Are Times so Tough...

 ..That we must revert back to childhood?
Do adults really need to wear infantile onesies?
I just saw a commercial for these tonight and wondered, "WTF?".

 Maybe some marketing genius will combine a pillow like this...

... with a scarf like this to let us all remember the comforts of being an infant.
"New, From Ronco!!! The Nipple Pillow! Feel all your worries vanish while you sleep in the fetal position thinking of mom. *Liquor filled bladder sold separately", the ads might say.

My Enemies

These House Negroes and most others like them.

But don't they look just dandy?

Again, I was asked to join a group of Black men who imagine themselves as being better than all other Black men.

"It's an honor not given to many", I was told.

I support this local organization when their actions agree with mine but I don't wish to belong to any group which excludes others predicated on social status - I had enough of that back in high school. 

I've always hated the term "Talented Tenth" - it's as though some believed that they alone were predestined to rule over and subjugate others.

Sure, I can come across as polished and erudite - it's an easy act to accomplish - but then the "Mutha'-Fucka's" come flying out of my mouth when someone takes advantage of another.

Many of these men came from the same culture they now disdain - others are so far removed from this culture that their ideas and concepts are no longer valid.

"But you're "Bougie" just like us.", one member would say.

"Octoroon Please (Yeah, I stole that phrase from SeeNew - but they don't know it.)... . First of all it's Bourgeois or Bourgeoisie. "Bougie" is a colloquialism used by those who cannot pronounce it the correct way. Secondly, I attend to and deal with those y'all Nigga's are afraid of or imagine yourselves too good for on a daily basis.", I would reply.

"But, but... . Many in your family are members of (fill in elite Black organizations here) and (fill in the rest here). You give away more than most of our members have.", another member would continue. 

"The thing is - I am not from here. I don't know nor recognize anyone I am supposed to try to impress. Your little Boule organization is just an imitation of a white imitation of a European imitation of some obscure cult bent on subjugating others. You have no real power - what you have is an imitation of an imitation of power. Real power comes from being free to make ones own choices without being beholden to some status-seeking group. You're not the master, nor are you the master's helper - y'all are just the wolves in sheep's clothing serving the master of this world leading those who should know better to the dark side of humanity.", I replied.

In all honesty, if these guys came to me for my philanthropic work - I may have listened.

Since they came after me for my perceived status and my ability to be above the childish acts of racism because many whites they wish to befriend are already friends with me - Effum.

Just Wrong

Strutting Skeletons?

 No, not her....

 Nor even her... (Although the one on the right is wayyyyy too thin.).

 But some of the models on Victoria's Secret fashion show were just a bit too thin.
Most had no muscle tone and many where as thin as wire hangars.

Police Action.

 An unidentified police officer referred to kids from South East Texas high schools as "acting like thugs" after a bench-clearing brawl after a recent playoff game.
The use of excessive force and pepper spray were needed to quell the disturbance.
It's a good thing this officer didn't have a baton nearby.

Little Hookers ?

 It's the parent's fault.

WTF ?

Did he;
a) Need a hug as a kid?
b) Need to be told "No" more often as a kid?
c) Turn out just fine?

Child Abuse?

 Back in the day, people thought it was funny to see Spanky getting tricked into eating a bit too much Tabasco.

These days, a mother from Alaska goes to jail for using the spicy condiment as a form of punishment.

Butt Whoopin's used to be an acceptable form of punishment. "Spare the rod, spoil the child.", a commonly read book is often quoted.
But a Texas Judge loses his job for punishing his daughter.... six years after the fact?

You want to know why today's kids have no respect for authority?
(Well, besides the fact that most of those currently in positions of authority are not worthy of much respect.)
It's because no one 'broke a foot off in they ass' back when they were still young enough to be corrected.

Trying NOT to Get Fat

17 plates of food delivered to my door.
13 homes visited (with to-go platters of food from each).
5 dinners delivered to the club.
I'll have food for weeks.

Out Classed Once Again

This past Thanksgiving only one rival club opened.
The club spent big on advertising, promotions, give-aways, etc. ... and they charged no cover.
My club decided to charge a cover of five dollars and/or non-perishable food items - which were donated to the local food bank.
The rival flopped while we were so busy that we had to turn people away.
Odd... some club owners still don't know the mood of their crowd.
Some club owners try to buy their patrons instead of allowing them to become a part of the club.
It's just odd that this rival club owner did not understand that sometimes people like to give more than they'd like to receive.

Inevitable

Next step; Anarchy.

The Light Bearer

John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...."
Later in the chapter many references are are made to "Light" or "the Light".

http://www.lds-mormon.com/lucifer.shtkl
Mentions Lucifer as being the 'bearer of light'.
Why does "Light" seem to be so important within our known Universe?

Time and Space Travel

 If we are only able to perceive 5% of the ordinary matter in our known universe using only three (or four) dimensions - what does the other 95% look like?
Is there really such a thing as "Dark Matter" or is that just a scientific phrase for, "We Don't Know"?

Maybe the other 95% of the unknown Universe is ordinary matter but only perceivable with more dimensions.
If the speed of light is our speed limit within our four dimensions - is it able to be surpassed if more dimensions exist?
Does 'prayer' work in a fifth or sixth dimension - in a dimension which we are not yet able to measure or even be aware of?
If so - can prayer (or focused thought) travel faster than the speed of light?
Surely such focused thought exists below the Planck scale - wouldn't it be able to travel faster than light itself without violating any known laws of Physics?

Does focused thought (or prayer) travel on the backside, under or behind our known Universe?

(HT - John K. On whose blog I am not able to leave comments.)

Vanity

 Why is it that so many women think they look like this...

When in reality they more look like a busted can of biscuits?

If I get asked to take another photo with a lady in poorly fitted clothing and she immediately assumes the "Booty Shot" pose as though she were on the cover of King Magazine, I might have to tell her something she doesn't want to hear.

Mendacity

 Maybe 'revenge' is the motivation behind Ethiopia's most recent foray into Somalia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6159735.stm

But judging by the past actions of our leaders - could the revenge being sought be that of American interest groups?

Piety

Members of a church came by my house asking why I have not been attending their services lately.
"Your church is for perfect people - I'm too far from perfect to be a member in good standing,", I replied.
I wonder if they'll be back?

Humility

"Damn, John - why do you get such special treatment here.", other business owners asked at a recent social gathering.
"You all came here demanding respect - John came here to show respect.", a member of the organization answered.

Out-Classed

Nightclubs are a messy business - and nightclub owners are notoriously backhanded.
Recently a rival club has started rumours and gossip, called the TABC and even offered to buy me out in an effort to eliminate the competition.
What was my response?
I called the rival owner to ask whether it was alright if I brought some people to his club.
I closed early tonight and brought my crowd and employees to the rival club to wish one of it's oldest employees a "Happy Birthday".
(I once did some consulting work for this rival so I know most of it's patrons and employees.)

"Now, that's class.", was heard from many of the people in the rival club.
Before getting home, I received three bookings for future parties.
When one has a good reputation there is no need to compete - sometimes it's easier to just outclass the competition.

Should One Even Bother To Help Others?

 Or does it just breed a culture of dependency?
If we do choose to help others, is it best to so so through a group or organization - or is one-on-one assistance better?
The group has more and more varied resources but so many people apply for help though these organizations that much of the assistance becomes diluted to the point that it can't really make any measurable difference in the lives of those it is trying to help.
One-on-one assistance is often limited but it is often more focused, more nimble and able to adapt to each person's needs.

 Should we help those who have the least and often the least chance of doing better?

Or should we focus on the so-called 'Talented Tenth" in the hope that they will pay it forward?

If You're Broke...

 You're still not as bad off as many in the former 'middle-class'.

Many are mired in debt.
You just have nothing.
You are not owned by a bank.
You may not own anything - but at least you don't owe everything.
You're still liquid, you're still free.

Casting Out The Money Changers

 http://iamthewitness.com/DarylBradfordSmith_Bankers.htm

Maybe we do need a Second Coming.

They'll Never Learn

 Until it's too late.
Most people say, "It'll never happen here and if it does it will never happen to me.".
Hurricane Katrina was just a warning - it was a 'practice disaster'.
We thought of ourselves as being the richest and most technologically advanced society on the planet - surely we could handle a simple weather event.
Before August 28, 2005 - most Americans thought that technology and society would save them in the event of a natural disaster - after Katrina, there is no excuse for believing that our Government can save, protect and provide for every citizen.

 I still do a bit of construction and the most common purchase after a remodel seems to be the almost ubiquitous over sized flat panel TV.
I like flat screens as well but for most people there is no reason to make it their first big purchase.

The smart money would purchase and install a natural gas powered whole-house generator.
These things have become relatively affordable so there is rarely an excuse for most people not to have one.
If you have a big TV but no generator and you suffer from from a power outage - STFU, you have no one to blame but yourself.

Down Goes Frazier

I never liked Joe Frazier - I was more of an Ali type of guy.
But the thing is; great champions need even greater adversaries - and Joe was that.
R.I.P "Smokin'" Joe.

I've Had a Lot of Girls

No... not  in that way...
(Well...Okay... Maybe that way too.)
But I always seem to find women who need help.

I just hired a cute little cocktail waitress who just went through a divorce.
The girl is honest and a hard worker.
She's in training to become a prison guard at the moment so she has no cash coming in.
I 'friended' her on the club's facebook page and noticed that she asked for a volunteer to paint one of her sons' room.
"I'll do it.", I replied.
I gathered a couple of young cousins and we patched and painted the requested room.

"You trying to get with her?", a cousin asked.
"Nah, man. She just needed something done and I always take care of the people who work for me.", I replied.
"...Yeah... you do.", he said.
In reality, I seem to take care of the people who rent from me, work for me, or even those who work with me.
These women are often referred to as being "One of John's Girls".
Not that I hook-up with them but everyone seems to know that I'm looking out for them.
Others end up looking out for them as well because they understand that in doing so they are also looking out for me.

I Met a Man From Kansas City...

Who happened to come to town on a train.
No, not on Amtrak but the man was riding the rails as a hobo.
He wasn't dirty, he didn't smell and he was polite.
This (white) guy stumbled into a Black bar which happened to have a Jazz, Blues and R&B band playing this past Sunday evening.
I had plenty of free food set out for the invited guests and any walk-in customers.

"I've been all across this country and I never would have expected a place like this in a town such as this.", he said with excitement.
The guy said that he had intended to only come as far south as Shreveport, Louisiana but that he had slept past his jumping point and ended up in Beaumont, Texas instead.
"I just want a drink. Is it okay if I stay and have a drink? Can I stay and listen to the music? I just love the Blues.", he continued.
"Looks like you've lived the Blues.", I said.

The guy just laughed at my remark, sat back and said that he was shocked that no one thought anything of a white guy in a Black club here in a small town in the South.
After a short time more white patrons began to arrive.
By this time the man had enough to drink to build up the courage to ask one of the white women to dance.
"No, I'm married to the (Black) bass player,", the woman said.

The guy seemed surprised that he was treated well by the Black patrons and employees but he seemed upset that the woman would be married to a Black guy.
"Dude, ask a sista' to dance.", I said.
"Will they dance with me?", he asked.
"Can you dance?, I asked.
"Well... No, not really.", he replied.
"Well... They won't dance with you then. Not because you're a white dude but because you cannot dance.", I said.

The man ate his fill, had drinks bought for him, listened to and sang along with the music and then dashed out the door as he heard the squeal of brakes on an approaching train.
"I gotta' catch this train. I'm trying to get home.", he said as he grabbed his coat in his mad dash to catch the next train north.

Quarterback Complex

"Why does everyone want to see you do well?", "Why does everyone want to help you?" or "Why does it seem like everyone has your back?", are questions I am often asked.

The truth is - I have no idea why many people seem to rally around me.

I'm not a particularly nice person - some of my best friends say that I can be kind-of mean (And many of these have no idea as to why we're even friends at all.).

I probably have more enemies than most others have acquaintances.

Even when trying to help people, many assume that I am doing so in order to get some type of temporal gain - that I must have some type of ulterior motive.

But I've just been conditioned to help anyone when I am able - I don't have to like or even know the person.

The goal is always more important than my personal feelings or emotions.

You see, I have some skills - but I cannot do everything on my own.

I am accustomed to having a team around me.

I'm used to having people handle the little problems on which I don't feel like spending the time or effort to address.

Thug stating ish - somebody handles it before it gets to me.

Money getting low - somebody makes sure my accounts are current.

Too tired to finish a task - someone steps up his game to ensure the job gets done.

It seems that some people think that the better I do the better it will be for those around me.

It seems that there is something to being "The Peoples' Champ" or "The Sun King".
Biblically, this concept could be explained in Matthew 10.
We are taught to do good works yet to expect nothing in return.
I guess the Peoples' Champ and the Sun King has paid his dues to society so that most common men can identify with his struggles and cheer his successes without envy or jealousy.
I guess he has helped those around him to be and to do better before he thought about his own well being so that now others see his successes as being their own.

Sure, he will have those who resent him or his successes - even when he is just succeeding at helping others - but these have no power to do him any real harm.
Yeah, yeah... people will gossip and start rumours - people will say that he always had it easy or that he had some unfair advantage in life - but these are just making excuses for their own failures.
Rivals will try to emulate his successes - but these rivals will have often failed to do the groundwork of laying a solid social foundation which can support success.

I really don't know how or why humility works.
Matthew 23:12 (KJV) says, "...and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
It takes a great leap of faith and often counter intuitive actions to lead a life of humility - it takes focus and discipline to ignore all the accolades and awards given when one does so.

 

The Luxury of Poverty In America

 Well... we're a long way from this...
Sure, 'The Elites' own and control most of the wealth in America and many formerly from the middle-class are protesting in various American cities in a vain attempt to get back some of their stolen wealth.

But it is about two or three years too late to topple Wall Street.
Instead of spending 4-16 trillion dollars to rescue vampiric and self-serving financial institutions - the government could have just given Credit Unions 2 trillion dollars to pay off every Americans Credit Card and Student Loan debt.
The banks would have gotten the needed cash infusions (and cleared many of their books) and the people would have shed the onerous personal debt which enslaves them.

But it's too late to kill these once injured financial beasts.
The average poor person today is living at a level beyond that of many from the middle-class just a generation earlier.
Most of America's poor have amenities reserved for the middle-class in many other countries.

Will Occupy Wall Street work?
Nope, most are crying over milk they've spilled themselves.