Someone is already bending over backwards to defend this moron, Ashley Todd. A blogger named CajunTechie writes:
I don’t think Ms. Todd is psycho. I think she’s someone with good intentions and who deeply loves her country. She is, like many people, concerned about the direction her country will take if the wrong person becomes president. I believe she sees this election on a moral ground and, as such, all bets are off.
In an odd way, I understand her thoughts..
In an odd way, I actually respect her.
This woman faked a savage attack for the sole purpose of creating more racial hatred for Barack Obama, but somehow she had good intentions and loves her country? While law enforcement officials could have been out working to keep the streets safe, they had to waste their time and energy dealing with this racist bullshit, but he understands her thoughts? Given the history of abuse that Black men have suffered at the hands of police, there was a strong chance that some innocent guy could have been arrested and assaulted himself before everyone figured out that this was a hoax, but he respects her? If only we all got the same benefit of the doubt that America sees fit to extend to white women.
Dumbest shit I’ve ever read in my life.
I’ll tell you this, I think for the next month every Black man that sees Ashley Todd on the street should punch her in her face and then walk to the nearest police station and turn themselves in. I’d be more than willing to take an assault beef to teach that racist troglodyte a lesson.
It’s me, Nick Adams, again.I’m sure you guys are well aware of the report issued by the Global Cannabis Commission.You know, the international group of scientists who studied the issue of global cannabis policy and then released their findings in a 226-page paper, Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate? Just in case you haven’t gotten around to reading all about it, I thought I’d point out some of the highlights of their report.
The enforcement effort has not had much success in deterring use.
Translation: With regards to marijuana, the drug war has been a failure.
The probability and scale of harm among heavy cannabis users is modest
compared with that caused by many other psychoactive substances, both
legal and illegal, in common use, namely, alcohol, tobacco, amphetamines,
cocaine and heroin.
Translation: It’s less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.
The rationale for severe penalties for possession offenses is weak on both
normative and practical grounds. In many developed countries a majority of
adults born in the past half-century have used cannabis. Control regimes that
criminalize users are intrusive on privacy, socially divisive and expensive.
Thus it is worth considering alternatives.
Translation: Our current marijuana laws are costly and infringe on our civil liberties.
In countries where data are available, arrest rates are sharply higher for many
minority and socially disadvantaged groups.
Translation: The war on marijuana disproportionately effects minorities and poor people.
Given this data, I’m sure that you will all immediately reconsider your illogical and counter-productive stance on the continued criminalization of marijuana.
Councilman Steve Bradford is on the case. Having single-handedly done away with all crime, poverty and quality of life issues in your city, Mr. Bradford has decided to focus his attention on the evil scourge that continues to threaten society; sagging pants. Avert your eyes, lady folk. There are adolescent boxer shorts in plain sight! The Daily Breeze tells the tale:
Gardena city officials will discuss a proposed ordinance Tuesday to ban wearing saggy pants and allow police officers to ticket offenders.
Yes, that’s right: saggy pants - as in, pants that hang down below the waist and expose several inches of underwear or skin.
Councilman Steve Bradford introduced the ordinance, arguing that the fashion amounts to indecent exposure.
"The average young African-American or Latino who is stopped usually is profiled based on what they’re wearing and how they’re wearing it," Bradford said at a recent City Council meeting.
"We can circumvent that by asking for folks to please wear their pants at a respectable level. I think it goes a long way in eliminating police contact and eliminating biases by the general public."
Or, you can circumvent that by not profiling the average young African-American or Latino because of how they’re wearing their clothing in the first place, Steve. How about allowing those citizens the right to go about their daily lives without being harassed because of how they choose to dress? You know, the same thing you’d do for everyone else?
The first Gardena Council member who proposes an ordinance banning Steve Bradford from proposing any more idiotic ordinances will get a big fat donation from yours truly.
RALEIGH - L.F. Eason III gave up the only job he’d ever had rather than lower a flag to honor former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms.
Eason, a 29-year veteran of the state Department of Agriculture, instructed his staff at a small Raleigh lab not to fly the U.S. or North Carolina flags at half-staff Monday, as called for in a directive to all state agencies by Gov. Mike Easley.
When a superior ordered the lab to follow the directive, Eason decided to retire rather than pay tribute to Helms. After several hours’ delay, one of Eason’s employees hung the flags at half-staff.
Pull’ em up or pay up! That’s the order voters gave tonight by overwhelmingly approving Mayor Thomas Masters "saggy pants" law…Under the new law, anyone with droopy pants that show skin or underwear faces legal action. The first offense carries a $150 fine or community service. A second infraction carries a $300 fine or more community service. Habitual violators could face up to 60 days in jail. The jail provision produced a last-minute backlash to the ordinance. But the law was popular among elderly voters who apparently turned out at the polls.
Fresh on the heels of the news that 1 out of every 100 US citizens is incarcerated, these FUCKING MORONS decide that it’s a good idea to fine and possibly jail people for wearing their pants too low. The article mentions that "the law was popular among elderly voters." What if someone had introduced a measure making it illegal to wear your pants too high instead of too low? How would these FUCKING MORONS feel about that?
Because my friend Frank spent the early part of the decade listening to Joy Division, and my friend Jim spent it being a toddler.Obviously, this is not meant to be definitive.Just a not quite random collection of back in the day hip-hop songs that those less versed in the genre might not be familiar with.
“Apache” - Sugarhill Gang - 1981
Rapper’s Delight gets all the hype, but this is by far the superior song.Will Smith flipped it:
“Planet Rock” - Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force- 1982
I can’t overestimate the importance of Bambaataa.He literally expanded the musical minds of a generation of kids.This is easily one of the most important hip-hop songs of all time.If you sent out a space probe full of artifacts to represent black culture, I would have no qualms with using this as the record to showcase rap music.
“Rock Box” - Run D.M.C – 1984
Easily my favorite Run D.M.C. song ever.You have to remember that Run D.M.C. just decided to rap over a rock guitar in the 1980s and not one single black person batted an eyelash. Amazing.The first true hip hop rock stars.
“Hey DJ” - The World’s Famous Supreme Team – 1984
There is nothing quite like a great “feel good” hip hop record.If you listen to this and aren’t immediately in a better mood, you’re a fucking vampire. The only problem is that someone forgot to tell the Supreme Team that they weren’t writing a goddamned symphony.Way too long. That’s a common theme among some of the best songs of the 80s.
“Fat Boys” - Fat Boys – 1984
Yes,before TheDisorderlies, they were taken seriously.This was one of the first albums I ever owned.I could tell by our disparate degrees of interest in this and Kurtis Blow that my sister wasn’t going to be into rap as much as me.Like most great ideas, this one is much better if you don’t over think it.Three fat guys rapping.Mostly about food.How could that not be good?
“Jam On It” – Newcleus – 1984
I was 11 years old when this song came out. Newcleus had three young breakdancersin the crew.I wanted to be one of those kids so desperately.For the last 23 years of my life, I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’ve never heard this song without kind of losing my shit at least a little bit.I could do a fairly impressive, impromptu routine to this song right now.Given, of course, about 20 minutes to stretch and warm up.Another long one.
“The Show” - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew – 1985
Having included both Doug E. Fresh and The Fat Boys, I’ve pretty got beatboxing covered.And speaking of covering, Snoop Dog recorded a popular reinterpretation of this classic a while back.Yes, that’s the Inspector Gadget music.Doug E. Fresh made some monster party records.
“Pee Wee’s Dance” - Joeski Love – 1986
Hip-hop doesn’t have a Weird Al Yankovich, but every now and then a novelty song pops us and makes some noise.Most are awful. (See: Afroman.)Some are fucking great.Like this song and The Mighty Casey’s “Whitegirls.”
If you’re thinking that you’ll just watch that The Mighty Casey video later, watch it now.Seriously.It’s a cover version of Melle Melle’s classic, “White Lines”, but it’s about white girls instead.I quote: “Don’t tell Minister Farakhan.He don’t wanna know what’s going on.”
“Top Billin’ ” - Audio Two - 1987
Easily one of my favorite songs of all time.A perfect example of just how beat driven hip-hop is.Immediately, any teenager in America realized that they could put on a mini-concert just by banging on a lunch table.Expertly jacked by Mary J. Blige for “Real Love” to signal the switch from the time when hip-hop sampled R&B to the time when R&B sampled hip-hop.
“Nobody Beats The Biz” - Biz Markie – 1987
I remember watching a VH1 show about the best one hit wonders of all time and they included Biz for “Just a Friend.”I wanted to punch everyone in the world in the face.I know it’s hard for parents and white people to understand, but…people loved Biz.Biz is a fucking hip-hop legend.This is an example of why.That Steve Miller sample is one of the best in the history of rap.
“The Overweight Lover’s In The House” - Heavy D & the Boyz – 1987
Like I always say, rock star trumps everything.There have been not one, but two hugely overweight, and hugely successful black rappers with a lazy eye.And one of them was a really good dancer.Rock star trumps everything. Heavy utilized James Brown as well as anybody in hip hop.
“Paid in Full (Seven Minutes of Madness–The Coldcut Remix)” – Eric B. & Rakim – 1988
This extended play, psychedelic version of a song that was already a classic was cemented into popular culture when it was included on the soundtrack to the movie Colors.If you’re ever DJing a party of 30-something black folks, put this on and then go to the bathroom, smoke a joint and make some phone calls.Rakim is my favorite MC of all time.
“My Philosophy” - Boogie Down Productions – 1988
You’re teenager who’s left home to live on the street for 6 years.You meet a counselor in a shelter, record and album with him, and then he gets shot in the throat breaking up a fight.What do you do?If you answered A. Crawl into a deep dark hole and cry yourself crazy, you are Nick Adams.If you answered B. Record a genre-defining album and blow everybody’s mind, you are Kris Parker.
“Talkin’ All That Jazz” – Stetasonic – 1988
Not only is it a perfect example of the easy symbiosis of hip-hop and jazz.It’s an open letter that explains what sampling is about. It’s not my favorite Stet song—that would be “Sally”—but it’s their most important.Plus Prince Paul was their DJ, so you know they were great.Speaking of Prince Paul, go here, and check out a phone conversation he had with Jay Smooth of illdoctrine.com.
“The Symphony” – Marley Marl featuring. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap & Big Daddy Kane – 1988
This is one of my favorite posse cuts.That “Hard to Handle” sample is another good example of how one song can be used to construct a totally different, equally great song.Yes, Kool G Rap has a really bad lisp.Yes, he manages to overcome that an be a fierce MC.I told you, rock star trumps everything.
“I Get The Job Done” – Big Daddy Kane – 1989
If the saying “Black is beautiful” is true, not phony
I’m browner than Bobby so won’t you be my “Tenderoni”
One of my favorite jokes of all time goes like this.
What do they call a black man with a PhD? Nigger.
That’s the first thing that came to mind yesterday when I popped into my neighborhood Borders Books to do some writing and pick up a copy of the new Percival Everett novel. Yes, I shop at Borders. No, I don’t feel particularly good about contributing to the further big boxification of America. I’d much rather go to Skylight Books once a week and spend some time with Lucy, but Borders is two blocks from my house and Skylight isn’t. So, it’s either contribute to the already sphincter clinching traffic that lurches across LA’s surface streets during the day, or make a 2 minute walk.
I’ve been on a strictly non-fiction kick for well over a year and I’m looking forward to breaking the string. And why not do that with a multiple award-winning writer with 15 novels under his belt, a distinguished professorship in the English department at USC, and the distinction of writing one of my all time favorite novels, Erasure? Without thinking, I navigated my way to the Literature section and began scanning the Es. When I got to the Fs without seeing his name, I realized my mistake. Percival Everett just happens to be Black. As a result, his newest book sits on the shelf as such:
I have mixed feelings about this. I’ll go on record right now as saying that I’m a big fan of 69 and *69. Both are incredibly simple, yet criminally under appreciated. Also, although I’m a happily married man, I understand that perhaps further study of and dialogue in the art and application of booty calling is still necessary. In a fit of uncharacteristic optimism I even held out hope that this was someone’s satirical take on the entire genre of ghetto fiction. Maybe naming a book Booty Call *69 was the same kind of hyper-absurd lampooning of the culture that we saw used to such devastating effect in movies like Fear of a Black Hat and CB4? No.
“Taking urban erotica to dizzying heights and culminating in an earth-shattering climax, Erick S Gray spins a sexually charged, coming of age tale. The drama in Booty Call *69 revolves around a promiscuous young woman, Shana, who is so seductive she easily captures any man she glances at. After breaking up with the equally self-indulgent boy-toy, Jakim….”
You get the idea. It’s cheesy, genre fiction for Black people. Which, in and of itself, I don’t have that much of a problem with. White people read that stuff too, right?
The difference is that Philip Roth doesn’t have to share the same shelf. Those in the literary realm who actually sit down at the keyboard with the intention of writing the great American novel are held to a higher standard and held in higher regard. As such, their works are shelved separately. As long as they’re white. Then it’s off to that out of the way corner right next to the Gay & Lesbian section. One is treated seriously, and the other isn’t.
What’s that you say? It’s done that way because both books deal with African-American themes? Yes, imaginary white person voice in my head, some of Percival Everett’s work does deal with specifically African-American themes. Also, many of them don’t. Further, who in their right mind thinks that these two writers share an audience? All value judgments aside, the person who reads one is not going to read the other regardless of what color their skin is. In the way of further explanation, here’s part of the Publisher’s Weekly review Everett’s novel, Glyph.
“…off-kilter academic spoof about an infant with an IQ of 475. Grandiosely reminiscing, at age four, on the tumultuous first few years of his life, Everett’s hero, Ralph, recounts his manipulation and eventual imprisonment at the hands of a group of nefarious, constantly squabbling adults. "My father was a poststructuralist pretender and my mother hated his guts," declares Ralph, who at roughly 10 months confounds his parents by composing hyper-sophisticated poems about the human anatomy.”
Putting someone who writes this kind of fiction next to someone who writes urban erotica is like having Lil’ Wayne open for Wynton Marsalis just because they’re both black. By placing his work in the African-American fiction section what Border’s is essentially doing is ensuring that someone who is browsing the shelves looking for a meaty new novel is not going to stumble upon The Water Cure.
How can white American make up for this affront? Go out and buy a book written by a Black author. Yes, buy one just because it was written by a Black person. If you’re going to support racial profiling of authors, why not support affirmative action for them too?
The hipster in you wants to despise her, especially after seeing that iPhone commercial for the 4,080th time. Turns out, she’s pretty fucking great. The wife and I were already psyched to see her this Monday when she hits town, but these two stellar sets just took it up a notch.
By the way, my current top 5 white girls are as follows.
Bjork - #1 in perpetuity. I will be seeing her live–unbelievably, for the first time–next month.
Nigella Lawson - MILF and cookies. Top that.
Natalie Portman - Dear Hollywood, The Professional 2: The Rise of Mathilda. Make it happen.
Amy Goodman - Those MSNBC/Fox/CNN bimbos couldn’t even find East Timor on a map.
Feist - Don’t get complacent, Feist. Hellen Mirren could still get naked at any moment.
