Barack Obama: "A More Perfect Union"

March 18, 2008. Barack Obama speaks in Philadelphia, PA at Constitution Center, on matters not just of race and recent remarks about his association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but of the fundamental path by which America can work together to pursue a better future.

plez sez: finally!

i know that he could never win the democratic nomination by running as the "black candidate," so he had to run as just another us senator, but the undertones of his blackness have followed Obama nonetheless.

i love the fact that it is BARACK OBAMA who has taken the lead on discussing the "racial divide" in america... and what can be done to heal this thing that divides this nation along racial lines. i appreciate the fact that he is no longer running from being Black and in this speech has turned to face the ugliness that is racism in america.

thank you, BARACK OBAMA ... i pray that this country exhibits the wisdom to make this man our next PRESIDENT!

A Quarter of Teenage Girls Have an STD

The first national study of four common sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among girls and young women has found that one in four are infected with at least one of the diseases. The New York Times goes on to state that the number is closer to 50 percent of Black girls aged 14 to 19 years who have at least one of the diseases monitored in the study - human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis, a common parasite.

The two most common STDs among all study participants were HPV and chlamydia. Most of the girls would show very few symptoms of any of the diseases which increases the likelihood of continued transmission.

There are treatments for all of the diseases and the disease agency recommends the HPV vaccination for all women ages 11 to 26. The use of latex condoms is highly effective at preventing infection by chlamydia, trichomoniasis, HIV, gonorrhea, and hepatitis B. Condoms are less effective against genital herpes, syphilis, and HPV.

Read the entire New York Times article here.


plez sez: this was a very disturbing article in light of the fact that i have a young daughter. it appears that our society has become more permissive of the sexualization of our children at younger and younger ages. my daughter is only six years old, so imagine the shock when she came home from school one day and said that another little girl in her class said that my daughter was gay! we had her look up the word "gay" in her children's dictionary... one crisis averted, but how long will we be able to beat back the constant barrage of sexual content that is directed at children at such a young age? how can we protect her innocence until she makes it to her teenage years?

this feeds directly into my revulsion at hearing so many girls (and yes, teenagers are girls) are infected with sexually transmitted diseases! there has to be an equal number of boys (yes, teenagers are boys) who are infected, as well. some would say that i was a late bloomer, sexually, but even when i got started (in college), i always had condoms or made sure that my girlfriend was on "the pill". and back then, i only "messed" around with women who had the potential to eventually become my wife.

and it is no surprise that the Black community carries the biggest share of the infection rate (50 percent)! with single parent households in the Black community hovering around 70 percent, little boys and little girls are doubtlessly witnessing their mothers with a number of male sexual partners without the benefit of marriage or commitment... it is quite likely that each sibling can have a different faceless father! it is no wonder that they have carte blanche to practice unsafe sexual behaviors with numerous partners without any thought to commitment or monogamy. little boys see these men come and go as they please, using their mothers as little more than sexual hookups. little girls model their behavior on the transient and seemingly slut-like actions of their mothers. i grew up with a loving respect for Black women, because my father always provided for our family and always respected my mother!

i contend that we are watching (yes... the Revolution is being televised) the unraveling of our moral and social fabric. we can no longer tell our little girls that it is shameful to be sexually active with little boys... i guess there's a coolness factor in being a whore (well, that's what we called girls who screwed around when i was a child). and even though it was every boys dream to "get some", it was the morals of my society that said that it was wrong to "knock up" a girl or for a girl to get "knocked up". remember how outraged we were the Genarlow Wilson had gone to jail for having sex with a 15 year old girl? remember that Genarlow Wilson was one of four boys who had had sex with this girl on the same night. remember the outrage at him receiving a ten year sentence for having consensual sex with a 15 year old? as if a 15 year old girl can consent to having sex (oral and vaginal) with four teenage boys! i would bet that at least four of those participants have an STD.

the sad truth is that "abstinence education" will not work in a society that glorifies the sexualization of its children. britney spears's pregnant 16-year old sister (Jamie Lynn) had a show on the Disney channel... they're not making new shows, but "Zoey 101" has plenty of re-runs... imagine the horror of catching my daughter seeing that! when we go to the grocery store, they have "Zoey" on the cover of all of the checkout lane mags talking about her pregnancy. the most popular song of the summer was by some geeky looking teenager, rapping about "superman dat ho'"... i don't allow my daughter to do the superman dance nor listen to that insipid song! and the list goes on and on...

it is time for the entertainment industry to own up to the fact that whether they like it or not, they set the tenor of the norms in our society (would we be as repulsed today by the scene in "Peyton Place" when the audience finds out that Selena killed her stepfather because he was raping her? i think not!). let's have more "Hanna Montana" and less "Madonna"!

St. Patrick's Day

plezWorld is not Irish.

I have no idea who St. Patrick was... okay, you can click on the link and get a Wikipedia definition. But since early childhood, I've donned a touch of green on March 17th. And no, I won't be cruising the Milwaukee Beer District this afternoon looking for green beer!

I do suggest that you wander over to SullsBlog and Suldog to get a St. Patrick's Day fix!

On yesterday, I had a Springtime blog entry all setup on my Treo 680, but have been unable to upload it due to a change in my AT&T Internet service. BUMMER!

Spring Has Sprung in plezWorld

Picture courtesy of my Palm Treo 680

The wild daffodils in my yard have bloomed; therefore Spring has arrived.

We must enjoy because the long hot Summer is only a few months away.

Barack Obama & Rev. Wright & Religion

Rev. Jeremiah Wright is the Senior Pastor
of Barack Obama's Church in Chicago

The conservative blogger, Crunchy Con, has a long held belief that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright would evolve into a nagging issue for Barack Obama as the campaign progressed. His oft-inflammatory and borderline racist comments could not enhance the image of a guy who was trying to run a political race bereft of racial overtones with an eye to transformational politics. If you call a religious zealot your spiritual advisor, what does that say about you. Crunchy Con goes on to write:

I said that Jeremiah Wright was going to become a big issue for Barack Obama, but I didn't think it would happen so soon. With the release of this video, that time has probably arrived.

Politico describes Wright in this video as "deeply racially confrontational." Which might be an understatement. He rants and rails against "rich white people who run this country," demonizes white people, calls Jesus a "poor black man" oppressed by "Italians," says that Barack Obama "ain't privileged" -- this, even though Barack and Michelle Obama are Ivy-league grads in the top two percent of Americans in income. And so forth. This Wright is a clown.

While doing research for this blog entry, I find that the New York Times is reporting that Barack Obama has denounced the hate speech by his pastor and is taking steps to distance himself from Rev. Wright. He is quoted in the Times as writing the following at The Huffington Post,

"I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue."

Read the entire New York Times article here.

Read the entire blog post at The Huffington Post here.


plez sez: a man with a pen once wrote: "religion is the opiate of the masses" - okay, it was karl marx who wrote that passage in the 1840's... but the thought he was trying to convey still holds true: in our quest to explain the unexplainable, we find solace in our faith. as a presidential candidate in the united states, a candidate has to bend over backward to show that he/she is a god-fearing christian, but when you are bending over backwards with the likes of a buffoon, Obama would be better served to live up to the rumors that he's a muslim (i.e. get your opiates from another source)!

i'd hate to see the Obama Campaign get derailed on some B.S. spewed forth from a ranting lunatic, but that is exactly what will happen if he does not repudiate and move quickly to distance himself from this guy! Barack & Michelle Obama are Ivy League trained lawyers worth millions of dollars, he's one of only one hundred US Senators, and his campaign raised over $50 million last month: ummmm, the Obamas ain't missin' many meals... and they never have! trying to cast Obama as some poor little Black boy against the rich white Clintons just doesn't wash, no more than casting Jesus as the poor Black man being oppressed by the white Romans... step away from the Bible, dude! just put it down.

yo, Barack, i know you're supposed to be a christian and all... but do you have to practice your religion at this wack-job's church?!? we're trying to win a national election here... and having friends and associates who scare white folk ain't the path to the white house!

but this begs an even bigger question: is there a religion that supports a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-socio-economic society? aren't most religions based on the fact that their god looks out for his people AND i pity the heathen who would worship another god or diety? don't most religions evangelizes for their god and want everyone to convert to their way of worship? if that is the case, why would a country that professes to separate church from the state be so CRAZY over whether a candidate even practices a particular religion? i'm a member of a church and that church has a pastor, but i'm not inclined to share the name of the church nor the fervor with which i practice my religion... that seems to be a pretty private affair. by the same token, why would rev. jeremiah wright want to broadcast his message to his flock over YouTube? isn't his sermon during his 11 o'clock service only for the parishioners at his church? as you can see, i'd rather he kept his brand of religion confined to his church... and i'm sure that Barack Obama is in rapt agreement!

i began to write this blog post prior to reading about his denunciation of the pastor, but one has to admit, had hillary clinton or john mccain been members of a church where the minister was featured in YouTube clips spewing racial epitaphs and such, they would've had to leave the race! Obama is getting a pass on this one, but he can expect that ALL of his friends and associates (including Rezko) will continue to receive much more scrutiny in the coming weeks.

Pi Day 2008

Today is Pi Day... a celebration of pi, that little symbol that us math and engineering geeks have learned to love since initially being exposed to it in high school geometry or calculus. My alma mater (Georgia Tech) even has a Pi Mile Race every year.

For those who are not in the know, pi is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

If you don't have your handy calculator present, Pi = 3.1415926535... therefore, it is only fitting that on March 14th (3/14) at 1:59:26 PM we celebrate Pi Day... check out the Pi Day Rap below!

The Case of the Spin Meisters

When BARACK OBAMA won Iowa, the Clinton campaign said it's not the number of states you win, it's "a contest for delegates."

When BARACK OBAMA won a significant lead in delegates, they said it's really about which states you win.

When BARACK OBAMA won South Carolina, they discounted the votes of African-Americans.

When BARACK OBAMA won predominantly white, rural states like Idaho, Utah, and Nebraska, they said those didn't count because they won't be competitive in the general election.

When BARACK OBAMA won in Washington State, Wisconsin, and Missouri -- general election battlegrounds where polls show Barack is a stronger candidate against John McCain -- the Clinton campaign attacked those voters as "latte-sipping" elitists.

And now that BARACK OBAMA has won more than twice as many states, the Clinton spin is that only certain states really count.

And with BARACK OBAMA's overwhelming victory in the Mississippi primary on Tuesday, his lead in earned delegates is now wider than it was on March 3rd, before the contests in Ohio and Texas.


But the facts are clear.


With all of the Clinton Spin Meisters' attempts to discount, distract, and distort, BARACK OBAMA has won more delegates, more states, and more votes.

Meanwhile, more than half of the votes that Senator Clinton has won so far have come from just five states. And in four of these five states, polls show that BARACK OBAMA would be a stronger general election candidate against McCain than Clinton.

BARACK OBAMA is ready to take on John McCain. But he needs to build operations in places like Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina, and Oregon that will hold their primaries in April and May.


BARACK OBAMA needs your support to win this battle. Join plezWorld and make a donation of $25 to BARACK OBAMA for PRESIDENT right now.

Mississippi Cottons to Obama!

The New York Times reports that Barack Obama easily won the state of Mississippi with another 20 percent win over his rival, Hillary Clinton. By garnering 90% of the Black vote (in a state that is 36% Black) and about a third of the white vote, he pulled away early and was never threatened in the primary.

The Times writes:

Mr. Obama’s lead in Mississippi was built on a wave of support among blacks, who made up half those who turned out to vote Tuesday, according to surveys conducted by the television networks and The Associated Press of voters leaving polling places. The surveys found that roughly 90 percent of black voters supported Mr. Obama, but only a third of white voters supported him, suggesting a racially polarized electorate in the state.

Read the entire New York Times article here.


plez sez: congrats to the Obama Camp for pulling out another BIG WIN! unfortunately, delegate-poor mississippi won't provide much of a boost to Obama's lead. he can at least point to two straight wins (with the win in wyoming over the weekend).

i still contend that pennsylvania (in 6 weeks) is a must-win primary for Obama... he needs to win another Big State to solidify his grip on the democratic nomination. i also heard today that plans are under way to have a do-over primary in delegate-rich florida and michigan!

in the words of soul singer lenny kravitz, "it ain't over 'til it's over!"

Live Blog of Obama in Mississippi

Since plezWorld is shivering in Milwaukee, I sought out and found an interesting live blog of an Obama Event that was held in Jackson, Mississippi on yesterday. As you know, the good folk in the Magnolia State hold their primary today.

Obama Introduction

Obama Enters the Building

I Made a Bet with America

Lobbyists Aren't Popular in Jackson

This is America

Cotton Mouth even has the latest poll numbers for the state from the American Research Group (ARG) here.

Obama Bristles At Veep Talk

"I don’t know how somebody who’s in second place can offer the vice presidency to someone who’s in first place."
- Senator Barack Obama being incredulous at a speech in Mississippi on Monday, March 10, 2008 at the suggestion that he accept an offer to be Hillary Clinton's running partner, even though he has a lead in the delegate count.

Read the entire New York Times article here.

plez sez: if nothing else, those clintonistas have balls! i have no doubt that they will figure out a way to pull off the nomination at the democratic national convention, but to suggest that Obama take the role of second banana while he's in the lead is... ballsy!

billary has been plotting and planning a return to 1600 pennsylvania avenue for eight years now, and you'd have to be crazy to think that they're gonna let some slick talkin' tenderfoot take that opportunity away from them. billary has proven that they can win in those delegate-rich big states, they stopped the bleeding in texas & ohio, they stopped the superdelegate defections, and you can bet your last dollar that they are going to figure out a way to seat those delegates from florida and michigan.

but billary also knows that they won't be returning to 1600 pennsylvania avenue without the Obama's supporters (Blacks and energized independents)... if he's not on the ticket, mccain will walk away with the presidency. the funny thing is mccain can't beat Obama by himself, but he can beat billary without Obama!

plezWorld is still 100% behind OBAMA and i'm still gonna find it difficult to ever vote for billary, but the writing is on the wall: texas & ohio were just as much must-win states from him as they were for her... he's not going to get the nomination with wins in puny states like delaware, vermont, and south carolina... he needed wins in california, new york, and new jersey!

the next must-win is pennsylvania... it's a waste of time (in more ways than one) to spend valuable resources trying to win mississippi.

SugarPlum & The Birthday Party

This afternoon, I accompanied the SugarPlum to a birthday party of one of her little school friends. It was a small affair of five children at an artsy ice cream shop - Jakes Ice Cream in the Irwin Street Market - in a gentrified section of downtown Atlanta (about a mile from The King Center). They created a custom blend ice cream & munched on a purple crayon shaped cake. Yummy!

The 6th Degree: 6 Sites

plez sez: the fourth installment of the sixth degree of plezWorld is slightly different than the others. instead of drilling down six blog links from here, i am going to touch on six blogs on my BlogRoll that i have not visited lately who have posted something in the last day or two, enjoy:

1st Degree: Georgia Politics Unfiltered
2nd Degree: Wandering the Ether
3rd Degree: The Stepfather of Soul
4th Degree: Not the Nanny
5th Degree: Living-Loving-Laughing
6th Degree: Lori's Old School Mix



What is the sixth degree of plezWorld? Find the answer here.

Clinton Comeback Kid II

For all of those who were expecting a Clinton Concession Speech last night, were rewarded with an Obama Concession Speech... as Hillary racked up wins in Rhode Island, Ohio, and Texas primaries. a day or so ago, my crystal ball had predicted that her campaign would soldier on, but it had no idea that she would wake up on Wednesday morning all refreshed with a new bounce in her step!

I'm afraid the Democratic Party battle will wage on until the convention in July!

Please recall that Bill Clinton came from behind in 1992 to win the Democratic nomination... could history be repeating itself?

Read the entire Washington Post article about the Clinton wins here.


plez sez: i wasn't surprised with rhode island and i was expecting her to win in ohio. i was SHOCKED that the wheels fell off of the obama bandwagon the way they did in texas (even though she only made off with 4 more delegates than obama)!

based on the way things have panned out since super tuesday, it appears that clinton does well in these large delegate rich states (new york, california, texas, ohio, etc.), while obama message is more amenable to liberal enclaves in midwestern, southern, and western states. something in the pit of my stomach tells me that clinton has regained her composure and will continue to "go negative" on obama's lack of experience (since the "red telephone" ad seemed to work so well in the last week).

it's funny, but when i heard about the "who do you want answering the phone at 3:00 AM?" campaign tactic, the first thing that came to mind was that if hillary was in the white house, the person answering the phone would probably be bill clinton, "uh, mr. president, would you mind putting your wife on the phone!"

i wonder if rep. john lewis is contemplating that he should change his superdelegate vote back to hillary clinton?

J. Anthony Brown Sings for Obama

A humorous incentive for those of you in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont to get out and vote for Barack Obama in your state's primary and caucus today!

plez sez: J. Anthony Brown of the Tom Joyner Morning Show updates The Intruders's "I'll Always Love My Mama" for Barack Obama ...as if you didn't have reason enough to vote for Obama! *smile*

[Hat Tip: Soul Conviction]

Memories of The Jones Girls

The Jones Girls - You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (1979)

this song came on the radio a few days ago and i took a short trip down memory lane. in the late-1990's, plezWorld had the fortune of working with one of the Jones Girls (Shirley) for a couple of years in the sales organization of multi-national corporation. it was really cool to talk with a superstar who had her life shaped by the entertainment industry: one of the reasons she had settled into the suburbs of metro atlanta to quietly raise her family. The Jones Girls were from Detroit and got their start as the backup singers for Diana Ross.

they were also one of my brother's favorite groups when he was in college (he had ALL of their albums)... so i brought his albums with me to work one day where Shirley graciously signed all of them for him. these are THE JONES GIRLS!

here is Shirley Jones doing the solo thing... as you can hear, she could definitely hold her own. the last time i spoke with her, she was looking at releasing a gospel album in europe... it's been years, but i wish her well.

Shirley Jonest - Last Night I Needed Somebody (1986)

plezWorld - Crystal Ball & Primaries

Primary Punch opines that Team Hillary will soldier on after Super Tuesday 2, with primaries being held in Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island. They write:

The hypothetical some Clinton supporters posit -- Barack Obama wins Vermont, Rhode Island is close, Clinton wins Ohio, Obama wins delegates in Texas but the popular vote is either close or perhaps Clinton wins it.

[If] Clinton can claim at least two if not three victories (Texas popular vote being one of them), I don't get the feeling that Sen. Clinton will be at all inclined to drop out.

Read the entire article here.

plez sez: for weeks following Obama's win in Wisconsin, the pundits have been writing the obit for Hillary Clinton's failed presidential run. many have predicted that she will get beat in Texas (and have a close win in Ohio), thus causing her to see the writing on the wall. she will then gather her advisors upon which an announcement will be made on wednesday that she will throw all of her support her erstwhile, fresh faced, silver voiced opponent.

but everyone's prediction carried a caveat... an out (she's a fighter, she's a survivor, she'll bounce back, etc.).

plezWorld has gazed into an actual crystal ball and asked a simple question: will hillary clinton drop out after super tuesday 2? the crystal ball croaked to life and mist... and replied with the following answer: NO!

crystal ball: she will lose texas outright, she will lose vermont outright, rhode island will be a virtual tie... but her campaign will soldier on based on the eight point squeaker she pulls out of ohio. she'll take that $35 million she raised last month and direct her attention on pennsylvania (her newest firewall).

plezWorld predicts another six weeks of the clintonistas!

Black History Month Plus One

Carter G. Woodson began Negro History Week in 1926. in 1976, that week was expanded to Black History Month. of course, these celebrations of Black achievement in america began with noble intentions, but to my way of thinking, something feels wrong about the concept of setting aside a month to celebrate Black achievement in america. considering the fact that Black people have been in what is now called the united states since before there was a united states AND considering the fact that Black people have been contributing members of this society (through forced labor and worse) since before this society existed. the history of Blacks in america is the history of america, as surely as any other group of immigrants who landed on america's shores.

why is there not an asian history month? why is there not a latino history month? my good friend over at Diary of a PhD Student asks the question, "why is there not a white history month?" he goes on to link Black history to the history of all of america.

i purposely waited until after the end of february to write this post, because i think acknowledgement of Black history month was an attempt to pander, to "throw a bone" to the Black community out of a sense of white guilt... thanks, but no thanks! there is no more a need of having a month to ponder Black folks' achievements in america than there is a need to spend a month thinking about arab-americans', jewish americans', irish-americans', italian-americans', or mexican-americans' achievements in america. the history of america is the shared history of all americans. it was as wrong to denigrate the contributions of Black americans as it is to create a false celebration of it. and that is my issue with Black history month, while celebrating the achievements of Blacks in america, it marginalizes those achievements by confining them to the shortest month of the year.

the true history of this country is yet to be written, but there is every hope that it will ultimately contain the contributions of all.

Free Day? Never!

According to the rules and regulations of Blog365, today is supposed to be a Free Day: the one day of the year when Blog365 participants should NOT blog since this is a Leap Year. I'm still layed up recovering from a bout with the flu and my judgement is doubtless clouded by the fog of greenish mucous that I've been coughing out of my lungs every couple of minutes.

Since I my body has been wrecked with coughing fits and a sickly fever and muscle aches, I have quarantined myself to the big a** couch under a couple of blankets in the sitting room just off of the master bedroom. The television here is scheduled to spring to life every morning to C-SPAN's Washington Journal at seven o'clock. This morning's lead story was that one out of every 100 Americans are now in prison, for Black men, the number is more like one out of every nine in the 20 to 34 age group. The US locks up more of its citizens (by sheer number and percentage of total) than any other country - China comes in at a distant second. Of course, the open phone lines presented a vast swath of American opinion from liberal excuses to the predisposition of Blacks to criminal activity. I heard very little real analysis.

If you ask me - and I know you did - the high number of criminals in this country is tied directly to three things: (1) criminalization of drug use, (2) destruction of the family, and (3) lack of education. It each case, these three things are amplified and magnified in the Black community, thus the explosion of incarceration of Black men. Most Black men who are in jail are there for non-violent offenses (the remnants of the war on drugs), perpetrators of those crimes should fulfill an obligation to the state rather than being sent to a prison to learn a racket behind bars. I'd rather see them picking up trash along the highway, cleaning our waterways, filling potholes, or scrubbing graffiti. their crime is no worse than an alcohol offense, rather than locking them up with hardened criminals, put their idle hands to work for the betterment of our community.

The Black community has never recovered from the liberal Great Society social engineering experiment that ripped fathers from their families for the purpose of generating marginally higher checks from the state that began in the mid-1960's. A fatherless economy now flourishes in the Black community and no one wants to admit that the lack of a father figure living in the house with little boys and little girls is contributing to the destruction of the fabric of the community. Little boys do not see a man going to work every day and providing for his family, they are growing up seeing that as the work of the woman! Little girls see their mothers providing for the family without benefit of a father and they grow up thinking that this must be their role for their family. After several generations, you have Black families that do not see the need for a Black father in the household... Black men are relegated to being little more than sperm donors. To my way of thinking, if you are not working to provide for your family, there is little left for you to do other than engage in criminal activity. In some families, incarceration of the man is seen as a rite of passage!

Education. Education. Education. As a whole, there is not a great emphasis on quality education in the Black community. I see this as the greatest impediment to the advancement of Black people. It appears that there is a wholesale rejection of education as a way to increase one's station in life - in a society that rewards those who are educated and pisses on those who are not... there are very few options open to those who do not have a high school diploma. Low wage, factory work has been shipped overseas. Higher wage, high tech jobs require college degrees and many of these are being shipped overseas as well. You cannot get a job in this country without an adequate education, without an education, one has few options that does not include criminal behavior.

Read the entire Atlanta Journal-Constitution article on the prison population here.

plez sez: i don't have the energy to wrap this up... another double-shot of Nyquil has me fading fast! i took the picture above just before just before i faded off to sleep... sweet dreams are made of this...

Quote of the Day - February 28, 2008

“Over the past year, I have been working to raise issues that are important to New Yorkers and all Americans — and to speak plainly about common sense solutions. Some of these solutions have traditionally been seen as Republican, while others have been seen as Democratic. As a businessman, I never believed that either party had all the answers and, as mayor, I have seen just how true that is.”
- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his op-ed piece on why he's not going to run for president

Read the entire New York Times op-ed piece here.

Read the entire New York Times article about the op-ed piece here.


plez sez: in his op-ed piece, he touches on how 65 percent of americans live in cities, but neither the democrats nor the republicans are even offering solutions for our cities in their platforms. having lived in metro areas (New York City & Atlanta) almost all of my life, i can attest to the move over the past couple of decades to move emphasis to suburban and rural areas (which incidentally have lower minority populations).

i'd be interested to see in bloomberg makes a move to create a viable third party in the US. i could realistically see bloomberg making a serious run for the white house in 4 years since Obama is not a typical democrat and mccain isn't a true died-in-wool conservative. stay tuned.

The Ohio Debate

The twentieth, yes, the TWENTIETH, debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was held in Cleveland, Ohio. The scenario was pretty much the same as the debate that was held in Texas last week: Clinton needed for a major slip up by Obama to score a knockout punch, because by Billary's own admission, she needs to win in Texas and Ohio or her campaign is over.

Read the entire New York Times article here.


plez sez: i didn't watch this one... read a review and watched the ubiquitous campaign coverage on CNN. i am a proponent of spreading out the primary season so that the candidates can meet more of the electorate in each state, but we are teetering on the brink of the country suffering from democratic party fatigue with so many of these useless debates! one change that i would make to the primaries would be to move the big states (new york, california, florida, texas, etc.) to their own dates, so that the smaller states will get the attention that is garnered in early primary states like iowa, new hampshire, and south carolina.

unfortunately, nothing new is revealed or expected... at this late date, the debates can only serve as an opportunity to sling mud face-to-face at their opponents. i cannot fathom what is the rationale for having so many of these events. i'm sure the candidates would be more effective in getting out to meet the voters rather than showing up at an event where it is to the candidate's advantage to say to the least!

the next round of primaries and caucuses takes place on tuesday, march 4th in texas, ohio, rhode island, and vermont with 370 delegates in play.

Sick Day in Milwaukee

Well, I caught whatever my wife had over the weekend (chills, cough, slight fever, etc.) and I generally feel like *ish* ... I guess that qualifies for being sick, huh?

I did go into the office briefly this morning, but it was apparent that I was not going to be be very productive. To make matters worse, I'm on the road in frigid Milwaukee... miles from home.

So I came back to the hotel room, took a few calls, downed a double-shot of Nyquil... and now I'm off to dreamland for a couple of hours.

There's nothing worse than being a sick stranger in a strange land... I'll try it again tomorrow.

What If...

What if Barack Obama had lost the last 11 primaries and caucuses to Hillary Clinton and was trailing in the delegate count?

Would he still be campaigning like Mike Huckabee? Would she be planning to debate him in Ohio on Thursday night? Would the media already have written him off and portray him as a caricature of himself?

plezWorld is just wondering aloud...

plezWorld - On The Road Again

A few hours ago, I went to the airport for another sojourn into the wild blue yonder... this Willie Nelson standard says it all for plezWorld!

Barack, Tavis, and the Covenant

This weekend, a number of Black luminaries and celebrities came to New Orleans to participate in Tavis Smiley's 9th State of the Black Union (SOTBU). The convention (along with its companion book - "Covenant with Black America") is the brainchild (and brain trust) of talk show host Tavis Smiley. The SOTBU was held this year in New Orleans to highlight the plight of the still beleaguered city some 3 years after Hurricane Katrina.

As in past years, it is an opportunity for so-called Black leaders to convene and talk about the plight of the Black community and hopefully propose some solid solutions for the Black community. To date, I'm not sure if its proponents have anything tangible to hang their hats on other than sales of "The Covenant."

About 2 years ago, I wrote a post about "The Covenant" and what few results could be expected from it. Fast forward to the present, and the same issues that Tavis and friends blathered about 2 years ago are the same issues afflicting the Black community. This year would probably be no different, but this year we have the presumptive first female presidential candidate (Hillary Clinton) and the presumptive first Black presidential candidate (Barack Obama) running for the Democratic nomination. Both were invited to this weekend's festivities, only Clinton accepted the invitation; Obama couldn't break away from his campaign schedule in Ohio to attend.

I first heard about this a few weeks ago, when it was reported that Barack Obama had offered his wife's attendance in his place, only to be rebuffed by Smiley: he wanted Barack or nothing!

February 13, 2008

Mr. Tavis Smiley
President and CEO
The Smiley Group
3870 Crenshaw Boulevard
Suite 391
Los Angeles, CA 90008

Dear Tavis,

Thank you for the invitation to participate in the 2008 State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans, Louisiana February 21-23. The exchange of ideas raised at this annual symposium are invaluable as our nation strives to address the critical issues facing not just African Americans, but Americans of every race, background and political party.

I especially commend you for hosting this dialogue in New Orleans. On the eve of the Louisiana primary, I visited this great city for the fifth time since declaring my candidacy to share policy proposals for rebuilding the Gulf Coast so that we never experience another Hurricane Katrina. On February 9, I was deeply humbled to win the Louisiana primary with 86 percent of the African American vote and a 14 point lead among all voters who said they were adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Uniting our country and creating a national constituency for fundamental change is why I am running for President of the United States. We have come a long way in this race, but we still have a long road ahead. In the final stretch, I will be on the campaign trail everyday in states like Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin talking directly with voters about the causes that are at the heart of my campaign and the State of the Black Union forum such as affordable healthcare, housing, economic opportunity, civil rights and foreign policy. I am committed to touching every voter, and working to earn their vote.

That is why with regret, I am not able to attend the forum. I understand that you have declined the campaign’s request to have Michelle Obama speak on my behalf. I ask that you reconsider. Michelle is a powerful voice for the type of real change America is hungry for. No one knows my record or my passion for leading America in a new direction more than Michelle Obama.

Tavis, this is our movement and our time. I look forward to working closely with you throughout this election. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Read the entire CNN article about the State of the Black Union here.


plez sez: this is real close to a WTF moment for plezWorld! real close...

what is tavis smiley's issue with Barack Obama? is tavis pissed off that Obama has been so successful with his run for the democratic nomination without the support of the old guard black establishment? is he pissed off that Obama is "trying not to run" as the Black candidate? is he pissed off because this State of the Black Union couldn't land the most popular Black person in America for its little bitch session? or is he just pissed off because hillary clinton has lost a month's worth of contests to Obama?

The State of the Black Union is a waste of time (it is nice of C-SPAN to provide coverage of it, though). The Covenant with Black America is a waste of paper. And his attendance to such an affair would have had a serious impact on Obama's chances to win the crucial contests that come up in Ohio and Texas in alittle over a week. why doesn't tavis smiley understand that the democratic nomination nor the winner of the upcoming presidential election will not come through him nor his sham of a convention... he doesn't pull that much weight. and all this little escapade has done is damage smiley's reputation in the Black community (he has complained of hate mail and harassment of his family). by trying to throw his little weight around, he done nothing but further diminish the status of a shrinking SOTBU with its group of re-tread panelists.

by the way, i watched the very end of SOTBU with Morehouse College's president claiming that his school was the only place in the country to find 500 Black male college graduates (if that is the case, then the state of our union is pretty grim) and a comical looking Dick Gregory. the coup de grace of the evening was to be a speech by hillary clinton followed by her fielding underhand softball questions from tavis... the audience (and i) was unmoved by her uninspired performance. the smart move would've been to let Michelle Obama speak or failing that, just end the worthless convention with the panel discussion.

after today, it is my hope that tavis smiley will see how irrelevant he has become.

The Texas Debate

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama squared off in a debate for the 19th time, this time in the Lone Star State. Clinton needed for a major slip up by Obama to score a knockout punch, because by Billary's own admission, she needs to win in Texas and Ohio or her campaign is over. It was typical debate fodder with nothing new presented nor revealed.

Read the entire CNN article here.


plez sez: Obama did not slip up. and Clinton did not score a knockout. GAME OVER... is it just me, or are these debates getting old?

look for hillary clinton's concession speech on March 5th. you can read about her upcoming concession speech at the electronic village.

USA 193 Spy Satellite Shot Down

A US spy satellite that died soon after its launch in December 2006 was beginning a slow and certain descent into the Earth's atmosphere. The danger of this satellite was the toxic fuel it had stored in its tanks, if it were to fall to Earth, the fuel's contact with humans could prove fatal. The decision was made to launch a modified heat seeking warhead from a naval vessel into space to destroy it.

A approximately 10:30 PM EST, a single missile was fired from the USS Lake Erie and the missile hit the satellite as it traveled at more than 17,000 miles per hour, as reported by the Pentagon. It is believed that the debris from the explosion will circle the Earth for a day or two before finally burning up upon reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Pentagon sources have assured the world community that the fuel tank - the main reason for the missile launch - was destroyed.

Read the entire New York Times article here.

Computer Generated Simulation of Missile Launch & Hit

plez sez: can you say "Star Wars"? i thought you could...

i'm a skeptic... so sue me... but what isn't the pentagon telling us: what the heck was REALLY on that satellite that they don't want anyone to know about? i'm not really buying this hoo-ey about toxic fuel, satellites of various sizes crash to the Earth a lot and what makes the fuel on this one any more toxic than any other? the space shuttle was just up in space, why couldn't it have been used to pluck it out of orbit (unless the pentagon didn't want NASA looking up their skirts)?

what are "they" hiding from us?!? don't say that i didn't tell you, but there was probably something captured on that satellite that our government doesn't want ANYONE to know about... and they couldn't risk whatever it is coming back to Earth intact! ...and don't ask me how i know these things! *wink*

Don't Back Down Michelle Obama - Guest Blog

I received permission to reproduce the following essay from Alturo Rhymes - my frat brother and television producer over at Kapitol Hill blog.

Don't Back Down Michelle Obama
February 19, 2008

Greetings, I guess because it is a slow news day, Michelle Obama is getting criticized for saying: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country."

Some are suggesting she was unpatriotic in her statement, Mrs. McCain saying she has always been proud of this country. While this argument and issue is one of the stupidest things to make an issue out of, it begs the question, since both of them are at least 45 years old...

Let's go back to 1963

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when Blacks were living under Jim Crow?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when Blacks were being lynched?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when it stripped Ali of his title?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when 4 little girls were killed in Birmingham?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country during the Tuskeegee Experiment?

Was Mrs. McCain proud when male astronaunts were sent to the moon and the female astronaunts who trained along side them were shuttled into absurity?

Let's move to the 70's

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country that women were stereotyped into stay at home moms, with no sight of getting into the Boardroom?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when women were forced into shady clinics for pregnancy choices?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when Vietnam Vets came home to homelessness because of no acknowledgment of PTSD?

And the 80's

Was Mrs. McCain proud of this country when it supported the Apartheid government of South Africa?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of the Iran-Contra scandal?

Was Mrs McCain proud of the S&L scanddal?

The 90's

Was Mrs. McCain proud of the lack of intervention in Rwanda?

Was Mrs. McCain proud of the racists immigration policy toward Haiti?

C'mon.. outside of the fact that one is reaching for straws to even criticize such a statement, as an African-American Woman I am sure there are more days when one felt ashamed of the government action of this country than proud... I guess that is the difference between Mrs. McCain and Mrs. Obama.

And Barack Obama hasn't backed down either, yesterday he trounced Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin 58 percent to 41 percent. He has now won the last NINE primaries and caucuses since Super Tuesday.

plez sez: i agree with her sentiment, that America seems to be living up to its creed and judging Barack Obama on his merits and ignoring his race... something that was inconceivable only 3 to 6 MONTHS ago! like Michelle Obama, i never thought that Barack would get a serious look because at some point in this contest, he'd finally be cast as the Black presidential candidate.

so yes, in my entire adult life (because i'm the same age as Michelle), plezWorld can say that this is the FIRST TIME in memory that a Black politician did not win (or lose) an election because he was Black... and that is something that ALL Americans should be proud of...

...with that said, i can see where some quarters may find issue with the way she expressed this sentiment - it does come off that she does not appreciate the blessings that she has received as a direct result of being an American (access to quality Ivy League degrees, a loving husband & family, a good chunk of change in the bank account, etc.).

to my way of thinking, an apology and clarification about the statement should be sufficient.

Wisconsin Primary

The Great State of Wisconsin joins Hawaii and Washington state for te next round of primaries. Not quite as sexy as Super Tuesday or not as catchy as the Potomac Primaries, this is a very important primary contest. If Barack Obama can continue his winning streak, that will mean the Hillary Clinton will not have won a primary or caucus since Super Tuesday three weeks ago.

plezWorld is in Milwaukee, WI this week and the Obama Campaign is making a serious push to win the state. In the last 60 minutes, I have seen four Obama commercials and zero Clinton commercials. According to the state's governor, Clinton has only shown up in the state for two days while Obama has had a presence in the state since Super Tuesday.

Obama should win the contest and continue his momentum that began in South Carolina. If Clinton pulls out a win, it will be a pretty big upset and could pump new energy into her campaign. We'll see what happens.

Snowy Monday Morn

View from my hotel room onto the frozen Milwaukee River

plezWorld is back in Milwaukee... and it's still snowing!

Palm Treo 680 - Speaker Issue

Alittle over one year (1 year and 10 days) after my purchase (just enough time for the warranty to expire) my Palm Treo 680 has started to act up. It is sporadic, but the speaker emits a buzzing sound instead of its intended sound (voice, music, or assorted beeps). It sounds fine when I turn the speaker off or use my Bluetooth.

AT&T doesn't fix phones and I have to purchase a new one at full price.

If I can't find a low cost fix for this thing, I guess I'll have to go out to purchase a Blackberry or an iPhone.

HELP!

Quote of the Day - February 15, 2008

"In recent days, there is a sense of movement and a sense of spirit. Something is happening in America and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap."
- Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) on his plans to vote for Barack Obama as a superdelegate at the Democratic National Convention even though he endorsed Hillary Clinton a few weeks ago.

Read the New York Times article here.

plez sez: FINALLY...

finally, an old guard civil rights movement era icon displays a modicum of intelligence and good sense. i've always had a great deal of respect for congressman lewis and i can't deny the fact that it appeared to be disconnect between his endorsement of clinton and his many years of fighting for civil rights in this country: as a disciple of Martin Luther King, Jr., lewis was on the front lines of the movement and saw the sacrifice that king displayed in making changes in this country, Obama is making a similar sacrifice and clinton is not.

also, obama lapped clinton in georgia, the superdelegates should vote in accord with the people of their state. congressman hank johnson, my representative in congress, has already endorsed barack obama. my HOPE is that other superdelegates will follow congressman lewis's lead.

BLOG UPDATE (2/15/2008 2:45PM): In an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, Congressman John Lewis denies the report that he has switched his support to Barack Obama. A spokesman for Lewis says, "it is plain there is a lot of enthusiasm for Barack Obama. But those things are observations, not statements of preference. Lewis has left the option of changing his superdelegate support for Clinton on the table, but made no decisions."

plez sez: billary must've read that story in the New York Times this morning and threw an effin' hizzy fit! and fitting for his station, john lewis crumpled under the clinton campaign pressure (she can't stand to lose much more support after losing three primaries and a campaign director in one week): "...now, now, calm down Miss Hillary... i wuzz only talking about how Obama got a pretty mouf and he be talkin' all fancy and such ... you know i ain't fittin' to vote for him! i'll get those newpaper people on the phone right away. O-tay?"

A Day of Love

Happy Valentine's Day, Ya'll!

Before & After

Before - Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)

Earlier today, plezWorld had to fly up to Milwaukee, WI to begin a project. When I left Atlanta, it was close to 60 degrees. When I landed in Milwaukee two hours later, it was close to 20 degrees and it had been snowing all day. What a difference a couple of hours makes!

After - General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)

The Potomac Primaries

I've heard it called the Beltway Primaries, the Chesapeake Primaries, and the Potomac Primaries... basically, Democratic and Republican voters in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC head to the polls today to cast a vote for their desired presidential nominee. My mother (and other relatives) live in the Hampton Roads area in southeastern Virginia... everyone I've talked to is voting for Obama.

My mother plans to vote first. Then she'll swing through and pick up Aunt Bea to take her to the polls. Both are fervent Barack Obama fans.

My parents' generation was raised during the Great Depression and a time of rampant discrimination and Jim Crow laws in North Carolina. They came up having to ride in the back of the bus, having to go to the Black school, having to take off almost half of the school year to harvest the tobacco and cotton, having to sit in the balcony at the movie theaters, not being able to rent a decent hotel room, and not being able to look a white person in the eye!

They also came up at a time when they could not exercise their right to vote: my mother's father was a landowner of more than 100 acres of prime Carolina tobacco farmland from the early 1930's. But being a landowner did not trump his being a Black man in the segregated South. My grandfather's parents had been slaves in the Ahoskie, North Carolina area, but that did not deter him from getting an education and raising 11 children on his own land.

So my mother and her sister and her brother will go to the polls today to exercise the rights that had been so long denied to them. They will go to the polls to exercise the rights that so many of their contemporaries died for. And they will cast their vote for a man whose presidency will change the paradigm of how America upholds its promise of equal rights for all. They will all vote for Barack Obama!

Potomac Primaries:

Maryland - Clinton: 36% Obama: 61% (Precincts: 81%)

Virginia - Clinton: 35% Obama: 64% (Precincts: 99%)

Washington, DC - Clinton: 24% Obama: 75% (Precincts: 98%)
(live updates with election returns - last update: 02/13/08 1:40AM)

White Space Monday

plezWorld couldn't come up with anything to write... so this is what you get!

Obama Wins Big on Saturday

There were three Democratic Presidential contests on Saturday, February 9th... Barack Obama won all three as Hillary Clinton's campaign continues to show signs of fading after Super Tuesday. Obama beat Clinton, 58 percent to 36 percent, in Louisiana. Obama romped with a 68 percent to 32 percent victory in Nebraska, and then had another overwhelming win in the Washington caucuses, 68 percent to 31 percent. With these wins, even when counting Super Delegates, Obama and Clinton are in a dead heat with Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC on tap for this Tuesday; with the wind in his sails, Obama could surge ahead with convincing wins in those primaries.

Read the entire Washington Post article here.

plez sez: on the heels of taking the most states on super tuesday where he won thirteen states to hillary's seven, Obama is now poised to pull ahead in the delegate count and make a strong case for capturing the democratic nomination. there are (meaningless) polls that suggest that Obama fares better nationally against john mccain than hillary clinton. the democratic party has the nominee that can deliver the votes across the most demographic populations, and that nominee is BARACK OBAMA. he energizes the populous and his message of hope & opportunity really gives democrats, independents, and moderate republicans someone to VOTE FOR as opposed to a candidate to vote against.

i sent another contribution to his campaign the day after super tuesday... money well spent! it's feeling more and more like plezWorld should be making plans to be in washington, dc on january 20, 2009 for obama's inauguration!

BLOG UPDATE (02/10/2008 2:00 PM): Obama also pitched a delegate shutout in the US Virgin Islands with 90 percent of the vote... he'll undoubtedly get all three of their delegates!

Reflections at the MLK Jr Center

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King's Crypt

A few nights ago, some friends accompanied plezWorld to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

I go down there to reflect on what true sacrifice really means.

You always have to give something - maybe even your life - to get something.

The Eternal Flame of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Romney Calls it Quits Today

The Washington Post reports that Mitt Romney has decided to drop out of the race as he has done little to challenge front runner John McCain (R-AZ) for the Republican presidential nomination. He has only done marginally better than third place foe, Mike Huckabee. Romney has been funding this run from his personal fortune and the mounting costs of the campaign have not been translating into votes in the primaries.

Read the entire Washington Post article here.


plez sez: a few months ago, i predicted that my least favorite candidates (hillary & mitt) would capture their parties' nominations and would face off in november. i am happy to say that i was WAY OFF! romney is out and the fate of the sputtering clinton campaign will probably not be evident until march or april (or maybe even the democratic convention in july).

for some reason romney thought focus-groups and running on conservative poll results would energize a complacent republican base to run out and vote for him. maybe he didn't understand that most people view mormonism as little more than a fancy cult and they would never vote for him. maybe he thought that no one would realize that massachusetts is the most liberal state in the country, so he couldn't have been that much of a conservative to win the governorship there. and he must've thought that those tailored suits and expensive haircuts (without a genuine heart to go in the suits and an original thought to go in the head) would trick folk into voting for him. WRONG on all accounts.

the person to energize the republican base is not john mccain, it ain't even mike huckabee... it's hillary clinton! they have to hope (and pray) that she finds a way to win this nomination, because i don't see mccain nor huckabee holding a candle to a confident and inspirational Barack Obama.

well, that's one down... and one to go! plezWorld is still not feeling hillary (and i'm not even gonna get into how she had to dip into billary's meager fortune for $5 million to bolster her campaign last week)!

Heath Ledger - R.I.P.

The New York City Medical Examiner's office states that Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills. A deadly cocktail of drugs were found in his body at the time of his death:

Oxycodone -- narcotic/painkiller; trade names: OxyContin, Percodan

Hydrocodone -- narcotic/painkiller; trade name (combined with acetaminophen): Vicodin

Diazepam -- anti-anxiety drug; trade name: Valium

Alprazolam -- anti-anxiety drug; trade name: Xanax

Doxylamine -- sleep medication; trade name: Unisom

Temazepam -- sleep medication; trade name: Restoril

This combination of drugs could cause the brain and brain stem to "fall asleep," halting heart and lung function.

Read the entire CNN article here.


plez sez: i feel sorry for his family & friends, the glare of the hollywood scene can be a bit much for celebrities. couple that with a mysterious death of an otherwise healthy individual and you have fodder for 2 months of teasers on Entertainment Tonight.

but how is injesting SIX different powerful narcotics accidental? i've had vicodin after a minor surgery and that *ISH* will knock you the F**K OUT! after taking one, i was out within minutes and i would be asleep for 3 to 4 hours.

i don't know heath ledger, except for what i've seen on the nightly news: i haven't seen any of his movies, and i imagine he was an alright fellow... but this story doesn't jive with me. to my way of thinking, if you take a lethal dose of SIX powerful narcotics and anti-depressants, you ain't expecting to wake up - that is no accident. and i should know, i have a good friend who attempted suicide when we were in college - he didn't take the whole bottle, he took enough to where he thought that he wouldn't wake up... and he was SHOCKED when he woke up the next day! to me, it looks like ledger had a more successful go at it.

Whopper Freakout!

TV Version



Ghetto Version

WARNING! Explicit Language!
Not suitable for children or any work environment!

plez sez: an hour later... and i'm still laughin'!

"i need a whopper, like michael vick needed johnnie cochran!"

It's Super Tuesday - VOTE

I'm out canvassing for Barack Obama in DeKalb County, Georgia this morning.

Make sure you vote today.

UPDATE (2/5/2005 1:35PM): plezWorld pounded the pavement all morning going door-to-door and getting out the vote. most people were at work, but i did "touch" a few folk this morning. it feels good to be part of the process and i'll feel even better if when Obama wins the state of Georgia today!

the picture and this blog was posted *LIVE* from my Palm Treo 680 while on the streets of DeKalb County this morning.

Super Bowl Text Message w/ Michael Matthews

plezWorld (12:47 am): Yo, Nupe! What a game... Ya'll SHOCKED the World! Congrats in getting your first Super Bowl ring in your rookie year!
Michael Matthews (2:42 am): Oh yea. Achievement in every field of human endeavor.

I hit up Mike Matthews (#88 with the NY Giants) last night with a text message to congratulate him and his team on the biggest upset in Super Bowl history as they beat the previously undefeated New England Patriots (18-1) in Super Bowl XLII.

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

Yellow Jackets in the Super Bowl

I live in the sun-baked south, miles from either team from those snowy climes vying for the 42nd Lombardi Trophy on Sunday evening. Normally, plezWorld is checking out the blowout game to see the interesting commercials, get my very last fix of real football until August, and snooze through the halftime show.

This year's game will host a number of interesting subplots: will Eli Manning finally come back to earth from his lofty play of the last five weeks? will Randy Moss go for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns? will prettyboy quarterback Tom Brady score more than 17 points (see Plaxico Burress)? will the Patriots win the final game of an undefeated season? or will they finally collapse under the weight of such a lofty goal? will three Georgia Tech alums walk away from the game with 3 Super Bowl rings?

Say what?!? Yeah, you read that correctly... there are three Georgia Tech alums who will be playing on Sunday evening for the New York Football Giants: third-year safety James Butler, second-year linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, and my frat brother rookie tight end Michael (Big Mike) Matthews (a 2004 initiate of the Lambda Delta of Kappa Alpha Psi). All three have contributed to the Giants being in the Big Game: Butler is the Giants' fifth-leading tackler, despite missing three games in 2007. He has 58 total tackles, 42 solo tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery. Wilkinson played in 13 regular season games and saw significant action on special teams. Matthews played in all 16 games mainly in run support, but he also has six receptions on the season for 28 yards.

Super Bowl Photo courtesy of NY Giants Photo
From left to right: Michael Matthews, James Butler, and Gerris Wilkinson.

So you can say that this game has gotten personal for me. As much as I would like to see a successful end to the Patriots historic run this season, my heart goes with my fellow Yellow Jackets and my frat. It also doesn't hurt, that I grew up in New York as a Giants fan!

GO GIANTS!

Volunteer for Obama '08

Not too long ago, my wife and I got home from our first grassroots political event. We volunteered to canvass for Barack Obama on this coming Sunday (February 3rd) and Super Tuesday (February 5th) to get out the vote, so that he will win the state of Georgia.

I must say that the Obama Campaign is a class act! The staffers are very professional, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about winning the primary here in Georgia. The staffers who ran our training meeting were part of the Obama's BIG WIN in the state of South Carolina, last week. I live in South DeKalb County with a very high concentration of Democratic voters; it will be crucial for Obama to win in this area in order to win the state. We are gearing up for an equally decisive win here in Georgia!

We'll be out on Sunday afternoon, going door-to-door reminding folk to vote for Obama on Tuesday. And then I'll be up on Tuesday morning, going door-to-door reminding folk that they need to head to the polls and offering rides when necessary.

It feels so good to be part of something so historic... the prospect of bringing real change to Washington and providing a better world for my daughter is exhilarating! If you live in a Super Tuesday Primary State, make sure that your voice is heard... and if you can, vote for Barack Obama!

African American Men for Hillary - A Joke, Right?

This was obviously done prior to the South Carolina Primary last week:

What a cast of characters to speak on hillary's behalf:
Rep. Charles Rangel - (D-NY) - I'll give ole boy a pass, since he is well past his prime and he is a congressman in New York and Bill Clinton's office is in his district.

Bob Johnson (BET Founder) - We already know how ridiculous this brother is... with endorsements like his, who needs enemies.

Bishop T. Lane Grant (Chicago) - What political capital is he talking about? And check out that wicked knot in his tie... nuff said!

Sen. Darrell Jackson (SC State Senator) - Since this was BEFORE the primary in his state... one could say that this dude picked the wrong horse in the race... Obama mopped up the place with Hillary (he got 55 percent of the vote to her 27 percent). Read a nice little write-up about his distinguished career in the South Carolina Senate here.

Hon. Bill Gray (Former Congressman and head of UNCF )- Old and irrelevant in this conversation... you got to know that his showing up was a favor to Bill to help fill out the program with a few more Black faces.

Mayor Douglas Palmer (Trenton, NJ) - It probably didn't take much more than a rubber chicken dinner to coax this mayor away from his cesspool of a city! It's funny, that he didn't talk about how Hillary's policies were going to help reduce the amount of crime that is rampant in the capital of New Jersey!

Willie Gary (High Priced Lawyer & Adulterer) - I guess the "hillary for president" campaign helped out with his $28,000 per month child support payments! read about it here.


plez sez: my, my... we sure does love us some miss hillary! hey bojangles, why don't we show miss hillary that new dance we jigged during the dessert.

old girl really scraped the bottom of the barrel to fish out these weak ass endorsements under the guise of "African American Men for Hillary"... what kind of *ish* is that?!? i guess no one would be offended by a group called "White Women for Barack," huh?!?

through all the gushing, brown-nosing, and cooning about (thanks, mr. gary), plezWorld didn't hear ONE, not ONE compelling argument why Black men, Black women, or ANYONE should vote for hillary clinton. some of the speeches seemed forced and none were heartfelt... it was a room of Blacks whom bill clinton had "cracked the whip on" to assure their presence at this august gathering. i don't know if i should be ashamed or embarrassed by the "performance" of some of hillary's endorsers.

ok... this makes reason #14 why i'm won't be voting for hillary clinton: "Shufflin' & Grinnin' Coochie-Sniffin' Black Men for Hillary"

plezWorld Prayer: "Lord, deliver me from this life if i ever gravitate to such a low station that i have to be a crotch-sniffin' lackey for mr. charley!"