This ain't no movie

I woke up this morning and checked Facebook and read update upon update about the death of Osama bin Laden. I didn't really have much of a reaction.

Meh.

Don't get me wrong, he's a bad guy. But I don't really see how his death will really make a difference.

There were video of people in the streets, wearing US flags and cheering "USA, USA" as if they were just a part of the covert military operation of the Navy Seals to bring Osama down. People were declaring this an historic moment and justice served.

But is is really?

Loved ones are still gone. Many more innocents were taken. And the removal of one person who is only part of the cancerous terrorist groups will not make much of a dent, in my opinion. There will still be extremism and fighting, death and destruction and all the cheering and singing in the world won't stop it.

I'd like to think that this Hollywood-style kiss-assery will bring about a happy ending, but that only happens in the movies. The credits don't roll, the story continues on. This united American patriotism will last only as long as the next proposed healthcare budget, and those that struggle every day just to find shelter and food for their families will continue to do so.

So while this may be a big deal to some, to me its just another day.

Its funny when it's not me

I am not a fan of Sarah Palin, her politics, her lifestyle or much else about her.

But I think its supremely shitty when your teenage daughter announces her engagement through a gossip magazine rather than to you. And you have to respond via a public statement to the media.

I mean really, what kind of fucked up family do you need to have?

Obama / VMA Mashup

Answering the call

Last night President Obama gave his first State of the Nation address to congress. One of the three areas his administration will invest in to secure our nation is education.

In a global economy, where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity. It is a prerequisite....So tonight I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be a community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma.

This is good news to me because this means that there is a place for me and the work I want to do. My challenge is now finding how I fit in.

A new day

Inauguration, 2009
Originally uploaded by michaeldeangelis

On every news station, from every reporter, it is said that today marks a moment in history that will never be forgotten. It marks a turning point in our nation's history where people are seen as who they are, rather than what they are.

I along with hundreds of millions of people around the world watched the face of American politics change. I sat in my office cube watching the live video stream of the Inaugural ceremony. And when the network got bogged down and the video stalled, I streamed the radio station who was broadcasting the swearing in and Obama's inaugural address.

What was amazing to me was not that Obama is the first black president, but the outpouring of emotion his new position has made in the people of America and around the world. There are tons of cliches that will be used: a new dawn, a new hope, (which sounds like a Star Wars movie) there is a truth to it. I feel like a deep cleansing breath has been taken by my country.

I make no claims to have any great insight as to how his administration should fix our problems, or naive enough to think that progress will come overnight or without any setbacks. But like so many, I am optimistic today. Even though one man can't change the world on his own, he can inspire each person to stand up and do his or her part to better the world around them -- from a few blocks, to a few miles, to a few countries away.

I listened to his speech, waiting to hear the words that will serve as the prologue to his term as president. There were fantastic lines, but the one which most resonated with me was this:

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

The world has been waiting, now it's time to shine.

The Politics Test

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Palin & Clinton

It's funny because it's true.

Matt Damon on Palin

"I need to know if she really thought dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago...because she's gonna have the nuclear codes."

Matt Damon, I don't know why you are you are interviewing with AP on politics, but well said.