October 2007 Archives

John Tanner has himself in a bit of hot water. The chief of the Voting Section at the Department of Justice apologized yesterday for making a series of racially charged statements, including his suggestion that black voters are not hurt as much as whites by voter identification laws because "they die first."

My ultimate question is: do most people not take the time to think about that which is unusual, even frightening, or weird to them?

At once a statesman, guest of presidents, miscreant, and brilliant, Ralph Waldo Emerson "Petey" Greene was something to everybody, apparently even a bit of a clown, as this video will attest. 70's chic at it's finest, y'all.

As I awoke this morning, there was a little tidbit about how the American Bar Association did a study of the death penalty in eight states. What they found was, well, anticlimactic, but nonetheless, it was yet another nail in the coffin of the death penalty - no pun intended.

I know kids are going to have sex. They've been doing it for several millennia, last I checked. But shouldn't some responsible adult said something like "where are you going and be in the company of some adults...better yet, I'm going with you." And shouldn't some responsible adult said to these two young folk, if you can't be abstinent, practice safe sex? And what about even having some relationship deeper than "Hi" and "Bye?"

So, most of my readers -- except myself - yes I read my own blog -- were roller-skaters. But I still dug the music. Hey I am a DJ. And roller-skaters got hyped off of many a song. One of those classic cuts was a little ditty by a woman labeled as a "southern singer," with a big voice.

Apparently, an Atlanta radio on-air personality is spearheading a national purchase boycott day, to be held on November 2nd, in honor of the Jena 6. Entitled, National Black-Out Day, the goal is to cripple the economy for one 24 hour period, to raise awareness of the J6. Nice sentiment but not very effective.

Jenna tries to give dear old dad good advice on sex, abstinence and public policy. Too bad some things -- like intelligence and common sense missed her dad.

I's yo' house nigga, fairer than all them field niggas in the hot sun...Thank you Massa, fo' yo kindness...

Californians face fire, earthquakes, mudslides and riots with aplomb. Man, they know how to make even calamity look almost cool.

Is there is some deep-seated bias that people project on the sistas. Does most of the mainstream see black women as Hottentot Venus, objects to be exploited and put on display for so much amusement to the masses?

I am so pissed off at this cowardly group of bastards calling themselves Democrats that I don't know what to do with myself! I always knew that the GOP would go weak-kneed at any point of contention with this president, but the jag-off Dems have shown they have NO spine whatsoever.

Quick muses on two current stories that have escaped the glare of public scrutiny.

Well, not really. I don't hate travel; I hate travel hassles.

Today's Friday Flashback was a toughie...Not only am I in Chicago for my alma mater's homecoming -- meaning I am away from my complete collection of classic goodies at home -- but I also had a hard time choosing what the feature piece was going to be. But I settled on a gem!

One has to have a license to do all sorts of dangerous, or potentially dangerous things, like drive, buy and use guns, and in most states, to cut hair, and do makeup professionally. But two people -- no matter how dense -- can just get pregnant and bring a child into the world, not raise them with any sort of moral compass, and then turn the resultant little devils on the world without any repercussions. Isn't having a child at least as important as any of those listed activities?

Another day, another potential gun massacre. Sure as the night gives way to day, Americans will puzzle over why and how such barbarous events could have occurred, how again our beloved nation "will lose her innocence" in the aftermath of yet more senseless violence

If a black man can muster the strength to call a sista a bitch in public, shouldn't that be considered a greater slight? I expect that if we're going to castigate Don Imus, we ought demand Thomas relinquish his post. Until we do so, I'm going to insist Don Imus get his job back.

Well, today our nation...celebrates...the...achievements...of Christopher Columbus. Or, as one of my co-workers says, we're celebrating "kill-a-Native-American-with-syphilis-day." Ew. But, fact nonetheless.

If you were old enough to roller-skate, breakdance, go to a basement party, or hang out after the sun went down, you are sure to remember today's musical flashback.

So, now, it's speed merchant Marion Jones that admits to the use of performance enhancing drugs. This whole mess is getting out of hand.

Some of you know the web-age maxim called Godwin's Law -- that as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one. Well I've reached my Godwin moment with relation to the US Government. I think that a state of complete paranoia exists in this country today. Americans as a lot are a "scared" people. Give us someone or something to hate, and we go full bore into isolationist, over-reactionary mode.

Times they have a' changed, Zeke. No longer is sexual wordplay, inuendo, and lewdness tolerated in the workplace. Apparently you missed that in sensitivity training when you came to the Knicks. You can bet your Knicks-are-#1 foam finger that the lesson won't be missed now.

Early learning experience is not the sole cause of success, certainly parenting is important, but it's undeniable that early mental stimulation in an academic environment is key to making successful adults.