Dude, You're Getting... Some Bad News

Dell is shutting down it's desktop unit in Austin. From the Statesman:

Dell Inc. said Monday it will close its desktop computer manufacturing plant in North Austin by the end of this year, cutting 900 jobs as part of a global cost-cutting campaign.

The company said the plant closing is part of a $3 billion program to cut its product costs worldwide over the next three years.

“We believe we have a $3 billion opportunity to drive both productivity and efficiency,” CEO Michael Dell said.

I believe that "$3 billion opportunity" refers to the deal with a N.C. municipality in which...

...the company also got hefty incentives from the state to build the plant. “They carved a real sweet deal in North Carolina, and they need to use a lot of the plant capacity there,”

This looks like the same type of playing one city off against another that we see sports teams engage in new stadium deals. Unfortunately those are real jobs involved that likely won't be replaced in this state anytime soon.

So What Gives THEM The Right?

The volley has been sounded. Get ready, Executive Directors and Board Members, the war on small nonprofits has started. They plan to cut the money off. From today's Houston Chronicle.

A set of 33 guidelines issued by a committee convened by Independent Sector seeks to make bad boards good. In its Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice report, the Washington-based coalition of charities and foundations lays out a blueprint of what nonprofits must and should do to avoid legal and ethical improprieties. Six of the 33 rules are required by law. The other 27 are up for discussion within the nonprofit industry.

Please note that the "principles" the Houston Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Dini Partners signed into their "statement" were not supported or endorsed by the Panel on the Nonprofit Section who wrote the Pension Protection Act of 2006. As noted in the last paragraph, THEY are the ones that drafted the "principles" that were signed into law in August, 2006. The Philanthropy Roundtable and the Association of Fundraising Professionals also disagreed with the Houston Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and their for-profit subcontractors.

...although far from a call for immediate adoption by every charity, the statement goes too far for the Philanthropy Roundtable, which issued a public rejection of the principles. The Washington-based association of individual donors, corporate giving officers and foundation trustees and staff cited three reasons for its refusal to sign the statement.

• "The principles take an arbitrary and one-size-fits-all approach to setting standards for a very diverse sector."

• "The principles imply improperly that foundations act unethically or practice misgovernance unless their boards include members from diverse backgrounds."

• "A number of the more problematic principles could be written into law or regulation if it is perceived that there is a wide consensus behind them in the nonprofit community."

Not to mention that their recommended "guidelines" also appear to speak to a Conflict of Interest on their part, for example:

...the guideline to not compensate internal or external fundraisers based on a commission or a percentage of the amount raised is a tenet of the national fundraising group's code of ethics and requirement to be a member of the organization.

Yet they offer to provide those very services for a cost, of course. How in the hell did that little hitch make it past their "Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice" report. Why all of this attention? Check out who's out there causing trouble. They want complete control to ensure they keep all of the money.

To get the report, go to www.nonprofitpanel.org.

Black Marriage Day

Ladies,

I know the this article from yesterday's Chronicle is rather long and you probably don't want to spend your time reading this on a Sunday afternoon. But, this is good.

The questions Richmond activist Adia Blackmon posed to a group of 13 girls were basic. How many wanted to be mothers? Blackmon, charged with mentoring the girls, counted 13 arms in the air. How many wanted to be wives? Their response shed light on a community that leads the nation in levels of single-parent homes.

"Only one hand went up," said Blackmon, who was floored by the response from black girls as young as 11. "They said they wanted the fathers to be involved and wouldn't mind them coming around," she said. "But they did not want to be married to them."

Blackmon will join churches and community groups in some 200 cities nationwide taking a moment on Sunday to celebrate — and they hope, encourage — lasting unions as part of Black Marriage Day.

If you can't read the whole thing, at least jump down to the bottom and read the part about them wanting to teach young girls how to handle a "crush". Hmmm.

Because, grown folks know that "crushes" are just that. They totally CRUSH you but you get over it. So. If we know that (which we do), why wouldn't we want to tell our little girls to keep their legs closed longer? Imagine if we could convince our little girls that they do not have to "drop it like its hot" to get and keep the kind of man we know that they need to keep them and their children from ending up on welfare for generations.

Now imagine what our communities would look like if we taught our little girls that those little horny 13-year-boys most likely WILL NOT end up being their husbands. Statistics show that there's a 60% chance that he'll either end up on drugs, end up in prison, end up dead, or end up dating your best friend's husband by the time that he's 25 years old. Maybe with HIV/AIDS. Right?

So. Why wouldn't we grown folks just break down and start telling our little girls to keep their legs closed at least long enough for them

(1) to find a job that pays at least $20 hr.,

(2) go to college and maintain a grade point average that lets you know that she's serious and not just looking for new men (if she's worn all the men around the neighborhood out already), or

(3) make sure that that little boy marries them. (After he finishes that class at the community college and gets that certificate.)

Imagine.

Well. Anyway, I know that it's the weekend. But....imagine what our communities would look like with a "Daddy" in every house (With a job!).

I'm excited.

One More Thing

Did you know that Clinton superdelegate Sheila Jackson-Lee managed to be soundly booed in two Texas counties Saturday, Harris and Ft. Bend. I hear from my man @pbuzz that the crowd over at TSU got so rowdy with it she could barely deliver her remarks. Ft. Bend was a little bit nicer, but I think she still got the message.

By standing idly by while the Clinton campaign she supports went into the racial gutter to attack Barack Obama, her own political future is now very much in doubt if Hillary loses. Political loyalty is one thing, but Mrs. Jackson-Lee should not have let loyalty interfere with her own dignity and principles, and a knowledge of right and wrong.

Superdelegates - Are y'all watching what's going on down here?

Maybe @pbuzz will take this opportunity to come out of the woodwork and post a little more detail. Yep - I'm calling you out.

Update: Here's the video.

Convention Time!

It's regional convention day here in Texas, and I tagged along to the Senate District 17 convention in Ft. Bend County at Dulles High School. To say the Democratic base is energized would be a major understatement; the base is supercharged. As with the Primaries and Caucuses on March 4th, the turnout today was huge. The largest on record in most places, ever. For example from the Chronicle's Houston Politics Blog:

Don Bankston, a stalwart Fort Bend County Democrat, said Saturday's Senate District 18 convention in Rosenberg was the largest collection of Democrats he has ever seen in the county during his 40-plus years of political activity. The county has been dominated by Republicans for 20 years, but the last primary saw Democrats come out in unprecedented numbers.

"It is one of the biggest and most diverse crowds ever," Bankston said. "This is what this county looks like, and this is why Republicans are scared out of their wits."

That was the norm, everywhere. And let me tell you, these folks were fired up. So fired up that they refused to allow the traditional rally the crowd speeches from the first wave of Democratic big wigs that showed up, including Congressmen Al Green and Nick Lampson, and State Rep. Dora Olivo! They voted instead to keep the proceedings moving. Yeah!

This particular convention, which includes my precinct, ended up seating mostly Obama delegates though Hillary won her share. However watching the process in action really for the first time, I now realize how ludicrous it is for the media to declare a definitive winner/loser on primary election night. There is just so much more to the process both during and after that day.

I won't get into all of the details here, but the primaries determine roughly 2/3 of the delegates seated, with the caucus determining the remaining 1/3. However, delegates to the regional convention are elected on caucus night, and they must show up to the convention in order to select the delegates to the state convention. If those delegates don't show up, then the candidate of their choice can actually lose delegates at the state convention.

Right.

Now you see why it's so silly to declare a winner in a race as tight as this one was in Texas, especially if you get it WRONG. Because by most counts, Barack Obama has won more delegates in Texas than Hillary Clinton, and that's the only thing that really matters in the primaries. His campaign is now starting to claim victory in Texas too. Now I know that didn't fit the "Comeback Kid" mantra that the news media had seemingly pre-written for March 4th, but that is the reality on March 29th.

Bottom line for all of you folks who don't have the privilege of participating in the Lone Star State's full contact politics up in person, based on the level of participation, enthusiasm, and general disgust at 8 years of completely inept Republican rule, Texas is absolutely in play this November.

Unless, of course, the Democrats find a way to screw it up.

For The Good Of The Country, Hillary, Concede

Reality check. Hillary Clinton has virtually no chance to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Barack Obama has garnered more votes, delegates, and states won during the campaign process, and barring sleight of hand tricks or back room maneuvering at the convention, Hillary Clinton cannot win.

Having no shot, the Clinton's are running a scorched earth campaign. This so-called "kitchen sink" strategy has taken this campaign into the gutter and racialized it. Additionally, statements from Hillary and Bill Clinton have all but endorsed John McCain's candidacy and will not help Democrats win the general election in the fall. In fact, they serve the exact opposite purpose. The Clinton campaign has helped transform a sure victory for Democrats and progressive causes into a shaky proposition at best.

In the process, the historic unity on display earlier in the campaign among people of different races, genders, ages, economic status, and every other political measuring stick, is on the verge of being shattered solely to satisfy her personal ambition. As a result Black voters, historically the most reliable voting constituency in the Democratic Party, have been alienated to the point where there is open talk of abandoning the Democrats altogether.

For these reasons and many more There... Already is supporting the call for Hillary Rodham Clinton to "Concede Now" so that the vital work of bringing the party back together to compete in the general election can get underway.

If you agree, please sign the petition. If you've already signed, pass it on.

Update: Other steps you can take include:

1. Did you sign the petition, yet? (smile)
2. Call the Democratic National Committee on (202) 863-8000 to express your opinion.
3. Contact the Democratic National Committee with a link to the petition to let them know your position on this matter.
4. Contact superdelegates that have not committed
5. Contact Hillary Clinton directly with a request for her to concede the nomination in the interests of party unity and our nation's future.

Thanks to Villager and Yobachi

Houston WiFi - Back On The Block

The on again/off again Houston WiFi project is on again. As you remember, Earthlink paid $5 million last year to walk away from its contract to build a wireless network covering Houston's 600+ square miles. From today's Houston Chronicle:

On Monday, Mayor Bill White announced the city will use about $3.5 million of that money to build 10 free wireless network "bubbles" in low-income parts of Houston to give residents access they otherwise might do without. The long-term possibility, White said, is that the bubbles could be connected and the areas between them added to the network, providing WiFi access across the city.

Some other interesting tidbits.

...Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Verizon Wireless and Tropos Networks — which donated equipment for the Gulfton network — are pilot sponsors. HP will help develop an "affordable computer purchase plan," according to a news release.

...In addition to installing Internet service, the city is working with social service groups to provide computer access and training for users. Each bubble will include about 15 public access points at schools, city facilities and community organizations within the area.

In summary, this no longer looks like a project that will sustain itself through generated revenue as originally designed, but instead will be sponsor driven. With the implosion of projects elsewhere and a less than successful implementation in Philadelphia, how do you think this will play out here?

Texas - County and Senatorial District Conventions Info

Date: Saturday March 29th, 2008

Time: Varies by County/District

Location: Determined by your County or Senatorial District Chair

Who: Delegates and Alternates elected at the Precinct Conventions

Why: To elect Delegates to the TDP State Convention in Austin.

Most counties will hold a single County Convention, but in counties that contain more than one state senate district some will hold Senatorial District Conventions, for individual Senate Districts.

Note that while these events are open to the public, only delegates elected at the Precinct Conventions may participate in their County or Senatorial District Conventions. Alternates elected at the Precinct conventions may take the place of any elected delegates who do not appear.

Democratic National Committee members, State Democratic Executive Committee members, and County Chairs cannot serve as members of any Committee unless they were elected as a Delegate at the Precinct Conventions.

More Info

Musical Interlude - Gnarls Barkley: Crazy

Cee-Lo Green has made the transition from Rap (The Goodie Mob) to Pop/Rock (Gnarls Barkley) in a way that no one else has. Not that I can think of anyway. Here's a slowed down version of last years hit Crazy from the album St. Elsewhere.

Happy Easter!

It's Easter Sunday and 72 perfect degrees in Houston. Say what you want about Texas, but for a good majority of the year our weather here in Houston is just like this.

I hope it's as beautiful wherever you are and that your holiday was a joyous one.

Enjoy the day, and remember the reason for it.

Rockets - Regroup and Refocus

It was a nice run while it lasted.

A nice, history making winning streak that propelled the Rockets from 10th to 1st place in the Western Conference. A streak that showed there is life without Yao Ming, and renewed the hopes of playoff success in this city.

And while we all knew it would be virtually impossible to match the all time winning streak of 33 games, we were hoping. With each win it seemed a little more possible. Maybe, just maybe these Rockets had caught lightning in a bottle and would do the impossible. Well that didn't happen. But if your 22 game winning streak has to end, it may as well be to the team with the best record in the league.

Still this is the second longest winning streak in NBA history. The Rockets have also positioned themselves for the playoffs, and have proven they can win with one superstar (Yao Ming) out for the season and the other (Tracy McGrady) not having to carry the team in order for them to be successful.

That's a good thing. Here's hoping the Rockets now refocus and start preparing the team for the playoffs. There's no time to sit around and mope because the Western Conference is too tough, and N.O., Golden State, and Phoenix are on the agenda for the next four days, all on the road.

This team reminds me of the Knicks from 1994 who went all the way to the Finals after losing Patrick Ewing for the season. Their entire style of basketball had to change, but they made the adjustment and kept winning. The team those Knicks lost too? The Houston Rockets. With any luck at all a serious run at the title is still very much a realistic possibility.

So what do you think basketball fans, do the Rockets still have a shot at winning it all?

The Visitor

I had a visitor this afternoon. A masked stranger who came to my door looking for food. A handout in other words.

Well, I told him to be on his way. No handouts here. Be productive. Get a job. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. You're responsible for your own destiny.

The visitor just looked at me, and then did the oddest thing. He turned to the side and started shaking his butt. Fast. So fast it was just a blur.

Now you know I wasn't having that. Not in my house. This fella obviously needed to learn a little respect and I'm just the man to teach him. But right at that moment, the wife came to the door. With food. And gave it to him.

I knew it was pointless to argue further, so I decided I'd better just take a picture of this fella in case we needed to identify him in a police lineup one of these days. After all, he was roaming the neighborhood, wearing a mask, and going up to the doors of homes that he didn't know the owners of, right? I mean we were lucky that he just ate the food she gave him, turned around, and walked away. Who's to say that the next time, he wouldn't just barge right in and take what he wanted?

So in the interest of public safety, I took some pictures of him that I'm posting here as fair warning to you all. If you see this guy at your door, my advice is "Don't Answer!"

The Speech (or That Conversation on Race You've Been Waiting For )

Barack Obama delivers one of the greatest speeches I've ever heard. This one speech provides an opening for the American people to address the issues of our past and present in a constructive manner which can help us all move forward as a country.

No matter what happens in the election from this point, I am so proud of Barack Obama for saying what absolutely needed to be said in such a way that nobody can claim they don't understand.

Hyperbole? Just Listen.

Upon Further Thought

After mulling over the Dr. Jeremiah Wright story for the past few days, I've reached a conclusion that I already knew; America has a history problem. More specifically, Americans have a major problem with their own history. Blacks and Whites in this country come from different experiential backgrounds, and nothing anyone says or does can change that now. I'm sure it's confusing to our friends and neighbors from Asia, Latin America, Europe, and yes, even Africa, that almost everything in this country is viewed through a Black/White filter, especially when Blacks are only around 13% of the total population.

Well, like I said, it's a unique relationship and those Americans who come from other areas of the world need to recognize this for what it is; American History. Not the basically all White version of history that dominates our public and private school curriculum with only an oh so brief mention, usually in February, that Blacks have been here all along too. This February focus usually doesn't stray too far from the very significant contributions of MLK, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, and a select few others.

But Black history in America is American history, and this country does all of its students a disservice by not teaching our history in a more complete way. The end result is a nation that is shocked, shocked, I tell you, that a Black minister would have the nerve to refer to America as anything other than the culmination of human civilization on Earth, and/or make reference to the racial realities that are an integral part of this country's history. Or as Shawn Williams over at dallassouthblog so eloquently put it:

What is most shameful about this entire episode with Dr. Wright and Barack Obama is that it shows how little America knows about and how much less America cares about the black church. A black preacher uttering words from the pulpit regarding America’s racist past and present is neither novel or unique.

...Dr. Wright talked about an America where white men controlled the resources and controlled the access to wealth in this country. What’s so radical about that? If it’s a lie please tell me.

Please, tell me too. Ignoring the reality of our surroundings doesn't make them go away. It also doesn't mean the country needs to dwell on the past, but the past damn sure needs to be acknowledged. That's going to take awhile, so in the meantime, prepare for even more shocking revelations about Black people as this history making campaign continues.

And for you Democrats out there, remember that political allegiance is a two-way street. In other words, Blacks haven't always voted for Democrats, and the last major shift happened in the political equivalent of the blink of an eye. Running negative, race-based campaigns against your most loyal constituency helps that to happen.

Deuce Deuce

The Rockets just keep on on winning, and winning big. 22 in a row and counting, with the latest victim being the mighty L.A. Lakers and Kobe Bryant. This games hero? Rafer Alston, who scored 31 while our own resident superstar Tracy McGrady was held to just 11. But somebody always steps up, and as T-Mac said after the game:

"This was really all about how good the Rockets are. This is what this game was about (with) the Lakers coming in here on the top of the Western Conference. This game determined where we are. I think we answered those questions. We took on that challenge and we’re standing alone. And the streak keeps going."

Nuff said. Next up the Celtics.

It's On Now, or Playing With Fire - Democratic Party Style

I've always been registered as an Independent but my votes have been consistently for the Democrats when it comes to national office. Simply put, our interests have aligned. But the scorched earth, "I win or nobody wins" campaign being run by Hillary Clinton has touched a nerve with me and pretty much every Black voter I know.

The Clinton's seem willing to help chase off the Democratic Party's most loyal voting bloc through divisive campaigning, when a historic opportunity to retake the Presidency and both houses of Congress is within reach. People, especially Black people are not so ignorant as to realize what is happening at our expense.

Based on this petition starting to make the rounds, which I've posted in it's entirety below, the blowback from such a divisive campaign could be potentially mortal. Read it, and If you're feeling it, sign it and pass it on. __________________________________________________________

Senator Hillary Clinton Must Concede Defeat and

Support the Democratic Presidential Ticket

The signatories to this statement urge that Senator Hillary Clinton must concede defeat in her quest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination and must support the Democratic ticket.

Wherefore:

(1) The Democratic Party base has spoken. The delegate count shows that Senator Hillary Clinton cannot win the nomination on the strength of earned delegates, based on the will of the voters.

(2) Mrs. Clinton’s political attacks upon Senator Barack Obama have increasingly appealed to and sought to increase resentment against others based on the color of their skin.

(3) This divisiveness is regrettable because, via the presidential candidacy of Senator Obama, the vast majority of African-Americans stand united with millions of white Americans and Americans of all colors, genders, ethnicities and religious backgrounds, erasing divisions to implement a program of Democratic change.

(4) It appears that Mrs. Clinton is about to shatter this historic unity.

(5) We therefore call on Mrs. Clinton to face the reality of the earned delegates count, concede defeat, and thereby contribute to healing a wound which is opening and continues to widen.

(6) Mrs. Clinton must wholeheartedly support the winner of the nomination, who has earned the most delegates, and devote herself honestly and enthusiastically to defeating Republican electoral hopes in 2008, not attacking Democratic politicians and Democratic constituencies.

(7) Should the Democratic Party leadership nullify the people's votes by giving Mrs. Clinton the nomination, despite the popular will as represented by earned delegates, we would then call upon African-American voters and all Democratic Party constituencies and supporters to withhold their support from a Hillary Clinton candidacy in November.

We have survived eight years under President Bush and, if compelled to do so, we will survive four years under a President McCain. However, we cannot and will NOT survive the nullification of our most hard-won right - our votes.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned:

Available online for signatures at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/ACUDP2/petition.html

Like I Said...

This is just the warmup.

Hillary is running as negative a campaign as she can with her "kitchen sink" strategy, and the Rev. Wright brouhaha is just the latest. If you're upset now, wait till the Republicans get into the game, which the way things are going on the Democratic side, won't be until after the conventions. In the meantime, John McCain can hang out, take a vacation, and save his money while the Clinton campaign does the dirty work for them.

Barack Obama continues to take the high road in all of this, which I think is proper. The media however is working overtime to be "fair and balanced" by claiming both campaigns have resorted to the negative attacks, gender and race-baiting.

Bottom line is that the Democrats seem hell bent on squandering the best chance for the advancement of progressive issues in years. No one from leadership seems willing to step in and stop the blood-letting and the end result will most likely be a third term for Bush, in the person of John McCain.

The longer term threat for Democrats is the alienation of Black voters who have been the most reliable constituency in the Democratic party for decades. If all that we can expect from the Democrats is the same as that expected from the Republicans, then what's to stop us from becoming free agents voting with whoever best represents our stated interests in every election?

In other words true Independents. Sounds like a plan to me.

21 and counting

The Rockets streak is at 21 in a row, the 2nd longest win streak in NBA history. They've moved from 10th to a share of 1st place in the Western Conference with the Lakers. Who they just happen to play this Sunday.

Can you say showdown?

This team is playing some really great, team basketball with someone different stepping up every night. Not to mention Tracy McGrady's all around play and fantastic defense anchored by 41 year old Dikembe Mutumbo who is blocking shots like he's on a mission. The pundits are still saying they can't win in the playoffs, but I'm not so sure about that. The next five games will tell; against LA, Boston, N.O., Golden State, and Phoenix.

Stay tuned.

Recession Anyone?

As if you needed someone to tell you that it's getting rough out there, here it is from Bloomberg:

Retail sales in the U.S. unexpectedly fell in February, indicating that declines in payrolls and home values and a surge in energy costs have pushed the economy into a recession.

But wait, here's some actually evidence of "trickle down" economics.

The government's retail sales report also showed how the housing slump is filtering through the economy. Purchases of furniture, electronics and building materials all dropped. The rising price of gasoline, which yesterday reached a record $3.27 a gallon for unleaded regular, is prompting Americans to cut back. Purchases at restaurants and bars fell 0.4 percent in February, the most since January 2007.Consumers are even spending less on gasoline. Receipts at filling stations fell 1 percent last month, the most since August.

Man. This has been coming for a while. Y'all know we're always the canary in the coal mine, so the national heads up came back in October when a report came out stating that:

Growing numbers of blacks say they’re worse off than five years ago and don’t expect their lives to improve, a study released Tuesday shows. In addition, fewer than half of all blacks, or 44 percent, said they expected their prospects to brighten in the future.

Now, to be fair, that report was about the overall state of the Black condition in America, economics included, but y'all know what I'm saying. It seems like everybody is having, shall we say, financial difficulties as of late. And while I don't have any statistical data, it sure looks to me like there are a hell of a lot more homeless people on the streets lately. You'd have to be blind not to notice that. But I guess the real question is: What are you doing with your tax rebate check that's not going to solve the country's economic trouble at all, but instead put us further into debt (and by extension, deeper into recession)? Spend it, save it, or pay a bill? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Additional reading:

http://therealready.blogspot.com/2007/10/aint-nothing-free.html
http://therealready.blogspot.com/2007/10/mo-about-money.html
http://therealready.blogspot.com/2007/10/bling-bling.html

Musical Interlude - Ziggy Marley and the MelodyMakers: Small People

Another one of those message songs; this one from Ziggy Marley and the MelodyMakers 1991 album, Jahmeyka. Note: The "Small People" they're talking about aren't kids.

This Is Just The Warm Up

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color), he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

A bunch of people much wiser than me have posted and commented on the latest Clinton campaign race-baiting, courtesy of Geraldine Ferraro. You can find a few of them here, here, and here. Believe me there are plenty of others out there too so I won't bore you with my own diatribe.

I will say that this really doesn't surprise me, and I think the Barack Obama campaign is responding in exactly the right way by keeping it low key while pointing out the absurdity of the comments. There's really no need for over the top histrionics on this because it was too be expected all along, especially as Obama started to gain momentum. Not to mention he's getting in some good practice reps against the Democratic amateurs for the general election when the professional race-baiting Republicans come after him. In the long view, that's probably a good thing.

One other thing, if Hillary Clinton "wins" the nomination, it should be plainly obvious that the Democratic Party is willing to say screw you to its most loyal voting constituency (Black folks), and that same constituency should think long and hard about voting for her at the top of the ticket.

There's nothing that says we have to dutifully fall in line to vote for a national candidate who has stooped to Republican levels of race-baiting, and has shown a willingness to destroy everything in her path in order to secure the nomination against the candidate we know has the better chance of pulling this thing off. That would be voting against our own long-term interests.

Now I'm not saying don't vote at all because local politics are too important not to. But it doesn't make sense to me to vote for someone willing to throw me under the bus at the instance they deem it necessary for their own political survival.

Call me crazy, but that's my plan. But hey, I'm an Independent so what do I know?

WTF?

Since I'm on the subject of sports, I've got to ask the question; What the hell are the Giants thinking? Signing David Carr? Haven't they been watching this guy play? He had 5 years to prove himself in Houston after being the first pick in the 2002 draft, and any way you look at it, he was a monumental bust. When the Texans finally cut him, he was picked up by Carolina where he continued to display his complete inability to play the game. I mean, they ended up starting Vinny Testaverde over him. That's right, 44 year old Vinny Testaverde. And when he didn't cut it, they went to undrafted, rookie QB Matt Moore. One thing David Carr does have is the ability to turn almost every passing play into a sack. But according to the Giants:

"We look forward to working with him on the fundamentals of the game," Coughlin said. "We do have some technical things to work on, but we are anxious to work with him in our program. If we can place him in a positive environment, perhaps he can reclaim some of the things that people saw to draft him in the first round."

Uh, yeah, whatever. If somebody is the first pick in the draft and going into his seventh year in the league, the last thing he should be working on is "fundamentals." To paraphrase Geraldine Ferraro, if this guy was a Black QB, would he be in the position he's in today? Just a question.

20 In A Row

Have y'all been watching the Rockets lately? if not I suggest you check them out. Their winning streak is at 20 games and counting. And this is without Yao Ming who's out for the season. Now of course nobody thinks they can actually win the championship without their big man, but the way Tracy McGrady and the rest of these guys are playing I wouldn't exactly count them out. They haven't just been winning, but blowing people out (with the exception of last nights game). I'm just saying.

Musical Interlude - The Coup: Dig It

Just because I'm feeling that revolutionary vibe today, here's The Coup with 'Dig It' from their 1993 self-titled debut album.

It's A Thought

Listening in on the Black bloggers conference call put together by the Afronerd to:

“discuss ways for the Black blogosphere to get together (regardless of party affiliation) and pool are resources to make sure that the Clinton/Obama campaign refocuses on policy and issues and NOT on innuendo (i.e. Obama not being Christian or his middle name nonsense).”

Not sure it succeeded. A follow up is definitely needed as this particular call was basically a vent session. Can’t be effective if all we’re doing is complaining.

And one other thing, either we’re Black Bloggers talking about the racialization of this campaign or we’re not. You can’t have it both ways, and frankly, the White community and blogosphere most likely have a very clear understanding of what’s going on and have made their choices.

It’s time to make ours.

It’s been a long time…

I’m back. Time has been a precious commodity lately, and There… Already has suffered dearly as you can tell. So much has happened over the past few weeks that I know there’s no hope to catch up on all the potential topics I could have posted about but didn’t. But like I said, I’m back, and sending out an APB for That Girl Boo, Isiaiah Too, and @pbuzz. We’ll get this thing rolling again in no time. Y’all stay tuned.