Stakes is High

No offense to a player, but yo, I don't play
And if you take offense, fuck it, got to be that way
- De La Soul


The gloves have been off for a while, but in the spirit of a true texas death match, The steel chairs have come out and are being thwacked upon the heads of any nearby opponent.


Rep. Charles Rangel yesterday blasted Dick Cheney as a "son of a bitch" after the vice president said the Harlem lawmaker would raise taxes and destroy the economy if Democrats take control of the House.

However they put it, the Democrat approach in Iraq comes down to this: The terrorists win and America loses," Bush told a raucous crowd

Mrs. Bush responded that it was wrong for Fox and others to suggest that increased support for embryonic stem cell research could lead to cures for Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

She concluded with a thinly veiled critique of Fox: “It’s always easy to manipulate people’s feelings, especially when you are talking about diseases that are so difficult."

and the winner....and undisputed Steel Chair Wielding champ...at least for today...


Is...Vernon Robinson, Republican candidate for Congress in North Carolina.




For the politically astute among you...Look at this three times and tell me he does not owe Jesse Helms a sampling credit for this ad.

For the rest of you...a reminder...
In 1990, locked in a tight race with an African American Democrat, former Charlotte mayor Harvey Gantt, Helms aired a final-week TV ad that showed a pair of white hands crumpling a rejection letter, while an announcer said, "You needed that job and you were the best qualified. But they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota."
Helms, after trailing throughout October, pulled through, winning by four points.


Never mind the fact that Mr. Robinson is...um....yeah...I am certain the irony of running an ad like this in NORTH CAROLINA when you look like Mr. Robinson does is completely lost on him.

I guess we HAVE arrived, after all.

I need to shower. See yall in the AM

Boo Humbug

I do not celebrate Halloween in a meaningful fashion. I mean, I broke out a Kilt for my Yahoo thingy, but thats about the size of it.

I will buy candy so FW will be able to run back and forth to the front door to greet the rugrats.

I, unfortunately will be at the shrimp plantation pulling the ends just a little bit closer.

I used to get all worked up about Halloween and the inherent evils therein, but as I got older, I just decided it wasn't that big of a deal. I celebrate it with as little effort as possible.


So, yeah, Happy Halloween. Woo hoo.

%*^& whatcha heard

I am not hiding out in mourning because the Steelers stunk out the joint in Oakland yesterday. No matter what happens, until someone goes home with the Lombardi trophy in February, the Steelers are STILL the World Champions.

There, enough about that stupidness.

Speaking of Stupidness, I watched Flavor of Love 2 and I was thoroughly embarrassed to have sat through it. Maybe it was me, but it just screamed out buffoonery.


and SPEAKING of buffoonery...

ahh...so much buffoonery to choose from. I just froze up there and choked on exactly what to address.


and SPEAKING of choking.


This wouldn't qualify as choking necessarily, but I get the impression that the GOP is going to pull this election out.

Every time the furor dies down, some one starts scaring the religious right about gay marriage and they get their choir robes all up in a bunch.

Word For The Week

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

John 10:22-30

Who is Jesus? One thing that I have learned is that the way people answer that question speaks more about themselves than about the person and character of Jesus Christ. German Liberals of the 19th Century gave up their belief in the authority and veracity of Scripture so they went about their Quest For The Historical Jesus, and it just so happened that the Jesus they "discovered" looked a whole lot like a 19th Century German Liberal. There have been several such "quests" since then and every time, without failure, Jesus comes out looking a lot like the ones on the quest.

This is not limited to ignorant scholars in ivory towers - common, every-day folk do the same thing all the time. When I hear right-wing Republicans talking about Jesus it is amazing how their Supply-Side Jesus seems to fit right in with right-wing Republicans, and when I hear left-wing Democrats talk about Jesus it is amazing how Jesus seems like a Birkenstocked dude who'd be perfectly at peace within the realm of left-wing Democrats. Someone once said that in the beginning God created man in His own image and man has been trying to return the favor ever since. I especially find it humorous when people decry "annoying absolutism toward the delusional" while they themselves display an annoying absolutism toward the delusional. Jesus said, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand" while someone else says, "Jesus is not the way to eternal life. All Life is Eternal." Who should we believe? The Creator of the universe or some guy with an opinion? For the Christian it is not about our opinion, it is about the Word of God, the very words of God. It is not my opinion of Jesus that determines that which is really real - my opinion is irrelevant - it is Jesus' own words that reveal who He is and what is the nature of eternal life. Jesus is the one who gives eternal life according to Jesus, the question is whether or not you trust Him.

Do you trust Him?

What do you see when you look at Jesus? Do you see an idealized version of yourself or do you see the risen Savior? Do you see a good man or the Creator of the universe? Do you see someone who would put the Republicans in their place or the One who will judge all of the world? What do you see when you look at Christ? Do you see the One who suffered that we might be reconciled back to the Father? Do you see the One who laid down His life so that we might have eternal life? Do you see the One who is the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God? What do you see?

My Lord and my God.

May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you to see Him as He truly is,
May He turn His face toward you and give you peace.

DaveyWayne 3:16 Junkies and Insiders

I made mention of the fact that Political Junkies should not marry each other, and when the better half of my favorite Web couple spoke upon the fact that both of them were PoliJunkies I realized I had misspoken.


Political INSIDERS should not marry.

Political Junkies should be fruitful and multiply together.



Now, allow me to backpedal for a paragraph or two and set some definitions.



Political Junkie - is someone who is addicted to being informed about the world. Being a political junkie isn't like being hooked on crack, where you just do crack. Being a PoliJunkie is like being a drunk; some days you do the beer thing, some days the hard stuff. but the end result is still the same.

Political Insider - someone who makes their living or has as a significant time expense political activities, be it compensated or voluntary. This would include all current and former: Political peons (those who do the bidding OF politicians),bureaucrats, Political Consultants, politicians, political journalists, even hard core political Bloggers (of which i am NOT one). These folk are usually astute on political matters but tend to lack the ability to view the political landscape from the necessary distance to get the proper perspective. As it was told to me once by a Political Insider

"The second you stop leaving your work at the office here, you are going to stop being a real person and start being one of THOSE people they talk about on TV...the folk who just dont get it. "

I am rooting for the Tigers, but some truths need telling.

Jason Whitlock...kicking ass and taking names on AOL Sports

This is why Jason Whitlock isn't on ESPN.com. And I am glad he isn't. Good stuff.

DaveyWayne 3:16 (the unabridged Political Gospel according to DaveyWayne)

I have been an astute follower of politics since I was old enough to watch the news. From watching the news to reading the newspaper to listening to talk radio, I have parlayed my desire to be informed to my own understanding of politics. The older I got, the more I read, the more I began to put the pieces together and form my own understanding.

Through the gift of living all over the country, including 11 years in the Washington, DC area, which was highlighted by a brief stint on Capitol Hill, I feel I have a mature sense of the political culture in the United States.

More importantly, I have managed to get this without drinking the proverbial kool-aid of a given ideology.

It is this simple fact that separates me from most political pundits.

I am fortunate enough to count as my closest friend a certain Mr. Louisville, Oscar In.

Oscar is as astute a political mind as there is, and combined with his Seminary Education and brilliant mind, he is as formidable a political force as there is.

He has started a series called Why I'm Not a Republican and I encourage all of you to get yourself over there to check it out.

After spending a few days in these politically charged times with someone who is passionate about life, and things, but not necessarily politics, I am of the opinion that the maximum number of political junkies in any given relationship should be ONE.

Two political junkies will make for a family of beltway insiders with no sense of the common man.

At any rate, during the next two weeks, I will be outlining my own ideology, what it is that makes me tick...why I vote for who I vote for.

First let me get rid of some myths.


1. I am a registered Democrat because I am black.

I am a registered Democrat because I was born and raised in a blue-collar Democratic stronghold.
I am a registered Democrat because I know who Willie Horton is.
I am a registered Democrat because I know the difference between a conservative and a right wing ideologue.
I am a registered Democrat because in this country being a member of a political party is important in regards to the political primary system. The Democratic Party does not DEFINE me. It is a Political party, not my family. If I wake up tomorrow and find out that being a registered Republican will be more in line with my purposes, not a tear shall be shed.
I am a registered Democrat because the GOP has let me know in no uncertain terms that it has no respect for me or people like me. If it did, it wouldn't put out race baiting ads.

All that said. I have voted for Republicans in the past, and will in the future. What is apparent once you talk to me is that I believe what I believe. I don't like folk telling me what to think and what to feel. I am allergic to penicillin, shellfish and Brainwashing.

I will make my own kool-aid thank you.

Happy Monday

So I came THIS close to swearing never to watch Grey's Anatomy again.

When a person pins a check for EIGHT.SEVEN MILLION dollars on the bulletin board, talking some ole ideological blah-blah about how the money should be for good, but that SHE isn't going to cash it until she figures out what it is....my BS radar just goes haywire.


I abhor having my emotions manipulated.

I am an emotional creature, a rare trait in a human being with a dick.

There is no feeling on earth quite like that of an emotion fueled male ego coming to the realization that someone or something is playing double dutch with his emotions.

I sat through Flags of our Fathers on Friday with my favorite Yankees fan, and while it was a phenomenal cinematic experience, I saw the shell game run on the American people, using a staged event, a military debacle to justify financial and military support.

Yeah, sounds familiar doesn't it.

So familiar that a lot of folk sat it out and the movie, a critical darling with a fair amount of star power behind the camera, if not in front of it, only grossed 10 million dollars. Chump Change in today's world.

Personally, I think a lot of America is plain ole embarrassed.

America is embarrassed that it is so easily duped.

As cynical as our generation has become, we are still suckers for a well spun story.

yes, You too.


and me...

Because Grey's is still perched at the top of my DVR list.

Word For The Week

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 5:33-37

As we approach election day I am reminded of the fact that one thing that I absolutely cannot stand is mealy-mouthed politicians trying to play both sides against the middle, cowards who lack the courage of their convictions. This was my biggest problem with the junior senator from Massachusetts, the whole "I voted against it before I voted for it" thing. Triangulation was a useful tactic for Bill Clinton in many regards because he genuinely was a middle-of-the-road politician, he genuinely held positions that could appeal to both the Left and the Right, but it is at best disingenuous for a pure progressive to try to portray themselves as a middle-of-the-road moderate or for a conscientious conservative to try to say that they are a mainstream moderate. In both instances the politician should state what they believe forthrightly and stand up for it if they truly believe it.

I understand the political reality that President Andrew Sheppard pointed out - the problem isn't that they don't get it, the problem is that they can't sell it - but Jesus commands those of us who are called by the name of Christ to let our "Yes" be "Yes" and our "No" be "No." We are to deal with our neighbors with integrity, with love, and with the character of Christ. You do not deceive those whom you love; you do not obfuscate your intentions with those about whom you care - you deal with such people respectfully and clearly state your intentions, your thoughts and your beliefs honestly. Love has very little to do with politicians getting elected - they often appeal to hatred because it seems to be a more effective motivator in getting people to the polls - but we are called to live a life of love, dealing honestly with everyone, such that when we say "Yes" everyone knows that we don't mean "Maybe" - we need not define the meaning of the word "Is." Deception is of the evil one, and when he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

White Evangelicals appear to be awakening from their self-induced slumber as it pertains to the Republican Party. Since Roe v. Wade there have been 9 Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices and abortion-on-demand is still the law of the land. Every year the Republicans seem to push another tax cut through Congress at the expense of great political capital but no political capital is spent on the agenda of social conservatives - a little speech of Terri Schiavo here or a ballot initiative on gay marriage there, but the GOP leadership hasn't done anything substantive for the social conservatives within their coalition, and White Evangelicals are beginning to understand that they are being pimped by corporate lackeys within the Republican Party.


We are commanded to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God not as some arbitrary limitation on our activity but for our own good - when you deal in integrity it is obvious when people's intentions toward you are less than noble, when their "Yes" means "Probably not" and their "No" means "You never know." November 7th will be a day of reckoning for the Republican Party, a time to reap the harvest that they have sown, but the lesson that all of us need learn from this is that when we say that we are going to do something then we need to follow through, and when we say that we won't do something then we need to stand firm on our convictions. When we try to stand on someone else's convictions - "Read my lips, no new taxes" - we inevitably fall. Hopefully the Democrats have learned that lesson.

Hopefully.

May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you walk in integrity,
May He turn His face toward you and give you peace.

A prime Example of Republican Outreach

So, in the spirit of reaching out to African Americans, There are GOP Congressional Candidates running an ad with this ingenious and insightful tid-bit of dialogue:

"If you make a little mistake with one of your ‘hos,' you'll want to dispose of that problem tout suite, no questions asked," one of the men says.

"That's too cold. I don't snuff my own seed," the other replies.

"Maybe you do have a reason to vote Republican," the first man says.

I am NOT making this up...I SWEAR.

Peeking out of his cave

Much like the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.

I have been keeping a low profile, running strong in both of my fantasy football leagues, searching for a fantasy basketball league, watching a good bit of tv(the vast majority of it quite good), spending some quality time with my favorite Yankees fan, (no, not Scribe, although he is high on the list), getting couples counseling, reading and re-reading my Novel synopsis looking for ways to improve it, and generally watching the world teeter on its axis.

There are some strange things going on in the world, and I have the sneaking suspicion it is only going to get stranger. Not that you need my help to explain it, but something tells me I will be around to keep you informed.

I will close with this interesting observation.

If I had told you in 1989 that in seventeen years, Flavor Flav would command one of the largest stages on cable televsion, and Chuck D would be toiling away in dignified obscurity, what would you say?

When Keeping it Real Goes wrong

At some point, it is important to remember your job. Your JOB, Mr. Thomas, was to discuss FOOTBALL, not to encourage the Miami Hurricanes to kick butt.

I would imagine that if they had scored more than SEVEN points against...Florida International, who just started playing Division I football early last week, FIU would not have been so cocky.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Serves them right for leaving the Big East.

Word For The Week

Now if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:12-26

One thing that I find amusing is the popular clumping of "People of Faith" into one group. It's similar to the clumping of "People of Color" - the only thing that Blacks and Nigerians and Mexicans and Puerto Ricans and Vietnamese have in common is the fact that we're not White. Now to some (many?) that's all that matters - that key difference makes us "those people," the undesirables - and likewise to a secular culture the difference between a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim or a Jim Jones cult member is essentially moot: we're all "those people," religious kooks. Kanye West said that George W. Bush doesn't care about Black people and this is true, but Black people comprise a small subset of the people that George W. Bush doesn't care about - Bush doesn't care about anyone who isn't a part of the Haves and the Have Mores, and that includes the overwhelming majority of Black people. Likewise, secular opposition to all things religious tends to clump all religions into one group - people of faith - and some religious people have taken that label on themselves, but it is a misleading label: "faith" is about all that we have in common.

It is not faith that redeems us, it is not faith that restores us, it is not faith that gives us eternal life - it is the object of our faith that provides us with redemption, restoration, and eternal life. It is Jesus Christ who saves us, not some nebulous notion of faith. Faith has no power in and of itself, it is merely a means of connecting with the One who does have the power to save, seal, and deliver. I can have faith in my ability to fly, but if I jump off of a building then I am going to discover the objectively real ground in a hurry. I can have faith in the Detroit Lions' ability to beat the Chicago Bears, but when the Monsters of the Midway come to Ford Field it will be proven whether or not that faith is well placed. I can have faith in the human potential to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly, but the presidency of George W. Bush is proof-positive that if such a potential actually exists then it often goes unrealized. It's not about faith itself, it's about the object of our faith.

In whom - or what - do you place your faith?

The Christians in Corinth were speculating that there was no resurrection from the dead, that once you die that's it - you're nothing but worm food in the dirt nap. Paul had to take the Corinthians down the logical progression that their little speculation necessitated - if there is no resurrection then Jesus Christ was not resurrected from the dead, and if Jesus Christ was not resurrected from the dead then you are wasting your time placing your faith in Him and you are quintessentially pitiful. But, in fact, Jesus has been raised from the dead - as Paul immediately reiterated - and we who place our faith in Him will be raised to walk with Him when He returns. We who place our faith in Jesus Christ will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

Jews, Muslims, or Jim Jones cult members won't affirm that, and therein lies the difference - it is not about our faith, it is about the object of our faith and whether or not our faith is properly-placed. Those who place their faith in the Detroit Lions will frequently find that the Lions are incapable of achieving their objectives - they are winless so far this season, and those who place their faith in the Lions will find themselves utterly disappointed this year. The Lions lack the skill, the will, and the ability to win championships, but Jesus Christ will achieve all that He set out to achieve. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

Are you in good hands?

May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you to place your faith in Him,
May He turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Davey Wayne Hangs Ten on the Couch

First some old business.


DaveyWayne has not physically partaken in the goodies of another woman. He has allowed his lust for ego -stroking to get him into situations he has no business in whilst operating a keyboard, but as for actual physical philandering...no sir. Stupid, I may be....but I ain't crazy.


Now, on to new business:


As I move towards the ninety day mark of The satellite era at the Palace @ Funkytown East, It is time to take stock of the new season of Television.


The DaveyWayne Must See TV List


The Wire (HBO) - For anyone associated with life in the hood, the Wire is a sobering reminder of what it was like. The show is real almost to the point of being unnerving and The good guys just don't win in the end. What is truly striking is how authentic the show can be despite being primarily a creation of white folk. There are no shortcuts taken, no thinly drawn predictable caricatures. It's real life with made up people. The sad thing is that this is the last year for it. This show could go on forever...it is just that solid from top to bottom. Sure they offed some of the sexy men folk last year...but that's how real life is. If you want to bring your SexyBack...Go get Timbaland to produce for you.

Flavor of Love 2 (VH1) - This show is the poster child for Guilty Pleasure. Just about everyone I know watches it and we all have varying degrees of shame about that. The show has very few artistically redeeming qualities. Flav seems to slip further away from being eccentric and closer to being well...Flav.

The reality is we EXPECT this from Flav. He was the court Jester during the height of Public Enemy. And without the ying of Chuck to keep his yang balanced. what you have is pure eye candy.

Side Bar: The full-uncut Chuck D Comment on Flavor Of Love and reality TV and its place in th world.

ABC Must See Thursday - I take great pleasure in heralding the fact that I KNEW ABC had hit one out of the park by moving Grey's to Thursday night in an effort to broaden their appeal during the week. A certain love of my life was just SURE it would doom the newest ABC hit, but instead it enabled them to take over a whole other day of programming. Sandwiching GA between two decent new shows has proven to be a stroke of genius...but enough about marketing, the show is the thing. Grey's Anatomy is SOAPY, SAPPY, and manipulative. If you watch it closely enough, you will start to pick up the blatant formulaic nature of the writing. risque' humor that leads into a surprise medical turn. the way everyone seems to bone everyone else or at least want to...but do it in such a way that its not Melrose Place-esque. The characters are all meticulously drawn to be likeable on the one hand and difficult to endure for long periods on the other. The way there is an over-arching topic that all the story lines fall under and and tie up nicely....but still create plenty of cliff hangers for next week. Ordinarily, I hate being manipulated, but for some reason I just cannot stop watching. Ugly Betty is fun to watch...if only because I get to See Vanessa L. Williams dress her ASS off. Foolishness, thy name is Rick Fox. (of course IM one to talk.)

South Park (Comedy Central) - Over the past ten years there have been thousands of imitators, including the Boondocks, which in its cartoon version can be counted as one of the best ones. There is only one South Park. True Satire takes no prisoners. it is cutting and current and unyielding in its willingness to pursue truth by exploiting the ability of animated characters to say things real people will never be able to pull off. In the past few years, South Park has transitioned from raunchy cartoon show with fart jokesand profanity to one of the smartest and most current shows on Television.

Countdown with Keith Olbermann (MSNBC) - What has me hooked on this show is the way Olbermann and his staff are meticulous with their refutations. My motto has always been if you gonna clown someone, do your homework. Countdown is the News version of Ice Cube's No Vaseline.

106 and Park - (BET) - All I am saying is that if you are going to kill my culture...at least put it on TV every day so I can watch it die a slow painful death while the children my generation produced laugh and cheer.

Shark (CBS) - James Woods and a REALLY cute prosecuting attorney who doesnt get enough lines wearing incredible business suits.

Kidnapped, Studio 60, Heroes, Friday Night Lights (NBC) They were bound to get a decent show on the air eventually. Something about shelling out Billions for football that must stir the creative Juices for NBC, I guess.

Best Week Ever (VH1) all the Youtube any thinking person could need in a 30 minute segment. Being a contributor to BWE is on my short list of things to do.

Everybody Hates Chris - Welcome to my life as a teenager...except the black kids picked at me in Middle School and I didnt have a sister.

Confession is good for the soul

Today was a good day.


Not because I got paid (relax, it's already gone, none for ME...so definitely none for you)

Not because I feel better from the minor surgery I had on Friday (you know an infection is bad when they have to go and get it out of your face)

Certainly not because of the Steelers (blah)


Today was a good day, because I woke up this morning having completed the book synopsis for my first book.

See, I told you I was a writer.

It didn't take very long, of course that was because I spent more time actually writing than jibber jabbering with random lil boxes on my monitor.

Or heaven forbid Big boxes with bunches of people.

So, anyway, The reason I was so easily able to concentrate is because I recently had to make some life choices.

The kinds of life choices that lead to monitor wires getting cut and mice getting smashed with hammers.

Now at this particular point you may be wondering....what kind of doofus cheats on the internet when you have a beautiful woman IN YOUR HOUSE???



And at this particular point I will invoke the fifth amendment.

Not because I don't have an actual answer. But because any answer I attempt would be not unlike an answer Mark Foley would offer for his actions.

No one is gonna believe I have a drinking problem either...and I cannot afford to go off and hide and wait for the press to get over it.

Wait...there IS no press.

(so...just WHY are you telling us this Davey?)


I am a writer. When I hide things, they get in the way of things that I do want to say. Things I need to say.

So....let the word go forth, I am a cheater, again. Without getting up out of my seat, I am a cheater.

Was it about the sex? Of Course not...

It was about the attention...the rush

The attraction of a soft font washing over the reality of my life.

And it is all good, until it almost vanishes.


Yup. for a second...it was OVER.
Curtains.
Fin.


And then...it wasn't.

I gave it up. after almost 5 years, I was finally able to distinguish between Font and reality.


Did I mean it? kinda.

Sorta.


Did I mean it enough to put what REALLY mattered on the line.


Hellstodano.


I got reapin to do, because I spent more than a few years sowing these crops.

Then I am going to have to Pick the crops.and make humble pie out of it...and eat it...and shit it...and THEN....this will all be over.

Until then...the mickeyflickey saga continues.

Word For The Week

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 4:1-11

One thing that I have always found to be instructive is the way that Jesus dealt with situations. Whether the instigator be false-teachings Pharisees or soul-sapping Sadducees or the devil himself, Jesus always handled the situation in a manner that both shows us how to handle a similar situation and illustrates which values and priorities we should cherish. The temptation of Jesus shows us how to identify demonic temptation and how to resist and refute it, all in eleven short verses.

The first thing that we see here is that the devil will disguise his temptations as well-intended suggestions. Jesus had just finished a forty-day fast and was obviously hungry, so Satan simply suggested that Jesus fix himself something to eat. What's wrong with that? After all, the fast had been completed and it was time to eat - what was wrong with suggesting that Jesus turn some stones into bread so that He could feed Himself? The answer is embedded in Jesus' reply, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Jesus juxtaposed the Word of God against eating bread, confessing that the former trumps the latter. The problem with the suggestion - the temptation - was that Satan suggested that Jesus use His power - "If you are the Son of God..." - for His own benefit. If you read the Bible you will find that Jesus never once used His power to His own benefit - not once - as Jesus said, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Satan's temptation was for Jesus to take His focus off of what the Father commissioned Him to do and instead focus on Himself. That's Satan's modus operandi - the devil often disguises his temptations as well-intended suggestions, just like he stepped to Jesus under the guise of good intentions.

Satan's true intention is to sow seeds of doubt. Notice in his temptation of Jesus he constantly says, "If you are the Son of God" - questioning the nature of Jesus. It is much like those who say, "If you are a Christian then you have to sell all of your stuff and give it to the poor" - woefully misrepresenting Scripture in order to justify themselves in their own eyes. Jesus responded to Satan's temptations with the Word of God in every instance, "It is written" "It is written" "It is written." The source of authority is the Word of God - for man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God - and it is the answer for Satan's seeds of doubt. There is a method to Satan's madness and it is necessary for him to introduce doubt in order for him to achieve his will for you.

Satan's very nature is deception and he deals in it naturally. Jesus, speaking to scoffers of His teachings, said, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." There is a reason why the ninth commandment is against bearing false witness against your neighbor. There are many ways to bear false witness without "lying." When someone speaks a falsehood and you know it to be false and yet say nothing - like many Democrats did when Bush was laying the case for his Misadventure in Mesopotamia - then you have borne false witness and deceived the listeners. When you spin the focus of an event onto a relatively meaningless tangent instead of the actual significance of the event, as the Republicans are doing with this Mark Foley fiasco, then you have borne false witness. When you intentionally play word games to allow the listener to draw their own conclusions that may or may not have anything to do with what you are saying - "I take full responsibility for my actions, although I was molested as a youth, and I have a drinking problem" - then you are bearing false witness. You might not be lying in a technical sense, but you are certainly bearing false witness, acting as an agent of the evil one through acts of deception, and that is a sin against God.

The devil's means are disguise, doubt and deception, but his method is diversion. Satan uses those means in order to divert our attention away from God and onto ourselves. He does this by minimizing God and maximizing man in the eyes of men. He disguises his words as reasonable doubts about God's character and nature, tempting us to put God to the test, tempting us to tell God, "Prove it!" This was the second temptation, suggesting that Jesus hurl himself off of the top of the temple in order to see the angels save Him from falling to the ground. Again, as always, Jesus responded with Scripture: "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" When we are focused on God then we're not busy trying to test God, much the same way that when you are busy loving your spouse you are not busy trying to test the limits of your spouse's love, trying to make them "Prove it!" But it is Satan's desire to divert our attention from God and place it on ourselves, and he often does it using people who don't realize that they are operating under demonic pretenses. When Peter tried to keep Jesus from going to the cross Jesus didn't rebuk Peter, he rebuked Satan: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Likewise, I've recently read where someone said, "Christianity is selling you something that already belongs to you" and "We will become Son of Man together." Seems like I've heard that before, "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God."

Satan never changes, and folk keep falling for the okie-doke.

Satan consistently attempts to divert our attention away from God and onto ourselves so that he might achieve his ultimate will for us - keeping us divided from the love of God. It is that division that Satan is ultimately after, and he'll use whatever it takes in order to achieve that ultimate end - riches for some, poverty for other, power for some, oppression for others - carrot or stick matters not to Satan so long as people reject God and the only means for connecting with the Father, Jesus Chrsit. Satan boiled it down to brass tax once Jesus had twice refuted him with Scripture: "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." It doesn't take black robes and human sacrifices to worship Satan, it simply takes a rejection of Jesus Christ because ultimately there are only two choices - join Jesus in eternity or join Satan in eternity. One can certainly reject both options, but there is a default option if you fail to choose Jesus, and that destination is the Lake of Fire. Surely there are those who consider Jesus' teachings about eternal life to be "fractally absurd," that Christians think it as some kind of reward for choosing the right religion, but Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

The devil says, "You will not surely die, you will be like God."

The devil wants to divide us from the love of God, so he will try to divert our attention from God through deceptive seeds of doubt disguised as well-intended suggestions. When we face demonic temptation we must submit to God; resist the devil and he will flee. Everyone must choose for themselves whom they will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who will provide a way out of demonic temptation,
May He turn His face toward you and give you peace.

NFL Power Rankings Week 5

Remember, as it is STILL too early for straight 1-32 rankings...we have them divided like so:

1-4 First Class - This is the class of the conference. These are the premiere teams in the league. These teams are the glory teams of the year. They will get all the headlines and dominate the conversation from week to week.

5-8 Business Class – These are GOOD teams, but this is where the most volatility is. Remember, only TWO of thse teams make the playoffs, so getting into slots 5-6 is everything. This is where the most spirited battles occur. These teams will change frequently as the contenders and pretenders clearly start to emerge.

9-12 Coach Class – These teams are the ones you should hate to see coming. They aren't good enough to make it to the playoffs, but they do not consistenly stink out the joint. There are few worse things than facing one of these teams on the road if you are a hated division rivals.

13-16 Cargo – These teams help fill out the schedule. Some teams find themselves here for a week or two, some for a year, some…have been here for YEARS. Usually these teams tend to pack it in as the season progresses, but beware when the football player's pride kicks in and they decide, as a group, to all play their hardest. It is for this reason that no team will ever go 0-16, no matter how possible it seems for the Raiders.


So…in THAT spirit…I give you the Rankings for Week 5 (again in no particular order)


AFC First Class
Baltimore Cincinnati, Indianapolis, New England
Indianapolis is probably taking a nap in its seat, because nothing short of a broken Peyton would move them out of first class. New England is used to being here, But basically the only reason they are here now is the way they beat up on their seat neighbor, Cincinnati last week.


NFC First Class
Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia
Philadelphia is probably standing in first class. If they beat Dallas today, then they can sit down and get comfortable. Otherwise, they will be back in business class faster than you can say "with their first round pick in the 2007 draft, The Philadelphia Eagles select Running back ___________". Special acknowledgement to the Chicago Bears, for smacking around the Seahawks on Sunday night. The Seahawks are consulting the Falcons and Eagles for tips on how they dealt with the Madden Curse when it struck them, while being thankful it was Shaun Alexander and not Matt Hasselbeck. Atlanta is trying to figure out what it did to draw the first game back in the Superdome two weeks ago.

AFC Business Class
Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, San Diego
This is a curious grouping of teams. They are pretty much cemented in Business Class because of their records, and their inability to play with consistency. Probably only the Steelers really have a chance to return to First Class, because they have a demonstrated ability to play better than they have thus far. San Diego is playing essentially a rookie quarterback, so it is difficult to expect more of them than we have already seen. The Steelers/Chargers game tonight has statement game written all over it. Denver still has Jake Plummer, which is probably a good thing now and a terrible thing later. Jacksonville is starting to give me the idea that someone told them the Super Bowl was in Jacksonville on Monday night against the Steelers.


NFC Business Class
Carolina, Dallas, New Orleans, St. Louis
Minnesota gave up its boarding pass by losing to Buffalo. New Orleans earned its upgrade strictly by showing a lot of moxie against a Carolina team which is currently eyeing its rightful Seat in first class, now that Steve Smith is back. Dallas is in the process of attempting to pickpocket Philadelphia's seat, but Philadelphia benefits from the last place schedule they get to play this year.

AFC Coach Class
Buffalo, Kansas City, Miami, NY Jets
Chances of a team from this group moving up to Business class: None. Never fun playing in any of these cities, but there are just too many holes.

NFC Coach Class
Arizona, Minnesota, NY Giants, Washington
Washington is moving up, The Giants, not so much. For Arizona, this IS up and who knows what Minnesota’s deal is.

AFC Cargo Class
Cleveland, Houston, Tennessee, Oakland
The Vince Young era has begun in Tennessee, so Titans fans will have to be content with their home in cargo. Cleveland is still stuck by being a decent team in a division with three better teams that hate them. Houston was able to beat Oakland which means now Oakland will have to embarrass someone else at some point this year. It was ALMOST Cleveland, but Oakland managed to blow it.

NFC Cargo Class
Detroit, Green Bay, San Francisco, Tampa Bay

Detroit should be able to burn its mortgage in cargo class pretty soon. Green Bay is starting to get used to it, while San Francisco is hoping its time here is finally drawing to a close although it clearly won’t be this year. Tampa Bay is a team in search of, not a heart, but a spleen. As in a decent quarterback with one.

an idle thought

I learned something yesterday.


I can be mean.


REALLY REALLY mean, when so inclined.


Say something to irritate me, and see me channel all my angst into a biting and ruthless comeback.



ok....I think that's all I got.


no, wait...one more.


I read the article in VIBE (the one that inexplicably has Bobby Brown on the cover) about AJ and Free. Love or hate them, they were an institution in our culture. And those two new clones are almost mirror images of them, whether they know it or not. I don't know what made me think about that, but there ya have it.


The week four football post is coming. I am still ruminating over the mess that is the NFL.

oh its not a mess you say?


Minnesota Beat Washington, who beat Jacksonville, who beat Dallas, Who beat Tennessee, who lost to Miami, who lost to Pittsburgh, who lost to Cincinnati, who lost to New England who lost to Denver, who lost to St. Louis, who lost to San Francisco, who lost toArizona, who lost to Atlanta, who Lost to New Orleans, who lost to Carolina, who lost to Minnesota, who lost to Buffalo, who lost to the NY Jets, who Lost to the Colts, who beat the Houston, who has yet to play the Raiders, who will beat someone.

Today's idle thought

I was talking to my boy Scribe(wait...sidebar.)

One Day, Scribe, Oscar in Louisville, and DaveyWayne will sit at the table together and break bread. After that, watch out.
.end sidebar

this morning and we have come to the conclusion that America has declared war on children. We worship our children on one hand and sacrifice them on altars of materialism and selfishness on the other. Whether it is the way we stuff them with fast food and sugary nothingness to drink, or the way we plop them down in front of..."entertainment"

Or the way we romp up in their schools....their safe haven from all that is evil out in the world...Remember how school was...it was YOUR world. You knew where everything was, but THEY didn't. The stuff in school was YOURS...it didn't even come from them.

Now you got strangers bustin up in schools SHOOTING kids....LITTLE BITTY ones.

You'll pardon my reaction, as I sit in a DAYCare...wondering if some crackpot wants to be famous at the expense of the rugrats in my charge.


THEN you have congressmen, the ones who are in charge of the machinations that protect missing and exploiting children....sending obscene messages to 16- year old boys, only to run off into the asylum of the liquor tank. Note to Mr. Foley: Liquor does not recreate who you are, it only brings it out in buckets.


Shall I go on to the works of our administration, which apparently, after concocting a doozy of a story to get us into a war that has only made us LESS safe, apparently is lying to us currently about the fate of our older children who we have sent into harm's way. As if the current administration isn't inept enough, let's dig in the crates for the ghost of Henry Kissinger...oh wait...that actually IS Henry Kissinger, who is back to lose the Vietnam war all over again, because clearly it wasnt enough to decimate the lives of a generation of fathers in the late 60s and 70s, now he gets to ruin fathers AND mothers. If you want something done right, do it yourself, is what they say.

And then, The good folk at our local middle school, which has decided that football is SOOOO important here in Texas, that in order to play ANY OTHER sport, you must play football. So as the result of a freak, but all too common injury playing football, my little nephew (who is about as tall as me, at the tender age of 12) is in danger of having the growth of one of his arms stunted and thus ruining any hopes of a baseball career, which is WHY HE WAS OUT ON THE DAMN FOOTBALL FIELD IN THE FIRST PLACE...so he could make that damn team one of the best in the region, cause he is JUST that good. but now...hes a lil kid with a broken arm and dreams on lifesupport....please pray for him.


way to go everyone, (including me) nice work making these children better than we were.

Jackass of all trades

So begins the month of October.

• An election year with more twists and turns than a San Francisco side street
• An NFL season that is shaping up to be just as unpredictable as we have come to love
• College football is in full swing
  
• School Shootings are the new black
• Real TV seems to be taking over from Reality TV
• Baseball games will actually mean something
• The NBA and college basketball are stirring from their long summer's nap
• There are several noteworthy movies being released (aside from the usual
  

You would think that with all that going on, I would have more to write. Well, I do.



Problem is, I am too busy screwing around to actually WRITE it.


Today marks the descent of DaveyWayne into the dungeon.

Pretty much every keystroke I type from now on will be for SOMETHING.

If you find yourself wondering what is on my mind, here is where you will find it.


I am withdrawing myself from all social circles for an indefinite period of time. My multitasking days are over, and it is time to see what a focused mind can wrought.

Word For The Week

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

Acts 28:1-6

One thing that I have learned is that before you can apply the Word to others you must first apply it to yourself. This piece particularly spoke to me where I am right now so I thought I'd repost it today.

There are precious few people on the planet who actually like snakes. Snakes are universally reviled and with good reason - they're treacherous and they're often deadly. Snakes are hated in such a way that in our common vernacular one of the worse things that you can call someone is a snake. A snake is someone who has no character, someone who has no scruples, someone who has no problem with smiling in your face and patting you on the back for the sole purpose of finding out where to thrust the knife. Have you ever had to deal with a snake?

The Apostle Paul had been snake-bitten throughout his ministry in Asia Minor. Five times he received 39 lashes. Three times he was beaten with rods, once he was stoned, three times he was shipwrecked, he spent a night and a day in the open sea, and he was constantly on the move. He had been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from his own countrymen and in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and, above all, in danger from false brothers. Paul was well acquainted with snakes.

So Paul must have chuckled the last time that he was shipwrecked - on Malta - when a snake bit him as he was helping to gather firewood. Everyone thought that he was a dead man walking, but what did Paul do? Paul shook it off. Paul didn't sit around and cry about his fate. Paul didn't kvetch about his perpetual misfortune. Paul shook that snake off before the venom could get into his system. That is exactly how we have to face adversity:

Folks hating on you? Shake it off!

Spouse acting a fool? Shake it off!

Kids acting like Chucky? Shake it off!

Boss treating you like Toby? Shake it off!

Politicians lying to your face? Shake it off!

Player haters trying to take your place? Shake it off!

Snakes refusing to pay you? Shake it off!

We cannot sit around and complain about what has happened to us - we have to shake that stuff off and move forward with what God has for us to do. If you look at the text, Paul didn't just shake the snake off of him - he shook it into the fire. You see, not only do we have to get past the problem, we have to solve the problem. Paul eliminated the source of his problem - he didn't just sit around and whine about it, he did something about it. There's an old saying that God helps those who help themselves, and there's some truth to that. We have to get past our helplessness and take care of our own responsibilities. We have to shake off adversity and squash whatever problems hinder us so that we can achieve all of our objectives. That is what Paul did on his way to Nero's chopping block, and that is what we have to do in our every-day living.

May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who implores you to Shake It Off,
May He turn His face toward you and give you peace.