Goofy Get Your Gun

It had to be Florida! Sometimes when I'm watching the National News, just like black folks pray it shouldn't be somebody who looks like us, I'm now tempted to wish it's not Florida. Seriously, how in the world does one state find a way to get in the national spotlight like this? If it's not voting debacles, it's female teacher and student unseemly relationships, or college football brawls (and the list goes on).

So last night, my resident state was back in that spotlight it craves and now with the NRA! The NRA won a major battle a couple of weeks ago when the Supreme Court upheld the 2nd amendment which challenged the hand-guns ban in Washington DC for almost three decades. But NRA's battle was not done, it's on to DisneyWorld.

Yes, read that one more time, DisneyWorld. NRA is challenging "the happiest place in the world's" position about its employees not bringing guns to work. This is another attempt for 2nd Amendment justification. Look, NRA, nobody is going against the 2nd Amendment but you also have to follow the laws of your school or workplace.

I was on a campus that states clearly not to bring a gun to campus grounds. Is that banning a right to bear arms? No but if you want an education, you better follow the bylaws of the school. Same for a workplace especially after many stories of going "postal," why would the people at Disney where families go to escape not follow a safe environment law not for just its employees but for the families who enjoy its services?

I guess you see where I'm going with this, I believe in the constitution but I don't just follow the letter of the law, which I think NRA loves to do but consider the spirit of the said law.

Tags: NRA, DisneyWorld, Gun Laws, Florida, Supreme Court

Back From the 4th

Hi Everybody:

It's been a while and like many in our great country I took some time off during the the 4th of July weekend. I was stuffed from all the barbeque and trust me, I'm thinking putting some more time at the gym and going off meat for a week.

But a lot of things have happened while I unplugged and I'm ready share my musings . . .

Things I Don't Get - Men's Trends

Another installment of "things I don't get" as I head into our national holiday and this time I turn my attention to the men and what they think is hip or stylish that leave me confused:

I don't get sagging pants on grown men: See I don't have a problem with teenagers with this trend. Ok, I teased a teenage family relative once last year he could meet his impatient friend outside quicker if he pulled up his pants. For the most past, I feel teenagers will grow out of it or the workplace will dictate their fashion choices but when grown men from 25, ok, give them 28 hold on to this trend, I'm left wondering with questions like "what are they thinking?"

I understand the hip-hop world sometimes dictates this trend but come on! Jay-Z is even pulling up his pants and rightfully so when you're pushing 40. This is a national outrage as seen in this video:


I don't get dreadlocks/braids on guys over 35: Listen up guys! The dreads or braids need to go after this critical age. This is one of Cedric the Entertainer's stand up routine of being "a grown ass man." After 35 and still keeping the dreads just looks like you're TRYING to be cool when you might already be.

As a member of a former church, there was a certain Brother that was well past 40 with pronounced receding hairlines, some of my friends called him a slim version of R-Kelly and he was still doing the cornrows. The cornrows started from like two inches from his forehead. Seriously, as nice as the guy seemed to be, that absurd look always got to me. I was thinking anytime he walked by could somebody just tell him to go bald.

Since many brothers take after celebrities especially singers to woo the ladies, I want to show you proof of singers who got rid of the dreads after 35: Eric Benet - check out his clean look for the past four years:
Maxwell (where has he been?) who came out of Exile on the BET Awards (He looked completely different - still handsome grown up):


I don't get the crayola colors trends started by Kanye West: Guys you're NOT Kanye! The funny thing about this rainbow colors is that it makes the guys look like caricatures. And you can tell they are imitating somebody. Let me tell you something guys, Kanye became Kanye by being an individual - a corky individual but one no less. He debunked the tracksuits - the hip-hop uniform at the time for a streamlined preppy look. That's why he is rightfully a "style icon" as he wants to be seen among other things.


You guys copying Kanye's style doesn't make you stylish, it makes you a copycat. How's that for a label when an original would be more complimentary. Get back to the classics of neutrals, with a dash of color and stop making us girls dizzy with the technicolor of crayolas.

Tags: Men's Trends, Dreadlocks, Eric Benet, Kanye West, Maxwell, Sagging Pants, Style

Thurgood Marshall Would Have Been 100

Today, would have been the first black Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall's 100th birthday. Just needed to take some time to acknowledge his would be centennial birthday and remember the great contribution Marshall made when it came to desegregating schools.

Tags: Thurgood Marshall, Brown Vs. Board

Ante Up For Africa

In this celebrity-obsessed world we live in, I'm an admirer of a handful (maybe close to two handfuls) of such celebrities. I’ve always felt fame should be used for something worthwhile and those who are famous for doing nothing don’t hold my attention (I’m not going to give such people credit by naming them).

That’s why Don Cheadle is one of those celebrities I hold in high regard. He deserved the BET’s 2007 Humanitarian award, the Peace Award (along with his buddy, George Clooney) last December among other accolades for his incredible work he’s doing in Africa particularly in Darfur.

So today, Cheadle, the self-proclaimed “actorvist” continues his great work by mixing it up with a little play – World Series Poker to aid the genocide victims in Darfur. Tonight, the annual “Ante Up For Africa” commences with various participants such as famed gambler Charles Barkley, who’s lost millions for his habit (at least now he’s doing it for charity)and other athletes along with some Hollywood celebrities engaging in their love for poker but the proceeds go to two worthy causes. Again, a tip of the hat to Cheadle.

More information can be found here: Ante Up For Africa

Tags: Ante Up For Africa, Darfur, Don Cheadle, World Series Poker

What Does Iraq Have To Do With the NBA?

My favorite sports league is driving me nuts. I'm talking about none other than the NBA of course. For the past few years, this league has been embroiled in controversy from the brawl in Detroit's "Palace," dress codes enforced (I supported that after seeing the way Rasheed Wallace came to a 2005 playoff game), to games being fixed by referee(s).

The last incident was the straw that broke the camel's back because the integrity of the game was now in question because a certain referee (Tim Donaghy) was betting on the games. Most people believe a form of accountability on the part of the referees needs to be enforced (present company included). But I wouldn't have taken it literally to bring in an Army General. Seriously!!!

So Army Major Gen. Ronald Johnson is now the Sr. VP of Referee Operations and his experience is 32 years serving in the military as a combat engineer. First of all, let me say to Gen. Johnson thanks for your service to our country. Second, I really want to know what such great service in combat have to do with referees' calls or non-calls? Yeah, yeah, yeah, the game of basketball is a combart of sorts but could somebody at least have some experience in officiating some games first before overseeing somebody else? I'm just saying.

Also, if an NBA official have to go through different ranks from serving as a referee in high school, college, then maybe some other professional leagues before the highest league, the NBA, why can't the overseer do the same?

According to David Stern, NBA Commissioner's statement: "Ron's wealth of leadership and management experience, together with his engineering expertise in areas such as systems analysis, processes, and operations, make him an ideal candidate to lead our officiating program . . ." Thanks Commish, I feel much better now (not), what does that have to do with a wrong call on goal tending, charging, or blocking? This guy has not participated in any officiating?

Some reports says he holds multiple graduate degrees - I'm impressed! Also, love the fact this General is a Brother but come on! I've been watching this game for over 20 years and I can make a wise decision too from my experience of TV viewership officiating if that's all it takes. But then again, I don't have multiple graduate degrees (one is more than enough for me right now), and this guy has been in his career longer than I've been living. Oh well . . .I still don't like it.

Tags: Army Maj. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson, Tim Donaghy, David Stern, Referee scandal

Thanks for the Shout Out

Writing is a lonely profession and sometimes I wonder if I'm just a voice in the wilderness. Once in a while, it's a great to get a shot in the arm, so to speak by a comment left on this blog, an e-mail encouragement to go on or one in blogosphere.

I'm grateful for all forms but I'd like to send a special shout-out to Electronic Village for the "Black Bloggers Power Rank." I started this second blog less than two months ago and I'm thankful for the fast acknowledgement.

Hope to continue and I look forward to your comments even if you don't agree "with me :-)