A Eulogy For 2010

I purposely waited until now to post a new blog so I can finally say this.

Dear year that was 2010:
You were an asshole at times, and other times you were interesting, to say the least. To watch you go does not bring me any remorse, but a sigh of relief. Not because I am turning 21 in 2011, but all that has happened this year has opened my eyes, and ears to so much you could not comprehend. If anything I can say about you twenty ten was that you were a year or learning from mistakes.

So much has happened this past 365 days. Lets see. Start off with the big changer, I quit my band. One of the best decisions I have ever made. Yes, I may not have an outlet for the lyrics I am writing right now, but that will change. If I did not get out of there I would be going no where, and arriving there very soon. I was criticized because the former band members thought I was a problem, when I can clearly see now that they are in denial and need to wake up. I was doing everything for that band except holding the guys dicks when they urinated. Since I have quit and made that change, I have taken a sort of straight edge approach. I honestly do not find alcohol that appealing. I can have a drink, and get a little buzzed every once in a while, but it isn't me to drink at the same place every weekend. Not only that I am moving on with life, and pursuing things that are greater than what I once imagined. Possibilities are endless I have come to see.

The year of the punk concert. Who have I seen this year:
Against Me!, twice, July 27, and Sept. 26 (Epicenter 2010)
Bad Religion, twice Nov. 9, and Sept. 26 (Epicenter 2010)
Rise Against, Sept. 26 (Epicenter 2010)
Street Dogs, Oct 9
Green Day, Aug 30
Warped Tour, Jun 29 (Sum 41, Andrew WK, Riverboat Gamblers, Causalities, ect.)
Bouncing Souls, Nov. 9 with Bad Religion
Anti-Flag, Jan. 25
Street Dogs, Oct 7
Nations Afire, July 20

I went to eight concerts this year. I know I am probably miscounting, but that is a pretty close estimate. I saw two shows in California, Nations Afire, and Epicenter Fest, and a few local shows. The theme to you 2010 was punk bands. Every second I loved it. Wouldn't trade it for the world. It was appearing to be a slow year, then the last push made it all worth it.

A change in hair tastes also came about. I went from long wanna be 80's hair to a much more refined look, that I personally feel is more me than what I had. Staring in July right after I left my band, I decided it was time for a change, and cut most of may hair off, but left some length on top and not much. Then recently I again changed it, and went really short, which I like, and again feel it is even more me. This will be changing though. I will go through times where I decide to grow my hair out for 3 months, and then go short again. I like change. I was going to dye it black, but decided against that because my hair is dark enough as it is.

With the passing of the year I believe that I have matured in a way that was unexpected. I think some where back in June my mind finally said, "common asshole, it is time to get off your ass and grow up." For once I listened. I really have a changed view with things. I have come to learn, and love who I am and be okay with that. That is something that is important, I guess. I have a direction that I was lacking December 31 of last year. Last December things looked really bleak, and as if it was only going to get worse, but then things changed about three or four days before the spring semester started. A second chance you could say.

There have been bad times, like after my doctors appointment, when my doctor decided to really berate me with bad news I already knew. Then that was all turned around more recently. No worries there. I almost killed myself this year back in January when I drank about 2/3 of a bottle of Jack Daniels in about 35 minuets, highly advisable not to do that again. Worst night of my life. Actually, I take that back, there was a night in 2008 that was even worse, but that is a whole different story.

Lets talk about where I really think the year changed for me. In April, my grandfather passed away. Unfortunately I wasn't as close to him as I really should have. Strangely enough, when he passed, I had to go back to New York. I left Long Island ten years ago this past June. I thought back then it would be great, but I was wrong. I met up with people that I haven't seen in almost ten years, and it was amazing. If I could pin point one exact moment that everything turned around, it would have been then. That week in New York made me realize where my heart really was. I think things changed there, and that is what made this year what it was.

2010, you were up, and you were down. Tears were shed, and laughs were over abundant. You are going, and I have no remorse that you are gone. Like I said, you were an asshole at times, but then again you were cool. I am over you.

2011, you are fucking mine.... Watch out...-SS

Whereabouts Unknown

It is the cost of what is defined as a sellout. If you ask me a sell out is someone that will change their tastes to fit a mold. Basically, by criticizing a specific band, and being adamant about how they "suck" then going back on that quote all of a few years later and worshiping their music. Why, because you want to fit in, not because you have a choice. You give up on what you truly stand for just so you can be something else. It is funny, there are too many people out there. I know I am not one of them; I have never gone out band bashing, then changed my mind about them. Well, serious band bashing, I didn't like Rise Against in 2004 because of Tim's weird, jewfro looking thing.I was 14 and ignorant, I thought they were something else. That is just simple. Don't make your self something that you are not.

Now onto a totally different subject.

It is about twelve days or so until I will be gone from Phoenix. In that time I will know my living quarters finally. Hopefully, as early as tomorrow I will know what is going on. Then come Friday I will be going out to get a new wardrobe for the most part, considering it is about an average of 42 degrees in Flagstaff come January. Meanwhile, it will be 42, in Phoenix it will be about 63, which is on the cusp of shorts weather for some people.

I have my room to clear out, I have stuff to take off my wall, I have things to pack up. It is so weird that this is actually going to happen. That is the part that has be freaked out. Something that seems like it is going to work. Normally things go terribly wrong--which I am still waiting for in a way-- just like my sport teams, see the New York Giants today.

For now, my whereabouts are unknown, and I don't know when I will be coming home, but it's alright...-SS

Turbulence (American Nightmare)

"Turbulence (American Nightmare)"
To the empty streets, with boarded up windows
Broken dreams that once lived here
Better times that we stop and try to remember
As those memories don't seem too clear
The shouts under a unrelenting sun go un heard
But the mindless still adhere

We don't know what to say
It was going to happen anyway

The American dream, has become a nightmare (whoa--)
Unconscious, and unaware
The promised land is now a waste land (whoa--)
Stuck in the nine to five command

When tomorrow means nothing
And we can't live for today,

Don't blink, and have no fear this is not a test
Your government has failed you
What you are feeling is called being opressed
Or just your just middle class
We are getting thirsty, and becoming unaddressed
The empty streets are rising

We don't know what to say
It was going to happen anyway

The American dream, has become a nightmare (whoa--)
Unconscious, and unaware
The promised land is now a waste land (whoa--)
Stuck in the nine to five command

When tomorrow means nothing
And we can't live for today,

In a Dick, and George dream
Where the top two percent flourish
While the rest fail;
We will not fail
We will not fail

The American dream, has become a nightmare (whoa--)
Unconscious, and unaware
The promised land is now a waste land (whoa--)
Stuck in the nine to five command

When tomorrow means nothing
And we can't live for today,

The Overwhelming Excitement

As Christmas fast approaches I find my days here dwindling. I will leave this place soon, I kind of hope I am not missed here. Wait, let me rephrase all this. This is all in regards to me moving to Flagstaff come January, not me killing my self. Even though my little preamble sounded like I was talking that way. Just playing with double meanings. On a serious note..

I am very excited to be moving. As I have talked about before, I have a place to stay all lined up, now it is just getting it solidified. Before I can start signing up for classes I have to have a place that I know I will be living at. A simple possibility isn't going to work here. I do not need to be living out of a car for four months. Even though the challenge would be weird, and neck pain would ensue. I haven't quite started packing my bags, but I have been very tempted to start clearing off my walls in preparation. Not yet though.

The sheer fact that this is actually going to happen has been interesting to say the least. I have been begging for a chance to change my surroundings, and this chance I did not want to pass. Another semester at PVCC and I would have been forced to kill myself, it has been that bad. Now that is all about to change. I'm going to leave this town, and not looking back. I have full intentions to leave Phoenix for the last time with "Audience of One" by Rise Against blasting in my car. "And we ran away..." That like is all I need for this moment.

Moving will being so many new chances, it really will. I am getting out of the house, and have no right to complain about anything anymore about living at home. Yes, I don't have a job, but I will find one when I get up there that is my mission. I have taken time off from working, and looking so I could focus on school. Now that I have the school part out of the way, and once I have established my self in Flagstaff, I will find a job. Right now it is looking like I will be up there for four months, then come home for the summer. That might change though. I have a friend who might look into getting a house, and I would want to get in on that. I joked with someone who will be coming up to NAU come fall by saying kegger every Friday, just call be Bluto.

Speaking of summer in the previous paragraph. I have an epic summer of 2011 that is taking shape. I hope none of my friends from New York read this. I am spilling the beans here. Next summer I will be going back for two weeks. I will come back to Lawn Guyland for two whole weeks. That is intense! It will be great, there is so much that I need to do there that I didn't do when I was there in April for a week. This time it will be on much different terms, and no need to have that whirlwind of emotions. Two weeks, damn. So much can be done!

There are some other things going on that should be coming together within the next eight or so days. I have been sworn to secrecy though with those. The time will come and I will talk about what is going on.

That 65 day counter is dwindling down quickly!-SS

Fell In Love With The Girl At The Rock Show

This is being written as an e-mail draft because I don't want to publish it as a blog yet. I'll post it as a draft on here in a minuet.

Tonight was interesting to say that least. I haven't been to a local show that I have enjoyed, ever. There was something weird though, something beyond the music that is what I am still thinking about. No, it is not the fight that I almost got into, but this girl that I met there. This isn't the first time that we met. I first met her back on Dec 4 at the ColdFusion X-Mas show. Even at the first meeting I thought she was interesting. Now I actually talked to her, and started to find out a little about her, she is really interesting. Not only that, she has a weird name, and I have always been a sucker or so it seems for a girl with a weird name. I mean this is the first time I found a girl with this name. Me being the paranoid nutcase that I am probably won't do anything about this. She is into music, and there is just something about her. The thing that caught me when we were talking were our wanting to get out of Phoenix. I have stated a million times that I do not like it here.

The last thing I have noticed about here, is her great smile, not only that I find her overly attractive. I mean, I see a 9-10 in her. I want to find out more about this girl, like quicks in her personality, and such. I need find someone that is interesting, and is interested in actually doing things, and not being contented with the simple life. I really think this girl wants to be something. She wanted to get into music production, test is very interesting.

Lets see if this will have any legs. I need to know if she doesn't have a boyfriend, if she is single, she is the one that I want. You could say that, "I Want Her Badly."-SS

I Love The Cold

It is about 36 degrees outside my window! Sweet! In Flagstaff again. Second time in six weeks. This time checking out apartments, and living quarters. Things were looking really shitty at first, like I might not actually be going to Flagstaff this spring, but I found something that looks promising. It isn't, unfortunately, a studio apartment, or a one bedroom, but will do the trick. It is what is known as shared living. Basically you are put up in a apartment with three other roommates, and you pay for just the room, even if one ditches, no one has to pay the full rent. It is about one and a half miles from downtown, I believe they are called the Highland Village Apartments, I don't remember the name exactly, but I have paper information.

It has been an ugly day out, fucking weather, how does that work? Something I don't get to see all the time, so I has been very interesting. Snow was on the ground, which was really cool because I haven't seen this much snow since 2002, so it's been a while

Moving out, and moving on.

I have a good eulogy for the year that was 2010 I will deliver next week. It will be interesting. It is almost a direct quote from someone else, but I'll make it my own.-SS

Built To Fail

"Built To Fail"
Something that I see every day
So fucked up I can't say
Those unforgiving faces are everywhere
Alert, but not aware
As the surroundings start to close in
Some where we've all been

Only hell can ensue
I'll find a way to see this through

Whoa-oh-oh oh--
We're built to fail, cause every time we slip and fall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
You can't curtail, through it all we're still standing tall

There's nothing left on the inside
A shell is what remains
All these vices have become amplified
Still can't break through the chains

Only hell can ensue
I'll find a way to see this through

Whoa-oh-oh oh--
We're built to fail, cause every time we slip and fall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
You can't curtail, through it all we're still standing tall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
We're built to fail, cause every time we slip and fall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
You can't curtail, through it all we're still standing tall

Still fucked up, and waiting for nothing
Like a question with no answer
Why am I waiting
Why are we waiting?

-solo-

Whoa-oh-oh oh--
We're built to fail, cause every time we slip and fall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
You can't curtail, through it all we're still standing tall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
We're built to fail, cause every time we slip and fall
Whoa-oh-oh oh--
You can't curtail, through it all we're still standing tall

Nights Underground With Shane Strychnine

Kind of a cool ring to it huh?

I want to outline something that I have been talking about for the past eight weeks. Seeing that I want to get into broadcast journalism this is right where I want to go. My intentions are to start a radio show on KJACK come the fall of 2011. It isn't that hard as it seems. NAU students can make pitches to the radio station for radio shows they want to do. I have full intentions to do that. Of course I need to get some expirence broadcasting before I make a jump to actual AM/FM radio. Luckily, I saw something that reminded me of where I can get that expirence. Just need to find out how much it is going to cost me, because I am going to need to buy some equipment so I can do the show right.

What is this show going to be?

The Underground will be a show that features local, unsigned bands, and major bands being played over the same hour. I will only be spinning punk/alternative bands. So some no-name band from Podunk, NY can get their first airplay along side the likes of Bad Religion, and Rise Against. With the major bands, it would be obscure songs that the mainstream fan would not know. With the music I will also ad in some political commentary, ala Keith Olbermann, Rachael Maddow. The show will focus for the most part on music though. I also will interview bands, over the phone or in person and play those interviews on air. I want to give honest bands a chance. Even though no one may listen to the show, it will be a huge boost of confidence for the band. The big step will be making a pitch to KJACK and getting it on AM/FM radio.

While in Flagstaff, I noticed something. There aren't any alternative/punk stations. That made me think about this show. Then I heard that NAU students can make pitches to the radio station. It will work up there because the market is not flooded with that genre of music. It is lacking that edge. I heard one classic rock station, about five country stations, and two or so religious stations. There also was two oldies stations I heard. This show will be targeting the college students, and high school students that may have the same taste in music.

Segments that I may do, interviews (hopefully with major artists when I make a AM/FM jump.), a entire show every two months where I play songs that I do not like, but everyone else likes, special comments regarding politics, thoughts on movies and other things like this. I will think of more when the time comes. This is just in an infant process. This has been stirring in my mind for about eight weeks. Hopefully this will actually work.

Until then, it is just a dream, and a idea. It's an idea that can make a change.-SS

"Captive"

“Captive”
Are we the waiting, like names on a list?
Drawn out, and predefined as our fate is sealed
I’m getting fed up with all this obstructive behavior
Looking to the horizon, there is no fucking savior

And we crash
Through the sky
Never stopping to ask

My hands are shaking as the air turns dry, still black and white
As the fires burn and the sky goes black as night (black as night)
We’re all held captive, but we’ll never die, never die
Fix these broken wings and leave this place behind

I will see you sitting from afar
In times of madness, creating a scar
I will not off you my sympathy,
As you have already spoiled mine

So, where do we go, cause I don’t know
I don’t know

And we crash
Through the sky
Never stopping to ask why

My hands are shaking as the air turns dry, still black and white
As the fires burn and the sky goes black as night (black as night)
We’re all held captive, but we’ll never die, never die
Fix these broken wings and leave this place behind

All that I am, all that I need
I will leave this place
All that I am, all that I need
I will leave this place

Stuck running in place
Under a dry and relentless rain
Words said I can’t hear
Then she will disappear

This is all I can give
It’s not really that much
I am a flawed symmetry
Please put me out of my misery

I wait for the sky
To come and swallow me
And take me from here

And we crash
Through the sky
Never stopping to ask why

My hands are shaking as the air turns dry, still black and white
As the fires burn and the sky goes black as night (black as night)
We’re all held captive, but we’ll never die, never die
Fix these broken wings and leave this place behind

I will leave this place
I will leave this place behind

Legitimacy, Right This Way

For the first time in about 7 months I was able to be on stage, and it was a great feeling. It did set my mind to ease about what I should do. Musically I am going to continue to write easy acoustic stuff, and go abroad and play that, but at the same time actually form a band and play out with that. It is an interesting scenario, but will take some time. Currently I have three originals, plus about three covers that I want to play live, I'm going to focus more on writing, and start playing out as early as next week.

As for the band thing, it is starting to come along. I have my eyes out for a bassist, and a drummer, while my brother and I met this guy at the Green Day concert in August, and ran into him again at a PV football game, and he plays guitar, and him and Evan have been talking. Now it just comes to the fact of finding the rest of the band. The second I have all the pieces in place, I will start looking for shows. Although I will wait on the shows until there are 6 or so songs written. According to my brother he is got the whole song writing thing down. He has one song I heard him playing, I really liked.

Then next weekend, oh it never ends, I am going to Flagstaff looking for apartments. I can't believe that it has been 65 or so days since I first mentioned that this is actually going to happen. Now it is only a matter of time before I have my own place in Flagstaff. I'm leaving Phoenix, and not looking back. That does in fact mean my band will be playing in Flagstaff a lot once it is formed, because I will be up there, and have a place to rest and all that. No need for a hotel, or anything. It will be a really good fit.

So much is going to happen in the next three weeks. This is intense..-SS

Culture, and The Anarchy

"Culture, and the Anarchy"
This argument is about nothing tangible,
But this is where I stand (whoa-whoa)
Amongst the stoic and silenced millions
Hopeless and without a prayer
We fight like rebels, but with no cause
To prove a point no one likes,
Maybe the underprivileged will rise up
And take back it all


This is argument about nothing tangible
But this is where I stand

Where Do We Go From Here

Playing a show for the first time since May. Oh, this will be interesting. I have never actually played a concert where I sung, and played an instrument at the same time. To be truthful, I am a little nervous, because I do mess up from time to time. I feel confident about what I am playing though. The feeling of being stage, especially when you know what you are doing, is one of the best you can have. I have written three songs, the new one I will post lyrically here after this blog, that I will be performing, meanwhile my brother who wrote two will be playing those. He kind of sings out of key, that's why this I have view as more of a fun thing, and to get back out there kind of thing. I am hoping that it works.

Been kind of in a writing funk lately. Not surprised, I had a good run from like Sept through October of writing new lyrics that were very high quality. Don't get me wrong, the stuff I have for tomorrow is good, but it isn't as full as the other stuff I have written. That is why it is an acoustic show, and not a full band show. Not only that, I know I have been neglecting writing here. Why? I don't know. Maybe it is the fact I have nothing interesting to say right now. Even though I did write a nice entry the other night. Then again, I felt like writing.

I don't know. Something will hit me again, and blammo, I will have a huge blog spurt like I did in October. For now I just give you this, half ass bullshit!-SS

A Nation Built This

There is a terrorist group in this country hell bent while holding this country hostage. The creepy part about where this country is going, it was predicted by what Oceania was in George Orwell's "1984" was. Right now the United States is in the pre-history kind of phase, where the dreaded "capitalists" rule everything. Which is very, very true right now. Who is running the country, who is in control of everything, big business and capitalists. Do not let the Republicans fool you. They are not for the middle class in America, they are only in it to line their pockets. How can this been seen, just look at how they fought for the extension of the Bush Era tax cuts, while holding unemployment insurance hostage.

What was the Bush Era Tax Cuts, they were a sweeping tax cut in 2001 and 2003 that are set to expire at the end of this year. The Democrats were pushing very hard to let the tax breaks end for those making more than $250,000, while keep them for everyone else. A rebuttal from Republicans was that those who make that much are small business owners, and low taxes will make them want to hire.

WRONG!

The right is so far out of touch. It is simple economics. Demand creates jobs, there is no written rule because a company is making money they have to hire. The only way they will hire is if they are facing a demand that requires them to hire, in the United States currently there is no demand. So what does the tax cuts really mean, they mean this. The rich will keep on getting richer, and the middle and lower class will be left behind. Hence the Marxist, and 1984 reference. Extending the breaks is a horrible idea. Probably one of the worst that can be made. An old cliche' comes into view when this is brought up. In 1999 the economy was not lagging, it was growing and jobs were abundant. The George Bush wins the 2000 election, and right away implements the tax cuts. What happened next, the country only slipped, a budget deficit was opened, and a massive debt was created. The cliche' in question is, "if it not broke, don't fix it."

What is in this country's future is quite bleak. As mentioned with 1984, and Marxism, eventually there will be a class war. When, that date is currently unknown, but it is coming. There is a point where the middle class and lower class will rise. The "prole's" will rise, and they will take down the current government eventually (Oh god, I feel like I am writing in that diary Winston Smith owned.) The government will not go first, it will be the take down of the extreme upper class. It is a really scary prediction that George Orwell wrote about in 1947. The prediction may be 25 years off or so, but it is starting to take shape. This tax cut extension is exactly what could be the spark that ignites a fire.

Of course, what happened, the passive president that Barack Obama is let himself get bullied around by Republicans. This is where I start throwing I's and you's in. If he continues to go any further right, he seriously might as well call him self the dying breed that was "moderate Republicans." As a registered Democrat I will not stand for the Democratic president going so far right. My views on him have turned lately. I was excited about what was happening earlier this year, but this really angered me. You are a Democrat, act like a Democrat and stand on the left please, not the right. I did not vote another George Bush into office.

It is sickening to watch this. The worst about it I am sitting in one of the most conservative states in the country, Arizona. I have no choice but to abide by the outrageous republican rhetoric. I agree with none of it. These conservatives on capital hill do not care about the small guy at all. The Democrats aren't the best, but they are at least trying to. These past couple of days they haven't tried.

Something needs to be done. I don't know what. Two years of gridlocked government might show the country how messed up the Republicans really are. I cannot believe what I am seeing in my government. It is said in the Declaration of Independence that is a people come under fire from a unjust government, they have the right to revolt. The Repub;licans need to be taken out, and these Democrats need to take a stand, other wise us "prole's" will rise up. Watch.-SS

Lying In The Wake

I would like to sit here and write something. Just got done writing a 1,500 word essay, again. I have something to say about the Bush Era Tax Cuts being extended. I also have a song brewing in my head. Just don't feel like writing anymore.-SS

New Rise Against Material (New Record 2010/2011)

Unfortunately I am not breaking the news that new material has leaked, but I do have some info on their new record. Rise Against played a secret show Saturday in Pennsylvania where they played a set that included three new songs. I'm going to hold the titles until later. From what it looks like the show was in some tiny venue, and no one knew about until the last minute. Maybe even played under the name "Old Bananas," which they have done already this year.

Now it is later. The new song names are...
"Turbulence (State of Fear)"
"Grey Minds"
"Future We Steal"

Here is what I believe the songs will sound like.
"Turbulence (State of Fear):" I believe will sound something like "Collapse (Post-Amerika)" did. Although I believe this song will be a lot more like "State of the Union." In other words expect a song that is more along the lines of hardcore, something the band got away from on "Appeal to Reason."

"Grey Minds:" The title sounds to me something like what "Audience of One," or "Amber Changing" was. I am not sure with this one. It could also be an very aggressive song too.

"Future We Steal:" I can hear something like "Ready to Fall" for this song. At the same time I am getting a "Re-Education (Though Labor)"/"Give it All" vibe from that song title. I have a feeling that this song will be the big hit for them off of this record.

There is a big downside to what this record might do to them. They have this record and another record left on their contract with Interscope/Geffen, which is a very big label. This record that is expect I believe in the window of March-June will be one that makes them rock n' roll legends. Rise Against is someday going to be bigger than Green Day is. It pains me to say that, and to have to see them play at places like Cricket Pavilion, or a Dodge Theater. That's the way it goes though.

What do I expect the new record to sound like. I expect it to sound a little more like "Siren Song of the Counter Cult ure" meets "Revolutions Per Minute," but a more radio friendly version of those two albums. It won't be in my mind as soft as Appeal was. I see a hardcore song coming, especially the b-side that was "Grammatizator." Also, I am not sure how much Chris Chass had written for Appeal, listen to his new band Nations Afire (amazing by the way.) and listen to the EP, and don't tell me that it doesn't sound like Appeal Rise Against.

These are all just guesses. I wish I had the true answers, and could hear the music., I think it will only be a month or two before something is heard. Until then we wait.-SS

Somewhere Between Happy, and a Total Fucking Wreck

I kind of been neglecting this thing again. I do that from time to time. Too busy with writing for school, and it has literally made me not want to write extra. This semester I will have accumulated over 10,600+ words for all the writing projects I have done. That number of course is just the bare minimum that I counted. I don't remember exact word counts, I know I went over the necessary number of words on some work. This semester can't be over soon enough. At least I fought through it and didn't give up because I did not like how an instructor was teaching a class, and yes I did have that problem with my English class, but I have made it though.

I'm going back up to Flagstaff on Dec 18 to check out apartments, and I should be moving into that apartment hopefully no later than Jan 8th or 9th, I need this change. Living in Phoenix for ten years straight is a very, very tough thing. It i boring, and normally too hot to do anything. Although right now is the exception to that statement. Flag is cold, but I'm from New York, and the weather there is almost identical, just minus the humidity.

There is a show tonight that I am hosting. I do that from time to time. As I have said before, I was known on the scene more than my past band was because of the things I do, and the things I stand up for. Getting paid, which is great too. Saving up to get a Epiphone LP Special Edition Silverburst, my dream guitar. Actually, the dream is the the actual Gibson version, but I don't have $4k to make that happen. I help it last week, and it felt like sex in my hands. The asshole that used it before me was playing in drop tuning, so I didn't feel like retuning it. In my opinion you don't need to tune a guitar lower than Eb, and every now and then D is exceptional, nothing lower, and no drop tuning.

Also, I'm doing another show next week, that I am playing in. This is something I am good at, so why not do it, and make some much needed money.

That's really all I have for now. I need to get back into writing more like this, and more lyrics will appear.-SS

Special Announcement

Well. First off I feel like delaying it. Wait till the end of the blog to make my statement. It's nothing major, so don't get your hopes up.

Well actually I lied. Here's the announcement. I have full 100% plans to do the PF Changs Rock n' Roll Marathon. Now I have wanted to do this for about 4 years, but have gotten sick every time I get ready for it. I'm tentative to announce it because, well. I'm hoping history won't repeat itself.

There it is. That's all.-SS

Lets Make Everybody Sing

"Lets Make Everybody Sing"
It doesn't matter, who you are
The reason's we have all the same
It's about the music, not about the fame
Don't try to be a fucking star

We sing like no one is listening
And dance without fear,
Only we get what we're saying
Coming in loud and clear

It's not about the sale at the door
Or the friends that you call fans
It's about the memories that you make
And the message you try to send

With a sound we raise so loud
That can be heard everywhere
Without a reason, without a cause
There's no need to care

We sing like no one is listening
And dance without fear
Only we get what we're saying
Coming in loud and clear

A Million To One

It's not exactly what we had planned. The route we take may vary, and we wind up somewhere we did not expect. It's weird where we can go. We could travel a million miles to end up back at the starting line and wish we never left. Even though the sights along the way were tempting, but that temptation would have lead into a dead end.

We may meet a thousand people, but all it takes is one to change our lives. Just because they aren't exactly what we wanted, doesn't mean that they are best for you. A life time of searching can come down to all of one second, a glance, an awkward stare that turns into something more than you could have imagined. It is so weird, but when it hits you, you know it.

The life that we want, a fast paced life, living on the run and doing the most sometimes isn't what we really want. Sometimes sitting on front porches is all that we need. Watch the sunset every night, and waste life away. Hopefully not alone, the feeling of being alone is almost worst than the feeling of death.

Just keep that in mind as you walk around in your life. What we picture ourselves sometimes isn't the best. It is what we become that could be the greatest thing of all. Don't waste a single day. Live for now, don't worry about tomorrow. Take a chance for once, and breathel.

That is all.-SS

It Never Ends

I'm good at some things. Well it isn't really good because I'm kind of using it in the wrong way. I am good at pissing people off. Not all the time, just when I want to. Unfortunately I believe my efforts are wasted this time. The target audience this time are really a bunch of nobodies, poseurs an "wanna be's." The thing is I have gotten attention, and didn't even need to do much. Obviously people are giving a shit about me. Why? I have no clue. It is quite comical if you ask me.

Lets see, because I posted the original version of a song, people got their panties in a knot. I have no intentions of using it as a song of my own. It is a cover of my band Ripp Tyde, if anything use it as a cover ala Green Day covering Operation Ivy's "Knowledge." I wrote half the song, I have half the rights. Simple as that. I suffered through a music business, and did pick something up and there. I know artists rights, and all that stuff. You write lyrics for a song, you are a major contributor to the song, it's 50 percent of a song if you look at it. It is a major part of a song, and I had no help writing lyrics, or have I really ever split a song with someone. Even though I have re-organized lyrics into a different song structure that were not my lyrics.

If you want to try and use legal action, go a head, piss money away that YOU DON'T HAVE. You talk is a lot bigger than your bite, so I have absolutely no fear. Not only that, there is no money involved. When it comes to music business, money has to be involved before your legal action will be taken seriously.

The other day I was talking about the fact that I have been playing in a band for three plus years, and I mentioned the genre that I played. The girl I was talking to laugh, and said this, "We're you popular?" I responded with a laughable "No." She then just said, "See.." Then I went on to explain what my current ambitions are musically, and she seemed more interested, and tol me that I am better off to follow that than what I was doing. Then tonight I was talking to some people that were at last years Christmas show, and they said we sounded generic and 80's. That was then, and the music is still the same. So you can imagine. I only wish I listened to my gut in 2004 when I first saw Rise Against on MTV, and things might be a little different now.

Please take this into consideration. I was the face of the band, I was the one who got some notoriety. There is no popularity for me, other wise I would have found a band. I am recognized for what I did, and who I was. When I explain my current position, everyone that I know seems to believe that I am better off. I have been told they can't wait to hear what I will come up with in the near future, and that when I left, the band lost it's heart and soul and was meaningless.

Say what you want. I really don't care. If anyone is actually reading this because they want to see what I am up to secretly, congrats, you have no life, or I am showing you lyrics, it is a whole different story.

I think I'll post some more songs. Just to piss them off...

Once again... "Good night, and good luck."

I Won't Take It, Or Leave It

Each day passes, and impatiences grows. I just hate waiting, especially when something this big is waiting on the other side. My mind cannot rest at ease until I know what the hell is going on. So I just sit here and wait, and wait some more. Even though I may ask, "what took you so long," but better late than never bodes very well with me on this subject matter. Until then, I shall just turn up some Bouncing Souls, and keep waiting.

That is just what is going on with that for now. The waiting game continues, now it is some time for some commentary that I have always been known for. Don't be quick to judge, when something is out of place, I will argue about it. Even if it seems totally non sequitur.

I have recently heard my former band mates "new" songs if you want to call them that. I'll start with the basic gist of what I heard. Garbage. Not only that, I have heard some of my lyrics, and melody in one song they have posted. I have the original recordings of it, and lyrics saved on a server (yes, that stands up in a court of law, they are time stamped.) That's only if they ever make money off it, which I doubt they will. Then I saw a title of a song that I write three years ago. I really find it funny. The fact that they have to pick off of stuff that I did while taking part of the music. To me it shows their lack of creativity, and it is really sad. They think they can pass mutton off as lamb. It doesn't work.

There is something that I have found funny the entire time I was in the band. The fact that Shawn could never get over the joke that Aneurysm was. He really liked to live in the past with that band. I would always hear him screw around with the guitar playing songs from that band. That was three years ago, and that band is long dead. He likes to live in the past, and I really find it funny. 2007 is gone, and never coming back. The fact that he and the band would take a song title from a song I wrote in 2007 and use if for a "new song" of theirs is really sad, and uncreative.

Wait, it doesn't end there. They are using songs that had lyrics already, and not writing new original material. That was a reason I left, the writing process was too drawn out, and we would go months without writing new material. It is an excuse that they are making for writing new songs. When in fact, the songs that they are posting are not new, and not new by a far stretch. I have recordings for all but I think three of the old songs we wrote. Laziness persists with that band. Meanwhile I have been writing new lyrics (see this blog), and writing music too. I have one song posted on this site, and my myspace, and I have a new song I am going to record sometime this week. It is something, but it is better than what you got. If it didn't work the first time, what makes you think it will work a second time rehashed.

The lyrics that they have thrown over the material are straight up shit too. The style that they are trying to do, isn't conducive with the lyrics that they are writing. You want to be 80's but writing crappy half-assed Metallica lyrics. Remember this the kids that liked hair metal back in the day, hated thrash kids, and vice versa. It still stands true today.

My advice to bands that are out there today. If you have a member leave, and decide to branch off into a new project, don't rehash the songs that you did in your former band. That is like saying Rise Against started out by claiming 88 Finger Louie songs were their stuff. It is okay if you cover your old stuff, but putting new lyrics over the song will not work. Be original, obviously these jerks aren't original. At the show on Dec 11, I might cover some of the stuff that I did then, but I won't turd on what has been done.

Originality, learn it, and become it. Meaning, find it, and embrace it, don't forget that what you stand for, and what you portray is more important anything. Lyrics are just as equal as the music, if not greater, because what does the crowd sing back to you when you are on stage?

That's if for now... "Good night, and good luck..."-SS

Impending Strike

Something totally off topic on what I normally talk about. I just felt like stating my peace with this after reading a new article.

If you flashback to 1994, if you remember, or look it up, Major League Baseball went on strike in August of that year. The NFL is facing a lot of the same situations that MLB was facing. There is issues with player salaries, overall labor, and season length. Although season length was not a problem from MLB, it is a very big one for the NFL.

The players are saying that they are underpaid. I think with every sport, they're all over paid. A complaint they have is that they put their life on the line every day, well, so do police and firefighters, and they get pair a fraction of what NFL players get. They have no right to complain, playing a sport like football is a choice, they didn't have to play. They could have paid attention in high school, or college. This is the life they chose.

Baseball wanted a salary cap in 1994, now that the NFL doesn;t have one, the NFLPA doesn't want it back.

Make it simple, my mind is running in other places, and my fingrs don't want to type. There is a strike coming for the NFL, and it will hurt the sport. I will laugh.

Road Less Traveled

It's been a while since I have actually written a song from head to toe, well I have finally done it. I have more coming too which is the best part! Writing acoustic punk is amazing! Anyway, here is the first song that is now in my repertoire, I posted it as "The Torch," but had a change of heart after thinking about it. I switched some lyrics around, and came up with a sweet version. Here it is, "Road Less Traveled," the first one of many from Shane Strychnine.

Don't Bury Me... I'm Not Dead Yet...

I have been really neglecting my blog lately, and well. I finally have some reason to write. I forgot to write about the Bad Religion concert last week, and don't feel like going back to talk about just cause. Or maybe I will, I don't know.

I just have a lot of worry in my heart.

As I sit patiently waiting for a letter from NAU to tell me my fate, whether I got into the university or not. I am honestly scared of that letter. I want it to reach me, but at the same time I feel like it is better that I do not know. I know I am moving to Flagstaff in January no matter what the outcome is, but I feel going up there to go to a community college is a step sideways, and a half step back. Why? My experience at community college has been a horrible one. The nagging pressure of trying to get accepted into a university, while feeling pressure from the community college. I rather feel pressure from the university to survive there, than try to survive on both levels.

When I went up to Flagstaff last week I had a vague idea about what I wanted to do. It was a cross from sitting it out until the start hiring firefighters again and lurk on the college level, or throw darts in the dark at a major. That weekend changed my mind. I know exactly what I want to do, and where I need to go. Another semester at a community college will, I believe, hurt me, and hinder me in getting where I want to go. Like I have said before, it has hurt more than it has helped. PVCC has been crappy with advising and helping me. I went for help about 18 months ago, and they only screwed me up, and got me all spun around. About a year ago I finally spoke to someone and they helped me out. It only took three semesters to figure something out.

If I could speak to the admissions at NAU, and plead a case I would tell them this:

I have been a student toiling around the community college level for the past two plus years, and it has not helped me out at all. I have tried options to get me somewhere, but those paths they gave me only led me no where. Recently I came up to NAU to check out something for a concert me and a friend were planning and got a brief tour around the campus and fell in love with it. Then I decided to try to get to NAU. Now this is the end of 2009, and I had a very rough end of 2009. I was in the hospital for a few days, and was diagnosed with Mutiple Sclerosis, and haven't let it change my life in drastic ways since. Then with the turning of the year, I re-took a placement test that I thought I flunked after high school, but had only missed by three points, I retook and scored very well on. I then went on to figure out what I needed to do to get to NAU.

Not only was I having trouble figuring out what to do, I was in a band that was skewing my mind and detracting me from what I really wanted to do. This past summer I cleaned up my act. I ditched my band full of losers, and righted my life and got on track. This past semester I figured out what I needed to take to achieve my goal, and have been chasing after it since then. I have made poor decisions in my class choice when I first got into college, I wanted to go into music business, but the instructor and I never saw eye to eye on what was going on the curriculum, and there was Macro-Economics which I honestly did not get, and one class that I took in 2009 that I missed too much time to be able to recover from.

These past two semesters I have figured out what I need to do, and I have gotten things on track. I hope that my past mistake will not effect my future in trying get into a university. Everyone is allowed a second chance, and I believe I have been getting that the past 13 months or so.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's something I would say, even though I don't believe it would help.

Until I get that letter, I will wait in anxiety, and hope.-SS

The Torch

"The Torch"
The silence is shattered with an echoing guitar
Though this message may not reach you
It's just enough to know that you're not alone
The storm on the horizon you fear isn't that far
And the torch that you hold is fading fast
This has become something we've outgrown

There's so much out there that we're over looking
Giving up on chances that we never had
When we say "we're okay living this way."
Do we really mean it?

She stopped and she told me, to keep on going
Even though she got left so far behind
It was something that was worth repeating
A memory will burn in my mind forever
Like a scar that never wants to heal
An example was set and mind was made

I gotta get the fuck outta here
Get me the fuck outta here

There's so much out there that we're over looking
Giving up on chances that we never had
When we say "we're okay living this way."

Do we really mean it?
Do we really fucking mean it?

From Flagstaff With Love

Up in my hotel in Flagstaff, AZ. The second time I have been here this year and the fifth or sixth time I have left Phoenix for a extended amount of time. Let me tell you, it is great, Getting out of a hell hole that is Phoenix. Took a tour of the campus, which I kind of did last October, and saw all the stuff I knew already. I like the campus, very relaxed environment. Also, took a look around at an apartment, and have an idea on how to possibly make it work. So thus far it appears to be all good.

Now the next big hurdle is getting accepted into the school. I heard an adviser say that they normally accept students with 24+ transferable credits and a 2.0 minimum GPA. After this semester I will have 26, two above what they will accept. My GPA is ober 2.0, it is probably closer to 2.3-2.6 by the end of the semester. According to what that guy said, I should be in. Now it's just a waiting game. About two weeks to be exact, then I'll know my outcome. I don't want to be a Townie.

I like it here. It will be a fresh start. New beginnings..-SS

Shipping Off To Bahston

Day 1:

What is that supposed to mean? Here's what it means. I'm sitting about 65 days from moving up to Flagstaff. Here's the gist of what is going on today. I am going up to Flagstaff to check out apartments, and get acquainted with the town and the school. I had to run over to PV to get my transcript, because apparently NAU is notorious for fudging up getting transcripts. So I talked to the lady at PV and her's what we did. I received a transcript to take up to NAU, and she mailed one out. In other words they should get the damn thing. I have been tired of getting letters from them saying they need my transcript. I get it turned into them, and play the waiting game... Stressful...

I have something really interesting I want to talk about, but not for this blog. I was walking home and thought of this. "A tap on the shoulder can change the outcome of ones life." Just think about that for a while. The next blog I will write will be based off of that thought. It ties into to what is going on today. Which is really isn't good, but what it made me realize is good. Trust me...

I have a lot to say right now, but just don't believe it is right for this blog. Until later-SS

Election Day Massacre

Okay, the joke is over. Where the hell is that Ashton Koljack guy. Am I watching an episode of "Punk'd" on MSNBC. I cannot help but sit here and shake my head. This is a awful night, and who is to blame, those who did not go out to vote. That and the political pundits on Fox and conservative networks. This country has been moving forward the last two years, why do you want to go back. Who was it that caused this mess that we are trying to climb out of? Yeah, that's right. The republicans. They have no idea what they want to do to this country. Lawrence O'Donnell said it best, "they want to run this country into the ground." Now that they have power what will do? It is like when the Joker in Dark Knight described him chasing a car, "I wouldn't know what to do it I caught one." The republicans just caught their car, now the party of "NO" will become the party of "HUH?"

There is something sinister brewing with the republicans. There has been a lot of legislature that the democrats have tried to pass. Democrats have said they want to build jobs, and see the economy grow. They have tried to get this passed in congress multiple time. Now that the republican have power they are going to try and make themselves seem like the white knight? This doesn't add up. They want to repeal health care that people are still very misinformed about. Is it a crime for you government to force you to make the best for your self? NO! For the love of god no! What the republicans are after is power!!! They want to turn this country into a authoritarian state. Just look....

-They want to privatize the VA Hospitals
-Get rid of social security
-Get rid of minimum wage in thus making the job market uncompetitive and let companies pay you as little as possible.
-Want to cut taxes for the rich, and continue the "trickle down" effect
-Give breaks to big business, and big oil
-Make America a secular state. (An official religion country)
-Change our text books (ala 1984 to read what they want us to know)
-Allow deregulation to continue on wall street
-Destroy health care
-PRIVATIZE EVERYTHING!

They say they want a smaller government, but the last point is kind of alarming. A small government is one that republican like, where a lot of things go unnoticed and it is a very very free society, it's comparable to a controlled anarchy (talk about a contradiction.) This set of far right conservatives aren't so far right. They want to privatize everything. What does that mean, you have to pay someone to get something like VA care. It goes from the government, and money goes straight into someone else pocket. That person that person that is running a private organization has the right to refuse anyone. That is the exact opposite with what the current health care system.

Can you imagine if you are sick, and there is a cure, and easy cure. This sickness that you have if you don't get it taken care of can kill you though. The cure is expensive, and because you have insurance you will be able to live. What the "Obamacare" has promised that a health care provider can not drop you because you are sick. They could do that. Now they can't. Without this health care initiative the insurance provider could have dropped you, and you die. Those days are over. They want to change that.

I am not a man of religion, if anything I kind of find it stupid. Why? It restricts us from living a full life. Religion has chains that slow us down. Another thing that they have preached is to make this country a uni-religion state. More than likely Christianity. Just take a good hard look at Sarah Palin and something she said, "we all need to get more god in our life." It appears to me that she will be running in 2012 for president. There are dozens of religions in this country. There is no way you can say that your religion trumps all.

The funniest thing I have heard this past year is that the democrats are taking away our freedoms, and we are becoming a socialist state. First off, I can still buy a gun, I can voice my opinion, and so on and so forth. WE HAVE NOT LOST A SINGLE RIGHT SINCE OBAMA CAME INTO OFFICE, AND WON'T. I don't see any signs of socialism coming anywhere, but I am from the republicans. The darker side of socialism though. I can still say FUCK, I can still listen to the bands I want. Please tell me what rights I have lost.

I found this little slice of knowledge hysterical. The republicans want to cut more corporate taxes. I just wrote a paper where I talk about how cutting taxes will only lead to a prolonged recession. It happened in Ireland (read the blog below). To stimulate job growth, you just can't cut taxes more and more. Eventually you will loose revenue, an the government makes no money for basic services. Small business will not hire because of low taxes. They will hire only when there is a demand for the product(s) or service they offer.

Of course theses conservative idiots want to continue the an endless war, and want us to live in fear. It is scary that American have missed this all. Since when was it bad to be able to be an intellectual and be look down upon. This country was founded on smarts and free will. This political party is missing the point. Not only that they are missing a point of something they are preaching. It is really bad.

This country is going down. Just look at the model that is Arizona. Republican house, senate, and leader. What has happened here, massive budget deficit, and things are only getting worse. There is a lot of ad hominem going on here. They want to focus on "protecting the border" and playing the race card and wasting tons of money on this. Meanwhile our schools out here have fallen all the way to the worse in the country. There is no sign of this getting any better out here. Still they waste time not keeping an eye on what is going on. Correction... The republicans playing the immigration care is ad populist, it is preaching to a large crowd. It's actually both, anyway. Nonetheless the are out of touch of what needs to be taken care of. Someone once told me to take care of number one at home first before reaching out to fix other problems. That you could argue is immigration. Lets fix instate problems before we worry about something that is on the fringe.

The next two years in this country will be rough. Nothing will get through in congress, and nothing will get done. In 2012 we will loose our president, and we will see what has happened in Arizona. Just on a much larger scale. What the Americans did today was disgusting. they voted with the media, and not with what they truly believed in. OPEN YOUR FUCKING EYES PEOPLE!!

That is all... "Good night and good luck..."-SS

Recesion: A Blame Game

“You’re approved!”

Something many Americans heard in the 2000’s when looking for large loans to buy a house or a car, even though they could not afford the loan. A storm was growing on the horizon over the past decade, of course the average American did not see this. This brewing storm was the impending “Great Recession,” as coined by many media outlets. There is a long list of why this happened. The average American does have some blame in this, but not much. The policies that former president George W. Bush and his republican constituents set up laid the foundation for the collapse in 2008. Of course, both parties have blood free hands, the democrats are guilty too, but the burden and more weight fall on what Bush and the republicans set up.

Let’s take a trip back in time. The year is 1999. Bill Clinton is president and there is a balanced budget, a republican congress. It is October 22nd in the early hours of the morning. An embattled Clinton, who recently survived an impeachment from congress, comes to an agreement with republicans what is called “Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999.” This act “…(did) away with restrictions on the integration of banking, insurance and stock trading imposed by the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933,” which set into place after the Great Depression, and set up the staging ground for America (McLaughlin WSWS). The legislation that the Glass-Stegall Act enacted was described as a “the center pillar” of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal by Martin McLaughlin in his story “Clinton, Republicans agree to deregulation of US financial system.” Now in congress they are arguing over how to re-regulate everything.

It may appear that Clinton was responsible for this mess that bubbled to the surface recently. Remember this; he had only so much control in legislature. The House of Representatives and Senate at the time were both controlled by republicans, 55-45 in the Senate, and 228-206 in the House. Not only that, Clinton was feeling pressure from the impeachment trial that occurred earlier in the year.

Strangely enough, republicans had a chance to stop this all. A bill was in the works just prior to the housing market crash that started in 2007. The bill was meant to regulate Fannie Mae, and Freddy Mac, both of which are government run programs that take care of home buying, and both of which fell hard in 2008. This regulation bill made it out of senate committee, but never was brought out on the floor. Arizona senator John McCain signed onto it, but was a step too slow. The market had started to fall. During his 2008 run at becoming president, McCain used an excuse that this was blockaded by democrats, when in fact it never actually reached the house floor. The democrats never got the opportunity to take a chance to stop it from passing, or pass it (factcheck.org). Once again this proves that republicans missed a chance to stop, or fix the problem.

Another thing that was at the root of this recession was dredged word, “outsourcing.” A Bush adviser, Dr. Greg Mankiw, had “suggested outsourcing could eventually help the economy” (Cook, Nyhan) Now looking back at what Mankiw said has proven very wrong. In a country that is job hungry, Bush and his staff watched as jobs leave the country and did nothing to stop them. John Kerry, who was running against Bush in 2004 said, “He would tear out every page of the tax code” that promoted outsourcing jobs. He also called CEOs that did send jobs overseas “Benedict Arnolds.” The stance of democrats was obviously to keep jobs inside the country, while the right did nothing to stop them from leaving. Leaving many Americans unemployed, and despite for work. Hence the term that is thrown around a lot these days, “jobless recovery,” do the lack of jobs in the country (Simpkins).

Along with the lack of jobs, there was a lack of tax. It was a belief was had that the lower the taxes in the country the more companies would hire, and keep jobs in America (Mason). This however proved to be a huge fallacy. Just because a business had next to no taxes to pay, and might be able to make a more of a profit, doesn’t mean that they will be hiring droves of employees. The whole game of business is to make the most money as possible, and if you are staffed well enough, and making a huge profit there is no need to hire more and lose money. Even if people say, “you’re making so much money, hire people,” it is all business. They have no right to hire anyone. This tactic has run its course already, in Ireland.

Cutting cooperate taxes seems like it may work, but republicans are wrong, so wrong. There is an eerie shadow that is following the United States, and that shadow being Ireland. Once again McCain is the subject of controversy, he suggested to fix America to “do what Dublin did” (Zarroli). What did Dublin do? In the article by Jim Zarroli titles, “Debt Crisis Casts Spotlight on Ireland's Low Taxes,” Zarroli depicts a tale of how Ireland used a corporate tax reduction to entice business to come to the country. Sounds good right? Then Zarroli tell how that all back fired when the housing market crashed in 2007. With credit markets dried up due to banks collapsing, Ireland had no way to borrow money to help them. The country realized that it needed to raise taxes, even though Zarroli said that many “do-gooders” decried they can’t afford taxes. Similar to what is going on in America today. To simplify it, taxes are needed to keep things moving. Even though it may seem logical to make a move to cut them, jobs aren’t going to come back because of tax breaks.

The article on Factcheck.org also called the recession as “collective delusion,” and basically called Bush ignorant for not watching what was going on, and missing the bus. The delusion was pushed forward after September 11th and really sent the snowball down the hill. In a Bob Burnett article he says how Bush told Americans to “go shopping” after the attacks, “Rather than call on our patriotism…”Bush preached to “consumerism “rather than doing something else productive. With the credit crisis that happened, this appears to be a leaping point for it. Americans go out and spend mindlessly because it is what the president told them. Not only did Bush seem to preach to the wrong crowd, he was rarely there. He was notorious for taking vacations to Camp David. He abandoned the American people as the world around them started to crumble.

There was something despicable about Bush though. Bush was described as someone who was looking for “What can I get out of this,” rather than what I can do to fix any mistake that is presented (Burnett). There was a feeling around him of more of a “self interest” aspect that Burnett would go onto say. Not only that, the poor decisions he made. One could look no further than the war in Iraq, when America needed to be in Afghanistan looking for who actually attacked the States.

In American history there seems to be a wave of job creation, and massive expansion during times of war, see World Wars I and II. With taxes so low this country has not been able to afford what is going on. The two wars make up a very large part of the budget deficit, and big add-on the national debt. As seen with Zarroli said with how Ireland for the most part bankrupted itself, how could America afford this? The original estimates for the war according to Joseph E. Stiglitz of the Washington Post it was supposed to cost “50-60 million dollars” to fight. Unfortunately that was greatly under estimated. The war in Iraq has cost close to three trillion dollars, and continues to get higher. How can anyone blame democrats for such a high deficit when there is a war that has cost three trillion dollars?

This storm that was brewing came together at just the right time. The housing market collapsed, banks lost control of themselves, and the deficit reared its ugly head at just the right time. If one or the other happened at a time this country could have handled it. This was not the case. It all crept up on this country like a lion freight train, but the republicans who had power during it refused to stop, or put a valiant effort out.

The finger has been pointed all over. Currently the democrats are being blamed for what has happened. Why, because they are in power, and it’s easy. They are not as innocent as they say they are. Democrats do have some blame on their shoulder, as seen by Clinton not putting up more of a fight to stop sweeping deregulation in 1999, and seeing work that FDR and Lyndon B. Johnson work get thrown out (Ferrira). Current president Barack Obama has a chance to fix what has been made wrong. Not only that he has his “Herbert Hoover” like FDR had when he took over during the Great Depression. It appears that there has been some slow progress fixing things, but again now there is that storm brewing with the 2010 election. Can this recovery continue, or will a double dip recession be the future this great country faces.

(This is my essay for ENG 102. The ()'s are for citations that I am not including because it is just a blog.)-SS