Welcome to Afronerd!
A new and needed web sanctuary for people of color with intellectual and artistic pursuits. In this blog we will be addressing interesting and varied subjects, i.e. current national/world affairs, culture, science, religion, politics, entertainment and literature(including graphic novels a/k/a comic books.....yes comics). We hope you enjoy the exchange of ideas.
Peace & Godspeed.
Sunday at 8pm Afronerd Radio-Interview with UVC creator, Ron King
We have a special treat for the comic book aficionados that frequent Afronerd-an interview with Ron King, the creator of UVC (Urban Voice in Comics) magazine. So this time around we do plan to talk about graphic novels, the comic book industry as it relates to minorities and past/upcoming characters of color. And in homage to Black fanboys everywhere, check out the clip from Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy and of course, please excuse the expletives. Give us a call-again, our show broadcasts “live” Sunday at 8pm(eastern)-reach us at-646-915-9620. Also feel free to email or IM Mr. Starks and I at afronerdradio@yahoo. And don’t forget-Be there and Be square.
Remember Afronerd Radio's Week in Review Tomorrow at 9pm eastern...also Afronerd Does NPR
Just reminding our readers that we have another Week in Review program scheduled for 9pm eastern. A few more topics have to be added to our George Foreman conservative grill-Bill O'Reilly made some interesting remarks about dining at Sylvia's Harlem restaurant, Adrianne Curry also said some interesting things, Isiah Thomas testifies in the Anucha Browne-Sanders sexual harassment case, BET's Hip Hop vs America special and a smorgasbord full of additional topics. Drop by with your thoughts either by phone-646-915-9620 or email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. And for an additional treat, check out our latest Bloggers Roundtable NPR appearance. Enjoy!
Here We Go Again.....Adrianne Curry proves once again why a mind is a terrible thing to waste....Model Boycotts BET for the wrong reason
I'm not sure if our readers are familiar with this story but it does appear to be gaining ground within the Black blogosphere. The only reason I decided to provide an editorial on this matter is because this latest celebrity faux pas against education conversely demonstrates a lack of an education. Talk about a mind being a terrible thing to waste. I posted the above clip as an example of what an uneducated person sounds like-with Adrianne Curry’s current footinmouth disease encapsulating a similar premise. The clip also shows that certain folks should never be passed the microphone or blog. Apparently Curry, best known for her reality TV career (My Fair Brady, Surreal Life, America’s Top Model, etc) has made some rather provocative statements on her blog calling for a boycott of both BET and Black History Month. Ironically, BET should be boycotted (and if you ask BET CEO Debra Lee-demonstrations in front of her home certainly feel like a boycott) but not for the convoluted reasons that Curry has delineated. What our country requires more than ever is a comprehensive re-education initiative that encompasses the history, culture and/or historical achievements of all of its citizens, so that we can stamp out this current and horrific scourge of footinmouth disease. Let’s take a look at Curry’s diatribe in question (she has of course, provided the customary next day capitulation):
MY Boycott against BET and Black History Month
Because of my last blog, and all the wonderful feedback I got..it made me think...
This is gonna be hard guys. I LOVE the comedians on BET. I also LOVE the fact that they play my favorite show of all time, In Living Color. However, I do not believe in seperating ANY RACE in America. WE ARE AMERICANS! How dare we have Black History Month! In my eyes, the Native Americans deserve it MUCH more, seeing how we destroyed their ENTIRE SOCIETY. There are hardly any of them left! They also have been proven to have the WORST living conditions on their reservations. I want AN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH. One where we learn about EVERY race, ALL OF OUR LEADERS, EVERYONE! I think by having a month dedicated to one race, and not one for any other, is RACIST. Every fund set up to only help people of one race is SICK and RACIST.
Yes, I get it. Black people were slaves here once. You know what? That does suck some major balls, however, it is time to move the fuck on. Do we hear the Jews crying that they were made slaves for thousands of years? Do we hear them whine that they should OWN the pyramids in Egypt because THEY broke their backs making them? Do we hear them bitch and moan about Hitler, etc? (my hubby is a Jew)Nope, we dont. It's time for us to UNITE AS ONE. I do not think that singling out one race, giving one race opportunities to go to college (I know a TON of poor white.asian, indian, american indian, etc etc that could use that too!), giving one race the EXCUSE to blame things on others for being whatever nationality they are, is a good way at making sure we NEVER kill racism.
I am over this shit. WE ALL CAME FROM ONE BLACK WOMAN FROM AFRICA, THAT is our EVE! It has been proven by science, and I stand by it. If any other race had a chanel dedicated to just them, we would think it was racist. If any other race demanded a month be set aside for ONLY them, they would be considered racist. I am NOT living by this double standard any longer.
Think I am racist? I am not. I know what racism is. I dated a guy named "Justin" in Junior high. Nothing serious, but I really liked him. He was the blackest of black...BEAUTIFUL skin, kinda like Alex Wek's. He was handsome, and athletic, etc. I was called a nigger lover. But you know what? I was called that by a whole 2 people out of a school with HUNDREDS of students. THAT is why I am NOT buying this racist shit anymore. Let us teach or children that there is NO DIFFERENCE! We are all human. I hope one day aliens land and try to kill us. Maybe THEN we would finally realize that WE are ONE.
So, I will no longer tune into BET. This is going to suck, but I do NOT like the idea of having a chanel for only 1 race. In the year 2007 in a country that is supposed to be the most advanced and equal. This is unexceptable! I will also no longer acknowledge Black History Month. Instead, I will see it the way that Morgan Freeman does (I have the quote at the bottom of my last blog on Obama/jesseJackson, and OJ). AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH! I will read/watch/and learn about ALL the people who made a difference in this country.
I am asking you ALL to join me. Black, White, Indian, Asian, Russian, Australian, etc etc.....lets be AMERICANS together! What happened to the African American community was AMERICAN HISTORY, not BLACK HISTORY. If you want to celebrate in a way that excludes others and singles one race out, count me the FUCK out! I am soooo proud to be an American. I am SO proud that I have friends of every race, and none of us see each other as anything but what we are..people. Lets change Black History Month to 2 months of AMERICAN HISTORY. We will still learn about all the black leaders and people who made a difference....just not with the racist name of "Black History Month". It has to start somewhere. I am going to do my part in making sure we are all treated EQUAL in a country that CLAIMS we are. NO MORE SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR ANYONE WITH ANYTHING!
It will never happen. At least, that is what many of you will say...FINE! My number one priority here is being able to die and know that I stood up for what I believed in, and that I did not add to the SEPERATION OF AMERICANS!! I love my country, I love the people in it. I love our history, good and bad. We should LEARN from it,not dwell in it and not move forward. That's why I am done with this shit. You are all my brothers and sisters.....even if I think you suck ; ) As Bono said, "One life, with each other..sisters...brothers!"
now, have fun burning me at the stake ; )
And just for the record, I am for deracializing certain aspects of our nation's ethnic and cultural discourse (where and when it does not apply) but a great deal of the problems that are affecting people of color come from our historical ignorance. Let's flesh this out....when mannequins speak.
Another Thursday and Another Afronerd Radio Week in Review-9/27 at 9pm Eastern
It's that time again people. We're making Thursdays our Week In Review show and Sundays will be more topical in nature-including interviews. This time around we plan to address the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad NYC/Columbia University appearance, the Jena 6 aftermath (i.e.more nooses and Klan websites) and BET's Hip Hop vs America special...whew! Give us a call with your opinions at-646-915-9620 or IM/email the show via afronerdradio@yahoo. You should know the mental fitness program by now-check us out at afronerd radio dot com.
Exercise and eating right may not be enough, Racism really is bad for your health.
They should have also considered the impact of our own internal b.s. on life expectancy, that would have probally eliminated another decade or two...
Here's an excerpt:
Statistically, black males in America are at increased risk for just about every health problem known. African Americans have a shorter life expectancy than any other racial group in America except Native Americans, and black men fare even worse than black women. Some of it can be chalked up to poverty, the most powerful determinant of health, or to lifestyle factors. But even when all those factors are accounted for in studies, the gap stubbornly persists. Now researchers are beginning to examine discrimination itself. Racism, more than race, may be cutting black men down before their time.
Something Of Interest-Let's Play the Select a Candidate Game!
As I was getting dressed this morning, I just so happened to catch Howard Stern (on Sirius 100) mention a cool site that allegedly will test which presidential hopeful you are most in line with regarding certain issues. Perhaps this will put to rest who you will ultimately vote for in 08' Check out the Select a Candidate Game and share with us your results:
I would like our readers to take look at an excerpt from a recent article written by our supporter and resident soothsayer Sergio Mims. He provides an excellent synopsis of the history of Black cinema in Chicago and it's unfortunate demise. The following piece is courtesy of NdigoOnline.com:
Is Chicago The New Black Hollywood? By Sergio A. Mims In the beginning, there was Chicago--the very location of The Railroad Porter, the first Black film ever made.
The Railroad Porter, a comic chase movie, was produced in 1912 by the multitalented William Foster, (aka actor Juli Jones), who also worked as a press agent, sportswriter, writer and director of the Pekin Players, an early, Chicago-area all-Black theater company, and a salesman of Haitian coffee.
Sadly, not much is known about The Railroad Porter, as it is one of thousands of silent films that were not preserved and are now lost to history. However, the film ignited a spark in what was to become the Black film industry; other Black film companies began to spring up in Chicago, including the Royal Gardens Film Company. Shortly thereafter, the great Black filmmaking pioneer Oscar Micheaux opened his first film production company in Chicago on 538 S. Dearborn Ave.
Micheaux’s first feature film, The Homesteader, was shot in and around Chicago in 1919.
Has Chicago finally become the new Black Hollywood, following in the gigantic footsteps of the pioneer Oscar Micheaux?
Alas, regretfully, the answer is a resounding NO.
Black Indie Film Industry: A REEL Disappointment
About five years ago, there began a genuine movement of new Black independent filmmakers in Chicago, which continues to grow every year. Suddenly, new works consisting of short films, documentaries and especially feature-length films began to appear in countless numbers.
For more of Sergio's article, click on the link below:
And Speaking of Holding Hip Hop Accountable....check out LDizza
Okay folks I want you to listen to this young man's soliloquy because it was so heartfelt and on point that I thought that I would share it with our readers. Please excuse the expletives and as you know I'm not in complete agreement with his diatribe regarding the Jena 6 demonstrations (as Mr. Starks has stated, we'll march when folks start addressing Black on Black madness, but I digress) but his passion towards the pathology in commercial hip hop cannot be ignored. And one would say that we espouse high sadity precepts here in Afronerd (and one would be correct) but I like the truth more than I like perfect diction. It would be nice if these hip hop artists would be as honest as LDizza. Again, listen to his video and share your thoughts.
BET's Hip Hop Vs. America-A 3-Part Special.....Let's See if It Keeps it "Real"
While channel surfing a few days ago, I came across an advertisement for a three part townhallesque debate to be broadcast on BET (of all venues) starting this Tuesday. First off, for a discussion on hip hop to take place on BET is akin to conversing on the virtues of sinning while vacationing in Hades. I'm also inclined to think that although the conversation will undoubtedly be entertaining, ultimately it will be an exercise in futility-radio/tv programmers, sponsors and corporate CEOs are conspicuously absent from this tete-a-tete. Without holding the aforementioned entities accountable, what is the overall purpose of such a meeting? At this juncture, proclamatory statements and filibustering are just not enough to instill balance, honor and respect into a landscape that is currently bereft of such ideals. Let's take a look at an excerpt from a CNNMoney.com article regarding the upcoming debate:
This three-part special features a passionate, lively and opinionated debate that tackles many sensitive issues, including: hip-hop's relationship with criminality and the streets, snitching, police profiling and brutality; the images of Black women in hip-hop; and the embarrassment, pride and confusion Blacks feel over hip-hop's public airing of the community's "dirty laundry."
"The battle over hip-hop lyrics, images and values is the flashpoint of conflict and debate between almost every division within our community -- between men and women, younger and older generations, between economic classes and educational backgrounds," said Reginald Hudlin, President of Entertainment, BET. "Our special relationships with the most important thinkers, icons and leaders in our community allow BET to deliver the most complete exploration of this topic on television. This is the first of many Town Halls that BET will convene to address the most pressing issues facing our community."
"Generational gaps within the African American community have never been more prevalent when it comes to the hip-hop community," said Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, executive producer, BET News. "The issues may ring familiar -- sexism, violent lyrics, degrading words and images -- but this time the debate is different given hip-hop's complicated relationship with corporate America. This is why it was so important for BET to provide a forum for each voice to shed light on every angle of this issue."
Hip-hop recording artists Nelly, T.I., Mike Jones, MC Lyte, Master P and the legendary Chuck D; top journalists Keith Boykin, Diane Weathers, Jeff Chang, Farai Chideya, Kim Osorio and New York Daily News columnist Stanley Crouch; filmmaker and cultural critic Nelson George; Judge Mablean Ephraim; former video vixens Melyssa Ford and Karrine Steffans; music executive Valeisha Butterfield; music video director Benny Boom; ministers Conrad Tillard, Pastor A. R. Bernard; professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson; and Reverend Al Sharpton lead the lists of outspoken panelists who take the stage and share their point of view on hip-hop. Other influential voices heard on the show include hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons, professor Cornel West and writer and activist Kevin Powell.
For more of the CNNMoney.com article, click below:
We Preempt this Message Folks........Afronerd Radio is cancelled Today...Returning on Thursday at 9pm
Time constraints folks....Time constraints. We are still working out some kinks behind the scenes and we never want to give our readers/listeners a sub par show-so bear with us as we expect to provide you with some special interviews, reviews and music coming up in the next few weeks. Thank you for your support and patience.
Check your cell phone bills folks, you might find a racist message mixed in with your monthly charges
Pay very close attention to the quote in bold. THIS is what happens when you don't control your image AND don't care about your image.
PLAINFIELD STORE'S RACIST RECEIPT ANGERS CITY MAN Plainfield man finds offensive phrase, unexplained charge after purchasing cell phone.
By JARED KALTWASSER Staff Writer
PLAINFIELD -- A city man was outraged Thursday to find what he considered a racial epithet, along with an unexplained charge, on the receipt for a cell phone he had purchased at a downtown wireless store.
Nykii Southerland, 27, went to the U.S. 1 Wireless store, 102 W. Front St., to purchase a mobile phone. When he got in his car and glanced at the receipt, he said he was shocked to find the phrase "good morning MY NIGGAS @ U.S. 1 HOLLA BAK" next to an otherwise unspecified charge of $25.
"I noticed it like two minutes after I got into my car," he said. "I felt disrespected; I was very offended."
Upset, Southerland, who is black, went home and showed the receipt to his mother, Cheryl.
"I called the store, and they said everyone uses the word all the time," Cheryl Southerland said. "I said, 'My son wants a refund.' "
When the store refused a refund, Cheryl Southerland called a lawyer, whom she said advised her to call police. Police then accompanied the Southerlands back to the store, and the money was refunded.
Reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Vinny Vemarco of U.S. 1 Wireless, who sold the phone to Nykii Southerland, said the N-word phrase was directed at other store employees as a way to brag about making a sale.
"It wasn't a statement towards anybody. It was a statement towards U.S. 1 Wireless," he said. "Something was wrong with the network. Normally, they (employee messages) don't show on the receipt. We talk to each other just like that."
As for the unidentified $25 charge on the receipt, Vemarco said the phone incorrectly rang up on the receipt for $125 instead of $150 -- another network error.
Vemarco said he isn't worried about the ramifications of his actions because he believes the Southerlands are overreacting.
Vemarco said the version of the N-word on the receipt is commonly used in his native Brooklyn, N.Y., and that the word no longer has a racist meaning.
"Did something happen to them that they had flashbacks or something?" Vemarco said. "I thought this happened in the fifties, and it was squashed. You go to MTV; they use it all the time."
Vemarco, who identified himself as "half black," said the word doesn't offend him.
But it does offend Nykii Southerland.
"Yes. That word still offends black folks today," Nykii Southerland said. "Even though it came from back then, it still offends African-Americans to this day. I'm offended only because it came from a consumer store and from the employees thinking it's OK."
Nykii Southerland acknowledged that, in some contexts, the term "nigga" is considered less derogatory than its original version, but he doesn't like it.
"It depends on the people, but it's not up to them to say it's OK for me to say that to another African-American," Nykii Southerland said. "I still would not use that word."
Vemarco said the store owner was out of town until Monday. Vemarco said he usually works at a store in Brooklyn but was called to help out Thursday in the Plainfield store. U.S. 1 Wireless is a T-Mobile dealer. When reached for comment, a representative from T-Mobile USA said they would not comment on the matter because the T-Mobile did not own the store in question.
The Southerlands said they plan to pursue the case through the police department and the Union County Prosecutor's Office.
Life imitates art? Maybe these guys should have checked with us first for the truth about some of their favorite Rappers
Rappers Face Felony Charges for You Tube Video Threatening Police
AP
SAVANNAH, Mo. — Two men were arrested and face a series of felony charges over a homemade rap video that threatened to kill police officers, harm a judge and rape a female police officer.
Police said the profanity-laced video was initially posted on YouTube, but has since been pulled from the Internet site.
The two men, both 20, face felony charges of making a terroristic threat, conspiring to commit second-degree assault with a gun against law enforcement officers, conspiracy to commit rape and tampering with a judicial officer. It was not immediately clear Wednesday morning if they had lawyers.
According to a probable-cause statement, the men outlined plans in the video to kill Savannah Police Chief David Vincent, Andrew County Sheriff Gary Howard and several police officers and deputies. In all, at least 22 law enforcement officers were threatened in the video, according to documents.
Officer Joshua Smith said in court documents that he watched the video and heard Stevens specifically name several officers, including himself. He said Stevens described shooting Smith in an alley with an AK-47.
The statement also says the video threatens to destroy the community 60 miles north of Kansas City "like a ... Godzilla."
The video also showed footage of officers and deputies on the job.
It was not immediately known if either man had a police record, but Vincent said neither man was under surveillance and he had never been in contact with one of them.
*No Gender Bias Commentary Folks! We Carpet Bomb Lower Tier Behavior Regardless of the Sex of the Offender
We can galvanize very quickly for racial/discriminatory matters and agree to wear one color collectively for the White bogeyman but no one marches against the gangs that terrorize our communities and we especially do not demonstrate on behalf of children. We will continue to highlight these horror stories until there is an acknowledgment and the madness stops. Jason Voorhees would have shown more sympathy:
Courtesy of 7online.com:
Father accused of killing baby girl in front of witnesses Allegedly smashed his daughter's head against an iron railing (Palisades Park- WABC, Sep. 18, 2007) - A father is being held on $1 million for the alleged murder of his 3-month-old baby. Bergen County police say 29-year-old Peter Olmeda, asked his girlfriend if he could hold the baby one more time, before he left her family home last night. According to witnesses he swung the baby by the ankles into the railing, then threw the baby down to the ground and ran. Olmeda did not get far after running off. Upset bystanders chased him down and tackled him to the ground while relatives called 9-1-1 and tried to keep the baby alive. The baby, Jenessa Olmeda was pronounced dead at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. The father was taken to Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus, for psychiatric evaluation. The $1 million bail is pending as his hearing is scheduled sometime later in the week. As for the baby's mother, she is said to be "very distraught" by what she witnessed and is undergoing psychiatric evaluation, authorities said.
Reminder-9pm Broadcast (eastern), Afronerd Radio's Week in Review
Just reminding our readers that we have a Week in Review show scheduled for this evening at 9pm eastern. Check us out at afronerd radio dot com and of course give us a call and share your thoughts-646-915-9620 or email/IM afronerdradio@yahoo. We will try to address Rev. Jackson's alleged comments toward Obama's reactions to the Jena 6 case along with the other hot topics mentioned previously-i.e. Isiah Thomas vs Anucha Sanders, baggy pants legislation, etc.
Messy Jesse is at again.....Jackson Claims that Obama is Acting "white" regarding the Jena 6
Thanks to resident commenter Sergio for bringing this story hot off the presses to my attention. Due to time constraints, I can't provide an appropriate editorial at this moment, but suffice it to say, despite my uncertainty about Obama due to his progressive leanings, I do know that he has publicly addressed the Jena 6 issue. And the little known secret is.....according to Michael Baisden (the syndicated radio dj who has been highly instrumental in the development of forthcoming demonstrations/marches scheduled to take place in Jena tomorrow) Obama's office rose to the occasion quickly when asked about Jena and Hillary's did not. Funny how Jackson is leaving Mrs. Clinton out of his diatribe. I will provide more thoughts on this shortly. Here's more on the Jackson vs. Obama Thrilla in Manila send-up, courtesy of TheState.com:
The Rev. Jesse Jackson called Tuesday on Democrats seeking the 2008 nomination for president to give S.C. voters “something to vote for” when they go to the polls in January.
On a statewide tour to register new voters, Jackson said South Carolina will determine “who has momentum” in the primary when it votes Jan. 29.
Jackson sharply criticized presidential hopeful and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for “acting like he’s white” in what Jackson said has been a tepid response to six black juveniles’ arrest on attempted-murder charges in Jena, La. Jackson, who also lives in Illinois, endorsed Obama in March, according to The Associated Press.
“If I were a candidate, I’d be all over Jena,” Jackson said after an hour-long speech at Columbia’s historically black Benedict College.
“Jena is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment,” said the iconic civil rights figure, who worked with Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1965 Selma civil rights movement and was with King at his 1968 assassination.
Later, Jackson said he did not recall making the “acting like he’s white” comment about Obama, stressing he only wanted to point out the candidates had not seized on an opportunity to highlight the disproportionate criminal punishments black youths too often face.
Jackson also said Obama, who consistently has placed second in state and national polls behind New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, must be “bolder” in his political positions if he is to erase Clinton’s lead.
Jackson is the only African-American ever to carry South Carolina in a presidential primary election.
Obama’s South Carolina campaign pointed to a statement it released last week in which Obama called on the local Louisiana district attorney to drop the excessive charges brought in the case.
“When nooses are being hung in high schools in the 21st century, it’s a tragedy,” the Obama statement said. “It shows that we still have a lot of work to do as a nation to heal our racial tensions.”
Thousands from across the country, including some from Columbia, are expected to converge on the small town of Jena today to protest the “Jena 6” arrests.
Jackson told the 500 to 600 students in his audience at Benedict that “criminal injustice,” instead of a rope, is the pressing civil rights issue of their day, but that voting remained their strongest ally.
“Your fight is not about ropes, it’s about hope,” Jackson said, blasting the flood of guns and violence he said permeates many black communities.
Civil rights, he said, has become the counterculture of the day rather than the prevailing culture. “You can’t call on the Justice Department anymore; it’s not there.”
Jackson, who became only the second major black candidate to run for president, won five primaries in his 1984 bid for the office, then 11 primaries and nearly 7 million votes in his 1988 run.
He said the 2008 presidential candidates must speak most directly to the pressing S.C. issues of housing, high tuition costs, health care and a plan to end the war in Iraq.
“The candidates have got to speak to South Carolina,” said Jackson, who was traveling also to S.C. State University in Orangeburg and to Charleston Tuesday evening before wrapping up his registration drive tonight in Aiken.
A Greenville native, Jackson said he hoped to register thousands of new voters during the statewide swing, which began Saturday in Rock Hill.
“Their votes must equal change,” he said, referring to residents in a state where only 1 in 4 eligible voters go to the polls. “I want to make sure the right agenda is being voted on in 2008.”
His approach worked for senior mass-communications major Darius Dior Porcher, 21, who graduated from famed Scotts Branch High School in Clarendon County, which produced the Briggs v. Elliott school desegregation case of 1954.
“The main thing when you speak to students is to get them to move,” Porcher said. “He moved students today. He got them to come down to the floor and register to vote.”
When Did COPS Start filming episodes on College Campuses? Student Gets Tasered at Kerry Appearance!
I'm really at a loss for words this time. Was this student really interested in asking provocative questions or was he more interested in getting Youtube notoriety? So far the press has reported that the student in the above video is known for pulling pranks which begs the question-are young people really interested in change or is the concept too alien for them to grasp? Irrespective of one's political affiliation-isn't it important to stand for something instead of vanity? Perhaps one day we will stop falling for faux protest-until then I'll keep my taser on high. Check out the latest on this story from the Associated Press:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A university student with a history of taping his own practical jokes was Tasered by campus police and arrested after loudly and repeatedly trying to ask U.S. Sen. John Kerry questions during a campus forum.
Andrew Meyer, 21, spent a night in jail before his release from jail Tuesday morning on his own recognizance. He had no comment when he left. His attorney, Robert Griscti, did not return messages seeking comment.
Videos of the Monday night incident, posted on several Web sites and played repeatedly on television news, show University of Florida police officers pulling Meyer away from the microphone after he asks Kerry about impeaching President Bush and whether he and Bush were both members of the secret society Skull and Bones at Yale University.
University spokesman Steve Orlando said Meyer was asked to leave the microphone after his allotted time was up. Meyer can be seen refusing to walk away and getting upset that the microphone was cut off.
As two officers take Meyer by the arms, Kerry, D-Mass., can be heard saying, "That's all right, let me answer his question."
Audience members applaud, and Meyer struggles for several seconds as up to four officers try to remove him from the room. Meyer screams for help and tries to break away from officers with his arms flailing at them, then is forced to the ground and officers order him to stop resisting.
As Kerry tells the audience he will answer the student's "very important question," Meyer yells at the officers to release him, crying out, "Don't Tase me, bro," just before he is shocked by the Taser. He is then led from the room, screaming, "What did I do?"
Meyer was arrested on charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, according to Alachua County jail records, but the State Attorney's Office had yet to make the formal charging decision. Police recommended charges of resisting arrest with violence, a felony, and disturbing the peace and interfering with school administrative functions, a misdemeanor.
University President J. Bernard Machen issued a statement Tuesday saying he requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the arrest. Officials said it would determine whether the officers used an appropriate level of force.
Machen called the situation "regretful" in an afternoon news conference and said two officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the probe.
"We're absolutely committed to having a safe environment for our faculty and our students so that a free exchange of ideas can occur," Machen said.
Kerry said Tuesday he regretted that a healthy discussion was interrupted and that he never had a dialogue end that way in 37 years of public appearances. He also said he hoped neither the student nor police were injured.
"Whatever happened, the police had a reason, had made their decision that there was something they needed to do. Then it's a law enforcement issue, not mine," he told The Associated Press in Washington.
Meyer has his own Web site and it contains several "comedy" videos that he appears in. In one, he stands in a street with a sign that says "Harry Dies" after the latest Harry Potter book was released. In another, he acts like a drunk while trying to pick up a woman in a bar.
The site also has what is called a "disorganized diatribe" attributed to Meyer that criticizes the Iraq war, the news media for not covering the conflict enough and the American public for paying too much attention to celebrity news.
What about our daughters? Perhaps it should be What about our children?
Some folks want us to believe that Black women are under attack. If we are going to declare any group as being "under attack", I believe it is our children.
Infant killed execution-style
Two men kill father and son in suspected home invasion, police say
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Two men fatally shot a 21-year-old man during a suspected home-invasion, then shot his 7-month-old son in the head as he was strapped in a car seat outside the home, police said.
Detectives believe Sean Paul Aquitania drove with his son, Sean Paul Aquitania Jr., to a home on Friday to visit friends. He left the infant in the car and went to the front door. As two men answered, two other men ran up and forced their way inside, sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said Saturday.
A melee erupted, and Aquitania was shot at least twice in the upper body. The two suspects fled, stopping to shoot the infant. No one else was injured, Curran said.
The men whom Aquitania had gone to visit were questioned by detectives but not taken into custody, Curran said. They were initially cooperative, but detectives believe they know more than they are saying, he said.
“We are angered as law enforcement officers and disturbed as human beings that anyone could commit such an unconscionable act against an innocent child,” Curran said. “We also find it morally reprehensible that people who may have information that could help our detectives solve this tragic case have seemingly been less than honest.”
Authorities were searching for the suspects, Curran said.
Investigators initially believed the infant was killed accidentally by a stray bullet, but later determined he was killed execution-style.
The Madness Continues and Our Children Continue to be True Victims....
Man accused of beating Long Island toddler dead held without bail The Associated Press
September 11, 2007 A man accused of inflicting a pair of fatal blows on a 17-month-old child in his care was ordered held without bail Tuesday after pleading not guilty to first-degree manslaughter. Michael Taylor, 34, was arrested early Monday following the death of Jailyn Price, said Suffolk County homicide commander Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick. Police said Taylor, who shared a room with his girlfriend, Jailyn's mother, was left to care for the toddler while the mother, whose name wasn't released, went to an all-night laundry nearby. At about 1 a.m., Taylor, of Wyandanch, punched the child at least twice in the abdomen because he was fussing and was not going to sleep, police said. When the mother returned home a short time later, she realized the boy was injured and called an ambulance. The boy was taken to a hospital in West Islip, where he died. Results of an autopsy were pending Tuesday, but preliminary results indicated the boy died of blunt-force trauma to the abdomen, Fitzpatrick said. There was no immediate evidence to support claims by relatives that the child had several other suspicious injuries, he said. Taylor's attorney, Jason Bassett, said his client 'vehemently denies' the charges against him. 'He was like a surrogate father to this child and looks forward to clearing his name,' Bassett said. Taylor is due back in court on Friday, prosecutors said.
On Our Week in Review-Are OJ & Isiah the New Thelma and Louise? This Thurs. at 9pm eastern on Afronerd Radio
Wow..what a week it has been and we plan to use our analytical scalpels to dissect the pertinent issues. Isiah Thomas, once a great sports hero and now a coach of questionable character with his infusion of race during a trial of sexual harassment against a Black woman will be discussed. You can throw Stephon Marbury on the George Foreman grill as well during our on air barbecue. We will also address OJ's foolishness, Kanye vs 50 cent madness, Greenspan's latest revelations, the anti-baggy/saggy pants laws that appear to be gaining ground in various states and any other topics the audience would like to flesh out. You know the drill-call in with your thoughts at 646-915-9620 or IM/email via afronerdradio@yahoo. Thursday at 9pm-Be there and of course, Be square!
Is Unkempt Hair in Zahara's future? Ignorance is not bliss for the children of Adoptive Parents concerning hair issues
I'm ashamed to say that I even know who Zahara is in this tabloid-celebrity obsessed world. To be put on the world stage at such a young age is problematic enough let alone dealing with the politics of hair, so little Miss Pitt has her hands full. So when I came across a recent article concerning hair issues with children of color and their White adoptive and/or biological parents, the Pitts' famous daughter quickly comes to mind. It would appear to be a "no-brainer" that parenting on many levels would incorporate research and instruction in dealing with the rearing of children, Black and Brown kids notwithstanding. I just hope that the hair issue doesn’t relegate itself to a weird dilemma making children feel peculiar when it’s just hair. I’m not one for engendering the belief that people are so different from each other. Let these parents get the appropriate instruction and move on to more important matters. Hair becomes slowly infinitesimal compared to parents needing to inculcate morality on their children’s scalps in addition to hair grease. Here's an excerpt from the Reno Gazette Journal regarding hair and parenting:
Black hair? Foster parents learn it's different
Norma Thomas of Wondrous World Cultural Training leads a session on African-American hair care at EnSoul.
Class Now Available to the Public The Washoe County School District's Community Education program is offering a version of the Wondrous World class for the general public. Parents who want grooming tips for their black or bi-racial children are encouraged to attend, and bring their kids with them to the class.
Marian Miller is a seasoned foster parent -- licensed for four years, who recently adopted two of her former foster kids. So when she brought home
two more foster children this year, she thought she knew what was in store for her during her kids' adjustment period.
To get the bonding process rolling, she decided to redo her 4-year-old foster daughter's messy hair, starting with a shampoo and comb-out.
That's when the trouble started.
Although Miller had had foster kids before, she'd never taken care of a black child. If she had, she might have known that washing black hair before combing it can cause it to mat and become even more tangled. Acting on instinct, Miller did what she would have done to her own hair, which in this case was the opposite of what was required.
"After I washed it, her hair got totally matted," she said. "It was completely impossible to get a comb through it. She was crying and crying; I was afraid I was going to hurt her. That first day, her grandma had to come over and get the knots out."
For foster parents like Miller -- well-intentioned but unaware of certain aspects of black culture -- the Washoe County Department of Social Services has a solution. Since January, the Foster Care Support Program has offered a course in African- American hair care, grooming and cultural practices.
The mandatory class, called Wondrous World Cultural Training, is a welcomed development in Washoe County. Here, over 87 percent of licensed foster parents are Caucasian, while the children they care for are more ethnically diverse (64 percent are Caucasian, 20.1 percent Hispanic, 8.8 percent black, 3.2 percent racially mixed, 1.4 percent American Indian, 1.1 percent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and 0.8 percent Asian).
Binnie McLemore Lopez, Supervisor of Foster Care support for Washoe County, says that white parents who bring black children into their homes can face grooming challenges. Parents unfamiliar with the basics of black hair and skin care can unwittingly expose their foster kids to criticism from other children.
"Non-black foster parents don't always understand the impact that dry skin can have on a black child," she said. "And that child may struggle at school and in his/her peer group when the skin is dry. Parents don't know they have to put lotion on after every bath."
Just a Quick Graphic Novel(s) Recommendation-Trials of Shazam and more....
I try my best to never let our readership forget that we do try to discuss comics in Afronerd but it is sometimes a daunting task when there are so many other pertinent issues and hobbies that also vie for attention within this blog. Nevertheless, I have three books that I suspect the comic enthusiast portion of our audience might enjoy. Interestingly enough, all three books share two common themes-Greco-Roman/Middle-eastern mythologies and that the gods walk amongst us lowly mortals from time to time. Trials of Shazam has quickly become one of my top twenty books simply because it has given some literary life to the dated Billy Batson and family saga. Initially I was never a big fan of the Shazam mythos because as time goes on the characters still attempted to maintain a childish aesthetic in the midst of an ever maturing comic reading audience. In simpler terms-Batson never grew up. And coupled with the fact that DC acquired the Shazam franchise from a lengthy legal battle with Fawcett Publications going back five decades just added to the comic's murky history. Well now Batson has grown up and has taken on the mantle of the Wizard and the next in line to become Captain Marvel is well.....Marvel, Jr. Junior is on trial to become the Big Red Cheese but he must retrieve his individual powers (hence the acronym SHAZAM....wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules-you get the picture) from the gods who live their lives as mortals-but there are others that also want to get these vaunted abilities from the demigods as well.
The second book is in essence an extension or fleshed out sub-plot to Trials, entitled Black Adam: The Dark Age. Again, we are dealing with more murky history here-Adam or his mortal name, Teth-Adam was originally Egytian and essentially the first person to utter the phrase shazam but he went rogue, became the arch-nemesis of the Marvel Family and a citizen of of the fictional Middle-eastern nation known as Khandaq (you'll notice the Iraq War analogies in full abundance if you pick up related books-i.e. Justice Society, 52, etc) in the last 50 or 60 years. Its safe to assume that Adam is of arabic extraction to make things easier. Anyway....Dark Age is a bloody saga showing the depth to which a man will go to reclaim his life and wife. Here's more from Wikipedia:
Black Adam: The Dark Age In this eight-issue mini-series, which begins sometime after his defeat, the still-powerless Teth-Adam orders his remaining loyal to savagely beat his face in order to alter his physical appearance. Effectively disguised, he leads the group to Kahndaq to retrieve the bones of Isis, while the JSA is in Bialya searching for him. Adam and his men are attacked by unidentified soldiers (who are also searching for Teth-Adam) while leaving the tomb of Isis and Osiris. Adam's followers sacrifice their lives so that he can escape with his wife's remains. Adam then travels to the frozen Himalays, where he eats the corpse of his last remaining henchman after running out of food. Finally reaching a secluded cave, Teth Adam resurrects Isis using a Lazarus Pit. The process is imperfect however, and Isis' new skin decays. Black Adam journeys to Doctor Fate's tower, hoping to retrieve Isis' amulet. He encounters Felix Faust, who offers his assistance in return for being freed from the tower. With Faust's help, Black Adam's magic word is changed to "Isis", and he sets off to retrieve the scattered pieces of Isis' amulet.
To make things simple-A god dies (and you know the likelihood of that remaining a fact) and then is reborn and must find his Asgardian-folk living among...you guessed it....mortals-some are even lurking in a post-Katrina habitat. And thanks to J. Michael Straczynski it seems like the reader will be in for a hell of a ride. Just to give you a taste as to how Straczynski has changed things around (beyond Heimdall living in New Orleans reference) Asgard is no longer located above the heavens with a rainbow transverse but hovers a few inches above the ground in Oklahoma!
Here's more from Wiki once again:
New beginning
The mysterious man seen during the events of Civil War is Donald Blake. When Blake touches the hammer Mjolnir, he is transported to the void where Thor has been in hibernation. Blake explains that when Odin originally removed the Donald Blake persona from Thor, Blake was transported to the void Thor now inhabits, and was returned to New York City when Thor broke the Ragnarok cycle. Blake convinces Thor to wield Mjolnir once more and return to Earth and renew the dual identity with Blake. Blake also reveals that Thor's fellow Asgardians are not dead but hidden on Earth.
Thor rebuilds Asgard in Oklahoma, paying for the land with Asgardian treasure, then goes off to seek his fellow Asgardians. He learns of the events of the superhero-registration "Civil War" and becomes angry that Tony Stark (Iron Man) and others used his DNA to create the Thor Clone without his knowledge or permission. Iron Man soon confronts him, demanding that he move Asgard and register with the government or be considered an enemy. Unimpressed, Thor decimates his former comrade with contemptuous ease. He then makes it clear that he will respond with greater aggression unless he is left in peace, and that his position in regards to the recent conflict is neutral. Seeking a compromise, Stark rationalizes that Asgard may be considered a foreign embassy of sorts, with diplomatic immunity granted to its inhabitants. Though Thor deems this acceptable, he makes it clear that the two men are far from reconciled. Afterwards, Thor finds the first of the lost Asgardians, Heimdall, and restores him to his true form. Observing the new addition to Asgard, Stark advises SHIELD to take no action, at present.
All in all, check out these great reads and tell the class what you thought.
I Hear there's a New Entry in Webster's Thesaurus-O.J. Simpson: Idiot, Foolish Negro; Dumba%$
I was really reluctant to provide my editorial as it relates to OJ Simpson's alleged armed robbery affair. This trepidation was also displayed in my assertions regarding the Jena 6 fiasco but the infamous case in Lousiana has far more reaching implications than Simpson's latest calamity. I must repeat-I am in no way making allowances for the racist court system or the town that appears to have upheld retro-style discriminatory practices pertaining to the six teens currently being held in jail. But the Black townspeople at this stage in the game should be adept at dodging these tired pre-fab ACME style traps that are always layed to bear for folks of color. OJ missed this memo in 1994 but was given a reprieve when he was acquitted of murder charges more than a decade ago. Claus Von Bulow disappeared into a puff of smoke and one would be hard-pressed to determine Robert Blake or his cockatiel's whereabouts after their respective trials of century. So it seems that I have fallen prey to discussing this matter as all the major media outlets are feasting on OJ's corpse as if he killed someone(s)...recently. However the $25,000 Pyramid question still remains-will Black folk (those who still espouse tribalism) foolishly rally behind OJ once again? Let's wait and see-and you can take dat to the bank! Here's the latest on Orenthal according to MercuryNews.com:
O.J. Simpson lawyer says there's no evidence against former star By LINDA DEUTSCH AP Special Correspondent
LOS ANGELES—O.J. Simpson's defense lawyer said Monday that prosecutors lack the evidence to prove that the former football star committed armed robbery and other felonies in a sports memorabilia dispute at a Las Vegas hotel. "We are definitely on the attack," Yale Galanter told The Associated Press.
Galanter, a Miami attorney who flew to Las Vegas to appear on Simpson's behalf, said he would seek Simpson's release on his own recognizance. Simpson had offered to surrender to police even if he had to return from his home in Miami, but they chose to arrest him, Galanter said.
"If it was anyone but O.J. Simpson, he would have been released by now," said Galanter who maintained that witness statements will clear Simpson.
Simpson, 60, was being held at the Clark County Detention Center without bail on felony charges, including burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and robbery with use of a deadly weapon. Police said Simpson and five other men robbed memorabilia dealers at gunpoint Thursday at the Palace Station hotel-casino.
Simpson told The AP before his arrest that there was no gun involved and he was only retrieving items that had been stolen from him, including his Hall of Fame certificate and a photo of himself with former FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover.
"You can't rob something that is yours," Galanter said. "O.J. said, 'You've got stolen property. Either you return it or I call the police.'"
Galanter acknowledged that the use of a gun would change the situation but he said Simpson was not armed.
"If at some point somebody else pulls out a firearm, it's still not a robbery for the person that wants his property back," Galanter said.
Loyola University Law Professor Laurie Levenson said the legal definitions would be disputed at a trial but she said the case seems to have been overblown.
"It seems like an awful lot of charges for what happened," she said.
The dragon who has been protected in his lair by naive lames who confuse tastelessness, willful vulgarity and denigration with black "authenticity" took another monumental hit recently.
Handsome Earl Graves, mutton-chopped archcapitalist and one who is neither a stranger to nor opposed to the making of money, ordered that the microphone plug be pulled on comedian Eddie Griffin, who was spewing the N-word at a corporate fund-raiser sponsored by Black Enterprise magazine, which Graves founded. In doing so, Graves separated himself from both black and white business types who are either too craven or too cowardly to understand that the issue at the center of American capitalism is bringing the profit motive in line with morality and ethics.
Meaning yes, you can make money selling a product. No, you cannot sell a dangerous or unhealthy product to your customers. If that is still too hard to understand, ask the Communist Chinese why they have had to face the returns of so many of their toys covered with toxic lead paint or showing other dangerous tendencies because of shoddy workmanship.
One talented black filmmaker referred to the conflict between Graves and Griffin as some version of a "class struggle." I assume that he meant Graves represented the black upper class while Griffin was "representing" the authentic imbecility easily had at the bottom. Wrong.
Basic morality and a sense of civilization are shared across the classes, no matter how many are intimidated by wealth. Criminals, whether from the streets or the suites, remain a minority and are never seen as representative of the "real" black person, rich as Fort Knox or poor as the hole in a doughnut.
That is why Graves received a standing ovation from the 1,200 sponsors attending the 14th annual Black Enterprise/ Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge, a scholarship drive for aspirant lower-class kids. They were pleasurably shocked and thrilled by Graves when he said that Griffin would be paid his fee but that, "We at Black Enterprise will not allow our culture to go backward."
We are at a moment of expanding truth that brings much-needed attention to the fact that our culture is struggling through a fecal storm without an umbrella. Those bothered by the filth and the stink are dismissed as conservatives trying to deny the identity of black culture. Bull.
We are seeing a response of monumental significance, which ranges from the campaign against the misogyny in hip hop that was sparked in 2004 by the women at Spelman College - and was extended by Diane Weathers when she was editor at Essence magazine - to the National Action Network calling for decency. Add to that the recent "burial" of the N-word in Detroit by the NAACP and the group Enough Is Enough, which is intent on picketing the home of BET CEO Debra Lee every week for as long as it takes to get tasteful changes in the network's presentations.
The bottom line is that comedians and filmmakers produced much better work when they had to rein themselves in, including Richard Pryor on television. People are beginning to realize that, and the hip-hop dragons tremble and bleed with their every realization.
Even the multiplatinum 50 Cent has had to do a gut check. When asked why he isn't currently producing more hard-core music, he said, "I take into consideration what the music business is facing with things like the Don Imus situation. I think it would cause a full uproar if I wrote [hard-core] lyrics from that perspective all the way through my album. That's why I released 'Curtis' instead of my next project, 'Before I Self Destruct.' It's more of a hard-core sound, and it would be too aggressive for this period."
We have been in the dark and the storm too long, but the sun is getting pushed up.
Ok First the Britney Fan....now Petraeus has a fan too......will this Sh%$ never end?
Perhaps the Dems can afford to spoof but we do have soldiers dying in Iraq and that my friend is no laughing matter. I, like many conservatives of color (and conservatives in general, well excluding McCain and Rudy) are not making excuses for this war-the surge's effectiveness may be debatable (akin to the wack-a-mole carnival game) but are we going to make jokes or are we going to extricate our soldiers (many who are Black, Brown and poor Whites) from this sectarian debacle? Leave General Petraeus aloneeee! I can laugh but do our soldiers have the same luxury?
He May Be Stating the Obvious but Greenspan Should be Taken Seriously-Links US quest for oil to Iraq War
Trust me when I say that investors literally viewed former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan as a deity during my brief stint in the securities industry. His consistent lowering of interest rates to spur market activity forever marked him as a savior during the historic run of the bulls of the stock market during the Clinton administration. Now Mr. Greenspan is touting a new book and one of his revelations is his belief that the war in Iraq is more about oil than the spread of democracy. Let's take a look at an excerpt from the AFP:
Greenspan memoir links Iraq war to US thirst for oil
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, for years an inscrutable seer on the economy, is causing a stir by alleging in his new memoir that "the Iraq war is largely about oil."
Greenspan, who as head of the US central bank was famous for his tight-lipped reserve, is uncharacteristically direct, also accusing President George W. Bush of abandoning Republican principles on the economy.
"I'm saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows -- the Iraq war is largely about oil," he wrote in reported excerpts of "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World," which is set for release on Monday.
Greenspan's memoir appears 18 months after he left the Fed following a career that spanned 1987 to 2006, with the US economy at a crossroads, and ahead of a critical central bank meeting under the chairmanship of his successor, Ben Bernanke.
The man dubbed "The Oracle" tells his own tale of nearly two decades at the helm of one of the world's most powerful financial institutions, and includes surprising swipes at the Bush administration.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, while explaining his "respect" for Greenspan, rejected the charge that a thirst for crude explained the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003.
"I know the same allegation was made about the Gulf War in 1991, and I just don't believe it's true," he said on ABC television Sunday.
"I think that it's really about stability in the Gulf. It's about rogue regimes trying to develop weapons of mass destruction," he said.
Members of the US Congress, who by a broad majority also voted to authorize the use of military force against Iraq, also dismissed Greenspan's assertion.
"I don't believe that 77 United States senators on a broad, bipartisan basis would have authorized the use of force ... if it was only about oil," Republican senator John Cornyn told CNN.
"This is about our national security and not just about oil," he said.
Maybe There's Some Truth to losing People in Threes-The Passing of thespian Percy Rodriguez and musicians Bobby Byrd & Joe Zawinul
Well it's that time again when I get frustrated at the loss of heroes that have played a tangential role in my cultural upbringing. First up, we have lost one of the great character actors of a bygone era, Percy Rodriguez. Many of you coming from a Afronerd persuasion, perhaps best know him from his role as Commodore Stone in the Star Trek (the original series) episode (the snippet, above) "Court-Martial". Rodriguez definitely provided the template for a generation of Black actors interested in mimicking his consistency in playing dignified roles-a mantra that appears to be losing ground in this current neo-minstrel entertainment phase. Here's more on the death of Mr. Rodriguez, courtesy of PittsburghLive.com:
Percy Rodrigues, neurosurgeon on 'Peyton Place,' dead at 89 By The Associated Press Friday, September 14, 2007
Percy Rodrigues, whose role as a neurosurgeon on the 1960s television series "Peyton Place" broke ground because he was cast as an authority figure when relatively few black actors were given such parts, has died. He was 89. Rodrigues, who also had a long career as a voice actor, died of kidney failure Sept. 6 at his home in Indio, Calif., said his wife, Karen Cook-Rodrigues.
With a booming voice and a commanding presence, Rodrigues came to Hollywood in the 1960s from Broadway and "respectfully fought for these more dignified roles," his wife said. "He was most proud of that."
Robert J. Thompson, a professor of television and pop culture at Syracuse University, said, "Television didn't have its equivalent of Jackie Robinson -- there wasn't that one moment when the race barrier was broken. But Percy was one of a very small army of actors who were in a relatively quiet way beginning to get these roles that television was very reluctant in the 1960s to give to black actors."
For more of the above piece, click on the link below:
(Mr. Starks) "Dburt, what you gonna write about now?"
(Dburt) "Mr. Starks, I don't know.....but's it's got to be funky"
Okay we really don't speak to each other like that but we both definitely acknowledge the death of the Godfather's right hand man, Bobby Byrd. And if you pay close attention to Byrd's preeminent composition (above) I Know You Got Soul, it has been sampled (and literally carved up like a turkey) by a litany of hip hop artists. Now, the true test will be if the hip hop community will lend a few words of recognition to an artist (along with Mr. Brown, of course) who was highly instrumental in the development of the rap genre. But then again, Mr. Brown really didn't receive his credit from the hip hop industry when he died either. So I guess it will be unnecessary to hold my breath as well. Anyway, here's more on Byrd's passing, thanks to the Washington Post:
Bobby Byrd, 73, a singer, pianist and songwriter credited with discovering James Brown and who was one of his most important collaborators for two decades, died Sept. 12 at his home in Loganville, Ga. He had lung cancer.
Without Mr. Byrd, it has been asserted by some music scholars, Brown might not have become famous beyond the walls of a Georgia youth detention facility, much less become the "godfather of soul." Mr. Byrd was dubbed by some "the godfather's godfather."
In the early 1950s, Mr. Byrd's family helped secure Brown's early release from a juvenile detention facility in Georgia. The Byrds provided a home for Brown, who hitched himself to Mr. Byrd's gospel group, which morphed into a much more secular vocal band. The Famous Flames were led by Brown, who strutted his way to international funk stardom as the "hardest-working man in show business."
Mr. Byrd remained with the Famous Flames, and subsequently the JBs, for 20 years. During that time, he energized crowds before the cape-sporting superstar appeared. He participated with Brown on million-selling records such as Brown's "Live at the Apollo" on several TV appearances.
As a composer, Mr. Byrd received co-authorship billing on songs including "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothin', " "Licking Stick," "Get Up, Get into It and Get Involved" and "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine." For the last, he was heard on the recording shouting the famous refrain, "Get on up!"
And last but certainly not the least of us, is the passing of Weather Report co-founder, Joe Zawinul. I literally grew up listening to a healthy dose of jazz-rock fusion and Weather Report's Birdland (a homage to Charlie "Bird" Parker) was constantly played in my household especially while listening to the now defunct NY jazz station, WRVR. Take a gander at what the BBC News has to say about the legendary Mr. Zawinul:
Zawinul, 75, passed away at his home in Vienna. Austrian media reports said he had been suffering from skin cancer.
The celebrated keyboardist enjoyed his biggest hit - the Grammy-winning Birdland - with Weather Report in 1977.
Austrian President Heinz Fischer said Zawinul's death meant the loss of a "music ambassador" who was known and cherished around the world.
Here's more from the BBC:
"As a person and through his music, Joe Zawinul will remain unforgettable for us all," the president said in a statement.
Born in Vienna, where he attended the Vienna Conservatory, Zawinul is credited with bringing the electric piano, as well as African and Middle Eastern rhythms, to mainstream jazz.
The artist emigrated to the United States in 1959, where he played with jazz stars including Dinah Washington and saxophonist Cannonball Adderley.
Honorary grave
He went on to perform and record with the great Miles Davis on such chart-topping albums as In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew.
In the early 1970s, Zawinul founded Weather Report with saxophonist Wayne Shorter and bass player Miroslav Vitous.
Is this The Sepia Version of Wizard? I'm not sure but I'm definitely buying UVC Magazine & You should too!
Please accept my apologies as it appears that yours truly is working on c.p. time once again. But the better late adage still reigns supreme as I highlight a magazine that comic book aficionados of color should make themselves aware of immediately-enter UVC (The Urban Voice of Comics) magazine. As a avid comic book (maybe I should start using the more grown up euphemism, graphic novel) collector, I not only purchase comics but also all things comic book related, hence fanzines. So along with my weekly purchase of graphic novels, I picked up a Previews catalogue. It was in Previews that I discovered UVC. I'm not sure the creator and editor (Ron King and Glyph scribe-Rich Watson, respectively) would liken their magazine to Wizard but comparisons notwithstanding-Black comic enthusiasts really do need a bimonthly journal such as this. As I purchase a two year subscription ASAP, I would implore our readers to do the same. I will also contact Mr. King to see if he would like to stop by our radio show to discuss his magazine and field some questions from our audience. For more info on UVC magazine, click on the link below:
I'm a Sucker for Human Interest Stories.....Especially if There's A Superhero Theme Involved-Introducing Ben Underwood
I must tip my hat to our resident commenter, Mario for bringing this story to my attention. It's a terrific allegory of a young man overcoming a handicap and moving forward with minimal assistance. And of course, his abilities are analogous to one of my favorite fictional characters, Matt Murdock a.k.a. Daredevil. Check out more on Ben Underwood, our own daredevil, courtesy of People.com:
The Boy Who Sees with Sound Blind since age 3, Ben Underwood skateboards, shoots hoops and plays video games. How does he do it? Just like bats and dolphins
There was the time a fifth grader thought it would be funny to punch the blind kid and run. So he snuck up on Ben Underwood and hit him in the face. That's when Ben started his clicking thing. "I chased him, clicking until I got to him, then I socked him a good one," says Ben, a skinny 14-year-old. "He didn't reckon on me going after him. But I can hear walls, parked cars, you name it. I'm a master at this game."
Ask people about Ben Underwood and you'll hear dozens of stories like this – about the amazing boy who doesn't seem to know he's blind. There's Ben zooming around on his skateboard outside his home in Sacramento; there he is playing kickball with his buddies. To see him speed down hallways and make sharp turns around corners is to observe a typical teen – except, that is, for the clicking. Completely blind since the age of 3, after retinal cancer claimed both his eyes (he now wears two prostheses), Ben has learned to perceive and locate objects by making a steady stream of sounds with his tongue, then listening for the echoes as they bounce off the surfaces around him. About as loud as the snapping of fingers, Ben's clicks tell him what's ahead: the echoes they produce can be soft (indicating metals), dense (wood) or sharp (glass). Judging by how loud or faint they are, Ben has learned to gauge distances.
The technique is called echolocation, and many species, most notably bats and dolphins, use it to get around. But a 14-year-old boy from Sacramento? While many blind people listen for echoes to some degree, Ben's ability to navigate in his sightless world is, say experts, extraordinary. "His skills are rare," says Dan Kish, a blind psychologist and leading teacher of echomobility among the blind. "Ben pushes the limits of human perception."
To read the People article in its entirety, click on the link below:
Real Life Astro Boy......Yeah It's Another Robot Story..
I was reluctant to address another android issue so quickly, but it does fit with the Afronerd motif, so why not? Check out the latest robotic innovation courtesy of Hanson & Son, as this new interactive toy is actually modeled after the creator's child (with a dash of the anime character, Astro Boy)-Courtesy of Halflifesource.com:
Hanson Robotics Unveals Artificial Boy
Two boy-like robotic Zenos are built by Hanson Robotics.
Hanson Robotics unveals two little Zenos, one is 18-month-old son Zeno, who prattles and smiles as he bounds through a cramped office, and the robotic Zeno. It can't speak or walk yet, but has blinking eyes that can track people and a face that captivates with a range of expressions.
Both Zenos stand at 17 inches tall and weigh 6 pounds. The artificial Zeno is the culmination of five years of work by David Hanson and a small group of engineers, designers and programmers at his company, Hanson Robotics. They believe there's an emerging business in the design and sale of lifelike robotic companions, or social robots. And they'll be showing off the robot boy to students in grades 3-12 at the Wired NextFest technology conference Thursday in Los Angeles.
Hanson says he envisions Zeno as an interactive learning companion, a synthetic pal who can engage in conversation and convey human emotion through a face made of a skin-like, patented material Hanson calls frubber.
Hanson said he is aiming for the same sort of realism found in the book "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," by Brian Aldiss. Aldiss' story of troubled robot boy David and his quest for the love of his flesh-and-blood parents was the source material for Steven Spielberg's film "Artificial Intelligence: AI."
He plans to make little Zenos available to consumers within the next three years for $200 to $300.
Until then, Hanson, 37, makes a living selling and renting pricey, lifelike robotic heads.
Sorry Folks....This Sunday's Afronerd Radio Show is Cancelled-BlogTalk Maintenance
Please accept our apologies folks, Blogtalk just informed me that they will be down for maintenance issues on Sunday therefore preempting Afronerd Radio, but we will be returning in fighting shape next Thursday. Meanwhile, I have a treat for you-an actual movie. I want you guys to check out Manufacturing Dissent, a film that seeks to dethrown your liberal hero, Michael Moore. It appears that he is an opportunist like many Americans. In all fairness, Moore is an excellent documentarian as I actually enjoyed Bowling for Columbine and I believe his latest effort, Sicko was an important film focusing on the failures within the US healthcare system. Is America ready for socialized medicine? That's open for debate-sometimes the grass (and long lines to wait for medical attention) is not always greener on the other side (of Cuba or Canada). But I digress-check out the flick below:
Like Chris Rock Said.....He's Tired, Tired, Tired-Philly & the NOI Call for Black Men To Take Back Neighborhoods
Here's a snippet, courtesy of PhillyNews.com:
Commish: I need 10,000 black menVolunteers will patrol high-crime areas By DAVE DAVIES
Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson is joining with civic leaders in an effort to recruit 10,000 black men to fight crime in Philadelphia's toughest neighborhoods. Dubbed "A Call to Action: 10,000 men - It's a New Day," the effort will begin Oct. 21 with a rally and recruitment drive at the Liacouras Center, followed days afterward by the training of the volunteers to act as community "peacekeepers."
"It's time for African-American men to stand up," Johnson said in an interview. "We have an obligation to protect our women, our children and our elderly. We're going to put men on the street. We're going to train them in conflict resolution."
Johnson said volunteers will be asked to patrol in high-crime areas for two to three hours a day for "a minimum of 90 days."
He said that the effort wasn't a city program, though many police commanders will be involved in training volunteers and supporting the patrolling peacekeepers, and training will take place at city recreation centers.
Community and religious leaders will be closely involved, Johnson said.
A key architect of the strategy is Dennis Muhammad, chief of security for Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan. Muhammad has a Detroit-based consulting business that works with police departments on community policing and sensitivity training.
Muhammad met in City Hall last summer with Johnson, Mayor Street and some business leaders, and Johnson was enthusiastic about the notion of rallying African-American men to stem the growing tide of violence.
In an interview yesterday, Muhammad said he envisions a dramatic presence in Philadelphia's most troubled neighborhoods that could inspire a national movement.
"We plan to deploy these men and distinguish them with a colored shirt or something, and our very physical presence will become a deterrent," Muhammad said. "It would be hard to commit a crime on a corner with 200 men.
"When this is successful, we hope to bottle this and take it to every major city in the country," he said.
For the rest of the article, click on the link below:
Check out the latest NPR Bloggers Roundtable.....Afronerd is scheduled for 9/26
We always aim to keep our readers informed-check out the latest Bloggers Roundtable segment of NPR's News & Notes, hosted by Farai Chideya. Our fellow blogger-in-arms Undercover Blackman makes his debut on the program. I'm up for the 26th and Mr. Starks is scheduled for October but we will keep you posted. Enjoy!
Damn I Guess That Gay-dar is a Real Thing Afterall......It's All in the Walk..Duh!
I never really thought that the gaydar phenomenon was a reality, although I'm sure the wives of Governor McGreevey and Senator Craig wished they had such an ability. And I'm also sure that if anyone has seen RuPaul sashay, no one is going to mistake him for a construction worker, but then the dress probably gives him away. It appears that recent testing involving observers evaluating a given subject's gait showed that the walk is a dead giveaway. I think that is overstating the obvious but it's an interesting supposition. Check out an excerpt from the "gay walk" article, courtesy of ScienceDaily.com:
We already know that men and women are built differently and walk differently from each other and that casual observers use this information as clues in making a range of social judgments," said lead author Kerri Johnson, UCLA assistant professor of communication studies. "Now we've found that casual observers can use gait and body shape to judge whether a stranger is gay or straight with a small but perceptible amount of accuracy."
Johnson and colleagues at New York University and Texas A&M measured the hips, waists and shoulders of eight male and eight female volunteers, half of whom were gay and half straight. The volunteers then walked on a treadmill for two minutes as a three-dimensional motion-capture system similar to those used by the movie industry to create animated figures from living models made measurements of the their motions, allowing researchers to track the precise amount of shoulder swagger and hip sway in their gaits.
Based on these measurements, the researchers determined that the gay subjects tended to have more gender-incongruent body types than their straight counterparts (hourglass figures for men, tubular bodies for women) and body motions (hip-swaying for men, shoulder-swaggering for women) than their straight counterparts.
Ok this is just Freaky......But Afronerd Will Buy a Beyonce-bot as soon as available......A Scientist & His Robot Twin
For the record-when the Beyonce-bot becomes available (if there will ever be Black androids)- I want the intelligent version. Please do not give me the one that wishes she was a Latina. Although this is an old story, it definitely appeals to my nerdic disposition and proves my point from the previous reminder post. Here we have a scientist that made an andriod duplicate of himself and the footage garners minimal Youtube viewership and a blurb in the media. This accomplishment may end up being an Isaac Asimov novel fully realized. Just think of the implications. If you scour the internet for information pertaining to robotics, you will see that scientist are getting closer to developing sentient androids to interact with humans. You think gay marriage provides a moral dilemma-what happens when someone wants to marry a robot? And is it still a machine if it (he or she-hey I'm prepping for the future) thinks independently. Hell, some humans fail in this regard. Here is more on this story, courtesy of Engadget.com:
First on the table-we implore our readers to try and read and comment on all our posts. Perhaps it is something that we must train our minds to do-yours truly included. Mr. Starks and I have highlighted issues ranging from the scientific/historical to missing women of color only to hear barely a peep from our readers. And this is something that I have noticed with many blogs-if it's racial or of a prurient nature everyone has something to say but we must pay attention to the less salient issues as well because they are probably the most important. Again, help us to make this blog special and not like the sites that focus on celebrity cellulite while Rome (or New Orleans) is burning.
Ok back to business-just reminding our audience that we do have a radio show tomorrow and all are invited. Same bat time same bat channel-Thursday, 9pm eastern at afronerd radio dot com. We will cover the week in review, whether Black notables are given a pass by communities of color and if there is such a thing as a ghetto pass for Whites. You should know the routine by now-give us a call at 646-915-9620 or IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo. Love us or Hate us-I'm sure you have your opinions and get this.....we'll actually listen-we just may not agree.
It's been reported that out of the 800 applications received, only a few are from minority applicants. We must teach our kids that math and science is much more important than a basketball and a microphone.
New York's first medical school to open in 30 years is setting up shop in Harlem - right across from the legendary Apollo Theater.
The mission of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine is to recruit more minorities to become doctors and to help provide primary care to low-income residents in Harlem, officials said yesterday.
Tourocom, as the school calls itself, will seeks a partnership with the city's Health and Hospitals Corporation's network of uptown public hospitals and health clinics - including Harlem Hospital.
The first class of 125 students will enroll in September. More than 800 applications have come in, said Tourocom CEO Jay Sexter.
The medical school will also offer a science master's to prep students who didn't obtain a pre-med undergraduate degree.
The approval of the new medical school - which will be celebrated in a ceremony today with elected officials and health-care advocates - is something of a coup.
The state Health Department is closing nine underutilized hospitals this year - including five in the city.
I Know I'm Running this into the Ground Folks But Damn.....BET should opt for another name-KET (Klan Entertainment...)
Somebody make it stop...Ghetto used to refer to a Jewish quarter-i.e. Warsaw Ghetto or Venetian Ghetto. Now it's a state of being, an action and a commodified object to be bartered as easily as a brand new pair of jordans. BET must be shut down NOW! Drawn and quartered.
When ABC Family Does a Better Job than BET-Examining Lincoln Heights
As usual I had a conversation with a friend/colleague at the office regarding my weekly film and tv watching habits. We really are budding cinefiles as we have had lengthy conversations spewing our knowledge about movies. The discussions range from our anticipation at seeing Russell Crowe and Christian Bale's performances in the western remake 3:10 to Yuma to whether the talk of a Justice League film being animated is a possibility. Heck, we even pontificate on the true meaning of certain Akira Kurosawa films. But my colleague was taken aback this morning when I told him my recent obsession with the ABC family network-specifically, Lincoln Heights. I actually like a few of the network's shows-Kyle XY, Greek and of course, Heights. The million dollar question however, is why couldn't BET have produced this show? BET which is notorious for its adherence to promoting low budget programming that caters to Black stereotypes, professes to be making changes and yet nothing in their lineup comes close to Lincoln Heights.
For those unfamiliar with this drama (a successful Black tv drama to boot), it essentially follows the trials and tribulations of the Sutton clan whose police officer patriarch decides to move the family back to the hood. No one's sensibilities are being insulted and there's no doling out of stereotypes a la 106 & Park. So what boggles the mind is why aren't we seeing more shows like this? We're told that Black respectful and artistic music doesn't sell yet Common's album goes to number one it's first week of release. People of color being seen in dramatic pieces also shouldn't work but Lincoln Heights is entering it's second season. It's time we start to demand respect relating to our imagery people and that time is NOW. We have some plans of our own true believers but we need your help. More information to follow, meanwhile check out full past episodes of Heights (just a week behind new airings) here:
Hey, this IS Afronerd. An important scientific development...
Radio Frequencies Help Burn Salt Water
By David Templeton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ERIE, Pa. - An Erie cancer researcher has found a way to burn salt water, a novel invention that is being touted by one chemist as the "most remarkable" water science discovery in a century.
John Kanzius happened upon the discovery accidentally when he tried to desalinate seawater with a radio-frequency generator he developed to treat cancer. He discovered that as long as the salt water was exposed to the radio frequencies, it would burn.
The discovery has scientists excited by the prospect of using salt water, the most abundant resource on earth, as a fuel.
Rustum Roy, a Penn State University chemist, has held demonstrations at his State College lab to confirm his own observations.
The radio frequencies act to weaken the bonds between the elements that make up salt water, releasing the hydrogen, Roy said. Once ignited, the hydrogen will burn as long as it is exposed to the frequencies, he said.
The discovery is "the most remarkable in water science in 100 years," Roy said.
"This is the most abundant element in the world. It is everywhere," Roy said. "Seeing it burn gives me the chills."
Roy will meet this week with officials from the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense to try to obtain research funding.
The scientists want to find out whether the energy output from the burning hydrogen — which reached a heat of more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit — would be enough to power a car or other heavy machinery.
"We will get our ideas together and check this out and see where it leads," Roy said. "The potential is huge."
Must I remind You that the Lower Tier Come in All shades? West VA Black Woman Tortured By White Refuse
As much as I detest this particular story, I really have become numb to it. With Black pathology killing young men and women of color at unprecedented rates, what constitutes as a hate crime nowadays? The fact that hundreds of Black men in many major cities in this country are dying at the hands of other young African-American men is definitely based on a type of hate and conversely supersedes the racially motivated crimes. Does the motivation matter anymore? Is this West Virginia incident more heinous than the Dunbar Village raping because the perpetrators were Caucasian? Perhaps our readers can answer that question.
Courtesy of the Associated Press:
Deputies Say Woman Tortured, 6 Charged
LOGAN, W.Va. (AP) — A woman who authorities said was sexually abused, beaten and stabbed while held captive for at least a week was repeatedly called a racial slur during the attacks, the victim's mother said.
Six people, all white, including a mother and son and a mother and daughter, have been arrested in connection with the alleged abduction of the 23-year-old black woman, sheriff's officials said Monday.
Authorities were still looking for two people they believe drove the woman to the home where she was abused, said Logan County Chief Deputy V.K. Dingess.
The FBI, which was asked by the sheriff's department to aid in the investigation, will look into whether a hate crime occurred.
The woman's abductors called her the N-word "every time they stabbed her," the woman's mother told The Charleston Gazette for a story published Tuesday.
The woman underwent surgery for leg wounds, Dingess told the paper.
Deputies found the woman Saturday after going to the home in Big Creek, about 35 miles southwest of Charleston, to investigate an anonymous tip.
One of the suspects, Frankie Brewster, was sitting on the front porch and told deputies she was alone, but moments later the woman limped toward the door, her arms outstretched, saying, "Help me," the sheriff's department said in a news release.
Besides being sexually assaulted, the woman had been stabbed four times in the left leg and beaten, Logan County sheriff's Sgt. Sonya Porter said. Her eyes were black and blue. The wounds were inflicted at least a week ago, deputies said.
During her capture, the woman was forced to eat rat and dog feces and drink from the toilet, according to the criminal complaint filed in magistrate court. She also had been choked with a cable cord and her hair was cut, it alleges.
"The things that were done to this woman are just indescribable," Porter said.
One of those arrested, Karen Burton, is accused of cutting the woman's ankle with a knife. She used the N-word in telling the woman she was victimized because she is black, according to the criminal complaint.
Deputies say the woman was also doused with hot water while being sexually assaulted.
"She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, 'Mommy,'" the mother told the paper. "What's really bad is that we don't know everything they did to her. She is crying all the time."
The Associated Press normally does not name victims of suspected sex crimes, and is not identifying the mother to protect the identity of her daughter.
The six suspects were arrested Saturday and Sunday. Deputies were still trying to determine whether the woman knew her assailants, Porter said.
Brewster, the 49-year-old who owns the home where the alleged attacks occurred, is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and giving false information during a felony investigation.
Her son, Bobby R. Brewster, 24, also of Big Creek, is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and assault during the commission of a felony.
Burton, 46, of Chapmanville, is charged with malicious wounding, battery and assault during the commission of a felony.
Her daughter Alisha Burton, 23, of Chapmanville, and George A. Messer, 27, of Chapmanville, are charged with assault during the commission of a felony and battery.
Danny J. Combs, 20, of Harts, is charged with sexual assault and malicious wounding.
All six were held Monday in lieu of $100,000 bond each, and all have asked for court-appointed attorneys.
Someone Should have stopped Mantan Moreland from Mating......Diddy & Jamie Foxx Comment on White on White Crime
We really are at the point where your drunken uncle that would usually be relegated to family functions has been given a microphone and asked to comment on sectarian violence in Iraq. Ok..perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my drift. Last night's MTV Video Music Awards was exactly what it has been for quite some time now-a sub par display of musical acts that are reminiscent of a high school talent show in Anytown, USA. But that isn't the kicker-Diddy & Company felt vindicated in being able to do what we here at Afronerd call the tit-for- tat shuffle. Rockers Tommy Lee and Kid Rock got into a public melee with Diddy and Jamie Fox parctically chomping at the bit to say "see Rock musicians can get violent too." Cry me a river-comparing a busted lip to colleagues, fellow artists and bodyguards getting blown away is the height of hypocrisy. Again, when will this madness stop. Check out the clip and tell us what you think.
Star & BucWild Returning to the Airwaves? A Combatant Against Lower Tier Mentality Forgot Which Side He was on!
Well this story may resonate more for those residing in the NY Tri-state region (and some syndicated affiliates) and who perceived Star Troi Torain to be the sepia toned successor to Howard Stern. Instead he turned out to be a promise deferred. For those unfamiliar with Torain's Star & Bucwild radio show, it was a no holds barred talkfest that appeared to address the substandard talent and thuggish aesthetic that presently has a stranglehold on the hip hop industry. Star's off-color remarks and ascerbic wit catapulted his show to the number one ratings spot sometimes coming head to head against the Stern ratings juggernaut in NYC terrestrial radio. Unfortunately due to unconscionable sexual and threatening comments made towards the innocent child of another radio rival, Star was appropriately ousted from the airwaves. But he might be making a return. For someone who was so steadfast in his criticism of the ghettocentric excess and gangsterism in commercial hip hop, it seems ironic that those selfsame precepts ultimately led to his dismissal. Let's see if he can salvage his career and stay on message-which may prove doubtful as he has raised his ire to yet another local DJ, Miss Jones. Check out this excerpt, courtesy of Black Voices:
The BV Newswire has learned exclusively that Troi "Star" Torain is readying a kiss-and-tell-all memoir about his former sidekick turned nemesis Miss Jones. The disgraced disc jockey -- who was terminated by broadcast giant Clear Channel Communications after causing a public uproar with remarks about a radio rival's under-aged daughter -- is shopping a book project, titled 'Yes, I've Met Miss Jones.' Torain, who independently released his biography 'Objective Hate,' is currently embroiled in a rumored $50 million legal battle with Clear Channel. Before his abrupt departure from the network's flagship New York City hip-hop station last year, he ruled supreme as a ratings champ with his no-holds-barred morning show. With new industry buzz of him joining Howard Stern's old stomping grounds -- New York City's K-Rock -- the sharp-witted media personality has been spending his down time at his Poconos summer home "smoking three Zino cigars daily, riding my John Deer lawn mower, nurturing my twelve fruit trees and scanning the internet for women with double D breast." "Yes, I've Met..." was inspired, he said, after learning that Jones (legally known as Tarsha Nicole Jones) devoted thirty pages to him in her much -buzzed about tome, 'Have You Met Miss Jones: The Life & Loves of Radio's Most Controversial Diva,' which was released by One World/Random House earlier this summer. "Please note that I'm not a vindictive person, nor do I need closure on the inner thoughts of Tarsha Jones, but ... I felt the need to give further perspective on my incomparable journey," he explained.
For the article in its entirety, click on the link below:
Our Griots Are Leaving Us and Then What? Legendary Quilt Historian Passes
I would like our readers to pay close attention to this piece as it is indicative of a loss of a natural resource of a different kind-our cultural protectors and experts. Perhaps you have noticed that sometimes we give off an almost a feverish impression of desperation when the subject of cultural misappropriation or loss is discussed. That's because the denigration of the African American tradition appears to be occurring in conjunction with our artists and standard bearers dying-possibly without heirs apparent to continue their work. Check out the latest from the NY Times pertaining to the death Quilting historian Cuesta Benberry:
Cuesta Benberry, 83, Historian of Quilting, Dies
By DENNIS HEVESI Published: September 10, 2007 Cuesta Benberry, one of the leading historians and archivists of American quilting, whose research made it clear that the contribution of black artists to the form reflected more than patterns drawn from their African roots, died on Aug. 23 in St. Louis. She was 83.
Her death was announced by the American Folk Art Museum in Manhattan, to which, in 2004, Ms. Benberry donated her vast collection of research papers, historical books, museum catalogs, periodicals and original patterns that covered more than two centuries of quilting history.
Her collection included an array of patterns, from those typical of Colonial America, with their large single images like a Tree of Life or a medallion centered on a sheet of hand-woven whole cloth, to the variety of fabrics pieced together in blocks that became available as the nation’s textile industry blossomed in the 1800s.
The patterns of these blocks — with names like Ocean Waves, Schoolhouse, Flying Geese and Carpenter’s Wheel — were a focus of Ms. Benberry’s studies. They are often just starting points for quilters, most of them women, who then bring their own creativity to the work.
“There are thousands of block patterns, but the same pattern can have different names depending where in the country a quilt was made, when it was made and by whom,” said Stacy Hollander, senior curator at the folk art museum. “Over 50 years, Cuesta Benberry did an enormous amount of work tracing the derivation of block names and how they were diffused around the country. It was groundbreaking in the area of quilt research.”
Ms. Benberry, who was African-American, was particularly interested in the contributions made by black quilters. She surveyed their work from the days when slave women stitched bedcovers — both for their own families and for their white owners — to modern-day creations. In 1992 she published a book, “Always There: The African-American Presence in American Quilts,” and organized an exhibition with the same name that traveled around the country. This was one of several books for which she was author, co-author or editor.
At the time, some quilt scholars and African-American studies professors were contending that, for the most part, quilts made by blacks shared traits derived from African traditions: for example, the choice of textiles and colors and the use asymmetrical patterns. Ms. Benberry, however, knew that many African-American quiltmakers had always created in the styles that were generally popular in their day. That was particularly true in the 20th century, when quilts went from bedcovers to artwork hanging on walls.
“She wanted the larger picture understood,” Ms. Hollander said, “and her exhibition and book really opened the door for following generations of quilt historians to delve into this aspect of quilt history.”
Ms. Benberry was born in Cincinnati on Sept. 8, 1923, and was reared in St. Louis. She earned a degree in education in St. Louis and taught public school in the city for 40 years; she also worked as a librarian. In 1951, she married George Benberry, and soon became fascinated by his family hobby — quilting.
In addition to her husband, Ms. Benberry’s survivors include a son, George Jr., of Elgin, Ill.; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
In 2004, Ms. Benberry received a Distinguished Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anyone Can Fly Foundation, an organization that promotes the work of African-American artists.
In an interview for the foundation, she said: “I believe that African-American history should be as complete as the history of the dominant or the mainstream population of the country. So when I saw that African-American quilt history was becoming the property of a group of scholars that had a very limited outlook on what African-American quilters have done over the years, I believed it was my task to try to give a more accurate and varied picture.”
The Policeman and his Ghetto Handbook......I Can't Make this Stuff Up Even If I tried
I really have no words for this story, take a gander-courtesy of the Associated Press:
Officer Suspended Over 'Ghetto Handbook' "Wucha dun did now?" Causes Stir in Houston School District AP HOUSTON -- A school district suspended a police officer as it investigates his distribution of a "Ghetto Handbook" and the three-month lapse before top district officials were informed of it.
The eight-page booklet, subtitled "Wucha dun did now?", was handed out to about 15 Houston Independent School District police officers at a May meeting, district spokesman Terry Abbott said. Officials declined to identify the officer who handed them out, but said he had been ordered to attend diversity training.
A supervisor immediately collected the booklets, Abbott said, but district officials said they didn't learn about the incident until someone complained to the district's Equal Employment Opportunity Office in mid-August.
"This publication was completely reprehensible and HISD condemns it in the strongest possible terms," Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said in a written statement Thursday.
He said he has "mounted a very aggressive investigation."
District Police Chief Charles Wiley had no comment, Abbott said.
The booklet billed itself as a guide to Ebonics, teaching the reader to speak "as if you just came out of the hood." It included definitions such as "foty: a 40-ounce bottle of beer"; "aks: to ask a question"; and "hoodrat: scummy girl."
The booklet names six district officers "and the entire day shift patrol" as contributors. Abbott said a preliminary investigation has cleared those officers of involvement.
Last year, almost 30 percent of the district's 202,000 students were black and almost 60 percent were Hispanic.
Carol Mims Galloway, president of the Houston NAACP chapter, said the officer who created the book should be severely punished or fired.
"It was really a slap in the African-American community's face," said Galloway, who is running for the school board.
"We're paying their salaries with our tax dollars," Galloway said of the district police. "It does reflect on the district."
School board member Larry Marshall said the document was inappropriate, even if it was meant to be a joke.
"These are very racially sensitive times," he said. "It was a huge mistake in judgment."
For Afronerd Radio this Thursday-Are We Giving Black Celebrities a Pass? and Week in Review continues.....
Well The R. Kelly trial may or may not go forward for the umpteenth time but I was inclinded to talk about this anyway for Thursday due to tonight's Meet the Faith show, courtesy of BET. This particular episode which was hosted by Dr. Ian Smith (also of VH-1's Celebrity Fit Club) attempted to analyze the perception that the Black community gives their African-American celebrities/notables a pass for aberrant and oftentimes criminal behavior. The show also talked about who in the White community has a "ghetto" card and why. So let's expand on this topic-R. Kelly continues to go platinum with Black women still dancing to his records in spite of his alleged fondness for golden showers and little girls of color. Congressman William Jefferson channeling former Mayor Marion Barry gets re-elected although corruption looms overhead. Well you guys get the picture. And tonight's show was pretty explosive and festive so we will wrap that up as well. Stop by on Thursday night at 9pm eastern and call in! It's live...remember it's 646-915-9620 or IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo at afronerd radio dot com. Be there and...well you know the rest. Oh and one more thing-Huey in the above clip was definitely Afronerd in the 80s (even with his leftist politics) but it also shows where he ( or I, dburt) is about to make the conservative turn. Twenty years ago perhaps I would have blamed a White bogeyman too-circa 2007, the responsible parties are now held accountable. No more ghosts or phantoms folks.
Remember Afronerd Radio's Week in Review Tonight at 8pm eastern-at AfronerdRadio.com
Just a reminder folks that we have a radio show tonight discussing some interesting newsworthy incidents that occurred this week. More on Eddie Griffin vs. Black Enterprise, Jena 6 (and the absence of black blogger credit for the attention that its now receiving), Another VH-1 boycott proposal, Larry Craig playing footsie, the Mos Def-Cornel West tap dance act on Bill Maher's Real Time, the Petraeus Report and anything else our audience would like to discuss. Again you can listen and call in live at 8pm (eastern)-646-915-9620 or via IM/email-afronerdradio@yahoo. We look forward to hearing from our readers, supporters and detractors. Come Ye...Come Ye.
Least You Forget that I still dig Comics & Comic Oriented Things...
Lightning strikes its target every once in awhile, true believers-check out this recent MTV Pimp My Ride comic book themed episode. I'm not a fan of the Honda CRX but the one that was customized in this episode I wouldn't mine owning. A few more comic inspired entries coming up. Excelsior!
Down Hom(ie) Wisdom from Mos Def and Dr. Cornel West-A Reminder that Black Folks Need Better Vocal Representatives
I want you guys to take a look at two snippets from last night's episode of Bill Maher's Real Time series. It's an excellent example of late night entertainment-not to be mistaken for real political discourse. But to be fair-Chicago's Democratic congressman, Rahm Emanuel was slated to appear on this episode but as Mr. Maher stated, the representative was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. But even if Emanuel did appear, I suspect that the show would have still ended up being a socialist progressive lovefest.
Something else occurred to me while watching this program-America's uber celebrification of our culture is killing us. Ok maybe not killing us but it sure doesn't make for sufficient political education and/or discussion. I also had a problem with not seeing a Black conservative counterbalance to level the perception that people of color are only about adumbrative conspiratorial murmuring. And as much as I try to steer away from being tribal-how do we (people of color in the collective sense)expect to be taken seriously on the world stage with leftist fantasy talk. I'm coming to this conclusion and I'm supposed to be the comic book guy. And once again, we also bear witness to Mr. Maher's joy in getting down with his bad self while in the company of authentic homies.
Brothers Cornel and Mos (hey I'm only using the lingo that Dr. West enjoys) will always point to conspiracies, White supremacy, conservatism and police corruption as being debilitating factors of African-American life but keenly Black pathology remains left out. And all I can ask, like the chorus from the noted Krs-One song-"Why is That? Or even a better single (from Soul Brother No. 1)-Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing. Mos Def talks about being from the projects and knowing danger but where is his threat coming from? Is it the police? Or another male sharing his ethnicity? And mind you, I am a fan of Def's music. I just think perhaps Afronerd's type of barbershop talk would be just a tad too real for Mr. Maher's illustrious guests. Check out the clips, afterall they are entertaining just not very substantive. Share your thoughts.
And hey, we can always rely on Cornel West's equally verbose cousin, Clifton East....ok, I jest:
It's not exactly a secret that my favorite musician is the one and only Prince Rogers Nelson, so imagine my surprise when I found this gem. Check out this MTV special that aired way back in 1986 as the opening party for his Under the Cherry Moon film. First, what elixir is this man taking-he looks essentially the same 21 years later-if you don't believe me check out a more recent appearance below. It must be the diet folks-the diet! Maybe there is something to being a vegan and wealthy. Anyway, enjoy the clips and stay tuned for our SundayAfronerd Radio broadcast-9pm eastern!
Hit Me...3 times....Check out this 3rd snippet from Bryant Gumbel's farewell show 10 years ago. Damn time is flying. Mr. Starks should get a kick out of this-Prince's homage to Bryant looks like he could be from your tribe bruh! Inside joke folks. Again folks, enjoy.
No More Excuses Folks-Baby found in Shoebox! When Will the madness End?
This next story is heart wrenching but is it an absolute case of poverty? The progressives will say that it is but I'm inclined to think that it's more about mental deficiency, lower-tier values and impoverished circumstances. How can one explain away ceiling high refuse in an apartment where adjacent neighbors do not live this way? The mother of this unfortunate infant (and her relatives) all possessed excuses for this aberration with the grandfather going as far as to commend his daughter for her maternal abilities. No one is discounting poverty and the difficult living conditions in many urban areas but when do we hold folks accountable for their actions when the poverty aspect is not the complete cause? This young woman's filthy living conditions appear to be self-imposed and ignorance is never determined to be a root cause. Let's check out the New York Daily News' take on this horror story:
Police arrest mom who kept 4-day-old baby in a shoebox
A 4-day-old baby was found in a shoebox in a Brooklyn apartment, cops say.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Her crib was a shoebox. Her playmates were roaches.
Cops removed a 4-day-old baby from a filthy Brooklyn apartment after finding the girl tucked into a Timberland shoe box, police said.
The newborn's 19-year-old mother, Jenilla Vaughn, was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.
"This morning she came outside with the baby in a shoebox in her arms. The police escorted her out. They were surrounding her. It's sad," said Joseph Coleman, 48, a super at the Vernon Avenue Houses on Marcus Garvey Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where Vaughn lives.
"I've been complaining for over 10 years about the condition of that apartment. The garbage is 5 feet high," Coleman said.
"The baby should have never come home. Where was social services? Why didn't they check the house?"
Not far from the shoebox holding the infant, cops found a loaded .45-caliber Hi-Point semiautomatic pistol, ammunition and a small amount of cocaine, law enforcement sources said.
"The apartment was total hell - roaches, garbage everywhere," a law enforcement source said. "There was nothing around that looked like they were caring for this baby. No food. No nothings. Its only playmate was the roaches."
Vaughn's brother, Tarik Vaughn, 22, was charged with possession of the weapon.
The little girl was born Sept. 2 at Woodhull Hospital, police sources said. She was taken back to the hospital yesterday, where she guzzled three bottles of formula, a hospital source said.
The Administration for Children's Services, which has a long history of dealing with the Vaughn family, took the infant yesterday, police sources said.
A 15-year-old who lives at Vaughn's apartment was also taken into ACS care, authorities said.
"Jenilla loves that baby. No way she's going to endanger it," said Jenilla's father, Edward Vaughn, 65. He said the baby was going to be named either Elaine or Jamalla.
"She didn't have the baby in a shoebox. The baby was in a car seat. She's a good mother and I'm a proud grandfather. She's doing the best she can."
New Afronerd Radio Show this Sunday-8pm Eastern, Our Own vh1 Boycott-Hip Honors & Week in Review
New show this Sunday folks! We will be doing another week in review program, discussing some standout issues from this week as well as our continuation of a VH-1 boycott of another type-the 2007 Hip Hop Honors show. More Eddie Griffin, Senator Larry Craig and his down low shuffle among other topics. Join us at 8pm eastern at afronerdradio dot com. Feel free to call and email us at: 646-915-9620 and afronerdradio@yahoo, respectively. Meanwhile, check out a VH-1 Honors snippet that shows how it's supposed to done:
CONGRESS TO HOLD HEARING ON HIP HOP: Executives to face questions about misogyny in lyrics and videos.
I find this quote to be very intersting, "I want to talk to executives at these conglomerates who've never taken a public position on what they produce," says Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. "But it's been surprisingly very difficult to get them to commit to appearing."
Despite all of the "hot talk" from many rappers and executives, when it IS time to speak up no one shows up....Not surprising. I guess this is what one can expect from the current crop of folks who have no respect for the art form.
Courtesy of the Associated Press:
*Later this month, Congress is set to hold its first hearing on misogyny in hip hop, which aims to address "stereotypes and degradation" of women -- particularly African-American women, reports Daily Variety.
Tentatively scheduled for Sept. 25, the hearing plans to examine the effects of hip-hop lyrics and videos, which critics have frequently derided for explicit misogyny aimed largely at black women.
"I want to engage not just the music industry but the entertainment industry at large to be part of a solution," according to Rush whose committee will hold the hearing.
Just as his colleagues on other committees have summoned TV execs to be grilled on sexual or violent content, Rush wants to hear from the leaders of companies purveying rap music. The intent is to examine commercial practices behind the music's most controversial content.
"I want to talk to executives at these conglomerates who've never taken a public position on what they produce," Rush said. "But it's been surprisingly very difficult to get them to commit to appearing."
So far, Master P is the only artist who has agreed to participate. The founder of No Limit Records began his career as a gangsta rapper, but has recently announced a decision to focus more on positive messages and images in his music.
Looks Like Team Afronerd is on the Patrol.....Eddie Griffin Gets His ComeUppance! Booted for Dropping N-Bomb!
No real need for editorializing here. Okay...just one thing-Mr. Griffin thought he could pull his minstrel act in front of the Black elite. Perhaps his act would have fared better at Roscoe's Chicken n' Wafflesnot at a Mr. Graves' affair. The lower tier smackdown begins. And trust me-this is only the beginning. Our hand is also in the air ready to smite some folks as well. Check out TMZ's report of the spanking:
Sharpton: Griffin Dropped for Dropping N-Bomb
Eddie Griffin thought he'd shock the swells at a big Black Enterprise event over the weekend by littering his act with N-words, but the comic was the one who got the real jolt when the mag's owner gonged his routine, and tossed him off the stage!
Rev. Al Sharpton tells TMZ that Griffin took the stage as the headliner and did his best Michael Richards impression, blistering the mostly African-American crowd with a barrage of N-bombs, and wailing, "Why are some black leaders telling us to stop using the N word?" Griffin's mike was promptly cut, and Black Enterprise owner/publisher Earl Graves stomped on stage and proclaimed, "We ... will not allow our culture to go backwards ... We will pay Mr. Griffin all that we owe him but we will not allow him to finish the show if that's the way he's going to talk." Oh, snap!
The crowd gave Graves a standing ovation -- and Rev. Al, speaking the next day at the event, gave Graves props for his axing of Griffin. A rep for Griffin had no comment.
Maybe I'm asking for too much. You know what I mean-decorum, grace and sportsmanship. And one thing this blog attempts to do is rethink the notion of solidarity and tribalism centered on race or ethnicity. But I must confess that I battle my natural inclinations to take a tribal position on racial issues-daily. I have come to the conclusion that I will support you, my brother (or my sister) based on one simple caveat-character. I will even support you if you are not of my alleged tribe-but again, it's all about the character. If your character is correct then I will follow you into the proverbial battlefield but if it isn't-time to kick rocks. Fast forward and let's review the Serena Williams debacle. Tribalism or rather our insistence in feeding into it, will undoubtedly tie Serena's recent bout of bad behavior with Michael Vick's in some misconstrued way-trust me.
This racial bridge was witnessed yesterday when the media blasted Whoopie Goldberg for her recent comments about Vick. To be specific, I saw her statements as an explanation not an excuse but we fall for the media okey-doke like champs anyway. I also suspect that if the Williams' press conference gains more ground in the media-there will be a happy contingent of lower tier people of color making excuses for it instead of calling it for what it is-a classless case of sour grapes due to lack of preparedness on Serena Williams' part. And to be fair, I have always admired the Williams sisters for their athletic prowess as well as their patriarch's unquestionable genius for developing world class (now classless) athletes utilizing unconventional methodologies. But hey, maybe I'm wrong-I'm sure someone will attempt to shut down my diatribe. Let's check out the specifics of Serena's moment, courtesy of Reuters:
Open-American media turn on "classless" Serena Williams
By Simon Cambers
NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The American media turned on Serena Williams on Wednesday, labelling the former world number one as "classless" and "graceless" after her sullen reaction to her U.S. Open exit at the hands of Justine Henin.
Top seed Henin beat the American 7-6 6-1 in the quarter-finals for the third consecutive grand-slam event on Tuesday but a despondent Williams gave the Belgian scant praise.
"I just think she made a lot of lucky shots and I made a lot of errors," Williams said at her news conference.
"I really don't feel like talking about it. It's like I don't want to get fined. That's the only reason I came. I can't afford to pay the fines because I keep losing."
Players who fail to appear for post-match news conferences face fines from tennis officials.
Williams's words and manner were greeted with widespread disdain.
"(Williams) met the media afterward like a rattlesnake meets a ground squirrel," wrote Bill Dwyer, in the Los Angeles Times.
"If anybody was expecting perspective afterward, or maybe a gracious nod to a better effort by an opponent, forget it. We had sullen Serena. Snippy Serena. Snarly Serena."
In the New York Times, under the headline, "Williams needs a lesson in etiquette", Selena Roberts wrote: "Who's classless now?
"The grumpy, borderline nasty disposition that Williams displayed after her loss was a little jarring considering she had her own lack of preparation to blame for giving in so easily to Henin.
"Serena was bitter, angry and upset. She directed some of that at Henin. Who could use charm school now?"
In an interview with USA Network, which hosts television coverage of the U.S. Open, John Wertheim, the senior writer for Sports Illustrated magazine, described Serena's reaction as "stunning".
"There's a lot to admire about Serena but this happens again and again where we just have these completely graceless post-match (news conferences). Lucky shots? I think she means winners."
Onthebaseline.com, which specialises in women's tennis news, said Williams should probably have skipped the news conference.
"Serena's public relations department would have done better to pay the fine themselves than to allow their charge to disgrace herself as she did last night," it said.
Better late than never I guess. Looks like the Jena 6 will finally get national attention from mainstream media. I won't be holding my breathe concerning the level of reporting. Tune in to "Out in the open" on CNN tonight at 8pm ET.
Refuse to Pull Your Pants Up and Risk Getting Arrested? It's about Time!
I have always considered myself a clotheshorse but the sagging pants-underwear pony show has worn itself thin. In speaking with Mr. Starks about this issue we oftentimes point to the Das-Efx (or Kriss Kross, albeit it was baggy backward) period circa 1992 when this look started to grab ahold of the nation's consciousness. And further-is this ultra saggy/baggy jean and timberland boot look seen on the catwalks of Milan and Paris? Folks, its 2007 and in the immortal words of actor/director Tim Reid during the last Tavis Smiley cornbread convention (aka State of Black America 07')-"It's time to pull your pants up and get a job." Well, it looks like our lawmakers from state to state are also sick of the nonsense-AFL-CIO and freedom of speech be damned! Let's try freedom from indecent exposure this time! Check out an excerpt from a recent NY Times piece concerning this issue:
Starting in Louisiana, an intensifying push by lawmakers has determined pants worn low enough to expose underwear poses a threat to the public, and they have enacted indecency ordinances to stop it.
Since June 11, sagging pants have been against the law in Delcambre, La., a town of 2,231 that is 80 miles southwest of Baton Rouge. The style carries a fine of as much as $500 or up to a six-month sentence. “We used to wear long hair, but I don’t think our trends were ever as bad as sagging,” said Mayor Carol Broussard.
An ordinance in Mansfield, a town of 5,496 near Shreveport, subjects offenders to a fine (as much as $150 plus court costs) or jail time (up to 15 days). Police Chief Don English said the law, which takes effect Sept. 15, will set a good civic image.
Behind the indecency laws may be the real issue — the hip-hop style itself, which critics say is worn as a badge of delinquency, with its distinctive walk conveying thuggish swagger and a disrespect for authority. Also at work is the larger issue of freedom of expression and the questions raised when fashion moves from being merely objectionable to illegal.
For the article in its entirety, check the link below:
Next On Afronerd Radio-Do Blacks & Whites still play the Parent-Child shuffle? And the VH-1 Boycott-Should there be two?
Ok Folks, we plan to have a full show on our plate this Thursday at 9pm eastern. Let's see if we can get through everything without having to do a part 2 broadcast. Since the Vh-1/Interracial Love boycott and brewing controversy appears to be a hot topic on our blog, let's flesh it out! And should there be another boycott against VH-1 with the upcoming Hip Hop Honors award show? Pay close attention to the line up and you'll notice a lot of classic artists (one would think honoring those artists would be the crux of the show-not!) are not participating. Snoop Dog and Missy Elliot are being honored but no Sha-Rock, or Jimmy Spicer? Andre Harrell gets honored for New Jack Swing but not for being a member of the seminal hip hop group, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde? So let's talk and analyze. I also want all the folks that commented in the last post (including MTV/Vh-1 employees) to call us with their thoughts at: 646-915-9620 or IM/email our show via afronerdradio@yahoo. We will also try to fit in the alleged parent/child social and cultural relationship that exists between Whites and Blacks-we'll give it a shot! Be there and Be Square!
It Appears that another battle has started in our war against minstrelsy-VH1 Boycott!
I first heard about this story while listening to the Ed Lover radio program, broadcast locally throughout the NY Tri-state area. Lover took this boycott to be a case of sour grapes (on the part of a potential show creator) as the VH1 network refused to entertain the idea of a interracial dating program to counter the negative imagery that the channel currently promulgates-i.e. The Flavor of Love, Charm School and I Love New York. To be honest, I’m not sure about a show entitled Interracial Love since it appears to be proposed to primarily entice the public’s prurient interests as opposed to initiating an honest dialogue about inter-ethnic or interracial liaisons. I support mono-racial and interracial relationships-just that they be portrayed in a matter of fact fashion. But I must give my blessings to any endeavor that attempts to combat the singular ghettocentric perception that VH1 presently promotes as it relates to people of color. Check out the boycott initiative story, courtesy of Eurweb.com:
BOYCOTT LAUNCHED AGAINST VH1: Network targeted for its negative portrayal of black women. (September 4, 2007)
*A boycott has been launched against music channel VH1 to protest network executives who actively and purposely perpetuate negative stereotypes of black women through its reality programming.
An employee of the network leaked information about a production meeting regarding a potential new show titled “Interracial Love.” According to the employee, network execs passed on the idea because it would feature professional black women who choose to look beyond race to find true love. The images would be in direct contrast to those shown on such shows as “Flavor of Love” and its spawns “I Love New York” and “Flavor of Love: Charm School.”
In a letter written to Black Press Radio, the employee shared what she was told went down behind closed doors in a meeting about the show. According to the employee, the exec said: “It is our thoughts that the viewers are more interested in seeing black people in a ghetto role. This show will not sell.”
Black Press Radio (www.blackpressradio.com) followed up on the story and reported on an Aug. 14 statement sent to Black Press Magazine by Maura Wozniak, the Senior Publicist for VH1 Communications. In the statement, Wozniak confirms that “Interracial Love” was rejected after it was determined it just wasn't a good fit for the network.
"VH1 receives hundreds of unsolicited ideas for shows a week and has dozens of original programs in development," said Wozniak. "As is often the case, we immediately passed on this pitch because it does not make sense for the network at this time. But we are always open to ideas that fit in with our music and pop culture focus."
Black Media News fired off a letter to EUR voicing full support of a boycott against VH1. The organization wrote:
To whom it may concern,
There is a boycott that has taken a life of its own against the VH1 Network. We here at Black Media News have been watching the support around this boycott. VH1 had made racist comments about black women and why they only cast shows that stereotype black women as ghetto. The story was leaked on the Tom Joyner morning show and was also reported on Black Press Radio. The following comments were made by an employee of VH1. We feel these statements are worse than Don Imus due to the fact that they are not talking about just 12 black women they are talking about an entire race of black women. VH1 shows their views in their shows of black women. They have been type casting with black women only in ghetto roles. This is a very racist view and we ask for the continued support of this boycott. There are links below of the story black press radio did on this boycott and an editorial.
Disproving Youthful Ignorance-15yr old attends Ivy League University
15-year-old starts freshman year at Penn By KATHY MATHESON, Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA - Brittney Exline is too young to vote, drive a car or go to an R-rated movie, but at the age of just 15 she is beginning her Ivy League career Wednesday when classes start at the University of Pennsylvania.
She said she doesn't really notice the age gap between herself and her 17- and 18-year-old peers — and neither do they.
"I didn't tell people right off the bat that I was 15," Exline said. "A lot of people were pretty surprised."
Exline grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo., where at 8 years she was already in sixth grade. By 13 she had finished high school math. She turned 15 in February and graduated a few months later.
She's not preoccupied with how unique her accomplishments are.
"I wouldn't even really realize that if people didn't tell me," she said.
She excels at math and science and is really interested in politics, so she enrolled in a Penn program that will award her degrees from both the engineering and liberal arts schools when she graduates in 2011.
But her resume also includes years of dancing and singing and a couple of teen pageant titles.
"Her motivation, discipline and maturity provided clear evidence that, despite her age, she was ready to travel halfway across the country and thrive in Penn's rigorous academic environment," Eric Kaplan, interim dean of admissions, said in a statement.
There have been much younger college students: Jessica Meeker enrolled at Penn State two months before her 13th birthday, graduating in 2004 at age 16.
Exline's mother, Chyrese, a geriatric supervisor, said her concerns about her daughter's freshman year are probably no different from any other parent's.
"We did our best to prepare her," Chyrese Exline said.
Exline has already been on the Philadelphia campus for about a month, participating in a pre-freshman acclimation program. Program counselor Noemi Maldonado described her as "extremely outgoing, very social, very friendly, very mature for her age."
Miguel Gonzalez, another program participant, said Exline revealed her age when a group of incoming freshmen were hanging out late one night.
"She's really cool for a 15-year-old," said Gonzalez, who turns 18 later this month. "We were surprised, but I don't think it's too shocking."
Vibe magazine tackles the DeBarge family & their tragedies......
After picking up the latest Vibe magazine with its disheartening article on the DeBarge family, I was lead to do what I always do-take inventory on our cultural tradition. I am a big fan of the Motown mystique even beyond the seminal Temptations and Supremes eras. My formative years coincided with that 80s period when both the Jackson and DeBarge family were perhaps at the height of their musical powers. And twenty plus years later all that remains (according to Vibe), relating to the DeBarge story are broken dreams, drugs, incarceration stints and charges of sexual abuse claimed against their patriarch. In addition, if anyone has worked in a convenience store, my taking inventory reference definitely corresponds with the job-one must tally what exists and what is missing.
Reading about the DeBarges also reminded me that if such an inventory were to take place in the current year of our Lord-there would be a lot missing. The selfsame article intimated that the DeBarges might make an attempt at a comeback but as alluded to in the last entry about Res-what industry would these artists comeback to? The music industry as we know it does not exist. There literally is no product to buy. Illegal downloading and bootlegging reign supreme. The only thing the public seems to be willing to purchase are ringtones. And to make matters worse, the current Black music scene is teeming with signs of ageism (will there ever be a Black equivalent to the Rolling Stones?), substandard musicianship and limited allowable musical genres.
When Tyrese forsakes R & B for rap, that's a definite sign that the times they are a changing. What do you guys think? Is Black music dead? And why can't we enjoy music in the cross-generational sense like many Whites with respect to Aerosmith or the Stones? While you ponder these questions take a look at the DeBarge videos below-one from the past and the other is symbolic of the present....soul artists resorting to sing hooks for hip hop acts. Truly the end of a generation.
For more of the Vibe article, click on the link below:
I mentioned alternative artist Res (pronounced "Reese") during our last broadcast with a promise that I would also provide an update regarding her status. Well there is a higher order-she is still recording music with an album in the works. I would hate to see yet another alternative r & b artist pushed to the side because of corporate apathy and ignorance. I purchased her album, How I Do a few years ago with the hope that she would break through but alas that appears to not be the case, especially in today's current music scene. And despite her willingness to make a comeback (if that's the right terminology) I'm just not sure what she would be coming back to. My next entry will deal with the tragedy of the Debarge clan based on a recent Vibe expose which entails a similar dilemma-there literally is no music industry to house a talented act anymore. I will explain further in the next post-just think of a desert wasteland filled with CDs. For more info on Res, click on the link to her check to her myspace page below:
Show Cancelled......We'll be back Thursday at 9pm eastern
Sorry Folks today's show has been cancelled....but do enjoy your Labor Day weekend! We'll be back to business as usual this Thursday. Be there and be square!
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