I have listened with awe and astonishment to the statements of friends, neighbors and colleagues raising, what they believe, are serious doubts about the character, national allegiance and political leanings of Barack Obama. One neighbor said that while a child in Indonesia Barack was known as Barry, by his friends and his mother was married to an Indonesian man (is that something that indicates poor character?). a friend said Barack must be a Marxist because he stayed in his church 20 years listening to that madman Jeremiah Wright. I have often wondered if the people making the accusations have ever attended a church long enough to establish family ties. that is what happens to folks who attend church on a regular basis they become part of the church family. Most of us don’t cut ties with our family because they say things we don’t agree with or don’t like.

Church pastors are like anyone else. sometimes they make statements that shouldn’t be made. Statements the audience lacks the education or historical basis for referencing or understanding should be avoided. Pastor Wright made his statements for members of his congregation and people of like faith and belief who wanted to hear them (you can buy any of his sermons on tape). But whether you have the educational background or historical references to understand Pastor Wright’s public statements it is the epitome of ignorance, for members of the press or anyone else, to cast doubt on his patriotism or political mindset. Wright served in the Marine Corp honorably. he is well educated holding a B.a. and an M.a. from Howard University, an M.a. from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in divinity from United Theological College, where he studied under the eminent Samuel DeWitt Proctor. Wright also speaks 5 languages.

The press and the American public took issue with most of Wright’s public statements before researching their truthfulness. Nationally known white pastors stated publicly, before a similar statement by Jeremiah Wright was made, that the nine-eleven attack on America was the, Chickens coming home to roost, in other words America’s misdeeds in the world catching up to her. But there was no public outrage. as for Wright’s God damn America statement, the Bible is full of examples of how a person or a nation can be damned or condemned. One of my favorite is, for by thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shall be condemned.Matthew 12:34-37

My friends, neighbors and members of the press who doubted Obama for reasons like those previously mentioned raised no doubts about McCain or Giuliani during the primaries. There is a ton of ammunition for casting doubt on the character of these two fine politicians. Beginning with John McCain; on a Vietnam Veterans against John McCain web page an article written by col. David H. Hackworth, U.S Army, raises a serious challenge to McCain’s record as a war hero. Hackworth received 3 Silver Stars for gallantry in action during the Korean War and 7 silver stars for gallantry in action during the Vietnam War. the ten awards of the silver star by one man, who also earned 2 distinguished service crosses, is unmatched by any other veteran in history. Hackworth’s investigations and conclusions about McCain’s conduct while a POW in Vietnam casts serious doubt on whether he is truly a war hero. (vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com)

The marital dirt on McCain and Giuliani is well documented. While John McCain was still married and living with his wife in 1979, according to the New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof, he was aggressively courting a 25-year-old woman who was as beautiful as she was rich. McCain divorced his wife, who had raised their three children while he was imprisoned in Vietnam, then launched his political career with his new wife’s family money. in 2000, McCain managed to deflect media questioning about his first marriage with an admission of responsibility for its failure. It’s possible that because of McCain’s charmed relationship with the press the level of his dishonesty will not be brought out. But Giuliani may face a more difficult challenge if he should ever make it past the primaries. Giuliani conducted well-documented affairs in the last decade–while still in public office.

Giuliani informed his second wife, Donna Hanover, of his intention to seek a separation in a 2000 press conference. the announcement was precipitated by a press field day after Giuliani marched with his then-mistress, Judith Nathan, in New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, an acknowledgement of infidelity so audacious that Daily News columnist Jim Dwyer compared it with groping in the window at Macy’s. in the divorce proceedings that followed, Hanover accused Giuliani of serial adultery, alleging that Nathan was just the latest in a string of mistresses, following an affair the mayor had with his former communications director.

Until relatively recently, a self-confessed adulterer had never sought the presidency. There was once a time when reporters believed that the sexual indiscretions of American leaders were a private matter and the nation was probably better off for that belief. But the rules have changed, thanks largely to the mainstream press and the GOP’s relentless pursuit of bill Clinton.

I believe McCain and Giuliani are able public servants. However, based on their previous affairs and disloyalty to their wives, they formed the most challenged, from the standpoint of personal integrity, duo of Republican presidential candidates in American political history.

In reality both McCain and Giuliani, like the rest of us, are flawed human beings. I don’t believe the lack of loyalty to their wives or personal sexual indiscretions disqualifies either man from getting my vote. On the same note, statements that Barack Obama may have made while a child growing up in Indonesia, or those made by his former pastor are not indictments of his character or political mindset. nor do they indicate a lack of loyalty to his wife and family.

I haven’t blogged since the Oscars! There are all sorts of reasons why and I cannot give them all to you quite yet. this is partly because I have had some life changing experiences that I still need to process. The Vietnamese Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “Our own lives are the instruments with which we experiment with truth.” Yes! and these lasts weeks have led me to to paraphrase him: “Our own bodies are the instruments with which we experiment with truth.”

Not necessarily related to this, however (because I have to think about all of it more)) is the news that I’ve been working on another PRIME TIME workout DVD to join my 4 others. as most of you know, I launched the PRIME TIME brand at the end of 2010 to address the fitness needs for boomers and seniors. I ain’t the same “Go-for-the-burn” Jane I used to be and I figured neither are all those gals who started out with me, not to mention the folks who have never worked out. and through my research I have learned that staying physically active is key—# ONE— to a healthy, successful 3rd Act. I’m so happy at the wonderful feedback I’ve gotten from folks who are now doing my Prime Time programs. Pretty amazing actually. The biggest surprise has been finding out that people much younger than boomer age (as well as men) have been enjoying the DVD’s as well.

This latest DVD I just finished is a Yoga Pilates blend. I worked with the wonderful, fun, Producer/Director, Cal Pozo who directed my last two DVD’s as well. Cal has a long and successful reputation in the fitness business, and really knows his stuff! Fortunately, he is also a mad, crazy Cuban who makes it all really fun. he is a trained dancer/choreographer and has written and directed some great fitness and dance programs including: Dirty Dancing, Dances with the Stars, Denise Austin, The biggest Loser, and Kathy Smith to name a few.

Along with Cal, I had the benefit of working with choreographer, fitness trainer Maddy Lewis, a talented angel.

We put a great group together for what I hope will be a DVD that you will use and love. We all worked for several weeks, building, refining, rehearsing the program before we finally shot.

It all took three days but we did more than the DVD. There’s a new, exciting and personal fitness project of a different kind but that’s something else I can’t reveal until we announce the project.

As much as I have wanted to blog throughout the whole process there was neither the time nor the wherewithal.

Hope you enjoyed the photos, more to come!

Category: My Blog

Tags: Cal Pozo, dvd, jane fonda workout, Prime Time

DETROIT — popular Detroit pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans was assaulted and carjacked Wednesday afternoon at a gas station on the city’s west side.

The attack happened about 3:20 p.m., and the suspects fled with an unknown amount of cash and Winans’ SUV, police said.

Winans, 54, told WXYZ-TV that four or five young men followed him from inside the gas station and attacked him while he gassed up his vehicle.

Winans said he didn’t believe he was seriously hurt, but planned to seek medical attention.

he said his attackers appeared to be among 10 young men he passed by inside the station, and he warily watched them as he pumped gas.

“I’m just saddened that it has come to this,” Winans said. “This kind of nonsense just has to stop. It’s just the savageness of what’s happening in the street.”

he also believes his attackers didn’t recognize him. Winans is pastor of the 4,500-member Perfecting Church on Detroit’s east side. In February, he gave singer Whitney Houston’s eulogy.

“And if they did, it didn’t make much difference,” said Winans, who has been active in civic issues, including taking a stand against the proliferation of strip clubs in Detroit’s neighborhoods.

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Dozens of feral cats roaming the streets of Skid Row were in the process of being rescued by off-duty Los Angeles police officers and a volunteer group Saturday.

More than 50 cats and kittens are being rounded up to be taken to a no-kill animal shelter in hope that they’ll find caring homes.

The cats have been fed for years by a church near the intersection of East Seventh and San Julian streets in downtown Los Angeles. but the church has closed and the building’s new owner wants the animals gone, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

So a local rescue group, Voice for the Animals, has partnered with the LAPD to gather the felines so that they’re not forced to fend for themselves on city streets.

Only three cats had been rescued by about 9 a.m. after several hours of searching, said LAPD Officer Rosario Herrera of the Media Relations Section.

“they do hide, so it’s hard to get them,” Herrera said.

But the effort will be continuing throughout the day, she said.

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(First of a series)

MANNY Pacquiao, the boxing icon and acknowledged crossover superstar, is slowly but surely shedding his bad boy image, if you can call it such, and emerging as a thoughtful, insightful individual, who draws strength and inspiration from the Bible, while continuing his career as the pound-for-pound king and taking the first deliberate steps in his journey to higher public office.

When we spoke to Pacquiao at his MP Towers building in a narrow street that reflects the widespread poverty that he himself broke away from by his grim determination and dedication, we began to realize that he has changed rather dramatically from the young man, who enjoyed late nights, big-time gambling on pool games, in cockfights and casinos and the women and the drinks that were part of the wild and wooly environment.

The change within him came about too late to correct the flaws that marked his preparation and troubled personal life, leading to the third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, a bout he won but which was questionable to say the least.

Pacquiao knew then that he had to mend his wayward ways, return to the family values that Filipinos, by and large, cherish and renew, in a real and meaningful manner, his Christian faith.

Today, wherever he goes, he carries a Bible with him, in his car or even when training, which an aide holds onto as he works out.

During a brief lull before he began his punch-mitts routine with loyal childhood friend Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez, who is his Filipino trainer, Pacquiao recited one of his favorite verses from the scriptures (Isaiah 41: Verse 10)—“So do not fear for I am with you. do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Fernandez said he was surprised that after one week’s training in General Santos City, he saw a “huge difference between the Manny Pacquiao of his previous fights and a very different Pacquiao today.”

“He is like the hungry, teenage fighter who first came to Manila. He’s hungry again. It’s the old Manny,” Fernandez said, explaining that this is because of a dramatic change in Pacquiao’s lifestyle, with “no late nights and no problems to think about. His only mission is to study the Bible. when you see that he is known the world over and is a congressman and you see him in front of you explaining the scriptures, no matter who you are, your hair will stand on edge.”

In a recent gathering at ABS-CBN’s Dolphy Theater before an overflow crowd, Pacquiao demonstrated his appreciation of the Word of God in a power-point presentation, where his sincerity shone like a beacon.

To be continued…

(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on /2012/May/05)

Given the recent news regarding the Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to retire Brian Dawkins’ jersey, Ike Reese of 94 WIP made a statement on Twitter the other day that I thought would be a good subject of debate.

First, here is Reese’s statement:

I wasn’t joking, I think McNabb’s #5 should be retired by the Eagles eventually.  Let’s wait awhile though! Time heals all wounds.

Donovan McNabb has yet to retire from the NFL, though he appears to be considering it.  Once he does, do you think the Eagles will do the same with him as they did with Brian Dawkins?

Should they?  Is McNabb “jersey retirement” worthy?

Interesting question, to say the least.

The Eagles now have a total of eight jersey numbers retired, they are:

Chris Gardner/Getty Images

My first thought is that no, McNabb will not be given the same honor as those eight players.  I believe the Eagles will invite him to sign a one-day contract and officially retire as an Eagle, but I don’t think they will retire his no. 5 jersey.

Brian Dawkins was beloved by Eagles fans.  not only did he bring the brand of football that every Philly fan loves, he connected with the fans in a way that few Eagles players have.

When you combine Dawkins’ talent and production on the field with his personality and connection with the fans, there is no question he deserves a place in Eagles history.  He should also be a first-ballot consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Simply put, Dawkins is one of the most revered players in franchise history.

The same goes for Reggie White and Jerome Brown–the only other players whose numbers were retired that were in my time as an Eagles fan.  those two players were loved just as much for what they did off the field as for what they did on it.

Though I will point out that, as much as I loved Jerome Brown, I’m fairly sure his untimely death had a lot to do with his jersey retirement.  White’s death was premature as well, but he was much more accomplished than Brown and likely would have had his number retired anyway.

Getty Images/Getty Images

So, do you feel the same way about McNabb as you do Dawkins, White or Brown?

Based on his accomplishments and what he meant to the Eagles’ success during his tenure, we could make a good argument to have McNabb’s number retired.  McNabb is the Eagles’ record holder for all major passing records, including:

Pass completions: 2,801

Completion percentage: 59

Passing yards: 32,873

Games won as a starter: 92

He also led the team to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance.  Early on in his career with the Eagles, he often “strapped the team on his back” and willed them to victory.

McNabb did more with less than most other QBs I’ve seen.  He took the Eagles to the playoffs and conference title games with receivers like James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, Torrance Small and Charles Johnson.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

He was the Eagles’ offense before Brian Westbrook came into his own (no disrespect to Duce Staley, but he wasn’t a dynamic player).

McNabb’s critics will allow that, yes, he took the team to five conference title games and a Super Bowl, but that he only won one of the five title games and lost a Super Bowl the team should have won.

Sure, there were other reasons the Eagles lost those games but the end result is what matters and the only thing people remember.  Right, wrong or indifferent, McNabb is viewed as somewhat of a choker.

Heck, for as good as Peyton Manning was (is), he was viewed as a choker until he finally won the big game.

However, those things are best left for Hall of Fame discussions.  Having a jersey retired, while a great honor from the team, is not quite as glamorous as being enshrined with the best players in NFL history.

The biggest obstacle for McNabb in having his jersey retired, is, and always will be, his relationship with the fans.  Though I don’t think public perception is the end-all-be-all as far as this type of honor is concerned, I do believe it counts for something.

From the day he was drafted, McNabb has had an awkward relationship with Philadelphia fans.  He has been embraced by many, but has also been a lightning rod for criticism.  Some viewed him as a lovable goof who liked to have a good time on the sidelines or on the field, while others viewed him as not being a good leader and coming through when it mattered the most.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Perhaps the infamous draft-day booing set in motion an 11-year roller coaster ride that excited fans just as much as disappointed and frustrated them.  McNabb’s time in Philly was mostly successful and filled with high expectations, but his relationship with the Philadelphia fan base was always erratic.

Some think he never fully allowed himself to embrace the fans because of a scarred psyche from the aforementioned booing.  in other words, he never got over it.

Others rush to McNabb’s defense because they see him as somewhat of a victim.  as in, he was was always under attack from the local fan base, the media, or even people like Rush Limbaugh (remember that ordeal?) and Bernard Hopkins.

Whatever the case may be, nobody can deny that McNabb’s tenure in Philly was tumultuous.  From the playoff excitement to the big game losses to the Terrell Owens debacle to the to the “we showed our youth” statement, McNabb was never short on controversy.

Controversy seems to follow him wherever he goes, too.  it seems that every time he opens his mouth, some form of controversy follows.  For example, his recent comment on ESPN when he interrupted Skip Bayless after he said that Tim Tebow is the most unfairly criticized QB in NFL history.  McNabb then blurted:

“Negative—I am,” McNabb interrupted. “I am. Nobody’s been criticized as much as I have.”

Sometimes I hear the things he says and I find myself wondering why he makes such statements when he should know people might blow it up.  in that example, he ended up being criticized for saying he’s always criticized!

Will the Eagles retire McNabb’s jersey?

Will the Eagles retire McNabb’s jersey?
• yes 54.7%
• no 45.3%

Total votes: 1,610

Donovan McNabb is probably one of the most polarizing players in Eagles history. 

If I asked 1,000 people how they felt about him, it would be a good bet that at least half of them would be avid supporters and proud of what he did for Philly while the rest would view him as an inaccurate passer, choke artist and ultimate failure.

Personally, I’m grateful for what McNabb did for the Eagles.  He and Andy Reid brought back an era of winning and success, even though they were never able to “seal the deal” with a Lombardi trophy.

I experienced frustration with him and the team as much as anyone, but the only reason you can experience frustration is if you have a certain level of expectations.  and the only way you even have a certain expectation level is if you believe your team is good.

I always believed the Eagles were good when McNabb was playing at quarterback.  I always expected big things from them because, well, they were good.  but, frustration would mount every time I saw a pass land at the feet of a receiver or I’d see him smile and/or slump his shoulders after a bad play or mistake.

I wanted to see McNabb be a little more emotional, a little more “fiery” in the sense that when things didn’t go right, he’d be pissed off about it and show it in some fashion or another.  

However, he never did and that’s one of the reasons why he never won over a certain subset of the fans.

The Eagles were reborn during McNabb’s time here, but for reasons, I have a hard time explaining why I was never able to fully embrace him in the same way I did Brian Dawkins or Reggie White.

It’s for these reasons as to why I don’t think we’ll ever see the no. 5 jersey retired in his honor. 

Now, being inducted into the Eagles’ honor roll is another story.