Today I was instant messaging with Cleatus and all he could talk about was him worrying about having herpes. All morning long. At some point I offered that perhaps it would be worse to be one of those kids who has been rescued from the cult but will now have to integrate into "normal" society. At that point, he said we should post about it. I have nothing to add but here is what Cleatus wrote:
About 45 million Americans have acquired genital herpes at some time in their lives. An estimated 1.6 million Americans become infected with the virus each year, said Dr. James R. Allen, president and chief executive of the American Social Health Association, a private group in Durham, N.C., that works to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. In 2000, some 19 million sexually transmitted infections occurred in the United States, the highest rate of any industrialized country.
This news bit crossed my radar this week. I have since spent at least 8 hours researching herpes. What I have learned: a) you can get it from having protected sex; b) you might not even know you have it; c) there is no cure; and d) to get tested, you need a Qtip down your wang.
Don't get me wrong, I think cults are very scary. But since reading all this stuff, I can't stop thinking I have herpes. I have never had blisters, or anything else - but every little itch i'm like "oh snap, i caught the clap". There are enough symptoms that you can think you have it from essentially anything. Finally, I read a "how you tell your partner you have herpes" post and it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to read.
Its like the SNL skits with Ditka v. God - trick question, Ditka is god. Herpes v. Cult - trick question, herpes took over the cult in '02.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Shawn Carter for President
Bill Ray's comments in black, Cleatus' comments in red.
Let me preface this post by saying two things: Talib Kweli is my favorite hip hop artist and I initially started this post just to give Jay some props.
That being said, this post serves as a plea to one Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z aka a million other nicknames to run for President so I can have a candidate I can truly support. I have always been a fan of Jay but never considered his presidential potential or even bothered to come to his defense when he was being attacked by others (which happens a lot as I am not the only supreme hater out here). This week I have been enlightened as he signed a $150 million contract with Live Nation and there is talk that his rumored marriage to Beyonce is imminent. Seems like a perfect time to not only salute the man for all of his accomplishments but to start his campaign for the presidency, especially considering that Obama and Hillary are still boring everyone to death with this overextended Democratic race.
I believe that Mr. Carter has the potential to be a better candidate than Barack:
-Like Obama, Jay has proven himself to be a great fundraiser. The only difference is Jay actually works for his money most of the time instead of people simply giving it to him. I'm sure it took Obama a lot of work to get where he is too. In 2005, his odds of getting the Presidential nomination were 70-1. Who would have thought he could not only be the front runner but be in a statistical dead heat w/ the Republican nominee w/ a few months left. What does that have to do with his fund raising? People are just giving dude money to jump on the Obama bandwagon. Maybe so - giving money to anyone for nothing is for suckers. Except if it is like a charity or something. Right and Obama is becoming a charity case so I guess it all makes sense.
-While Obama likes to play the role of America's first black president, Jay could actually make it happen. None of that mulatto, reared in Hawaii and Indonesia complexities, I am talking born and raised in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects. I don't get why you can't accept the dude as black. To me, he is what he says he is - biracial. Its other people that call him black. Regardless, does being born in the projects make you more black? Everyone is talking about him being the first black president, dude is mulatto. Having 2 black parents makes him black, having a white mother makes Obama mulatto (not that there is anything wrong with that). If there is nothing wrong with him being mulatto, why do you always have to always clarify he is not black. I have asked you this before and you said something along the lines of: when he fails, i don't want him associated w/ my race. You think I wand Dubya associated w/ me? Hitler? At a certain point, you'll have to acknowledge him as a person, not a race. I do acknowledge dude as a person and the reason it is such a big deal to me is that people (no need to get more specific) seem to clump all black folk together. Just as they build him up now, they will tear his ass apart when things go wrong. They are taking it easier on him now but will take it out more on his ass when he fails to deliver on all that rhetoric.
-While Obama is definitely a great speaker, his oratory skills are not on Jay's level. Not to mention the fact that Jay actually writes his own material (albeit with some biting of the great BIG). If Obama is as great as everyone thinks, let's see him freestyle on healthcare at the next town meeting. This speaks to one of the big differences b/w Obama and Jay Z. Obama did things in a world that was probably largely unaccepting of him. Jay did it where people probably urged him to what he was doing. What are you talking about, Jay could not even get a record deal, dude had to start his own label (shout out to Dame). Only after Jay blew up did folks start jocking him. I am talking about Jay doing his work in a largely (I'm assuming) black environment. Drug dealing in the Bronx (this isn't Short Pump, VA) and rapping isn't dominated by whites (I'm assuming). On the other hand, no matter what you want to call Obama (black, biracial, mulatto, white), I'm guessing he was considered black by all his colleagues. Look at law schools/lawyers now - still very white. Probably worse when he went to school. Who do you think runs the record labels that would not give Jay a deal? White men. White men run everything in this country, if you want to get ahead you have to deal with white men. Period. I can agree that both men probably had a rough road to get to where they are.
-Like Obama, Jay has very little actual experience relevant to running the United States but Jay has proven he could run both drug organizations and record labels (the Roc, not Def Jam). What has Obama actually run besides the Harvard Law Review? Running a sucessful business does not make you excellent presidential material. See Mitt Romney. And being a good speaker also does not make you excellent presidential material. A nice looking mulatto man with good speech writers and good charisma does not necessarily equal a good president. His most heralded speech to date, the one on race, was written by him. The book is out on his presidential abilities, but there is nothing false in america about the notion of hope (bit one of his quotes, probably bitten by him as well). All that hope bullshit is really getting to be too much. Hope will not stop a war, stop the senseless violence in this country and hope damn sure will not fix our economy. While the masses are hopeful, I will stay pragmatic.
-Obama has a certain charisma that draws people to him and makes him a natural leader. Jay also has that and Jay's appeal is broader than Obama's. Jay would have everyone from the street corners to the boardrooms lining up to support him. Jay's support is not a function of the media. Jay's appeal is by no means broader than Obama's. You think old white women would vote for Jay - no chance. Further, Jay's support is all media. Without the news about his pending wending -this post wouldn't be happening. He wouldn't be selling records without word of mouth. Word of mouth is largely media-based. Jay has deserved a post based on his accompishments but I am a supreme hater. The news this week simply caused me to take the step of formally acknowledging his accomplishments. Jay's rise to the top was not nearly as influenced by the media as Obama's has been. Let's be real. The media had written Obama off. Then he won Iowa, which is 95% white and very religious. Dude deserved the hype.
-The First Lady. I actually like Michelle Obama but let's be honest, she ain't messing with Beyonce. I hear a lot of talk about Obama being so smooth that dudes better watch their girls when he is around. Whatever, Jay has Beyonce so you tell me who is the real Big Kahuna. There is no reason for either of these dudes to get married - they probably both pimped hard. BUT - at least Jay got one of the handful of women alive that is worthy of even tying a pimp down. Point well taken but still, Beyonce is a better first lady.
-In terms of national defense, it is clear that Jay with his past dealings in the street is much more prepared to defend the US against all threats than Obama would be. Look at both men and tell me who you think Osama would fear more. You know Osama is in the Pakistan mountains with satellite tv watching old MTV videos where Jay and company were looking rather menacing. Osama does not want it with Beans (free Sigel!). Also, instead of recording dis records to other rappers, Jay could lyrically slay the heads of countries the US deems to be a threat. A couple of disses thrown their way and you can believe North Korea will chill out. Obama is not scaring anyone. You might win this one.
Shawn Carter for President. The dude that you are supporting so much is the same dude that will wear white sunglasses and be completely styled up for the next major media event. See your post below. Completely styled........have you seen Obama lately. Pretty soon dude will be wearing lipstick to cover up those smoky lips. If Jay rocks white shades the push for his campaign is over. I googled it and couldn't find any pics - but, dude is in love w/ himself and fashion in general. I don't care if he is in love with himself as long as he is not rocking white shades. I imagine it takes a rather large ego to run for President as well.
Let me preface this post by saying two things: Talib Kweli is my favorite hip hop artist and I initially started this post just to give Jay some props.
That being said, this post serves as a plea to one Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z aka a million other nicknames to run for President so I can have a candidate I can truly support. I have always been a fan of Jay but never considered his presidential potential or even bothered to come to his defense when he was being attacked by others (which happens a lot as I am not the only supreme hater out here). This week I have been enlightened as he signed a $150 million contract with Live Nation and there is talk that his rumored marriage to Beyonce is imminent. Seems like a perfect time to not only salute the man for all of his accomplishments but to start his campaign for the presidency, especially considering that Obama and Hillary are still boring everyone to death with this overextended Democratic race.
I believe that Mr. Carter has the potential to be a better candidate than Barack:
-Like Obama, Jay has proven himself to be a great fundraiser. The only difference is Jay actually works for his money most of the time instead of people simply giving it to him. I'm sure it took Obama a lot of work to get where he is too. In 2005, his odds of getting the Presidential nomination were 70-1. Who would have thought he could not only be the front runner but be in a statistical dead heat w/ the Republican nominee w/ a few months left. What does that have to do with his fund raising? People are just giving dude money to jump on the Obama bandwagon. Maybe so - giving money to anyone for nothing is for suckers. Except if it is like a charity or something. Right and Obama is becoming a charity case so I guess it all makes sense.
-While Obama likes to play the role of America's first black president, Jay could actually make it happen. None of that mulatto, reared in Hawaii and Indonesia complexities, I am talking born and raised in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects. I don't get why you can't accept the dude as black. To me, he is what he says he is - biracial. Its other people that call him black. Regardless, does being born in the projects make you more black? Everyone is talking about him being the first black president, dude is mulatto. Having 2 black parents makes him black, having a white mother makes Obama mulatto (not that there is anything wrong with that). If there is nothing wrong with him being mulatto, why do you always have to always clarify he is not black. I have asked you this before and you said something along the lines of: when he fails, i don't want him associated w/ my race. You think I wand Dubya associated w/ me? Hitler? At a certain point, you'll have to acknowledge him as a person, not a race. I do acknowledge dude as a person and the reason it is such a big deal to me is that people (no need to get more specific) seem to clump all black folk together. Just as they build him up now, they will tear his ass apart when things go wrong. They are taking it easier on him now but will take it out more on his ass when he fails to deliver on all that rhetoric.
-While Obama is definitely a great speaker, his oratory skills are not on Jay's level. Not to mention the fact that Jay actually writes his own material (albeit with some biting of the great BIG). If Obama is as great as everyone thinks, let's see him freestyle on healthcare at the next town meeting. This speaks to one of the big differences b/w Obama and Jay Z. Obama did things in a world that was probably largely unaccepting of him. Jay did it where people probably urged him to what he was doing. What are you talking about, Jay could not even get a record deal, dude had to start his own label (shout out to Dame). Only after Jay blew up did folks start jocking him. I am talking about Jay doing his work in a largely (I'm assuming) black environment. Drug dealing in the Bronx (this isn't Short Pump, VA) and rapping isn't dominated by whites (I'm assuming). On the other hand, no matter what you want to call Obama (black, biracial, mulatto, white), I'm guessing he was considered black by all his colleagues. Look at law schools/lawyers now - still very white. Probably worse when he went to school. Who do you think runs the record labels that would not give Jay a deal? White men. White men run everything in this country, if you want to get ahead you have to deal with white men. Period. I can agree that both men probably had a rough road to get to where they are.
-Like Obama, Jay has very little actual experience relevant to running the United States but Jay has proven he could run both drug organizations and record labels (the Roc, not Def Jam). What has Obama actually run besides the Harvard Law Review? Running a sucessful business does not make you excellent presidential material. See Mitt Romney. And being a good speaker also does not make you excellent presidential material. A nice looking mulatto man with good speech writers and good charisma does not necessarily equal a good president. His most heralded speech to date, the one on race, was written by him. The book is out on his presidential abilities, but there is nothing false in america about the notion of hope (bit one of his quotes, probably bitten by him as well). All that hope bullshit is really getting to be too much. Hope will not stop a war, stop the senseless violence in this country and hope damn sure will not fix our economy. While the masses are hopeful, I will stay pragmatic.
-Obama has a certain charisma that draws people to him and makes him a natural leader. Jay also has that and Jay's appeal is broader than Obama's. Jay would have everyone from the street corners to the boardrooms lining up to support him. Jay's support is not a function of the media. Jay's appeal is by no means broader than Obama's. You think old white women would vote for Jay - no chance. Further, Jay's support is all media. Without the news about his pending wending -this post wouldn't be happening. He wouldn't be selling records without word of mouth. Word of mouth is largely media-based. Jay has deserved a post based on his accompishments but I am a supreme hater. The news this week simply caused me to take the step of formally acknowledging his accomplishments. Jay's rise to the top was not nearly as influenced by the media as Obama's has been. Let's be real. The media had written Obama off. Then he won Iowa, which is 95% white and very religious. Dude deserved the hype.
-The First Lady. I actually like Michelle Obama but let's be honest, she ain't messing with Beyonce. I hear a lot of talk about Obama being so smooth that dudes better watch their girls when he is around. Whatever, Jay has Beyonce so you tell me who is the real Big Kahuna. There is no reason for either of these dudes to get married - they probably both pimped hard. BUT - at least Jay got one of the handful of women alive that is worthy of even tying a pimp down. Point well taken but still, Beyonce is a better first lady.
-In terms of national defense, it is clear that Jay with his past dealings in the street is much more prepared to defend the US against all threats than Obama would be. Look at both men and tell me who you think Osama would fear more. You know Osama is in the Pakistan mountains with satellite tv watching old MTV videos where Jay and company were looking rather menacing. Osama does not want it with Beans (free Sigel!). Also, instead of recording dis records to other rappers, Jay could lyrically slay the heads of countries the US deems to be a threat. A couple of disses thrown their way and you can believe North Korea will chill out. Obama is not scaring anyone. You might win this one.
Shawn Carter for President. The dude that you are supporting so much is the same dude that will wear white sunglasses and be completely styled up for the next major media event. See your post below. Completely styled........have you seen Obama lately. Pretty soon dude will be wearing lipstick to cover up those smoky lips. If Jay rocks white shades the push for his campaign is over. I googled it and couldn't find any pics - but, dude is in love w/ himself and fashion in general. I don't care if he is in love with himself as long as he is not rocking white shades. I imagine it takes a rather large ego to run for President as well.
Jason Whitlock
just want to go on record and say that I am a fan of Jason Whitlock and think he is one of the best columnists out there. He used to write for ESPN but now writes for Fox Sports. He is a very polarizing figure in the black community because he has a habit of criticizing his fellow black folks. He criticizes Al Sharpton and the hip hop community, among other things. He constantly reminds black folks that we need to focus issues of our own creation rather than getting up in arms everytime we feel slighted by white America.
A lot of black folks refer to him as an Uncle Tom, arguing that he is just brainwashed and putting forth the white man's agenda. I argue that black folks are only upset because he calls out other blacks in front of white people. We black folks have a habit of getting real upset when called out by another black person in front of white people. Instead of getting upset with Whitlock for "putting our business in the street", we need to look in the mirror and address the myriad negatives facing our community. We get upset with Whitlock for calling us out in front of whites but don't get upset with all of the ignorance that we display in front of whites. We seem confused.
Note: While this post may be viewed as critical of black people, I fully admit that I contribute to some of the negatives in the black community and I am not immune from the criticism. Also, I have plenty of criticisms of white folks but this is not the post for it.
Check out some of Whitlock's columns (and the comments) to get a better grasp on this issue. Here is a link to his most recent article: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7955740/Am-I-supposed-to-be-mad-about-LeBron?
Let the hate begin.
Bingo has the following thoughts on Whitlock:
-I am weary of the race pass that has come to be used by folks such as Whitlock. Basically, he's saying it's ok to portray us wrongly since we do it to ourselves. TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT.
Was Lebron's photo in poor taste? Was Tyler Perry's movie in poor taste? YES. But in no way does one mitigate the other.
-Whitlock opens things up to the masses that should be discussed amongst ourselves a la Dave Chappelle.
A lot of black folks refer to him as an Uncle Tom, arguing that he is just brainwashed and putting forth the white man's agenda. I argue that black folks are only upset because he calls out other blacks in front of white people. We black folks have a habit of getting real upset when called out by another black person in front of white people. Instead of getting upset with Whitlock for "putting our business in the street", we need to look in the mirror and address the myriad negatives facing our community. We get upset with Whitlock for calling us out in front of whites but don't get upset with all of the ignorance that we display in front of whites. We seem confused.
Note: While this post may be viewed as critical of black people, I fully admit that I contribute to some of the negatives in the black community and I am not immune from the criticism. Also, I have plenty of criticisms of white folks but this is not the post for it.
Check out some of Whitlock's columns (and the comments) to get a better grasp on this issue. Here is a link to his most recent article: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7955740/Am-I-supposed-to-be-mad-about-LeBron?
Let the hate begin.
Bingo has the following thoughts on Whitlock:
-I am weary of the race pass that has come to be used by folks such as Whitlock. Basically, he's saying it's ok to portray us wrongly since we do it to ourselves. TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT.
Was Lebron's photo in poor taste? Was Tyler Perry's movie in poor taste? YES. But in no way does one mitigate the other.
-Whitlock opens things up to the masses that should be discussed amongst ourselves a la Dave Chappelle.
Guys getting their hair 'done'
This should really be listed under the things we/I don't like but I think it deserves its own special post/rant. What is it with guys getting their hair 'done' and not 'cut'. With few exceptions, I cannot respect a dude getting his hair 'done' or 'styled'. What is the world coming to. When your hair gets long, cut it or roll with it but please stop getting it 'done' and styled with massive amounts of products.
While we are at it, please stop wearing sunglasses inside and at night. Also, dudes should not be wearing white sunglasses. Everything is getting a little extra metrosexual and too polished for me. Pretty soon guys wearing makeup will be the norm.
While we are at it, please stop wearing sunglasses inside and at night. Also, dudes should not be wearing white sunglasses. Everything is getting a little extra metrosexual and too polished for me. Pretty soon guys wearing makeup will be the norm.
Random basketball thoughts
Before I provide my basic commentary on the Final Four, I want to say a few things about Gilbert Arenas aka Agent Zero aka Mr. MeMeMeMe. Dude's act is really starting to wear thin and unless he can come back to the Wizards and make a positive impact on them winning this year, I think it might be time to at least explore what the Wiz can get in a sign and trade.
His return last night disgusted me. The Wiz lost yet another game they should have won and it was all about Gilbert. I am not hating on dude as he is a legit baller. Get your blog on, pump up yourself to build your brand and be as eccentric if you want to be. Just please finally come to the realization that basketball is a team game and the object is to win, not be the most popular. Last night dude did not even join his teammates for warm ups and stayed in the locker room until midway through the first quarter. He had not even talked to his coach about playing but checked into the game to a standing ovation. He scored some points and of course the crowd responded to him BUT the Wiz were outscored by 15 during the 17 minutes he was in the game and he was, per usual, guilty of a defensive lapse when he sagged off of Ramon Sessions who hit the game winning jumper. Disgust.
As for the Final Four, I like UCLA and UNC. Memphis scares me but I predict Collison and Westbrook will be able to somewhat neutralize Rose and CDR and that Love will again be the player of the game. I think Love gets Dorsey in foul trouble and Dorsey is a non factor. I think Love comes out and gets 25 and 15. Mainly, I think UCLA is not coming to 3 Final Fours in a row and not getting 1 ring. Howland will have them ready and Love will dominate on his way to MOP of Final Four.
I like UNC over Kansas for 2 reasons. Roy is a better coach than Self and Hansbrough will prove to be too much for Kansas, who lacks a true go to scorer. All of the Kansas depth is great but they do not have the one guy who they can consistently turn to at crunch time. UNC does. The teams are evenly matched in terms of talent but UNC has better coaching and a go to guy who will not be denied. A final note on UNC, I am a Duke fan and rarely admit to liking UNC players. That being said, Danny Green is a beast. Kansas better be ready for him.
Lastly, I know a lot of people dislike the NBA but this season has been great. Trades have changed the landscape of the league and every night there is a solid game to watch. The playoffs should be epic.
His return last night disgusted me. The Wiz lost yet another game they should have won and it was all about Gilbert. I am not hating on dude as he is a legit baller. Get your blog on, pump up yourself to build your brand and be as eccentric if you want to be. Just please finally come to the realization that basketball is a team game and the object is to win, not be the most popular. Last night dude did not even join his teammates for warm ups and stayed in the locker room until midway through the first quarter. He had not even talked to his coach about playing but checked into the game to a standing ovation. He scored some points and of course the crowd responded to him BUT the Wiz were outscored by 15 during the 17 minutes he was in the game and he was, per usual, guilty of a defensive lapse when he sagged off of Ramon Sessions who hit the game winning jumper. Disgust.
As for the Final Four, I like UCLA and UNC. Memphis scares me but I predict Collison and Westbrook will be able to somewhat neutralize Rose and CDR and that Love will again be the player of the game. I think Love gets Dorsey in foul trouble and Dorsey is a non factor. I think Love comes out and gets 25 and 15. Mainly, I think UCLA is not coming to 3 Final Fours in a row and not getting 1 ring. Howland will have them ready and Love will dominate on his way to MOP of Final Four.
I like UNC over Kansas for 2 reasons. Roy is a better coach than Self and Hansbrough will prove to be too much for Kansas, who lacks a true go to scorer. All of the Kansas depth is great but they do not have the one guy who they can consistently turn to at crunch time. UNC does. The teams are evenly matched in terms of talent but UNC has better coaching and a go to guy who will not be denied. A final note on UNC, I am a Duke fan and rarely admit to liking UNC players. That being said, Danny Green is a beast. Kansas better be ready for him.
Lastly, I know a lot of people dislike the NBA but this season has been great. Trades have changed the landscape of the league and every night there is a solid game to watch. The playoffs should be epic.
More politicians connected to prostitutes
Thomas Athans, the husband of Senator Debbie Stabenow paid $150 to a craigslist hooker for 15 minutes of head at a Residence Inn. I have the following thoughts:
-I was not a big fan of Spitzer's hooker but without even seeing Athans' hooker, I can tell that Spitzer had a superior hooker. Athans paid $150 for 15 minutes of head in a Residence Inn. The room included sex toys and lots of condoms. The girl was clearly booked up most of the day with other clients. At least Spitzer had a much better venue and a girl that was all his.............at least for the night.
-After Spitzer just got busted, how much of a dumbass is Athans to put himself in this position.................for 15 minutes of brain from a craigslist hooker. I mean, I saw the pictures of his wife so on some level I can understand his need to quench his thirst elsewhere but damn, dude is an idiot.
-Spitzer has the better looking wife and the better hooker but still lost in the end as Athans has a lot less to lose. Dude's work history sounded very suspect and I seriously doubt his wife will leave him. He has just embarassed himself beyond belief.
-I was not a big fan of Spitzer's hooker but without even seeing Athans' hooker, I can tell that Spitzer had a superior hooker. Athans paid $150 for 15 minutes of head in a Residence Inn. The room included sex toys and lots of condoms. The girl was clearly booked up most of the day with other clients. At least Spitzer had a much better venue and a girl that was all his.............at least for the night.
-After Spitzer just got busted, how much of a dumbass is Athans to put himself in this position.................for 15 minutes of brain from a craigslist hooker. I mean, I saw the pictures of his wife so on some level I can understand his need to quench his thirst elsewhere but damn, dude is an idiot.
-Spitzer has the better looking wife and the better hooker but still lost in the end as Athans has a lot less to lose. Dude's work history sounded very suspect and I seriously doubt his wife will leave him. He has just embarassed himself beyond belief.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Spitzer
Cleatus said:
What I have to say is neither profound nor cutting edge. It has happened before, and it will happen again. But, as I watched "The Smartest Men in the Room" documentary on the Enron Scandal and at the same time the news on Eliot Spitzer was breaking, it was just reinforced.
The tale is age old - man grinds, he is either successful or not (doesn't really matter), he gets bored with life, and he takes risk. Regarding Enron, the risk was also in the form of self-gain. Not the case with Gov. Spitzer. But in Enron, they had a culture of risk - they would take vacations where they would do extreme sports, they would cheat on their wives, etc...
I'm not a psychologist, but I imagine one of the main reasons that Spitzer got a prostitute rather than simply having an affair, is because it was more risk. As in fight club, the mundane grind leaves us desiring something more. Generally, the average person has less than 2 hours a day to pursue what they really want to be doing. In those two hours, they don't pursue their desires because society has told us that these desires are bad. Fight Club is probably the extreme example - they risk their health to feel alive. But Spitzer also risked his health (at least I consider sleeping with a prostitute risky).
In the more day-to-day examples, you probably see people flirting when they shouldn't, investing a little more than they should, betting a little more than their allotted "gambling expenses", etc. But, when you get to guys like Spitzer, who have been successful their whole life, this little risk still doesn't make them feel alive. They need to go over the top. He did.
I'm not trying to make Spitzer or the Enron executives come off as victims - its Spitzer's family and the Enron shareholders who will ultimately lose. But, societal morals accompanied with the day to day grind certainly leaves most looking for more. How you achieve the "more" will probably make or break you. It certainly will break a lot more people than Spitzer. FInally, perhaps we should give him a little pass because DC is America's playground - Nixon, Clinton, Marion Barry, and now Spitzer.
Bill Ray said:
When I read the news, I almost felt sorry for him. I am not judging Spitzer as we are all flawed and I have committed my fair share of sins but I think two things:
1) his risk analysis was horrible, and
2) the true victims here are his family
I have no idea why he did it. Maybe he was bored with life and decided to take on risk. Perhaps the day to day grind simply wore him down to the point that he felt compelled to do some shit just for him. He probably thought using a prostitute was less risky than any other affair. I assume there is less risk of emotional attachment when the sex is essentially a business deal.
Regardless of why he did it, he did a piss poor job with the risk analysis and has negatively impacted his career and family life for eternity. When he was thinking about the pros and cons of his risky behavior, he clearly spent too much time on the pros and not enough on the cons.
As a lawyer, he should have realized that there are different levels of crimes. When a regular man cheats, the repurcussions are potentially enormous. At a minimum, you lose the trust of your wife and you run the risk of losing your wife and family altogether. Spitzer's scenario is far worse. His wife has to not only endure the pain of her husband cheating but also the resulting embarassment of having his infidelity exposed to the world. His kids have to go to school with the knowledge that everyone knows what is going on in their household. Add in the facts that he was considered a "straight as an arrow" politician and had prosecuted prostitution rings himself and the scenario is further exacerbated. Dude should have learned from Slick Willie Clinton.
Bottom line, at least he got some "new" ass out of the entire ordeal, his wife and kids gained nothing. I would also wager that when he has some time to think about it all, he will conclude that the "new" ass was not at all worth the risk. I doubt he will get a pass on this but in his defense, I will say this.......................at least the prostitute was not male. That would have gotten him in even more trouble.
What I have to say is neither profound nor cutting edge. It has happened before, and it will happen again. But, as I watched "The Smartest Men in the Room" documentary on the Enron Scandal and at the same time the news on Eliot Spitzer was breaking, it was just reinforced.
The tale is age old - man grinds, he is either successful or not (doesn't really matter), he gets bored with life, and he takes risk. Regarding Enron, the risk was also in the form of self-gain. Not the case with Gov. Spitzer. But in Enron, they had a culture of risk - they would take vacations where they would do extreme sports, they would cheat on their wives, etc...
I'm not a psychologist, but I imagine one of the main reasons that Spitzer got a prostitute rather than simply having an affair, is because it was more risk. As in fight club, the mundane grind leaves us desiring something more. Generally, the average person has less than 2 hours a day to pursue what they really want to be doing. In those two hours, they don't pursue their desires because society has told us that these desires are bad. Fight Club is probably the extreme example - they risk their health to feel alive. But Spitzer also risked his health (at least I consider sleeping with a prostitute risky).
In the more day-to-day examples, you probably see people flirting when they shouldn't, investing a little more than they should, betting a little more than their allotted "gambling expenses", etc. But, when you get to guys like Spitzer, who have been successful their whole life, this little risk still doesn't make them feel alive. They need to go over the top. He did.
I'm not trying to make Spitzer or the Enron executives come off as victims - its Spitzer's family and the Enron shareholders who will ultimately lose. But, societal morals accompanied with the day to day grind certainly leaves most looking for more. How you achieve the "more" will probably make or break you. It certainly will break a lot more people than Spitzer. FInally, perhaps we should give him a little pass because DC is America's playground - Nixon, Clinton, Marion Barry, and now Spitzer.
Bill Ray said:
When I read the news, I almost felt sorry for him. I am not judging Spitzer as we are all flawed and I have committed my fair share of sins but I think two things:
1) his risk analysis was horrible, and
2) the true victims here are his family
I have no idea why he did it. Maybe he was bored with life and decided to take on risk. Perhaps the day to day grind simply wore him down to the point that he felt compelled to do some shit just for him. He probably thought using a prostitute was less risky than any other affair. I assume there is less risk of emotional attachment when the sex is essentially a business deal.
Regardless of why he did it, he did a piss poor job with the risk analysis and has negatively impacted his career and family life for eternity. When he was thinking about the pros and cons of his risky behavior, he clearly spent too much time on the pros and not enough on the cons.
As a lawyer, he should have realized that there are different levels of crimes. When a regular man cheats, the repurcussions are potentially enormous. At a minimum, you lose the trust of your wife and you run the risk of losing your wife and family altogether. Spitzer's scenario is far worse. His wife has to not only endure the pain of her husband cheating but also the resulting embarassment of having his infidelity exposed to the world. His kids have to go to school with the knowledge that everyone knows what is going on in their household. Add in the facts that he was considered a "straight as an arrow" politician and had prosecuted prostitution rings himself and the scenario is further exacerbated. Dude should have learned from Slick Willie Clinton.
Bottom line, at least he got some "new" ass out of the entire ordeal, his wife and kids gained nothing. I would also wager that when he has some time to think about it all, he will conclude that the "new" ass was not at all worth the risk. I doubt he will get a pass on this but in his defense, I will say this.......................at least the prostitute was not male. That would have gotten him in even more trouble.
Rappers and Politicians
3 weeks ago, Bill Ray said: While debating the merits of Obama with my wife last Friday night/Saturday morning at 3 am, I came to the following conclusion: there are a lot of parallels involving Obama and Lil Wayne. They include:
-I feel like everyone is forcing Obama as a presidential candidate down my throat just as everyone is forcing the notion that Lil Wayne is the best rapper alive.
-While I certainly respect the hustle of each man and can even support them on some basic level, I am still not ready to drink the kool aid being pushed by the masses. Sure, Obama is a great speaker and has charisma but that does not make him a guaranteed great president. Sure, Lil Wayne has some solid verses and is constantly putting out music but that does not make him the greatest rapper alive. I am sure I will vote for Obama and I have downloaded some Lil Wayne music over time but I am not going out to campaign for Obama and I am never going to own the complete library of Lil Wayne music. Honestly, just due to the overhyping of both men, I am already regretting potentially voting for Obama and having any Lil Wayne music on my ipod.
-Both men are working in areas with limited and weak competition, which inflates their status. If I don't vote for Obama, who do I vote for? If Lil Wayne is not the best rapper alive, who is? Obama is competing against Hillary and McCain and Lil Wayne is competing against the latest ringtone rapper who is entertaining the ignorant masses with overly choreographed dance moves and T Pain in the background. With this level of competition, how great do these two really have to be?
-The people forcing these two down my throats are in no position to do so. The people forcing Obama down my throat are mainly white liberals. The people hyping Lil Wayne as the greatest rapper alive are kids on the internet. All of these people are way too excited. The white liberals expect me to embrace Obama since he is a "black" man (that is a potential additional post) who will bring about change. It seems to me most of these people just do not want to see Hillary in office. The kids on the internet simply need to study their lessons and go back and listen to some truly classic hip hop.
I could go on further but why bother. My time will be better spent analyzing the Wisconsin primary results (I bet on Obama and got 1.5 points) and listening to some old Brand Nubian. Let the haters hate and the truth come to light.
Today, Bill Ray says: Since I assigned a rapper to Obama, I might as well assign one to Hillary and my choice is...............Mr. Jim Jones. The parallels include:
-Jimmy progressed from being Camron's hypeman to a legitimate (at least in these times) solo artist. Hillary has progressed from being the first lady to a legitimate politician (at least in these times).
-Camron plays the role of Slick Willie Clinton. Both are more style than substance and neither seemingly gives/gave a damn what people think about them. How else do you explain Cam's insistence on nursery rhyme raps (when his potential is so much greater) and fascination with pink. Slick Willie's inability to slow down his pimping even though he was in such a visible position shows he doesn't care.
-Back to Jimmy and Hillary, they have essentially taken a ride on the coattails of someone else to get in their present positions while frankly offering very little. Jimmy has the teenagers dressing like rock stars (what is up with all the chains and skulls) and chanting "we fly high" and Hillary has the women pledging allegiance to her (hopefully for some reason other than the fact she is a woman).
-Though they have both worked hard, both Jimmy and Hillary were willing to do whatever it took to get to their present position. Jimmy has gone as far as beefing with Camron and playing nice with the sworn enemy of Dipset, 50. Hillary has proven she will do anything to hang in the race with Obama.
-Most importantly, they have both reached their personal pinnacles and the only way to go is down. Jimmy blew up off "We Fly High" but has been pretty quiet since. Hillary won TX and OH to stay alive but there is no way she is the next president. Karma will not allow it.
The real question is who would make a better president, Wayne or Jimmy?
Cleatus said:
I agree that Obama could be Lil Wayne, but he would essentially have to lose and we'd never have to hear from him again. In 35 years noone will be talking about Lil Wayne. If Obama wins the presidency, hehas already surpassed this. If he wins the presidency and makesmediocre accomplishments, he is Lupe. If he wins the presidency andrevitalizes America's belief in the democratic process, he is Common.
-I feel like everyone is forcing Obama as a presidential candidate down my throat just as everyone is forcing the notion that Lil Wayne is the best rapper alive.
-While I certainly respect the hustle of each man and can even support them on some basic level, I am still not ready to drink the kool aid being pushed by the masses. Sure, Obama is a great speaker and has charisma but that does not make him a guaranteed great president. Sure, Lil Wayne has some solid verses and is constantly putting out music but that does not make him the greatest rapper alive. I am sure I will vote for Obama and I have downloaded some Lil Wayne music over time but I am not going out to campaign for Obama and I am never going to own the complete library of Lil Wayne music. Honestly, just due to the overhyping of both men, I am already regretting potentially voting for Obama and having any Lil Wayne music on my ipod.
-Both men are working in areas with limited and weak competition, which inflates their status. If I don't vote for Obama, who do I vote for? If Lil Wayne is not the best rapper alive, who is? Obama is competing against Hillary and McCain and Lil Wayne is competing against the latest ringtone rapper who is entertaining the ignorant masses with overly choreographed dance moves and T Pain in the background. With this level of competition, how great do these two really have to be?
-The people forcing these two down my throats are in no position to do so. The people forcing Obama down my throat are mainly white liberals. The people hyping Lil Wayne as the greatest rapper alive are kids on the internet. All of these people are way too excited. The white liberals expect me to embrace Obama since he is a "black" man (that is a potential additional post) who will bring about change. It seems to me most of these people just do not want to see Hillary in office. The kids on the internet simply need to study their lessons and go back and listen to some truly classic hip hop.
I could go on further but why bother. My time will be better spent analyzing the Wisconsin primary results (I bet on Obama and got 1.5 points) and listening to some old Brand Nubian. Let the haters hate and the truth come to light.
Today, Bill Ray says: Since I assigned a rapper to Obama, I might as well assign one to Hillary and my choice is...............Mr. Jim Jones. The parallels include:
-Jimmy progressed from being Camron's hypeman to a legitimate (at least in these times) solo artist. Hillary has progressed from being the first lady to a legitimate politician (at least in these times).
-Camron plays the role of Slick Willie Clinton. Both are more style than substance and neither seemingly gives/gave a damn what people think about them. How else do you explain Cam's insistence on nursery rhyme raps (when his potential is so much greater) and fascination with pink. Slick Willie's inability to slow down his pimping even though he was in such a visible position shows he doesn't care.
-Back to Jimmy and Hillary, they have essentially taken a ride on the coattails of someone else to get in their present positions while frankly offering very little. Jimmy has the teenagers dressing like rock stars (what is up with all the chains and skulls) and chanting "we fly high" and Hillary has the women pledging allegiance to her (hopefully for some reason other than the fact she is a woman).
-Though they have both worked hard, both Jimmy and Hillary were willing to do whatever it took to get to their present position. Jimmy has gone as far as beefing with Camron and playing nice with the sworn enemy of Dipset, 50. Hillary has proven she will do anything to hang in the race with Obama.
-Most importantly, they have both reached their personal pinnacles and the only way to go is down. Jimmy blew up off "We Fly High" but has been pretty quiet since. Hillary won TX and OH to stay alive but there is no way she is the next president. Karma will not allow it.
The real question is who would make a better president, Wayne or Jimmy?
Cleatus said:
Obama could be Lil Wayne. But, lets compare him to Chicago artists(since that is where he hails from).
He is most likely Kanye - a force that bridges gaps and brings adiverse crowd to the table. One of Kanye's faults is also whatHillary and the Press cite Obama for - a lack of substance. I thinkit is too early to say he is Lil Wayne (or anyone else), but if hegoes on to be president and we see all flash and no substance, he'llbe Kanye and not Lil Wayne. He probably has already surpassed LilWayne - and will definetly do so if he is elected. I think you are giving Lil Wayne far too much credit, but if Obama loses the primaryand we never hear from him again, the comparison is fair.
He could be Lupe Fiasco - someone that has more substance, but doesn'thave widespread appeal (in fact, Billy Ray himself thinks he sucks).However, he has had some hits. I see Lupe as the in between of Kanyeand Common. If Obama goes on to be president and has some mediocrevictories, he'll be Lupe.
I agree that Obama could be Lil Wayne, but he would essentially have to lose and we'd never have to hear from him again. In 35 years noone will be talking about Lil Wayne. If Obama wins the presidency, hehas already surpassed this. If he wins the presidency and makesmediocre accomplishments, he is Lupe. If he wins the presidency andrevitalizes America's belief in the democratic process, he is Common.
The Beer Bill
This is not from us but is pretty classic:
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten mendrank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement,until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such goodcustomers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beerby $20." Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so thefirst four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But whatabout the other six men - the paying customers? How could they dividethe $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' Theyrealized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted thatfrom everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each endup being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would befair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings) .
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued todrink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to comparetheir savings. "I only got a dollar out of the$20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but hegot $10!" "Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "Ionly saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!""That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!" "Wait aminute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anythingat all. The system exploits the poor!" The ninemen surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat downand had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, theydiscovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of themfor even half of the bill! And that, ladies andgentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax systemworks. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a taxreduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might startdrinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
DavidR. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten mendrank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement,until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such goodcustomers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beerby $20." Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so thefirst four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But whatabout the other six men - the paying customers? How could they dividethe $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' Theyrealized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted thatfrom everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each endup being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would befair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings) .
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued todrink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to comparetheir savings. "I only got a dollar out of the$20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but hegot $10!" "Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "Ionly saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!""That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!" "Wait aminute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anythingat all. The system exploits the poor!" The ninemen surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat downand had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, theydiscovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of themfor even half of the bill! And that, ladies andgentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax systemworks. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a taxreduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might startdrinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
DavidR. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
Duke-UNC
Bill Ray said:
I am ready for Coach K to stop getting outcoached in big games. Calhoun owns him and now Roy is proving to be quite a nemesis.
Roy had UNC switch off on picks to take away the uncontested threes, something UNC did for the first time all year. The move works as the shooters don't get wide open 3s and are forced to drive the ball. They relied on contested 3 balls and contested shots at the goal (resulting in a ton of blocks). Coach K should have had them attempt to get the midrange game going but of course he did not. Also, the refs were letting them play and UNC was relentless in attacking the goal. Why Coach K did not break out the zone that flustered UVA is beyond me. I know you do run the risk of leaving Ellington and Green open for 3s but when you are getting absolutely killed with offensive rebounds and putbacks, you have to try to switch it up.
A great game, both teams played hard. Hansborough is just too tough for anyone to handle. Duke played him very well and he still got his and was the dominant force in the game. Also, Duke does not have anyone that can deal with Danny Green since they use Henderson on Ellington. 3 in a row at Cameron for UNC.............terrible.
Bing said:
Coach K must recruit an actual big who isn’t a stiff to make Duke battle ready. He needs an EB or Shelden W type and he hasn’t been able to convince them to come. So he makes due playing kids he recruited at the 3 at the 4 (Lance Thomas, Singler).
Bill Ray said:
Yes, Greg Monroe would have helped. Still, Coach K must work with the players he has. I am actually hoping that Zoubek continues to improve and becomes a servicable big man for next year. Otherwise, it will be the same thing next year but with Williams replacing Nelson in the rotation.
I am ready for Coach K to stop getting outcoached in big games. Calhoun owns him and now Roy is proving to be quite a nemesis.
Roy had UNC switch off on picks to take away the uncontested threes, something UNC did for the first time all year. The move works as the shooters don't get wide open 3s and are forced to drive the ball. They relied on contested 3 balls and contested shots at the goal (resulting in a ton of blocks). Coach K should have had them attempt to get the midrange game going but of course he did not. Also, the refs were letting them play and UNC was relentless in attacking the goal. Why Coach K did not break out the zone that flustered UVA is beyond me. I know you do run the risk of leaving Ellington and Green open for 3s but when you are getting absolutely killed with offensive rebounds and putbacks, you have to try to switch it up.
A great game, both teams played hard. Hansborough is just too tough for anyone to handle. Duke played him very well and he still got his and was the dominant force in the game. Also, Duke does not have anyone that can deal with Danny Green since they use Henderson on Ellington. 3 in a row at Cameron for UNC.............terrible.
Bing said:
Coach K must recruit an actual big who isn’t a stiff to make Duke battle ready. He needs an EB or Shelden W type and he hasn’t been able to convince them to come. So he makes due playing kids he recruited at the 3 at the 4 (Lance Thomas, Singler).
Bill Ray said:
Yes, Greg Monroe would have helped. Still, Coach K must work with the players he has. I am actually hoping that Zoubek continues to improve and becomes a servicable big man for next year. Otherwise, it will be the same thing next year but with Williams replacing Nelson in the rotation.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The birth of this blog
Today this blog was born. It was conceived many months ago and arrived somewhat unexpectedly today.
Who knows what type of lifespan the blog will have but we hope to nurture it and Cleatus has graciously volunteered to breastfeed it for the next 2 months.
We hope to have a much more complete blog up by next week but we figured our first post should just list the various names we considered naming the blog:
Bill Ray and the Boys
Organized Confusion
Existential Angst
Jack, Poker and Everything Else We Love
Dope Boys in a Caddy
Supreme Haters
Fast Women and Beautiful Cards
Women, Whiskey and Pessimism
Darkness: The Way We See Things
No Country for Bitter Men
We Wake Up Angry and Confused
The Intoxicated Soul Searchers
The Hateful Prognosticators
Our Truth
Above, Beyond, and Around
Extracurricular Identity
Who knows what type of lifespan the blog will have but we hope to nurture it and Cleatus has graciously volunteered to breastfeed it for the next 2 months.
We hope to have a much more complete blog up by next week but we figured our first post should just list the various names we considered naming the blog:
Bill Ray and the Boys
Organized Confusion
Existential Angst
Jack, Poker and Everything Else We Love
Dope Boys in a Caddy
Supreme Haters
Fast Women and Beautiful Cards
Women, Whiskey and Pessimism
Darkness: The Way We See Things
No Country for Bitter Men
We Wake Up Angry and Confused
The Intoxicated Soul Searchers
The Hateful Prognosticators
Our Truth
Above, Beyond, and Around
Extracurricular Identity
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