The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

I was quite ignorant and apathetic when it came to the world of politics until 9/11. Before that morning, I gave no thought to elections, party affiliation, lobbying and special interests, voter participation, or the world around my high school/college friends, family, and I. I was 20 years old, incredibly naive, took our liberties  for granted, and was finally awoken that morning. I have a feeling this was true for a lot of people - 9/11 was this country's ultimate wake-up call. However, unlike many others, who were prompted to develop severe paranoia, of Muslims in particular, due to the attacks, I was prompted to read, research, write, and discover who I was, what I believed, and what I could do to make a difference. Slowly but surely, I discovered I was a progressive, and for the first time in my life, got involved in the run up to the 2004 election. While I wasn't overly enthused about John Kerry as the Democratic candidate, I was not at all a fan of George W. Bush and h...

I've criticized New York Jets' back-up quarterback Tim Tebow more than Tebow has prayed to Jesus, but even I will defend the quarterback in light of what I read in an ESPN.com article today. As reported by Jane McManus and Rich Cimini, a report was released which showed that 12 players on the New York Jets have stated that Tim Tebow isn't a good player. As one defensive starter told the Daily News, "He's terrible." Another player, said that outside of starting quarterback Mark Sanchez, "There's no other viable option." In addition to this, a Jets official told the newspaper the following regarding the team's passing game: "I've seen better receiving corps in college than we have on our team." Yes, when a team is struggling, as the 3-6 New York Jets are, some things are going to be said. However, even in that scenario, there's really no need to exacerbate tensions in the locker room by calling players out as being a...

Know anyone who seems to constantly clamor that they hate drama? They dramatically exclaim they hate drama? Yeah, me too. I often times find with these very people that they're the most dramatic of the bunch. It's almost as if they're attempting to persuade the masses (including themselves) they're not dramatic by repeatedly claiming they're not (the mere-exposure effect). However, in due time, when people actually spend time with them, they'll discover the truth. I also often times find that these people try to evade drama at all costs, which only results in escalating tension and a once light-hearted drama will eventually become Shakespeare. I don't know TOO many people whom enjoy drama, but repeatedly making that claim won't convince anyone of this and may make them wonder, "What are they hiding?" At the same time, evading drama in an attempt to avoid drama, will likely result in greater drama than one would have faced if they had confro...