claytonic

aikim, I also believe in personal responsibility and accountability. One of my best friends from high school - when she and her husband divorced (he had the affair with the next door neighbour), she raised 3 young children on her own, the youngest was a new-born. She made up her mind to never date AT ALL until the little one was 12 years old. She said that the kids came first and she made no exceptions. When her youngest was around 12, she agreed to date a doctor she had been friendly with at the hospital where they both worked. The youngest child went with them, and bonded with the man who was to become her step-father. That would be a perfect ending for most single mothers but my friend was fortunate in that she had the intelligence to sort out what she needed to do and the strength to carry it out and never allow anything or anyone to get in the way. Her youngest wrote her the most beautiful letter for Mother's Day, she read it to me over the phone and it brought tears to my eyes. Her kids are all adults now and very successful in their chosen fields. So I agree about personal responsibility but my friend had the ability to turn her life around and she also had good relatives to help her as obviously things weren't always a bed of roses. One reason why I try to not blame too much is because years ago, I worked in an industry where I attended a lot of events that turned into a haven for drug and alcohol abuse. I was a smoker (not anymore) and that gave me an understanding of what it was like to be addicted to a substance. I was surrounded by people who over-indulged but the fact that I passed on drugs and alcohol was because I didn't like the stuff and didn't like what it did to people, it wasn't because I was such an overly responsible person. I have come across really GOOD, decent people who have a genetic predisposition to alcohol abuse, they can't just drink one glass, it has to be a whole bottle or more then loathe themselves for it. I also have a friend who hates desserts, cookies, and anything that is sweetened. (Yeah I hate her too!) Yet people who don't really know her think she is highly disciplined. Not so at all because she smoked more than I did and for longer than I did. Am I making sense? I am honestly not making excuses for appalling behavior, the examples I gave above are simple and just scratch the surface - many people have serious disorders and when a bad genetic predisposition collides with a bad environment, the result can be tragic. liney, kudos to you for turning your life around, you're an inspiration and a shining example of hope. I wonder if something or someone in your life triggered your determination to rise above the cycle of abuse? One of my greatest inspirations is Oprah, she rose above a childhood of abject poverty and the most dreadful abuse but despite her mind-boggling success. she still has issues - which are manifested in a life-long battle with her weight. We, as a species, are very vulnerable.

Actually, the same thing crossed my mind although the difference is that in the Hudson case, the offender wasn't a "stranger" but someone who had once been a member of the family through marriage. At first I thought... if I were Jennifer, I'd move far away and have little to do with that sister again. But then... I don't know the life they had led except for reports that they live in a high-crime location. I imagine that is what they are used to, and perhaps many of the people they associate with have been involved in crime in some way, and so it becomes a "comfort zone". When Jennifer started to make some serious money, she tried to get her mother to move out of the area but the mom wanted to stay in the neighborhood that she was familiar with. I read up a bit on the suspect's history and the guy has some massive issues - his own father locked up for a long time for murder, and he didn't feel wanted by his mom, who apparently could not control him. The problem is that people are having kids when they themselves are so troubled with horrendous issues, and so the kids have almost zero chance in life. The Hudson case is perhaps a worst-scenario situation but there are many circumstances in families where at least one parent is dangerously inadequate. Kids don't listen to their parents but they tend to still end up imitating them. I dare not even try to imagine how Jennifer and her sister must be feeling and thank my lucky stars that I am not in their shoes and so I honestly can't even blame Julia. Rather, I blame society and the authorities for not caring enough. Mind you, things aren't black and white, we hear of cases where supposedly affluent and well-educated kids go off the rails as teens or young adults and murder the parents. Sometimes mental health issues are at the root of family tragedies but imagine if there are mental health issues PLUS dangerously inadequate parenting. The kid has little chance. ETA: This was uploaded to YouTube yesterday.

georgiesmybaby, that is great .. the ball is at least starting to roll and in the right direction! Seems to me he's not a novice at extortion and intimidation so these actions will save other potential victims. So ausdon ... did you do any wild flag-waving today? Afraid I am not at all patriotic! Years ago, there never was the kind of enthusiasm for Australia Day as I am seeing now. I can't believe the number of cars I've seen with flags attached to them. It is a non-event for me because I am very sympathetic to the Aboriginal cause, why would they want to celebrate or be reminded of the day their land was invaded? I am hoping the date will be changed to something that is acceptable to the original inhabitants of this land. It is what the Aborigines have been asking for - I think it is a great idea and our current PM is possibly the man to do it. It's also the anniversary of my sister's passing so another date would suit me fine!!

I've certainly seen a lot of horrible comments on YouTube but they don't bother me that much, mainly because I don't bother reading them in the first place unless it is an exceptional situation. I inadvertently ended up on the mailing list of someone who is extremely anti-Obama and anti Islam, the guy concerned is constantly trying to get people on his mailing list to believe that Obama is a closet Muslim, and even refers to him as B. Hussein Obama, to emphasize the Islamic connection. However, it would be impossible for any politician to not have opponents so although I don't like unfair negativity towards Obama, I am no longer as bothered by it now that he is sitting in the Oval Office. I don't usually allow comments from anonymous people to bother me but I decided to break with the norm and read those comments because I was wondering how people were reacting to Clay's BF who actually has a name and face and is in a photograph looking cosy with Clay . What upset me was the overwhelming number of negative comments. I didn't expect a hoard of sweet murmurings for Cleed but the scales were so heavily tipped the other way. That was the upsetting part. georgiesmybaby the first thing that struck me was OMG, your poor sister, what agony she has endured on her own for so long. Everyone has given such good advice, the only thing to do is to get the law-enforcement involved, that is what you pay your taxes for, to receive protection from criminals. it is your right. Don't allow another day to pass without contacting the Police, the sooner you do that, the sooner you can get your situation taken care of.

A man owned a small farm in Scotland. The Inland Revenue claimed he was not paying proper wages to his staff and sent a representative out to interview him. 'I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,' demanded the rep. 'Well,' replied the farmer, 'there's my farm hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him £200 a week plus free room and board.' 'The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her £150 per week plus free room and board.' 'Then there's the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about £10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of whiskey every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally.' 'That's the guy I want to talk to...the half-wit,' says the agent. 'That would be me,' replied the farmer.

You can enlarge it to full-screen, just click on the 2nd button, bottom right. Yes, there are some really poor quality vids but there are also some really good ones. I received this today and I just LOVE it!

OMG if I didn't have YouTube, I'd have to go back to watching television! Honestly, I was glued to the TV for the whole inauguration but after that, I have barely looked at the TV. I was reading in another thread about all the TV programs and even the ones that I knew about, I had never watched! I looked up all the best bits from the inauguration on YouTube and watched those clips again! One of my favorites is little Sasha Obama giving her daddy the thumbs up after his speech!

I hear what you are saying, Fear and Jamar, but there are so many others who DESERVE the nasty comments, why not have a Google alert for THEM rather than target someone like Clay who has brought joy and hope into the lives of many, especially for those who are most vulnerable. He deserves to be accepted and commended as a human being, warts and all, because while I don't know him at all, everyone who has ever met him or worked with him has had nothing but glowing comments about him. I have yet to see something seriously negative about him from someone who actually knows him. Put it this way, if we had to sort people into groups of good and bad, there would be no discussion needed about which category he would fall into. I do understand that people who are quick to trash others are really revealing more about themselves than those they are trashing. But it makes no sense to trash those who have done so much good for so many. I can never forget how, when the 2003 AI finalists were on tour and had a day off, they all went and had a good time while Clay took the opportunity (because he didn't know how long he'd have a captive audience for) to bring awareness to autism. That was a huge thing to me, probably the deal clincher after his Solitaire guest performance on AI3. ETA: (In case that doesn't make sense, I am not in the USA, so I never watched AI#2 when everyone else did. I did watch AI#3 and saw the video of the AI2 tour only AFTER I watched the Solitaire guest appearance.)

VEET

I decided to start reading my Clay Google alerts again and I am not sure it was a good idea. That TMZ site is full of horrible comments and only a handful of supportive ones. I am baffled as to why people would take the time to click on a link to read about something they KNOW IN ADVANCE they won't like, and then respond with ugly comments. What is their point? Are they getting Google or Yahoo alerts about Clay just so they can have a place to spew their venom? Why do they hate gays so much? I don't get it at all. Yeah I know no one forced me to read their comments either but once I started, I couldn't stop trying to find the supportive comments for Clay..

HAHA I sent that newspaper clipping to a number of people, and many, at first, missed the fact that Goodbye Bush was a clever VEET advertisement!!

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/obamaspeech.asp Check out the Snopes entry, above. This is apparently a genuine warning about a Trojan Horse being circulated via an email with Subject heading : "Obama Acceptance Speech"

Goodbye, Bush - The end of an era .. I mean error !! Advertisement in a Sydney (Australia) daily newspaper, 21 January 2009.

I had no idea who Nancy Grace was when I posted that Chicken Crossing the Road joke in the LAUGHTER thread. (NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.) Later on, I heard her name mentioned again and was told about the way she bamboozled Elizabeth Smart with inappropriate questions. Elizabeth had agreed to the interview only because she wanted to support the bill but the rule was that no questions relating to the abduction were allowed. I went looking for that interview clip on YouTube because I had just read the book written by Elizabeth's parents. I've been following the Caylee case as well.

I actually like auditions, I like seeing the talented ones perform as "rough diamonds", before the make-over and voice coaching start to transform them. When I think of my all time favourite auditions, they are Chanel Cole Australian Idol 2004 http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik4ugXFkO7w Katharine McPhee - American Idol 2005 (?) http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=1J7bktXYOYM Jaclyn Victor - Winner of the first Malaysian Idol http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=r1U0D2w2vgw Rachel Hylton - X Factor 2008 http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr_xHVAE0_M I didn't support Chanel Cole but just happen to like her quirky audition. She made the finals, came 5th (Chanel No. 5, she said). If I had to choose my all-time favourite, it would probably be Rachel. Although I knew who Amy Winehouse was, I didn't like her image and never bothered to look up her songs. But Rachel's audition blew me away and I "grudgingly" acknowledged Amy's talent. The 4 judges were each asked to write down the name of the contestant they thought would win, and the envelope was sealed until after the Finale. Simon picked Rachel, but she left at the half-way mark. I felt sorry for her because her horrific past, which she was honest about, haunted her via the media. Jaclyn Victor sings so effortlessly, she was easily the stand-out finalist. For anyone NOT in the USA, I received an email a couple of days ago from a Melbourne friend who told me I could watch American Idol LIVE via Rickey.org http://www.blogtv.com/people/kidflash I haven't checked it all out yet but the time would obviously be whatever it is in my own time-zone during the US broadcast.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg The Evolution of Dance Views: 111,413,514 That's the highest amount of views I've ever come across for a YT video. This video is funny... but how I'd love to see Joshua and Katee from last year's SYTYCD do the full sequence in perfect unison.

Well, we had and continue to have huge coverage, the biggest EVER for a US election and inauguration, but then this is an historical world event. I have friends who set the alarm for 2am, 3am to watch him deliver his speech. I didn't go to bed at all, I stayed up so as to not miss anything as I wanted to watch it LIVE. That Yes We Can YouTube video was shown on television here, that is how I knew about it. I then went to look for it on YouTube so that I could send it to everyone I know. I have emailed the TV channel (the main one that has been covering the inauguration) to give them this link http://au.youtube.com/results?search_type=...+story&aq=f I am hoping they will broadcast it at some stage. (An OBAMA "Love Story"). Maybe someone new will wonder who owns that glorious voice. The fact that the new Mr President and his First Lady are so obviously in love is just icing on the cake, I just love their romance! (I nearly said "our" new Mr President...)

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY 15,651,997 views Lyrics It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation. Yes we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom. Yes we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness. Yes we can. It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land. Yes we can to justice and equality. Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world. Yes we can. We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change. We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea -- Yes. We. Can. Guest appearances (Refer to video timer) will.i.am - 0:01 Scarlett Johansson - 0:05 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 0:21 Common - 0:23 John Legend - 0:32 Bryan Greenberg (guitar) - 0:37 Kate Walsh - 0:44 Tatyana Ali - 0:44 Harold Perrineau, Jr. - 0:49 Aisha Tyler - 1:01 Samuel Page - 1:03 Enrique Murciano - 1:07 "Si, podemos" - 1:17 Maya Rubin - 1:08 "כן אנו יכולים (Qen Annu Yecholim)" (Hebrew) Esthero - 1:10 Eric Balfour - 1:23 Nicole Scherzinger - 1:30 Taryn Manning - 1:40 Amber Valletta - 1:52 Auden McCaw (in Valetta's arms) - 1:52 Kelly Hu - 1:52 Adam Rodríguez - 1:56 "Sí se puede" Eric Christian Olsen - 2:02 Sarah Wright - 2:02 Shoshannah Stern (American Sign Language) - 2:05 Ed Kowalczyk (guitar) - 2:19 Fonzworth Bentley (violin) - 2:38 Amaury Nolasco - 3:24 Hill Harper - 3:27 Nick Cannon - 3:36 Herbie Hancock (piano) - 3:41 Johnathon Schaech - 3:45 Austin Nichols - 3:50 Tracee Ellis Ross - 4:00 << Diana Ross' second daughter. Fred Goldring (guitar) - 4:03 Anson Mount Alfonso Ribeiro Cliff Collins Vera Farmiga

Oh really? I could say the same about you. You've made some pretty big assumptions as well. You chose to make a big thing of the word "seem", when what I was trying to say was that many people say to me, "oh, the Asians are so smart", in fact, they don't know about the amount of work and sacrifice that went into "being smart", they think Asians are born with a "smart gene" and have an easy ride through school. No race has that kind of advantage. What they have in terms of advantage is attitude to hard work. And when hard work meets natural intelligence, the sky is the limit. Actually, I meant it as a compliment that Asians value education and hard work, since I've been harping on about the importance of education. But you chose to see it as an insult. That's because you have made assumptions about me that are so totally WRONG.

QUOTE: "Interesting concept. However, I must say that absolutely all of the Asian FCA'ers that I know don't just "seem to be so smart". They really are smart. I wouldn't say they're just average people who have parents who gave them a leg up." How do you know what kind of education was provided for them? Did you ask for details on their education? You are making the assumption here. You've based that assumption on the handful of Asians on this board who actually post. I agree, they are clearly intelligent, but what was your point in mentioning it? If ALL the Asians on this board are smart, does it naturally follow that all Asians are smart? You used them as an example. How many Asians do you know? Have you traveled to different parts of Asia? Have you LIVED in different parts of Asia? Have you been educated with them? Have you lived under the same roof with them? Spoken their language, learned about their values. their culture, their spiritual beliefs? Even with all that, the diversity of Asia is mind blowing and generalizations are impossible. But one thing I know in a general sense, they value education highly and go out of their way to provide it for their kids. Well, that is YOUR assumption, I NEVER said or implied anything so preposterous and, at best, highly insulting. All I was trying to communicate was that Asians, as a culture, value education very highly, and that is why so many of them seem smart. In fact, some may be average but given every opportunity to achieve their greatest potential, which most people don't. I was talking about their values. Asians also have a reputation for being diligent workers. I have worked in businesses that preferred Asian employees because they were regarded as well-educated, well-qualified and diligent. That's a generalization, yes, based on my experience, that Asians in western countries are highly prized in the workforce. Well, of course it is my interpretation, but it surely adds up to more substance than your summary about about handful of Asians who post at a fan forum. You also misunderstood what I said.. I said 99% of the students from the Asian school were Asians, and 99% of the students in the non-Asian school were non-Asians. And based on that, and the attitude and values of the parents... the Asians, overall, were much poorer yet they worked harder and their parents worked harder to provide them with private tuition. Note, I said private tuition, I never said private schooling for THEM, as YOU stated. I was the one who went to a private non-Asian school, not 99% of the Asian kids I knew. Private tuition is common in many Asian countries, even the poorer Asians I knew ... somehow their parents who didn't have much, paid for private, AFTER SCHOOL tuition to give their kids the edge. Because of overcrowding, some schools started very early in the morning and the kids vacated their classrooms by lunchtime. Immediately after lunch, a fresh group of students would take over the classrooms. I knew of a couple of students who went to one school in the morning, and went to another school in the afternoon, that is like having TWO school days in one day, every day. That is how determined they were to give their kids the edge. I also know of Asian families who sold their house to send their kids abroad to be educated, believing it was more prestigious to be educated in England, America, Canada or Australia. Perhaps western parents do that too, but I have personally never come across anyone non-Asian who has done it. That was the point I was trying to make, how much value is placed on education. Traditionally, (perhaps that is dying out, I don't know), Asian parents rely on their adult children to support them in their old age. So....making massive sacrifices to educate their kids is, you could say, an investment for their retirement. Seen that way, it makes sense to them to even sell the house, if that is what it takes. Let me also make it clear.. that I am not generalizing that all Asians are poor and all poor Asians pay for private, after school, tuition so their kids can have the edge. There are plenty of very, VERY wealthy Asians who do the same, but I wasn't talking about them because it is no big deal to give your kids an expensive education when it is no hardship to do so. That goes without saying, but I've said it anyway to ensure there is no misunderstanding. By the same token, there are also poor Asians who for whatever reason, do not pay for special tuition for their kids, they just hope for the best from the school their kids attend. Hopefully, I have covered all bases. Exactly where did I denigrate their achievements? :whatutterclaptrap: How DARE you??! I hope you check first to ensure you know what you are talking about before you make such a hideous accusation like that again. I am prepared to agree to this... that neither of us seems to be able to understand what the other person was trying to say. Therefore, I hope my point on the importance of education and reading comprehension is, at the very least, valid.

I've been meaning to say... I recently bought a Pedometer that counts steps. I clip it on and make sure I don't end the day without having done a minimum of 5,000 steps but aim for 10,000.. It is not that hard to achieve. I used to have one years ago and it didn't work very well. But this new one is great, wasn't very expensive (bought from the local Pharmacy). I tested it by resetting the count, then walked 100 steps, and the counter showed 101 steps. So that was pretty close. Now I just have one more thing dangling off me when I am out walking the dog... the cell phone, the ipod, the keys and now the Pedometer.

Jaycee, I hear you. And I also agree with Tribeca. He was VERY young for his age, and he has experienced more drastic change in 6 years than most people in 20 - 30 years of life experience. The person who wrote Learning to Sing was very idealistic and very limited in his attitude, and I loved him for who he was because most of it was so good, I wished it could be bottled and sold. Now I love the person he has become, his capacity to love and not put limitations on who and what he loves because who and what he loves has made him a grown man. The videos of him with his baby son totally melted my heart. He is not a saint (thank God), but he is no devil either. He brings humor, love, music and integrity into our world, that's reason enough to follow my heart and follow him around. Jaycee, can you see that the core of who he is has never changed?

I only looked at their faces until YOU revealed your eye for detail! Gibby, you are corrupting me! jmh123 thanks for your article on the Afghan girls, I feel a little more redeemed from reading it, after Gibby tried to corrupt me! (Seriously, I shouldn't joke about it, it is a serious matter, i.e. the Afghan situation)

I'm certain you know so much more about it than I do. Sorry to have questioned your expertise. I am no expert, and I don't like stereotyping either but generalizing from knowing the Asian members on a small(ish) forum is also stereotyping, no?

Interesting concept. However, I must say that absolutely all of the Asian FCA'ers that I know don't just "seem to be so smart". They really are smart. I wouldn't say they're just average people who have parents who gave them a leg up. Just saying that stereotypes, and explanations of stereotypes, aren't necessarily true. I will say that many Asian families may have a high regard for education, teaching, and high goals. But that alone will not result in extraordinary achievement. I didn't intend to generalize or stereotype but having lived in Asia for almost 10 years, including attending school where 99% of the students are Asian, they weren't ALL smart. There were those who were average or a little above average but did very well because of the focus and extra-curricular activities placed on academic achievement. Of course, there was always a bunch of wiz-kids that would have done brilliantly, no matter what. (I also attended a small private school in Asia where 99% of the kids were NON-Asian, and let me tell you, the difference was stark).