Every year on my flight from New York City back to Las Vegas, there is a good five minutes worth of mild turbulence that always sends me into a small anxiety attack. In my head, as the plane beings to rattle and shake, I can picture the main pilot look dejectedly at his co-pilot before pressing the button that lights the please-fasten-your-seat-belt sign on the overhead compartment. At that moment, I'm sure that the pilot and the co-pilot know of our pending doom but loses the resolve to inform the unknowing passengers on board.
It is strange and disturbing to know that this anecdote also applies metaphorically to the current situation of the Republican Party. Here I am, riding in the economy class as the supposed leaders of our party look despairingly at one another before strapping themselves in for the inevitable crash.
As I write this article, the Republican Party is literally dying. For years the Republican Party has conceded ground to the Democratic Party without even putting up a fight. We gave away New England, we let them have the entire west coast, we allowed them to pander to the Blacks, the Hispanics, the Asians, the Youth, the Catholics, and the Jews. We continually talk as if a degree from Harvard, Yale, or MIT is a bad thing, and make fools of ourselves as we dismiss social media and new technology as an unreliable gizmo.
If the party continues to progress, or rather, digress like it has done for the past few years and if the Republican Party doesn't understand that it's brand and it's image needs a fresh new start, then the Grand Ole Party is set to splinter and fizzle permanently.
I was recently grabbing cocktails with a group of friends at Veloce Cibo inside the Las Vegas M Resort when I sprung this particular dilemma of our party on the three politically apathetic friends of mine who'd been enjoying conversing about the FIFA World Cup. Suddenly the conversation had changed from Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to Sarah Palin and John McCain.
Considerably less... contemporary?
My friend Christopher who's finishing up on his Business Administration Marketing Masters explained his perception on the plight of why the Republican Party is having problems selling it's brand.
The party, especially to those who don't follow politics, seems old and stale. Boring with zero sex appeal. The Republican Party is viewed by the general populace as a party of old white folks who are grumpy that the world seems to be leaving them behind. Also it doesn't help the GOP at all when the Democrats do such a great job painting Republicans as anti-intellectuals, as bigots, as racists, and as chauvinistic macho men who hate woman.
In essence the perception is that the Grand Ole Party has lost the Grand and has become just the Ole Party.
And of course there's the new Tea Party factor. If the Republicans and conservatives weren't having enough trouble revamping the image of the party, we now have the Tea Party representing us. The conservative movement now has wall to wall coverage of old people with missing teeth holding smudged home made posters made out of cardboard boxes with either cowboy hats or leather biker chaps with metal studs.
Compare that to Matt Damon laying the smack down on Sarah Palin's "folksy-ness" on CBS News.
Starting to see the picture?
So I asked Chris, Zack, and Maria what could be done to start remaking the party. The three of them came up with a few sensible approaches to rebuilding the GOP brand:
One of the most important things is developing a concise and non policy orientated message about the future direction of the party (IE: Yes we can/Change you can believe in). Something the Republicans can take up as a battle call that says we're brimming with solutions and we want you to be a part of it.
Equally important is finding a leader with the right credentials that's also easy on the eye, sprinkles sentences with words only found on the SATs, and preferably doesn't have an ounce of the Southern drawl. Think Ronald Reagan, David Cameron, or Nicholas Sarkozy.
On the second tier of things that the GOP needs is a "sexy issue" where the GOP stance on the issue is perceived as a positive message. Democrats want the American voters to hug trees and plant grass (cap and tax) because they want to save the world from Armageddon. Democrats want to help the (illegal) impoverished and freedom seeking "undocumented" workers find a place amongst our rich and job filled communities. Democrats want to (pay exuberant amounts of taxes) fix the broken healthcare system so children don't die of cavities.
If you take out the truth given inside the parenthesis, then the average politically apathetic minds will listen to the Democratic message and think: wow, what a positive do-good party. The Republicans have been a little bit too proud for being known as the party of no, or as Sarah Palin puts it, "hell no."
The Republicans need to market the fact that we have golden stars too. How many members of the American public realizes that President George W. Bush was one of the most popular Presidents in Africa for his compassionate foreign policy which tripled and then doubled American aid to Africa putting it roughly near 9 billion dollars?
Probably no one.
And while Democrats raged about President Bush's supposed inaction in ending genocide in Darfur, no Republican stood up and pointed to President Bush's strong record of helping curtail civil war and genocide in the Congo and Liberia.
And of course no Democrat has ever heard of President George W. Bush declaring the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (84 million acres) as a national monument, creating the largest marine reserve to this day.
The GOP has a clear track record of undisputable "positive" policies, yet we don't ever market these events properly because we're so worried about saying "less taxes and stronger national defense," like we have for the last 7 decades.
Last but not least, the Republicans can't concede any more ground to the Democrats. This "how to talk to a liberal, if you must," mentality by Ann Coulter is ridiculous. Not only is it ridiculous but it's anti-American. It's anti-democratic. All those people and groups the GOP have written off because they don't vote or because they don't vote Republican must be sincerely re-engaged and re-introduced into the Republican Party.
That means we have to get people onto colleges and universities, that means we have to get the Republican message into black churches and catholic parishes in Latino communities. That means we have to flier China Town and buy ad space on Youtube, Facebook, and Google.
If the Republicans can revitalize some youth and positive energy into the party and stop talking about taking the country back to the 1700's when the constitution was adopted, then the Grand GOP might get it's groove back.
"Maybe even sex appeal too," Maria adds. "Like that Cristiano Ronaldo."
I laugh as Zack snorts.
"He's wouldn't be a Republican," Zack replies.
"Why not," I ask him,
"Because he's not white and decaying." Zack retorts.
Ouch.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Nevada's GOP Governor Race: Principle or Viability?
Everywhere across the country, incumbent politicians from both parties seem to be dropping like hundred dollars bills from a Goldman Sachs executive's pocket.
Just yesterday, the Associated Press reported that Representative Alan Mollohan, a 14-term incumbent Democrat, was ousted by state Senator Mike Oliverio in West Virginia’s Democratic primary by double digits. And of course who can forget Republican Senator Robert Bennett of Utah who got unceremoniously dumped for being apart of the establishment in Washington a few weeks prior.
With the Tea Party movement sweeping across our nation and Sarah Palin drawing large applause at the 2008 GOP convention for her attack on the good ole boy network, America is seeing the same red the French saw during it's revolution where aristocratic heads rolled off guillotine blades faster than PETA could throw red paint on lavish fur.
This toxic political climate for established Washingtonians have created the perfect brew for those opportunity seekers who've long been sitting on the floor, filtering off the scraps, dreaming of the day where they can sit with the big league at the dinner table and properly eat their slice of cake too.
All across the nation, those seeking political office are lining the ballot of every position possible, seeking a way into government by any means necessary. This leaves primary voters, especially Republicans who occupy the minority, a very serious question.
Is it more about viability or is it solely about principle?
We don't have to look far before we encounter this dilemma. Just analyzing the Republican primary in Nevada alone, there are a slew of candidates who are riding on the coat tail of the political atmosphere trying to make enough of an impression to irk out a primary win.
Just take a look at the Governor's race in Nevada. Even with rising polling numbers, Governor Jim Gibbons is still trying to fill a significant gap with ex-federal judge Brian Sandoval who's campaign calls him "the reason to believe again."
In this race alone, Republicans in Nevada have a dichotomy. Do you go with the incumbent Governor who has the conservative street credit but who is saddled with scandal and a high un-likeability rating with general voters? Or, do you go with the charismatic upstart who's conservative record is all but laughable but polls a bit higher than the incumbent in the general election?
And of course most races have that distant guy in third, in this case Mike Montandon, who brands himself smartly as "the only electable conservative candidate," but has such low polling figures that people question whether voting for him would be a waste of ballot paper.
So where do you go?
If the entire purpose of this current political climate was to keep politicians accountable and honest, then the answer has to be and only can be: principle first, viability second.
When people continue the routine of, "oh I like this guy, but we're going to have to go with him" mentality, then this entire process becomes a giant circle of constant dissatisfaction due to mediocre results by viable yet mediocre candidates.
If we continue down this path, we will forever be burdened with trying to figure out, which of the two is the lesser evil.
Even after all this head chopping, the people, if focusing on viability alone, will end up exactly where they started in the first place.
So if enough people started voting on principle without trying to factor in every ratio and percentage thrown out there, maybe it won't matter whether your the upstart, incumbent, or that guy in distant third.
Maybe, just maybe, for once in our lives we'll vote in a guy who'll do a decent enough of a job.
Just yesterday, the Associated Press reported that Representative Alan Mollohan, a 14-term incumbent Democrat, was ousted by state Senator Mike Oliverio in West Virginia’s Democratic primary by double digits. And of course who can forget Republican Senator Robert Bennett of Utah who got unceremoniously dumped for being apart of the establishment in Washington a few weeks prior.
With the Tea Party movement sweeping across our nation and Sarah Palin drawing large applause at the 2008 GOP convention for her attack on the good ole boy network, America is seeing the same red the French saw during it's revolution where aristocratic heads rolled off guillotine blades faster than PETA could throw red paint on lavish fur.
This toxic political climate for established Washingtonians have created the perfect brew for those opportunity seekers who've long been sitting on the floor, filtering off the scraps, dreaming of the day where they can sit with the big league at the dinner table and properly eat their slice of cake too.
All across the nation, those seeking political office are lining the ballot of every position possible, seeking a way into government by any means necessary. This leaves primary voters, especially Republicans who occupy the minority, a very serious question.
Is it more about viability or is it solely about principle?
We don't have to look far before we encounter this dilemma. Just analyzing the Republican primary in Nevada alone, there are a slew of candidates who are riding on the coat tail of the political atmosphere trying to make enough of an impression to irk out a primary win.
Just take a look at the Governor's race in Nevada. Even with rising polling numbers, Governor Jim Gibbons is still trying to fill a significant gap with ex-federal judge Brian Sandoval who's campaign calls him "the reason to believe again."
In this race alone, Republicans in Nevada have a dichotomy. Do you go with the incumbent Governor who has the conservative street credit but who is saddled with scandal and a high un-likeability rating with general voters? Or, do you go with the charismatic upstart who's conservative record is all but laughable but polls a bit higher than the incumbent in the general election?
And of course most races have that distant guy in third, in this case Mike Montandon, who brands himself smartly as "the only electable conservative candidate," but has such low polling figures that people question whether voting for him would be a waste of ballot paper.
So where do you go?
If the entire purpose of this current political climate was to keep politicians accountable and honest, then the answer has to be and only can be: principle first, viability second.
When people continue the routine of, "oh I like this guy, but we're going to have to go with him" mentality, then this entire process becomes a giant circle of constant dissatisfaction due to mediocre results by viable yet mediocre candidates.
If we continue down this path, we will forever be burdened with trying to figure out, which of the two is the lesser evil.
Even after all this head chopping, the people, if focusing on viability alone, will end up exactly where they started in the first place.
So if enough people started voting on principle without trying to factor in every ratio and percentage thrown out there, maybe it won't matter whether your the upstart, incumbent, or that guy in distant third.
Maybe, just maybe, for once in our lives we'll vote in a guy who'll do a decent enough of a job.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Men's Jewelry and Accessories
Just to do a quick post regarding men's jewelry and accessories.
I fell in love with the brand after seeing my very first King Baby piece glisten against the light inside a Neiman Marcus jewelry display case. Needless to say, I handed the sales associate my charge card and 5 years later, I can honestly say that I've worn my lion signet ring almost every day.
* Sterling silver lion's head ring by King Baby
My closest friends even nicknamed the sound my ring makes as I gesture, the "Jay jingle." And if there was ever a conversation starter, this ring would certainly be it. I have received more compliments and praise about this ring than any other single article of clothing or jewelry that I own.
This ring is quite dear to me and has become my signature piece. And as years have passed, I've added a few other pieces to my King Baby collection as well as other accessories from various other lines.
* Sterling silver cuff bracelet by King Baby
* Sterling silver oval link bracelet by King Baby
* Sterling silver rose ring by King Baby
* Black logo charmed bracelet by Dolce & Gabbana
In the end, when selecting a piece of jewelry, it's important that you pick something that you're not going to get sick of and that the piece that you end up buying is something you'll wear for the long run. Individuality and character is what makes men's jewelry so unique and exciting.
And of course for those willing to splurge, there are exceptional artisans out there that are willing to design custom pieces that are a one of a kind.
I fell in love with the brand after seeing my very first King Baby piece glisten against the light inside a Neiman Marcus jewelry display case. Needless to say, I handed the sales associate my charge card and 5 years later, I can honestly say that I've worn my lion signet ring almost every day.
* Sterling silver lion's head ring by King Baby
My closest friends even nicknamed the sound my ring makes as I gesture, the "Jay jingle." And if there was ever a conversation starter, this ring would certainly be it. I have received more compliments and praise about this ring than any other single article of clothing or jewelry that I own.
This ring is quite dear to me and has become my signature piece. And as years have passed, I've added a few other pieces to my King Baby collection as well as other accessories from various other lines.
* Sterling silver cuff bracelet by King Baby
* Sterling silver oval link bracelet by King Baby
* Sterling silver rose ring by King Baby
* Black logo charmed bracelet by Dolce & Gabbana
In the end, when selecting a piece of jewelry, it's important that you pick something that you're not going to get sick of and that the piece that you end up buying is something you'll wear for the long run. Individuality and character is what makes men's jewelry so unique and exciting.
And of course for those willing to splurge, there are exceptional artisans out there that are willing to design custom pieces that are a one of a kind.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
New York City Trip: Restaurants (Part I)
Finally I've allocated some time to post about the trip to New York City that I took back towards the end of January. Regardless to say, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life ever.
Every time I go to New York City, I book myself a wonderful little room at the Grand Hyatt on 42nd and Lexington. It's located directly next to the Grand Central Station and is about two blocks away from the wonderful shopping that 5th avenue has to offer. Saint Patrick Cathedral is a short walk away and even Times Square is accessible by foot. Most importantly, you can get from Saks Fifth to your hotel room by walking in probably 12-15 minutes.
The greatest part about this trip was the fact that I went during Restaurant Week which was going on in New York and ended up getting some great deals at some of the most exclusive restaurants that New York has to offer.
So for this post, lets start with an overview of some of the restaurants.
Dining at the Ssam Bar had been one of my most anticipated events of this New York trip. This restaurant nestled on the corner of 13th and 2nd was perhaps one of the most talked about restaurants led by one of America's hottest chefs of 2009.
Unfortunately the restaurant was actually a huge let down in my eyes. My friends Andrew Kwon and Louise Zhao who accompanied me for this late lunch/early dinner ultimately agreed with my assessment.
Overall, the food was lackluster and it's only saving grace was the fact that the pork buns which we ordered as an appetizer was absolutely delicious and well thought out. The seasonal fried brussel sprouts which we ordered as a side to our appetizer were also good as well but tended to be overwhelmingly oily.
The Bev Eggleston's pork shoulder steak was boring and poorly seasoned, the angus hanger steak with cauliflower and almonds was nothing new or innovative, and the spicy rice cakes with pork sausage and Chinese broccoli should have shamed David Chang's Korean mother. This is your take on Korea's dokboki? Come on David.
After having a completely lackluster experience at the Ssam Bar, I decided that David Chang should be given at least one more chance to redeem himself. So off we went to the Momofuku Milk Bar for dessert, which was thankfully attached directly to the Ssam Bar and easily accessible. Andrew, Louise, and I ended up sharing a slice of the massive chocolate chip cake with passion fruit curd, chocolate crumbs, and coffee butter cream. Again, while the cake was pleasant, it wasn't mind blowing good. The cake seemed a bit dry and ended up becoming sickeningly sweet after the fourth bite. I took the slice back with me to the hotel room and consumed it later with bitter black coffee and Marlborough cigarettes.
Linda Baek, my sister from another mother, surprised me with reservations to Jean-Georges wonderful restaurant in SoHo called Mercer Kitchen. This Neo-American restaurant with heavy Asian/Mediterranean fusion inspired dishes was the surprise hit of my New York Trip.
Linda ended up picking off the Restaurant Week menu and I picked items off the regular menu and pretty much shared everything together. Linda's spicy tuna pizza appetizer was unique but it could have used a bit more flare. My yellowtail sashimi appetizer with baby cress and cilantro was a well balanced dish that adhered to simplistic but wonderful flavors.
The Niman Ranch pork chop entree I had came with surpisingly amazing parmesan grits and ended up being one of the best pork chops I'd ever had. The pork chop was cooked to tender perfection and was glazed with a subtle hint of spice that came from the chili.
The warm Valrhona chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream was a rich and decadent way to end the superb meal, washed down by many Ketel One and Tonics.
A whole group of us went to Charlie Palmer's Metrazur to have dinner and found the restaurant located inside the historic Grand Central Station to be a mix of good and bad. The service that the staff offered were completely incompetent. The server that started off the dining experience did not understand proper wine service. They served the wine that was supposed to be served with the appetizer after everyone was finished eating and poured the wine that was supposed to be served with the entree in wine glasses still wet and not properly polished.
The server that started off the dinner service left for break or home in the middle of our dinner without introducing us to her replacement or telling us she was leaving and the new server who took over our table service seldom checked on us and took forever to process our check. I ended up handing our payment to the manager directly and even he was rude and unapologetic.
But beside the lack of service, the food was Metrazur's saving grace. Our entire dinner group all had the restaurant week menu which offered three different choices per course. For the appetizer I had a roast butternut squash soup that had a nice spice to it from the added pumpkin seeds and smoked bacon while I ended up selecting the Sichuan spiced pork tenderloin for the entree.
For the dessert I ended up having the bittersweet chocolate torte with candied oranges.
My good friend Yaelim Noh and I ended up having a wonderful dinner at Pera which seemed the most heavily inspired by Turkish and Greek cuisine. The restaurant in Mid-town was filled with warm colors, courteous staff, and food that was sophisticated.
For an appetizer, we shared a plate of hummus with baked lavash chips along with soujouk, beef, lollipops. For the entree I ended up having the mushroom pappardelle while Yaelim had Pera Steak with Greek style frites.
We finished the meal by sharing Baklava and Rice Pudding. The Rice Pudding was quite astonishing and was wonderfully rich and coated your tongue with thick sweetness that couldn't be washed away easily.
Every time I go to New York City, I book myself a wonderful little room at the Grand Hyatt on 42nd and Lexington. It's located directly next to the Grand Central Station and is about two blocks away from the wonderful shopping that 5th avenue has to offer. Saint Patrick Cathedral is a short walk away and even Times Square is accessible by foot. Most importantly, you can get from Saks Fifth to your hotel room by walking in probably 12-15 minutes.
The greatest part about this trip was the fact that I went during Restaurant Week which was going on in New York and ended up getting some great deals at some of the most exclusive restaurants that New York has to offer.
So for this post, lets start with an overview of some of the restaurants.
David Chang's Momofuku Ssam Bar:
Dining at the Ssam Bar had been one of my most anticipated events of this New York trip. This restaurant nestled on the corner of 13th and 2nd was perhaps one of the most talked about restaurants led by one of America's hottest chefs of 2009.
Unfortunately the restaurant was actually a huge let down in my eyes. My friends Andrew Kwon and Louise Zhao who accompanied me for this late lunch/early dinner ultimately agreed with my assessment.
Overall, the food was lackluster and it's only saving grace was the fact that the pork buns which we ordered as an appetizer was absolutely delicious and well thought out. The seasonal fried brussel sprouts which we ordered as a side to our appetizer were also good as well but tended to be overwhelmingly oily.
The Bev Eggleston's pork shoulder steak was boring and poorly seasoned, the angus hanger steak with cauliflower and almonds was nothing new or innovative, and the spicy rice cakes with pork sausage and Chinese broccoli should have shamed David Chang's Korean mother. This is your take on Korea's dokboki? Come on David.
David Chang's Momofuku Milk Bar:
After having a completely lackluster experience at the Ssam Bar, I decided that David Chang should be given at least one more chance to redeem himself. So off we went to the Momofuku Milk Bar for dessert, which was thankfully attached directly to the Ssam Bar and easily accessible. Andrew, Louise, and I ended up sharing a slice of the massive chocolate chip cake with passion fruit curd, chocolate crumbs, and coffee butter cream. Again, while the cake was pleasant, it wasn't mind blowing good. The cake seemed a bit dry and ended up becoming sickeningly sweet after the fourth bite. I took the slice back with me to the hotel room and consumed it later with bitter black coffee and Marlborough cigarettes.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Mercer Kitchen:
Linda Baek, my sister from another mother, surprised me with reservations to Jean-Georges wonderful restaurant in SoHo called Mercer Kitchen. This Neo-American restaurant with heavy Asian/Mediterranean fusion inspired dishes was the surprise hit of my New York Trip.
Linda ended up picking off the Restaurant Week menu and I picked items off the regular menu and pretty much shared everything together. Linda's spicy tuna pizza appetizer was unique but it could have used a bit more flare. My yellowtail sashimi appetizer with baby cress and cilantro was a well balanced dish that adhered to simplistic but wonderful flavors.
The Niman Ranch pork chop entree I had came with surpisingly amazing parmesan grits and ended up being one of the best pork chops I'd ever had. The pork chop was cooked to tender perfection and was glazed with a subtle hint of spice that came from the chili.
The warm Valrhona chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream was a rich and decadent way to end the superb meal, washed down by many Ketel One and Tonics.
Charlie Palmer's Metrazur:
A whole group of us went to Charlie Palmer's Metrazur to have dinner and found the restaurant located inside the historic Grand Central Station to be a mix of good and bad. The service that the staff offered were completely incompetent. The server that started off the dining experience did not understand proper wine service. They served the wine that was supposed to be served with the appetizer after everyone was finished eating and poured the wine that was supposed to be served with the entree in wine glasses still wet and not properly polished.
The server that started off the dinner service left for break or home in the middle of our dinner without introducing us to her replacement or telling us she was leaving and the new server who took over our table service seldom checked on us and took forever to process our check. I ended up handing our payment to the manager directly and even he was rude and unapologetic.
But beside the lack of service, the food was Metrazur's saving grace. Our entire dinner group all had the restaurant week menu which offered three different choices per course. For the appetizer I had a roast butternut squash soup that had a nice spice to it from the added pumpkin seeds and smoked bacon while I ended up selecting the Sichuan spiced pork tenderloin for the entree.
For the dessert I ended up having the bittersweet chocolate torte with candied oranges.
Jason Avery and Sezai Celikbas's Pera Mediterranean Brasserie:
My good friend Yaelim Noh and I ended up having a wonderful dinner at Pera which seemed the most heavily inspired by Turkish and Greek cuisine. The restaurant in Mid-town was filled with warm colors, courteous staff, and food that was sophisticated.
For an appetizer, we shared a plate of hummus with baked lavash chips along with soujouk, beef, lollipops. For the entree I ended up having the mushroom pappardelle while Yaelim had Pera Steak with Greek style frites.
We finished the meal by sharing Baklava and Rice Pudding. The Rice Pudding was quite astonishing and was wonderfully rich and coated your tongue with thick sweetness that couldn't be washed away easily.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Given Excuse
Okay,
So everyone at this point has to realize that I completely fail at being consistent with my blog. In my righteous defense, I will list a series of very lame excuses.
After having caught the flu that didn't seem to go away, I was caught up with my New York City trip and then stumbled onto my birthday week which was very promptly followed by the birthday week of a few other friends that led to constant nights out and other miscellaneous mischief.
After life returned to some figment of normalcy, I stumbled head first into school work that had been successfully ignored for roughly a months span of time. Of course this resulted in a long two weeks of catch up that sapped the very essence of my blackened soul.
But fear not, I have many pictures from things I bought in New York City and things I bought in preparation to go to New York City that will soon be posted.
Also I'm going to be doing a fragrance blog and an accessories blog which will be followed by a cosmetics blog for men.
Wheew.
And eventually, I'll get vlogs running.
I think?
So everyone at this point has to realize that I completely fail at being consistent with my blog. In my righteous defense, I will list a series of very lame excuses.
After having caught the flu that didn't seem to go away, I was caught up with my New York City trip and then stumbled onto my birthday week which was very promptly followed by the birthday week of a few other friends that led to constant nights out and other miscellaneous mischief.
After life returned to some figment of normalcy, I stumbled head first into school work that had been successfully ignored for roughly a months span of time. Of course this resulted in a long two weeks of catch up that sapped the very essence of my blackened soul.
But fear not, I have many pictures from things I bought in New York City and things I bought in preparation to go to New York City that will soon be posted.
Also I'm going to be doing a fragrance blog and an accessories blog which will be followed by a cosmetics blog for men.
Wheew.
And eventually, I'll get vlogs running.
I think?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Obama: One Year Later
My opening speech at the UNLV College Republicans VS Young Democrats Debate titled, "Obama: One Year Later."
In 2009, Americans all across the country embraced for a new era of leadership to sweep across our nation. President Barack Obama rode in on a wave of popular support promising us change that we can believe in. What we got instead was change we didn't expect and change we didn't want.
During his campaign for the Presidency, Barack Obama promised us a translucent government where closed doors would be open, the people would be informed, and the interest of the people would be placed above the corporate lobbyists.
What we got instead was the exact opposite.
From Washington, we've already seen historic amounts of national spending, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and an engorgement of the public sector at the expensive of the private. And this is just after the first year.
We've seen the weakening of our national defense, a blatantly wrong response to matters of national security, and a corruption of relations that have been maintained since the foundation of our grand republic.
When the dust settled in November 2009, the political commentators all promised us a historic presidency that would break the norm in Washington. And they were unfortunately right.
We now have a historic presidency for all the wrong reasons and Americans are already responding to the President's agenda with a resounding no.
Whether it's the gubernatorial mansions in Virginia and New Jersey, or the Kennedy Senate seat in Massachusetts, Americans have begun to mobilize against the socialist agenda of President Obama.
President Obama. Americans want you to stop putting us in debt. Americans want you to stop weakening our national security. Americans want you to stop trying to socialize healthcare, and Americans want you to stop this new era of anti-business policy in Washington.
To simply put it, President Obama, Americans want you to stop.
In 2009, Americans all across the country embraced for a new era of leadership to sweep across our nation. President Barack Obama rode in on a wave of popular support promising us change that we can believe in. What we got instead was change we didn't expect and change we didn't want.
During his campaign for the Presidency, Barack Obama promised us a translucent government where closed doors would be open, the people would be informed, and the interest of the people would be placed above the corporate lobbyists.
What we got instead was the exact opposite.
From Washington, we've already seen historic amounts of national spending, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and an engorgement of the public sector at the expensive of the private. And this is just after the first year.
We've seen the weakening of our national defense, a blatantly wrong response to matters of national security, and a corruption of relations that have been maintained since the foundation of our grand republic.
When the dust settled in November 2009, the political commentators all promised us a historic presidency that would break the norm in Washington. And they were unfortunately right.
We now have a historic presidency for all the wrong reasons and Americans are already responding to the President's agenda with a resounding no.
Whether it's the gubernatorial mansions in Virginia and New Jersey, or the Kennedy Senate seat in Massachusetts, Americans have begun to mobilize against the socialist agenda of President Obama.
President Obama. Americans want you to stop putting us in debt. Americans want you to stop weakening our national security. Americans want you to stop trying to socialize healthcare, and Americans want you to stop this new era of anti-business policy in Washington.
To simply put it, President Obama, Americans want you to stop.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Daily Outfits 108
Okay, so I’ve been getting less blogging done because I was out of commission for about half a week due to some horrendous cold. But I did get to go out an catch the opening night of Aria Hotel and Casino inside the new City Center. It was absolutely beautiful and so crowded! I couldn’t find a slot machine to save my life.
* Dress shirt by Theory, boot cut denim jeans by Diesel, charcoal vest by Kenneth Cole, thick wool pea coat by H&M, grey logo embellished scarf by Versace
So this outfit is all about layering and the best way for men to layer is to start with a vest that has a buckle you can tighten or loosen in the back. This buckle should never be left undone and should always be tightened to keep the silhouette as trim and fitted in the midsection as possible. A lot of guys suffer from dress shirts that are super baggy and become un-tucked with frequent sitting and standing. The best cure for this problem would be to find yourself a good tailor, but the second solution would be to find a good vest.
The peat coat is a personal favorite of mine because of the high collar. I think the high collar coats and sweaters are just my current look of the moment, and I think this look really goes superb for this winter.
The entire look is finished with a focal feature which is the scarf. The bold Versace scarf really makes an impression no matter where you go.
* Dress shirt by Theory, boot cut denim jeans by Diesel, charcoal vest by Kenneth Cole, thick wool pea coat by H&M, grey logo embellished scarf by Versace
So this outfit is all about layering and the best way for men to layer is to start with a vest that has a buckle you can tighten or loosen in the back. This buckle should never be left undone and should always be tightened to keep the silhouette as trim and fitted in the midsection as possible. A lot of guys suffer from dress shirts that are super baggy and become un-tucked with frequent sitting and standing. The best cure for this problem would be to find yourself a good tailor, but the second solution would be to find a good vest.
The peat coat is a personal favorite of mine because of the high collar. I think the high collar coats and sweaters are just my current look of the moment, and I think this look really goes superb for this winter.
The entire look is finished with a focal feature which is the scarf. The bold Versace scarf really makes an impression no matter where you go.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Daily Outfits 107
I went to watch “The Blind Side,” featuring Sandra Bullock, with my former roommate tonight. I wasn’t feeling too great and had been lounging around like a bum at home and felt really too lazy to get spruced up. So today you guys get to see me dressed about as casual as I ever get.
*White, v-neck hoodie by Theory, light wash, boot cut jeans by True Religion, and a plaid hat by H&M.
This is quite casual but it still has an interesting design element. I absolutely love this hoodie and it’s really the only true sweat shirt/hoodie I own, and the only reason why I purchased it at Saks Fifth Avenue was because of the fact that it has this v-neck feature.
When you pop up the hoodie and actually put the hood on, the v-neck line extends further on down to reveal the collar bone area whereas if you place the hood down, it looks more like a normal hoodie.
*White, v-neck hoodie by Theory, light wash, boot cut jeans by True Religion, and a plaid hat by H&M.
This is quite casual but it still has an interesting design element. I absolutely love this hoodie and it’s really the only true sweat shirt/hoodie I own, and the only reason why I purchased it at Saks Fifth Avenue was because of the fact that it has this v-neck feature.
When you pop up the hoodie and actually put the hood on, the v-neck line extends further on down to reveal the collar bone area whereas if you place the hood down, it looks more like a normal hoodie.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Daily Outfits 106
Okay, so Sunday’s outing was to a local Spanish tappas restaurant called Firefly. A good friend of mine is taking a one month vacation in Japan and so a group of our friends got together to have dinner before she flies out. The entire restaurant is a local hotspot well known for its good food and great sangrias by the pitcher. Firefly is what I would call a trendy local spot where everyone from businessmen to alcoholic college students all congregate to create a very unique vibe and atmosphere.
So this is what I ended up wearing.
*Red, metallic, skinny pants by H&M, black hooded vest by Armani Exchange, and a custom, French cuff, dress shirt by Geoffrey Beene.
The focal point is really the red pants. The unusual color and the brightness of the fabric is really a strong visual so it’s important not to embellish too much on the top. I’m also not a big fan of crazy cuff links, so I kept them simple and classic.
So this is what I ended up wearing.
*Red, metallic, skinny pants by H&M, black hooded vest by Armani Exchange, and a custom, French cuff, dress shirt by Geoffrey Beene.
The focal point is really the red pants. The unusual color and the brightness of the fabric is really a strong visual so it’s important not to embellish too much on the top. I’m also not a big fan of crazy cuff links, so I kept them simple and classic.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Daily Outfits 105
Tonight, I’m going to a farewell party for one of my friends who is leaving Las Vegas for New York City. The party is going to be at one of the penthouse suites at the Mirage Hotel and Casino and it’ll probably filled to the brim with booze. So while it’s not an evening that requires formal attire, I still wanted to cross something urban and trendy with something that’s a bit more formal.
*Blue and white stripped Dolce & Gabbana dress shirt, white denim jeans by John Galliano, black hooded vest by Armani Exchange, and black bowtie by Molly Rodgers
One of my favorite looks is pairing cotton fabric hooded vests with more ridged suits. I think it urbanizes the whole formality of the suit and really helps it transition into the semi-formal and trendy casual look. I’m also a big collector of bowties and happen to adore Molly Rodgers.
Lastly, I finished the attire with a tweed suit jacket that really harmonized the whole look together.
*Tweed jacket by Buffalo Exchange
*Blue and white stripped Dolce & Gabbana dress shirt, white denim jeans by John Galliano, black hooded vest by Armani Exchange, and black bowtie by Molly Rodgers
One of my favorite looks is pairing cotton fabric hooded vests with more ridged suits. I think it urbanizes the whole formality of the suit and really helps it transition into the semi-formal and trendy casual look. I’m also a big collector of bowties and happen to adore Molly Rodgers.
Lastly, I finished the attire with a tweed suit jacket that really harmonized the whole look together.
*Tweed jacket by Buffalo Exchange
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Daily Outfits 104
Okay, so not much to discuss today. I had to run to class and take the Nightclub Management final and ended up going over to a friend’s house for dinner. Dressed pretty simple and warm but still kept the pieces interesting.
* Black open collar shirt by John Varvatos, white denim jeans by John Galliano, grey pea coat by A.C.K.
So the military style pea coat with brazen buttons is one of my favorite, slightly casual, winter pieces that I own. Instead of throwing on a hoodie and looking like a bum, a pea coat over a tee takes the outfit for guys up a few notches. Really, if guys and girls in our generation would just step away from the sweat shirts and hoodies for a few days, it’d make the world a far more aesthetically pleasing place to live.
And really what’s the hassle? Shrugging on a coat takes just as little effort as tossing on a hoodie and it keeps you just as warm and comfortable if not more so.
Anyways, the focal point to this outfit with the jacket on is in the black leather detailing and the bronze big brass buttons on the pea coat. When the coat is taken off indoors, the John Varvatos open collar shirt really highlights the entire outfit with such an interesting design around the collar.
The white John Galliano jeans also serve as a color contrast and a focal piece as well, but I’ll talk about those jeans on another day.
A good tip in keeping white jeans clean during the rainy, snowy, muddy season is to tuck them into leather boots or your favorite pair of rain boots. It pulls off a old school aristocrat/equestrian look if done right.
* Black open collar shirt by John Varvatos, white denim jeans by John Galliano, grey pea coat by A.C.K.
So the military style pea coat with brazen buttons is one of my favorite, slightly casual, winter pieces that I own. Instead of throwing on a hoodie and looking like a bum, a pea coat over a tee takes the outfit for guys up a few notches. Really, if guys and girls in our generation would just step away from the sweat shirts and hoodies for a few days, it’d make the world a far more aesthetically pleasing place to live.
And really what’s the hassle? Shrugging on a coat takes just as little effort as tossing on a hoodie and it keeps you just as warm and comfortable if not more so.
Anyways, the focal point to this outfit with the jacket on is in the black leather detailing and the bronze big brass buttons on the pea coat. When the coat is taken off indoors, the John Varvatos open collar shirt really highlights the entire outfit with such an interesting design around the collar.
The white John Galliano jeans also serve as a color contrast and a focal piece as well, but I’ll talk about those jeans on another day.
A good tip in keeping white jeans clean during the rainy, snowy, muddy season is to tuck them into leather boots or your favorite pair of rain boots. It pulls off a old school aristocrat/equestrian look if done right.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Daily Outfits 103
After having a lazy morning at home I decided to go out to a local outside shopping district in Las Vegas called Town Square around 3PM. Since I’d be doing a lot of walking outside in 40 degree temperatures, I wanted to dress as warmly as I could. However, even though the mall is an open air facility, the many restaurants, shops, and cafes that line the street are incredibly well heated.
It seems many people in Las Vegas and the folks in southern California make the mistake of wearing a thin t-shirt underneath a really thick puffer jacket every time the winter chill rears its head. This fundamental mistake often leaves you too hot with the jacket on but still a bit cold and uncomfortable with the jacket off when indoors underneath a heater. This leads to a lot of article removing and replacing. The best solution to temperatures and situations like these is to layer appropriately.
Grey, wool, long coat by Valentino, black buckle turtleneck by Kenneth Cole, white spring scarf by Emporio Armani, and straight leg boot cut jeans by X2.
The grey Valentino long coat is perhaps the best purchase I’ve made off of 5th Avenue in New York City so far in my entire life. Unlike the majority of the form fitting and tight coats I buy, this Valentino coat is comfortably bigger and has a cozy, slouchy feel to it. However, to keep the coat from losing the shape I want it to give; I employ a simple trick of tying the waist belt behind the jacket to keep it in its proper form.
The black Kenneth Cole turtle is actually a very versatile piece. You can close all the buckles and turn it into a turtle neck, or forgo the buttons and let it droop. I love pieces that have dual functionalities such as this while featuring focal points that keep the overall design interesting and intriguing.
And of course, the white Emporio Armani scarf adds a huge splash of color and contrast to the overall dark and dull color scheme that will wash you out with every other grey and black long coat that stalk the streets during winter.
It seems many people in Las Vegas and the folks in southern California make the mistake of wearing a thin t-shirt underneath a really thick puffer jacket every time the winter chill rears its head. This fundamental mistake often leaves you too hot with the jacket on but still a bit cold and uncomfortable with the jacket off when indoors underneath a heater. This leads to a lot of article removing and replacing. The best solution to temperatures and situations like these is to layer appropriately.
Grey, wool, long coat by Valentino, black buckle turtleneck by Kenneth Cole, white spring scarf by Emporio Armani, and straight leg boot cut jeans by X2.
The grey Valentino long coat is perhaps the best purchase I’ve made off of 5th Avenue in New York City so far in my entire life. Unlike the majority of the form fitting and tight coats I buy, this Valentino coat is comfortably bigger and has a cozy, slouchy feel to it. However, to keep the coat from losing the shape I want it to give; I employ a simple trick of tying the waist belt behind the jacket to keep it in its proper form.
The black Kenneth Cole turtle is actually a very versatile piece. You can close all the buckles and turn it into a turtle neck, or forgo the buttons and let it droop. I love pieces that have dual functionalities such as this while featuring focal points that keep the overall design interesting and intriguing.
And of course, the white Emporio Armani scarf adds a huge splash of color and contrast to the overall dark and dull color scheme that will wash you out with every other grey and black long coat that stalk the streets during winter.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Daily Outfits 102
Today I had to sneak out for a quick hour just to meet up with a friend of mine who’d driven to Vegas from California with a bunch of his friends from Los Angeles. Since it was a relatively quick outing, I went with something simple that I could throw on fast without worrying about layering. However, even though I wanted it to be simple, I wanted something that was still unique and had a focal point.
* Grey Emporio Armani sweater with black skinny Helmut Lang jeans.
Now the focal point of the entire outfit is in the asymmetrical detailing around the neckline and the white logo armband attached above the elbow. Because the sweater really features two unique and prominent designs, it’s important not to lavish too many accessories on top of the outfit. So I kept it simple by pairing it with the black Helmut Lang skinny jean which helps the overall look by keeping the silhouette modern and trim. Although not pictured, the outfit was finished with a pair of black and grey, lace up, charcoal distressed Converse by John Varvatos.
* Grey Emporio Armani sweater with black skinny Helmut Lang jeans.
Now the focal point of the entire outfit is in the asymmetrical detailing around the neckline and the white logo armband attached above the elbow. Because the sweater really features two unique and prominent designs, it’s important not to lavish too many accessories on top of the outfit. So I kept it simple by pairing it with the black Helmut Lang skinny jean which helps the overall look by keeping the silhouette modern and trim. Although not pictured, the outfit was finished with a pair of black and grey, lace up, charcoal distressed Converse by John Varvatos.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Daily Outfits 101
So I decided to keep a daily record of the different outfits I wear after having purchased my new Logitech Webcam (which makes the whole process of picture documenting a lot simpler).
And that brings us to our first Daily Outfit post.
* Black sports jacket by Christian Dior, white turtleneck by Versace, and black skinny jeans by Helmut Lang.
Due to the white stripped ruffling of the fabric on the turtleneck, I would never wear the turtleneck by itself. White sweaters are notorious for making a big frame look even bigger, and to add to that, the ruffled fabric stripes add even more volume to the frame. Thus I took the turtleneck and matched it with a very modern and slim Christian Dior sports jacket. The Dior jacket keeps the overall silhouette slim and modern while the vintage Versace turtleneck adds softness and age to the outfit.
Keeping with the modern silhouette to offset the eye catching Versace turtleneck, I wore a pair of black skinny Helmut Lang jeans to finish off the ensemble. Although not pictured, I wore black, flat toe leather dress shoes to complete the attire.
P.S.
The story behind the white Versace turtleneck is quite interesting. About a year ago I was feeling bored and a bit adventurous and decided to travel off the beaten path. By passing Saks which is a Yoon classic, I ventured over into Buffalo Exchange which is a local thrift store that sells and buys used clothes. After hunting around a little bit I found the white vintage Versace turtleneck in the designer trades section. If I recall correctly, I ended up purchasing it for 19 dollars which is quite a steal.
And that brings us to our first Daily Outfit post.
* Black sports jacket by Christian Dior, white turtleneck by Versace, and black skinny jeans by Helmut Lang.
Due to the white stripped ruffling of the fabric on the turtleneck, I would never wear the turtleneck by itself. White sweaters are notorious for making a big frame look even bigger, and to add to that, the ruffled fabric stripes add even more volume to the frame. Thus I took the turtleneck and matched it with a very modern and slim Christian Dior sports jacket. The Dior jacket keeps the overall silhouette slim and modern while the vintage Versace turtleneck adds softness and age to the outfit.
Keeping with the modern silhouette to offset the eye catching Versace turtleneck, I wore a pair of black skinny Helmut Lang jeans to finish off the ensemble. Although not pictured, I wore black, flat toe leather dress shoes to complete the attire.
P.S.
The story behind the white Versace turtleneck is quite interesting. About a year ago I was feeling bored and a bit adventurous and decided to travel off the beaten path. By passing Saks which is a Yoon classic, I ventured over into Buffalo Exchange which is a local thrift store that sells and buys used clothes. After hunting around a little bit I found the white vintage Versace turtleneck in the designer trades section. If I recall correctly, I ended up purchasing it for 19 dollars which is quite a steal.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Impact of America's Veterans
My speech at the “Voices of War,” forum held by the UNLV Student Veterans Organization.
First and foremost, I’d like to begin by thanking the UNLV Student Veterans Organization for putting together such an important forum for students and for the members of our local community. As it has been stated repeatedly throughout the discourse of the evening, the actions of American veterans and the actions of our current men and women in uniform have had a long and lasting impact on the geopolitical history of America and the rest of the world.
Thus, given the subject matter at hand, I can only imagine how your curiosity could be perked by the fact that I am sitting on this panel addressing you this evening. Frankly speaking, while my path in life has never directly crossed with service to our country by means of dedicated military service, my life has been intrinsically impacted by the brave veterans of our country. It is for this matter that I sit here today in an attempt to try to demonstrate how the actions of our brave men and woman in uniform could have drastically influenced your life and the lives of the peers that sit amongst you on this night.
Born in Taejun, South Korea but raised and naturalized in the United States, I am a product of two nations that have been entwined together in history for over the past 65 years. I am a proud Korean-American.
And as a proud Korean-American, I bring you this deeply personal story due to the fact that without the intervention of American soldiers who gave their lives in the defense of a country they’d otherwise probably would have never stepped foot in, it would be nearly impossible for me to be sitting here speaking to this group on this October evening.
Since I sit amongst a group of Americans who undoubtedly love their country, let me take some time to brag about the country of my heritage. In this age, South Korea stands as a member of the developed G-20 nations, currently ranking 15 in the world in terms of GDP. As a full functioning democracy, South Korea has risen to become a global power and a staunch ally of the United States. With a developed free market and a capitalistic society, South Korea has become integrated with the world wide community through means of commerce. It probably wouldn’t be a surprise if many of you in this room had LG or Samsung cell phones, televisions, home appliances or drove cars made by Hyundai and Kia.
But the reflection of South Korea as it stands today would not have entered even the most vivid of imaginations of the many American soldiers who stepped foot in my ancestral homeland at the start of the Korean War in June 25, 1950.
As a product of the Cold War, the Korean peninsula had been divided between the Soviet Union and the United States at the end of World War II, much like Germany and the rest of Europe had been divided between the spheres of Communism and Capitalism.
And while I am not naïve enough to believe that the United States and the United Nations intervened purely out of good will and in their love of the Korean people, it was nevertheless, the fruit born from the bloodshed that occurred over years of fighting back and forth across the peninsula. South Korea today stands as a prime example to the world of what can happen when America leads the free nations of this earth to uphold freedom in the face of tyranny.
Never in the history of the world has any other soldier given so much and asked for so little in return. The American soldier has marched in the defense of freedom to the most remote sectors of the world and I pray that Americans will continue to see her men and women in uniform as liberators and not as occupiers.
To conclude my speech, I’d like to finish by stating that it is my hope that in perhaps thirty years time, my children will also be able to attend an institution of higher learning where they can sit in an open forum and hear a similar story from an Iraqi gentleman or an Afghani lady on how their countries have flourished with democracy and liberty due to the valiant heroism of our American veterans.
First and foremost, I’d like to begin by thanking the UNLV Student Veterans Organization for putting together such an important forum for students and for the members of our local community. As it has been stated repeatedly throughout the discourse of the evening, the actions of American veterans and the actions of our current men and women in uniform have had a long and lasting impact on the geopolitical history of America and the rest of the world.
Thus, given the subject matter at hand, I can only imagine how your curiosity could be perked by the fact that I am sitting on this panel addressing you this evening. Frankly speaking, while my path in life has never directly crossed with service to our country by means of dedicated military service, my life has been intrinsically impacted by the brave veterans of our country. It is for this matter that I sit here today in an attempt to try to demonstrate how the actions of our brave men and woman in uniform could have drastically influenced your life and the lives of the peers that sit amongst you on this night.
Born in Taejun, South Korea but raised and naturalized in the United States, I am a product of two nations that have been entwined together in history for over the past 65 years. I am a proud Korean-American.
And as a proud Korean-American, I bring you this deeply personal story due to the fact that without the intervention of American soldiers who gave their lives in the defense of a country they’d otherwise probably would have never stepped foot in, it would be nearly impossible for me to be sitting here speaking to this group on this October evening.
Since I sit amongst a group of Americans who undoubtedly love their country, let me take some time to brag about the country of my heritage. In this age, South Korea stands as a member of the developed G-20 nations, currently ranking 15 in the world in terms of GDP. As a full functioning democracy, South Korea has risen to become a global power and a staunch ally of the United States. With a developed free market and a capitalistic society, South Korea has become integrated with the world wide community through means of commerce. It probably wouldn’t be a surprise if many of you in this room had LG or Samsung cell phones, televisions, home appliances or drove cars made by Hyundai and Kia.
But the reflection of South Korea as it stands today would not have entered even the most vivid of imaginations of the many American soldiers who stepped foot in my ancestral homeland at the start of the Korean War in June 25, 1950.
As a product of the Cold War, the Korean peninsula had been divided between the Soviet Union and the United States at the end of World War II, much like Germany and the rest of Europe had been divided between the spheres of Communism and Capitalism.
And while I am not naïve enough to believe that the United States and the United Nations intervened purely out of good will and in their love of the Korean people, it was nevertheless, the fruit born from the bloodshed that occurred over years of fighting back and forth across the peninsula. South Korea today stands as a prime example to the world of what can happen when America leads the free nations of this earth to uphold freedom in the face of tyranny.
Never in the history of the world has any other soldier given so much and asked for so little in return. The American soldier has marched in the defense of freedom to the most remote sectors of the world and I pray that Americans will continue to see her men and women in uniform as liberators and not as occupiers.
To conclude my speech, I’d like to finish by stating that it is my hope that in perhaps thirty years time, my children will also be able to attend an institution of higher learning where they can sit in an open forum and hear a similar story from an Iraqi gentleman or an Afghani lady on how their countries have flourished with democracy and liberty due to the valiant heroism of our American veterans.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
A Conservative's Government
My opening address at the debate between the UNLV College Republicans and UNLV Young Democrats.
When we as Americans look at the two opposing schools of political thought in Conservatism and Liberalism, we see that the major divergence in ideology happen in describing what the proper Role of government ought to be. And ironically, it is in this broad and far ranging question that we see the intrinsic and unique qualities of the American democracy in comparison to the rest of the world. It is in this very question in which we find the answer to why so many people from every corner of the world flocks to the land that guarantees the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
To analyze what exactly is so intrinsic about American democracy and its role of government is, it is important to start at the very beginning. At our foundation, our forefathers were able to learn from the examples of what happens when power is consolidated and the sovereignty of the state is able to hold its people accountable to its whim. And so when our government was crafted, our forefathers built us a government in which the separation of powers were evident, and gave us a union where the right of the individual was given greater gravitas than ordinary.
And herein lies the difference. The conservative school of thought believes that the smaller the role of government is, the more free and prosperous our citizenry can be. The opposite can be said of the liberal movement. Their strangely skewed trust in government, which they present as the best solution, leads them to place the government and not the people, first. The conservative movement believes that decisions should be made as closely as possible to the people that are affected by it, and that the ones who make the decisions should be elected as directly as possible by the people affected. The liberal movement in stark contrast to such basic principals, attempts to create an umbrella in which generic standards are set and the people are ordered to fall in line.
As conservatives, we believe in a system in which standards are driven up by choice and competition opposed to a society that is supposed to simply be grateful for what is handed to it.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “the government that can give you everything is a government that can take everything.” Our movement centers on the ideals of individual responsibility where every citizen is given the opportunity to strive for a better life.
When we as Americans look at the two opposing schools of political thought in Conservatism and Liberalism, we see that the major divergence in ideology happen in describing what the proper Role of government ought to be. And ironically, it is in this broad and far ranging question that we see the intrinsic and unique qualities of the American democracy in comparison to the rest of the world. It is in this very question in which we find the answer to why so many people from every corner of the world flocks to the land that guarantees the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
To analyze what exactly is so intrinsic about American democracy and its role of government is, it is important to start at the very beginning. At our foundation, our forefathers were able to learn from the examples of what happens when power is consolidated and the sovereignty of the state is able to hold its people accountable to its whim. And so when our government was crafted, our forefathers built us a government in which the separation of powers were evident, and gave us a union where the right of the individual was given greater gravitas than ordinary.
And herein lies the difference. The conservative school of thought believes that the smaller the role of government is, the more free and prosperous our citizenry can be. The opposite can be said of the liberal movement. Their strangely skewed trust in government, which they present as the best solution, leads them to place the government and not the people, first. The conservative movement believes that decisions should be made as closely as possible to the people that are affected by it, and that the ones who make the decisions should be elected as directly as possible by the people affected. The liberal movement in stark contrast to such basic principals, attempts to create an umbrella in which generic standards are set and the people are ordered to fall in line.
As conservatives, we believe in a system in which standards are driven up by choice and competition opposed to a society that is supposed to simply be grateful for what is handed to it.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “the government that can give you everything is a government that can take everything.” Our movement centers on the ideals of individual responsibility where every citizen is given the opportunity to strive for a better life.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Art of Eating Meat in Front of a Vegetarian
Recently, as I was reading my University’s student run paper, the Rebel Yell, I found a rather amusing article titled: “From the other side: Veggie delights change social views.” How could anyone avoid reading such a grandiosely titled article? Hopeful to gain an insight as to how vegetables managed to change the perspective of human society and its views, I was left standing aghast by the end of the article. Basically, the author Shane Collins simple trapezes about the article gloriously announcing the delectable tastes of various vegetables and how he was proud that he and his vegetarian brethren are showing compassion and are “reducing [the] suffering,” of animals to quote his words.
Wait, wait, wait a minute. Reduce suffering of animals by becoming vegetarian? This smells like fishy PETA business to me.
I fully understand the concept of vegetarianism for those who follow a faith that calls upon it. I even begrudgingly understand those who are vegetarian for its supposed health benefits. But those who are vegetarian to respect animal rights and end animal suffering? That’s a laughable idea in my book.
Remember that one of the basic lessons in biology taught to us is that we as a human species are supposedly classified as mammals. We are also designed as omnivores. If you look at everything from our digestive organs to the way our teeth are designed, we are clearly built to devour both meat and vegetables.
With this in mind and using this ideology, don’t we as human beings have every right to eat meat from cattle as an endangered cheetah is entitled to hunt antelope? In comparison, the way we slaughter swine for consumption is similar in many respects to wild felines or dogs hunting its prey in the wild.
If the natural cycle that we learned in the movie, the Lion King holds true, why are vegetarians out there propagating this idea that eating meat is a guilty pleasure and that they are above such cruelty to animals. Ask any semi-coherent vegetarian (a possible contradiction), if a lion is able to sustain on a vegetarian diet. That vegetarian should answer you by saying no. You should ask them why not. Its because lions are designed to be carnivores, a beast that only eats other animals.
Then why should humans, a supposed natural creature of this world, be suppressed from living as it’s built to live: as an omnivore? The next time your sitting with a vegetarian friend who’s lecturing you about the barbaric nature of eating meat, remind that person you’re simply doing your part in helping reduce global warming by stopping cattle from releasing methane gas in their flatulence.
Wait, wait, wait a minute. Reduce suffering of animals by becoming vegetarian? This smells like fishy PETA business to me.
I fully understand the concept of vegetarianism for those who follow a faith that calls upon it. I even begrudgingly understand those who are vegetarian for its supposed health benefits. But those who are vegetarian to respect animal rights and end animal suffering? That’s a laughable idea in my book.
Remember that one of the basic lessons in biology taught to us is that we as a human species are supposedly classified as mammals. We are also designed as omnivores. If you look at everything from our digestive organs to the way our teeth are designed, we are clearly built to devour both meat and vegetables.
With this in mind and using this ideology, don’t we as human beings have every right to eat meat from cattle as an endangered cheetah is entitled to hunt antelope? In comparison, the way we slaughter swine for consumption is similar in many respects to wild felines or dogs hunting its prey in the wild.
If the natural cycle that we learned in the movie, the Lion King holds true, why are vegetarians out there propagating this idea that eating meat is a guilty pleasure and that they are above such cruelty to animals. Ask any semi-coherent vegetarian (a possible contradiction), if a lion is able to sustain on a vegetarian diet. That vegetarian should answer you by saying no. You should ask them why not. Its because lions are designed to be carnivores, a beast that only eats other animals.
Then why should humans, a supposed natural creature of this world, be suppressed from living as it’s built to live: as an omnivore? The next time your sitting with a vegetarian friend who’s lecturing you about the barbaric nature of eating meat, remind that person you’re simply doing your part in helping reduce global warming by stopping cattle from releasing methane gas in their flatulence.
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