Do people really have to be told everything?

Ok.

I know that we have to simplify everything these days but do people really have to be told that burglars look for open windows?

Honestly, this headline is ridiculous. The story is horrible but the editor should have thought twice before writing this headline. 

And if you haven’t figured out by the time you reach age 10 that thieves come in through open windows and doors and you’re not suffering from significantly impaired cognitive functioning, you should not be allowed to call yourself an adult.

Really now.

 

 

Conning the con artist..lol

So the police got Richard Heene to come in and were able to (wink, wink) get a confession from him by telling him they wanted to return his aircraft and tie up some loose ends with a few questions..lol

And dude fell for it!

 

Heene family was in on balloon hoax all along

So now we know most of the truth behind The Great Balloon Hoax of 2009.

It seems the entire Heene household was in on the balloon hoax from the beginning. And apparently it may have taken just fourteen days to fool the entire world. 

Now, why would parents get their kids to lie and participate in such a scheme? Because they wanted to draw attention to a cause, an issue, a loved one who was dying or suffering..nope, nope, hell no! They did it because.. because..they wanted their own reality show!

Well, of course they did! 

Ah mean, who doesn’t want to broadcast intimate family details and their dirty laundry to the world 24hrs a day, corrupt their kids with worthless values and achieve fame and success with little or no talent and absolutely no hard work. Oh yeah, I forgot hard work and talent that sh#$ is for suckers!  

Anyway, according to Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden the entire family was in on the hoax and Falcon, the youngest son who was thought to be in the balloon, “For all we knew may have been two blocks down the road playing on the swing in the city park.” 

You know, if  the world hadn’t bought the Heene’s family bs hook, line and sinker for almost six hours I could almost laugh at the absurdity of this story. But the fact that Richard Heene is still out there trying to pedde his crap, beseeching to the world that “This thing has become so convoluted,” while sobbing his alligator tears instead makes me angrier and angrier by the minute.

I swear if  he or his family gets a tell all book deal, clothing line or anything at all from this sorry escapade you better believe I’m going to start my own Brooklyn Bridge For Sale website. Don’t laugh, I’m serious I have certificates of sale printed and ready for mailing.

JP lets blacks use his bathroom but he refuses to marry them to white people

Keith Bardwell a Louisiana Justice of  Peace refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple but he does allow black people to use his bathroom! 

Beth Humphrey, 30, and Terence McKay 32,  were denied a license by Bardwell because Bardwell believes the children of such unions suffer and that it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

And if you aren’t already gasping with disbelief and shaking your head in disgust then this bit of information should do it..Bardwell has the audacity, to declare that his actions are justified and that’s he’s not racist at all since he has piles and piles of black friends AND..he even lets them use his bathroom! So that proves it right there! He’s not a raging racist at all because HE LETS BLACK PEOPLE USE HIS BATHROOM if he didn’t then and only then would we know that he’s a racist and a lunatic.

OMG!! WTF!!

You wanna know the real reason Bardwell refuses to marry interracial couples? It’s because he knows that sooner or later one of these interracial marriages, maybe even mine, is bound to spawn the devil’s offspring if we haven’t already with President Barack Obama!

You would never believe  that 2010 is just a few weeks away.

God grant me the serenity…

 

And the award for jackass of the year goes too..Kanye West

 

 

Being candid doesn’t just apply to talk show hosts and average citizens.

The beloved characteristic can also apply to Presidents as well. And yes, I’ll agree it is a bit surprising when politicians are frank with us but I have to admit that some of them are actually capable of telling the truth-at times.

President Obama’s comment about West’s behavior was off the record but when you act like a jackass (include Serena Williams here too) you should be called out swiftly and without regard to race, sex, age, national origin, religion or culture and if a president wants to express his/her outrage with a person’s behavior he/she should be able too as well. 

Thankfully President Obama had the guts to say what we’ve all been collectively expressing for the past few days and although it’s not the politest term in the world describing Kanye West as a  ’jackass’,  is the one word he can get away with calling him out loud!

I could think of quite a few other words to describe the big mouth, artist can’t you?

Republicans will keep on shouting at these town halls..

I don’t understand why some liberals and Democrats are upset about Republican groups organizing and shouting at national health care reform town hall meetings?

I say, let them SHOUT!

There is nothing wrong with these men and women shouting or voicing their passion in an aggressive manner. Shouting at an individual may be considered rude and uncouth, yes, but a rational argument can still be had during and after these meetings. And in most cases the individuals shouting slogans will not change the mind or opinion of those present at the meeting with their behaviour.  

What changes an individual mind or heart is information. Simple and clear information. And to be honest, a town hall meeting, isn’t the venue to provide information about a specific plan or subject as complex and detailed as health care. It’s a place to interact with your representative in a positive or negative manner. And that interaction can be productive or worthless but in the end if DEMS want to convince voters and the public at large to support their health care bill-direct mail and the internet is the way to go or even door to door meetings.

Republicans and those oppose to health care reform will show up to these town halls ready for a fight and to say NO and nothing we do or say will stop them from shouting or being disruptive. But  liberal groups have now started to organize their own shouting groups too counteract this opposition. So what will we achieve in the end? A shouting match between two very passionate groups.

While I do agree that shouting at these meetings is not very progressive or polite IT IS very democratic.

 

Tax the middle class and Obama will be a one-term president

 

My Monday morning just started and already I’m wishing I had just stayed in bed because these Monday morning blues are stressing me to hell out! 

From the moment I turned on my television set, headlines and anchors across the cable news networks have been  asking the question, “Will Obama raise taxes on the middle class?”.

OMG!! that can’t be right? I need more coffee! Taxing the middle class, with the economy as horrible as it is, would be Obama’s Waterloo. It was the first George Bush’s and Obama is smarter than him right? So he wouldn’t make that mistake…right?

I don’t know what Larry Summers and Tim Geithner were thinking when they appeared on the Sunday morning chat shows talking about the ways and means that could be used to pay for health care and to reduce our deficit.

Do Democrats want Obama to be a one-term president? Or more importantly does President Obama want to be president again? Or is he satisfied with the fact that he was able to beat all the odds and become America’s first black president? I don’t know anymore because if you analyze Obama’s actions and words lately you might think he wants the GOP to kick him out the White House in 2012!  He just keeps giving them more and more ammunition. God, even  John McCain thinks it’s safe to come out of hiding.

One way or another Democrats and liberals find a way to f#$% things up!

 

After just four days popular gov’t program runs out of money

Honestly, can the Democrats get at least one thing right this session? 

Why didn’t Democrats expect the public would take advantage of the Cash for Clunkers  program and fund it accordingly?  It was so simple. So, very, very simple. 

Congress came up with the money for the banks and they didn’t seem to run out of money to fund them (banks got  $700 billion, Cash for Clunkers was a measly $1 billion) yet one of the programs that could really help the average man or woman and the ailing auto industry, runs out of money after just four days!!!

And they wonder why people hate Congress and politicians?

 

Michael Jackson’s doctor gave him the drug that killed him!

Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s doctor gave him the drug Propofol or Diprivan that killed him!

CNN is confirming this right now. WOW!!! 

I wonder what the toxicology report is going to detail? Will it say that Diprivan was the cause of death?

If it does, this doctor well he wouldn’t be smiling like that anymore. However, it’s stared to appear more and more each day that someone is going to jail or will have to pay in some way for Michael Jackson’s death. 

Obama, Crowley and Gates to sing Kumbaya while drinking a beer…

I have refrained from commenting on the Crowley-Gates-Obama affair until today.

Why?  Because I didn’t know how I really viewed the incident and if I considered race the main motivating factor behind the officer’s actions.  And when I’m suffering an intellectual dilemma or an internal conflict I keep my mouth shut and blogging about the incident wouldn’t have allowed me to reach a resolution.

I think I’m now seeing things a bit more clearly.

You see, while I do believe that Gates should never have been arrested and if the situation had been reversed, I would have supported a White or Latino man in this circumstance as well, I don’t know if Professor Gates really was a victim of racial profiling.

On one hand I believe Gates was arrested because he was being mouthy to Sergeant Crowley and while I agree that’s not a justifiable reason to be arrested, the cop exercised his discretion to the fullest by conducting the arrest when he should have walked away.  BUT cops arrest mouthy people all the time-in some instances it’s to prove they can. However, these arrests don’t typically occur in the person’s own home!  But I don’t know if he wanted to arrest a mouthy, black man or if he just wanted to arrest a man that was giving him lip.

Look, I’ve never been mouthy with a cop and the times I have been caught breaking the law, i.e speeding I have been polite and courteous and most often or not the cop gave me a ticket for another minor traffic offense instead of the speeding ticket. Once, I even dared to tell the truth when asked the dreaded question, “Do you know why I stopped you?” I replied, “Yes. I was speeding and I know I shouldn’t be.”  The cop smiled, looked at me, said something which I can’t remember right now, talked with me for a few more minutes, checked my ID and registration and then he let me go with a warning.  And this was in a small town, in Upstate New York where you can count the number of black people on one hand! LOL

But I can also tell you that I believe my husband and I have been victims of racial profiling in Arizona.  And that we’ve been pulled over more times in that state than in any other state we’ve lived or travelled too in the United States.

So I can see both sides of the issue.

Anyway,President Obama, James Crowley and Louis Gates have all decided to have a beer together at the White House. What a great photo op! The three peace makers should break into song-Kumbaya would be perfect..LOL.  Until the next incident involving race confronts and divides us. But I believe the Crowley-Gates incident had more to do with class than it did about race and that is something we have not even begin to honestly confront in America.

Chris Brown ’sad and ashamed’ in new apology video

Chris Brown has finally publicly apologized for beating up Rihanna.

In a new apology video Brown is seeking and asking for the public’s forgiveness and states that he has wanted to apologize for months but was advised not too by his attorney.

In a two minute statement Brown says, “I’m not going to sit here and make any excuses..and what I did was inexcusable. I’m very sad and very ashamed of what I’ve done.”

In the end Brown tires to reassure us that he would never beat up another woman and that he wants to work to regain the title of role model. After the Rihanna incident, the title role model may remain elusive but I do hope for his sake and the sake of his future relationships, that he can earn the title of a recovered batterer.

Things are so bad, people are forced to drink mop soda!!!

No doubt, things are bad out there. Obama is trying his best but to be honest it doesn’t seem to be working.

But I don’t care how bad things are with me, I would have to be so damn desperate (dying of thirst and my legs shot off) and without any hope of reaching a lake or fresh water river before I drank MOP SODA.

I’m sure you’ve seen the smart mop ad. It’s the one where this guy, pitchman Anthony Sullivan, squeezes spilled soda from a mop into a glass as he explains how awesome this ’smart mop’ is and tries to convince you that times are so tough we can’t afford to waste even one glass of spilt soda.

I don’t know where the marketing and advertising people came up with that concept but it sucks because most people I know, even the ones hurting for money, are not going to drink soda squeezed from a mop!

 What were the ad people thinking? Using that as a reason to buy the smart mop is not smart-it’s simply disgusting. 

 

Who cares what Levi Johnston has to say about Sarah Palin?

 

 Levi Johnston became known for one thing- fathering Sarah Palin’s grandchild with her daughter Bristol Palin.

However, over the past few days, if you didn’t know better you might’ve thought Johnston was a seasoned political commentator. He’s been appearing on morning shows and most recently on CNN voicing his opinion on Sarah Palin’s resignation.

Of course Johnston has a right to his opinion and in certain cases, the media speaking to knowledgeable family members can give the public valuable insight into a candidate or an individual, but not in this case. This guy doesn’t have any credibility or political knowledge so the media shouldn’t be legitimizing his opinions by broadcasting them around the world. I’m willing to bet they are only a handful of people in this country who would trust Levi Johnston’s opinion on the right brand of jeans let alone his opinions on who to vote for.

Yet they keep seeking his opinion. I’m sure they don’t actually believe that Johnston’s opinion on Palin could actually contribute to a more informed electorate so the continuing focus on Levi Johnston’s opinion by the mainstream media is just baffling. 

Chris Matthews show, Hardball, got a makeover..

Chris Matthews’ show Hardball with Chris Matthews got a makeover.

The political commentator debuted his show’s new intro and their new HD studio a few minutes ago.

The studio is HUGE!  They did a wide shot and panned around the entire studio at the beginning of the show and just by the looks of it you could fit my first studio apartment into that place!

The intro to the show is now a lot more serious however I think I prefer the old one but you never know this one will probably grow on me too.

I’m sure there’s going to be just as much drama in this studio as there was in the last one because wherever Chris Matthews goes drama is sure to follow.

See. it’s only been 20mins into Matthews’ ‘new’ show and he’s already called former Vice President Dick Cheney, “that man” in regards to the reported involvement of the VP in a CIA secret assassination program. 

Let the drama begin!

Michael Jackson interview on MSNBC..

Did any of you happen to watch the Martin Bashir interview with Michael Jackson this weekend on MSNBC?

I didn’t see the interview when it first aired some years ago and I still didn’t get to watch the entire interview but the parts I watched were excruciating because Michael Jackson clearly needed therapy and over the years it seems he was allowed to get worst and worst.

Of all the signs Jackson displayed, that seem to indicate he needed some type of therapy, the one that leaped out at me was the answer he gave to Bashir about his plastic surgery. Jackson seemed to believe that he could actually convince Bashir and the world that he only had two operations and that he was born with pale skin and a dimpled chin!  He even tried to convince Bashir that the changes occurred because of puberty and him ‘changing’.  Whoa!

It was also hard to watch Jackson become visibly upset when it looks like his fans had turned against him after the Berlin baby dangling incident.  And how abruptly his body language changes when Bashir starts to talk about the treatment he received from his father while growing up and why it’s understandable he would want to change his appearance because of all the teasing he received.  And most adults that were tormented as children can definitely sympathize with Jackson here but it’s evident that even after all this time, some thirty to forty years later, Jackson had yet to come to terms with the treatment he received at the hands of his father Joe Jackson. 

I don’t know if  Jackson had ever been to or sought therapy or  mental health treatment because the topic of therapy is still a big taboo in the black community however his behavior went beyond eccentric and his family and friends should have convinced him to seek help.

Many of those around him will now have to come to terms with the fact that Michael Jackson may have been crying out for help all this time and none them were able to or allowed themselves to hear his calls. 

Boredom causes woman to call grandmother and threaten to kill her

 

I’m not making this up.

A 21-year old woman in Cambridge, Minnesota  allegedly called her grandmother 45 times in one day and threatened to kill her. This is in addition to telling the 69 year old woman that “she was being watched” and that ”she’s going to die”.

And why would a grandchild do this to a grandparent?  You might think she did this because her grandmother was a  Nazi or pedophile or something equally horrid right? WRONG! She did it because she was BORED!

Can you believe this?

With all the activities out there to become involved in, books to read, movies to watch, thrift stores to search through, my girl couldn’t find anything else better to do than to call her grandmother up WITH A FRIEND and scare her to death! SHE DID THIS WITH A FRIEND!!!

Seriously, the next time your nana starts to scold you for not calling her more often, tell her this story I think she’ll go to bed a lot happier with you that night. She may even send you a couple bucks in the mail! LOL

Is Congressman Peter King right? Do we glorify the wrong people?

Does American society glorify the wrong people?

For the past few days its been Michael Jackson but for the past thirty years, idiots, celebrities, sports stars, reality stars, porn stars have received, in many cases, baseless adulation, catapulting these mere mortals into the relms of gods and goddesses. 

 So do you think Rep. Peter King has a point when he says we have to start admiring those who protect, serve and educate society instead of those who merely entertain us?

I can only hope, our fair-minded representative Peter King, would include Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly  in the entertainer ranks as well and that he would admonish those within his own party who seek to elevate the opinions of these two..well..you find the word? LOL

 

Of course Debbie Rowe now wants her kids. Who didn’t see that one coming?

Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson’s ex wife and the biological mother of  Jacksons’ two eldest children has now declared that she wants custody of all three of his Jackson’s children.

Yup! Tell me you didn’t see this one coming? Rowe has now decided to step up bcause she ‘has too’ even though she once said and seemed quite comfortable with the idea, that she probably would never have seen her kids again had Michael Jackson lived.

Amazing!!

Can you believe her?

Can you believe these people?

His father?

Debbie Rowe?  

His doctors?

Everybody wanted a piece of Michael Jackson and from all appearances, granted I don’t know who he really was or what his family life was like,  and I would never claim too but it seems that every individual in his life wanted something from him and that nobody really genuinely cared about him or his needs.

Because, frankly his entire life has been a tragedy and that includes the talent, the fame and the money.

I can honestly say that if I had a choice between Michael Jacksons’ life and my life I would choose my life. Because at the very least I know that the people around me really do care about and love me for me.

With the ways things have played out thus far with Michael Jackson it seems he was never entirely sure what peoples’ motives were and that includes his own family.

And that ultimately leads to a very sad, sad life.

 

Jackson’s will made available to the public..

 

The public got its first view of Michael Jackson’s will today.

Of course TMZ has copies of the King of Pops’ will up on their site. TMZ is just beating the traditional media up and down. 

Oh and one more thing about the will that I’m frankly quite happy to learn, Joe Jackson isn’t mentioned but there is a Michael Jackson Family Trust and who knows who will ultimately have ‘true’ control of that?

  

 

Jackson’s father, acting more like a manager than a grieving dad

 

Today CNN’s Don Lemon gave Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father, another chance to redeem himself and act like grieving father instead of a promotion manager.

Did he take that chance? NO.  He got on television once again and acted like a moron. So I have to say it again.. JOE JACKSON IS A MORON and it appears he wants to cash in on his son’s death and the resulting publicity.

Anyway, a few hours ago Lemon interviewed Jackson and once again he greeted Lemon laughing and smiling and as Lemon questions him about his grief he has the audacity to declare that he’s crying on the inside and right in the middle of all this is a serious looking Al Sharpton. 

Is Jackson high?

 Look, I’m black and I understand we mourn in different ways of that there is no doubt. Funerals in black communities across the globe are celebrated in ways that I’m quite sure many cultures would find a bit strange. However they are some omnipresent themes at most of the Christian black funerals I’ve attended. Alcohol is served. There’s lots of food and drinks and at some funerals mourners may even start dancing and singing at the grave side as a way of celebrating the life of the deceased.

That’s different. But that’s how many of us mourn in the black community.

However,  Joe Jackson’s isn’t mourning in that way or a different way, he simply isn’t mourning. The man doesn’t even appear sad!  I’ve seen more emotion from people who have lost a beloved family pet!

This man appears to be more concerned about all the press he’s getting, all the positive press his son is getting and the fact that he could use the press to his advantage and the advantage of his friends! There’s only one thing Joe Jackson should be concerned about right now and that is the fact that he just lost his son who happened to be a superstar and I haven’t seen one moment when he appears to be genuinely upset about his lost. Instead of acting like a grieving parent, he’s acting like a manager that has lost his biggest client.

BET tribute show to Michael Jackson left much to be desired…

Am I the only person in the world, who thinks that last night’s BET Awards tribute show to Michael Jackson could’ve been much better?

Midway through the awards show, it was clear to me and to quite a few other people that the performances were at very best sub par. And as for the host Jamie Foxx, well let’s just say before his next hosting gig my advice to him, is to at the very least give Chris Rock a call and get some pointers. 

Anyway, I Googled the award show and of course they were the typical recaps of what happened but I haven’t seen one news post that actually notes how terrible the performances were. From the beginning with New Edition’s massacring of  The Jackson 5’s songs to the absolutely horrible performance by Keri Hilson’s et al.  It seemed that while most of the artistes were capable of costuming themselves like Michael Jackson NOT ONE of them could come close to matching the King of Pop’s legendary stage performances. And the only performance that came significantly close to anything MJ would’ve done was Beyonce Knowles’ medley. 

I know the tribute show was last minute and that most of the artistes would never have been able to or even claim to be half the entertainer Michael Jackson was so I’m willing to give them a pass there. However, I do believe that if many of these performers sincerely wanted to pay tribute, to a man that many of them consider to be their inspiration and the Greatest Entertainer who ever lived, they should have stepped up their routines and put a bit more effort into their performances.  And based on what I saw last night that didn’t happen.  If by some chance that was the best crop of musical talent in the black community, Michael Jackson himself would have to shake his head in disappointment. 

 

She gave Michael Jackson her womb and then he kicked her out…

 

The biological mother of two of Michael Jackson’s children, Debbie Rowe, admits Michael Jackson isn’t the father of his two eldest children Prince Michael and Paris Katherine.

And the two never had sex.

The most interesting part of this article was her insistence that Michael Jackson didn’t want anything to do with her when he found out she couldn’t have anymore children.

Hmmm…

***UPDATE*** ROWE will receive visitation rights under a custody agreement granted to her and Michael Jackson’s  mother Katherine Jackson.

Michael Jackson’s father on CNN creating a spectacle…

OMG!!!

A few moments ago while watching CNN’s coverage of the BET Awards, Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father got some lady to read a statement for him as he’s standing on the red carpet speaking with CNN’s Don Lemon!

The entire scene was awkward with this woman standing between the two men reading from a piece of paper.

Then he introduced another spokesperson, his lawyer to answer a simple question that he could have responded too with a ‘no comment’ or ‘I would prefer to talk about that later’. And if that wasn’t bad enough he introduced and seemed to be pluggin a guy’s recording studio which apparently he used to work for/with!

MY GOD!!!!

I hate saying this but Joe Jackson appeared and acted like a frigging moron and if you didn’t know it, you wouldn’t have believed this man had just lost a son! I’m not saying he should’ve broken down in tears or cried a river but the least he could’ve done is show a bit of genuine emotion.

All I can say is what bizarre behaviour from a man that just lost his son.

As the world mourns Michael Jackson, remember….

 

 

I think he would’ve wanted his efforts to make the world a better place  to be his REAL legacy….

Michael Jackson is at peace now..

Michael Jackson battled demons, real and perceived, his entire life.

I hope he’s finally able to have some peace.

More Marc Sanford emails…

After reading the emails between Marc Sanford and his Argentinian mistress Maria I’m left wondering one question will he leave his wife for her?

What do you think?

Mousavi’s wife may have been arrested..

The wife of outspoken Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi may be under detention in Iran.

According to some unconfirmed reports circulating the web, Zahra Rahnavard who has been likened to Michelle Obama by many Iranians, may have been detained by the Iranian government after she called for the immediate release of those who had been arrested since the beginning of the protests.

If she has been detained we can only assume that Mousavi may be next on their list.

Lots at stake in messy gay celebrity divorce

Martina Navratilova is going through another messy divorce.

This time the ex-tennis superstar is being sued by her second wife Toni Layton who is claiming that Navratilova wasn’t very nice during their seven year marriage and that she’s suffered ‘emotional, mental and physical trauma’.

Normally, I wouldn’t care one bit about a messy celebrity divorce but this one peeked my interest for two reasons. Apparently Navratilova is using current Florida law which doesn’t recognize same sex marriage to argue that Layton doesn’t deserve a dime and an animal sanctuary built by the two has been put up for sale.

As an outspoken advocate for gay rights and supporter of same sex marriage, which Navratilova claims to be as well, I would argue, that if she uses a law that she believes is unfair and unjust, simply to shield her money and assets, not only is she a hypocrite but she’s doing serious damage to the same-sex marriage movement which she claims to support. I’m not saying that Layton is entitled to half or some large monetary settlement not at all. What I’m saying is a lot simpler than that. If Navratilova doesn’t recognize the legality of her own marriage she cannot expect or demand nationwide recognition of same sex marriage.

And in regards to the animal sanctuary I know the sale of the sanctuary doesn’t necessarily mean the animals will be homeless and often in situations like these, conditions are attached to the sale in order to protect the animals.  And I refuse to believe that the great Martina Navratilova could throw defenseless animals out on the streets but then again according to Layton, Martina did throw her out with only the clothes on her back!

Gov. Mark Sanford was having an affair!!!

Now this is all makes sense..

He developed a relationship with a friend..is this friend male or female?

And now he’s crying even more..MY GOD!!! Now he admits he was unfaithful with a friend. He developed a relationship with a dear, dear friend from Argentina!!

My God these Republicans and their family values..you see, they don’t practice what they preach!!!

And that’s the height of hypocrisy!!!

Why can’t these men live up to their own standards?

Why are train operators sending txt messages while @ work?

Can anyone explain to me why train operators are sending text messages while operating trains?

A reasonable explanation!! PLEASE!!!! ANYONE!!!!

Come on! Isn’t this a no-brainer?

Do we really need to make this a law in order to prevent accidents like this from happening?

TRAIN OPERATORS OR ANY OPERATOR OF A MASS TRANSIT VEHICLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SEND TEXT MESSAGES WHILE OPERATING THEIR VEHICLES UNLESS IT IS TO ALERT FIRST RESPONDERS TO AN ACCIDENT OR POTENTIAL INCIDENT!!!!!!

Does the average intelligent human being really need to be told that while operating a 240 tonne vehicle, he/she should keep the distractions to a minimum?

And that those distractions should not include TEXT messages from a co worker/significant other/friend etc!!!!!!

THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!!!

HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO DIE BEFORE WE PUT AN END TO THIS STUPIDITY?

Chris Brown pleads guilty gets 5yrs probation and community service..

 

The last nail has been hammered into the Brown-Rihanna relationship.

Rihanna can finally move on with her life and Chris Brown well he’s going to have wait a few years before he can say that.

In what has become one of the highest profile domestic abuse assault cases of all time Chris Brown was sentenced today ater pleading guilty to felony assault charges. He received 5 years probation and 180 days of community labor which will be performed in his home state of Virginia and he has to stay 50 yards clear of  Rihanna at all times and must enroll in a domestic violence counseling program.

So I guess that means we wouldn’t be seeing photos like the one above ever again?

I sincerely hope Brown gets help and that he never abuses another woman again and that Rihanna understands that once your partner hits you once he/she will most likely do it again. 

 

If Iranians pursue democracy, expect hundreds more Neda Soltans

For the past week, I,  like so many of you, have been riveted to my seat as I’ve watched the infancy of yet another Iranian revolution play out right before my very eyes.

Americans have devoured and disected every image, parsed ever morsel of  information and formulated their own opinions on what is taking place in that Middle East country. And as Iranians have turned to Twitter and Facebook we’ve publicly followed and encouraged them while simultaneously praising their bravery in disobeying their governments’ bans.

Iranians have inspired us and made us extremely hopeful that for the first time since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the majority in the country were finally prepared to take the first steps towards establishing a true democratic state.

However, as the week wore on and protesters’ calls fell on deaf ears many of us suspected that their demands would be rebuffed, at Friday prayers Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confirmed a crackdown was immenient.

This past Saturday millions of us watched as grainy videos uploaded to Youtube made their way into our living rooms via national news channels showing demonstrators being beaten and attacked in the streets as they defied their Supreme leader and rallied in support of Mousavi.

But after all of this I am still unsure of  how far these supporters are willing to go in support of  Mousavi and if  the movement I’m watching on tv and the internet has really morphed into a pro democracy crusade similar to the one that occurred in Lebanon? 

I sense this is no longer about an election.

I believe this is no longer about deposing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and appointing Mir Hussein Moussavi.

And I know that the majority of protesters do not want the Islamic Republic to fall.

But what do they really want and are they willing to continue to spill their blood and sacrifice their lives in pursuit of a democratic state if that is truly their demand?

So far the death toll, as reported by the Associated Press, stands at 19. 

However like most movements that oppose oppressive regimes expect that total to increase. And undoubtedly a critical point will be reached when leaders and protesters, enforcers and supporters start to play a dangerous game of chicken.

In Iran this game has been occurring at various levels for the past 30 years. The battle between democracy and despotism, modernity and tradition may finally have come to a head this past week but in the past these drives have been crushed and the reformers have always backed down.

But this time the elites and intellectuals, leading the movenment appear to have significant support among the mases and that could lead to significant societal change.

And if we are currently witnessing a regime change in Iran unfortunately and inevitably that means there will be hundreds more Neda Soltans. I don’t know if the protesters or the ruling elites and clerics are really prepared to accept that reality.

Abortion clinic in Kansas to be closed forever!

This is a tough one for me and I really, really don’t know how I feel about this one.

After Dr. George Tiller was allegedly murdered by 51-year-old suspected anti-choice terrorist,  Scott Roeder on May 31st his family has decided to close his Kansas, Women’s Health Care Services Inc, clinic forever.

According to one of Tiller’s lawyers, the family is ’proud of the service and courage’ shown by Dr. Tiller and they will continue to honor his death by contributing to private charities.

While I understand and respect the family’s decision to close the clinic I can’t help but wonder if  Dr. Tiller’s memory, honor and courage wouldn’t have been better served by keeping the clinic open?

Dr. Tiller is the fourth doctor and eighth abortion clinic worker to be killed in the United States or Canada since 1977. Abortions became legal in the United States in 1973.

But as Dr.Warren Hern, a provider of abortion said, “What doctor, what reasonable doctor would work there? Where does it stop?”

Rihanna plans to leak nude photos of Chris Brown?

In one of the most public cases of tic for tac.

Rihanna is reportedly planning on leaking nude photos of her ex Chris Brown!

Apparently the Barbadian singer blames him for leaking the nude photos of her  last month that cost her a Vogue cover.

Reportedly the photos of him will make Rihanna’s look tame in comparison! I can’t wait to see these photos!

But if I were Rihanna the best revenge still, for me, would be watching Chris Brown go to jail! But I guess she’s got to live her life right?

 

Rihanna is a good girl again…

Rihanna WILL testify against Chris Brown next month.

On June 22nd the Barbadian entertainer will face Chris Brown and his lawyers in a California court. 

The preliminary hearing is to determine if there is enough evidence for the felony assault case to go to trial. 

I’m glad that Rihanna has finally come to her senses and decided to testify against Brown because for a minute there it looked like she was planning to stay with that joker/woman beater Chris Brown!

Unseat Senator Roland Burris

We all understand why Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) hasn’t resigned but why haven’t the Democrats found a way to unseat him? 

Hopefully, with the release of the FBI wiretap tapes  Democrats, maybe even President Obama, can now persuade Burris to resign since we now have proof that he was involved if only on the margins in the effort by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to sell Obama’s US Senate seat. 

Burris is an embarrassment not only to himself and the Democratic Party but he has become a recognizable stain on the United States Senate. The longer Burris remains seated the longer, we the public, have to endure the media’s coverage of this egomaniac and  his pathetic attempts to cover up his role in this deplorable scandal.

You gotta hand it to Blago he knew what he was doing when he appointed Roland Burris but in the end all parties got something from this Burris/Blago debacle. 

Blago got a really good laugh not the last, mind you, but he got a hearty chuckle.

Burris gets to engrave the title Senator on his tombstone and Hardball Award recipient. 

And the American people got yet another shocking glimpse at high-level public corruption. 

 But enough is enough.  Democrats. Republicans. Independents.  GET ROLAND BURRIS OUT OF THE SENATE!!!

Mike Tyson’s world falls apart at the loss of his daughter..

Mike Tyson’s four year old daughter Exodus died yesterday in Phoenix, Ariz. The little girl was found dangling from a treadmill’s cord at his Arizona home. She had been on life support for a few days.

In recent weeks Mike Tyson has been travelling around the country promoting his new documentary that chronicles his struggles with addiction and alcoholism and his road to redemption.

Tyson has been at the precipice of self destruction more times than we can count. We can only hope that this horrible, horrible tragedy doesn’t push him over the edge entirely.

 

Michelle Obama isn’t pretty and she’s really a man..

First Iman says Michelle Obama is  ‘no great beauty’ and now a comedian has declared, that our first lady is really a man.

This is going to be a tough week for Mrs.Obama.

Honestly, I don’t care what the comedian Jay Mohr has to say. It’s his job to be offensive.  He knows that the more offensive he is the more airplay he gets and by extension the bigger his salary becomes.

But the no great beauty comment by Iman, well, that kinda hit home.

And before you say, “She’s just voicing her opinion,” her observation of Michelle Obama goes a lot deeper than just a casual comment by a public figure about a major public official as one blogger asked does Michelle Obama make dark skin stylish?

Obviously Iman doesn’t think so and to a wide section of the public we dark skinned black woman still have a long way to go before we’re considered as beautiful as our lighter skinned sisters  black or white and that’s with or without the First Lady’s help. 

Iman does go on to say that Ms. Obama is, “So bright and interesting looking and in the end that will always take you farther.” However, I don’t understand what Iman means by interesting looking?

Interesting looking?

An axolotl is interesting looking but they aren’t too many people out there want to look like that. And I’m pretty sure Michelle Obama like most women, myself included, like to be complimented on our beauty as well as our intellect.

But I’m sure Iman’s comments wouldn’t be the first time Michelle Obama has heard or been told ’she’s no great beauty’ or ‘that she’s not pretty’ by a sista.

I can relate to that.

Like most dark skinned black women I too, grew up being told over and over again by my peers and in some cases by adults that I was ugly and when I wasn’t told that it was often decided that I would be really pretty if I weren’t so black. 

Great! I would be really pretty if I didn’t look like me! LOL

Anyway, for some girls that would’ve been enough to inflict lasting emotional damage but what hurt the most weren’t the jokes about my dark skin, I got used to those, it was the barage of comments I would always undoubtedly face from a schoolmate if my mom picked me up or visited me at school.

The next day I would be asked one or all of these questions, ”Are you sure that’s your mom?” or  “Are you adopted?” and the best of them all, ”Your mom is so pretty..how come you look like that?”

And for the rest of the day I would be left thinking that the words pretty and beautiful were reserved for those with lighter skin (my mom is birracial and my sister has lighter skin) than mine and that I would never be called beautiful by anyone outside my immediate family.

Inevitably those thoughts would pass until the next time my mom visited the school and then the process of self doubt and self-pity would start all over again.

Those comments have help to shape my world view but they also prepared me to face the cruelty and pain in the world with grace and dignity. And although I no longer face ridicule, I have never allowed myself to forget what it feels like to be on the opposite end of hateful comments and I credit those bullies and ignoramuses for heightening my ability to empathize not just with those of my race or in my community but with my fellow human being regardless of gender, race or complexion.

But they were days that I was afraid to go to school because I knew that most of my day would be spent in emotional turmoil. A teenager has more than enough to deal with and managing emotional conflict with her peers shouldn’t be one of them.  

Luckily my parents didn’t allow those comments to destroy my self esteem or my self worth and I thank them every day for molding me into the woman that I am. But many black women aren’t as lucky as I was and millions of them continue to be at war with their dark skin and seek to change their complexion  by any means necessary.

A simple Google search, dark skinned black women, provides valuable insight into this psychological dilemma that continues to plague the black community and the world in general when it comes to seeing beauty in the black race.

Even the term classic beauty when Googled produces not one black woman in fact none of the top 20 women in that search have dark skin!

While our concept of beauty continues to evolve be it very, very slowly sadly we have not reached the point where a tall, dark skinned black woman can be considered a classic or great beauty by the majority on this planet.

I wonder when, if ever, we’ll reach that point?

Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison is an idiot!

Pittsburgh Steelers and MVP James Harrison will not be going to the White House on Thursday to meet President Obama because he believes that Obama wouldn’t have invited them if they hadn’t one the Super Bowl!!!!

This isn’t the first time he’s told the President to shove his invitation and honestly I would suggest that meeting the last President wasn’t that high on the list of many people either but come on dude,  if there was a year of the black man last year was it and you happen to be in the top three and you’re going to miss out on it because, ” This is how I feel, if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don’t win the Super Bowl. As far as I’m concerned, he would’ve invited Arizona if they had won.”

Dude are you fuh real? 

You are giving up the opportunity to meet the most powerful man in the world, who just happens to be the first black president of the United States because you wouldn’t have been there if you hadn’t one a major American sporting event?

Harrison has definitely suffered too many blows to his head!

 

Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking

 

Yesterday I went on one of  my Google adventures  and guess what/who I came across?

The Westboro Baptist Church!!  You know those people that pickets the funeral of veterans and high schools claiming that we’re being punished for tolerance?

Honestly, I don’t know how I ended up on their page but you know how one click, leads to another click and then another suddenly you’re on the website of a bunch of crazy, homophobic people who live in Kansas.

Some of the things these people say OMG!!

Well, anyway like all my Google adventures this one had a happy ending I found this great site Phelps-a-thon.com that uses the protests of  Fred Phelps  (he’s the founder of the Church) and his band of crazies to raise funds for the local gay/straight alliance or LGBT community centers where Phelps and his haters (and they really are haters) are holding their protest

Isn’t that awesome? Not an original concept I know using hate to spread love but it’s still wicked!! And the best part is after the protest they send Phelps a thank you card telling him how much money he helped them raise! DOUBLE WICKED!!!!

At phelps-a-thon.com you can see where the haters are going to be next and send the counter protesters a few dollars of encouragement. Phelps and his haters will be protesting on May 22nd at Key West High School, Key West Florida from 3:45 PM to 4:15 PM and if you can and only if you can donate a little something to the local Gay Straight Alliance of Key West, Florida.

We want that frown on Phelps’ face to reach the floor after he reads that thank you card..LOL

Pelosi isn’t the only one telling tall tales, they’re all lying

After admitting that she knew the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was torturing detainees from as early as 2003 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has effectively said that for three years (Democrats retook Congress in 2006) she stood quietly and allowed others to break our laws and international treaties.

Pelosi has even asserted that she and other members of congress were lied too by the CIA about the types of techniques being used on detainees.

I didn’t believe Bush and Cheney then, I don’t believe Speaker Pelosi and the CIA now. 

They were all telling lies.

And I think one of the reasons those briefings are as vague as they are, in part,  is to protect the politicians.

These agencies expect politicians to protect their interests first and a combination of  fuzzy memories and ambiguous documents give them the cover to do that. 

We’ve seen it play out before a member of congress is being pressured for information on a controversial topic or issue she/he fingers or blames some governmental agency, opposition members pressure the agency, in this case it’s CIA, in order to clear their name the CIA waves their records  (the intelligence briefings) around asserting, “Of course the member knew what we were doing. Look it says so right here!”

In effect it forces the issue to a stalemate and who are we to believe in a situation like that?

A member of congress trying to cover her assets or a political agency seeking support for its past illegal actions? Hmm..it’s a tough one isn’t it?

I do think the Speaker of the House has given the Republicans the opening they were looking for. Her rambling press conference yesterday, the constant changing of her stories and her tacit support for their actions by her inaction, will allow Republicans to exploit the situation and damage her reputation.

Pelosi should’ve known and expected that the use of these enhanced interrogation techniques was going to comeback to haunt her and if she truly believed that what the Bush administration was doing was wrong and illegal she should have been more vigorous in her disapproval and more importantly have a record of her actions. And if she really wanted to make a stand against them she should’ve resigned and then speak out.

She wasn’t powerless and to suggest that she was Pelosi does herself and the United States Congress the biggest disservice.

Eliot Spitzer wants us to forgive, forget and move on..

 

 Eliot Spitzer wants back in. He wants back in baaaaaad.

The ex governor of New York is slowly creeping back into public life. He denies it up and down but all you have to do is watch his interview on The Rachel Maddow’s show earlier this week and you can see the eagerness all over his face.

He’s done several interviews in the past few weeks from cable news to news blogs he’s clearly testing the waters of public opinion to see if we’ve forgiven him for his indiscretion and private failings and if we’re willing to listen to him again.

Spitzer knows we’re angry as hell, at corporations, banks and Wall Street and as one of only a handful of men to have taken them on successfully  his opinion and insight on financial regulation and averting future financial diasasters is invaluable.

The financial crisis has created an opening for Spitzer and at first glance it appears that there will be no more wondering in the political wilderness for the disgraced attorney but before Spitzer leaps head first back into the public’s arms he should make sure that we are indeed willing to give him a second chance.

In a recent poll New Yorkers said they prefer Eliot Spitzer to current Governor David Pattersen but that doesn’t mean they want him back as Governor!  What this really says is that Patterson is doing a really, really bad job!

At best Spitzer’s record as governor receives a question mark because who knows what could’ve been? A 14 month term is not enough time to render judgment.

However, should Eliot Spitzer decide to seek public office again he has to accept that his wife and his daughters will be reliving his disgrace and humiliation alongside him. 

He has to accept that no question will be out of bounds and that  “No comment,” or “I’m not answering that,” will not be tolerated. Reporters and journalists will demand access to him at all times and full disclosure on every issue for obvious reasons. And on the campaign trail the mudslinging would be at unprecedented levels and the public probably will have no sympathy. 

The road back to the top will be extremely, extremely difficult but it can be done indeed it has been done. And if the public has forgiven him and more importantly wants him back Spitzer is well on his way back to the top of New York politics.

I don’t know if I can ever separate his private shortcomings from his well-intentioned, results driven crusades on behalf of the public interest and the fact that he is so talented and does brings so much to the public square does cause me to stop and think twice.

But Spitzer prosecuted men who were Johns and he even sought and signed stiff laws against the sex trade while spending over $80 000 on prostitutes. 

In my book that makes him a hypocrite. Listen to him yes, vote for him probably not.

Four year old girl raped and abducted in Jamaica!!!

 

 

A four year old girl was raped and abducted by a 53 year old man in St.Ann’s Jamaica on Friday. The Gleaner newspaper reported that the little girl was found wondering the streets naked after she was abducted from the home of a family friend.

A man is currently in police custody as the little girl recovers in the hospital from bruises and cuts she received in the assault.

You know, sometimes when I read stories like these it makes me glad that I don’t have kids because I honestly don’t know what I would do if that little girl was my daughter.

Tyson calls Chris Brown ‘little baby’ the pot calling the kettle black..

 

In one of the truest cases of the pot calling the kettle black ever Mike Tyson, former heavyweight champion of the world, ex convict and woman beater in a recent interview stated that he understands the situation Chris Brown now finds himself in..you don’t say Mike? The whole world  knows how you earned that title woman beater .

Tyson in discussing the Chris Brown/Rihanna debacle declared that Chris Brown is,  ”Just a baby. He’s just a little baby that don’t know how to handle his emotions when it comes to a woman.”

A ‘little baby’ that doesn’t know how to handle his emotions? Sounds sooooooooo familiar to me you know?

 

In promoting his new documentary Tyson states that he’s a changed man. But surprise, surprise he hasn’t changed that much because he still can’t say that beating a woman is wrong instead he seems to sympathize with Brown. Yet we’re to believe that  he’s ‘not weak’ anymore and that his recent sobriety is proof of his new found strength. 

Mike might believe that the old ‘Iron Mike’ is dead and gone away but I don’t.

Tyson may have beat his addiction to cocaine and sex good for him, but if he’s unwilling to state publicly that domestic violence is wrong and that beating a woman is always wrong and is never ever justifed then in my eyes he will forever remain a weak and pitiful man.

Costs of prosecuting those who ordered torture will be high BUT..

Today Glen Greenwald of Salon wrote a passionate post in support of leading a criminal investigation against those at the highest level of the American government who knew about the torture being conducted, in our name, across the world.

He stated quite eloquently that, ” The need for criminal investigations is motivated by one simple, consummately apolitical fact:  serious and brutal crimes were committed at the highest levels of the government, ones that left a trail of many victims.  A country that purports to live under the rule of law has no choice but to treat its most powerful members who commit serious crimes exactly the same as ordinary citizens who do so.”

Unlike many of my liberal friends I haven’t been as steadfast on the issue as I have been on many other political issues. I’ve waivered. Going back on forth on what constitutes torture and if prosecuting high level officials is actually possible. 

Of course I don’t condone torture but like many people my idea of  torture revolves around devices, use of electricity and nails etc etc. For the average citizen, myself included,  differentiating between roughing up a bad guy and outright torture is extremely, extremely difficult.   

 And even if we can accept that waterboarding is torture how do you prosecute those at the top who I’m sure have protected themselves against prosecution?  Don’t you think Cheney and Rice knew the laws?

Come on now.

And you don’t even have to look too far to see who pays the price for breaking laws and treaties.

Remember Abu Grahib who took the fall there? The foot soldiers. The women and men at the bottom of the ladder were the ones ridiculed and prosecuted when in most cases I believe they were only following orders.

I can honestly tell you that I was not entirely supportive of the idea of prosecuting those soldiers and I believed if anyone should have been prosecuted it shouldn’t have been their commanders but I wasn’t naive enough to believe that was going to happen.

And until yesterday I was in total support of Obama’s policy not to seek criminal charges against those in the Bush administration because selfishly it’s not in the best interests of the Democrats to do so and more importantly the cost the Obama administration would pay, I believed, would be waaaaaaay too high.

How could prosecuting ex Bush officials help us turn around the economy or fix what is going wrong in Afghanistan or bring our troops home from Iraq?

But the more I thought about it the stronger my conclusion became that to not investigate those at the top of the torture pyramid would be tantamount to saying that the law does not apply to them or to those who govern. And it’s my belief that if they are two groups of people within a society who shouldn’t break the law its those who lead and create the laws and those who enforce those laws. 

We depend on these men are women to be our leaders and if they don’t follow the law at the times when it is most difficult to do so what does that say to the everyday man or woman who is forced to abide the law even if those laws are against their best interests or the interests of a loved one?  

An average citixen is not allowed to break the law and claim moral grounds neither should a leader regardless of  their good intentions.

Justifiable illegal acts DO NOT AND CANNOT make those acts legal.

After 911 we were scared. We were suddenly confronted by an enemy that was a lot stronger and more dangerous than we initially thought and many of us including our leaders responded in ways that we now question and many may even have concluded, incorrectly, that some of our laws needed to be broken/bent in order to keep us sage.

However in an effort to protect our nation from the bad guys we shouldn”t have abandoned our morality or disregarded the laws that have made us the nation that we are today.

So we must prosecute those who ordered or sought to legalize torture.

In the beginning these proceeding will be extremely uncomfortable but ultimately we’ll reclaim the moral authority and increase the goodwill we once had in the world and arguably that will reap far more rewards than any information gleaned from a tortured prisoner. 

Chris Brown should get his ass kicked!!!

I just heard this new song on the radio it’s about well you read the title of the blog..lol, Chris Brown should get his ass kicked!

The song is by Chicago group Smoke Jumpers and all I can say is well done people and don’t worry about Chris Brown, WE (the people) GOT YOU!!  It’s about time we heard a song like this and you can dance to it too..wicked!!!

Chorus goes something like this:

Boy hits girl,

Boy should be taken down

No matter who’s around

The more I search the more I found..can’t really figure out the rest of the words, lol, regardless this song is tight you’ll be singing the chorus in minutes probably a lot better than me as well..lol!

You know it’s going on my iphone right? And will someone please do a cool video mashup for this song? PLEASE!!!

Listen to the song here:

Obama’s press conference..

 I just love these it’s the American version of  the weekly Question Time in the British parliament.

Man attacks woman-uproar; woman attacks man-we laugh?

Today on MSNBC I watched Contessa Brewer and her co anchor Melissa Francis smirk and commiserate with the wife of a man after she handcuffed and attacked her husband for not listening to her after he told her he wanted a divorce. 

If you listen carefully to the call the man sounds absolutely terrified as he pleads for help from authorities. Not only did she handcuff them together, to the bed, she had changed the locks on their bedroom door and as he sought  help she repeatedly bit him.

You hear the man plead with the operator as he details that she has a record of violence.

How is there anything funny about this?  

We know that if the roles had been reversed and a man had handcuffed his wife and then attacked her we wouldn’t be laughing at least most of us wouldn’t.

But what if it were a woman and a woman? or a man and a man?  Would we condone this? Is this level of violence and control acceptable in any type of relationship? No. And what about the brutality would we have even seen it on the national news if it were a same sex couple? No. Yet, we should know by now that regardless of the gender of the perpetrator this type of behavior is unacceptable.

One in four lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are battered by a partner that’s the same level of intimate partner violence we see in heterosexual couples!

That’s why domestic abuse is no laughing or smirking matter regardless of the gender of the perpetrator. 

Granted the cases of  women being the perpetrators of violence against male partners  account for less than five percent or fewer of the domestic violence cases in the US. However, when we view a woman attacking a man as funny we are intentionally reinforcing a myth that men cannot be victims of domestic violence and also unintentionally suggesting that there is only one type of intimate partner violence man-woman and this myth continues to do harm to women and men in same sex relationships.

That’s why we have to stop looking at the gender of the perpetrator and view domestic violence as DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!!

Vintage Obama on ‘Tonight Show’ with Leno

 

Last night President Barack Obama appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

What we witnessed was vintage Obama. Eloquent, confident and in control.

He told us went wrong in the American economy, what he and others are doing to fix it and reassured us that brighter days are ahead and he did it all with a smile on his face and in language we can comprehend.

His interviewer, Jay Leno, is no Mike Wallace but The Tonight Show host covered all the bases. From AIG, to clean energy, to the Obama’s search for a  family dog. Leno got the mix of questions just right and he did it smoothly, respectfully and with the perfect amount of humor. We could ask for nothing more from the big hearted comedian.  He gets top marks all the way around!

It wasn’t a flawless appearance. Obama did make an off the collar remark comparing his recent bowling game to ’the Special Olympics  or something’. It was a poor comparison. And others, I’m sure, will make an issue out of it and I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama clarifies or apologizes for the unfortunate remark later today.

All in all it was a good night for television.

In the future sitting presidents probably wouldn’t make it a habit of appearing on The Tonight Show but I do think President Obama has started a trend and he wouldn’t be the last sitting president to appear on the late-night talk show circuit.

*** BTW I love the 99 cent segment. Jay, we all know that most of the products sold at these stores are crap and not worth more than the few pennies it takes to produce them but I dare you to find another store other than a dollar store or 99 cent store where you can buy all your junk food, cleaning supplies, a cutesy ornament or plaque for your wife and a cool toy for your niece or nephew for a combined total of less than $20 ? I DARE YOU JAY! I DARE YOU! lol***

Taxing AIG bonuses is illegal and idiotic

When you or I make a mistake what do we do?

First we take responsiblity and then we try correct it. If we are successful we never repeat that mistake. Sometimes we fail and we end up repeating that mistake regardless of how hard we’ve tried. But most of us usually try really, really hard not to do that.

Politicians, however, are a different species of human.  They never take responsibility for anything bad and they are always blaming others for their shortcomings.

First, Senator Dodd points the finger at the treasury. Treasury officials point the finger at Obama officials and then congressmen and congresswomen (who obviously don’t read the bills they pass) point the fingers at greedy AIG execs!

Everybody agrees that a mistake has been made yet nobody is willing to take responsiblity for it and for the first time President Obama’s words are ringing hollow with me. I don’t believe a word he says when it comes to AIG.

And I’m pretty sure that if we weren’t mad as hell none of these politicians would be speaking out against these bonuses. Why would they? AIG has given them millions of dollars over the years. Tell me, are you really going to bite the hand that feeds you? I doubt it.

However, we want our money back and we intend to get it with our without them and if  the men and women in Congress want to get reelected they will find a way to quell our anger.

Of course, we’re entitled to  ‘a refund’ but we shouldn’t get it by taxing the corporate executives to death or by unconstitutional methods and the bill passed today just screams unfair taxation. And didn’t Americans fight a war against that?

So it was Senator Dodd who gave our money away..

Will Senator Chris Dodd resign?

Probably not.

Will the treasury officials who supposedly ‘forced’ his hand be exposed?

Probably not.

Will the American tax payer and the Chinese consumer/saver have to bail out more companies that don’t deserve it a few weeks from now?

YOU BETCHA!!!

If Tim Geithner goes Ben Bernanke should resign as well..

Today Edward Liddy, Chairman and CEO of  AIG, told a Congressional House Panel that the US Federal Reserve has been aware of the retention bonuses for months.

Now, before Tim Geithner became Treasury Secretary he was chairman of the New York Federal Reserve and Ben Bernanke, the current Federal Reserve chairman were both instrumental in crafting AIG’s bailout.

If Liddy is to be believed both men were well aware that these bonuses were to be distributed on Friday March 13th months in advance. 

However, it seems politicians are increasingly pointing the finger at Geithner. 

I know it’s hard to be fair right now but Geithner isn’t the only one to be blamed for the situation we now find ourselves in. Bernanke was there too and so was previous Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson .What was his contribution to these million dollar bonuses? What did all these men know? And why didn’t they do something about this bs then?

And now we find out that there was a provision to cap these bonuses but it was removed from the final stimulus bill!

ARE THESE PEOPLE MAD?

I want answers!

Drag all of them up to Capitol Hill. Not just Liddy and Geithner! Supboena Paulson too!

It’s easy to dislike Tim Geithner. From his tax avoidance problems during his confirmation hearings, to his very first press conference where he was described by one writer as ‘looking like a terrified spaniel’ . Geithner doesn’t seem to be doing anything right. And the more he tries, the worse it gets. He hasn’t inspired confidence in the markets or the American people. And during bad economic times confidence is what most people seek and eagerly look for from their leaders. And he’s failed miserably.

However, if Geithner is forced to submit his resgination Bernanke should submit his as well since they are both equally responsible for this debacle. And one man shouldn’t be left holding the bag for the international mess known as AIG.

Chris Brown pix in court today!!!

Chris Brown appeared in a LA court today to answer two felony charges stemming from his assault of Rihanna.

He was granted a continuance postponing his arraignment until April 6th.  He didn’t enter a plea either.

Chris Brown charged with two felonies..

Brown will be arraigned today at 3.30pm

Brown to Rihanna ” I’m going to beat the s***out of you..”

According to police notes Brown told Rihanna he was going ‘ to beat the s*** out of her’ when the two got home after Rihanna found and read a text message from another woman on Brown’s phone.

Rihanna is no longer cooperating with authorities and Brown is expected in court in a few hours but he probably wouldn’t go to jail.

Rihanna and Brown married?

An American tabloid is claiming that Rihanna and Brown got married at Puffy’s (I just can’t call him Diddy..sorry) Miami mansion.

If this story is indeed true and giving all the drama that’s transpired between these two in the past few weeks, it’s entirely possible, this story has just gone from bad, to worst, to  ABSOLUTELY horrible!

No, Kanye I can’t give Chris Brown a break..

Kanye West has lost his damn mind!

He must have in trying to suggest we should cut Chris Brown some slack after he beat up Rihanna but he’s not the first black star to suggest that we ease up on Brown.

First it was Terrence Howard and his insane comment that beating up women is “ just life” and “that everybody’s got to get out of their way.” Now it’s Kanye West and his ‘ give Chris a break‘ .

What the hell is wrong with them?

How can these black men ask the public to forgive or even sympathize with this idiot? 

Seriously, would Kanye have suggested we give Brown a break had that been his mother, sister or daughter’s face plastered across TMZ? All the men I know, black or white would be out looking for Chris Brown if that had been one of their relatives. And instead of talking bs they would be looking to give Brown a taste of his own medicine and Brown would be in hiding right now instead of riding around on a jet ski in Miami!

How can they look at her bruised and battered face and say that Chris Brown is a cool guy? I know a lot of cool, hot headed guys and not one of them would raise their hand to hit a woman and any guy who does is a PUNK!!!

Everyone knows that this was a punk move yet neither of these black stars is calling it that instead these two are rushing to his defence and they want us, the public, to see it as youthful indiscretion or a private matter.

Look Chris Brown didn’t just beat up one of his friends or a photographer outside a bar after a night of drinking or he didn’t get caught smoking weed or doing coke at a party. HE BEAT UP A WOMAN! HIS GIRLFRIEND! HE BEAT HER UP!!! HE TOOK HIS FISTS AND POUNDED HER FACE IN! I don’t care what she said or what she did no woman deserves this and if you’re man enough to put your hands on a woman, you’re man enough to take the verbal blows and insults that society dishes out. 

With murder by a former or current partner being the  leading cause of death for black women ages 15-34 and black women experiencing domestic abuse at a rate 35 percent higher than that of white women they might be able to ignore these facts but I can’t and unfortunately for West and Howard many of us can’t or wouldn’t either.

Rihanna and Chris Brown back together!!!

 It’s 2am, I think, and like most other nights I can’t sleep.

So what do I decide to do? I decide to surf the web..hmm. What to read? What to read?

Obama and his budget plans..nah too heavy.

Watch past American Idol reject videos on You Tube..nah too funny.

Read about Rihanna and Chris Brown getting back together.YUP! JUST RIGHT!!!

WHAT ROLE MODELS THESE TWO ARE? 

His sadistic behaviour, her naive acceptance of it and her resulting forgiveness of him leaves me with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and a sour taste in my mouth BUT  I’m not surprised . Many victims forgive their partners and tolerate intimate partner abuse for years and should they find the strength of will to leave they are at a high risk of being killed by their former partners and Rihanna with all her wealth and beauty is no different.

But their case is different for obvious reason the entire world is watching. And her ’forgiveness’ of him will have serious and lasting consequences for domestic violence agencies and law enforcement across the US. Domestic violence advocates better brace themselves for the onslaught of victims who will undoubtedly say, ” If Rihanna can go back to Chris Brown after all that shit why can’t I go back to him/her?” and victims who are already unwilling to prosecute will now site their reconciliation as proof of  why charges aren’t necessary ‘because we’re working things out’,  because of these two people the entire DV world has just got a whole lot harder-as if it needed to be.

Roland Burris tells senator I’m not going anywhere baby!

 Senator Dick Durbin, the senior senator from Illinois and the No.2 democrat in the US Senate asked Roland Burris, the junior senator from Illinois  to consider resigning based on all the information that’s emerged in the last few weekes. And guess what Burris did? He politely declined!!!! And then he went further and said he may even consider running in 2012!

Burris has finally got his  ‘precious’ and now these idiots want him to give it up how dare they! 

You know that serves them right!!  A corrupt, comical idiot appointed him, idiots seated him and now the idiots can’t get rid of him!!!

How funny!!!!!

Is Rihanna going to let Chris Brown off the hook?

So Rihanna doesn’t know if she wants to pursue charges against Chris Brown for beating her up and is suffering from depression and conflicting emotions after watching the implosion of his career over the last few days.

Hopefully her wavering demonstrates, for the world to see, how tough it is for a woman in domestic abuse situations. And that we really view those women who do testify against those that have battered them as brave and heroic. Because in most cases they aren’t doing it for themselves  they’re doing it for their families, their sons and daughters. 

I hope the world sees what strength and will it takes for a partner to pursue charges against a ‘loved one’ even if that loved one has physically hurt or brutally assaulted (emotonally, physically and sexually) them for years.

Because if Rihanna a single women with almost everything in the world who has access to all of life’s greatest pleasures and luxuries is having her doubts imagine how difficult it is for women who with less- a lot less to pursue charges or obtain an order of protection?  The Rihanna case also shows why the US’s conviction rates for domestic violence is only 37%!! 

And according to some Caribbean scholars if her battering had happened in the Caribbean (Rihanna is Barbadian) her domestic violence case, if brought to the police would probably, simply disappear!

I don’t know if many consider Rihanna a role model or more importantly if she considers herself to be one but I do hope that if she chooses NOT TO  pursue charges against him other women DO NOT follow her example. 

She may be able to overlook his shortcomings but I doubt the general public will be as forgiving.

Economic and racial inequality exposed in French Caribbean protests

 IF you grow up black in the Caribbean you grow up as a member of the majority and you enjoy all its accompanying rights and priviledges.

In history class kids are taught that their country, the region and by extension most of the North American continents was built on the backs of African slaves and that they are a descendants of these slaves.  All black children in the Caribbean grow up knowing that their dreams are not limited by race and that if they truly work hard they can accomplish anything. Be it a doctor, lawyer, fire fighter or even prime minister black children in the Caribbean KNOW that he/she will NEVER be asked, ” Can a black person really become prime minister? ”

In many cases White and East Indian West Indians have retreated from the political arena. Many choose not (Trinidad and Guyana are the exceptions) to participate in the political life these island states.  Since the granting of Independence (which for many of these nations occurred in the 1960s) political power was swapped for economic power.

It has long been obvious to Caribbean populations that the members of the business elite, mainly the descendants of former colonial masters, East Indian and Chinese indentured labourers, that these handful of families and (in many cases it really is just a few families) exert disproportionate economic influence based on their relative small numbers. In many cases these descendants make up less than 1% of the population yet control 80% of the economic resources with two exceptions once again Trinidad and Guyana.

Granted political power has allowed many in the Caribbean to enjoy a relative high standard of living but Caribbean leaders have often expolited and in many cases fail to seriously address lingering racial tensions that have exploded periodically in the last 50 years-the business class are not solely to blame. 

However,  with the deepening of the global economic crisis and its consequences become clearer and clearer every day for the average citizen those who have controlled the reigns of power for so long have now become targets of popular anger and protest not just in America but across the globe.  Americans aren’t the only ones who are mad as hell!

Sadly, the social structure in the Caribbean a product of its colonial legacy has remained almost unchanged and its accompanying inequalities have led to brief but destructive periods of unrest and resistance.

Martinique and Guaduloupe may now be  experiencing one of those periods, other Caribbean islands are also at risk.

Violent rebellions and revolts once the most powerful weapon in the masses arsenal have long been abandoned for more peaceful protests. But with economic discontent spreading and global resentment rising 2009 may become known as the ‘Year of Violent Discontent’.

Brother Burris you gotta go…

So we found out over the weekend that Roland Burris may have lied in order to become a senator?

Really? You don’t say? If you’re surprised by Burris’ actions you clearly don’t understand greed and narcissism

As I’ve said in previous posts, Burris’ appointment was tainted from the start and we all knew that Blagojevich was pulling a fast one over the Democrats by appointing Burris.  Yet Burris’ appointment was pushed on through because senate Democrats did not want to be seen as shutting a black guy out of their all white club.

Give me a break!

I can’t begin to tell you how patronizing that act was and how disgusted I was with the Democrats for falling for that bs pulled by Burris and his cronies.  But whatever, now we find out the man is big liar and that he wasn’t entirely forthcoming on his connections to Blagojevich.

Now, I didn’t bat an eye lid at this story but what I will say is that I’m eagerly awaiting Harry Reid’s next move.

If I were in his shoes I would call Burris in for a nice chat, sit him down in my biggest comfy chair and tell him simply, ” Bro Burris you had a good run and it was great while it lasted but.. you gotta go.” Burris is no longer the highest profile senate seat warmer he’s a political liability and if senate Democrats don’t find someway of making Burris disappear into political obscurity quickly come election time they will be counting Illinois in the Republican column.

Rihanna may have been beaten up before…

According to the Daily News Rihanna may have been abused by Chris Brown in the past.

If this report is indeed true it’s not surprising what it does show and I hope the message comes across loud and clear that women of every social background and every class and even those women who appear to have it all can be victims of domestic abuse.

And the majority of the women who stay in abusive relationships believe and cling to the hope that the relationship will get better but the sad fact is in most cases it never does it almost always gets worse.

But what I find really repulsive is the fact that some are suggesting that Rihanna is to be blamed for this attack. Some have even suggested her candor and nationality (she’s Barbadian)  are to blamed, because you know those West Indian women don’t know when to STFU..that suggestion is appalling!!

But not unexpected. I’ll say it again if you feel really really strongly about all that you’re reading and hearing about this case and the issue of domestic abuse in general don’t sit on your bum get involved, find a domestic abuse prevention organization in your community and volunteer your time now!

Welfare recipients should be forced to receive birth control..

I’ve been having this discussion for years now with some close friends who believe that persons of  child bearing age, who receive public assistance (food stamps, welfare, HUD, social security etc)  should be forced not to have kids.

And after learning in recent days that Nadya Suleman, the octuplets’ mother, has been receiving public assistance for years now the anger seems to be boiling over. I understand the anger many people have towards those who abuse our welfare system however the minute government starts to control the reproductive rights of its citizens it can no longer claim to be a democracy. And what about women’s rights? How can you ask a woman to chose between eating today and baby tomorrow? 

What do you think?

Do you think people on welfare should be forced to take birth control?

And what about menlike Desmond Hatchett that have kids they cannot possibly afford to take care of?

 Should these men and women receive government mandated and administered birth control? 

Rihanna’s alleged assault puts domestic violence in spotlight..

We don’t know all the facts but what we do know is that Chris Brown was arrested for allegedly assaulting Rihanna.

If Rihanna was indeed a victim of domestic violence she is only one of the estimated 1.3 million women and 835 000 men who are  physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.

I have been and continue to be involved with agencies that seek to protect women and men from domestic violence-I urge you to get involved to help prevent domestic violence you could save a life or lives!

Here are some brief stats provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, the American Bar Association, the American Institute on Domestic Violence and Feminist.org.

Domestic violence is a global problem:  At least one woman in every three (think about three women you know and then read this again) has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family.

Approximately four million American women experience a serious assault by an intimate partner during a 12-month period.

Black females experienced intimate partner violence at a rate 35% higher than that of white females, and about 22 times the rate of women of other races. Black males experienced intimate partner violence at a rate about 62% higher than that of white males and about 22 times the rate of men of other races.

African-American women experience significantly more domestic violence than White women in the age group of 20-24.

The health-related costs of rape, physical assault, stalking, and homicide by intimate partners exceed $5.8 billion each year.

Lost productivity and earnings due to intimate partner violence accounts for almost  $1.8 billion each year.

Women are more likely to be attacked by someone they know rather than by a stranger.

1, 232 women and 440  men approximately, ARE KILLED, KILLED each year by an intimate partner.

Feeling sorry for Blago..

Hear me out.

Rod Blagojevich is probably a criminal. He’s narcissistic and a  bit crazy BUT I’m starting to think that the media is  really, to use a British expression, ‘taking the mickey’ out of him.

And I know that this is probably what he wants but I can’t help it.

I know he’s the one that put himself out there nobody forced him to do these media  tours. But there’s a part of me that is starting to cringe at ‘the abuse’ he’s taking.

You know he’s started to remind me of that stray street puppy, maybe it’s the hair, that  keeps going up to people looking for love and instead of getting a few scraps of meat or a comforting pat on the head he just gets yelled at or kicked. And instead of running away from humans, the damn dog just keeps going back for more abuse day, after day, after day.  He just wants you to like him. 

That’s Blago in a sentence. He just wants America to like him.  And America just wants him to go away and he wouldn’t. So it just keeps kicking him down hoping that eventually he’ll get the point.  And the fact that he hasn’t and that he keeps showing up at the doorsteps of the media begging for a few scraps from their table is just plain pitiful.

Former Detroit mayor, Kilpatrick, planning to sue somebody..

Former disgraced Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was released from prison last night. So what right?

Well, standing at Kilpatrick’s side and speaking on his behalf was the famous, high profile and super wealthy attorney Willie Gary.

Gary’s firm according to its website specializes in personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, commercial litigation, class actions, medical malpractice and international matters and Gary has won verdicts against Disney, Anheuser- Busch and Motorola.

Kilpatrick says ‘he’s not mad’ but I have my doubts. Gary didn’t fly Wings of Justice II (yes, there is a Wings Of Justice I it’s used by his firm) his personal, custom-designed, 32-passenger Boeing 737 to Detroit just to welcome Kilpatrick home!

But who is Kilpatrick thinking of sueing? When questioned by the Detroit Free Press, Gary said, “We are concerned that there may have been some violations of his rights,” that’s interesting.

Oh, Kwame. Kwame. Kwame. Why don’t you just go away? Haven’t you done enough damage to the city?

You cost the city of Detroit more than $9 million because of your tryst with Christine Beatty and now you have the gall to suggest or even to think about sueing the city because you got caught lying under oath?

Come now! What are these two thinking?

But I can’t deny, the idea of Gary and Kilpatrick teaming up would make for such a fascinating and interesting trial that I’m almost hoping that they do decide to sue somebody..ALMOST!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Cheating made easy..

Listen people cheating in today’s society is still very, very wrong!

But at this website cheaters are welcome  infact cheating is encouraged and CEO Noel Biderman tries to convince you that cheating when married or involved is good for your relationship.

I’m not kidding, dude is serious too.  He claims to have 3.5 million users! 3.5 million people, hopefully adults, are unhappy (at least I think most of them have to be) in their relationships and they don’t have the guts to leave.  The ratio of men to women according to some reports 9-1. 

Why bother getting married or become involved  if you’re not going to at least try to stay faithful?  Of course, it doesn’t always work out but at least most of us try.

I just don’t get it.

Obama’s cabinet nominee + taxes = Big Problems

First it was Tim Geithner, US Treasury Secretary. Now it’s Tom Daschle Health and Human Services nominee.Thank goodness they aren’t that many posts left.

Are Obama nominees trying to take Walter Anderson’s  title away from him?  I know, I know, I’m exaggerating just a bit here but come on people what the hell is going on?

I know we all make mistakes and many of us will probably make some type of tax error in our lives so I can understand and expect a few errors here and there. I’m sure the toughest Obama critic could overlook a sizeable, if it were indeed honest, mistake. But tax errors of this magnitude and this protracted scream FRAUD.

I mean how do you not pay $128,000 in taxes over three years? I’m sorry but this misake is neither innocent or honest. And it cannot be explained away by differences in tax codes etc, etc.  Instead, it appears, that this was an attempt to game the system. The same system that we, the public, have been asked to repair with our tax dollars. The same systerm that is now broke and teetering on the edge of collapse because guys like Geithner