The Simpsons take Over the World

The Simpsons Movie, while not a life-altering movie going experience, was pretty damn funny. It was super-sized, had some moments that couldn't be on the show (although the show seems to get away with things that seemingly no other network show can), didn't feel long and was a lot of fun. America came out in force to see it too; the movie opened to the tune of $71.9 million. The take worldwide was $96 mil. Here's a pretty good article about Le' Simpsons worldwide appeal, and the way to get your very own "Spider-Pig" ringtone!

"Talk to Me"-the real Petey Greene

I saw "Talk to Me," starring Don Cheadle Watson, played by last weekend. The movie, directed by Kasi Lemmons, is engaging throughout and the performances are great across the board. The movie centers around Don Cheadle as Petey Greene, Chiwetel Ejiofor as his boss/manager/best friend Dewey Hughes (who ultimately built Radio One, the huge, Black radio network) and Petey's outrageous girlfriend/backbone Vernell played by Taraji P. Henson. All three are incredible, making a story that could feel very generic into something fresh and lively. Definitely worth checking out. As for the inspiration for the film, here's an actual Petey Greene clip titled, "How to Eat a Watermelon."

Dem Debate Tonight

The Democratic presidential candidates debate tonight on CNN at 4pm Pacific time in South Carolina. Black voters make up about 1/2 of SC's Democratic primary voters, so issues that impact Black voters should be on the front burner tonight. Questions will be submitted via YouTube video clips from ordinary Americans (that know how to upload clips). Should be interesting, sort of...

Bill O"Reilly's Sleazy, Duh!

Fun Video showing O'Reilly droll his way through an interview with the embattled beauty pageant contestant, Amy Polumbo.

Bush Administration Doesn't Care about Black (and poor and immigrant and working) People

Two stories that caught my eye. One about the exploitation of labor involved in New Orleans' post-Katrina "reconstruction," and the other about the Justice Department's selective enforcement of voter registration laws against the interest of the poor and the colored. No surprises here, but worth noticing. These asses need to be impeached, and those aren't even the good reasons to do it.

John Edwards Focuses on Poverty

John Edwards is leaving the normal campaign trail for the next three days to take an 8 state and 11 city tour through some of the most impoverished parts of America. He wants to "shine a bright light" on the issue of poverty, despite the fact that it doesn't resonate as a very high priority for likely voters in polls. Whether it's a super-sly strategy to gain politically by looking like he's not concerned with political gain, or a sincere attempt to highlight an issue that burns in his heart, Edwards is bringing our attention to circumstances that 1 in 8 Americans live in (and 1 out of 4 Black folks), and all of us are effected by. I haven't decided that Edwards is my candidate, but I definitely support this "Road to One America" tour...

Climate Change: Sign the Pledge

Last Saturday there were concerts around the world, one on every continent (including Antarctica), put on to highlight the issue of global climate change and to begin the process of mobilizing us to force our governments, corporations and neighbors to take on the issue and make changes. The first action step tied to the event is signing a pledge with 7 tenents. They are:

1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
   
   
2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;"
   
   
3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
   
   
4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
   
   
5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
   
   
6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
   
   
7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

If you agree with it, please sign the pledge at AlGore.com

Be Breezy...

Burn Five Minutes in your Cubicle

This is an interesting presentation of facts and figures titled, "Shift Happens."

Lynching in the 21st Century

First there was the story of Genarlow Wilson, the 17 year old young Black man that got 10 years in jail for having consensual oral sex with a 15 year old. At least in that case there was a faulty law that the powers that be could blame for the Draconian sentence laid down on Wilson (never mind the question of whether the law would still of "had to" have been applied if the case were between a white boy and Black girl). Now we have the case of the "Jena 6," the case of 6 Black boys that admittedly beat up a white classmate in a schoolyard fight. The white child suffered a concussion, but was at a school function later that day, hanging out with friends, while the Black kids were arrested and charged with 2nd Degree murder and conspiracy and now face up to 100 years in prison. The first of the Jena 6 to go to trial, Mychal Bell, was convicted of aggravated assault and conspiracy and could be sentenced up to 22 years in prison; for a schoolyard fight.

The fight came after a long series of events that began when a Black student asked to sit under a tree on the High School campus that only white students traditionally sat under. The next day, 3 nooses were hung on branches of that tree. The perpetrators were suspended for 3 days(!) causing the Black students to respond with a protest.
The students all sat under "the tree" one day. The next day the Principal called an assembly that included the town's District Attorney, who reportedly said that he could end any of their lives with a stroke of his pen (clearly intending the statement for the Black students in the assembly). This was followed by a Black student getting jumped at a party by white students (and being told that he should stay on his side of town by the police), and the same Black student having a gun pulled on him (and being charged with stealing the gun when he wrestled it away). Then came a fight that produced a white victim, followed by murder charges.

While ridiculous sentences for Black convictions are nothing new, and far from relegated to the rural South, this is such a blatant lynching of these young men, at a time when there's no Justice Department to speak of with the current administration, that something on the grassroots level must be done for this evil to be undone. Watch the whole report from yesterday's Democracy Now! (it's long, but try and find the time), sign the petition to Louisiana's Governor and Jena's District Attorney, and if you can help spread the word, or know of someone that can help with legal assistance you can contact the Jena 6 at:

Jena 6 Defense Committee
PO BOX 2798
Jena, LA 71342

More Bushshit...

Congress has demanded documents and testimony from former and current White House aides relating to the firing of 9 U.S. attorneys, a demand that the White House has refused to comply with. The firings are being investigated by Congress because of mounting evidence that the Justice Department, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez in particular, fired the Attorneys because of their refusal to pursue, or stop pursuing cases based on political motivations. One firing in particular seems to have been done in order to give the Arkansas US Attorney job to one of Karl Rove's aides.
The requested documents are expected to shed light on whether the White House was directly involved in the firings, and more generally, if the White House was using the office of the Presidency to conduct partisan business, and/or using Republican National Commiteee resources to conduct official business, both of which are illegal. The White House claims that they do not have to release the documents or the aides to testify because of executive privilage (while the Vice President claims that his office doesn't have to comply with another request because he is not part of the executive branch) and basically dares Congress to take them to court. They wouldn't mind that outcome because it is likely that the case would take longer to be decided then there is time left in Bush's 2nd term.
Congress is trying to pressure the WH to compromise and release the information in some official way, while the WH's take it or leave it offer is to offer up the aides to testify in private, off the record, and not under oath. Yet another example of the Bush-Cheney disdain for the rule of law and Congress' impotence in the face of it. Good times...

Funky Feet Smell Like Dead People...

Wash your feet, or the cops could come beating down your door...

Kwik-E-Mart in your Town!!

Simpsons fans, find the nearest 7-11 that's been converted into a Kwik-E-Mart, complete with Krusty-O's, pink frosted sprinkled donuts and various Simpsons characters posted throughout the store. I went last night to the L.A. "Kwik-E-Mart," and it was the shit. I got myself a donut and woulda got a "Squishee," but the machine was broken. There were all kinds of folks there, men and women, boys and girls, and Black Simpsons fans fear not, we were well represented when I dropped by. So check it out, have some fun and get a donut. MMMMMM... Donut.....aaarrrggghhhhhh.....

Is "One Africa" Possible?

African leaders met recently to discuss creating a single African government and economy, similar to the European Union. While some nations, including Senegal and Libya, welcome the plan to cede sovereignty to a unity government, other leaders are predictably loathe to give up any of their beloved power. Will the interest of a few leaders derail the opportunity for Africa to unite and therefore become a true political, economic, and yes, military power on the world stage? We'll see...