A few quick thoughts from Michael Vass - 12.10.2007.1

Well the year is quickly coming to an end, and the corporate paperwork is piling high. I hate to say it, but this is not one of my favorite times of year. That said there are many things going on, and I’m not slowing down.

As long-time readers may be familiar, I recently worked with TV One on their live webcast of the Heartland Presidential Forum. I reviewed the Forum and spoke about it in depth, and I will be doing a bit more about that in the near term. Keep an eye out for an upcoming commentary along those lines shortly.

This is the final week of the $1000 Holiday Give-Away Contest. Don’t miss your chance to win $1000 free. The terms to enter are simple and easy to do. No purchase is required. What have you got to lose? Check out the details here.

I ran across an interesting site recently. It’s a newer blog, discussing similar thoughts on Black actors. I particularly liked the post on Don Cheadle, and Black Actresses Get No Industry Love – 30-39 Crew. It’s a different take on the entertainment industry and how we people of color are represented. Check it out.

Don’t forget that there is still time to pick up a gift for your loved ones, or yourself, at my online store. There is something for everyone there, and the original designs stand out with personality and good looks. If you have never visited the store before, this is your chance to see what I have done to date. If you have been there, go back and look again what might have been added.

Looking at the choices I have in my store beats running around from store to store with huge crowds and the cold snow and ice weather that is this winter. And if you have any suggestions, let me know. I always love to hear what you have to say.

Keep an eye out for the various end of year lists for 2007. It’s a popular favorite and I will be presenting them shortly.

If you are wondering about the up-coming election, and which candidates might be of interest, I suggest you see my Vass blog. I’ve been covering the ups and downs of all the major candidates since the beginning of the year. I won’t forget about them in 2008 either. Remember your vote is too valuable to be given away cheaply, and too permanent to take back once cast.

Well more soon.

Letter from the President of M V Consulting, Inc.

I’m happy to say that M V Consulting, Inc. has been growing at a substantial pace. The blogs, Black Entertainment USA and VASS, have been gaining new visitors every month and repeat visitors are checking back to the site more often than ever. Visits to the online store at cafepress/nova68 have gone up exponentially. Even the new corporate website has already gained traction in a few search engines after only being live for a week.

I thank you, my visitors for this. It is your patronage and support that has made this success happen.

I realize that with this success and growth there is a price though. That price is my re-doubled efforts to provide posts and content on a daily basis, that is of interest to you. It’s no small task, and I admit that some days I just can’t find items worth writing about or don’t have the time to do so. But I have a solution to this difficulty.

I have heard from several individuals in the past that had an interest in providing posts and content for the various blog sites. I mention to those individuals and others that may be interested that I will be accepting contributions for the blogs.

So if you want to submit a post for consideration please include your name, state, the full post (spell checked), all pertinent links, and a valid contact address. If your submission is accepted, you will be contacted to make you aware.

Please understand that all posts submitted and accepted by M V Consulting, Inc. will be our limited property. This means that any accepted piece can and may be reproduced in full or in part at the discretion of and for the benefit of M V Consulting, Inc. Full writing credit for any accepted content will be given to the contributing author, in a byline style. Sadly at this time, no fee will be paid for any submission that is accepted.

I look forward to your responses and interest.

Sincerely

Michael Vass
President – M V Consulting, Inc.
Author – Black Entertainment USA and VASS
718-344-6921
support@vassconsult.com

Did you know it's Black History Month? - 2.1.2007.1

Today is the first day of Black History Month. If you didn’t know I’m not surprised as there is little media that I observed mentioning it. Unlike 30 years ago, this month draws less real attention than even minor news items. Sure there is a movie starring a Black American entertainer here and there, but what does that really mean? Does that really convey Black History when you’re watching Passenger 57, or New Jack City, or Training Day? Do you feel empowered when you see an occasional 30 second public announcement commercial giving you a soundbite on Black History? Somehow I think there could be more, actually there needs to be.

I mean there needs to be due to a couple of examples. I won’t get into the comments of Senator Biden here. I’ll discuss that at my Vass site shortly. I will mention Mr. Bill Cosby. Did you see the news from the 30th? Have you heard any mention of it? I did, and I’ve waited to see the major media, especially televised news, to give it any attention. I barely found out about it online.

What happened is that Mr. Cosby is continuing to draw attention to the unbalanced and terribly poor conditions young African American are dealing with in schools, and in general. On the 30th Mr. Cosby brought attention to the sub-standard conditions that students in New Orleans are currently enduring. This is the second time Mr. Cosby has gone to the still post-Hurricane Katrina ravaged area. Yet there is nothing mentioned in the media. Not on the 30th, nor on the first day of Black History Month.

By the way, Black History Month was started in 1926, by Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson. At the time it was only Negro History Week, and the reason it’s in February (something I always wondered about since it is the shortest month) is due to the birthdays of President Lincoln and Mr. Frederick Douglass.

A quick note on Dr. Woodson. He was the son of slaves, wasn’t able to go to high school until he was 20. His early education was mostly self-taught as he worked to help his family rather than go to school. He attended the University of Chicago and Harvard. In 1916 he founded the Journal of Negro History, one of the oldest journals in America. An important though his father passed on to him was “learning to accept insult, to compromise on principle, to mislead your fellow man, or to betray your people, is to lose your soul."

If you wonder why this is a big deal I’ll quote Dr. Woodson again, “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”

Well I suppose the news of when the next, and final, Harry Potter book will be release is more vital and helpful. [July 21st if you need to know.]

This is what I think, what do you think?

Hanoi Fonda back to old tricks - 1.30.2007.1

This is a post that deals with mostly one actress and politics. I have posted it on the entertainment blog due to that fact. I have let you know that it is political as opposed to most other posts. Also if you are a fan of Jane ‘Hanoi’ Fonda [I first commented on her in my post jul 26 2005], I’d advise you to skip this.

I just heard about the protest that occurred on Saturday. There were several celebrities there, including Mr. Tim Robbins, Mrs. Susan Sarandon (Mr. Robbins wife), Mr. Sean Penn, and someone I truly hate – Jane Fonda. Let me start off that I respect every person in the crowd that voiced their view on the war (except fonda). It’s a vital principle of American life that they can protest, and unlike other countries none of them were shot dead for it. The differing views are important to keep the balance of America and to attain the best for the nation.

I will mention that this is similar to the actions we saw during the Viet Nam war. Perhaps many of the youth today are too young to recall what happened. I was young when the protests were occurring myself. But I was old enough to see the result on my father, a Marine and veteran of Viet Nam. And that stuck with me for life.

I respect the actors that feel strongly enough about the actions of the government to risk their public images in protests. I respect the ordinary people that want the government to know that they disagree with the actions currently ongoing. But I think they are all wrong.

I do not feel they support the troops as their actions fail to match the definition of ‘support’. Anyone who disagrees with that should look up the definition of the word and explain to me how their actions fulfill that. That is my opinion, and it is no more or less worthwhile than theirs.

I do see this being the beginning of actions that will be similar to those of Viet Nam. Perhaps Democrats such as Senator Jim Webb had good memories of the return home, my father did not. And I will be extremely angry if anyone treats the young men and women returning from Iraq as they did my father. Some need to take a moment and recall that the only reason they can call names and not support the troops is because those same troops, and all those that have bled, sweat, and died before them, have made it possible.

As for Hanoi Jane, I agree with Mr. Danny Bonaduce in that I would be happy to have seen her shot for treason years ago. Protest all you want, but aiding the enemy of our nation and our troops is treason. I have no respect for the woman. Her (what I feel are) false and half-hearted apologies do not sway me. Some 30+ years later she has admitted remorse. Am I stupid? That is a political and economic response, timed perfectly to match a book and a movie release. I do not forget, nor will I forgive her. She had decades to apologize, or explain her thoughts. She was a grown woman, aware of her actions and their impact when she made them in the 70’s. Her hope, I feel, that the youth of the nation would not remember and thus forgive does not work with me. I am repulsed by violence against women, but I would pay to have a woman give Jane ‘Hanoi’ Fonda a beat down. I feel that strongly about her actions.

As for Deborah at News Hounds, Mr. Bonaduce is not perfect. There is no question of his well documented past. But I demand you find one instance where he sided with declared enemies of our nation, especially when our Armed Forces were fighting and dying. Hanoi Jane did do that, it is a fact. She posed for the photos and supported the enemies of the nation as our sons and fathers died. She was not forced. Mr. Bonaduce never did anything even close to that. Showing the photos she voluntarily posed for or mentioning the actions she did is not slander or nasty, it’s factual. The age that Mr. Bonaduce saw the photo has nothing to do with its impact. I was young as well and the repercussions made an impact on my family. Trauma is not restricted to an age group. Also the definition of treason during a time of war is what Hanoi Jane did, and should have been tried for. The punishment at the time was death, to remind those too young to remember this is not a false accusation. If it wasn’t true I’m sure some lawyer would be suing now. As for quoting 30,000 – that is tens of thousands, 3 x ten thousand to be exact – thus the estimate sounds accurate to the math I was taught.

Lastly, yes we all have made mistakes. Waiting 30 years to admit it is not a show of remorse to me. Consciously siding against your nation is not a mistake, no matter the time it takes to admit what was already documented in photos and other media. To remind people of the facts, and to express an opinion is not cowardly, nor a bully tactic. It’s little different than going to a war protest. If you can’t accept that, that is unforgivable.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Repost of Letter to Senator Obama - 1.22.2007.1

This is a repost of the letter sent to Senator Obama, found orginally at Vass. Any response from the Senator will be posted unaltered when received.

January 22, 2007
Dear Senator Obama,

I am contacting you today as part of an ongoing series of letters that I am sending to many of those that are planning to run for President of the United States. To date I have written letters to Senator Clinton, Mr. John Edwards, and Mr. Mitt Romney.

I am the author/writer of several blog sites including Black Entertainment USA (www.blackentertainmentblog.com). My letter to you, as well as any response from you will be posted on these sites without alteration.

Senator Obama I am aware that you are a junior Senator, having served 2 years at this time, representing Illinois. As I am from New York I am not familiar with the platforms you were elected for. What was the main issue that you campaigned on, and what progress have you made in attaining that? What laws have you helped to pass, or prevented from passing, that have directly benefited your constituents and African Americans in general?

As a fellow African American I’m sure you are aware that there are several issues that are of great impact to the Black community. One of the most important may be the issue of education. What have you done to improve the number of African Americans that finish high school and/or seek higher education? If you were to be elected President, what plan would you follow that will improve the education system in America?

In terms of your own education I ask a question that has recently been in the news. It has been stated that during the 4 years in Jakarta you had attended a Madrasa. I wonder if you feel this has any influence on the education you received, or more importantly do you believe that having lived and studied overseas provided you any benefit that your peers may not have had?

It has also been stated that you are a smoker. If this is true do you believe that has any effect on your views on healthcare? In addition how do you feel about the current trend to leave businesses without a choice and disallow smoking? Do you believe that the smoking ban is fair to businesses, and does it make sense to have a ban while also allowing adult citizens to purchase cigarettes?

As a lawyer that worked on civil rights issues, what do you believe you can do, or are doing currently, to improve the rights of African Americans and Latino/Hispanic Americans or any other people of color in this nation? What do you feel is the largest obstacle and what plan do you have to remove it?

In terms of national healthcare, do you agree with the push for a national healthcare system? If you do how would you have this program funded? What would you do to motivate institutions and individuals to seek out new innovations with the profit motive removed? How would you ensure that a national program would not function in the same manner most feel other government institutions do, such as the education system (which most feel is a failure)?

What role, if any, do you feel religion plays in the government? Do you believe that the fact you have never served in the Armed Forces would have any effect on your ability to perform as Commander-and-Chief?

Speaking of the Armed Forces, at this time there is a general feeling that the war in Iraq is going badly. President Bush has just announced a plan that would elevate the number of troops serving in Iraq. The democratic party is generally opposed to this plan. What exact alternative would you implement in place of this current plan, and what plan would you establish to ensure the safety of Americans if Iraq becomes more unstable (thus promoting terrorist attacks on America)?

Do you feel that the fact you have little experience in the Senate, or with dealing with international politics, is a hindrance to your ability to act as President and if not why?

Recently there has been a growing apprehension among some in the nation about the number of immigrant that are allowed into the nation for non-European nations (as per Rep. Goode). How do you feel about this? Also there is a strong debate on what to do about the large numbers of illegal immigrants. What plan do you have to deal with this issue?

I thank you for taking the time to read and to respond to this letter. As I stated earlier this will be posted on several sites, particularly Black Entertainment USA (at the address noted above).

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
President – M V Consulting, Inc.
Author – Black Entertainment USA and Vass
info@blackentertainmentblog.com

Repost of letter to Senator Clinton - 1.17.2007.4

This is an exact copy of the letter sent to Senator Clinton, originally posted on my Vass site. All responses from any Presidential candidate will be posted unaltered.

December 16, 2006
Senator Clinton,

I am a citizen, former military, an entrepreneur, and resident of upstate New York. As we approach the 2008 presidential race, more and more of the talking heads on television are commenting that you are the leading hopefully for the Democratic Party. Based on that I would like to ask a few questions.

Before I go any further I must mention that I am the owner of 2 blog sites, and co-author of a third. The site that pertains to this subject the most is the www.mvass.com site. This letter, along with any response I receive, will appear in at least that blog.

If you review the site you will see that I have followed your progress and commented on several actions. While these reviews may be critical, that is due to my desire to promote the best government possible with disclosure to the public that consists of detailed relevant commentary. I invite you to review the site and respond to any comments I have made. My focus is not personal, as I do not know you, and has always centered on the actions or comments of your office and fame.

With the above said, I wonder why should anyone expect that you would run for the Presidency? While many believe that as a female candidate you could cause more women to vote than what is normally found in an election, but that is not a valid reason. To say that you are one of the few Democratic political figures that have name recognition and little negative exposure is also a good thing, but not a reason.

What legislation have you initiated, that has passed, that has benefited those living in NY state and/or this nation? When I say benefited I ask that you demonstrate the actual improvement and not the projected improvement that a study or poll has stated. Obviously any recent legislation (less than 6 months) can’t be expected to have necessarily had an immediate effect.

As a key Democrat I ask, what your party has done for African Americans in the last decade, and more importantly since you have taken office. What legislation has passed that benefits African Americans that was initiated by the Democratic Party since you have gained office? To be fair, what legislation has the Democratic party prevented that would have harmed African Americans (in NY state and/or the nation) and how did the party derive that this legislation was harmful?

What are your positions on the platforms? I have heard several soundbites for multiple politicians and none seem to really mean anything when thought about, at least to me. In the recent mid-term elections many Democrats seemed to have won, in my opinion, on the basis that they were for a change in policy. Yet none seemed to have an answer as to what that new and different policy was or could be. In a soundbite such an answer may work, but that is not a reason to be elected for, especially not presidential candidates if such a choice were up to me.

In addition I ask what are you doing to help small businesses? What are you doing about improving the public education available in New York State (especially city schools)? What are you doing to address the drop-out rate of African American males? And what are you doing for Latino/ Hispanic Americans on the above matters?

Lastly, what is your position on the various laws and actions that are in place or proposed to impede illegal aliens from entering this nation from our southern border only? Do you agree or disagree with the thought that more should be done to protect our largely unwatched northern borders, especially since there has been evidence of how dangerous this lack of attention has been.

Senator Clinton, I look forward to your responses on these questions. I also plan to ask these questions, or similar ones, of Senators Obama, McCain, and any other candidate for the presidency (actual or rumored) throughout 2007.

Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
info@blackentertainmentblog.com
President – M V Consulting, Inc.

Repost of original letter to Mr. John Edwards - 1.17.2007.3

This is an excact copy of my original letter to Mr. John Edwards, posted at Vass.

January 5, 2007
Mr. John Edwards,

I recently heard of your decision to run for President of the United States. I am owner and author of multiple blogs, one of which deals primarily with political issues and individuals. This letter is both based on my personal interest and that of my readers. [My sites include www.mvass.com and www.blackentertainmentblog.com]

I am a native American citizen, with my heritage coming from African Americans and Latino Americans. I was born and raised in the Northeast, though I have traveled and lived across the country and am a former Marine. The focus of the blogs are presenting news and events from the perspective of an African Latino American view; which I feel is under-represented in the media.

Given these facts, and that I am largely unfamiliar with your past, I have several questions for you. I have already asked several questions of Senator Clinton and am awaiting her response. I intend to ask similar questions of all (or at least most) individuals that intend to run for the office of the President. I look forward to your responses.

I understand that you have pursued initiatives in healthcare, education, social security and medicare throughout your time in the Senate, and previous to that to a degree in your work as a lawyer. In regard to your work in the Senate, what laws did you initiate, that were passed, that directly improved these issues for Americans in general, and Black and/or Latino Americans specifically? What exactly do you propose to improve the education system in America, specifically for those students in the inner city?

In regard to your desire to create a universal healthcare system in the United States, how do you expect that system to be paid for? In addition what do you believe will be a motivation for professionals and medical industries to work to current standards or to create new advances without the benefit of profit?

What exact plan do you have that will allow Social Security to continue to exist or to be modified for future generations as the baby boomer generation continue to age and existing funds continue to fail to meet the need?

In the 2006 mid-term elections, the democratic party won several seats in both the House and Senate with the cry of changing the current policy in Iraq. What is your exact position on Iraq? I feel that it is not possible to support the troops and question the mission that we have sent them on. I further feel that to remove the funding of the troops, while still engaged in the mission, is neither a show of support nor a plan to win. Do you agree or disagree with this? If you were to be Commander and Chief of our troops what would you have them do to complete our mission in Iraq? Do you feel that the fact that you have never served in the military is a benefit or detriment to the country?

Your party, as I have understood, has no stated plan to change the events and status for the war in Iraq or against terrorism, beyond the statement that change is needed. What exact plan do you wish to implement if you were to be elected that could prevent future attacks by terrorists against this nation?

In terms of the economy, what exactly do you propose that will help those below the middle class to improve their standard of living? It is often held that the democratic party believes that taxes, particularly for the upper incomes, should be increased to provide funds for programs that benefit those of lower income, do you agree with this position? As a business owner and member of the middle class I would like to know what are your economic plans for the country?

Considering events such as the shooting of Mr. Sean Bell, the Duke rape case, the Rodney King riots and other similar events have highlighted the racial tensions that continue to exist in the nation, what would you do to help improve race relations.

Perhaps one of my biggest questions is that America has apologized and made reparations to Native American Indians and Japanese Americans for atrocities and crimes made in the past. Given this fact, how do you justify that America has never made an apology or considered reparations for slavery, jim crow, and segregation. Would you as the President finally provide an apology for these acts? Would you make reparations, and if so what might those reparations entail?

I must mention that I intend to post this to the abovementioned blog. In addition to posting this I will post your response, unaltered, on the blog as well.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
President – M V Consulting, Inc.
Author – Black Entertainment USA and Vass

Repost of my letter to Mitt Romney - 1.17.2007.2

This was originally posted at my political blog Vass. This is an unaltered repost of the letter.

January 10, 2007
Mr. Romney,

I am aware of your recent declaration to enter the race for the Presidency of the United States. I maintain several blogs (www.mvass.com is most relevant) as well as being a citizen, a former member of the military, and a small business owner. For these reasons I wish to ask you some questions about why you believe you should be President. It is my intention to also post this letter, and any response from you, verbatim on at least one of my blog sites. I have previously sent a similar letter to Senator Clinton and Mr. John Edwards. I plan on sending a similar letter to several candidates for President, as time and their declarations allow.

I am not familiar with your positions or your actions as Governor of Massachusetts. Given this lack of knowledge can you tell me what you have done for your former constituents, especially those of Latino/Hispanic and African American heritage, that has improved their lives.

In regard to your position on healthcare, I have read that you believe in universal care – at least on a state level. Given this I would like to know, how would you fund a federal universal healthcare plan? What would you do to motivate innovation and the quality of care that currently exists in the current profit motivated system? If the healthcare is universal, does it also mean that illegal aliens are entitled and if so where would the funds for those individuals come from?

In regard to education, I see that in 2002 you were in favor of school vouchers and the reform of underperforming institutions, how effective have you been in MA? Considering that nation-wide there has been a huge increase in African American dropout rates, what would you do to improve those numbers? Based on your reported desire to abolish the Department of Education (2002), what would you have to replace it and how would it function?

It appears in what I have read, that you have a very strong stance on punishment for convicted criminals. I would like to know, do you agree with the death penalty? Since you believe in mandatory sentences, and increasing sentencing, how would you correct the imbalance that exists in the justice system currently? To clarify my point, African Americans, and to a slightly lesser degree Latino/Hispanics, are routinely given stiffer penalties and sentences than White Americans for the same crimes. This is even more evident in sentences that are for life or the death penalty. What initiatives would you take to ensure a more even-handed approach?

In recent weeks a great deal has been made of Representative Ellison’s informal swearing in using the Quran. As an individual of the Mormon faith, if you were to be elected President, would you use The Book Of Mormon to be sworn in on? (Please excuse my ignorance about your faith but I believe that is your religious text) Do you feel that your religious background would have any affect on your performance if elected President? Would it have any affect in dealing with dignitaries and governments that hold a different religion, and if so what? What place do you feel religion has for any elected official, if any?

For some time now politicians have said that they are for ‘family values’. I have heard this stated by politicians and candidates of every party. How do you exactly define family values? How do you plan to promote those values, if you were elected? And what recourse or alternative would be available to those Americans who have values separate of yours?

It appears that your views on abortion and gay rights have changed over the years. What has prompted your change of view? What is your exact position on these issues today?

Consider that America has taken on a war against the ideal of terrorism, and terrorists, in addition to being engaged in an active war in Iraq and maintaining troops in Afghanistan. Given this do you feel that your lack in being a member of the Armed Forces is a benefit, detractor, or of no concern? How do you come to this conclusion? What are your plans to protect America, as Commander-and-Chief?

Currently there have been many soundbites used by politicians of every party in discussing every platform and idea. In each question I have asked I hope for full and complete answers. I would rather an extremely long and complex answer that details exactly your plans and goals, rather than a short answer that details and explains nothing. I feel strongly about the use of snippets of information to almost convey an actual position. I feel that the recent win by democrats in the mid-term elections were due to this use of soundbites. How do you feel about this?

I thank your for your time to review this letter. I, and my readers, look forward your responses.

Sincerely,

Michael Vass
President – M V Consulting, Inc.
Author – Vass and Black Entertainment USA
info@blackentertainmentblog.com