Alright, now

I'm back to posting for this short in-between semester break and will try to continue throughout the summer when possible.  First thing first, my personal life...single again but by choice.  Couldn't deal with the idiot I dated for over a year so it had to cease and desist.  Secondly, I'm doing good academically with a 4.0 graduate-level GPA, so hopefully I'll continue this trend until the end, next year.  Third, what the hell is wrong with some people in south of the Greater Birmingham region in Alabama?  I swear this region is like the abyss for intelligence outside of these college campuses.  I've met 5 people non-affiliated with the university I attend for graduate school, Auburn University, and only 2 of them have shown any ability to hold my attention beyond 5 minutes.  Now I know why people don't deal with this region...

Anyways, on the societal issues.  Yeah, Birmingham (and Tuscaloosa but to me all of it is Birmingham since it's all one urbanized region) got hit hard by the April 27th tornado outbreak.  It turned out the tornado outbreak was quantitatively larger and deadlier than the Super Outbreak of 1974, but it is debated on the strength comparison.  I just know I was in the middle of finals when this outbreak occurred on that now historical Wednesday stuck doing presentations and examinations throughout the day.  It along with the April 16th tornado outbreak in North Carolina has shown Alabama and the world that nature still has plans under its sleeves for our increasingly belligerently ignorant and divisive society.  Raleigh and Birmingham will be dealing with the aftermath of these significant weather phenomena for the next few years.

On politics, I swear the aversive racists have shown their asses literally.  First, President Obama listens and folds to Front Lace Wig aka Donald the Chump over his birth certificate, and there was no merits to the bullshit claims.  Then, he takes out Usama bin Laden and the racists keeps adding flames to the fire by whining about seeing his body.  Then the brigade of assholes on the GOP ticket running for the presidency is laughable from Newt "I'm a whore" Gingrich to Mitch Romney.  The idiocy begins and this time it's racial.

Some urban planning and development stuff to chew on

OK, who thought it was A'OK for the municipality of Hoover to propose an ideal to convert the former 3-level Macy's at Riverchase Galleria mall into a convention/events center with stage theater?  The project is now on hold, but they wanted to turn the 285,000 square foot space into a public space.

Here's the pros and cons of the project according to Hoover municipal officials:

• -- The Galleria is one of the largest malls in the state/region and has helped enhance recognition of Hoover.
• -- There is a relatively large number of restaurants and retail businesses surrounding the mall and throughout the city.
• -- There's a perception of safety and convenience with parking and accessibility.
• -- Relative to its size, Hoover offers a large number of hotels.
Weaknesses included:
• -- Hoover has a limited perception as a convention destination, and the city is viewed by some non-locals as a "suburb with a big mall."
• -- The city lacks a traditional downtown and/or central business district with a density of visitor amenities and entertainment options.
• -- There are a number of potentially competitive event venues in the greater local marketplace.
• -- The city is inland, versus on a coast.

Last time I remember, Hoover is the middle of the socially and fiscally conservative territory, where "socialist" initiatives like that to a minimum or non-existent (remember how you guys didn't even want a measly bus line in your community?).  Now they want to overstep on partial owners General Growth Properties and Jim Wilson to turn their largest vacant space in their shopping center into a "public entity"?  Now the GGP and Jim Wilson  is very actively pursuing finding a replacement for the space that was to become a Nordstrom but thanks to GGP screw up it failed.  LOL  Hoover, you guys kill me because your community has low-range to mid-range hotels aside from the Wynfrey Hotel at Riverchase itself, and that is 1 upper-tier hotel.  Then there is the lack of downtown or central portion of the community to designate as a "downtown".  You are a suburb of Birmingham and that is all Hoover will ever be because its development patterns are incompatible with "hub status" of the region.

My alma mater, the University of Alabama at Birmingham aka UAB, has finally made up their minds on the design and scope of what they are going to place on the corner of 10th Avenue South & 13th Street South.  It's going to become a visual arts center with classrooms, essentially replacing the nearly 40-year-old George Wallace Humanities Building on the 13th Street of the UAB campus.  At the moment, the corner is a parking lot for the engineering buildings and Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts, home of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.  Also UAB, has committed to finally placing an on-campus stadium for the UAB Blazers football and soccer teams at 6th Avenue South and 12th Street South.  It will seat 25,000 to 30,000 and will have a large plaza adjacent to the stadium for tailgating.  The stadium is a part of a measure will be presented to the University of Alabama system trustees for approval soon.  The new master plan  also calls for new access roads lining Interstate 65, a new science complex on University Boulevard and 18th Street South, and the eventual elimination of much of the street parking on campus, which would be replaced by parking decks.  Score 2 for UAB and its decision to make some major moves and attempting to produce more dense and coherent development flowing with the urban core of Birmingham this past week.

Interesting things that have occurred with Virginia

Since the passage of DADT repeal through both houses of Congress, there was a little stir amongst one of the Virginia many GOP delegates.  This one with the name, Bob Marshall, from Prince William County, which is apart of the Metro Washington area of Northern Virginia, is drafting a bill for the regular session of Virginia General Assembly to enforce a state ban on any LGBT members of the Virginia National Guard.  However, this one snag to his plan, the Virginia National Guard is 95% federally funded, so how exactly does Mr. Marshall plan on funding something like if the violate federal law?

I mean this is a recession, and many states are still cash-strapped or deep in the red, but whom how legislating social policy is more important than common sense?

YEAH, OK....***EYE ROLL***

Meanwhile, I'm awaiting for Virginia AG Cuccinelli to come out the gate with some bull that will say it's legit and then the federal court will overturn the stupid law then they all whine the feds are trying to take over everything again, and scene.  It's like a melodramatic act in a play seen all too many times.

(links courtesy of the Washington Post)

Another party switcher in Texas

I'm continuing my series of post-election Democrat-to-Republican party switchers across the South.  Today's state of choice is Texas!  Yeah Texas, you guys are apart of the South, LOL!  Anyways, on to more serious business.  On Wednesday, a Hispanic American Democrat, Aaron Peña, of Texas's 40th house district, decided to jump ship and join the GOP super-majority in the Texas State House.  The kicker is this dude is representative from Hidalago County, i.e. "Rio Grande Valley" of South Texas also known as the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area, which has a solid non-white majority and very Democratically oriented politically.  Peña should know his political career is dead-on-arrival after this term and the treachery of switching parties after an election where he was elected as a member of one party then switch.  Oh yeah, Alan Ritter, a white Democrat turned Republican, of Texas' 21st house district switched as well on the same day, but his district is considered a "toss-up" politically speaking since it's not as diverse and of the average Southern demographics (if you know what I mean) in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area of Southeast Texas.  


I have to say the optimism in politics is at an all-time high at the moment...


(h/t to Burnt Orange and Mean Rachel) 

Who in the hell still steals copper?

Copper is practically worthless these days after the market drop in late 2007 (because let's be honest take into account the price of gas to travel to where it is and a place to sale it then it is worthless).  Meanwhile, the late thieves in Alabama (where it seems 90% of everything is way behind the curve) are still attempting to steal copper to make a quick buck.  This morning in downtown Birmingham, where the city's Christmas tree was standing in Linn Park was burned down by a couple of these late copper stealing morons.

According to the Birmingham News, the thieves attempted to melt the plastic from the copper to extract the metal to sale by dousing the tree in gasoline and set a small fire.  The idiots also set the tree on fire and burned the majority of the tree lower portion resulting in being taken to the city recycling center to be made into mulch.

It's a damn shame after Birmingham has already suffered through another election of another member of the status quo group, continued plunging of city population, the ongoing battle to handle a deficit, and now this.  Birmingham really needs a break...SIGH!

UPDATE: The local urban adult contemporary radio station WBHK, "98.7 Kiss FM" has decided to step in and help replace the city's tree.  They had the tree delivered to Linn Park around 3PM this afternoon, and other surrounding cities are offering up extra ornaments that have storage to the city of Birmingham to decorate the new tree.  There is a tree lighting ceremony planned for 9AM Thursday morning.

However, on a personal note, it still doesn't change my feelings about the boring ass Kiss FM.  Birmingham should have a station more like V-103 in Atlanta as its leader and community-oriented urban station.

Tom Cuccinelli is at it again, but this time causing problems involving the enforcement of healh care reform in Virginia

Virginia's controversial, foolish attorney general, Tom Cuccinelli, has gotten his wish of repealing the enforcement of some of the Federal Affordable Care Act.  The portion in particular is the mandate of requiring citizens to buy some form of health insurance.  The U.S. District Court Judge, Henry E. Hudson, known for his conservative stances and dabbling in anti-healthcare reform lobbying as well, ruled today that portion of the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional.

"Neither the Supreme Court nor any federal circuit court of appeals has extended Commerce Clause powers to compel an individual to involuntarily enter the stream of commerce by purchasing a commodity in the private market," he wrote. "In doing so, enactment of the [individual mandate] exceeds the Commerce Clause powers vested in Congress under Article I [of the Constitution.]"

The kicker is why this justice ruled in Cuccinelli's favor was because the Republican-dominated Virginia General Assembly passed a state law prohibiting any type of mandate against requiring a health insurance for citizens.  (Of course, the same logic could be drawn from the mandating of certain states requiring drivers to have automobile insurance, but that another conversation).  Cuccinelli feels embolden now since he got his way and even Virginia Republican Congressman Eric Cantor want to even have the case sent directly to the SCOTUS (U.S. Supreme Court).  Oh yeah, the mandate isn't exactly unenforceable because it will be still be allowed while its going through the appeals process.

However, this whole situation is first shot of the GOP and anti-healthcare reform sycophants to strip this delicately constructed law allowing many whom couldn't receive health care including many of my fellow Gen-Y peers as well as those whom are over the poverty line but can't afford it either (also known as the "in-between").   Oh yeah, let me not forget about the other 20 states including Alabama and Georgia, stirring the pot on this law.  This whole fiasco is another reason why anyone with common sense should be against this craziness rather than promoting it...

NPR fired Juan Williams ***YAWN***

I am so over the talk about National Public Radio (NPR) terminating Juan Williams position as a political commentator for their organization.  He opened his mouth and said something quite derogatory towards Muslim Americans, and he paid the piper with his job.  If I had a job as a political commentator with organization A and then went on a national news network or propaganda organization (You Decide, hint, hint) and said that all the white people involved in the T.E.A. twats gatherings made me uneasy because I know they are aversive racists then I got terminated from organization A.  Well, I would deserve it, period.  I wasn't being an objective commentator on politics anymore because I felt the need to explain my personal feelings and insulted an already controversial group on national television.  Clearly it's a conflict of interest as NPR ombudsmen Alicia C. Shepard elaborated in her column on Williams' termination.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, and rest of the vindication for their bullshit crowd are harping about stripping the federal funding from NPR because of this.  Yet, NPR receives less than 2% of funding from the federal government.  This is a textbook example of hypocrisy on the part of the socially conservative and narrow-minded faction that exists in this nation.  Nobody was saying a peep about the antics of the commentators of the mostly socially regressive Clear Channel syndicated talk radio shows or NewsCorp (FOX's parent company) founder and CEO Rupert Murdoch donating millions to the Republican Governors Association.  Instead, it's oh so convenient to pick and choose their controversies and battles of "objectivity".

Now, NPR might appear a little left leaning, but that's because most of the time they do objective reporting of most major news stories that occur regardless of political ideological stances.  If that is considered "liberal" or "left-leaning" then I guess the assumption of the "liberal mainstream media" does exist. (only in the minds of the paranoid and eurocentric oriented social conservative individuals)...

The gifts that the Alabama Education Association (AEA) has brought to us

The Alabama Education Association (AEA) has basically sabotaged anything remotely progressive (or on that matter, rational) for Alabama for the next 4 years.  There are basically 2 morons running for governor, and anyone with a spark of knowledge about politics knows that it's usually this way.  However, the caught is that AEA has funded both of their campaigns by spreading lies about their primary opponents and using political action committees (PACs) to do it.  We all know the narrative about how the idiot known as Ron Sparks wind up on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket.  This time around, I'll tell the tale about how the ornery dermatologist from Tuscaloosa, Robert Bentley, wind up on the Republican ticket. 

Apparently, AEA and Stan Pate, a major Alabama real estate development from Tuscaloosa, got into cohorts with one another to spread lies via 9 different PACs against primary opponent, Bradley Byrne.  The PACs all swore they represented "conservative Alabamians" and such.  Meanwhile, all of their addresses were P.O. Boxes that were owned by AEA members or the organization itself.  The whole scheme wreaked of fraud and underhanded campaigning on the part of the AEA.  This led to the run-off between Byrne and Bentley where the PACs continued their spreading of misinformation.  This type of scam occurred on the Democratic ticket as well along with the help of Joe Reed and his sycophantic org, the ADC (Alabama Democratic Coalition) along with the pseudo-progressive black org, the ANSC (Alabama New South Coalition) against Artur Davis.  

Now the majority of Alabamians are having "buyers remorse" before the election because they finally realizing that were played like Nintendo by the AEA.  The AEA is a fraudulent organization that doesn't represent anything but status quo these days.  If they stood for integrity they would have helped Alabama secure funds for the the federal education improvement programmed created by President Obama instead of fighting against it all because it would allow state-administered charter schools.  They would have been fought tooth-and-nail to improve adequate funding for school districts in places like the Black Belt, rural South Alabama, where there are schools where there are no texts available for their students.  The AEA is another symptom of the shit that plagues Alabama and should be treated the same way other lobbyists are treated, with a long-handle spoon...

What did I miss?

I guess back in the Greater Birmingham area, there has been the continual battle amongst Jefferson County Commissioners over the 2011 general budget.  It's mostly been over whether or not they should allocate funds to open the Bessemer branch of county jail and paying the federally-appointed receiver a $1 million annual salary for the overseeing of the sewer debt.  We also have to throw in the future of the existence of the occupational tax administered on all incomes generated from Jefferson County.  Cruella de Ville, Jim Carns, and George Bowman voted to do neither, but sooner than later they will have to do these tasks...

Also suburban Bessemer voters has ousted two-term mayor Ed May from office on October 5th for Kenneth Gully.  I guess the incident of firing the Bessemer city clerk the night before the election was the straw that broke the camel's back...

Meanwhile, the Alabama legislators and lobbyists that went down over stalling the regular session in the spring over the gambling bill vote has cause all the leadership and their sycophants of the ADP (the Alabama Democratic Party for outsiders) to call foul over the case.  Many are claiming this is partisan and an "October Surprise" to ruin any chances of the idiot on the Democratic side of the gubernatorial ticket, Ron Sparks, of winning come November 2nd.  (Oh hell, oh well.  They brought that shit on themselves because those assholes in that damn party do right by Artur Davis then will continue to suffer from a bitch named "karma".  In the words of Cadillac Kimberly, "They all need to hold hands and kiss his muthafuckin' ass..."

I'm just plain blank staring at this mess because it's just aggravating watching this mess occur here.

If we didn't already know, Joe Reed is a JACKASS!

It just seems like that splaboo doesn't spare any clockwork when he proves to the entire world along with the entire the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) that he is one.  Instead of having some dignity and showing that he isn't a pompous egregious bigot about race (and sexuality), NO!!!!  He had to prove that he likes to be all about race and direct representation of it.

In the curious case of the replacement of Kenya Lavender Marshall, a lawyer whom was suppose to be the Democratic nominee for the Jefferson County Circuit Court seat come November (since there is no Republican competition), whom wind up disqualified and disbarred for using clients funds for personal usage.  The Alabama State Democratic Executive Committee had to appoint a replacement in time for the August 27th deadline, which is 45 days after the run-off.  Meanwhile, where comes the mighty splaboo, Joe Reed, to sweep in with his usual brand of down-home splabuvian ignorance that has been recorded time and time again on this blog.  Instead of appoint the runner-up in the Democratic race, Nicole Stills, the ASDEC (lead by that splaboo) appoints Elisabeth French, some random lawyer whom happens to be black, to the seat because Reed wants a black person to represent since a black woman won over a white woman (Stills).

If we have learned anything from all this crap is that playing racial politics in the South never bodes well for anybody especially progressives.  Reed is so ignorant and pathetic because all this type of buffoonery is going to lead to is destruction.  It's like Reed wakes up in the morning and says, "I wonder how in the world can I screw up the possibility of Alabama ever getting a decent black politician elected from a statewide office?"

I'm too through with this crap and the ADP because they gave him the keys to its destruction when they let his racially bigoted ass into the executive committee nearly 4 decades ago...

The only upside to this story is that the Alabama New South Coalition (ANSC) and the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC called out this foolishness.

One year, and so...

Now back to regular posting.  Today on the other side of the Sunbelt, a federal judge repealed California's Proposition 8 that banned same-sex unions and such, so congrats to them (for now because you know THEY are going to repeal to the SCOTUS)...

It's another one of those cases where you have to give those in the Democratic establishment in Georgia the side-eye.  This time it's Roy Barnes, whom deliberately avoided being seen near President Obama in Atlanta on Monday when he was there for Disabled Veterans organization speech and Democratic National Convention fundraiser (all in the same hotel, Hyatt Regency Atlanta in downtown).  That's what I call a "nod and wink" stunt to the black Democrats, whom he went all out the way to court up until 3 weeks after he won the Democratic gubernatorial primary...

In the Greater Birmingham area, an young, black Democratic nominee for circuit judge position of Jefferson County, Kenya Lavender Marshall,  might be disbarred by the Alabama State Bar for using clients compensation for personal use.  UH OH, HOT DOG!  That's has to be one of the DUMBEST things I've seen person do when they are running for a judicial position when it requires prudence and discernment to do the job...

Oh yeah, black Democratic Congress members Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters ought to be ashamed of themselves for being SO DAMN STUPID.  I mean allegations of taking money and using it for their own personal usage and now both face ethics violations when they know they are up for reelection in 3 months.   I don't care how progressive you too maybe on key social issues, you have to be DUMBEST DEMOCRATS in the current sitting Congress, plain and simple.  Once again you see another Southern (white) Democrat pretending to be too busy worried what some rural (white) people will think of them rather than just showing their face for a few minutes with the president...PATHETIC!

LESSON TO ALL BLACK DEMOCRATS: DON'T GIVE OTHERS A REASON TO GET YOU WHEN YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY WILL THOSE OUT THEM WANTING TO GET YOU!  YOU WILL GET GOT!

When will this sh*t end????

This ongoing propaganda war that the racially aversive, predominately white, social conservatives are attempting to wage on those with conscientious lore of our society.  Now there is a new twist to the tit for tat of the past 2 weeks, and this time it to place their aim at Shirley Sherrod's husband, civil rights activist, Charles Sherrod.  Now this video from him speaking at the University of Virginia questioning if he is "racist" according to the aforementioned latter group in the first sentence.  Let's not forget the proverbial question of how did Shirley Sherrod wind up working for the same organization that her family with others filed a class action lawsuit (and later won) against.

I'm beyond TIRED of this convoluted attempt to diverse the attention from what has been occurring in this nation for centuries and the institutionalized bias and impediments for non-whites for decades for economic empowerment or quality of life.  They need to stop trying to beat a damn dead horse because it's getting to a point of absurdity as those whom seem to be reaching for ANYTHING to cling to yet refuse to address the elephant in the room, institutionalized racism...

GEEZ!!!

What's up with electronic bingo in Alabama?

I mean honestly, what the hell is up with this?  I mean it has turned into a biggest game of cluster fucking in my lifetime.  It just seems like there is more political "gotcha" on the side of Alabama outgoing Republican governor Bob Riley's part than anything else.  Now I'm not saying the proponents of such shroud are innocent either considering the likes of Milton McGregor along with a cornucopia of politicos that flat out deserve the side-eye whom is associated with these such interests.  However, the true victims of this is the citizens who rely on the these establishments as forms of gainful employment in these economically horrible times.

Just Friday, Alabama House Rep. John Rogers of Birmingham wants to file a voters' rights complaint in the federal docket against Riley and the Alabama Supreme Court.  According to the Tuscaloosa News, this is on the basis since the voters of the Greene County, Alabama, where the GreenTrack Race Course and gaming facility is located, ratified in 2003 an Alabama constitutional amendment allowing "electronic bingo" operations within their county's boundaries.  This is conflicting with the Alabama law explicitly prohibiting gambling, but the state constitution has over 840 amendments and dates back to 1901.  In other words, it is a convoluted, legally contradictorily document.  Regardless, Alabama citizens allow this to continue to be their state charter because they feel that if anything changes then it will allow "special interests" and "lobbyists" to take over the operations of the state.  REALITY CHECK: Special interest and lobbyists already run the state capitol in Montgomery.

The involvement of the Alabama Black Caucus doesn't really help the situation considering many of them are albatrosses on the necks of the those advocating the passage of the such pro-gambling legislation.  (Anyone who reads my blog or follows me on Left in Alabama knows why the Alabama Black Caucus is a joke).  The piss-poor attempt via a pro electronic bingo bill in this years regular session of the Alabama State Legislature came to a screeching halt following the federal probe in April.  According to the Birmingham News, a number of state legislators from both the Alabama Senate and House where informed of the investigation, but given few details until the official questioning occurred.  The bill died in the final days of the session left not voted upon by Alabama Senate in late May. 

Economically speaking Alabama is more fucked probably more so than most other Southern states.  Alabama's citizenry still does commute long distances to far-flung places for employment due to the lack of variety of jobs outside of the major urban areas.  Its black citizenry is especially fucked because outside of the cities pretty much most of them live in the Black Belt, which is a very economically depressed region.

This is just a bizarre situation and reminiscent of why I'm so leaving this state because there are too many things wrong with this place and no enough intelligent individuals to push progress further here.

Another chapter in black politics (actually just social issues): THE BOONDOCKS

Yeah, just by the way this post sounds somebody will read it and roll their eyes almost immediately.  However, the Aaron McGruder-created series is quite realistic in a satirical and parodist manner about how society is.  I've been a fan since the beginning, but isn't exactly a fan of the overt usage of the n-word though understand the context of its usage.  

The Boondocks speaks upon many things that black and white Americans does in such a foolish manner yet doesn't realize how crazy it is from another perspective.  In particular, the ongoing theme of the show's first 2 seasons were racial issues involving black and white Americans in suburban areas.  You would have the already established white citizens living in that area then the influx of non-whites into the neighborhood with the sudden suspicion that there is "unwanted elements" arriving.  Interestingly enough, those non-white formerly "new arrivals" become suspicious of more non-white new arrivals to that same neighborhood they were just looked down upon because of their difference in lifestyles.  It's just a vicious circle, yet McGruder exploits this for the world to see in his now-defunct comic strip and current TV series.  

McGruder ridicules the ostentation nature of intimacy involving interracial relationships such as the character "Tom", who epitomizes the idea of an "uncle tom".  "Tom" has a white wife, who is wild for any good looking black male.  The point of the satirical representation whom is "Tom" isn't interracial relationships itself rather the idea that being in one removes one from the issues involving race in our society.  That's far from the fact because there are many situations where "Tom" would fall back into the web of issues associated with being black although he has an interracial familiar unit.

Another thing, McGruder exploits in particular in the second season of his series is hip-hop and its surrounding urban culture.  He focuses on  obsession with the hip-hop and urban culture by suburban whites.  McGruder shows that although these youths listen to and attempt to imitate such cultural icons and quirks (although most are only figments of fantasy and exaggerated by the media), they don't suffer the consequences of their actions as would black when they exercise such behavior.  He made quite clear that although these youths are truly aren't malevolent in intent with their actions, they can get away with these antics.

In addition, McGruder focus on the hypocrisy within the hip-hop on homosexual behavior.  He points that out with a rapper in the series who denied to the very end that he wasn't engaging in homosexual behavior although it was proven time and time again.  It goes to show that some will engage in such behavior and still live in denial.  He also satirizes the foolishness of some rappers like 50 Cent, Fabolous, Busta Rhymes, and such on the glorification of being shot various times and obtaining "street cred" from such incidents.

The current season of the TV series parodies the bandwagon effects of black Americans.  He pointed out with the election of sitting president Barack Obama, many blacks felt that was a "game changer" in the state of race relations and the idea of "one of us" in the White House.  However, the storyline revealed this to be far from the truth with the notion that 2 of the main characters were rejected access to the inauguration and following festivities.  Another character, Huey, knew from the beginning this was far from the fact, but it was displayed that his ambivalence was "outsider behavior" and "treasonist" in nature by many black characters in the episode.  Now this isn't saying that all black people have group mentality, but it is obvious that many exhibit such even in my past postings. 

The most recent controversies the series has pointed out is the foolishness of now Viacom-owned BET.  The BET network executives pushed to have the 2 episodes ("The Hunger Strike, "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show") satirizing the network's poor representation of modern black culture.  The parodies of the network was quite accurate since there is practically no news, public affairs, or informational programming in its line-up since Viacom acquisition in 1999.

The most recent stir-up is the recent episode "Pause", where McGruder satirize the plays of Tyler Perry and his "Madea" character, and consistent message of the works.  He also exploited the alleged culture that exists behind the scenes with Tyler Perry's professional and personal life.  This includes the exploit of Perry being a closeted homosexual who uses his religion and usage of Jesus to deflect the discussion of his personal life while furthering the allowance of homophobia amongst black religious circles.  There are a number of works by Perry where he has ridiculed LGBTs, particularly black males in his plays and films.  Especially while in character as "Madea" mentioned black LGBT males as "tambourine players", but the irony is "Madea" is black male dress in women's clothing also "drag" himself.  

According to the Los Angeles Times, Perry apparently is furious with Turner Broadcasting, who owns the Cartoon Network and ironically parent company of TBS where he airs his 2 sitcoms.  The execs at the network are now trying to coddle Perry to keep him from possibly pulling his shows off the TBS network.  However, Perry knows other networks would give him the time or day with his corny ass shows though.  Most critics (including myself) sees most works of Perry as examples of the sanctimonious nature of some black folks,

To sum it up, the Boondocks depicts the issues surrounding the black people and to certain extent society itself...

Birmingham city council's pattern of blaming the businesses instead the true problems

One thing I have noticed about the Birmingham City Council regardless of whom is sitting on it, is its level of ineptitude of on problem finding and solving especially when it comes to night clubs and bars.  First, in 2008, lead by then mayor Larry Langford, the Birmingham City Council pushed to have Banana Joe's night club closed via revocation of its liquor license after the shooting which led to the death of 21 year old by an underage teen.  Last year, Langford urged the City Council to have Club Zen shuttered on Morris Avenue in downtown after a Bessemer resident stabbed a club patron there.  Now on June 29th, the City Council moves to have the Continental ballroom and night club shuttered after allegations of complaints from police officers (not citizens) although there hasn't been any major incidents there in months.

It seems like to me that the Birmingham City Council is a pool of idiots more than they are a board of legislative representatives of the city.  You don't blame the business owners for the problems of the patrons when it clearly an issue that is nearly impossible to totally prevent.  You don't see in Atlanta governmental entities pushing to shutter every club or nightspot that has an incident occurs because they know that it is nearly impossible to remove that element from society only control it.  However, Birmingham has a pattern of shooting itself in the foot economically while attempting to claim to improve along the way.  NOT!!!! 

My advice is you know there will ALWAYS be a "hood club" in every city, but the business owners of these establishments should realize what type of cliente they are catering to while attempting to keep the potential of criminal activity to a minimum. 

On the other hand, this is the same entity that wants to vote fund $10,000 for the "Thunder on the Mountain" fireworks display over Red Mountain after the lead organizers said that is seeing a shortfall due to lack of sponsors.  This all the while Birmingham is facing a major budgetary shortfall themselves guaranteeing a 30% pay cut for civil protection such as police and firefighters.  SMH!

Links courtesy of the Birmingham News and al.com.

The Epic battle between Terri Sewell versus Shelia Smoot

 

Well, the sides have been defined and it seems that the battle to claim the helm of the Democratic nomination for Alabama's 7th congressional district seat.  Jefferson County commissioner and former WBRC "FOX6" consumer affairs reporter, Shelia Smoot, has made her amends to grab the endorsements of the black political interest group Alabama Democratic Caucus (ADC) aka "Joe Reed & Co." along with the Alabama Education Association (AEA) also co-headed by Reed and Paul Hubbard.  According to the Birmingham News, Smoot also has received the endorsements from South Carolina congressman and Democratic House Whip James Clyburne along with Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson.  Whereas, attorney and womens' rights activist Terri Sewell has lined up the endorsements from feminist interest group Emily's List, equal pay advocate Lily Ledbetter,  Alabama black interest group New South Coalition (headed by Alabama State Senator Hank Saunders), and amount of unofficial support from labor unions.

The lines have been drawn who supports whom, but the real question is who's the better candidate for Congress?  I can speak on this personally since I live in the district.  It's Terri Sewell.  She has clearly defined herself as a social progressive that stands on the right side of gay rights issues, women's rights, economic development, health care reform, equal pay for both genders, and financial reform.  Meanwhile, Shelia Smoot has been mired with baggage like Erykah Badu's song "Bag Lady".  Smoot has been on the Jefferson County Commission since 2002, and since then they have soared in bond debt from county-owed sewer system (and bond swaps administered by former county commission president Larry Langford), sued numerous times over personnel quips involving Smoot, and let's not forget when Jeffco couldn't even make payroll where Smoot along with the other commissioners with the exception of Bobby Humphryes refused to take a paycut.  

I'm absolutely loving Sewell's haters like RedEye on her little double-dutch short bus blog (this is same fool whom I've had to shut down numerous times on Left in Alabama for being so damn irrational and illogical while debating ).  I love this line:

"Sheila Smoot has street creds, which may be why she has so called "negative baggage". Anytime you are active in the community you will have favorable and unfavorable opinions."

First of all, it's "street cred", there is no "s" on "cred" (***EYE ROLL***), but I had to laugh at this fool because this person is another one of those retards that I talk about constantly suffering from delusions of misinformation and impropriety.  How in the hell does she have "street creds"  when all she has ever done is worked as a news station report and now a county commissioner that shows up at events so that her face is seen.  REALITY CHECK: Smoot's going to be unemployed without a full-time job for the first time in 8 years after December and needs this gig in Congress as an income.  She hasn't been that good of a commissioner considering she knew about state law that requires the posting of commission meetings minutes and county documents, but didn't even attempted to do it until the Birmingham News exposed her and the rest of the commission.

Then there is Smoot's shill on Left in Alabama, gradyw, whom was officially outed by one of the blog's moderators after constantly be relentlessly basing accusations about Sewell while blatantly omitting Smoot's baggage.

Yeah, it's pretty obvious along with that Sewell is the wiser choice since she isn't baggage ridden as Smoot.  Then all one has to look at the endorsements of the Reed & Co. and AEA to make continue to second guess on Smoot's candidacy.  I'm shaking my head at James Clyburne, but then yet doesn't he have his own state's Democratic party's foolishness to worry about?  Also I don't care at all for the New South Coalition aka "Saunders & Co.", but if it will get Sewell elected over Smoot then so be it...

This is the guy holding the Democratic nomination for South Carolina's U.S. Senate seat?

The information about that buffoon, Alvin Greene, keeps a coming.  He has proven to me to be the dumbest, most bizarre, and apparently a reprehensible individual.  The woman behind the allegations and case of Greene's felony obscenity charges, Camille McCoy, has spoken out in the past week to the Summerville Journal Scene newspaper in Summerville, South Carolina.  Guess what, McCoy is a white woman...oh, how typical of an idiotic minded fool like Alvin Greene...UGH! 

She had just sat down at one of the computer stations when an older black man, dressed as though he might be a repairman or custodian, sat down at the computer station next to her. She had noticed him when she had first entered the room, but had quickly forgotten about him as she concentrated on her work.


But then he started to become invasive — leaning toward her, talking close, trying to start conversations with her.
At first, Camille said she tried to politely ignore him. After all, the guy seemed more annoying than dangerous.
“To me, he seemed slow, “ she said. “He obviously wasn’t a student.”
Then he asked her if she liked football. When she offhandedly replied that she did, he told her to check out what was on his computer.
What was on his screen, however, was not football.
“It was porn – black on white pornography,” she said. “He scrolled through several pictures. I immediately told him that was offensive and he needed to leave. He laughed at me and said, ‘let’s go to your room.’”

WOW, WOW, WOW!  Greene is obviously something else, but this is what the voters of the Democratic U.S. Senatorial primary voted for the nomination...

Then there is the interview from a former fellow servicemen who knew Greene while in the military with Gawker:

Could you tell me a bit about your time working with Greene?


During the first couple of weeks of working with him, myself and most everyone else noticed that he wasn't all there mentally. Whenever he was given a simple task such as filling a temporary hand receipt it would never get done, mainly because he didn't know how to fill one out. And this is the most fundamental part of the job.
He also didn't show much interest in being a soldier. For instance, he was asked to do maintenance on the M249. This system is a little more complex than the regular service rifle. When it came to Greene's turn he was able to take the weapon apart but didn't know where to start when it came to put it back together. He showed no interest in learning and would mumble under his breath about not wanting to do it. So after a couple of months of trying and not getting anywhere, people just made sure he was where he was supposed to be and in the correct uniform. He would just basically come to work and stare at the wall till it was time for lunch and then do the same till it was time to go home for the day. The platoon sergeant tried to get him to go see a doctor for help but he would never seek help.


There have also been questions about his mental state, and whether he is mentally fit to serve. Frankly, judging from his interviews he doesn't seem to be all there.


What you see in his interviews is what we had to deal with. People have been saying he acts that way because he is nervous, but it's not true. He has a difficult time communicating and really doesn't enjoy people asking him personal questions. I noticed when he mumbles incoherently it means he is agitated.
But I think he is a smart person. I asked him why he didn't go to Officers Candidate School since he has a bachelors degree [from the University of South Carolina] and he answered, "Why would I do that since that would require more work?" After he said that I realized what he was doing. He was being very lazy and working the system to get by. Even though it's obvious that he suffers from some kind of mental illness, I have worked with people that suffer from alcoholism to bipolarism and they would put more effort into what they did during their day to day life then he ever did.

This guy is an IDIOT, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.  However, it gets even better with the CNN Newsroom interview with Don Lemon from last week.  Even Don Lemon felt this interview was bizarre:



Honestly, I don't know what the fuck went on there, and the fact that the South Carolina Democratic Party wants him to repeal from the ballot says a lot about the constituency.  This is idiocy at its very worst, yet some of the dumbass posters on Jack & Jill Politics have the audicity to want to support and find this dumbass "inspiring" because he has a "D" behind his name.  Uh yeah, this is just another reason why I'm an independent because some Democratic bloggers have proven they have juju beads for brains...

Well, Obama agrees with me

Oh well to Peanuthead aka James Carville, his wife, and them...

***SHRUG***, another chapter in black politics

Well in the case of Alabama, polls have closed and it has been reaffirmed to me and others that something is inherently wrong with the political landscape.  I've relentlessly time and time again made it known that even as early as last fall that Artur Davis was damned if he did and damned if he didn't, but he didn't give himself much slack when decided to stay in Congress long after "jumping the shark" with getting President Barack Obama elected to office.

But this post isn't about Artur Davis so as it is about how schadenfreudean individuals across the internet and nationwide are gleeful at Davis' loss Tuesday.  His interpolation of progressive and moderate political stances did confuse many, aggravate some, and infuriated a few.  However, Roland Martin's pious interpretation of Davis' lack of attention to black media outlets like his show on TV One, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, or Joe Madison's Sirius/XM radio show as "arrogant as hell".  Roland Martin himself is an arrogant and homophobic, so he doesn't have room to even talk about anybody considering his grandiose delusion of being the "sociopolitical voice of the black community".  To other idiots like Rod McCollum proving yet again he doesn't know shit about Alabama other than what others tell him, where he dedicates an entire post to rehashing the same tired mantra and half-truths about Davis while giving his sycophants an attempt rejoice at Alabama's loss of its only real progressive gubernatorial candidates for sometime to come.  Finally, the duplicity of Jack & Jill Politics poster "rikyhah" proves that it doesn't know shit either when it comes to Alabama politics.  Alabama black folks didn't vote against him because of his lack "loyalty" rather the fact that there was a rather low turnout and most (like myself) where ambivalent about the whole race in general because the Alabama Democratic party operates.  NOTE TO THEM: Numbers, facts, and knowledge of the area's local media outlets are your friends not The New York Times, Politico, or The Huffington Post when it comes to having the incite to make an informed comment about anything.

Davis along with his campaign miscalculated the willingness of the moderate to progressive voting base within Alabama to go to the polls.  This is symptomatic of the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) lack of fortitude to move from being a post-Dixiecrat state party with black tokens to a modern Democratic National Convention state op where it's a big tent and a multitude of interest and individuals.  I've regurgitated over and over again a number of times why in this state it's so hap-hazardous for a southern state to allow black politicos to be elected to public office. Interesting, Josh Goodman of Governing magazine who summed it up quite accurately, "AL-Governor: Did the Voting Rights Act Doom Artur Davis?" , where he talked about how detrimental minority-majority districts have and can be for black politicians running for statewide offices in the South.  However, the barons of ignorance like Joe Reed & Co. aka "Alabama Democratic Coalition" and Hank Sanders and the Alabama New South Coalition are all against the removal of gerrymandered minority-majority districts where guarantees of black politicos are elected.   This does more of a disservice to those black voters in the long run than anything else since allows stalwarts of status quo want to maintain the racially pure mindset of politicians.

Kyle Whitmire summed it up in his commentary this past weekend on the site Second Front:

Sometimes you’re dealt a loser, and there’s no surviving no matter which cards you throw away and which ones you keep.

FYI, I don't care if Alabama and Mississippi are home to the most elected black politicians in their state legislatures in reference to their states' black population composition especially when it comes down to the fact in the case of Alabama nothing has essentially changed since the 1970s.  The next chapter will be about direct versus substantial representation, and why the curious case of Congressman Steven Cohen of Tennessee (D-Memphis) is probably going to be the best thing that ever happened to TN-09 congressional district.  Future chapters will be about black LGBT/SGLs and the relentlessly sanctimonious black community on progressive social issues along with a discussion on why The Boondocks exposes how stupid and retarded some black folks will carry on about anything.

Some black folks have brought this shit on themselves and it's about time somebody exposes it for what it is, fuckery.  Now I know why some black folks will run to the oddest places in the world just to escape the "black community", and these folks are probably most afrocentric individuals you would ever meet.

WOW, WOW, WOW!

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THAT I WAS A ONE-SIDED INDIVIDUAL, WELL I'M NOT!

Case and point, Bill Maher.  On Friday night on last week's installment of Real Time, he decided to make a pop shot at President Obama not being a "real black president".  He goes on a diatribe about how Obama should carry a gun under his shirt like a "real black person" and threaten to shot somebody in the foot at a meet with BP officials. 

"I thought when we elected a Black president, we were going to get a Black president. You know, this  is where I want a real black president. I want him in a meeting with the BP CEOs, you know, where he lifts up his shirt where you can see the gun in his pants [saying];
"'We've got a motherfu*king problem here?' Shoot somebody in the foot.

Now, that's the last fuckin' straw in my book.  Yeah, I'm about to go into rant mode...

Maher clearly has racial issues, and that's just scratching the surface.  He has gone on the record on a number of stereotyping black folks including the time where conscious rapper, activist, and actor Mos Def had to check him on his foolishness. Also there is Maher's habit with dating black women, but according to Karrine "Superhead" Steffans herself that he like to have ignorant, uneducated black women around that he can always argue down and degrade.  The irony of this statement alone is something for referencing again and again coming from Maher when he falls within this very demographic group on ABC's This Week back in April:



Yet, you make stereotypical statements about black people just a few weeks later.  Something is clearly up with this guy.  Just in March he made some blanket statement about Muslims, and caught a backlash for that.

The finally death-knell in my opinion is his arrogance towards religion.  Although I'm not a religious person (rather spiritual that prays every night to God) who has issues with a number of modern religious congregations, I don't deride people's ability to have faith in religion to maintain their sanity through tough times in their life.  Maher alleges that panelist is his friend, S.E. Cupp, yet he ridicules her for empathizing those who are religious and relies upon it for the aforementioned reasons.  

Bill Maher is an arrogant, racially biased asshole who has proven even to me that he needs to put up a sippy cup of STFU and gulp down a huge swallow of reality and self-evaluation.  Even if he does give fodder for liberals on socially conservatives' stupidity and I'll admit there have been the moments.  His lack of ability to write for himself and yeah that was proven during the writers guild strike of 2008 when his monologue was missing.  However, this guy is an asshole, plain and simple, and that's unforgivable.