If I get my free positive news newspaper started someday, I will start it by finding good news to talk about. A disabled person got a job, overcame their illness, or somehow, anybody did something good for the world, their community, or their family. Conservatives often see the media as a bastion for liberal influence and penetration. Instead of looking for dark, horrible news stories, we seek to enlighten and influence people with hopeful, positive news of people making a difference in their community. Not every country has as much luck or diversity as the United States. We are busy fostering an environment filled with racism, woman-hating, and disabled-people shaming. The world needs an antidote if we expect another four years of the same.

I got thinking about one of our age's main obsessions the other day: The obsession of identity.

Bryan Watch - Sept 2019: Week 1

I will never forget where I was when 9/11 happened. I was just waking up.

I am done with debating with people. Be it atheists, flat earth supporters, vegans, leftists, right wing nut jobs, other Christians, non-Christians, liberals, blind conservatives, gun control advocates, gun rights supporters, holocaust deniers, or anything about the American Civil War... anyone or anything, you name it. I am just going to live my life the best I can and not worry about the opinions of other people. No matter how foolish I find their ideas or outlook on life.

What is your truth? And, in what ways has society forced you to conform to submerging your individual truth for fear of social awkwardness that may arise from stepping on the toes of what may be generally perceived as being tolerant? Are we as a general society tolerant of the expression of our individual truths without being slighted or intimidated psychologically, socially, economically, and other ways feasible to the boundaries of our individual human rights? Does the fear of not being tolerant of others' individual truths expose the insecurities we feel about our own subjective individual truths?

During the summer, filmmaker Ava DuVernay was nominated for 16 Emmy awards for her groundbreaking Netflix series When They See Us.

My parent's house in El Paso, Texas, the house I grew up in, is a few blocks away from the border between the United States and Mexico. From the rooftop of that house, you can see Ciudad Juárez. In particular, you can see El Monumento a la Mexicanidad, a now iconic monument dedicated to Mexican nationals often referred to as "La X." From many rooftops of the houses closest to the border and many other rooftops in the vicinity, the borderlines are blurred, juxtaposed with one another, but also merging into one, separated merely by rock, water, and metal.

It feels pretty bad to be interested in politics but not want to sit through these three-hour candidate debates that keep cropping up. Featuring ten candidates—three or four you actually have heard of—these events purport to be an honest examination of the issues facing the United States in the 2020 Presidential election.

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that marriage equality was the law of the land in all 50 states, almost 46 years to the day that the uprising of the Stonewall Inn occurred in New York. The United States was the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a victory for gay rights activists, same-sex couples, and the LGBT community. Two days ago, I wrote an article about why Pride Month matters and is important. In case you missed it, you can click the link below:

In late 2018, after becoming aware of how animals are produced by the food industry, Teresa Gangnier, a grade school teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, was determined to make drastic changes in her life.

If I get my free positive news newspaper started someday, I will start it by finding good news to talk about. A disabled person got a job, overcame their illness, or somehow, anybody did something good for the world, their community, or their family. Conservatives often see the media as a bastion for liberal influence and penetration. Instead of looking for dark, horrible news stories, we seek to enlighten and influence people with hopeful, positive news of people making a difference in their community. Not every country has as much luck or diversity as the United States. We are busy fostering an environment filled with racism, woman-hating, and disabled-people shaming. The world needs an antidote if we expect another four years of the same.

Friday: September 13, 2019

We’re all more or less aware of what is transpiring in Venezuela nowadays. Poverty, hyperinflation, and deficits on basic human needs, such as medicine and food in the shops, are rampant all over the country, with very little hope in sight.

As American citizens become increasingly disengaged with American politics, there has been a rise in the ‘celebrity politician.’ The ‘celebrity politician’ is a celebrity character that uses their status as a celebrity to secure credibility in the political sphere. With a rise in a celebrity culture in America, fueled by social media growth, people are losing faith in traditional politicians and instead looking to popular celebrities to run the country. But isn’t Trump evidence enough that celebrity doesn't work in the White House? With celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Kanye West expressing their political views and wishes to run in the 2020 presidential election, could celebrity influence now make all of the difference in politics?

We’re approaching the fourth anniversary of the Josh Duggar sex scandal, one of the biggest stories to rock the Christian patriarchy. In August 2015, Gawker discovered that former 19 Kids and Counting star Josh Duggar was a victim of the hackers who targeted Ashley Madison, a website used to arrange extramarital affairs. Josh confessed to being unfaithful to his wife and suffering from an addiction to pornography.

Pity poor John Cusack. The once successful actor, now relegated to what was once called "Straight to Video," when there was such a thing, caught some flak lately for his off-duty performance at a Cubs game. A local news outlet snapped a shot of the grumpy-looking celeb sitting in his seat during a pre-game tribute to the US military.

Bryan Watch - Sept 2019: Week 1

The 116th Congress is run by 67 Democrats and 44 Republicans, to which I say, good. For once, Congress has some diversity. Yes, there is the occasional black representative, but see, my own people, Hispanics, have historically been underrepresented. The New York Times is a publication I got my free subscription to because my dabbling in real journalism is going nowhere without access to information like the type found in The New York Times. Okay, we have 101 fresh Representatives in the House, mostly white, although there are some people of color.

The question of whether Congress is representative is one that most Americans don’t think twice about. After all, Congress filled with its Congressmen and Senators was designed to be representative of the people in their districts and states. The fact of the matter is that there are other motivations behind the actions Congress takes. While they might want to represent the people, they also represent their own interests, as well as the interests of their sponsors. In addition, Congress as a whole does not accurately represent the demographics of the people. So while members of Congress may take actions to ensure that they are reelected, I do not believe that they represent the people to the best of their ability or accurately.

I got thinking about one of our age's main obsessions the other day: The obsession of identity.

As you traverse the highways and bi-ways of the US, going down on the map in the direction known as “South” you will notice some changes. First, it gets hotter and more humid, and this is not just the weather I’m talking about: I’m alluding to the intensity in the air, the tension that is palpable and almost tangible. Second, you will notice that people speak as if they have all the time in world to say what they need to say, you’ll notice how people speak at each other but don’t really speak to each other. People of all races will be polite, respectful and cordial, layering on loads of that social lubricant known as Southern Hospitality. Now, what you don’t know is what they say when you leave, but never mind that for the time being. The food gets better, and this might be my own bias, but you have cuisine that some claim to be their “heritage” but was actually mastered by melanin-sufficient matrons who had to slave away in kitchens to create a sort of cuisine known for its liberal application of seasoning and soul, but I digress, this isn’t about that.

Imperialism is its own worst enemy in my humble opinion. From Rome, to the Ottoman Empire, and now to these United States of America.

I will never forget where I was when 911 happened. I was just waking up.

As news emerges that two indicted Democrats are being allowed back into congress this January, the integrity of American politics is once again called into question. Duncan Hunter, a Democrat rep, was accused of illegally using campaign funds for his own personal expenses, whilst Chris Collins provided confidential information on a pharmaceutical company to his son before a stock exchange. However, despite these indictments, the party did not consider the offenses serious enough to make them leave congress. So what does this say about the state of US politics? Is corruption becoming an accepted norm in The White House? To fight against this, it is more important than ever to promote transparency around the 2020 election.

While all the very talented people on the independent news scene were uncovering new information about the glamourous Nicole Junkermann, I was focused on the one question that remained unanswered from my article. What were Jeffrey Epstein and Nicole Junkermann doing in the United Kingdom, from landing on August 31, 2002 until leaving on the 2nd of September?

The attacks on the World Trade Centre and on the Pentagon had a lasting effect on the world which we still see to this day. The events that had taken place on September 11, 2001, was quoted by many as the event that had ‘changed everything.' The attacks had caused many changes to happen in many aspects around the world and changed many attitudes as to how to cope and deal with terrorism. It had caused conflicts to begin in Afghanistan and Iraq, with many nations around the world rushing to America’s aid to deal with those that had caused 9/11. Security was increased drastically to try and prevent anything on this magnitude to ever be able to happen again. The biggest change to have come from the attacks was surely the intelligence services.

United Kingdoms Exclusive Economic Zone

Today, the Trump Administration has put the United States on the wrong side of history yet again. What we are witnessed to today is a repeat of how wrong Government has been ever since World War II. We have failed to heed the warnings from General Douglas Mac Arthur. And, I quote

I will never forget where I was when 9/11 happened. I was just waking up.

This morning as I drove into work I couldn’t help but think of all of those who made it into work 18 years ago thinking it was just another day at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or were boarding United Airlines Flight 93. I wondered about how their week was going. September 11th, 2001 was a Tuesday; were they starting the week on the right foot or did it already feel like this week was ten weeks long?

My father’s parents settled in Allensworth, California as near as I can confirm around the 1940s. Granny Annie as we called her had a little white house with an outhouse in the back. The summer of 1960 we began our Tradition of visiting her every other Sunday. I dreaded these visits, because Granny did not have a TV, and there was nothing to do out there except count the tumbleweeds. I resigned myself to this Journey as long as we got home in time to see The Wonderful World of Disney, which came on TV at 7 PM.

I found myself inexplicably crying while I read the verdict in the Ghost Ship fire. I didn’t know any of the victims but I’ve been to parties like that in San Francisco, held in illegal warehouses, not up to code, people living there illegally.

I'm tired and cranky from my Labor Day catch up—reading my emails. Yet another post appeared in my feed complaining about the "Homeless" in terms that sounded very close to discussing an infestation of vermin. These are people. And sometimes their pets are with them.

Okay, so I’m getting the following degrees when I get stable enough to go back to school: an AA in film and television from De Anza, because I can also take online classes within the quarter system. I need to get my Foothill College transcript still because this is something I’ve been really lazy about. I also want an MFA in creative writing from UCLA, and then a law degree. After I get my law degree, I’d take the time to work for a few years. After that, I’d get my MBA from UCLA, while trying to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

Each state is divided into different counties because one state is geographically too large to be controlled entirely by just one government leader. To have better and more localized service delivered to the community, county executives act as heads of each subdivision in the state.

Sutherland Springs, Texas is about forty minutes away from my house. For most of my life, I hadn’t even heard of it. It’s not a very large town. However, after November 5th, 2017, when 26-year old Devin Kelley shot and killed 26 people at Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church, the town gained publicity. This event became the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history (Ahmed). For me, this tragedy was different. It wasn’t in some far off state like New York. I had some friends who knew people in Sutherland Springs. Never before had I been so close to an event so devastating. It’s because that church, could’ve been my church that the issue of gun violence has became the utmost importance to me. Thus, the question must be examined, what is the relationship between gun laws and gun violence?

The US House of Representatives recently voted to approve a hike in the national minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next several years. For at least one freshman lawmaker, however, that increase is insufficient.

Before I get into this, I want to play my “minority card” granting me the power of immunity to personal attacks about my perceived privilege. I hope by the time you finished reading this post the following declaration will be redundant. I am a masculine looking gay woman, I grew up poor, and I am half native. I also live with a mental illness, but I mean who doesn’t these days? My point is while my stats indicate I am not a typical person of “privilege,” my education and my bank account would state otherwise. I graduated at the University of Calgary with a bachelor of social work. I basically have a degree in oppression. We were always encouraged to advocate for people in-need. While I do agree with many of the principals and philosophies of social work I've seen being a "social justice warrior" become bastardized, and hijacked by today's youth in the name of leftist politics. Here are four uncomfortable truths about "the left" that more conservative thinkers and politically centered folk find cringey and foolish.

Recently, scientists moved the Armageddon clock closer to midnight than it's ever been. This clock, which shows us how close we are to the end of the world as we know it, has been around for decades.

Let's be real. We're in the day and age where being "woke" is what's cool. Even if it feels good to repost something semi-controversial (in the eyes of your right-wing uncle), it's not doing a whole lot. Here are some actionable steps if you're legitimately fed up with the state of the world right now, particularly, the U.S. Already accomplished some of these? Give yourself a pat on the back and accomplish the rest.

It's the year 2019, the country is gearing up for the most important election of a lifetime, and more than 20 candidates, most of which are polling at about 1-2% percent, still believe that they are the only one equipped to do the job.

It has been in the news that the famous DiFara’s pizza in downtown Brooklyn was seized and shuttered for not paying back taxes. The mayor of NYC wants to throw his hat into the ring and reopen the shuttered pizzeria that is in his Brooklyn neighborhood.

Voting is one of the most important rights we have as citizens, but more than that, it is a responsibility and civic duty. We are lucky to live in a country that allows us the right to participate in the political system by voting. But, if we do not exercise the freedoms we already have, someone will see fit to take them away from us.

There is a slogan of the American Civil Liberties Union: "Dissent is Democratic." I find myself in awe of this quote. In the United States, dissent is supposed to mean something; it is important. Americans think that they have a voice that acts in their interest. Of course they do. We live in a liberal democracy. Of course, nobody thinks about what exactly that means. What is a liberal democracy?

Democracy in Britain has collapsed.

September 2nd, 2019 - Rapid City, South Dakota

How do you lampoon an election that already routinely veers into absurd territory? That’s a challenge that Trevor Noah, the host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, faces nightly, as he discusses an election cycle of scandals, leaks, bigotry, and fear-mongering—a cycle where even the most unprecedented happenings have become mundane. A South African television and radio host and comedian, Noah has been the host of The Daily Show since 2015. Being the child of a Xhosa mother and Swiss-German father, his childhood in Johannesburg under apartheid’s Immorality Act had a large impact on his life and future in comedy. This is explained in his autobiographical comedy book Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, which become a #1 New York Times Bestseller and named one of the best books of the year after being published in 2016. Noah's mixed-race ancestry, his experiences growing up in Soweto, and his observations about race and ethnicity are leading themes in his comedy. His typical humor genres include political/news satire, deadpan, and black, insult, and observational comedy. This he carried over to The Daily Show after the retirement of his predecessor and one of his comedic influences Jon Stewart, integrating political and ethnic humor.

Extremism and all the other -isms that exist out there are not usually pretty things. They instigate us, embroil us, and fuel us with unhealthy emotions: for most of us, rage (at the idiocy of the fundamental ideal) and sadness mixed in with a little bit of fear (would be classified as the healthy response, by most psychologists).

These are some very dark times indeed for El Paso, Texas, and our thoughts and prayers definitely go out to all who have been affected by the shooting at the Walmart there. We could discuss the shooter, and we could discuss his motives, but above all else, the man is a coward for killing 20 innocent lives and injuring many more. We probably shouldn't give this man the notoriety he craves for this terrible act. On the other hand, one of the things we could also discuss would be the acts of heroism we saw during this horrific incident. Here are some examples of how the human spirit cannot be quashed even in the most difficult of times:

To The Republic,

If it has not been clear that the President of the United States is racist, we certainly learned that he was in his latest Tweets.