Gambits and Origins

5) The House of Representatives has recently passed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 a.k.a. Obama and the Democrats' $819 billion stimulus plan.

Without going into major detail, all I will say is that this is perhaps a massive gambit for the Democrats so far supporting this and the Republicans so far rejecting it. If it succeeds in the eyes of the American people, Obama instantly gets his second term without even thinking about it yet. If it fails...

I really don't want it to fail honestly, but you can put it together yourself if they do fail.

I also saw the actual bill that passed the house on Wedenesday. It's 647 pages! Also, Congress just discussed this a few weeks ago at the earliest. Either they are fast readers (which I highly doubt), their team of staff read pieces of it and discussed it together, or they didn't actually read this and only listened to their party leaders and the news on what the bill is supposedly trying to portray.

Either way, if you REALLY want to read it, click here. Seriously though, DON'T and just live out your lives.

4) After a long period of unemployment, I decided to go back to school. I'm currently taking Microbiology at a JC. It's pretty interesting. What I noticed though is that there is a lot of nursing and physical therapy students there. I guess that's the hot job right now in this country.

3) In case you're also wondering, I passed my interview with US Customs and therefore still eligible for the job. Continued prayers appreciated.

2) I woke up early and caught an interview with Larry Willmore on Morning Joe (He's a "reporter" on The Daily Show.). He was talking about his new book I'd Rather We Got Casinos. In it he put proof that Jesus was Black. He gave a preview by stating two pieces of evidence proving Jesus was Black:

(1) By the time Mother Mary was pregnant with Jesus, who the baby-daddy was became a major issue in the community.

(2) Jesus' cousin had a hip-hop name...John the Baptist. This was two-thousand years before Cedric the Entertainer!

It's in the Bible everyone. It really made me chuckle.

1) I have blogged this many times before about the origins of my last name. My cousin was searching stuff on Google, and she came across 4 definitions on Urban Dictionary. While the definitions range from dissing your co-worker for lunch by going with someone more powerful or affluent to a very large deffication (They must have met some pretty shitty Dumos' in real life.), I rather prefer definition (4):

(4) DuMO

The undisputed sex god of all the land.

Dude, he banged 15 chicks last night! He's such a DuMO!

I have found my origins. Thumbs up to that definition!

That is all.

History Was Made

Only two things in mind:

2) First off, I've blogged so much about the presidential election and about President Obama, yet I've haven't said anything about him actually being the president. I really don't have a lot to say about it, but I will say this:

It's been a historical day for this country.

If you didn't catch his inaugural speech, here's the video.



I also suggest listening to the news about the first one-hundred days. It's usually a good indicator as to how the administration will be and what their priorities are for the next four years.

1) If you are a major Facebook junkie, like I am, then you might have seen the event called "Novena to stop FOCA". A representative from the USCCB had responded to the event here. The gist of the CNA article indicated that there were inaccurate information posted on the event's description. Even though most of the information had been corrected during the event's activity, the USCCB response made a great point that FOCA was controversial enough to not make up facts or even coerce people into opposing the bill. FOCA will not directly force medical centers, including Catholic hospitals, from performing actual abortions, therefore forcing the US bishops to shut all of them down. However, according to the bill, FOCA will force the federal, state, and local governments from denying public funding to those how don't perform abortions, which definitely does include these Catholic hospitals. Considering the high cost of health care, this reason alone would potentially limit funding for these Catholic hopitals or even force the closure of some of them. Also, FOCA has not yet even been on Congress' schedule. Even though I do expect FOCA to be debated on the committees this year, it's a bit of an overstatement that these "left-wing dogs" would create an abortion free-for-all in the first few days of the Obama administration.

It leaves me one point of thought of whether the pro-life movement is actually serious about actually attempting to make their policies and ideas work in the US. Perhaps it was an honest mistake of the facts regarding FOCA. On the other hand, perhaps it was also an intentional move to scare people into the novena. To be frank, while I do believe that the actual novena was a great idea, I and many other Catholics don't need to be scared into being serious about our faith, much less being intentionally coerced into praying and opposing FOCA. It's simply a very controversial bill and a definite wrong move for this country. I can even think of two reasons as to why FOCA is wrong without even putting a religious twist to it. First, FOCA further limits the power of the state and local governments to decide what is best for their community. Also, the funding cuts alone would endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans that depend on the health care from Catholic hospitals, and I'm sure that unlike the unborn, there can be no debate that these are actual LIVING Americans who will be negatively affected by FOCA. In other words, do the ends really justify the means?

Consequently, these false facts and further inflammatory statements like FOCA will possibly bring us closer to limiting the number of children a family can have or even force mothers to abort their babies that have Down's Syndrome (Read the comments on the Facebook event and the CNA article.) does not strengthen the pro-life movement but further weaken it. Lies will always taint or even destroy whole ideas and principles, and we should not rely on them. Even so, if this is what they will rely on to make a pro-life America, then I don't think anyone in this movement is serious about making it happen, much more will America even support pro-life polcies at all. I have to further question if an actual pro-life America that will work is the goal of these people, or are they just supporting and showboating this for their own individual souls? I have said this before, and I will say it again, but the pro-life movement definitely needs to re-examine their intentions and their arguments to make their ideas work in this country instead of just shoving damning remarks and false statements down our throats. I still believe that there are very viable arguments out there as to why abortions should be limited or even why abortions should be banned in the US with the addition of the proper policies in social welfare in place.

The argument of abortion in the US needs to be a mature one, and maturity does include being able to make reasonable and truthful arguments, either for or against it. Furthermore, as Catholics, while we do need to be sympathetic and understanding to those potential mothers, I do believe that we do need to always support life, both those that are unborn and those that still walk the Earth.

Perhaps it is appropriate to reaffirm our commitment to life today considering that this was when Roe v. Wade was decided by the Supreme Court in 1973.

If you want to actually read what was stated in the proposed FOCA bill last year, read it here.

That is all.

Here's To You, 2009

Here it is, the top five:

5) I fixed my computer. It's clean! Look at it yourself:



I love it when it looks like this. If you ever need to reformat Windows XP, I can try to help.

4) As Inauguration Day approaches (January 20, 2009), it has been interesting how many Obama "stuff" has been available. Those colored coins of the President-Elect make me laugh! He's not yet president, we don't even know if he's going to be a great president (Considering how things are in the country and in the world, he better be!), he's not even dead, and he has an uncirculated coin printed over actual currency. There's even a collectible plate that I saw at Wallgreens and on a commercial. Yes, I will sit by my fireplace looking at my commemorative plate hung on my mantle and contemplating a leader who hasn't led yet. I think everyone is jumping the gun here.

The other thing that's really funny is how many songs are out there in honor of President-Elect Obama. Also, so far many of these songs are from famous rap and R&B singers. I guess they're still basking in the moment that there is now a Black President in the White House.

Otherwise, I wish I was there at Washington on that day! It would be great to just go to Washington and sightsee. Maybe that can be a future trip?

3) I have a video based interview for US Customs on Tuesday. Prayers appreciated! It's interesting because instead of asking the interviewee what they would do in certain situations, they actually display the situation in a video and you have to respond as if you were in that situation. They will also not only record your responses, but they also videotape your expressions and behaviors. What an interesting way to do an interview.

2) The one of many things that keep reminding me of my fellow Loggers and those at Interfaith at my parish is the new bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento. The last bishop, William Weigand, has now retired and has transfered his powers to the coadjutor bishop, Jaime Soto. Yes, you have read that right. Remember him? For the last three years I have heard his name at an Orange County church (Especially from FJF.). During MOTP 2006, he presided over Mass and I have met him in person (and Adrian drove his car to the structures). It's interesting that I hear his name at my parish and there's this small click in my mind about Irvine.

1) 2009 has arrived. I don't do resolutions since they tend to FAIL! Rather I have goals. There's really only one goal...get a job! That's it. If I do this, 2009 will be great.

Also, I will be praying for those that are still unemployed or undecided for the future. Tough times are occuring right now, but there is definitely something hopeful later on.

Random thoughts, yes, but I wanted to blog something for the New Year.

Christmas is over! Back to work.

That is all.

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out!

The top five for the moment:

5) My computer is broken, ARGH! I'm currently using my sister's laptop to type this blog entry. Hopefully I will be able to fix it, but it requires major fixes (repair, reformat, new hard drive?). I've been reading many ways to fix this through the Microsoft website. I wish they made this more user friendly. On the other hand I like the details.

I'm learning something new.

4) I've noticed a lot of blogs that pertain to some sort of list. Personalities, songs, movie quotes, etc. Crazy. Well not really considering my blogs are usually in list form. See, I told you lists makes things more understandable.

3) I've been searching for more Christmas songs. The new objective is to find new Christmas songs aside from the common songs that we have known for years and years. It's to my surprise that there are actually a lot of good songs or even good covers of traditional Christmas songs.

However, there are a few words that I have been wondering what those words mean in the first place:

King Wenceslas: Also known as St. Wenceslas. Was attributed with spreading Christianity within the Czech region. Was killed by his brother while the king was going to Mass due to a succession dispute. The actual carol "Good King Wenceslas" is based on the legend of his miraculous good deeds towards the people.

Yule Log: A log that is burned during Christmas. It has influenced the French dessert Bûche de Noël.

Wassail: Another word for caroling. There are two variations, either singing house to house or singing to fruit trees for a good harvest (Silly? Yes!). Also, it is an old school spiced alocholic drink.

That was interesting researching these words. However, I then realized that these songs suck!

End of discussion.

2) Speaking of Christmas songs, I always have to watch the following Christmas movies during the season: Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Elf, and some version of A Christmas Carol. It has to be done, or else it's not Christmas (but seriously, it's not THAT important). The most surprisingly good movie was A Christmas Story. I have never watched it until last year...and it was freakin' awesome. It's an old movie, but it's definitely worth a watch.

If you have never seen the movie, it was on TBS Christmas Eve/Christmas Day for 24 hours. Watch it next year or rent the DVD. It's a great movie because considering that the movie was produced in the 1970s and it was based in the 1940s AND it is a Christmas movie, there's a good amount of cursing. And they say that people our generation have dirty mouths.

Oh, Ffffffudge.


1) Charlene showed me this clip known as the "Advent Conspiracy":



It's a great video because it made myself think about what Christmas was about. Especially during such a time of uncertainty in terms of our futures, it is now more important than ever to reconsider what Christmas means in the United States. There is truth that mass consumerism has covered what Christmas should mean. Despite the fact that Christmas is no longer a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and the start of one of the greatest principles of faith in human history (even though that's why I and I'm sure a lot of other people still celebrate Christmas for that reason), the concept of love, compassion, and charity can still be the major emphasis for the holiday season since these ideas does not belong to a particular religion. It is at this time that we now understand what possessions and greed can do to a person and taint the holiday spirit. In fact, it was greed, along with the many other reasons, that has created the mess in the economy.

I give out terrible gifts. Hence why I rarely give gifts at all for any reason, especially during Christmas. However, I still offer something in the form of a decent Christmas dinner. This year, it was a roasted garlic and fennel seed prime rib, scalloped potato gratin, steamed asparagus, and a soup with kidney beans, red potatoes, kale, and kielbasa sausage. Thank God for the Food Network and this year's Costco Cookbook. However, I will admit that the "Advent Conspiracy" video has further encouraged my resistance to buy gifts during Christmas, unless I absolutely have to.

Next year, I think I will try to help out the community by donating my time and money.

I think it is definitely healthy to have a little revolution at times even though it is rather a personal revolution than something that can change whole communities...or maybe it can. Regardless, I think it's time to take back Christmas!

Enjoy the rest of the Christmas Season and have a blessed New Year.

That is all.