Has anyone ever wondered why so many major inventions and technological advancements occurred in America rather than other countries.  America has been around for just a little over 200 years.  So many other countries have been here for thousands and thousands of years.  And why has technology and infrastructure advanced so far so fast?  Could it have something to do with the American dream that we all talk about?  I mean, come on now, maybe there is really something to it.  Maybe if people are given the opportunity to try anything, then that gets their creative juices flowing.  At least that’s what I believe.   If you look back in our short history, we can see so many inventions from electricity to the light bulb, from the automobile to the airplane… to the cotton gin, telephone, robots, lasers, personal computers… and it seems like fucking everything.  Hell, we even invented social media.   America is tops for bringing ideas to market.  It is because of who we are, our culture, and most importantly, our freedom.   I think now more than ever, people really need to hear that. 
     For those of you who think our government is a complete failure, look at the facts.  Our government, although not perfect, found a way to let visionaries be visionaries.  They allowed them to develop their ideas and be heard.  Again, I am not saying our government is perfect.  I’m just saying our government seems to be under a TON of scrutiny, but let’s look at the positives.  The way our country is established has given the world all these great inventions and advancements.   You’re Welcome!  Other empires/countries had thousands of years to move from horses and carriages to something else.  But it took Henry Ford in the good ole USA to make it happen.  Now remember I’m not saying America is perfect, but we are trying.  America always tries.
     God knows this country has and will have a ton of problems now and in the future.  The best part about this country is that we at least try to attack the tough problems.  Sometimes the tough problems don’t have quick answers, but they do need to be acknowledged and worked on.   
     So, let’s not get hysterical and complain about all the problems we have in this country (which are a lot).  It is time for this country to take ownership and do what this country always seems to do.  We always move forward.  We move forward socially, scientifically, technologically, and, hell, even spiritually if you’re into that.  God bless the choice America gave its citizens. We can choose to be visionaries or not.  Either way America can and will move forward.

     Just the other day I was watching the movie Talladega Nights.  I ended up dying of laughter (as always) at the infamous “Baby Jesus” scene.  As I watched the scene, I couldn’t help but notice how different the perceptions of Jesus were between the two main characters.  One character pictured Jesus as a baby, and the other pictured him as a lead singer of a rock band.  Although they both probably share similar religions, they both can’t be right in their perceptions of Jesus.  I know these are fictional characters but there are a lot of people who assume Jesus was a certain way.  Not everyone on the planet can have the correct perception of what Jesus was like.  So, let me give you my opinion.
     Jesus was probably a normal man who was very kind and compassionate.  I think it’s fair to say Jesus was a great speaker, but what about his personality?  In my opinion, I know Jesus was making people laugh left and right along the way.  I know he did not have a personality like some of those “joyful people” we see at the DMV.  If he did, that would just be very disappointing and no one would have wanted to talk to him.  I’d hate to think the one and only perfect man had any issues making people laugh.  We see all those paintings of him so serious.  I am guessing he actually had a great smile and smirk, but, of course, those paintings must be hidden away some where.
     Just by reading the Biblical Scripture, it is obvious Jesus had a magnetic personality.  To gain as many followers as he did, he must have been entertaining.  I am sorry but I don’t care if you turn my swimming pool into wine, I’m not listening to you if you sound like (monotone) Ben Stein.  Right?  I’m sure, in between all those parables, Jesus had some real “knee-slappers.”  It’s just so unfortunate no one thought to write those down.  If they did, we could have had priests that spoke the good word with a stage presence like Eddie Murphy.   No one got a chance to write them down because everyone was probably rolling on the floor dying of laughter.  I mean, that’s what I would have been doing.  So, I guess we will never know the funny stories Jesus told his disciples.  Those stories were probably locked away from the public for reasons I will never understand.
     Anyway, all I am saying is that I know Jesus had a sense of humor.  And thank God for that.

     Have you ever met anyone who can “Dish it but not take It”?  If you have, then you know the amount of caution that must be used when dealing with these types of people. Through experience, I have learned to cope with these individuals and befriend them as well.  Now, how many of you have shown up these soft asses in a drinking game or actual sport? Then because they don’t know how to lose properly, they end up ruining your day or night?  Yeah, I was guessing a lot of you would have had this same experience.  Anyway, I wanted to write a post to address those people who make big things out of little things and ruin things for others.  You know who you are.  Learn from your flaws!  Don’t run away from them!  My generation desperately needs to learn to have thicker skin so they can become better people.
     For those of you who cannot say or hear one thing bad about yourself without reacting negatively, we are onto you.  If you are confused, let me help.  Have any of you guys been to a party or function where there is a guy that passively pats himself on the back?  This guy would say things like, “Hey Mike, Remember that time I carried the team in beer pong and you made that last cup at the end?  That was dope!”  It doesn’t take a genius to notice, through misdirection, this moron wants everyone to get the message that he carried the team on his back.  I’ve also noticed most of these individuals are constantly chasing physique perfection (they go to the gym a lot) or directly telling others how great they are.   They are hoping to receive more masculine respect through physical intimidation.  For more than 2000 years, people have been using this technique and, for some reason, very few have called them out on it.  For those of you who go to the gym for personal or true health reasons, I am not talking about you.  Don’t worry, you’re chill.  I go to the gym sometimes myself….
     Are the people who deal with these people just supposed to keep their mouths shut?  In my opinion, if you do, then you are just an enabler.  These people will then be unaware of their effect on people, act like children and continue making the same mistakes going forward.  I always believed that you must risk it for the biscuit.  Some of you might not want to call these individuals out because you don’t want to hurt the relationship.  If that is the case, then I understand.  But personally, I like to be told when I’m fucking up.  It doesn’t take a genius to notice that my peers have a better third-person perspective than me.  They are the only people who know how to make me better as a person.  I would be dumb to not listen to them to know my strengths but, more importantly, my weaknesses.  Listen, all I am saying is that we all need to try and get better.  If you are a grown man and/or woman getting hysterical when someone confronts you over your stupid shit……   Stop, you look dumb as hell.  If you are the people who don’t want to speak up, well then I guess we will have to deal with these power complexes for another 2000 years.

​Have you ever questioned history and wondered how some of these people we label as pure evil garnered such huge followings?  These people, including some of the most well-known dictators and evil politicians, molded by their own perspectives and beliefs, felt like they were doing something good for society and mankind.  I know that popular media and American History tells us to hate these individuals because of the evil things they did (which is understandable), but why, in many cases, were they loved enough to be praised by millions?!
            All I am saying, is that they all seemed to be (in their minds and the minds of many others) the messiahs of their people.  If their people looked at them in that regard, then they must have had some good intentions to make their people feel as though they would be “saved.”  If these “self-proclaimed” messiahs wanted to be remembered as the messiah, then they would really have had to save their people.  If they lost or didn’t save their people, because of the violent actions and atrocities they committed through their journey, then they were not the messiah they claimed to be.  Instead, they were monsters trying to force the world to fit their own selfish perspective.
            I think a great example of this is the magical realism that was displayed during the age of Pablo Escobar.  Pablo believed he was the messiah of his poverty-stricken country of Columbia.  He was great for knowing and, most of all, loving the people of his country.  He wanted to help his people so much that he vowed he would do anything to improve their situations.  So, he got into the drug business to bring his country out of poverty.  Let’s be honest, if it was the only way to heal your people’s financial hurt, would you do it?  If you can’t understand that then let me ask you what would you do if that was the only thing you could do to give your family the lives they deserve.  Yeah that’s what I thought...  Unfortunately, with Pablo and others like him, greed took over at some point and he lost perspective for why he was doing what he was doing.
            This world is cursed in a reoccurring hateful phenomenon.  As a half Jewish descendant, I can easily say that Hitler was an incredibly evil individual.  But based on his accomplishments, Hitler was honored by his people and had a miraculous following!  How?!  I know there are a lot of “technical” reasons, but he must have also convinced somebody that he was a good-hearted savior!  Some evil villain can’t come up to me and say, “I am going to destroy the world and kill millions.  Now give me money and follow me as I do so.”  I’m going to be like, “Get the hell out of here with that Bullshit.”   Like Pablo and so many others, Hitler was destroyed.  Isn’t this proof that dictators and/or politicians who display evil actions to try to change the world, will always, in the end, be defeated by good. 
            Even evil people like Hitler and Pablo must have started out preaching great things on how they could make their world a better place.  As they preached great things and worked for the greater good they reached their highest of highs.  Then when their way of making the world a better place turned sour, it was all bad news for these men.  Sometimes I think, “Man, this world has a great way of humbling people who try to change the world into their selfish perspective.  Don’t you love it?”  It doesn’t matter how powerful or rich you become, the second you start making decisions to make the world fit you (and not you fit the world), is the second you sign your death warrant.
            AHHHHH! I can’t get over how much I love how this world humbles the humbled! 

​Most every person in this country seems to be having trust issues these days.  Whether it’s because our media is pushing their own agenda and/or ideals on us, or that people cannot understand what is credible information and what is not.  If you think you are receiving 100% accurate information or news from the mainstream or popular media, then you are ignorant because there is a lot more, and more valid, news and information out there.
            You also need to understand that you are ignorant if you don’t believe the internet might have information the mainstream media doesn’t want you to have.  So, enough with being ignorant people.  Today’s popular media outlets are making us dumber as a society.  All it takes is what I like to call “Simple Social Math.”  If people are telling me things I want to hear to keep me calm or appease me, it is my right and responsibility as a free American to question everything!  Let me repeat… EVERYTHING!  As the great quote from the movie Anchorman stated, “Television gives you the news and information you want to hear.  Not the information you need to hear.”
            For democracy to be successful, the people need to be told the truth or at least closer to the truth then what they are being told today.  If the voters are voting based off false or slanted information, inevitably that makes them voters with zero credibility.  (Can you see the Social Math?).  The saddest thing is that it isn’t even the voter’s fault.  The voter just listened to what their country or their representatives told them was credible information.  Which in my opinion, seems like a pretty rational decision for them to make.  But it is not.
        Now, I am not saying everyone should believe everything they read on the internet.  That would be an incredibly ridiculous thing to do.  Because, believe me, there is some crazy shit out there.  But what I am saying is that everyone needs to become more mindful and take the time to research and understand both sides of a given topic and really wade through all the opinions and editorializing to get to the “truth.”  Check out new news sources such as the BBC or The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, C-Span (actually see and hear your politicians in action on the house and senate floors), and even SNOPES.
            There are many Freedom of information resources out there for everyone to view, but people can’t seem to break out of their popular media bubbles.  So, I challenge you to try cracking your ignorant brain and go and free yourself from these information crutches you have imprisoned your mind in.  Free yourself so you can at least trust yourself in the future as a credible source and credible voter.

     You want to know the God’s honest truth people?  I would have loved to have called my blog/show “Here Comes the Love,” but this nation has made the word “Love” uncool and even too uncomfortably affiliated with religion.  If you start to talk about love, people think your some sort of religious fanatic.  How ridiculous is that?  I am serious! The mofos out there even killed Barney for Christ sakes (It was a purple dinosaur you couldn’t miss in the 90’s)!!!  People felt Barney, who represented unconditional love, did not do enough to show us the negative side of life….. unbelievable..
     The evil we have been fed through the popular media is giving us more anger towards another, than love for each other.  Like how hard is it for people to say, “I am going to live my life and be happy, and I don’t give a flying fuck what you do with yours!!  Just be happy.”  For some reason, people still don’t understand that the world is not going to nuke itself.  Other than North Korea’s crazy ass and a few others, this world predominantly wants to see mankind prosper and care for each other with love (or that word people are so afraid of).  Some of you out there might be like “WTF!? No!? Everyone still has it out for us!  Fucking Terrorists Bro…..”  Hello! It’s 2017.  Stop letting this constant fear mongering media make you feel like we, as Americans, are powerless!  With understanding of each other, we are never and will never be powerless!
     You don’t think by now there is a large percentage of Americans who have cyber and/or real friends who reside in what the popular media leads us to believe are so-called “Enemy Countries?”  I went to college and I met people who lived all over the world!  From Communist Countries to Capitalistic Countries to 3rd World Countries and most everyone happened to be super cool people.  Now I personally prefer Capitalism because “Hell Yeah America”, Nuff Said…. But it didn’t mean I was walking around to every foreign exchange student calling them “Commies.”  Come on now, I might be an ex-football player, but trust me I am not that dense in the head.  It was getting the opportunity to meet these people, to understand how they grew up and how that molded their beliefs.  That helped me to truly realize the power of love.
     Love is a major ingredient in understanding that your opinions are not the only right ones.  We are all victims of our own upbringing and perspective.  I might not agree with what some people believe in or practice, but it doesn’t mean I must separate someone or an entire community from my life.  If I don’t like seeing two men kiss, that doesn’t make me a bad guy! And it for sure doesn’t mean I have a personal vendetta against the Gay community.  Shit, I got some gay homies.  People are different.  The more you surround yourself with people different than yourself, the more you will learn to “love” and respect the differences.  If you don’t take the opportunity to see and understand a side of a story that you are completely unfamiliar with, well then you are an ignorant schmuck….  Here is an interesting article from WIkiHow on understanding and admiring cultural differences Link.       
Anyway…..  Yeah love is now a bad word…..  I guess I will have to replace the word “Love” with “Moderation and Understanding.”  Whatever, “Moderation is all you need”…

 Sports is for entertainment.  Although I am an ex-athlete… and many of my college and pro athlete friends would say that it is more of an occupation…. It is still primarily for entertainment….  I have started to transition from the player’s mentality into the spectators’ mentality.  And now as a spectator, I must say that sports could be a lot more entertaining.  I am not saying that what we have now isn’t entertaining, but it isn’t worth the money the people of this country are spending on it.
     I chose to play football because it was the one sport where a group of individuals no matter how individually talented they are will not succeed just based on that individual talent.  It takes the full team to achieve their goals.  It is for this reason that I believe the NFL is dominating other sports in the means of popularity.  Big money players, although can be very effective and helpful, cannot solely win championships.  In individually driven team sports like basketball and baseball, money has been proven to buy championships!  Spend incredible money on one or two players and you can win.  If you don’t agree with me, that is fine!  In my mind, I am just reflecting my personal honesty which this country has given me the beautiful right to do so.  
     With these individually driven sports, I feel like money is screwing passionate city fans out of hope from ever having successful dynasties.  The team that doesn't have the payroll to buy the superstar can't win.  But fans still hope.  And that simple hope of having a successful team gets millions of dedicated fans to continuously show up to games of terrible teams!  I get it, football isn’t completely innocent, but I mean, come on now!  You can’t disagree with me when you see NBA teams like the Hornets, in a tunnel with zero lights at the end of it!  
     All I am saying is that we, as the American people, are paying for the entertainment!  I wish the basketball or baseball seasons were entertaining enough for me to want to watch every game not knowing who was going to end up in the Finals or World Series.  Just once seeing a team like the Jazz shock the world by having a chance to beat Golden State or the Cleveland Cavaliers.  How much more interesting would the Playoffs have been if it wasn't 2 teams beating everyone else by 20 or more points.  I'm just saying this year was incredibly hard to watch!
     Okay, look, I get it... I understand.  In fact, I am a Laker fan!!!  Money won our Lakers team many titles!!  You think I am just gonna sit here and act like that didn’t happen?  I just have started thinking about the real fans of this nation.   The fans who have spent billions to watch teams that are, for lack of a better term, “Hard to Freaking Watch."  Those people deserve just as much happiness, or at least the chance of obtaining the same happiness as fans of the Lakers, Warriors, Celtics.... Hell, especially Lebron and his Cavaliers.  Check out the information at this link to see what teams are paying for their players.    NBA 2017 CAP Tracker  You will definitely see the teams that are shelling out the bigger bucks are the ones ending up on top.    
     How freaking awesome would it be if every NBA team had a real superstar or even a true chance at a title?!  How incredible would it be if you had no idea who was going to take the title?  I bet you the ticket sales, the excitement, and unpredictability would increase dramatically.  I would possibly watch the NBA for the entire season..... who knows..... probably not.......  Yeah, I’m too busy living my life.   
    Either way, remember, the definition of moderation is to avoid excesses and extremes.  Well, I think that definitely applies in sports too.  But before we use competition to bounce us into a world of moderation.  We need to make sure the foundation of the competition is sacred and fair.  With a foundation comprised of greed instead of fairness, sports can be continuously tainted by unbalanced leagues.  It's too bad no one cares to ask the people their opinions of fairness among the competition.
   Why can't we figure out a way to give everyone a chance to compete fairly instead of ruling it as an impossibility?  Oh Boy, wouldn't the world be so much better if we didn't run from these questions?  I believe it would be if that goes for anything.  

​     First, I need everyone to understand that our government consists of a bunch of people like you and I, who worked themselves into the position of power that they hold currently.  Now that being said, once they get themselves into these positions of power, they not only do what they think is best for their society, but also what is best for them and the people who helped them get to these positions. And to be honest, if we were in their shoes, we don’t know what we would do… maybe the same thing.   I understand that there are good and bad people in this world, and I also understand that there may be good and bad people in our government, but in order for us to move forward as a society, we have to work together as a society.  We have to work with our representatives.  Not just attack them.  Even if we don't like our leaders, let's not just scream at them and hope things will get better with the next representative in 4 or so years.  Instead, let's try to work together and COMPROMISE!  It makes me sick when I hear that politicians from the different sides won't even try to work together.   As noted in the article in this link, Where Have All the Centrists Gone, some of the biggest successes in politics have come from moderation and compromise.  Today that seems to be gone.  Whether it is because more people have become extreme, or because only the extremists are voting, something needs to change. 
     In my experience, politics has been a very difficult thing to talk about and to be honest, I don’t know why.
We should all have very similar goals in mind given the fact that we are the people of the free world!…. The American Basic rule #1 is that we want to be free… basic rule #2 is that We all want a chance to be the best people we can be, financially, socially, whatever.…. but I don’t believe these values are necessarily free…. If you want overall freedom, you need to work for it, and that means you need to work as hard as you can to be a success given your individual skills and capabilities. 
     Do people forget that Americans started this country by running away from oppression.  People ran to America because they believed if they worked hard, they could achieve anything…. People ran to America because they wanted the freedom to choose how to raise their families… People ran to America because they didn’t believe they needed anyone to give them happiness... they believed they could go out and get it themselves.
     I do understand that there are people in this country that really do need help.  There are obviously people who are incapable of providing for themselves.  But if you are capable, I don’t feel bad for you…  And neither does the rest of the world.   So if you are sitting there lying in your own pity pool while the rest of us push this country forward, I am warning you, you will be left behind.
     I think the best exercise that every person needs to try and do at a minimum, is to argue in the favor of the opposition.  When America can fully understand where everyone is coming from, that is when we, as a country, together, can move forward.   We all need to think more broadly.  We all need to learn to compromise.  Try it, maybe you will understand the other side better and maybe it will help you to become more moderate in your beliefs.   

     What’s up America, I’m Jason Franklin….. and it’s time to Excuse My Moderation.  Let me first tell you who I am…  I am one of those upper, middle class kids who had it all growing up.  I went to private schools, public schools, took great vacations, had two parents, lived in a great neighborhood in surbubia and got pretty much everything I wanted..    Basically, I have lived an incredible life.….  And, to top if off, I played Division 1 college football.  My mom was Catholic and Republican and my dad was Jewish and a Democrat.  I have learned a lot about the world around me and why people are the way they are through my experiences….  Division 1 football is like a mini example of the world…. You have men of all different ethnic, financial and social backgrounds…. You really get to understand how to put differences aside to achieve a common goal.   You really start to understand why people think differently then yourself.   I am also a Millennial.  But for some reason, unlike most of us Millennials, I have a passion for working hard and making this world a better place.   Of course, I am not sure if my definition of a better place is the same as yours, but at least I’m going to give it a shot.
​     Like many of you, my thoughts and opinions have been influenced by the popular national media…. and recently I have started to believe that everyone in the popular media has completely lost their minds.  So, I decided to create this blog based off my own moderate opinions to demonstrate to all these seemingly ignorant men and women that they are starting to sound like children who have gone completely mad. 
     I must also address everyone in this country with the “poor me” mentality…. Get over it!  Everyone knows that things are not perfect in America!  Whatever you have been doing by blaming others and not taking responsibility has obviously not been working.  I bet you for every person blaming others for their own misfortune, I could find many who have been in an even worse situation and found a way to get their asses out of it.  Bottom-line, Americans rise out of difficult situations themselves.  It’s not everyone else’s fault, it yours.  You are making the choices.  The more you complain and bicker at others, you start to forget how YOU can do something to better YOUR own situation.  Don’t come up to me and say, “it isn’t possible!”  Because real Americans find possibility in everything!  Real Americans can always succeed despite the obstacles around them.
     Real Americans treasure freedom over everything else!  And, by God, if you try to take freedom away from people?!  All I can say is that you better be ready.  Because Jason Franklin is here to stay and I will be exposing you poor excuses for Americans.
     We have become a country of extremists.  Fighting each other at every turn...  Only thinking about ourselves.. Killing each other... We are displaying more hate for one another than love of each other… … it is about time for a change…. It is about time for Americans to start practicing what we preach…
        So, Welcome to “Excuse My Moderation”!  I hope America is ready for a change.
     Okay, so like any training or education program, we are going to start with the basics of living a life of moderation. Some of you might be asking, “What does that mean?”   It means, like your mother told you…  don’t smoke TOO MUCH… Don’t drink too Much……  AND Don’t emotionally invest yourselves in the opinions of others TOO MUCH….   In other words, don’t be an extremist in any direction…  And overall, just Don’t be “TOO MUCH!!”