10/17/2011

Leaving

10-17-11

I didn't get the head coaching basketball job.
They gave it to a guy who has ruined a team for the past 7 years.
Today is the day I had my mind made up for me. I'll be leaving Bethune come Spring.
Good luck future me.

Later

8/02/2011

Call for Change

The United States of America is based on simple foundations. Lincoln said it best when he called it a government, "of the people, by the people, for the people." And he desired nothing more then for this government to survive through the ages and withstand any storm. With the recent deficit crisis, the current wars, the state of public education, the proposed cuts of medicare, medicaid, unemployment, and welfare, with the huge numbers of unemployed Americans, with the slanting media, and wavering politicians, I see only that we have failed. Lincoln's dream is dead.

The government is no longer of the people. They are all rich and entitled. They are not the best, nor the brightest, nor the best for the job. They do not have the best ideas, they no longer add to the world around them. It costs money to put their faces out there, it only makes sense that the people with the most money would have the ability to run for power. The common man is barely able to put food on the table for his family. The common man works 40 hours a week. The common man does the best he can and is barely able to get by in our society. Our government simply has the money and time to get their face out there. They are not of the people. They are a select minority of the people. As though the entire body were run completely by the left foot.

The government is no longer by the people. People cry out to end the war, and it continues. People cry out for relief from a natural disaster and they receive no help. People ask for jobs and the government finds ways for C.E.O.s to simply line their pockets. Mostly because the government is made up of these same C.E.O.s. They work for their own means, they work to better themselves. They work to gain.

The government is no longer for the people. Senators, Representatives, Governors, even the President, are all rich. They are also human beings. And therefore they are flawed. We need look no further than the novel 1984 to realize that the people in power wish to remain in power. Why would they upset the balance? They have nothing to gain and everything to lose. They don't work for the people, they work for themselves.

Sadly, it is the fault of the people of these great states. We have allowed this, and we have accepted this. This is nothing new and yet we act like we are surprised by the "laws" that come from the top. They take huge chunks of our money from taxes, then vote themselves pay raises. Our past administration took the most time off of any president while we were fighting two wars. He gave huge tax cuts to the people that could easily pay their taxes, and he hurt the people that needed him the most. Our government has failed us. It is only through civil disobedience that we can change this. Our forefathers knew there would come a time when things would need to change. They encouraged change, and encouraged people to rise up when their government had failed them. I ask you to please consider our government, consider their actions and decide if they are truly "of the people, by the people, and for the people."

Later.

5/22/2011

banana bread

Banana Bread Recipe:

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Found on SimplyRecipies.com and it has worked great for me.

Can also add nuts or chocolate chips