Free the Scott Sisters: Two Life Sentences for $11 Robbery Just Ain't Right

Gray-Haired Witnesses Fast for Justice was held on June 21, 2010, calling attention to the growing numbers of incarcerated Black women and the gross over-sentencing in cases such as the Mississippi Scott Sisters, Jamie and Gladys. The Scott Sisters received double-life sentences each in an alleged armed robbery of $11.00 in which no one was harmed or injured, and for which they have steadfastly maintained their innocence. This outrageous case became all the more urgent when Jamie Scott, now in the 16th year of this draconian sentence, suffered kidney failure in January 2010 and has had several close calls with death as a result of poor medical treatment in the prison.






The rally began at the Department of Justice with a small but spirited protest and speak-out against the prison industrial complex, the disparity in arrests, sentencing and treatment during and after incarceration, particularly of Black people. Supporters came from as far as Boston and Mississippi to proclaim that the Scott Sisters be released from prison, as well as all those suffering under the MDOC system, one of the worst prison systems for medical care in the country.

“We are here to represent those who came before us,” stated Gray-Haired Witness B.J. Peak-Graham, "Our Ancestors cry through us demanding all justices denied."

Atty Sam Jordan was very thorough and spoke with great conviction, as well as Gloria & Clarence Bolls, Donnie Finley, Chioma Oruh, and more! They were each eloquent and adamant that an investigation into the case of the Scott Sisters needed to be a top item on the Washington agenda and that enough is truly enough for this devastating case!

Later that afternoon at Lafayette Park, the energy was still very high and a lot of information was shared with attendees and passersby. Brenda Branson, Spoken Word and Slangston Hughes were among those who brought the power to bear on this system during their hard-hitting and impassioned spoken word presentations, and the crowd was visibly moved by a beautiful musical performance by Khadijah “Moon” Ali-Coleman. The many speakers who brought dynamic information to the rally included Returning Citizens United, UNIA Pres. General Senghor Jawara Baye, Clinton Alexander, Atty Nkechi Taifa, Mike Johnson, revered community mother and esteemed elder Mama Nia, and more, that made for a very meaningful day of education and information that lit up the entire square and reached everyone within earshot. Atty Ann Wilcox also took the stage and spoke in solidarity on behalf of the local Green Party and the Gray Panthers.

Portions of the rally were very moving and being in the shadow of the White House made them all the more poignant.

Gray-Haired Witness, Jamia Shepherd, read from heartbreaking letters from Jamie and Gladys Scott, one in which Jamie wrote: “I’ve been robbed of so much by the state of Mississippi until I can’t feel anymore. But in the midst of this pain, I do also feel the love and support from each of you. Please stay strong in your stand for justice. One day we shall overcome. I just pray my day won’t be too late.”

The organizers were uplifted by those in attendance as well as all of those who supported but were unable to attend, and all expressed their love and admiration for the awe-inspiring courage and fortitude of Mrs. Evelyn Rasco, the true engine behind all of the organizing that goes on with respect to her beloved and suffering daughters. The movement is growing and all of the people who are organizing on behalf of the Scott Sisters around the country and world will be heard!

“We come from a history of struggle, we must relearn that we don’t just lay down and accept injustice!” said Gray-Haired Witness Marpessa Kupendua.

 The women vowed to remain consistent and continue to move forward in the spirit of Ida B. Wells on this case and in other efforts to demand an end to the demonization and dehumanization of the Black community in general and Black women in particular in the future.

I encourage all villagers to find a way to support the Scott Sisters ... even if it is simply with the power of your prayer!

The Paranormal Activity 2 teaser hits...

We knew it was coming after the success of the first one, and now Paranormal Activity 2 has a teaser trailer. It looks like more of the same, whichis either good or bad depending on what you thought about the first one.

Either way, We will be spending our money on this instead of Saw XVII This October.

I'm not going to embed it here, due to the fact that it would look tiny and sad. Click the link below and head over to the site to check it out.

OFFICIAL SITE
What do you think?

Good News Tuesday: Angela James, Black Woman Enters Hockey Hall of Fame

Angela James was a trailblazer on the ice, a fierce competitor who piloted Canada’s national women’s hockey team to four world championships. James blazed another trail when she was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame last week.

James, 45, is the first Black woman voted into the hall and the second Black player ever to receive the honor. She joins Grant Fuhr, a Black five-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender with the Edmonton Oilers, who entered the Hall in 2003. She will be formally inducted into the Hall, located in Toronto, in November.

“On behalf of everyone in women’s hockey, I am truly honored,” James said. “As a kid, I went to the Hall and was in awe of those who had been inducted. I am delighted to be able to join them.”

James was dubbed “the Wayne Gretzky of women’s hockey” in Canada and is regarded as one of the first superstars of modern women’s hockey. She had a distinguished playing career at Toronto’s Seneca College – where she currently works as a sports co-coordinator – leading her team to several championships. The school retired her number 8 jersey.

She moved on to the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association in the late 1970s, where she led her in scoring in eight seasons and was named its most valuable player in six seasons. In 1990, she was selected to the Canadian national team for the inaugural Women’s Champion in Ottawa. There, she powered the team to a gold medal by scoring a tournament-leading 11 goals in five games.

James was the driving force in leading the Canadian women to more gold at championships in Tampere, Finland in 1992, in Lake Placid in 1994 and in Kitchener, Ontario in 1997. She also powered Team Canada to gold medals in the Three Nations Cup tournaments in 1996 and 1999.

In all, James was a medalist in 12 national championships and won four world championships. She was named MVP at eight Canadian championships, scored 34 points in 20 games over the first four world championships in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1997. She is the only Black Canadian to captain her country’s national hockey team.

“Back in the days when we wore pink uniforms, we did what it took to get our game on the map,” James told the Canadian Press. “We didn’t care if we were wearing polka-dots, we just wanted to play.”

For all her goals, medals, and awards, James never played in the Winter Olympics. In a controversial move, she was left off the women’s hockey team.

“I don’t look at this as retribution,” James told The New York Times of her induction and the 1998 Olympic slight. “I look at this as a great day for women’s hockey.”

Her Olympic exclusion – which many said was like keeping legendary New York Rangers team Captain Mark Messier of the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team – didn’t stop the accolades from coming.

She received Hockey Canada’s Female Breakthrough Award in 2005, was inducted into the Black Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2006.

Two years later, she, Cammi Granato, and Geraldine Heaney became the first women inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. Last year, James was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

I encourage all villagers to take a moment to share some love with Hockey Hall of Famer Angela James for being such a remarkable athlete!

A quick word on The Wolfman (2010)...

Not much to say on this one, so it's a quickie...


There's not much to say about this one, other than... It's The Wolfman.

I was never personally a huge fan of the original Wolfman story, as it always seemed a little tame and stale to me, and even a bit lame. I know tons of classic movie monster lovers would flay me at hearing that, but it's just not my taste is all. You can keep The Mummy and Frankenstein too. Just sayin'.

The new 2010 version of The Wolfman, despite my personal predilections, is a stunning film to look at and a fun one to watch. The sets, locations, scenery, costumes, and even the dreaded CGI is all spot on. It's well written, and directed more than competently too, which just makes it all the more technically and creatively sound.

This is why I avoid crypt's.
Surprisingly, there was a good amount of action throughout, from chases and multiple fight scenes, to a dream sequence that was pretty damned amazing. It's a bloody flick too, which surprised me for a bigger budget Hollywood project. Claws tear, entrails drop, and blood flows in copious amounts, which is always a good thing. I'm guessing the Unrated DVD version is going to be bloodier than the theatrical (I know, I'm Captain Obvious), so be sure to grab that one if you love the gore.

Calista Flockhart's Cameo.
The best part of the whole thing for me were the great performances, most notably from Sir Anthony Hopkins. The guy is just always stellar, and here, he's all kinds of intense and awesome. It's worth seeing the movie jsut to watch him emote and act creepy. Add to that the always great Hugo Weaving, the vastly underused Benicio DelToro, and the way hot Emily Blunt (who can act her ass off too), and we have an absolutely solid cast knocking it out of the park... but in the end, it's still just The Wolfman. Meh.

Oh shit, it's agent Smith!
The OG.B+ It drags a bit in the start (though I like the quiet character stuff), and there's really only so much you can do with this story, but it's a fun watch, filled with blood and action. You probably already know if you'd like this one or not, and you're probably right.

In parting, here's some Emily Blunt for you to enjoy. You can never have too much Emily Blunt.

Succes 2010: Jacques René Chirac, ex-presedinte al Frantei

Jacques René Chirac este un politician francez. A fost preşedinte al Republicii Franceze în 1995 şi 2002, totodată co-principe al Andorrei.

Jacques Chirac a fost primar al Parisului din 1977 până în 1995 şi prim-ministru în 1974 - 1976 şi 1986 - 1988.

Pe 14 iulie 2002, în timpul sărbătorilor zilei naţionale, Chirac a supravieţuit unei încercări de asasinat din partea unui individ ce avea o puşcă ascunsă într-o husă de chitară. Cel care a încercat asasinatul a tras un foc înspre locul unde se afla Jaques Chirac, fiind repede oprit de oamenii din jur. Atacatorul, Maxime Brunerie, a fost găsit ulterior iresponsabil, fiind astfel imposibil de a fi judecat într-un proces; grupul violent de extremă dreapta cu care a fost asociat, Unité Radicale a fost atunci dizolvat administrativ.

Succes 2010: David Merlini, urmasul lui Harry Houdini

Blog Safari #38

I invite curious villagers to join us as we sojourn through our next blog safari. We use these occassional blog safari expeditions to enjoy the flow from talented bloggers out in the afrosphere. I hope you enjoy these suggested blog posts!

• Black Web 2.0 - NAACP New Website
• Conversations with Marva - Remembering Michael...
• Essential Presence - Summer Reading Opportunities
• The Jose Vilson - The Last Lesson I Learned From John Wooden!
• What About Our Daughters - Biblical Beefcake: More Church Folks Gone Wild!

Let us know if you come across any remarkable posts that should be shared in our next Blog Safari!

Am I Not Human? US/Mexico Border Killings

We support the 'Am I Not Human?' blogging campaign that lights up on the 27th of each month. I encourage all villagers to find a way to support this effort to shine a light on human rights abuses taking place all over the world.

This blog tracks taser-related deaths. One of these killings occurred at the US/Mexico border near San Diego. It turns out that these border killings are more frequent than I imagined.

As a result, this blog joins with Human Rights Watch, American Civil Rights Union and others in calling for the US government to conduct a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation of the recent killings of two Mexican citizens by US border agents. The increasing number of episodes in which migrants are killed or wounded by border agents, raises grave concerns about possible unlawful use of lethal force.

Border control agents shot and killed Adrian Hernandez, 15, on the evening of June 7, 2010, at a railroad bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with El Paso, Texas, after rock-throwing migrants confronted agents during an arrest. In a separate incident, Anastacio Hernandez Rojas died on May 31 after being electrocuted by border control agents on May 28 with a taser gun at the San Ysidro border crossing.

"The increasing number of border patrol killings make it clear that an open and thorough US investigation is needed," said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "Any border agents found responsible for using excessive force should be held accountable."

According to the Mexican government, the number of incidents in which Mexicans were killed or wounded by border patrol has increased significantly in the past three years. Five Mexicans were killed or wounded in 2008 by the border patrol. The total in 2009 was 12, and there have been 17 incidents already in 2010.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a statement that in the June 7 incident, agents encountered a group of suspected illegal immigrants entering the United States and arrested two of them. The others fled across the border and began throwing rocks at the agents. One agent fired several shots, killing Adrian Hernandez. The victim's family says that he was not involved in the rock throwing and had not crossed the border.

In the earlier incident, the San Diego police said that Hernandez Rojas, 42, attacked the border patrol agents as they prepared to return him to Mexico. One agent allegedly struck Hernandez Rojas with a baton, and then another agent electrocuted him with a taser gun. Hernandez Rojas stopped breathing and showed no pulse. He was taken off life support three days later. Hernandez Rojas reportedly had been in the United States since the age of 14. He had been deported after a traffic violation, returned to the United States and was rearrested on the afternoon of May 28.

The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials provide that authorities shall, as far as possible, apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force and firearms. The Basic Principles provide that if the lawful use of force and firearms is unavoidable, then the authorities must use restraint and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. Lethal force may be used only when strictly unavoidable to protect life. The Basic Principles also call for an effective reporting and review process, especially in cases of death and serious injury.

Succes 2010: Jean Galvão, caricaturist brazilian

Jean Carlos Galvão has been a cartoonist for 17 years. He started drawing cartoons for workers’ unions, later, he had his comical cartoons published daily in the newspaper “Vale Paraibano” of São José dos Campos, where he lives. He has achieved some prizes and among them, the Vladimir Herzog of Human Rights. In 1997 he released a book, a compilation of comical cartoons. He collaborated with the magazine Veja and Bundas and with the newspapers “Jornal do Brasil” and O Pasquim21. Nowadays, he has his comical cartoons published in the Newspaper Folha de São Paulo and illustrations and weekly comic strips in the magazine Recreio, Abril Publisher.
These original drawings I receved were published in a children magazine from Brazil called Recreio.

Weekly Address: Finishing the Job on Wall Street Reform

President Obama continues to have a remarkable series of legislative successes during the past 18 months. Today he is very close to signing legislation that reforms Wall Street. He uses his weekly address to talk about it:

Old School Friday: The Whispers

My two daughters recently saw this photo of me in my younger days on stage with The Whispers. My youngest daughter didn't know anything about them. The 16-year old daughter simply explained that they are "Old School". It seemed like a good time to play the Old School Friday music again on my blog!





Just sit back, close your eyes and allow The Whispers to take you on a musical high with this powerful song that any man would want to sing to his lady. I imagine that any lady would love to know that a brother had this song and thought in his heart as he thinks of her. This is ol' school brothers and sisters!

BDPA Foundation and Eli Lilly Scholarship Offer $2,500 Scholarships for High School Senior and Current College Student

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation is proud to open up the application period for any graduating high school student or current college student interested in the 2010 Eli Lilly and Company Scholarship for BDPA Students!

The purpose of the Lilly/BDPA Scholarship is to recognize outstanding minority students, with an interest in information technology, who make significant contributions to society. Applicants must excel academically, show exceptional leadership potential, and make an impact on their communities through service to others.

Lilly/BDPA Scholars will be awarded a one-time $2,500 scholarship that may be used to pursue an information technology focused degree at an accredited four-year college or university of their choice. The Lilly/BDPA Scholarship may be used to supplement benefits from the college or university a student plans to attend and fellowships from other foundations or organizations. Students may use the scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other college-related expenses.

Scholarship winners will be selected based on the application, essay, and letters of recommendation.

To be eligible for Lilly/BDPA Scholarship, each applicant must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Be a graduating high school senior or current college student in good standing at the time of their application.
• Demonstrate academic achievement (minimum GPA of 3.0)
• Exhibit leadership ability through academic or civic involvement and participate in community service activities

Complete application packet must include the following:

1. Application Form
2. Current transcript
3. 500-word essay on “Why Information Technology is Important”
4. Two letters of recommendation

Click here to download application!

Scholarships will be awarded only to students who fully meet the scholarship requirements. All application materials must be RECEIVED on or before July 9, 2010 in order to be eligible. Incomplete, e-mailed or faxed applications will not be considered!

We will announce the Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners during the 2010 National BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia, PA.   We are very proud of our past Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners:

1. 2007, Daniel Puente (University of Texas)
2. 2007, Christian West (Northwestern University)
3. 2008, Khalia Braswell (North Carolina State University)
4. 2008, Lee Reed (University of Michigan)
5. 2009, Hung Vo (Georgia Institute of Technology)
6. 2009, Carrine Johnson (Palos Verdes Peninsula High School)

Do you know any high school or college kids looking to study in a technology-based field during college? Can they use a $2,500 scholarship? If so, you need to share this information with them right away!

Any questions?

Troy Davis Fights Death Penalty in Federal Court

Villagers should know that an evidentiary hearing for death row inmate Troy Davis is taking place today in a Savannah federal district court. According to his sister, Martina Correia, Mr. Davis is in a great spirit and prayerful about the pending outcome.

“Troy is in total prayer, asking God to deliver him. He says people keep asking him why he’s not upset or broken down by now. It is because he believes God is protecting him," said Ms. Correia. [SOURCE]

Today's hearing was ordered last year by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Troy was sentenced to death for the 1991 killing of Mark McPhail, a police officer in Savannah, Georgia. We have posted before that the State of Georgia should not kill Troy Davis because there is no physical evidence tying him to the crime and seven out of nine witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony.

The high court ordered a federal judge in Georgia to determine whether there is evidence "that could not have been obtained at the time of trial (that) clearly establishes petitioner's innocence."

For more information please log on to: www.troyanthonydavis.org or read past Electronic Village blog posts.

Wordless Wednesday: World Champion Los Angeles Lakers

Un "Brilliant Edison Lee" original

The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee is a comic strip created by John Hambrock. It debuted November 12, 2006. While this strip is about a ten-year-old boy genius, Edison Lee, it also has aspects of an editorial cartoon since Edison constantly talks about the US political, and economic situation. In March 2010, the strip was nominated for the National Cartoonists Society's division award in the category Newspaper Comic Strip.

Budget Director Peter Orszag is Leaving Obama Administration

President Obama is being bombarded with a never-ending list of challenges and issues. Today, we learn that his Budget Director Peter Orszag is resigning.

In the midst of fielding comments about Gen. Stanley McChrystal's insubordinate comments, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Orszag will be leaving the administration next month.

"It's an enormous task," Gibbs said of the budget director. "Peter has been instrumental in, for instance, this year's plan to freeze non-security discretionary spending for three years and has decided to leave before we get into the creation of the next budget. He's been here for two budgets."

Orszag was the 37th person to serve as the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Most of his predecessors were never heard from again on a national level. However, some left this position to go onto to higher public service.

• Rob Portman (OMB, 2006-2007) is now running for the US Senate in my state of Ohio.
• Mitch Daniels (OMB, 2001-2003) left the office and successfully ran to become governor of Indiana.
• Franklin Raines (OMB, 1996-1998) is the only African American to serve in this office. He went on to serve as CEO of Fannie Mae during a time of great distress for that company.
• Leon Panetta (OMB, 1993-1994) is currently serving as Obama's CIA director.

The administration is looking at a number of "talented candidates" to replace Orszag. That new budget director's challenges will include billions and trillions or projected budget deficits and federal debt.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., praised Orszag, and noted that his successor "will face tremendous challenges in righting our long-term fiscal imbalance and starting to close our enormous gaps in the debt and deficit. I look forward to working with whoever that Director is to tackle these historic problems facing our country."

President Obama is accepting Orszag's resignation today. It is likely that he will accept another resignation tomorrow from Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Our president needs our prayers as he handles the nation's business.

Taser Death: Daniel Sylvester (Crescent City, CA)

We are sad to report another taser-related killing in America. This time it happened in Crescent City, CA on June 22, 2010. Two unidentified Del Norte County sheriff's deputies shot 35-year old Daniel Sylvester with their taser. Sylvester was handcuffed and had trouble breathing. Sylvester was given CPR at the scene and in the emergency room at Sutter Coast Hospital, but he could not be revived. Sylvester was pronounced dead by emergency room staff.

The Sheriff's office came to Sylvester's home as a result of a 911 call that described him as a man with a history of psychological problems who was “out of control”. The reporting party said that he or she and the other residents were scared and had left.

Sylvester's mother tells a different story [SOURCE].

Elaine Sylvester -- who said she witnessed Daniel Sylvester's exchange with deputies -- said the accounts by Del Norte Sheriff's Office officials in the local paper are not at all what she saw.

Elaine Sylvester says that Daniel Sylvester had mental health problems and that his medication had recently been changed. On June 22, he was acting frustrated, she said, and began yelling. Elaine Sylvester said that she and others in the house left, and that she tried to reach mental health workers, but the department was not open at 6:30 a.m.

Elaine said she called 911 and told the dispatcher that she was concerned for Daniel's well-being, but that he was not a threat to anyone else.

”I wasn't at any time afraid he was going to hurt me,” Elaine Sylvester said. “I just wanted someone to calm him down.”

Elaine Sylvester said she met the responding officers down the street and reiterated the message, and said there was no one else in the home. When the deputies got to the house, Daniel Sylvester was in the front yard near the door, she said. When officers tried to talk with him, Elaine Sylvester said, her son said they were scaring him and to go away. He backed into the house and tried to close the door, Elaine Sylvester said, and the officers followed him inside, where they began to taser him.

For hours she didn't know whether her son was dead or alive, she said.

It seems that the police used poor judgement. The young man was not armed. He was not in attack mode ... he seems to have been retreating back to his home. Was it really necessary for this pre-judicial electrocution by the unidentified police officers?

Please let our blog know if you have any additional insights or information to share on this taser-related death.

Good News Tuesday: Cheryl Terry, BDPA Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution

Cheryl Terry (Wells Fargo Bank) is one of the winners of the 2010 Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution presented by National BDPA and WorkplaceDiversity.com.

BDPA Epsilon Awards recognize individual achievement by technologists who are nominated by BDPA chapters or corporate sponsors.

Nominees for the Epsilon Outstanding Technical Contribution Award are presented to individuals who perform technological functions and have designed, managed, developed, or assisted in the development of a product, service, system, or intellectual property that is a substantial achievement. The nominee’s work is the prime consideration, regardless of title or degrees earned.

Cheryl Terry is a systems architect who ensures availability and security of several of Wells Fargo’s most business-critical systems in the mainframe and midrange environments. For the past two years, she has served as Chief Systems Architect for the Mainframe Resiliency Program and achieved many successes around enhancing Wells Fargo’s mainframe environments, helping to ensure that her customers can transact business with the bank when and how they choose. Additional standout accomplishments: Cheryl authored a Living Target Architecture document for Wells Fargo’s mainframe groups and implemented an online wiki that has fostered collaboration across these groups and serves as a fully searchable online reference book complete with cross-links and diagrams.

The Electronic Village congratulates Cheryl Terry on her 2010 Epsilon Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution. I hope that many villagers check out career opportunity at Wells Fargo Bank!

I look forward to networking with Cheryl Terry at the 32nd annual BDPA Technology Conference.

Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre (2010)

"Iceland makes what I believe is their first horror flick... and they obviously came to represent"

Harpoon: Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre
Sub-Genre- Slasher/Icelandic Horror

Cast Members of Note- Pihla Viitala, Terrence Anderson, Miranda Hennessy, and Leatherface himself, Gunnar Hansen.

What's it About?- Leatherface is now a retired movie maniac, and spends his white haired days captaining a boat that offers whale watching tours in Iceland. These days, he's all silver haired and wise looking, and seems as if he's left his murderous past behind. Good for him!

Gunnar!
With Leatherface's boat full of tourists from a bunch of different nations, they set out on an idyllic trip to find some of natures most majestic mammals, and watch them. Instead they find a crazy, inbred Icelandic family (led by a guy that looks suspiciously like crab boat Captain Phil Harris) that hates Greenpeace and whales, and really seem to enjoy killing tree-hugging hippies/tourists. Especially the tree hugging American hippie/tourists.

Phil Harris?
I won't spoil what happens next here, mainly because it's a slasher and there isn't much to spoil, but suffice it to say that once it hits the fan, shit get's seriously frigging crazy aboard the death boat. Iceland could be re-named "Bloodland" and it would somehow be fitting after this movie.

Ouch.
The Good- Had this been an American horror film, I think my overall verdict would be something along the lines of "meh." It's fairly simple, a bit slow to start, and really brings nothing new to the horror table. But... for a country that has produced less than 100 films in their entire history as a nation, Iceland has managed to come up with a pretty good horror flick.

It's a bit choppy and awkward throughout, and most of the plot elements and characters were borrowed from other genre movies (TCM, Wrong Turn, etc...), but it was bloody enough and fun enough to make me happy in the end. There's even a part that made me laugh pretty hard; be on the lookout for the "I'll be right back, don't you move!" scene involving the rapist deckhand... Oh no he didn't! Oh yes he did, and I LOL'd. Hard.

It's also of note to mention that horror legend Gunnar Hansen (TCM's original Leatherface), makes an appearance in this movie as the tour boat Captain. I never realized he was from Iceland, but it was a neat little surprise to see him show up in this one.

... and random lesbian snogging is always a bonus, no?
The Bad- One of the film's killers reminded me a lot of the late, great Captain Phil Harris from the Discovery Channel show, Deadliest Catch. A great show and a great guy, this movie just made me think about him and his recent death, and it bummed me out a little.

R.I.P. Capt. Phil. Thanks for being awesome.

The Downright Horrendous- I just knew there couldn't be a horror flick with a gay, black hero that didn't involve some sort of racist B.S. going on... even in Iceland the man is always there to keep a brotha down! All I'm sayin' is if I ever go on a creepy boat trip through the waters of Iceland, I'm bringing a gay black dude with me... because he took care of business!

"Sorry baby, you ain't my type."
The Gory- The gore factor in this movie is pretty high, as we get all sorts of nastiness including, but not limited to; vomit, eye violence, throat slashing, impalement, axe violence, exploding heads, blood body paint, people burning alive, rape, and yes, we do get some pretty awesome harpoon violence! The kind you mount on a boat, not carry.

Oh yeah, that's the good stuff.
The Naked- There's a fair amount of nudity and some sexual situations in this movie, but almost all of it involves near-rape. Once scene at the beginning was nice, but the rest was just downright creepy. Nothing fun here.

What did we learn?- People in Iceland hate whales. They seem to hate American Hippies too. Also, never fuck with the quiet Asian chick, or she will teach you a harsh lesson.

The Master Says- B- (7.0/10) For many of you, this will be your average run of the mill slasher, albeit set in an interesting locale. For the rest of you, this will be a bloody, disturbing, fun, hell of an effort by a country that basically has no history when it comes to making horror flicks. The beginning lagged a bit, but once the "massacre" begins, it was a fun ride that didn't make a ton of sense, but delivered the goods. Not bad Iceland. Not bad at all.

Final Thoughts- She's in this.

We cant pronounce your name, Pihla Viitala, but that doesn't mean we don't love you.

America I AM: The African American Imprint Comes to Cincinnati Museum Center

America I AM: The African American Imprint
Presented by: Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
Saturday, June 19, 2010 - Sunday, January 2, 2011

American's other story features artifacts collected from every period of U.S. history, including texts, religious items, music, narrations and media conveying a journey rom struggle to triumph. Discover five centuries of African American history. It's the American story, like it's never been told before, through more than 250 rare and stunning artifacts from all over the globe. The Cincinnati exhibition will also include the Cincinnati Black Brigade Flag; artifacts from Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin; and rededicated Spirit Gallery, showcasing the African American church in Cincinnati.






Price
$12.50

Order & Box Office Information
Box Office: (513) 283-7000
http://www.cincymuseum.org/

Venue
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
1301 Western Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45203
http://www.cincymuseum.org/

Maybe the best movie title ever...

Sure, it may be crude, but how can you not love the title (and premise) of this movie? Take a second, and say it out loud: Big Tits Zombie. Now let it settle for a moment, and then say it again. See what I mean?

I'm thinking Tokyo Gore Police meets Zombie Strippers here, and I am intrigued. When we get a copy of the DVD, we will be happy campers.

OURstory: Black Brigade of Cincinnati

I have lived in greater Cincinnati area since the mid-1990s.  I'm sad to report that I never heard of the Black Cincinnati Brigade until this week.  I wonder if the public schools in Cincinnati and its surrounding suburbs are sharing information about the Cincinnati Black Brigades with our young 'uns.   Probably not.   I hope that the young 'uns and the public school history teachers in Cincinnati read this blog post!

The Cincinnati Black Brigade was the first Black unit with military purpose in the Civil War as described in this 34-page document about Cincinnati Black Brigade created in 1864.

Following the success of Confederate forces in eastern Kentucky and General John Hunt Morgan 's raids there in 1862, Cincinnatians believed that Southern invasion was imminent. Anxious officials ordered Cincinnati citizens to form home guards, but Black men willing to volunteer were rebuffed when they attempted to join a defense force. Instead, police serving as provost guards rounded up many and marched them by bayonet to build fortifications in Kentucky. Reacting to the shameful treatment of the Blacks eager to support the Union, the commander of the Department of Ohio dispatched Major General Lewis Wallace to command the civilians and to liberate Black men forced into service.

Judge William Martin Dickson, who favored enlisting Black soldiers in the Union Army, assumed command of the brigade, composed of 1,000 African American volunteers determined to fight to end slavery. From September 2-20, they cleared forests and built military roads, rifle pits, and fortifications. Receiving deserved praise for their labor, the unit disbanded when the Confederate forces no longer imperiled the city. Members of the Cincinnati Black Brigade later fought with the 127th Ohio Voluntary Infantry and other Black regiments.

The Ohio Historical Society will share the original Cincinnati Black Brigade flag for display in the Civil War gallery of the America I AM: The African American Imprint exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center on June 19, 2010 thru January 2, 2011. This is an important Cincinnati story that needs to be shared with all residents in the greater Cincinnati area.

Did you know that plans are underway for a monument in Riverfront Park to honor the Black Brigade?

Did you already know about the Black Cincinnati Brigade?   Migs Hackett, 15, researched, wrote and produced an award-winning documentary [see her 9-minute video] on the Black Brigade of Cincinnati.

Anyhow, I hope that more of us talk about OURstory. Our young 'uns need to learn about Black history 365 days of the year ... not just in February!

Succes 2010: Aerosmith, The Bad Boys from Boston

Aerosmith este o formație de hard rock americană supranumită Băieții cei răi din Boston (conform originalului "The Bad Boys from Boston", dar și Cea mai mare trupă muzicală de rock and roll a Americii (conform, "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band").

Formația a fost fondată în orașul Boston, Massachusetts în 1970. Chitaristul Joe Perry și basistul Tom Hamilton, care făcuseră parte anterior dintr-o formație numită The Jam Band, s-au unit cu solistul Steven Tyler, toboșarul Joey Kramer și chitaristul solo Ray Tabano, pentru a forma Aerosmith. În 1971, Tabano a fost înlocuit cu Brad Whitford, iar ceea ce a urmat, a fost istorie... a muzicii rock.