Richard Branson joins Mia Farrow's Darfur hunger strike

In less noted news over the weekend, further developments came about in Mia Farrow’s hunger strike. Farrow started the water only strike to highlight and draw attention to the deplorable state of the Darfur region. It was perhaps one of the more dramatic endeavours made by a celebrity to try to garner public attention to the millions that have continued to suffer over the last 6 years and still counting.

12 days into the hunger strike Mia Farrow was told to end the strike by her doctors. Mia Farrow is 61, and continuing the hunger strike would have endangered her life. To which she stated

“I am fortunate. The women, children, and men I am fasting for do not have that option.”

To date over 300,000 Darfuri people have been murdered and died since 2003. 2.7 million people are homeless and seeking shelter. Since the start of the genocide (a term the American Government has officially used to describe the ethnic war since shortly after its inception) the United States Congress has done nothing. Every Congress since the start of this genocide has had HR 180 IH before them, which would place financial pressure on the Sudan and help to end this outrage. Each Congress (Democrat or Republican run) has failed to even take the issue out of committee. Effectively America is helping to fund the genocide of women and children.

Thus the work of Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Mia Farrow, and many many others deserves to reach the public. I am an advocate of the work to end the genocide and help the people of Darfur. And I again commend Mia Farrow for what she did.

It should also be noted the Sir Richard Branson, the mega-billionaire businessman and adventurer, took up the hunger strike in place of Mia Farrow. Again I believe he sought to keep attention in the media on this issue (which it seems the media wants to ignore). Branson stated he will be on the strike for 3 days.

I expect that other entertainers and celebrities will take up this cause. I hope that celebrities of note will join in on this hunger strike to drive media attention to this. Perhaps Snoop Dogg could be of some real help (for once) if he were to join in the hunger strike, and even convince other rappers to do so.

Too much is at stake not to be involved. And we as Americans can do so much more.

E.R. ends 15 seasons tomorrow

E.R. will be coming to an end tomorrow. And based on ratings and general public interest you might have thought it ended years ago. Which is a sad way for a ground-breaking show to end.

Though E.R. has reached a huge landmark in hitting 15 seasons, much of the luster faded before this year. I was a fan of the show early on. The entire plot seemed, looking back, to be the journey of one cast member - Noah Wyle as Dr. Carter. We all followed his path from lowly surgical intern into a highly qualified and intense doctor. And once he left the show, there really was no reason to continue to watch.

One of the things I loved about the show was that it was bright, and was not afraid of that. It was honest terminology and real medicine procedures. There were no miracles from future tech or television time constraints. The characters had flaws and issues, some never resolved. Characters grew, and fell, and died often in ways we never expected. But it was real and that drew in the audience.

Dr. Carter was our window into that world. As he learned more and became comfortable in that fast-paced, life or death arena, so did we. We were all proud when he became a doctor in his own right. We were surprised and pleased when he made the critical career move to give up surgery where he might just be good, to become an E.R. doctor that was great. We were all saddened when Dr. Carter fell into the pit of drug addiction, and were among his friends as they intervened to help him overcome his problem.

It's funny, the fact that the salary of Noah Wyle grew by the last season he was on the series to be more than that of the entire original cast he started with. It reflects the importance of his character, and the fanbase he drew. But the casting on this program was always smart.

This show launched the career of George Clooney, and Wyle. It beefed up the importance of Anthony Edwards, Eric La Salle and Juliana Margulies. It drew the most loved and most acclaimed actors in all of Hollywood to its set. Alan Alda, Michael J. Fox, Don Cheadle, Ray Liotta, Dakota Fanning and more.

This show was one of the few that featured Latinos, African Americans, and Asians as recurring if not main characters of importance and prominence. People of color were doctors and heads of departments. All at a time on television where the faces of people of color were vanishing from even the backgrounds in other shows. Especially on NBC.

Serious issues facing the nation and world have been addressed. Child abuse, violence against women, AIDS, alcoholism, drug addiction, cancer, famine, racial conflicts, poverty, international wars and ethnic cleansing. There are few topics this show has not touched upon, with honesty and compassion.

But like all things, it too must end. Because in a world of American Idol and Survivor, being honest and more than superficial is too much. When we lost our connection to the history of the show, Dr. Carter, we lost the need to be involved. Especially with issues that did not go away or were solved by the end of the episode or season. In that E.R. did it's job too well, it was too smart and honest to stay on television.

So while I am sad to see the show end, I agree it is well about time. It's languished enough, made many a political and educational point. It's helped widen the knowledge base of the world, and lifted more than a few actors and actresses to renown. In 15 years the television program has done just about everything that you could ask for in a weekly series. So with a salute I say goodbye to the series. And thank you.

CloFu - the new craze for crazy PETA

You know nothing says nutjob quite the way that PETA tends to. They go to extremes it seems to ensure that the average person looks at them like they have lost their minds. Take the most recent stunt/idea they had.

Everyone loves George Clooney right? PETA thinks so. And everyone should like tofu - a soybean product best described as nature's plastic. Well at least vegetarians like it. Thus PETA came up with the brilliant (said like in the Guiness commercials) idea of combining the 2.

Yes, thanks to a sweaty gym towel PETA somehow got possesion of they plan to infuse tofu with the flavor of Clooney himself. If they can convince him to agree. So far the likelyhood of this is low.

"As a mammal, I'm offended," says Clooney in response."

Now I ponder on this. Does PETA do things like this dumb idea because they want the publicity, or because they really think people will actually change their lives over such a stupid idea? Or any of the many other dumb stunts they have pulled in the past, like the near pornograghic Super Bowl commercial that was banned.

Publicity may be great, but I doubt they are helping themselves gain any converts when they are associating themselves with what might best be described as looney-tune antics.

Though I really would like to know if any George Clooney fan would actually eat CloFu (the proposed name of the bizarre flavored tofu)?

Where in the world was George Clooney?

I know that some people were curious about the non-appearance of George Clooney at the Oscar Awards on Sunday. And even more people are wondering about his appearance on the final episode of E.R. But far more important is the actual place he was at.

On Sunday, George Clooney delivered 250,000 postcards to President Obama from the Save Darfur organization. He then discussed his latest, and 6th, trip to the Darfur region.



It is in the Sudan where the genocide of Darfur has been taking place since 2003. Clooney, Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt and several other prominent celebrities and activists around the world have been trying to draw attention and help end the genocide for years, and I support that too.

The work of Save Darfur, the movie Darfur Now with Don Cheadle, and several other efforts have been mostly unheeded by the U.S. Government, including Congress. It is Congress that has been incapable of passing a single bill of legislation to place pressure on the Sudanese Government to end this slaughter of innocents. And that includes Democrats and Republicans alike.

But President Obama is supposed to be the President of change. He is supposed to be doing things differently in Washington. So I hope this meeting with George Clooney is the first step in a path where America does something to help end the death of children, women and men.



I think that the President cannot ask China to do anything, until the U.S. acts in a similar manner. Since 2004 the Congress has been unable to pass HR 180 IH, which would bar U.S. businesses from working with the Sudan – effectively helping to cut their funding for this genocide. To date over 400,000 are estimated to have been killed with 2.5 million, including children, refugees searching for safety from the fighting. If America will not stop funding such acts of vile murder, how can we expect China to do so?

But I am glad of this. At least Presaident Obama has listened to the plea. Even though he has never voted in favor of HR 180 IH while in Congress, and the fact he did not speak about Darfur on the campaign trail, this is a step in the right direction. But I hope he acts on it. Just as he promised in the media ignored, undiscussed trip to Chad



And I am glad that celebrities and entertainers like Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and so many more are actively doing something beyond lip-service for this cause. So I don’t mind he was not at the Oscar Awards, nor do I care about the end of ER. Some things are just more important.

Darfur: An end to genocide is possible with your help

Sometimes there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You may not know there was a tunnel, or a light, if you only follow the major U.S. news media – but that is the case. In this point I am speaking about the 6 year long war in the Sudan, specifically Darfur.

As much as the major media has ignored this conflict, as much as the Congress has sat on it’s collective fat ass (Republican and Democrat alike), no less than 300,000 men women and children have died to date. Over 2.7 million have had to flee their homes.

Individuals like Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and many others both with and without celebrity have worked hard for years to raise the awareness in America of the plight across the sea. The major news media was about as interested as Congress – one too busy hyping a case in Ohio, the other too busy looking to the past to see the present. But thankfully there have been others that have spread the word. And it may have helped.

Today it can be said that the main rebel faction and the Sudanese Government have started on the path that can lead to the end of the war. The first real steps have begun, with initial acts of good will being offered. It is possible that in about 2 weeks the first major cease-fire in that region will occur. It is possible that in the near future, one less place on the Earth will be at war.

But I still blame Congress for its inaction. Over 4 years in a row Congress refused to consider HR 180 IH – otherwise know as the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act. In many ways this could have been like the laws enacted to punish South Africa for Apartheid in the 1980’s. America could have led the world in bringing pressure to the situation, or at least stemming the money that funded the genocide. And genocide is not an opinion, but a direct description of this slaughter by the White House.

But Congress refused to make any statement. They just let this sit and gather dust. In essence they flipped channels while mothers had their breasts chopped off and/or were raped, and children were executed. They allowed enough people to fill a mid-sized American city to be brutally killed while they plotted polispeak and political one-upmanship in luxury resorts. Pick whichever political party you want, they all acted with the same disdain.

We will never know how many lives might have been saved by a simple show of concern by our Government. But I can definitely say that over 300,000 conservatively have died while America twittled its thumbs. It’s not something I am proud of.

Still the good news is perhaps one day soon Don Cheadle, George Clooney, and myself among thousands if not tens of thousands of others will no longer have to raise awareness. Perhaps this will be over and the healing will be able to begin.

But that is not today.

We still need to speak about this. To do something about this. To ask Congress to take some action. Because it could mean saving the life of even 1 child – and to me that is reason enough.

Donate to Not On Our Watch. Write to your Congressional Representatives. Send President Obama your request for action.

Because we are Americans, and we make an impact on the world. Because America is a good nation, with big hearts. And even while we worry about our jobs and homes, not one American ever fears being slaughtered in genocide. We can sleep at night in relative peace, which to me means that making even a symbolic act is the least we can do.

Donating to help Darfur - 4.9.2008.1

On March 13th of this year I wrote a post (Not On Our Watch, Cheadle and Clooney, donate $500,000 - 3.13.2008.1) discussing Darfur and the efforts of Don Cheadle, George Clooney, and many others to end the genocide that has been on-going for the past 5 years in the Sudan. In that post I mentioned that this is a subject that has not been covered properly by the media, politicians, the Government, and the Presidential candidates (all of them).

My discussion of this subject has been consistent for some time, and I will continue to do so. Torwards that end I promised to make a donation to Not On Our Watch on April 6th. That day was my 40th birthday and a Sunday.

I promised to donate every dollar and dime that was donated to the site up to that date. So far in 2008 there has been 6 dollars in donations, as noted by the widget on the sidebar.

While I have delayed my donation I never forgot it. At the same time I do not believe that $6 was enough to donate to this issue, though ever dollar does count and help. Therefore I donated $46.

As I promised I have donated every dollar the widget shows received this year. I have not used those funds but my own, and as more donations are made to me I will use those funds for the various charities and gift giving contests that I run from time to time. The additional $40 dollars represented my age. While I wish I could have made the gift larger, I’m not independantly rich and the growth of my corporation does constrain some of my efforts from time to time.

Even so, I do not intend to make this my last donation or effort for Darfur.

For those that might doubt my donation I provide the following confirmation

Donation made to Groundspring.org for Not On Our Watch, Inc.
    Date: 04/09/2008
    Transaction #: VLCA2BF773FB-742401
    Donation Amount : $46.00
    Tax Deductible Donation Value : $46.00 

Not On Our Watch, Cheadle and Clooney, donate $500,000 - 3.13.2008.1

Unlike the major news media, or the Government of the U.S., I have spoken about Darfur and what is happening there. For years there has been little said about the genocide, and even less done in Congress. An example of that inaction is HR 180 IH.

But there are individuals that have done a great deal. One of the most notable and famous is entertainer Don Cheadle. Mr. Cheadle, along with George Clooney, producer Jerry Weintraub, entertainers Brad Pitt and Matt Damon created Not On Our Watch. Through this non-profit organization attention and aid has been given to Darfur and the 200,000 African that have been murdered and the 2.5 million men, women, and children that no longer have homes.

It is Not On Our Watch that again did something our nation seems incapable, or unwilling, to do. Today they gave $500,000 to the World Food Program (WFP) of the United Nations. The WFP has been providing food and support people in Darfur for years, in fact 70% of it’s aid goes to this area alone.

As much as half-a-million dollars is, it does not compare to the $77 million needed in 2008 alone.

Don Cheadle, George Clooney and the others in Not On Our Watch need to be commended on their actions and support to date. Congress, including Presidential candidates Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama, and President Bush need to be admonished for their failures to address this issue.

America has not take a stance against what is happening in Darfur. When Apartheid needed to be stopped, America stood up and refused to do business with the nation. We placed pressure on that government and helped to improve the lives of millions of South Africans including former political prisoner and now leader Nelson Mandela. [For those that weren’t alive in the 1980’s, Apartheid was the rule of the White minority in South Africa over the African majority. Think of it as a couple of steps above slavery and segregation on crack.]

If America as a government is unwilling to end the support of the Sudan, which Darfur is within, perhaps the people of America are willing to step up. Already the entertainers mentioned above have done so, and no one would consider entertainers political leaders. Yet they have done more to lead this cause than all of the politicians in America so far, in my opinion.

Darfur may be in Africa, and Africans are not as important to America as other parts of the world. That is apparently factual based on what our nation has done, or failed to do, over the last 5 years. But I see no difference in the lives of children in Darfur than in Iraq. If there can be such huge support for helping Iraq (whether through leaving the area or staying and winning the fight against Iran and terrorists) I cannot see how we cannot want to support those in Darfur.

If you agree with me, and Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and so many other regular everyday Americans you have never heard of then please go to Not On Our Watch and make a donation. Today this organization sent $500,000 because of what they believe and the families and children they wish to help, and amount few of us have. But I have to believe that we normal Americans can afford $1 or $5.

I will even make it easier if you can’t afford that. Every dollar and cent donated to any of my blogs or sites, as recorded in my donation widget above, since the beginning of this year until my birthday on April 6th will be donated to this organization. In addition I will make a donation on that day beyond the funds collected.

So if you can only afford .50 cents, or $1.50, or even .05 cents, I will send it along with ever other donation I receive.

One person probably won’t be able to come up with $77 million or a solution. But all of us together can easily do so.

Who the Oscar Awards didn't honor - 2.26.2008.1

So the Oscar Awards are over, and most of America neither cared nor knew the films that won. I was going to mention how irrelevant the Oscars were this year. That there is often no connection between what is nominated or wins and what the world actually thinks is a good film. But something far more important has come up.

Yes there was Daniel Day Lewis winning best actor in a film you didn’t see, Javier Bardem (a guy you don’t know) won best supporting actor in a film you didn’t see. Marion Cotillard (don’t know her either) won in a film you probably didn’t know existed, and Tilda Swinton won in Michael Clayton – which you probably know because George Clooney was in it, but few actually saw. And No Country For Old Men won best picture.

Now it’s important to realize that between these films that have no commercial importance and the fact that the Writer’s Guild strike lowered expectations, that there were things that slipped through the fingers of the Awards show. A major mistake, that I feel was a deliberate and obvious slap in the face. And this has been completely glossed over by the major media.

Whoopi Goldberg was slapped by the Oscar Awards. And Hollywood counted on the fact no one was watching to do it.

In a montage highlighting the Oscar Award hosts every host was shown, except Whoopi Goldberg and Steve Martin. What makes it so much worse, in regard to Whoopi Goldberg, is the fact that besides being the second Black woman to win an Oscar since Haddie McDaniels (back in 1939), she is one of 10 people to have ever won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. Whoopi Goldberg has been in 150 films, was the highest paid actress in the 1990’s, is a founding member of Comic Relief that raised money for the homeless, and was host of the Oscar Awards 4 times.

Now you might wonder how I learned this. Well it’s not from YouTube. You won’t find anything on it there. It wasn’t the major cable news media, they were busy discussing how Gary Busey gave a hug that surprised an actress who last starred in a film as Elektra – a box office bomb. Luckily it showed up on yahoo, and after a good deal of searching I found 2 sites that have the news of this slap in the face. One is an Asian site, the other in English. Here is the video clip.



So why did Hollywood make an obvious and intentional affront of one of the most famous, talented, successful, and respected Black female actress and comedienne? I don’t know why exactly, but I am sure they thought no one would notice because no one was watching.

But now that you know, what do you think?

Russell Simmons to Presidential candidates: I have a question - 1.29.2008.1

So here is something you don’t hear about every day. In fact it’s something you probably have not heard about at all.

Many celebrities, entertainers and notable figures in America are involved with the Presidential candidates. Most are endorsing this candidate or that one. Famously so far in this nomination cycle there has been Ted Kennedy, Jon Voight, Viggo Mortensen, Chuck Norris, Barbara Streisand, and of course Oprah Winfrey. That is just to name a few of those involved at the moment.

The various Presidential candidates love the attention that famous figures bring to their campaigns. Most of the time. There are exceptions, one of those being when they are getting questioned by the famous. Then it’s not something they want to get into so publicly. Just as often, it’s something they won’t respond to either.

Case in point is the fact that Russell Simmons, the equally famous brother of Rev. Run, currently known for his Run’s House cable television show and previously for Run-DMC the rap group. Mr. Simmons is a respected businessman, a mogul that launched his career with rap hip hop and has expanded from there. None question his acumen, nor his dedication to improve the lives of African Americans. He has long been a symbol of success, without the need to degrade women and exploit stereotypes as say Bob Johnson – creator of Black Entertainment Television – did.

Recently Mr. Simmons joined with Dr. Benjamin Chavis, and health and spirituality author Deepak Chopra in sending an open letter to the Presidential candidates.

“The questions included asking the candidates to discuss their thoughts on being inclusive of people who might not be part of the political mainstream, the importance of diversity, issues related to the environment, poverty, the war in Iraq, and how to move towards, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. put it, a “beloved community” where all humans are treated with respect , justice and love.”

Considering the enormity of what the next President of the United States will be deciding, choosing paths that will determine the direction and presence of the nation for at least the next decade or longer, I commend their action.

I just hope they get a response.

Given the fame and success of these individuals, and the ability to influence and connect with the vast numbers of hip hop and rap fans of voting age, I would expect they will get a response. Except that this response has been pledged to be released, uneditied, to the public. Based on my own experience, that may not get a response.

Since 2006 I have been awaiting responses from several of the Presidential candidates. I have sent out letters and contacted the various campaign staffs, all to no avail. To date, not one candidate has responded to the letters I have sent out. I suspect that it is the fact that I will be releasing the answers, verbatim, for the public to view. While I reach Americans and international readers in over 60 nations besides virtually every state of the nation (including Alaska) and number my readers in the tens of thousands each month, the fear is that everyone will see their written responses, I suspect.

A written response is undeniable. It’s not like a speech or debate, where they are limited in the scope of their answer or can be misunderstood in the context of their answer. It does not provide the candidates wiggle room to say one thing and then flip that answer later. Plus in reaching the world, they will not be able to tailor the answer to a specific groups or local concern. Listen to how every candidate speaks about farming issues in Iowa; cars, unions, and industry in Michigan; religion and race relations in South Carolina; and you see that they often change the focus of how they sell themselves. And if you listen closely you will find that they at times contradict what they have said at different times in front of different groups. But a written answer does not allow for a forgetful mind or a short, overly simplified, ambiguous (non-)answer.

Thus I expect that while the fame and recognition of Russell Simmons far exceeds my own, he will receive the same response I have. None at all.

And that is an insult and shame.

The candidates hope to be the President of America. To be the leader of the nation. I understand that every question sent to them cannot be responded to. I understand that their staffers qualify who gets to be acknowledged based on their own biases. I can accept that my tens of thousands of readers may not be enough for the candidates’ radars (though it is more than enough to change the elections of 2004 and 2000 combined), or that the emphasis I have to Black and Hispanic/Latino issues is “too controversial”. But that is not true of entertainers.

Presidential candidates use entertainers and celebrities to buy votes. Their fame is the currency they use to convince voters of the worth of the candidate. But it is those same notable figures that have the ability to get answers individuals like myself are denied. And they should be able to have that reply and put it in the public view.

Barack may want my sister to vote for him, and will use Oprah to gain her attention and trust for that vote. But shouldn’t Oprah share, in writing if possible, the answers to questions of importance that Obama gave her to gain her trust and endorsement? Wouldn’t it be equally as compelling to know that the concerns of Oprah, or George Clooney, or Rick Schroder or whatever celebrity/entertainer are the same as ours and the answer that made them sure this was the right choice?

I think so. But to do so is to be honest and direct. 2 things that politicians are not known for, no matter who they are. But I hope to be proven wrong.

We will see if Russell Simmons gets his answer. I hope he does get one, and that it is shared with us all. It’s what should be done. But I won’t get my hopes up, no matter the fame, recognition and deserved success of the person asking the questions.

The things you can get paid for

In the land of weird and dumb news I have found something that really blew past the mainstream. How odd is this? Well let’s just say that the secret to Warren Buffett’s may not be just his business ethic. It’s his name. The same reasoning may be why Britney Spears is the apparent mess that she is. Their names. Or more specifically their initials.

Oh yes. Someone convinced someone else to pay them to study the names and grades of 15,000 students over 15 years, and 93 years of professional baseball players. What they were looking for is what affect a person’s initials have on their grades and life choices. Seriously, someone did this. Just check the link if you don’t believe me.

I truly have picked the wrong career. Imagine that people get paid to figure out things like that. It’s insane. Can you imagine the amount of money they made off this study? As if anyone ever wondered this was important.

But what they found is that if your name starts with say a C or D you will be more likely to have lower grades than average, or someone with initials that have an A or B. If you are in baseball your chances of hitting that classic 9th inning winning homerun drop severely if you have a K initial. Basically it’s all because the initials represent good or bad things.

Now how this applies to real people is anyone’s guess. As I mentioned at the start there is the example of Mr. Warren Buffett. There is no question of his success. He is simply the best investor in the history of the stock market.

Other examples of success might be Bill Gates, Humphrey Bogart, Bill Blase, Brad Pitt, Bill Cosby, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Hope, Aristotle, Albert Einstein, and Archibald Anderson. Even the rise to success of Britney Spears could be claimed by this study.

Now on the converse side there are those who have done badly with bad initials. First on the list is Britney Spears. (The S could stand for stupid, sloppy, sluggish, slovenly, or slow) Then there is former President Gerald Ford (it’s debatable on how successful he his). Also Julius Caesar, John F Kennedy, the Confederacy, Diogenes of Sinope, OJ Simpson and Caracalla.

Seems like their findings make sense, until you just casually consider President Franklin D. Roosevelt (with 2 bad initials), Donnie Osmond, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolph Hitler, Denzel Washington, Walt Disney, President William Clinton, Curtis Jackson (depending on your point of view), and George Clooney.

Like most loopy ideas this one has holes all over the place. Again I have to wonder, how much did they get paid to do this and who funded it? I just hope it’s not a federal grant. Can you imagine your tax dollars going to fund this “research”?

**This can also be found at All American Blog, where I am A contributing author.**

Don Cheadle movie coming out in November - 10.30.2007.1

**This can also be seen at All American Blog, where I am a contributing author.**

In the list of things that many may not see in movie theaters there is one movie coming out that deserves more attention. This one movie needs to be seen in wide release. This one movie needs to get publicity and critical commentary. This one movie deserves the media hype and sales pitch given to forgettable films like 30 Days of Night or Transformers, but it won’t get it.

The movie is Darfur Now. A simple title and statement. And I would ask, do you even know where Darfur is or what has been happening there for years? Are you aware of what our government is doing about Darfur? If not, why?

But as for the movie, it details 6 lives that are trying to make an impact and those that work with them in this endeavor. In my humble opinion, all those fighting to bring attention and resolution in Darfur deserved the Nobel Peace Prize far more than Mr. Al Gore and his questionable movie. That’s the real intent of the Prize I always thought. The Nobel goes to people like Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King and such. Not an overly politicized, overly glorified, politician that has not, to my knowledge, even publicly acknowledged Darfur.

Over a million people have been allowed to die without more than a glance by the major news media. Even with the attention major stars like Mr. Don Cheadle (who is featured in the movie), Mr. George Clooney, Mr. Brad Pitt and several others the media and Congress placed this story on the back burner.

For all the movies and news out about wars and conflicts in the world, most discuss the past. This movie discusses the on-going genocide of a people in Darfur. I say that again, on-going. Yet the major news media feels that Ellen Degeneres crying about a puppy deserves 2 day+ of news coverage. Years of murders, with approximately 1 million dead and a puppy going to a different family than where Ms. Degeneres wanted gets 2 days of coverage.

This movie deserves a wide release. It needs coverage. It’s a story that should be told in a big way, even if the studios don’t make a ton of money. Underdog was a complete flop, but they put that out nationally and made a big deal of it. If they could right of that loss, why not take a loss for something that matters and could have an effect of saving hundreds of thousands of lives, literally.

Suffice to say, I suggest seeing the movie. There are plenty of other films coming out by the end of the year to get you into the holiday spirit (not that I think Fred Claus is going to do well or be a good movie) or just thrill you (Mr. Will Smith has a remake that should be quite good out in December). Why not take one day [actually slightly more than 1 ½ hours of one day] to see what is happening in the world, which the major media seems to think you aren’t adult or mature enough to handle.

Ocean's 13 is worth the bet - 6.11.2007.1

Well what can be said about Ocean’s 13? It was far better than the second movie in the series. But in saying that I take away from the fun and action that takes place. The pace may not be as fast, nor the plot as slick, but it’s a movie that redeems the series. The interaction among the actors is quite good as well.


The various actors that were not as well known in the first Ocean’s movie get a lot more time in this going. They are good in their roles but the roles are not as in-depth as you might wish. Mr. Casey Affleck’s Spanish is excellent, the characters understanding of Mandarin Chinese is equally good. Mr. Don Cheadle’s American accent (as opposed to his character’s Eastender norm) is quite entertaining. But that brings up a point,

Most of the characters expand their abilities. Virtually all the team expands to take on aspects of the con that others previously did. The twins handle explosives, the computer geek takes on an inside man position as does the gymnast and Basher. Not too extreme, but different.

Another new aspect is the very direct introduction of political themes. From Oprah giving a family a house, to Mexicans working for $3.50 a week, to a children’s camp. The political themes are right in your face, but thankfully not detracting or interrupting the story, much. The last minute of the film let’s you walk away with a smile. But there is more thought and discussion left in your mind than most movies compel. At least for me.

Did I enjoy it? Yes. Do I get that companies doing business in Mexico take extreme advantage of the weak labor laws and cheap costs? Abundantly. Is Mr. Eric Idle wasted in his role? Without question. Though Mr. David Paymer’s brief appearances just hit the right mark.

I saw the movie with a friend that has never seen the first 2 movies, don’t ask why not. Talking about it afterwards, she enjoyed the movie but didn’t get a bunch of the nuances. I didn’t realize it right away but, there are a bunch of little easter eggs for everyone who has seen the prior movies and pays attention. Like Bruiser.

Well suffice to say, it’s a good movie. Seeing it in a theater is fun, especially if you saw it with friends who saw the first 2 movies. Even if you haven’t seen them, you will enjoy it. But I think it will be just as good on DVD. You can make your choice on that though.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Recap of the 2nd week of January 2007 - 1.16.2007.1

There are a few things from last week I didn’t get a chance to mention. I’ll try to catch up now. First the week in history. During the last week: Fisk University was founded, Dr. George Washington Carver was born, Delta Sigma Theta is started, Twelfth Night or the Epiphany occurred (the baby Jesus was born in January not December and the 3 wise men visited him last week).

Beyond those events, this is the second week I can mention that of the 3 individuals considering or running for President that I have contacted none have responded to date. Now to be fair I did not send my letters to each all on the same day, but they have had some time. Of course I may not be the first name on their list to respond to. Still considering that the questions I am asking are what I believe are important to you as well, I think that they should be in touch soon. Then again, some of them may not wish to clearly define where they stand on issues important to Black Americans, Latinos and Hispanic Americans, and others. But when they do respond I will post every word, unaltered, for every one of the tens of thousands of you to read. [Yes I feel good that so many pay attention to my blogs] You can look forward to reading my letters to Senator McCain, and Obama in the near term. Possibly Rev. Sharpton as well.

You can reach each letter posted to date at the following:
Letter to Mitt Romney - 1.10.2007.1
Letter sent to John Edwards - 1.5.2007.1
Letter to Senator Clinton - 12.16.2006.1

As for some events that happened last week, there is an interesting bit on the rapper Noreaga or NORE or whatever he goes by now (his name is Victor Santiago and I will refer to him as such). In Mr. Santiago’s desire to build record sales, he had no problem befriending and employing a couple of members of the Murder Unit gang. That’s not my opinion, he said, “Hard-core hip-hop tends to sell more records. It's about selling an image.” Mr. Santiago stated this as a witness in the trail of one of the members of the gang. It seems that the accused allegedly murdered 3 victims and stole cocaine. My opinion is that Mr. Santiago’s claim that he was unaware of any of these gang members he employed were selling drugs, carried weapons, and were violent is either false or the man is beyond dim. Since he knows how to use people to promote himself, as well as possibly providing him with the drugs he admitted to using [a shame they couldn’t arrest him for that] I doubt dim. I just find it infuriating when an entertainer (especially a Latino/Hispanic) brazenly uses drugs, chases women, employs potentially violent drug dealing felons and brazenly admits to it while cracking goes at a trial. All this just to sell records and make money on an image. Wealth is just not worth it, I think.

Something worth speaking about are the continuing efforts of Mr. George Clooney and his father in bringing more attention to the Dafur atrocity. If you have missed the news on Darfur, which is easy since little is mentioned about it on the news [though there is plenty of time to discuss say the Trump vs. O’Donnell idiocy], over 200,000 Africans have died since 2003. Over 2.5 million have had to flee from their homes. Mr. Clooney has spent a good deal of time raising the awareness of this situation, having spoken to the U.N. twice already trying to get international attention on the matter. I respect Mr. Clooney as a man due to his efforts, as well as respecting his choice of movies and ability in them. If you missed the presentation of his documentary film A Journey to Darfur, look for a replay on the AmericanLife TV Network. Or ask for it to be put on DVD or on a local station near you.

Perhaps 2007 will be the year we see some of these rappers, or other celebrities, entertainers, and politicians do something to help these Africans that are in need. It may not be as much fun for them, but I hope they all don’t want to live like Mr. Santiago.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Sanaa Lathan and the other side of interracial dating

I was caught between a couple of items today, the ratings on several network broadcast and cable television programs, when I noticed something a bit more enticing. It wasn’t the fact that Mr. George Clooney has done so well in the Oscars race this year. A far less glamorized movie that will be coming out shortly - Something New.

When I first noticed anything about this movie, it was that it was a love story. Being a fan of sci-fi and action films, and more than occasionally watching what friends call ‘high intellect’ films, love stories don’t usually hit my radar. Not that there is anything wrong with them. And I don’t mean to imply they are ‘chick flicks’ and I’m too manly to see them. It’s just not my thing.

This film does have an interesting twist on the theme though. The couple is an interracial one. Even more interesting is that the woman is a Black African American and the man is White. In its own way I think this film is similar in cultural impact to Guess Who’s Coming Home to Dinner, except this time it’s the Black culture that gets the surprise.

It’s not a new thing, interracial couples have been around a long time. They are socially accepted moreso now than ever before, I think the late 70's and early 80's was the turning point in the nation. The portrayal of a Black African American woman in an interracial couple is different though. Black women have long been the champions of the call to ‘Keep it black’ and ‘Stay true to your people’ in my experience. [I have known many women who believe the above strongly. I have seen some lash out at a white girlfriend of a black male, just because she was with him and he had never dated the woman. I have even had a woman I dated breakup with me due to the fact that I had dated ‘outside the race barrier’. I find both actions incredibly stupid and repulsive.] Much of the return to Africa and re-embracement of traditional African culture, has been lead by black women at least on a community basis as I have seen.

Yet as Ms. Sanaa Lathan states “...about 42.4 percent of black women in America aren't married. Black women are shooting up the corporate ladder way faster than our black male counterparts. And (black men) are either dating outside their race, in jail or dying...” [By the way my poem I rejoice in me may give you an idea of how I feel about my place in American society] The surprise is still there as, in my experience, Black African American women more than any other group including Hispanic women have stated (some shouted) they will stand by their Black African American man. Quite the diametric I think.

It will be very interesting to see how this movie does, especially in cities with high ‘minority’ populations. It is well known that many Black African American actors will not do movies or scenes that have a White female as a love interest or sexual partner. At least its well known in the communities I’ve been in. Mr. Denzel Washington has never done so nor several other prominent Black actors. The fear is alienating the Black female audience. Alienate them and watch movie sales along with star power disappear. Even Mr. Wesley Snipes has felt the backlash, I believe, if not in moviegoers definitely in the black media.

The big question though is why is this such a big deal? Interracial dating, in a movie or in real life, should not be such a question. Or am I mistaken. Does it matter what color your mate is, since the only person it should hold importance to is you and your mate. Obviously to racists it make quite the difference, but what about everyone else? I wouldn’t call Black women racist for having a belief in having a strong black family, just as I wouldn’t say that about a white female. But where is the line, if it exists at all, that crosses to the extreme. [My personal examples above seem well beyond that point but others may disagree.]

So I find that while I still will not go to see this movie, it's still a love story and they have no interest to me, I will probably watch a couple of minutes when it on DVD or regular cable among friends and/or family just to see how everyone reacts. If nothing else I find that the premise is timely, and culturally dynamic.

This is what I think, what do you think?