Robert's Ramblings

Robert's Ramblings for 4 August 2008

2008-08-04T21:34:00.001-04:00

I can't believe that it is August already. This summer went by so fast. My senior year will start up in a little over 3 weeks. The good news is that I will be out of this funk I have been in recently. The bad news is that I will be thrown to the dogs once more. At least this will be the last year. Afterwards I am leaving this city. There is absolutely nothing here and there is no reason for me to stay.

PLANS, PLANS, AND MORE PLANS

Well if I am going to pull this off, a lot of things need to happen before now and May. Over the next three weeks, I will create a plan of attack that I will stick to. As long as I plan things strictly and correctly, I should have plenty of time to do what I need to do. To be honest, I need to keep track of every hour of the day so that time is not wasted. I have just begun the process for one of my goals now: get a driver's license. Right now I don't know a thing about driving and my movements will be very limited if I cannot drive. Right now, I am searching for a good driving school that will teach me what I need to know to get my license, unless anyone wants to teach me for free...

The next thing I need to do is make sure I graduate. Everything afterwards means nothing if I don't have a degree. This means I need to pass the rest of my classes, hopefully pass with A's or B's. While in school, I am trying to make myself more marketable to employers. This means going for the minor in Statistics and becoming fluent in French. These goals are reflected in my schedule for this semester. In addition, I need to take advantage of the opportunities this school provides. In other words, I need to make a few visits to the Career Center so that when the job fairs and interviews come along, I will be prepared. While I am at it, I may need to speak with a few more people.

In the highly recommended category, I really do need to get in shape. Granted, I haven't gained weight in the past year or so, but I haven't lost any either. Plus there are multiple benefits for being in good shape. I'm sure I don't need to explain. I will also need to watch I eat. This food is not healthy and I realize that I eat a rather large portion of food when I control how much I can get. I don't have a bottomless pit anymore. I think that is one of the reasons why my rear end is so big. I will also need to get appointments with the doctor and dentist. I haven't seen a doctor since 9th grade and a dentist since who knows when. My yellow teeth aren't going to be a turn-on for employers or anybody and I need to make sure I don't have any diseases which will knock me off the face of the planet earlier than I expect. For some of you with sick and dirty minds, no, I do not mean blood testing for an STD. I am still a virgin and I plan on staying one.

All of these are just sub-goals. My mission is simple: To perform at the highest, not higher, highest standard that I demand from myself and others. The highest standard is perfection. Now I know that I will never reach perfection. There is only one perfect person to walk the earth and that is Jesus Christ. That does not mean we shouldn't try. I am expected to make the right decisions at all times. This involves doing what is right, not what is the easiest or what the popular opinion is. If this means stepping on a few toes, so be it. I will not let the low physical, mental, moral, and ethical standards of others hold me back. How come the world we live in is such a mess in the first place?

IMPROVEMENTS AND DISCOVERIES

Recently, I was going through my laptop and cleaning out some of the programs that I don't use. At that point, I rediscovered Windows Media Center, so I decided to do some snooping around to see what exactly it can do. As I found out for myself, a lot. My music comes out a lot better. I can view photos and videos from my computer or from most places online including Youtube (with the right plug-ins of course). Right now, they are working on Internet TV, however I can watch a few things online including news. Of course, I decided to buy a TV tuner for my computer so now I can watch TV anytime on my laptop. In other words, I will never need to buy a TV. I can't wait to get a place of my own so I can get an XBOX 360 and completely spoil myself. Windows Media Center comes with Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate editions. For as many complaints people have had about Vista, I haven't had any problems. So do not buy all of the crap that Apple is saying about Macs. Macs really do suck. How come most of the software is made for Windows only and not Macs? How come most of the software Apple makes works for Windows but not vica versa? Windows rules!!!

TUNE OF THE umm... MONTH I think: Longhorn

QUOTES OF THE MONTH:

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." -Eleanor Roosevelt

"Most people rust out due to a lack a challenge. Few people rust out due to overuse." -Unknown

"You should not live one way in private, another in public." -Publilius Syrus

"A schedule defends from chaos and whim." -Annie Dillard

"For what I have received, may the Lord make me truly thankful. And more truly for what I have not received." -Storm Jameson

WHAT ELSE?

Since our precious news media are covering these issues so thoroughly, I don't think I need to talk about the following issues: Brett Favre, the Olympics, Favre, Manny, Favre, our economy, Favre, high gas prices, Favre, the Presidential campaigns, and most importantly, Brett Favre. Honestly, there has got to be something else to talk about besides old news. How about some new, more important news? Actually, that may be a bad idea because the media never brings good news. It's always bad news, even worse if it deals with African-Americans and violence. Screw the media.

C'est la vie.

Robert’s Ramblings for 29 June 2008

2008-06-29T23:44:00.002-04:00

Yes, I have been that busy since the last time I posted. I have more or less been working 5 hours per day, 6 days per week on top of taking a couple of classes. I should be fortunate that I get one day off per week because I honestly need it. That said, there are a lot of things that I feel I need to comment on, so this may be a long post.

TEEN PREGNANCY

As you may have heard about, 17 girls in a small Massachusetts high school have become pregnant in the past year. For more details, read this article: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1815845,00.html?cnn=yes. In the previous year, there were only 4. I personally believe the principal on the idea of a pregnancy pact. Given the increase in pregnancies, the reactions of the females, and who they had sex with, there is plenty of evidence. It is not helping that Hollywood is making it sound acceptable. Movies like Juno and teen role models like Jamie Lynn Spears getting pregnant make females think that it is okay to do such a thing. It is not. Teens are not ready to be responsible parents. They don't know the first thing about raising a child and they will regret their decision once the children are born.

This case isn't the only reason I am talking about this. A little while ago, my 16 year old brother got a girl pregnant. Now I never envisioned him thinking about having sex at this point, let alone handle a child. I already had my words with him about making this "18 year mistake". On top of this, their plans for taking care of the baby are disturbing. They actually plan on trusting my "mother" with the baby over the day. If she couldn't raise all eight of her own children properly, if at all, what makes her think she can take care of her first grandchild? I know I should be a supportive uncle, but I didn't think I would be an uncle this soon. If I were older, I would take custody of the child myself. I don't know if I should get involved or stay out of it. Getting involved would mean dealing with my "mother" though and that is one thing I don't want to do. I should probably have a heart-to-heart talk with my brother at some point.

We have to do a better job of convincing teens not to have sex and if they do to at least have protection. Birth control, condoms, whatever it takes. If you cannot afford condoms, you cannot afford a child. I have said this time and time again, if you are not ready for a child, having sex, especially unprotected, can, and will eventually, lead to an 18 year mistake. To be honest, my "father" made that mistake five times and my "mother" an additional 3 times. Proof: My "father" skipped town on us and my "mother" doesn't have custody of any of the kids and hasn't gotten any back that she has lost. The last 4 children have been adopted. Granted there wasn't too much of a choice on the first one, but the other three is due to her reckless lifestyle and who she trusts her children with. With most of these teen mothers, they either don't know who the father is or the father is in and out of jail. Taking care of a child is a full time job and I am impressed that Barack Obama has agreed with me on that. (see below…) I don't think that these children are ready to have children and we need to stop endorsing it.

OBAMA VS. MCCAIN VS. OTHER…

I have no idea who I am going to vote for in November, if I vote in November. Neither candidate has swayed me one way or the other. I also feel that I shouldn't have to comprise my views for anyone. Between Iraq, their views on gay "marriage", and border security, I feel as though I cannot go for any Democrat. However, I agree a little more with Barack Obama than I do with Hillary. I was also impressed with the speech he gave on Father's Day: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DaRXa9crAx0. I feel that Obama may actually have a better chance to help the African-American community, which is something that most presidents and candidates have done or even thought about. He is also young and hasn't been too influenced by politics.

That said, I don't think McCain is enough of a conservative for me to vote for him. To define what a conservative is, please read this article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/25/beck.conservatives/index.html. While McCain does support staying in Iraq for as long as necessary and in strong border security, he leaves much to be desired. A conservative believes in family. A family includes a husband, wife, and children. A child needs a mother and father, not two mothers or two fathers. However, John McCain has not come out and publicly opposed gay marriage. For me and many other Christians, that is a MAJOR turnoff. I personally have no tolerance for homosexuality whatsoever. McCain is not a true conservative but a centrist. While it is not a bad idea to reach across the aisle, you have to do it on the right issues and this is not one of them.

The article mentions a major point. People sacrifice their values in order to vote for a certain party. And there is no guarantee that the people who we elect are going to do their job. "The "R" and the "D" don't matter if the people we elect don't follow through on their promises." I refuse to compromise on my values as a conservative. I believe in picking the person who is the best for the job and to vote for "None of the above" if any of the above don't fit the bill. So I will vote for "None of the above" in November.

TUNE OF THE MONTH: Headstrong by Trapt

QUOTES OF THE MONTH:

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." -Rick Cook

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." -Galileo Galilei

"Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be." -Jim Horning

"An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex." -Aldous Huxley

"People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves." -Salam Hayek

PLANS, PLANS, AND MORE PLANS

Yes, I am getting a well deserved vacation this weekend. I will be spending the entire Fourth of July weekend in the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. I am actually going to get a chance to relax so I probably won't post a new blog next week. Then again, I have posted a blog in a long time.

I have actually managed to create a website and I will try to update that as soon as possible if I don't get caught up in game playing. It is at http://andrew.cmu.edu/user/rlu. If anyone has any ideas on what I should put on there, please let me know.

Right now is the time to start thinking about what I am going to do after I get out of here. And when I say think, I actually mean do something about immediately. I don't want to get caught sitting on the sideline when an opportunity arises. Don't wait for something to happen to do; make something happen (I think I had this as a quote of the week at some point.). I need to be aggressive about going out and doing the things I need to do because right now, I am not. I really need to go back to the attitude I had in high school. "Screw everyone else. The only one I need to get a damn about is me." I know it sounds a little selfish and mean, but you don't argue with results.

C'est la vie.

Robert's Ramblings for 10 May 2008

2008-05-10T15:56:00.000-04:00

So far, I can say that at least a few stages of my transformation have come along nicely. I have been able to keep my room clean for a prolonged period of time. I recently did some spring cleaning and I have, for the most part, have gathered everything that I don’t wear anymore or refuse to wear. I plan on donating those when I have some time this weekend. At this point, I have more or less replaced most articles of clothing that I had back in high school and during my first year of college (except for the good stuff). I feel that this symbolizes a turning point for me and my life. This experience has shown me that I am not the same person that I was in high school and I am not the same now as I was when I started school. I have grown in more ways than one (college food does me no favors) and I am a better person for it. At this point, my grades are also better now than they were freshman year. By sacrificing time for myself in order to focus on my studies and to work (it does help that I can do homework and stuff on the job), that has helped me keep my focus on the things that have to be done. In life, sometimes one has to sacrifice the things they want to do in order to do the things they have to do.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that there has been some, umm…, regressions. My relationship with Jesus Christ is not as strong now as it was before. I seem to have lost some of my personal identity. I don’t know who I really am. These will be the next things that I work on. I need to establish who I am and what my place is in this world. I also need to have everything set up so that when I do graduate next year, I will have a job, a place to live, etc… As I said once, I want to know what I am doing the day after graduation. Since graduation is Sunday 17 May 2009, the next day is a Monday and I want to be working then. I don’t want to end up like one of my coworkers who are worried about what to do after graduation.

A cyclone passed through Myanmar earlier this week. Tens of thousands are dead and more can die in the coming weeks because of poor sanitation conditions and starvation. This was a massive natural disaster and usually when something like this happens, help comes in from all around the world to help people out. Usually the country would just let the people in, however the government has refused to let aid workers, who are trained in disaster relief, into the country to help. They have finally decided to let supplies come in but the government took the shipments, put labels on it, and hand it out, trying to convince people that they gave it to their citizens. However, many are still suffering and aren’t getting the help that they need. The government is more focused on having their referendum passed, solidifying their power. Most of the citizens know that it will be rigged anyways. As a result, their citizens aren’t happy and neither is the U.N.

My question is this: What the bleep bleeping bleep is the government? Hello, a cyclone just passed through your country, leaving it in ruins. Your people are suffering. They have no food, clean water, or sanitation. They are being contracted with illnesses. Many are dead and many more will be soon, especially if they don’t get the appropriate aid soon. And yet, you are just concerned about having power and convincing people that you have power. This is just going to alienate your citizens and the rest of the world even more. Also, if you don’t do something soon, there’s going to be no one to rule over. Either that or you will get ran out of your own country. Usually when something happens to you and people are willing to help you get back on your feet when you have nothing left, you are supposed to shelve your pride and take it, not act like total idiots…

Tune of the Month: Time to Rock n' Roll by Lil' Kim

Quotes of the Month:

“When you go into court, you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.” –Norm Crosby

“Everywhere I go, I’m asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them. There’s many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.” -Flannery O’Connor

“Some men just aren’t cut out for paternity. Better they should realize it before and not after they become responsible for a son.” -Lois McMaster Bujold

“If you want to be respected, you must respect yourself.” –Spanish Proverb

Hilary Rodham Clinton, there are times in life when it is worth it to keep fighting. There are also times to realize that you can’t run. You’re done. Barack Obama has more or less kicked your butt. You claim to be for the people yet you really haven’t taken a close look at your supporters. They are either old or aren’t going anywhere with their lives. Either way, they are not going to help us advance into the future and will only hold us back. Also, if you honestly don’t want McCain to become president, then the Democrats need to unite now instead of taking sides and beating the crap out of each other, no matter how entertaining it is to watch. You can’t draw the people that really matter, the educated people and African Americans (because we have our own issues to worry about that no one has addressed) and if you think you could possibly win at this point, you are delusional. Mrs. Clinton, you are running out of time, money and supporters. The end is at hand. The demographics leaned in your favor in Indiana and yet you barely win while getting slaughtered in North Carolina. You misjudged the American people and it’s about time you realize that. If you really care about the people and your party, step down now. (THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT FOR BARACK OBAMA OR JOHN MCCAIN. I JUST WANT HILARY TO SEE SOME SENSE.)

C’est la vie.

Robert's Ramblings for 30 March 2008

2008-03-30T14:16:00.001-04:00

It was time for a new title for this blog. It’s not like I am really updating anybody on anything and what I usually end up doing is rambling anyways so I figured this would be an appropriate name for it. If anyone else has any suggestions, please tell me.

I’m surprised that I didn’t post a blog during “spring break” and I use that term loosely. I guess that I have been busy as of late so I haven’t really had time for me. When will this viscous cycle ever end? Maybe I just need some time off for me or better yet a vacation. At the very least, a back rub would be nice. It doesn’t help that I have been obsessing on a few things lately. I was in a state of confusing and chaos until today. But enough about my troubles…

I’m getting better in filling out my NCAA bracket. There is still some hope for me this year which usually isn’t the case. Usually, I am done by the second round. At the time of me typing this, 3 of the 4 teams that I picked for the Final Four are still in. In order to get this right, it takes a certain amount of brains, heart, guts, insanity, and luck. After that, you have to hope that there are no “Cinderella’s” or as they are called nowadays “George Mason’s.” That term may be changed to “Davidson’s” if this keeps up…

This is not fair: The NFL is considering creating a hair rule. I know that the NFL wants to crack down on things nowadays and is concerned about player safety, but this is ridiculous. This is about freedom of expression. If the man wants to wear his hair down, let him. Troy Polamalu is aware of the risks of letting his hair down. He was even tackled by his hair. Just leave him be. It’s his trademark anyways. Everyone else is just copying him. And if they do make this new rule, at least name it after him. No wonder they call it the “No Fun League.”

Tune of the Week: I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly (Yes I am digging into the vault with this one.)

Quotes of the week:

“The cost of living is going up and the chance of living is going down.” -Flip Wilson

“The only way most people recognize their limits is by trespassing on them.” -Tom Morris

“Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt to you is determinism; the way you play it is free will.” -Jawaharlal Nehru

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” -Will Rogers

“Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater.” -Albert Einstein

I have officially come to the conclusion that thugs don’t care about the value of human life, whether it is their own or somebody else’s. Yesterday, there was a shooting right across the street from Manchester Elementary School. This took place after school got out but while after school programs were in session. I can understand if you don’t care about your life or the life of another “adult”, but leave the children out of this. I said I wasn’t going to talk about these thugs anymore but this is out of control. It’s one thing to be afraid of walking through your neighborhood at night, but children should not have to be scared in broad daylight on the way to or from school, let alone directly across the street from it. During an interview on Friday, I could tell by the tone of the mayor’s voice that he is pissed. Just watch the news story here. As one resident rightfully said, “The streets don’t belong to them, they belong to us,” and I couldn’t agree with him more. This needs to end right here right now. This nonsense was too far a long time ago.

Ce n’est pas vie.

Underwood Update for 21 February 2008

2008-02-21T18:55:00.000-05:00

One would think that a new semester is supposed to bring a fresh start and a new beginning. Our batteries are supposed to be recharged after a month of vacation. Unfortunately, that is not the case for me. I only had eight days off for all of winter break and spent the vast majority of the break waking up at five or six o’clock in the morning. I sleep in more while I am at school than I am away from it. The classes themselves are not fresh starts either. Your survival in them depends on how you survived previous courses. Some people just drop the class and take something easier when things get too tough but not me. I just try to suck it up and focus on the light at the end of the long tunnel. But for what? At the end of the tunnel is just more pain, more suffering. But then again, that has been the story of my life (which I should get back to writing at some point).

I must admit that there are many things in my life that I would regret that I would redo if I ever had the chance. There are however other things that I don’t regret or things that I wouldn’t change in my life, even if it were for the better. I wish I would have said some things to some people earlier. Maybe they would have understood me or felt the same way I did. I may not get the chance at those. I wish I would not have shunned some people away like I did. I either shunned them away or I just became so busy that I didn’t have time for them anymore. If I did that to you, I am sorry. However I don’t regret saying some things to some people and shunning some of them out of my life. They just meant more harm to me and would result and my failure. Those people held me back for too long. I also don’t regret not going to my prom. Some people still complain to me about it until this very day. From what I heard, it sucked and so I am not sorry. I may only regret not going for one reason and one reason only…

Somebody please tell me what is the big deal with birthdays. I have never ever seen a point to them in my life. What exactly are they supposed to mean? We are another year old, big deal. We get older by the second. Life generally goes like this: You are born, you live your life, you die. Every living creature goes through the same process. What makes one day different from any other? The same goes for any type of anniversary. What is the big deal? What exactly are we supposed to be celebrating and why? I know that I am being somewhat of a downer but I never saw the point.

I am sounding so moopy (is that a word) and depressed right now. I’m just not the type of person who gets excited about the little things. Maybe I’m just waiting for something bad to happen. Maybe I need a change of scenery; this city is starting to get to me. Maybe I’ll do that this summer.

Tune of the Week: "I'm Comin" by Silkk the Shocker

Quotes of the Week:

“You better live your best and act your best and think your best today, for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.” –Harriet Martineau

“It is only by following your deepest instinct that you can lead a rich life, and if you let your fear of consequence prevent you from following your deepest instinct, then your life will be safe, expedient, and thin.

“Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.” –Henry Kissinger

“Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend’s success.” –Oscar Wilde

“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.” –Charlie Chaplin

Roger Clemens is about to be indicted on perjury. Recently, he had a chance under oath to tell the truth about his connection to performance enhancing drugs. Not only did he most likely lie about doing them, he couldn’t even keep his story straight. Clemens came off looking like a bumbling fool. His ex-trainer may have had credibility issues before but his story lines up with the stories told by others, including Clemens “friend” Any Pettite. If somehow, someway, what Clemens has been saying is the truth, I will apologize and leave him be, but I have a hard time believing him. If not, his career will be left in ruins along the likes of Pete Rose and Barry Bonds. It’s about time the sport was cleaned up but it’s sad that it took the act of our federal government to do something. They are the ones least likely to do anything productive.

If there is one thing I despise more than anything else, its liars and cheats. There is no reason to cheat in any game, sport, or in life and there is no reason to lie about anything. I can tell when someone is lying or trying to cheat. People will appreciate you more when you tell the truth and lies hurt everyone who is involved. Cheaters will always get caught because it takes lying to cover it up. Plus it hurts the integrity of the game. It devalues the efforts of those who are trying to make it up the ladder the hard way. The reward is a lot sweeter when you actually earn it. What are supposed to tell the next generation when we tell them that their heroes lied and cheated to get where they are? What happens when the example isn’t set for them? What happens to the state of this planet when everyone starts looking for shortcuts? What happens when no one is there to guide the children in the right direction? Or are we already at that point? But for now,

C’est la vie.

Underwood Update for 6 Janurary 2008

2008-01-06T15:16:00.001-05:00

The holidays are a time for celebration. However, what really peeves me is the fact that some of these holidays are celebrated the wrong way. Granted, New Year’s is New Year’s, but Christmas is not supposed to be celebrated with a tree with presents underneath. There is no such thing as Santa Claus, hence no red suit, no flying sleigh, no reindeer, and no Rudolph. There is also no Frosty the Snowman or any other crap like that. Giving gifts and stuff is nice but that is not the point. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. That is what we are supposed to celebrate. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for what you have, not gorging on every edible item in sight. And none of the holidays are about shopping. All of these “sales” are ridiculous. Stores only do that to get people inside the store where everything is marked up. That’s why I normal don’t go into those stores. I am also not much of a shopper. I am not a female and I’m cheap. If I go shopping, I know exactly what I am looking for and I am usually done in 5 minutes, unless the checkout lines are long.

The one that bug me about winter break is that there is absolutely no internet access at my aunt’s house. Fortunately, I took care of all necessary business before I left campus, but I will only be available online when I am working. Most of the mail coming in right now is junk mail, but I just hope something important doesn’t come through. Another thing that bugs me is working 5-10 hour days. Sitting at a desk for that long gets boring and tiring, especially if those shifts start at 7 or 8am. I call that cruel and unusual punishment. However I don’t complain when my paycheck comes. Then I realize that most of it goes towards books. Why do they have to be so expensive???

On New Year’s Day, I actually took time to sit down and watch a hockey game on TV. The Penguins beat the Sabres 2-1 in a shootout outdoors in Buffalo. I actually enjoyed the game and I definitely loved the outdoor environment which you don’t usually see in hockey. I thought this was a good idea from the start and it worked to perfection. If I were the NHL, I would do this again because it drew a crowd not only to the game but to their television sets.

I’ve updated my calendar to reflect my schedule for the rest of the winter break and my class schedule for next semester. It’s a bit friendlier and more spaced out than I originally planned, but sometimes, plans don’t work. Life has the habit of throwing curveballs. The people who succeed can hit those curveballs. The rest just strike out. I can’t believe that just used a baseball analogy…

Tune of the Week: Hell Will Be Callin' Your Name

Quotes of the Week:

“Promises that you make to yourself are often like the Japanese plum tree – they bear no fruit.” –Francis Marion

“First weigh the considerations, then take the risks.” –Helmuth von Moltke

“People seldom become famous for what they say until after they are famous for what they’ve done.” –Cullen Hightower

“It’s not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

“When you have given nothing, ask for nothing.” –Albanian Proverb

“We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.” – Roald Dahl

“Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.” –Mark Twain

“In my many years, I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.” –John Adams

I’m still not making any New Year’s resolutions. I said what I felt about them about a year ago and that is not changing. If I were to make some, they would include having a stronger relationship with Jesus, keeping my focus, improving my grades, and weight loss. I have to be realistic though. I will fail on most of them if not all of them. I do need to get some things done before this year is done like do an internship, start searching for a job after graduation, and learn how to drive. These would help prepare me for May 2009. So 2008 is a big deal for me considering what needs to be done. Oh well….

C’est la vie.

Underwood Update for 26 November 2007

2007-11-26T16:45:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks, hence the name. Well I have a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful that I am still alive and that I have my health and some of my sanity, at least I think I still have that. I am thankful that I am still in school. I am also thankful that I am not as cramped up as I was on Friday. Lesson: Stretch before and after any physical activity, like football. I am also thankful being able to type this on my new laptop. God certainly answers prayers. It may not be when you want it or how you want it, but it is on His time.

I am also thankful that this semester is over. Of course that means exams and finals are right around the corner. There aren’t that many homework assignments left but in one of my classes, the final exam is 40% of the grade. That is a huge opportunity to raise (or lower) my grade. If I can just make it through December 17, I’ll have a month to work and relax, mostly work though. I know right now that I probably won’t go to graduate school yet. I’ll probably just get a job first. I can work in most places with my degree and it will give me an opportunity to really get settled.

Sunday, 18 November 2007 never happened. The Steelers did not lose to the Jets…

I thought that the BCS couldn’t get more chaotic than it already was, but boy, was I wrong. Missouri has climbed from out of nowhere to #1 while West Virginia is at #2. I never thought either one of these two teams were national championship caliber teams, but considering that everyone else before them who had the ball lost, this is what we have left; well these guys and #12 Hawaii who is undefeated. Where is their title shot at? In this long and confusing season, they haven’t lost. They should get a fair shake at the title. The NCAA should either fix the BCS or scrap it and revert to a playoff, although I don’t even think a playoff will settle all of the dust from this year. At least it’s almost over. All Missouri have to do is avenge their loss to Oklahoma while West Virginia has to beat Pitt who have been horrible this year.

I thought that the Patriots were going to go 16-0 this year. However, after last Sunday when Philadelphia almost beat them, I believe that there may be some flaws in the Patriots. If the Eagles can expose those flaws and almost win, then a better team, like the Steelers should be able to follow the blueprint that the Eagles and Colts wrote and possibly beat the Patriots in 2 weeks. I didn’t think the Steelers had a chance before but after last night, I am singing a different tune.

Theme of the Week: Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

Quotes of the Week:

“We Americans live in a nation where the medical-care system is second to none in the world, unless you count maybe 25 or 30 little scuzzball countries like Scotland that we could vaporize in seconds if we felt like it.” -Dave Barry

“If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known.” -George C. Marshall

“The guy who takes a chance, who walks in the line between the known and unknown, who is unafraid of failure, will succeed.” -Gordon Parks

“It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.” -Sir Winston Churchill

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” -William Faulkner

Now I am just procrastinating now and it’s time for me to get back to work. Time waits for no one.

Case Closed

Underwood Update for 4 November 2007

2007-11-04T13:57:00.001-05:00

Screw New England and screw Indianapolis. All I hear nowadays is Colts this and Patriots that. Yes they are that good and yes they are the best teams in the league and yes one of them will most likely win the Super Bowl, but please stop shoving it down our throats. There are other games being played this weekend and other stories to talk about. For example, T.O. returns the Philadelphia Sunday night. Also, the Steelers and Ravens play Monday night in what is sure to be a smash-mouth football game. There is also the reemergence of Brett Favre and Tony Romo’s big pay day. We can even talk about how pathetic the Rams and Dolphins are right now. Just don’t mention the Colts or Patriots around me until the Steelers play them.

I have a decision that I need to make and I have a short time to make it. I could, with ease, graduate in December of next year. There are some logistics that I need to work out but from the way things look, I could save a lot of money by graduating early. Obviously I have to work out the expenses like food, housing, and bills but I think I can manage it. All of this is assuming that I don’t do too badly in my classes. I am going to need a long talk with my advisor first before making any decision. I am leaning towards just going into the workforce, but if I decide to go to graduate school, then there is no question that I will stay until May 2009. So instead of trying to slow down the clock, I may actually accelerate it. Maybe I won’t push that button yet. I have three exams on Wednesday 14 November so that won’t be fun at all. One step at a time, one day at a time…

I know I promised to talk about the Jena 6 the last time I wrote, but then I realized that I would just end up digressing and talking about the racial problems that are in America which I have talked about so many times and just ended up bashing everyone in site. Therefore, there is no point in wasting my time or yours talking about it again. Now is the time to stop talking and to start doing something about it…

Ladies and gentlemen, we finally have a rival to Cal-Stanford AKA The Play. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPUf_915Q-I If you don’t know what The Play is, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAxu9Rfm77M

Right now, I have a split opinion on J.K. Rowling. Yes, her books have been great, and yes, a person’s sexual orientation does not dim the accomplishments that the person has made, but that does not make it okay to accept homosexuality, let alone embrace it. I will do my best to stamp this utter nonsense out of our society. I will not accept it, embrace it, or even allow it to exist. J.K. Rowling, you get a thumb down for outing Dumbledore and you also get a thumbs down for releasing all of these details about the characters’ lives after the final book came out which probably should’ve been in the last book. I was already dissatisfied with the ending and I grow more unsatisfied by the day.

My heart goes out to all of those who have been affected by the wildfires in California. I wish you a speedy recovery. The government has had a better response to this than they have with Katrina. Yes I did refer to that in the present tense because people are still suffering and the government has done nothing. It seems that they care more about rich people and white people than they do about poor black people. I know that someone will talk about this eventually so I am going to be the first…Didn’t I say something a few paragraphs ago about bashing people? Moving on…

No I do not have plans on getting married or having a girlfriend, especially not now. My only priorities right now are God and my education. Plus I work better alone, girlfriends are too much hassle and too much of a distraction and I am not trying to deal with kids. No I will not change my mind at a later date. Unlike other people, once my mind is set, it does not change. I cannot and will not be convinced otherwise. The next person who ask me about getting a girlfriend or who tries to change my mind about anything will get slapped across the face. If you are far away, I will travel to where you are at, hunt you down, and slap you across the face 3 times, once for asking, once for making me travel to you and once for making me travel back. This isn’t the kinder, more polite, publicly acceptable Robert Underwood that has been here the past two years anymore. This is the old school, smash-mouth, in your face Robert Underwood who is taking any more nonsense from anybody and it’s about time that I start taking off some heads.

Theme of the Week: Memory by Mercy Drive

Quotes of the Week:

“Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?” -Francois de La Rochfoucauld

“If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.” -Donald H. Rumsfeld

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Sitting at the table doesn’t make you a diner, unless you eat some of what’s on that plate. Being here in America doesn’t make you an American. Being born here in America doesn’t make you an American.” -Malcolm X

The other thing that I hate is pity. I don’t need to be pitied and I don’t deserve to be pitied. I pity the children who have to grow up in these horrible communities without both of their parents in a loving household. I pity those who cannot change the situation that they are in if they didn’t have a hand in putting themselves there. I do not pity those who put themselves in bad situations because of the decisions that they made in their lives. I do not need to be pitied. God allowed me to make it this far when I didn’t think I would live this long or when I didn’t deserve to make it to this point. However, I am here now. I don’t have a privileged childhood where everything was either handed to me in a silver platter or within an easy reach. Some of you will never really understand the value of a dollar or the value of hard work. But then some of you have a shocked look on my face when you see where I have made it. Do you think that I don’t belong here? Or do you think that you should be higher class than me because you had a better starting hand than I did? It’s not the cards that you are dealt that matters, it’s how you play them. Don’t pity me because of my bad starting hand. Pity yourself for having the better starting hand but still losing to me. Meanwhile, I will be celebrating.

By the way, I have new pictures posted on my website, on Facebook, and on Myspace.

Case Closed

Underwood Update for 6 October 2007

2007-10-06T21:32:00.000-04:00

I know it’s been a while so I have a lot to talk about and I won’t be able to get to everything right now. Hopefully I will get to everything else next time.

There is a genuine reason to be excited about baseball right now. It was a very exciting end of the season that put us on the edge of our seats. The playoffs look to be just as thrilling as anyone can win it all. There is a good chance that a curse will be broken. Cleveland has not won a major championship since 1963 and they are the front-runner to break theirs. Philadelphia has not done so since 1983 but I don’t think this is their year. While the Cubs haven’t won a world series in 99 years (they may not get to the century mark), Chicago has had the Bears, Bulls, and for everyone who plays both sides of the fence, the White Sox. I’m going with the red hot Rockies to win it all but I could be dead wrong. Now that the playoffs have been infiltrated with bugs and fans grabbing foul balls, external influences could determine who wins and loses.

Now to something a little more important to me: Football. The first 4 weeks of the season has been out of control. The Lions are winning, the Browns are winning, and Oakland is in front of their division while the Eagles, Jets, Bengals, Chargers, Bears, and Saints are doing surprisingly worse. The Packers, Texans, Titans and Cowboys have been pleasant surprises, Arizona is meeting expectations, the Steelers are looking good, the Colts are the Colts, and the videotaping accusations have lit a fire under the Patriots’ butts and they are demolishing everyone in their path. I don’t think they will lose this year and I think everyone made a big deal about the whole videotaping thing. This is football and at the end of the day, it comes down to execution on the field. I think that knowing the signals has little to no impact on the game and it wouldn’t change much. My NFC predictions are now out the window and so are half of my AFC predictions. In some sports, things have a tendency to right themselves in the end. Football is not one of them. Expect many more surprises before the rest of this season is finished.

LeBron, have you lost your mind? Not even you can get away with wearing a Yankees vs. Indians playoff game. If it was regular season, you may not have gotten much heat but it’s the playoffs. At least you have more sense than most of these idiots out here.

Will all the clean athletes please stand up? If you are not standing, please leave. By using drug, especially of the performance enhancing kind, you are not only ruining yourself, but your friends, family, team, sport, and country and you should be ashamed of yourself. I also believe that the punishments by some of these leagues are too much and should be more towards Olympic standard. I applaud the PGA for starting their drug testing policy before things get out of control there. Congratulations Tiger Woods for taking a stand by suggesting Olympic standards, a two-year suspension for the first offense and a ban for the second. Now let’s hope that you haven’t been doing anything.

Most of the bill of rights should be scraped. Whenever the government or law enforce try to do something for the common good, everyone protest it saying that infringes on their rights. You have no rights. The government and law enforcement should be allowed to enforce for the common good. People who use foul language should be punished. Violence and anything sexual should not be allowed on television, radio, the internet, and out in public. This is America and we have higher standards not only for ourselves but for our children as well. What is strictly wrong should be prohibited. I am not talking about a regime like Dolores Umbridge (I hate that woman), but there should be higher standards. For example, I should not have to see your underwear. If your pants or shorts are too long, either get a smaller size or put on a belt.

You may argue about a separation between church and state and that the way the government is run should not be based upon religious beliefs. There is nothing further than the truth. Most of the constitution is based upon biblical laws, particularly the Old Testament laws. These include the Ten Commandments amongst other laws, for example, marriage is defined between a man and a woman and homosexuality is condemned. I am surprise at so many people who claim to believe in a religion based on the Old Testament actually not only accept homosexuality but support it and push towards us being tolerant of it. These people are hypocrites. You can’t play both sides of the fence for anything in life. I don’t care if it is sports, any type of political issue, or anything. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. This rule even applies in fiction. Severus Snape thought he could be a Death Eater and hook up with Lily Evans but that didn’t work out. By the time he picked a side, Lily got married and was killed and Voldemort was on a hiatus. It was too late. There is no gray area in any subject. It’s as clear as black and white. Pick your side and pick it now.

Theme of the Week: The Rock Hollywood Theme

Quotes of the Week:

“I feel very strongly that change is good because it stirs up the system.” -Ann Richards

“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” -Seneca

“We have been taught to believe that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic.” -Susan Jeffers

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” -Marcus Aurelis Antoninus

“Truth is what stands the test of experience.” -Albert Einstein

Next time, I will make a long rant about the Jena 6 and I may post some pictures. Now excuse me while I study for my exam.

Case Closed

Underwood Update for 8 September 2007

2007-09-08T21:33:00.001-04:00

Classes are underway and it’s not too bad so far. My goal this semester is to get at least a 3.5. I know that I set it a little high and that it won’t be easy, but life isn’t easy either. I need to prepare for the future now. I only have 2 years left, maybe 1 and a half and so I need to get something lined up so I am ready to leave when I have to.

A huge part of this is the Technical Opportunities Conference (TOC) that is taking place on 18 Sept 2007. All of the top employers will be there so I need to be at the top of my game. That’s why I went out and bought a new suit today that looks so good on me and only cost $120 plus $7 for alterations. I also bought a shirt and tie to go along with it and I will buy the shoes when I pick up the suit.

Vick won’t play until 2010. Need I say anymore?

I see brighter days ahead for the Pirates. All of the wrongs of the past, and there are a lot of them, are now being rectified. They need to be rebuilt from the ground up. Hopefully the new management won’t be afraid to spend money and that their primary goal isn’t to stuff their pockets but to win. Plus you’ll be able to stuff your pockets with more money if you win.

The Steelers have something in common with me: We both have a tough year ahead. After their first 5 games (where they could easily start 5-0) and the bye week (why is it always so early), they have a tough road in order to try to make the playoffs. The good thing is that the Steelers have the talent and the skills to win on any given Sunday (or Monday, or Thursday, or Saturday).

I came across an interesting news story a couple days ago. A 23 year old female was forced to cover up on a Southwest Airlines flight after a passenger said that her skirt was too short. I took a look at the photo of what she had on and I believe that it was too short. My rule is that if you are standing in a position of attention and the bottom of your shorts or skirt is more than half an inch above your thumbs, it’s too short. If anything that anyone wears shows any undergarments or worse, it is too revealing and inappropriate. This is America and we have higher standards. Wear longer shorts and cover yourself appropriately. The same thing goes for those who have there pants or shorts hanging down to the point which we can see their dirty underwear. No one, especially women and children, wants to see that. Pull up your pants and wear a belt. If they still hang after that, wear a smaller size. Females, don’t dress like you are trying to please males. Show some respect for others and for yourself and don’t dress like a tramp.

Theme of the Week: Line in the Sand

Quotes of the Week:

“What can you say about a society that says that God is dead and Elvis is alive? –Irv Kupcinet

“Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” –Henry Van Dyke

“Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go much further than people with vastly superior talent.” –Sophia Loren

“If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way.” –Bertrand Russell

“The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.” -A. A. Milne

With everything going on right now, I would say that it’s game time and if you are going to make it, you will need to play and beat the game. The question is simple: Are you ready?

Case Closed

P.S.: Poor Michigan

Underwood Update for 19 August 2007

2007-08-19T20:13:00.001-04:00

Freshmen orientation starts here tomorrow so about 1,400 students will arrive. This means traffic congestion all around campus. To be quite honest, most of orientation is useless and all it does is give you a false sense of security and reality. Once classes start up on 27 August, life will not be close to what it was to orientation week. I barely remember my orientation. It feels like a blur now. However with classes starting in a week, I’ll need to buy books. I can’t do so until Friday when I get paid.

I usually complain about how much I have to work except on payday. If that is true, I’ll complain a lot this week because I’ll have to work about 50 hours. That means three Fridays from now, my mouth should be shut unless the tax man takes half of my paycheck. Maybe I should just stop complaining about it. I complain about almost everything. I should focus that anger at what I need to do. Then I can make more progress.

Junior year is a huge year for me and a lot of decisions need to be made. These decisions will determine the possible paths that I will take in the future. Regardless of what I decide to do, success is critical for my future. I hope my brother understands that he cannot afford to screw up the only opportunity that he has. He needs to read my letter and the book I gave him. He is fortunate to even have a chance like this so he can’t screw up. There is no one to turn to if he fails. There is nothing to fall back on. That gives me an idea…

Theme of the Week: Lose Yourself

Quotes of the Week:

“The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority,” –Ralph W. Sockman

“Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so.” –Gore Vidal

“You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.” –Olin Miller

“It is not giving children more that spoils them; it is giving them more to avoid confrontation.” –John Gray

“Only some people get what they want. Those are the people who show up to get it.” –Dianne Houston

I don’t like Michael Vick’s odds of winning in court, even if he is innocent. The odds are stacked against him right now and it is getting worse by the day. If I were him, I would just plead guilty, serve a year in prison instead of 30, and salvage what is left of my career. If he continues to fight, he would be beating a dead horse. (I already know what you are thinking about dead dogs. Shame on you.) I don’t like anyone’s odds against these charges. If he does the right thing and plead guilty, we’ll here these two words this week…

Case Closed

Letter to Incoming Freshmen

2007-08-12T20:06:00.000-04:00

Dear Incoming Freshman,

You are about to embark on a four (or five or however long it may take) year journey. This journey will teach you a lot about yourself, other people, and life. You are going to college to prepare yourself what lies ahead in the world. That said, the main point of college is to teach you how to learn. You only get out of it what you put in. Either you or someone else is paying a lot of money for you to get your education so this isn’t the time to clown around. High school is over and you are going to get a wake-up call real quick. Now is the time to make that transition into college, especially if you came from a high school like Oliver. Your high school did not prepare you for college as they should have and you will suffer because of it. However, do not let that slow your progress. You need to catch up to where everyone else is at or you will be left behind. I would like to give you some advice that will help you through this phase of your life.

School is serious business. This is not the time for partying; this is the time to learn. You will have time to party after you get out of school and have a decent well-paying job.
DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!! You do not want to fall behind because once you do, you cannot catch up. Try to stay ahead when possible and do not wait until the night before an assignment due to do it. It will not get done. At least start 5 days in advance. If it is a paper, start at least 3 weeks in advance unless told otherwise by your professor.
Professors are not teachers!! Your professor doesn’t give a d*** about you. Their job is to make money for the school and for themselves. They do not care whether or not you show up for class and they do not care whether you pass or fail. It is your responsibility to do what you need to do to get the appropriate grades. Your professor will not guide you by the hand or baby you like your teachers did in high school. You will address them with Ma’am, Sir, Professor, Doctor, etc… You will show them the appropriate respect.
Colleges do not deal with thugs. You will not look like a thug, especially if you are black. I would prefer if you would dress casually everyday (dress pants, matching dress shirt/polo, dress socks, dress shoes) but you do not have to. Do not wear jerseys, baseball caps, do-rags, earrings, and do not wear your pants below your waist. No on wants to see your underwear. If your pants/shorts go below your waist, put on a belt to hold them up; that’s what they are for. If you are a male, no braids and afros. You will have little to no hair on your head. You will be cleanly shaven daily. Do not associate with thugs for they will hold you back.
Do not talk or act like you are uneducated. At college, they speak English, not Ebonics or whatever you speak out in the street. If you cannot speak English, buy a dictionary.
Have respect for yourself and for everyone else. NO SEX!!! Do not even think about. The consequences from having sex are too much for you to handle. You could either get a STD or have a baby before you are ready and be forced to drop out of school. Females, do not wear revealing clothes for most males are horny bastards. Don’t give them any thoughts. NO DRUGS AND NO ALCOHOL. These have devastating effects on yourself, your friends, your family, and your grades. Do not put yourself in such a position. You could get arrested and land in jail, or end up having sex and getting a female pregnant or get a STD.
Keep God first. Find a good church that believes in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, His acts on this Earth, His death on the cross, and His resurrection 3 days later. Buy 2 bibles, a King James Version and a study bible, preferably King James however New King James and New International versions are acceptable. Read them DAILY. That is 7 days a week. I also recommend reading Letters to Young Black Men by Daniel Whyte III. This has proven to be very inspirational and it will help guide you along with your bible.
College food isn’t necessarily the best thing for you. Eat with caution.
Exercise daily to avoid the Freshman 15 (yes it is real). Remember that you don’t have physical education classes anymore so it is on you to stay in shape.
Your faith in God will be tested. Keep focused. Remember that the Bible says that homosexuality is wrong. It has always been wrong and it will always be wrong.
Do not pull an all-nighter. Make sure to get plenty of sleep every night. Be in bed by midnight.
Books aren’t cheap. Be prepared for sticker shock.
Make sure you have money toiletries when you get to school. Make sure you have soap, wash cloths, towels, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, face wash, shaving cream, and razor blades.
Unless you school has free laundry, have plenty of quarters. Laundry is not cheap. Also make sure you have laundry detergent, bleach, and fabric softener. Do not do laundry on weekends; that’s when everyone else does it. You may need to do laundry weekly so try to do it at the same time every week.
People living in dorms are slobs. Have hand sanitizers with you always and unless you are in bed, always have shoes or sandals on your feet.
Life isn’t easy nor is it fair. You have to be ready to be in it for the long haul. At some points, it may look bleak but you have to keep rolling.
You don’t have to choose your major right away. You might not know what you want to do and that’s okay. Remember that college is for discovering yourself. Just make sure to choose before it is too late. Don’t switch in your 3^rd, 4^th, or later years. By then it is too late and you have forked over too much money.
Keep applying for scholarships via fastweb.com. You can never have too much money.

I hope these words of encourage will help you not only through college but through your later years as well. Heed these words advice and you will make it. Ignore and you are doomed to fail.

Sincerely,

Robert Underwood

Underwood Update for 5 August 2007

2007-08-05T20:46:00.001-04:00

We are finally at the unofficial end to the Pirates embarrassing season and at the unofficial beginning of football season. We finally have something to cheer for. I thought the Pirates couldn’t get any worse but I was wrong by 5 miles. I have high expectations from the Steelers this year. I want them to at least get past the wildcard round of the playoffs unless they get a first round bye. However I am realistic in that I don’t think the Steelers are getting a first round bye unless they win 14 games. With the schedule they have, forget about it.

With the beginning of August marks the unofficial end to summer. It used to be on Labor Day but not too many schools start the day after Labor Day anymore. Labor Day used to be a sacred day, a day that puts the fear of God in all children for they know that summer is over and there is no choice but to go back to school. The “back to school” sales started in early July. It may be sweltering outside but for all intents and purposes, summer is over. Classes may be three weeks away but time is moving fast nowadays so it will feel like one week. Next week, I will post my letter to all incoming freshmen that I will hand-deliver to my brother. I also suggest that some upperclassmen heed my advice as well. Most of it speaks from experience although some of it obviously will not for I just know better. As the new school year approaches, I have set some goals for myself that I need to accomplish if I plan on making it in life. A list of some of them is provided below:

Read my bible and pray daily. This will help me have a better relationship with God.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I don’t have to fly solo on everything. Help is there if you know where to look.
Keep my room clean. I have been doing a good job of this the past two weeks so I hope I can keep it up.
Lose the weight. I need to watch my diet and exercise daily. I work at the gym so there should be no excuse as to why I don’t work out.
Have an internship or something lined up for next summer. It will help provide experience and possibly lead to a job coming out of school.
Take my studies seriously. I need to do my work ahead of time so that I am not panicking at the last minute. This will also help me improve my study habits which will lead to better grades and a better GPA.
Go to the doctor’s office for a checkup. I haven’t been to a doctor since 10^th grade so I should get on top of that as soon as possible. I wonder if I can do it online…
Have a brighter outlook on my life. This will help prevent me from getting down in the dumps like I almost always am.
Keep better contact with my advisor and everyone else that wants to help me. I haven’t done a very good job in keeping in contact with the people that I need to keep in touch with.
Spread the word of God wherever I can. Too many people here are lost, confused, or are trapped in sin. Between people accepting and supporting homosexuality and porn on campus, it’s just out of control and it needs to end.

I feel as though that if I can accomplish all of the above, my life will be straightened out from everything that has happened which I will not speak upon.

Theme of the week: Right Now by John Cena

Quotes of the Week:

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” –Mark Twain

“The ’Net is a waste of time, and that’s exactly what’s right about it.” -William Gibson

“The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that’s out always looks the best.” –Will Rogers

“The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear.” –Herbert Agar

Until I have time to right again,

Case Closed

Underwood Update for 27 July 2007

2007-07-27T18:22:00.000-04:00

What is going on in professional sports? First we have to deal with Barry Bonds about to break the all-time home run record while on steroids. Next we have to deal with Michael Vick and the dog-fighting allegations. Then we have to deal with doping in professional cycling, especially now that people are being pulled from the Tour de France daily including the race leader. Finally we have to deal with Tim Donaghy who possibly fixed games in the NBA to pay off gambling debts. What has happened to the high moral standards that society expects out of these people. Most professional cyclists today are doping. Barry Bonds used steroids and refuses to admit it, a referee changed the outcome of many games including playoff games, and Vick allowed dog-fighting to happen on his property. I know that it’s suppose to be “innocent until proven guilty” and while Vick, Donaghy, and Bonds have not been proven guilty (yet), they should not have let their situations come to this point. It’s about taking responsibility for your actions and doing the honorable thing, not only for yourself but for your family, friends, and company you work for. Please do the right thing.

Yes, I have Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. No, I am not going to spoil it for you. Read it yourself. It’s a good thing to pick up a book and read. I’ll just say this. J.K. Rowling left me holding on to my seat until the end. Almost every question and all of the important ones have been answered. I just wonder what ever happened to Ludo Bagman. The last time I checked, he was on the run from the goblins. In the book is everything Dumbledore failed to tell us, which side Snape is really on and why, Ron’s true fear (hint: it’s not spiders although they still scare him), who lived and who died and the final battle between Harry and Voldemort because that’s the way it has to end. Do not read this unless you have read the first six books.

This just came across the news wires. The new host for The Price is Right is none other than…..Drew Carey. He will definitely bring his own touch to the show which is a good thing as long as he doesn’t change things too much. It’s a very interesting choice but the more I think about it, the more I think he has what it takes to get the job done. The question is how long he will host the show. I don’t expect him to do 35 years but if he can do 10-20 years, that will say something. We’ll just wait and see.

Theme of the Week: Ain't No Stoppin' Me

Quotes of the Week:

“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.” -Leonardo da Vinci

“Inanimate objects are classified scientifically into three major categories – those that don’t work, those that break down, and those that get lost.” –Russell Baker

“September tries its best to have us forget summer.” –Bern Williams

“I define comfort as self-acceptance. When we finally learn that self-care begins and ends with ourselves, we no longer demand sustenance and happiness from others. –Jennifer Louden

“Before you do anything, think. If you do something to try and impress someone, to be loved, accepted or even to get someone’s attention, stop and think. So many people are busy trying to create an image, they die in the process.” –Salma Hayek

I want to conclude by mention this news article that I just came across. (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20070722-1008-ghettobustour.html ) It talks about to ghetto bus tour in Chicago. For some of you who have been spoiled all your life, this will give you an opportunity to look at reality, my reality. This is how most people grew up in the projects. Most of them are African-American. For some of you, you are not used to seeing things like this or living in conditions like this. People like me have to do twice the work to get half the distance and 5 times as much work to get three-quarters of the way as people who grew up in the suburbs. The African-American community has to deal with the worst violence, the worst schools, and the worst health care. If you doubt me, look at my blog a few weeks back. They just get worse by the day and something needs to be done right here, right now.

Case Closed

Underwood Update for 13 Jul 2007

2007-07-13T20:32:00.000-04:00

The only reason I didn’t write this sooner is because I had homework due and an upcoming exam. I am irate about the shooting over on the North Side last Sunday. Here is the article:

N. Side shooting victim dies Monday, July 09, 2007 By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette An 18-year-old North Side man shot yesterday while on his way to pick up children to take to a Pirates day game died this afternoon at Allegheny General Hospital, and police are searching for two possible suspects. Jehru Donaldson was pronounced dead at 12:05 p.m. of a gunshot wound to the head. Pittsburgh homicide Det. Steve Hitchings said police are searching for two men believed to have shot Mr. Donaldson yesterday afternoon as he sat in his car in the 1700 block of Brighton Place on the North Side. Mr. Donaldson had driven to that address to pick up his sister's girlfriend's young children to take them to the Pirates game. "He was just doing a good deed, taking some kids to the ballfield," said Det. Hitchings. "And this is how he's greeted." Police believe Mr. Donaldson, who had recently graduated from high school and planned on going to college, was an innocent victim who simply drove into the wrong neighborhood. Detectives think the gunmen targeted him because he was not from the area. Det. Hitchings said the suspects walked up to his car as he pulled up. After a brief discussion, he said, one of the men pulled a gun and fired once as Mr. Donaldson tried to pull away. He was hit once in the head and police recovered one shell casing from the street. Det. Hitchings said he had just driven through that area about an hour before the shooting and saw many people out on the street. Often in such cases, witnesses refuse to come forward, but not this time. "Usually you don't get a great deal of cooperation, but in this case we did receive a lot of information," he said.

Jehru had just graduated from Oliver and was headed to Edinboro in the fall. Mr. Weems, principal of Oliver High School, where the suspects also attended school, recently said that now 3 lives are over, Jehru’s life along with the life of the 2 suspects who will be in prison for the rest of their lives. Last year, Carl Ferris, another person who had recently graduated from Oliver and was headed to college was killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When will the nonsense end? How many more innocent people need to die before the message sinks in? What has Jehru, Carl, and countless innocent victims done to you? Or is it not what they done but what they were going to do with their lives? Are you jealous because he was doing something with his life and you weren’t? Get up and do something positive with your life instead of taking away the lives of other people. They didn’t do anything to you.

Incidents like these are why I rarely visit home if at all. I don’t feel safe living where I could be shot or beaten to death at any given time for no reason at all. It’s already known that they don’t like me at all and that they want me dead. I don’t know how anyone who is trying to be successful or anyone raising kids can continue to live in such turmoil, let alone enjoy it and not try to move out. The kids aren’t going to do anything with their lives if they just keep seeing things like this happen. People go around doing drugs, selling drugs, killing people daily and committing other crimes and then they have the nerve to ask why successful African-Americans continue to leave the community. We already know what you have failed to learn not only in school but in life as well. We have goals, dreams, and ambitions and we know what it takes to get there. We know how to think for ourselves. We don’t take shortcuts in life because shortcuts get you nowhere. It’s not about right now; it’s about the future.

The problem is simple and so is the solution. The problem is sin and the solution is Jesus Christ. Change must begin in two places, home and church. Unfortunately, children are not being raised properly, if at all, in many homes in the African-American community. Many of these families also fail to go to church to hear the Word of God and to get guidance. My advice is simple. Don’t take the easy way out. If you want something long-lasting, it’s going to take many years of hard work. Sometimes, the pleasure is not the reward, but the work involved. Maybe if this message actually got out on the streets, we wouldn’t have as much violence as we have right now.

Recently I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. If you don’t want me to spoil the movie for you or if you have not read the book, don’t read this paragraph. I was very satisfied with the movie overall. I saw only a few inaccuracies but the only major flaw was Petunia not receiving the Howler, which would play an important role. It was a much darker tone than I expected but given the events that happened in the book, it may have been appropriate. The two new characters introduced couldn’t have performed any better. Luna Lovegood is as…well…as loony as she is in the book. Dolores Umbridge was an evil, vile pain in the butt. Two of my favorite scenes in the movie involve her downfall. The first was when Fred and George lit all of those fireworks and gave Umbridge a fit. Later on when the centaurs were carrying her off, she told Harry to tell them that she meant no harm to them. Harry’s response: “Sorry but ‘I must not tell lies.’” My only real regret is that they did show how Umbridge departed from the school and that Peeves wasn’t around to torture her. I didn’t expect Bellatrix Lestrange to look so insane, but I guess that’s what over a decade in Azkaban would do to you. She scares me. I was very satisfied and I am not easy to please. This would be one I would actually recommend you watch.

Theme of the Week: Line in the Sand by Motörhead

Quotes of the week:

“Thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative.” -Kurt Vonnegut

“One of the things about equality is not just that you be treated equally to a man, but that you treat yourself equally to the way you treat a man.” -Marlo Thomas

“It’s not the hours you put in your work that counts, it’s the work you put in the hours.” -Sam Ewing

“A man who wants to do something will find a way; a man who doesn’t will find an excuse.” -Stephen Dooley, Jr.

Hopefully next time, I can talk about a happier subject.

Case Closed

Underwood Update for 7 Jul 2007

2007-07-07T19:19:00.001-04:00

I was going to write about something else this week but today, one of my friends wrote about this particular study and the results are very disturbing. Pittsburgh's Racial Demographics: Differences and Disparities is a 154 page study that illustrates the worsening state of African-Americans, not only in the city but in the country as well. This study is more evidence to what we already know: African-Americans are in much worse shape than their White counterparts in every aspect of life. This is because of the failure of the government, the education system, and the African-American community itself. In other words, it’s everyone’s fault. The only way this is going to be fixed is if everyone steps up to the plate. I believe that it has to start with the African-American men. In order for a community to rise, the men must rise up. That means the men must stop playing around and get their lives together. Stop stealing everything you see, killing everyone who makes you mad and destroying everything in sight including yourself. Get away from the drugs. Stop dropping your seed all over the place because you don’t have the means to take proper care of that seed. Get God in your life and take responsibility for your actions. Men are supposed to lead the household but 70% of households in the city and 52% in the country are led by women alone. That is because the men are either in jail, on the streets, or dead. The path most African-Americans are on will lead straight to more death and destruction and eventually hell. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and it would be a waste of precious innocent blood if remain unsaved, die, and go to hell. The education system and the government aren’t going to do anything unless we start to help ourselves. Our voices are not heard because of the things we do. It is our fault we are underrepresented and it is our fault that everyone has turned their backs on us. Take the first step today and accept Jesus Christ into your life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not parish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The reason why the media stereotypes African-Americans so much is because of the things we do. It needs to stop right here, right now.

I recently purchased and read a book that is not only very inspirational but very truth-telling. I encourage everyone, especially the African-American males to read Letters to Young Black Men by Daniel Whyte III. It provides advice and guidance in your spiritual life, your educational life, and how to get ahead in the world. This is a must read for EVERY African-American. He doesn’t beat around the bush; he tells it like it is. It’s a very easy read and you can either buy it at a bookstore or online for $10.99 or less; I bought mine at CVS for $4. Life is a difficult journey, even more difficult as an African-American. Maybe this will make it a little easier.

I want to bring to mind one other thing my friend said. She said that she cannot live here and try to be successful. As much as it pains me to admit it, she’s right. As a young adult and African-American, I know firsthand that there is nothing going on for me here except my education. I am most likely going to move out of here once I get my degree because there is no reason at all for me to stay here. As my friend said:

“The North Side, the East side/Homewood/Wilkinsburg, McKeesport, Sheraden; all these places are low-income neighborhoods and majority black. All these places are cut off from the best of Pittsburgh: the resources, healthcare, jobs, and education. The schools and jobs available to us are on the lowest rung. I don't think I've met any black man more hopeless and resigned to a hard life than a man from home. I love Pittsburgh so much, I go hard for my hometown, but because of the circumstances of Black people, I know I can't live there. I know I can't bust my a** in college just to end up there. It's not because of the same reasons everyone else doesn't want to go home, because I would love to be near my family, to be where I don't have to look at the street names to know where I'm going. I can't go because I know I would never be anything, at least not anything I could be proud of. For everybody that graduated with me, if you made it this far, that means you're halfway there. Just know that it IS harder for us than it was for most people. Oliver could not prepare us for college. That only means that we made it to where we are by sheer strength of will and determination. When you get your degree, remember that. Remember that you had to fight twice as hard as everyone else.”

Hanging around here will just get me caught up in everything that is going on around here and get me caught up in sin. I have to go where the Lord guides me. I don’t know where that place is, but it’s not here. I will support the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, and Panthers until I die but I’ll probably just be watching on DIRECTV or something. To be quite honest, I don’t think things are going to get better. The city is trying to “rewhiten” downtown, the Hill District and the North Side and they are doing so little by little. They are going to try to separate us from them further and then just run us out of town. Between the government trying to weed out African-Americans and our own people wiping ourselves out, I will never make it here.

I have probably gone on too long and it’s time for me to stop talking. I don’t want to bore you to death. I hope you have a plan for your life and that you are following the plan according to God’s will. All I can do at this point is do what I can and keep going. That reminds me….

Theme of the week: Tattoo by Mercy Drive

Quotes of the week:

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” –FDR

“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad company.” –George Washington

“Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.” –Colin Powell

Sometimes I feel as though my words are falling upon deaf ears. I know some people especially African-Americans don’t read, but reading will open so many more doors for you.

Case Closed (Point Made isn’t really catching on and it sounds lame.)

Underwood Update for 1 July 2007

2007-07-01T17:34:00.001-04:00

This week was the NBA draft and there weren’t too many surprises this year, or at least less than usual. I also noticed that there were more Americans drafted than usual. It was no secret that this year’s draft class was deeper than usual. This could be the beginning of a renewed effort of America’s basketball dominance. The obvious winner of the NBA draft was Portland who started their rebuilding effort last year. With the addition of Greg Oden and with all of those draft day trades, don’t be surprised if they make the playoffs next year. Seattle also made a lot of moves in the draft in addition to getting Kevin Durant so they could be a playoff contender as well.

As many of you may know, professional wrestler Chris Benoit murdered his wife and his seven year old son before committing suicide. The media is trying to make it look like Chris Benoit did steroids and other drugs and that caused him to kill his wife and son. This took me by surprised because he isn’t the type of person who would do that. He is a family man and a true role model. He didn’t come to the ring with pyrotechnics nor did he taunt while walking to the ring. He stepped in the ring and took care of business every night. He never has bad matches. Chris Benoit did not ask for respect and he didn’t demand it; he earned it. He will go down as one of the all time greats and as one of the greatest pure wrestlers of all time. Do not let this tragedy take away from what type of person Chris Benoit was. Something had to cause him to snap to the point of doing what he did.

The media is going to use this to slander professional wrestling. They always judge people without getting all of the facts. For example, look at the Duke Lacrosse case. The media declared them as guilty without all the facts. I am certain a crime was committed at the party and they may have something to do with it but not rape. The media judges based on stereotypes. For example, they never show African-Americans in a good light but some Caucasians do the same things and it is never reported on the news. During senior year in high school, some seniors (not me) staged a protest outside of the school and there were news choppers over the scene. Later on that night at the football game when we were playing our rivals, there was a fight over in the rivals’ stands. The media said that some of our students snuck over there and started fighting on that side when in fact the fight was between 2 gangs. I never hear about the positive things that African-Americans do. The media wants to prejudge everyone and sometimes they are wrong. I would have thought that they would have learned to not rush to judgment but I guess I was wrong. I urge you to not make the same mistakes they made because sometimes looks can be deceiving.

As a tribute to Chris Benoit’s life and career, the theme of the week is “Whatever” by Our Lady Peace, the entrance theme for Chris Benoit.

Theme of the Week: http://rob.underwood2005.googlepages.com/ChrisBenoit.mp3

Quotes of the Week:

“A man should not leave this earth with unfinished business. He should live each day as if it was a pre-flight check. He should ask each morning, ‘Am I prepared to lift-off?’ ” –Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

“No opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.” -W. H. Auden

“Privacy and security are those things you give up when you show the world what makes you extraordinary.” –Margaret Cho

“Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waster of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only for wallowing in.” –Katherine Mansfield

As I conclude, this tragedy has reminded me how short life is. As the first quote says above, life could end so very quickly. That’s why I thank God that He woke me up this morning because He didn’t have to. Somebody this morning didn’t wake up. It brings to mind a question posed to use in church, “If you were to die right now, do you know where you are going to spend the rest of eternity?” I know that I know that I know where I am going when I die. Do you?

Point Made

Underwood Update for 23 June 2007

2007-06-23T19:45:00.001-04:00

I knew I forgot to say something last week. To all of the Cavs fans that are out that and for anyone that is from Cleveland or lives there, I have three words for you. Ha, ha, and ha. The Cleveland Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. I am not a Spurs fan, however I hate everything about Cleveland and to be quite honest, the Spurs were a better team all the way around. I thought that LeBron James was going to win one for the Cavs but I was wrong. Beware Cleveland, this is as close as any of your teams will get to winning a championship for as long as I live and I pray to God that I live a very, very long time.

This leads me to another subject. Early Monday morning, Adam “Pacman” Jones was involved in another fight at a strip club. Afterwards, one of his friends started shooting at the opposing party who shot back. Pacman was not at the shooting, but he is wanted for questioning. The day before, Quincy Jones, running back for the Cincinnati Bengals, was arrested for disorderly conduct, making him the 10^th different Bengal that has been arrested in the past 14 months. This on top of the whole Paris Hilton fiasco leads me to one question: Where are the good role models at? All we hear about are celebrities that continuously break the law. Where are the good celebrity role models at?

The good role models are not in the news. They do what they are supposed to do but are not recognized for it. For example, look at the San Antonio Spurs. Who has gotten in trouble with the law? Who has tried to stand out and grab all of the attention? Is there anyone who has tattoos all over the place? Where is all the flash that some other teams have? None of them have been arrested and they don’t do stupid and illegal things. No one hogs the spotlight like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. They don’t have visible and distracting tattoos all over the place. They don’t have flashy plays that get them in the highlight reel. They do what they are supposed to do on and off the court. They are a fundamentally sound team. They go out and win games on the court and don’t get in trouble off the court. Another example is Marvin Harrison. He does not showboat like Chad Johnson, try to highlight every story like Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, and doesn’t break the law like Chris Henry. He lets his actions on the field speak for themselves. These are the people you don’t see on the highlight reel. They do what they are supposed to do but are not recognized for this. Parents, you should either set a good example for your kids or guide them to people who are good examples for them. If you keep letting them see all the bad examples out there and not show them good examples like Tiger Woods, then your kids will start to emulate them and that’s not good.

Last weekend, my brother actually graduated from high school. At one point I had lost hope for him but he woke up and smelled the coffee. He has not only graduated, but he has done it on time. He will be attending Edinboro in the fall so brother, I have one piece of advice for you: Make sure you go to college with at least $600 so that you can buy books. I had a friend who learned this the hard way.

In an update to that house fire last week, I told you there wasn’t a babysitter. Those mothers were negligent and not fit to be parents. At least they confessed to it. It is one thing if the oldest was 13 or over, but your oldest is 8, don’t leave them home alone; bad things can and will happen.

My tune of the week is a tribute to not only the Cleveland Cavaliers but to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization that makes money but refuses to field a team that competes. On June 30, I urge fans going to the game to participate in the protest saying that we are fed up with what has been going on. This year will be the 15^th year in a row that the Pirates have not been to the playoffs. To whoever is going to the game, wear the color green. Before the game, there will be a protest outside and in the 3^rd inning, participants will leave the stadium. The green will represent money leaving. I was too young to remember the Pirates being in the playoffs and I am sick of it. While they are not the laughingstock of professional sports, they are the standard by which futility is measured.

Tune of the Week: http://rob.underwood2005.googlepages.com/NaNaHeyHeyGoodbye.mp3

Quotes of the week:

“It’s better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterward.” -Baltasar Gracian

“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work” -Peter Drucker

“The thing that impresses me the most about America is the way parents obey their children.” -King Edward VIII

“Women want mediocre men, and men are working hard to become as mediocre as possible” -Margret Mead

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.” –Miss Piggy

My advice for you this week is simple. Do something positive and be a good role model. Don’t break the law or you will end up in jail, like my cousin.

Point Made

Underwood Update for 15 Jun 2007

2007-06-15T20:44:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, 5 children ages 7 and younger died in a house fire in the Lincoln-Larimer section of the city. The two oldest children, both only 8 years old, made it out. The 2 mothers of the children claim that there was a babysitter there with the kids at the time. They were drinking at a nearby bar at the time when someone was playing with matches which caused the home to go up in smoke. However, people in the neighbor where the babysitter was supposed to live at said that they have never heard of the babysitter before. The mothers won’t be questioned further until after the funerals of the children. They will have some tough questions to answer. How come all of the deceased children were in one room locked from the outside? Was there really a babysitter? If there was, why did she leave? If not, why did you leave the children alone? Who was playing with matches? Was it one of the younger ones or was it the two that got out? And who locked the door? Was this fire accidental or was it intentional?

I think I may have the answers to most of these questions. There was no babysitter. The mothers left the two oldest children in charge and told them they will “be right back”. If the fire was accidental, it was most likely the two oldest kids playing with matches while the younger ones were locked in the room. The older kids may have locked them in. The older kids then panicked once the fire started and got out of the house, leaving the younger ones behind. If it was intentional, then the mothers did it, but I can’t figure out why? The mothers most likely made up the babysitters to save themselves from going to jail. If there wasn’t a babysitter, the mothers will end up in jail and the remaining children will be placed in foster care if not adopted. If there was a babysitter, which I doubt, then the babysitter is screwed.

Here are some notable things to point out in this case. The mother of one of the 8 year olds and the three youngest children that died is only 25. She had 4 children by the age of 25. The other mother must not have been too much older herself. Are they even capable of being good parents? And where are the children’s fathers in all of this? And we question why our kids are a mess right now. The parents are not raising their kids the way they should, if at all. The “men” are just dropping seed all over the place and the “women” continue to spread their legs. Neither is doing anything positive with their lives. The cycle needs to end.

Bob Barker taped his final episode of “The Price is Right” last week and it was aired on Friday. He finally hangs it up after 35 years of “The Price is Right” and 50 years on television. He will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, game show host of all time. It’s just a shame that I couldn’t see him in person before he retired. In an age where game shows were dying out, he kept the show going. The show didn’t keep going by itself; it was Barker who kept the show going. This week, we remember his accomplishments in the first ever Tune of the Week. In the Tune of the Week, I will post a random audio file or something motivational or whatever I feel like.

Tune of the Week: http://rob.underwood2005.googlepages.com/TPIR.mp3

Quote of the Week:

“Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered.” –Bob Barker

Note: This advice should be given to some people as well. Maybe that will stop some of these people from having all these kids and not be able to take care of them.

Bob Barker, you will truly be missed. Goodbye and good luck.