or a stale Tortilla. Because it was thin, it was also VERY light and and not too filling. The Upper Crust has a buffed stainless steel interior with plasma screens at every turn. It is the type of place that frankly is too cool for its own good.

Next I thought I would post some NYC pictures from this winter that I just had developed. The poor quality of the images is really encouraging me to get that digital camera I've been talking about.

The bull had a crusty that I just had to try and pick free.

I really wanted to have a picture taken grabbing the bull's testicles, but for some reason Kate didn't want to take that one.

This picture to the right was some sort of old emergency phone with some graffiti on it. I felt it was very symbolic of the times and I decided to snap a picture of it.

To the left you can see me standing on Wall St. against the will of "The Man". I'm such a rebel.

Bottom: Kate standing in Brooklyn with Manhattan in the backdrop.

My response to Yesterday's Comment

First off... I apologize for anyone I may have offended. However, it is fundamentalism, not Catholics, that I am critical of.

I do admit, I repeatedly tout my distaste for major organized religion. I don't like government, unnecessary structure, or people telling me how to think.

My admonishment of the Pope, Some Catholic priests, clergy, corruption, association with organized crime, using the lower class, blocking contraception and AIDS prevention in 3rd world nations... these things are going to continue. Do I think any of my good Catholic friends are directly responsible by association? No I do not. I recognize and respect that Catholicism is a faith that provides solace and a sense of community. I am at times envious of the devout.

That being said... fundamentalism is a universal term. We've been through this before.
I did not compare Catholicism directly to Islam. You need to re-think your accusation. Fundamentalism is the word... and it spans faiths. It is blind faith and allegiance to doctrine as though it were literal truth, rather than philosophical lessons. Belief in the words as literal truth (that have been repeatedly re-interpreted to serve various political factions), rather than the lessons of faith is what causes aberrant behavior by radicals. This is on the rise in all major religions... that is a statistic, not a comparison. This has happened prior to all periods of world history when great battles have been waged, and as they say history repeats.

The mere indication that I touch a nerve here is why I find statements like "We are the only path to salvation" problematic. It creates unnecessary division.

Bottom line is Benedict is trying to scare people or he is trying to offend people, more than likely both, and this isn't very Christian if you ask me. Catholicism is only picking up measurable amounts of parishioners in 3rd world nations and people who are low income or below the poverty line. The rhetoric of the Pope certainly isn't going to turn the tide. If I were still amongst the practicing Catholic ranks, I think I'd be even more upset with the Pope's remarks than I am as a bystander. Ultimately an inability to adjust will make the orginization obsolete, save another "Dark Ages" which isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility.

You are right this is traditional Catholic doctrine. And simply put, I have a problem with anyone who goes around broadcasting their superiority. Today's world climate can't afford such rhetoric... Christians and even secularists should be preaching unity against the radical Islamic threat. Prioritization must be made.

My tendency to be a little anti-establishment shouldn't be a big surprise anymore. As someone who never quite "fit in" in those formative years, it is the foundation of my very being.

Just shake your head about what a sad lost mislead man I am, try not to take it personally, (It definitely is not meant to be) and I'll continue to be confident and content, basically have faith in my own existence.

You're all evil... EVIL!!!!!! unless pay your tithe.

I've said it previously but fundamentalism is on the rise, not just in Islam.

Pope Benedict is starting to make Pope John Paul II look like a liberal. First it was the reinstatement of the existence of purgatory and hell after Pope John Paul's views helped remove some of the fire and brimstone:

"In three controversial Wednesday Audiences, Pope John Paul II pointed out that the essential characteristic of heaven, hell or purgatory is that they are states of being of a spirit (angel/demon) or human soul, rather than places, as commonly perceived and represented in human language."

Secondly there was a poorly used literary reference which can be seen as divisive and insulting in a very hostile world climate:

"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." (Click link for additional information)

While any "honest" historian would probably admit that violence is a cornerstone of Islam, and that this does contribute to the modus operandi of the radicals, including this reference was widely seen as poor judgement.

And a continuation of the social regression containing fascist under-currents here is the latest from Benedict:

The Vatican on Tuesday said Christian denominations outside the Roman Catholic Church were not full churches of Jesus Christ.

Vatican: Non-Catholics 'wounded' by not recognizing pope

Story Highlights
-The Vatican says other churches are not full churches
-The view is likely to further complicate relations with Protestants
-This is the pope's second strong reaffirmation of Catholic tradition in four days
-A decree on Saturday restored the old Latin Mass alongside modern liturgy

Giuliani's campaign takes an unorthodox path: Rudolph is setting us up for an interesting GOP convention, as there won't be a strong consensus on the candidate for the first time in many years. See Article.

Signing off for a few days: I'm headed to up-state New York for a wedding with Kate. Her former roommates and old college friends Adam & Sarah are tying the knot. The wedding is Friday so we are making a little vacation out of it leaving on Thursday. It is a bit of a hike (5-6 hour drive) but Kate's mother lives midway between in Schenectady NY just outside of Albany (The birthplace of General Electric). So, tomorrow the fun begins with "The Order of The Phoenix" at 7:45 at the Boston Common AMC.

Weekend... politics...yada, yada, yada...

My Weekend: I went up to Maine on Saturday for my father's birthday. Kate came along and myself, my parents, and my Aunt Gigi all had a nice barbecue. Later that night Kate and I walked around the old neighborhood and the fire flies (or lightning bugs... the preference is yours) were out in force.

Sunday Kate and I went to Popham and walked around the forts, and the beaches. It was overcast, however the fog had a certain beauty to it settling over the Kennebec and the Atlantic. Traffic was really bad coming back to Massachusetts at the Maine tolls, and I suspect around 7:00 that it was backed all the way up from the New Hampshire toll to Portsmouth. Rather than find out for certain, Kate and I decided to go into downtown Portsmouth for supper. We walked around for a while and settled on Poco's Bow St. Cantina, a Mexican bar and grill. The food and atmosphere was good and definitely hit the spot. They charged us $3 for chips & salsa which I thought was lame, and the waitress wasn't very timely and seemed a little forgetful. A table next us found a big hair in their Nachos. I was irritated because it sounded like someone had their Mp3 player hooked into the stereo system and they kept skipping songs until they found something they wanted to hear. I wasn't the only one bitching about it. It sucks to hear the first few bars of a good tune only to have them dashed when they skipped to some John Mayer song. Seriously, I think I would have been happier if they had just played an entire album of some various crappy artist rather than continuously teasing me. Despite these events, we both enjoyed our meal. I really like Portsmouth and was mentioning to Kate that we should go there more often since it isn't really that far away.

Sheehan at it again... Wait wasn't she supposed to give up the Peace Movement?

Cindy Sheehan considering run against Pelosi

Oh Cindy... tsk tsk tsk... will you ever learn? Is this your idea? It suppose it is dim enough to be. Good luck acquiring a fraction of a percent in that election. Someone should warn her that saying anti-Semitic things probably won't help her. I can't help but wonder if she understands that she will not be speaker of the house.... even if she had a chance to get elected. I guess it is the statement that counts, and what is that statement again?

Hypocrisy in the Christian Right....again.

First the article/news:
Senator sorry after number appears on D.C. Madam's list

Off of David Vitter's web page:
Life & Values

I'm wondering if Vitter understands by frequenting a prostitution ring.... he is (in a round-about way) likely supporting abortion. It is interesting that so many of the big time crooks, pedophiles, philanderers coming out of Washington, have predominantly been associated with the Christian Right. (Some of them were the same people who criticized Bill Clinton's morality previously) I assume they are compensating or attempting to hide their own moral bankruptcy by attempting to push their (claimed) values on others. Either that or they are very weak individuals who apparently REALLY need someone to tell them right from wrong.

How can some guy preach about respecting human life & dignity when he can't even respect that of his own family? Luckily Vitter's spiritual organization preaches forgiveness, although with their usual rhetoric you tend to forget.

Oh and this... This brought a smile to my face... Thompson may soon be kissing his presidential aspirations good bye. I never really thought he had a chance. I think he sort of comes off as a grumpy, animated corpse. As we know from history, personality after all, usually wins the presidency. I don't understand why the media is making such a big deal over his looming campaign.

Former colleague: Thompson worked for abortion rights group

If there is truth to this it undermines nearly the entire reason that he could potentially be a threat to Romney or Giuliani. The Christian Right might as well just vote for Romney, another flip-flopper who suddenly has an anti-abortion platform.

If you read the article the evidence well... not solid. Although there is this:

Meeting minutes

&

Mark Corallo, Thompson's spokesman told CNN "Thompson has no recollection of doing any work on behalf of this group. He may have been consulted by one of the firm's partners who represented this group in 1991. As any lawyer would know, such consultations take place within law firms everyday."

It is basically the group's word against Thompson's, since they can't produce records of payment. It seems like if it does exist, the bank should be able produce the records (taxes?). If it were true, it would basically mean that Thompson sold out for good old cash. It was his job.... but he could have refused the work. From the claims it sounds as though the consultation was a bit more involved than Thompson's spokesman is admitting.

If this is a political move on the part of the pro-choice organization, it is brilliant! A conspiracy theorist might dream up that perhaps Romney or Giuliani's campaign is secretly behind it.

Ain't politics fun?

The 4th

Today Kate and I were in Maine visiting my family and friends. My long time friend, Jason Chaloux was having a going away gathering as he is leaving for a tour of duty in Iraq tomorrow. Jason will be stationed in Ramadi for slightly over a year serving as military police. My thoughts will be with him over the next year, and I'm thankful for his service to our Nation.

Despite various political reservations I have about the war, we have a duty to the people of Iraq. The United States has a duty to establish and preserve the peace. It takes people of great character and strength to make the sacrifice to contribute to such a monumental task. We are lucky to have people like Jason who are willing to make these choices. I'll be looking forward to hearing from him over his service and for a welcoming party in Sabattus to celebrate his safe return.

After I walked Kate to the Subway when I arrived in Melrose, I returned to my apartment and watched the Pops celebrate the 4th in Boston. It made me feel nostalgic for the many 4th of July experiences I've had in the past, from the Mall in Washington D.C., to the mountain air of Laramie Wyoming, and presently to Boston where I've been so lucky to live nearby these past several years. The memories are all priceless. I'll cherish every one of them for as long as I am able.

Sad, but fun...

I was surfing You Tube and I stumbled across some Jay-walk All stars clips. I thought I would share. This first one has two teachers, one who did not know the address of the White House, another who didn't know how many sides the pentagon has. NICE....


It's Patriotic.... Right?


A Jewish country in the Middle East... anyone? Anyone?



Of course it seemed that the NBC censors clamped down on the distribution of Jaywalking and ultimately I of course stumbled upon some "Family Guy".

Strawberries

THE WEEKEND: It was a beautiful, relaxing summer weekend and I look forward to many more. Jason Duplissis, Kate, and I met up at Pizzeria Regina off of Wellington Station after work Friday. The new Regina's location was nice, although it wasn't quite the same as the North End location for obvious reasons. Jason had lasagna and Kate and I shared a pizza. Jason's food looked alright but Kate and I guessed that he should have stuck to what Regina's is known for. I had a beer with my pizza, and we had stuffed eggplant appetizers which were very cheesy, and very tasty. Jason had a couple of mixed drinks which he seemed to enjoy. After our Italian feast, we headed across the street to Cold Stone Creamery before ultimately heading back to Melrose.

Kate and I went to North Andover to go strawberry picking on Saturday. We picked 3 quarts and then put them in the car and returned to the farm stand for some ice cream. Kate had a chocolate/ raspberry ice cream and I had black raspberry with dark and white chocolate chips (casually known by "purple moo"). They gave us ridiculous portions and the ice cream ended up being a filling lunch. We drove around Lawrence and North Andover after leaving and explored the unfamiliar turf. Lawrence seemed a little too sketchy to walk around and North Andover was in large part a slice of suburbia. We drove around Merrimack College a little bit, but we couldn't locate any visitor parking and just decided to return to Melrose for our evening walk.

Upon arriving in Melrose, we cleaned a quart of the strawberries and mixed them with sugar to create a sauce for strawberry shortcake. Our recipe called for the strawberries to sit for 2 hours at room temperature, so it was an excellent time to go for our walk.

Melrose was bathed in the bright June sun. The air was permeated with the fresh scent of grass clippings and the trees whispered in a steady summer breeze. Several teenagers scrambled through the town center in excitement while some seniors meandered down the side walks of main street breathing in the magnificent weather. We walked around the pond in the center of town where ducks paddled about on the glistening water searching for the best vittles.

We eventually made our way to Shaws and picked up some steak tips and the rest of our shortcake ingredients. Our delicious meal of salad, steak tips, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, bread from Calarusso's Farm stand, and strawberry short cake for desert was a fitting end for our great day.

Sunday was a day of errands, and rest before the busy week ahead.

IN POLITICS:

Divided court rejects school diversity plans

Story Highlights

• Court tosses out public school choice plans that consider race
• The 5-4 ruling rejected programs in Louisville, Kentucky, and Seattle, Washington
• Chief Justice John Roberts wrote opinion for conservative majority

This is a huge blow to affirmative action, and I have to say bravo! It is about time. It is amazing how effectively the left has twisted people into thinking that making decisions based on "race" is a good way to fight racism and prejudice. There are many people who may claim that voicing anti-affirmative action sentiment is a exercise in bigotry, but this couldn't be further from the truth.

It is interesting this broadly accepted solution to "racism and prejudice" uses discrimination and selection by race to accomplish its goals. Somehow many people, and much of the news media are on board with the idea that schools in black neighborhoods are segregated. This is B.S. The people who live in neighborhoods of similar ethnic backgrounds often live there usually because they WANT to be with "like people". Sure, there are other factors in play. The social and economic identity of a community and the capability of it's inhabitants to leave it may be a large determining factor of the ethnic composition of the schools.

An excellent away to help those who want a better future for their children would be a voucher system for people whose children potentially have to attend failing schools. This would allow them an opportunity to send their children to better schools voluntarily. Of course the same people who believe that students should reorganized by race, are those opposed to vouchers. Go figure.

Segregation was something done to reorganize people based on race....... which is exactly what Democrats feel we should do. Of course during the turmoil of the civil rights fight, the reasons and the cause of race reorganization (segregation) were different... But ask yourself, do you REALLY believe that the outcome is different? Notice I didn't say affirmative action is still "well intended". With poor, inner city African Americans continuously lagging behind nearly all other minority groups in terms of economic viability (U.S. household income: see race), it is clear that affirmative action only extenuates the problem rather than improves it. It creates a sense of inferiority and entitlement that has been very difficult to escape.

See article: African Immigrants Find Opportunity

From article: "The flip side of the refugee influx is a wave of sophisticated professionals who also are making their way to the United States. Census data from 2000 shows 43 percent of Africans in the U.S. have college degrees, higher than the adult population as a whole. Compared to African-Americans, the immigrants' average household income is higher and their jobless rate lower. "

Affirmative action creates a feeling of jealousy and resentment among many Caucasians over a perhaps exaggerated idea (see article: The Myth And Math of Affirmative Action) that many white people are losing academic spots and jobs to African Americans who may not be as competent as their Caucasian competitors. Another example of a negative impact of affirmative action: colleges also use reverse-affirmative action to limit the number of Asian Americans who get into high-tech and science programs. If people work hard, and if they are the best at what they do, then they should be the recipients of a position in an educational program, etc.

THE ONLY fair way to treat people is equally, based on merits, competence, experience, and education.... AND NOT by race.

Affirmative action is nothing more than a political ploy used to keep people divided for the sake of political gain.