The Comic Shoppe's After Thanksgiving Special.....Broadcast Opens Promptly at 7pm eastern, Mon!

How many times do the fans get it right? Answer....almost always! Well, if you're familiar with the above fan film, Grayson and the current RIP storyline of Batman-join Max, Daryll and yours truly as we discuss the current death of Batman hoopla sweeping the media on tommorow's Comic Shoppe broadcast. We will also bring analysis to the follow: Geoff John's proposal for an '09 reboot of Superman's origin; perhaps Tim Burton didn't sink the chances for the reboot of Planet of the Apes franchise and a special what if supposition-what if Chris Nolan didn't reboot Batman? How about Darren Aronofsky? And of course, we will discuss our favorite graphic novel reads from last week. So true believers, you know the drill-call us "live" with your comments and questions at 646-200-0104 or via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo. And remember.....Imperius Rex, brethren!


The Comic Shoppe's Week in Review

Time Magazine's Take on Black Conservatism After Obama's Win!

I was fortunate enough to receive an attached email from resident commenter/blogger, Sergio (of the Bloodsport site) which contained a Time article highlighting the quandry that Black Republicans are in due to the emergence of President-elect Obama. I'm not sure if the premise of the piece is conjecture or fact. Sure, the Republicans are going to have to rebuild but the process is certainly not insurmountable. The purported choice of GOPAC head Michael Steele as the next chairman of the Republican Party, on the surface, looks like an excellent foundation to start this rebuild. Perhaps a reprieve from kowtowing to the religious right might be another wise move. It is easy to surmise that the overt religiosity of the Republican base just didn't address the real world dilemma of a failing American economy. But I digress, check out this excerpt from the Time article in question:

It hasn't been the best time to be a Republican — and even worse if you are a black Republican. Take the experience of Ada Fisher. This fall, the Salisbury, N.C., physician ran for a state general-assembly seat representing a mostly white, working-class district. Several black college students who campaigned on her behalf were dissed by peers as "Uncle Toms." Then, in September, as Fisher walked toward the local Republican Party's booth at a county fair, a white man told her to go back to the Democratic Party booth "where she belonged" and to support Barack Obama. Never mind that the 61-year-old is a third-generation Republican. She also recalls hearing of white people urging friends to vote a straight Republican ticket — "except for the black woman."


Barack Obama's candidacy posed a peculiar challenge to the GOP's minuscule African-American membership. For some, it meant weighing a sense of racial pride against loyalty to conservative economic and foreign policy principles. Now, the GOP must decide how it can be relevant to an increasingly diverse electorate, particularly blacks. That will certainly be on the agenda as Michael Steele, the former Maryland lieutenant governor, vies to become the first African American to lead the Republican National Committee. In an interview with TIME last week, Steele acknowledged it will be "very, very tough" to boost black support for the Republican Party, particularly given the historic nature of Obama's presidency. Still, he says, "I want to take the party back to communities outside its comfort zone."

In all fairness, the Republicans should not (and do not) bare the brunt of racial insensitivity during this election season. Does anyone remember this woman from the Democratic primary process:



The question remains-if we see competency (stay home and shoot moose next time, Sarah!) and a viable candidate of color on the right during the next go-around, will Blacks/Browns be willing to get off the liberal plantation to see it through? Your guess is as good as mine. Click on the link below for the Time piece in its entirety:

Is There a Future for Black Republicans?

We're back and It's Time To Analyze Lower Tier Nonsense Once again-Discussing Black Friday Madness on Sunday's Afronerd Radio, 7pm eastern!

Well while some we're enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers, other folks were being trampled for cheap wares due to alleged Black Friday bargains. Don't miss Sunday's broadcast as I suspect that Mr. Starks and I will be in rare form as we bring analysis to perhaps the penultimate display of man's savagery-before the final man-simian devolution process begins. And if you thought that just the east coast possessed a patent on anarchy.....take a look at the west coast's version of a modern day safari adventure:

'Weird Feeling' Hangs Over Toys 'R' Us Day After Shooting

We will also provide our opinions of Obama's cabinet picks thus far, a summation of our interview with Ms. Jane Elliott and the validity of a belief that President-elect Obama may help to rehabilitate the Black male image (translation-will do rags and sagging pants start to dissipate). So you know the routine-give us a call "live" at: 646-915-9620 or contact us via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. And remember...tomorrow at 7pm eastern....Be Square, Be there....and try to avoid lower tier stampedes!

Afronerd Radio Discusses Black Friday.....on Sunday!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it looks like turkey is good for eating AND self defense!

They should have kept hitting him with the turkey!



Carjacking suspect hit with frozen turkey


Fuquay-Varina, N.C. — Fuquay-Varina police arrested a man whom bystanders say they hit with a frozen turkey when he allegedly carjacked a woman's sedan outside a grocery store Sunday.

The man took money from a cash register at a BP gas station at Ten-Ten Road and US. Highway 401 around 11:30 a.m., Garner police said. He then crossed Ten-Ten Road to the parking lot of a Harris Teeter store and approached Irene Moorman Bailey, who was loading groceries in her car.

Witnesses told police that the man started beating Bailey in the face, trying to get her keys.

“The lady was being beaten on the ground. She was lying on the ground, and the guy was on top of her – physically hitting her,” shopper Randy Owens said.

Bystanders intervened and hit the man in the head with a frozen turkey that Bailey had bought, police said.

“I was just grocery shopping, like any other day, and I happened to come out and I saw all this chaos that just had happened,” shopper Leanne Sweet said.

The man managed to get into Bailey's 2001 Nissan Maxima and hit five other cars while escaping from the parking lot, officers said.

"My bumper's cracked, and the whole side is dented in," Sweet said.

“He backed across, and he hit the Cadillac and hit our car and hit another car that was parked,” Owens said. "I just wish he'd hit him harder and knocked him out and brought the whole thing to a close."

Officers found Fred Ervin, 30, in Bailey's car in Garner, Fuquay-Varina police said. Ervin was taken to WakeMed with a serious head wound. He was listed in fair condition Monday morning.

When Ervin is released, police said he will face these charges: assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, robbery, driving with a revoked license, hit and run and larceny.

"Sad is what it is, especially during the holiday season,” Owens said.

"My heart goes out to that woman," Sweet said.

The Wake County Sheriff's Office and Garner and Fuquay-Varina police departments responded to the incident. The BP is in Garner town limits, and the Harris Teeter is in Fuquay-Varina.


Posted by Mr. Starks

The Comic Shoppe Returns-Discussing Mortal Kombat vs DC, Captain Marvel On Screen Soon? & Our Favorites Comics-Mon at 7pm eastern!

Max, Daryll and yours truly took a break for a few shows but we're back and stronger than ever. You know the rountine-call us "live" with your comments and/or questions at-646-200-0104 as we discuss my recent PS3 (especially the DC vs Mortal Kombat game-the essence of true geek fun) purchase; more Captain Marvel (not the Marvel character-the "Shazam" version) film news; X-Men franchise film news and of course our favorite graphic novel reads from the last few weeks. You can also reach us via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo. And as always...Be there and Be Square-Excelsior, folks!

PS-And for the obvious elephant in the room question-why haven't we seen a Marvel vs DC video game? Check out this piece from Variety, that begs to pontificate on the matter:

DC vs. Mortal Kombat... where's DC vs. Marvel?? Of all the news, such as it was, coming out of Midway's "gamer day" (when the videogame press gets shown all the stuff that the publisher wants to feed to the media in one fell swoop so that everybody writes big stories at the same time), I was most surprised and excited by "Mortal Kombat vs. DC." Superman, Batman, Scorpion, Subzero, and (we can assume) all the other favorites kicking each others' asses sounds cool, even if there won't be fatalities.

This is, of course, Mortal Kombat's answer to Marvel. vs. Capcom, where Spider-Man and Captain America et al took on the "Street Figher" crew. But as a long-time comic book geek, these games make me more wistful than excited. Sure, seeing Batman try to take down Subzero could be cool. But what I REALLY want to see is Superman vs. the Hulk. Or Batman vs. Spider-Man. And so on and so on.

Fanboys have engaged in innumerable arguments about who which superhero characters would win in a fight. I am pretty sure that nobody has ever had a serious discussion about whether Batman could kick Scorpion's ass. Nobody really cares. Can anyone honestly tell me that a "DC vs. Marvel" fighting game wouldn't be millions of fanboys' wet dream and a guaranteed best seller?

Both comic publishers have various video game deals worked out that might make such a combination difficult, of course. But there have been several DC vs. Marvel comic books, so I've got to believe that with enough time and effort, they could make it happen. And I'm sure any sane videogame publisher would bid millions for the honor of putting out that surefire hit.

So, enjoy this teaser trailer for "DC vs. MK." But if you're like me, you'll watch it and wish for the ultimate super-hero game that needs to happen.

Some Info & A Few Links To Chew On!

Never let it be said that President-elect Obama will not come into office with a full plate when he received the "honor" of getting racially slurred by the likes of Al Qaeda. When exactly did I miss the memo when Arabic culture showed any empathy for African or more specifically, African-American history and sensibilities? If I know my history, Arab involvement in the enslavement of African people even predates the more notable European Transatlantic version.

Islam & slavery
Uploaded by BLACKMUSICS

If you haven't heard the latest news, Al Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri branded Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Barack Obama as house negroes for capitulating to Western values (and their commitment to Israel doesn't hurt either) in their quest to obtain political power. Does this assault finally put the nail in the coffin to those naysayers that insisted that Obama was a secret Muslim?

Next up, I was fortunate enough to make another appearance on NPR's Bloggers Roundtable. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to address former Lt. Governor Michael Steele's potential ascension to chairman of the Republican Party next year, but we did get into the minstrel show known as the Real Housewives of Atlanta, among other things:

Roundtable: Assessing The State Of The Black World


And lastly, a few weeks ago we mentioned that behind the scenes we were making efforts to interview famed educator and lecturer Jane Elliot-well it looks likes all systems are set for go! Join Mr. Starks and I as we discuss race (pre and post Obama) this Sunday with Ms. Elliott at 7pm eastern. For those in the know, Ms. Elliott has appeared on a number of talk shows replicating her infamous race exercises first seen in her Blue Eyed documentary. Check out Ms. Elliott's handiwork below:

The legendary Roots Crew makes a move to late night.

If you have never seen the Roots in concert, you have really missed out on something special.
This latest endeavor seems like a good look though, plus 1 for real HipHop...


The Roots Named House Band For 'Late Night'; Temporarily Retire From Touring


If you are a fan of The Roots, the last time to see them perform live may be during their upcoming tour of Europe, which kicks off November 11 in Switzerland.
According to sources, the revered Philadelphia Hip-Hop band will temporarily retire from touring in March of 2009.

While the news may be a disappointment for some, the reason for the decision is sure to delight fans of late night television.

The Roots will serve as the new house band for former Saturday Night Live actor Jimmy Fallon, when he replaces Conan O’Brien as host of Late Night on NBC in March of 2009.

O’Brien will be moved to The Tonight Show, where he will replace Jay Leno.

Last week, Fallon and The Roots traveled to the Delaware Valley, where they shot a video at the Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia’s Fishtown section, to promote Late Nate.




Posted by Mr. Starks

The Latest Watchmen Trailer

Hat tip to resident commenter, Sergio for hipping us to this latest kick-ass trailer clip.

Looks like our President-Elect is also an afronerd!

Courtesy of newsarama.com:

5 Lessons We Hope Obama Learned from Spider-Man

Not only has America elected its first African-American President, it's looking more and more like we've elected our first Geek-in-Chief. He's read Harry Potter, he's addicted to his BlackBerry, and his Mac laptop has a Pac Man sticker on it. Do we need any more evidence he's one of the nerd generation?

Most recently, the President Elect has acknowledged that he collected both Conan the Barbarian and Spider-Man comic books growing up (although he identifies with Batman as well as Spidey).
But let's look closely at Spider-Man for a minute.

Over the Marvel Comics icon's 45-plus year crime-fighting career, the Amazing Spider-Man learned many hard lessons about what it takes to be a true hero, something the United States sorely needs right now. Here are the Top 5 Lessons we hope the President-Elect has learned from the Wall-Crawler.

5. In Order to Get Things Done, Sometimes You Have to Reach Across the (Super Hero) Aisle.

Where Spider-Man Learned It: Virtually every issue of Marvel Team-Up and Marvel "crossover" events.

The Lesson: Marvel's recent Civil War miniseries brought the point to a head -superheroes don't always get along. Just like politicians they often bring very different approaches and ideologies to the table. In Marvel comic books Iron Man has recently become something of a big government fascist, and the Sorcerer Supreme Dr. Strange has extreme libertarian leanings, but Spidey's managed to serve as teammates on the Avengers with both.

Spider-Man also works closely with minority groups (the X-Men), and isn't threatened by gender differences (Spider-Woman). Sometimes in order to do good, you have to look past your differences.

4.The Press Isn't Your Friend

Where Spider-Man Learned It: From the first time J. Jonah Jameson wrote his first anti-Spider-Man editorial, shortly after he debuted. No matter what he does, Spider-Man can never catch a break with JJJ.

The Lesson: Jameson is convinced Spider-Man is a menace to society, rather than a hero trying to save it. But Spidey doesn't let it get him down or make his second guess what he knows is right. Sure, seeing anti-Spidey screed blasting down from billboards and on newsstands can grate, but he keeps rolling on. And yes, even Jameson has jumped on the Spider-Man bandwagon once or twice, but has jumped right off it again and gotten back to his normal ways.

3. Bad Things Are Going to Happen. The Important Thing Is How You Respond

Where Spider-Man Learned It: Practically every issue, including being trapped under tons of machinery in Amazing Spider-Man #33, 1966 and the death of his first love Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man #121, 1973.

The Lesson: As Joe's Biden and Lieberman both predicted, new presidents are usually tested early, and no one can predict exactly how. As Spider-Man has showed time and again, it's how you react to adversity that defines you. Spider-Man's probably had to deal with more tough hands over the years than any superhero alive, and while he's always flirted with throwing in the towel during the dark times, he always comes back with renewed purpose and shows himself to be the hero we know him to be.

2. Never Lose Your Sense of Humor

Where Spider-Man Learned It: From the early days of his career, up through the latest issues on the stands.

The Lesson: Putting Spider-Man's mask on freed the once nerdy and shy Peter Parker to let his constant - and sardonic - inner monologue out, and be the superhero who reacts to adversity with quick wit and even a little charm.

Over the years, Spider-Man's snappy one-liners have helped him keep his spirits up in difficult times, as well as the heroes around him. American isn't looking for a Comedian-in-Chief, but as all our 401k's shrink in size like Spidey's buddy the Astonishing Ant-Man, we could use a little levity from our leaders.

Obama ought to allow himself to occasionally relax that famous disciplined approach of his let the country see that even our leader can laugh in the face of adversity.

1. With Great Power There Must Also Come -- Great Responsibility

Where Spider-Man Learned It: His very first appearance in 1962's Amazing Fantasy #15, and as seen 2002's Spider-Man feature film.

The Lesson: Probably the most famous line in comic book history, this nugget, originally penned by Spidey's co-creator Stan Lee, has informed Spider-Man almost since he was first bit by that radioactive Spider, along with countless superheroes that followed.

Sure, Obama has the Supreme Court and Congress checking him, just like Spider-Man has the Fantastic Four and Captain America, but you still want the most powerful man in the world to have his head in the right place from the start, and to use his powers for truth, justice, and the American way...

Oh wait, wrong superhero...


Posted by Mr. Starks

And Yet The BS Continues......Anti-Obama/Racist Remarks Painted On 40 Cars on LI, NY!

This just in, courtesy of WCBSTV:

Cops Probe Racist, Anti-Obama Slurs Found On L.I.
Residents In 'Quiet, Diverse' Town Find More Than 3 Dozen Cars Spray-Painted With Hateful, Sexually Graphic Graffiti

Jennifer McLogan MASTIC, N.Y. (CBS) ― The U.S. Secret Service is now involved after cars were vandalized on Long Island.

Several neighbors in Suffolk County woke up to racist slurs, and threats against President-elect Barack Obama spray-painted on their cars.

Hallock Nash struggled to remove the racist graffiti from his vintage cars. Some of the slurs targeted Obama.

"We have to unite together instead of putting hatred stuff on people's cars," Nash said. "It's not going to change anything. He's still going to be president."

"I think it's because Obama was elected president," added Mastic resident Nicole Grullon. "I think they're mad about it, honestly."

In this Mastic neighborhood, residents call diverse and harmonious, police said more than 40 vehicles were damaged overnight with sexually graphic references and racial slurs.

"Definitely a lot of the 'N' word and as you walked further down this way, 'Kill Obama' on one car and 'Obama-bleep.' I hate using the word," resident Ron Richardson said.

The Rodriguez family snapped photos and shared them with police after shielding their children's eyes, as they walked to school, from messages of hate and divisiveness, directed at the president-elect.

"That doesn't bring our nation together at all," Amanda Rodriguez said. "We have to pray for our president."

Late Wednesday Suffolk police announced the department's Hate Crimes Unit is investigating, joined by the Secret Service, due to the nature of the threats.

Wednesday's incidents occurred about 10 miles from Patchogue, where a Hispanic man was fatally stabbed last weekend following a confrontation with seven teenagers. That investigation also continues.

Meet The Jules The Face Mimicking Robot.......Could A Real Life T-1000 be next?

Smile And Robot Smiles With You

The Madness Continues for Those Severely Detached from Reality........Check Out Tyra's Show on Alleged Multi-Racial Folks in Denial

My comments are forthcoming....but you know the deal. Hat tip to Mr. Starks for hipping yours truly to this episode.

And Now for the Superfluous.......Beyonce as Wonder Woman

This goes back to my Black James Bond concerns-why not develop an entire Black Amazonian storyline as opposed to simply putting a Black body in a White character's costume? Heck, it took decades for Themyscira (WW's Paradise island) to depict multi-cultural women as Amazons in the DC universe when coventional wisdom had the characters exclusively European in appearance. So for the record (in the case of comic book continuity freaks), there are Black Amazonians (and Black Kryptonians....just wiki Vathlo Island) just not the main franchise characters. I wouldn't mind seeing Mrs. Knowles-Carter in the costume-but on celluloid?....I have to ponder further on that one. Here's more on Beyonce-Woman, thanks to Black Voices:

Beyonce Desires To Play Wonder Woman On Big Screen

With so many big name actors getting into the comic book film genre and having their films doing quite well at the box office, saying "yes" to star in such a film is no longer a bad thing. Just look at what has happened to the careers of Robert Downey Jr., Ed Norton, Jeff Bridges, and Terrence Howard recently. With 'Iron Man', 'The Incredible Hulk' and 'The Dark Knight' making well over $200 million dollars worldwide, who wouldn't want to get that exposure and reap the rewards.

In an exclusive interview with the LA Times, pop singer/ actress Beyoncé stated that she too wants to get her foot in that genre and wants to play Wonder Woman on the big screen.


Beyoncé says that she has met with representatives of DC Comics and Warner Bros. to express her interest in a major role in one of the many comic-book adaptations now in the pipeline following the massive success of 'The Dark Knight,' 'Iron Man,' 'Spider-Man' and 'X-Men' franchises.

She goes on to say that she chose Wonder Woman because she saw Lynda Carter's costume from the 1970s television show on display at the Costume Institute's 'Superhero' show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

'I would definitely have to keep it right for that costume. The way that Lynda Carter wore it, she was sooo fine. She was amazing. I saw her costume at the Met. Her waist was unbelievable. It was pretty crazy, actually, her proportions. But I love Wonder Woman and it'd be a dream come true to be that character. It sure would be handy to have that lasso. To make everybody tell the truth? I need that. It would come in very handy.'

While it would be great to see Beyoncé in any costume, let it not be Wonder Woman. Just look at what happened to Warner Bros. when they put Halle Berry in 'Catwoman'? The fans and critics killed the film and it performed poorly at the box office, grossing only $40 million dollars.

Some Ruminations, Links and the Belief That the More things Change......

I hope you guys didn't really think it was time to break out in a chorus of "Kumbaya" now that Obama is the HBMIC (Head Black Man in Charge-let's keep it pc, folks). I believe our next Afronerd Radio broadcast will delve into hearing from our audience as it relates to the atmosphere after the results of last week's long and arduous election. Is there a certain funk in the air from folks who are not keen on Obama's win? And to be frank, do you suspect that the aforementioned odorous tinge is simply a result of McCain's loss or is it anger that there is a man of color at the helm of our country's fate? Tell us your experiences thus far.

Next up, I want you guys to take a look at columnist, Stanley Crouch's latest op-ed piece equating the emergence of Governor Sarah Palin with a type of minstrelsy that has oftentimes been found in today's commercial hip hop. Do you think Mr. crouch is on to something?

When Sarah Palin & other 'commoners' attack 'elites,' America suffers



And lastly, as an aside, we intend to do a show about racism in the world of beauty and modeling. Last week, we were fortunate enough to converse with model Nikia Phoenix of the Model Liberation blog regarding a racist incident that occurred on her site, but she is also slated to return to discuss her thoughts on the modeling industry's treatment of women of color. As a prelude to Afronerd's Top Model show-the intelligent edition , take a look at Shay Riley's (of the Booker Rising blog) recent entry on Alek Wek:

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Alek Wek

A Black James Bond?.......Quantum of Solace's Daniel Craig Says We're Ready!

I'm not sure how I am supposed to react to this next story although I did predict that having a Black POTUS should have an impact on how pop culture interprets the African-American image. A few months ago, I was taken aback by comic book icon, Stan Lee's passing statement that if this nation were to elect a commander-in-chief of color, it might make sense for Marvel to have more Black characters. Well next up on the color commentary front is the current James Bond, Daniel Craig. Craig, who is starring in this month's latest Bond thriller, Quantum of Solace recently stated that if we're open minded enough to envision a President named Obama, then a Black Bond should be a walk in the park. Here's more on the subject of a Jamal Bond (just kidding about the moniker), courtesy of Stuff.co.nz:

Could the next James Bond be black?

Reuters
CHANGE OF COLOUR? Daniel Craig says the next actor who plays James Bond could be black.

Craig says Barack Obama's win in the American presidential election has paved the way for the next James Bond to be black.


The actor - who has played the British spy in two instalments of the franchise - says he'd like to see his replacement be black.

He said: "I'm a real fan of Obama because I like his political ideas. And I think it's the right moment for a black James Bond. If we can have a black US President, I think we might have reached the moment for a new kind of 007.

"I think the role could easily be played by a black actor, because the character created by Ian Fleming in the 50s has undergone a great deal of evolution and continues to be updated."

However, Craig doesn't believe his idea would have been approved by the late Fleming.

He added: "I think he'd probably turn in his grave."

Craig, 40, recently said Obama would make a better Bond than his former presidential rival John McCain.

He said: "Obama would be the better Bond, because, if he's true to his word, he'd be willing to quite literally look the enemy in the eye and go toe-to-toe with them."

Black British actor Colin Salmon had been rumoured to be in talks for the role before Craig was cast for Casino Royale.
The new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, is set to be released in New Zealand on November 27.

What do you guys think? Here's an idea-why not devise a separate franchise with a character of color who is reminiscent of Bond but not Bond. And why exactly does it become a novel idea to invest in Black chracters or storylines now that we have a Black president? Or is it too much to ask as it relates to originality in Hollywood. Perhaps Vin Diesel in XXX was supposed to be the multi-cultural answer to the question-I'm just sayin.'

If You Didn't Already Know....America Really Dodged a Bullet......Africa is a Country? Palin Thinks So!

Tsk...Tsk

One Person of African Descent Makes History While Another Gets Stoned to Death.....Somali Girl, 13 Gets Killed For Her Rape Claims

This looks like President Obama's (kind of weird to say it out loud) first order of business:

UNICEF reacts to death by stoning of raped Somali girl

Nairobi, Kenya - The stoning to death of a 13-year old Somali girl, Aisha Duhulow, has highlighted the extreme vulnerability of young Somali women in conflict, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday. Duhulow was stoned to death in a stadium with spectators in Kismayo, southern Somalia, on 27 October, after she was found guilty of adultery, UNICEF said.

Reports indicate that she had been raped by three men while travelling on foot to visit her grandmother in the war-wracked capital, Mogadishu.

Following the assault, she sought protection from the authorities, who then accused her of adultery and sentenced her to death under the Islamic Sharia law.

"This is a tragic and deplorable incident," said UNICEF Representative for Somalia, Christian Balslev-Olesen.

A child was victimised twice, first by the perpetrators of the rape and then by those responsible for administering justice

The UNICEF official said the incident highlights the extreme vulnerability of girls and women in Somalia, for whom violence and discrimination are intensified by the effects of chronic conflict and displacement.

Sexual and gender-based violence is commonplace in Somalia and the vulnerability of girls and women is further exacerbated through gender inequalities in access to essential social services.

"Authorities and institutions of civil society have a role to play in supporting and protecting the rights of every child," said Balslev-Olesen.

"However, this incident demonstrates how much work remains to be done to advocate for and protect the rights of girls and women in Somalia," he added.

UNICEF said it was committed to promoting the status of females and would continue to work with local authorities and partners to reduce the risks faced by the Somali women through the promotion of girls education, HIV prevention and support to services for survivors of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence.

Wow.....Let The Church Say "Amen"....But Before We Do the Harlem Shake......The REAL WORK Begins....No Excuses

Congratulations go out to Senator....ahem, President-elect Obama, his family, supporters and the American public. We have just witnessed a truly historic moment that I honestly did not expect to see. I stated previously, perhaps since Afronerd's inception that the concept of a president of color has up until now, been the stuff of legend-more specifically, science fiction and comedy. For people of color and all Americans in the general sense, a great achievement has been reached but let's not dance for too long; there is a lot of work that has to be done. It's no secret that I am not a complete fan of progressive politics. I am a registered Republican that still believes in boiler-plate conservatism. But I am also a staunch realist.

Under neo-conservative leadership, we just did not see true conservative principles being executed during the last two executive terms. Mr. Obama did receive my vote today because I thought that his candidacy affirms a myriad of possibilities for our country and especially for the tarnished and minstrel tinged Black image. As the above clip demonstrates, Obama is unafraid to call out some within the African-American community for propagating a self-defeatist aesthetic-hence the saggy pants phenomenon. Tomorrow is a new day, folks. Let's raise our heads high (and our pants), maintain a quiet dignity and remember that this is just the beginning. No more excuses, Black men. If you can be president, surely you can refrain from killing your people and start to raise your children. In the immortal words of Prince Rogers Nelson-Let's Work!

Say It Ain't So.....Jigga for Mayor of NYC.....Can't Truss It!

The above picture may demonstrate what the new Hizzoner may look like-Heaven really help us. This little tidbit of news must be taken with a grain of salt as it comes from MediaTakeOut.com but according to the gossip site, a noted politician is claiming that Mr. Carter may throw his hat in the race for '09. Here's an excerpt, courtesy of MediaTakeOut:

November 03, 2008. Hold your horses guys, this rumor is crazy. MediaTakeOut.com spoke with a prominent New York City politician who claims that Jay Z is contemplating running for mayor of New York City next year.

According to he politician, who asked to remain anonymous, Jay Z is "serious" about politics and is "strongly looking into" a 2009 Mayoral run.

The pol told MediaTakeOut.com, "[Jay Z] has discussed [running for mayor] with me and with others. I believe he's serious about it."

WOW!!!

I Understand the Sentiment But This is An "A" Plus "B" Conversation, Capt. Kirk......I Mean Denny! So You Should C(See) Your Way Out Of It!

I came across the above clip while perusing fellow conservative, Debbie Schlussel's blog. In the interest of full disclosure, Mr. Starks and I mouthed the very same words that William Shatner's character emotes in this clip concerning a certain segment in the African-American community. This lower tier faction insist that Senator Obama's potential presidency shouldn't tangentially mean anything regarding personal behavior or responsibility. The clip is very amusing but is this an internal conversation for the Black community where Whites dare not tread? Perhaps the internal conversation that some in the White community should have could entail the dismantling of perceiving all Blacks as being the same. Perhaps taking off the "tribal binoculars" when viewing Black culture would be a fresh start. I stated my opinion for the record on Ms. Schlussel's site but I would suspect that my meanderings fell on deaf ears. What do you guys think of the above clip? Would Denny Crane give the same speech to a White thug since McCain is in the running? Or does disproportionate Black crime change the argument? Again, a quarter (adjusted for inflation) for your thoughts.

More evidence that debunks the Black monolith:



If Mr. Obama wasn't the shot in the arm that African-American imagery needed, I would (and do, to a certain degree) concur with the young men interviewed in this CNN piece. But despite my conservative leanings, the Republicans (the neo-cons, specifically) dropped the ball the past two terms-time to pass the ball to someone who actually has a mean three-pointer. Let's hope that he at least remains in the center position-it worked for Clinton.

Well, Our Music Show Has Been Canceled (Perhaps a Music Show Should be AFTER Nov. 4th-God Willing) But Check 4 the Comic Shoppe, Mon at 7pm eastern!

Due to time constraints we will have to postpone our special Afronerd Radio music broadcast for next Sunday (and as the title of this entry states-let's see what happens after Nov. 4th) but do stay tuned for tomorrow's Comic Shoppe Show hosted by Max, Daryll and yours truly. The topics to be discussed are the following: the real reason Terrence Howard will not be reprising his role in Iron Man 2; Spiderman 4 news and perhaps one of my favorite graphic novel scribes, J. Michael Straczynski has been opted to write the screenplay for another one of my favorite things-a remake of the classic Forbidden Planet film. Will we see Robbie the Robot and Leslie Nielson worked into this effort? And speaking of "Robbie," we will also try to fit in a discussion regarding a new robot themed comic entitled Gigantic. We would also be remiss if we did not chop it up about our top pulp reads from last week. So you guys know how this works......the Shoppe opens tomorrow 7pm eastern-feel free to call in with your questions/comments at 646-200-0104 or via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo. Nuff said!


Comic Shoppe's Week in Review

Don't forget to check out the two treats above and below (Tobor, a Japanese robot anime contemporary of Gigantor-before my time but it's peeked my curiosity nonetheless)-Enjoy!