1st Annual Memorial Pig Roast for Madden A. Cordero - please read and donate if you can

There are several causes that I endorse and advocate for, as long-term readers may be aware of. From time to time I like to take the opportunity to mention them and to try to raise funds for them. Today I will do so again.

This time this is a cause closer to home than say Darfur. For those in the central New York State area I invite you to come to, or donate for (even if you are not in New York State or the United States), the 1st Annual Memorial Pig Roast for Madden A. Cordero at Tom’s Tavern in Hagaman New York on October 18th – donation for admission are $10 but you can give more if you want – starting at noon until.



Madden Cordero sadly lived a short life, but was loved greatly in his time here. He had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome which is a congenital disorder that can be found while the child is in the womb. Sadly, as in this case, it was not. Because this syndrome can be easily missed those born with the affliction often die within the first few days or months, but with quick treatment they can survive. Even with the required surgeries a child with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome will require life long medication and regular check-ups with heart doctors.

In honor of Madden this pig roast will raise money to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House located in Albany.

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) has been around for 35 years. The purpose of RMHC is to help children and their families around the world. The RMHC is more than just toys and games for children as many of us might assume. They provide services that families and children with serious conditions require and could never be expected to be prepared for.

RMHC provided the Cordero family a place to stay, which was 40 minutes away from their home, and close to the hospital in Albany where Madden was being treated. They had the ability to sleep, shower, research the internet on the condition afflicting their child, and a shuttle to and from the hospital – allowing them quick and easy access to the hospital and their child without the worry and cost of taxis, traffic jams, bad directions, fatigue driving, or any other potential delay and complication.

Like at all Ronald McDonald Houses, the only thing families are asked it to provide is a donation, maybe $7/day, if the family can afford it while they stay at the House. Like for the Cordero family this was a simple bit of help in a time of turmoil emotion and difficulty.

While I would hope that no family would ever have to endure any problems in their child’s life, Ronald McDonald House Charities helps those that do have to encounter these unexpected and extreme situations.

The 1st Annual Memorial Pig Roast for Madden A. Cordero will provide food and some drinks for all those that come and make a $10 donation. 100% of the donations, plus the cost of the event will be given to the Ronald McDonald House of Albany.

There will be a 50/50 raffle, and prizes donated by corporations in the area are planned to also be raffled. Again all monies raised will be given 100% directly to the RMHC.

If you would like to donate $10, or more to this cause please contact Mr. Gregg Cordero at 607–797–3783 for further details.

If you own a business and would like to donate a product or service to be raffled to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House of Albany you can also contact Mr. Cordero at the above number.

I know that my readers are compassionate people. As such I will donate all profits from the sale of any item found at my online store, for the month of October, to this Memorial and RMHC. In addition, all donations made to M V Consulting and/or all of its blogs and sites for the month of October will be donated as well. And finally I expect to be at this event, and will personally be making a donation as well.

I thank you for your attention in this matter, and your generosity as well.

Product review: JVC Kaboom Box

Let’s say that you want to listen to some music. Maybe you just moved, or bought a new house. You don’t have a lot of money. But you really want to enjoy your music whether on the radio, CD’s, or on your Ipod. What will you do?

Well you could buy a cheap all in one stereo. But the sound quality of those are abysmal, and at higher volumes the sound quickly becomes distorted. You could get better earphones for your MP3, but they your friends couldn’t enjoy the music. You could outfit your MP3 with speakers, but again the quality is limited, and not nearly full.

The choices on a limited budget is far from thrilling, luxurious, or quality. Unless you own a JVC Kaboom. This is the answer most are looking for.



The Kaboom box starts at about $275, but can be found on the internet (eBay) from reputable sites for about $210. At either price it is affordable and worth every dime. The Kaboom Box RV-NB1 is unique in several ways. It is powerful, compact, portable, and versitle.

The Kaboom Box weighs about 20 lbs. So it’s not exactly light, yet it is very easily moved or taken on the road. You will need about ten D batteries, which will add to the weight, but portable is an option if there is no outlet.

The reason so many batteries are needed, and why the weight is high is because this has 52 Watts of total power. Now I know you might wonder how powerful is that. Well to give you an idea, imagine this. At full power you can place this in the basement of a 2 story brick house of decent size, and hear the music in the attic. I kid you not. I own this and at full power I cannot hear my doorbell standing next to the ringer. It’s loud enough that you can have a block party with this, or be heard outside your house with all the doors and windows closed.

But there is an added bonus. This is not just loud, it is clear sound. At full volume the distortion is minimal to the average ear. That is playing rock, or classical, or jazz. And then there is the bass.

The Kaboom Box comes with a Super Bass Exciter and sub-woofer controller. So you can add extreme bass if you wish. At full volume with a bass heavy song you can vibrate everything in a room, even if that room is over 15 feet long. There is no question that everyone out of earshot will know the music you like.

But the Kaboom box also supplies another bonus. It has the ability to play AM/FM radio, CD’s, and has a connection for an iPod MP3 and/or an electric guitar. No let me be clear, when I say Ipod I mean just that. There is no universal connector, so if you have a different MP3 player it won’t work, I tried and the connection is wrong. And if you are old fashioned and own cassette tapes, you are in luck it will play them too.


But if you have the right connection cords you can hook up your Kaboom Box to your computer and run music streaming from the internet through your Box. Which can be huge fun and allow for an awesome collection of music.

Some of the exact stats are as follows:

• 2- 3 3/16" Front Firing Full Range Speakers and 2- 6 5/16" Subwoofers
  
• 15 AM and 30 FM Station Memory
  
• Full Function Remote Control
  
• Width: 27 3/16"
  
• Height: 9 7/16"
  
• Depth: 11 11/16"
  
• 52 Watts Total Power, Bi-Amplified
  
• Active Clear Sound (ACS) to improve clarity for better balance with deep lows
  
• Carrying Strap with Remote Control Holder
  

Full-Range: 6 watts per channel, min. RMS, driven into 4 ohms, from 150Hz to 15kHz; Super Woofer: 20 watts per channel, min. RMS, driven into 4 ohms, at 60Hz

I own a Kaboom Box, and I recommend them to anyone that wants to have quality sound at reasonable prices.

OJ Simpson trial - the joke in Las Vegas continues to be sour

But there was also news to start the week of a less positive nature. Case in point is the OJ Simpson trial. Which I still contend is a kangaroo court, meant simply as a justification to convict OJ for the prior case he was found innocent of over a decade ago.

So far the prosecution has finished its case and the defense has started. And in its first day the defense has proven that the transcript of the audio tape recorded in secret after the events in the hotel room in Vegas is factually incorrect. The transcript has omissions and additions that are completely false or creations of the prosecution.

That further bolsters the view that Michael McClinton is saying whatever he can to avoid jail. McClinton has already plead guilty and made a deal with the prosecution. He claims to have had a gun drawn, and to have given a gun to another alleged accomplice, which he says were known to OJ. Though he never states that OJ observed the guns, just that they were potentially visible.

I make the point about McClinton’s testimony for 3 reasons. He proved that the prosecution transcripts were false, he admits that he failed to mention to police that a gun was present when police first arrested and interrogated him, and because he made a deal so that he may be able to walk away from all the charges with only probation – to be determined after OJ’s trial is done. The first 2 feed the third point. He has every reason to lie or alter facts. Especially if the courts and police want to get a conviction that L.A. was unable to get.

And the fact that no African Americans were allowed on the jury, and that news media contamination of the jury was found to be unimportant, also bolster my point. Of course there is also the fact that the jury was told day one not to consider the L.A. trial and its results in this case; and then the prosecution proceeded to bring up details of that trial.

I’m not saying OJ was or is innocent. But I again say that he was found innocent in L.A. and that the current trial is the means of getting double jeopardy on that case. And some want to believe the legal system is fair for all.

Good news for Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson, and Marvel

Well a bit of good news is always a nice way to start the week. And to that end is the news that Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson got married. The couple was engaged recently, and thankfully their wedding was not the usual circus of paparazzi and media and rumors that tend to occur these days.

I wish the 2 of them the best. I hope that they can have a marriage like that of Paul Newman and his wife Joan Woodard.

In more potentially good news Marvel Comics is moving forward with their movie empire. With the success of the Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man (to say nothing of the success found in Spiderman’s and the X-Men’s 3 films) Marvel closed a deal top have Paramount distribute 5 of its next films. Those films will include the sequel to Iron Man, a film on Captain America, The Avengers and Thor.

Now I am happy to see that Iron Man will not only get a sequel, which we knew would be coming, but that Marvel is looking to get one of it’s biggest titles out – Captain America - even though they recently murdered him. It is interesting that in a time of war, and national conflicted emotions over these wars, Marvel has decided to highlight a character that was created by war and symbolizes the absolute belief that America is the greatest good in a bad world. Captain America is hardly a liberal, and considering how liberal Hollywood is their choice stands out.

Thor though is a movie I expect will do poorly. He just isn’t an interesting character by himself. Norse god, ancient misogynistic beliefs, and macho pig might all be terms that would easily describe him. And those are all elements that would prevent his acceptance by a wide portion of the movie audience. But given the right script and actor anything is possible. Though I think this will rank right up with the first Hulk movie.

Also a potential letdown is the choice of The Avengers. This team of super heroes could be like the first X-Men movie, and be good. But more likely is the failure of the movie and its ultimate similarity to the Fantastic Four movies. There are too many characters, with too many abilities to describe to an audience that has no clue about any of that. There is no theme that drives the plot for movie-goers without necessitating a big back-story. It’s just too much all at once. And most of the members of the Avengers just aren’t interesting enough.

The big secret may be that the 5th choice of Marvel will likely be the SHIELD movie. There have been 2 prior versions of Nick Fury so far, both have been abysmal. But they say the 3rd time is the charm. This could be the film that breaks Marvel’s back, or guarantees that future scriptwriters will give up on new ideas altogether.

Actually what am I saying? There really haven’t been any new ideas in Hollywood for almost a decade. Virtually every movie made in that time has been a retread of a book, comic book, television show or prior movie. Looking forward we have more Batman, Watchmen, Sin City, video games, television shows and such on the horizon. It’s really a shame that Hollywood has lost the last few brain cells they had.

Still I am looking forward to the Watchmen, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and HALO.

Beware of Dr. Horowitz - lies and mistreatments for profit

I ran across something that really had me wondering. A cure for AIDS, malaria, and infectious disease. This wasn’t something that hit the major news media, nor most of the minor media outlets. So I have my questions about it.

If there is a cure for AIDS and other diseases plaguing the world you would expect that it would be on every cable channel and across the internet. But it may be the nature of this “cure” that is the problem. It is essentially a natural cure and not some drug created in a major pharmaceutical think tank. And it is currently being tested in Africa.

Now the article that I learned of UPCOSH™, short for Uniform Picoscaler Concentrated Oligodynamic Silver Hydrosol, reads like an advertisement better suited for an infomercial than a scientific report. Still that does not mean it is false. But the video of this product reinforces the infomercial aspect and leaves me concerned for those that may look at this as some kind of super cure for their ailments.



So I looked up the man behind this product, Dr. Leonard Horowitz. And what I found was very interesting.

Dr. Horowitz is a dentist. Not a genetist or a doctor of any applied medicine. He writes books about conspiracy theories. And he makes money from websites selling hollistic medicine. His crediential are weak at best. Which does not help his current claims, as did his claim of having a cure for SARS.

Dr. Horowitz has had several of his websites close. Each of the defunct sites promoted a “cure” for various maladies in the world. Most were related to his cure for SARS which he continues to sell under various names and formulas today. None have been proven to be effective.

He also has an eye for being very promotional. He is noted for releasing a press release that highlights a book he wrote and it’s connection to the Will Smith film I AM LEGEND. The manner of the press release made it seem the film was at least in part based on his book, which is false. In fact, and noted carefully in the press release (made by Dr. Horowitz himself), his book was used in a scene in the film and that was all.

So overall I comne to this conclusion.

Dr. Horowitz is a modern day snake oil salesman. He is profiting off of the fears of the public, and the desire of many to use natural means to cure harsh and deadly ailments. He has no credibility, and any item he promotes should be viewed with high levels of doubt and incredulity.

There may well be many products that will provide natural cures to various ailments that beset people across the world. I believe that virtually ever ailment has a natural antidote, remedy, or prevention. And I believe there are many credible scientists and doctors that are investigating and presenting these cures to the benefit of millions or perhaps billions in the world. But Dr. Horowitz is not among them.

I would love to find that credible international agencies and institutions agree with a cure promoted by Dr. Horowitz or some other opportunist. Because even a broken clock is right twice a day. But at this point I cannot say this has happened. And I disapprove of con-artists profiting off of the hopes and needs of ill people.

Dr. Horowitz, in my opinion, hurts those seeking natural cures, and the industry that seeks to create those cures. He is of the lowest class of slime, as I understand him, because of what he is doing. I feel he has violated his oath to do no harm, for no reason beyond greed – and that is sickening.

In the past snake oil salesman would be tarred and feathered. Today, because of the internet and infomercials many make millions. So I can only say please be cautious and aware. If this post has saved anyone the heartache or pain a false cure can bring, I am glad.

And if this huckster and formenr dentist can provide authoritative proof of his cures I invite him to do so. Otherwise I hope that he slithers under a rock and is never heard from again. Until then I say to Dr. Horowitz, Ne Pizdie [it’s russian].

Electric motorcycles - a good idea or just an eco-dream

With gasoline prices still high, and crude oil prices still fluctuating everyone is looking to motorcycles for greater fuel efficiency. Not my top reason to own a motorcycle but a reason none the less. But there are some eco-fanatical people that think this is not enough. Thus the idea of electric motorcycles was born.

News is out that Honda is looking to create a line of hybrid motorcycles that will be available by 2011 or so. The issue is creating engines that will fit the frame of a motorcycle. Honda believe it can miniaturize the engines used in cars, and create an even more efficient motorcycle.

Interesting but I have to wonder, how will it look and will it be able to ride?

Well that meant I wanted to go out to Youtube,and Google, to see if anyone had made electric or hybrid motorcycles yet. And I found several. Here is one that can do 75 miles an hour.



It looks like a bike, and seems to ride like one as well. Though it sounds like a child’s wind-up toy or a remote controlled toy. And the sound is part of the pleasure of riding a motorcycle. Of course the joy of a motorcycle is not part of the reason why some are looking for electric or hybrid motorcycles.

So what are the pros and cons of this new development?

Pros include:

• Significantly lower cost to run than gasoline. It is estimated it cost ¼ the cost of gasoline to run.
  
• Very quiet
  
• No exhaust fumes since there is not combustion parts (electric only)
  
• You can charge up at home
  
• Reduced or remove the need for oil changes and similar forms of maintenance
  
• Can drive in enclosed spaces without danger from emissions
  

Cons include:

• Very quiet (hey I like the way motorcycles sound)
  
• Short range compared to gasoline
  
• Extended recharge time
  
• Top speed is massively reduced
  
• Battery power fluctuates based on weather (less power in cold weather as an example)
  
• If you run out of power you may not be able to recharge the engine (notice there aren’t too many outlets in the middle of any downtown area)
  

That all says nothing of things like if you are driving, and other cars and trucks can’t hear you on the road and they don’t see you, well you can imagine what they will do. Or the fact that to buy an electric motorcycle is far more than the equivalent power regular motorcycle. And the question of parts is unknown. Where to get them, cost to install (and ease of installation), time to get the parts, ect.

I look at the video, and I see how an electric motorcycle could look like a bike. In the video I see how it could drive like a bike. Mostly. But I’m not sure it has the feel of a bike. And that makes me hesitant.

I want to hear and feel my bike. I want to be sure I have the extra power I might need on a bike. I don’t want to have to constantly be working out the math on how far I can go, based on what speed I am at. I don’t want to be stuck somewhere, push the bike 1 or 2 or 5 miles to a station and realize I can’t recharge it. I don’t want to have to wait an hour, or longer, as the bike recharges in potentially a bad place or during an emergency.

The concept is interesting. The reality is questionable to me. But in a mere couple of years reality will be in showrooms and on the streets.

But if you have an electric motorcycle now, I’d love to hear what you think of it.

If you use meatitarian, read this

Have you seen this Wendy’s television commercial?



The term “meatitarian” has been sweeping the nation. I know this because I was recently called one. Just to be clear, I hate vegetables. All of them. In a good year I might eat 1 salad, of just lettuce or plain spinach, or maybe a few in a can of soup. So to be clear I love to have meat in each meal. Or just meat as a meal. A good steak is fine all by itself, and sliced pepreroni is a great for a snack food. (potatoes are perhaps the only exception)

Thus I understand where the reasoning comes from in calling me a “meatitarian”. But the only thing I get from the commercial and the term is the unbridled idiocy of those using the term.

Seriously, are some people so dumb as to not understand that a word for this already exists? It’s called carnivore. So anyone using this word created by Wendy’s might as well just scream out loud “I am a lemming! I have trouble adding 1+1. And I run with scissors in my hand on wet floors!”

There really is no way to insult someone’s intelligence after they have uttered this term in a sentence. You just can’t reach lower than they have. Even Don King has better validation for the imaginative concoctions and combinations he utters as words in English. I really just can’t drown out the voice in my head that wants to choke such a person with a spoon (another term belonging to gowks – and yes I had to look up that word myself).

Perhaps I should look at this from a different perspective. Maybe a more British take on this will help. Only a complete plank would use such a term. The use is gobshite.

I think I’ve been very clear here, but for those that think this is a great word and useful (they are out there) I will be even more blunt. You are obviously the product of a defective gene pool, please do a favor to the human race and never procreate.

Now in reflecting on the matter, a friend brought up a great observation. Vegetarians are just herbivores. It’s the same kind of dumb, recessive gene, make up a term because you can’t read the actual word logic. And I have to say that this is correct.

Why is vegetarian good then? Who cares. Nobody cares what those emaciated, odd colored, odd smelling, too healthy to live, 2-legged cows call themselves.

But for the sake of being fair I looked up the definition and etymology of vegetarian. In fact the 2nd definition of vegetarian is herbivore. And they are those that eat fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts (which I personally think you have to be to not eat meat – and I’ve had an ex that proves it).

The words seems to have first appeared in 1839, is noted to be the irregular formation from vegetable (n.) + -arian, as in agrarian, etc. It’s popularity and use came from "… largely due to the formation of the Vegetarian Society in Ramsgate in 1847." This society believed that the word they created, vegetarian, was from the Latin 'vegetus' meaning 'lively' (which is how these early vegetarians claimed their diet made them feel).

Now in 1839 the word OK was first used. Belgium became a kingdom that year. The first state passed a law allowing women to own property, modern rubber was first created, and the first Opium War starts. In general people were uneducated and stupid enough to not realize that a vegetarian is just a herbivore. And the term just stuck as did the idea of eating grass as a meal.

I seriously hope this trend dies, because as dumb as Americans are joked around the world to be, this term proves it.

Full video of the McCain - Obama Presidential debate

The following is the full video of the Sept 26, 2008 Presidential debate of Senator McCain and Senator Obama.

I believe that it is imperative that every American listen to exactly what each candidate said, and plans for America if they become President. My comments and in-depth analysis will be up shortly. In addition I will be providing a copy of the complete transcript of the entire debate.

I hope that this information helps each of you to come to a decision on who you wish to vote for. Because no matter whom you choose, your vote is vital to get the best person possible in the White House, and we can only get that if everyone makes an informed vote.

More information about coverage of all aspects of the Presidential election can be found at VASS.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3

Hollywood legend Paul Newman passes at 83

There is sad news in Hollywood today. Paul Newman has died at the age of 83.



Paul Newman was a great actor, and had been in entertainment since the 1950’s, made 50 films, was on television and performed in the theater. He was of a generation that could act in all the formats, not just one that most today do.

He is known for phenomenal performances in films like Cool Hand Luke, The Sting (a favorite), The Hustler (another favorite), and The Color of Money. He was so good that he was nominated for 10 Oscars over his career, and he won one and received 2 honorary Oscar Awards.

He worked with some of the greatest directors and actors in the entertainment business. The list includes: Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston, Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese, the Coen brothers, Lauren Bacall, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Forest Whitaker, Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott, and Robert Redford.

Newman was also an accomplished race car driver. A passion that he pursued for decades. He was able to turn professional in 1977. He took second place in the grueling Le Mans Race in ‘79 and 5th place in Daytona in ’77.

Newman was also a charitable man. One of the most noted celebrity charitable contributors he gave for the causes he believed in most, children, though his Newman’s Own multi-million dollar food company is noted as having given over $175 million to charities. The company took no profits, all the money made was given away – name another celebrity or entertainer that has done something similar.

He also created the Scott Newman Foundation, after the death of his only son due to drugs. The foundation financed the production of anti-drug films for children.

And it must be noted that Paul Newman was married for 50 years, one of the longest Hollywood marriages. He was not seen in the various paparazzi magazines, nor was he known for scandals. He was a quiet man, of good humor and respect.

Like many in his generation, Newman served in the Navy during World War II. After the war he studied at Yale, and was part of the famed Actor’s Studio in New York City.

Newman is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur.

Movie Preview: The Soloist

Movies are the pictures of stories in our minds brought to life. They can be inspirational, or allow us to escape our daily lives. They can also be boring, and waste our time. Great stories and great actors often can combine with solid direction to provide a film that can withstand the test of time. To those films that achieve the greatest of these accomplishments an award, the Oscar, is presented (though sometimes Hollywood politics interfere with what and who actually wins). I believe that The Soloist may be of that kind of caliber.



In just watching that video clip I feel you have to be moved. If the film is only half as good as the whispers and the trailer infer then this is an Oscar worthy movie.

Some movies inspire our lives, and sometimes life inspires a movie. In this case we have the latter. Real men that have embodied the best parts of the human condition. And to portray that this film has combined 2 of the best actors in this generation.

There is no question that Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor. He has been able to portray drug addicts to comic book super heroes with a sense of honesty and credibility so consistently that you can believe each was not just a character but him in his daily life. He has the almost unseen ability to add to each film he is in and make it better with his presence.

Jamie Foxx has come into his own in the acting world. He has astounded many that could not see his potential back in his days on the television show Livin Color. He has been able to perform along side some of the best (Al Pacino) and most popular (Tom Cruise) and hold his own to say the least. He is only now starting to get the respect and roles a leading man of his caliber deserves.

Both of these men have been able to convey the lives of great people to the world. Downey in Chaplin, Foxx in Ray. They gave a piece of themselves and the results were riveting experiences that you could not take your eyes away from. So when I see that these great talents are working together, again taking true lives and presenting them in a larger than life format while rooting it in the essence of life we all live, I get excited.



I have only one fear about this film at the moment. I believe that if I am correct, and the trailer is what it is supposed to be – a tease – then we are looking at the hands down Oscar winner for the year. The fear then is that both Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx will both be nominated for the Best Actor award, and I cannot imagine choosing between the 2.

If I have to guess, and I am correct in what I have postulated, then I have to say that Robert Downey Jr. wins. Not because he is better, or that either actor is not at the best of their performances, but because of Hollywood politics. Because Jamie Foxx has won an Oscar already, and Downey has not, he gets the nod this time. If I am right, or wrong, I cannot say that I will be disappointed as both are deserving.

I’ve said a lot in favor of this film. I am a harsh critic and can often tell if a film is worthy of watching or not just by the trailer. Not everyone will agree with me, but I’ve noticed that the box office’s tend to match my feelings. So I am not fearful that if you see this film you will not be mislead. But either way I will review the film in November when it comes out and give you my honest opinion, even if it means I need to eat crow.

In My Name - Will.i.am, celebrites, dignitaries, and you around the world

I realize that over the last couple of weeks the main issue facing the nation has been the bailout of the financial markets, and the mortgage crisis that spurred it. But that is hardly the only thing that has been happening in the world, or this nation.

While the major news media has been forecasting bail out deal after bailout deal, which keeps getting denied by various Senators and Representatives, and predicting what might or might not happen if the deal does or does not get done they have forgotten to cover celebrities, entertainers, and dignitaries that are reminding the world of the promises made to end poverty and combat disease.

In 2000 world leaders came together in the United Nations to create the Millennium Development Goals. The promise was to end poverty in the world, reduce those afflicted by pr the potential of diseases like Malaria and AIDS, increase access to healthcare, and improve the opportunity and quality of education by 2015. We are now halfway to that date, and far too many nations have forgotten about the promise they made. But concerned people have not.

Will.i.am has been in the forefront of multiple celebrities, entertainers, and world dignitaries and Youtube in generating attention to the promise made by our leaders. For 2 days he and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Scarlett Johansson, Annie Lennox, John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Fergie, Angelique Kidjo, Kristin Davis, Elle Macpherson and many others, not to mention organizations including GCAP, Oxfam International, Save the Children and Comic Relief, have joined together to create the new channel on Youtube called “in my name”.

On this channel you the public and citizenry of the world have the opportunity to introduce yourself, your nation, and your message to the leaders of the world and your country to live up to the promises they made in 2000. Youtube will be accepting your videos, or video pettion if you prefer, until November 1st. At that point Will.i.am will be taking the best videos and mashing-up to form a single video set to the new song In My Name (dedicated to this cause) that will be presented to the entire United Nations.

We can only hope that world leaders will be moved by this expression of international care and attention. We must demand that moved or not, world leaders act as they have promised us they will. I am reminded of a line from a great movie you may have seen (and if you didn’t go see it) called V for Vendetta

“People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”

The fear in this case is that we, the people have not forgotten what was promised on our behalf, nor those that are in need. That we hold the true power our Governments use, and determine how that power should be used.

The major media may not care that so many across the world remember the promises made, but I like many others do. And I believe that me must be held to our words. Because the world is not a varying number of individual countries but in the end just a collection of people, and none deserve to live in poverty or with sickness or in hunger.

VH1’s Top 100 of rap music celebrates the positives of the genre

I just noticed something that really caught my attention. VH1 has compiled a list of the top 100 rap music songs. Now that is something that I am sure will create huge debate.

The main question is the importance of groups at the start of rap, the empowerment movement in rap (which was sadly short lived), and the gangsta rap genre that has now become the redundant and endless form that dominates music videos and radio. I for one have no love of gangsta rap, nor the performers that populate the genre.

In it’s birth rap was a celebration of joy. The earliest songs, which I recall from my youth, were not that long ago, just about 29 years now. They were about enjoying friends and good times. The groove was infectious and lead to the growth of the fledgling music format.

But like all things rap grew up. In fact it did so with a speed and determination. By the mid 1980’s until 1992 rap had a meaning. Not all rap, but a good portion of it. There was a pride in the Black community and it was reflected in the music. The music was an oral declaration of unity and progress. This too was reflected in the music videos of the art form, if you were lucky enough to spot one on television.

The first 13 years that rap music existed it was called a fad by mainstream music. It was viewed as a joke. It was diminished and tossed aside by the entire music industry, even though music executives would not dare to stop making the highly lucrative music. But throughout this time rap music was also something that the White masses of the nation neither understood nor craved.

Then there was N.W.A. and the music industry executives found what they had been waiting for. A guttural base expression of African Americans as impoverished, uneducated, violent criminals waiting to be unleashed upon the nation.

I realize, now and then, that N.W.A. was expressing yet another face of what many African Americans experience everyday in America. I understand that they were crying out about the less than American Dream life that was being shoveled into their lives. And there is no doubt in my mind that the intention was never to glorify violence and drugs, or women as sexual gratification objects. But I am equally sure that the music industry sought only that aspect of the sub-genre.

So in looking at the top songs in this sect of music, what should take prominience. The songs that have made the most money, the artists that were promoted most by greedy executives, the songs that hoped to unify and empower African Americans, or those that just celebrated life?

It seems that VH1 considered all these things in making their list.

The number 1 songs was found to be Public Enemy’s Fight The Power.



This song was the pinnacle of the empowerment genre of rap. It was the rally cry for involvement in voting, being active in the community, and making Government accountable to the people. It was just after this song came out that music executive ran to find a distraction, and flooded the airwaves with anything but another rap song of this nature and message.

Second on the list was the Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight



This is the song and group that started the entire music genre. It was the first rap song to burst forth from the nightclubs and basements of the Bronx out to the mainstream of the national airwaves.

Third on the list was the crossover hit by Run DMC Walk This Way.

[The video is blocked from being embedded on a site. Aerosmith has great lawyers it seems.]

So in the first 3 songs we see that the expressions of fun, respect, pride, and ability are the foremost examples of what all rap music really is. And I can agree with these choices.

The top 20 is rounded out by a mix of predominately these themes, with a sprinkle of the more modern, repulsive, generic, pedantic, and demeaning gangsta rap songs that have infected the airwaves since 1992. In fact going through the list you will see that the entire list is filled with mostly artists that ceased being played on the air the day that gangsta rap was born. That’s a statement indeed.

Now I’m sure some will argue this. They will note that Tupac, or Eminem, or Snoop Dogg, and others had meaningful and powerful songs. Some of them are on the list too. But like the law of averages, or probability, even the worst entertainers will eventually get it right once or twice. I mean even William Hung got to make 2 albums and stardom.

The list will be shown on VH1. I’m sure many will have different opinions. But I say that Public Enemy was the greatest rap group ever – both for what they said and what they tried to do. But Heavy D, Sugar Hill Gang, Erik B. and Rahkim, Digital Underground and a few others still make my favorites list too.

PETA hates ice cream and Ben & Jerry's, I think

Do you love ice cream? I prefer butter pecan myself, but vanilla and chocolate are the favorites of the nation. Still there are plenty of people that like rocky road too.

Now the type of ice cream you may enjoy could depend on the brand that you are having. One of the most favored and popular brands is Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. With flavors like Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey, and New York Super Fudge Chunk they capture the attention and the tastebuds. And the company is eco-freak friendly too.

From the use of unbleached containers (which ended after 9 years of use in 2006 because of cost), certified humane cage-free eggs, $600,000 in donations (2006), a 32% reduction in normalized CO2 production (2006), and the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation which awarded $1,333,985 in grants to organizations working to address the root causes of social and environmental problems in our nation. This company is the forward edge of different.

I mention all this because this is not enough for one organization. That group would be PETA. Shocked right?

PETA feels that Ben & Jerry’s is missing out on a natural substitute that is sure to bring in the crowds. Cow milk is obviously a horrendous thing, according to them, and therefore Ben & Jerry’s needs to replace it. The change they suggest would be to breast milk. Yes, that is human breast milk.

PETA feels this would be better for the cows and more nutritional too. Ladies, do you agree? Anyone want to volunteer to be milked?

No worries, Ben & Jerry’s respectfully declined the idea. But I am far less restricted, as I have no association with the company. That has to be the biggest nutball idea that I have heard from PETA in years. I don’t think I’ve seen a group of people more deprived of logic ever. Perhaps if they got off their perches, had a burger (with bacon and cheese) and relaxed they might feel better.

I love my pets as much as anyone. But I can’t agree with any group that places anything above the lives of human beings. Doesn’t matter if they prefer animals, trees, dirt or anything.

Since I became moderately lactose intolerant I have had less ice cream year over year. But after reading this news item, I’m off to the store. I’m going to buy a couple of gallons of ice cream and give it away. Thank you PETA I am now inspired.

Clay Aiken is gay, 90210 is still on the air - and someone cares about this?

Ok, more time away from the political shakeup of the Presidential election race, and the potential shakedown to the public and economy from the trillion dollar bailout.

So, what’s going on in the world of entertainment that is worth discussing?

There is news about Clay Aiken being gay. Not rumors which have existed since he first appeared and killed brain-cells on the profoundly bewildering success American Idol. This is an admission that he is gay by the performer himself.

Honestly I didn’t want to know about his private sexual practices. My life would never have been affected had he never said anything. If anything I am concerned by his admission in regard to the artificially inseminated child that he has. Because I strongly believe that if a person cannot have a child via nature’s process they should not have a child at all.

Though I must say that when a fan of Aiken wrote this comment I was taken aback

"This is really shocking news as I had no idea he was gay," read a comment posted by "Sheridansq." "And now I have to deal with this. I am not sure what to say to people who know I was a fan. ... I didn't go to work today and am not answering the telephone."

Seriously people. If you are so homophobic as to be afraid of going to work because people might know you are a fan of an artist you have serious personal problems. His sexual preferences have nothing to do with his ability to sing a song. Just as a sexual preference has nothing to do with any career. I like Freddie Mercury and his band Queen, and Elton John’s early songs. What the hell does that mean besides I like good rock n roll?

Beyond that what else is worthy of a few moments of reading?

Well the new 90210 will be extended to 22 episodes for the season, so it isn’t cancelled yet. I am still hoping it dies soon. But for those fans that the show must have since it has been extended, I have news.

It seems that Brandon (Jason Preistley) and Dylan (Luke Perry) will be on the next episode. Well in a sort of grab-ratings-in-a-lie kind of way. Neither actor will be on the show, as both had the good taste (and future career hopes) to deny the show. So instead we learn that Brandon writes emails, and Dylan will make a phone call. Amazing that they are so technology-friendly.

Best yet, the phone call of the ex-boyfriend of 2 of the original shows stars seems to start a fight. That’s brilliant. Jealousy over a phone call from an ex. There’s drama for you. Why do people watch this show?

Well that’s a bit of quick blurbs. I know something far more important, or at least interesting, is happening in the world of entertainment and celebrities. I’m just off my pace at the moment. That has to be the reason because someone has to be more interesting than this garbage.

A 4 ball break in 9-ball pool league match by me

Ok, time to take a break from the political blogging, and all the polispeak spin surrounding the bailout talks that are on-going. It’s time for something a bit light.

Now as I have mentioned before, I am in an APA pool league for 8-ball and 9-ball. For my lifetime of playing in the APA I am at 61% win ratio for 8-ball and 53% win ration for 9-ball. Not too shabby.

Yesterday I was playing in the 9-ball league. I had the luck of pulling out a player 2 skill levels above me for my match. This made the game quite a challenge for me.

We started the match with me breaking, and the first game went 4-6 against me. But I rallied back in the next game for a 7-3 win. Again I got spanked 1-9 in the next game, followed by a 7-2 win for me. The rest of the games went 5-5, 3-6, and 3-3 for a nice win for me.

But the real point of the post is this video is a personal best. In the 2nd match I had the break again, and I love 9-ball because of this. The break is the best part of 9-ball, and I went for it. Especially since I had fallen behind and was losing momentum to a better player. This is how that second 7-3 match went. The break is the best break I've had on a level long pool table in 9-ball.



Now I realize I could have cut the 9, or gone for the bank shot to the long left corner. But I thought I was in position for the 9 to be kicked (reverse bank) to the side or the far right corner of a miss and bank. It’s a shot I practice and am usually able to make some 30-40% of the time. Of course I didn’t make it. But do you think it was a bad shot to take?

Future fathers need to buy this

I know this has nothing to do with entertainment, though it could be the end result of such, but I wanted to include this post I wrote for a client.

I think that we all have seen television programs, or movies, that highlight the plight of an imminently expecting mother-to-be dealing with her husband as he tries to get her to the hospital. And recently there was no less than Senator Obama discussing how he was driving 15 miles an hour to ensure the safety of his newborn and wife on the trip home.

These stories are too real to be made up as fiction. In fact every woman I know who has had a child can attest to the fact that otherwise sane and intelligent men are blithering idiots when it comes to that trip to and from the hospital. Men are known to forget the overnight bag, the car, their clothes, and on occasion the mother in their rush to do something. Luckily for the human race women are far more capable of dealing with the situation and coping with the failures men inevitably make at this time.

But I ran across an ad recently that brought all of this up to me and I felt I should mention it. This is the ultimate gift, and better yet an easy way to cover for or obscure the jibbering mass of flesh otherwise known as the Dad-to-be.

The product is called the Mom To-Be Delivery Kit™. It holds 14 items which include:

• Preggie Pops(R) Lollipops
  
• Vanity kit
  
• Vitamin e-stick
  
• Toothbrush
  
• Cozy socks
  
• Toothpaste
  
• Headband
  
• Luxurious shampoo
  
• Head-to-toe Bella B(TM) Products
  
• Conditioner
  
• Massager
  
• Massage soap bar
  
• Mouthwash
  
• Facial soap
  

I can only guess how many men forget the socks. Or the vanity kit, or toothpaste. In fact I can tell you without question that I, a single man without a single child and in a state of complete calm, had not thought of including 10 of the items on the list. Though I don’t know what Bella B products are so I did not include that as it seems to not be a common knowledge item.

I can only hope that my post of this information is able to make some mother out there have a slightly more bearable birth. I can only hope that it provides future fathers out there a moment of lucidity. And if I have you can name the child Michael after me with my permission.

Which is right - keep campaigning or fixing the economy?

This is a repost from my political blog, VASS, but I think it's an important question.

So the news has now been reported that Senator Obama does not plan to accept Senator McCain’s offer to go back to D.C. and work on the bailout.

Senator Obama believes that he can both work out the problems with the bailout and step before the nation for a debate on Friday. He believes that he can focus on both issues equally.

Senator McCain has already stated that he believes that the political debate can wait until the financial future of America is resolved.

I feel that Obama is placing politics above the nation, and his constituents that elected him to office. Both of these men are Senators, as is Joe Biden. They have a responsibility to the voters that put them in office up until they are elected by voters for a different office.

The polispeak will fly today. Some will laud one or the other Presidential candidate. I can clearly see the benefit to the nation of the actions of McCain, I do not see that benefit from Senator Obama. Obama is choosing to hold a speech about how great he will be for the economy once he is elected, while McCain will be speaking with Democrats, Republicans, and the President about keeping the economy going up to and through the election. Which makes more sense.

How well will Senator Obama be able to review documents on the bailout, and shake hands with undecided voters? How well will he be able to speak with Congress, while he is kissing babies and approving attack ads? How well will he be able to confer with economic experts while he is practicing his debate points.

Yes a President must do more than one thing at a time. But if Warren Buffett is correct, and this is the financial equivalent of Pearl Harbor, Senator Obama is saying he would rather go overseas for a meeting than deal directly with the situation.

Was the fear of following McCain’s lead on this potentially devastating financial fiasco so great as to refuse to do his job. Is his desire to be President so great that he would rather lead America in a depression, with millions unemployed and/or homeless than serve as the Senator he has been elected to be in relative economic stability?

Perhaps this, more than the debates themselves, will be the turning point in the election. And I have to wonder what most Americans will prefer. I for one agree that the debates for the election (which can be rescheduled for another day out of the 41 remaining) are not as important as my work, and as a consequence my house.

Celebrity donations - some numbers and organizations you may not know

Recently I had the opportunity to share my thoughts about how Reuters deliberately diminished the generosity of Oprah Winfrey, and the lack of major media attention to the kind and helpful donation of Tyler Perry. That got me wondering, who is giving back to the public and not getting any attention – or worse being diminished – for it.

Well my first stop was at The Giving Back Fund. I looked at the donations made by celebrities for 2006 and 2007 (the last full years of donations reported). In addition I wanted to see how many African American celebrities and entertainers were on the list, as I feel they are the least reported or acknowledged of all high-profile donors.

For the prior 2 years Oprah Winfrey set the bar high. She donated the single most of all celebrities each year, and combined. Her donations totaled $118 million. That 66% of the total of the top 12 White celebrities combined.

The total donations made the top 16 celebrities and entertainers combines to $316.5 million dollars. That’s a huge amount of money. This money went to help prevent and cure HIV/AIDS, provide scholarships, cancer research, Katrina relief, hospitals, day cares, organizations that help various groups and nations in Africa, and more.

Another interesting thing of note is that the top 4 Black celebrities and entertainers’ donations are equal to 77% of the top White celebrity and entertainer donations.

I mention that last part because one of the points of notables making these donations is not only what they can do but also the attention they can being to an issue, and the fans they can inspire to do the same. The more that is mentioned about these donations, the more these issues get attention over Miley Cyrus career decisions or the outing of Clay Aiken – which really don’t matter.

In addition I feel it’s important that African American celebrities and entertainers are symbols of success and inspirational in the Black community. They have broken the stereotypes, and excelled in an industry that affords them few opportunities. And when they do something as important and beneficial as the donations I’m mentioning, they often are either ignored (like Tyler Perry and Don Cheadle), or are diminished (like Oprah) by the major media.

Out of all the donations made in 2006 and 2007, only 9 made donations each year (for a total of $183.6 million) out of over 48 from both years. Those consistent and vital personalities are listed below.

• Oprah Winfrey - $118 million, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy,
  Oprah's Angel Network
  
• Barbara Streisand – $22 million, Barbra Streisand Foundation
  
• Tiger Woods – $10.8 million, Tiger Woods Learning Center, Earl D.
  Woods Sr. Scholarship Fund
  
• Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - $10.8 million, School and Community Center in
  Swakopmund in Namibia, Daniel Pearl Foundation, Namibian hospitals, Doctors without Borders, The Jolie-Pitt Foundation
  
• Rosie O’Donnell – $9.2 million, Katrina Relief, day care centers, Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Kids Initiative
  
• Lance Armstrong - $5.5 million, Lance Armstrong Foundation
  
• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson - $3 million, University of Miami
  
• Andre Agassi - $2.3 million, Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
  
• Denzel Washington - $2 million, Save Africa's Children, Wiley College
  

I hope you take a moment to look into the causes that they each have made donations to and if you agree make a donation yourself.

Editorial by Michael Vass

In August of 2007 I wrote a post highlighting my disgust at the major news media. That feeling of absolute sickness came from the fact that the major news media could not bear to spend a moment of time to discuss a travesty in the American legal system.

I said in that post

“After 43 years of shadows, lies and looks the other way a semblance of justice has been enacted. This is not something that we as a nation need to avert our eyes from, but look towards. Like slavery (and reparations) we must address the fact that horrible crimes against humanity and these 2 men, Charles Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee, went unaddressed for decades with no reason better than law officers, the public, and the government in general did not want to think about it. How much further have we really come when justice finally is enacted and the major news media are too timid to shine a light on the dark corner of the recent past that is this nation’s history.”

Now a year and a month to the day I have been given reason to return to both this subject, and to the reprehensible reaction in the major media. Perhaps this time seeing my comments will help give some impact and thought to this mockey of justice.

Tyler Perry helping more families than Congress right now

I have often said that the major news media gives short shrift to celebrities and entertainers that are doing the right thing. With all the media swirling around the mortgage bailout plans, you might think that all other news has been thrown to the wayside but that would be untrue.

A casual look in the search engines finds that there is plenty of news on celebrities. There is news on Meg Ryan and her divorce. There is news about whether Miley Cyrus will stay or leave Hanna Montana. There is even a focus on Isis King, the first transgendered model in the ridiculous and brain-cell depleting America’s Next Top Model.

Not a single one of those ‘news’ items are worth the time to read more than the headline.

But what you haven’t heard, what isn’t rushing across the internet or the cable news networks is a simple bit of good. Yes, a celebrity is actually helping regular people. Just because it felt like the right thing to do.

The celebrity in this case is the renown Tyler Perry. In case you are unfamiliar with this acclaimed director, actor, movie writer, producer and playwright I’ll give you a bit of help. He created Diary of a Mad Black Woman which he may be best known for. He is also responsible for Tyler Perry's House of Payne. If you are unfamiliar with either of these it may be because all of Perry’s work focuses and stars predominately Black actors and actresses.

Tyler Perry grew up with abuse as a child, he has been homeless, he dropped out of school at 16 but went back for his GED. His book Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life was number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List. He has released 5 films (his 6th just hit theaters) that have made $187 million dollars just in the U.S.

Tyler Perry is a success by virtually any standard you chose to mark him by.

And he went out and donated 2 weeks worth of food for 1,000 families today. He is actively helping families in Atlanta that are struggling and hungry. And the major news media seem to not care.

The people at Hosea Feed the Hungry and the Homeless care center certainly are happy to have received this huge gift. I cannot fathom how families in need in Atlanta are not happy as well. But it seems that the major news media aren’t happy reporting a successful Black man directly helping people in a way that virtually every politician refuses or is incapable of doing.

Keep an eye out though. I guarantee that the second a Black entertainer is arrested, or does something stupid, regardless of the financial woe of the day you will see it on the national news. Miley Cyrus on a drunken binge will get a side note, but say a rapper getting arrested will upfront news. Yet improving the lives of 1,000 families is a minor footnote.

It makes me sick. Especially when polls show that some 48% of White Americans think Blacks are violent, or that 38% think Blacks are lazy. Tyler Perry, and many other African American celebrities, proves that the stereotypes that survive and plague this nation right now are wrong. But you wouldn’t know it from the major media.

Fantasy football - for women too

Ah the joys of Sunday watching football. It’s a tradition that goes back generations. It’s a moment that can be pictured with ease. A father and son watching the television, maybe with grandfather and/or local friends as well.

Of course now that the internet has become a staple in the lives of virtually every American there is an added benefit. Fantasy football has expanded the drive of millions to see the pig iron game. Untold additional hours are being spent to get the perfect team, and taking the top prize – even if there is nothing more than being known as number 1 as the prize.

Of course this joyous image is not being met with the same pleasure everywhere. In fact there are nearly as many women upset about fantasy football as the actual game. Football widows are now finding that fantasy football means even more of the dreaded game invading their lives.

I even read about the fact that a site has gone up called Women Against Fantasy Sports. And many of these women are angry. Even though the site is a bit on the lighter side of the issue.

The site recalls many of the perils these women share, and ideas about crushing the dreaded enemy once and for all. And have no doubt there are hordes of women that are joining up.

To be honest, if a guy is spending untold hours committed to a dozen fantasy leagues, I can understand some annoyance. Ignoring the significant other is never the best plan for wedded bliss. But there is another way to view fantasy sports. Get involved.

I know many women that are avid fans of this or that football team. I know a slightly smaller group of women that are equally at ease with their fantasy teams. These women have a great time talking about the game and hanging out with the guys every Sunday. Their significant others love that they are as into the game as they are. And they often compete, or get tips on how to do better in their fantasy league from their spouse.

I also know of a very small group of women that have no care in the world about the Sunday without their other half. I’d say more about these women but I know so few and see them so rarely that I really can’t say more.

So let me say this to the men out there. Fantasy leagues are a great bit of fun. Being in 1 or 2 leagues is fantastic, and really amps up the game Sunday and Monday night. But if the game is keeping you up at night, and making your better half wonder what your name is and why you have a key to the house, slow down. Maybe even try to teach her about the league and the sport.

You might be surprised by how involved she may become. Especially if her picks are whopping your butt.

and by the way - Go Giants!

Alberto Contador makes history, serious competition to Lance Armstrong

Over the weekend there was a bit of history that occurred. Alberto Contador became the 5th cyclist to win the Tour De France, Giro d'Italia, and Spanish Vuelta. Not only has he won all 3 he did so in the least amount of time, 14 months. Contador finished the 21-stage Vuelta in 80 hours, 40 minutes, 8 seconds.

Now that was a great win. But I had to wonder about another cycling great. Lance Armstrong is back in cycling, and I wondered how competitive he might be. Contador is fierce, and his titles prove that, but can Lance hold him off? Or even keep up?

Well in August at Leadville Lance took on a different kind of conditioning race. And as he has admitted himself this was not his race to win. But his second place finish says a lot. Here are some of his thoughts on that race.



And if you wanted to see how the race was here is a video of it. And there is no question of the difficulty in this race.



Now I have to say that this is great preparation. And I have no doubt that all the competitors out there have see the tape of Lance and been training hard.

Is Alberto Contador worried? How could he not. But will Lance be able to win for an 8th time? That question is still keeping everyone guessing. And with Contador making a bit of his own history the odds in Vegas must be getting interesting.

Fall 2008 broadcast television season

Next week starts the new television season. New shows and many old ones will be back, seeking to gain your attention. Now I rarely watch broadcast television these days because the general tone is mind-numbing programs meant to keep you in one place while you get to see the television commercials that are the real important point. But what will this season bring?

Well on Monday the big winner is the return of the Sarah Connor Chronicles. The continuation of the Terminator movies in a TV format. This should also receive and give a boost to the up-coming Terminator movie that takes place after the machines have made their first strike.

Of course there is Monday Night Football. Or you can watch celebrities dance.

For Tuesday hands-down House is the winner. This show has a great lead actors, intelligent writing, and is bitingly sarcastic. All winning parts in a television show to me. But this might be a bit too high-brow for some.

That means in the same time slot you can get comatose watching the new version of 90210 – which I despise – or families taking on questions about each other in a ‘revisioned’ family-safe version of the Dating Game. I’d rather watch the original Dating Game re-runs than these 2.

After that you have the choice of going to sleep, watching more celebrities dance, or try on The Menatlist. The Menatlist is basically a broadcast version of Monk, without the neurosis and adding in a lot more guilt. It may be good, but I always tend to prefer the originals to copycats.

Wednesday is the perfect night to work overtime, learn how to play GO, or revisit the coma inducing qualities that television writers these days excel at. Maybe if you are a complete car fanatic you might want to watch one episode of the new Knight Rider program. But I would suggest reading Wuthering Heights. You’ll get the same type of thrill.

On Thursday there is the chance to see CSI. With the addition of Laurence Fishburne there are so many interesting storylines that can be tapped into, especially if he becomes a serial murderer. But before that comes on, you can always have a late dinner.

Still some just will insist on watching TV from 8 til 9. So that means Ugly Betty or Smallville. But really, why not catch up on politics, or learn about investing. You’ll do better and save more brain cells.

On Friday you have just enough time to see Everybody Hates Chris, get dressed, and go out for the night. If you are sitting in the home and watching the drivel on TV this night you have to be 80. It’s the perfect time to go to the gym and excercise off the extra pounds you gained mind-melding with the couch earlier in the week.

Saturday you can watch college football, or fix the house like your significant other has been bugging you about. Again if you are in during this night you really have no life. Go bowling, or watch the grass grow if you hate football.

Sunday has 60 minutes and Sunday Night Football. The Simpson’s are too old, King of the Hill is not worth missing the opening kick off, Family Guy is good but can be caught on re-runs at Cartoon Network, and American Dad is too on and off.

Now later in the season Lost will return. I don’t see the excitement. Scrubs should be worth the time even on a new channel. Fear anything on the CW, and CBS as no winners coming in late.

24 is sure to be a great television show, and well worth the time. American Idol will sadly return to lower the collective IQ’s of America. Such is the fate of ‘reality TV’. Law & Order is a constant comfort, and a safe bet.

So this is my suggestion overall. Stop watching so much television. If 5 or 6 days out of the week you are watching broadcast TV you are in trouble. But if you have to watch something try this.

Monday – football of course.
Tuesday – Eureka
Wednesday – Mythbusters
Thursday – read a book, go out, or catch up on politics until time for CSI
Friday – Just go out
Saturday – enjoy real life, maybe have friends over for football and poker
Sunday – football and get some sleep.

Now this is not the perfect schedule. There is too much football. But it’s about as much television as anyone really needs. If you want to round out the missing or in-between hours I suggest the news.

Grey's Anatomy helps enrich HIV awareness

Score one for broadcast television. With the advent of cable television, and now with the potential for the public to view 500 channels, broadcast TV has lost most of its power to influence. Once there was a time when a hit show could capture 30 or 40% of the population, today they are lucky to grab 5%.

Because of that loss of viewership broadcast television has essentially given up on presenting important issues. The focus has increasingly become mindless fodder that kills as many brain cells as it entertains. The original intention of television to help inform the public has gone the way of vacuum tubes and Black and White sets.

Yet occasionally there are issues important enough that the Hollywood executives break from their constant pursuit of eyeballs. For Grey’s Anatomy the issue at hand was HIV.

Now I bet that most of my readers are aware that HIV can be transmitted from one person to another via fluid exchanges. That means saliva, blood, mucus and so on. Obviously that also means that a mother with HIV can transmit the disease to her unborn child. But did you know that if given proper treatment the baby could have a 98% chance of NOT getting HIV.

Yes, it is true and not a television plot device.

The episode was written with the help of the Kaiser Family Foundation. The goal was to inform the public and to see if that information was absorbed by the public.

“One week before the show, 15% of the viewers surveyed said that they were aware of the mother-to-child HIV transmission risk. One week after the show, 61% of viewers of the episode were aware of the risk. Six weeks after the show, 45% of viewers remembered the information correctly (Childs, ABC News, 9/17)”

Now I am sure that my readers are far beyond the mere 15% that realized HIV could be transferred from mother to child. But I’m not as sure how many knew that proper treatment could lower the risk of the child, nor how low that risk could be made to be.

Still it’s amazing that so many failed to realize the positive power of television. In all the formats, cable or broadcast, this is one medium that can reach people of all ages, across the world, 24 hours a day. When television was first created the intention was to inform and entertain.

With those 25 and under the most at risk, with the continuing growth of HIV and AIDS, with no cure any closer than the first day the disease was learned of information is vital. We need to disseminate the truth about this disease, the transmission the risk factors the treatment.

I commend the Kaiser Foundation and Grey’s Anatomy for taking this risk. I commend the Hollywood executives that for a moment forgot that viewers are the only goal. I commend the actors for taking a moment to promote a good for the public over their career.

Television should not be the same as going to a college lecture. But it can be a tool that can enrich lives, maybe even save them. As long as threats such as HIV and AIDS exists we need to use our best tool to keep us informed and remembering how to live long healthy lives.

BMX Pro-Am dirt jumping video from Brawlin' at the Belmar

Yes I finally got it done. Long over due but finished at last. What might that be?

Back in August I reviewed my time at the Brawlin' at the Belmar BMX Pro-Am dirt jumping tournament.

I mentioned in that post

"Now it’s taking me a bit of time to get the video of the event done, my editing skill are not the greatest and I have 200 video clips to work through...

The event was sponsored by Red Bull, FBM Bikes, and the Belmar Bar...

there were roughly 200 plus people there at any moment from 12pm until night fell some 9 hours later. That was just the crowd on Saturday, with part of the event being held previously Friday."

The place was packed during the event. Riders from across the northeast and out to the mid-west all arrived for the competition. And they came to compete.

I had well over 200 video clips and photos. Though each jump was relatively short in combination, with editing involved, and my less than stellar editing abilities I had more than a day of work once I got to it. Still I made my best effort on the situation.

So without much further ado I present my video of the professional jumps from the event. There were some 15 or more professionals. Each had a dozen jumps by the end of the day. And I have put together some of the best ones, in my opinion.

When you critique the video, please be somewhat kind.

OJ Simpson trial - injustice unreported

I did not want to discuss this case. But when I listened to the glee from Sheppard Smith (news anchor for Fox News) as he spoke on the news I made up my mind to say something.

The case I am referring to is the OJ Simpson trial. You may not have heard much on this, you might even be surprised to know that his trial in Las Vegas is already underway. And the reason there has not been much media on this is likely because of what the outcome will be.

At this point I feel incredibly confident that OJ Simpson will be sentenced to jail for his life. For all those cheering that sentence realize this – OJ is being jailed based on prejudice and the bias of America.

Whether or not OJ Simpson is guilty of the charges, all 12 of them, stemming from his arrest in Las Vegas is not important. It’s the fact that after more than a decade the legal system, and most White Americans, now have the chance to convict OJ for the murder of Nicole Simpson; which he was found innocent of. The major news media has never accepted that answer. Shepard Smith has always made it clear he despised that verdict. And double jeopardy be damned White America could not live with this.

Every misstep OJ has made since the murder trial ended has been publicized. The media has maintained an onslaught of coverage aimed at 1 goal, tarnishing his image and guaranteeing every American would believe he was guilty of murder and deserved to be in jail. And this trial will be the fruition of all that work.

On the 10th of September the Las Vegas judge, Jackie Glass, decided that 2 members of the prospective jury being contacted by a reported member of the press was not a problem.

On September 12th the jury was selected. 9 women, 3 men. Not a single person on the jury is Black.

On September 16th, after being told not to take into account any of the news or rulings dealing with OJ’s murder trial, the prosecution has introduced it as part of their case.

So let’s look at this. Reportedly 4 men and OJ entered a hotel room to recover stolen goods that belonged to OJ. Questionably the meeting was set up by one of those men, who has given evidence against OJ for reduced charges. 2 men in the room that day are reported to have had guns, neither of which was OJ. Both of those suspected men have turned states evidence to get off their charges in return for being a witness against OJ.

9 women were reminded that this man is believed by the prosecutor, media and many Whites, to have brutally murdered a woman. They were reminded that for over a decade the media has hammered the thought that this man is guilty though proven innocent beyond a shadow of doubt.

Fear of racial bias for OJ prevented any person in the jury from being African American. Racial bias to convict OJ was never considered in the jury selection. And the potential jurors being contacted by the media, thus hinting at future media stardom – or at least their 15 minutes of fame and a nice check for a book or appearance – was not important.

And someone wants to tell me this is a fair trial. After the initial arrest superseded all other news for 1 week. After a decade of persecution. After acts of retribution by the police on Rodney King (that’s just a guess about the L.A. police). Yeah, a real fair trial.

OJ is going to be convicted of at least 10 of the charges against him. He will be sent to jail for at least 25 years. It was a foregone conclusion the day he was arrested in Las Vegas. That’s why there the huge media circus that week. Validation for all their efforts of over a decade. And it’s why right now there is so little coverage. It has to be fair if they aren’t covering ever second of this stacked deck.

I’m not saying OJ is innocent of the charges in Las Vegas. I’m not saying there weren’t guns present, or that OJ didn’t know they were there. But I have doubt, especially the way this was handled and organized, and prosecuted.

I am saying that OJ is innocent of the murder of his wife, a court said so. I am saying that White America lost their mind on this case, and the media has fed that hate and anger. I recall mobsters being acquitted of multiple murders and getting less coverage or dismay.

The glee of newscasters reporting on the OJ trial just makes me certain. It may be nearly impossible for a Black man to get a fair trial in much of the nation [Jena 6, Rodney King, Sean Bell, Wesley Snipes, and on]; but it’s impossible for OJ.

Some call that justice, I call it the legal system in action. And people wonder why people of color distrust the legal system.

8-ball poolshot dilema

Hey there fellow pool players. I have a bit of a question for you.



The scenario is that you are playing APA rules 8-ball. You are in the final shots of your match and if you win the game you win the match.

Your opponent is a decent player, and is in a potion where they can run the table if you miss. They have just taken a shot that was meant to drop a ball, but also will leave you in a difficult position if they missed. And they have missed.

What you see on the table is your last object ball at the 2nd diamond (length-wise) about half an inch from the cushion. The cue ball is near the center of the table, about ½ inch to the center of the table from your object ball.

Behind the cue ball, centered at the side pocket is the 8-ball. About 1/4 inch away and even with it is one of your opponents balls. You opponent has two other object balls that are positioned at near opposing corner pockets.

So what is the shot you take?

It is highly probable that a shot straight on will result in a bank shot that will miss all pockets. With top right English, which will bank the object ball into the cross corner pocket, you will have the cue strike the 8 and lose. If you go for a double bank shot to the corner pocket closest to the object ball you have the lowest percentage chance to make the shot, and still risk the cue striking the 8-ball. And a cut shot is severely improbable. Oh, and a scratch or missing the object ball gives the opponent ball in hand, and assures you will lose.

My choice was a reverse bank (or kick shot) to the corner which then leaves the cue perfectly positioned for the 8-ball. But the problem is that this would also leave the opponent in a prime position to run the table.

Now several of my teammates prefer a defensive stance, looking to get themselves into a prime position for the win. I am far more aggressive in my game play (perhaps the most aggressive on my team). Which do you think was the best choice?

I present the video so you can see exactly what happened, but I’d love to hear your opinions.

[Yes, I know part of the video is shaky. I wasn’t filming so please bear with me on this.]

Rock and Roll - the other Black music

Have you ever been up late at night and seen the extended commercials that hawk this good or that? You know the shows for instant fat reduction without requiring you to get off your ass, or the endless promises to make you rich over night without a stitch of effort or knowledge. These infomercials are rampant on the late-nite airwaves. But I saw one tonight that got me thinking.

While watching Tron (a great movie) I flipped channels during the commercial and found an infomecial about the Oldies but Goodies. This Time Life infomecial was about Rock ‘n Roll. Particularly about the original artists and entertainers that created this music genre. These artists are before the Beatles, or Elvis, or the Rolling Stones. We are talking about the people that got the whole ball of wax started.

That would include Chuck Berry, Ritchie Valens, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chubby Checker, The Platters, The Drifters, Johnny Mathis, Sam Cooke, The Cleftones, The Dells and so many more. You may not know all these artists if you are my age or younger, but you have likely heard their songs in movies and on the radio.

Some of these songs include:

Johnny B. Goode
Rock Around The Clock
What'd I Say
Long Tall Sally
Maybellene
Shake, Rattle And Roll
Blueberry Hill
Please, Please, Please
The Great Pretender
Ain't It A Shame
You Send Me
Wake Up Little Susie
La Bamba
I'm Walkin'
Lonely Teardrops
Shake, Rattle And Roll
Who Do You Love
Dedicated To The One I Love

I’m only barely touching the artists that influenced the decade. There are far more artists and songs I could name. But there is something that is inherently the same in each of these and the entire birth of Rock and Roll. Black musicians.

Today, and for a couple of decades, Rock music has been dominated by White musicians. In fact it’s so common that most people associate rock music with White audiences. I’ve never ceased to be amazed by the people that wonder why I enjoy rock and roll since it’s “not my music”.

Yet there would be no rock and roll without Black musicians. In fact many of the popular artists of the 1950’s and 60’s started off as cover artists. White performers would sing the exact same song as a Black artist and record companies would sell it. The highly racist and segregated nation preferred to buy the White version of the song and propelled those artists to fame and fortune; perhaps the best known of these cover artists was Elvis Presley.

But my point is this. Why is rock and roll associated with Whites only? Why is it a dirty word among African Americans, the little secret that you listen to without your friends knowing? Why is it that millions of baby boomers are buying compilation records by the thousands, or tens of thousands, yet year after year the names of the African American music pioneers that they listen to each night get spoken less and less.

I wrote a post about Chubby Checker recently. I doubt anyone under 45 really knows his music. But he helped found rock and roll. As did Chuck Berry. But when was the last time you heard their names connected to the genre they helped to create?

Today the music industry would like Americans to believe that Rock is a White music. That is a lie. They want to make it seem like African Americans have no place in the genre. That is another lie. We created it, and helped to make it what it was and is.

Without Fats Domino, or Chubby Checker, or B.B. King, or Ray Charles, and on there would be no Beatles, or The Who, or Led Zepllin. There would be no Lynrd Skynrd, or ZZ Top, or Stone Temple Pilots. It’s just the reality of the history.

So knowing this and watching that infomercial featuring Bowzer of Sha-na-na (an older TV show) and seeing 4 out of 5 video clips in that infomercial featuring a Black musician I could not help but wonder what happened. How did the African America creation suddenly become devoid of color? Why did Elvis become a mega-star for singing covers of Black artist’s songs? Why is it that today most people can name Prince, Lenny Kravitz and maybe Living Color or Jimi Hendrix as the only Black rock and roll entertainers?

Perhaps it’s me but I find it troubling that Time Life is making a boatload of money on the backs of entertainers that were paid pennies and created a genre of music that now brings in millions if not billions each year. And while tens of millions of Americans know the songs (not including fans across the world) the recognition and association for their music goes to copycats and runner-ups.

Today some say that racism has been defeated because 1 Black man has the chance to become President. But how can anyone say that when something as basic and universal as music denies the existence of African Americans that created a legacy that thrives today?

Maybe I am up too late without sleep. Or maybe, just maybe, America continues to have a schizophrenic attitude to the contributions and existence of people of color. And if the latter is true, the success of any 1 person will never be enough to heal the nation and move us all to the future together.

Or do you think I’m wrong?

USA defeats Trinidad & Tobago 3 - 0

So the title of the post gives away the news. And yes I know the post is late. Still it was a good match. Finally the US soccer team showed some sparks and rallied to gain a win with more than a single point.



If you weren’t paying attention to the times of the first 2 goals they occurred within the first 18 minutes of play. Now that is impressive. Especially since Trinidad was expected to be the hardest match of the CONCACAF's Group 1.

With this solid win the US is now firmly assured of clearing the semifinals as they hold 9 points and are the top of the group. So without much ado the real attention moves forward.

But that is not to say that the US futbol team is without flaws. The lackluster play in the first 2 games of Group 1, and the 2nd half of this game made that quite clear. The sloppy passes, the inconsistent play, the missed goal attempts. All of this will spell doom versus tougher teams that the USA will be facing. And with the teams most experienced players age advancing speed is less of an option, and fatigue more a problem.

The mid-field will undoubtedly become an area of contention. The Trinidad match showed that this is a weak point in the US game. Performance here must improve dramatically.

Still I have to say that seeing the quick goals and the header by Brian Ching were a refreshing change from the normal US soccer matches. We may not be able to score at will, but this is a nice reminder that when underestimated we can score fast and multiple times.

For me the really important players of the match were Tim Howard – because a bad goalie makes the best matchplay useless, Clint Dempsey – for that nice breakthru goal, and Steve Cherundolo with solid defense around the goal. Eddie Johnson needs real work, and Sacha Kljestan really needs to play a more consistent and solid game.

Movie Preview: Miracle at St Anna

Spike Lee has a new movie coming out and I’m sure it will bring its share of controversy. In fact the movie, or more accurately Lee, drew media attention earlier this year. The reason was because director/actor Clint Eastwood found it unimportant to show a single African American soldier in either of his critically acclaimed movies based on WWII.

Miracle at St. Anna is the first film that I am aware of besides A Soldier’s Story and The Tuskegee Airmen that depicts African Americans involvement in World War II. I recommend both movies strongly.

There were over 1.1 million African Americans that served in WWII. These soldiers fought and many died even though America maintained segregation and Jim Crow laws, because they agree that the threat to America was too great to be ignored. They served as bravely and fiercely as any other American or Allied soldier. And in all the movies dedicated and based on the war I can only name 5 (including this upcoming film) that feature or include Blacks. That’s just insulting and ignorant.

Obviously Spike Lee agreed with me.



Miracle at St. Anna is based on the novel of the same name and the Sant'Anna di Stazzema massacre where 560 Italian women, children and old men were killed by retreating SS soldiers. The soldiers in the movie are part of the 92nd Infantry Division which was a real division in WWII that fought in Italy.

The 92nd was called the Buffalo Soldiers, were segregated, fought alongside Black Africans, Morrocans, Algerians, Indians, Gurkhas, Jews and Palestinians as well as with exiled Poles, Greeks and Czechs, anti-fascist Italians and the nonsegregated troops of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

The 92nd Infantry Division had the slogan Deeds not Words, suffered 5,000 casualties, and had members receive Medal of Honor-2; Distinguished Service Cross (United States Army)-2; Distinguished Service Medal (United States)-1; Silver Star-208; Legion of Merit-16; Soldier's Medal-6; Bronze Star -1,166; Purple Hearts-1891; Orders of the Crown of Italy-8; Military Crosses for Military Valor (Italian)-17; Military Crosses for Merit in War (Italian)-22; Military Cross for Merit in War (Italian) 92nd Division Colors; War Medal (Brazil)-1.

The 2 men that received the Medal of Honor - John R. Fox and Vernon J. Baker – were given this honor in 1997. That was 48 years after their service, which I think is an absurdly long time to wait to recognize the actions of these men. But it is also common as the surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen had to wait a similar amount of time to be recognized as well.

Given the history of these men, the valor they displayed during the war, and the massive and unjustifiable disrespect America showed these men before, during, and long after WWII I expect this movie to be very well done. Anything else would be an insult to their memory.

Considering that Spike Lee has 2 uncles that served in the war, I have every reason to believe that he did the best job possible which means a phenomenal movie. If I am correct that also means that Hollywood will likely ignore the film and if it has the luck to gain attention for any awards, it will lose.

Go see this movie. It’s a homage to men that American history has ignored, that served their nation even when it did not serve them. Making this film successful is literally the least that we can do.

And here are Spike Lee’s own words about why you should see the film (and I have to add I don’t agree with his political thoughts).