Only...

Someone once stated,
"Only a moral and just society is capable of a democracy."
- or something like that.
Is the War on Terror even a just war anymore?
But how do we imagine ourselves able to force democracy on another country, culture or religion when we seem to be struggling with the concepts ourselves?

How many people fully respect and admire our local police forces?
Depending on one's past experiences - the levels probably vary.

Who respects and trusts those who run our banking institutions?

What about a stranger on the street?

Is there any reason to trust someone we may not even know?

Is our society making the wise choices on something as simple as abortion?

Okay, okay... .

I the seventh grade, it was Miss Washington.

In the ninth, Ms Leir.

But other than these two, the rest of my teachers looked like trolls who lived under bridges and ate goats.

But I was never as lucky as today's boys who enjoy private tutoring by their favorite teachers.

Is this moral?

(Q; What's the difference between a "Bitch" and a "Ho"?

A: A "Ho" does everybody, but a "Bitch" does everybody except you.")

Priest+Boy= Bad

And I don't have the room to list the scandals of those involved in politics.

So again,

Who are we to preach to other nations when we largely fail to understand morality and justice ourselves?

WTF?

When did the Saints become the preeminent team in the NFL?
I'm not really a Saints fan, but my family is from all over Louisiana - so I have to like the Saints by default.
(That and Reggie Bush - of USC - was their first round pick a few years ago.)
All weekend, I had to hear how great the Saints were.
But it seems that besides Katrina - people from NOLA have a short memory.
It wasn't too long ago that the Saints were the Aints.
Talk about the realization of parity in the NFL.
How did the Saints...the SAINTS?

Angry Old Ladies

Today I had a run-in with a couple of old ladies.
No, I didn't fight them - they were just mad that the others existed.

At the beginning and end of every month, I take several elderly ex-tenants and elderly acquaintances around town to pay their bills, shop for groceries, fill prescriptions, make home and auto repairs, and sometimes to just sit and talk.
But recently, a group of elderly ladies has become upset because I help the other elderly ladies.
None of these ladies is related to me, but each feels as though I am a member of their family.

Thanksgiving weekend is a tiresome time.
Why?
Because each lady expects me to spend several hours re-listening to the same stories they've been telling me for years.
When one asks the reason of my missing the main course of a meal, and my reason is that I had to fix some one's roof - all hell breaks loose.
It's getting to the point where I don't even mention that the other ladies exist at all.

But I have an elderly great-aunt to whom I often go for advice.
When I explained the problem - my aunt simply stated, "John... They are old - not dead."
She began to explain that these women probably haven't the attention of a man in some years.
She further explained that tall, light skinned brotha's with good hair were a desired commodity to those of their generation.
She further explained that being able to brag of such a one to one's friends was a form of one-upmanship.

Honestly, I should have noticed it earlier when one drunk old lady cussed me out for bringing a stripper (Whom I was doing) to her family's bar-b-que.
"What does she have on me beside age", she yelled.
"Oh... and those big ass (44DDD) tiddies.", she continued.
"And a nice hard round ass", she finished.
"And teeth. And an attractive face..." I should have added.
But really, when did these old ass ladies imagine that someone helping them was anything more than just that.
From now on - If she doesn't look like Raquel Welch, Tina Turner or Sophia Lauren at their ages - I'm not helping her!

Dumb

It amazes me to think that anyone would dream of being a dope boy.
Even for those from the hood - this is the last best option.
Ask any kid in dire surroundings what they'd like to be when they grow up - very few will say, "A Drug Dealer".
Most dealers don't choose such an occupation - it usually lands on them.
They are usually the best at managing the various responsibilities associated with the trade in which others may need assistance.
Since many from the hood are surrounded by the trade - one's involvement may start out as something as simple as advising a childhood friend.
Most children want the money, the reputation, the cars and the women - but these can all be obtained by other means.
(Why do you think many dealers try to become entertainers?)
The odd thing is - only effete, suburban, sheltered, wannabees fantasize about the drug lifestyle.
These are usually men who failed to acquire any form of street cred while growing up.
These are usually those who talk about violence - but if it came down to it, their guns would only slow them down on their sprint away from trouble.
Their "Hero" is the image of the successful drug dealer (But few understand the realities of such a career choice.).

Mormon Bowl

Okay brohammas - It would seem that you Utes need an extreme makeover...

And doll is here to help you out.

(@ brohammas - BYU do Utes assume that every mention of Utah is directed at you?)

Cop Killer

The vilification of Cop Killers has been around since there have been cops.
But what few wish to accept is that there are some effed-up cops on the streets.
But what is it that motivates one to kill those appointed to protect the masses?
Are Cop Killers always wrong?

I have many friends who belong to various police forces - some good, some bad.
Most people (not even criminals) don't have a problem with the good cops - it is usually when members of the force start believing that the laws do not apply to them that the problems arise.

As I said, I know a lot of good cops who work to solve problems - not just to solve cases.
But I've also heard about many officers who engage in trading twins (laundering counterfeit money), dealing and using drugs, theft of evidence and merchandise and many who are as crooked as the criminals they are sworn to arrest.

Have you ever wondered how cops can just get lucky and stop the right car on the highway that happens to be carrying a nice load of product?
How do they always stop a car or truck that is speeding down the highway with it's occupants being high on weed?
(Have you ever driven on weed? Chances are, you're NOT speeding. Chances are, you're driving too slow.)
Sometimes these cops are on the inside of drug rings and let their fellow officers know when a shipment is being made.
But I heard that some officers make deals with drug dealers (Usually one or two shipments out of ten, or so.) to sacrifice some product to ensure the safety of the majority of deliveries.
The dealer gets to punish an insolent employee - and the cop gets his name in the paper.
When the cops get greedy (Wanting to take more than half of the product - Some to turn over as evidence and some to use as they will.), the dealers often retaliate by killing the wayward cop.
A criminal is a problem, but a dirty cop has a licence to do whatever they'd like (Or so they think.).
A dirty cop is worse than is a criminal.

Contrary to what many racists may think, this problem is not endemic to one's race.
(Are Mexican drug dealers only killing white, Black or Asian cops?)
Just Google "Cop Killer" and click the "Images" button at the top of your screen.
Judging by the available photos - some from all races seem to have problems with some police officers..
I'm not saying that the officers recently killed in Washington were dirty - only that their past dealing may shine more light on the motivation behind their killings.

Ready For A Coup D' Etat?

So what does the insolvency of a Middle Eastern city have to do with you?
(Dubai; $47 bil. debt against a $37 bil. GDP)
Well... nothing, if you live under a rock.

There have been reports speculating of the demise of the big gamble in Dubai since late last year.
But Dubai isn't the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai only has to borrow money from it's neighbor, Abu Dhabi, to keep the dream of the oasis in the Arabian Desert afloat.
But with some (former) American companies being valued at more than the city itself - doesn't it make more sense for these companies to devalue the land they occupy?
Why did Halliburton move it's headquarters from Houston to Dubai?

DIFC was set up to facilitate the flow of lightly regulated funds through offshore accounts.

Dubai Ports World raised a stink in the US when it attempted to take control of many of the country's shipping ports.

With speculation that the money men behind the recent piracy in the Middle East were based in Dubai - what point is there in ruling the ports when one can just rule the seas?

Is there any surprise that Blackwater moved it's headquarters to Dubai?

Our relationship with this tiny city may be closer than we think.

F.U.C.L.A.

How could USC win all of it's "Big" games (and probably it's Bowl game) and still have a terrible season?
With wins over Ohio State, Notre Dame, and now UCLA - the Trojans should have had a great season.
But the thing is - USC failed to win the games that really shouldn't have mattered at all.

1 Florida - Beat the stew out of a Florida State team that may be signing a new coach to replace the aged Bobby Bowden.
1 Alabama - Won it's rivalry game over Auburn 26-21 - setting up it's place in the real Championship game (SEC Championship) against Florida.
3 Texas - Held off a surprising A&M team to remain the second best team in it's state.
4 TCU - Won an easy practice game against New Mexico 51-10. With a loss by Texas to Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship game, the Horned Frogs could well be booking a trip to Pasadena against the winner of the semi-final game (Bama v. Fla.).
5 Cincinnati - Remained unbeaten by showing Illinois how big-time football is played (By a medium-time program.).
6 Boise St - With a win over Nevada, the Broncos remain undefeated but still miss the Big Dance. With only one loss in the last three years - will the Broncos ever get any respect?

But the week wasn't all bad for Trojan fans;
Stanford (W 45-38), more than likely, convinced Notre Dame that Charlie Weiss' contract should not require them to continue to settle for being an also ran.
And in the "Mormon Bowl", BYU beat Utah 26-23!

What's Up With The Hair?

In the '80's, Mike Score, of A Flock of Seagulls, was notorious for his inventive haircuts.
For decades, no one dared to emulate such a catastrophe.

But that was until Adam Lambert decided to bust out the old style for a new generation.

This Thanksgiving weekend, I've encountered no less than nine cousins (or cousins of cousins) who've decided that this look was worth trying.

Maybe it wasn't Lambert after all.

Maybe these cousins watch The Real Hoodrats of the ATL and like the style on Kandi.

So I asked.

But this was not the case.

Most of these women say the cut on...

Kate Gosselin was their inspiration.

Really?

This inspired Black women to order the cut from their stylists in time for Thanksgiving dinner?

These women thought that this looked good?

I don't know... Maybe these women felt as though they could identify with the stereotype of a single, loud, bossy, unemployed, mother, with a lot of kids, and a lot of drama.

Chillax

Thanksgiving weekend is usually one of those weekends when one gets tired of fulfilling all their familial responsibilities and so they retreat to the nearest cine-plex to clear their mind.
I usually favor smaller and more interesting (to me) movies that don't generate much box office revenue.
For this list, the criterion is that a movie cannot have made more than 40 million dollars in domestic box office.
(Compiling such a list is more work than it would seem.)

The Best Movies A-Z (Which didn't do a lot of domestic box office).
American Psycho - $15 mil.
Blade Runner - $27.5 mil.
Cinema Paridiso - $12 mil.
Do The Right Thing 27.5 mil.
El Mariachi - $2 mil.
Fight Club - $37 mil.
Grand Canyon $33.2 mil.
Heathers - $1.1 mil.
Inkwell - $8.8 mil.
Juice - $20.1 mil.
Kung Fu Hustle - $17.1 mil.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - $3.8 mil.
Mirror Mask - $0.9 mil.
No Way Out - $35.5 mil.


Oldboy - $0.7 mil.
Pi - $3.2 mil.
Quick and the Dead - $18.6 mil.
Run Lola Run - $7.3 mil.
Snatch - $30.3 mil.
Trainspotting - $16.5 mil.
Usual Suspects - $23.3 mil.
V (No movies qualify.)
What the (Bleep) Do We Know - $10.9 mil.
Y (No movies qualify.)
Zebrahead - $1.6 mil.

Happy Thanksgiving

Take a thigh, take a leg,
or take a breast,
just forget about the bullshit
and enjoy the rest.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

So I've Been Told

Ecclesiastes 12:12 - "And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness to the flesh."

But many say that the more educated a person, the more happiness they will find.

But what good is knowledge without a purpose?

What good is a teacher who lacks the ability to pass their knowledge on to another generation?

What good is knowledge that goes unheeded?

Does it make any sense to suffer from a Cassandra Complex?

Pedantic, sumpsimus, pretentious, loquacious, bombastic, ostentatious, abstruse, pompous or grandiloquent - who benefits by these?

Is there any good from knowledge if no one understands?

So I've Been Told

Matthew 6:33 "Which of you by thought can add one cubit unto his stature."
It is thought by some that by improving their looks, life would be peachy.
The world is filled with people who spend thousands of dollars on: boob jobs, liposuction, hair extensions, colored contacts, tanning products, and Botox.
But are these people any better off after their transformations?

Sure, these people look better - but are they better?
Are their new looks any true indication of their overall health?
Are fake unhealthy (but "good looking:) people any more (or less) desirable than average healthy people?
Do these fake people still know that they are selling a product that doesn't really exist for them?
Is this (conscious or subconscious) insecurity detectable on a deeper level by those which these people wish to attract?
In reality, who even wants someone who is this fixated on looks which they don't even genetically possess?

If being good looking and shallow are not the keys to happiness - what are?

So I've Been Told

Some would say that piety is the key to happiness.
But was is the point of being righteous in an evil world?
What good is generated from deeds which produce little or no results?
If the problems go largely unsolved (and conditions remain unchanged) - who benefits from good deeds?
If the doer of these deeds grows weary and becomes jaded - does the doing of these deeds even benefit anyone?

Does abstaining from;
Wrath
Greed
Sloth
Pride
Lust
Envy or
Gluttony
bring happiness?

Proverbs 14:4 - "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox."
It seems that even the wise men of the Bible recognized that there is little benefit to being perfectly clean.
If the goal is to remain clean - what work gets done?

Not money, not piety - what is the key to happiness?

So I've Been Told

I've been told that "The love of money is the root of all evil.".
Maybe this is true - maybe not.
I've also been told that, "Money answereths all things.".
Maybe this is true - maybe not.
(And this advice from the same collection of books.)


But what is the purpose of money?
To tell the truth, I'm terrible with money.
I have to only buy what I can afford.
I have to get my designer duds (Valentino, Armani, Jhane Barnes, etc. - not Polo, Sean Jean, Ecko,etc.) from friends who work in the industry and can offer huge discounts.
I have to buy cars or toys with cash.
I have to pay all my bills as far in advance as possible (Even to the point of paying my projected yearly utility bills in January.).
I know, I know... I should maximize my interest by collecting it for as long as possible in my own account.
But that's not me.

I'm terrible with money.
I can always get money (Getting paid to do what I like when I like to do it.) - but I'm terrible at making it (Getting paid to do what I don't want to do regardless of the pay.).
So I leave the financial advice to guys like FreeMan.

But what is the purpose of money?
Money is a tool, or a resource - but for what?
Is having a lot of money your goal in life?
If you get a lot of money, what would you do?

You see, this is where you begin to see the point of money.
Money is only important because it leads you closer to what you really want.
And what is it that you really want?
"Freedom of choice."

It's not the freedom of having a good job - but the freedom of being able to walk away from a good job.
It's not the freedom of buying your kids every pair of Jordans on the market - but the freedom to have your kids be able to buy their kids whatever is needed and desired.
It's not the freedom of having others view you as an equal - but the freedom of not caring in the first place.
Money is not the ultimate goal.
Money is just a tool which helps you reach your final goal (whatever that may be).

Separation of Church and State

Matthew 22:21 - "Render onto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's"
Separation of Church and State.
It seems that even Christ understood this simple concept.

Do Adjuvants Destoy Phages?

Some polluted rivers and bodies of water are known to possess healing agents that kill the native bacteria that are harmful to humans.
But when the water from these bodies is boiled and cleansed - the resulting waters lose their healing properties.
(Maybe this is how Christ cured those suffering from leprosy or blindness in the Biblical stories. But how would he know about bacteriophages?)

Are the adjuvants used in today's medicines and vaccines actually doing more harm than good?
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/adjuvants.html
Are these adjuvants killing the beneficial bacteriophages?
http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mayer/phage.htm

Why Are Black Women Single ?

Are you the right piece to the puzzle?
Since the main directive of man is to survive and reproduce - do you have what the other needs to provide the best results in your current (or future) environment?

If the blending of genes adds to a greater chance of fighting off a greater number of diseases and illnesses,
Are your genes the best fit for the survival of the species?
Are your phenotypical traits more likely to be valued in your current (or future) environment?
Is your current knowledge of any benefit to your prospective mates?
Are your current skills of any benefit beyond your immediate surroundings?

Maybe we are all attracted to that which we cannot see - only that which we notice on a subconscious level.
(Pale whites living in sun drenched areas being attracted to those with a better ability to process Vitamin D (which, in turn, aids in the processing of Calcium), or Black people eating a Western diet being attracted to someone white for their supposed ability to better stave off cardiovascular disorders - as examples.)
Maybe everyone is attracted to looks - only on a subconscious level.

Why Are Black Women Single?

If you act like a princess - chances are, you'll be treated like one. (Your man will keep you around for show during social events, but he will maintain a harem on the side.)

If you act like a ho - chances are, you'll be treated like one. (Your man will use you for your little self-worth and dispose of you when another newer disposable model comes out.)

If you walk around mad - your man will always be mad too.

Chicken Or The Egg

Are you bitter because you're single,
or
are you single because you're bitter?

Why Are Black Women Single ?

It seems that many college educated women are at a crossroad concerning marriage - and whether that marriage should be to a Black man or to another.

While the pace of education for Black women seems to be eclipsing that of Black men - what has that education gotten you?
Are you afraid of Black men?
Are you superior to Black men?
Do you even know any Black men (beyond your own family)?
Has your experience with the Black men in your family soured your perception of all Black men?

The 10 Most Annoying Women In Entertainment

10 - Joan Rivers used to be the standard for annoying television personalities - but in today's popular culture, even this horse-faced-hag has been eclipsed for unlikable personalities.

9 - I couldn't take another tale of Cody's adventures - so when Kathy Lee Gifford left Regis and Kathy, there was once again peace in daytime television.

And now she has a show with (the much sexier) Hoda Kotb, where she still imagines herself a celebrity.

I'm not in favor of extramarital affairs - but in Frank's case, I can understand.

8 - It's odd, Whoopi is no Halle Berry - but she is still more attractive than Sherri Sheppard.

What is the point of bringing this beast to the show? To improve the ghetto demographic?

Ms Sheppard is a case of Affirmative Action going completely wrong.

(Hint to Ms Sheppard; Looking good for you isn't the same thing as being good looking. A bikini? Really?)

7 - Joy Behar's voice makes The Nanny's seem subtle, sublime and sultry by comparison.

I can never get over how she seems so pleased with herself when she attempts to make a joke on The View.

6 - Star "I'm a lawya' " Jones is so annoying that she turned a man gay (or at least convinced him that coming out of the closet was a better alternative than being married to her).

5 - The only thing worse than seeing Sherri Sheppard in a bikini is seeing Rosie O'Donnell in leather.

I thought she was tired of television.

I guess the newer wide screen models gave her an incentive to come back.

(Roseanne Barr is interchangeable with Ms O'Donnell for this slot.)

4 - Nene Leeche.

3 - MoNique. I throw up in my mouth, just a little bit, every time this beast pops up on my screen.

Just look at her... sweatin' gravy from under some of those chins.

2 Kate Gosselin isn't really celebrity - just an annoying single mother of eight who never fails to pop up on the magazine covers at the checkout counter.
And that Flock of Seagulls haircut didn't help.

1 Madea - Sure, sure... he's (Tyler Perry) made millions.

But I hate his portrayal of men in his movies (among other things).

Julius (Everybody Hates Chris), Cosby or Bernie Mac are more favorable images of Black manhood.

Maybe it's Mr Perry's experiences that dictate his limited perception of men.

Maybe he is just stating those opinions from a broken female's point of view.

What is the shared trait these women possess?

It is the perceived desperation for validation.

Each seems to be begging audiences to, "Please like me.".

This desperation for acceptance is the least attractive trait a woman could have.