New YouTube Video Up!!!

I've posted a new video on my YouTube Channel. Pretty exciting stuff folks. Check it out. Be sure to subscribe, leave a comment, like (or dislike), and click on the links.

And stay tuned, there's certainly more to come!

COMING SOON!!! Flashback Fridays

Are you sitting down? Well, no matter. It isn't that big of a deal. Starting tonight (or possibly next Friday

if I procrastinate) I will be doing movie reviews. But not just your typical movie review, OH NO! I will

be reviewing movies that hundreds or thousands have already reviewed! Yep, that's right. I'm gonna

review old movies. Fun things, think circa 1970 through 1990. Have any suggestions? E-mail me! I'd love

to hear them! I'm looking forward to this funtastic voyage.

There, Their, They're It'll All be Alright

I rant sometimes. Here we go.

This has been, and with out a doubt will be, a reoccurring theme. Also, it is a rule I will absolutely break. So, laugh at me, please.

Their, there, they're.

There you have it. I cannot stand the misuse of these. Same goes for your and you're.

If you have moved passed 5th grade I see no excuse for folly.

I give you all my full permission to throw in my face, mock, laugh at, and call me a hypocrite any time I misuse one of these.

Next time on Rants With Sporky: Spelling Disasters and The Scars They Leave in My Eyes

Why I Hate Blogging

Ok, So I got it in my head that I should start a blog. HURRAY!!! Sounds like fun, yes?! Or, something.

I remember now why I quit writing HTML when I was 19. This is Malarky. I started a blog on wordpress.com about a week and a half ago only to realize the format was all wrong for me. All I keep hearing in my head is "No, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!"

So, alas. Here we are. Strap yourselves in. It should be an interesting ride indeed.

Revisiting The Past: The Special Needs Fruit

 Here is something I wrote a while back... I thought I would share (for insight purposes) A String Of Thoughts Regarding The Citrus Family I love the citrus family. Speaking of families... We've all seen The Goonies, yes? Well you remember Sloth, the lovable character known for his quotable one liner: "Hey you guys!!!". Sloth had a family; brothers, a mother, and some poor chap that knocked that masculine female up. I'll get back to my point. The citrus family, a healthy delicious family known for its tough peel and nifty segments, has its share of members as well. The orange is the golden child, of course. Lemon is the persnickety grandmother. Lime, the trusty father. There are others, all fitting nicely into a position on the family tree. But what about grapefruit? Where does grapefruit fit in on this prestigious family tree? Grapefruit obviously belongs to this family. It has the tell tale traits; tough peel and handy segments, but grapefruit is trickier than its relatives. How is one supposed to eat this fruit? Peel it and devour it, the old fashioned way to eat an orange? Cut it into smilies, the happy way we get our kids to eat their favorite citrus? Slice and serve as a garnish? Squeeze a little on some fish? No, i should say not. Grapefruit has a very specific set of protocols in which one should enjoy it. In fact, there is a utensil designed especially for its consumption, (my personal second favorite utensil, handy for eating or as weapon) the grapefruit spoon. Well i propose that grapefruit is the "Sloth" of the family. Grapefruit is the lovable "special needs" brother that no one can live with out. HEY YOU GUYS!!! Are you with me?

Revisiting The Past: Regarding Kony 2012 And All that Jazz

Written on March 8, 2012 - From my FB page Here's my response to Kony 2012 yaysayers and naysayers (which seems to be just as much of a band wagon than the wagon carrying the yay-saying supporters) and my thoughts on the situation. I am sure that those involved with the campaign have good intentions, and I agree that Kony should be stopped. But I am curious to learn more and have fears that this may be the wrong way to go about it. I admit that I shared the video as soon as I finished viewing it. (*note to everyones self: do a little research before choosing to publicly support a cause) So I guess the experiment is in the very least successful. I decided to do a little more digging.

• The $$: Invisible Children's financials ARE available online for anyone to see. Again, do your homework before deciding to defend or admonish any single thing. You can view each years annual directly on their website, as you should be able to on any nonprofits site. To view 2011s go here:

 http://c2052482.r82.cf0.rackcdn.com/images/737/original/FY11-Audited%20Financial%20Statements.pdf?1320205055"

• More $$ talk: Invisible Children admits that approximately 30 some odd percent goes directly to their programs in effect in Africa. It is stated that invisible children has not one goal, but three.

1. Obviously one goal is to make a change where the problem lies, in Africa. From the capture of Kony, to support and education programs. 2. Taking the informed and inspired viewers of the video and creating advocacy campaigns across the world. 3. This is, I believe the most over looked and swept aside point. At the beginning of the video under scrutiny, it is blatantly stated that this is an experiment in social media gone viral and also to document and show the world what is happening in Africa in regards to Kony and the LRA. Which includes making these videos and touring them. Take a gander at some articles online. Here are some I've read and/or cited:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201203080906.html Uganda: Invisible Children Responds to Criticism of Kony2012 http://abcnews.go.com/International/kony-2012-charity-invisible-children-addresses-critics/t/story?id=15877622'Kony 2012' Charity Invisible Children Addresses Its Critics http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/ Visible Children https://www.facebook.com/notes/john-rudolph-beaton/visible-children-viewed-critically/10150614970287933Visible Children Viewed Visibly http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/invisible-children-founders-posing-with-guns-an-interview-with-the-photographer/2012/03/08/gIQASX68yR_blog.html Invisible Children founders posing with guns: an interview with the photographer http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/03/uganda-kony-2012-reaction.htmlMany Ugandans frustrated, suspicious of Kony 2012 [Video] http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/mar/08/kony-2012-villain-viral?newsfeed=true">Kony 2012 and the politics of sending a brutal villain viral | Nicky Woolf

There are plenty more, but as you can see I've read articles, opinions, and quite frankly media diarrhea from both sides of the Invisible Children controversy. Here are a few of my own thoughts.

• "He supports gun use to extract or take out Kony". Ok, yes. Smart guy. Would you suggest sending in a group of peace-sign-tshirt wearing people to form a drum circle and sing songs of peace and happiness? We are talking about a group of organized war criminals with an array of weapons. Of course the group sent to find and capture this man should be equally organized and armed. Do you believe Kony would hesitate to use violence against people coming to stop and detain him? Really? How very naive.
• Another thought provoking question I'd like to propose: would you have sat and watched a 30 minute long video of one guy sitting in front of a web cam talking about a situation in Africa? A video devoid of emotional footage and colorful inspired individuals... No. Most would not. So yes they spent money to make a more visually stimulating and dramatic Hollywood style film. And the outcome was quite successful. The video has indeed gone viral.
• $$ again: So it seems the staff gets a rather substantial salary. Yes, this is alarming. But the fact that any individual has made a living doing and supporting something he loves isn't completely unheard of. So they've made made themselves some (a lot?) of money. Good for them. Hopefully, perhaps the scrutiny and criticism of the rather obnoxious sums of money the board takes home each year will open their eyes to the fact that their non-profit campaign has turned them a profit and inspire them to take less for themselves. One can only hope. I do dislike this piece of the puzzle.

If you've verbally (or virtually) chosen a side, then you've chosen to care to some extent. If the situations addressed have motivated you to care, but you are leery of this Kony 2012 campaign, there are certainly plenty of other charitable organizations you can support. Again, do some Internet surfing and find one that you approve of and run with it. Or don't. I guess it all depends on how far you want to take your convictions. I, like everyone else, have no idea what the exact truth is. Im sure there are some gross misrepresentations here, both from the yay-ers and the nay-ers. In summation I'd like to say; do your homework before jumping on either bandwagon. And dont just google the side you favor, as the saying goes there are two sides to every story. I myself am moved by the video, for whatever its worth. I learned of the atrocities that have been done by a wanted criminal. I now know the name Joseph Kony. And I believe people should gather a united front to try to end the awful things happening in Uganda. Is the viral campaign going to make it happen? Only time will tell, we have until December 31 2012 to find out, right?