Senator Kennedy/ Barack Obama

*Short blog 'cuz I'm writing from my phone...

Veteran US Senator Edward Kennedy, the brother of former President John F Kennedy, has died at 77, after a long battle with a brain tumour.

He became a Democratic Massachusetts senator in 1962, replacing his brother when he resigned to become president, and was re-elected seven times.

Senator Kennedy was a dominant force in US politics for almost 50 years.

President Barack Obama, of whom he was an active supporter, said he was "heartbroken" to hear of his death.
"An important chapter in our history has come to an end," he said. "Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time."

I actually decided to wrote this when reading about what president Obama said. I think I just need to say something about how impressed I am with him. His words are always so eloquent. You could take pretty much anything this guy says and quote it as something that could be repeated in a history book. I'm sure this was written for him, but still. He is definately one of the best orators of our time. Better then Churchill maybe. At least he's not too drunk on cognac so his speaches need to be faked on the radio by the same guy that did Winnie the Poo...

Barack is not all talk tho. That was the big question, wasn't it. He was unproven. He had so many good ideas and promises to make, but could he and would he live up. The answer is definitely yes. He is following through and setting an example at the same time. He IS 'the peoples president'. He is one of the people. I love that he has an ethnic name... It's perfect.

Good on ya America. What a quick switch that was. America is moving in a liberal direction, and Canadiams seem to be voting more conservative these days... 'Fucken Canadians'

You know what else is truly outrageous?...

Lol... Jem!

Bang, Bang, Bang

So I have been practicing meditation and I was taught to concentrate on my inner eye. When you see a thought coming you are supposed to block it or shew it away or something... If it helps, you can say something in your mind when you do this like "stop" or something.

So I was at work tonight and taking a sleep break and trying to clear my mind so I would fall asleep. I realized, only after I had already been doing it for a while, that I was shooting the thoughts and saying 'bang' in my head. The scene I was visualizing was from the Atari Asteroids game as the thoughts exploded into little colorful oversized-pixel chunks.

Just thought I would share how weird I am...

You Will Find Love

1) The path is not straight

2) Mistakes need not be fatal

3) People are more important then achievements or possessions

4) Be gentle with your parents

5) Never stop doing what you care most about

6) Learn to use a semicolon

7) You will find love.

Thanks Shawna!

Umm.. This is funny...

I was just reminded of this, watched it, and now I have to post :P

The EOS

This is the ship we sailed on through the Adriatic. Just found this picture. Thought I would share :P

Happiness

Knowledge is just the beginning...

Wisdom is the ability to use Knowledge to see the Truth
Creativity comes from Truth
Healing is having the Courage to confront the Truth

sometimes the Truth is Painful
Ego is Distraction
Ego blocks Truth

a Tibetan word used in Mindfulness teachings
"Shenluk" - the Denunciation of Distraction

Mindfulness is the key to Creativity, Wisdom, and Healing
Isn't this Happiness?

Am I Bitter?

Help me decide...

So it's Pride weekend in Vancouver... THIS popped up in the newsfeed on my facebook. Since I'm pretty sure Nathan isn't reading my blog, I'm sharing...

Funny? Absolutely!... Lol. Who wouldn't stop to watch a tranny barfing. That''s pure entertainment!! But something to be proud of? Definately no!

Pride weekend has become a no holds barred party mess-fest. The organizers should change the slogan to match the Vegas catch phrase. "What happens at pride, stays at pride" would be most appropriate. The last thing the majority of people who are coming here for the weekend intend on doing is anything that they should be proud of.

To each his own. However, this is a themed event meant to raise awareness of homosexual rights. I am embarassed to be counted among the same culture as what this weekend has come to celebrate. I AM proud to be gay. I am not proud of, and nor am I, partying all night, using drugs, peuking, and passing out in the street barely clothed.

It has become a messy, self-indulgent, ego-fest.

There are civil and respectable things happening this weekend; events meant to raise awareness of positive gay culture, but they are overshadowed by the above.

I was thinking maybe I was just bitter. I came up with the analogy of the 'Critical Mass' bike ride; a group of eco-anarchic bike riders who clog up the downtown core and bring traffic to a stand still one friday rush hour each month. Many cyclists do not count themselves among these protestors because they don't like the image it portrays, and they don't feel it is positively promoting their cause. I, however, when reading an article about this, had the opinion that 'critical mass' still had value because it is still raising awareness about a much suppressed subject. And 'bad press is better then no press'... Right?

I changed my mind when I was on my way to work yesterday and saw that Urban Barn was having a "Well Hung" sale for Pride weekend. For me, it has to do with the way the word GAY is perceived by the public. We are giving the wrong impression and, I believe, doing more harm to our cause then good. I'm willing to bet it never crossed the mind of the Urban Barn marketing department employee who came up with the idea for this sale that using that slogan in conjunction with Pride weekend to sell their products is promoting a stereotype and is offensive.

It is evident that we are promoting an idea of GAY that causes a crude sexual euphamism to come to mind when the word is brought up. This is not what we want. This is not what I want.

Being accepted is not the same as being respected.