Fox Forgot A.I. Is A Family Show

My 8, 6, and 4 year old children get to stay up until 8 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for next few weeks. This is becuase we love to watch American Idol on Fox as a family. This, however, may have to change because of recent poor decisions by AI and the Fox network.

It was revealed recently that one of the show's top contestants, David Hernandez, was a male stripper in Glendale, AZ. According to the report, David stripped fully nude in a strip club that was frequented by mostly male patrons. The report further claimed that David performed lap dances for many male and female customers. When Fox was asked why David had not been removed from the family show they responded that he had not broke any rules. They indicated that participants in AI could have no past in pornography to be a contestant and that being a stripper was not considered pornographic. Well, I am not sure what is considered when a nude man is dancing on the lap of another man in an effort to arouse the recipient. Not pornography? Are we so closed minded and tolerant that we call only magazines, Internet pages, and certain movies pornographic, but live entertainment is just that - entertainment?

Another contestant, Remiele Malbury, had reports about her as well this week. It seems that she has some lovely nude and suggestive photos on her FaceBook account. Apparently she is sporting some girl-on-girl action in her latest works online. Once again, not pornography? Oh I understand, when nude and suggestive material is on a personal online account, instead of a paid public account, it is not considered pornographic. That makes tons of sense.

So I ask again. Is American Idol a family show anymore? Are we supporting individuals who have participated in societal-degrating actions? I, for one, am not. I voted this week, ALOT! I can assure you that neither David nor Ramiele will receive my vote. EVER! I am sure that I need not worry . . . America will choose well and vote them off soon. Don't you think it is ironic that the leading male and female are from clean, Christian backgrounds and that neither have a history of pornography, or as FOX puts it . . . not really pornography? Go David A. and Brooke W. You got my hundreds of votes!!!

Inspiration Takes Many Forms

An amazing elephant story...

Sometimes I like these heartwarming stories, but this one is truly interesting.

In 1986, Dan Harrison was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.Dan never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Dan was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Dan and his son Dan Jr. were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man. Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Dan's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.

Racism, Alive and Well

America was cruel to blacks as we began to give them rights as citizens in this great nation. We didn't just hand them everything, the right to vote, to own land, and to attend the best schools. We taunted them and gave them only pieces of what we as white Americans had. The prime example was the right to vote. Although we allowed black (men) to vote in early American elections, each man only represented 3/5 of a vote. This, I am sure, was a way for the Northeastern states as well as the wealthy white land owners in the South to continue their control over the blacks. Nevertheless and regardless of the reasons, it seems that the Democrats are bringing back the same policies as it applies to the primary elections. Ironically this 3/5 policy is hurting the black man in the race. I'll explain.

Barack Obama has swept every race since Super Tuesday. He has dominated each election with overpowering numbers. His 45 minute speeches in front of 19,000 in Houston was full of platitudes of nothingness, but rang true for many Americans across the nation. Yet take a look at the number of delegates he has assigned to him as compared to Hilary and the race looks closer than is really is. I predict Obama will win the nomination, but it won't be from and help for the establishment of the DRC. See, Obama's delegates only count for 3/5 of a vote in the Democratic National Convention. Not really, but with Hilary collecting SUPERDELEGATES like I collected baseball cards as a kid, she is sure to garner significant support in Denver (location of the convention). It is amazing to me that Obama can win every state with ease, collect delegates after delegates, and end up losing the race because Hilary's superdelegates. Sounds like a gimick to me.

Oh yeah, one other fun fact about the Democrats. Florida and Michigan had their delegate stripped because the states pushed up their primaries against the rules of the DNC. What happens in Denver when neither Hilary nor Obama has enough delegates to win the nomination and there in the corner sits FL and MI? I'll tell you what happens. Howard Dean (chairman of the DNC) waves his hand and allows the states to cast their delegates. Guess what, Hilary won both of those states! Howard Dean is also the most establishment Democrat out there. Think he is going to so this to push Barack over the number. I am quite sure he won't.

The Cycle Of Life

Remember way back to when you were young and your parents told you that they were going to take you to town and get ice cream. How excited were you? Didn’t a small thing like going to ice cream with your parents just seem like the most exciting thing in the world? What happened to that magical anticipation we felt when we were children? Where did it go? I wonder to myself why the feeling of mud squishing through my toes as I throw a dirt clod at the trunk of a tree and watch it break into a thousand pieces doesn’t bring the excitement that it did when I was 5 years old. Wasn’t childhood the best? Wasn’t it so exciting to feel all of those new feelings for the first time? Flying on a plane for the first time, fishing for the first time, Disneyland for the first time, going on your first campout. When I think about it I can almost smell the smoke from the campfire. What an overwhelming feeling of bliss it was. When we get older that overwhelming feeling tends to fade. Yes, we do get excited once in a while, but you must admit, it is not the same. Sure, we look forward to attending a basketball game and we enjoy eating out, but do we giggle with uncontrollable joy when our friend arrives at our house for a sleepover? Why is it? Well, I don’t pretend to have the answer. Maybe we get to “cool.” Remember when things your parents did first started to embarrass you? Maybe that’s when the fading begins. Maybe repetition dulls the exhilaration and as time passes the brilliance of novelty is replaced by waning passion. I don’t know. However, there is one thing that I do know for sure; amidst this seemingly cruel pattern of life there is a beam of hope that shines out of life’s merciful cycle. Everything is cyclical. That magical feeling does return. It returns when we become parents. We see things new again, but we see them through our children’s eyes. That fascination we once held so dear again fills our souls. We experience, once again, flying for the first time, fishing for the first time, Disneyland for the first time, camping for the first time. Once again we giggle uncontrollably, but this time it is with our children in our arms. Same emotions, different scenes. For this “cycle of life” I am grateful. I can’t imagine how it would be to be “grown-up” forever.

The Election That Really Matters (And Certainly Gets More Votes!)

Last night Fox announced the final '24' on American Idol Season 7. I'll have to admit, it was pretty exciting. Lots of tears, crying, hugging, and an overall mutual admiration society. Fun all around. So, in keeping with tradition I will look into my crystal ball and give my predictions.

Top 10:
Men
Colton David Berry - professionally trained singer (Clay Aiken like)
David Archuleta - young, great singer, with a heartfelt story. Plus, the chicks dig a young hottie.
Michael Johns - Aussie, what more do I need to say?
Luke Menard - I just have a feeling about this guy, but he won't make it very far past the top 10
Jason Yeagar - energy and good voice. Also won't make it far past the top 10.

Women
Kristy Lee Cook - think Carrie Underwood from OR. She can sing and she is smokin!
Katy Malloy - Texas girls always go far.
Syesha Mercado - this girl exudes energy and happiness. Plus she can sing. Did you see her legs? WOW!
Joanne Borella - Once again, just have a feeling. No reason.
Carly Smithson - she's Irish, and Black Irish to boot. If she keeps long sleeves on she will go far, very far.

Bottom 6 (first 6 out):
Men
Robbie Carrico - cut the dreads man
Garrett Haley - Is he a guy or a girl?
Danny Noriega - Flammer!!

Women
Alexandrea Lushington - won't cut it
Amy Jean Davis - she thinks she is hot stuff, but America will see through it.
Ramiele Malubay - smokin' hot, but too short and too young.

Top 4:
Men
Michael Johns - gets there on the women vote; he's hot and and Aussie. Oh yeah, he can sing as well.
Colton David Barry - kid can sing.

Women
Kristy Lee Cook - look at the photo. Then close your eyes and listen to her sing. Put them together and she's a lock.
Syesha Mercado - her legs will get her farther than her voice.

Winner:
Kristy Lee Cook - say hello to the next country star!! Carrie Underwood better watch out.

This year will break all records for American Idol. Considering it will all take place just before the presidential elections, I am sure that every pundit across the nation will chastise American Idol viewers because we cast 30 million votes nightly but can barely break half that number for the general election. Maybe MSNBC ought to have text message, 1-800, and email voting for an hour after the presidential debates to announce the winner of that debate. That might add some excitement.

Oh, The Sad Day We Saw! What Happened To 1985?

Today Roger "The Rocket" Clemens sat two seats away his former trainer and "family member" Brian McNamee in a Congressional hearing on steriods. First off, what the hell are our congressman doing spending taxpayer money on a witchhunt . . . I mean hearing on steroids? Shouldn't they be looking into drilling in ANWR, or how to get REAL drugs off the streets, or healthcare for the American child, or how we get more jobs to stay in America? Why spend time talking to MLB baseball players about steroids? The American people don't care and want this topic dropped! So shouldn't our REPRESENTATIVES in Washington actually REPRESENT what we want? (That is a whole other topic for another article.)

Now on the issue of The Rocket and his testimony. This was a classic brawl - FOX should have bid for this on primetime TV instead of broadcast of C-SPAN and clips in ESPN. No, Brian and The Rocket didn't duke it out, but there were certainly fireworks. This was better than any Divorce Court or WWE. Let me put this into perspective. Two professionals in their own fields testify UNDER OATH to the US Congress about whether Roger Clemens took steroids and HGH. McNamee testified (under oath) that her injected Clemens in the butt many times. He testified that he also injected Andy Pettite and other players. Other than Clemens, the other the players have admitted. Further, McNamee testified that he turned over syringes containing Roger's DNA and the HGH and steroids to federal investigators. On the flip side, Clemens testified (also under oath) that he did not take HGH or steroids. He testified that he was given Lidocine and Vitamin B-12 but nothing else. So we have one period of time and two sworn testimonies relaying two very different things.

Now throw in the DNA. Either the feds have it or not. Clemens has to realize this. Either they have it and are testing it or McNamee is lying. If they do not have it then the whole case gets thrown out the window. If they do and Clemens' DNA is found then he gets thrown out the window. Say goodbye to the Hall of Fame. I'll send Pete Rose over to visit.

I guess what I am saying is that I do not understand how Roger Clemens can say to his family, his friends, MLB, and the fans that he did not take steroids or HGH, AT ALL. It seems obvious to me that he did and that the evidence is going to continue to pile up against him. Is making it into the Hall of Fame more important that making to jail for perjury? It makes not sense. Listen, I love Roger Clemens. You want to talk about man-crush - this is it for me. In 1985 I became a Boston Red Sox fan and have never looked back. 21 is my favorite number. Why? Clemens wore 21 in Boston. I can forgive Clemens for playing in N.Y. twice, but I cannot believe him now or forgive him for cheating. Bonds is a dirtbag and will get his in the end. Unfortunately Clemens looks to get his as well. I am not quite sure why The Rocket didn't follow the example of Jason Giambi and admit to the mistake and move on. Why open a larger can of worms? Good luck Roger, but I am afraid that the numbers 21 or 23 are already taken in in jail. I hope you, Pete, and Barry enjoy your view from the outside.

It's Called Math

Here are the numbers Mike. Remeber, this is called MATH. I am not sure that you folks in Hope got this level of math, so I will talk slowly.

Total delegates needed to win the nomination: 1,191
Total RNC delegates available: 2,380
Total delegates you have secured as of today: 217
Total delegates available in remaining elections: 1,034
Total delegates that you will have IF you SWEEP all remaining delegates: 1,251 (which is enough to win the nomination)
Total delegates McCain needs to win the nomination: 364
Total delegates in Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, RI, VT, and PA (all of which McCain will win): 379

Race over Mike. You CANNOT win. There is not way that you can sweep any of the remaining races. You can only allow McCain to get 60 delegates of the remaining 1,034 - not going to happen. Quit throwing money away and making the media spend time on you. You are an egomaniac and you WILL NOT win. End it now!