Ever since I heard Macklemore's new album "The Heist" 4 days ago, I have been listening to it non stop. While I like the song "Thrift Store" and am in awe of his three hundred million and eight hundred thousand hits on You Tube (That's insane)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8mJJJvaes, I love the album as whole. It has been a long time since I have listened to an album from start to finish old school Columbia House style (remember that, those hustlers!). Let alone, just out and bought an album after hearing it.
It is so refreshing to hear a rapper/hip hop artist singing about things other than guns, drugs, money, and women. The lyrics are superb, the beat is poppin' and its got me droppn some dough. Uhh.
Pretty amazing in that the album became number one on i tunes within hours of its release with no mainstream promotion or support. It made Hot 100 chart history by having their first two singles both become a #1 single,
and the first to do so without being signed to a major record company
in almost 20 years. http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1560817/macklemore-ryan-lewis-cant-hold-us-tops-hot-100
With today's rampant technology, it is possible to listen artists for free. Spotify, Pandora, You Tube are amazing tools that have revolutionized consumer access to music. For many independent artists it is a way to get on the airwaves fast. However, the artists get paid very little when we use these tools compared to when we purchase songs and albums. This has put tremendous pressure on artists to make their living off live performances. More live performances is problematic as they end up having more vocal cord injuries and other repetitive use injuries in guitarists and drummers. Not to mention being on the road is exhausting. Please support independent artists by buying their albums and songs directly.
My favorite songs are "Awake", "Ten Thousand Hours" and "Starting Over".
Check it out.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Wrecking the Body of the World.
Last night I finished reading Eve Ensler's "In the Body of the World"
If you don't know who Eve Ensler is you should. Go ahead and google her. She has done much on her short time on Earth. Puts the rest of us to shame. Her shame led her to do amazing things. Most of us who have been shamed by sexual abuse sometimes respond by over caring and overworking. As if our existence on the planet can only be justified by doing amazing things to correct the ills of the planet. I really resonated with this. Her book was hard to read. Raw and horrifying. As someone who works with cancer patients, I could really feel her anguish about what was happening to her body. Equally intriguing is her linking her getting uterine cancer to working with women who have been sexually assaulted aka Raped. Was it linked to her rape by her father?
Equally harrowing, she links the rape of women to the rape of the planet. I too believe that they are no different and are born of the same consciousness. When we destroy the planet we destroy our future. When we rape a woman, we destroy her capacity to bring forth the future generations. We are cancer. You and me. The resources required for us to live our entitled lives requires the destruction of the Earth. We are the Cancer. We are Rapists. We create the conditions for cancer to arise when we live in this way.
Indigenous cultures have always held that the Earth is our "mother". After all it is her "body" that gives rise to the material substance of our bodies. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust. We are born of and return to the Earth.
We need healthy women to have healthy children to have a better future. We also need a healthy Earth for that reality to occur. Life is short in the grand scheme of things. You can spend your life doing something small like accumulating resources to maintain the illusion of a comfortable life. Or we can build something bigger than ourselves. Something lasting, something for everyone. Lets build it together the time is now.
Equally harrowing, she links the rape of women to the rape of the planet. I too believe that they are no different and are born of the same consciousness. When we destroy the planet we destroy our future. When we rape a woman, we destroy her capacity to bring forth the future generations. We are cancer. You and me. The resources required for us to live our entitled lives requires the destruction of the Earth. We are the Cancer. We are Rapists. We create the conditions for cancer to arise when we live in this way.
Indigenous cultures have always held that the Earth is our "mother". After all it is her "body" that gives rise to the material substance of our bodies. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust. We are born of and return to the Earth.
We need healthy women to have healthy children to have a better future. We also need a healthy Earth for that reality to occur. Life is short in the grand scheme of things. You can spend your life doing something small like accumulating resources to maintain the illusion of a comfortable life. Or we can build something bigger than ourselves. Something lasting, something for everyone. Lets build it together the time is now.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Shame on me, shame in me...
Facing the shame in our life is never easy. I seem to have tons of it. Apparently my perfectionist tendencies are a way of avoiding it. Things have gotten so I can no longer avoid it. Recently a friend pointed out how much anger I have inside me. Watching a talk in response to the Stubenville rape got me thinking and examining my own shame. http://www.vday.org/livestream
Shame for men seems to surround their masculinity. If you are not "a man" then you will be filled with the sense of shame. I have always had a particular apathy towards the things that make one a man. Maybe this comes from growing up in a home where it was women that were defining me as a man, rather than having a man define me as a man. Or a culture that has always defined manhood to me with a negative connotation. Fortunately, I have wound my way around into manhood defined by myself and secure in myself. Or so I thought. This has not been without consequences.
Dr. Brene Brown has a TED talk on shame that is very enlightening. http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame.html I like how she separates shame and guilt. When you say "I am sorry I made a mistake" you are experiencing guilt. When you say "I am sorry I am a mistake" you are experiencing shame. My hair stood on end, this is me.
Both talks talk about how shame thrives in silence and secrecy. So here is my attempt to end my silence and secrecy to quell my own inner shame... Here goes...
Oh shit, this is hard... (a little, but loud voice in my head says I will never get laid again if I keep writing...)
I am ashamed for having the mother of my child leave me when our child was only 9 months old. My unspoken inner world told the story that I must really be a monster for this to happen. Statistically women will typically wait till the child is 4 before leaving the father. I knew this even then, and spent many nights berating myself over it. I think unconsciously I still do. I felt really alienated, the females in my life left and "tended and befriended" my child's mother; the males in my life knew nothing of how to be with an infant and stopped calling to hang out. But mostly, my intense sense of shame kept me from reaching out to my friends. I have felt very alone in fatherhood for the past 4 years.
I am ashamed for wanting at times to leave my child to chase women, money, and success. I have stayed with my child and have still gotten two of the three... I will let you decide which 2!
I am ashamed for being in debt. I think this ties into my ancestral past in slavery. I still am in shackles, they are just in my mind rather than around my ankles. Despite my success in work, my debt is such that it is unlikely that I will be able to pay it off. I can make my payments, but this is different than paying it off. Still feels like indentured servitude, only no one is beating me. This debt also shames me in terms of not being a "good provider". Despite the liberation of women into the joys and sorrows of working life, of not needing a man, I still feel intense pressure to "be a good provider". I feel a great sense of shame that I am not.
Because I have not felt like much of a provider (and therefore not a man), I have a constant feeling of not being enough for all the women in my life. I think my shame of this kept me from ever really showing up in my relationships. (Surely, with the sheer number of women I have dated, the problem must be me.) For a long time, I tried to blame women... Women this, women that... I am sure many of you have heard things along those lines come out of my mouth. For this I am sorry.
In Dr. Brene Brown's talk on shame (around min 17:00), she relates a story about a man talking about being vulnerable he said the women in his life "would rather me die on top of my white horse than watch me fall down... When we reach out and be vulnerable we get the shit beat out of us... and don't tell me it is from the guys, the coaches and the dads, because the women in my life are harder on me than anyone else." This rings true for me as well.
It sucks to not be enough. The constant criticism from the women in my life and my lack of a thick skin, has led me to always feel like I am not enough. Couple this with not being a provider with resources or power and you have a broken individual and a shell of a man. This leads to a worthlessness that sucks the life out of relationships and friendships. And for some, it sucks the life out of them. Rather than getting addicted to a substance to soothe my seething soul, I got addicted to perfection. If I am perfect enough I will be loved and cared for. I must never let someone see me rattled. When I did those people left me. Or at least that was the story I told myself. (Abandonment... That will take a whole other blog!)
My inability to be comfortable in my vulnerability has robbed me of vital friendships, loving relationships, and my own authenticity. I like how Dr. Brene Brown talks about how when you numb out from negative emotions and feelings, you can't be selective. You also loose the positive emotions of joy and gratitude as well... http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html
The irony of the whole thing is that every day I work with vulnerability and shame and am quite good at it. Every day people take of their clothes, bearing their naked body so I may examine it for signs of disease and health. Every day people bear their innermost secrets to me. Every day people bear their souls deepest wishes to me. Every day I walk others through the fear of disease and death that comes with a body. Ironically, every day the things that would quell my angst come out of my mouth. I am continually in awe of my patients ability to be vulnerable, honest, and authentic with me.
For my own healing, I am going to let myself be seen, love with my whole heart, find gratitude and joy, and finally be ENOUGH. I look forward to the journey...
Shame for men seems to surround their masculinity. If you are not "a man" then you will be filled with the sense of shame. I have always had a particular apathy towards the things that make one a man. Maybe this comes from growing up in a home where it was women that were defining me as a man, rather than having a man define me as a man. Or a culture that has always defined manhood to me with a negative connotation. Fortunately, I have wound my way around into manhood defined by myself and secure in myself. Or so I thought. This has not been without consequences.
Dr. Brene Brown has a TED talk on shame that is very enlightening. http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame.html I like how she separates shame and guilt. When you say "I am sorry I made a mistake" you are experiencing guilt. When you say "I am sorry I am a mistake" you are experiencing shame. My hair stood on end, this is me.
Both talks talk about how shame thrives in silence and secrecy. So here is my attempt to end my silence and secrecy to quell my own inner shame... Here goes...
Oh shit, this is hard... (a little, but loud voice in my head says I will never get laid again if I keep writing...)
I am ashamed for having the mother of my child leave me when our child was only 9 months old. My unspoken inner world told the story that I must really be a monster for this to happen. Statistically women will typically wait till the child is 4 before leaving the father. I knew this even then, and spent many nights berating myself over it. I think unconsciously I still do. I felt really alienated, the females in my life left and "tended and befriended" my child's mother; the males in my life knew nothing of how to be with an infant and stopped calling to hang out. But mostly, my intense sense of shame kept me from reaching out to my friends. I have felt very alone in fatherhood for the past 4 years.
I am ashamed for wanting at times to leave my child to chase women, money, and success. I have stayed with my child and have still gotten two of the three... I will let you decide which 2!
I am ashamed for being in debt. I think this ties into my ancestral past in slavery. I still am in shackles, they are just in my mind rather than around my ankles. Despite my success in work, my debt is such that it is unlikely that I will be able to pay it off. I can make my payments, but this is different than paying it off. Still feels like indentured servitude, only no one is beating me. This debt also shames me in terms of not being a "good provider". Despite the liberation of women into the joys and sorrows of working life, of not needing a man, I still feel intense pressure to "be a good provider". I feel a great sense of shame that I am not.
Because I have not felt like much of a provider (and therefore not a man), I have a constant feeling of not being enough for all the women in my life. I think my shame of this kept me from ever really showing up in my relationships. (Surely, with the sheer number of women I have dated, the problem must be me.) For a long time, I tried to blame women... Women this, women that... I am sure many of you have heard things along those lines come out of my mouth. For this I am sorry.
In Dr. Brene Brown's talk on shame (around min 17:00), she relates a story about a man talking about being vulnerable he said the women in his life "would rather me die on top of my white horse than watch me fall down... When we reach out and be vulnerable we get the shit beat out of us... and don't tell me it is from the guys, the coaches and the dads, because the women in my life are harder on me than anyone else." This rings true for me as well.
It sucks to not be enough. The constant criticism from the women in my life and my lack of a thick skin, has led me to always feel like I am not enough. Couple this with not being a provider with resources or power and you have a broken individual and a shell of a man. This leads to a worthlessness that sucks the life out of relationships and friendships. And for some, it sucks the life out of them. Rather than getting addicted to a substance to soothe my seething soul, I got addicted to perfection. If I am perfect enough I will be loved and cared for. I must never let someone see me rattled. When I did those people left me. Or at least that was the story I told myself. (Abandonment... That will take a whole other blog!)
My inability to be comfortable in my vulnerability has robbed me of vital friendships, loving relationships, and my own authenticity. I like how Dr. Brene Brown talks about how when you numb out from negative emotions and feelings, you can't be selective. You also loose the positive emotions of joy and gratitude as well... http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html
The irony of the whole thing is that every day I work with vulnerability and shame and am quite good at it. Every day people take of their clothes, bearing their naked body so I may examine it for signs of disease and health. Every day people bear their innermost secrets to me. Every day people bear their souls deepest wishes to me. Every day I walk others through the fear of disease and death that comes with a body. Ironically, every day the things that would quell my angst come out of my mouth. I am continually in awe of my patients ability to be vulnerable, honest, and authentic with me.
For my own healing, I am going to let myself be seen, love with my whole heart, find gratitude and joy, and finally be ENOUGH. I look forward to the journey...
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Case Against Gay Marriage
There is no case against gay marriage. Which side of history will you be on? Take a stand.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Rape culture
India made international news in December 2012 after a gang rape of a young woman despite being accompanied by a male friend who attempted to stop the rape. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Delhi_gang_rape_case (Warning, do not read if sensitive, graphic description of her injuries). She later died 4 days later as a result of the assault. Al Jazeera had a good program looking at how the culture in India and recent changes of having women in the workplace has increased the phenomenon of rape and "eve teasing"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_teasing in India. http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2012/04/201242482823627221.html There is even now an ap for Indian women focused on reporting and protecting women. http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/370176/fightback-app-indias-first-mobile-application-for-womens-safety.html
I was saddened to see this in the news. Twelve years ago I traveled in India for 3 months. During my journey I accompanied many women traveling. Some on buses and trains. Some just wanting to go to a movie, just like the couple who were attacked. In many cases I was accompanying Caucasian women and eve teasers would not even realize that they were being accompanied as I blend into the background there when moving through a crowd. I used to always tell Caucasian women that in general they were safe in India as only Indian women were raped. There was a widespread belief that crimes against white women would be investigated and prosecuted, while crimes against Indian women would be unreported and are rarely prosecuted. Unfortunately, things have changed in India as a Swiss woman with her husband was recently gang raped in India. http://world.time.com/2013/03/16/swiss-tourist-gang-raped-in-central-india/
I suspect that one of the things driving the increase in sexual violence in India have to do with a complex mix of traditional views of women, especially women as property with modern pornography. I am surprised at the age of the perpetrators, they are young men. I don't believe that something like gang rape just happens, it has to be taught and it has to be culturally supported. I think the Internet has become the classroom for gang rapists. Where else would one learn something like that? It is not even in many Western films let alone Indian ones. When a man is sexually primed for gang raping, and then is economically disenfranchised ie too poor to get married, afford a prostitute, ect. then he will just take. As the stratification of wealth continues in India and less and less men can afford to marry in the traditional way, and no real concept of sex out of marriage, what will they do with their libidos? Likely turn to the internet. A small number of them will take what they learn there and act it out.
Our own rape culture is a bit different. Here in America apparently it is ok to have sex with an intoxicated female. So many bystanders and no one helping. If she can't say no and does not say yes, then this too is rape. In America you are far more likely to be raped by someone you know. This is known as date rape. A little different from gang rape or stranger rape, but just as damaging. It is estimated to be drastically under reported for a variety of reasons including the victim not being sure she was raped because the perp was her husband/boyfriend/friend. I have to confess that I have always been afraid that I would be accused of date rape and that being a dark skinned male would be highly likely to be vilified, prosecuted. I think most people who know me or have dated me would find this odd, but yes it is something I fear.
Rape, false rape accusations, and sports stars go hand and hand, from Kobe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant_sexual_assault_case, to Duke Lacross players http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_lacrosse_case, to Seattle's Jeremy Stevens http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2004147460_rbstevens270.html, but now we have high school kids. Steubenville, OH has 2 high school charged with raping a 16 year old girl. Over 900 pictures were taken of the girl during and after the assault. Yet no one helped her.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/steubenville-investigation-video-shows-fellow-students-concerned-victim-article-1.1297103 Why is that? How is it that teens have been acculturated to see this as a normal occurrence? Could it be that they see it on the Internet every day? Could it be that there are a plethora of websites showing intoxicated females in a party atmosphere having sex?
Rape is wrong, it always is no mater what the context. GUYS: If it is a grey area, when in doubt keep it out, it DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU. I think greater education can be done to help educate males about what is consensual and what is not. Both men and women contribute to rape culture. Men by continuing to view women as property, as sex objects, and as something for their comfort and gratification. Patricia Levy, PhD in a huffington post article explains how she thinks women contribute to rape culture. Here is her article... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patricia-leavy-phd/why-girls-and-women-parti_b_2909542.html?utm_hp_ref=steubenville-rape
And now a shout out to those doing something to evoke change:
Tony Porter, see his TED Talk http://www.ted.com/talks/tony_porter_a_call_to_men.html
Eve Ensler and her One Billion Rising movement http://www.onebillionrising.org/livestream http://www.ted.com/talks/eve_ensler_on_security.html
Morley http://onebillionrising.org/blog/entry/rise-by-morley
L Vogelman Sexual Face of Violence: Rapists on Rape https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=127046
Cindy Gallop creator of Make love not porn http://blog.ted.com/2009/12/02/cindy_gallop_ma/
http://www.makelovenotporn.com/
I think that rape culture and war culture go hand and hand. I see little difference between the mentality behind the rape of women, the rape of the planet, and the rape of other cultures. Behind all three lurk the need for power. Where did all these men lose their power?
I was saddened to see this in the news. Twelve years ago I traveled in India for 3 months. During my journey I accompanied many women traveling. Some on buses and trains. Some just wanting to go to a movie, just like the couple who were attacked. In many cases I was accompanying Caucasian women and eve teasers would not even realize that they were being accompanied as I blend into the background there when moving through a crowd. I used to always tell Caucasian women that in general they were safe in India as only Indian women were raped. There was a widespread belief that crimes against white women would be investigated and prosecuted, while crimes against Indian women would be unreported and are rarely prosecuted. Unfortunately, things have changed in India as a Swiss woman with her husband was recently gang raped in India. http://world.time.com/2013/03/16/swiss-tourist-gang-raped-in-central-india/
I suspect that one of the things driving the increase in sexual violence in India have to do with a complex mix of traditional views of women, especially women as property with modern pornography. I am surprised at the age of the perpetrators, they are young men. I don't believe that something like gang rape just happens, it has to be taught and it has to be culturally supported. I think the Internet has become the classroom for gang rapists. Where else would one learn something like that? It is not even in many Western films let alone Indian ones. When a man is sexually primed for gang raping, and then is economically disenfranchised ie too poor to get married, afford a prostitute, ect. then he will just take. As the stratification of wealth continues in India and less and less men can afford to marry in the traditional way, and no real concept of sex out of marriage, what will they do with their libidos? Likely turn to the internet. A small number of them will take what they learn there and act it out.
Our own rape culture is a bit different. Here in America apparently it is ok to have sex with an intoxicated female. So many bystanders and no one helping. If she can't say no and does not say yes, then this too is rape. In America you are far more likely to be raped by someone you know. This is known as date rape. A little different from gang rape or stranger rape, but just as damaging. It is estimated to be drastically under reported for a variety of reasons including the victim not being sure she was raped because the perp was her husband/boyfriend/friend. I have to confess that I have always been afraid that I would be accused of date rape and that being a dark skinned male would be highly likely to be vilified, prosecuted. I think most people who know me or have dated me would find this odd, but yes it is something I fear.
Rape, false rape accusations, and sports stars go hand and hand, from Kobe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant_sexual_assault_case, to Duke Lacross players http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_lacrosse_case, to Seattle's Jeremy Stevens http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2004147460_rbstevens270.html, but now we have high school kids. Steubenville, OH has 2 high school charged with raping a 16 year old girl. Over 900 pictures were taken of the girl during and after the assault. Yet no one helped her.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/steubenville-investigation-video-shows-fellow-students-concerned-victim-article-1.1297103 Why is that? How is it that teens have been acculturated to see this as a normal occurrence? Could it be that they see it on the Internet every day? Could it be that there are a plethora of websites showing intoxicated females in a party atmosphere having sex?
Rape is wrong, it always is no mater what the context. GUYS: If it is a grey area, when in doubt keep it out, it DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU. I think greater education can be done to help educate males about what is consensual and what is not. Both men and women contribute to rape culture. Men by continuing to view women as property, as sex objects, and as something for their comfort and gratification. Patricia Levy, PhD in a huffington post article explains how she thinks women contribute to rape culture. Here is her article... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patricia-leavy-phd/why-girls-and-women-parti_b_2909542.html?utm_hp_ref=steubenville-rape
And now a shout out to those doing something to evoke change:
Tony Porter, see his TED Talk http://www.ted.com/talks/tony_porter_a_call_to_men.html
Eve Ensler and her One Billion Rising movement http://www.onebillionrising.org/livestream http://www.ted.com/talks/eve_ensler_on_security.html
Morley http://onebillionrising.org/blog/entry/rise-by-morley
L Vogelman Sexual Face of Violence: Rapists on Rape https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=127046
Cindy Gallop creator of Make love not porn http://blog.ted.com/2009/12/02/cindy_gallop_ma/
http://www.makelovenotporn.com/
I think that rape culture and war culture go hand and hand. I see little difference between the mentality behind the rape of women, the rape of the planet, and the rape of other cultures. Behind all three lurk the need for power. Where did all these men lose their power?
Saturday, February 2, 2013
What are you? Where are you from?
The question I get on a nearly daily basis... What are you? Most often referring my amorphous racial appearance. When I was little I was told to say "Indian". Then I changed the response to "East Indian" after someone asked me "Dot or feather?" Later I learned that since my parents were both from Guyana (South America not Africa for you geography impaired Americans) that I should answer "West Indian".
As I grew older I began putting down "Asian" on applications as the PC term of "Multiracial" had not been coined. Occasionally I saw "Other" on the form... What the hell is an "Other"? But as I began learning about my family history, things got even more interesting. Here we go...
My mother is full East Indian, but not from India. She was born in Georgetown, Guyana from parents that were indentured laborers on sugar plantations. There families as far as the lore goes was that they were from Calcutta and Madras, India (Now Kolcutta and Chennai as they shrug off the vestiges of Colonialism).
My father is a mix of African and Chinese, but there has always been a rumor that some Caucasian blood mixed in there, but no one seems to know from where... Two common rumors formed, one was that it was Russian blood and the other that it was something from Great Britain ie English, Irish. There is also a third rumor that we had South American native blood as my father's family was living in Bartica, Guyana a place deep in the jungle of Guyana.
When Penelope my daughter was born she had deep blue eyes. As the early months went by her eye color changed to three colors... blue, green, and brown. This attracted a lot of attention from people passing by about the beauty of her eyes. As more months passed her eyes settled into the green shade that they are now.
My background is in molecular biology and specifically genetics... So naturally I realized that for me to have a green eyed child, I must have blue eyed genes and therefore must have Caucasian genes...
On Christmas break I sent in a DNA sample of myself to www.23andme.com for analysis and the results were very interesting...
So I am 50% South Asian (Indian) from my Mother, and the next highest category was 17.3% Caucasian! The rest was 15.9% Sub Saharan African, and 11.8% East Asian (Chinese).
And the kicker... The Caucasian genes match closest to Ireland and Lithuania! Both rumors were true! And alas, no South American Native genes...
So after the South Asian from my mother, the next highest category was Caucasian. This means all those times I was called a "Coconut" (brown on the outside, white on the inside) or "Oreo" (black on the outside, white on the inside), they were right! Stay tuned for more interesting insights...
As I grew older I began putting down "Asian" on applications as the PC term of "Multiracial" had not been coined. Occasionally I saw "Other" on the form... What the hell is an "Other"? But as I began learning about my family history, things got even more interesting. Here we go...
My mother is full East Indian, but not from India. She was born in Georgetown, Guyana from parents that were indentured laborers on sugar plantations. There families as far as the lore goes was that they were from Calcutta and Madras, India (Now Kolcutta and Chennai as they shrug off the vestiges of Colonialism).
My father is a mix of African and Chinese, but there has always been a rumor that some Caucasian blood mixed in there, but no one seems to know from where... Two common rumors formed, one was that it was Russian blood and the other that it was something from Great Britain ie English, Irish. There is also a third rumor that we had South American native blood as my father's family was living in Bartica, Guyana a place deep in the jungle of Guyana.
When Penelope my daughter was born she had deep blue eyes. As the early months went by her eye color changed to three colors... blue, green, and brown. This attracted a lot of attention from people passing by about the beauty of her eyes. As more months passed her eyes settled into the green shade that they are now.
My background is in molecular biology and specifically genetics... So naturally I realized that for me to have a green eyed child, I must have blue eyed genes and therefore must have Caucasian genes...
On Christmas break I sent in a DNA sample of myself to www.23andme.com for analysis and the results were very interesting...
So I am 50% South Asian (Indian) from my Mother, and the next highest category was 17.3% Caucasian! The rest was 15.9% Sub Saharan African, and 11.8% East Asian (Chinese).
And the kicker... The Caucasian genes match closest to Ireland and Lithuania! Both rumors were true! And alas, no South American Native genes...
So after the South Asian from my mother, the next highest category was Caucasian. This means all those times I was called a "Coconut" (brown on the outside, white on the inside) or "Oreo" (black on the outside, white on the inside), they were right! Stay tuned for more interesting insights...
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Presidential Debates... some things were missing.
Today was the final presidential debate where two candidates get to duke it out over two diverging views of what America is and what America could be. Much hot air was expelled extorting differing plans on how to grow the U.S. economy. Opposing views from other candidates are not allowed to be heard (Except on Democracy Now http://www.democracynow.org/ who allowed Third party candidates to answer the questions posed to the candidates in each of the debates). Many talking heads are getting to exhale their well rehearsed lines that they have been awaiting all week to let loose. Separate from all the spin, many real issues remain glanced over or completely untouched. Let's examine some of these.
1. Tax Code- This complicated juggernaut of esoteric rules and loopholes is unlikely to be changed with either administration.
2. Education Crisis/Student loans- Banks remain the winners on this one as a large segment of the American population are now indentured servants. Neither candidate has a plan to change this debt system.
3. US Foreign Policy direction- Unlikely to change much in either administration. There were some indications in the debates that an Obama administration would shrink down the size of the military.
4. Energy policy- Mr. Romney clearly wants to drill the US. Pres Obama would like to grow the green renewable economy.
5. Deficit- A direct result of multiple wars with some of the lowest tax rates for the wealthy. Romney's plan to cut entitlements will not affect the deficit much as it is not a significant part of the budget... As I understand it the military makes up half of the budget.
6. Financial reform- Glass Stegall Act. Was never brought up. Clearly the banks should be regulated. Or be allowed to fail when they screw up. Record bonuses and bailouts under the Obama administration.
7. Patriot Act- Was never mentioned. Americans can be detained without trial or charges. In violation of the constitution (Thanks Idaho upbringing, where the constitution is pounded into us at an early age!)
8. Citizen's United- Never mentioned. Allows unlimited spending by corporations based on them being given personhood and therefore protection of free speech under the first amendment. Aka the government and political process goes to the highest bidder...
9. Iraq/Afganistan/Iran wars- much hot air about this tonight, however, not much would likely change here under either administration... The generals and main advisers on these topics do not change much with elections. If it did we would have pulled out troops at this point per Obama's prior election promise.
10. Poverty- Indirectly discussed via the conversation on the economy. Neither candidate has a convincing plan to eradicate the growing poverty. Arguably Obama may understand this topic better as he did not grow up with a silver spoon.
Ultimately, the two America's presented and represented by the two parties are at odds. They need not be though. I personally am tired of the partisan politics and would like to see a no party system or an every party system. This duality serves no one but the elites at the top of each party. A real democracy to me would have all the players at the table, including 3rd parties. I have always voted for a third party mostly because I live in Washington state where it always goes to the Democrats. I am a political anomaly in that I am a Liberal that is fiscally conservative.
In the end, I do think for America to move forward and reach its full potential, be need a less divided and more unified national plan. Given the current political climate, I do not see that happening soon. And so the empire will continue to crumble as all divided empires do...
1. Tax Code- This complicated juggernaut of esoteric rules and loopholes is unlikely to be changed with either administration.
2. Education Crisis/Student loans- Banks remain the winners on this one as a large segment of the American population are now indentured servants. Neither candidate has a plan to change this debt system.
3. US Foreign Policy direction- Unlikely to change much in either administration. There were some indications in the debates that an Obama administration would shrink down the size of the military.
4. Energy policy- Mr. Romney clearly wants to drill the US. Pres Obama would like to grow the green renewable economy.
5. Deficit- A direct result of multiple wars with some of the lowest tax rates for the wealthy. Romney's plan to cut entitlements will not affect the deficit much as it is not a significant part of the budget... As I understand it the military makes up half of the budget.
6. Financial reform- Glass Stegall Act. Was never brought up. Clearly the banks should be regulated. Or be allowed to fail when they screw up. Record bonuses and bailouts under the Obama administration.
7. Patriot Act- Was never mentioned. Americans can be detained without trial or charges. In violation of the constitution (Thanks Idaho upbringing, where the constitution is pounded into us at an early age!)
8. Citizen's United- Never mentioned. Allows unlimited spending by corporations based on them being given personhood and therefore protection of free speech under the first amendment. Aka the government and political process goes to the highest bidder...
9. Iraq/Afganistan/Iran wars- much hot air about this tonight, however, not much would likely change here under either administration... The generals and main advisers on these topics do not change much with elections. If it did we would have pulled out troops at this point per Obama's prior election promise.
10. Poverty- Indirectly discussed via the conversation on the economy. Neither candidate has a convincing plan to eradicate the growing poverty. Arguably Obama may understand this topic better as he did not grow up with a silver spoon.
Ultimately, the two America's presented and represented by the two parties are at odds. They need not be though. I personally am tired of the partisan politics and would like to see a no party system or an every party system. This duality serves no one but the elites at the top of each party. A real democracy to me would have all the players at the table, including 3rd parties. I have always voted for a third party mostly because I live in Washington state where it always goes to the Democrats. I am a political anomaly in that I am a Liberal that is fiscally conservative.
In the end, I do think for America to move forward and reach its full potential, be need a less divided and more unified national plan. Given the current political climate, I do not see that happening soon. And so the empire will continue to crumble as all divided empires do...
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