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.
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