Merry Christmas

 

 

It's Systemic

Maybe Christopher Dorner was just sick of all the BS within his department.
(The Stanford Prison Experiment x Low IQ Hiring Practices) + Race = Furguson, Missouri.

A Different Era

There is so much money to be made in professional sports these days that many Black athletes have lost touch with their (former) communities.

"Education" Isn't Everything

According to 24/7 Wall St -
The Ten Worst States to be Black in America; (Low Levels of Home Ownership, High Unemployment, High Incarceration Rates, ...)
10 Arkansas
09 Kansas
08 New Jersey
07 Connecticut
06 Michigan
05 Pennsylvania
04 Illinois
03 Rhode Island
02 Minnesota
01 Wisconsin
Of these states, only Arkansas (at number three) is on the same site's list for the Least Educated States in America.
I guess the disparities between races cannot be solved by "education" alone.

Pig's Feet & Doughnuts

Forget Chicken and Waffles - the most interesting Thanksgiving breakfast I've ever been offered in the South so far has to be Pig's Feet & Pancakes.

Since today was Thankgiving - we were offered the more special Pig's Feet & Doughnuts.

(Ummm, no. I passed on this delightful dish but watching several generations of Louisiana Creoles devouring this combination makes me think that this may be the next big thing in regional ethnic meal combinations. Or, maybe NOT.)

Jigga Please...

"Boycott Black Friday"?
Boy please...!
Unless you're ready to violently overthrow an oppressive institution (The only way any REAL change has been brought about throughout history. I'm not advocating violence but when you are not protected equally under the law, those who administer the law must be removed.) - your collective pennies have little power to accomplish anything at all.
Unless you are planning on using the money you would have spent on creating wealth, goods or services - your pennies are better off with those who will not continue to be subjugated members of a debt-ridden consumer class.
Unless you are willing to spend the money you would have saved on that new flatscreen you've been eyeballin' at a Black-owned business - your pennies are worthless.
Unless you are willing to use the money you would have saved on the improvement of your credit, paying off of bills, having a savings account and investing in your children's futures - your pennies will remain pennies for another generation.
Unless you are collectively using that savings (Which you won't - those low-priced Beats By Dre at Target are just too irresistible.) to create better institutions which better serve your own communities -  your pennies are not even worth their weight in copper.
Unless you are willing to use the money you would have spent on helping people you actually know - your pennies can stay in your pockets.
Unless you are going to do more than boycott - BOY, STFU and become a man.

Crowd Control

People are childish.
(Not you - but everyone else.)
How do I encourage my crowd at the club to spend more money, dress better, prevent fights or even shape the outcomes of local elections or volunteer at local charities?
This series on the National Geographic Channel shows many of the methods I use to maintain a safe and profitable business.

An African Pantheon?

While watching all the films associated with 'The Avengers', my girlfriend's son asked why there were no Black superheroes like Thor.
Good question.
Apparently Eshu/Elegba is not the only African deity known to some.

But Can He Cure Ebola?

('He', being one of the Orisha - not Little Ricky. I never knew Little Ricky was singinging about a Santarian deity?)

Chris Brown the Truther?

Ummm.. Does anyone remember how Cra-Cra everyone thought 'Even Stevens' was BEFORE Edward Snowden?
(BTW - I don't think Chris Brown is correct in his views (Not in the sense that he thinks he is.) but I do like that he questions the MSM. There are at least 16 vaccines in development for Ebola/Marburg/Reston (SciBX) while the WHO, NIH and CDC are left scrambling for answers.)
Am I worried? Nope.
Will I try to remain informed? Of course.
But as far as all the hyperbole, conjecture and opinion..?
I think I'll wait for the Michael Moore movie.

In Local News...

Not only is Beaumont the Saddset City in America (Newsweek), and The Least Educated City in America (Forbes)... We are the place where Darren Wilson's father lives (In Orange - Where the younger Wilson is said to be hiding-out.). On top of all that, the Ebola infested furnishings from Dallas are being shipped here (Veolia - Port Arthur) for incineration.
I can't be sure but I don't think I want sad and dumb people handling Ebola.

Ebola Is Protean?

The worst that could happen...?

Smoke Weed, Beat Your Wife, Spank Your Children... I Don't Care

Oh Mighty Isis

Does Race Still Matter In Sports?

When it comes to sports, I'd rather play than watch.

Except for the Little League World Series.

The LLWS is sportsmanship at it's purist and best.

The LLWS exhibits the work ethic, emotion, poise and class to which professional athletes can only aspire.

The LLWS is ... fun.

This year's American finals had four of the five teams I had my eye on during the regional qualifiers. (Lake Charles, Louisiana was eliminated earlier in the tournament.)

Philly had a girl pitching, Nevada was repping the West, Pearland was from my newly adopted home state and Chicago had an all-Black team.

But in this post-racial world with Obama being the POTUS, Hip-Hop being accepted as a valid musical genre, racial slurs and/or comments no longer being acceptable speech by team owners (At least not in public - or if being recorded.), and all - why would I like a team just because they are all-Black?

I sucked at baseball.

I couldn't hit,

 and fielding was boring.

I liked the movie, "The Sandlot".

Maybe that's why I followed Chicago in this year's tournament.

Maybe these kids brought to mind the patchwork of regular kids from that movie who squared off against the more affluent kids and won.

Maybe I like people and teams who succeed where they are not expected to. (Think; Jeremy Lin)

Maybe I like the underdog.

In all honesty, maybe I like the all=Black team because I am Black.

  

IDK?

I don't get the chance to volunteer as much as I used to - the club is doing a bit too well.
Maybe I'm a bit too far removed from a subjugated society to understand some things.
Maybe I don't know what it's like to be a victim.
It may be that I cannot speak on some things because
I will never understand some things...






 The recent shooting deaths of Ezell Ford, Kenneth Harding Jr., Kimani Grey, Kendrec Mcdade, Victor Steen and Oscar Grant (all while unarmed) by police officers and the Trayvon Martin murder at the hand of a neighborhood watch volunteer leave me with mixed feelings about the events in Ferguson/St. Louis.



I'm not sure what would cause one to burn and loot his own neighborhood.
I don't know how a town that is more than 60% minority has so little political and institutional representation.
I don't know how it feels to live a life of hopelessness.







When I first saw the story of Michael Brown's killing, I just thought it was another case of some young brotha' being a victim of 'Keeping it Real'.

My dealings with law enforcement have, for the most part, been those of one who is treated as a tax-paying and law-abiding citizen.

Police officers have; driven me home from nights of excessive drinking, internal affairs has taken action against officers involved in theft and prostitution at my rental houses, promptly responded to calls, and I have been dealt with in a way which is common among respectable citizens any times I have had problems.

I have no frame of reference when it comes to police misconduct.

When and if an officer gets out of line, I just go through the formalities and wait for the D.A. or one of his superiors or a judge to clean up the mess.

I deal with a lot of people whom other people probably should not deal with.

A lot of these people often get themselves into situations that they cannot get themselves out of.

A phone call or a lunch often initiates a process which helps these people along a more fair representation and/or dismissal.

Maybe police departments should take a cue from those in Rialto, California.

Why waste resources on MWRAPs and assault riffles to PROTECT and SERVE a domestic population when a better trained and more competent police force could solve many of the problems people have with officers.

Wouldn't a Go-Pro camera be an even more efficacious use of resources?

(As an aside; What's the problem with bringing in the National Guard? Didn't Kennedy and Johnson do the same in order to protect law-abiding citizens from corrupt local law enforcement?) (And I'm not joking... The town in which I currently live was one that the officer involved in the case was considering coming to in order to avoid the media. Our local media caught wind of this and reported on it. This may be The South but this town is ripe for a racially motivated explosion as our school board has been taken over by the state. Many see the move as one that was racially motivated - even though many on the new board of governors are minorities.)



Less Than a Month Away

'Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt?' Hits theaters September, 14. (And, "NO", they scrapped the idea of making it a musical.)

It's Even Worse That You Think

The West does well in it's efficient use of energy and water - yet California residents could still be fined $500 a day for excessive use of water? I guess Mulholland's dream may be coming to an end.

Ignorance Is Bliss

Mills may have been on to something when he and his cohorts decided to set Treme in the state of Louisiana.

It seems that locations around the state are on a run as far as filmed (or taped) entertainment goes.

Reality shows; Duck Dynasty, Swamp People, My Big Redneck Wedding, Bayou Billionaires and Cajun Pawn Stars all film in a state which has four of ten of the happiest cities in America. Even the NCIS franchise, American Horror Story: Freak Show and Trumbo are taping episodes in New Orleans. These days, it seems that all is well in the Pelican State.

Happiest Cities In America (SOURCE: University of British Columbia)

1 - Charlotteville, Va.

2 - Rochester, Minn.

3 - Lafayette, La.

4 - Naples, Fl.

5 - Baton Bouge, La.

6- Flagstaff, Az.

7 - Shreveport, La.

8 - Houma, La.

9 - Corpus Cristi, Tx.

10 - Provo, Ut.

But there seems to be something wrong with the thinking that a state which CBS News ranks as the fifth fattest state (and the one with the fourth highest rate of diabetes), Wikipedia lists as the sixth dumbest (45th - in percentage of their High School graduation rate, 46th - in percentage of those with a Bachelor's Degree and 47th in percentage of those with advanced degrees), and CNBC list as the eighth poorest state in the country could have so many 'happy' places.

I guess anosognosia is a real condition.

I guess the state of Louisiana is too dumb, fat and poor to even know that they are miserable.

(Either that or the Gumbo, Crawfish and Beignets are that good.)

You Think YOU Have it Bad?

In an effort to avoid a Detroit-like situation in this Southern town - the state of Texas has taken over our local school district.
I guess the days of millions of dollars in undeserved bonuses to under qualified employees are coming to an end.
Sure, I am friends with most of the people responsible for squandering almost $400 million dollars on personal goods - but I am more than pleased to see another (less ghetto-fabulous) group of friends taking over before my small town goes the way of MoTown.

The "Expert" ?

The club is doing extremely well, and on a consistent basis.
I'm still giving away more than others make, still paying my employees more than any other club in town, still driving my old work car to work (It has more to do with security than it does with humility.), still asked for advice and guidance from other business owners, I still have a solid reputation and I still hate nightclubs.
I'm referred to as the 'King Maker' by local politicians because I have a ninety percent success rate when I endorse a candidate.
I'm asked to sit on the boards of charitable foundations, asked to become an honorary member of clubs and fraternities, asked to support causes...
Everyone who is 'someone' in this town treats me well.

But herein lies the problem.
I am now seen as an Expert.
As a local celebrity.
I hate "Experts".
Experts believe that they always know best, that they are more important than others, that they no longer have a need to learn, listen or to be humble.
Experts are overconfident and lazy.
Experts are overpaid and under performing.
Experts, are pretty much useless.

Giant Robot

I enjoy movies - some of them terrible.
With a new version of Godzilla coming out, I decided to teach my girlfriend's son a thing or two about Sci-Fi monster movies.
Epix has been showing a lot of the classic monster movies lately.
Hours of bad special effects, dubbed lines and story lines which are a stretch for any imagination are just a DVR away. (Godzilla on Monster Island or Godzilla Versus Monster X being my favorites.)

But the saddest series of the genre would have to be the final scene of Giant Robot.
Sure, Kimba talking to the ghost of his dead father was a tear jerker - and no, Bambi's mother getting killed in a fire was for wimps - the saddest scene of any movie or television series I remember watching as a kid was when Giant Robot refused to heed the commands of his master, Johnny Sakko, in order to save the world.
After watching all 26 episodes of the series, the saddest words I could bear were...
"Giant Robot, come back! We need you here...!"

Status - I Don't Understand

I never knew that a woman's weave was seen as a symbol of status?

I have a cocktail waitress (not pictured here but just as ratchet) who was embarrassed that her new summer-weave was too short.

Sure, it was Virgin Remi - but to some, the length of ones weave is a sign of having money.

The problem was: the girl was picking up extra shifts so that she could afford to buy hair that she cannot really afford.

The girl was willing to be broke in order to appear 'rich'.

Guys buying cars they cannot afford to insure, maintain or even keep gas in, women buying $1700.00 handbags with only $17.00 in them, and women buying someone else's hair (and no longer even having to pretend that it is their own) and going broke doing so...

I'm sorry, but the ghetto/ratchet/hood culture is one that is beyond my understanding.

The Holy Trinity ?

 Back in the day, there were three people one could not speak poorly of.
Many Black homes displayed an image of the 'Holy Trinity' of the time.

While there are no posters devoted to today's version of those deemed too sacred - many within certain Black communities will fight you tooth and nail if any critical utterance contains the names of thee hollowed beings.

(But what seems odd is that so many Black women are quick to jump on Oprah.)

Sucking His Own Dick

What Ninja takes out ads in the local paper in order to boast of his 'charitable' giving?
(I bet the NAACP won't give the money back though...)

Take a Seat Mike...

Sure, Donald Sterling may be a penny-pinching, racist, asshole who has a fettish for the dark and (not so) lovelies...
But does Michael Jordan have any room to speak on such matters?
Didn't His Airness treat Comillionaire as though the young rapper was unfit to carry his shoes?
Aren't stories of Mike's treatment of 'common' Black folks found in many places on the internet?
Isn't mike known by his friends to be cheap?
Didn't Mike ditch his Black wife for a stable of white women?
Donald takes out fake ads in local papers touting his philanthropy - Mike releases shoes in limited editions causing kids to fight and rob one another.
Sure, I AM a Michael Jordan fan when it comes to basketball - but when it comes to social issues : Mike, take a seat.

(As far as Sterling goes and his issues with scorned hookers? That's his business. That he will not receive another award from the NAACP? The man has The man can neither do anything for nor to me so his racist views are his problem as well. I AM a Clippers fan so I hope he decides to sell the team but beyond that.. Fuck him.. )

I Miss..

The days when one could expect a ribbon, medal or trophy only after winning. What sissy began the ideology that we should be more concerned with ones self-esteem and not place any value on ones character? (And then taught other scrubs that 'we are all winners, kings, queens, divas, ... or whatever.)
I miss; movie stars, hard-hitting football players, punishment (or mercy) for misbehavior, physically fit celebrities, and/or any type of discrimination based on performance and or knowledge.
I miss people who were able to be thought of as being better than those around them.
I despise; Honey Boo-Boo, any of the Real Housewives, fouls called and flags thrown for incidental contact, excuses for being uncivilized, and the belief that we are or should be equal.

Honestly. I still tutor under performing children in many of the worst imaginable neighborhoods in this area. To a person, each believes that he is going to be the next talentless star on one reality show or another. Each values You-Tube fame as much as we used to value earned fame.
To tell the truth. I'm tired.
Sure, I get cool points for owning a nightclub - only because, to them, that makes me popular and locally famous.
I'm sick of these sorry-assed mothers who aspire to be the next Baketball Baby Momma.
I'm sick of grown-assed fathers thinking that they are a pimp, baller, or gangsta'.
I'm sick of our local Black politicians who blame every shortcoming of our culture on 'Institutional Racism'.
Sure, some may say that am turning my back on 'my people' - but maybe it's just time for me to shake the dust from my feet and move on to people who are at least willing to try to help themselves.
Maybe I should just make money off of those too dumb to become members of the creative class and who are satisfied with being the top-dog of their local consumer class.
I'm just tired...

It Is So Cold in Texas

That I managed to make a Snowbaby.

Speaking of Winter

Loll Jones!!!
Will she win a medal?
Probably not (for that I gotta' root for Shani Davis in Long Track Speedskaiting)
but she sure does look nice in her racing suit.