Is THAT Your Final Answer ?

My young male cousins learned a lesson from an even younger female cousin.
After a week spent;
shopping for and buying school clothes for kids,
chauffeuring kids around for shots,
making repairs on old people's homes,
and baby-sitting little kids,
- I was tired.

"Sir", a little female cousin said.
"Can you take me to the mall and buy me a big cookie?", she finished - as she looked up at me with those pitiful eyes.
"Nah, I'm tired", I said.
"Oh. Okay...
But is that your final answer?", she said.
I guess the week watching Regis' return to prime-time was going to pay off for her.

My male cousins were amazed that she would ask again after I'd already said "No".
They'd already learned that "No, means no".
But then she explained that I could get a few platters of the hot-and spicy chicken at the food court to forgo having to cook.
She pointed out that I could get a new movie to watch in case nothing was on TV.
She pointed out that I had to drop off a cousin at their home near the mall anyway.

She understood the art of the sell.
She got her big cookie.
Her older cousins got a lesson in salesmanship.
(And I got a lesson in how some little kids refuse to accept "No" as an answer.)

Pop Culture Rundown

When did Scary J. Blige start writing books?

Sick of watching re-runs of Pookie, NeNe and dem (Although, I kinda' like Sheree.),

I went into the other room to catch Bully Beatdown on MTV.

I can deal with a bad mutha' fucka' - but I hate a mouth.

I just sat and giggled my ass off as bullies get whooped by MMA fighters.

Have an abortion - keep your job.

Engage in a dog fighting ring - lose your job, go to prison, get a new job (but get protested against).

Marlboro & Old Spice

I sat through an hour and a half of rednecks who smelled of Marlboro cigarettes and Old Spice cologne,
and all I got was the t-shirt shown above.
Now I see where Sarah Palin gets her base.

It really wasn't that bad.
When I walked in, I received a reaction similar to when those guys from Animal House walked into that all-Black bar.
But I think the Billy-Bobs were more fearful than angry.

Everyone stared in an effort to gauge my response to each comment made.
I just laughed at the hype-men who feigned anger in an effort to instigate a reaction from the crowd.
Bottom line?
A little pepper ruins a nice cup of tea.

Devilution

How did Obama go from;
A man running for the Presidency,

To The Savior.

To The Anti-Christ,

To a Socialist,

To a Nazi?

All in a little over a year?

(It's kinda' funny that Hitler is the latest incarnation of the "Boogie Man' being used by the far-Right in an effort to spread fear among Americans.

Is Hitler worse than the Devil?)

Evolution

When Beyonce first hit the scene, she was a petite and pretty light skinned girl with "good hair".
Beyonce was no threat to the interpretation of beauty set forth by the American Standard.

But as the numbers of her group shrank - her hips and thighs began to grow.

But this was like the slow boiling of crabs in a pot.

The increase in heat was slow and unnoticeable.

Then, all of a sudden...Blow!

Ass was "in" for many who had earlier only noticed breasts.

This was a feat that couldn't be pulled off by Janet Jackson almost a generation earlier.

But when done by a lighter skinned girl - the effect was more palatable.

Now, women don't just smile with their mouths - judging by the 3/4 shots from the rear, many just let their butts do the talkin'.

Goin' To A Party

Sick of hearing all the recycled rhetoric of those on the far-right - tonight, I'll be attending my first Tea Party hosted by our State Representative; Ted Poe.
First check out;
http://subrealism.blogspot.com/2009/08/bears-repeating.html
Notice how the woman goes from confident to confused in about two seconds flat.
Notice how she suffers from WIIFM (What's In It For Me) Syndrome.
Notice how she calls for a return to the Constitution.
But notice where the Preamble states;
"...provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and..."
While the Preamble is an introduction and not usually cited in legal matters - doesn't it imply a sense of looking out for the little guy?

Low Rent District

A house for five hundred dollars?
That's the price for the home in the photo.
The drawback?
You gotta' live in Detroit.
And, unless you're a Red Wings fan, there are no good sports teams.
Okay, the Tigers are leading the dismal AL Central.
But in any other division, they'd be in third or forth.
With the Celtics, and Shaq joining LeBron in Cleveland, the Pistons won't make it past the Eastern Conference Finals any time soon.
The only thing losing more value than home prices in Detroit are the Lions.

But let's just say that you decide to join the artist's colony in the Motor City.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/17/detroit.artists.homes/index.html?eref=rss_latest
Or even that you'd like to become a slum lord - what do you do?

- Check the structure - not the aesthetics.
The value of the home will be in the stability of it's foundation, walls and roof.
As long as there is no structural damage, keep an open mind.

- Repair - don't patch.
If there is a problem with the plumbing, fix that problem.
If you need new wires - get new wiring.
Patching a problem as a short term fix usually leads to structural damage in the future.

- "Gaucho" at WalMart.
Paint your home (or homes) all the same colors.
Buy five gallons of "Gaucho" and five gallons of white in an exterior satin.
You can use exterior paint indoors too, and it's more durable.
Sure, periwinkle, sea foam green, cerulean or a burnt sienna might look nice - but keep it simple.
There is no use in having to keep twenty half-empty paint cans in your garage.
Just go with a neutral and a white.

- If you're remodeling/restoring more than one home at a time - do them in stages.
Schedule all of the trades (leveling, roof repairs, wiring or plumbing, etc.) in shifts.
People steal.
There is no need to have material sitting on a site.

- Go in order.
Foundation and leveling first.
Since the leveling process usually disturbs the roof and walls, they will be damaged if they are repaired before the house is leveled.
There is no use in having to have a roof or drywall repaired twice.

- Don't overbuild for your area.
Don't put $20,000 counter tops in a $10,000 home.
Keep it cheap.

- Take classes.
Lowes and Home Depot offer free classes in home repair.
The more you know - the less contractors can cheat you.

- Apply for a grant.
There are currently several government grant programs for people who buy and restore homes in depressed areas.
Why pay for something that you can get for free?

There are more helpful hints but these should get you started.
Good luck.

Simple Simon

Perky Paula leaving American Idol?
With the show's ratings dropping to their lowest in five years (30.4 million viwers), maybe it was just time to go.
Besides the terrible singers who audition in the early episodes, Paula is the only reason to watch the show.
Who else will argue with Simon or nurture the singers?

But Paula was famous before American Idol.
This won't be like Lionel Richie leaving the Commodores.
Paula should have a few more drunken episodes of her reality show left in her.
With her dance background, she would also be an ideal judge on Dancing With The Stars.
Though I'm really not big on Pop-Culture, I like Paula, and I hope Paula does like Kobe (wins a title without the big-man)
Fuck Simple Simon.

H1N1

I'm more worried about the CDC than a bunch of sneezing pigs.
http://www.infowars.com/swine-flu-scare-its-all-about-the-adjuvant/