Black Entertainment USA - Celebrity / Entertainment News - African American view
The world of entertainment, focusing Celebrities and Entertainers from an African American/Hispanic viewpoint. Trends in movies, commercials, and all other media. Comments are always welcome.
I believe a person's character can be found in their answer to this question: If you could go back in time to the begining of Civilization with 3 books, which 3 would you choose?
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A trip from Kanye to Naruto with Beethoven and the Matrix
Ah sometimes I take strange trips when I follow a thought. Case in point, I was on Youtube and happened to find a mash-up of Beethoven and Kanye West. I have no great like of Kanye but it was the infusion of classical that made me watch it.
That lead me to wonder what other classical mixes might be out there. Were their others that found classical as great as I do, and see the ease and multiple formats that classical could be mixed with more modern music. Was there a bridge of the too forms of music?
So I found this video.
and I went from there to
Which lead me to
and then I ran into something really different and amusing. Mixing my love of classical music, anime, The Matrix and Naruto.
It's an odd journey, but I must say I was pleased by it. How about you?
World of Warcraft or Dad: The cause of boy's collapse
I can hear it now. The horrors of video games, the internet, and Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMO). And the fuel of this latest round of the fire comes from Sweden. Thanks to a 15 year old and his obsession with World of Warcraft (WoW).
It seems that the kid, and several of his friends, spent 20 hours straight playing the game. They barely ate or slept, and the kid in question collapsed after the 20 hour mark. When brought to the hospital he was diagnosed with lack of sleep, lack of food and over-concentration - but he will be fine.
Well isn't that jumping into the fire and saying it's hot. Where was he during this 20 hour period when his son was playing? Watching television? Asleep?
The game is not the problem here. Like a weapon, tool, or anything it exists but its what people do with it that makes it potentially dangerous. If this father was paying attention to his kid we would have seen what was going on long before there was a need for the hospital. If he was an involved parent he would have checked in on his kid, maybe watched the game and been involved in the playing. Maybe he would have come in at 10pm and said it was time for bed and made sure his son went to bed. And in the morning looked in on what the kid was doing.
"It's not enough to just watch what children are doing on the internet. We all, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents, need to be involved. We all need to explain why some things are wrong, and what the history of these things are. Because if we don't kids will use them, act on them, to their detriment."
The detriment in this case was a child that pushed himself beyond limits his body could stand. That's not the fault of the internet or WoW. It is directly and solely the fault of the father in this case. And blaming anything and anyone else is just trying to deflect the responsibility of the parent on someone else. It's seeking sympathy when none is deserved.
In this case the MMO is no different than a gun in the house. A parent that takes no precaution, that has no involvement in their child, is asking that child to shot themselves. That may sound harsh, but it cannot be more harsh than having to take your unconscious child to the hospital.
Let's not look for scapegoats in this holiday season. There are many things that are inappropriate for children on the internet and in some video games. But the real danger comes from a parent that is uninvolved and uncaring enough to let that child get access to, and abuse, the tool in question.
I remember being told as a child
"Don't run with scissors"
Today it seems that everyone wants to blame the scissors, not the child running. And god forbid someone blame the parent for not telling the kid to not do it.
While I think the woman in the video is a bit too big, the point is clear. Real women rule. Stick figures don't work even in animation.
By the way APRES not only means after, as in the after image, but it also can mean bitter and harsh. Keeping that in mind the full meaning of the video really takes form.
I have a nephew that is pre-teen, and is on a social network. Recently I found that he had made changes to his page on that site. And I was amazed and upset by what I saw. And I wonder if other children have done the same thing. [By the way, all the things have been since changed and discussed with him by his father - so he understands why they were inappropriate.]
One of the first things that was on the site was the fact that he had pictures up that showed him and his friends holding up the moronic 'westside' and other similar gang signs. Beyond looking as bad as anyone who does this, it alarmed me to think that some fool was trying to recruit him and his friends into the dead-end life that is a gang member.
As it turned out he and his friends had no understanding of what the symbols meant. They had just seen them many times on television and thought it looked cool. Which is the idea I suppose. But he also did not realize that fools that believe in this kind of lifestyle also might hurt or kill him and his friends, because it was an insult to their gang or he represented an invasion to their 'territory', or simply because he had no connection to their abusive, illogical, warped group.
Another problem was the fact that his age was incorrect. This was done because he and his friends did not want to be seen as kids. For some reason they felt that being their actual age was a bad thing. That they were left out of some major positive the website provided only to adults.
They had no idea that this minor act helped to put them in danger of the pedophiles and other warped individuals that surf the net. They roam around enough as is, they need no help in finding children. And when my nephew mentioned that he would never be tricked into meeting with or otherwise contacting a stranger because he is too smart - I had to remind him that many adults are far smarter and have more experience than even the highly intelligent boy he is.
But the really big things that bothered me was the ease he had in finding and using graphics from a site that had an altered image of Microsoft's Word package.
The Word graphic is a box that has the picture of 5 famous rappers on it. Each in a state of rapper ghettofabulousness. Underneath were the words "Yo it's Word (n-word)". This was thought to be funny. Yet when asked there was no reason why it was funny, it just was.
So I then asked a simple question.
"Does it make sense that all these rappers and people want to be 'ghettofabulous' but everyone in the ghetto, especially the rappers, all want to get out? How good can the ghetto be, and living a life based on the 'ghetto', when no one wants to be there - even with money - except drug dealers."
His answer was simple as well. "It doesn't make sense at all."
I then asked the really big question.
"Do you know what the n-word means?"
He did not. He had no clue, though he has heard it in music and movies. He just thought it was another word.
That might sound great to some but that troubled me. Because the meaning of the word has not changed. If the CEO of Procter&Gamble used it in a interview he would be fired and sued if possible. The same would happen to the record executive that rappers work for (many of whom will not allow that word to be used in their own home). Because the meaning never changed, no matter the color of who says it.
So I told him about the fact that the n-word was used to describe slaves. That it was used to describe people just like him and I that were treated worse than dogs. And I told him about all the people that died so that he would never have to be called that word. Like uncounted numbers of slaves, Blacks that fought in the Civil War, WWI & II, Korea, Vietnam. Men like Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. All those that died in the civil rights movement and so many others.
I told him the truth of the meaning of the word, and how it is defined in part as the single worst word in the english language. That to be called that has no comparison or equivalent come-back.
And then I told him how lucky he was to be alive today. Because he has never been called that. But I have been, as has my mother and father and so on. That he never has to fear being called that (I hope) because he was playing in school with a White kid, or because a White girl liked him. The world is mostly better than that, but not entirely.
And I told him the truth that the legal system once said that if a White person called a Black person that word, and the Black person hit them they would not go to jail. Because it was an incendiary term, a provoking term. And that's why the White owners of record companies can't say the word, but pay rappers to do it for them. And I asked him this
"How important do you think it is that the law was made about this word? How big a word do you think it is?"
He thought it very important. And he understood it in a very different and unfunny way.
I say all that to bring up this point. It's not enough to just watch what children are doing on the internet. We all, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents, need to be involved. We all need to explain why some things are wrong, and what the history of these things are. Because if we don't kids will use them, act on them, to their detriment.
It's been a long day for many of my readers out there. Black Friday, a day full of shopping, crowds and sales. Yet I'm sure some of you just didn't find what you were looking for. There was something not available for that someone on your list. Or maybe you were looking for one thing to reward yourself for all the work you've done today.
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Music has always been an integral part of being Black in America. It has been an escape, a statement of defiance, a shout of joy, and a deep reverence of faith. Black culture is so deeply woven in music as to have influenced all forms of music in this nation.
From Blues to Jazz, R&B to rap, Rock n Roll to Gospel. Not a single form of music in America has not been touch, expanded, or created by African Americans. So it is no surprise then that when it comes to movies that feature African Americans music is vital to the experience. But I have never seen a movie trailer where the music is the driving theme of the plot. Until now.
Don't let the trailer fool you though. There is much more to the film. It is a trip through 6 relationships that are all connected in Los Angeles. It's a 1-day journey into Black sexuality. And that is a subject that really has not be dealt with in movies. Nor has a Black film so closely modeled music.
There have been films with Black sex, or relationships, or marriage as the driving theme. But not sexuality, sensuality. What is sexy, what is beautiful. It's a slow European-style dance of humanity. As director Dennis Dortch says
"It's a Black art house film."
This film did well at Sundance. It looks to take Black cinema in a new direction as has been stated. I find both of those things intriguing. And I have to laugh because only in Hollywood and the media could the thought of African Americans be so limited as to be defined by what has appeared on televisions and movie screens.
This film probably won't get overly wide distribution, which is a shame. It looks good enough to deserve as much of a chance as any other film, and honestly considering what has been out for most of this year, more. And if it does well I'm sure it will open avenues and get Dortch more opportunities like Spike Lee and Tyler Perry have deservedly gotten.
I say this is a good film to see. Because it is different. Because it goes in a direction no one is looking. Because it is expressing more than the normal media restrictions. And that is almost always a good thing.
If you do get the chance to see the film let me know your thoughts. I'll be looking for it myself, and will give more details then. Look for it on December 5, 2008.
A rapper with charity: T.I. and Thanksgiving in Atlanta
I have a problem. As is well known to long-time readers of my blogs, I don't like gangsta rap. I find the music to be repetitive, pro-violence, pro-drug, pro-illiteracy, pro-death. I find the entertainers to be some of the worst examples of what (primarily but not exclusively) Black men are and can be. In general I believe that gangsta rappers deserve to be locked-up in a jail cell like the felons they are and/or wish to be seen as.
That being said, long-time readers also know that I love it when celebrities and entertainers go out of their way to make a donation or hold an event that benefits those of us in need. I am especially pleased when that entertainer or celebrity is Black. And I hate it when the major news media ignores or demeans the act of generosity with negative news that is not relevant to the charity.
I think you can see where this is going.
T.I., Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta. He was there with 22.000 friends that day. And not one gunshot went off, nor did any woman lose her clothes while shaking her ass for a camera. I have to say this because of the extensive history of T.I. breaking the law, involvement in fights, illegal gun possession and other such acts.
This was not a rap event. This was charity. And it was an apparently record-breaking act of giving, though not the first time this rapper has done so.
This Thanksgiving Clifford Harris raised $100,000 for Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, and did so in 2 hours. He followed this up with volunteering to help serve the 22,000 people that were fed at the Atlanta Brave's Turner field.
This had nothing to do with the various community service requirements that T.I. has had to serve for his multiple violations of law. He did it because for all his faults he believes in charity. Such can be seen from his history of giving.
He has helped with Hurricane Katrina relief, worked with troubled youths at Paulding Detention Center, provided scholarships for single parent families at Boys and Girls Clubs, and giving away 200 bicycles to neighborhood children in the Boys and Girls Club in Atlanta. For all the things I don't like about the rapper, I must commend his acts of charity (the ones he has done without court order).
So here I am commending the charity of a rapper that deserves to be lauded for his selfless acts. Yet I am severely at odds with his history of violence and breaking the law, and the music he performs.
Perhaps this is an example that even the most insulting, crude and ignorant of people have redeeming qualities. Perhaps I am too harsh a judge of things that I find offensive and detrimental. Perhaps Clifford Harris Jr. is growing up and becoming a man; not in terms of his age or ability to father children but in terms of his actions in society.
Whatever the case, I am glad to hear of and mention the good work that was done for so many this Thanksgiving.
Way back in 1999, as many began to panic about the legacy codes and what would happen as computers struck 2000, I recall watching a program that detailed the possible ways the world might end. This show, which I don't remember the name of, covered most of the myths surrounding the start of the new millennium and several prophecies.
One of the things that the programs covered was the fact that 2000 was nothing to fear, because 2012 was the real danger. It is on that day that the Mayan Long Count calendar ends. To be exact it will end on either December 21st or 23rd, 2012. Most tend to believe that the 21st is the date, possibly due to they symbolism of the date, 12/21/12.
If you look at the internet you will either find that this date is the day that aliens will take over or save humanity, humanity will ascend to a higher level, or the earth will be destroyed/end.
Of course given the gravity of the situation you know that Hollywood had to make a movie about it. In fact I expect a dozen by that time. But here is the first.
If nothing else it makes it's point pretty clear. Starring Oliver Platt (who I like), Danny Glover (I like), John Cusack (also very good), Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet, and Woody Harelson. With that kind of cast I would expect something memorable.
The director is Roland Emmerich, who made Stargate, Independence Day, and Godzilla. Sadly he also made Godzilla, Universal Soldier, The Day After Tomorrow, and 10,000 BC. So the odds are only slightly worse than 50/50 on how well it will be made.
Luckily, either way, we will have 3 years to mull the quality of the film before the clock stops running.
A-Rod and Madonna - a lecherous pair of adulterers
So is it me or is anyone else fed up with hearing news about Alex Rodriguez and Madonna? Seriously. I find it upsetting that the media is promoting this relationship like it's some sort of Christmas gift to the world.
A-Rod was married for almost all of 6 years. His ex-wife just gave birth to his child months ago. And during that marriage he also had no problem dating (call it what it is, sex with) Madonna. Madonna for her part was married for virtually 8 years. So both of them are adulterers. Isn't that a positive image to be showboating to kids.
Now I realize I could have spoken about this earlier. But I hoped that some in the media would have the good taste to denounce this and make a point of refusing to cover it. But ratings trump the concept of marital fidelity it seems. Gossip is more important than respect and a touch of decency.
The very least Alex Rodriguez and Madonna could have done is be quiet about this whole thing. Both of them owed that to their ex-spouses and their children. But in a world where marriages are more a form of extended dating than a commitment lasting a lifetime, I should not be surprised.
Yes both of these 2 are now divorced. Good for them. But the damage is done. To their kids and to all those youths that followed the gossip columns, ESPN, Entertainment whatever and so on. Just one more example of people with too much money and too little respect doing whatever they please, screw everyone else.
I'm just waiting for whenever one of these 2 gets caught with yet another person. Given their promiscuous pasts it's just a matter of time before it happens. The only real sad part is that their kids have to grow up with the world reminding them of just how loose their parent is.
Until then, I wouldn't mind if the major media kept they current tryst off the screens.
Axl Rose and Dr. Pepper: About the fans or the money?
Axl Rose must be a bit worried. At least that's what I gather. Because so far there has been no official report on the sales of the latest Guns 'n Roses album, Chinese Democracy. But Axl Rose is looking to garner more media attention, and possibly a few bucks as well.
By now everyone knows that Dr. Pepper famously made a promise to the public that if Chinese Democracy was released this year they would give the nation a free drink. At the time the odds of the much rumored and 15 years delayed album actually arriving in stores for sale were slim at best. But Guns 'n Roses finally got it out, and Dr. Pepper decided to make good on their promise - as I mentioned in a prior post.
The problem for Dr. Pepper is that everyone paid attention to their offer. There was such a rush on their site that it crashed. They then extended their offer by 24 hours. But it seems that the company's website was still unable to handle the demand, or was otherwise disabled for most of the extension time. This is where Axl Rose comes in.
Rose has now gotten his lawyer to jump into the fray and demand that Dr. Pepper do more to live up to their word. He is insiting that Dr. Pepper make good for all the people that were unable to receive the coupon that would provide a free 20 oz drink of their products. And Rose wants the company to take out full page ads apologizing for the problems encountered, and the use of Guns 'n Roses' as a publicity stunt.
If all of these things are not done, then Axl Rose plans on some form of lawsuit to get paid.
Now who is using who to get paid, make sales, and drum up publicity? It makes me wonder what the sales numbers are really going to look like. According to Newsday
In every review, positive or not, there is the consistent thought that this album would have been a stellar release a decade ago. Everyone seems to agree that there are several songs that relive the glory of the past that Guns n' Roses enjoyed. But overall the final thoughts seem to say mixed things. And that's never wonderful for sales.
So I expect that this bruhha over Dr. Pepper is just a way to either gain more record sales, or more likely an attempt to get Dr. Pepper to dole out some cash in a settlement so as to recoup some of the $11 million spent on creating Chinese Democracy. In effect it gives me pause on just how good the album is, which I admit I have not heard yet.
So in the end what do you think? Is Axl Rose protecting his property as he did when he had blogger Kevin Cogill arrested, or is it to just make some money in the face of low sales?
If I mentioned HIV/AIDS to you, I would expect that you might say a horrible disease that needs to be stopped. If I said that your help, a donation of say $2.50, would provide medicine and research for a cure to HIV/AIDS most would say no problem. It’s a small amount of money and at worst you are losing a cup of coffee from Dunkin Doughnuts or an extra shot of espresso at a coffeehouse. If I suggested you make that same donation once a month I imagine that most would still say ok, again it’s not enough money to worry about the rent over.
Now here is the question. Does it matter if you actually made a donation of $5 and only $2.50 went to the research and medicine?
For VULTURE and Lane Brown it does. There is an article that takes on the RED(WIRE) charity which provides music from various bands to digital subscribers for a monthly fee of $5. It seems the problem Vulture has is that only half of the money gets to provide medicine for those afflicted with AIDS in Africa. A bit less than the other half the money goes to the artists, the rest to administration fees.
Musicians are getting paid for their effort on behalf of a charitable organization. The world is about to stop spinning. Seriously so what. At least the charity is getting 50% of the proceeds. Many organizations can’t boast that much. And it’s an extra $2.50 per subscriber per month that was not available before.
I understand that some might want to sit back and use the logic that 50% of a donation going to a great cause is not enough, justifying their refusal to make a donation. But I am not in favor of anything that uses such an argument to promote their own success and profit (note the 5 ads on the page). It’s a bit of a slap in the face.
How much I wonder of the advertising dollars is New York Media LLC (owner of the site) giving to AIDS research and medical aid in Africa or anywhere? If they are giving money to help end AIDS and help those in Africa, or anywhere, afflicted with this disease, how much is that organization actually providing after the fees of operation and whatever else. Are they just throwing stones from in their glass house?
Entertainers get paid to perform at charity events. Charities have administration costs. The bigger the venue, and/or entertainer, the higher the costs to operate. That’s the way of the world. Even charities can only run but so long without paying the bills.
If VULTURE or Lane Brown really are upset about the division of money being sent to fight AIDS I ask where their charity providing more than 50% of the donations exists? I want to see the entertainers and celebrities they have endorsing their events and services that help AIDS only. I want to see the media attention they give to AIDS and HIV prevention and cure.
In fact, searching the blog for AIDS provides 46 results going back to June of 2007. In that time, on this keyword, exactly 1 post comes up that deals with AIDS. And that is this post blasting U2’s Bono and RED(WIRE). I really think that with a record like this VULTURE and Lane Brown should shut the hell up when it comes to people actually doing something more than complaining about AIDS/HIV.
Bob Johnson. The only Black male billionaire in the United States. The man that created Black Entertainment Television (no relation to this blog).
Bob Johnson is getting back to his roots. That is he is proposing a new Black-oriented television network to compete with his former BET and TV One. And I would equate that to a crack dealer finding religion and then going back out to sell more crack. If that doesn’t sound complementary, it isn’t meant to be.
Bob Johnson’s BET has more than a few comparisons for drug dealing. Its main adiction it sold were music videos so repulsive in the style and message that no other cable channel would dare play them. Not even the once rebellious MTV. These images of belittling women, and glorification of violence were not the initial programming but the end result. The big pay off. And he sold this to Black audiences because their only choice was to drink sand.
Bob Johnson had the opportunity to present an image of African Americans to the world that is not seen in other media. He could have emphasized the businesses we run, the educations we gain, the success we derive out of difficult and unbalanced situations. He could have promoted the achievements we make in the arts, and the advances we tread in politics. Instead he made a lot of money on the backs of the people he proposed to serve.
Urban Television is Bob Johnson’s new brand of crack so to speak. The goals sound lofty, but so did those at BET. The plea to the Government to back his venture are the same he stated before. And you can see the result right now, you might even be in time to see the movie Soul Plane.
Whether or not Bob Johnson launches Urban Television, he’s rich. He might be feeling remorse for the accusations he leveled at Barack Obama during the Democratic Primaries. He might be trying to make amends for the damage that BET has done over the years. He could even make a quality station that really does promote an image of African Americans as anything besides minstrels and pitbulls.
But I for one do not trust his intentions. I do not forget the high ideals he issued before diving to the gutter. I recall all to well his sell-out and escape to the fast lane. I don’t begrudge his money, just the way he got it. And I won’t help him get more.
Tonight was the end of The Shield. There are a lot of things that can be said about the episode, far too many, but it’s too soon to say many of them I think. It would be unfair to comment as I think those that missed the episode will be looking forward to Tivo or a rerun that is sure to happen this weekend.
What I will say is the ending is unlike what you might expect, and far more conclusive than say the end of the Sopranos.
Beyond that I want to reflect on the series in general. It has been a tour de force in drama and an example of what can be done on cable television. It has expanded the formerly rote cop drama into something far more powerful and watchable. And that has to do with the reality the program brought to us.
For once we got a cop show that had a precinct that reflected the neighborhood in which it was situated. Unlike even Law & Order, which is diverse, but isolated as well with its focus on a handful of stars. Because this show had several major characters that were of color, police officers and not just primarily the criminals, and at levels of authority.
Perhaps for the first time, if ever on television, we were introduced to police officers that were White and corrupt. We saw a side of the police force that was real, if only a small portion in the real world. And I would bet that there are some in the nation that never bothered to watch the show just because they could not believe in a dishonest police, especially when they are White.
But honestly it wasn’t the race of any person on the show that mattered. It’s important because before this program there was the constant quota system of Hollywood, 1 person of color – normally a secondary character – and 1 woman. But after this show started there seemed to be a plethora of shows on cable that recognized that the world is populated by more than an overabundance of White men. So that is one thing that kept me coming back.
And the show hit on issues that no one touched before in a meaningful way. A gay Black cop, an Hispanic cop that has ambitions for political gain, a Black woman detective seeking the recognition of her years of work, a female cop that wanted to be taken seriously just for her abilities. And that was just in the first season. And only scratching the complexities of the characters at that.
That’s why we all tuned in week after week. Because the raw and honest interaction made sense. There was no quick answers, no ultimate resolutions at the end of a weekly hour-long episode. There were no absolute lines of right and wrong. And only in a place so real could a guy like Mackey thrive.
Well maybe not thrive. Because he is never off his guard. Never safe and happy. Never without a need to look over his back, or to make sure that he has everyone fearing for their private secrets he might expose. And all of that ate away at the man who had the plan.
Vic Mackey is real. He exists in police departments across the nation. And he is a hero, at times. Mostly because it serves his need. Mostly because it give him the freedom to move in the shadows and cracks that always exist in a job that deals with the worst of any society.
I liked this show because it was never safe. Cops got killed. People were betrayed. Tragedies happened at horrible times. And Near perfect plans blew up in people’s faces. It was more of a reality program than American Idol or Survivor, or any of those silly shows ever could be in their best moments.
Am I sad to see the program end? Yes. Do I think Vic Mackey needs to be in jail? It depends on the day and what he has just done. Because he is as much a cure as a poison to the community. Though his need to survive his own machinations makes him ever so much more lethal.
I will miss the honesty, and complexity of this program. I will miss seeing Michael Chiklis weave his emotions and intensity. I will miss the gray that seems to fail to be reflected in all the shows about the legal system supposedly based in reality. But if you missed the season end of the show I suggest you get a copy. Because it’s worth every minute. And the ending is just what I would expect, though I never expected it beforehand.
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Alan Colmes - the smartest commentor on television?
I was at my weekly pool league game yesterday when the topic of the departure of Alan Colmes from Hannity & Colmes came up. Several people were surprised at the move, and a couple claimed that it’s just what they would expect from Fox News.
Putting aside the far-left promoted misconceptions of Fox News for a moment, I thought about why this might be happening right now. And I also remembered a recent Word of the day from Stephen Colbert – which was on love lost and love found (highly pro-Obama). And I came to a conclusion that was interesting.
I expect that Stephen Colbert will lose his show, and so will several liberal commentators in both television and radio. Also Sean Hannity will lose his #1 rating, and possibly his time slot. The reason is because Democrats now lead the Congress and Presidency. It’s just that simple. After years of promoting liberal issues (Colmes), and (liberals) demonizing in the most personal way President Bush, they are getting out of the way.
Comedians and political satirists on the airwaves have flourished since the 2000 election of President Bush. Besides the fact that he is as eloquent as a stroke victim (no offense meant to those that have suffered this) it was the fact that President Bush won (liberals still say stole) the election by the slimmest of margins. It was taken as a personal slam by many liberals, and they never forgot it. Most of liberal media was motivated by this to attack President Bush on every issue and front they could cover.
For those that chose comedy and were less venom filled than the extremes, there was success. That led to huge moves forward by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as examples. They had an easy target, and they had the support of many liberals. But the most extreme individuals were shunned.
But now there is the media promoted, near flawless (according to many liberal pundits) President Obama. The popularity of this elected official is enormous. As such he cannot do anything but fail these ridiculously high standards placed in front of him. And liberal commentators are realizing that when he fails to keep up to the lofty expectations they will have to critique him harshly. None of them wish to do that.
Add to this the fact that as an African American critique of President Obama will be seen with an eye towards race and race relations. That is an issue America has yet to come to terms with. It’s the dirty secret that everyone knows and few acknowledge. As such comments about President Obama in the negative, from those that lauded him prior to the election will be seen as especially harsh. And that can’t be good for ratings or future career prospects.
So the smartest move is to get out of the way. To let the focus fall on conservatives that oppose the liberal plans of the Democrats. That any opposition will look as if it is entirely partisan (and some of it will be). Thus they can return at a later point and look like shiny defenders of the realm. It’s an interesting political plan, if I am correct.
The problem is that some cannot get out of the way. Like Colbert. And thus he will suffer. Since his television program is meant to mock conservative views, in an Administration of liberal programs he will be hard pressed to mock the Administration and keep the support of his followers. Comedians with similar objectives will face a similar problem. Many will fail as they are too far to the extreme to balance in the new environment.
Alan Colmes may be one of the smartest political pundits the Democrats have. By leaving the #1 rated program on the #1 rated news channel BEFORE President Obama enacts any of his programs (though not before he has broken several campaign promises) he leaves on top. He will continue to support President Obama and the Democrat policies, as an occasional and maybe regular pundit, but that’s not the same.
This will make the views of Sean Hannity seem even more extreme (not to say that several of his views are not already). And it might make some room for critique of President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress to be taken only as partisan. It will definitely make his return, on a more liberal focused program, seem more fair and bi-partisan. Thus Colmes will win big.
All of this makes me see one thing. The news media is far too political and commercialized. There is no room for objective analysis anymore. We have already heard several organizations declare how they slanted their coverage to promote President Obama in the election. Going forward there will be the continuation of this, to the detriment of the public they are supposed to be serving. All in the name of ratings.
And those that critique the politicians, have equally been partisan. Whether it’s David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Chris Matthews, or whomever. But their reward will be the loss of much of these ratings. At least at first.
Television and news media coverage of politics are about to change. Many liberals won’t like what it turns out to be. Neither will conservative be thrilled by the media response. In effect, over the next 2 years the public will lose as will the media. If I am correct, Alan Colmes saw this outcome and stepped out of the way. That makes him the smartest commentator on television at the moment.
Ok, hold the presses. I just saw this video - thanks to On A Whole New Level (which links to my site I found out) - that had me laughing out loud. This is the perfect video about the whole Black man in an elevator situation.
Warning, this contains a small bit of vulgar language that some might find offensive. Of course the subject matter it is dealing with is a whole lot more offensive if you ask me.
Now tell me that wasn't perfect. I had to watch it twice. Thank you ThinkerGoneMad.
Today all eyes are pointing towards Citigroup and what they have been doing, or failing to do. Thousands have lost their jobs, tens of billions of dollars are being poured into the company. And unlike AIG, Citigroup is not sending their employees to luxury spas for a breather. Nor are they giving up on celebrity endorsements like GM with Tiger Woods. No, they are putting their name on the Mets baseball stadium for $400 million of your tax dollars.
Wow.
I mean what else can be said here. Citigroup is going forward with putting their name on a stadium (a policy I dislike in all stadiums) with your money as 401k’s and taxes are used to fund it. No wonder they ran through the intial $25 billion the Government gave them. And Congress is asking AIG and the auto industry for reforms and guarantees. For over a year now, no one thought this expenditure was worth noting? Hey Barney Frank, you didn’t get a memo on this – Mr. Head of the Banking Committee.
I mean GM has bailed out of their deal with Tiger Woods. They bought themselves out of their deal a year early. I’m sure it cost them more than a bit to do so, but at least they did something to save a few bucks. And I’m sure Tiger was more than happy to let them do it.
Tiger Woods is too big a brand to be tied to the failure of the auto industry. The last thing he needs is the media tying him to a huge payout funded by an auto bailout. That would be bad for his image, bad for PGA golf, and America. Nobody wins in that scenario. And I doubt he is hurting for the money.
Of course GM is losing the worst. Tiger looks like a hero for saving the company money. He can easily say that he does not want to be paid at the price of workers jobs, or taxpayer debt increases. And that would be true. But GM looks like an idiot for not moving forward sooner. And losing Tiger, the Super Bowl ads, and who knows what other advertising means fewer cars sold.
But at least this looks a little bit better for them after their luxury corporate jet trip to ask Congress for billions of dollars.
Citigroup on the other hand could care less. At least that’s what it looks like. They are spending more useless money than Tiger’s endorsement (the full 5 year deal), buying a new corporate jet, all the Super Bowl ads, and the AIG spa trips put together and multiplied by 10. At the very least will shareholders get a discount to go to Mets’ games in 2009. Even 1 game in the baseball season? I doubt it.
The big question is will this reflect badly on the Mets. They are getting paid a stupid amount of money, as is New York City, to have the field given this dumb name. There are thousands of employees of Citigroup that work in the corporate headquarters in NYC. How will they feel watching the Mets play, knowing that the field’s name cost them their job. Or anyone who invested in Citigroup. They might have lost the ability to go to games, or even to live in their home, because of the stock devaluation due to the mismanagement and they have to watch this team play in a place that sucked their money away.
Mets fans always have had it rough, being in the same city as the Yankees. But this is a new thing that really doesn’t have anything to do with baseball, yet it may well have a massive impact on the game.
And if you are wondering why Citigroup didn’t do something back in January (at the latest) when they knew things were getting bad? Its because they were sure of one thing. They are too big to fail. They can waste money like a drunk pissing on the side of a building. It is wrong, but they don’t care. And the Government knows it.
But let me ask you which you think is worse. Is it worse to lose Tiger Woods’ endorsement, and ads during the Super Bowl and ask for money, or to spend money on the name of a baseball field and demand the public pay for it? Then let me know why you think Congress (especially Chris Dodd and Barney Frank) seems to think GM is the bigger bad guy.
I was speaking with friends about the state of Black buying power, the economy, and what I noticed about the Audi television commercial when the subject of Nerf toys came up. It may sound odd but it made sense in the course of the conversation. With the holiday season about to go full blast with Black Friday mere days away, there is no end to commercials targeting the latest gadget that a kid today might want. But the question is what are they really getting?
I remember Nerf from almost the beginning. The first Nerf toy I recall was the Nerf football. They were spongy and small, but cheap and useful indoors as well as in the street. You only need to throw one bad pass that hits a car or a window to appreciate the Nerf foam. In the middle of the Bronx playing in the street you are bound to hit one or the other. So suffice to say I have fond memories of Nerf.
And then as I grew up, Nerf grew up faster. And not only for my generation, for all of the ones afterwards as well. Their were Nerf guns of every sort, but at first there was no comparison to an actual gun in any manner. On Saturday I noticed the latest toy commercial from Hasbro, the NERF N-STRIKE LONGSHOT CS-6
What the hell has happened. Nerf is selling guns, military guns to kids. The abovementioned toy is a kids version of a sniper rifle. And there is the NERF N-STRIKE VULCAN EBF-25 YELLOW which I defy anyone from describing as not looking like a SAW or M60 machinegun. And people wonder if kids are getting violent because of video games.
Now I’m not against guns, nor do I think kids shouldn’t be allowed to rough-house. It’s part of growing up and it has it’s own lessons to teach kids. Within reason.
There is a big difference between kids playing cops and robbers, to planning out and executing small squad tatical assaults. There is a dramatic difference of teaching a kid to hunt and respect a weapon and sitting in the backyard with a foam sniper rifle waiting for the neighbor to get home. It’s just wrong. And there is no comparison to when I grew up.
Yes kids live in a world with terrorists, 24 hour news, drive-by shootings, and drug gang wars. Given. Still how helpful can it be when we are arming these children and sending them out to play wargames with weapons fashioned after the military? How can we be surprised when some of these same kids go out and use a real gun?
I’m not blaming Columbine, or the recent double murder committed by an 8 year old, on Nerf. Nor is it guns that I am upset by. A gun is no more dangerous than a rock, until it is picked up with intent. I’m upset with the media and parents.
The media selectively chooses to pick on aspects of the lives of children to blame when something goes wrong. Oblivious to the force-feeding they do in the name of marketing and advertising dollars. They blame video games for more violent kids, while advertising those games and more importantly these real world military assault weapon substitutes. And then say they have no connection to the problem at hand.
And parents that buy these toys for their kids. What are they thinking? That if they give little Tommy a gun similar to the one in their video game, and send them outside to shoot the neighborhood kids, it’s ok because they got him up from the television set? IF that’s the choice, leave them on the video game At least some of those games involve creatures that can never be confused with a human being.
I admit that I like the Nerf Longshot. Then again I am a 40 year old man, that served in the military, and find the resemblence of the toy to a sniper rifle appealing on a level. I can’t begin to imagine what a 6 year old (which this toy is recommended for) is going to think. I can’t imagine how a parent can convince that child that their toy is not like the gun in the attic that looks the same. How they might explain why it’s ok to shoot someone with this rather realistic toy but wrong to do the same with its real counterpart.
I’m not against guns. But I am for the responsibility that goes along with gun ownwership – which in my mind includes replicas and toys made in that same image and style. And I can’t see a responsible way to own these toys and not create a conflict.
I’m single, my friends I spoke with on this subject are all adults some with grown children. None of us either have kids in the range of 6 – 15 or at all. So this is a question we could not resolve. But some of my readers surely do have kids in that age range right now. So I want to know what do you think.
Are these Nerf guns too realistic? Is there a difference in a kid’s mind? Is there a way to play with this toy that is not indicative of harm to fellow human beings? Can young children understand the difference?
Audi television commercial says we are all not the same
Ah the holiday season. It’s a time of credit card debt, long lines at shopping malls and department stores, and occasionally a truly inspired television commercial. I recall somewhere in the back of my mind a time around now that would be called the Thanksgiving and then Christmas Holidays and family gatherings, but that’s a bit fuzzy and a long time ago. And it’s not my point.
The television commercials promoting the purchases you need to make to ensure the happiness of your loved ones are interesting. Often television can provide dramatic insight to the real mood and thoughts of the nation. This is never more true than during a holiday, or the Super Bowl. And Audi really made a statement early into the season.
Now I have to admit that I did not notice the problem in this commercial the first time I saw it. It was a friend of mine who saw it on Friday and asked if I had noticed something glaring in the commercial. I finally found a copy of it and I wonder if you will see the problem.
You only need to pay attention to the details of the commercial to get the message. It’s subtle and visual, and only on for 2 seconds.
Need help? I did at first too. Look at the road that each guy gets. It’s not the design of the road, it’s the size of it. And that says a lot, especially when each home is considered too.
The Black couple have a piece of the road, a very small piece. They have a decent if not plainly decorated home. There is no extravagance, and their clothes are neither new nor impressive.
The next couple is White. They have a far bigger piece of road. The style the room is decorated in seems to imply an apartment while the art, furniture, lamps, and books imply white-collar professionals. That means the apartment is a condo. And this implies a higher income than the Black couple.
The last couple are also White (or at least the man is, and the woman could be argued to have some Latina traits though I don’t see it). They have a huge home, and an equally large section of road.
I realize that Audi included middle-class African Americans in their commercial. I know they are projecting an image of success for them as well. And obviously they want African American customers. But that’s just a secondary thought. They really are saying that they want White customers. And that they value White customers over Black ones.
Some might say I am overly critical of the television commercial. I think not, because when you have only 30 seconds to make a statement everything that is seen is part of your message. There are teams of people making more than I do each, pouring over every detail in this commercial and then another group of even better paid people that approve the idea and pitch it to Audi. And then Audi’s really well paid people go over it all before it gets a greenlight.
Audi doesn’t care if Billy Joe working at the gas station likes the commercial. They don’t care if Santiago working at the printing company watched the commercial. They want people with money and tons of it. And that is reflected in the commercial.
What the commercial really says is if you are Black and can put some money together you might be able to own an Audi. If you are a yuppie in the city you can own their car, and if you relax at the country club you are a member of on the weekend and live in the suburbs you need to own this car. Because it’s the White guy with the big house that gets the car in the end.
Now I will say again that I didn’t pay attention to this commercial the first time I saw it. But I have watched it since a few times. And I’m happy that Audi has joined the growing number of companies targeting African Americans for their products. It’s nice to see that at least commercials are willing to acknowledge the existence of, and buying power controlled by, African Americans. They are ahead of television programming that continues to emphasize a view of the world more akin to 1960 than 2000.
But that does not mean I enjoy the message they are sending out. It’s not as bad as the insulting commercials that McDonald’s puts out that are obvious in their targeting of African Americans via stereotypes in the media. But the message is not as positive as it could have been either. Simply having all the pieces of the road the same size (hell they could have used the same piece for all it mattered) would have been enough. A simple statement that all the customers that could afford an Audi are equal in their eyes, and welcome. But that isn’t what they believe according to their commercial.
Again, commercials are the window to the thoughts in the back of the collective minds of the nation. It’s the backhanded compliment (like when Colin Powell and President Obama are called clean and articulate), or the obliviousness of using terms based on racial segregation and Jim Crow that thankfully stopped being used 25 years ago (Lindsey Lohan ring a bell?).
I’m not saying that every commercial has to include African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Indians (who you really never see at all) and every other group in America. But I am saying that when the majority of commercials exclude all these groups, and when the small portion that do show us imply imperfections and secondary status, I speak on it. It means to me that America still has a long way to go. That it’s not just people in Pennsylvania or West Virginia that have problems. That the world continues to feed upon the negative images our media provides, diminishing the nation by diminishing parts of our nation.
Do I like the Audi? Yes I do. Would I buy one after seeing this commercial? I might. But what I would rather see are commercials for whatever product that includes people just like me, in exactly the same manner as they target anyone else. Because I have the same Rights, money, and dammit I have earned it.
Then there is Perez Hilton who quotes an annonymous source close to Prince that says Prince is upset, and misquoted.
My first problem is that an annonymous source is never reliable. It could be anyone, the gardner, the maid, the mailman or it could actually be someone close to Prince. There is just no way to tell.
Since Prince himself has yet to say anything directly, I have to believe that the New Yorker is correct. If they weren’t, well a lawsuit would surely reach their offices by now. So annonymous source or not I believe it is true.
In addition to that there is the fact, which many media sources seem incapable of understanding, that Prince has recently become very religious. His focus on religion came well after the 80’s and the multiple sexually charged records, performances, and outfits that Prince is well known for. So it does not strike me odd that he could have a song like Darling Nikki, and be highly religious. They didn’t happen at the same time so why can’t he have his views? Probably because the same Democrats (or liberal media if you prefer) the quote refers to can’t understand a person changing their mind to more conservative views at a later (possibly wiser) point in their lives.
Of course I’m sure that San Franscico is losing its collective mind yet again. But in looking at the quote again, I don’t hear Prince saying that this is the only viewpoint or that his religion is best for everyone. He was stating his view, which matches his religion. So how that affects what America does I’m not sure. Especially since the majority of Americans are not Jehovah's Witness.
But again it brings up a point I’ve made in the past, and that several gay friends of mine either agree or disagree with depending on the person. The argument is the wrong one. It’s a fight over a word, and not the most important one at that.
Marriage is meant as the unification of a man and a woman for life, to achieve progeny that will continue the human species. Basically you get married so your kids know their parents and have a stable home. Everything else about marriage is baggage we have thrown on it.
Homosexuals are not capable of procreation with their partner without scientific intervention, or adultery (if they were married). So it violates the prime reason for marriage. Thus what gay proponents want is the equal rights of a married couple, not a word. They want the same ability to gain healthcare, advize treatments, insurance coverage, and so on. Which I have no problem with.
But to fight for a word gains none of those things. It only pisses off religious groups, and creates heated battles that cause anyone not on one or another side of the extreme to back away from the debate altogether. Which then causes the goal to be that much harder to secure. Which is basically where things are now.
I bet if the fight over the word marriage stopped tomorrow, and the focus became respecting the committed relationship of 2 people and ensuring their rights we’d see many more people agree. Legislation would be infinitely more easy to pass, and support from some of those opposed to the marriage word issue would be gained. It all just gets much simpler. Because the point of angst for many is removed, and few in America would deny basic rights to any person.
Now that isn’t what Prince said. Nor do I believe that is what he means. But that is his opinion. He has a right to it. And the amazement of some in the media really needs to stop. Prince isn’t banging down the doors of Congress. He just is stating that there is a middle ground that is likely the best answer to the question at hand.
Is Chinese Democracy good? You win even if it's not
Guns n’ Roses’ can be called many things. Sporadic, drugged, crazed, genius, lyrical, inspirational all have been used and fit well to this band. Perhaps this can all best be ascribed to lead singer Axl Rose, a man with a plethora of issues, passion, demons, and intensity. And it can be said that Axl’s many weaknesses are his strengths as well. But one of the short-comings of the band he famously heads will soon be naught but the memories of the past.
It’s been more than a decade since Guns n’ Roses’ last released an album. The upcoming album Chinese Democracy has been worked on and redone since 1994. And most believed that it would be the equivalent of Meatloaf topping Bat Out of Hell. It just won’t happen. But all things are probable, even the improbable (as a certain engine proved).
Thus Chinese Democracy is going to come out in a mere handful of days. Most in Rock and Roll are more than just a bit surprised. And no one is sure what to really expect. Well no one except a blogger that placed early bits of the album on his blog, and was rudely awoken by the police because of it.
Will this be a good album? Will it be worth the wait? To be honest, I doubt it. Anything that takes that long to make, and is not destined to operate in outer space is most likely to be a ruinous waste of time. There might be a song or 2 that are ok, but the rest will fail miserably. The past glory will remain in the past – no matter the sales of all the curious.
But even if this new album is a complete waste of time, an utter disgrace confirming that some things are best left undone, you will be able to gain something from the effort. And you won’t even need to buy anything to get it. Yes you can be rewarded for the sweat, humiliation, and decade of work laid out by Axl Rose. Courtesy of Dr. Pepper.
Back in March of this year Dr. Pepper bet that Chinese Democracy was as likely to be released this year as Hillary Clinton becoming the sweetheart of America. Senator Hillary Clinton is still despised by some 50% of the nation (including more than a few in the Obama camp), but Dr. Pepper lost their bet. And that means that every person in America wins. You are now entitled to a free 20 ounce Dr. Pepper. Talk about buying a round for the house.
As of 12:01 Sunday you will have one day to get a coupon, at their website located at www.drpepper.com, which will be good until Feb. 28, 2009. That coupon will get you your free drink.
I have to admit that I never thought they would do this. It’s rare to see a major corporation live up to the letter of their word – when it’s costing them money. Then again the release of Guns n’ Roses’ album is even more rare an occurrence.
So in addition to the Wanna Ride? selection of mousepads, coffee mugs, t-shirts, Teddy bears, sweats, thongs, and other items I present the new Cowboy line.
The new Cowboy line is a strong statement of self. It looks good in t-shirts, steins, pet water bowls, calendars, hats, hooded sweatshirts, and over a dozen other items. And the design is another original from HB Designs made exclusively for M V Consulting, Inc. So you can be sure this is a unique gift for anyone on your Holiday lists, or yourself.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg. There are even more unique clothing designs being worked on as we speak, covering thoughts from the sexy to the flirty to just funny. And each unique clothing design will be available on dozens of styles of clothing, and a huge assortment of other products like boxer shorts, kitchen aprons, keepsake boxes, throw pillows, coffee mugs, gift cards, 2009 calendars, coaster tiles, and more.
Out of the hundreds of items available, there is definitely something for everyone including yourself. And they all can be purchased from the warmth and ease of your home and/or office. So just click here and take a look at what is available.
Keep an eye out for our model photos that will be coming soon. This way you can see real people in the various clothing designs at our online store.
Sincerely,
Michael Vass President – M V Consulting, Inc. info@vassconsult.com
** If you wish to submit a design or clothing idea please contact us.
And we are always interested in new models – male or female, of every race and age – for our photo shoots. If you wish to be considered please send a photo with your contact information to us here.
When you think of Jazz music what comes to your mind? Take a moment, I’ll wait.
Now some might instantly come up with Miles Davis, or Herbie Hancock. Others might be thinking of Etta James. Some might envision the 1950’s in America, or perhaps Harlem in its heyday. For me all of these and other aspects of jazz come to mind. But I just learned of one aspect that I doubt most would come upon.
Jazz and Japan.
The 2 sound like an odd mix. It almost jars the mind to conceptualize the 2 together. But Jazz coffeeshops have long maintained the connection in Japan.
It is a post about Professor Michael Molasky of the University of Minnesota that provided me the connection that these 2 share. He is also a jazz pianist, and spent a year searching out the jazz coffeehouses. And in them he found a rich history which he shared with an audience at UCLA.
In reading about Prof. Molasky I found out that jazz was first introduced in coffeeshops in 1929. Of course the first such establishment was across from the University of Tokyo. And at the time jazz was not associated with African Americans by the general populace.
Even in the 1950’s when French films incorporated jazz wholesale there remained a separation of the expression and power of jazz and African Americans. But that changed in 1961 when Art Blakey did a tour of Japan. It was the first time multitudes of Japanese were able to see a Black man, let alone connect them to jazz music. Which in a way I find amazing.
I find it hard to understand how jazz could be separated from the artists and musicians that created it. That a music genre could be so isolated from those that created it. Of course there was no cable television, not music videos, so to a degree it is understandable. And when you add in the fact that the cost of audio equipment and foreign music was prohibitive to most Japanese people it make a tinge more sense. Yet for the otaku (roughly geeks or hardcore fans) I would have expected a different take.
Still Prof. Molasky expressed that it was the connection of Art Blakey and jazz that had many Japanese people not only going to the jazz coffeeshops, but also intensely following the Civil Rights Movement. Again this was something I was unaware of. I had no idea that anyone in Japan cared. Not because they were racist or anything of that nature, just because they are so far removed physically and socially.
Of course jazz in Japan was an inspiration, just as it was and is in America today. It was a feature with the Japanese Student Movement, influenced Nobel Prize winner Oe Kensaburo, and provided a living to Haruki Murakami.
All of this were things I had no idea of. I’ve always enjoyed jazz, and knew of its influence in Europe. But I always felt that the biggest impact was just here in the U.S. It seems that I was very wrong, and niaeve.
For me, I find it refreshing to have learned all of this. It’s a bit of humbling, and moreso learning. It makes my appreciation of jazz all the more stronger. And it makes the world just that much more friendly.
And for my readers that have never ventured far from the reheated refuse that is gangsta rap, or the overly commercialized R&B of these days, I suggest you check out jazz. There is more there than you might imagine. Just as I have learned today.
Sports are known for great moments, superb players, and some of the worst decisions and strategies ever conceived. No matter the sport this is always true. Taking futbol (soccer) for example there are the greats like Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho. There are great moments like these
and
but then there are things like I have just learned of.
It seems that Italian futbol is taking on a new low. Literally. They are lowering their shorts, in one case to their knees, to be able to win. It’s just awful.
Why in the world would any team do this? Well it’s being done during free kicks to block the view of the goalie. And it has been effective, at least in the recent Catania win. Is it worth it though?
Like that makes it worth doing. The referee should never allow this. It should not become a trend. It is the utmost in unsportsmanlike play. It is insulting to players and fans.
If this is the only way that Italian teams can win, they need to lose. I can only hope that this does not catch on and be displayed in the next World Cup.
Futbol is a great game, and the world enjoys it. But tricks like these don’t even deserve to be done or seen. Zenga knows better as do his players.
Things in Hollywood tend to happen in 3’s. Whether it’s a franchise of movies (before everyone stops caring about the series of films), celebrity deaths, or now early retirement. The current news flash about the silver screen is that Joaquin Phoenix, Angelina Jolie, and Nicole Kidman have all lost the acting bug. But does it matter?
What happened to the old days where good actors and actresses worked until they stopped getting roles or just sucked so bad that they stopped trying? When did entertainers publicly announce the fact that directors and Hollywood execs had lost faith, or found them too problematic, and stopped taking their calls?
Now this may not be true of each of the above movie stars. Angelina Jolie still packs in the crowds and her movies have been quite good of late. WANTED was a good film and made decent money (though she was way too skinny). Changeling seems to be doing alright in theaters, Beowulf and Kung Fu Panda don’t count as they were animated. And she was nominated twice for her work in A Mighty Heart. So to see her give up film work is a bit of a loss. Then again no one is really looking forward to Lara Croft 3.
Joaquin Phoenix is still riding high off of his work on Walk the Line (which was excellent). But his work on Gladiator, Ladder 49, and Hotel Rwanda easily cover the lesser known Two Lovers and Reservation Road. And the fact that he is Puerto Rican (which most do not seem to focus on) is a bonus to me at least. But like many actors, music is a drive that is currently consuming him.
Nicole Kidman though needed to retire years ago. Seriously, her retirement is more the fact that she does not deserve the pay she makes. The last success she had was Happy Feet, which was animated. It could be argued that Cold Mountain was a hit, but you really need to go back to The Hours or Moulin Rouge – roughly 8 years ago. Her career seriously peaked in 1990 with Days of Thunder, which former husband Tom Cruise (and the NASCAR cars) had more to do with.
But if every one of these actors stopped making films, who would care? Besides their fan clubs, not many. These are not the Humphrey Bogart’s, John Wayne’s, Lucille Ball’s, Lena Horn’s, or Katherine Hepburn’s of film. 2 of the 3 are very good, but not a single one is great. Their loss really amounts to nothing.
It’s not like the masses are losing anything. And telling the world that you won’t make another bad film we wouldn’t watch on DVD (mostly in Kidman’s case) only means we have something to look forward to, not lament.
No what this really says to me is that Hollywood is sitting on it’s laurels too much. That too many are overhyped. That the dearth of real talent is more obvious today than perhaps at any point in movie history. And that many of the more bankable and successful actors and actresses are still not going to get the attention they deserve.
If anything I hope this leads to a flood of retirements among the current crop of entertainers out now. Perhaps the following could retire and save us the movies, trailers, and DVD’s that flood the market now. I’d love to hear that the following are going to avoid smiting my eyes in 35mm
Johnny Knoxville Vince Vaughn Jennifer Lopez Halle Berry (yes she has an Oscar, but name the film she won for. Or a great role she has done? Or a great film she was in.) Jennifer Aniston Ashton Kutchner (he was bad on television. Take away Demi Moore and you have nothing worthwhile about him) Topher Grace Ben Stiller Leonardo DiCaprio (over-hyped) Jessica Alba (looks but no talent) Hillary Duff Lindsey Lohan Jean Claude Van Damme Steven Segal (his time is passed) Beyonce Knowles (stick to singing) DMX Ja Rule Virtually every gangsta rapper Cedric the Entertainer Ben Afflect
The list is not perfect (there should be more on it) but in each case it is clear that the people here are each in need of serious acting classes, or at least better screening of the scripts they agree to.
I’m sure some will not agree with at least a few of these choices. Every actor that makes it to the big screen has a few fans. And looks trump talent these days. But not one of these actors or actresses can match up to real talent – thankfully they don’t even appear in movies where real talents appear. As I recall none of the above have performed with
Denzel Washington Jamie Foxx Robert Downey Jr. Terrence Howard Michael Douglas Al Pacino Benicio Del Toro Johnny Depp Kiera Knightley Susan Sarandon Tom Hanks Forest Whitaker Morris Chestnut
I don’t think I need to go on.
But if you could pick anyone to remove from movie screens and television forever who would you pick? Do you agree with my choices, and who might I have left out?
Shaun White. I almost don’t have to say very much more about the Olympic gold medalist, multiple X-games gold medal winner and renown skateboarder (body varial frontside 540).
Well I suppose I could mention his new video game
It looks great but the reviews are not as lively.
Over at Gamespot it has received just a very low 5.0 out of 10. That’s the mark of a game to ignore. Overall critics are looking at the game as a 6.2, and users a 6.9. None of which are much better.
The problems are big ones. You never feel the speed. The mountains are made up. But the really big problem, the crashes. In a game where the average kid tries to emulate the extraordinary moves of the pros some of the most fun can be seen in the crashes. Hell, often gamers just play the game for the crashes. And this does not live up to it at all.
This really just does not do justice to the sport, nor one of it’s biggest stars. Scratch this off of your Christmas list and hope for a better try next year.
This truism applies to everything in life. From buying or selling stocks, hitting a baseball, crossing the street, asking someone out on a date to getting a starring role in a opera.
Yes, starring in an opera.
Adriano Graziani is the well-fated man who called into the Welsh National Opera – planning to get tickets for Friends of Welsh National Opera performance – and wound up getting an offer for the lead role. Not only did he take the offer, his performance was so strong that he will now star in that opera company’s production of La Bohème in 2009.
Now before every opera hopeful starts dialing the Metropolitian Opera, there is a bit more to the story. Graziani was a student at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, and part-time singer when not at his full-time banking job. So they had heard him sing before. In addition the lead tenor had taken ill that day, and Graziani is a tenor.
So it was a combination of a lot of work before hand, talent, and timing that all came together. But once they did it was lightning in a bottle.
It’s kind of like Paul Potts – the winner of the Britain's Got Talent television show. I featured a video of Potts before in the post The uplifting theme of 2007
I've spoken about the Watchmen movie previously, and my excitement continues to build. A new movie trailer has come out which sets the tone of the movie quite well.
That got my blog pumping. If you don't see this movie, you must be dead. Ok, a bit extreme but I really think this movie is going to surprise and blow away people in hordes.
There's nothing more to say, the video clip has done it all.
Lindsey Lohan: unpleasant words from an unpleasant mind
I heard about it yesterday, and found it on Youtube today. The brilliance of Lindsey Lohan is stunning to behold I must say. If you have not heard about this I now present you with Lohan handing out a compliment.
The key moment in this conversation is the 13th through 19th seconds. In 6 seconds Lohan both states he thrill at an Obama win, and then insults him harshly. It’s so simple and obviously so common that Maria Menounos of Access Hollywood doesn’t even notice.
Colored. As in the defining word in Jim Crow laws and segregation that prevented Blacks from voting, or even sitting on a bus, for nearly 100 years.
I have a friend, who is 50, and he mentioned to me what she had said and asked why it was a big deal. He honestly had no idea though in several years I’ve never heard him utter the word once. For the benefit of others in the world, it is a big deal to many. NEVER call an African American colored.
That one word was used, along with the n-word in less polite circles, to describe African Americans. And it was meant as a derogatory term. It was a means of separating and belittling. It was meant as a way of inferring both difference and dislike.
Is it a hateful word? Not entirely, depending on the person that states it. But I can say that I have never heard the term uttered by anyone under 60 before. I’ve encountered diehard racists that never used the term, though they did use the n-word with frequency (while they had teeth). And in the years since 1970 the only reference I have been aware of for that usage is when someone is trying to be polite in public and does not want to use the n-word. It’s a tell that would be like jumping up and down at a poker table.
The fact that Lohan uses this term does not surprise me. I am sure that her circle of drug addicted, drunken friends are anything but the most enlightened souls. Often the most ignorant, stupid, small-minded, weak-willed, imbecilic and verbally constrained people are drunks, drug addicts, and/or racist. Which makes perfect sense when considering the crowd around Lohan.
But I did notice that Access Hollywood seems to be taking up for Lohan’s racial remark by stating
Unintelligible? Hardly. I heard it a clear as a day. And it is not some kind of made up word out of the dictionary only Don King uses. It was very intelligible. And no one should be trying to obscure what she said.
I know that the NAACP has stated that they think the use of colored was
“…outdated and antiquated but not offensive.”
And I disagree. Not one friend I know, nor any person of color I have ever known would find her comment inoffensive. Perhaps if I were born in the highly racist 1950’s or earlier in America it wouldn’t matter. But I and most Black Americans alive today were not. Nor was she.
Is it racist? No. Is it racially insensitive and insulting, Yes. The mere fact that as America has become less racist the term has ceased being used is proof enough of that. One day the term Black may be as well. But right now, there is no reason why Lohan would use such a term without being in an environment that fosters and promotes negative stereotypical views of Blacks.
One thing is for sure, the fact that much of America didn’t blink an eye, like Maria Menounos and the editors of Access Hollywood, tells me that thinking of Black people as second-class and offensive still is as much a part of America as it was half a century ago.
President Obama is Black, and that one act did not change America’s racist heritage nor the racially charged problems of today.
So we know some of the upcoming movies that I would recommend (based on the trailers, actors, and plots as far as I can tell). But perhaps as critical is to know what to avoid in the theaters. Nothing is as painful as the thought that you just spent $30 a person to see a film that made you understand how a rat feels as it flees a sinking ship.
In the past couple of years Hollywood has flooded the theaters with these substandard, cheap, not-worthy-of–DVD purchase films. I suppose Hollywood exes expect that the law of numbers says they should make enough money on at least one of these films in the first week to justify making them all.
My advice, just avoid them. Unless you happen to be stuck on a sinking ship without a life raft in the middle of the ocean in shorts, in the middle of winter, can’t swim, sharks in the water, at midnight on a moonless night, and are paralyzed from the neck down. Otr am I being too subtle?
Pink Panther 2
The perfect example of what I mean. Please, someone in Hollywood, stop whomever is greenlighting these movies. Peter Sellers is dying all over again. Steve Martin is not funny, his accent is insulting, his physicality is like watching a 6 year old do Swan Lake. Didn’t the first film flop bad enough? I had thought so but it seems I am wrong. Why does Hollywood want to punish the public?
Really readers, go rent a copy of any of the older and far superior Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies. You’ll feel better for it and save money too.
I hate to say this next one but
Star Trek (XI)
I am a fan of the original series. I loved watching James Tiberius Kirk, Spock, ‘Bones’ McCoy and the rest. So I was anticipating this film since I heard about it. I wasn’t even put off when I heard that the kid from Harold & Kumar was going to be Sulu. But the first trailer I see now (bootleg as it is) does not inspire me.
I don’t get the thrill of Kirk, not the intellect and dedication of Spock. McCoy looks interesting. Who knows about Uhura, Sulu, and Checkov. Scotty is far too giddy.
It’s too soon to say this is a complete mess. But from what I can gather off this trailer, they may have ruined the franchise. Which really sucks. Until I see a better trailer, this movie is on my don’t watch unless in interrogation list. A real shame.
The Spirit
Every reason that made Sin City work, fails in this film. I like Samuel Jackson but his character in this film just doesn’t catch. The focus on women is a distraction. It makes me believe that the movie studio knows that this film won’t work on it’s own merits, thus go with the sex always sells tactic. A very bad sign.
I’m not drawn into the movie, not enticed. Not that I every liked The Spirit. This may well be one graphic novel too much. The transition from comic graphic novel to film isn’t making it. I just hope it doesn’t affect the Watchmen in a negative manner.
So the good news is that there are more films coming up to watch than not. Though I tend to ignore most of the garbage, it generally doesn't deserve the attention my blogs provide. But the final verdicts are far from in.
Now that the election is over, and while we are still learning how our money is being spent in ways we never considered (thank you Paulson), the need for a distraction is eminent. This holiday season, as unemployment rises and stock market hopes fall, we all need to get away. Escaping to a vacation that we all can afford. A good movie.
The big question though is if Hollywood has anything to offer us. In recent years the obsession of Hollywood in electing a liberal a President as possible consumed the silver screen. Millions of dollars and huge amounts of time were wasted on political statements that were poorly written, and wouldn’t be worth watching if they were on broadcast television with American Idol and Dancing with the Stars on before and afterwards.
To put it bluntly, if you’ve seen more than 3 movies in a theater this year you wasted money and left thinking that you were once smarter than after the movie experience. But can Christmas bring us all what we have been wishing for, entertainment?
Well the answer is yes and no. There are a couple of movies that might compel you to leave the comfort of your own home. Of course these movies are surrounded by crap that you are probably seeing trailers for right now.
Let’s start with what may be worth your groceries for a day or 2.
Seven Pounds
Will Smith is on a roll (like he stopped). You watch this trailer and you get a couple of thoughts. Why is he doing this? What is the secret? Will this be uplifting? I don’t know the answers but I am very sure of the ability of this actor to make it worth the time for find out. This movie will make money, but more importantly it will entertain you. It will let you share an emotional response with everyone in the theater, and that’s why we see movies.
Transporter 3
Jason Statham tends to always deliver. He is the man of action films these days, and with good reason. His characters tend to be intelligent, the plots tend to make some kind of sense, and the action is not filled with CGI or stunt doubles. Generally the more sequels you have the worse the movies get, but the Transporter series has done well to date. This should easily be worth the price of admission, because he can drive!
Valkyrie
Tom Cruise has finally gotten this movie ready for theaters. I mentioned this earlier when this was planned for the summer. I’m looking forward to the film. But I must admit that with reflection, and seeing additional trailers I have one problem. Cruise. He seems to boyishly happy and young to be a Nazi Colonel that is going to try to kill Hitler. While it’s a true story, I would expect the look of the real schemers to be a tad bit grim. But I will see if all the brightness in the film hinders or benefits the plot.
My Name is Bruce
Ok, I admit I am a Bruce Campbell fan. I just love his movies (and television shows most don’t recall). He is funny. So this film sending up his celebrity and still focusing on what made him famous is spot on. The trailer got me chuckling. Will I see it, yep. Will it win an Oscar, nope. Will it be entertaining? More likely than not. Bruce Campbell may not be Will Smith (on many levels) but one thing they both do well is pick movies that they can excel in. Now where is that boomstick?
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
I thought this movie had been made a while ago (like Vin Diesel’s Chronicles of Riddick – which supposedly has the 3rd film done years ago) so I’m not surprised it’s coming out. The first film was well worth the price of admission. The second not as much. But redemption seems at hand. This 3rd film is more of a prequel though. And a good thing too, because I really wanted to see more of the Lycan-Vampire war. Mythical creatures, medieval setting, swords, warfare on massive scale. Yep this should be good. And I like the lead actors too! Bonus.
Not Easily Broken
Morris Chestnut is definitely the go to guy in Black films. He has done very well in taking roles that are uplifting, and afrocentric. This is another of those films. I like this personally because, besides the quality acting and plot, it is an example that being African American does not mean being in a pigeonhole of stereotypes the media loves to display us as. This will actually be out in January 2009 (in time for the inauguration – how interesting), so thankfully it will give the Black community a choice besides seeing Notorious – which I do not recommend.
If you watch the news in recent weeks you might believe that the economy is singing a death knell. You might think that every small business in America is on the verge of failing. And if you happen to be Black or a woman, the major media would have you believe that you have no chance beyond whatever elected officials provide you with.
I’m happy to say that this is all false. In fact I was able to attend the launch party for a new product that I can recommend to my readers. And the owner is a fellow high school alumni, Black and a woman.
Now I want to interject a bit of information. While I know Barbara Jenkins from my high school reunion, my review is not based on favoritism. In addition I received no payment, in any form, for the review. Nor has anyone read over this review prior to it being on my blogs.
Barbara Jenkins is a fellow Evander-ite. She is also the owner of Couple Links, a new board games that is for adults. Mrs. Jenkins is the owner, corporate head, and the inventor Couple Links; and proof that even in the worst of environments innovation can take shape.
The launch party for the game took place at Latitude Bar in Manhattan, near W48th on 8th Ave. The top most private room was used for the occasion and I commend the choice. It’s clean, modern, spacious, and had decent music. It’s not too loud, and you really didn’t notice the sounds of immense crowd downstairs in the main bar. Well stocked, and they cook too.
The staff of the establishment were all very personable, late-20 somethings. They were social, good conversationalists, and efficient at handling a crowd. They could pour a decent drink, and made a point of paying attention to names. You have to love a well-staffed bar. And in choosing a location with such facilities and staffing, you have to be impressed with Mrs. Jenkins.
The first clue to a successful business can often be their choice and manner of presentation. This choice spoke of class and sophistication without being stuffy or pretentious. That was a major plus in my book. Oh, and the chocolate fountanin, with fresh strawberries, and other dippable finger foods was a unique bonus too. Another plus.
The crowd came in at about 8pm on Saturday, and continued to stream in throughout the night. While I don’t have any exact numbers, I was told that of the RSVP’s some 80% showed up to the event. For NYC on a Saturday night, that’s very good. Especially as there were some people that had traveled from Pennsylvania and Chicago, beating me in distance traveled to this event.
After about an hour or so Barbara Jenkins and her husband were able to pull themselves from the huge crowd of well-wishers and other interested groups trying to get a heads-up on the game, and began the nights program.
The introduction of key people that had helped Mrs. Jenkins design, build, and initially market Couple Links were all introduced without dragging the buoyant mood of the evening down. The speeches about Mrs. Jenkins going from normal average American worker to entrprenuer and owner of her own company was inspirational and short. Again another sign of a sharp mind, economy of words while conveying your thoughts completely.
But the big test of the night was about to start. Virtually all the people at the launch party had never seen the game. Even fewer were familiar with the style of the game. Basically all they knew was that the game was created with adult couples in mind, can be played with 2 or more couples, and took somewhere around a hour to play. So interest was high.
3 couples were selected randomly out of a large crowd with interest in trying the game. The following video is a very abridged account of the gameplay, which took roughly 25 minutes in total. All sprits were high at the time, and my editing skills are not the greatest in the world, so any blame about the video is all mine.
Of the couples in the video, the still picture is Mr. and Mrs Jenkins. Of the couples playing the game, 2 are married – 1 couple are newlyweds I believe, and one couple is dating. I mention that because the game need not only be for married couples, or those dating, exclusively.
The game kept the attention of all of the dozens of couples attending the launch party with ease. As you heard in the video several of the questions were risqué, and the crowd quieted a bit to hear those answers. So as a game of entertainment and adult relaxation, it succeeded not only with those playing, but those observing as well. And in an age of digital everything, that is saying quite a bit.
Sales were brisk that night, and from what I understand word of mouth is spreading well. I have no doubt that those that have not heard of the game yet, likely will hear something of it over the holiday season.
I have not gone into more detail about the nature of the game, or the multitude of questions available to be asked, because I think that is a big part of the fun of the game. Suffice to say that the rules are simple, logical, and built on the premise of fun. Every couple that played the game laughed and giggled as they played, and had nothing but smiles at the finish. I can name few things that can accomplish the same results in a large crowd of diverse people.
I recommend this game to any couple among my readers. I think this is a great gift, and just as good to own for yourself. I personally own a copy of the game.
If you would like to know more about Couple Links go to their website (http://www.couplelinksgame.com). Mention Mr. Vass sent you – because every owner likes to know where their clients come from.
Have fun above all else. And let me know what you think of the game, review and video.
M V Consulting, Inc. has been busy over the last year seeking out artists and graphic designers that can capture the essence of the slogans and ideas emblazoned on the clothing and goods sold at the company’s online store. To that end the company is pleased to present the first in a new line of T-shirts, hoodies, maternity wear, sweats, mugs, mousepads, tile coasters, cooking aprons, teddy bears and more.
The Wanna Ride line of clothing and goods are the first line from HB Designs made exclusively for M V Consulting, Inc. This line exemplifies the sexy, flirty, vibrant nature of many of the ladies that are visitors to the sites of the company. There is no doubt that while wearing this attention will be gained, and you will stand out in any crowd.
And the company has not forgotten about the men out there.
M V Consulting, Inc. sees no colors and as such we offer a version featuring Black, Latina, and White women.
And shortly we will be including another line featuring men as well – we think of you everyone. So please do let us know what you think of the new product line. Visit our online store and check out what’s available. And purchase as much as you want.
If you have specific ideas, or improvements we can make, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Michael Vass President – M V Consulting, Inc. info@vassconsult.com
** Several items available in different colors. All items above are front or back only designs for clothing. Plus sizes are also available at the online store. **
I am sure that it won't take long for this interesting item to circle the net, if it has not already. But i just lucked upon it and you need to see it.
Michael Jordan, in his post-Wizard's days had a basketball camp. And those that went to it got the rare pleasure of playing against the super athlete. Of course mere mortals would lose against him, just as beating Tiger Woods on his home course would be unthinkable.
But the laws of averages says that even the most improbably outcome can happen at least once. And as it happened a CEO named John Rogers Jr. was able to beat Jordan. Not only did this happen in front of witnesses, but there was video of it too.
Add to that the fact that Damon Wayans was in attendance. So the camp-goers got the rare treat of watching Wayans let loose his stand-up wit on Jordan as well. My only question is why did it take this long for the video to come out. You know that no one believed Rogers back home.
Going to Michael Jordan's basketball camp - a lot of money Playing Michael Jordan and not being NBA quality - almost unreachable
Beating Michael Jordan, in front of witnesses while being video taped, and having Damon Wayans take your back - truely priceless
So the big question of the post-election cycle is just one simple thing, is James Bond better than Jason Bourne. I’ve read a couple of opinions on this question and in general the answer has been mixed.
Most tend to focus on the question of looks of Daniel Craig or Matt Damon. Some compare the revenues of the films. Others take their cue from the critics or the action in each film. But I think the real question is the thinking of the characters.
Both characters think as much as they act. So if we compare just the thinking of the latest Bond, and Bourne what do we get? Bourne wins hands down.
Bond is out of his league when it comes to number of languages. That doesn’t me he is stupid, but it does limit him in some situations and cuts down his response time. Luckily he tends to always be surrounded by only well-spoken english speaking foes and spots in the world.
Bond also loses on spontaneous thought. Neither man looks like they have a plan, if you watch them casually. But Bourne always has a plan. As Nikki says,
“They don’t do random. There’s always a target, always a plan.”
He modifies it as he goes, but the plan is always there. In every movie he has a purpose and never expends more energy or makes himself more obvious than he needs.
Bond is always very visible. He tends to draw attention to himself. And his reaction time to events unfolding around him is slower than Bourne. Bond looks to figure out the big plan and then work down to the details, skipping a few points on the way.
Bourne is focused on the details, working his way up. He follows every detail and works from the shadows if at all possible. Bourne looks to misdirect and confuse to Bonds frontal attack.
Another problem for Bond, he needs gadgets. Mind you we all love the stuff he gets from Q. It’s cool stuff, perfect for the mission at hand. Sadly almost none of it survives a mission.
Bourne has never used anything more complicated than a tracking device. He is so low tech as to almost be stone age compared to Bond. Of course Bond never gets to beat down anyone with a pen, magazine, or a towel. I’m not sure Bond could if he needed to.
If they had to go up against each other Bourne wins in my opinion. Bond would likely never see Bourne coming after him, and I doubt he could keep up with him in a fight. Bond could never track Bourne down. And Bond sticks out in a crowd everywhere.
And the last thing that puts Bourne over Bond is the fact that Bond is not committed enough. Bond would die for Queen and country, but Bourne refuses to acknowledge pain or the thought of death. Once he has to act it is without regard to pain or physical consequence with everything in his surroundings adding to his arsenal of weapons. (I don't recall exactly but did Bourne ever shoot anyone besides the one guy in the field in the first movie?) Bond really hasn’t been in such a situation (yet) but he does not inspire the thought of absolute commitment that Bourne does.
In a different way of stating it, Bourne is a samurai to Bond’s cowboy. Both can be quite deadly, but your chances of surviving the cowboy is much higher.
Do you agree? Do you think Quantum of Solace will prove this wrong? Let me know if you see the movie this weekend.
In the discussion of Iraq, Afghanistan and U.S. military forces there have been many things said over the years. During the early part of the Primaries, particularly the Democratic Primaries, it was a focal point of public interest as well as political campaigns. But for all this commentary one of the things that was often missed were the troops themselves.
I must admit that I too failed on this point. So much discussion focused on the how and when of ending the wars little was spoken about how the troops were and what was being done for our returning soldiers.
I was reminded of this most recently when I received information about an ongoing USO tour. The USO gives back to our troops that are stationed overseas and fighting on behalf of our nation. No matter the political interests of all of us here at home, we all should appreciate the voluntary service that our troops provide for us.
This USO tour is a small piece of that appreciation, but for our troops it is an important one. And in this tour Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine General James E. Cartwright, the Ying Yang Twins, model/singer Mayra Veronica and comedians Gabriel Iglesias and Edwin San Juan are all taking part.
“It’s incredibly difficult to be stationed far away from family and friends,” said General Cartwright. “The goal of this USO tour is to bring a touch of home to those serving around the world, to put smiles on our troops’ faces and to provide great memories that will last a lifetime.”
I for one am glad to hear of these entertainers and their efforts to give to our troops. The above group joins a long line of celebrities and entertainers that have met our troops, overseas and at home, for decades via the USO. Some recent entertainers that have joined USO tours include:
Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Trace Adkins, Baby Bash and Anna Kournikova, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Boyz II Men, Gary Sinise, Brad Garrett, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Irby, Max Martini and Robert Patrick, Toby Keith, Tichina Arnold, Miss USA 2007 Rachel Smith, Miss Teen USA 2007 Hilary Cruz, Scarlett Johansson among many others.
Celebrating and honoring our troops is not a political act but one of honest appreciation and thanks. For that I think every entertainer that joins a USO tour needs to be acknowledged. I don’t have space for that here but you can go to the USO’s website to learn more. www.uso.org
And I should mention one other thing. The USO is at its core made up of volunteers that give their time to support our men and women in uniform. They work 24-hours a day, seven-days a week, and the majority of them are not as visible as the celebrities and entertainers mentioned above. It is through that work, and the donations of people like you and me, that events like the above are possible.
Now the source of that would be performance is Manson’s ex-girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood. So there is some question on the fact of this. And even more questionable when you factor in that the Obama campaign immediately denied the suggestion.
But I have to wonder what if Manson had performed?
Yes I realize that some find Manson to be weird. His music is not the most mainstream, though he is very popular. His appearance is really the most disturbing part of him to many older Americans I think. Which is a shame as it has nothing to do with talent or ability or his opinions.
The appearance of Manson is also irrelevant to his actions. It was Manson that has gone out and discussed the Columbine massacre in an honest manner. And he is a voice of change and self-responsibility. I may not agree with everything he says, or how, but I respect and understand his position. And much of that is the same kind of change that Obama has campaigned on.
It scares me that anyone could be restricted in voicing their comments about America, politics, and life in this nation. Marilyn Manson has as much right to support Obama (or any other politician) as has Jennifer Hudson, Will.I.Am, Oprah, or even Chuck Norris for McCain. They are all Americans and they all had opinions, as did over 120 million other Americans.
I wish Manson did perform on behalf of a politician. And in that performance I would have loved for him to state that appearance, whether it is clothing styles, skin color, or a name are all excuses to close our minds to anyone in those clothes, of that color, with that funny name.
I doubt the Obama campaign would have crumbled. I doubt that it would have gotten Obama more votes. But it might have motivated more of the youth that feel left out of the mainstream. And that itself would have been enough reason for me.
Why do I care about this after the election, and considering the fact it might not be true? Because if Manson did not perform or state his support because of appearances and potential outcry it was a voice in America being silenced. If any American is silenced like that, then we all are less free. And if appearance can silence us, appearance can again become the cause of enslavement of us.
And I won’t allow that to happen without comment or a fight.
This year the Olympics were in China, and the U.S. did well. Though Swimming was the category that got all the attention, one story about the Olympics has just never gotten mainstream media attention. And it’s been ongoing since 2004.
USA Cycling has been involved in a major lawsuit since 2004, when it failed to include Sue Haywood on the mountain biking team. The reason she was left out, a clerical mistake that changed the ranking of Haywood. Let me say that again, a clerical equivalent of a typo dashed the Olympic dreams of an American athlete.
It all came about because there was only 1 spot on the cycling team for a woman mountain biker. That was a choice between Haywood and Mary McConneloug. Both of these women were qualified and were neck and neck in the ranking. But Haywood won, according to U.S. ranking systems.
But the position was to be determined by the International Cycling Union. USA Cycling had to submit Haywood’s races and failed to include one race. This took 15 points off of her total and thus eliminated her from the team.
Of all the reasons for an athlete to not perform in the Olympics this is the most pitiful I can imagine. It smacks of inefficiency and idiocy, in my opinion. And it was the motivation of Haywood to ask for an apology, which never came. USA Cycling couldn’t even say I’m sorry – and they were blatantly wrong.
Haywood thus sued. But lest you think this was all about money keep in mind that USA Cycling refused to apologize for their mistake, and failed to come to a settlement though they went to 2 separate mediations before going to trial.
The result of this was that Sue Haywood won her case and has been awarded $319,000 which USA Cycling is considering appealing.
But why would they appeal. They acted in an irresponsible manner, dashed the dreams of an athlete – the ultimate dream of any athlete. They were the sole cause of the hard work and years of training of Haywood to be unfulfilled in the last minutes of achieving her dream. They effectively did the crime, and should now “do the time”.
Sue Haywood says this is not about money. I see her point and agree. Because it seems that the only thing that can get the attention of USA Cycling is money. And when we are speaking of the Olympics and dreams, money is petty and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
Maybe that’s why we haven’t heard about the case before. And hopefully USA Cycling, and all the Olympic teams for the US, will never give us reason to hear such a story again.
I was having a conversation the other day with a friend of mine when the subject of cowboys and rodeos came up. Now this is a subject of interest for me in that I love to see if people understand the meaning of the word cowboy.
But the conversation quickly tyurned to the sport of rodeo. And I admit that I was at a loss at this point. Being a city boy, and from the Northeast, there was little chance that I’d ever see a rodeo.
So after the conversation wi went to Youtube, to see what was the interest. And I found this on my first try.
Hardly an inspiring video. It does not bring up thoughts of enthusiasim in my mind, and did not reflect my firneds excitement at all.
So in further looking around I decided to look at Professional Bull Riders (PBR) which I recalled hearing about on ESPN. I found this piece that occurred at Madison Square Garden if you can believe it.
The part that really caught my attention what first the concept that bull riding is an extreme sport. Somehow that connection does not work for me. But I can see how its just commercial enough to try to sell the sport to younger viewers.
The other thing I notice is that the video tries extremely hard to shed the traditional view of cowboys and rodeo, in favor of a more commercial image. The mix of pop music, MTV style editing, action orientation, and celebrity interview all smack of Hollywood polish and drawing ADHD eyeballs.
Is this really the appeal of modern rodeos? Is this the best the sport offers? Because the romanticized image works far better for me. And that at least makes the first video somewhat less …guilty I suppose. Because the PBR seems so brutal in comparison.
Child stars are notorious for their pitfalls as they grow older. Alcoholism, drugs, early deaths and a lot of jail time seem consistent in all their lives. But there are exceptions like Ron Howard, Drew Barrymore (once she passed the low road mentioned previously), Jessica Alba, Tatyana Ali, Christina Applegate, Sean Austin, and others make up for the far more prevalent Danny Bonaduce’s of the Hollywood machine.
But one thing that I have noticed is that there is only one program from television where all the child actors have gone on and become professionals of high standing. Only one show I can think of where ever child actor has not succumbed to drugs and violence and self-destruction. And that is the actors from The Cosby Show [ok, Lisa Bonet was a bit touch and go for a while but then she calmed down – like Barrymore].
Each of the original, and then subsequent, child actors has gone on to do further work in Hollywood. Several have had multiple hits, like Malcolm-Jamal Warner who has been in Jerimiah and Malcolm & Eddie. This says nothing of his directing and musical abilities.
Tempestt Bledsoe has been in constant work, after she got a degree in finance from NYU. Her most recent appearance was on TNT’s Raising the Bar.
Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman is still huge, though on the Disney channel and this time starring in her own show.
Sabrina Le Beauf (far older during the show but still a child actor/young adult) owns an interior design company, and is a graduate of UCLA and Yale School of Drama.
So you may be wondering who is left.
Keisha-Knight Pulliam. If you don’t recall then name check the video (I like this version better)
Yep I mean Rudy. What has she been up to?
Well she is going to be starring in the next Tyler Perry film Madea Goes to Jail. Considering that Perry is at no loss for talent when it comes to his highly successful films, that says something about Pulliam. Add to that the fact that she has not been in a single headline for any negative and you have a full house with a queen to spare. I call that impressive.
By the way, Pulliam is not just starring in the film. She is departing from the Rudy character and really showing some depth as her role is the least likely to be expected. I’ll keep the suspense going but here is a trailer of the film
and here is what the play was like
So this could be a breakout role.
All in all it’s pretty impressive to see that so many have done so well off of one show. It seems that Dr. Cosby knows what he’s talking about.
It’s winter now, and many States are starting to experience their first snows. So I thought it apporpriate to discuss snowbording. Sort of.
Now I’m not a snowborder. I find it fascinating to watch. How some of the tricks I’ve seen get done I can’t imagine. I’m sure with my bad leg I’d wind up in a snowbank or worse. But there is an option for me.
The Wii will have a new game out shortly. Snowbording Riot. And this takes snowboarding to a new level. A level that even old slow guys like me can do. That is the game adds in weapons to a downhill race.
You can play against up to 4 people, and for a bit of realism you can ride on the Wii Balance Board. But besides beating your opponents down the mountain in style there is the option of knocking a showboat back a bit. A mine and a turbo boost would do that nicely I think. But I do like my action oriented games.
Of course the sneaky pro could always use invisibility to try to get around my dastardly schemes of digital dominence. But if you did, then no one would be able to see the customized gear that you inevitiably spend game credits on for winning races. So stay visible to show off that new pair of sunglasses as I lock in my rocket.
Obviously this is only worthwhile if you can’t, or won’t get out and really snowboard. And truth be told there is never anything better than the actual doing.
So for those that prefer the real thing here is a helpful tip
I was reading various bits of information when I ran across news from Rapid City. The point of the article was that a group of Jazz musicians were going to perform on November 9th. But just as important was another thought.
This group has performed for 17,000 middle and high schools. Their purpose is to teach American history through music, Jazz music which is a genre that truly is American-born. But the article also mentions
It got me thinking. How many people can name 3 Jazz musicians? 5?
Of course there is Miles Davis, whom I am aware many younger readers probably have never heard of. And you should if yu can.
But who else? Could it really be that most are unaware of jazz and all its forms? Like the diffence of Herbie Hancock to John Coltrane. Or are the jazz musicians so far from MTV and music videos that many today have completely missed this unique sound?
Well I figured I’d present a couple of videos and ask you. How do you think the following compare to the modern sounds of today? If this were on MTV, or VH1, or BET would you watch and listen – more importantly listen?
Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
Dizzy Gillespie
Charlie Parker
John Coltrane
This is only a small sample of the great sounds and songs of these men and women. If this caught your interest you might just want to hear a bit more. I’m sure you will thank me for it.
Like Bugs Bunny the Washington Natioal Opera and Wagner are struck down
Sometimes you have to wonder what Odin would have thought. Specifically about Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung a version of the Nibelungenlied. Now some readers may wonder what this opera is and why they might care.
The thing is that far more people know this famous opera than think they do. It has been the subject of multiple stroylines (including an interesting take in the anime Cyborg 009) in film. The music from the various operas have lasted over a century now, and can be heard in fare as diverse as a Bugs Bunny cartoon
to Apocalypse Now – a great scene in the film.
So it’s worth just discussing for at least a moment. And this all came up because the Washington Natioal Opera has just decided to cancel the performance of all 4 operas that make up the Ring. They are doing so because of the current financial difficulty that we all are expereincing. And that is a shame.
To see the full opera is to understand the full story of the Norse Gods and their demise. In total the 4 parts can take up to 4 nights and 15 hours in total. The sheer magnitude of the entirety is unmatched, and perhaps the only medium and story that comes close to the same degree of enormity would be Star Wars (though elements of the story seem to have inspired parts of the Lord of the Rings). Yet this has no special effect, and has been performed long before film existed.
Thus to hear that Washingon National Opera was planning this was a joy. Plácido Domingo would have had his work cutout for him no matter the economy. To hear that Odin, The Norse and Midgard have been destroyed yet again by mere money is sad in a manner.
This means that likely the only way to see the complete Ring cycle will have to be in Seattle in 2009, unless the economy ends that as well. For an opera that has inspired and touched so many for so long, I was hoping for better.
Recently I was able to find a copy of and start enjoying Fable 2. This Xbox 360 game is fun. And I’m still not finished with it.
I would love to say that I ran through the game in 20 hours of so. I wish I had the time to be a hardcore gamer like I was back in college. But this isn’t Legend of Zelda, and I am 40.
Given those facts, the question remains is the game worth it to an older gamer like myself. Someone who has severe limits on time.
Well the answer is yes. The game is worth the price ($65 new with tax) and annoyance of finding it – especially if you like in a smaller town than New York City. Because you can really enjoy the game.
This is little different than Fable, but yet it is. The game has far superior graphics and sound. The gameplay is pretty intuitive. And you don’t have a real need to mash buttons in exotic combinations you need a flow chart for as some games do.
Your progress is simple to follow and the rewards flow with ease. I still have yet to figure out how you can have sex, but I have several dozen ladies in various towns in the game that are quite smitten for me. While I have seen commercials and reports that state it can be done (in fact they state you could be engaged in various fetish actions – and this is not limited to just heterosexual encounters for those that wonder) I’m still working through how to make this happen, without cheats.
The hours will melt away in the game as you run from here to there and jump from one quest to another. Enemies are plentiful, but a well maintained arsenal of physical strength, solid shooting skills, and a bit of area magic will keep most of the baddies at bay. All the while you will accumulate gold to spend on gifts, businesses, and/or housing. I’m still working on getting just the right house without killing off the inhabitants. But I do own several businesses and am renting a few place.
One downside is the lack of interest in certain quests in the game. There are a few characters you meet that you could just care less about. They aren’t central to the theme of course, but it would have been nice to flesh out their stories a touch more. Still as you roam the countryside you will be remembered even if you don’t recall the character.
This game is admittedly a tribute to the vanity we all have in some degree. It’s fun to watch the character stand in a courtyard holding a trophy high and watch the various stats in the area jump higher. And of course I am already planning the demise of a few areas just to see what happens.
The game is open-ended, so you can choose to be however you wish. In general I’m trying to just be me. Not trying to learn a single all-evil or good response but just how I am. And that’s what hooks you. Just being you and seeing how the game reacts.
It’s fun to watch people scatter because you accidentally pull out a gun or blast an area with magic. And there are consequences of course. Especially with those you are endearing, for whatever reason.
Well what I can say is that after 8 hours of play, the game is still fresh and interesting. There are still jobs to do, and opportunities to explore. And a few twists to drop on the unsuspecting bits and bytes of the realm.
I recommend the game for those of us best considered casual gamers. It’s time you will enjoy getting lost in, and the replay value looks to be refreshingly high. And if you really want to make the game interesting, there is always the option to play against the world on the Xbox Live option. Call it MMO lite.
Oh, that reminds me. I will have a review of Warhammer Online shortly. I just want to get one more character up to level 10 to make an nice comparison.
For all the golfers out there, how many of you ever hit a hole in one? I don’t know anyone that has, and I know maybe 100 golfers who have played they game for a combined total of 1,000 years. The closest I personally have ever gotten was 48” on a 125yd par-3. I won a prize in a tournament for it too. But the best part was that 9 golfers were around at the time to see it.
Now I mention that one moment of golf competency for a reason. The odds of getting a hole in one are variable depending on where you look. But going with Golf Digest the following seems accurate:
Tour player making an ace: 3,000 to 1
Low-handicapper making an ace: 5,000 to 1
Average player making an ace: 12,000 to 1
Average player acing a 200-yard hole: 150,000 to 1
Two players from the same foursome acing the same hole: 17 million to 1
One player making two holes-in-one in the same round: 67 million to 1
Average is a tough thing to gauge but generally that’s around 110 for most golfers.
Now imagine getting 5. That’s 5 holes in one in a single week. 2 of them on the same day. And a few were on par-4’s not just par-3s.
I can’t even begin to guess the odds on this. But 15 witnesses and members at the El Paso Golf Club (the country club bar to be exact) can confirm this. Curt Hocker is the golfer that has done this. And no he’s not a pro; he’s an amateur like you and me. Well maybe not me anyway.
It’s just bloody amazing if you ask me. I think it could be a world record, but I don’t know if anyone keeps records on that.
Of course I am sure of one thing. The El Paso Golf Club can’t wait til Hocker is off his streak. Because every time he hits another the Club picks up the tab for drinks on the house (a golf tradition) and I imagine the house is packed every time he goes out for a round these days.
I love the film work of Spike Lee. I like the fact he takes on controversial topics. But his politics are something else.
I am a Black Republican. I support Republican ideals. You know, things like if you work hard you deserve to keep more of what you earn. Being self-responsible instead of relying on the Government. Having a strong militiary is one part of having a safe nation. And so on.
I disagree with the policies that President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress propose. Thing like letting the Government pick my healthcare for me. Having the Government decide how much money I should have. The Government deciding where my money should go instead of allowing me to expand my business or give to a charity or cause of my choice. Talking to nations and groups that have sworn to their God to kill all of us – and increasing their power by doing so, instead of ensuring they can’t hurt the nation and think twice before doing so. Forcing conservation by jacking up electricity costs and closing power plants. Stuff like that.
Does that make me a White man stuck in the 50's? Does it make Afican Americans like Colin Powell, Ken Blackwell, Condoleezza Rice, Janice Rogers Brown, Erik Rush, Ken Hamblin, Thomas Sowell, Yaphet Kotto, Lynn Swann, Karl Malone, Akindele Akinyemi, T.D Jakes, James Meredith, Vernon Robinson, Stanley Crouch - and I believe Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcom X – among so many others White? Spike Lee seems to think so.
He may not agree with the views of the Republican Party but that does not mean he should insult all Republicans with stereotypical comments. Just as he would be upset if he was stereotyped, or labeled as a liberal, tree-hugging, socialist, racist. I don't think such things can be said about him or most Democrats, but niether should Republicans be blasted.
And most of all I hate the way that Black culture, and American society in general, insists that African Americans must be Democrats. Like we don’t have minds and philosophies of life of our own. Like race is the only issue that we care about.
If Spike Lee makes a new film, I’ll still probaly go see it. But I’m way past tired of being blasted for a choice I make for my own life.
White house Chief of Staff Rahm Israel Emanuel's big secret
Here is something that you only see in America. It is only in this nation that a man can rise from obscurity, come from a position of some ridicule, and become a powerful leader shaping the lives of millions. You might think I’m talking about President Obama, I’m not. I in fact mean his newly appointed White house Chief of Staff Rahm Israel Emanuel.
Now when I speak of his trials I do not mean his family. Though his fater was a memer of Irgun (a questionable Zionist group) and his mother once ran a nightclub, neither is a hardship or overly remarkable. Nor do I speak of Chicago, a city noted for its questioanable politics. And I definitely don’t mean the fact that the character Josh Lyman on The West Wing was modeled after him – that is a positve in my book.
No I’m speaking of the big secret of Rahm Emanuel. The item rarely spoken about. You won’t even see it on Wikipedia right now if you look. Rahm Emanuel is a ballet dancer.
When I say a ballet dancer I’m not kidding. He was trained in classical ballet. He was so good in fact that he was able to get a scholarship to the renown Joffery Ballet. He learned ballet at Evanston School of Ballet, and obviously he learned quite well.
In my 40 years of life I have heard many comments and jokes about ballet. This is mostly directed at male ballet dancers. I’m sure that we all have heard these comments. But somehow I don’t see cracking a joke like that at one of the most powerful men in the world.
But what does being classically trained in ballet say about the former 4th most powerful man in the House of Representatives? Perhaps this gives a clue.
Suffice to say hard work and determination always pay off. And if the intensity of classical ballet is a reflection of this Chief of Staff, he will be quite the Chief indeed.
Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp - really playing with rock stars
So you want to be a rock star. Rock Band and Guitar Hero are just not doing it for you. Because you know you can play with the best. This Christmas, or at any time really, you can get your chance, if you can afford it.
Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp is the opportunity that can put you and the select other few that can afford the $16,000 price, in a band playing and recording with the likes of Slash, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and Pink Floyd. Seriously, you get to play with a rock star, and you get to record at Abbey Road studios in London.
Now when I say London, I do mean Britain. The cost of crossing the pond and staying somewhere when you aren’t writing your own song or performing it is an added cost you will have to figure out yourself. But for a true fan, or someone living out a dream, what’s a few ten thousand?
Without having to go to American Idol, without having to spend inordinate hours being mocked by Simon Cowell, without having stellar talent you too could be one step away from greatness. Literally. Now tell me you aren’t looking at your bank account – whether you have the money or not.
And I will add that this experience is not age limited. While many who do indulge in this expensive pleasure are moderately older, in the 50’s, there are those who have parents with the means that are far younger – like 15. So don’t let the sag in the middle, or lack of legal drinking age hold you back.
Recently at the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp were Slash in an unexpected visit, Mark Hudson guiding a group in writing a song, and drummer Nick Mason of Pink Floyd. When Mason was asked why he does this – since it is logical that he like many of the rock legends and stars that go to the camp don’t need whatever fee they receive – he said
Aerobics good for mind and body even at older ages
When you hear aerobics, what’s the first thing to come to your mind? For many people it might be a vision of a group women working out together in unison at a gym. Others might think of themselves out of breath, with a glean of sweat and feeling good. But one thing that most don’t think of is what many will one day want – having a good mental capacity at mature ages.
That doesn’t sound right. What does being older and aerobics have to do with each other? Some of you are probably asking that question right now.
Well a recent study, and research by Prof. Art Kramer, of the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, has found a connection of those at older ages and physical fitness. It seems that there is a direct correlation between
In essence this means that as we age so does our brain. If we keep our bodies fit during the aging process it will respond better and so will our brains. And Prof. Kramer found that this is true of those with Alzheimer’s as well as women that are post-menopausal (with or without hormone therapy). In fact
“Some studies found that six months of aerobic exercise reversed age-related decline and that older adults' brains retained plasticity -- the capacity to grow and develop.”
That’s not drugs with exorbitant prices, nor a miracle cure. It’s not whipped up in a lab. It’s 100% natural, and everybody can do this at any age. And the benefits of regular aerobic workouts continue at even mature ages. What’s the downside?
Really there is no downside. Moderate exercise is always good for the body, and know there is added proof that it’s good for the mind too. You don’t need to be in the shape of a bodybuilder, nor try to fit into the clothes you wore in junior high school. You don’t need to spend money for operations, or special gear. You can do it at home or with friends at a gym. The key is just doing it.
Whether you want to lose weight, stay trim, and/or keep your mind as healthy as your body aerobics may just be the answer. You’ve got nothing to lose by trying.
So Curtis Jackson will be getting a television show on MTV. Viacom must be drooling. The executives there must salivate inbetween laughter at the thought that a ex-convict, crack drug dealer, making them money legally. It’s such a dumb idea that it probably will work.
50 cent, will have a program on MTV where people will compete in a business oriented reality program. Now my initial thoughts are these
Expanding on that thought I wonder what the competitions on this program will be. Who can take the biggest drag on a crack pipe? Who can stand longer after being shot? Who can run from the police on foot the fastest?
Perhaps I’m being too harsh. This high school dropout might actually be smarter than the things he has done in the past. He might have taken time in prison to educate himself. But I doubt it.
I obviously have a problem with unrepentant drug dealers that are glorified and promoted by corporations that wish to profit off of the worst aspects of the Black community. I dislike the fact that this sell-out will get pennies on the dollar to showcase a program where other people (inevitably mostly Black I assume) will run around looking foolish to make even fewer pennies on the dollar – if they win – all for the amusement and benefit of Sumner Redstone, Viacom, and such.
Think about it. In the 1970’s it became impossible for these people to make money degrading Blacks publicly. In the 1990’s they saw and developed the ability to continue to disenfranchise and minimize Blacks via a medium that was already there, rap. They created and promoted gangsta rap, using the worst representation of the Black community – drug dealers. In effect they now have Black minstrels that go out and say words (especially the n-word) that they can’t say for fear of lawsuits, and rap in money while watching music videos that allow them to envision their greatest fetishes.
Am I against 50 cent having a show on MTV, BET, or any cable or television channel? Unless it’s a program where he is promoting people getting cleans and sober, or having drug dealers apologize for the death and pain they create, no I don’t. Because anything else is the blatant attempt to profit off of his infamy and usability.
In 5 years Curtis Jackson will likely be a fleeting thought. He will likely be relegated to some top 40 playlist when radio stations revisit the past hits. He’ll pop up on a VH1 remembering the 2000 program. But likely that will be it. Because he is not memorable. He is not unique. He is barely capable of being called an artist. And with his loss of fame will go his money, I’m sure.
But until his 15 minutes are up, after he has been milked for every dime he can squeeze out of young White teens in the suburbs and the Black community, he will be dropped as fast as every other rapper you can’t name from the past decade that was once the top.
If you see this program on MTV - 50 Cent: The Money and the Power – know that you are filling the coffers of men that collect money for the buffoonery of 50 cent. If you watch this know that you are spitting on the graves of crackheads that died so that Curtis Jackson could wear the latest trend in clothing at one point in his life. Because every dollar and dime that goes to anything with 50 cent is another dagger in the backs of people Curtis Jackson poisoned and never looked back on.
But if you disagree, if you have a reason I (or anyone) should see this show, please let me know. I’d love to hear that argument.
President Obama - America is changed and we need to support that
President Obama has won the election and history has been created. There is no limit to the feelings some have about this moment, and I have trouble describing my feelings as well.
I have always respected President Obama, though I differ with his views for America. But that is the essence of America. People having different views and yet working together for a greater good.
I know some are elated right now. And they should be. As one person mentioned to me
“You all don't know what it really means. You grew up in a time that you could sit where ever you want on a bus or train. Could eat at any restaurant you want. And not have to enter restaurants, stores, movies buildings through the back door only. Or drink from a water fountain, or use a toilet marked "Colored Only".
My heart is heavy, I can hardly breathe. Now a person of color Can say to their child that they can grow up to be the president and mean it!!”
So tonight is a night of jubilation. Enjoy it.
But tomorrow I hope for us all to work together in supporting our President, remembering the promises made to the public, and making America better.
So far the popular vote has gone back and forth several times. I don't recall seeing the difference between the candidates being greater than 3 percent as I have expected. The voter turnout has been higher, averaging about 10% more than in 2004.
Currently the total is 50% to 49% in favor of Obama. Roughly at 21 million apiece.
The results of an Obama win are far reaching, but I think not in the manner that some might be hoping for. I know of some people that voted for Obama because he is Black, and yet can't name a single policy Obama has. I know some that have pushed all their friends to vote, in favor of Obama, and can't name anything Obama has done since elected to the Senate.
Many expect race relations to improve quickly under an Obama Presidency. In fact early exit polls stated that 47% believed this. That is unlikely unless Obama plans to socialize the police departments of cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and others. Which I would not be surprised if he did.
The expectation of higher taxes are equally high, 70% in fact expect this. And it will happen. But I believe that anyone who does not expect those taxes to hit the middle class, or impact jobs, has not listened closely to what Obama has said.
At 10:07 Obama leads the electoral vote at 207 vs 129 to McCain. Again that does not reflect the tightness of the popular vote.
But Democrats have picked up 4 Senate seats and 1 in the House. So expect Nancy Pelosi to jump at passing another stimulus package, for $300 million, in January. Add that to the over $1 trillion spent this year to bailout brokerages and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The tax bill is going to be a whopper \once you add on the 837 billion in new spending Obama wants.
Suffice to say I am not happy. But if Obama wins I will support him. And I will be elated to have seen a Black President in my lifetime.
Picking a President doesn't make you more or less Black
This is a repost from VASS, my political blog - where I have followed the Presidential election since 2006. I think it will be helpful to those that my still be making up their minds on this election. You can find a ton of information on Senator Obama and Senator McCain, and the election there.
I find it interesting as we come upon the 2008 election to reflect on what has occurred in this year. From the surprising Democratic Primaries up til now there has been a shift in politics that will never be undone. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime, and now I look forward to the fact that it will happen again and again.
Obviously I am speaking about Senator Obama, his rise in prominence, and the potential of his becoming the First Black President.
It’s a proud moment for every African American. Especially for those of us that have lived decades without the chance even being a glimmer in possibility. This in many ways is the culmination of the struggles of the 1960’s.
To bad that I won’t vote for him.
And that is the big thing. I have been slammed by associates, readers, and too many others on this one point. The non-acceptance of my decision to not vote for Obama has been a sledgehammer in my blogs and my personal life. You would think I was stabbing someone.
This has been a very personal election, unlike any other in my life. I’ve been questioned, insulted, disputed, and more often than not cursed. Were it not happening to me I’d even say it was sort of funny.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told I’m not Black. That I’ve done something wrong. That writing about the issues, and noting the problems I have with Obama’s policies is somehow a disservice to my race. I’ve even been told I’m un-American. And of course there have been more than a few racists that have misused my words and thoughts for their own twisted ends.
But tonight I was just sitting back writing and listening to my MP3 (I bought my first one just this year) and James Brown’s Say It Loud came up. I listened to the lyrics several times and then read them.
Uh! With your bad self!
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud! Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!
Some people say we've got a lot of malice Some say it’s a lot of nerve But I say we won't quit moving until we get what we deserve We have been bucked and we have been scorned We have been treated bad, talked about as just bones But just as it takes two eyes to make a pair, ha Brother we can’t quit until we get our share
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud! Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud! One more time! Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!
I worked on jobs with my feet and my hand But all the work I did was for the other man Now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves We're tired of beatin' our head against the wall And workin' for someone else
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
We're people, we're just like the birds and the bees We'd rather die on our feet Than be livin' on our knees
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
I’m Black Puerto Rican and I’m Proud. I’m also insulted that I have to make such a statement because of my political beliefs.
I have worked hard, lived through fights, slurs, been denied jobs, and been homeless twice. I’ve gained an education, never been hooked on drugs, lived overseas, been part of the military, and helped more than a few on my path to where I am today. And every day I’ve lived I woke up as Black Puerto Rican as the day before. I have no illusions, and no problems with that.
But to try to discredit my lineage and birthright because of a political position is just absurd. It pisses me off.
This election is not about righting the wrongs of racism, segregation or any other race based issue past or present. Obama is not Malcolm X, Martin Luther King or any other civil rights activist. Electing Obama will not suddenly make police forces in L.A., New York, Philadelphia or anywhere in the nation treat Black, or any other racial and ethnic group, any better than the day before. And racists won’t wake up with larger minds or a better understanding of humanity.
I respect and admire Senator Obama. He’s accomplished things I wouldn’t try to do. The fear of being murdered, especially before I could enact positive change on some issues is too strong in me. He is going for it anyway and that takes balls.
But that does not mean I must follow blindly and accept his every word and policy as best because he said so. His path was no less difficult or extraordinary than my own, and that of millions of other non- and White Americans. As such he is subject to the same critique as anyone. In fact I would consider myself much less of a man, and less of a Black Puerto Rican, if I did not judge him in the same way I would anyone else.
Listen to that song. James Brown didn’t ask for any corners cut. He didn’t demand obedience to a color, in fact he demands the opposite. He demands that we empower ourselves and live by the standards we create. That everyone that meets us shows the same respect and dignity that we exemplify individually and as a group.
And when I have lived a life of just that, how dare anyone try to denigrate me for that.
Obviously I am speaking about a few people. Many have sound reasons for believing in Obama. Many never considered race and they came to a separate decision than mine. And I respect that.
But that’s not who I am talking about.
I’m talking about the people that loved me when I supported Senator Obama over Senator Clinton in the Democratic Primaries. They also ignored my support of Fred Thompson and Senator McCain at the time. They ignored my strong Republican views. They only saw my race and that of Obama. Some where White, and some where not.
It’s those same people that have abandoned my blogs, or attacked them since. And I have to wonder how they came to see me as any less of a man, no matter my color.
When America comes to a point where race is more important than the man or the message, the nation is in trouble. Just as the nation was falling in the late 50’s and 60’s the same threat still exists. And when that same color-focused blinders are on and any deviation is attacked we return to the same dangers that existed a mere 40 years ago.
Maybe I’ve followed this election for too many years, been too involved in trying to cover the facts that too few have the time to see. Maybe I’m up to late every night and day for you my readers. Maybe I need a vacation as my skin is getting a bit thin.
So yes I’m venting. But as that may be, I’ll get some sleep and be back at it tomorrow like I have for years now. I hope to see you all then.
Classic cars - economic hedge, if you can afford it
In recent months I have discussed the economy, stocks, energy, and alternative sources of retaining wealth in an economic slowdown. I have found claims and suggestions that collectibles and antiques are excellent hedges against a credit crunch or mortgage bailout. But as nice as it may be to have an original edition copy of Green Eggs and Ham, it won’t get you down the road a mile.
For that you need a car. And if you have a mind to preserve your capital there is nothing better than a classic car. If you can afford it.
A recent car auction, which was focused on classic cars was held in London. Thousands crowded the scene, and many in that group were there to buy. Up for grabs were Rolls Royces, Bugattis, Aston Martins from the 50s, Ferraris from the 60s, and Jaguar E-Types just to name a few popular names. And many of the 99 cars were sold at or above the estimated price.
2 Ferraris were able to fetch over $1 million each. And an all-time high price was set for the McLaren F1, at $1.2 million
But for all the huge prices - and a few bargain deals like the 1935 Lancia that sold for $4500 and the 1954 Fiat that went for just over $1000 – 30% of the cars did not hit their estimated price. Still that’s not too bad for an auction.
So you might take this from the London auction. A classic Bugatti or Aston Martin, A Jaguar or McLaren is definitely not a stock. You can ride it down the road, really fast in some cases. You can look like a million bucks in it. You can be terrorized by birds overhead and potholes in the road. But the value of this slice of automotive heaven will likely not get altered much by lost profits, or bad loans.
Of course you have to have the money to buy the car in the first place. And then a home to garage it afterwards. And an alarm system, a really good one.
So perhaps classic cars are a hedge against economic woes. But it would seem to me that if you can afford a Rolls Royce your economics are pretty secure anyway. But if you have the mind and the money, well there is an option.
What can I say about Max Payne? Well perhaps I can start with the fact that this review is several days late, yes yet again because of the election. So some of you may have seen this film by now. But others may be waiting for the DVD or cable. Choose cable.
Now don’t get me wrong, the film is not bad. In fact if I had to pick one word to describe the film it would be dark. Not because of the subject matter, that’s the camerawork. The lighting, where there is any decent light, is drab and shadowy. I suppose because they are trying to set a mood. What they achieve is making the movie seem like a bore.
The film is based on a video game of the same name, and when I say based I mean they have the same title. Very little of the video game transfers over to the film. Just the motivation of the titular character, dead family, and the final scene. Everything else is more director’s license than anything else.
Like the video game the hero, Mark Wahlberg, is a cop who has serious problems. He seemingly sleeps little – as he trolls the city for clues to the person that killed his family and got away. Of course this has had a detrimental effect on his career, as he works in the dead files department. So the first 5 or so minutes of the movie are a complete waste as I’ve basically covered all of that here.
We then move on to meeting Natasha. That’s almost all you need to know about her, besides the fact she dies. The real mystery, or at least that is what you are meant to wonder about, is how she dies. In fact several people kick off at this point, each with a quasi-mysterious mannerism.
Now I will tell you this, the film does not have angels, demons, or other such creatures. Though the question is meant to be asked by the viewer. But you never get to a point of really caring about the question in the first place.
That’s the bad part. For all the action, which is fair but not gratuitous, you never really care what happens to Max or anyone else in the film. The various characters pop on and off screen just slow enough for you to know that they are not background characters. The plot keeps moving forward and you just don’t care if you missed anything prior. Because none of it is really important.
I like Mark Wahlberg. He’s come a long way in his acting, but he just not leading man material. At least not solo in a film like this. It’s not that he can’t make the moves look good, or that his acting is that bad. He just doesn’t convey interest from the viewer. Or maybe it was the writers just being lazy.
Hollywood has gotten too used to films where there is enormous back stories to work off of. Iron Man, Spiderman, X-Men, Hitman, Halo (when it comes out) and way too many television show revisionings. Because of all these films it seems the writers are just getting lazy, and this film shows it.
Is this film a waste of time? Not exactly. You won’t feel better for seeing it, nor will you feel worse. It won’t make any impact at all really. But if you have time to spare, and you have to see a movie right now it’s probably the best choice for a while.
As I mentioned in another post (at my political blog) Monday is my APA 8-ball pool league. There is nothing more rewarding than playing a match that is hard fought and challenging.
Normally I have video of these matches, but today I was behind the 8 ball (bad pun I know). The election had me a bit off balance. But what I can say is that I am now 12 out of 12 matches, and leading my league in individual performance. Of course I have also been raised by a level too (now a skill level 5 and just beat a skill level 7 tonight).
Now I have been asked what is the attraction of playing in a pool league, and why the American Poolplayers Association? Good question.
I have been playing pool for about 26 years now, on and off. So I enjoy being challenged in my matches. Often playing on a regular bar table is less than enjoyable since these tables are generally not kept up. Add to that the problem with drunk players and by-standers and the joy quickly evaporates. And if you are good, or on a winning streak you can get branded a pool shark – which never has positive results.
So a pool league cuts out many of the problems. And it provides players that can have a fun time, and still be very serious about their game. Thus you get to be around like-minded people, have competition, and no one ends up with broken thumbs.
As for which pool league, well that depends on where you are. In my area there are only 2 options. APA or Southern Tier. In Southern Tier there are teams and only 4 players play a match. The games are split between partner play and singles matches. There are a total of 17 games with each player guaranteed to play 3 times with at least 2 partner matches. One player gets the extra game, first team to 10 wins.
Sounds fine except there is a catch. The games are preset. By that I mean the matches go like follows:
Team 1 players 1 & 2 vs Team 2 players 1 & 2 Team 1 players 3 & 4 vs Team 2 players 3 & 4 Team 1 player 2 vs Team 2 player 2 And so on
Thus no one player gets to play consecutive games, nor more than 1 game versus any individual player. And you might get a match where horrible teammate #3 is your partner against the best 2 players of the opposing team. It can be a mess and takes forever. There is no momentum, and after the season ends you might get a bit of money back as a prize. That’s it.
In the APA you get a bit more. You have teams with no more than 8 players. Each player has a skill level between 2 – 9 (higher is better). New players get assigned a 4 for men and 3 for women. You can play any opponent and play a seires of games.
Ie. Team 1 player 5, level 4 vs Team 2 player 2, level 2 This would be a match with a race to first to 4 games for player 5 or 2 games for player 2.
This goes on for 5 matches (in 8-ball), each worth 2 points. If you get to within 1 game of winning you get 1 point, winning is worth 2 (you can’t get more than 2). The team with the most points wins.
Now this is great because you get to play several games at once. You get to play against the same opponent. And you get a fair chance to win even against great players. In fact you might very well want to put a 2 up against a 7 because the 2 would need to win 2 games before the 7 won 5.
Now at the end of the season, the top teams have a playoff. The winner of that goes on to play a regional match, like the say the Central New York State finals. If you win that, you win a full paid for trip to Las Vegas to compete for the National Competition. And that means lots of money, depending on how high you finish there as a team.
Now which would you prefer, bar pool with the drunk guy that thinks you are a shark, Southern Tier where you play maybe 4 games over 5 hours, or APA where you can get in maybe 3 – 5 games depending on skill levels in maybe 3 – 4 hours for the entire team, and you might get the chance to go to Vegas.
So now you can see my enthusiasm and consistency for my pool league. My teams only problem is that we are all good enough that we are all getting moved up slowly and thus harder to win games.
Oh well. Video from 9-ball after my match on Wednesday.
Senator Obama is quite the politician. Only a great orator could face the comments of his friends and colleagues and others, as they dissent his stated opinions, and still look good. You couldn’t make this fly in Hollywood even if you had great writers.
which leads me to this
You get one vote tomorrow. Be informed about who you choose. www.mvass.com
Sad news for the nation today. We lost a true hero, John Ripley. He was 69.
Some may be wondering who was this man, what did he do you might be asking. He did more than what anyone could have been expected to do under circumstances that would cause many to fail.
When I say under heavy fire, Col. Ripley had a mere 600 men that were tasked with stopping 20,000 North Vietnamese soldiers and the 200 tanks with them. The odds they were under were considered such that the orders given to them were hold and die.
Hold and die. Think about that. How many people today could ever consider living up to an order like that? How many could accept such an order?
I have an answer that many people today don’t want you to recognize. Virtually every single man and woman in our Armed Forces today. I would say that every Marine would and I have no doubt in all the other military forces of the nation, but I make exception of the brother Marines out there.
With all the noise of groups like MoveOn.org and Code Pink, and idiots like those in Berkley and San Francisco that want to hide our soldiers return home at their airports or refuse to let them perform their actions in their cities, you might miss the fact that America still has heroes. Some are older like Senator McCain, some have passed like Col. Ripley, but have no doubt that many are alive and serving our nation today.
I did not know Col. Ripley, but I am proud to know that my father and I have worn the same uniform as he once did. I am proud to know that there are others that love our nation enough to potentially receive orders as severe as hold and die.
It is because of men and women like that who allow me and all Americans the luxury of writing our blogs without fear of death or torture from Government secret police or worse. It is because of those in uniform today that on Tuesday we will elect a new leader of the nation for the next 4 years in peace.
I ask you all to honor the memory and actions of men like Col. Ripley, and the men and women serving our nation today, on Tuesday. Go out and vote. Exercise the Right they bleed and die for.
Because supporting our troops is not about just polispeak to get votes in my eyes. It’s an obligation we owe those that have held and died; and will do so tomorrow while the rest of us sit at home and gripe about cable television costing so much.
For far too long ballet has been seen by far too many as boring, unoriginal and “something rich White people do”. It’s a real shame that so many ignore this expression of human nature and life as being outside their sphere of interest and something relegated only to a specific group of people.
But the New Jersey Ballet is one of many dance companies that looks to break that impression this year with their 50th anniversary performance. On November 15th this dance company will be performing Ballet with a Latin Beat.
This is a celebration of Spanish-American culture with a 1999 ballet by Pedro Ruiz, Guajira. Ruiz is a Cuban-born choreographer and the ballet explores his time in Cuba as a child with the music mixing Afro-Cuban and Latin beats.
Another ballet premiering on the 15th will be Sophisticated Salsa. This is a mix of classic Latin ballroom dancing and includes some Rumba and Mambo. This is a style of dance that is quite popular these days and I wouldn’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of it on Dancing with the Stars or other such ‘reality’ oriented dance competitions.
And to finish the night will be a bit of flash with Entre Dos Aguas. In this piece you can expect to see a bit of ballet, jazz dance and flamenco all fused into a flash of dance and style. Here is a video of just the music - performed by Paco de Lucia a few years ago. Just imagine the dance that can go with this.
Now I’m sure some might be saying that the expressive and exuberant nature of Latin dance wouldn’t work with something as poised and minimalized as ballet. And I would argue that point. Because ballet is more than just one form of dance just as rock n roll, or Jazz, or rap are all more than just one style of their respective music genres (ok, rap is not the best example these days but you get my point).
I decided to take a look around the web to see a hint of what you might expect on November 15th and I found this short bit of dance videos
and in a different style of Latin expression via ballet there is
Suffice to say, ballet is never just what some think. Its expression is as wide as it’s viewers and just as complex and entertaining. So I suggest a trip to see the NJ Ballet if you are in the area.
AC/DC proves rock and roll is a train on the tracks
AC/DC. Are they a metal band, or rock n roll? It’s a question many wonder about, but honestly who cares. They are just good and that’s all that really matters.
The band is one of the few that can state they cover 3 decades of performance and solid hits. They have gone from Australia (their home) to England, America and the world. They have sold over 200 million records, cleared the 2004 Greatest 100 Artists All -Time List of Rolling Stone, and they just released another album – Black Ice and the single Rock n Roll Train.
The band has survived the loss and replacement of several members. They have outlasted changes in world music fads. They have cleared the hurdle of time. So it’s no surprise that their current tour is filling stadiums.
One of their recent performances gives you a taste of the showmanship of AC/DC, and the quality of their music. This is the single Rock N Roll Train, live.
In an era of music that is sampled, oversampled, and infusing nearly every genre with rap, it’s refreshing to see a band do original work again. Some bands change with the times, some fad over time, and AC/DC is among those that just pass time doing what they do best.
And just to compare here is a view of AC/DC in the past
Defensive pool shots - big benefits from not dropping the ball
I want to take a moment to just go over an aspect of pool that many players have difficulty with. I have to admit that I have as much difficulty with this as most any player. The hardest shot in any pool game or tournament is the defense shot.
Now if you only play bar pool you might have heard this shot referred to as a cheap shot, or dirty pool. That is actually a false thought. The defensive shot is both legitimate and fair. Often it is even a bit of a compliment, as the opposing player is deemed either too good or on too much of a run to be allowed to have a clear shot on the pool table.
Here is a small selection of defensive, difficult, and sometimes unintentional defensive shots from a recent American Poolplayers Association 9-ball match that I had. The opponent I faced was a level 5 and I am a 4. That means that he had to clear 38 balls versus 31 for myself.
We start with a shot that was left to me [I'm the handsome Black guy wearing the stylish hooded sweatshirt found at my online store]. (I realize that this is not the best angle to judge the shots from, bear with me) This is early in the match, and my opponent has left me with the cue nearly touching and to the side of the 1-ball. From this angle there is no easy shot. Running the cue up the table and back to the 1 for a kick shot was out as the 8 was in the way. In the reverse the shot would likely not be strong enough to get the 1 in the corner, and/or leave the 1 set for my opponents run.
In trying for the 1-ball in the side I also have the ability to then control the cue and bring it back such that if it drops I will have a shot on the 2-ball to the opposite side pocket. The added bonus of this shot, and the reason I took the shot was the fact that with a miss it also allows for the cue to be completely hidden from the 1-ball.
This effectively is a defensive shot, because of the low percentage chance of executing the shot and the result to the opponent, but it does not need to be claimed as such since there is a clear attempt at making the shot. The result is a ball in hand for me and an early advantage for that rack.
In the next shot we see that I have a bank and hard cut on the 1-ball in a new rack. The ideal shot is to place the 1-ball into the corner pocket. I of course screwed up this shot, which is low percentage to start with. The key here is the english placed on the cue. The expectation is that the shot will not go as expected. Thus the goal is to limit the danger of the opponent from running the table.
Now there is no complete expectation on this shot. The hope is to leave the cue in the upper portion of the table, and have the1-ball end up against a rail as close to perpendicular to the cue as possible. Again the goal is not to make the shot, but to prevent the opponent from doing so, possibly gaining either a ball in hand or superior position.
While there was no way to guarantee the result, the shot was sufficiently difficult enough that while he was able to contact the 1-ball he could not drop it. And due to the angle and force that was used, a beneficial shot was obtained for me.
In the next rack we see that my opponent has forced the cue behind the 6-ball after striking the 2-ball in an attempt to combo and drop the 3-ball. This leaves a very difficult shot at the 2-ball. Again while this was not the expected result it was an outcome that was hoped to occur since the prior shot had low chance of success. The goal was again to leave the cue in a more difficult position than the opponent had and force an opportunity.
The best shot at the 2-ball was a bank shot around the 6-ball, kicking the 2-ball with the hope of either going in clean, or if off to strike and drop the 3-ball in combo. But the english I used was incorrect, as was the angle, and results in the 2-ball going to the near rail and lining up with the 3-ball and corner pocket. The cue followed back and provides a rather easy shot for my opponent to run the 2, 3, 5 and 6-balls for a large advantage on this rack.
My opponent does this and is now shooting on the 7-ball. Because of the position after striking the 6-ball he has gone too far over and cannot strike the 7-ball directly. This position is an excellent time to play a soft bank shot to the 7, forcing it to just touch the rail and rise even or on the far side of the 9-ball. That defense would cause an attempt at a low percentage bank shot, or an extreme cut for me. Instead my opponent is aggressive (which I generally favor) and looks to strike the 7-ball off the bank with force and top spin. The hope is to then strike the 9-ball and spin the 7 into the corner. The cue should end up below the 9-ball, aligned to one of the corners. This does not happen.
The aggressive stance here leads to striking the 9-ball and thus a ball in hand for me. Now my draw on the 7-ball is not as much as I had hoped for. But there is a decent percentage chance of making the cut to the corner. This is also aggressive, but there is no other ball on the table and since any other shot missing leave an easy shot at the 9, I went for it.
Aggressive shots are fun, and look great. But as a far higher ranked teammate often reminds me,
“Making the harder shot may look cool, but most of the time they will cost you the match.”
Aggressive shots on a 9-ball are costly, but far less so than on other balls on the table as they lead to runs by the opponent. Once I dropped this 9, I gained the break for the next rack. That break added another 1 ball to my total besides the 4 I gained for the last rack (1, 7,and 9). That put me at 5 versus my opponents 6 for the entire last rack and I was still shooting. The advantage at this point was decidedly mine.
I ran 3 more balls and screwed up the 4-ball, knowing that this would lead to a run on the rack. Never over think your shots. Never plan to hard on the next shot before you make the shot at hand. And be glad of luck, which is how the 4-ball ended up behind the 9 and opposed to the cue. Ultimately that rack was split, with me still holding a lead from several of the defensive shots, and luck, described above.
I threw in the nice cut of my opponent be cause I liked the shot. He took most of that rack.
But in the rack after I was left with the 1-ball in front of the cue facing the side. The next several shots are an example of taking the shot at hand and understanding but not focusing on the shot to follow.
I’m no pro - obviously, but I believe that the defensive shots, and increasing the difficulty of the opponents shot whenever more effective than taking a very low percentage shot, shows it’s own reward. I won that match 31 to 23. The defensive and opposing difficult shots provided me a 10 to 4 advantage on an opponent that is a good player, higher ranked and expected to win. That advantage plus the fact he had nearly a rack more balls for a win were why I won the match.
Defensive and high difficulty shots are critical to a winning game. Just some thoughts and possible tips.
which I defy anyone from describing as not looking like a SAW or M60 machinegun. And people wonder if kids are getting violent because of video games.
There is no doubt that while wearing this attention will be gained, and you will stand out in any crowd.
