Regardless to what happens during the General Election, Obama will always be my homeboy. I mean, how many other presidential nominees have you known who gave their spouse a fist pound to celebrate? How cool is that?!
Even Obama winning the nomination has to take a backseat to this as being the coolest moment of this campaign season:
Way to defuse those accusations of elitism, Senator!
H/T to Rikyrah over at Mirror on America for the story.
- ACL
If you never listen to another word I say, it is imperative that you listen to my tale of woe and learn from it.
It's no secret that I hate being poor. So in my efforts to get paid, I came up with a quite a few good get-rich-quick ideas; including my brilliant concept for the next big black play. But none of my ideas were as unique and income-generating as my hit song "Lick It Like a Na' Lata." Na' lata (or for you vernacular buffs,"Now & Laters"; the popular 80's candy) was going to be the one hit wonder necessary for me to earn untold fortunes. The object was simple: I come up with the most insipid and ridiculous rap song possible, add a tight beat, and watch the river of cash come flowing in. I mean, you've seen some of the nonsense on B.E.T. these days, haven't you? It was an instant hit.
But then, it happened.
I got a call from my sister regrettably informing me that some rapper named Lil Wayne came up with a song called "Lick It Like a Lollipop." I was floored. Here he is, stealing my concept and somehow going number one on the Billboard charts. This was MY IDEA!!!! I felt cheated. I felt as cheated as the Clarence Walker; the real star of the Beatles. To see his tragic story, click here. But I'm warning you: it's not pretty at all.
Stories like ours are painful reminders that you should always protect your ideas. There are some really selfish and nefarious players in this cruel game of life; lurking in the shadows waiting to rip off other people's ideas. Be on the lookout.
- ACL
It's not very often that I credit hip hoppers as being a voice of social consciousness. But, I ain't even gon lie: even I was impressed when I read that hip hop mogul Jay-Z (Sean Carter) has set up an education fund for the children of Sean Bell, the unarmed man recently killed by three police officers.
According to the New York Times:
The rapper Jay-Z has established an educational trust for the two children of Sean Bell, the unarmed man shot and killed by the police in November 2006 on the day he was to be married, allhiphop.com reported. Last month the three policemen tried for Mr. Bell’s death were acquitted of all charges by a New York judge. Mr. Bell’s fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, has been appearing in “I Will Not Lose,” an advertising campaign for Rocawear, a clothing company founded by Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter.
Very compelling commentary on how Hill can still legitimately beat Obama. I only hope that she's not demonic enough to try any of this:
Hat tip to the Unapologetic Mexican for the video.
- ACL
For all y'all spoken word fans out there, I've got a treat for you. Here are a couple of joints from my homeboy Edwin Wilson (aka the Future). This dude is crazy sick on the microphone. Check him out:
I'm not good at promos but if you like what you see, he's got more stuff (even better, in my opinion) to check out on his page or his Myspace spot. Check him out some time!
- ACL
I'm gonna leave this topic alone, mostly because it's not worth the time it takes to blog about it (You know; that whole war, bad economy, upcoming presidential election thing ranks a little higher on the priority list). But Jay Smooth makes a brilliant and compelling argument aimed at folks accusing the Spitzer call girl of being a sexual opportunist:
Of course, she really is a sexual opportunist. But hey: if the demand is there, why not offer the supply?
- ACL
I was just over at Jess's site: Stuff White People Like (You should stop by. I think you'll agree that -- regardless of race -- this site is hilarious!). Just so I'm not branded a racist (just covering myself here), I think the author of the site is white. So please folks, no nasty letters.
Anyway, one of her guest writers put togther a list of the top 10 rap songs white people love. To keep things on an even keel, the writer also created a list of the top 10 rock songs black people love. I haveta admit, I found myself doing the occasional air drumming when I heard some of the rock songs on this list. Likewise, I can remember times being out with some of white friends watching them cut a rug to some of the rap songs on the other list. Ultimately though -- at the end of the day -- I gather this is all just a little racial/musical humor.
Still, I was a little suprised not to see Kris Kross's "Jump" on the white people's rap list:
...or Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles" on the black people's rock list:
What other songs do you think should've made the cut?
- ACL
Wow! Who would've thought that Bill Clinton would ever diss his wife; especially after being put in the doghouse after the Lewinsky affair? But apparently, he has. In lue of one of Hill's latest attack ads:
...and one of Barack's messages of hope:
...Bill Clinton has jumped ship and is now officially endorsing Obama:
Cool, huh?
- ACL
In most cases I try not to advocate violence; especially the black-on-black variety. But this story was too funny not to share. Apparently, a dude tried to rob a beauty salon before the ladies inside gave him the a** whoppin' of his life:
The reporter said it best: I can only imagine how hard it will be to tell the cats in jail that you got beat down by a bunch of women getting relaxers and pedicures.
- ACL
I just got the coolest email from my dear friend Peter Wong. Apparently, it's one of many:
DEAR FRIEND,
I am Mr. Peter Wong I work with Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong, Executive Director and i have this transaction proposal of $44.5million USD for you. Should you be intarested I will prefer you send me your 1,FULL NAME. 2,COMPLETE HOME ADRESS. 3,OCCUPATION. 4,PHONE NUMBER.
Below is my email account you can reach me with. E-mail:peterwong12_65@yahoo.com.hk Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated. I await your response.
MR Peter Wong.
This morning while I was getting ready for work, I got a stunning revelation from ESPN's Sportscenter that I'd like to share with you all.
Here's a little in-your-face humor for those of you following the No-Holds Barred, Steel cage match between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Warning: supporters of either candidate run the risk of being offended by these skits. But, c'mon people: they're just jokes.
Sort of.
Part 1:
Part 2:
- ACL
Normally, I don't make it a point to discuss celebrity news. Frankly, I've always thought that celebrity news (mostly in the form of gossip; who's sleeping with whom, who's in rehab, etc.) is a strategically used ploy to distract us from the more important issues that the AVERAGE person has to face. Don't believe me?
Who is this person?
Now, who is this person?
The first is Britney Spears, a spoiled, untalented loon who has as many mental issues as she has stacks of hundred dollar bills at her disposal. The other person is Andrew Olmsted; one of Jared's blogging buddies who was recently killed in Iraq during this nonsensical war. He is joined by the mounting list of U.S. casualties that continues to grow daily.
In everybody's defense (I guess), it's impossible to know the names and stories of each solider who has fought, continue to fight, get hurt, and die in this war and in wars past. Oppositely, celebs are household names; internationally famous for what they do. Still, we should be mindful that while we're glued to the tube to see our favorite stars (or other socially insignificant stuff which, I hate to say includes...gulp...sports), another person has been hurt or killed who will receive little if any fanfare.
Montel Williams was quick to bring the media to task for it in this clip:
(I wonder if it's a coincidence that his show was also cancelled...?)
I don't presume to know how we can adequately honor people who have suffered and died; especially through the media. But after watching this clip, I have to ask myself how often my misguided priorities dishonor their sacrifice. Does my knowing about Heath Ledger's death but not Andrew Olmstead's make me any better that the media who only cover the former? What about you?
- ACL
So my sister and I were joking about how creepy this weekend's Giants/Packers football game was. First, the game itself:
And then there's the surreal prediction embedded into one of my favorite comedies of all time:
This joke was ALMOST ours. But then people on YouTube started coming up with the same idea. From there, it was all over. No chance at making a comedic name for ourselves. All we're left with are thoughts of what COULD have been.
Stupid telepathy.
- ACL
Plane ticket: $180
Bowl game tickets: $320
University of Michigan - 41
University of Florida - 35
Priceless!
Oh, yeah: Happy New Year and all that jazz too...
- ACL
OK, I admit: I'm not exactly a Christmas spirit-y type of person. I'm also not a fan of too many Will Ferrell gigs outside of his SNL days. But this clip from "Elf" always gives me a little holiday chuckle for whatever reason.
- ACL
Truthfully, I haven't been a huge Hillary fan lately. Frankly, she's got a lot of work to do before she can earn my affection. Still, I was pleasantly suprised to see that she's got a pretty good sense of humor, as evidenced by this campaign ad:
Just in case you didn't get the joke, this ad was a parody on the series finale of the hit TV show The Sopranos. Some die hard fans had some issues with the way the series ended, but I for one thought it was genius. Check it out:
But, back to Hillary. As I said, she's not on my friend's list right now. But at least I can count on her for a good laugh. This before she gives me a good laugh on her foreign policy.
- ACL
Just to recap things up to this point:
- Michigan loses to Appalachian State at home. They then get blown out the next week; also at home.
- Notre Dame starts its season off at 0-5.
- Florida loses two games in a row; one of which is to an unranked Auburn at home.
- Five of the nation's top ten teams all lose in one week. Three more lose the weekend after that.
- Southern Cal loses to an unranked Stanford at home, while facing a second string quarterback.
- LSU, the number one rated team in the nation, loses to Kentucky.
- On the same day, number two California loses to an unranked Oregon State at home.
- The University of South Florida and Boston College are in the top five in BCS scoring.
This is all further evidence that the end is near.
- ACL
What's up party people? Been a little busy lately. But I'll get back at you all soon and very soon. In the meantime, here's a roundup of some of the stuff going on in the news. Read it and weep. Seriously. Most of this stuff will really cause you to cry:
Senate tramples Habeas Corpus
Last week, Republican members of the Senate successfully twarted a bipartisan bill designed to completely restore habeas corpus rights to individuals detained indefinitely by the government. The 56-43 vote against the bill, drafted by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) fell four votes shy of the 60 needed to cut off debate.
But I guess this isn't all bad. Just don't get wrongfully arrested for being a suspected terrorist and you should be fine.
Craig back at work
Senator Larry Craig -- you know, the gay-sex-in-the-public-restroom guy, has returned back to the Senate. From what I hear, any time he enters a bathroom, all the other Senators run out. But that's another story.
Black, dirty water
If you haven't been following the stories about Blackwater, you should. This is where your tax dollars are going.
I don't know about you, but I'm a little worried when I think about how much work in Iraq is being done through private military companies like this group. Between massive civillian shootouts, smuggling illegal weapons that get resold to terrorists, and possibly staging prison breaks for crooks; we are left with overwhelming evidence of what happens when we let certain private contractors loose in a hostile region without any oversight. They are not beholden to government and certainly not the military. Yet they cash the checks we write.
Halliburton, move over. You've got company.
Russian bomber spotted over North American coastal areas
Call me an alarmist, but I'm really starting to get worried about our relations with Russia. Ever since we decided to maintain our missile defense stations in Eastern Europe, the Russians have made their objections known. And now, for the first time since the start of the Cold War, we're starting to see Russian bombers in our area. Calls for a little concern if you ask me.
Judge slam dunks the Patriot Act
A federal judge in Oregon ruled last week that major sections of the USA Patriot Act were unconstitutional because they allowed federal surveillance and searches of Americans without demonstrating probable cause. This ruling came from Judge Anne L. Aiken of Federal District Court in Portland during a case where a lawyer in Portland was arrested and jailed after the FBI falsely linked him to the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
Pimp my tragedy
Apparently, pimpery is not exclusive to the pulpit. A supporter of Presidential candidate Rudy Ghoul-iani is sponsoring a 9/11 party as a part of his campaign; with a per person charge of $9.11. I guess that I shouldn't jump the gun too quickly on this one. As far as I can tell Guiliani hasn't responded to this idea. For that matter, the former mayor of New York is pretty reserved when it comes to using 9/11 to boost himself up.
Oh. Scratch that.
One less stereotype. Horray!
Fox News editorialist (I refrain from calling him a "journalist", for obvious reasons) Bill O'Reilly insists that his comments about a black restaurant weren't racist. Last week, O'Reilly joined civil rights activist Al Sharpton at Sylvia's, the famed restaurant located in the heart of Harlem. Later on a his radio talk show he commented on how suprised he was at the civility of black patronage. Who would've thunk it: black people can be civilized after all. I guess now the possibilities for black people are endless. Who knows, maybe we might graduate to actually using a knife, fork, and a napkin too. C'mon Bill. For real, dawg?
I've been to Sylvia's before and I actually met Mrs. Woods in person. Not only is her establishment wonderful, but the food is unreal and the service was spectacular. I should also note that she's incredibly humble and down to earth as a person. I feel like I had to add that in because if it were left up to Bill O's review, nobody with dark skin could ever possess any of such qualities.
Man shoots his pregnant girlfriend
Another story we can file under "Things we can't blame on racism." Apparently Andre Stewart, 32 is facing charges of homocide after he shot his girlfriend's 6-month fetus. In an paternally-related argument, Stewart drew a sawed off shotgun, pressed it against the woman's stomach and shot. The woman, whose identity has not been released, was last known to be in critical condition.
This story is screwed up on so many levels. One, I can't say enough about dumbasses like this Stewart character. But I'm also continuously fascinated at how appealing these thuggish, bad boy types are to women. I'm certainly not casting blame on the woman who was victimized, but I can't help but wonder why the hell they choose knuckleheads like this.
GOP candidates ignore black voters
Four of the major players in the GOP presidential race decided to skip out of a debate at Morgan State University, an HBCU. Apparently, they had better things to do. Rudy Ghoul-iani, Fred Thompson, John McCain, and Mitt "John Kerry, Jr." Romney were all no-shows at the debate, each citing "scheduling conflicts." The Republican candidates who actually did show up were quick to drill those who didn't attend. Frankly, their criticism is well earned.
This reminds me of why most black folks will never vote Republican. Here these losers have a great opportunity to share their views and reach out to a potential force during next year's elections, and they don't even give them the time of day.
No childs left behind
While your president was in New York campaigning for his controversial No Child Left Behind Act, he showed us the true value of education when he emphatically reminded us that "Childrens do learn." Between that, his infamous "Is our children learning?" line, and countless other Bushisms, I'm not so sure that we should leave it up to ole Dubya to be a spokesperson for education. Where's Laura the Librarian when you need her?
Sore loser
Normally, I don't follow women's sports. I certainly won't waste time blogging about them. Generally speaking, women's sports bore me. But I thought this story was pretty interesting. The US women's soccer team was just pounced by Brazil in the World Cup semifinals 4-0. To add fuel to fire, goalkeeper Hope Solo went public in bashing her coach's decision to bench her for veteran goalie Brianna Scurry. Scurry, a former Olympic winner was previously undefeated against Brazil while Solo was impressively on a 41 game non-losing streak herself.
While I agree that benching Solo for an aged Scurry was questionable and I think everything she said was on point, her decision to openly blast her 'team' and her coach shows how classless she is. Rather than voicing her opposition in a closed door session and allowing the media to go after him, she did it on her own. Frankly, I'd kick her off the team for that.
Well, I guess that's it. Back to work. Catch you again soon. Have a great weekend folks.
