John McCain: Economic Disaster

Am I the only villager who is scared to death of having John McCain and Sarah Palin in charge of the political decisions impacting on the American economy? We will see what Sarah Palin has to say about the economy in her upcoming debate later this week.

We already have some history on John McCain's judgement regarding the economy. Check out this video:





McCain stopped his campaign last week in order to broker a deal on the Wall Street bailout. He took credit for the deal during his campaign speech on Monday morning in Columbus OH. Then the deal was defeated. Where does he stand now?

What Do You Watch on Television?

What do you watch on television? I figure that most folks that venture through our village are doing so with the television on in the background. That is how I do it. It made me wonder what people are watching on television nowadays.

For example, I've never seen more than 15 minutes of the show, Heroes. I figure since the I missed the first season there is no point in catching up.

I'm very happy that NCIS is back on with original episodes. NCIS can be seen in syndication on one of the cable stations. I realized today as I watched the season premiere via 'free episode' feature of CBS.com that I don't have a clue what happened to the Black female character who was on awhile ago. Any villager remember the super-clean, super-persnickity sista? It turned out that she has a brother who is in a coma from an Iraq bomb ... but, I haven't seen her recently. Where did she go?

I'm also happy to see that The Unit is back on with original episodes. They killed off the brother that was in The Unit last year. It seems that he is being replaced by a woman. The season premiere brought the action back home with terroist attacks on the president, vice-president, president-elect and vice-president-elect. Add to that the fact that Mac now knows that his wife was sleeping with his boss. It is going to get interesting this season for any villager that is a fan of The Unit.

A show that I'm watching for the first time is House. It is on cable syndication. I was able to see the pilot episode and a number of episodes since then. House is a truly unique character. And it's nice to see Omar Epps with a regular gig as well. Any villagers watching House nowadays?

Anyhow, I wanted to take a break in the midst of the financial upheaval and presidential politics to see what you watch on television. Care to share?

(Th)ink by Keith Knight: Whatever Works

Dragging Death of Black Man in Paris TX

Paris, TX is back in the news. Villagers remember Shaquanda Cotton was unjustly sentenced in Paris, TX in a manner that was racially-charged. Now we learn that the Paris law enforcement officials are covering up a dragging death of a Black man ... similar to the infamous James Byrd Jr. dragging death in another part of Texas over 10 years ago.

Brandon McLelland was found on the side of a road outside Paris on September 16th. Family members were told he was hit by a vehicle and dragged 60-feet. Officials said the vehicle fled the scene.

But the 24-year-old's body was dismembered and that leads relatives to believe whatever happened was intentional. "The back of his head was split about this wide," Jacqueline explained motioning with her hand. "And right here over his heart was a spot about as big as my hand."

We learn today that two white men have been charged with his murder. Charles Crostley and Shannon Finley were with Brandon the night he died. The vicious nature of the death alone has a number of people convinced it was a hate crime.

Jacqueline McLelland worries that authorities will avoid investigating her son's death as hate crime, because of bad publicity and the town's racial history. "I feel like if a lot of people hadn't have been listening and paying attention to what was going on maybe they would have just swept this under the rug."

Jacqueline says nobody's child should have to suffer and go through what her son did before he died. I agree with her. I wonder when the people of Jasper TX will take these racially charged incidents seriously?

Blog Safari #13

Every week or so I like to take you for long walks outside of our Electronic Village. We call it our 'Blog Safari'. I hope you enjoy these blog post referrals:

• BlogHer - Anyone Remember Uncanny 2005 TV show “Commander in Chief” - Did It Predict Palin?


• Blog of Hilarity - The 11 Best Film Moments of Samuel L. Jackson Yelling


• Jack and Jill Politics - Chris Rock Tells the Truth


• The Harkness Report - The Nasty Politics of Racial Resentment


• What About Our Daughters - Reginald Whatshisname Forced Out at BET

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

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (.pdf)

UPDATE: The bill was defeated by House of Representatives. Stock market dropped 777 points. Methinks that we are in for a roller coaster ride with the economy.

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I invite all villagers to download or read the 106-page draft bill documenting the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. The formal name of this legislation is Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

Do you support passage of this legislation? Or would you vote against it?

Do You Support Philosophy of McCain or Obama?

ABC has an online test you can take to determine whether you agree with McCain or Obama the most. It will help some people learn about the issues and the campaign.

They don't tell you who made the statements, of course, but a statement made by each candidate on the same topic (economy, immigration, judiciary, etc.) will be side by side.

You just click on which statement you agree with and, after selecting all of 'em, you'll find out which candidate's philosophy you support.

Click here to take the test!

Are You Wearing a Feel Good Watch?

Not all villagers are impacted by the Wall Street Bailout. Some have done well in life and find themselves in position to collect or wear vintage and modern pre-owned wristwatches. In fact, this might be a good place to invest some of your money. These watches have become the hottest collectibles of the 21st Century.

Enthusiasts and collectors are willing to pay a lot of money to get these watches. In 1999, a Patek Philippe pocket watch was sold for astonishing $11 million.

You can use the Internet to trade or purchase vintage and modern pre-owned watches. Dealers and collectors collectors can communicate efficiently. One such dealer is Ira Schneider. He owns FeelGoodWatches located in Scottsdale AZ. Mr. Schneider has been buying and trading these watches for 30 years and established a very good reputation.

He has a remarkable collection of new arrivals and more established brands like the Breitling watches available for your review. Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Sohne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Breguet, and Audemars Piguet are some of the brands you will find on his website. However, he can obtain any brand for you, including Cartier, Breitling, TAG Heuer, Officine Panerai, Omega, Graham and Ulysse Nardin. They also consider all reasonable trades ... although, I'm fairly certain that the watch I'm wearing won't bring back much in trade!

I encourage all villagers to check out FeelGoodWatches. Even if we can't afford these men's or women's watches today ... it is always good to have a dream!

--==[ Sponsored Post ]==--

Am I Not Human? Bombing Darfur

Drumbeats from Amnesty International tell us that the Sudanese government used a Russian-made Antonov plane with the “UN” symbol on its wing to drop bombs on Darfur. This act shows that the Sudanese government does not intend to comply with the UN arms embargo. This is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and a clear example of why the current UN arms embargo needs to be expanded to cover all of Sudan.

Amnesty International issued its new report Blood at the Crossroads with accounts of Russian and Chinese weapons used to violate human rights in Darfur. In one case, the report describes Russian-supplied Mi-24 attack helicopters being delivered to the Sudanese government in 2006. Since then, the Sudanese government has used these helicopters in indiscriminate aerial attacks in Darfur.

It is undeniably clear that the current UN arms embargo cannot effectively restrain the arms flow into Darfur. At the same time, Sudanese armed opposition groups in Darfur are allegedly receiving their weapons from Chad. The innocent people of Darfur are left in the middle of this conflict.

With our encouragement, our Senator and Representatives can help stem the flow of weapons to Sudan. Senate Resolution 660 and House Resolution 1462 1) condemn the ongoing flow of weapons into Darfur and 2) call for an expansion of the UN arms embargo to cover all of Sudan. Leadership from the United States is necessary to signal to the rest of the world that ongoing violence in Darfur will not be tolerated.

Take action to stop the flow of weapons into Darfur.

John McCain Must Release His Health Records

John McCain has not yet released his medical records to the public. McCain is 72 years old, and has been diagnosed with invasive melanoma. In May of this year, a small group of selected reporters were allowed to review 1,173 pages of McCain's medical records that covered only the last eight years, and were allowed only three hours to do so. John McCain's health is an issue of profound importance.

We call on John McCain to issue a full, public disclosure of all of his medical records, available for the media and members of the general public to review.




Don't we deserve to know if John McCain is healthy enough to serve as our next President?

Oregon Campus Lynches Life-Size Figure of Barack Obama

We still have some in America who think that lynchings are a legitimate form of expression. Officials of a small Christian university say a life-size cardboard reproduction of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was hung from a tree on the campus, an act with racial undertones that outraged students and school leaders.

George Fox University President Robin Baker said a custodian discovered the effigy early Tuesday and removed it. University spokesman Rob Felton said that the commercially produced reproduction had been suspended from the branch of a tree with fishing line around the neck. In other words, someone on this campus thought it a good idea to lynch the Black man running for President.

Taped to the cardboard cutout of the Black senator from Illinois was a message targeting participants in Act Six, a scholarship program geared toward increasing the number of minority and low-income students at several Christian colleges, mostly in the Northwest.

The message read, "Act Six reject."

About 1,800 students are enrolled at the campus in Newberg, southwest of Portland. It also has centers in Portland, Salem and Boise.

The odd thing is that law enforcement says that even if they find the ones who did this ... it may not even be a crime. It seems that intimidation of voters and students should be a crime of some sort ... perhaps even a hate crime.

What say u?

What Politician Is In Touch With the People?

I jumped all over John McCain when he indicated that he is no longer in touch with the common citizen. One of the villagers asked the question, "What politician is in touch with the people?"

I always felt that Coleman Young stayed in touch with the people in Detroit during his time as mayor. He was regularly seen around town. He surrounded himself with some good people. He was unafraid to support Black people in a town that was majority-Black. He was unafraid to speak truth to power. Coleman Young was a politician that I think was in touch with the people.

I always felt that Bill Clinton was in touch with the people during his time as president. Even the mistakes that he made seemed to be mistakes that regular folks would make. I smile at the memories of him stopping in the local McDonalds for a Big Mac. He lost a little of his magic during the Democratic primaries this past year ... but, while in office as President, I felt that Bill Clinton was 'feeling our pain'. During times of national tragedgy ... like the bombing of the building in Oklahoma City ... President Clinton understood the pain being felt by all Americans.

Those are the two politicians that I think were in touch with the people.

I'm curious as to your answer to that question. Are there any politicians that you have known on local, state or national level that you felt were 'in touch' with the people? What say u?

Change the Debate

The first presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama takes place this week. I join with Media Matters and others in looking to 'change the debate' from the silliness that we saw during the debates in the primary season. Check out the following video as a reminder of debate questions that were unworthy of being used for POTUS candidates:




I encourage villagers to sign the online petition asking the moderators of the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential debates to do the right thing for the American public.

Hmmmm ... what is the question that you hope Obama or McCain are asked at the first debate later this week?

The Great Black Vote

Villagers, this is one of the most important national elections of our lifetime. Don't miss it. Please ensure that you are registered to vote!

Wordless Wednesday: Anti-Palin Rally

Read the full media story here.

Stay of Execution: Troy Davis

UPDATE: STAY OF EXECUTION!! The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed Troy Davis' execution until Monday, September 29. You can read more here.

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Troy Davis was scheduled to be executed by the state of Georgia on September 23, even though his serious claims of innocence have never been heard in court.

Take action right now to stop this execution!
Troy Davis was convicted of murder solely on the basis of witness testimony, and seven of the nine non-police witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony, several citing police coercion. Others have signed affidavits implicating one of the remaining two witnesses as the actual killer. But due to an increasingly restrictive appeals process, none of this new evidence has ever been heard in court.

On July 16, 2007, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles stayed Troy Davis’ execution, stating that it would “not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused". The failure of courts to hear the compelling evidence of innocence in this case means that massive doubts about Troy Davis’ guilt will remain unresolved.

This Week in Blackness: AP-Yahoo Says 'Race' Will Matter in This Election

The Brooklyn Comedy Company created their 6th installment of the series 'This Week in Blackness'. With a poll coming from the Associated Press and Yahoo, it seems that in the upcoming presidential race...er...'Race' will matter. Shocking! I know.





I shared my opinion of the AP-Yahoo poll a few days ago. In fact, I provided a link to the full 30-page polling document itself. Of course, my post on the topic wasn't as funny as the one shown above!

Has George Bush Done Anything Right as President?

Villagers, can you name anything right done by President George W. Bush? He is definitely the worst US president in my lifetime ... and he may be one of the worst in our nation's history. However, I'm reminded that even a stopped clock is right twice a day. So, I'm trying to figure out if there is anything that George W. Bush has done in the past 8 years for which we, as Americans, can be proud.

The only thing that I can come up with is the efforts on the behalf of the Bush Administration in support of dealing with the HIV/AIDS problem ... primarily in Africa.

I imagine that there is some other things that he has done for which America can be proud. Perhaps you can help me. What has George W. Bush done right as our president in your opinion?

Obama Economic Plan Provides Hope for Black Community

Barack Obama’s economic plan would help African American families regain some of the losses they’ve experienced during the Bush years.

Key among Obama’s plan, according to campaign officials, are plans to increase the threshold for the Earned Income Tax Credit, raise the minimum wage and end Bush’s tax cuts for corporations that send jobs overseas.

The economic woes that have gripped the nation run even deeper in the African American community. For example, the unemployment rate in America is 6.1% ... highest since 2003, however, unemployment for the Black community sits at a staggering 10.6%.

“We’re in the bottom of the boat, when the water comes in the bottom of the boat, we’re the first ones to notice, but it’s the whole ship that is sinking,” said William Spriggs, chair of the economics department at Howard University. “We cannot afford as a nation for this ship to take on any more water.”

Eric Mayes, NNPA
Click here for more…

John McCain Admits to Being 'Out of Touch'

Villagers, my election advice is simple. Believe your eyes! If a candidate tells you that, "It's easy for me to go to Washington and frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have." ... Believe him and vote accordingly!



Why would we elect another person like George W. Bush ... completely unaware of day-to-day issues and challenges ... as POTUS? Can we truly afford another four years of this nonsense in the White House?

This Week in Blackness: About White Privilege

Drumbeats from Baratunde Thurston informed us of a weekly video show, called This Week in Blackness, created by a brother named Elon James White. Most episodes are about 3 minutes long. Here is the current episode about 'white privilege'.



Every once in awhile you have to laugh to keep from crying!

Military Cover-Up of Darris Dawson Murder?

Drumbeats from PurpleZoe pointed us to disturbing news that Army Staff Sgt. Darris J. Dawson and another soldier were killed in Iraq this week. Thousands have been killed in the fighting of the Iraq War, however, these killings have a twist...

...Another U.S. soldier is being held in connection with killings.

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Darris Dawson, and Sergeant Wesley Durbin are reported to have been shot and killed earlier this month on a U.S. military base south of Baghdad ... not in combat, but while on an Army base.

The Pentagon is not giving any answers publically or privately to the family. The family of Sgt. Dawson is seeking an attorney to find out details of the tragedy ... and in fact, to find the location of his body. It should be noted that Sgt. Dawson leaves behind a wife and four young children.

The Pentagon's initial description of Dawson's death read, "A multi-national division center soldier died this morning of non-combat related causes. The cause of death is under investigation."

We have seen how the military is dealing with the death of LaVena Johnson. I hope that we aren't having a repeat performance in this case.

You can get more details on this case HERE.

Free Levi Johnson * America's #1 Political Prisoner

Drumbeats from Bill Maher urging us to 'Free Levi'...



What say u?

Sunday Inspiration: From Where Should We Expect To Hear...

... God's answers to our prayers?

Why do so many feel God does not respond to theirs as He seemingly does to those of others? Are we listening, looking in the wrong places? The answer to these questions ~ much simpler than we might think! ~ lies in the fact we must first believe Jesus, who said ...

John 14:15-20 - "15 If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans -- I will come to you. 19 In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."

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"THE STILL, SMALL 'VOICE'"
1 Samuel 3:1-10
1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel was serving the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had just gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly, the LORD called out, "Samuel! Samuel!" "Yes?" Samuel replied. "What is it?"

5 He jumped up and ran to Eli. "Here I am. What do you need?" "I didn't call you," Eli replied. "Go on back to bed." So he did.

6 Then the LORD called out again, "Samuel!" Again Samuel jumped up and ran to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you need?" "I didn't call you, my son," Eli said. "Go on back to bed."

7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. 8 So now the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel jumped up and ran to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you need?"

Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, "Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, `Yes, LORD, your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went back to bed. 10 And the LORD came and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel replied, "Yes, your servant is listening"

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1 Kings 19:11-12
"11 Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the
mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper."

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The Bible says that God "spoke" to certain of His people -- Moses, Elijah, Abraham, Samuel ... Does that mean His voice was actually audible, that one could hear it with the ear?

Some of the deepest experiences we have are the most difficult to describe or put into words. Of course God spoke to Samuel -- but being a Spirit, he probably spoke to Samuel as The Spirit -- but it was strong enough to awaken him three times.

For us, perhaps God's voice could be described as the strange urging or pressure, a heaviness or restlessness which makes us suddenly stop as we become acutely aware that God is communicating with us. Perhaps you have been awakened in the night, your entire being alert, awake. You have felt a deep urgency to pray -- and you pray until a peace comes. This is real -- just as the spirit within us is real.

And just as we can sharpen our physical senses to such a high degree, so we can sharpen our spiritual sense so we can hear God's voice. Practice listening for Him ... let your spirit move as He wills it to. We are never too young nor too old to know it.

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Prayer: God, I know that You still do speak to your people today, but somehow it seems harder to hear You; knowing there are so many people to listen to. Help me to seek out Thy "still" voice in my heart and to obey it quickly. Amen

40% of White Americans Have Negative View of African Americans

I used to worry about how race would impact on Barack Obama's chances of being elected. If a recent AP/Yahoo poll is to be believed, I need to worry about how race impacts on my personal opportunity for success in America.

40 percent of all white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward Blacks. This poll wasn't limited to rednecks ... this was your average everyday white man or woman that pass by us in restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, little league baseball stands and commuter driving.

Let me repeat that statistic for those that didn't read it right the first time: 40 percent of all white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward Blacks.

I'm not making this ish up! You can download or read the full poll here.

We have had studies with horrible conclusions like this in the past. However, I remember how glad I felt earlier this year when Barack Obama asked us all to engage in a more honest discussion about race. Do you remember his speech in Philadelphia?

You would think they would hold negative view of bankers or mortgage lenders since those are the causing all the confusion in the nation recently. I can see if they had such a high negative view of OJ Simpson. But, c'mon America -- 2-out-of-every-5 white people are looking at me with negative mindset before we even meet?

If you told me this poll was taken in 1948 or 1958 or 1968 or 1978 ... maybe I would see how it could be that way .... but, brothers and sisters ... this is 2008! We are 45 days from electing a Black man to be President of the United States ... and 40% of the white folks in America are still thinking of Blacks as 'lazy', 'violent' and 'irresponsible'.

One political scientist who examined the polling results concluded, "There are a lot fewer bigots than there were 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean there's only a few bigots."

Not all whites are prejudiced. Indeed, more whites say good things about Blacks than say bad things, the poll shows. But, you can't get around the fact that the next five white folks I see ... it is likely that two of them are thinking negative thoughts about me as a Black man in America.

I'm convinced that I need to redouble my efforts to ensure that my children have a healthy dose of self-worth and self-love.

Parents, we cannot let our children be defined by other people ... because 40% of white people will define us in a negative manner. We must continually self-validate our worth as citizens. We cannot rely on the mass media. We cannot rely on the public education system. We cannot rely on our colleagues or our clients. We must pump up our own self-conscious system with positive affirmations. We must define ourself.

Personally, I need to go get a dose of 'kugichagulia' to do battle with the daily grind of interaction with those 40% of the white population that harbor negative thoughts about me due strictly to the color of my skin.

This poll tells me that less than 1 in 6 white Republicans feel that Blacks in school are 'intelligent'.

Some will remind me that White folks have been saying that we are less intelligent for many years. Recently, a Pulitzer Prize winner said it.

Villagers, it feels different this time. My two youngest go to school here in suburbs of Cincinnati. Our congressional representative is Republican. It is fair to say that I live in a community that is majority Republican. Is it unfair for me to worry that my young nubian children are facing an uphill battle if they enter into a school system where less than 1 in 6 white teachers or administrators feel that they are 'intelligent'.

I need some help Villagers! Talk me down! Tell me that I should not be as concerned by this poll as I am at the moment. The poll was designed to figure out why Obama isn't doing better in the presidential election polling. But, they speak to a much deeper issue and concern as it relates to race relations.

Talk me down! What say u?

Am I Not Human? eBook Series Discontinued

PurpleZoe has been the wind behind the sails of the monthly Am I Not Human? eBooks. There were others that sought to support her with regular information. However, we were unable to provide the volume of content necessary to keep the eBook series up & running. PZ wrote the following note to announced the ending of the eBook series:

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Greetings all *_^

This is a quick note to announce the discontinuance of the ebook series due to lack of content. It was hoped this could be provided to readers monthly, but there haven't been enough submissions, and it makes more sense to provide quality content over quantity.

The blog posts may also be less frequent during certain periods, but the commitment to posting in solidarity on the 27th of month for the 'Am I Not Human' campaign will continue. Your voice is very important. Please join us to remember our human siblings who are barely acknowledged by mainstream media on the 27th of every month.

If you have updates, tips, and are interested in joining our group of coordinators, feel free to drop a message here: rootsofhumanity@gmail.com or post them here in the comments.

Continue to shine
-PurpleZoe

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Here are the Am I Not Human? eBooks published over the course of the past few months:

1. April 2008
2. May 2008
3. June 2008
4. July 2008
5. August 2008

Our blog will continue to support the 'Am I Not Human?' campaign on the 27th of each month. In fact, I hope that other villagers who have blogs will make a commitment to blog about human rights abuses in Darfur, Tibet, Haiti or other places in the world.

Join The Roots of Humanity on the 27th of every month in asking the unified, persistent question that has the answers collectively needed, within it -- Am I Not Human?

We ask on behalf of our human siblings lacking in access to the most basic of communication tools, or barred from communication by their governments -- Am I Not Human?

Will you join us?

Every Day is Father's Day

Drumbeats from Springer's Journal pointed us to this video that honors fatherhood.






I am working hard to be the best father that I can be for my three young 'uns. Last month I shared with you a pledge for fathers. My father passed last year. My prayer is that he will continue to look down on me and be pleased with what he sees.

Many villagers do the right thing without comment or recognition. Some of us need to be reminded of life's priorities. We get our minds turned in many different directions and sometimes just need to be reminded about the importance of fatherhood.

Every day is father's day!

Education Accomplishments of Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin

Villagers, how often have we been told about the importance of education. Education is always a part of any resume used in hiring decisions. Perhaps we should examine the education resume for the four people asking us to hire them to be President and Vice-President.

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Barack Obama

• Occidental College - Two years
• Columbia University - B.A. Political science with a specialization in international relations.
• Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joe Biden

• University of Delaware - B.A. History
• University of Delaware - B.A. Political Science
• Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

John McCain

• United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Sarah Palin

• Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
• North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
• University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
• Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
• University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. Journalism

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What say u? If this is your company, which team would you hire?

Sarah Palin Supports Alaska Independence Party

I don't know if Sarah Palin was a member of the Alaska Independence Party. I do know that she and her husband seem real cozy with this crew. Check out this video:




Villagers, we need to take a close look at any political candidate that would support the Alaska Independence Party (AIP) founded by a man who said, "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." The same man, AIP founder Joe Vogler, also said, "[T]he fires of Hell are glaciers compared to my hate for the American government."

John McCain likes to claim that Republicans are the 'Party of Abraham Lincoln' ... yet, he placed a woman on his ticket who associates with a group that wants to secede from the Union. Ain't that what President Lincoln fought against with all of his heart and soul?

Finally, villagers, it is worth noting that Sarah Palin made time to greet the folks at this AIP conference, however, she couldn't find time to support or greet the folks at the Alaska Juneteenth celebration earlier this year. She finds time for white extremists, however, she can't find time for celebration of a Black cultural holiday. What does that say about her thoughts on diversity and equal opportunity for people of color in our nation?

Barack Obama: 'Plan for Change'

Not all villagers live in battleground states where this 2-minute ad is running. I'm interested in what you think of this 2-minute message from Barack Obama....

Wordless Wednesday: Smoking Room Ceiling

Carly Fiorina Assessment: Palin and McCain Are Not Ready for Primetime

I respected what Carly Fiorina did as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. It saddened me that her ethical difficulties resulted in her early resignation from that lofty corporate position. She landed a plum gig as economic advisor for John McCain. She's been up close and personal with him for most of the past year. She has been on the inside with Sarah Palin since her selection as the Republican VP candidate.

She knows Palin and McCain. And she doesn't think that either of them have what it takes to run her old company. Here are two clips taken earlier today:






Villagers, if his own economic advisor says that neither McCain nor Palin are suited to run a technology corporation like HP ... what sense would it make to elect them to run America? What say u?

John McCain: 'My Friends'

Karl Rove is a friend of John McCain. However, even Karl Rove is embarrassed by the dishonesty of the McCain campaign ads.

Personally, I think McCain doesn't understand the economic hurt that many of us feel when gas prices hover at $4/gallon and 6.1% unemployment rate (double that in the Black community) hits a five-year high and the stock market (including our 401(k) retirement funds) has largest loss since 9/11 attacks in 2001.

The problem might be that John McCain surrounds himself with friends who have the interests of their corporate clients at heart ... not the interests of villagers like you and me.



Obama is going after McCain's lobbyists, too. Yesterday he said, "If you think those lobbyists are working day and night for John McCain just to put themselves out of business, well I've got a bridge to sell you up in Alaska."

What say u? Does John McCain feel your pain or is he so tied up with lobbyists that he can no longer understand what is happening in America?

International POWER Magazine

Drumbeats from Idette Vaughan pointed us to the International P.O.W.E.R. Magazine. This is a personal development magazine focused on prayer, obedience, worship, edification and rebirth.

I was pleased to see that the entire magazine could be read online. I encourage villagers to check out the September 2008 issue.

Sarah Palin Buys Tanning Bed to Seek Nubian Skin Tone

Villagers, I have to admit that I never understood the point of tanning beds. After all, my melanin level was provided to me by God and my parents. However, it appears that many white people want their skin to be bronzed like their nubian neighbors. That seems to be the case for the Palin family.

Sarah Palin ... small-town mayor turned governor and 'hockey-mom' and Republican vice presidential candidate ... had a private $35,000 tanning bed installed in the Governor's Mansion in Juneau, Alaska.

The Narco News Bulletin first reported on the former beauty queen's penchant for a bronzed body. The tanning bed was installed last year when she first moved into the mansion.

McCain-Palin campaign is counting on Sarah Palin to appeal to small town Americans. I wonder how many small town Americans have a $35k tanning bed in their home?

I remember that John Edwards lost alot of his appeal when he got a $400 hair cut. Putting a tanning bed in her home should have the same effect on Palin.

And they have the nerve to call Obama an 'elitist'.

John McCain: 'Our Economy is Fundamentally Sound'

Dow Jones dropped over 500 points. Lehman Brothers, the 4th largest investment bank in the country, goes bankrupt. Merrill Lynch sells out. Gas prices in my town exploded over $4 per gallon today.

What does John McCain have to say on this remarkably horrible economic day? "Our economy, I think still—the fundamentals of our economy are strong." —John McCain, speaking on the morning of September 15

Villagers, I think that you should simply ask yourself a simple question. Are you better off today than you were 7 years ago when the Republicans took over Washington DC?

Then: Overall debt was $5.7 trillion.
Now: The National Debt is $9.5 Trillion!

Then: - A gallon of gas cost $1.56
Now: - A gallon of gas costs over $4.00

Then: - Federal budget surplus over $200 billion
Now: - FY-2008 federal deficit over $407 billion

Then: - Unemployment was 3.4%
Now: - Unemployment hits 5-year high, 6.1%

John McCain thinks that these economic numbers are fundamentally sound. Is it just me ... or is John McCain truly out of touch with the rest when it comes to the economy? Also, do you have any other examples of 'Then vs. Now' that come to your mind as you think about it?

Obama Ad: 'Honor'

Have you seen how dishonorable John McCain and his campaign have been over the past few weeks?

Palin's eBay Story: What Actually Happened

"That luxury jet that came with the office... I put it on eBay!"

It's one of Sarah Palin's favorite lines on the campaign trail, repeated with such frequency that it has already become a catchphrase of the general election. As Governor of Alaska, she rid the state of an unnecessary jet using a creative and cost-effective online measure.

What is left unmentioned is that Palin didn't come up with the idea to sell the plane using eBay in the first place. Moreover, because of the unique purchasing terms of the aircraft -- which required the state to make payments amounting to $20,000 per month even if the jet wasn't in use -- the decision not to hire a broker to help sell the property appears in hindsight to have been a costly mistake.

You can see the full media story here.

Sunday Inspiration: Don't Argue With Children

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal, its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah."

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him."

Racist 'Obama Waffles' Satire from Republican Value Voters

John McCain's supporters continue to use racial imagery to belittle Barack Obama. Is this what we can expect from John McCain and Sarah Palin over the remaining weeks of this campaign?



Is this parody what we can expect from white people in the Republican Party? If you can't win on issues that you belittle a decent man and his wife? Am I being oversensitive about issues such as this 'Obama Waffles' product?

Blog Safari #12

Sometimes it is difficult to comment or read all of the unique and interesting blog posts out in the afrosphere. That is why we use this 'Blog Safari' concept. I hope you enjoy these blog post referrals:

• Black Political Thought - Sarah Palin Attends Five Colleges in Six Years


• Keeping Up With The Huxtables - 'Death is Life' by Mekka Don...and Keeping Up's Interpretation


• LA Progressive - Is Palin Racist, Sexist, Vindictive and Mean?


• Latino Pundit - Ahead of the Curve


• Pam's House Blends - John McCain - Missing in Action in the Senate

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

John McCain is a Liar II

Villagers, I wonder how many times John McCain will resort to lies in his desperate effort to win the presidency? His so-called 'straight talk express' appears to be traveling a very crooked road.

Did you see him on The View earlier today? Check out this clip. Pay attention to the part where he claims Sarah Palin has taken earmarks as a mayor, but never as a governor:




John McCain is a liar.

Governor Palin ate up earmarks and lipsticked-stain pork like it was going out of style. As the Anchorage Daily News, among others, has reported, in Ms. Palin’s first year as governor, she requested 52 earmarks valued at $256 million, and this year, her office asked the Alaska delegation in Washington to help land 31 earmarks valued at $197 million. Also, Citizens Against Government Waste ranks Alaska as having received the “most pork per capita” of all states this year.

John McCain is a liar. Didn't we have enough lies from George W. Bush as he took us to war in Iraq under the false pretense of WMDs. Do we want another four years of having a liar in the Oval Office?

Twitter Grader * Where Do You Rank?

By simply entering your Twitter username into Twitter Grader. The site calculates your grade using a combination of factors including:

• The number of followers you have
• The power of this network of followers
• The pace of your updates
• The completeness of your profile
• …a few others

The top-ranked Twitter account is Barack Obama. My account is ranked in the 75th percentile. Where do you stand?

Sarah Palin and African Americans in Alaska

Villagers, my view is that character is measured by the things you do when nobody is looking. Do you wonder what vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was thinking about African Americans before she stepped onto the national stage?

The following is a statement from one of the Juneteenth Directors in Alaska:

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"As for Governor Sarah Palin's involvement in the African American community, the Governor's office hasn't participated in any of our Alaska Juneteenth Events. All previous Alaskan Governor's have traditionally attended and participated in our annual Juneteenth Celebration. Gov. Palin was the first governor not to send out a congratulatory letter or assist us in any way with our Juneteenth activities.

I didn't have the courtesy of receiving a reply when I asked for a representative from the Governor's office to come and speak at our Juneteenth Celebration if Governor Palin was unable to attend. I never even heard of Gov. Palin until she was elected Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, in Mat-Su Valley.

Governor Palin is a very energetic and spontaneous woman. With some of the things being said and going around this state right now, I'm surprised none of the national media have bothered to come here and get the words directly from the mouths of the people who have lived with her all of these years instead of 'surfing the net!'

My other opinion is why would an individual who, to my knowledge, has not hired any African Americans on her gubernatorial staff, insist so passionately on being on a television show owned and operated by an African American, Oprah Winfrey?

While meeting with Black leaders concerning the absence of any African Americans on her staff, Gov. Palin responded that she doesn't have to hire any Blacks and was not intending to hire any. What kind of attitude is this toward African American for who may be the first Vice-President of the United States?

I understand Oprah did have Senator Obama on her show a few times and was the main person raising funds for him "before" the presidency race was in full swing. However, the key point here is that it is Oprah's prerogative not be used as a pawn to tilt the vote one way or another. Oprah has stated repeatedly that she wasn't going to have one side or the other on her show by choice. I thought that was what the Civil Rights Movement was all about, a persons right to make their own choices. I guess this isn't a Democracy at all anymore."

Gwendolyn Alexander, President
African American Historical Society of Alaska
Alaska Juneteenth Celebration
P. O. Box 143105
Anchorage AK 99514
(907) 884-6860

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It is a little over two weeks since Sarah Palin was placed on the national ticket by the Republican Party. What is your take on her today?

Old School Friday: Klymaxx

Mrs. Grapevine is one of the creators of the Old School Friday meme. She announced that the theme this week is 'Girl Groups'. My mind went immediately to a crew known as Klymaxx.

Klymaxx was an all-female band formed in 1979 by producer/drummer Bernadette Cooper, guitarist Cheryl Cooley and keyboard player Lynn Malsby. The original lead vocalists were Lorena Porter Shelby and Joyce "Fenderella" Irby, who later left for a solo career. In 1990, the group became a trio, with Shelby, guitarist Cheryl Cooley, and keyboardist Robbin Grider.


'The Men All Pause'

Klymaxx - The Men All Pause sélectionné dans Musique et Clips

'I Miss You'

John McCain is a Liar

Do you remember the story of the Emperor who wore no clothes? He lied to his kingdom and they ignored their own eyes and went with the lie.

That is how I feel about John McCain. He continues to distort and lie about his record and about the record of his opponent. McCain lies to the American people and hopes that we will ignore our own eyes. He hopes that we will buy his lies and vote him into the White House.

I challenge all villagers to do what the little girl did in that story. She believed her own eyes and candidly pointed out to everyone, 'The Emperor has no clothes!'. This election is too important for America to let it be stolen. Villagers, it's time to step up and candidly point out to everyone, 'John McCain is a liar'.

Here is the video evidence:




That's my view. What say u?

New AfroSpear Member: Ask This Black Woman

I am very pleased to see Kym Platt, another powerful Black female blogger, joining The AfroSpear. Kym created her blog, Ask This Black Woman (BBR #560), in August 2006.

When asked about the purpose of The AfroSpear, she wrote, "To create a community of Black bloggers." When asked how her blog would contribute to that mission, she wrote, "By being an engaged, active, and conscientious Black blogger."

Kym posts often about politics and bi-racial identity issues. Her recent post on the 'Happy Mulatto' combined both interests and is a recommended read for all villagers.

National Enquirer: Sarah Palin's Love Affair

UPDATE: National Enquirer's latest revelations about Palin family.

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Iya suggested that it is not good form to post information about the personal life of Sarah Palin on my blog. Of course, it was not good form for Sarah Palin to talk little about her plans for dealing with economic issues that dominate America's future during her convention speech instead of denigrating Barack Obama (and community organizers).

With apologies to Iya, it is being reported by the National Enquirer that Sarah Palin had an affair with her husband Todd Palin’s business partner.

The McCain campaign has vigorously denied the National Enquirer report. McCain campaign spokesman said,

"The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Governor Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie," said Mr Schmidt.

"The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it."

The National Enquirer has a reputation for digging dirt on politicians' lives. Villagers may recall that the magazine insisted that Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was having an extramarital affair and had had a child with his lover, while his wife was ill with breast cancer.

The allegations were denied for months until the National Enquirer finally published photos of the duo meeting in a hotel in Los Angeles.

The National Enquirer responded to McCain Campaign as follows:

"The National Enquirer's coverage of a vicious war within Sarah Palin's extended family includes several newsworthy revelations, including the resulting incredible charge of an affair plus details of family strife when the Governor's daughter revealed her pregnancy. Following our John Edwards' exclusives, our political reporting has obviously proven to be more detail-oriented than the McCain campaign's vetting process. Despite the McCain camp's attempts to control press coverage they find unfavorable, The Enquirer will continue to pursue news on both sides of the political spectrum."

I recall that many Republicans were upset with folks for ignoring the story of Edwards' affair. How can these same Republicans justify asking everyone to hush up the story of possible Palin love affair?

What say u?

America's Double Standard

- If you are biracial and born in a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs darn near 2 years and 3 major speeches to "get to know you."

- If you're white and from a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs 36 minutes and 38 seconds worth of an acceptance speech to know you're "one of us."

- If you get 18 million people to vote for you in a national presidential primary, you're a "phoney."

- Get 100,000+ people to vote you governor of the 47th most populous state in the Union, you're "well loved."

- If your pastor rails against inequality in the United States of America, you're an "extremist."

- If your pastor welcomes a sermon by a member of Jews for Jesus who preaches that the killing of Jews by terrorists is a lesson to Jews that they must convert to Christianity, you're a "fundamentalist."

- If you give your wife dap on stage, it's actually a "terrorist fist jab."

- If your daughter licks her palm so that she can slick down your youngest child's hair on national TV it's an "adorable moment." (Seriously, forget about abstinence only, teach these folks some grooming skills).

- If you're 18, white, and get a 16 year old girl pregnant "life happens."

- If you're 18,Black, and impregnate a 16 year old girl, you're a "registered sex offender."

- If you're a Black man and you use a scholarship to get into college, then work your way up to being the president of the Harvard Law Review, you're "uppity."

- If you're a conservative and your parents pay your way to Hawaii Pacific University . . . you only have four more schools to attend over the next five years before you somehow manage to graduate (it might be five more schools over the next five years. No one has yet verified whether or not Palin was actually ever registered at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. But, you know how shady people are who ever attended any kind of school in Hawaii).

- If you spend 18 months building a campaign around the theme of "Change," it's just "empty rhetoric."

- If one week before your party's national convention you SUDDENLY make your candidacy about "Change," that's "red meat."

- If you're a minority and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "token hire."
- If you're a conservative and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "game changer."

- If you live in an Urban area and you get a girl pregnant you're a "baby daddy."
- If you're the same in Alaska you're a "teen father." (Actually, according to your own MySpace page you're an F'n redneck that don't want any kids, but that's too long a phrase for the evil liberal media to take out of context and flog morning noon and night).

- Black teen pregnancies? A "crisis" in black America.
- White teen pregnancies? A "blessed event."

- If you grow up in Hawaii you're "exotic."
- Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential "American story."

- Similarly, if you name you kid Barack you're "unpatriotic."
- Name your kid Track, you're "colorful."

- If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fulling vetting the individual you're "reckless."
- A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a "maverick."

- If you say that for the "first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country" it makes you "unfit" to be First Lady.
- If you are a registered member of a fringe political group that advocates secession that makes you "First Dude."

- A DUI from twenty years ago is "old news."
- A speech given without proper citation from twenty years ago is "relevant information."

- And, finally, if you're a man and you decide to run for office despite your wife's reoccurrence of cancer you're a "questionable spouse."
- If you're a woman and you decide to run for office despite having five kids including a newborn with Downs Syndrome… Well, we don't know what that is 'cause THAT'S NOT A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK!

~courtesy of The Huffington Post