Tyler Perry Responds to Spike Lee

Recently I provided video from Black Enterprise of Ed Gordon interviewing Spike Lee. In that video Spike Lee was asked about the state of Black culture and coverage in movies and television. The response was very critical.

Specifically, without directly naming him, Spike called the work of Tyler Perry "coonery and buffonery". He found it akin to Amos 'n Andy. I essentially took it that he found Perry's work - no matter the income it draws - little more than the minstrel show. Which for my readers that are not familiar is possible one of the worst things that can be said of any Black entertainer or celebrity.

There was no question that Perry was going to respond. Here is what is available on that response.



I understand the anger that Perry has. At the same time, there are legitimate issues with some of the work Perry has created. The question I suppose is which is the correct stance, or is there some middle ground?

What do you think?

Michael Jackson can win the Oscar

MJ win and Oscar? But he's dead. That might be one of the first thoughts some might have. Another could be that he doesn't have a film - but he does.

This Is It, is the documentary styled film created from over 100 hours of video during the preparations and practice for the planned world tour by Michael Jackson. The tour as we all know was heralded to be his comeback, and by all estimates it seems it would have been.

So far the film has wowed critics, and fans. Already the film has brought in $20 million in just one day. Considering it's documentary and entertainment stance, plus a running length of almost 2 hours, that's pretty good. But an Oscar?

Yes the buzz is out there. There are 10 choices for the Best Film Oscar now, so other unquestioned worthy films can be included without problem. The expansion was to address the fact that Hollywood has completely no idea what fans find to be Oscar worthy - and there are few fan favorites like Jackson. The quality of the film is high, the story-telling emotive. As many have said, it provides Jackson the comeback that he likely would have done if he lived.

Plus there is precedence. Most recently for Heath Ledger. And while I got lots of grief form my statement that he did not deserve the Oscar, and that it was given to him just because he was dead (which is all true), it did set the stage to give an Oscar to Jackson. There is more than enough genuine emotion and angst over his death to justify his winning just about any and every award an entertainer can get.

Now if this were just talk about an Oscar for Best Documentary, or Editing, or even Best Direction, I'd be all for it. But they are talking about Best Picture. Which I'm less in love with. Because I judge that by a simple standard. If he were alive would the film get the same attention? The answer is no.

Be honest. It might get awards and attention, but not Best Picture. It would never happen. Hollywood is far to snobbish, and while $20 million in a day is great it's not Spiderman. Still you can never account for the death effect. Ledger proved that in droves.

So will the Oscars be yet another tribute to Michael Jackson? Well it would once again demonstrate the hold that everything Jackson had over the globe. It again would prove that this is the undisputed King of Pop of ALL time. And if you ask almost any of his multi-generational fanbase, he deserves it.

If I had to bet, the odds would be maybe 7 gets you 5 in his favor.

Pay for the dead

Ok, here is a question for the fanatics out there. Think of every celebrity that has died, ever. Now tell me which one made the most money last year.

Yes, believe it or not someone actually cares about this. And they keep records of this over at Forbes. They have an annual list of who is the top dead celeb. I have to imagine the economy, and dwindling circulation in the industry, is seriously getting to Forbes.

But since the subject has come up like a re-animated corpse from a graveyard, I will deal with it.

Who could it be? Elvis? Michael Jackson? Anna Nicole Smith?

Well if you thought it was Smith you seriously are a fanatic and far to obsessed, much like many parts of the media that still probe her life and death well after the fact. But it wasn't current craze, Michael Jackson either. In fact the celeb wasn't even American.

It was Yves Saint Laurent, a french fashion designer and one of the few reasons to think of France positively. His estate made a whopping $350 million. Not bad at all for a dead guy.

Number 2 on the list is not really fair as it's 2 people combined. Rodgers & Hammerstein. They made $235 million, and some people thought showtunes were dead.

Michael Jackson shows up in third place with $90 million. But somehow I think he will be moving up very quickly. Especially if rumors of the movie made from video of his last dress rehearsal performance winning any kind of Oscar comes true. More more on that in a separate post.

Elvis Presley, the king of the 50's and notorious for stealing songs from Black performers and calling them his own, made $55 million. I expect his numbers to drop steadily as his fanbase is aging rapidly.

JRR Tolkein comes up next. His trilogy (actually 4 books if you count the Hobbit) and the excellent movie conversions have been around for decades. Of those on this list I find this the most positive statment that some people still read (besides you my readers) and appreciate good art. $50 million

Charles Schultz may not be a name most will recall of hand. Definitely my younger readers are unlikely to recognize the name. But old and young alike will have no problem recognizing one of the most famous creations of Schultz, Snoopy. Immortalized in newspapers, television specials, and now the image of MetLife, this character is so embeded in American culture even rap had to imitate it. $35 million

The 3rd singer on the list is one of the keys to the British invasion. Yes that means John Lennon of the Beatles. The yellow Submarine just keeps moving along and earned Lennon a post-humous $15 million.

Probably my favorite on the list has to be Dr. Seuss. Like millions, if not tens of millions, I can still recite some of his stories that I loved best (I'm really good with Green Eggs and Ham). And if you have to see his work rather than read it, which I think all kids should read, then stick with the Grinch That Stole Christmas and avoid at all costs the horrible conversion of the Cat in the Hat. $15 million (likely due to Mike Myers).

One of my inspirations while growing up will likely suprise some people buyt is next on the list. Albert Einstein. Yes, one of the greatest minds ever made the list though he was hardly a celebrity by today's standards (as low as they are). But the power of pure thought still must be respected. $10 million

Last of the top 10 is another writer. Michael Crichton just made enough to clear the next couple of guys on the list. He comes in just under double digits with $9 million.

Other notables on the list include the incredible Jimi Hendricks with $8 million.

So it doesn't have to be Halloween for the dead to rise it seems.

Family Guy breaks Windows

If you have seen the show Family Guy, and at this point that would be most anyone from age 45 and down, you know what you are going to get. The jokes are hardly tame, the show is about as close to All in the Family as Archie was open-minded. But there is no question that this is all a given.

That's why advertisers love this show. Most of the time. Because they can reach their target audience, plus other people equally flush with cash. And almost every product can fit into the theme of any episode. It's just that sometimes the advertisers just can't handle an episode or a dozen.

Microsoft is the latest of advertisers to balk at the content. After making major plans, and potentially a lot of money, to have Seth MacFarlane hawk Windows 7 in the upcoming Family Guy special Microsoft lost their nerve. Either that, or the execs that loved the demographics of the show never bothered to watch a single episode before they made the deal.

But once they did get to watch a special taping of what they would be involved with, well the deal broke. It seems that deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest are all topics that Microsoft can't find humor in. Not that any of these things are new subjects for this television program to tackle. I suppose they really would have lost their minds if it included the recurring BDSM themes of the show (or maybe they would have liked that??)

Honestly this makes me wonder only one thing. How stupid can the brains at Microsoft be? All they had to do is watch less than 30 minutes of television and they would have known if this was the right kind of show for them. A quick Google search (or MSN if they want to lie) and they would have found no end to the topics that some object to on Family Guy. Instead they look dumb, snobbish, and insincere.

Somehow I think Microsoft will get a bit of advertising in the end. It may not be this episode (though I think it will be) but I think that Seth MacFarlane will trash talk the computer giant - with references to broken windows or more directly to the landmine that was Vista. Somehow I don't think Microsoft will like the attention, and I'm sure it won't add to their bottom line. But it will probably be very funny.

So I look forward to seeing that in Family Guy.

Oh, for Microsoft. I have advertising space available for you on my blogs, if you can handle what I say. Give me a call.

APA 8-ball featuring Greg Cordero

As I have mentioned before, I am a member of the Guys & Dolls APA 8-ball and 9-ball pool teams. Since I joined the teams we have won every season (except 1), and qualified to go to Las Vegas for the national competition. But that is because of the team effort.

While I have plenty of videos showing how I play pool, and explaining defensive shots, I am continuing to detail the other players on each on my teams. It is the combination of all our skills that have allowed us to dominate the Central New York region.

Today I will be focusing on Greg Cordero. Long-time readers will recall Greg from the interview I did with him back in 2008, discussing the mortgage and home buying markets. Greg is a real estate broker.

{Yes I know the audio is missing. Youtube pulled the music I had set. I will fix that soon.}



I still love that triple bank shot he does in the video. Greg is a 5 ranked pool player in 8 and 9-ball.

There are plenty of other pool videos, and others, at my youtube channel. Check them out if you have the chance.

Also, please remember to check out the online store World of Vass and my latest online store Alchemy at World of Vass. You might find something you like, and I appreciate the support.

Spike Lee talks with Ed Gordon about Tyler Perry and "post-racial" America

I received an interesting email earlier today. It was from Black Entertprise, a company that I respect and occasionally hear from. The subject was an interview with Spike Lee by Ed Gordon back in May 2009 that I think few have seen before.

I found the interview to be interesting and yet another facet of Spike Lee that is often overlooked by the major media's rush to paint him as simply "controversial". While I do not agree with most of the political beliefs of Spike Lee, I am a fan of his 24 films. I believe that he has a great insight to art and American life that is often missed in the race to be exploitive or ghettofabulous.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I found in this interview are the discussion about Tyler Perry and the "post-racial" claims for America with President Obama at the helm.

I thank Black Entertprise for providing me with this video.

Bill Cosby given the Mark Twain Prize

There are but a few comedians that have had the ability to entertain the masses for more than just a moment. They are people whose names can be remembered by gerations, across the globe. To these few, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is given.



Bill Cosby recieved this honor yesterday, at an event filled with stars and fans. Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Sinbad, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Phylicia Rashad, Rita Moreno, and many others were on hand to celebrate the gift of humor that Cosby has shared with us all for decades.

Without a single curse, without a need to be ghettofabulous, Cosby has acheived greatness and opened doors for all that have come after him. There would be no Martin, no Lining Single, no In Living Color, and on without Cosby and I Spy. There would be arguably be no Tyler Perry without The Cosby Show. His footprints cover movies, television, and stand-up comedy.



Many may not realize it, but back in the 80's as the Cosby Show was shocking Hollywood that an African American family could be successful and funny, and America would flock to it in droves, Dr. Bill Cosby had the chance to buy NBC - and turned the deal down. Just having such an option is remarkable. In fact I only can recall one other star that was capable of such a feat, Dezi Arnaz (who oddly enough was also a person of color).

These days Dr. Cosby may be covered by the media mostly for his comments about our society, and Black culture. It's an insight that is both piercing and accurate. No statement ever causes more discussion and complaint than the absolute truth. But I believe he has earned the right to chide the very same people that he joked with through out their formative years.



For all these reasons, I am glad to know that Dr. Bill Cosby has received the Mark Twain Prize. Because it is his ability to communicate with us, in humor and abject gravity, that defines what he was and is today. Like Mark Twain he has used the American language and culture to inform, educate, and unify us. As I said, few can ever hope to acheive such great levels, and when they do we should take note.

Keep an eye out. The tribute will air on PBS on November 4th. It will surely be worthy of watching.

Video Game Review: Tropico 3

From the onset, Tropico 3 looks just like it is. This is a sim(ulation) game. It's pretty straightforward on that as well. The concept of the game is what might catch the attention of those who love games like SimCity and other games in that genre. If you like The Sims, this is not for you.

The scenario of this game is pretty unique. Like in the other versions (which I have not played) you are the leader of a small tropical island (Cuba). You have control over what is built, and what resources are gathered. The goal is to accumulate people, and personal wealth via a Swiss bank account. The latter is for your retirement. You come to power in 1949 and the game goes until 1970.

The main campaign, which is single player, has a limited timeframe. This makes the campaign mode rather short, taking maybe a dozen hours on standard speed. You can speed up the game, which is recommended, but that will cut down the play time dramatically though you will not miss any major events.

The other problem with the campaign mode is that the events in the game are the same each time. So after a run through or 2, you can get a solid plan to take advantage of the events to come. Also the layout of the island remains the same in campaign mode, so ideal placement of businesses, farms, and other items can be worked out.

In terms of the look of the game, it is quite nice. Zooming in to individual characters is easy. They look crisp and detailed. The buildings have a 50's look and feel. The vegetation sways to the breeze, and all the native characters look tropical (ie Hispanic).

Obviously the imagery is a play on Cuba. Including the voice of the leader (for male characters). But the look of the character does not have to be a mimicry of Fidel Castro. The character creation is simple, but allows for a moderate selection. There are clothing choices and hair options plus a few other items that allow for a character that is not completely a cartoonish caricature of people in the tropics.

The character can be models in mannerism after a dozen famous, and not so famous leaders of small 3rd world leaders. Like Che of course. Or you can create a custom leader with a couple of good points, and of course flaws as well.

The play itself is pretty much old hat to anyone who has played SimCity before. There is not a lot of challenge at the default setting. Farming is the main export, but the city can be nation can be built up to be a tourist mecca if you choose. There is also the option to be a very Fidel-like leader in that you can create secret police, remove (kill) rebels or others that disagree with your leadership, or you can build churches and higher education facilities. You can also allow for immigration at several different levels from open to anyone to no one can leave.

The sound of the game is cute at first but it will quickly become grating. It is a pseudo tropical radio station with a decent but limited selection of quasi-instrumental songs. Occasionally this will be interrupted by a radio announcer declaring various events on the island, or the mood of the people, or international events. This too is limited and will often repeat. But at times it can be comical to hear about the "18th attack against our leader's hat". And occasionally it will provide information that is important like a coup attempt.

So visually the game is decent. The sound is good, if not repetitive. The gameplay operation is smooth and direct. The tutorial is simple but enough to give you most every option you need to know, and the rest can be figured out from there with ease.

But for me, in a sim game, the replay value is critical. This is where Tropico 3 fails. It's just not different each time. Yes the population will grow or act somewhat differently each time through, but they are a minor factor. A tweak or 2 and they are basically not an issue. And by the 3rd time through, the key elements of the game are figured out. So unless you want a challenge by doing something drastically different, you can be pretty assured of the results.

Tropico 3 is meant to be a light-hearted sim targeting Cuba and leaders of "banana" nations. It has a strong effect of making fun of people from the tropics, more laughing at than with. It is limited in replay value and is short on scope. It has decent looks, good but eventually annoying sounds, and a simple to figure out set of control maps.

I would not purchase Tropico 3 at the current price of roughly $40. I might buy the game at $10 in a bargain bin, or on clearance sale. And I might be more interested in the game if I were new to simulation games than if I were an old pro at SimCity.

Overall, avoid this game.

Movie Preview: Not Evil Just Wrong

Remember when a regular guy stepped up and took on the mega-corporations in a movie. There was no end to coverage in the media and support for the film created a career for Michael Moore. Since that time he has jumped up and down on the Conservatives of the nation, and most recently hypocritically denounced capitalism as he reaped rewards from it. All to acclaim from the media and Hollywood.

Because the media loves when regular people step up and fight injustice and wrongdoing. At least that is what they claim.

When former Vice President Al Gore skipped around the world on private jets to promote global warming in his movie An Inconvienient Truth, the media lauded praise. The movie was instantly setup as if it were fact. It became a mantra for eco-fanatics and an instrument to dynamically change society across the world. Hell, they even gave Al Gore an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize (at least he did something to earn it).

Again the reason this film was promoted, with jet fuel being guzzled like gatorade, was because it was fighting a wrong. Or so we were told by the media and politicians.

But what if someone stood up and said, "hey, I think you got it wrong." Well that would be fighting an injustice and preventing a wrong. The media should love it. They should be all over such a film, and praising its challenge to the big money of mega-ecology organizations. They should, but they aren't.



The movie being ignored is Not Evil Just Wrong. You probably haven't heard about it, since the media wants it to die on the vine. The film simply looks at the hype surrounding the "green" movement - especially global warming - and points out all the flaws. It's a bit of honesty and prepercussions that Al Gore and others like him refuse to acknowledge.



Note the key things, which are fact. Al Gore has not answered a question about global warming in 4 years. Even as scientists are becoming more sure that global freezing is likely more of an issue than warming. When asked what he has done to correct the errors in the film he has shoved down the throats of schoolkids as fact (yes it was allowed to be shown - with a requirement that actual facts be presented with the film correcting those errors), he refuses to answer the question. In fact he hides behind the emotion of the danger to polar bears, mitigating the FACT their numbers have increased. Then he has his people shut off the mike to end the possibility of debate, the need to answer the question asked, or to prove his position.

This is what Not Evil Just Wrong proposes to address. The questions that the media REFUSES to ask. The FACTS that eco-fanatics refuse to acknowledge. And it does so not with guesses, it uses science and scientists to do so.

Further the film does something that Al Gore (and I believe Michael Moore) doesn't. It provides the real full consequences of the actions taken. What happens when eco-fanatics get laws passed that change society. What will happen if they change things more?

If anyone believes in global warming (which I never have and continue to not believe) then they must - in my opinion - at least hear what facts and consequences exist against that arguement. They must be able to debate these findings without the crutch of emotion, to ensure that they are leading EVERYONE down the right path. Because if they can do so, then even those who disagree will join them in their efforts. But if they cannot, then we all must join together to find solution that really works, and not just make some people feel good at the expense of others.

I suggest that you see this film. Throw out every reason I have just presented. See this movie because Al Gore, the media, and the eco-fanatics are motivated to make sure you DON"T see this film. See this because they don't want you to think about the debate. See this because they are trying to actively control your choices.

You may not agree afterwards, but like with President Obama's attacks on Fox News, the question you should be able to answer is this

Why are they afraid to let you find out what is going on?

Remember something I have said often

"Liberals and the media are happy to have people say and do absolutely anything they want, as long as it agrees with them. The second it does not, they want it shut down and shut away. Isn't that liberal of them."

gooaall! - the hard way

Soccer is a sport that is growing in the U.S. But often there are some that think the game just doesn't have interesting moments. While fans of futbol know this to be untrue, here is something that might help prove the point.

Southern Methodist University was playing No. 16 Tulsa. A frshman named Ryan Rosenbaum, who is a defensive player, kicked the ball to clear it from his teams side of the pitch (field). He not only cleared his side, he made a moment that stands out.



95 yards, essentially a football field. That's impressive. And not only was it the first goal for the freshman Rosenbaum - it was his first shot on goal! What a way to start off.

This has been a week for the upstarts indeed. I wonder if they will move Rosenbaum to offense now?

Lil Wayne - justice at last

So it has finally happened. An entertainer, caught red-handed with drugs and illegal weapons, has been convicted of the crimes. You would think that such an occurence was what should be expected in the legal system, but then again that would be forgetting the key word - entertainer.

I personally could care less about Lil Wayne, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, as a person. I don't know him, nor do I have any desire to. His music is even less of a source of interest. Lil Wayne is a rapper, of some success but that says little considering the music genre.

The thing that matters to me is his criminality. Like a host of entertainers before his, especially in rap music, Lil Wayne has been given every chance to change his ways. At every turn he has taken those chances and thrown them to the wind.

But it is far past the time where the legal system remembers that entertainers, in any format, are just people. The law sees not their fame but their criminality, and they should be penalized just as anyone else is. Yet time and again they are not.

The list of entertrainers is huge, especially in rap music. DMX, Ja Rule, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, are but a couple of names that fly off the top of my head as I think about the entertainers that have committed crimes that would place you or me in jail for years (perhaps decades) and walked away.

Lil Wayne has been arrested with marijuana, cocaine, and guns on several occasions. Yet this is the first time he will be going to jail. The mind boggles at how he was allowed to be free after the first arrest, let alone several of them.

Why is this a big deal? Because Lil Wayne and so many others like him are an inspiration to the youth. Tens of thousands of kids imitate him. They try to mimic his life, style, and in some cases criminality. Because an authentic rapper is one that is a criminal.

Such a role model, whether Lil Waynbe of others are willing to be honest enough to admit that they are such even if they claim not to be, is a negative in any comminuty. The fact that crimes ordinary citizens would be incarcerated for are ignored for these performers reinforces that negative. Which is something that needs to end.

I don't think that the 1 year plea deal is fair for a criminal facing the multiple charges in multiple states that Lil Wayne has. But considering the multiple evasions of justice, it's a start. I can only hope that judges across the nation see this as a wake-up call when faced with a celebrity that cannot understand the law of the land.

Going to jail is not a rite of passage. Being a criminal is not an obligation. Crime, in any form, is not a path to fame or fortune. These are things that need to be clearly stated to all the fans of Lil Wayne, and rap / hip hop (where I feel the problem is most extreme).

Will this one conviction change the lives of those on a path to self-destruction in hope of future wealth? Maybe one or 2. But those are lives that now may become far richer, and possesions have nothing to do with it. And if more convictions follow, well that just helps that many more.

Lil Wayne has finally touched a bit of justice. I can only hope that this experience will improve his life and help him guide others away from what has lead him to a loss of his freedoms and Rights.

The Hot d'Or is back

I realize that it's winter and cold in most place across the U.S. Thus few people are thinking about movie awards, except Hollywood executives planing for the Oscars next year. But there is good news to be had, and it happened in France - of course.

After a 9 year hiatus, the Hot d'Or Awards are back. You might have heard of it by its other title, the Golden Hots Awards. Still scratching your head? Ok, its the European version of the AVN porn awards.

That might have perked up some ears.

Yes, having gotten tired of competing with the Cannes Film Festival for years, the Hot d'Or Awards stopped for a time. And now that they are back they have picked a new venue as well. But the questions you want answered have nothing to do with that, right?

The Awards was a somber event. No porn is shown and to all the reports I can find, no one got naked. Still there ws no lack of star power or titilating subjects.

Winning films included: Billionaire,Pirates II, and Ritual.

Best Internet Actress went to Katsuni



and the Best Actress award was won by none other than - Tarra White for her work in Billionaire.



Congratulations to the winners, and to the Hot d'Or for returning after a 8 year absence.

Of course I know that no one has ever seen any of these films, these women, or porn in general. That's why the porn industry makes more money than all of Hollywood every year.

Tiger Woods beat by a kid

So let's say that you are at the opening of the first Tiger Woods designed golf course in the U.S. Let's say that to officially open the course, Tiger hits a drive from the first tee. Then he hits another since the first went to the trees. Now Tiger turns to you and says "you want to give it a try?"

What do you do?

Well if you are over the age of 12, you stand there dumbfounded with a mixture of feelings both wanting to give it a shot and completely filled with fear as everyone in watching. Plus there is the psychological factor that if the best golfer in the world couldn't hit it straight on this course, how could you?

Again I say over the age of 12. Because Mark Benevento decided to take on the challenge from Woods. And take it on he did indeed...



Yes there is nothing like outdriving the best golfer in the world, especially when there are witnesses.

And you have to give it to Tiger Woods. While his shots were hardly the best he has ever hit, he complimented Benevento and pumped the kid up. Many a celebrity would react differently if they were shown up at their day job, but Woods showed a respect that sadly is uncommon today.

Who knows, Tiger might have just inspired his future competition.

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill - at Fox News no more

Well I missed some rather upsetting news the other day. If you have ever watched Bill O'Reilly on Fox News, whether you would admit it or not in public, you probably have seen Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. He was a Liberal speaker on the show. I say was, because Dr. Hill is no longer employed by Fox News. Which is what I find upsetting and surprising that I missed.

The earliest news of this change was on Oct 16th, though it was somewhat dubious at the time. It is now very confirmed. Though no information about this has yet to appear on his site - MarcLamontHill.com.

I admit that I had many differences with Dr. Hill. Politically we are on opposite sides of the spectrum. I often critiqued the views and ideas that he defended on the O'Reilly Factor, in my posts and video blogs. But that is not to say I did not respect him.

For all the faults that I found with Dr. Hill, he is an intelligent and passionate Liberal. He is willing to stand in front of millions and express views that many disagree with. He has placed his name and reputation on ideas that he believes in and that deserves respect. Especially when it comes to blogs, often run or commented on by individuals unwilling to attribute their name to what they say.

I am unaware of why Dr. Hill is no longer with Fox News. While I have found fault with his beliefs, he has always been informative and a great foil against the far more conservative views of Bill O'Reilly and others on that show. To my knowledge there has been no incident, personal or professional, that would call for his removal.



The loss of Dr. Hill upsets me not only because I believe that a Liberal counter is needed for the Fox commentators, but also because he is Black. There are very few voices that make it to the news media, no matter which network you choose to watch. The loss of a well known voice is a major blow to our visibility and ability to introduce concerns and issues that we hold.

The fact might be best seen in the fact that on Fox alone, Dr. Hill was often asked to comment on arenas far away from his own field of expertise. I do not believe that there were no other Black voices available for such discussions. I do believe that many of those that are qualified for these diverse commentaries are under severe pressure from the White House and on a local level to not appear on Fox News. Which again only amplifies the problem.

Without further justification provided I find the actions of Fox News to have been detrimental overall. It is not enough to stop my viewership, but it is enough to cause this post.

To Dr. Marc Lamont Hill I will say directly that I hope you find continued success and are not deprived of sharing your voice with the public for too long. While I do not agree on several facets of your publicly stated opinions, my respect for your voice stands far above my own personal views. I can think of no better compliment I could give any commentator.

What you find when you are bored

While I was searching for something of interest in entertainment news, I happened upon an old item in the Huffington Post. Now I don't normally read that blog, as I tend to disagree with the views there - massively. But I had seen an interesting press release from N.O.W. (while following up a different post) and thought I'd check it out.

The post was of course about women's breasts. It was a poll to judge who has the best breasts. It followed up a similar poll asking the same thing of men. Well actually it was chests for both groups, but we know for women they mean breasts.

Out of the 19 choices of Hollywood starlets, there were quite a few women not on the list. But there were a couple of big names as you might expect. And of course the group chosen was geared to the young, and White, women of Hollywood.

The top 5 according to the poll (on the site since Sept 26th)?

Salma Hayek, Heather Graham, Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry, and Christina Hendricks in that order. Which really surprised me. I have no idea what goes on in the minds of some of these guys voting on this list.

My favorites were: Beyonce
, Christina Hendricks, Salma Hayek, Kendra Wilkinson, and Scarlett Johansson in that order.

But here is the real interesting question. If you could chose any actress, alive or dead, who would you pick as #1? It's not that easy a question but let me make it harder. Let's ask who had/has the best body? And inevitably I think the personalities and talent of the women being considered plays into the answer. But who would you pick to have had the best body of all time (foreign actresses count too - as long as they were in at least 1 U.S. film)?

And for my female readers, pick the best male body of all time. Same rules apply.

Let's see what real people thing about this.

Where are the women of color?

As much as I deplore the secondary status that is generally imparted on actors and actresses of color, I do have to admit that there has been huge progress over the years. It's not that I accept the roughly 7% immersion of people of color in Hollywood, just that it far exceeds the perhaps 1% or less that was Hollywood just 3 decades or so ago.

But often I have to admit that I do not focus on actresses of color as much as the men. The fact is that male actors of color have found more success as Hollywood painfully slowly realizes that audiences aren't concerned as much with color as quality of acting. In just the last 2 decades we have seen Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Samuel Jackson, and a handful of others gain leading roles in big budget movies. At the same time women of color have barely gotten recognition.

It took some 50 years to go from Dorothy Dandridge to Halle Berry. And even with that, Berry is hardly in the position to pick and choose her films as other Oscar winners routinely do. There just aren't roles being provided to her. Kind of like how the proposed spin-off of James Bond, her Jinx character was supposed to receive just died on the vine. Name another Oscar winning actress' highly popular character that was proposed to get a leading film and was just forgotten about. I can't.

Of course there is Oprah Winfrey. But while she has more than enough power to appear in various roles, that generally has come to fruition due to her ability to fund her own projects. Her vast popularity may be the kiss of life to consumer products and recreation, but Hollywood is indifferent to her massive appeal.

There is also Queen Latifah. After decades of work honing her skill on television and small roles she has become a serious star. Yet serious roles are denied her, likely both due to the color of her skin and the fact she wears a dress size larger than 5 models put together. That's not fair, it would probably take more models as they can be stacked together like toothpicks but you get my point.

When I think about it, there just aren't any roles being given to women of color. That is unless they can pass as White. Which is not something they have control over, it's something that Hollywood seeks out. Take Carmen Diaz. How often is her Hispanic heritage ever spoken about? How many roles is she ever placed in that gives attention to any ethnicity to her?

I suppose my point is simply that there is more to the failure of Hollywood to see the talent before them. It is willful and it denies audiences of an experience that might be far superior to what they are getting. That alone just irritates me from time to time.

Samuel L. Jackson - producer again

Of the many thing that I think Samuel L Jackson has done right, I'm not sure his next 2 upcoming projects will fall into that category.

Jackson has just signed a deal with CBS to try out 2 new shows. This will confirm the executive producing credits that Jackson gained from the Afro Samurai program that was wildly successful on Spike TV. But unlike the Afro Samurai, I think Jackson has passed his limit.

One of the unnamed shows is about what happens after a U.S. Congressman dies while in office, and his wife inherits his seat. It may not sound like it but this is proposed to be a comedy. When I first heard of this I thought of a West Wing like program. But considering that the main writer is the same from 3rd Rock From The Sun, this will not be serious.

Will it be a serious laughfest? Somehow I doubt it. There are few comedies about politics that I can recall, and of the ones I do recall - like Benson in its later years - they failed. Americans don't laugh about politics often, so this will be a huge hurdle. Especially once you consider that most viewers of CBS are older and take their politics far more seriously.

The other show, is a medical drama (yes, yet another) focusing on an emergency room doctor (but it's not ER) who uses unconventional methods to treat his patients (ever heard of House?).

Obviously I find that one to be an overused idea. Then again the writer of that program is responsible for Cold Case - a show that rips off Law & Order, CSI, and several other old cop-format television shows. Still in Hollywood there is no greater sign of success than copying. No greater way to get paid either.

I like Samuel Jackson. I think he's a great guy to have a beer with, and from what I can tell, he seems to have tastes that are similar to myself and a lot of other guys I know. Somehow, I don't see these shows, as described, as being in that vein. He's just out for the money. Which I don't fault him for, I just won't watch them a second time if I am right.

If I could advise Jackson, I would remind him why Afro Samurai worked. It's a subject he has a passion for, and a medium he understands. If he sticks to those principles, he will likely make more money and find greater success.

Now watch these both become great shows and I have to eat my words. We will see.

Don't mess with Disney

There are a few things that just can't be done. Or at least not without stirring up the ire of one of the largest and most powerful media companies in the world.

The Walt Disney Company is known for a couple of things. Family animated films is perhaps one of the best know items. And as an example the characters Mickey Mouse, Bambi, and Snow White may be one of the oldest and most widely known of their family films.

But over the years there have been literally hundreds of.. less than family oriented takes on these characters. In fact Snow White has been the subject of more porn revisions than any other topic or subject ever. In fact, as I recall, no film in the world has had more revisionist remakes than Snow White.

Which is likely the insiration for this ad



It's not the Snow White you grew up with.

This version is the child of an ad agency promoting a new beer in Australia. The concept is "Anything but sweet". And the ad is obviously just that. It definitely reflects more on the porn revisions than Disney.

How this sells beer, I'm not quite sure. Condoms sure. Maybe even cigarettes. But beer? I suppose you have to be Australian to get it. (Though I'm surprised none of the characters are in blackface - or is that a line even Australians won't cross much like South Africa in the past)

Obviously Disney isn't happy. The ad is currently pulled from the internet, and next to impossible to find. Though Disney hasn't said anything publicly, there is little doubt they are involved with the sudden disappearance.

I will say this for the ad makers - The Foundry - Ho White and the Serven Dwarves is effective. It caught my attention as well as Disney. It may not sell beer, but it sure will drive attention.

I wonder what will be next?

Movie Preview: The Box

With the summer blockbuster season over, and before the Oscar contenders come out we have this lull in the movies that are filling theaters. These are the movies not good enough for the Oscar, not thrilling enough for summer and not bad enough for January. In other words these are the films that are best seen in your living room on cable.

In this case we have The Box. At a first look at the trailer you would think that this is a new idea. That Hollywood finally came up with something different. But in fact its another in a long and growing line of movies that are a remake. In this case of a Twilight Zone episode from the 70's.



Now the film has of course been revisioned from the original idea. There is more violence, and a touch of the supernatural. Invariably extra has been added to the film to fill up time. Likely none of it is of much use.

I don't want to give up too much of what will happen in the film. Anyone who has seen a Twillight Zone marathon has likely seen the critical plot of the film. The episode was Button, Button. That was based on a short story in Playboy. This remake is so short on ideas that the film even takes place in the 70's.

I like Frank Langella. Carmeron Diaz is ok. But there is nothing really compelling here. It's just an attempt to make a quick buck based on the thought that moviegoers are too young to have seen the original and too lazy (or uninterested) to have seen a Twillight Zone marathon.

In general I dislike remakes. And I despise most revisioned fare from Hollywood. I see no reason for this film to change that general rule.

The entire movie is just what you see in the trailer. If you got a button that does what this does, would you use it? Once that question is answered, the movie is basically over. Just like it was on television.

Given that there is nothing else compelling in theaters right now, I would suggest that you just save your money. Or get a DVD of something you haven't seen in years, or ever. This will be on cable soon enough.

How far have we really come?

The year is 2009. Yet there are still people who act as if the year were 1959. For all the hype of a post-racial America, for all those that continue to deny that any racism exists, they need only look to Louisianna.

Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell of Tangipahoa Parish, recently refused to grant a marriage to a man and woman. His only reason - they are an interracial couple. And he admits doing this several times before.

Wow. It just hits me hard. A supposed member of the Court, sworn to uphold the laws of the State and the nation, blatantly and without remorse is breaking the law. Because he doesn't agree with a racial issue that has nothing to do with him and should not be an issue. And he has been a judge for 34 years.

In all that time this officer of the court has been violating the rights of couples by asking about their races, and refusing to marry those that don't conform to his standards. That's breaking a law that's older than I am, and has been in effect long before he became a justice of the peace. But Justice Bardwell does not consider himself a bigot or racist. Because he has "piles and piles of Black friends".

Stepping away from the thought that I have never refered to the number of friends, or even enemies, I have as piles (or what imagery that might imply). Judge Bardwell has the audacity to claim that he is fair and treats everyone equal. Imagine that.

How equal can any man or woman be to another if on the basis of the color of their skin, and that alone, Justice Bardwell treats them differently? How is that not biased? And one must ask how else this racial prejudice have come out in his legal actions?

I will give Justice Bardwell this, he is open about his prejudice. But as the saying goes

"If you can see one roach, there are a thousand others you cannot."

What really upsets me is that I just wrote about the prejudice of France and Australia. How I just reprimanded both countries for not being in the 21st Century. Because I had forgotten for a moment about the death threats that were given to the Black college football player who proposed to his White girlfriend on national television (they since got happily married). I forgot about the systemic bias in the police across the nation, as clearly defined by the murder of Oscar Grant and Adolph Grimes as well as the shooting of Robbie Tolan. And there are a host of other examples from this year alone, never mind going back several.

This is not a case of some made up racism, like the accusations that stood before Rush Limbaugh. This is not some kind of political accusation meant to deflect any criticism or question of policy, as is being used by Democrats. This is the real racism that runs through the nation, altering what we see on television and movies, reinforcing stereotypes, and affecting the lives of millions both subtly and occasionally obviously.

When we get to see moments of racial bias in the light of day as this has, it makes me ask yet again - How far have we really come?

France and Australia have more in common than you think

Wait, France and Australia? They are on opposite sides of the world. Literally. They don't have a share history. The people in Australia like beer, France has wine. Australia is mostly a big desert known for Mad Max and Mel Gibson. France has the Eiffel Tower, cheese, and hasn't won a war (or really mattered) since a short guy named Napoleon.

These things are all true. But they are very similar in their desire to display buffoonery that mocks Blacks. For Australia its the Aborigine people that are the special focus of this backwards kind of thinking. In France it's usually Moroccans, but they really stepped up the insults with the latest venture into pugnacious "art".



The French Vogue magazine, in all its brilliance, decided that supermodels needed more attention. Which is fine if not a bit absurd. But when it came time to have photos of Black models they decided that blackface was a far more appropriate and fashionable thing to do. Yes, blackface. The key part of the minstrel show that the uneducated and repugnant of the 19th century loved.

I realize that there aren't a lot of models, or supermodels for that matter, that are women of color. It's a problem the entire fashion industry can't seem to figure out. Then again, in my experience, it's far easier to find White women the size and flat board curvaciousness of Olive Oil. And as I have said before

"I have to believe that the designers are the biggest group of fetishists in plain public sight. That's the only explanation. The women they use, or airbrush, are so far from the norm that Janeane Garafalow (her politics) is mainstream in comparison. Obviously they just saw one Popeye cartoon too many. Especially Ralph Lauren."

Still I find it hard to believe that none of the Black supermodels were available. I mean there is Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Iman, Alek Wek, Liya Kebede, Chanel Iman. I mean the photographer, Steven Klein is an American. Couldn't he have had the balls to simple say what Harry Connick Jr. said to the nation of Australia? Did Klein think that no one in America would notice, or care?

Perhaps I'm not as artsy and cultured as our European "friends" or as burly as those down in Australia. But at least I am in the 20th century. Though the fact that both these nations consider racism and prejudice a normal and current way to deal with people of color in their own nations.

Vogue knows better than what they did. They had the ability to bring in Black models, they have the intelligence to know this is offensive. They knew that they were insulting tens of millions of people of color around the world. But maybe they are just like the Australian audience for Hey Hey, its Saturday night! in that they just don't care.

Considering that Blacks across the world have contributed to freedom (including saving the French in WWI, WWII, and Viet Nam), made innovations that have eased life and saved untold millions of people over the centuries, and the least of all - President Obama - you would think they might have a bit of a wake-up call. But it seems not.

I would suggest to every reader I have that buys Vogue to skip it for 3 months (or more if you would like). Send them a message in a color they are sure to respect and understand - money. Blackface is an insult. ANYWHERE in the world to ALL people of color. Perhaps France and Australia would like to join us in the 21st Century on that.

6 months after tragedy in Binghamton, NY

You know what I hate? Well among other things, the hit and run nature of the major media. It's something that really has always annoyed me. The way they swoop in and get a few headlines but never really get the full story, or follow-up. Its a bad change from just a decade or so ago.

Take for example the Civic Center shooting in Binghamton, New York. It was a dark day for the city and tragic. I recall getting a call and a text from friends concerned about me when they heard the news. That's how I found out what was happening 6 blocks from my house. And of course I went to cover the breaking news.

It was a cold rainy day. I spent hours getting photos and finding out whatever I could. The number of rumors that day was incredible. Many thought it might have been a terrorist attack early on. But as I continued to seek out facts the situation became more clear. It was the deranged actions of a single troubled man.

There was of course lots of news media around. They traveled from Ithaca, Syracuse, and I recall a few from New York City in the day or so afterwards. But it was just a day or so before they were all gone, moving on to other stories. Which would be fine, except it nagged me that in all the stories almost none of the media bothered to find out what Binghamton was like before the shooting.

I let it go, expecting that at some point there would be some kind of follow-up. Yet it has never happened. Binghamton was marked as a place with a potential danger or some kind of scarlet letter. And while most people in the nation may not thnk of Binghamton's shooting, when the name comes up it has been something they recall. Which I can't abide.

So I have sought out to tell a bit of the real nature of Binghamton. The city that I have called my home for 5 years now. A city that is small but filled with a diversity of people from across the nation, and more than a few countries. Its a place that is perhaps the safest place I have ever lived, and generally filled with good people.

Part of my desire is to set the record straight. Part of it is as a minor member of the press (I'm no CNN) I believe that the positive side of Binghamton deserves to be shown. And of course part of it is the fact this is where I call home.

Thus I start my ongoing coverage with a 15 minute interview with Mayor Matt Ryan. We discussed some of the events of that day. The difficulties that the local authorities had, and how they were resolved. We discussed what has changed in Binghamton, and more importantly what has not. Overall we spoke about the strength of a community and the ability of its people to overcome adversity.

Thus I present my interview with Mayor Matt Ryan of Binghamton, NY





I hope that this helps complete the part of the news cycle that never got finished back in April. I will have more on this soon.

Rush Limbaugh and the NFL - the true shame

In listening to all the discussion about Rush Limbaugh potentially buying the St. Louis Rams, I come to a simple conclusion. It is yet another example of a saying that I believe the far-left lives by

"You can say anything you want... unless we disagree with it."

It really is just that simple.

Now I am no fan of Rush Limbaugh. He has been as right and as wrong as most any pundit. He's made huge amounts of money being incredibly controversial. In that respect he is not different than say Howard Stern, or Rev. Al Sharpton.

Actually, Limbaugh is better than one of his chief critics - Rev. Sharpton. While there are accusations about what Limbaugh has said - the worst of which are untrue - Rev. Al Sharpton is hardly in a place of judgement. The same is true of Rev. Jesse Jackson. These "Black leaders" have no end of comments that factually they have said. Yet there has never been outrage, or a call by the media, to prevent them from making a living or buying anything.

Think about it. Rush Limbaugh is probably one of the most reviewed people in the nation if not the world. For years, if not longer, the media and various Liberal groups have recorded every word spoken or written by Limbaugh. And at a time in this nation where comments by people like Don Imus and Dog the Bounty Hunter have rightly lead to job losses, there has never been a single report proving Limbaugh has said half of the things he is claimed to have said. Not one.

Had Limbaugh said what is alleged, I too would have cried to prevent his ownership. But he hasn't. So how is it that the NFL folded to such rumors? I mean we are talking about an organization that believes in hiring violent individuals, criminals of various degrees and ex-cons. All of whom are given every excuse and reason for a second, third and in cases more chances. The NFL too has no room to judge anyone as being too controversial or presenting a negative image. And again, this was based on rumor alone.

What does this say about the nation? At this point the word racist is more common than ever before. It's been applied to any person that disagrees politically with the far-left, and especially President Obama. Some have even tried to apply it to me for my political commentary, simply because they did not like the facts I have presented. Did that mean my purchase of my home should have been blocked because of accusations some have written about me on my blogs? That I should be denied business opportunites because I am Republican?

If Rev. Sharpton can make a living after the multiple comments he has made, and Rev. Jackson as well, and the NFL can re-hire ex-convicts and minor criminals, how is it possible to bar Limbaugh.

I truly am concerned. Because the mantra I stated above seems more in action day by day. It reaches from simple entertainment to our highest political offices. It's a scary thought that I find more akin to my time in communist led Moscow than an American value. And the damage it does to true issues of racism that still plague this nation is incalculable.

Reverend Al Sharpton may claim the action against Rush Limbaugh as a victory, but I just see it as a slap against America.

Selling sex - in book form

Sometimes a catchy title just perks the interest. No matter if it's for a movie, a book, or an article. You just want to know more. So when I saw the article called "Why Women Really Have Sex" I had to stop.

The first thought that has to pop into your mind is, because they are alive? I mean it's not a big philosophical question. It's kind of like eating and breathing. But I just had to see what a book with this title was about.

The article, essentially more of a 'go buy this' than a review, detailed that the reasons women have sex is far more complex than I could imagine. Which could be true since I am a man. But I doubted it.

Reading the review honestly gave me no new insights, nor compelled me to buy the book. Women have sex because it feels good, they want something, and its natural. That's not exactly the reasons that were given, but it just breaks down to that. Which is exactly what I thought in the first place.

The book tries to dress all of this up though. It's based on research over 5 years with information from 1,000 women of various ages and sexual orientations. They even gave 13 different major reasons that appear in greater detail in the book.

Examples are: Mate poaching

"It's still a bad thing to do. But the bottom line is men and women mates poach because a lot of times the good ones are taken up. It is the case that if a good-looking guy has a good looking partner, then he must be doing something right to get this good-looking partner. She's already preselected him, and this in some ways makes him more desirable."

That falls under, it's natural and they want something. The fact that it's natural to be attracted to someone that others find attractive is basic. That's natural selection and been around since cavemen. Wanting what others have is as simple as "keeping up with the Jones'". But this excuse sounds like justification to me.

To Get Closer to God

"It was a dream come true, being with this incredible man. I was able to lose myself and see God, where the edges of the dreamworld and the real world met." Heterosexual woman, age 23"

Again, it's natural and feels good. Obviously very good for this woman.

To Even The Score, and Out of pity and a Want for Power

I combined these 2 as they are the same thing. Here is one quote

"I had sex with a couple of guys because I felt sorry for them. These guys were virgins and I felt bad that they had never had sex before so I had sex with them. I felt like I was doing them a big favor that no one else had ever done. I felt power over them, like they were weaklings under me and I was in control. It boosted my confidence to be the teacher in the situation and made me feel more desirable." Heterosexual woman, age 25"

Simply put, it is the want of something. Revenge, power, whatever.

Perhaps the classic worst reason I have ever heard may be these. I am combining them as they too are the same thing.

For Money, Out of Boredom and Want of a good meal, Because everyone else is doing it

"I only [have sex for money] with my kid's father. Not a prostitute or anything and because I love him but nothing is free in this world." Heterosexual woman, age 32"

That is just sad. It's insulting. And yes it is prostitution. Whether its cash or a meal. But again they all fall under wanting something. Just the really worst things to want, and a poor reflection on women that believe in this - in my male opinion.

Perhaps the only example of why anyone would buy this book is something I have never heard before.

"A lot of women report that the moment of penetration is the most pleasurable aspect of sex," said Buss, who previously published "The Evolution of Desire" about varying cultural attitudes about sex. "Orgasm is certainly up there, it's in the top three, but I don't know if it's the No. 1 physical reason."

Really? I've known many women, in fact all of them, that would differ with this conclusion. But I hardly could argue the point. So that was new to me, but still it falls under feeling good and being natural.

Seriously, a catchy title is the big draw for most things being sold. This book is just that, a title and nothing of real benefit - as I see it. But I didn't read it, and I won't. If any of my female readers do read this, I would love to hear if anything in this book goes beyond what I have concluded. Or if it's worth the money.

There's still time

Just a quick reminder that there is still time to get a stylish and unique addition to your Halloween costume from Alchemy at World of Vass.

Of course you don't have to be just looking for an addition to the perfect look on Halloween to visit the store. With the addition of T-shirts (for men and women), as well as ciggerette cases, lighters, earrings, pendants, goblets, rings, shot glasses, cell phone chains and bracelets there is something for any occasion and everyone.

But that's not all. Soon we will be adding even more T-shirt selections, flags, posters, belt buckles, handbags, purses, wallets, flasks, cuff links, and more.

Whether you are goth or just a person that likes fine quality, authentic English Pewter, Swarovski crystals or something just a bit different, Alchemy at World of Vass has something I'm sure you will enjoy.

Thank you for your support. It is appreciated.

Michael Vass

Maybe there is hope for mankind yet

In probably the happiest news I've learned about in year I can now say that the Fox 'Reality' Channel will be ending. That's right, a 'reality' network is going to dust.

After what seemed like an endless run of this programming trend, turning countless numbers of people into chattel for the television corporations, an end is in sight. And not a moment too soon as Flava Flav is about to venture into schools and directly corrupt minds with this trash.

I cannot say that I will miss a single program. In fact, I can say with glee that I have never seen more than 5 minutes of any 'reality' program since I watched a full episode of Survivor the first season. That experience was enough to kill more brain cells than the grain alcohol party in my freshman year in college.

Maybe, just maybe, television executives will spend a little money and get writers to provide something with the semblance of originality. Just maybe a spark of innovation will venture through the ITV and provide the next generation something more than the notion that acting like a buffoon is desirable.

Considering the plethora of copycat shows (CSI is CIS: NY is NCIS, Law & Order is Law & Order with an alphabet, they all are more original than Medium, Numbe3rs, Cold Case and so on) and the near limitless ways that Viacom found to market Flav and his nymphette minions, I was ready to declare that the Romans watching the gladiators as Rome decayed into ruin were riding the crest of the wave of their civilizations demise compared to today. But Fox may be ahead of the curve in noticing that reality is what people want to escape while watching TV. And there is just so many times you can watch some idiot make a complete churl of themselves.

I don't know what the next trend in television might be, but I can only hope that it might have some tiny bit of imagination and intelligence. I'm asking for way too much, but you never know. You can't get what you don't ask for.

Jon Gosselin - looking worse every day

A while back, before news first broke of Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin divorcing, I took a position that the media was being unfair to the couple. I defended his ability to go out with friends to have a drink. To have time to just be around friends and have a little time off from the 8 children that required 98% of his time everyday. At that time it looked like the media was just dad-bashing.

Since that time Jon Gosselin has done just about everything he can to make me feel bad about the position I took. He has flaunted the broken marriage, separated himself from his kids, and allowed the media into a divorce that is anything but friendly. He has become more of a louse than anything else.

I still believe that the media intrusion into the life of the family did not help anyone in the Gosselin family. Maybe they would have stayed together without the cameras, maybe not. But there is no question that the added stress of public life did not help the situation.

That said, this is even worse for the kids than I imagined. Not only are their parents divorcing badly, essentially before millions and directly in front of those they live around, but they will have the added issues that any child goes through when parents divorce. Plus there is the fact that neither parent seems to be a shining beacon of decorum..

Perhaps the thing that upset me most is the fact that Jon Gosselin took $180,000 from the joint account he had with Kate. I doubt if that was every penny in the account, at least I would hope not as the needs of 8 children require ample funds available. Such an act irritates me, and I have to comment on it though I prefer to leave the private issues of celebrities alone.

It is a sad statement of our society when a man can remove the security blanket of his family solely to cause pain and anger to his wife. Especially when the media is there to watch it all happen. It's a negative message at every level. Young men are being taught that fame and money are far more important than marriage and family responsibilities.

I like to think that Jon Gosselin is above that. But that is not what is being reported. And the media is all over both of the Gosselin's enough that even if there is a media bias against all fathers, his actions still stand as problematic.

Even his recent cease-and-desist letter to the TLC network about filming his children takes on a disingenuous tone. It seems more akin to a punishment for Kate Gosselin than to protect his kids. The money and fame was fine while he was there, but suddenly when he is not it is too much. That may not be the way it is, but it does look that way.

Ultimately I feel bad for the children. If there were no other reason for the parents to be quiet publicly, to appear amenable, it would be for the sake of the kids. Because while the tabloids are laying the groundwork for a lifetime of painful memories for the children, none of them will be around for any positive effect on those kids. Once all this is over, the tabloids will walk away, and wait for the poison they have injected to these kids lives to surface so they can cash in again.

Jon Gosselin is not helping this. Kate Gosselin has issues as well, not least of which is continuing with the show (to be called Kate plus 8). But as a man, I look at Jon and know that men are supposed to behave better - even in a bad situation. He has made the worst of the media hype believable and fair.

I said this before, there is no upside from all of this. The media and the Gosselin's combined are in the wrong. I just hope they all can shut up publicly and do what is best for the kids. Because when its all said and done, they are really the only ones that matter at all.

President Obama vs. Fox News - bias or not?

So the White House is upset with Fox News. The President just doesn't like the coverage he gets there. Because they must be less than legitamite since they criticize his Administration. Are they serious?

Now I have no problem with anyone that wants to critique the major news media. There are multiple issues I have, ranging from the disproportionate representation of people of color in television shows to the subliminal reinforcement of stereotypes in news coverage and advertisements. I write about it often. But to be realistic, there is no one major media outlet that is far and away worse than all the others.

Of course when we focus only on the news media I begin to see the situation. Considering that virtually all the news media fawns over President Obama, Fox News actually doing there jobs must be a pain in the ass. They are the one place that reality sinks in, and rockstars prefer groupies to critics.

Think about it. ACORN has abused the system, promoting criminal activities and corrupting votes across the country. It took over a week and a preponderance of evidence before the rest of the media even noticed there was a story there. Hmm, political corruption on a national level. Sounds like a job that the news media is supposed to do.

What about officials in the Government. Besides telling the public about people in positions of power that have less than reputable backgrounds (Van Jones is a great and obvious choice) isn't it the job of the news media to mention the problems (like failing to pay taxes - which almost everyone in or proposed to be in the Obama Administration has failed to do) in our Government? Isn't that what most of the media did non-stop against President Bush?

And those are just 2 examples of many. The fact that a President is a rockstar does not mean they are above critique or observation. It's part of the job. And President Obama has had many things to critique, just check my political blog VASS to see what I mean.

When President Bush was in office, didn't he get hammered with tough questions every time he spoke to the press? Wasn't MSNBC treating President Bush even worse than Fox is accused of treating President Obama?

The media is not perfect. They all have agendas and preferences. But for the White House to attack one organization for doing its job - that smacks of abuse of power. How dare anyone question President Obama. How dare anyone question obvious flaws in policy. They have to be solely stooges for political adversaries and racists. Except that would be a lie to say.

Notice that the White House has not stated any materially important facts that were wrongly reported or commented (ie correcting the name of the city of an upcoming Olympics is not materially important). Notice that there is nothing that wasn't true. They didn't like it, but that does not mean it was false.

No, the White House would prefer that the public either drools with excitement (like some at MSNBC seem to do) if President Obama speaks, or completely ignores the news of the day. It's much easier to pass legislation that no one has read if no one pays attention.

Fox News is not perfect. I have had issue with some of the statements and coverage it has presented over the years. I have disagreed, strongly at times, with the opinions of Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Sheppard Smith. Yet I watch the channel every day because even when I disagree, the quality of the news and commentary is consistently far superior to other channels. And it is because I watch everyday that the silly internet bashers that misquote, and the bullying of the White House stand out for what they are.

Simply put, if an Administration is hell bent to make sure you don't see something it stands to reason that you should pay attention. Put another way, if this was President Bush telling you not to watch a news channel many would flock to see what he disliked and why. The fact that President Obama is Black and a rockstar politician doesn't change that reasoning.

Does Ralph Lauren have a fetish?

Like most people in the world I tend to find models too thin. Does that make them bad people? No. But it does make me wonder why they are so popular.

This all came up because of the actions of Ralph Lauren. In his quest to display his clothing on models that (after airbrushing) could moonlight as pipecleaners, he pissed off Boing Boing (a blog) and garnered far more negative publicity than he could have imagined. But a female friend of mine specualted why all men are so enraptured by women of few dimensions.

Honestly, I am aware of no one that likes a woman so bony a dog would pass them up. It's something that has completely bewildered me. For decades I have seen fashion models and been unimpressed. Of all my friends from high school and college, I cannot think of 1 that considered the weight of a model as attractive. Even the lesbian women I know think that feminine curves look far better than the sickly look of near-anorexia. And as for my models, they all are just natural women.

So where does the pressure come from? Why must the fashion industry near-exclusively use women of a size sub-zero?

I have to believe that the designers are the biggest group of fetishists in plain public sight. That's the only explaination. The women they use, or airbrush, are so far from the norm that Janeane Garafalow (her politics) is mainstream in comparison. Obviously they just saw one Popeye cartoon too many. Especially Ralph Lauren.

When you think about it, only a group of people obsessed with a singular fetish could gather together to make the most unwomanly women objects of desire. They are not the women that get married every day, they are not the moms that raised us all. They aren't even the women that a normal man looks forward to seeing in Playboy.

Why is this important? Well some so desire to be accepted that they will do anything to fit what they see as the ideal of society. And that means becoming anorexic or bulemic. Neither is a state that is worth the false impression of beauty.

The same thing applies to those that airbrush out the "baby bumps" or actresses and models, or lightens the skin of women of color - like L'Oreal did to Beyonce. As Jo Swinson said

"Today's unrealistic idea of what is beautiful means that young girls are under more pressure now than they were even five years ago...The focus on women's appearance has got out of hand - no one really has perfect skin, perfect hair and a perfect figure, but women and young girls increasingly feel that nothing less than thin and perfect will do."

I don't care if Lauren has a fetish about pipecleaners. I don't care that he wants to make a living while celebrating his appraent fetish. But I do care when anyone is put into a place where they feel that they have to behave unnaturally to match the fetish in someone else brain.

Let me be clear, looking like a model - especially in a magazine - is not beauty. No woman should ever be compelled to feel like it is. Because any normal man (or woman for that matter) will always prefer reality over someone else's fetish.

And if Ralph lauren doesn't like my opinion, he can piss off.

M V Consulting, Inc. Announces the Creation of 2 New Divisions

New York, New York (PRWEB) October 13, 2009 -- M V Consulting, Inc. announced the creation and launch of 2 new divisions for the diversified company. This new expansion creates a total of 6 separate divisions within the Company. Besides the Search Engine Optimization, Investor Relations, professional Blog writing and online store for the Company's 21 unique designer clothing lines, the Company now includes a Video Production (http://www.vassconsult.com/videoproduction/index.html) division and the Alchemy at World Of Vass (http://alchemy.vassconsult.com).

M V Consulting, Inc. president Michael Vass stated,

"This has been a trying year for all companies and individuals around the globe. But in these times of struggle it is my firm belief that diversifying and growing the services and products we provide to clients and consumers is critical to continued exponential growth."

Mr. Vass went on to say,

"So far this year we have been able to increase the unique fashionable designer clothing lines available via our online store. We have remodeled our well known political blog site that was featured on TV One's online coverage of the 2008 Presidential election cycle. We have expanded our base of writing for commercial blogs, while covering issues from the most serious to the most entertaining - such as the Oscar Grant murder in Oakland, the debate on Health Care Reform, Movie previews and reviews, and more.

We feel the effect of the tight economy as much as any business in America. But we intend to use the opportunities it provides to be around for the recovery and long after."

The Video Production division

With the growth of the internet and various visual and electronic media, millions of individuals are seeking ways to share their moments of pride, family gatherings, and everyday activities. There is no question that there are dozens of products and services available, in fact too many for the average person who has to balance a busy work schedule, family, and recreation if possible.

Thus M V Consulting's Video Production division is the answer. We take video and/or images and combine them into a seamless and high quality format. Essentially we create the modern version of home movies that can be shared with family and friends via CD's, or on social networking sites like Facebook and Youtube. These videos can even be enhanced with music creating personalized music videos. All for a reasonable fee without hassle or purchases of massive amounts of technology.

Alchemy at World of Vass

This division deals solely with the high quality product lines created by Alchemy of England. As a reseller of the Alchemy consumer goods, we seek to provide consumers with access to the finest in genuine English Pewter and Swarovski crystal handmade imported items. Via the online store consumers can directly order as few as 1 item to hundreds including earrings, pendants, belt buckles, flasks, cigarette cases, goblets and more from the entire Alchemy product line. Whether the purchase is for a birthday, a holiday adornment, or just personal expression consumers can enjoy the knowledge that all goods are imported directly from England, and are of the highest craftsmanship.

About M V Consulting, Inc.

The Company is a diversified company primarily focused on business activities involving or interacting with the internet. The Company has been in existence since 2006, with President Michael Vass having nearly a decade of experience extending before the creation of the Company. The Company is familiar with the real world needs of corporations and individuals in creating effective internet properties. From websites to blogs to creation of content, even direct sales, the Company has been involved with it all.

The Company owns: www.blackentertainmentblog.com, www.mvass.com, the corporate website www.vassconsult.com, the new alchemy.vassconsult.com online store and provides its clothing line via www.cafepress.com/nova68

President Obama is Kanye West

I have been speaking with several friends over the weekend and today about President Obama's winning the Nobel Peace Prize. In all those discussions, it suddenly dawned on me that President Obama may be the older twin of Kanye West.

Think about it for a moment. You will be surprised by the number of similarities both men have.

Both have had the media lavish praise on them.

Both believe they should be praised for appearing anywhere.

Kanye West goes to MTV Awards (US and Europe) and must always have a mike, get an award, and express his opinion - President Obama expects praise whenever he makes a speech, went to Denmark and expected to get the Olympics, and creates policy based on his personal beliefs.

Both men have a Jesus complex (West on Rolling Stone, Obama gets it from MSNBC)

Both are considered rockstars in thier respective industries.

Neither seems to have a clue about reality.

Both are Black.

Both love to hear themselves speak.

Both have a fanbase that will defend them no matter what they do.

Both are Democrats (and Liberals to the best of my knowledge)

Both have bad tempers when their faults are pointed out.

Obviously President Obama is older. They are not related. And the Presidency is far more important. But still it just seems so uncanny how many things they have in common.

Too bad that neither benefits from the similarities.

Nicholas Cage is better than Method Man - so the IRS apparently thinks

I think that someone in the IRS must really be a fan of Ghost Rider. Or perhaps this head honcho just loved Con Air. It has to be something like that, since I just found out about Nicholas Cage.

Nicholas Cage owes the IRS $6 million since 2007. Which does not include a lien against him for $350,000 back in 2003 - 2005. Of course the IRS is not looking to arrest Nicholas Cage. Which sets him apart from other celebrities.

As I mentioned last week, Method Man was arrested because he owes $33,000 to the IRS. Of course part of that arrest may lie in the excuse Method Man has for not paying the taxes

"Method Man has publicly said that he suffers from memory loss due to his penchant for smoke Marijuana, and that is the prime reason he has missed his tax payments."

Even if true it's a dumb reason. And illegal. But that aside, isn't it interesting?

Method Man is facing 5 years in prison. Wesley Snipe was sentenced to 3 years in prison, after beating the IRS on charges of evading takes on $14 million and facing 16 years in prison. The 3 year sentence was for 3 misdemeanours - and is universally seen as overly harsh. On the other side of things, besides the non-action on Cage, there was Willie Nelson who owed $33 million dollars and got probation.

Perhaps it's me, but this looks like a systemic problem. There seems to be a massive issue here, and I doubt that anyone in the major media will raise it.

Why is it that Nelson got off scot-free? Why is Cage seemingly untouched? Yet there was no end of media coverage negatively implying his guilt. And Method Man seems hardly in the same category, though the IRS took and sold his car and now has arrested him.

I realize that often celebrities and entertainers are slapped on the wrist for most criminal actions. Rappers, and other entertainers, are routinely absolved of possession of drugs, sex with minors, even acts of violence. But when it comes to taxes, well things appear to be very different. Are we to infer that the IRS loves country music and occasionally bad acting so much that it will give a free pass to those entertainers, but if the music and actor is outside that realm the whole weigh of the Government is thrown at them?

Personally, I think that all the entertainers and celebrities (not to mention a host of politicians) should be treated harsher than the average person when they break the law. The perks their careers provide should be the best reason not to commit a crime - of any nature. They need to be examples as much as they are role models in the society - even if they don't wish to acknowledge that they are that.

But when I say harsh penalties, I mean harsh with a level playing field. it is the highest hypocrisy to have one entertainer face jail for $33,000 and another entertainer walking free as a bird without a care while owing $6,350,000. If nothing else it implies a favouritism and prejudice. Neither should exist and must be removed from the Government and law.

The IRS is not a movie mogul, nor an Oscar judge. It is not a Grammy official, or in record sales. It has one purpose (which no one loves, given) and that purpose sees only 1 color - green. If the IRS cannot get that right, well then why do we have it?

I wish Nicholas Cage no ill, but if I could I'd make sure he was in the same boat as Wesley Snipes. At least that would make sense.

Movie Review: Surrogates

Surrogates is the latest film to feature Bruce Willis. It's an action sci-fi combination that plays on familiar themes, and slips in a bit ot philosophy/politics when you aren't looking.

Starting with the plot, it does have one. It's not hard to follow and it is set-up well. The progrssion of AI and robotics eventually leads to the creation of human looking Waldo's. Initally meant to be an aid to the disabled, it is adapted by the millitary and then consumer versions. The device becomes wildly popular and soon the entire world is using this. The ultimate couch potatoe luxury item for everyone.

Well almost everyone. There are humans that are against the idea. And they set-up conclaves within the U.S. and presumably the world, where no machinery exists. Essentially they are ludites.

All of this you probably got from the trailers for the movie. But the plot quickly moves around. We start with a murder, actually 2 of them, via the surrogate machines. Then we shift to a conspiracy to another one, and then to a love story, and finally to a moral dilema.

All of the themes work on a level, to an extent. But they all fail as well. The biggest problem is that you don't feel like any side in this film is really all that compelling.

Ving Rhames character is a support role, but not very essential to the movie, though he is a key to the plot. In fact everyone except Willis is basically a weak minor support. Which would be fine, but the acting of Willis seems as weary and devoid of emotion as the surrogate robots the fill this movie world.

The special effects of the film are decent but not spectacular. The same can be said of the CGI scenes. Overall you geta bland feeling in looking at the various city scenes. Which is likely what was intended, as this is the effect of the surrogates.

Are there plot holes in the film? Many, and the pace of the film allows you time to wonder about them. Is there lots of gunplay and explosions? Not as much as you would thing. Though there are more than a few scenes of large groups of people being destroyed, except these are all robots so everyone is safe.

The big question of the film is, what makes us human? Is technology a tool for our benefit or a means of destroying us while we still live?

The end of the film is like the rest of it, a bit contrived and far too neat to be believable.

There is a bit of humor though in seeing what most of the characters really look like without their robotic counterparts.Not enough to make the film worthwhile but interesting for a few seconds. Similar to what we learn of the guy controlling the wife in the boring Gamer film.

There's not much to say about Surrogates as there isn't that much to speak about. The film is not compelling, you don't really feel engaged at any point. Overall it was a decent film but not worth a movie ticket. I'd propbaly buy the DVD to keep up with my Bruce Willis collection of films, but that would be the only reason.

Sean Hannity vs. Michael Moore

Commentary about these interviews can be found at VASS.

Headline Review

Here is a new feature that I will be trying for a while. Let me know what you think.



Oh, keep an eye out for a press release from M V Consulting, Inc. next week.

Oscar Grant trial - now its about 'emotional' African Americans

It's just one of those days. The racial bias in the news just seems to be rolling of the presses. This time its in reference to a trial I have long been discussing. Johannes Mehserle.

Johannes Mehserle is the former officer that allegedly shot the unarmed and defenseless Oscar Grant in the back on January 1st of this year. It was the first murder of the year (I believe), and was the unofficial welcome to office for President Obama.

I have stated in no uncertain terms, that I believe Mehserle is guilty. The fact that at least 4 separate videos of the shooting exist that I have seen, in addition to preliminary testimony for police that is at best questionable, plus the actions to evade prosecution by Mehserle have all led to that belief. But according to the lawyer for Mehserle it is that combination of facts, which cause me to be upset, that guarantee no African American can be fair in the trial without even presenting a single piece of evidence for Johannes Mehserle.

In fact, the defense has gone so far as to ask for a change of venue to move the trial out of Almeda County. They have stated that polls (of unknown quality and suspect technique) done for the defense show that 80% of all African Americans in Almeda County believe Mehserle is guilty. The defense has inferred that African Americans are too emotional and devoid of logic to put aside their passions and evaluate facts.

Thus if the trial is not moved, an action and motivation that allowed the officers on trial for the Rodney King beating to evade justice, the defense - Michael Rains - has requested the following:

"Mehserle will be entitled to question every black juror, in private, in substantial depth, about prejudgment. The questioning will be intense, awkward, personal and uncomfortable."

So I take it that the defense plans to either move the trial because 87% of Almeda County (the non-Black resident percentage) just hangs on the every word and thought of the Black community there, or any African American called to jury duty and selected for this trial will be taken to the side and intimidated in a style reminiscent of Mississippi in 1960.

Now my job may be to comment on events in the nation and the world and in doing so express my opinions and feelings - but I have no illusion that everyone that reads what I write agrees with me. No matter the color of their skin, age, religious background or sex. Yet the defense in this case is trying to claim exactly that same kind of situation. Essentially they are insulting every person of color in the nation and reviving streotypes that just can't seem to be left for dead in the past.

45% of all people polled by the defense stated that they had no opinion, or favored, Mehserle. So far there is no legal evidence presented - since the trial has yet to start. But if the defense thinks that just poking at race will allow Mehserle to bypass the legal system I think Mehserle should plan for a long stay in a very small room.

It is one thing for evidence to prove that Mehserle is innocent. It is a far cry differnt for race baiting to allow him to avoid prosecution.

So I come to this conclusion, Mehserle knows that testimony from officers found to have changed their story multiple times is not enough. That video from multiple sources makes a very clear and strong case. That an unarmed man lying on the ground face down isn't a threat to anything but an ant. That all of this combined equates to life in jail, UNLESS enough prejudice can be stirred up beforehand to create a biased verdict in his favor.

That's not emotion, that's logic based on facts at hand. But if Rains wants emotion I will take a moment and provide him some - if his client gets convicted I would love to see him get the death penalty.