Yay! We made it! Aren’t you excited?!!!
Well you should be!
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the launch of The Vortex. I know, I know, it’s only a year, but let me tell you, it’s been a struggle. I mean, there have been countless other blog-sites that have suffered early demises; some a few months, some a few weeks, and some are only host to a handful of posts total. So I count myself lucky to have been able to keep this site fluid for an entire year.
And yes, I too have considered just ending it. I mean, many, many times as I write I ask myself, “Why am I doing this…is anyone even reading what I write?” But I keep writing; I mean I have SO much on my mind just screaming to get out. And although no one seems to want to leave comments at the bottom of each post (even though I would absolutely love it), I do receive emails, IM’s, and the occasional verbal reinforcement that encourage me to continue.
Recognizing the anniversary, I actually went back and read my first post here at The Vortex, along with several other blogs that I posted throughout the year (and you should go back and read some too). I must say that I was pretty impressed with some of my remarks, arguments and thought processes (it's the anniversary, I'm allowed to toot my own horn today). At the same time, I noticed some things I could certainly improve upon as far as substance and grammar. I realized that sometimes, when, I, write, I, use, too, many, commas. I also (sometimes get (carried (away (with parentheses.)))) And there are number of other things I noticed that I can hopefully polish in the future.
In my opening blog, I promised to be honest, candid and to present well thought out ideas and opinions whether or not I was “right.” One goal was also to post at least 2 posts a week. Well, I have been completely honest, and I always try to think each post through before posting it. The vast majority of the weblogs I’ve posted here have been through multiple drafts. Indeed, I have written countless posts that have never made it to the site (either because I didn’t like what I had written, or by the time I finished it the topic was no longer relevant). As for averaging 2 posts a week, I’m short by 16 (that means I’ve posted 88 including this one). That’s pretty darn good though, don’t you think?
In requiem, I must admit that it’s been a tumultuous year to say the least. I mean, when I started this site I was in the midst of the greatest summer of my life. In fact, part of the reason I launched the site was because things were going so well for me, and at least one good friend heavily encouraged me to charge forward with it (I had considered launching a site for several weeks).
One year later I must admit that my blue skies have turned mighty gray. If it is at all possible to have the best and the worst year of your life all in the same year, then that has been the last 365 days for me. This day last year, you could have never told me that this year would’ve played out the way that it did. Maybe I should’ve known the cloudy days were coming once my car broke down in the middle of Detroit, while en route to the annual fireworks show there, the day after launching this site.
Be that as it may, I have learned a lot. I’m now 8,760 hours wiser. And no matter what happens, life goes on. What can you do?
So, back to the previous blogs I’ve written and the many assertions I’ve made since the beginning of last summer. I predicted that Tony Blair wouldn’t be re-elected in Great Britain, “opinioned” that the Iraqi Elections in January would be a bloodbath, and recently figured the Pistons to beat the Spurs in 6 games in the NBA Finals.
Clearly I was wrong on all three accounts.
Although Blair was re-elected (something I don’t understand) his Labour Party lost several seats in the British Parliament. Gladly the violence during the Iraqi Elections was far less than anyone imagined, even though it has definitely re-escalated in the last few months. And I’ll take the Pistons in 7 any day (Deeeeeeetroit Basketbaaaaaaaall)!
As for future insight, I am still troubled by the prevalence of guns in this country, I’ve been intending to write about the worldwide geological shakiness of late (I mean, there have even been multiple earthquakes in Kentucky), and there are many celestial events to take note of (including a very special and rare look at the planet Mars coming up in August). So hopefully I’ll get around to each of those topics among other things.
Finally, I’d like to say thanks to all that read this site. I truly appreciate it more than you know. I am grateful for all the many kind comments I’ve received from various people about the topics I discuss and the angle I provide. And even the short comments that simply express that you read the site are well valued too.
But…
…can you do me a huge favor?
If you read this post, can you leave a short comment at the end (there’s directions about how in the margin) to help me start off this next year of blogs with a bang. If you’ve ever read anything here that you find interesting, encouraging, informative, or that you just liked, feel free to leave an extended comment and let me know about it. Basically, show Maelstrom some love. That means you…anyone…everyone…just drop me a line!
I Love You All,
Maelstrom
Ps: shout out to one of my lil sisters whom I just learned reads the site as well (you know who you are)…thanx…smooches!
Pss (or Pps or however it goes): wouldn't it be cool if everyone that reads and enjoys this site would put a link to The Vortex in their Instant Messenger profile?!!
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
No proliferation of Nuclear non-Proliferation
A month long conference on Nuclear Arms recently ended in New York. Unfortunately it proved to be incredibly unfruitful. In my opinion, a lot of the conference’s failure is due to the lack of willingness by the USA to cooperate with the rest of the world and the lack of a desire to hold up our end of the bargain.
When the Nuclear Arms Treaty was created and signed some 30 years ago, here were the two big stipulations:
- Nations that didn’t have Nuclear Arms would agree not to pursue them by creation or other means
- Nuclear Nations would disarm
Of course the treaty hasn’t been exactly adhered to by the vast majority of participating nations. My problem is that the United States has yet another opportunity to set the correct precedent worldwide, but we would much rather point fingers at other nations. While we are creating a fuss about countries that have either backed out of the treaty, or who were never a part of the treaty, pursuing Nuclear Weapons, we ourselves have not fulfilled our commitment to the treaty.
Any legitimate agreement concerning nuclear weapons disarmament fell through at the conference when the US wanted to focus all the attention on the “axis of evil,” and their apparent pursuit of nuclear arms. Many of the other nations that attended wanted to discuss the overall treaty, compromises, and the fulfillment of disarmament by nuclear nations like the United States. But as our arrogance, which continues to permeate all levels of diplomacy, dictates, none of this was possible.
So, help me out for a few minutes and do something that our current government and much or our society can’t seem to do: Imagine you are from another country and have watched ALL the actions that the United States has taken toward other countries over the last 60 years. Imagine what you’d think of our credibility on topics such as War and Nuclear Arms. Now ask yourself, “what right do we have to tell other countries not to arm or to disarm?”
Here’s some specific perspective:
We’re afraid that nations like Iran, North Korea, or terrorists might use Nuclear Weapons on us, but in the 60+ years that the technology has been available, the only country to use Nuclear Weapons on another is the United States of America (when we unnecessarily decimated hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians to end WWII in Hiroshima and Nagasaki).
We still have the 2nd highest stockpile of Nuclear Weapons in the World (after Russia) and we haven’t disarmed. So who’s to say that we won’t use them on someone? I know it sounds kind of silly to assert (“we aren’t crazy, we aren’t the terrorists, we wouldn’t use Nukes on another country”), but consider, 5 years ago, no one would’ve believed that we would pre-empt a War either (and a War that we definitely now know was based on either faulty intelligence or false pretenses). So how can we tell other countries we won’t use a nuke and have them believe it?
We have no credibility from an international perspective. And that’s a reality that our arrogance won’t allow us to see or accept.
So here’s my opinion: If we think that nuclear weapons are so bad, and that all nations having them should disarm while nations that don’t have them shouldn’t pursue them, we should lead the way and actually disarm. I mean, if it is so completely absurd to think that we would ever use Nuclear Weapons, then why don’t we just do away with our nukes. That might send the message to nations like Iran or North Korea that we aren’t just out to tell them what to do, but that we truly have pristine reasoning behind not wanting them to pursue nukes. And internationally, it would increase our credibility concerning the topic (even though I know we don’t feel like we need to pass a “global test”), and other nations would be more willing to support us in our push to have rogue States not pursue arms.
And really, why do we need nukes if we aren’t going to use them? Of course the answer is because we can bully other countries around simply because they know we have nukes and the greatest military in the World. The irony is, best I can tell, nations such as Iran and North Korea want nukes for the same reason we still have them: they want the assurance that they can protect themselves from countries that they perceive as a threat.
Ironically, if the Bush Administration used the same logic for nukes as they do for US citizens being able to have guns (as is supported by the NRA), then they’d be bargaining for States like Iran and North Korea to actually have nuclear arms. Then again, since when has there been any consistent stream of logic coming out of the Bush camp (they love to have their cake and eat it too)?!!!
In any case, though I think terrorists with nuclear weapons would be tragic (although I wonder where they would launch them from), I don’t really perceive North Korea or Iran with nukes as a major issue. I don’t think any nation is crazy enough to use them haphazardly or without some major provocation. Consider that there have been some very serious wars between States with nuclear capabilities since we dropped the bombs on Japan, but still no one else has used them; not even when nations have invaded other nations.
Maybe all the talk of getting North Korea and Iran to disarm is just another Weapon of Mass Distraction that the Bush administration has implemented. Because honestly, what is it accomplishing, and where is it going?
And if we really wanted to show the World that we mean business about nukes, we’d be best served to get rid of ours first!
-Maelstrom
Thursday, June 09, 2005
The NBA's Worst Nightmare
I must first say a huge congrats to the University of Michigan Softball Team for holding it down all season, and finally coming home with the World Series title last night. And a special congrats to an acquaintance of mine, Jenny Ritter, who pitched like a pro for the team all season long. Go Blue!!!
Much like education, good men, respect, etc., in every phase of society, we seem to downplay reputable qualities no matter where they exist. I contend that the Detroit Pistons are the perfect facsimile of what society should be. They are the epitome of a team. Unfortunately, we teach our children to share and we tout teamwork as a great and essential part of our world, but we tend to only glorify individuals-often undeservedly so-and not the team concept that the Pistons exemplify.
But its cool, cuz they're back! The Detroit Pistons!
So there they are, the Defending NBA Champs, still as dominant as last year when they reclaimed the title, and they get no love. After watching the Pistons steal home court advantage from the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, I was heavily frustrated as the TNT post-game coverage focused on Jamie Foxx’ movie career, and then moved onto Shaquille O’Neal’s game play, and Dwayne Wade’s pathetic performance. Little was said about how the Pistons completely dominated the game, each player working with each other as if they were pieces of a masterful jigsaw puzzle.
When the Pistons completed a “5-game sweep” of the Lakers in the finals last year, it wasn’t that the Pistons destroyed the Lakers, it was the Lakers were old, or ran out of gas, or there was too much bickering amongst the players. You never heard that the Pistons were the better team, and that’s why they won.
After the Pistons won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals this past Monday night, it made me cringe to listen as Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson tried to cram the notion of being a superstar down Rasheed Wallace’s throat. ‘Sheed mentioned how the Pistons were a complete team, and he knows that if he doesn’t show up one game, someone else will pick up the slack. Barkley and Johnson replied that when the game is on the line, it was incumbent upon the superstar (Rasheed) to step up his game, and that Rasheed did that in Game 7. ‘Sheed replied that the Pistons were a team.
You see, the league needs superstars to be in the Finals and in the spotlight. Not just the league though. Clothing lines, shoe stores, hardware stores, cereal brands, etc.; they all need superstars to market and promote so that they can further promote their product and increase sales. When there are stars attached to a team, jersey sales go up, Wheaties boxes sell, Nike shoes fly out of Footlocker, and TV viewership rises. And a “real team” just doesn’t cut the cake. Who is Nike gonna promote? Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton or Rasheed Wallace? None of them sticks out particularly.
In my opinion, Prince may be the best player on the Pistons’ squad. However, we all know what ‘Sheed can do. When he played for Portland, on a squad that could’ve started all 13 of its players (stacked with great players and diametrically opposite of what the Pistons are today), he was the man. Puttin’ up 27 and 9 a night wasn’t a big deal for him. He was easily in the top 5 of players in the league at his position, with a sick inside and outside game. Now that he’s on a team that doesn’t require that out of him, he has resigned himself to amalgamating with his counterparts.
And you know what? The team concept that he now plays with did something for him that all of his individual accolades could not: It has taken him to two consecutive finals, and won him a World Championship.
Indeed, I’m certain that the NBA front office would’ve preferred that the Phoenix Suns played the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals this year. Revenue would’ve been sky high, and the fervor would’ve been amazing.
I can see the headlines now, and I can imagine the theses. The saga of Shaq’s troubled relationship with Kobe birthing a championship for him back in Florida, where his pro career started. Even better, the emergence of two young star sidekicks, Amare Stoudamire and Dwayne Wade, on their road to round-ball greatness. Or better yet, the epic tail of two MVP’s, traded in the off-season, resurrecting basketball greatness in their respective cities, leading to a winner takes all battle on the hardwood in the Finals.
But nope, not this year, not in these Finals, not with the Pistons playing.
Even worse, the Pistons, who claimed the Eastern Conference Championship, will be playing the San Antonio Spurs. Now don't get too excited, cuz the sparks probably won’t fly.
Although the Spurs have two prominent guards in Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the only superstar on the court at any given time during the series will be Spurs Center/Forward Tim Duncan. And Duncan is, well, less than exciting to watch or listen to. He’s “the Big Fundamental,” and doesn’t shout or show much emotion on the court. In press conferences, his low key demeanor is prevalent, and his speech is laced with plenty of diatonically low toned “Um’s.”
So this year’s NBA Finals is easily the league’s worst nightmare; two clubs that don’t play flashy basketball and actually work together as a team. I think it’s great for these squads to defy the norm, and prove to the world that you don’t need an egotistical, self-centered, ball-hogging player or two to lead your team to a title.
Maybe the concept will spread. The New England Patriots did it in football, the Pistons did it last year, and are set to do it again this year. Maybe this idea will permeate even Hollywood. The movie “Crash” pulled it off quite well. Maybe!
Then again, what would Hollywood be without its Brad’s, Jennifer’s, and Angelina’s? Anyhow... I digress.
And how could I finish this blog without making my prediction on the outcome of the NBA Finals? So here’s the deal, the Spurs are favored in Vegas, even though the Pistons have a decided advantage in at least 3 of the 5 positions (Center, Point Guard, Shooting Guard). And I know the Spurs Bowen is a defensive stopper, but if they put him on Rip Hamilton, who’s gonna guard Tayshaun Prince. I mean, 4 of the Pistons starting five are capable of putting up 20+ points at any given time (versus 3 for the Spurs).
On the other end of the court, only Rip is questionable on defense. The rest are defensive beast. So to me, on paper, the Pistons have the advantage. However, the Spurs have proven themselves to be flexible in many ways. They can run with the best of them (like they did with the Suns), or they can slow it down like the Pistons do. And Tim Duncan can’t be stopped; he’s just too skilled. Plus the Spurs have the homecourt (even though that hasn’t seemed to matter to the Pistons over the course of the last 3 postseasons). Also, don't forget that these teams are 1 and 2 in team defense this year.
The key for the Pistons is to stop Ginobili and Parker from getting in the paint. We all know Parker can be stopped, but can anyone prevent the Ginobili attack? The key for the Spurs is to keep the Piston’s big men in foul trouble because they can do a lot of damage against the Spurs front line. Plus Rasheed (the Pistons best frontcourt offensive threat) has a hothead, and foul trouble can really frustrate him.
It oughtta be a great series overall. I’m picking the Pistons to steal game 1 in San Antonio tonight.
Pistons in 6!
Deeeeetroit Basketbaaaaaaall!
-Maelstrom
Much like education, good men, respect, etc., in every phase of society, we seem to downplay reputable qualities no matter where they exist. I contend that the Detroit Pistons are the perfect facsimile of what society should be. They are the epitome of a team. Unfortunately, we teach our children to share and we tout teamwork as a great and essential part of our world, but we tend to only glorify individuals-often undeservedly so-and not the team concept that the Pistons exemplify.
But its cool, cuz they're back! The Detroit Pistons!
So there they are, the Defending NBA Champs, still as dominant as last year when they reclaimed the title, and they get no love. After watching the Pistons steal home court advantage from the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, I was heavily frustrated as the TNT post-game coverage focused on Jamie Foxx’ movie career, and then moved onto Shaquille O’Neal’s game play, and Dwayne Wade’s pathetic performance. Little was said about how the Pistons completely dominated the game, each player working with each other as if they were pieces of a masterful jigsaw puzzle.
When the Pistons completed a “5-game sweep” of the Lakers in the finals last year, it wasn’t that the Pistons destroyed the Lakers, it was the Lakers were old, or ran out of gas, or there was too much bickering amongst the players. You never heard that the Pistons were the better team, and that’s why they won.
After the Pistons won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals this past Monday night, it made me cringe to listen as Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson tried to cram the notion of being a superstar down Rasheed Wallace’s throat. ‘Sheed mentioned how the Pistons were a complete team, and he knows that if he doesn’t show up one game, someone else will pick up the slack. Barkley and Johnson replied that when the game is on the line, it was incumbent upon the superstar (Rasheed) to step up his game, and that Rasheed did that in Game 7. ‘Sheed replied that the Pistons were a team.
You see, the league needs superstars to be in the Finals and in the spotlight. Not just the league though. Clothing lines, shoe stores, hardware stores, cereal brands, etc.; they all need superstars to market and promote so that they can further promote their product and increase sales. When there are stars attached to a team, jersey sales go up, Wheaties boxes sell, Nike shoes fly out of Footlocker, and TV viewership rises. And a “real team” just doesn’t cut the cake. Who is Nike gonna promote? Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton or Rasheed Wallace? None of them sticks out particularly.
In my opinion, Prince may be the best player on the Pistons’ squad. However, we all know what ‘Sheed can do. When he played for Portland, on a squad that could’ve started all 13 of its players (stacked with great players and diametrically opposite of what the Pistons are today), he was the man. Puttin’ up 27 and 9 a night wasn’t a big deal for him. He was easily in the top 5 of players in the league at his position, with a sick inside and outside game. Now that he’s on a team that doesn’t require that out of him, he has resigned himself to amalgamating with his counterparts.
And you know what? The team concept that he now plays with did something for him that all of his individual accolades could not: It has taken him to two consecutive finals, and won him a World Championship.
Indeed, I’m certain that the NBA front office would’ve preferred that the Phoenix Suns played the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals this year. Revenue would’ve been sky high, and the fervor would’ve been amazing.
I can see the headlines now, and I can imagine the theses. The saga of Shaq’s troubled relationship with Kobe birthing a championship for him back in Florida, where his pro career started. Even better, the emergence of two young star sidekicks, Amare Stoudamire and Dwayne Wade, on their road to round-ball greatness. Or better yet, the epic tail of two MVP’s, traded in the off-season, resurrecting basketball greatness in their respective cities, leading to a winner takes all battle on the hardwood in the Finals.
But nope, not this year, not in these Finals, not with the Pistons playing.
Even worse, the Pistons, who claimed the Eastern Conference Championship, will be playing the San Antonio Spurs. Now don't get too excited, cuz the sparks probably won’t fly.
Although the Spurs have two prominent guards in Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the only superstar on the court at any given time during the series will be Spurs Center/Forward Tim Duncan. And Duncan is, well, less than exciting to watch or listen to. He’s “the Big Fundamental,” and doesn’t shout or show much emotion on the court. In press conferences, his low key demeanor is prevalent, and his speech is laced with plenty of diatonically low toned “Um’s.”
So this year’s NBA Finals is easily the league’s worst nightmare; two clubs that don’t play flashy basketball and actually work together as a team. I think it’s great for these squads to defy the norm, and prove to the world that you don’t need an egotistical, self-centered, ball-hogging player or two to lead your team to a title.
Maybe the concept will spread. The New England Patriots did it in football, the Pistons did it last year, and are set to do it again this year. Maybe this idea will permeate even Hollywood. The movie “Crash” pulled it off quite well. Maybe!
Then again, what would Hollywood be without its Brad’s, Jennifer’s, and Angelina’s? Anyhow... I digress.
And how could I finish this blog without making my prediction on the outcome of the NBA Finals? So here’s the deal, the Spurs are favored in Vegas, even though the Pistons have a decided advantage in at least 3 of the 5 positions (Center, Point Guard, Shooting Guard). And I know the Spurs Bowen is a defensive stopper, but if they put him on Rip Hamilton, who’s gonna guard Tayshaun Prince. I mean, 4 of the Pistons starting five are capable of putting up 20+ points at any given time (versus 3 for the Spurs).
On the other end of the court, only Rip is questionable on defense. The rest are defensive beast. So to me, on paper, the Pistons have the advantage. However, the Spurs have proven themselves to be flexible in many ways. They can run with the best of them (like they did with the Suns), or they can slow it down like the Pistons do. And Tim Duncan can’t be stopped; he’s just too skilled. Plus the Spurs have the homecourt (even though that hasn’t seemed to matter to the Pistons over the course of the last 3 postseasons). Also, don't forget that these teams are 1 and 2 in team defense this year.
The key for the Pistons is to stop Ginobili and Parker from getting in the paint. We all know Parker can be stopped, but can anyone prevent the Ginobili attack? The key for the Spurs is to keep the Piston’s big men in foul trouble because they can do a lot of damage against the Spurs front line. Plus Rasheed (the Pistons best frontcourt offensive threat) has a hothead, and foul trouble can really frustrate him.
It oughtta be a great series overall. I’m picking the Pistons to steal game 1 in San Antonio tonight.
Pistons in 6!
Deeeeetroit Basketbaaaaaaall!
-Maelstrom
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
The Tsunami
It happened without warning; suddenly, violently, and without mercy!
A 40-foot wave. Then another one, and another one. They just kept coming, and there was no end in sight. And it made no sense because the sky was still blue, the sun was still shining, and the day was to die for. And die is exactly what I did. That thing absolutely killed me; everything I was promised, everything I believed, everything I wanted. The Tsunami was absolutely cruel.
The season, the day, it all started out so well too. Sure there were some tremors that should’ve tipped me off that something was up, but they were just tremors, not earthquakes. Plus I knew, I just knew that the Land loved me enough to warn me if a big quake was on the way. I wasn’t ready though. I guess I just didn’t heed the signs or the warnings; none of us did.
So I felt the tremors; 3.2, 4.4, 2.9, as it were. But c’mon now, no one expected a 9.1 on the Richter Scale; did you? And the Wave, the Tsunami, that thing caught me totally off guard. I mean, I Didn’t Fear Water until I Got Flattened by that Wave.
Now I stand here devastated, crushed; unable to believe what I’ve just experienced. But it’s real. Too real. And it hurts.
I certainly do miss it though, the Land. I spent a couple years with the Land, cultivating it, dressing it, loving it. Whatever the Land needed me to do, I was totally willing to oblige. Genuflect in all capacities was I.
I wasn’t alone in that regard. There were a lot of poseurs, but only a few people were there for the Land through it all. We loved that Land so much. Now we are distraught over how the Wave completely changed the Land. It’s as if the Land doesn’t know us anymore. And I know I’ve tried, but I don’t recognize it anymore either.
And it happened so fast!
I always enjoyed the opportunities I had to spend time with the Land. I would drive hundreds of miles, week in and week out, just to see the Land. Visits to its beaches, coastlines, mountains and forests became my top priority. It was so gorgeous. Nothing was more beautiful to me, and memories of it remind me of its supreme splendor.
At the time, neglecting the many vicissitudes of life to travel to the Land was no big deal to me. I mean, the Land filled me with so much joy. Everything I ever wanted was right there. And its scenery was to die for. I loved the tan-brown color of its beaches. I delighted in the trees that lined every inch of land (though trimmed in some areas to help amplify its overall beauty). And its grand mountainous peaks brought me incredible amounts of pleasure and satisfaction time and time again. Ah…to caress those beaches again; to travel through the soft forests like I once did; to kiss those mountaintops as was my ritual. If I could have it all back…it’s like it was all a dream.
In the years prior to my arrival, there were several others who occupied the territory. I wasn’t really keen on what I’d heard about those guys. One in particular just abused the Land. He left some serious scars.
Such great Storms this place had been through. The Land was so beautiful, so innocent, and so deserving of the best too. The thing that I admired most about this Soil was that although many ruthless Storms had ripped through it, and though its occupants weren’t always as kind to it as they should’ve been, the Land constantly recovered. It didn’t just survive, but it always grew into stronger, more alluring acres than before.
I remember when I first arrived. It was as dazzling as ever. I quickly fell in love with it, but I knew I wasn’t entitled to it. There were other occupants already there, and many suitors waiting in the wings. Plus, I knew the requirements and I wasn’t a qualified suitor at all. Plus there were other pieces of land that I was interested in pursuing. But this Land left an indelible etch in my mind. It was so radiant.
Despite my adverse qualifications, I was too enamored with the Land to just sit on the sidelines without embracing it with my Love. At first the Land rejected me. The things I planted there grew, but they didn’t bear fruit. That didn’t stop me though; I kept right on cultivating the soil because it pleased me. I accepted my role as the Land’s most dedicated companion, despite its rejection.
Then one night, something I had planted began to bud. It then blossomed, and two days later, it bore precious fruit. The Land had embraced me, and I reciprocated.
It became the embodiment of everything that I enjoyed. It was the seasoning on my fried chicken, the caramel in my Twix, the music in my head, and the sunshine in my day. Each moment with it was like having dinner with two of your best friends on a beautiful summer night in June on State St., hoping you could do it every year at the same time, in the same place. The Land was my heart.
I spent night and day with the Land. The Land imparted as much to me as I did to it. We laughed together, cried together, matured together. As I lay alongside the Land, rubbing my hands about its magnificent scenery, I would share my deepest, most intimate thoughts and secrets. The Land would reply through a cool breeze that it seemed to conjure.
Every night was a wonder. I caressed the sands of its smooth tan beaches, stroked the curvaceous outlines of its coastlines and kissed the vertices of its mountains, to both our delight. Complete bliss was mine to enjoy. Satisfying the Land satisfied me. Failing to satisfy the Land shamed me. I loved the Land.
But I was never qualified!
To be sure, I relished every minute I spent with the Land, but it was like time was speeding up. Honestly, everytime I looked at my watch, it was like another minute had passed. Clearly, my time with the Land was up.
Why did my lack of qualifications matter all of a sudden?
That’s when the tremors started. I didn’t know what to make of them because it had been some time since this Land was shaken. Apparently I was squatting on someone else’s ground. I tried to figure out what to do, but I just didn’t know. I felt like I deserved the Land. I had been with the Land for years, and the Land loved me.
Then it happened with no warning; suddenly, violently, and without mercy!
THE TSUNAMI STRUCK!
I was a strong fellow, but I was never prepared for the magnitude of what came that day. Everything that I had built on this Land, everything I grew on this Land, and everything that I cultivated on this Land was wiped out. And maybe things would’ve been different if there were a warning, or if it didn’t happen so swiftly, but that Tsunami was so frickin’ fast. I mean, what could I do?
Once the initial blow of the Wave was over, I assessed the damage. There wasn’t much to assess. Everything I knew of the Land seemed to be gone. Its beauty and everything I loved about it was no longer apparent to me. And I realized that although the 40-foot wall of water had subsided, the Tsunami was here to stay. Its effects I will feel forever. Days, weeks, months even, I spent in tears over losing the Land. I mean, it was still there, but it wasn’t the same. It will never be the same.
That treacherous robber, the Tsunami, it changed her; the Land that I once loved. Merciless it was, and unforgiving it continues to be. And just to think that I always “knew” that this Land would always be here for me. I trusted her 100%, and she let me down; with very little concern and not an ounce of compassion.
And it happened so fast!
I still feel the Temblors frequently. All near the original epicenter of the big one, dialing in at 8.9, 5.8, 7.6 on the Richter scale; all strong, but none so deadly as the one that caused the Tsunami.
And the people, I feel sorry for the people; so many hurt people.
I’ve heeded all warnings now, and I know that there are more Temblors to come. But next time I’ll be ready. I’ll be wiser next time. I won’t let that Tsunami get me again. ‘cause I’m stronger too, and I’m a heckuva lot wiser.
But will I ever trust again?
Since the Tsunami hit, I’ve been a nomadic soul. I tried to rebuild on that Land, but that Land is no longer mine to cultivate. Even worse, the Land didn’t love me anymore. The things I used to grow there no longer grew. The tools I used to till the soil with no longer worked there. Every attempt was futile and only brought more questions, more pain, and more hurt. And I do hope that the Land grows more beautiful and stronger than it was before, as it has done in times past. But how can it leave me behind like this? Did my tireless dedication to it mean anything…ANYTHING!???
And I trusted her.
As for me, I spend everyday in deep thought about the Land. Why did God design this mind to care about things that I can’t change or affect? Why am I cursed to care about it when it doesn’t care about me? Why does kindness seem to get you nowhere? I wish I could just shut it off; this cursed mind of mine.
Unfortunately, nearly 6 months since I last laid eyes on that sublime Land, I’m still devastated!
The Tsunami never ended!
-Maelstrom
A 40-foot wave. Then another one, and another one. They just kept coming, and there was no end in sight. And it made no sense because the sky was still blue, the sun was still shining, and the day was to die for. And die is exactly what I did. That thing absolutely killed me; everything I was promised, everything I believed, everything I wanted. The Tsunami was absolutely cruel.
The season, the day, it all started out so well too. Sure there were some tremors that should’ve tipped me off that something was up, but they were just tremors, not earthquakes. Plus I knew, I just knew that the Land loved me enough to warn me if a big quake was on the way. I wasn’t ready though. I guess I just didn’t heed the signs or the warnings; none of us did.
So I felt the tremors; 3.2, 4.4, 2.9, as it were. But c’mon now, no one expected a 9.1 on the Richter Scale; did you? And the Wave, the Tsunami, that thing caught me totally off guard. I mean, I Didn’t Fear Water until I Got Flattened by that Wave.
Now I stand here devastated, crushed; unable to believe what I’ve just experienced. But it’s real. Too real. And it hurts.
I certainly do miss it though, the Land. I spent a couple years with the Land, cultivating it, dressing it, loving it. Whatever the Land needed me to do, I was totally willing to oblige. Genuflect in all capacities was I.
I wasn’t alone in that regard. There were a lot of poseurs, but only a few people were there for the Land through it all. We loved that Land so much. Now we are distraught over how the Wave completely changed the Land. It’s as if the Land doesn’t know us anymore. And I know I’ve tried, but I don’t recognize it anymore either.
And it happened so fast!
I always enjoyed the opportunities I had to spend time with the Land. I would drive hundreds of miles, week in and week out, just to see the Land. Visits to its beaches, coastlines, mountains and forests became my top priority. It was so gorgeous. Nothing was more beautiful to me, and memories of it remind me of its supreme splendor.
At the time, neglecting the many vicissitudes of life to travel to the Land was no big deal to me. I mean, the Land filled me with so much joy. Everything I ever wanted was right there. And its scenery was to die for. I loved the tan-brown color of its beaches. I delighted in the trees that lined every inch of land (though trimmed in some areas to help amplify its overall beauty). And its grand mountainous peaks brought me incredible amounts of pleasure and satisfaction time and time again. Ah…to caress those beaches again; to travel through the soft forests like I once did; to kiss those mountaintops as was my ritual. If I could have it all back…it’s like it was all a dream.
In the years prior to my arrival, there were several others who occupied the territory. I wasn’t really keen on what I’d heard about those guys. One in particular just abused the Land. He left some serious scars.
Such great Storms this place had been through. The Land was so beautiful, so innocent, and so deserving of the best too. The thing that I admired most about this Soil was that although many ruthless Storms had ripped through it, and though its occupants weren’t always as kind to it as they should’ve been, the Land constantly recovered. It didn’t just survive, but it always grew into stronger, more alluring acres than before.
I remember when I first arrived. It was as dazzling as ever. I quickly fell in love with it, but I knew I wasn’t entitled to it. There were other occupants already there, and many suitors waiting in the wings. Plus, I knew the requirements and I wasn’t a qualified suitor at all. Plus there were other pieces of land that I was interested in pursuing. But this Land left an indelible etch in my mind. It was so radiant.
Despite my adverse qualifications, I was too enamored with the Land to just sit on the sidelines without embracing it with my Love. At first the Land rejected me. The things I planted there grew, but they didn’t bear fruit. That didn’t stop me though; I kept right on cultivating the soil because it pleased me. I accepted my role as the Land’s most dedicated companion, despite its rejection.
Then one night, something I had planted began to bud. It then blossomed, and two days later, it bore precious fruit. The Land had embraced me, and I reciprocated.
It became the embodiment of everything that I enjoyed. It was the seasoning on my fried chicken, the caramel in my Twix, the music in my head, and the sunshine in my day. Each moment with it was like having dinner with two of your best friends on a beautiful summer night in June on State St., hoping you could do it every year at the same time, in the same place. The Land was my heart.
I spent night and day with the Land. The Land imparted as much to me as I did to it. We laughed together, cried together, matured together. As I lay alongside the Land, rubbing my hands about its magnificent scenery, I would share my deepest, most intimate thoughts and secrets. The Land would reply through a cool breeze that it seemed to conjure.
Every night was a wonder. I caressed the sands of its smooth tan beaches, stroked the curvaceous outlines of its coastlines and kissed the vertices of its mountains, to both our delight. Complete bliss was mine to enjoy. Satisfying the Land satisfied me. Failing to satisfy the Land shamed me. I loved the Land.
But I was never qualified!
To be sure, I relished every minute I spent with the Land, but it was like time was speeding up. Honestly, everytime I looked at my watch, it was like another minute had passed. Clearly, my time with the Land was up.
Why did my lack of qualifications matter all of a sudden?
That’s when the tremors started. I didn’t know what to make of them because it had been some time since this Land was shaken. Apparently I was squatting on someone else’s ground. I tried to figure out what to do, but I just didn’t know. I felt like I deserved the Land. I had been with the Land for years, and the Land loved me.
Then it happened with no warning; suddenly, violently, and without mercy!
THE TSUNAMI STRUCK!
I was a strong fellow, but I was never prepared for the magnitude of what came that day. Everything that I had built on this Land, everything I grew on this Land, and everything that I cultivated on this Land was wiped out. And maybe things would’ve been different if there were a warning, or if it didn’t happen so swiftly, but that Tsunami was so frickin’ fast. I mean, what could I do?
Once the initial blow of the Wave was over, I assessed the damage. There wasn’t much to assess. Everything I knew of the Land seemed to be gone. Its beauty and everything I loved about it was no longer apparent to me. And I realized that although the 40-foot wall of water had subsided, the Tsunami was here to stay. Its effects I will feel forever. Days, weeks, months even, I spent in tears over losing the Land. I mean, it was still there, but it wasn’t the same. It will never be the same.
That treacherous robber, the Tsunami, it changed her; the Land that I once loved. Merciless it was, and unforgiving it continues to be. And just to think that I always “knew” that this Land would always be here for me. I trusted her 100%, and she let me down; with very little concern and not an ounce of compassion.
And it happened so fast!
I still feel the Temblors frequently. All near the original epicenter of the big one, dialing in at 8.9, 5.8, 7.6 on the Richter scale; all strong, but none so deadly as the one that caused the Tsunami.
And the people, I feel sorry for the people; so many hurt people.
I’ve heeded all warnings now, and I know that there are more Temblors to come. But next time I’ll be ready. I’ll be wiser next time. I won’t let that Tsunami get me again. ‘cause I’m stronger too, and I’m a heckuva lot wiser.
But will I ever trust again?
Since the Tsunami hit, I’ve been a nomadic soul. I tried to rebuild on that Land, but that Land is no longer mine to cultivate. Even worse, the Land didn’t love me anymore. The things I used to grow there no longer grew. The tools I used to till the soil with no longer worked there. Every attempt was futile and only brought more questions, more pain, and more hurt. And I do hope that the Land grows more beautiful and stronger than it was before, as it has done in times past. But how can it leave me behind like this? Did my tireless dedication to it mean anything…ANYTHING!???
And I trusted her.
As for me, I spend everyday in deep thought about the Land. Why did God design this mind to care about things that I can’t change or affect? Why am I cursed to care about it when it doesn’t care about me? Why does kindness seem to get you nowhere? I wish I could just shut it off; this cursed mind of mine.
Unfortunately, nearly 6 months since I last laid eyes on that sublime Land, I’m still devastated!
The Tsunami never ended!
-Maelstrom
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Crash
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to watch a movie with two of my best friends. After debating over which to see, we decided on the low key, social awareness flick Crash (even though they had both seen it before). I found the movie so captivating that I decided to once again don the role of movie critic to help promote it.
To begin, you MUST go see it. About thirty minutes into the movie, I recall thinking to myself, “I need to see this again.” There were so many realities exemplified that I couldn’t really focus on them all. To be sure, the obvious social issues were well explained and displayed, but I was also intrigued at the many subplots that I’d imagine went under the radar by most of the audience. And if you can watch this movie and nothing is either amplified for you or you don’t learn something about how society works, then you suck as a human being.
The movie is set in present-day Los Angeles, CA. And best I can tell the movie covers about 48 hours of screen time. You are immediately immersed into very important footage, and if you don’t pay attention from the get go, you might miss out on the fact that the movie actually ends where it starts.
Among the many characters you become acquainted with are a Black police officer and his “White” partner, played by Don Cheadle and Jennifer Esposito, respectively. Rapper Ludacris and actor Larenz Tate play well educated but criminal college students. Sandra Bullock and her District Attorney husband (played by Brendan Fraser) are depicted as affluent people who use the services of lower class minorities, but try to separate themselves from minorities and their problems if at all possible. Matt Dillon is a know-it-all, racist cop who’s training his rookie partner (Ryan Phillipe) in his mold.
There’s also an affluent Black couple, an “Arab” storeowner and his family, a “China-man” minding his own “business,” and a Mexican repair man and his family present in the movie.
What did I like? I enjoyed that although there were many concurrent storylines playing out, no 1 storyline superseded the others (a tough task considering some of the big name actors in the cast). I also liked that each storyline played a significant role in all the others, no matter how distant the storylines might’ve seemed at the time. The framing and the timelining in this movie was superb.
Too often in society we are afraid to speak about certain flaws in the law or about race-relations, or about religious differences, etc. This movie made light of that in a number of subtle, and a few obvious, ways.
One of the big issues made light of was racial misconceptions. There was a Latina that was mistaken for Mexican and called White; a non-chinese Asian who was mistaken for Chinese; Persians mistaken for Arabs. And though we all know (or should know) better than to just assume someone’s racial identity, apathy too often lends itself to such mistakes or mis-identifications.
One subtle point made was in reference to some of the flaws with affirmative action. Another was centered around people who did the things they did just to keep up appearances with the family/media/community, although they may have felt differently about a particular situation and/or knew that they were shunning people that were always there for them when the family/media/community was not.
The biggest subtlety that I enjoyed was Guns. I think in EVERY storyline of the movie, guns played a major role. Essentially guns represented power. If you had one, you had the power. If you didn’t have a gun, then you were subject to do whatever the person(s) with a gun wanted you to. It was simply a bullying device. The grimey cops that harassed the affluent Black couple used it as a bullying device; the Persian storeowner bought one for protection, but ended up using it as a threatening weapon of supposed vengeance; the wayward Black college students used it as their intimidating tool, etc. Everyone seemed to have a gun or was confronted by one.
Realizing this made me expand that notion and apply it to the world we live in both domestically and internationally. We have a serious issue with Guns here in the USA, and the only reason that groups such as the NRA advocate so hard for them is because they want power. Countless unjust and pointless deaths like that of Amadou Diallo in NYC a couple years ago come about because of Guns. We have a serious Gun problem in this nation and it needs to be addressed. You have but to ask one question and one question only: Who really needs a gun? (In my opinion the answer is nobody, and I point to other countries with less such deaths as my basis in a blog that I started two months ago, and will post once I finish it)
Internationally speaking, each country is essentially seeking a bigger gun. Why? Nuclear Arms means power. The USA is leading the pack in that regard. As in the words of Princeton Religion Professor Cornell West, we’re too worried about “power, power, power…greed, greed, greed,” when we should be concerned with “justice, justice, justice, and love, love, love.” But that too is another blog.
There was one thing that I didn’t particularly like that was depicted in the movie, but I don’t know if it was intentional or not. I’d imagine that it was on purpose since the movie seemed to be so incredibly well thought out in every other way. I won’t get into what I’m referring to here because I’ve already written too much.
In any case, don’t just wait for it to come out on DVD. It would behoove everyone to actually go watch this movie. Then once it’s over, have a discussion about the issues that were portrayed. Better yet, leave a comment here at The Vortex about what you thought about the movie.
So go see it; Crash!
-Maelstrom
I was delighted to see this review on the movie on CNN’s website this past week. So if you don’t believe me, take their word for it:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/03/film.crash.reut/index.html
To begin, you MUST go see it. About thirty minutes into the movie, I recall thinking to myself, “I need to see this again.” There were so many realities exemplified that I couldn’t really focus on them all. To be sure, the obvious social issues were well explained and displayed, but I was also intrigued at the many subplots that I’d imagine went under the radar by most of the audience. And if you can watch this movie and nothing is either amplified for you or you don’t learn something about how society works, then you suck as a human being.
The movie is set in present-day Los Angeles, CA. And best I can tell the movie covers about 48 hours of screen time. You are immediately immersed into very important footage, and if you don’t pay attention from the get go, you might miss out on the fact that the movie actually ends where it starts.
Among the many characters you become acquainted with are a Black police officer and his “White” partner, played by Don Cheadle and Jennifer Esposito, respectively. Rapper Ludacris and actor Larenz Tate play well educated but criminal college students. Sandra Bullock and her District Attorney husband (played by Brendan Fraser) are depicted as affluent people who use the services of lower class minorities, but try to separate themselves from minorities and their problems if at all possible. Matt Dillon is a know-it-all, racist cop who’s training his rookie partner (Ryan Phillipe) in his mold.
There’s also an affluent Black couple, an “Arab” storeowner and his family, a “China-man” minding his own “business,” and a Mexican repair man and his family present in the movie.
What did I like? I enjoyed that although there were many concurrent storylines playing out, no 1 storyline superseded the others (a tough task considering some of the big name actors in the cast). I also liked that each storyline played a significant role in all the others, no matter how distant the storylines might’ve seemed at the time. The framing and the timelining in this movie was superb.
Too often in society we are afraid to speak about certain flaws in the law or about race-relations, or about religious differences, etc. This movie made light of that in a number of subtle, and a few obvious, ways.
One of the big issues made light of was racial misconceptions. There was a Latina that was mistaken for Mexican and called White; a non-chinese Asian who was mistaken for Chinese; Persians mistaken for Arabs. And though we all know (or should know) better than to just assume someone’s racial identity, apathy too often lends itself to such mistakes or mis-identifications.
One subtle point made was in reference to some of the flaws with affirmative action. Another was centered around people who did the things they did just to keep up appearances with the family/media/community, although they may have felt differently about a particular situation and/or knew that they were shunning people that were always there for them when the family/media/community was not.
The biggest subtlety that I enjoyed was Guns. I think in EVERY storyline of the movie, guns played a major role. Essentially guns represented power. If you had one, you had the power. If you didn’t have a gun, then you were subject to do whatever the person(s) with a gun wanted you to. It was simply a bullying device. The grimey cops that harassed the affluent Black couple used it as a bullying device; the Persian storeowner bought one for protection, but ended up using it as a threatening weapon of supposed vengeance; the wayward Black college students used it as their intimidating tool, etc. Everyone seemed to have a gun or was confronted by one.
Realizing this made me expand that notion and apply it to the world we live in both domestically and internationally. We have a serious issue with Guns here in the USA, and the only reason that groups such as the NRA advocate so hard for them is because they want power. Countless unjust and pointless deaths like that of Amadou Diallo in NYC a couple years ago come about because of Guns. We have a serious Gun problem in this nation and it needs to be addressed. You have but to ask one question and one question only: Who really needs a gun? (In my opinion the answer is nobody, and I point to other countries with less such deaths as my basis in a blog that I started two months ago, and will post once I finish it)
Internationally speaking, each country is essentially seeking a bigger gun. Why? Nuclear Arms means power. The USA is leading the pack in that regard. As in the words of Princeton Religion Professor Cornell West, we’re too worried about “power, power, power…greed, greed, greed,” when we should be concerned with “justice, justice, justice, and love, love, love.” But that too is another blog.
There was one thing that I didn’t particularly like that was depicted in the movie, but I don’t know if it was intentional or not. I’d imagine that it was on purpose since the movie seemed to be so incredibly well thought out in every other way. I won’t get into what I’m referring to here because I’ve already written too much.
In any case, don’t just wait for it to come out on DVD. It would behoove everyone to actually go watch this movie. Then once it’s over, have a discussion about the issues that were portrayed. Better yet, leave a comment here at The Vortex about what you thought about the movie.
So go see it; Crash!
-Maelstrom
I was delighted to see this review on the movie on CNN’s website this past week. So if you don’t believe me, take their word for it:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/03/film.crash.reut/index.html
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