Mammoth vs. Blazers

The lines into the Pepsi Center alone tell that this isn't as small time of a sport as one previously thought. The roar of the crowd says it in another way. And then that the arena is at least three quarters full shows it.
Seems the Colorado Mammoth, wearing white with purple sleeves and pink helmets, are already down 1-0 to the red coated Boston Blazers. The hometown crowd is definitely well behind them.
Doesn't take long to notice that the announcer is way more involved in the game, than in other sports. And the Wild Bunch cheerleaders popping out on the field between quarters.
Very odd, to a first timer, is that the teams switch shifts on each possession, as if there are offensive and defensive players. Six players each, counting the goalies. The field players have only helmets and gloves for protection from the near constant slashing of their opponents sticks. Yet the goalies look like they just stopped off the ice, without skates.
2-0 Boston and the crowd doesn't hesitate booing.
2-1 and the crowd goes crazy seeing their Mammoth score.
Back and forth the scoring goes, with Colorado able to tie it at times, yet never taking the lead.
At half time a special event of Police vs. Fire fighters lacrosse game commences. Fire fighters control the ball more, but the police are a lot more accurate, and end up winning 3-0.
The second half commences and the Blazers take control of the game, with Colorado unable to even score during a five on three power play.
Nearing the last few minutes of the fourth quarter its 8-5 Boston. The crowd gets up on its feet, begging for the rally. Truly can feel the energy in the place. No one wants this win more than the thousands of fans in the Pepsi Center.
Now its 8-6. Then 8-7. The crowds energy is amazingly still growing. No wonder they call this the loudest house in lacrosse. And when it is all but over the Mammoth tie it up! We're going to overtime!
Play commences in overtime, the crowd completely backing the home team Mammoth. The mascot is bringing it on, raising the roof, from behind the visitors bench.
Colorado scores! The crowd somehow even finds a higher level of excitement.
Mammoth win 9-8 in overtime. Gaining their second win of the season.
Now the schedules are being checked by the first timers. Can we make it to the two remaining home games? One thing for sure if we can we'll be here.
Who could pass up this excitement?

Officially published!

As of just a bit ago, I'm now officially published!
http://landmarkreport.com/jsangster/2011/03/open-letter-to-barack-obama/ that I've already posted here is up, as well as: http://landmarkreport.com/jsangster/2011/03/arms-to-libya/ a new one, that tisnt up here.

Open Letter to Obama

It is time for you to truly defend and explain yourself.
To start with, just show the birth certificate so it can be done and over with. Most of us never would have cared, had you just done so in the first place. Your refusal to do so was the most suspicious part of the whole matter. Though with all the newspapers that proclaimed you as Kenyan born, when you were running for Senate, and with Kenya itself repeatedly recognizing you as such, I truly would have little faith in any Hawaii certificate.
Let's face it, you should have just done it in the first place and we would've believed it. Now its too late, and nothing but admitting it can change any opinions on the subject.

Secondly, you've yet to do anything to protect our own borders. The war in Mexico spilling over is but the clearest example of this. The fence should have been built long ago, and troops stationed along it.
And the gun scandal is a clear violation of our neighbours borders, violation of our own and international laws, but is also an attack on our own people.
Not only is it aiding a foreign enemy (the drug empires), but anyone involved in it has made themselves to be a domestic enemy.
These people need to be punished not just as criminals, but as traitors.
Now I truly hope that you aren't, though even more so fear you may be, connected to this. I'm not sure which would be worse, that you are, or that you have so little control of our own government.

With your healthcare, you forced it through Congress, against the will of the majority of the country. Congress itself shall and is being held accountable for their actions, and you should be as well.
Defying the will of We The People of The United States of America is not what your job is. Your job is to listen to our voice, and represent us.
Tis time for you to do so. Encourage the Senate to listen to the people. Encourage the House to do so as well.
Obamacare must be repealed, defunded, etc. Make it gone!

On the budget, much the similar. Listen to the American people, and encourage Congress to do the same.
We demand a balanced budget, and we demand it now. No more time for debate.
The time for painful cuts of programs that are just wastes of money has come and the entire government needs to act with it.
NPR, EPA, department of education, and others have failed or have no reason to be government funded to begin with.
If you truly have any desire to save this country's economy, then act now!

Drill here, drill now! We can't afford to pay the prices that the world would charge us. Instead of paying other countries to develop their oil fields, use the money to open our own.
Stop violating the judge's orders and drill in the Gulf as well.
Want to stimulate the economy? See what happens when we gain the jobs, and prices go down.

Libya, I'm not going to deny I supported going in. I wrote on it myself, well before you did anything.
But you (and the world) took too long to act.
Worst of all though, you did not do so within the Constitution. O yes there are close enough things to be considered precedent, but that doesn't make it the right way to do things.
Go and do everything further with congressional approval.

Lastly, no matter the circumstances, you are President of The United States. Act like it!
Apologize to the United States for bowing to foreigners, and never do it again.
Remember that as PoTUS, you are supposed to be the leader of the free world, not a follower.
Stand up for The Constitution and The Bill of Rights.

It is most likely too late for history to remember you as a good President. However, if you change now, at least you could be recognized as a man who admitted his mistakes, and worked to correct them. You could still do great good for the country.

As always, praying for you, and that you'll make the right decisions.

Patience of Israel

One of the things I truly am unable to understand is how Israeli's people continously deal with the terrorism that plagues them. Whether they acknowledge it or not, they are in a constant state of war.
Having to live a life so constantly under random threat is inconcievable to me.
Maybe front line soldiers have an idea, but for them its a threat against themselves and friends.
For Israel its a constant threat against them, their friends, family, and everything.
Yet, not only do they survive this, they thrive.
In the midst of this, they aren't lost in the ease of hate. No they even give first aid to terrorists that survive.
Instead of general retaliation they choose targets with care, and hit with precision. Doing everything they can to avoid casualites amongst the innocent.
Through all the attacks Israel grows stronger.
All the while being patient. Enduring all that comes their way.
Sometheing they can be proud of, and that the rest of humanity can look up to.

Coalition: Libya and Thoughts on US Politics

Took them long enough, but once the world decided to vote UN 1973 through, the French went from no fly zone flying to air support for 'free Libya' within half an hour. And the British, USA, and a couple others weren't far behind.
As of now we already have one US jet down, though due to mechanical failure. Good news is both pilots are reportedly safe.
As makes general sense (due to resources and sheer power) the US took over command as soon as they were involved. But questions of will someone else take over general command, are already occurring. Bad idea there, as most of the world without question will follow US orders, when on the same side. Whereas they always seem to spend more time arguing legitimacy of orders from someone else. Either way, hopefully chain of command will never become a real issue.

Back in the US of A, political fighting started almost immediately over involvement in 1973.
Did Obama have the right to have US forces join? Not Constitutionally, that's for sure. But the precedent is there. Even Democrats now are talking impeachment, though.
Honestly if impeachment is to occur over this, dereliction of duty would seem an interesting place to start.
I find sending US troops to battle, and then immediately going on vacation, disturbing, if not disgusting.
Clearly we do not have a true Commander in Chief. A real one would be at his job when sending men and women in harm's way.

As for US involvement in Libya, I said before it looked necessary to me. Not in the sense that the US was in clear and present danger from Libya, but how could we as human beings watch the massacre that Qaddafi was planning?
Stopping that mad man, was and is a human necessity.
It is that simple.

What Communion Means to Me

Last night at church, we had communion available to those who wished to partake. Twas setup on tables in the back of the room, and you could go and do it during worship.
This cause me to thin about what Communion means to me.
There's of course the generic answers. The Bible tells us to. Jesus said this is my body, this is my blood, do this in remembrance of me.
For some the experience is completely symbolic, whilst others truly believe that through the ceremony, the juice/wine and bread/crackers actually are transformed. Personally I lean to the symbolism, but that's part of personal choice and thought on the matter.
But what does communion mean to me? What do the symbols stand for other than the flesh and blood?
For me tis acceptance that, yes I do truly believe my wonderful Father God, sent his Son to out sinful planet. Once there He became flesh and blood. That wasn't enough though. He had to die for what we His creation had done. He had to shed that same flesh and blood, and not peaceably.
Communion to me, is a time where I specifically focus on what He did. The juice and crackers serve to remind me that He not only shed flesh and blood for all of us, but that He took it up as well. For us, its impossible to understand what He went through just to join us, and to give us a chance to join Him later in life.
He told us to practice communion, so that every so often, we would hopefully take that moment to be still and know Him. To understand He didn't just sacrifice by dying for us. But also by coming to us and offering His grace in the first place.

So what does communion me to me?
It means that a God powerful enough to create the massive beautiful universe, not only loved me enough to die a physical death for me. But He also loved me enough to reach out and take human form, so that I might have a hope of understanding just how much I matter to Him.
Now that is an awesome and loving God.

Thoughts on My Writing

All of my life, I've loved reading and writing.
Growing up one of life goals was writing a novel. Still is. Wrote a few short stories, but never anything that I considered that good.
In high school I started writing poetry and lyrics. Some of which was actually decent.
And in college had a couple of blogs that I kept.
For the last couple years though, I had stopped writing pretty much anything. Things had happened in my life, and now I had stuff that hurt to write about. So I made a real mistake, I forgot a part of me that brought me joy.
Over the past few months I've been writing this blog, which I've deeply enjoyed doing, and especially loved getting real feedback on.
Recently I submitted this blog for consideration by Landmark. Tis the first time I've submitted my work, on that kind of basis. Haven't heard what they think yet, but it did get me thinking about my future in writing. And no matter what happens there or elsewhere, I will seek out writing everytime I can.
One thing that bothers me is how one dimensional it has been. Whilst I'm truly passionate about politics, there is so much more than that to me. So in the future I hope and plan to write about other things as well.
For I've found that I truly do still love writing. How finishing a piece and getting feedback makes me feel, is something I can't find a word to describe, but I truly love it.
Tonight I was told that my blog has inspired someone in their life. I hope that I will continue to do that for them and everyone.

Wisconsin and Class Warfare

Yesterday, in a brilliant stunning move the Wisconsin senate passed restrictions on collective bargaining, even without the presence of the senate's democrats who had previously fled the state.
Now those 'fleebaggers' and the unions are screaming about class warfare and abuse of democracy. They've even gone as far comparing this vote to 9-11 and Pearl Harbour.

First off, that comparison is plainly incorrect, not to mention just wrong. Comparing two of the most tragic events in American history to this shows the lack of intelligence and learning amongst them.

Secondly, its really funny to me that they try to complain about abuses of democracy. Why did the democrat senators runaway in the first place? O ya, to hold democracy hostage. They were on the losing side of a truly democratic vote, and to avoid it passing they fled. Truly, who is abusing democracy?

Now on to class warfare. Seems to me on both sides we have mostly 'middle' class workers. A minority that are in the unions vs. a majority that aren't and are sick of the unions abusing what they've been given. From the beginning of this whole controversy, we've but wanted them to join us, in paying for themselves.
I have noticed on the majority side, are people who can't protest everyday, because they actually have to work. These same people are the ones being forced to give from their livelihood, to pay for that of the unions. Yet during all this they've been fairly respectful.
Whereas on the minority side, they've been protesting almost non stop, using sick notes from Drs. who know they aren't actually sick, trashing the Wisconsin capitol building and grounds, being disruptful and disrepesctful, and some have even threatened lives of Wisconsin's Republican senators and governor.
Which leaves me with that, the only 'class warfare' I see is between those of us who are showing class, and those of them who aren't.

Thoughts on International Military Involvement in Libya

Face the facts, Libya is in a civil war. The 'rebels' have gained control of most of the country, and are moving forward to take all of it.
There have been mixed reports on whether they have asked for international help. Some suggest they've asked for a no fly zone and/or weapons, others that they've said they don't need help, and even a few saying they've asked for international troops to join them.
For NATO, the US, and the rest sending troops in would at best just be a waste of resources. Most likely it would result in casualties to already stressed militaries. Worst case they would be seen as invaders, by both sides and end up fighting a 3 way war. One thing for sure, Qaddafi would use them as a way to claim that the rebels were being run by the outside world, likely the US in particular.
As for giving them weapons, this is another bad idea. One the US has run into time and time again; help one side in a civil war, then end up fighting against those same weapons (if not the same people) in another war.
Now a no fly zone, could have real merit, and in my opinion is the best of the 'official' options. Tis a lot more realistic of a goal, with minimal ground troop usage and risk to the military forces involved. However it does mean taking a definite side in the conflict, something the Obama administration has been very reluctant to do. There is also that the US would once again be 'flexing its militray might' at the world. Something which even when done for the right reasons, causes the US negative reactions from the world.
The option of sitting back and doing nothing is the most likely, for most of the world, and especially the US. Definitely has the least risks, and the outcome is all but certain anyways. But it does mean standing by whilst hundreds, maybe thousands more, are killed, which to me does not seem the right thing to do.

My personal suggestion: Eliminate Qaddafi, a known mass murderer, who has committed or ordered who knows how many crimes against his own people and humanity. And then let the people of Libya work things out for themselves.
Benefits to this plan: Civil war likely almost immediately ended, lots of lives saved and damages to infrastructure lowered, and lowest risk to international troops.
Possible issues: Power vacuum may occur, but unlikely as the rebels already have set up a government. US (or whoever does it) seen as the evil empire again, nothing new there though. And this time could be done publicly.