The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

When standing back and thinking about it, isn't the concept of money odd? For most of our lives, our main goal revolves around having more pieces of paper than the next person. We continually chase after this piece of paper. This piece of paper is central to our well-being and existence. When someone runs out of this paper, he or she may suffer dire consequences because of it. We use this paper to get houses, cars, food, clothes, and booze. When we hand this piece of paper to someone, we tend to get something for it. To say this paper is magic would be doing a disservice to magic. No matter how much paper we possess, we always seek more. We can never have enough paper. When feeling generous, we hand paper to those without much paper, if any. Sometimes people become so obsessed with this paper, they commit crimes due to it. Yup, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness should probably instead read, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, if you have paper."

One concept I wish I fully believed in is karma. Karma basically suggests that, in the end, we get what we deserve. It's probably the biggest reason why I hope there's an afterlife and it exists there, because no matter how much I wish the contrary, it certainly doesn't exist in this lifetime. I hear it at least once a day: "Karma is a b*tch" or "Karma will get you" or simply just "Karma." Sure, there may times when we hear or read stories about an awful person receiving what seems to be justice, and perhaps in an unusual, almost ironic way, but what percentage of the times does this actually happen? My guess is less than 5%, and that's probably an overestimation. What about the reverse? How often do good people ultimately get rewarded for their kind deeds? Much less than I'd like to see. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the name Donald Trump. Here's a guy who's spent his 70+ years in this world: Sexually hara...

Since Antichrist Svperstar was released in 1996, I've been a fan of Marilyn Manson. I was 15 years old at the time, trying to find myself, lacking confidence due to my atypical imagination and not wanting to accept it, not to mention my increasing skepticism in what I'd been told by authority figures up to that point in my life. Through Manson's image, interviews, and music, I slowly began accepting my creativity, in essence myself, and as the saying goes, the rest is history. While I'd be the first to point out the band Marilyn Manson isn't the most musically gifted group in the history of rock'n'roll, I also believe they're underrated musically, exceptional lyrically, and that Marilyn Manson, the man, is one of the only true artists in the music arena over the past 20+ years. He's managed to effectively combine the shock antics of Alice Cooper with the chameleon-esque storytelling and sounds of David Bowie, and add a modern-day twist. He's gone...

I thought I'd take some time away from the crazy world of politics and write about one of my loves, one of the things which helps keep me reasonably sane despite the before-mentioned craziness - music. I have a wide range of likes when it comes to music. Growing up, my mom preferred to listen to oldies, while my dad opted for classic rock, and my family in Michigan listened to, what else, but Motown. My brother involved himself in jazz band, introduced me to some alternative rock bands. A few friends of mine enjoyed rap and/or country. Through it all, I've come to enjoy at least a few songs from every genre, including country, which is without question my least favorite style of music. Even so, though, I can't help but feel like rock 'n' roll runs through my veins. I loved it when I was a child and my dad played: Boston, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Aerosmith from his record player, and I've been hooked ever since....

With British alternative rock trio Muse's new (concept) album Drones  becoming available worldwide today, the reviews have been pouring in, and thus far, the album has garnered a "critical acclaim" score of 81 at the review site  Metacritic . Kerrang! gave the album a perfect score, adding that it's "a claustrophobic classic that sharpens the focus of what is possible in the name of high-minded rock." Evening Standard  wrote that "Drones is the fearsome sound of Muse at their monumental best." Rock Sound said that "Drones sees one of the UK's most ambitious rock bands returning to what they do best." The Observer wrote that Drones is "fist-pumpingly ace, a timely restatement of the need for popular music to evoke both thought and dopamine rush." As usual, though, not all the reviews were positive. Most of the mixed reviews made valid points each way, but there was one negative review I read which could very well go...

From this point forward, what doctors should do to convince kids it's not good to take drugs is, instead of comparing fictionalized brains in a don't-do-drugs educational film, have them listen to Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson speak for a couple of minutes, and once he leaves, tell the class, "Okay, kids, if you don't want to ever sound like that, lay off the drugs!" I think that'd be about as persuasive of an argument as any! When speaking at the Vero Beach Prayer Breakfast last Friday, Robertson had some interesting choice words for his audience, as he said the following: "I'll make a bet with you. Two guys break into an atheist's home. He has a little atheist wife and two little atheist daughters. Two guys break into his home and tie him up in a chair and gag him. And then they take his two daughters in front of him and rape both of them and then shoot them and they take his wife and then decapitate her head off in front of them. And the...

I feel sorry for women named Karma. Besides the Culture Club song, "Karma Chameleon," what do most people associate with the word "karma"? Or more specifically, what is the most common thing people say with regard to the word? "Karma's a bitch." I can just imagine the following dialogue occurring where one of the two participants is unaware that the other knows a woman by the name of Karma. Setting: A bar by the name of AAWA (Alcoholics After Work Anonymous) Jonathan Slushy: "Can you believe what happened at work today? I mean, what were the odds that right after Chad got off the phone angry, he'd throw his stapler at the door and it'd hit Billy right smack dab on the forehead as he opened the door at just the right, or I guess wrong time?" Alexander Bourbon: "Well, you did hear Billy accidentally ran over Chad's pet hamster, right?" Jonathan: "Really? What in the world was Chad's hamster doing on the ro...

I read a letter-to-the-editor in the Columbus Dispatch today, entitled, "Freedom too much for some to handle." The main point the writer was trying to make can be summed up in one line he uttered, which was that, "Some people don't actually want to be free." Being "free" is both partially wonderful and partially delusional. It's partially wonderful, because it's nice to know I can express my opinions through writing or when out in the public, or that I can practice a religion of my choosing without fear of government persecution. However, it's partially delusional, because the only time a person will be 100% "free" is at death. From birth until death, there will always be exceptions and limits to each and every freedom. Based on some of the language the writer of this letter-to-the-editor used, I have to assume he's a rather staunch conservative ("some people just want free stuff"). So, as unfair as it might be t...

The concept of sin fascinates me. It's perhaps partially due to the fact religion fascinates me. While I am in no way religious, I still find it to be a fascinating concept, and enjoy reading and pondering about it. Is sin subjective? Is there one set of sins according to religion and the after-life and another set according to living humans and the present life, or are they one and the same? Whenever I hear the word "sin," I immediately think of the Ten Commandments, which go as follows: 1. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" 2. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" 3. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" 4. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" 5. "Honour thy father and thy mother" 6. "Thou shalt not kill" 7. "Thou shalt not commit adultery" 8. "Thou shalt not steal" 9. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neig...

I'm curious to see a study which compares and contrasts the pros and cons of tips (as far as tipping waiters, bartenders, etc.). When many Europeans visit the States, they're often times confused by the concept of tipping. In their native countries, the "tips" are already built in to the overall salary, which makes for a more consistent annual wage. When they hear how much waiters and bartenders make per hour here, they're often times shocked and ask how they live off that. That's when the waiter or bartender explains the concept of tipping. I guess my question is, which is the better method overall? I think the theory in this country is that people will work harder for the extra tip - the "bonus" at the end of his/her job. If he or she doesn't excel, they deservedly won't be tipped well and if they do excel, the tip will reflect that and continue to inspire them to excel day in and day out. However, how often is that the case? Regardless...

So, I've attempted to spread word about my writing, two books in particular (Seasons Come, People Grow and The Kind-Hearted Smartass), to 11 difference social networking-type sites: 1) Facebook, 2) Google, 3) Blogger, 4) DirectFolk, 5) Kiwibox, 6) Tumblr, 7) Lafango, 8) WattPad, 9) WritersCafe, 10) All Poetry and 11) GS Poetry. All of the commentary I have received thus far, mainly regarding my poetry, has been very positive. I did receive one strange comment on GS Poetry. The poem this person commented on is called "The Shield" and he/she didn't comment on the poem at all, but went on a tangent about what love is. Yeah, that was strange. I wanted to ask, "Soooo...? Did you like it?" However, I did just receive my first criticism and it's with regard to a poem I wrote recently, entitled "Fear in Question". The person critiqued it as having not clear enough a concept. I then discovered this person to be 15 years old and after reading some of his...