01/20/09 12:36 - 15ºF - ID#47459

Inauguration

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." Martin Luther King

Less than fifty years ago, most African-Americans were denied the right to vote. Our country adopted a system of "separate but equal" that was brutal, unjust, and inherently "unequal". Lynching and violence against anyone who tried to overturn this system was a shockingly common practice in America. Less than one hundred years ago, women were denied suffrage. Today, a man of black ancestry is now the President of the United States. A woman is our Secretary of State, as is the Speaker of the House.

I don't know how much the situation in our country will improve now that Obama is President. Sometimes I think that the expectations of many Americans are far beyond what any person can accomplish. Even so, I am hopeful and proud to be an American today.

God Bless America.

Permalink: Inauguration.html
Words: 151
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: politics

10/02/08 10:49 - 49ºF - ID#45909

VP Debates

Sarah Palin wasn't as bad as I thought she would in the debate tonight. I think Joe Biden did a great job conveying his understanding of the issues, but it was certainly the most interesting VP debate that I have seen.

It probably goes without saying that I find her stances on many issues to be very troubling. Especially on reproductive rights. I would just assume that she never be involved with the executive branch. I'd be fine if we made her an ambassador- perhaps with the Russian Federation? As she has claimed, she has foreign policy experience, based upon her tenure as governor of Alaska.

Permalink: VP_Debates.html
Words: 106
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: life

09/07/08 12:04 - 66ºF - ID#45599

google transit

Something interesting that I just found out is that Google now has a site where you can get transit directions for most cities:

So if you are lost without a car and have web browser capabilities on your cell phone, you might be able to find a way to get home.

I've been doing okay. Some days, better than others. I have been back in Albany for a couple of weeks now. My classes have been interesting, and my job is doing well. II hope all of you are having a great time in Buffalo!

Permalink: google_transit.html
Words: 100
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: photos

08/21/08 01:25 - 79ºF - ID#45393

i'm not sure if this looks like me,but..

Permalink: i_m_not_sure_if_this_looks_like_me_but_.html
Words: 3
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: tech

08/11/08 10:51 - 62ºF - ID#45310

cyber warfare

Apparently, Russia and Georgia is at war. I didn't even knew they were fighting, but I guess its been a long-term conflict that has recently escalated.

The strange thing about is that hackers in the Russian Federation is actively attacking governmental, military, and personal sites in Georgia. Hackers spam the sites to the point where they stopped running. It's considered by some to be cyber warfare.

Permalink: cyber_warfare.html
Words: 73
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

07/21/08 10:27 - 72ºF - ID#45097

shakespeare in the park!

Aaron and I are going to see Shakespeare in the Park this Saturday, the 26th. The play is a comedy, "the Merry Wives of Windsor". It is a performance that is free to the public in Delaware Park.

I don't know if anyone is free that night, but if you are interested, it would be awesome to meet up with people there.

-Jess

Permalink: shakespeare_in_the_park_.html
Words: 63
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: poems

07/04/08 11:19 - 69ºF - ID#44856

America

I Hear America Singing- Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand
singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or
at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of
the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day--at night the party of young fellows,
robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

(Happy 4th of July, (e:peeps)).

Permalink: America.html
Words: 165
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

06/20/08 02:22 - 66ºF - ID#44730

ghost hunters in Buffalo

Has anyone ever been to the Iron Island Museum in Buffalo? I just read the other day that the television Ghost Hunters recently filmed the museum and some other sites around Buffalo.

I recently installed Firefox3 on my comp. Estrip looks great on it! I really like this version of firefox a lot better than the previous ones.

Permalink: ghost_hunters_in_Buffalo.html
Words: 58
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: religion

06/15/08 03:04 - 77ºF - ID#44656

father's day

I went with my dad to church today for father's day (he's a Lutheran). It was a really nice service. The sermon was by a visiting minister, who worked within the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960's. She was friends with Martin Luther King, and has continued to be an activist for social justice. In her sermon about the beloved community and our responsibility towards promoting equality, she tied in a passage from Exodus where Moses finds the burning bush. Moses doesn't believe that God could really want him to be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses is a stutter, and doesn't have much confidence in his ability to lead people. What I got from the sermon was that we all have the ability to fight for justice and equality, that God wants each of us to take part in this struggle- even if we believe we don't have the ability to make a difference. Even if we aren't the most eloquent of leaders. I don't know if God has a purpose for people, but we can find a purpose within God and what it means to believe in God. I don't know how you can truly believe in God, and somehow not believe in human equality.

Not meaning to bore people with my religious thoughts on here. Happy Father's Day to the dad's on here! Also, a very happy birthday to (e:jason) and (e:joshua).

Permalink: father_s_day.html
Words: 241
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: news

06/13/08 12:25 - 69ºF - ID#44633

impeachment

I didn't know if anyone here has posted about Kucinich's call for an impeachment of President Bush.

While he obviously will not be impeached now, it does surprise me that there wasn't a greater movement to impeach him during his presidency. Maybe no one felt that they could substantiate the claims against him enough to make a concrete move for impeachment? It just seems that potentially lying about mass weapons seems like a worse offense than what Bill Clinton lied about. That's not to say that it was right what Clinton did. I just meant from a comparative perspective.

Permalink: impeachment.html
Words: 99
Location: Buffalo, NY

<-- Earlier Entries