Is it me or...

I thought about this last week and it's been bugging the shit out of me ever since. Last night it hit me right in the face. Our own Yet Another Black Guy resembles Dewayne Wade, right? I mean, not a perfect match, but you know what I'm saying.

Discuss.

Edit: Oh, I almost forgot to mention this. I found out today that one of the bosses (the cool one) found my blog. She didn't really stumble across it. I kinda inadvertently gave her some clues during a meeting yesterday. I told her that she's more than welcome to read, but to watch out b/c it's addictive and I can get kinda raunchy. She's cool with that.

Caption This

"Coach, when you said I'd have to carry the team on my back I wasn't expecting this."

Taking matters into my own hands...

Edit: No luck last night or this morning. I couldn't get up. Not for nothing. I think I know why, but I don't feel like getting into that now. Just know it's not impotence. I'll try again tonight and update tomorrow.

It seems like it's been forever since I last had sex. I honestly can't tell you the date. And don't even think about asking the last time I had good, meaningful sex. It may have been 20 months or so ago...or longer.

With that said, I'm so horny and have been for the past week. I go to sleep hard enough to cut diamonds and wake up the same way. But fuck throwing me a pity party. Don't cry for me. I'll be fine after I polish myself off tonight.

I've been thinking, this can't be a normal everyday ho-hum session. I'm determined to find a way to make this a special, mind-blowing experience. In preparation for tonight's festivities, I did some research and this is what I found.

---

Note: This post is in no way an endorsement. I haven't tried all of these methods...yet. Experiment at your own risk. Let me know how it works out for you.

Masturbation that Isn't Boring

Men have been masturbating basically since the dawn of time. In fact 99% of men masturbate, the other 1% lie about it. Although men and women both do it, men tend to think about it or plan it out more. Usually it is done in secret, maybe in the bathroom before work, or after the wife goes to bed. If you are lucky enough to live at home then you could masturbate all day long. Male Masturbation is usually about the final outcome, the intense pleasure that you know so well.

If you are getting bored with the basics of masturbation, then you should try some different male masturbation techniques. There are quite a few of them out there to give your hobby a new feel. One male masturbation technique that has been tried and enjoyed by man men is the Two Hands Full technique. It is a motion that is similar to milking a cow, the idea is to keep the motion going continuously by taking one hand and moving up, and follow right behind it with the other hand. It keeps the foreskin and testicles all the way up all the time so you have constant pleasure. You should use lubricant because of the fast motion, and it does take some practice but when it is done correctly you may never go back to the regular way.

Another different male masturbation technique is the pole straddling technique. Place a small pole or a broomstick between your legs and hold it steady while you masturbate. Moving up and down with your hips, you will find that as you are about to ejaculate your anus actually hugs the pole giving you an almost unbearable sensation. Again, this is one that you will have to practice before perfecting. It is worth it though.

Male masturbating techniques come in many forms and with different objects that can be involved. Here are just a few of the others:

• One Top, One Bottom – Hold the top of your head with one hand, while moving your other hand down towards your testicles.


• Packing Tape Technique – Wrap tape around your fingers and lubricate it to receive a whole new feeling of excitement.


• Wringing It Out – Although it may look strange and painful, it is quite pleasurable. Take your penis and wring it out like you would a washcloth. Start slowly and use lubrication to avoid friction.


• Glass Ball Technique – Move to the end of the bed so your testicles hang off. Place a glass underneath and let your balls fall into a tight fitting glass. Ejaculate like you normally would, pushing the glass with your testicles in it up against your perineum for an ultimate orgasm.

Again, there are many variations of techniques that can be used. Take your time and find something you like. One very important male masturbation tip to follow is to try to use the stop and go method while master bating. Masturbate till you are just about to ejaculate and then stop for a few minutes, and then start again until you are right about to have your orgasm, and then stop again. By the time you reach the 3rd or 4th time your orgasm with be more intense and longer.

Male masturbation can be an exciting new adventure if you try different techniques. Don’t feel you have to stay with the same thing you did when you were 16 years old. Yes, it may feel good, but new techniques will feel unbelievable.

Source: http://www.masterbationlounge.com

Throwback Tuesday - Whitney vs. Wendy

For me this is a real treat. I can't get enough of either of these interview. When listening you really have to get into the subtleties in order to appreciate what's going on here.

I got my first taste of post-crack Whitney when I saw the interview she did with Diane Sawyer on ABC back in in 2002. That's the one when Whitney proclaimed that crack is whack and that she's just too good to smoke crack. If you're still having trouble remembering, then you're in luck. You can see a clip of it here:

If you thought Whitney didn't exactly show herself in the best light with Diane, she really showed off when she called into the Wendy Williams show just a few months later. Whitney was sassy, too sassy, and ready for anything Wendy had to say. I must admit that I was entertained. You will be, too. Hope you enjoy.

Click here for the Wendy Williams interview

Don't act like you wouldn't have done it too

My ex left his phone in my car last night. Of course I went through it. Found some interesting things:

• Suspect text exchanges (some including naked pics) between him and some boy named 'Tee' who I've never even heard of. Seeing these pics was particularly odd because I never pegged him as someone who would be involved in foolishness while committed to ole boy. I wonder if he cheated while we were together, too.

• Sexually explicit videos featuring him and his new guy. Seeing this actually turned my stomach and upset me for some reason.
  
  
• Texts (including some nasty ass shots sent by the ex) between him and the person he dated before me. The guy was begging for sex. Literally. You know I played detective and tried to match up the inbox and outbox messages to see if they actually did it. Those messages were missing.
  

• Pics of him and his guy kissing and having sex including pics of his current guys nasty ass spread eagle. Nasty.
  
  
• Pics and videos of me. Nothing sexual. Just me talking and telling him to turn off the camera. I started to delete them but decided to allow him his keepsake.
  

And don't start the 'OMG I can't believe you violated his privacy' bullshit. Like I said, he left his phone in my car. I'm sure he doesn't think for one second that I wouldn't go through it. He should consider it a toll. Now, the $18.64 fee I was charged to overnight it back to him is a wash.

Side Note: After leaving the club last night this girl with Us Helping Us, a local non-profit dedicated to HIV prevention and care, handed me a flier and invited me to get an AIDS test in a white van parked across the street in exchange for free Lil' Mo and Frenchie concert tickets. I knew I wasn't even thinking about going to see that pair, but I got the test anyway.

I knew I was negative even before going over there, but still...you know the deal. You get tested, you sit and wait for 20 of the longest minutes of your life. You've got nothing but time on your hands, so you start running through your mental Rolodex thinking about everyone you've conquered since your last test and what you wish you'd done differently.

It may be the longest 20 minutes of your life, but go get tested. And I know how some of you get down. Nasty asses.

Anyway, know your status. This has been my PSA.

Technical Difficulties

Not sure what's going on with my blog. I'm having all sorts of issues. All my links and stuff are gone. At least there are actual words and images now opposed to foreign texts and characters. I don't feel like dealing with this right now. I'll fix it later.

Stuff I just bought but shouldn't have...

I refuse to deal with the crowded malls any day of the week, but particularly on Black Friday. I just won't do it. I got my discounts lying in bed wearing my sweatpants, tee-shirt and socks. I bought some things today from Bluefly.

Olive cotton zip front hipster by Marc Jacobs

Military green hoodie by Le Tigre


Mary's Beach 2 by 575 Denim (36 waist not this 'please feed me now' size below.)

This jacket is the shit, but it's just too rich for my blood. I know I can't afford it. If you were looking to send me something for Xmas or Kwanza or Hanukkah or Canadian Boxing Day or whatever you holiday celebrate, then just send this. It's on sale for $1005.60. Regular price is $2095.00.

Red Line camel wool-cashmere overcoat by Zegna

Thoughts?

Looking for something to read?

I recommend 'Think Big and Kick Ass', Donald Trump's newest book.

I bought this a few weeks ago from Barnes and Noble, but just started reading it last night. I'm already 1/4 through with it. Trump is an arrogant, egotistical, self-serving SOB, no doubt. But let's be real, he may be an egomaniac, but his book makes sense. I'll listen to what he has to say.

Basically he's teaching you how to think bigger and to step outside of his/her comfort zone in order to be more impactful and successful. He tells you to take control over your life. Trump claims to not back down from anyone. He says the secret to success is working harder than anyone else, knowing how to 'kick ass' when you get crossed and protecting your own interests first.

So far I'm learning that I need to be a lot tougher and that I should really challenge myself to perform consistently well at a higher capacity. I need to commit to my dreams and hopes and desires and refuse to let go until they're realized.

I've got a bunch more to read, but I'm really getting stuff from it already. I think you would, too.

Happy Native American Explotation Day!

The ridiculously warm weather may have fooled you (its 73-degrees here today - Edit: mother nature quickly changed her mind when the sun went down. It's 33-degrees tonight and windy as hell), but it's the holiday season again.

I'm at my parents' house and I'm not enjoying it one bit. I just want to get this meal over with and get on with my life. Before I'm accused of being an ingrate I should say that I'm thankful for my family, but this is my 2nd rodeo in 5 days with some of these same people. Remember, we also had a much larger fake Thanksgiving meal last Saturday in Philadelphia. Enough is enough. I've had my fill.

As you can imagine things have been insane since I got here. You already know what happens when 12 people are put in a 4-bedroom/3-bathroom house -- a mess. When I got here last night I did the family thing awhile until I was reminded why I don't come around often. After the 3rd or 4th question asking the whereabouts of my girlfriend, I headed straight downstairs to hit up the bar. A couple shots of silver Patron and a few Heineken later I was sound asleep like a lush ass bug in an alcohol soaked rug.

The only real bright spot has been seeing Kevin and Mike, my 25-year old twin cousins from Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. They could brighten the gloomiest of days if you know what I mean. And don't try to play me like you haven't had thoughts about family before. You know know you have.

In fact, let me go ahead and wrap this up b/c they want to play football out back. I hope I get tackled.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Weekend Wrap-Up: Philly, Philly

I needed a change in scenery and had some silly extended family stuff to deal with, so I spent this weekend in Philadelphia. I mean, when a city is known for its ‘Brotherly Love’ and is just a 90-minute drive from home, why shouldn’t I go, right?

On Thursday, I booked a suite downtown near City Hall and prepared to head out Friday afternoon.

Friday Afternoon/Night:

I checked into the Lowes Hotel Downtown Philadelphia. It was very nice. I'd go back again. I got a suite with an amazing view of City Hall and the Philly skyline. I wish I had taken a camera. That's how nice a view I had.

Friday night was cool. Steve, my boy from college, and I went to a Sixers game. I’m not really into the NBA, but decided to go anyway. The Sixers beat the Portland Trailblazers. That’s really all there is to report about that.

After the game, Steve and I went to Club Shampoo. It was decent. Honestly, to me, a club is a club is a club. The only thing that makes these places unique is the clientèle and guys in Philly are odd.

A couple of observations:

• #1 - Philly guys are either really on-point or really, really busted. This is true in most places, but in Philadelphia it was much more pronounced and there was really no middle ground. No one was marginal. They were either really hot or really, really not. More often than not, they were a mess though.

• #2 – The guys (and a frightening number of lesbians) “dance” oddly.
  
  First, let me say this: I’m no prude. I’m used to a little grinding at the club. I’m fine with that. What I’m not fine with and was completely taken aback by was the incessant jack hammering/pounding they do. This is tough to explain.
  
  They don’t slow grind. They pound each other into walls, speakers, electrical conduits, floors, the bar or whatever they may be using to brace themselves. It’s really the oddest thing and I haven’t seen anything like it since I was 16. At one point, I looked around and there were at least 9 couples/trios/quads just pounding away at each other on the dance floor. It was very, very, very odd.

• #3 – Fashion among young black guys in Philly is interesting. By interesting I mean a mess.
  

• #4 – The Philly beard (think rapper Freeway) is either a mess or really, really cute. I'm not sure how I feel about it.
  

I digress...

Steve, who is a 1L at Rutgers-Camden, got drunk as hell, so I had to drive his ass home. I completely feel his law school pain, so I didn’t even bitch at him about how drunk he got. He needed the time out. Before taking him home to New Jersey, we stopped at Geno’s on South Street to get a cheese steak. We ate, he went home, I went to the hotel, all was good. These drunk white guys entertained the hell out of us for 20 minutes while waiting for their steaks to be prepared. You know how white people are when they get drunk. They can’t just sit/stand there and be drunk, they have to act stupid. So, they beat up on each other for a while, then walked off eating their meals.

Saturday Afternoon/Night:

On Saturday, I joined most of my family for a ‘fake’ Thanksgiving. We had it a week early b/c everyone thought it was important to get together for the holiday, but no one wanted to actually alter their schedules to get together for the holiday. So, everyone flew in this weekend to have a fake Thanksgiving dinner. This week, most of us will have a real dinner with the family we actually talk to on a regular basis. Very odd.

I didn’t go out Saturday night, but met up with a friend who I hadn’t seen in awhile. We were only supposed to chill for a couple of hours, but I ended up unintentionally waking up there in the morning. Although we didn’t have sex, which in my mind was refreshing, it was still good to get together.

I woke up Sunday, drove my ass back to Maryland for a basketball game in College Park and then home for the evening.

All in all, it was a pretty good weekend.

Is Mr. Jones gonna have to choke a bitch?

Note: What's the over/under on the number of readers who will actually 'get' this picture? 2, maybe 3.

Have you ever been at work and felt the urge to slap the shit out of a co-worker? Like, REALLY go off. I'm not talking a simple, "Hey guy, you're upsetting me right now and I'd prefer that you stop." I'm talking jumping across the board room table and really going to town. I mean...just Sprewell a bitch in front of everyone to make his/her ass an example.

That's where I am right now. I'm dealing with this fool who feels the need to disagree just for dissension's sake. He thinks he and his ideas are superior to everyone and everything. Bar none. I'm usually not one to let others under my skin, but this fool has been working at it for some time now.

No worries though. I'm cool and calm...now. It wasn't looking good for him an hour ago. I took a short walk in the cold, now I'm sipping my green tea with lemon. I'm pretty cool. I'm not losing my job or jeopardizing my career for this dude.

Have you ever just really wanted to pop off on a co-worker? Is there someone you work with who really just tends to get under your skin? How do/did you handle the circumstance?

Please, let me know.

Help me find a cheap winter vacation destination, please.

Disregard the picture above. It's just for show.

My office randomly closes down for two weeks between late-December and early-January. Last year, I had all this free time and did nothing except chilled at home. This year, I want to do something, but it can't be too major because Royce and I are going to Miami in February and I can't speak for him, but I can't do two $1000+ trips within months of each other.

Help me think of a destination. Nothing too major, just something different. I like cities, but this doesn't have to be a city. I'm just looking for a change in pace for a few days. I've been thinking about a ski resort in MD/WVa/PA or something. Or whatever. Just help me pick somewhere.

The only criteria are:

Close enough to drive to (5-6 hours driving time tops)
Not too expensive (I don't want to be paying $300 per night for a room)
No further north than Massachusetts and no further south than the Carolinas

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

REVIEW: Jay-Z’s 'American Gangster' Tour at Ram’s Head Live

An awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime experience. That’s really the only way to describe Jay-Z’s performance Friday night in Baltimore at Ram’s Head Live, stop number three on his five-city “American Gangster” mini-tour. If missed this show and consider yourself a true Hov fan, do yourself a favor and get up to Philly or NYC to catch one of the last two. Treat yourself.

Other than waiting outside for over 90 minutes in 30-degree weather and waiting another hour for anything to happen once inside, there were no major disappointments. The wait outside, albeit cold, was at least entertaining. You know Bmore’s finest (note the sarcasm) were out and looked the part. One girl who was particularly entertaining (and tacky) donned a gold and black form fitting ‘Roc-A-Fella’ dress and strutted up and down that line for everyone to see. For 90 minutes, I and everyone else got a good chuckle. I should've taken pics. You would've laughed too.

The crowd outside started to get a little antsy around 8:45. The show was supposed to start at 9pm. Around 9:15, the ringleader of one group of dudes (idiots, really) claimed that he and his cohorts drove too far (from Atlanta) and paid too much money ($600 per ticket) to be waiting outside in the cold and that if the line didn’t move, they’d make it move. Still, no worries. Security quelled that nonsense real quick. Finally, the crowd was let in.

At 10 p.m Jay-Z's band took the stage and started into the introduction from American Gangster, his 10th studio album. The musicians promptly went into "Pray" when Jay-Z emerged from the smoke with his necklace and sunglasses reflecting the stage lights. The shoulder-to-shoulder crowd went crazy and rushed toward the stage.

I had honestly forgotten how extensive Jay’s catalogue is. He could’ve have played all night and well into the morning if he wanted to. He just kept coming with hit after hit after hit. He didn’t perform anything from Reasonable Doubt or In My Lifetime Vol. 1 or Vol. 2, but he let the crowd perform the entire first verse to “Big Pimpin” before leaving the stage for the first time.

You know how these performers do. They make the crowd think they're leaving, the crowd screams and begs them to come back on stage, the artist takes a sip of water or whatever he/she does behind stage, then returns to stage and the adoration of his/her fans. True to form, he brought out c-lister Memphis Bleek and the recently released Beanie Sigel, who looks like he’s expecting quadruplets (see picture above). For a second I was taken back to the late-90’s/early-2000s when hip-hop was at its prime. It was good to see that all is right with the ROC, at least for the night.

He’s supposedly coming back to do a bigger concert in the spring at a larger venue. I’ll be there with bells on.

About Me...

Things I Dig

• Old Northeastern/Mid-western cities - NY, Boston, Philly, Bmore, Chicago, St. Louis, etc.
  
• Driving through cities just after it rains - I just love the look and feel of cities after it rains.
  
• Sushi (it has to be cooked though) - Crunchy spicy shrimp roll is my favorite.
  
• Interesting people who are social - Nothing worse than a person who hasn't learned to be social.
  
• Oatmeal - I eat this stuff every morning and before the gym. It's a great simple carb and it keeps me regular.
  
• Well-raised, respectful youth - Can't stand an incorrigible youth who's allowed to run amuck.
  
• Whole Foods - Expensive, but close and worth it.
  
• Mom and Pop/Non-chain stores and shops - Can't stand chains. Don't ask me to go into one. I won't do it.
  
• Ground turkey and turkey bacon and tofu - I try to steer clear of the red meat.
  
• CNN - If I'm not watching ESPN or my regional sports networks, then I'm watching CNN.
  
• Fiji water - The best stuff on earth.
• J. Crew - Great store. Love it.
• My Blackberry - It really runs my life. I couldn't live without it.
• My Tivo - I'll never be able to watch TV without it again.
  
• Faithful, communicative significant others - I'd kill one of these right now.
  
• The ACC, the NFL and the Champions' League - Three sports leagues I couldn't live without.
  
  

Things I Don't Dig

• Smelly breath or ass or anything else - Seriously, clean yourself.
  
• People who talk but really say nothing - You are boring and annoying.
  
• Bluffers (people who say a lot and do nothing) - You waste my time.
  
• Incorrigible, disrespectful youth - I'd smack their asses.
  
• Duke, North Carolina and UVa - I went to Maryland. I'm a Terp. What else can I say?
  
• Bill O'Reilly - He's good to laugh at occasionally, but not much else.
  
• Bananas - Hate them. My grandma used to let them ripen and would forget about them and make me clean them when they turned rotted. It was disgusting.
• Wal-Mart - Worst big-box...ever!
  
• Tap Water - I can't stand it. I won't drink it. I'll spit it in your face if you bring it to me.
  
• Sprawly autocentric cities - LA, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose and any others like it.
  
• Stupid (clueless) people - They're frustrating to deal with.
  
• Reality TV shows - The last reality TV show I watched was The Real World Hawaii in 1999. Honest.
  
• Weak beer - Weak beer makes me pee when it should be getting me drunk.
  
• Department stores and malls - I'd much rather go to individual stores on a street.
  
• Fried...anything - Just not into it.
  
• People who haven't learned proper social skills - I'd pretty much kill them all if I could.
  
• Cigarette smokers - I can deal with the ganja, but not the cigs. I'm just not into the smell or the taste when we kiss. Sorry.

Just thought I'd share.

Thoughts?

Just ran across my mind...

• I've been working like a dog recently. Our quarterly board of directors meeting is today and I've been slaving since last week getting ready for it. I was at the office until 8:30 last night finishing up performance measure reports for the program committee. I emailed my boss and told her I was resting today. We can call it my sabbath.
  
  
• I'm going to Miami in February and I can't wait. I'm so damn excited that I booked my tickets last week. Round-trip, direct flights between Baltimore and Miami on American Airlines for $194. I can't wait to abandon the northeast winter for a balmy South Beach.
  
  
• Speaking of northeast winters, it's cold as hell here. I was driving home last night and my car said it was 36-degrees. The damn wind made it feel like it was more like 26-degrees. I told Royce last night I was cold, he said, 'I know what you mean. I was chilly here (in Central Florida) today in my short-sleeved shirt." I'm wearing a damn wool hat and scarf and he's talking about a short-sleeved shirt? I told him he had no room to talk. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. Parts of Michigan and western New York have already seen a foot of snow.
  
  
• One of my co-workers (male) didn't have any underwear on yesterday. He probably thinks no one's the wiser, but I could tell.
  
  
• I sent a resume to Under Armour last week and got a call back for an interview. It's next week. I'm nervous for some reason. The for-profit world is a cold, scary place.
  
  
• My 12-year old nephew called me yesterday to ask about oral sex. He asked what he should do if a girl asks him to put his mouth between her legs. After the initial shock of my 12-year old nephew asking me about oral sex and after thinking how poor a job that little girl's parents did, I told him that I was wrong person to talk to and that he should ask his father. I'm not touching that with a 10 foot poll.
  
  
• I can't believe more people aren't talking about what's going on in Pakistan right now. You'd be PISSED if President Bush woke up one day, declared martial law to avoid being ousted as President by the Supreme Court, suspended the Constitution and arrested lawyers and judges and protesters. PISSED.
  
  
• I still want to be in a relationship.
  
  
• Ram's Head Live in downtown Baltimore is stop #3 on Jay-Z's exclusive five-city "American Gangster" tour. If you haven't heard, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York are the others. I'm cised because I'm going! I ain't too cool about paying damn near $300 for the ticket (fucking price gouging vultures), but I'm going. Wu-Tang Clan is performing at the same spot in January, but I ain't paying $95 to see a bunch of dudes pushing 40. They can forget that.

The Hangman's Noose: America's Dark Past And Present.

From the end of the Civil War until 1981, more than 4,700 people were lynched in America. That's insane. More than two-thirds of them were black. For each of the almost 3,500 black Americans who were lynched, thousands more of their loved ones would bear lifelong scars.

These numbers are hard to look at, but it’s a reality from our past that we must confront. And the problem is that violence is terribly uninstructive in America. It's almost numbing. We never seem to learn anything about racial violence. We commit the crimes; we forget them. We never seem to learn our lesson.

This is my lesson.

By now, we all know the story of Jena, Louisiana, a small town that was minding its own business, until it suddenly became a reluctant symbol for the racial ills still plaguing our nation. It started when three white teenagers hung nooses from a tree on the Jena High School campus. It was a small, but ugly episode, with enormous consequences. The following months saw fights between blacks and whites. And finally a group of black teens stomped a white boy into unconsciousness. The stiff charges brought against one of those black kids made Jena a potent symbol of racial division. You can debate the issues of Jena Six, but there's no denying the power of the noose, which has become increasingly popular of late.

Just hours after 20,000 protesters marched against what they saw as racial injustice in Jena, police in nearby Alexandria stopped two teenagers in a pickup truck. Hanging from the back, two yellow nylon ropes -- each with a noose.

In quick succession, more incidents. In September, the FBI began a hate crime investigation at my alma mater, the University of Maryland. A small noose was found hanging on a tree in front of the building which houses the Black Student Union. On September 28^th, a noose was hanged at a police station in Hempstead, arguably the blackest area on Long Island. At the beginning of October, two kids hung a noose at a South Carolina high school. And five days later, a noose was found on the door of a black professor's office at New York's Columbia University.

I’m appalled by what the noose represents. When I think about the noose, when I see it, I think of my ancestors hanging off trees. I’m appalled that in 2007, someone has the audacity to hang it…anywhere. At the end of the day, whatever you may know about the Klan or race relations in America, the noose means one thing -- it means death by hanging.

Hanging a noose on a door or tree or anywhere reeks of cowardice and fear on many, many levels. I honestly feel like it's directed toward me individually, but I think, also, the community has been affected by it -- whites, and people of color. I’m not talking about those who are in the Klan or in a neo-Nazi group or who are waving Confederate flags or, in fact, participating in the noose incidents. I'm talking about a much broader swathe of the white American public, largely Southern, who I think are very angry about Jena and what they see as a misportrayal of what happened in Jena.

In this remarkably diverse nation of 300 million people, are two dozen nooses cause for concern? I think so. Most of those responsible for hanging those nooses will never be identified. What we do know, is that as America's dark history recedes further into the past, it's more important than ever that we - black, white, young and old - understand the horrors of the noose.

Speaking of coke....

EDIT - Looks like the video was removed from YouTube. This was probably done by her PR people to stop the bleeding; her career was literally hemorrhaging right in front of our eyes.

To recap, Amy was performing at the MTV Awards in Europe looking and sounding a damn incoherent mess. She wasn't on beat and she really didn't say any words, she just uttered these sounds. The end of the performance was particularly bad. The whole thing was very odd. She kept wiping her nose like she's just done a bump or two before going on. It was bad.

I think she should reconsider the whole not going to Rehab thing.

---------------------------------------

Take a look at Amy Winehouse's performance from the MTV Europe Awards. She's a coked up mess. Watch how she keeps wiping her nose. I think I saw a drop of blood fall.

I love her music and have been a fan before most Americans found out about her. I still listen to 'Frank', Amy's first release, today. I just don't know how many performances like this her career and I can take. The end is probably the worst I've ever heard.

Note to Amy: warbling does not a successful singer make.

Gay Boys/Girls and Hip-Hop

baltimoresun.com

The lyrics may be ugly, but gays like hip-hop
Despite its gibes, hip-hop appeals to gay men, women

By John-John Williams IV
Sun Reporter
November 4, 2007

The four hundred people draped in the latest urban threads on Thursday nights at Baltimore's The Hippo could sub for any popular hip-hop club in a major East Coast city. The line to the entrance snakes around the corner as hundreds eagerly wait for a chance to groove to the unmistakable bone-shaking thud of urban bass.

Upon entering the dance side of the club, the latest hits by T-Pain, Lloyd, Lil' Boosie and 50 Cent keep the dance floor packed. Small clusters of dancers gyrate to the beat. It isn't until the flashes of red, violet and white lights pierce the dark room that the stark differences between a stereotypical hip-hop club and the Hippo become apparent.

A group of men dressed in white T-shirts, Timberland boots and baggy pants held up by flashy gold belts dance with one another. An elbow's length away, a group of women - some dressed in sports jerseys, backward baseball caps and bandanas around their necks - reveals the dimensions of the club's gay clientele.

In Baltimore and elsewhere, hip-hop has found an unlikely ally in the gay community. The support is shocking because homosexuality completely challenges almost every rule that governs the testosterone-driven rap industry, which is hip-hop culture's crown jewel. Not only are there are no successful mainstream gay rappers, but gay slurs also are frequently tossed into rap lyrics.

The support is also surprising given the troubled year rap music has had. Critics have attacked the misogynistic and violent lyrics that dominate hit rap singles. Some have made rap music the scapegoat for everything from Don Imus' rants to the rampant use of the "n-word." Rap's popularity has even been questioned by critics viewing a decline in overall CD sales.

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Crack is whack. So are federally-mandated minimums.

I've bitched and moaned on this blog before about the disparity in how statutory penalties are doled out to blacks and whites. One major issue that I've studied and opposed since my debate team days in high school is the sentencing differences between the possession of crack cocaine (the prototypically ghetto black drug - see: Bobby and Whitney) and powdered cocaine (the prototypically white fashionable drug - see: Lindsay Lohen).

It's called the 100:1 ruling - 100 times as much powdered cocaine for one part of crack cocaine. I hate this dumb ass law now and I'm sure I would've hated it 21 years ago when it was created. I know you're thinking, 'Well, just stay away from drugs and you won't have any trouble", right?

I wish it were that simple.

Think about it. Tyrone, Leroy and June Bug weren't just sitting around the house in the 1980's and remembered they had that old Bunsen burner in the basement, decided to forgo their usual bump to create crack. Crack had to come from somewhere and it didn't come from the hood. I don't really feel like explaining my thoughts on how crack entered the black community. I'm not up to heading down that road right now, but you get the point.

In keeping with my reputation of being fair and balanced, I have to mention when the right thing is done. I'll give credit when credit is due. The US Sentencing Committee - with little to no fanfare - reduced its recommendation for crack-related offenses. This represents a huge hurdle in legal parity and equity. The playing field is finally being equaled.

Somewhere (in between puffs) Whitney Houston and Marion Berry are breathing collective sighs of relief.

You're probably thinking, 'What's the big deal?' Lemme tell you why I'm mad, son. I'ma tell you why I'm mad. Crack cocaine, if you can believe it, is the only drug that carries a federally-mandated minimum sentence for simple possession. If you get caught with it, then you go to jail. No questions asked. Funny how the historically black drug gets the significantly harsher penalty...I digress.

What's even more laughable is that the sentence for simple crack possession is the same as providing material support for Al Qaeda. In fact, possession of five grams of crack, roughly the equivalent of five Splenda packets, gets you five years in prison. The same amount of powdered cocaine usually gets you probation. Why the difference? In my mind, the answer is black and white.

Last year, more than 80 percent of federal crack defendants were black. Only 9 percent were white. Essentially, if a crack possessor had been convicted of the exact same crime but with powder cocaine, their sentence would be five and a half years shorter. Five and a half years.

The whole thrust of the war on drugs has been described by many as a war on African Americans. Blacks are much more likely to be arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated for drug offenses than whites, far out of proportion to the extent they're involved in the drug trade.

Back in the 1980s, crack was considered an epidemic, more dangerous and addictive than powdered cocaine. Sentences for crack were tougher. Medical research shows crack and powder are pharmaceutically the same with the same effects. So starting today, sentences for crack defendants will be shorter, on average, by 15 months. What does this mean to you?

In two weeks there will be another hearing to talk about whether to change that and if the new guidelines do become retroactive, nearly 20,000 inmates could petition for an early release. I crunched the numbers. It costs about $25,000 a year to keep somebody in federal prison, add it up, that's $475 million saved in taxpayer money.

Kudos to the folks at US Sentencing for making this change. When the government fails us, I often share it here. I'm ecstatic when they actually get it right.