Let's face it, November wasn't a great month for horror at the box office or on DVD. There were however a few goodies amongst the not-so-good...
At the Box Office we got:
-The Box was interesting, Though a little bit far out there, and we love Cameron Diaz.
-I didn't see The Fourth Kind, but a few of the rest of us did, and they weren't so keen on it.
-2012 is what it is, and I am personally a sucker for movies with mass apocalypse in any form. It was eye candy if nothing else.
-The Twilight Saga: New Moon... continues the proud tradition of setting feminism back by decades, and caters to bewildered and clueless girls that think these crap movies portray love in a realistic light.
-The Road is the gem of the month by far. Viggo in a post apocalyptic world... how can you not love that. Review later this week.
On DVD we got:
Own it- Near Dark (Blu-Ray), Summer's Moon, Thirst, The House on Sorority Row
Rent it- The Echo, Hurt, Train, Vampire Party, The Witches Hammer
Skip it- Basement Jack, The Canyon, Contagio, Slaughtered Vomit Dolls
Rent it or Skip it, we can't decide- Taintlight (LOL), Thankskilling (Double LOL)
The ones we haven't seen- Vampiro, Mutants, Night Watcher, Penance, House of Fears
December looks to be another quiet month for horror, though DVD will see some nice releases in District 9, Carriers, 9, Paranormal Activity, Pandorum, and, um, Jennifer's Body.
Also, the end of the year and the decade is upon us, so stay tuned to relive the best and worst of both. That's right, best of/worst of lists!
*Make sure to check our Release Date List to stay up to date on what's coming out and when.
Tune In Tuesday: Edwin Starr
America is engaged in two wars at the moment -- Afghanistan and Iraq. President Obama promises that we will be out of Iraq by August 2010. In a few hours he will announce his decision on whether or not to send more troops into Afghanistan. Personally, I find myself doubting the need to continue the war in either country. However, I am open-minded to what our President will tell us tonight.
In the meantime, I hope that he has Edwin Starr someplace on his iPod. Do any of y'all remember a song popularized in 1970 by Edwin Starr called, 'War' back in 1970. The song was originally recorded by The Temptations. The Vietnam war was at the height of its conflict, and the peace movement was gaining speed.
The song talks about war in general, not specifically the one in Vietnam. The lyrics raise the question of whether there must be a better way to resolve conflict. What are your thoughts as you sing this song to your computer screen?
Women of Farchana Camp (video)
Soulclap to Save Darfur folks for pointing us to the Women of Farchana Camp in Eastern Chad, all of whom fled the violence in Darfur. The Farchana Manifesto was written by displaced Darfuri women and given to a Physician for Human Rights team in June of 2008. These women - who have lost so much due to the conflict in Darfur - demand freedom and equality not only for themselves, but for women all around the world.
I encourage all villagers to read The Farchana Manifesto and share it with your friends and family over this holiday season. We hope that you will read their words and be inspired to make their dream a reality.
The Week in "Do Not Want!"
Skullheads- The story revolves around a whiny girl whom is literally locked away in a castle with her parents, because the world is evil and she should just stay at home. In the films only good point, the girl stands fully naked in front of a mirror and checks herself out, which was quite captivating.
Other than that, there's a 20 minute breakfast scene followed by a a 20 minute dinner scene... and by the time this movie is 50 minutes in, nothing has happened other than a lot of bad acting and some skull puppets peeking around corners. That leaves 25 minutes more to have... nothing happen.
I guess the castle is protected by supernatural guardians called skull heads, who harm mean people if they try to harm the family that lives in skull head castle... whatever. This movie was just plain old boring and lame, like a bad episode of Tales from the Darkside or something.
I do like the poster though.
Sunday Inspirations: A Legend in Your Own Mind
Originally posted: 11/30/2008"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." -- (Romans 12:3)
Do you want to know one of the secrets of staying in the will of God, of keeping yourself from getting off track? Don't overestimate yourself! Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." How many times have we seen that borne out! How many times do we see believers get into trouble because they get an overblown idea of themselves. They begin to think they're so smart tha
t they have it all figured out. This is a part of the scripture that I wish I paid more attention to over the years. Much of my life has been destroyed because of the false pride that resided in my soul.Then, the next thing you know, they're thinking they have to straighten everyone else out. Instead of just letting Jesus be Head of the Church, they feel like they have to step in and do the job. Once that happens, it's just a matter of time before they're flat on their faces in failure. Why? Because the Bible says God resists the proud! (1 Pet. 5:5).
Don't put yourself in a position where God has to resist you. Rate your own abilities soberly. Adopt an attitude of humility. Keep a watch on yourself, and when you catch yourself getting puffed up with your own greatness, repent and remember that every good thing you enjoy and every bit of success you've had has come by the grace of God and by His power. Look back on your life and see how many times you could have lost what God had given you. See how many times, when you were floundering around making every mistake imaginable, His tender and precious mercy pulled you through.
Don't become a legend in your own mind. Instead, humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of God, and let God do the exalting--that prevents some very painful falls.
Anything in this post remind you of yourself at some point in your past?
Twilight Zone: Tasers and Sutphin
This blog has been following taser-related deaths over the past year. Here is an oddity that we offer for your consideration.
Sutphin is not a common name. Ancestry.com tells us that Sutphin is the Americanized spelling of Dutch van Zutphen, a habitational name for someone from Zutphen in the province of Gelderland.
Anyhow, Sutphin has come up three times in recent taser-related stories:
Sutphin is not a common name. Ancestry.com tells us that Sutphin is the Americanized spelling of Dutch van Zutphen, a habitational name for someone from Zutphen in the province of Gelderland.
Anyhow, Sutphin has come up three times in recent taser-related stories:
- 19-year old Frank Cleo Sutphin was killed by taser guns in San Bernadino, CA.
- Marsha Sutphin was one of five Lee County deputies investigated for firing taser guns while prison inmates were in the area. Two of the deputies have been fired for lying during the investigation.
- 43-year old Darryl Bain was killed by taser guns in Coram, NY. The memorial service for Bain was held at David Williams Funeral Home, 108-20 Sutphin Blvd. in Jamaica, Queens.
Victory: Scholastic Reverses Decision to Exclude Gay Friendly Book from Fairs
Scholastic Books responded to the petition, signed by many villagers, criticizing the company for excluding a book from their popular books fairs simply because one of the characters had two lesbian mothers. Scholastic has reversed their decision to exclude the Lauren Myracle's book, Luv Ya Bunches, and has released a statement affirming the dignity of gay and lesbian parents.We received the following message from Scholastic Books:
Dear Electronic Villager,
Scholastic has been helping kids learn to love to read for almost 90 years. Scholastic does not censor books. The selection of books we carry in our book clubs and book fairs is the result of a careful review of thousands of titles each year, and we are committed to a review process that considers all books equally regardless of their inclusion of LGBT characters and same sex parents.
Scholastic is already supporting Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle. This book is featured prominently on both the student and teacher covers of our December 2009 Arrow Scholastic Book Clubs catalogs which are already printed and are in schools right now. On October 16 we also recorded a Book Talk Editors' Choice Video which features Luv Ya Bunches.
Scholastic editors recognize Milla's two moms as a positive and realistic aspect of the story. We offer other books withsame sex couples and gay and lesbian characters in Book Clubs and Book Fairs including The Name of This Book is Secret and The Misfits, as well as the upcoming After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson, and others. Scholastic provides books that will appeal to the wide range of interests and reading abilities of children in the many diverse cultures and communities we serve. Luv Ya Bunches helps us fulfill our mission to do that.
In an interview with School Library Journal, Scholastic stated that we are currently carrying Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle in our school book clubs. We also said we were still reviewing the book for possible inclusion in our book fairs. Having completed our review of Luv Ya Bunches, Scholastic Book Fairs will carry the title in our spring fairs for middle schools.
Thank you for taking the time to express your opinion. Scholastic is very proud of its long history of helping children learn to love to read. We look forward to continuing to bring the best in children's literature to communities across the country and around the world as Scholastic has done for nearly 90 years.
Sincerely,
Kyle Good
Vice President, Scholastic Inc.
Scholastic Books is one of the largest educational publishing outfits in the country, and this sends a clear message to children and parents everywhere that there's absolutely nothing wrong with two men or two women raising a child.
As Lauren Myracle herself said at the height of this controversy, "Over 200,000 kids in America are raised by same-sex parents... It's not an issue to clean up or hide away." That's the message we sent by signing this petition, and Scholastic Books heard us loud and clear.
Auto rickhsaw Strike at jalandhar
roads, give little relife to public
Am I Not Human? Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Soulclap to Jack Healy for reminding us that Human Rights Day is December 10, the day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted in Paris, France in 1948.
Human Rights Day 2009 will focus on non-discrimination. “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights”. These first few famous words of the UDHR established 60 years ago the basic premise of international human rights law. Yet today, the fight against discrimination remains a daily struggle for millions around the globe.
Most villagers have never read the UDHR, let alone have a copy or even know about it. We live in a world that rarely allows us to read important documents. As such, it is probably a good thing that UDHR is in animation so that more of us can enjoy it and pass it around.
My hope is that villagers will share this video with others. Help celebrate human rights this year by showing it anywhere and everywhere to commemorate the signing and the importance of the document that can be responsible for making the world a better place.
Roots of Humanity feels that each of us can fight against human rights abuses in the world. We simply need to do something. Protest. Meditate. Pray. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to blog on the 27th of each month. Just share information on behalf of our human siblings in all suffering areas who are either barred from communication by their governments, or lacking in technology to ask: Am I Not Human?
Human Rights Day 2009 will focus on non-discrimination. “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights”. These first few famous words of the UDHR established 60 years ago the basic premise of international human rights law. Yet today, the fight against discrimination remains a daily struggle for millions around the globe.Most villagers have never read the UDHR, let alone have a copy or even know about it. We live in a world that rarely allows us to read important documents. As such, it is probably a good thing that UDHR is in animation so that more of us can enjoy it and pass it around.
My hope is that villagers will share this video with others. Help celebrate human rights this year by showing it anywhere and everywhere to commemorate the signing and the importance of the document that can be responsible for making the world a better place.
Roots of Humanity feels that each of us can fight against human rights abuses in the world. We simply need to do something. Protest. Meditate. Pray. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to blog on the 27th of each month. Just share information on behalf of our human siblings in all suffering areas who are either barred from communication by their governments, or lacking in technology to ask: Am I Not Human?
SCLC President Kyev Tatum Seeks Dignity and Respect in Fort Worth
Villagers are fully aware of the taser-related outrages in Ft. Worth TX that were brought to our attention by the death of 24-year old Michael Jacobs. Pastor Kyev Tatum is the president of the SCLC chapter in Ft. Worth. He shared his thoughts on these matters in the following open letter:To whom it may concern:
On yesterday I met with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner Dr. N. Peewani in what I consider to be a candid conversation on the cause of the taser shock death of mentally challenged Michael Patrick Jacobs, Jr., a 24 year-old African American man who lived in east Fort Worth on April 18, 2009.
The reason I met with him was because I wanted a copy of the "complete" medical report he submitted to the Tarrant County District Attorney justifying his homicide ruling as the cause of death with a taser and at the hands of Fort Worth Police Officer Stephanie A. Phillips, a white female with 17 years of experience as a FW police officer.
My concerns of a "Cowtown Cover Up" was confirmed when the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board published the details of a portion of Dr. Peewani's report that was "suppressed" by the District Attorney Joe Shannon in an effort to "keep the public peace" and to not taint the grand jury process.
What is of great concern is that Mr. Shannon and Fort Worth City leaders in August decided to keep this information away from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference leadership and the local media. In fact, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has to sue in District Court in order to get the report released. District Judge Mike Thomas should be commended for his wise judgment in ordering the release of the complete report last Friday, November 20, 2009.
While the Southern Christian Leadership Conference still awaits a complete copy of the report, I found reason to pause when it was mentioned in my conversation with the Medical Examiner that the two barbs from the taser torture tool hit Michael Patrick Jacobs, Jr., inches from his juggler in his neck and heart.
I can not imagine what pain and torture he experienced with "54 Seconds" of 50,000 volts of painful electricity flowing through his body as Stephanie Phillips executed him in from of his mother and father.
Yet Mayor Mike Moncrief, the City Council and Police Chief have found no fault in Ms. Phillips' actions. The tainted grand jury refused to indict because Taser International was allowed to purchase testimony before the grand jury. Now the entire community is ordered by the Mayor and Police Chief to shut up and sit down because, "this case is closed."
As president of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, I am outraged, insulted and offended by the actions of the leadership in my hometown.
Fort Worth, in my humble opinion, is one of the most dangerous cities in America if you are an African American male, especially if you have mental health and wellness issues.
Our civil rights are completely ignored and our right to dignity and justice are disregarded. What should be handled as a medical issues have been handled as a criminal justice issue and many young black men and boys are forced to live a life of second class citizenship without hope or directions.
With African American infant mortality rate in certain zip codes in Fort Worth the highest in the nation; the highest black failure rate in public schools and the highest incarceration rate of any social class within the City of Fort Worth, black men and boys are dying in Fort Worth and no one seems to care.
We need immediate relief and we are calling on Governor Rick Perry and President Barack Obama to put aside political positions and parties and come to Fort Worth and provide us with state and federal relief. Our civil rights are being violated without cause.
The criminalization of the black man in Fort Worth is out of control and is adding to the burden of society.
As a native son of this city and community, I know first hand how the governmental authority abuse, intimidated, punish, control, inflict fear, pain and even death in order to "keep us in our place."
On this Thanksgiving day, I send out this cry in faith and hope that someone will have enough compassion and courage to hear my plea and come offer us some relief.
We are not criminals but citizens of this great country. We do not want a hand out but a healthy hand up so that we can live our lives free from fear, threat and death.
Michael Jacobs, Jr., did not have to die in the most undignified barbaric way know toman. His mother cried out for medical help but witnessed his execution along with his father in their front yard at 6266 Ava Court Drive.
The City may have closed its case locally, but rest assure, the SCLC will continue to speak up and out until something is done about the unsafe, inhumane way Fort Worth treats its African American men and boys.
We need immediate relief.
In complete humility,
Rev. Kyev Tatum, Sr.
1333 East Magnolia Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas 76105
(817) 966-7625
kyevtatum@yahoo.com
I plan to join Rev. Tatum and others on December 4th in a Day of Blogging for Justice: Stop Taser Torture. I hope you support this effort as well.
Independent Autopsy Says Taser-Killing of Craig Prescott Was Not an Accident
38-year old Craig Prescott, a former sheriff's deputy, died in a taser-related killing back in April 2009 while he was in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail. The original autopsy concluded that the death was accidental. [SOURCE]
The autopsy ruling didn't seem right to Prescott's family. They commissioned an independent autopsy on April 15 by Dr. David Posey (Glenoaks Pathology Medical Center). Dr. Posey's autopsy concludes that the accident was not an accident. This autopsy report says that Prescott died from a lack of oxygen to the brain during a struggle with jailers.
Marilyn Prescott, Craig Prescott's mother, said she believes jail officials subdued her son in a manner that suffocated him, so they are responsible for his death.
"He was deprived of oxygen, so he couldn't breathe," she said. "It just saddens me to read this report, because now I know this was an egregious act."The Stanislaus County coroner's office conducted its own autopsy a day after Prescott's death and released a report of its findings in early June. Pathologist Dr. Eugene Carpenter performed the autopsy under contract with the coroner's office.
Sheriff Adam Christianson has said jail officials followed departmental guidelines in trying to restrain and move Prescott.
In early October, Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager said the jail officials were not responsible for Prescott's death. He died in a Modesto hospital two days after deputies at the jail used Tasers and pepper spray to subdue him when he acted out in their custody.
Fladager's report culminated a six-month inquiry into whether jail deputies acted criminally April 11 in subduing Prescott. She determined they did not, citing a coroner's report that said Prescott died of hypertensive heart disease and determined his death was accidental.
Posey's independent autopsy concluded a different cause of death.
Conversations with Octavia Butler
Octavia Butler (1947-2006) is one of my favorite authors. Her work was unique and provided an afrocentric view of science fiction. I'm pleased to see that many of her interviews from 1980 until just before her sudden death in 2006 have been gathered together into a book, 'Conversations with Octavia Butler'.
I plan to read this book.
Are you a science fiction fan? If so, what are your views on Octavia Butler and her works?
I plan to read this book.
Are you a science fiction fan? If so, what are your views on Octavia Butler and her works?
Tune In Tuesday: George Benson
George Benson had the music and lyrics that could cut to the chase. I find myself lost in a masquerade much too often. I 'spose that is one of the beautiful things about having a blog. You can hide behind the mask of your blog personna. Enjoy the flow of Bro. Benson.
I still hold out hope. I still think that I can regain my footing and make a difference for myself, my family, my community and my people. I still think that the light will overtake the darkness. I just need to get my mojo back. Just need to get back to that joyous feeling of breezin' through life with a purpose. One thing that helps is to smile ... and George Benson makes me smile!
I still hold out hope. I still think that I can regain my footing and make a difference for myself, my family, my community and my people. I still think that the light will overtake the darkness. I just need to get my mojo back. Just need to get back to that joyous feeling of breezin' through life with a purpose. One thing that helps is to smile ... and George Benson makes me smile!
Mesa Police Admit Taser Shots Contributed to Death of Francisco Sesate
Mesa Police Department issued a report that acknowledges that the two taser shots of 50,000 volts each into the body of 36-year old Francisco Sesate contributed to his death. The report concludes that drugs (opiates, amphetamines and cocaine) and physical exertion contributed to his death on August 20. [SOURCE]Doctors who treated him at Banner Desert Medical Center said the combination of drugs in Sesate's system, the blasts from the Taser and his 108-degree body temperature meant his organs were "basically cooking inside his body."
Miguel "Mike" Sesate told investigators he last saw his son the day before, when he dropped him off at the Greyhound station. Francisco had $500 in his pocket and ambitions of reconnecting with his daughters in Nebraska, Miguel Sesate said.
"Francisco had planned to move to Nebraska to start a new life and to be close to his two daughters," the father told police. "Things weren't working out for Francisco since he was released from prison three months earlier."Instead of being helped ... Francisco Sesate was killed.
Sesate created a disturbance in a convenience store parking lot. He was buck naked. He behaved badly. However, he was no
t armed. And the penalty for disturbing the peace is NOT DEATH.About 1:45 p.m., Officer Dennis Riordan arrived and found Sesate hiding behind an advertising sign outside the front door. Seven hours after the police arrived ... Sesate was dead.
"Sesate was grunting and moaning and not obeying my commands," Riordan wrote in his report. A second officer arrived, and Sesate came forward, but refused to comply with police.
So the police decided it was a good idea to use their taser twice to kill Sesate. It appears that disrespecting the police gives them a license to kill.
After Sesate shoved the second officer, Riordan fired his Taser, hitting Francisco Sesate in the chest. Cell phone video shot by customer inside the store captured the man falling through the business' front door and onto the ground.
The video, which was uploaded to YouTube (can anyone point the EV-Blog to this video?), shows the officers struggling with Sesate on the floor as they attempt to handcuff both hands. When the man refused to place both hands behind his back, Riordan fired his Taser a second time.
Police successfully handcuffed the man.
"After Francisco was rolled over on his right side, I noticed that Francisco appeared not to be responsive or breathing," a police report states.The handcuffs were removed and police began CPR. Too late. Sesate was too far gone at this point.
Detective Steve Berry, a police spokesman, said it's department policy to investigate incidents where an officer's use of force resulted in death. That investigation remains ongoing, and a final use of force report has not yet completed.
When will the police recognize that their use of tasers is causing more damage than good? When will the training for restraint of a suspect be upgraded to eliminate the use of taser guns for convenience rather than for cause/need?
What say u?
Giallo (2009)
GIALLO
Sub-Genre- Um... Giallo.
In Attendance- Me.
Cast Members of Note- Adrien Brody, Emmanuelle Seigner, and Elsa Pataky.
Directed by Dario Argento.
What's it About?- A creepy killer named Yellow is on the loose in Italy, and it's up to a stewardess and an American detective to stop him... and his odd post nasal drip induced wheezing. It already sounds like a nightmare, doesn't it?
Yeah, terrifying. You see, Yellow is a retarded looking cab driver whom was teased by the other children for looking retarded when he was little... so naturally, he grows up and decides torture and kill women to "get his revenge." Now wouldn't you think he'd grow up and kill kids, since it was kids who drove him to be a murderer in the first place? Like take out a playground with a flamethrower or something... maybe get a job as an ice cream man and poison all of the neighborhood kids...
Adrien Brody is an American detective, and his story is even better; as a child he witnessed his mother being stabbed to death, he went nuts, tracked down the killer, stabbed him to death, and the cops made him a junior detective on the spot. So naturally he would take on the case of an American stewardess (who isn't American at all, and lives in Italy) whose slutty model sister goes missing... I have no idea what happened. Let's just move on here...
Will they find the whore sister before Yellow can do away with her? Why is Elsa Pataky dating Adrien Brody in real life anyway? Will Argento ever be a relevant director again? We may never know... and quite frankly, I'm fine with that.
The Good- This felt like neither a Giallo film, nor an Argento movie to me. It had its moments, and wasn't truly horrible, but I wanted to giggle more than I wanted to tense up and close my eyes, and that made it a crap experience for me. Some of the blood was fun, Italy as a backdrop always looks nice to me on film, and Elsa Pataky was good too. Sexy good. The rest, not so much...
The Bad- Why do women scream so much in horror movies? Sure I get that its natural instinct to scream when terrified, but does it have to be over and over and over again? Or at times when you really shouldn't be calling attention to yourself, like when hiding? Best of all, when restrained in a dingy basement, with corpses of other chicks all around you, make sure to scream mean things at the killer, over and over and over again. That's a real good idea. Maybe learn to shut up ladies, and you might live through more of these ordeals.
The Downright Horrendous- The worst part of the whole thing was that the killer, Yellow (Giallo), was not frightening at all. In fact, he was so goofy looking and odd, that he seemed to be more comic relief than anything else. And then at the end, he kinda turns out to be honorable and nice??? Fuck that. Italian horror pussed out on us with this one!
The Gory- As is usually the case with Gialli film and Argento flicks in particular, there is plenty of violence to be had here, though most of it not very captivating or exciting. It seemed well placed and deliberate, rather than intense or cringe inducing. Meh.
The Naked- Nope, and I'm pretty sure that it's not hard to get Elsa Pataky naked either.
What did we learn?- Even Dario Argento can swing and miss sometimes.
The Master Says- D+(4.5/10) Man it hurts me to rate an Argento movie so harshly... The guy has given horror fans so much, that I just feel guilty not liking something of his. It really should be more in the DO NOT WANT range of the grade scale if I'm being fair, but sentimental value (along with a few promising aspects of the film itself) prevent me from dismissing it totaly. Where many hated it, I really liked Mother of Tears... the fact I fell that this movie sucked says volumes.Final Thoughts- Good God is Elsa Pataky hot or what?
Interview: Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (Video)
Ashahed Muhammad (Truth Establishment Institute) sits down with the former Mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick in an exclusive interview; this is the first time he has spoken publicly since being removed from office.
I suppose that other parts of the interview will be released in the future. Personally, I wish that Kwame didn't spend any time sharing his thoughts on President Barack Obama. Nothing positive can come from his analysis of our president ... especially when he tries to compare his (Kilpatrick) situation with that of President Obama.
Secondly, I did learn one thing new in this interview. I didn't realize that Kilpatrick and his aide, Christine Beatt
y, knew each other since they were both in high school. It doesn't excuse their behavior. And I doubt that anything that he does or says now, or in the future, will mitigate the harm that he brought to the city of Detroit.
On the one hand, I wish that the former mayor of Detroit would simply fade away never to be heard from again. However, I guess if America allowed other sinners like Newt Gingrich or Bill Clinton to reset their images ... we can't begrudge Kilpatrick that same opportunity.
What are your thoughts about the video interview?
Secondly, I did learn one thing new in this interview. I didn't realize that Kilpatrick and his aide, Christine Beatt
y, knew each other since they were both in high school. It doesn't excuse their behavior. And I doubt that anything that he does or says now, or in the future, will mitigate the harm that he brought to the city of Detroit.On the one hand, I wish that the former mayor of Detroit would simply fade away never to be heard from again. However, I guess if America allowed other sinners like Newt Gingrich or Bill Clinton to reset their images ... we can't begrudge Kilpatrick that same opportunity.
What are your thoughts about the video interview?
Race-Baiting Comments by Lamar Alexander (R-TN) During Healthcare Debate
Perhaps I am too sensitive. However, 50 years of living in America has taught me to hear the race-baiting dog whistles from old white guys. I heard Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on one of the Sunday talk shows call Medicaid a 'medical ghetto'.
It turns out that Alexander used this term a number of times on the Senate floor during the healthcare debate.
Cheryl Contee (Jack and Jill Politics) wrote,
Why do old white guys in politics always devolve to race-baiting when they are losing the argument?
It turns out that Alexander used this term a number of times on the Senate floor during the healthcare debate.
Cheryl Contee (Jack and Jill Politics) wrote,
"The right (and some on the left) would have you think that Medicaid was created so lazy shiftless black peopleI encourage all villagers to read Cheryl's full blog post.could eat bonbons, watermelon & fried chicken while having their free x-rays, abusing the tax dollars of hardworking white people. Like Lamar Alexander who has repeatedly called Medicaid a “Medical Ghetto” on the Senate floor."
Why do old white guys in politics always devolve to race-baiting when they are losing the argument?
Taser Death: Ronald Petruney (Washington, PA)
Another case of 'Tasers Gone Wild' in America. This time we learn that Washinton (PA) police officers jolted 50,000 volts of electricity into 49-year old Ronald Petruney earlier this week. In fact, once was not enough. They used their taser guns on him TWICE. He died while in the hospital yesterday morning.Washington police found Mr. Petruney "in a confused state" when they were summoned to an incident on Jefferson Avenue, county Coroner Timothy Warco said.
Washington police Chief James R. Blyth said the two officers involved, whom he said would not be identified at this time, remain on duty.
"All witnesses told us that it was done by the book," Blyth said.One of the officers was patrolling Jefferson Avenue just after 1 p.m. Tuesday when he encountered Petruney on the ground near his apartment suffering from what appeared to be a seizure.
Petruney then stood up, disoriented, and attempted to walk into traffic, police said. Petruney refused orders to sit down and charged the officer, biting him and swinging his arms when the two began to struggle.
Another officer arrived on the scene. Petruney was first jolted in the legs with 50,000 volts of electricity from a taser gun. The second officer then applied his taser gun directly to Petruney's torso, police said.
"He was still fighting with the officers for another three or four minutes after he was hit," Blyth said Saturday. "The Taser had no effect on him when he was hit, so they discarded it and went back to hands-on fighting. He kicked one of the officers after he was hit."Of course, we now know that the tasers did have an impact. They contibuted to the death of this man. He was a man who needed help. Instead the Washington police officers killed him.
When Petruney collapsed, he was attended to by police and ambulance personnel who had been called to the scene before he was transported to Washington Hospital.
Blyth said that all officers carrying a Taser are fully trained in its use per department regulations.
Did the police need to kill Mr. Petruney? I guess we all will wait to hear what the autopsy tells us about Petruney's cause of death.
The number of taser-related deaths are occuring more than once-per-week around our nation. Something is wrong. The training may not be accurate. I wonder if police officers around the country have been re-trained on the new policy suggested by the taser manufacturer? I wonder if it is time to standardize the 'use of force continuum' policy for police on a nationwide basis?
These are the types of questions and issues that should be discussed by a congressional hearing. I hope that these are the issues that we talk about during the Day of Blogging for Justice that is set for December 4th.
Sunday Inspirations: Today I Woke Up a Black Man
Today I woke up to the reality that everything is possible
Leaving nothing to chance, luck or speculation
I have this new realization
I'm a safe bet
The cards are stacked in my favor
Not a victim of some wicked plot, scheme, or attack plan
Today I woke up A Black Man
No longer enslaved by the images that once defined me
I woke up with a light so bright it blinds me
Today I woke up A Black Man
My clothes no longer fit me
My chest pokes out a bit further
My arms reach a bit higher
Even my hat fits snug
My brain has increased its capacity
Enlarged by my own audacity
I can be more than a thug, a pimp, or the crack man
Today I woke up A Black Man
The generational curse has been broken
My journey needs only this token
This fee
That I choose to believe in me
That I set free the thoughts of pain, stress and strain
That I accept the responsibility that greatness is my probability
Today I woke up A Black Man
Not shackled by how the world sees me
What matters most is how I see me
A seed snatched from the equator
The most beautiful reflection of my creator
Fear and failure are simply a distraction
Today my future found traction
Today I woke up A Black Man
I have twenty-twenty vision
Courage, hope, and honor is my daily mission
I'm no longer a gamble
Leaving nothing to chance, luck, or speculation
I have this new realization
I'm a safe bet
The cards are stacked in my favor
Don't you dare suggest these words aren't fact man
Today I woke up A Black Man
Leaving nothing to chance, luck or speculation
I have this new realization
I'm a safe bet
The cards are stacked in my favor
Not a victim of some wicked plot, scheme, or attack plan
Today I woke up A Black Man
No longer enslaved by the images that once defined me
I woke up with a light so bright it blinds me
Today I woke up A Black Man
My clothes no longer fit me
My chest pokes out a bit further
My arms reach a bit higher
Even my hat fits snug
My brain has increased its capacity
Enlarged by my own audacity
I can be more than a thug, a pimp, or the crack man
Today I woke up A Black Man
The generational curse has been broken
My journey needs only this token
This fee
That I choose to believe in me
That I set free the thoughts of pain, stress and strain
That I accept the responsibility that greatness is my probability
Today I woke up A Black Man
Not shackled by how the world sees me
What matters most is how I see me
A seed snatched from the equator
The most beautiful reflection of my creator
Fear and failure are simply a distraction
Today my future found traction
Today I woke up A Black Man
I have twenty-twenty vision
Courage, hope, and honor is my daily mission
I'm no longer a gamble
Leaving nothing to chance, luck, or speculation
I have this new realization
I'm a safe bet
The cards are stacked in my favor
Don't you dare suggest these words aren't fact man
Today I woke up A Black Man
The Rebellious Sixties? Yes, I Remember
One of the blogging voices that I enjoy the most is Mac 'The Daddy' Walton. He comes strong and he comes correct. I am pleased to see that he is now a published author as well. I encourage villagers to take a moment to check out his new book -- The Rebellious Sixties? Yes I Remember.
Mac wrote, "Listen up. As an African American, a student of American history and a person who sometimes entertains the illusion that he is a writer, I had been trying to write this book for a long time. It weaves a historic yet personal tale about the excitement and the danger about the turbulent sixties. It shares a personal story, or stories, about this period as a learning experience which helped shape who we, the children of the sixties, are today and the values we try to inculcate in our children."
The poems in Section II are personal. The heroes discussed in Section III are primarily political. But the signature poem in the second part of Section III is intensely personal, involving two college students' deep, undeniable love, painful, unforgettable loss, and bitter-sweet memories that neither time, maturity, or subsequent affairs could erase from the heart.
"Ultimately, it was these intensely personal memories set in the midst of theThis book was written in memory of Emmett Till, a 14 year old Black manchild whose brutal and tragic death sparked increased protest and the end of apartheid in the southern part of the United States of America.civil rights, Black power, and anti-war movements and my attempt to recall them honestly that took this book so long to write," said Walton
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