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February 2007 |
James Stabile Monthly Blog
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Owner, Webmaster: James Stabile |
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In this blog you will find monthly discussions concerning the issues of importance and interest to the site's creator, owner and webmaster, James Stabile. These issues include - Discussion of the Month; Entertainment; Health, Fitness & Lifestyle; Politics and the World; Religion & Spiritualism; Technology & Business; and Too Strange, Weird or Just Funny. Peruse the articles in this blog. Remember to read the Disclaimer above for the legal "stuff". Also, please email the webmaster concerning any programming errors that you may discover on this site. Thank you for reading my blog and for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you. |
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Discussion
of The Month February
2007…Can you believe it? Well
you better because it’s here. Time is not going backwards. It just
amazes me how time goes so fast. Another thing that amazes me is the
fact that I say it all the time. Maybe it’s like my calling card. Or
maybe I am just really amazed by the passage of time. In any case, it is
February 2007 and I am quite amazed. February is a great month despite
the chills of the wintry weather that February is known. February is not
as depressing as January, but it’s a close second. In February one may
get the feeling that he or she is teased into thinking of the coming of
Spring and the eventual blossoming of the summer months. This may be
true, but February still has some of it’s own fascinating aspects
deserving of appreciation and discussion. Valentine’s Day is February
14. Don’t forget to show your appreciation, admiration and love of the
people in your life. It could be one person for those truly “in
love” or it could be many people for those of us who feel blessed to
have known and experienced a range of people in our lives. Whatever the
case, Valentine’s Day should be a day of celebration of love –
romantic or other, but an appreciation of love and good feeling. February is Black History Month. Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson has been
given the credit of establishing Black History Month. Dr. Woodson was a
black writer, historian and educator. In 1915 he founded the Association
for the Study of Negro Life and History, which later became the
Association for the study of African-American Life and History. One year
later he founded the Journal of Negro History. He established “Negro
History Week” in 1926 to explore the achievements of black Americans.
He selected February for this celebration because the birthdays of
President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglas fell during
the month of February. In the early 1970’s Negro History Week was
changed to Black History Week. In 1976 it was expanded to Black History
Month. Black History Month should be a celebration for all people,
regardless of race. Back in the early 1990’s Dr. Woodson, among
others, thought that it was a mistake to not include the achievements
and contributions of blacks in the American history books of the day.
American history books tended to exclude the achievements of black
Americans. The appreciation of the achievements and contributions of
Black Americans as well as all Americans should be celebrated on a daily
basis. We need the month of February to remind us of the truly unique
and important achievements, accomplishments and contribution to American
history. Super Bowl XLI will be played
at Dolphin (formerly known as
Pro) Stadium in Miami on February 4. Will it be a good game?
Probably not, if history is any predictor of such an event, but the
celebrations of the week will definitely be noteworthy, especially for
the people who live in the greater Miami area. Celebrations, festivities
and the game itself will be the mainstay during Super Bowl week for many
Americans. The people in the Miami area, as is the case during the Super
Bowl in any Super Bowl host city, will definitely be celebrating the
event. Many times these celebrations will be private and almost always
totally exclusive of the real Super Bowl celebrations, those
celebrations at the stadium among others. The reason – money. The
Super Bowl, especially the price of tickets for the game, is becoming an
event for the wealthy or extremely fortunate. This year a ticket to the
game ranges from around $600 to around $10,000. A ticket for a seat on
the 50-yard line is current around $10,000. This is ridiculous. Why do
prices have to be so steep? Hotel rooms are going for upwards to $1000
or more a night for Super bowl weekend. Come on now. Why can’t prices
be more in the range of middle class Americans? Why, one word GREED.
Most people will watch the games from their own living rooms. These may
be the best seats in the house. Also, these accommodations may be the
safest and most desirable anyway. No matter how you celebrate, do so
responsibly. Entertainment Wow,
the language.
At the beginning, the movie seemed like another teenage, dog man, vulgar
movie. As the movie progressed it became obvious that this movie was
more than simply a celebration of youth vulgarity, drug use and sex.
There was a real story contained in the movie and a real lesson to kids
as well as parents. The movie is based on the real life story of Jesse
James Hollywood, the youngest man to ever be on the FBI's most wanted
list. If you can get through the vulgarity, the movie isn’t bad and
has a lesson for today’s youth. Try seeing with your teenage sons or
daughters. Make it a family event, but don’t outwardly show your
distaste for the movie genre in the presence of your children. Be a
little more respectful of the teen scene, so to speak. Comment on the
language, drug use or the sexual inappropriateness, but remember this is
the time of your children and respect there time. Don’t lose sight of
your values and don’t denigrate your children’s values. Discuss the
movie in a tasteful and honest manner. Very funny, very entertaining and very much a movie with a message. You discover the message. Many current movies do present a message for their viewers. Many times the message is very appropriate to the foundation of human interaction - the family. Ben Stiller and Robin Williams were outstanding. The movie not only explored the relationship between a father and son, it presented many history lessons throughout the presentation. I loved the movie. Another
great, I mean, a great movie. It
is set in the early 60's around the Bay of Pigs episode in Cuba, but
flashes back to the 1940's up till the 1960's. A very telling movie
about the CIA. Matt Damon was extraordinary in the movie. Robert De Niro
and Angelina Jolie were also excellent. Running time for the movie was a
whopping 3 hours, from the coming attractions to the end of the feature,
but a fast moving and interesting 3 hours. I had to pay very close
attention to the movie. It moved around to different time periods so
fast and so often that I had trouble keeping up with it. I would
consider seeing it again, but there are so many other movies I want to
see. It will definitely be one of those movies I will see again and
again when it comes to television. Health, Fitness and Lifestyle Best-selling
author Maya Angelou a frequent Oprah guest visited South Florida in
January preaching a message of respect and concern for older people.
Dr. Angelou, 78-year-old person herself, was trying to get the point
across that older people are people, too. Older people should be treated
with respect because they are people, not because they are old. They
should not be considered helpless or incapacitated just because they
have white hair, so to speak. Older people should be accepted as people,
not as "old" people. Many older people have a lot to offer all
people - young or old. We must accept older people without regard to
their age. If they are physically, mentally and spiritually capable to
fend for themselves, then they should be regarded as an integral part of
society with a purpose. By the way, all people, young, old, infirmed or
handicapped serve a purpose and demand our respect. The success of our
society is dependent on all people. It’s
that time of year again – the flu and cold season. Flu and colds can be deadly for many people. The
people at either end of the age spectrum are most susceptible to the
deadly side of seasonal illnesses. The very young and the senior
citizens many times fall victims to the deadly effects of an otherwise
common ailment. In any case, stay healthy. You know the drill – eat
and drink healthy, abide by the rules governing work and rest and
practice safe socialization. Keep your body’s resistant high with the
right types of food and drink, work hard, but rest hard, too. Stay away
from people who are sick and be considerate around people when you are
under the weather. In other words, when you are sick, stay away from
other people. Sick or not, wash your hands often and practice good
physical hygiene. Make it your business to stay in tiptop shape. A
proactive step would be to become aware of and practice illness
avoidance precautions. There are many products on the market available
for pre-emptive practices for good health. Airborne and Zicam as well as
a host of other preventative products have been found to be quite
effective in warding off colds and flu’s and even more effective in
cutting the duration of such illnesses when taken immediately when one
comes down with seasonal illnesses. Keep healthy this cold and flu
season. How
is your fitness plan coming along? Have you gotten back into shape after
that holiday season? Probably not
as successful as you would like to be at this point, but don’t give
up. Remember, we are human beings with all the frailties of human beings
and nothing happens over night. The important point, don’t give up.
Keep working on your fitness plan. One very important point, especially
for people who are middle age and older, your weight, that number on the
scales, doesn’t really tell the whole story in regards to one’s
fitness level. Weight is important, but so are exercise, diet and
self-perception in determining and maintaining one’s level of physical
fitness. Valentine’s Day is coming up; don’t devour that entire box
of sweetheart candy. On second thought, don’t even go there. Forget
the candy; show your love in other ways. Take a walk with your
sweetheart. Or really get into some heavy duty physical fitness
operations with the one you love, you know what I mean. Politics and the World In
January we celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This
is an admirable celebration. We celebrated the vision of Dr. King, not
the fact that he was an African American. His respect for all life and
the freedom of all people made Dr. King's message transcend all race and
ethnic groups in the United States. Two comments about the holiday: 1.
Black people must share the holiday with people of all races. Again, it
is not a Black holiday. All people should celebrate the message of Dr,
King. The Dream must be realized for all people. 2. A memorial is being
planned to be erected in Washington DC to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
and his message. The memorial will be very ornate and costs are expected
to approach $100 million dollars to build the memorial. Would Dr. King
approve of such an ornate and expensive edifice in his honor? I don't
know. Dr. King work for the poor. He was an advocate of the poor, the
abused and the victims of ignorance. I don't think that he would want
such an expensive memorial. That leads me to another point. How much is
too much? Our past political leaders, religious leader, even Jesus
Christ Himself, how should we remember these people. Monuments,
libraries, churches, temples, Mosques and other structures are such that
- structures. They should be modestly built and maintained. The memory
and message of these people should be honored and remembered, but in a
modest way. A great person or personality is usually a humble person.
Let their memorials be humble, simple, but appropriate. The
leaders of the great State of Florida, the governor as well as the
legislature, is undertaking a tremendous task.
Governor Crist called a special legislative session in January 2007 for
the expressed purpose of tackling the property insurance dilemma. The
hurricanes over the last 3 or 4 years have wreaked havoc over the state
of Florida. Property insurance rates have skyrocketed, in an inequitable
manner, over the last few years. The special legislative session had a
very serious tone and the legislators and governor are really attempting
to tackle the problem. The governor wants at least a 25%-drop in
insurance rates and a two-year freeze on raising rates. I think the
insurance industry, the government and the people of Florida should come
together and solve this problem in an equitable manner for all parties.
If they don't, no one will win and everyone will lose. Well, it appears
that the insurance problem has been dealt with and an equitable solution
is being put into place. No one knows how successful this attempt will
be, especially for middle class Floridians, but at least we now have
hope. The governor is now thinking about calling a special legislative
session in February or March to tackle the problem of escalating
property taxes in the state of Florida. FCAT may be the next statewide
problem that the governor will undertake. At least Governor Crist is
making a difference in the matters that are important and crucial for
the well being and livelihood of a vast number of Floridians. President
Bush deploys more American troops to Iraq. I
think this is a mistake. It is obvious that the war in Iraq is over. It
is no longer a war, but a civil war. The United States should not have
invaded Iraq in the first place. The invasion was based on erroneous, if
not untruthful, information from the Bush administration. The American
people are ready to call it a day in Iraq. Why should we remain in the
region, watch our troops be killed? No, I say get out now. The Iraq
situation will be fodder for the political campaign in the presidential
election of 2008. Most Democrat candidates and those considering being
candidates are outspokenly against the continuation of the war.
Republican candidates tend to align themselves more with the president
on the Iraq matter. I feel the victorious candidates in each party will
be those men or women who have learned from past history, namely the
Vietnam era. I just don’t know what will happen in the presidential
campaign. The next two years should be very interesting to say the
least. The first
presidential debate is scheduled to be held in April 4 and 5 and be
broadcasted by CNN. A separate debate for each of the two major
political parties. They will need an auditorium to seat all those who
are planning to run in the 2008 presidential election. This is
unprecedented in American history. A presidential debate almost a year
before the first caucus and primary is definitely unique, but may be the
start of new ground breaking occurrences. States want to hold their
respective caucuses and primaries earlier in the presidential primary
season. Iowa and New Hampshire, traditionally the first states to hold a
state caucus and primary, respectively, may be forced to select their
winners in December 2007. Now that will be rushing things more than a
bit. In any case, I will be watching the April debates with baited
breath and anxiously awaiting the other hallmark changes in this
presidential election cycle. There will be much more discussion
concerning the 2008 political season in the months to come. I can’t
wait. Ladies and gentlemen start your engines. Senator Hillary Clinton “is in” and “is in to win”. Senator Clinton’s web page, http://www.hillaryclinton.com/ says that the New York Senator is in the race for president in 2008. And she is in it to win. This is the first time in American history that a woman of Senator Clinton’s stature and seriousness will be considered as a possible presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party in a presidential race. I say, “You go girl”. It’s about time. The 2008 presidential candidates will be the most diverse group of presidential candidates in American history. Again, I can’t wait. And again, it’s about time. Religion
and Spiritualism What
is Catholic confession?
Many people are somewhat confused and mystified by the concept of
Catholic confession. Confession is good for the soul. True enough. The
Roman Catholic Church has gone a step further. Let’s back up a bit.
Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance, but He said that one
should confess his or her sins to God, directly to God. Many centuries
after Jesus and the apostles, the Catholic Church mandated that
confession must take place before a priest. I really believe that this
was the Church’s way of gaining more control over the people. Also, I
believe the concept of confessing to a priest was initiated to make
people fearful of God. The Church wanted a monopoly on God and anything
related to spirituality. The hierarchy of the church wanted control over
the people it supposedly served and it wanted the people to feel that
the only way to get to God was through the Church. This kind of
manipulation manifested itself in the so-called “Dark Ages” and
continued up to Vatican II. Vatican II served as a vehicle to get the
Catholic Let’s get back to Catholic confession. Confessing before a priest is
OK, but not necessary. Yes, there are Church rules concerning confession
and forgiveness, but there is such an entity as God. The priest may
assist a person in fulfilling the requirements of true confession, but
true confession is possible directly with God. Priests do fulfill a role
in ministering in the context of confession, but the real confession
must be made to God by the individual. The priest serves as an
instrument in the process. The church and its people must never forget
or confuse the role of priests or ministers in the journey to God. The
journey to God for all members of the church, clergy or laity is the
same, a personal endeavor. This endeavor is between the person and God.
Others may assist or help in this endeavor, but in the end the person,
each person, each of us is responsible for his or her own journey. There are four basic parts of a true confession, according to Catholic
teaching: Sorrow for Sin, Confession of Sin, Absolution by a priest and
Acts of penance and retribution. These are the rules of the Church
governing confession. And that’s fine, but the most important part of
confession is sincere contrition, which includes a strong desire not to
sin again. Didn’t Jesus make that same inference to a sinner He came
upon while He was on earth? Remember, absolution by itself is not a
guarantee that a person is forgiven of his or her sins and is due a
place in God’s favor. Absolution is not enough. The determining factor
in confession is still sincere contrition and atonement. God is still
the One, the only One who has the responsibility to forgive sin and to
heal a sincere penitent. This discussion brings me to a very important point, what is the value
of organized religion – Catholic, Protestant or whatever? We are human
beings. We are not spiritual beings. We all share those same human
qualities shared by peoples of all generations and all era’s of life.
We need help to understand, implement and monitor our path through this
life, this human life. Religion and the people of religion provide that
help. Religion serves to help us in our journey. The clergy of any
religion are human beings, too. They too need help. We all must help
each other. However, in the end it is God who directs our destiny if we
allow Him to do so. In the end, it is God who we must justify our
existence. The bottom line to this discussion, we and we alone are
responsible to God for the quality of our lives. We must live our lives
with this fact in mind and seek the union with God in the spiritual
world. Is
every prayer answered? I
sure hope so, but I’m not sure. Popular religious belief says that God
answers every prayer. However, the answer is not always what we want to
hear. In other words, God does answer our prayer in the sense that what
happens is the best for us, or more the more popular belief, the answer
is God’s will. I just don’t know about prayer anymore. I’m not
sure that my concept of God is as personal as it once seemed to be. Yes,
I definitely believe in God. And by all means I believe that this God
has total control over everything. And yes, God’s will be done. But is
God so personally and profoundly involved in the day-to-day decisions
that we make? Is God directly involved in the situations that define our
existence? I don’t know. To me God is that universal good, the spirit
that unites all living things? I do not believe that God takes an
intimate hand in the goings on in our daily life. I feel that God is
more an observer in our lives, not a player. What about prayer? Yes,
pray, but do so to gain personal knowledge, insight and judgment, but do
not expect that all your prayers will be answered in the manner your
desire. God gives each of us a free will and this life to live. We are
the ones who determine how we will live this life. We make our choices
and live with the consequences of those choices. Remember, into each
life a little rain must fall. That rain is a consequence of living. It
is not the wrath of God. We are in total control of our existence. In
the end, we will be the judges of our earthly journey. God expects each
of us to take control of our own life. Pray? Yes, but pray for good
sense, strength and happiness. Technology and Business What
does the Super Bowl XLI have to do with technology or business?
What doesn't have to do with
business and man's or woman's greed when confronted with the possibility
of making inordinate amounts of money? Super Bowl weekend is becoming a
mega moneymaker for Miami area hotels. Regular season priced rooms going
for between $179 and $229 a night are going for around $599 and more a
night for Super Bowl weekend. And that's a conservative price. More
exclusive rentals are going for much more money. Talk about
price-gouging. This is price-gouging run amok. What's wrong with these
so-called entrepreneurs? Why should anyone be able to charge such high
prices for a hotel room, even if it's for the Super Bowl? This is not
only ridiculous it's unethical and an insult to middle class Americans.
The Super Bowl is an American happening. It should be experienced as a
typical American occasion. Not only are consumers being abused, the
hoteliers are making a big mistake in alienating most consumers by
charging radical rates for an average accommodation. Plus the tourism
industry is taking a hit every time Miami hosts a Super Bowl. During a
Super Bowl week, tourists are unable to gain access to hotels,
restaurants and other tourist attractions that attract the tourist to
the area. Prices are extraordinarily high and many times out of reach of
the typical tourist. These entrepreneurs are playing Russian roulette
with the future of the tourist season in Miami. Fair, equitable and
hones prices for accommodations and other tourist activities should be
the rule of thumb at all times, even during Super Bowl week. Good
managers vs. bad managers, how does each affect the workplace and
productivity? Have you ever
heard the song about not wanting to work, wanting to play my drum all
day and my boss is a jerk? I think so; it was popular in the early
1980’s. Bosses can be great and some can be SOB’s. Really. The
productivity rate and the general environment of the work place are
directly related to the characteristics of the boss. We’ve all
experienced the best bosses, the ones who had personalities and
integrity beyond reproach and also ones who were less than the best.
Most people spend much of their waking hours at work. The workplace does
affect the life or I should say the view of life of the workers in that
workplace. The most determining factor as to one’s satisfaction with a
job is many times the boss. Remember the boss is a person, too. People
interrelate - sometimes there are problems. I think the problems or
conflicts are not the factors that determine one’s satisfaction or
feeling about a job, it is how the situations are handled. Most of the
time the personal qualities, characteristics and problem solving
techniques of the boss determines the attitude, environment or the mood
at the workplace. Bottom line, before you accept a job, really checkout
the boss. What are employees looking for in a boss? Most employees are looking for a boss who is honest, fair, trustworthy, respectful and dependable. They are not looking for a boss who is a friend. Most people want a boss whom they can trust. They do not want a buddy; rather, they do want someone who will lead in a respectful, equitable manner. Work should not be considered a social situation. It must be a work, business related endeavor. The people who work together should be more colleagues rather than friends. Often times, hard decisions must be made in the workplace. These decisions must be free of any personal allegiances. Workers as well as the boss are really not a family; they are workmates and nothing more. The workplace is not an extension of the home, it is work, and a place where what’s best for the business is of prime consideration. Workers as well as their bosses should always behave in a professional manner – fair, dependable and equitable in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect with the utmost in the understanding of the purpose of the business – to succeed, in whichever context that business succeeds. Work is work. Home is home. |
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