Stereotypes

Anyone who saw the Emmys (and recalls Kate's performances on DWTS) could easily be reminded of the stereotype that "White people can't dance".

(And Kate reminds us that she still cannot dance.)

As for Master P...?

Well... errr... ummm...

(I guess all stereotypes aren't true.)

Al v. Glenn

"The folks who used to criticize us for marching are trying have a march for themselves"  Al Sharpton

Not wishing to create the same racist ambiance created by some of the signage from last year's rally - Glenn Beck told his supporters not to bring anything which could elicit the titles "Racists" or "Obama Bashers" from news sources covering this year's event.

It's just funny to me that most Conservatives are now pretending to favor the teachings of King over those of Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Booker T Washington or Frederick Douglas - whose teachings were much more in line with the ideology of the current purported Conservatives.

But come to think of it - the right citing King as the exemplar of Black conservatism should not be a surprise.

Judging by the ringleaders and central figures (Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin) of this crusade's limited scope of sources - King is probably the only Black person most of these people could recall.

(Okay, King and Alex Hailey.)

Equality?

As I said earlier, most people only claim to desire fairness when it is slanted in their favor.
Which is why I don't desire a Black Mecca.
As with all those new to power - those who replace the previous power will begin to act the same as that former power.
New power often asserts itself in a Lord of the Flies manner with the weaker members becoming the new minorities.

I also stated that one of the clubs I run has decided to have a "Salsa Night".
(Really, it is code for "Latino Night'. In all actuality, only one or two Salsa songs are played throughout the night - the rest of the play list being Latin-inspired Hip-Hop, House or Techno music.)
To get ready for "the Mexicans" (as the club owners referred to the clientele), the owners decided to serve only canned beer (instead of bottled) and to used plastic glassware.
"NO! That's what many white people (used to) do to Black people.", I replied.
Not wishing to offend me, we used our regular glassware and provided our usual level of service.
The night went on without a fight and the club sold out and had a record level of bar sales
The crowd was polite (as they understood that this was not one of "their" clubs and that we offered the space as a courtesy) and patient (even when we'd run out of a particular brand of liquor).
The promoters thanked the owners and me for allowing them the use of the venue.
At the end of the night - the same owner said, "We should have them every Saturday night.
Odd how money can change ones view of another.

Good Hair

While at DeeVee's site, the topic of "Good Hair" was brought up.
Many people wish to do away with the socially conditioned beliefs of what is considered to be good (more desirable) and what is considered to be bad (less desirable) hair.
But the hair (as are the nails) is a protein based appendage of the skin.
The condition of ones hair and nails can be an early indicator of the condition of ones largest organ (the skin) and other internal organs.
"Good Hair" is that which belongs to a healthy person.

Pigmentocracy

It amazes me when some say that it is wrong to date/marry inter-racially but they find the products of such unions to be those to whom they are attracted to the most.
From Barack Obama, being celebrated as being the first Black president.
To Beyonce' or Cassie or Christina Milian or Halle Berry or Leona Lewis or Lolo Jones or Mariah Carey or Nicki Minaj or Esther Baxter being touted as being among the most beautiful women in the world - most of those who claim to hate mixed race couples are those who find the byproducts of mixed raced unions to be among the most attractive women in the world.
Why do many people claim to hate that which they are attracted to the most?

Bad Boss

It looks as though I'll have another client.
I have no idea why people decide to open nightclubs without any previous experience.
Maybe they'd been to a well run club and thought, "This looks easy. I could do this.".
But it only looked easy because the people knew what they were doing.

My business is strictly word of mouth and I accept cash payments only.
I initially go to the club as a guest and try to see what the club is doing right and what needs to be improved upon.
After this, I offer to work for two weeks for free and then after the two weeks we'll negotiate a price based on performance.
(Usually a percentage of the increase in the club's revenue.)

I just finished my first week at a well funded, but poorly run, club.
The biggest problem with the club is it's owners and managers.
The owners and managers want to sit in the lounge and talk to their little circle of friends.
But this is a mistake - the hundred or so friends of the owners won't keep a club open as well as can the thousands of potential patrons the owners don't know.
When a club is slow is the best time to stop and introduce oneself and to thank the patrons for coming in.
Every patron likes to brag that they know the owner.
The more patrons that can say this the better.

The other common problem is the insecurities of those in charge.
As a cocktail waitress was having trouble taking a patron's drink order - I left the bar to offer the patron some options.
But this club did not have a working blender and it's Daiquiri machine was on the fritz.
As I was talking to the table of ladies, one of the owners came by to see what was going on.
Upon hearing that we couldn't make the drinks first requested, "Oh, he's new and he doesn't know how to work the bar yet." the owner said.
But this is wrong.
I had left the bar to take the blame away from the young cocktail waitress and to offer a remedy.
(I know I'm good so a little heat wouldn't hurt my reputation. In fact - saying,"I don't know" or "I'm sorry but..." improves my reputation.)
The owner came to the table to place the blame on someone else.
(Her fear of looking bad actually made her look worse.)
But the cocktail waitress noticed this.
The young cocktail waitress also knew that the higher ones position the higher the blame.
The cocktail waitress and her coworkers are now more loyal to me than they are their bosses.

Bad bosses (managers, owners, leaders,...) blame others.
Good bosses blame themselves and then find solutions.
Bad bosses run and hide when things go wrong.
Good bosses take the heat when things go wrong.

No Difference

SeeNew, FreeMan and brohammas.
Each is attempting to help those who have less.
Less education, less money, less experience - less opportunity.
The thing is - most of the time we may view the same thing but with a different perspective.
SeeNew sees things in a scientific model.
His fractal (pattern) is seen as a series of logical answers to a proceeding action.
FreeMan sees his pattern in the form of a compound interest graph.
His pattern is a series of actionable advances predicated on the current circumstances.
brohammas sees things as seemingly serendipitous conditions under which one must adapt.
His fractal is just a force of nature.
But each view is the same view - it is only they are filtered through different lenses.

Equality?

Most people claiming to work for equality and wishing to be judged by their character don't really want equality and/or fair judgement at all..
What they really want is 'equalty' in their favor.

Anyone But TP

Some would argue that Tyler Perry movies and television shows are a reflection of "real Black life".

Really?

Your daddy dresses like a gun toting elderly woman for a living?

I know, I know - many actors have had to play roles in which they have felt uncomfortable.

Many actors have had to portray hackneyed stereotypes before they built up enough bankability to create their own characters.

I was recently on another site where a guest thought that Mr. Perry was the savior of Black cinema in America.

Really?

Aren't Ice Cube's Friday, Players' Club, Are We There Yet, Barbershop and recent Lottery Ticket better representative of real life in the varied lives of Blacks in America?

Aren't O'Shea Jackson's movies more funny in a clever way and not just silly in a moronic way?

If given the choice - Ice Cube over Tyler Perry any day.

Not Hatin'

I'm not hatin' on Weezey - I just don't think he's the G.O.A.T.
Weezey is today's version of Madonna - a lot of hit songs but no great songs.
Madonna was more derivative than seminal.
Madonna took the music and culture she learned at New York clubs Limelight, Danceteria or Area and offered her interpretation as a new product for the masses.
Madonna stole Vogue culture from the gays from that era. (Even though Malcolm McLaren did it better with Deep in Vogue.)
Madonna was more known for her image than for her talent.
Sure, I still enjoy hearing Holiday, Lucky Star or Burning Up - but I don't think that these are among the greatest songs of all time.

Make Millions

Selling our new line of Fat Boy Toilets.
These toilets are made with extra strong concrete and can adapt to existing installation hardware.
The seating area allows an for an extra six inches of girth and can hold a person weighing up to 800lbs.!
Our heart-shaped seats are made to fit each cheek with surprisingly supportive comfort.
America getting fatter?
We have the solution!

Older Deomgraphic ?

Sometimes ones opinion of "quality" is subjective - sometimes it not.
Angelina Jolie is an actor, philanthropist and all around hot chick.

But sometimes one can imitate the traits of quality without actually having those traits themselves.

Back in the day - goods were made with better materials.

Today, many products are just being marketed and hyped as being the real thing.

(Notice that only the front of this home is brick and that the materials used are of inferior quality.)

Who is this man?

For what is he known?

Even though he is the current heavyweight boxing champion - who is this man?

For what is he known?

Sometimes there are front men acting like front men.

And then there are auto-tune assisted hype-men pretending to be front men.

Nigger Rigged ?

I have a neighbor who is always coming up with cheaper ways to do everything.
Some of his ideas are pretty lame but some could be turned into marketable products.
(No, the photo above was not one of his inventions - it was jack from the Internet.)
The thing is - most products were improvised solutions to existing problems.

When some from the larger demographic comes up with such a "solution", history will remember him as being a Macgyver-like pragmatist.

When I see a solution that someone else may call "Nigger Rigged" - I see a solution that I call, "African American Ingenuity" or a "Prototype for a Improvised Solution".

Bill Gates was the best (worst) Nigger Rigger on the planet.

Mr Gates created (stole) a product which wasn't new.

Mr Gates' product was just a platform which sat on top of the original OS and made it easier for regular people to use..

Did these guys "Nigger Rig" a form of transportation or were they working on a prototype for a car?

Did this guy 'invent' the first modern airplane in the West or did he just "Nigger Rig" a bicycle?

And don't even get me started on Bell or Edison or the first white guy who 'invented' a way to perform the first surgery on the human heart.

The Death Of Rap

Back in the day - rap groups had a front man, a DJ with one or two Hype-men.
Chuck D delivered the relevant lines in any Public Enemy song.
Flava Flav was a hype-man - coming up with memorable lyrics like, "Yeeeeah Boy!!!"

Even though I currently live in the South - I hate Southern Rap.
There is no poetry, no melody, no story... no point - only simple sing-song couplets
Southern rap features the followers in the roll of the leaders.

In the Hot Boyz - Weezy was the hype man.
Juvenile delivered the story Weezy delivered the highlights.
Weezy is credited with lyrics such as, "Bling Bling" and "Wobbledy Wobbledy.."

Flava knew he was only the hype-man.

Most of today's kids are fooled into believing that Weezy is a front man.