A Different Take on Kobe Bryant Courtesy of Spike Lee....Kobe Doing Work!

We tried to get Spike for an interview but I suspect that we will get him on.....eventually. Thanks to Sergio Mims for hipping me to this doc. I was never a fan of Kobe Bryant especially based on his demeanor and past public skirmishes (infidelity. arrogance, wars with Shaq, rape scandal, 4 million dollar ring purchase for his wife because of the rape/infidelity issue, etc) but let's see what this film shows. Opinions?

It's That Time Again Folks- Sunday's (7pm ET) Afronerd Radio Show-Discussing Friendly Fire, White Lies & "Old" Rappers!

Let's keep it tight and simple-Join Mr. Starks and I this Sunday at 7pm eastern for another thought provoking Afronerd Radio broadcast as we discuss the following: another White woman decides to channel Susan Smith by blaming it on a Black man (sounds like a Jamie Foxx remix); a tragic police shooting is being labeled a case of friendly fire. Was racism at the root of this young officer's death? ; late 80s rapper, Tone Loc collapses during a performance as young alleged hip hop commenters (from Allhiphop.com) show limited compassion; a centrist Boricua from NY may sit on the Supreme Court and we couldn't be prouder; the demise of masculinity amongst our youth (check for "Spectacular" of the R & B group, Pretty Ricky) and of course new music courtesy of....well...Team Afronerd. Feel free to drop by with comments/questions at: 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo.com. You know our mantra....Be square, Be there and always Be aware! Imperius rex, folks!


Afronerd Radio's Week in Review

Oh and in the interim, consider this recent Dr. Michael Eric Dyson interview (with musical accompaniment below the clip for ambience) as a sort of "entr'acte" while you wait for tomorrow's show. We are making attempts to get Dr. Dyson on our show as well....as much as I like hearing from our fellow conservatives let's hear from the other side this time.




Prince-Pink Cashmere "Live"

WTF?! Here's the lower tier version of an abortion. At a cost of $150 for the accused mutant.

Just when you thought the last story you've read could not be surpassed by an even crazier story, we find this.
We will get into this story further, along with the Desmond Hatchett story, and all of the women involved with these individuals on our next broadcast.


Utah man charged in beating of pregnant teenager

From the Associated Press

NAPLES, Utah (AP) — A man in Utah was charged Friday with attempted homicide in the beating of a pregnant teenager who police say asked for the pummeling in an effort to abort her six-month-old fetus.
Deputy Uintah County Attorney Mark Thomas said he filed the felony charge against Arron N. Harrison, 21, who was arrested Thursday and jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Prosecutors are still weighing possible charges against the 17-year-old girl, who is also in custody. Authorities haven't disclosed her name.
"I haven't decided who's more at fault," Mark Watkins, police chief of Naples, 130 miles east of Salt Lake City, told The Associated Press. "She was just as cold as the assailant — we're not going to treat her as a victim."
Thomas said Harrison is expected to appear in court Tuesday and faces one to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Harrison pummeled the girl's abdomen in an effort to cause a miscarriage, Watkins said.
"Her intention was, in fact, to abort the child — to terminate the pregnancy," he said.
The fetus survived, but doctors won't know for certain what injuries it may have sustained until it is born.
The girl spent a day in a hospital before her arrest and is being held at a juvenile detention center, Watkins said.
Thomas said the beating took place late Tuesday, and that the girl initially told her family she had been mugged by an unknown assailant.
The family called police, who got the girl to speak truthfully about what happened, Watkins said.
He said Harrison was an acquaintance of the girl and is not the father of the child.
Neither Thomas nor Watkins knew if either of the two had a lawyer.

Thank You, Jesus........Is This A Return to Logic And Reason Over Overt Religiosity? Black Atheists Speak!

I just happened to trip over this article written by Sikivu Hutchinson (pictured above) and although I do believe in a certain degree of spirituality, I have never been a supporter of the "in your face" religiosity espoused by many within the far right faction of my political persuasion. I have also been highly critical of the "fantasy oriented" religious proselytizing that runs rampant in communities of color. But enough of my proselytizing moment, check out an excerpt from Ms. Hutchinson's take on the rise in Atheism among some in the Black community....hallelujah:

Courtesy of the LA Watts Times:

‘Out of the Closet’ — Black Atheists

In some black communities it’s akin to donning a white sheet and a Confederate flag. In others, it’s ostensibly tolerated yet whispered about, branded culturally incorrect and bad form, if not outright sacrilege.

For black atheists like myself, proclaiming one’s non-belief amidst genial wishes to “have a blessed day” is never easy in the seemingly innocuous context of casual chit chat between black folk.

Yet, according to The New York Times, a small but growing segment of the American population, galvanized by the hyper-evangelical climate of the Republican Pleistocene, have begun organizing nationwide and becoming more vocal about their atheism.

Although African Americans are not visible in the “movement,” some are easing away from religion. For black atheists, actively breaking with religious tradition is an even graver rejection than that of white intellectuals electrified by the “pew-storming” rhetoric of atheist gurus such as Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins.

This is partly due to the fact that the history of African American civil and human rights resistance is heavily steeped in Judeo-Christian religious dogma.

Despite the White Anglo Saxon Protestant religious justification for slavery and domestic terrorism, African Americans converted to Christianity and utilized it as a source of succor, community and spiritual redemption.

No matter one’s actual deeds, life path or personal mores, to be unquestioningly religious in some quarters is to be inoculated from criticism. Noting this historical irony in his blog “The Black Atheist,” Wrath James White states, “In these (black) communities you find more tolerance towards gangbangers, drug addicts, and prostitutes, who pray to God for forgiveness than for honest productive citizens who deny the existence of God. This, for me, is one of the most embarrassing elements of Black culture, our zealous embrace of the God of our kidnappers, murderers, slave masters and oppressors.”

While there have been critical appraisals of African American adoption of Christianity within the context of European conquest and racial slavery, few propose atheism as a corrective. Indeed, atheism would seem to fly in the face of a cultural ethos that frames earthly pain and suffering as a crucible for achieving rewards in the afterlife.

In the midst of extreme brutality, religious faith can either be seen as a means to mental health, or, as Karl Marx put it more bluntly, an opiate.

For the remainder of the Hutchinson piece, click on the link below:

‘Out of the Closet’ — Black Atheists

The Comic Shoppe Returns Tues at 7pm, same Afronerd Time & Channel but Check Out this fan made GL Movie Trailer!

As time moves forward, I'm hearing more and more discussion pertaining to the influence the fans/geeks/nerds are having over the direction of these comic book and fantasy based films. Case in point-you might recognize the actor in the above clip as Nathan Fillon of Serenity and Castle fame. Well the ingenuity and quality of this fan made trailer appears to be making the rounds as Fillon, himself has praised the creator of the clip:

Courtesy of Reelzchannel.com:

While there is no official Green Lantern trailer, there is a fan-made one, starring Nathan Fillion in the title role. The trailer borrows from several movies, including Iron Man and the new Star Trek, and has so far impressed Fillion, who announced his satisfaction on Twitter: "I LOVE THIS! this guy rocks!"

The article further states:

Sol Romero, wife of Green Lantern director Martin Campbell, recently stated that the movie was "still in the casting process." Romero also revealed what fans can expect from the movie:

I personally think the movie is going to be bigger than any other comic movies, like Spider-Man. In the comic book, he is a regular guy who is a little bit afraid of his dad's shadow, and so he is piloting a jet plane [to prove himself]. But then he gets involved with this Green Lantern and is protecting the Earth, so he dies and becomes the next Green Lantern. He is a fearless character.

I think I've found the leader of the lower tier population. Meet Desmond Hatchett. A 29 Year old with 21 kids.

And some of you think we should take it easy on folks? That won't happen anytime soon as long as we have individuals like this in existence.



Posted by Mr. Starks

Who Says The Zoo Is The Only Place One can See The Animals.......Let's Not Forget the City Bus!

Of course, this is yet another alleged human being walking around off his meds. I don't know about you guys but this type of behavior and the validity of someone being mentally deranged just doesn't matter to me anymore. If someone truly is mentally or emotionally disturbed, then a monitoring plan must be implemented so that the innocent (especially the blind innocent) are protected. It's time to get off this crazy train folks....

I Know It's A Good Look To Have a Centrist Latina To be Considered For Souter's Old Job But Soulja Boy is Still An Embarrassment!

After this latest appearance on The View, it becomes harder to justify the rapper, Soulja Boy's rise to stardom. But there is one thing that is for certain, the minstrel industry continues to be unaffected by our nation's current economic downturn. I suspect that the The View's producers (and White audience) find Soulja's ascription to excessive jewelry and poor diction authentically urban (or is that urbane), if not endearing. Truth be told, I would also suspect that some Blacks (of various ages. if you believe Whoopie and Sherry Shepard) are also ready to excuse and pander to the Soulja Circus. Amazingly, based on the comments in Youtube in response to the above clip, Soulja Boy's ability to make money supersedes any notion of the need for more respectful, erudite and young Black representation. Again, am I not understanding of the youth demographic or is a fool a fool? What say you? Up next....enter Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

A Rose By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet.......As Long As The Other Name Isn't "Chanequa"

This next story would be tragic if it didn't represent the cyclical enculturated standard that a generation of youth (irrespective of race but concentrated amongst the lower tier set) continue to uphold even if their lives and future prospects are lost in the process. I have caught quite a few barbs since this blog's creation for critiquing the penchant that some within underclass communities of color have for giving their children speculative ghettoized (and pseudo Afrocentric) names. Before there was a Barack Obama, Jr there was a Kenyan economist who bore the name since 1936. It is truly an authentic name of African origin. I mention this because some will try to make a false connection between a "Jayquan" and a "Barack." Of course someone can not wholeheartedly condemn someone for his or her name but suffice it say, I was not exactly shocked when a young Harlemite and prospective Harvard grad named Chanequa has been tied to a murder that allegedly took place on the famed Ivy League campus. Here we have a young lady that was given the opportunity to beat the odds and still (allegedly....I hope that I am found wrong on this matter) managed to mar her future because of an absolute refusal to dismantle her hood connections. But let's get into the specifics. Check out this excerpt from the NY Post for further edification:

A brilliant scholar from Brooklyn is being eyed as the possible link between a slain pot dealer and three men who killed him in her Harvard dorm last week, sources said.

Chanequa Campbell, 21, has been banned from the campus and told she won't be graduating with her class next month as authorities continue to investigate the murder of Justin Cosby, her lawyer said.

"I'm hurt and I'm confused," Campbell told The Post last night. "For me not to be graduating is frustrating.

"Harvard is doing this to me because I'm black, I'm poor and I'm from Brooklyn."

Investigators suspect Campbell used her swipe card to help Cosby -- who lived in Cambridge but did not attend the university -- gain access to the locked dorm to sell drugs on campus, the sources said.

But Campbell insisted she doesn't know Cosby.

"I've never seen him before," she said.

A second Harvard senior who has been questioned in the case, Brittany Smith, 22, will be allowed to graduate June 4 as planned.

Smith is the longtime girlfriend of accused killer Jabrai Jordan Copney, 20, a Harlem musician and son of a retired NYPD cop, who turned himself in on Thursday.

"This is incredibly hurtful to know it's only me that has been kicked off campus," Campbell said. "I'm feeling I'm being scapegoated and I can't defend myself."

She admitted to knowing Copney, but only through Smith.

Campbell, who suffers from the autoimmune disease lupus, is a sociology major and National Merit Scholar. She has won scholarships from Goldman Sachs, Coca-Cola and The New York Times.

She was a star student at Brooklyn's Packer Collegiate Institute and is a member of the National Honor Society.

"I've been practicing law for almost 17 years and have rarely come across someone as highly educated and articulate as Chanequa," said her lawyer, Jeffrey Karp.

He said his client worked four jobs to pay for her education.

"Harvard is being cold and callous," the lawyer said. "What they have done to Chanequa is equivalent to having your house foreclosed and losing your job on the same day."

Karp said the school did not give a reason for barring Campbell from graduating, but he's still hopeful that something can be worked out to let her participate in the ceremony.

What do our readers have to say about this incident? Am I reading into this correctly? Or is this a matter of unfortunate circumstances that have very little to do with a (sub)cultural paradigm? But then again, I am not the only blogger brave enough (or is the operative word, "tired") to say what many others are thinking and feeling when these hood connection stories occur. Click on the link below to get the Nat Turner's Revenge entry pertaining to the Jennifer Hudson tragedy:

Jennifer Hudson: the hood closes in

Just A reminder.......The Great Jody Watley Pays A Visit To Afronerd Radio! This Sunday at 7pm ET

As always, we try to keep our loyal reading/listening audience informed-the lovely and talented Ms. Jody Watley is scheduled to pay a visit to our Afronerd studio this Sunday at 7pm. We will, of course, discuss her legacy (and longevity) in the music business. So be sure to mark your calendars for this special broadcast. In addition, Mr. Starks and I will continue with our Week in Review segment for the second half of the program. And before Ms. Watley covered Madonna songs or performed with the legendary R & B group, Shalamar-she was also a Soul Train dancer. Let's take a walk through memory lane (she appears with fellow Shalamar member, Jeffrey Daniel in this montage)-

Steven Spielberg slated to do a film on Martin Luther King Jr.

By Frank James

Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks SKG studio has obtained the rights from the estate of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. for a biographical movie on the civil-rights icon.
The studio says Spielberg will be joined in producing the biopic by Suzanne de Passe, a long-time Hollywood executive, and Madison Jones, who has produced documentaries on King and Robert F. Kennedy.
Spielberg's participation in this project obviously provides it with the kind of Hollywood titan one would expect for such a monumental undertaking, a major feature film the life of one of the nation's most historic figures.
De Passe is much less known generally but is also a Hollywood figure of some significance. As a writer, she won early praise for her "Lady Sings the Blues" screenplay.
But she made a huge impact, especially as an African American woman, when she optioned the Larry McMurtry novel "Lonesome Dove," then produced the hugely successful television miniseries.
DePasse and Jones also have a connection to President Barack Obama: they co-produced the 2009 Commander in Chief's Inaugural Ball, according to the DreamWorks press release

More Serious Fare for the Next post......But......This IS Funny....Pres. Obama's Blame It on The Economy-remix!

The Comic Shoppe is Open! 7pm ET-Discussing The Termination of Sarah Connor, Predictions for Salvation, Capt Kirk (Sr) for Thor? & Much More!

We were on hiatus for a week but we have reopened our Shoppe and we're open for pulp business. Keeping it streamlined and simple, stop by our broadcast tomorrow at 7pm eastern to hear Max, Daryll and yours truly dissect the following: word on the street has it that Chris Hemsworth, the actor that portrayed George Kirk (James T. Kirk's dad) has been tapped to play Marvel's Thor; perhaps the best sci-fi show for this year, The Sarah Connor Chronicles has been canceled-but is that really the end? ; our predictions for this Friday's Terminator: Salvation release; Alias' Bradley Cooper may be getting fitted for a green ring, independent comics to look out for and our favorite graphic novel reads from last week. So, again, join us this Tuesday and feel free to call in with your questions and/or comments at-646-200-0104 or via email/IM at-thecomicshoppe@yahoo.com. Excelsior, folks!

The Comic Shoppe's Week in Review

Oh and this had to be the funniest American Dad episode to date.....



And we're on Youtube as well......more episodes to come:

Afronerd Shows Now On Youtube

Looking Backward to Look Forward........Revisiting 20/20's Early Eighties Expose on this New Thing Called Hip Hop!

The innocence and the promise. What happened in 25 plus years? Time constraints folks....More analysis in a few. In the interim, click on the link below for Part 2:


20/20's take on Hip Hop, circa 1981

Mr, Harrison IS Confirming My Fears-The History Behind The Obama Administration Will Get Lost Amongst The Lower Tier

When you visit a site entitled Afronerd, it's doubtful that you will be inundated with sports stories (except perhaps vintage sports tales for historical relevance) but this next piece involving Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive MVP, James Harrison goes beyond the pale. Do you ever wonder why Mr. Starks and I continue to discuss the demise of our culture? Because just as Paul Revere warned the colonists of the real first British invasion (sorry Mr. McCartney), this blog attempts to forewarn the unthinkable-generational soulessness. I hope I'm not overstating the importance (or lack thereof) of an ignorant football player but I think this young man's attitude tells more about his generation moreso than casting aspersions about his profession. But what am I talking about? Simply put, Harrison is refusing to meet with President Obama because he won the Super Bowl. That right...because his team won. Harrison feels that Obama should have paid a visit when the team wasn't winning. Wow. Truth be told, any presidential visit is worthy of acknowledgment, but the first President of color just doesn't mean much to Mr. Harrison. Here's more on this story of questionable intelligence, courtesy of the Yahoo Sports:

Mr. Harrison isn't going to Washington; Steeler spurns Obama

By Chris Chase

On Thursday, President Obama will welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers to the White House to honor the team for its recent Super Bowl victory. But, just like in 2006 when the Steelers had a post-title meeting with George W. Bush, defensive MVP (and Super Bowl hero) James Harrison won't be in attendance. But he has a good reason:

"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won."

Usually, when a sentence begins with "as far as I'm concerned," it ends with an opinion, not an incontrovertible fact. Harrison's comment is akin to saying, "As far as I'm concerned, George Washington was the first president."

Of course the Cards would have received the White House invite if they had won. Winners get to go meet the president, losers don't. They also get the trophy, the parade and those hats that say "Super Bowl champs". I don't think James Harrison(notes) turned down any of those things, which makes his refusal to go to the White House a tad hypocritical.

When Harrison won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award, he didn't decline and say, "As far as he was concerned, they would've given this award to someone else if they had had a better defensive season." And when he scored that touchdown in the Super Bowl after returning an interception 100 yards, I'm pretty sure Harrison didn't tell the ref to take the points of the board because, as far as he was concerned, if Larry Fitzgerald(notes) had caught him, he wouldn't have scored.

As far as I'm concerned, James Harrison is sort of a fool. If he doesn't want to go to the White House, fine. (Although I can't imagine why anybody wouldn't want to meet the President of the United States.) But don't make a lame excuse in an attempt to justify your decision. Leave that for NFL refeeres.

As We Await the Arrival of Someone Who Knew the Huxtables quite well....Check out this Enterprising Person's Site-Introducing HonoraryHuxtable .Com!

Honorary Huxtable Dot Com

Here's a family photo that will make you wonder...

Looks like the father and daughter are taking "family jewels" literally.

Posted by Mr. Starks

Some Links, An Afronerd Radio Preview, Some Info And A White Guy's Introduction To Pain Because He's African-American.....Technically

First up, this is just a reminder for our supporters/radio listeners, that actor and conservative pundit, Joseph C. Phillips (in the above video) is scheduled to appear on Afronerd Radio this Sunday, May 17th at 7pm ET. We will, of course, discuss his book, He Talk Like a White Boy: Reflections of a Conservative Black Man on Faith, Family, Politics, and Authenticity as well as his political views and latest endeavors in the world of cinema. Next, as it relates to your further edification, check out this latest controversy concerning the trials and tribulations of a White male who is a self-identified "African-American" (in the same vein as actress, Charlize Theron who hails from South Africa) courtesy of UPI.com:

'White African-American' sues med school

NEWARK, N.J., May 13 (UPI) -- A native of Mozambique has sued a New Jersey medical school, saying he was suspended for defining himself in class as a "white African-American."

Paulo Serodio, 45, is of Portuguese descent. But his family has lived in Mozambique for several generations.

He told ABC News that he got into trouble at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark in March 2006 when an instructor, Dr. Kathy Ann Duncan, led students in a discussion, asking them for self-definitions.

Serodio's description of himself upset some other students, and he said Duncan later told him never to call himself an "African-American" again because some others found it "offensive."

Serodio said that he was suspended for unprofessional conduct after he made a similar comment in another class and then wrote an article in the student newspaper trying to explain his ethnic background. He said that other students also harassed him.

"I wouldn't wish this to my worst enemy," he said. "I'm not exaggerating. This has destroyed my life, my career."

I'm not sure what to think about this issue but I will leave it to our informed readers. On the nerd front, check out these photos of what creative gamers can do with their PS3s/Xbox 360s when money and time are no object:



The above Xbox360 is obviously made for someone who is a devotee of the widely popular Halo video game. Again, talk about creativity! The next Xbox modification gives new meaning to my desire for a fresh pair of gators...



Take a close look into the "eye" of this machine. Cool stuff!



And lastly, not to leave the good folks at Sony out of the mix. What stays in Vegas-appears to be a modded Playstation 3:

And for more of clips of the above (top) Affirmative Action debate featuring Mr. Phillips, Dr. John McWhorter (another Afronerd guest from last year), Tim Wise and others, click on the link below:

Intelligence Squared presents a debate on Affirmative Action

Oh and just two more Playstation mods....

These Recent "Chicken" Events Make Me Think of a Chris Rock Routine

Mr. Starks and I (if you haven't guessed) are having a cultural war with the concept of tribalism in the African-American community. Or are we fighting fraternalism? This war is a difficult exercise because one's instincts are always being tested when a person of color does something stupid and the Black collective ultimately has to pay for it. One such example pertains to our recent highlighting of the Popeyes restaurant debacle in which only Black people were featured exclaiming their dissatisfaction with the company running a special and then not having enough greasy, fattening chicken to satisfy the customer base. And then there was Oprah's recent KFC connection and alleged riot (with racial epithets) that ensued due to the same Popeye's dilemma-not enough chicken. Now a previous Youtube clip featuring Sean Combs appears to be making the rounds focusing on the same subject.....chicken fixation:




Are we really living in the new millennium? And is Barack Obama truly our president or was that some lost episode of the Twilight Zone the nation was glued to on Inauguration Day? I ask again, am I the only one noticing the current incessant adherence (by many high profile and no profile people of color) to stereotypes that many years ago we were fighting to debunk and dismantle? Are we reading too much into this or are we on to something? This is why Afronerd and Afronerd Radio are truly necessary. Someone must show the other side. We can no longer tolerate mush mouthed and monosyllabic entertainers speaking for an entire community without rebuttal or counterbalance. Or the bigger issue is...should these entertainers even be positioned to be spokespersons?. Someone must speak from an alternative perspective to fight the monolith. Enough! Let's hear from the class......


Oh and then Afronerd supporter, Sergio Mims from Ebony/Jet Online and the Bloodsport blog emailed me this bit of rocket scientist news....sigh:

Rap Wannabe In "Street Cred" Stickups

President Obama goes in on Michael Steele and Dick Cheney

Next Up, The Official trailer for Disney's Princess and the Frog! And You Guessed It....It's Rife With Controversy

I'm not sure what to think about this upcoming animated feature. On some level, I grow weary of the never-ending acknowledgment of Black firsts. It just seems that in the 21st century (and yes I'm aware of the historical significance of President Obama) we should have advanced beyond the need to constantly break barriers based on race. But I am also not naive to the reality that race still matters to some folks and unfortunately American culture has yet to accept Black and Brown cinematic royalty in a matter-of-fact fashion. The above Youtube clip of Disney's Princess and the Frog shows a truly beautiful piece of animated art, yet the Black princess is not allowed to have a Black male counterpart. There is nothing wrong with the character having a White paramour but there is something to be said with having all types of love portrayed. We have yet to see a White cinematic princess profess her love for a male of color so why is it palatable for the converse? And then there's the question of the moviegoing audience. It is highly plausible that neither a Black or White audience would pay attention to a film of this nature without the multi-racial bent. Heck, there was a contingent of Black critics that had a problem with the character's original name of "Maddie" because it sounded like the more racially charged "Mammie" moniker. So now we have Princess Tiana which sounds more ghettocentric and less accurate for the 1930's Louisiana backdrop for which this animated effort takes place. And then there's Disney's history regarding it's depiction of people of color. Click on the link below from Cracked.com for a corresponding timeline:


The 9 Most Racist Disney Characters

Is the Princess and the Frog a leap (pun intended) forward or backward in the annals of Black imagery? Your thoughts?

We Took A Break But We're Back.....Happy Belated Mother's Day and What About that Dick Cheney?

Speaking forthrightly, as I always attempt to do, maintaining the conservative agenda has been very difficult for me (and I suspect Mr. Starks has his difficulties) when comments from former VP, Dick Cheney make the national headlines. Being a Republican in this present political paradigm (irrespective of race) has now morphed into questions centered on conservative authenticity. Just as President Obama has been questioned on matters of Black authenticity, now the new order of the day seems to hamper on who is a real Republican. This blog has touted the notion on numerous occasions, that Blackness is truly an expansive social construct based on the premise of possessing an African root. There truly is no such phenomenon as an authentic Black person. Isn't it peculiar how Mr. Cheney is now calling for Secretary Powell to relinquish his conservative credentials? I truly do not like to racialize every issue but we do have a sitting Black POTUS as well as a number of high ranking men and women of color in political/governmental positions on the periphery and it just seems that Cheney's remarks appear to be all the more venomous. Here's more on this rising controversy from UPI.com:

WASHINGTON, May 11 (UPI) -- Some Republican strategists say former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's criticism of the Obama administration and of fellow Republicans is not helping the GOP.

In an appearance Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," Cheney was asked about radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh's recent jab that Bush administration Secretary of State Colin Powell no longer belongs in the GOP.

"My take on it was Colin had already left the party," Cheney said. "I didn't know he was still a Republican."

Cheney said Powell's endorsement of Democratic nominee Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race is "some indication of his loyalty and his interests."

Cheney told a North Dakota radio program last week it would be a mistake for the Republican Party to "moderate" its message.

Republican strategist Ed Rollins said on CNN Monday Cheney's attacks are not helping the party.

"While he certainly has a right to defend what they did over the last eight years, since he was the architect of much of it ... at the end of the day, we need to be looking forward, not backwards," Rollins said. "(Powell) is a man of great stature and a man obviously either party would like to have supporting them."

What does our readership have to add to this latest skirmish of words and ideology? What say you?

Funny How the 1st European Looks An Awful Lot Like A Cat from 125th, NYC!

I find it odd that some folks still make the early development of man a conundrum. For many years, scientists have established that mankind's origin, irrespective of race, stems from Africa. Now, more evidence, specifically skull fragments, affirms that the early Europeans at one time bore a striking resemblance to people of color. Check out this excerpt, courtesy of the UK's Daily Mail:

Dressed in a suit, this person would not look out of place in a busy street in a modern city.

The clay sculpture, however, portrays the face of the earliest known modern European - a man or woman who hunted deer and gathered fruit and herbs in ancient forests more than 35,000 years ago.

It was created by Richard Neave, one of Britain's leading forensic scientists, using fossilized fragments of skull and jawbone found in a cave seven years ago.
Forensic Scientist Richard Neave reconstructed the face based on skull fragments from 35,000 years ago

His recreation offers a tantalizing glimpse into life before the dawn of civilization. It also shows the close links between the first European settlers and their immediate African ancestors.

To sculpt the head, Mr Neave called on his years of experience recreating the appearance of murder victims as well as using careful measurements of bone.

It was made for the BBC2 series The Incredible Human Journey. This will follow the evolution of humans from the cradle of Africa to the waves of migrations that saw Homo sapiens colonize the globe.


The head has taken pride of place on the desk of Alice Roberts, an anthropologist at Bristol University, who presents the program.

'It's really quite bizarre,' she told Radio Times. 'I'm a scientist and objective but I look at that face and think "Gosh, I'm looking at the face of somebody from 40,000 years ago" and there's something weirdly moving about that.

For the "first European" article in its entirety, click on the link below:

The first European: Created from fragments of fossil, the face of our forbears 35,000 years ago

The Comic Shoppe Returns Tues at 7pm ET-Wolverine's 85 Mill take, Superboy Returns?, Gearing Up for Star Trek 's release & more!

Your favorite comic shop (ahem....Comic Shoppe) is open for business and returns for pulp talk, bright and early (evening) at 7pm ET this Tuesday. Join Dburt, Max and Daryll as they discuss the following: the X-Men Origins: Wolverine film is off to a good start with an 85m plus weekend take; our excitement over the upcoming Star Trek release; the return of Connor Kent, opinions on Marvel's Dark Reign comics and respective story lines, and our favorite comic books from the previous week. Feel free to call in with your thoughts/contributions/opinions at-646-200-0104 or via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo.com. Imperius Rex, folks!

The Comic Shoppe's Week in Review

Again, Why Does This Keep happening? Racist Toys? You Decide....Check Out The Dunkeys....

Props and Kudos go to Sergio Mims of Ebony/Jet Online for hipping us to this next questionable image faux pas. The above action figure is a Dunkey doll which, of course, depicts a simian in a basketball uniform. The doll, (created by the Korean manufacturer Cool Rain), has been construed as being a slight toward African-American imagery. What makes this more troubling centers on the contention that there has been a history of toys and/or artifacts coming from Asia that appear to possess a racial bent. Again, we haven't seen that much of a funk being made about these particular toys. Are they racist? Or is this much ado about nothing?

Afronerd radio Returns to Its Regularly Scheduled Programming-Tomorrow at 7pm ET-Obama's 1st 100 days, Beyonce As She-Hulk? & More!

We're back and in full effect this evening (7pm ET) for another fun filled and informative Afronerd Radio broadcast. Join Mr. Starks and I as we discuss (or is it "riff" for this particular show) the following: Just as NY's former hizzoner, Mayor Ed Koch used to exclaim, "How'm I doing?"...the same question must be asked of President Obama. Let's get into our impressions of his first 100 days; We will also converse about the mundane-Beyonce Knowles as the She-Hulk for the next Avengers film? Say it ain't so! ; Death in Holland-a madman (allegedly after losing his job) mows down a crowd in an attempt to attack the Dutch royal family and how this insanity has reached international proportions. Case in point:



So if you're into enlightenment, humor, culture and new music-Afronerd Radio is the spot! Call in with your thoughts and/or opinions at 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo.com. Excelsior, folks!


Afronerd Discuss Obama's 1st 100 days & More!