The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

While I may get some heat for this from fellow progressives, I think it's incredibly important for us to be consistent with our criticisms of members from both parties, and with that, we don't hold double-standards for the simple fact we may typically agree or disagree with a politician's or commentator's opinions. In saying that, I have to call out both conservative Caitlyn Jenner and liberal Joy Reid for their recent comments regarding the Steve Scalise shooting. While I typically enjoy Ms. Reid's show and don't ascribe to Ms. Jenner's talking points, I feel I have to treat both equally. Jenner joked about the shooting, saying, "Fortunately, the guy was a really bad shot. Liberals can't even shoot straight." Reid, on the other hand, had this to say about the Republican representative: "It's a delicate thing because, obviously everybody is wishing the congressman well and hoping that he recovers. But Steve Scalise has a histor...

I'd say roughly once a month I read an article which is titled something along the lines of, "What not to say to someone who is transgender" or "Ten questions you should never ask a transgender person." Now, granted, some of these comments and questions are so insensitive and ridiculous, even Ben Carson opened his eyes for a change to roll them. However, some questions which were mentioned came across as genuine and like the person simply wanted to learn more about the other and to understand them better. So, where do we draw the line between asking a transgender individual a question to learn more about him or her and yet do so in a way that doesn't leave them feeling uncomfortable? Is there a way? As my long-time readers should know by now, I'm rather progressive on most issues. The large circle of people I regularly associate with are quite diverse in terms of: Gender (well, duh), age, race, religious beliefs, political affiliation, orientation, etc...

While I'll be the first to admit I think most parents tend to believe their children are a bit brighter than they actually are, JP Fugler's recent blog post, entitled, "Your Child Is Not Special," still rubbed me the wrong way. Fugler starts his piece with this: "'You don't understand. My kid always makes straight As.' That might be the most damaging statement to a child's education. Like many teachers, I receive a version of that story multiple times in e-mails, phone conversations, and parent-teacher conferences regularly. The parent is always well-intentioned when they say it, but this mentality is becoming an epidemic threatening educators nationwide." I admit I'm interested initially. Please continue... "I wish more parents understood that their child is not special. That they would listen to teachers like David McCullough Jr. when he told the 2012 graduating class of his school that there were 37,000 valedictorians in...

Why is it that it appears many people have taken on the false dilemma informal fallacy when discussing the police shootings. Like former President George W. Bush, when he said, "You're either with us or you're against us (with the terrorists)," many people have basically been saying, "You're either with the police or you're against them (with the 'criminals')." Some people have also said, "Well, many cops have died in the line of duty, so how can you blame them for shooting and killing these 'criminals'?" It's like Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show the other day (paraphrasing), "You can be saddened by police deaths and also be against police brutality. They're not mutually exclusive." He's absolutely right. Just because many of us don't agree with the actions some police officers have taken in killing unarmed citizens, which we felt was both an example of abusing their power and of brutality,...

It seems like from the beginning of time, women have been sexually objectified. Even in contemporary society, when more women are graduating from college than men, are slowly finding themselves with more power, even to the point when one could soon become president, they are still often times sexually objectified. The question is often asked, "Who's fault is it mainly? Women's for wearing provocative clothing, or men's for being natural hornballs?" In my opinion, men are more at fault for this, but both sexes have to take some responsibility. Women should never be seen nor treated like sexual objects. However, if one is wearing extremely showy clothing, unfortunately, there are some (men and women) whom will see them as such. It reminds me of a bit from a Dave Chappelle stand-up comedy act, when he talked about seeing a woman at a club, who was wearing next to nothing, some guy walked up to her and made a perverted comment, and she said, "Just because I...

The past, present, and future are all connected - at least the past and present, for the future is never a guarantee. Some people focus so much on past mistakes and incidents that they're unable to enjoy the present, which limits them in their future. Others are so wrapped up in the present, it becomes increasingly difficult to plan for the future. Lastly, others spend so much time preparing for their future, they're unable to enjoy the present, which makes it more difficult to enjoy certain aspects of their future. Trying to balance all three time periods can be extraordinarily difficult, but I think it's fairly critical to at least be cognizant of this juggling act and attempt to find balance for a happier life. When I was growing up, it was often times very difficult for me to focus on and enjoy the present. I was often times hobbled by some unfortunate childhood incidents, as well as some serious health problems. This led me to focus on the past, which depressed me in...

ESPN.com's Philadelphia Eagles writer - Phil Sheridan - may have a man-crush on second-year back-up quarterback Nick Foles. There's nothing wrong with that. I have discovered I may indeed have the same man-crush as Stephen Colbert - himself. So, I won't judge Mr. Sheridan on this crush. However, when he's attempting to write objective news on the Philadelphia Eagles football team, he may want to distance himself from Foles love-notes. He also seems to hate starting quarterback Michael Vick with a passion, which is understandable, since he's the main competition of his man-crush, Nick Foles. In a recent writing of his, entitled, "QB Watch: Eagles' Foles, Vick, Barkley," Sheridan wrote these bits: - "It would be premature to hail Vick as a savior, though. He completed just 6 of 14 passes for 105 yards against the Giants' defense in the game. Vick and coach Chip Kelly will have to find ways to get the passing game back on track." Trans...

I live in an area which is kind of a hybrid of suburbia and the country. Most of the people in this neighborhood are older than me, married, and with fairly young kids. Cliques here appear to have been formed many years ago. When I came rolling into town about 5 years ago, while the people here seemed nice for the most part, I definitely felt like an outcast. What I'm probably most known for in this neighborhood is walking my Siberian husky multiple times every day. It's during these times when I'm at a loss of when to truly interact with some people. If someone is jogging or walking and wave, I know that, like me, he/she is probably in an exercise-type zone and a hello is just a hello. However, there have been other times when someone has waved during my walk and actually wanted to chat for a couple minutes. Then there have been a number of times when a person waves, asks, "How's it going?," without really meaning that. So, how is a person - especially a ne...

I suppose there are worse drugs in the world, but I think it's pretty safe to say that ever since I overcome a two-year illness in early 2011, I can't seem to stop writing. In those two years I was sick, I suffered from extreme tingling in my limbs and an overly-drugged sensation in my head. This made it extremely difficult for me to write much. My typing was hampered due to the intense tingling and my thought-process was severely hindered by the overly-drugged sensation I felt in my head. This was an extremely frustrating experience for me on multiple levels and I honestly wondered if I ever got better, if I'd be able to write like I once did. I had released a book in both 2006 and 2007, but had to place my aspirations on hold in 2008 due to my moving from Omaha, Nebraska to Columbus, Ohio. Then in 2009 is when the illness struck and it didn't leave my system until early 2011. Ever since then, my mind has been seemingly set on overdrive and it's not showing any ...

I love when this happens. Yeah, so I suppose I earned my degrees in psychology, but even I have trouble staying tuned into a conversation if it all is being directed toward me without me being invited to join before a decent amount of time has lapsed. I don't know if this is very common, but if I'm involved in a conversation and the person I'm talking to doesn't let me say anything for a certain period of time, I lose interest and my mind begins to wander a bit. I'm thinking that might be fairly common, but don't have the stats to back it up at this juncture. In any case, if one of the two parties is doing all the talking, that other party may just feel like it wouldn't matter who they were, so long as a living being is there, they would suffice. I know some people may not be thinking about this at times, but even though it seems as if their world is going to end (according to them) and they have a great number of things to get off their chest, it's nice...

Organized religion tends to greatly perplex me. I suppose I have difficulty with blind faith. I trust science, the observable, over religion, or the unobservable. However, I have more trouble with the contradictions, the irrationality that resides in organized religion. Since I was born and raised in the U.S. by Christian parents, I'm most familiar with that religion. So, let me run a thought by you which makes me scratch my head. The story goes that Satan is responsible for man's sins, correct? Jesus lived a perfect life and sacrificed himself on a cross to die for these infinite sins, right? Through Jesus, we will be saved and forever live in a paradise known as heaven, true? So, Jesus is seen as the savior of man kind, yes? Alright, so what if the devil didn't exist? Then what? Would sin then not exist? What would Jesus then have to sacrifice himself for? If it weren't for sin, Jesus wouldn't need to save us from what doesn't exist. So, my question is, wh...

saved through SIN be damned Born to take a fall, A giant plunge into the earth, To forever be hated, To be your scapegoat, Blame me now, For the rest of your days, For all of life’s ills, For all of your problems, Fear me now, Cast a horrifying image in your mind, Associate me with evil, Damn me in order to stay alive, Spread word to your friends, To your enemies, To your children, To everybody, Infinite sins committed, All fingers pointed at me, Observation being impossible, Rationale all but extinct, Sinful are we all, I shall take full responsibility, In order to save your souls, So that you may live eternally.

Ever been on a date where your date pretended to figure skate on the carpet for two hours? Has a friend, date, or loved one ever confessed their love of mannequins to you? Want to know what the top ten post-presidential jobs are for George W. Bush? Ever wonder how Valentine's Day came to be, fictionally speaking? Wonder no more. All these questions will be answered, experiences will be shared, and then some, in The Serious Scale of Sarcasm: More Balanced Than a Drunken High-Heeled Clown on a Tight Rope. Craig Rozniecki, author of Seasons Come, People Grow: A Poetic Journey, goes a very different route in his second book, as he goes from vague, open to interpretation poetry to very blunt and in your face humor and analysis. Rozniecki makes fun of anything from commercials to politicians to celebrities to the Internet(s). All this is talked about and so much more in Rozniecki's second book, The Serious Scale of Sarcasm: More Balanced Than a Drunken High-Heeled Clown...