IMPORTANT: INTERNATIONAL CALLING INFO

I put this post together for my convention attendees, but this is general "good-to-know"i nfo and I'd be remised if I didnt notify my loyal reader base...including the ungrateful trogolytes who dont comment or ghost fans who wont subscribe. [I'm on a mission here ppl! SUPPORT!!"]

Sidenote: Blogspot is still being a backside so I cant color my text when I want to :( Anyone who knows me knows I'm like Gollum for the color Orange.

[TAG EVRYONE COMING TO THE CONVENTION OR EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT]
Are you worried about how you will contact your family and friends while attending Annual Convention in Toronto? Your Convention Planning Committee has done some research and found a few options for you. Check them out!

Take free, unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls and IM on the go with your BlackBerry® or Android™ 3G smartphone from Verizon Wireless (http://www.skype.com/mobile/)

Truphone is available for a number of devices including the iPhone, the iPod Touch and Android, Nokia and BlackBerry handsets.

Fring supports calling over Wi-Fi and 3G on Android and Nokia devices, and connects to Skype, Google Talk and MSN Messenger contacts.
[REF: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/technology/personaltech/07basics.html?pagewanted=2&em]

Be sure to check out these services as soon as possible to prevent getting hit with overage charges! Special Thanks to Latrice Cunningham and Kari L. Brown for their due diligence.

NSBE Luv,
Your 2009-2010 Convention Planning Committee

"Sharing is caring"

"NOW WE KNOW! And knowing is half the battle.
TWEEEEENTYYYYYYY TEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNN!!!"

Favorite Song in the World....Right Now - Slow Motion: Vybez

I been looking for the name for this backside song for a minute, but Vybez Kartel makes a new song every three days. I just remembered the melody, not any of the actual words. Trying to find a dancehall song from June 09, 9 months old, is like trying to find a book in the library using the card catolog........and you don't know the name of the book.

Sidenote: I don't mean in any way shape or form that this is a song about "booty." When I exclaim "backside" I'm not talking about derriere here. It's a West Indian epithet, for "blasted" "damn" or curse replacement. I confused the petuitaries out of someone the other day with his utility.

Sidernote: Blognote is being a backside now and not allowing me to edit my usual sidenote format. www.GRRRRR.com!

Doublesidednote: A: I’m mad at anyone who actually clicks on that url. It’s my personality; I make things up and take no responsibility for whatever you may find there. B: Don’t get confused, stay with me here. Yes I used backside (as in the derriere) as a noun. Before it was an adjective. Different context here. Check the context!

WARNING!! Stay away from me when I’m really feeling a song. I have no problem repeating the song all day everyday….for days on end. And I will embed it in your head as well.

Favorite Song in the World......for right now: Hold Yuh - Gyptian

shhhhhhhhh!! QUIET! not a word.

Racism in America 3

Sidenote: I know, I know, but I couldn't help hold this one back. It'll be a quickie.

Previously on "My $0.02"................

Racism in America/ Black Eye of the Tiger 2

Black Eye of the Tiger

and

Racism in America

This health care bill is really devouring talk radio, news stations and turning the uninformed masses to madness. I still hold it under the microscope so I'll hold off on my ticker tape parade. I'm a Chronic line-in-between reader and master of connect the dottitry.

Sidenote= connect the dots lalalala is one of the greatest songs to sing ever bc of its gratuitous usage of lalalala.

Ppl always talk about "bringing america back." back to what? a time when you can burn, beat, lynch and hang, not necessarily in that order, black ppl and the law did nothing about it? a time when rape was something ppl looked the other way to? a time when women only had a "place" in the home and kitchen? a time when a person had to live their life in secrecy bc of their sexuality? a time when you could beat the crap out of your wife and kids to no reciprocity? a time when blacks, asians, latinos and anyone one darker than a khaki off white hue were not allowed to work eat, or live in certain areas?

Sidenote: And then the socially oblivious wonder why ppl have such a problem with the confederate flag.

So when ppl say "bring back america" or "destroying america" what type of america are they talking about? What are they REALLY saying?

MESSAGE!!!!

Posteriorities - Procastinate on Purpose

I never even knew this was an actual word until I heard the concept from Brian Tracey.
To paraphrase him, we all know what PRIORITIES are, simply things that are important that need to be done urgently and need serious attention. So its not tooooo hard to guest what POSTERIORITIES are (PRIOR vs POST, come on, you remember root words right?) simply things of LESS importance that can wait and in all likely hood you should do less of, later..........if at all.

This is such a profound concept to take ownage of and utilize hand in hand with priorities. A wise classmate of mine Kevin Kedroe, once told me (mind you, I was a full time student, with a job, commuting, president of 3 organizations and couldn't give up my social life if you paid me....and they did, but I didn't) "you can do ANYTHING, but you can't do EVERYTHING" and he's absolutely right. When you try do do everything, by default, you will neglect ppl, things, and in many instance, the very ppl and things that require the most attention.

Use this concept to procrastinate on purpose. Just as you write a TO DO list, write a DON'T DO list. Post it somewhere visible as a reminder of things you should do less of, if at all. Saying this to say, I'm 10 days from my elephantine project, The National Society of Black Engineers Annual Convention. This was a huge undertaking bc its the organizations first annual convention outside of the US, so with it came a barrage of obstacles never seen before by the organization. Something I've been actively, adamantly working on as the Director of Programs for the last 2 yrs, almost. So unfortunately......... blogging is now on my DONT DO list for the next two weeks. Probably should have been sooner, but writing is often my solace and I can't go a week anymore without gettin cuss out for not posting, SO YOU'VE BEEN FORMALLY NOTIFIED! There's a couple new blogs so I left enough water and food in the fridge. Stagger and ration em!



I'll post again when my page is updated so you guys get a better picture of what I've been up to, but the planning has gone well.

Wish me well and good luck as I sign off to the land of execution.

Sidenote to self: Upon return, write why "Moder Warfare 2 is crack," "Why Souljah Boy is the truth," aka that dude, and FINALLY get to this "Why 300 is the bestessest movie of all time" bc a non-believe shed doubt.
SHUN THE NON BELIEVER
SHUNNNNNNNNNNNN!! SSSSSSSSSSSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!!!

"Flat Tire" and "Bail Money" Friends

....technology impairs our memories. When I was in high school, I had about 40 numbers memorized at the tip of my tongue at any given time. Now, if you lose you phone, you might as well be in a tunnel on Mars. Pop quiz: without looking at your phone, how many phone numbers do you know by heart? PS, you parents or home phone doesn't count. Don't cheat...well it doesn't really matter bc if you are cheating, its pretty self evident that you failed this little social experiment.

Here's a scary thought: What will you do if your cell phone dies, gets stolen, lost or is out of reach when you amidst an emergency?? Sure there are pay phones (CAN U BELIEVE THEY'RE 50 CENTS!!?) but it'll do you no good if you have no numbers to dial.

I had 5 numbers deliberately memorized. Matter of fact, up until recently, I didn't keep these numbers in any of my phones to force myself to memorize em. Since then, one has a new number, another doesn't talk to me anymore, so I have 3 numbers that I know by heart at any given time.

I call these my "Flat tire/Bail money" friends. The definition is pretty self explanatory: if I happened upon either of those instances at 3 in the morning, who are the three ppl I can call and count on that will help me out no questions ask, meet me on the side of the highway, pay my bail or find someone who will? Hopefully, everyone has at least 1-5 of these in their life. I have friends I hardly talk to day to day, but they know if they call me out of the blue and need something from me, I'm there and they have. If not, you might wanna step back, take a look and ask some hard questions about what you've been doing in your life.

Key take away! Never settle with one. Why? Ppl are fickle and unreliable by nature. And its not out of malice or any other ill intent, its just nature and circumstance. You might need a ride to the airport, they gotta work OT that night. Also, ppl and relationships change. I can't tell you how many women I knew who were like twins, run into them later and ask "how's so n so?" And their response is "[rolls eyes] THAT BITCH?! [Sucks teeth]"
"But love changes A thug changes And best friends become strangers"
-Naz

Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 5

Previously in My $0.02................... Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 1

Followed by.................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 2

Then..................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 3

and............................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 4

Here's a baby. Look at the baby!! LOOK AT THE BABY!! Cute aint she? (Scientific studies of extensive researching stuff state that cute babies are soothing on the eye and make ppl more susceptible to accepting theories) One of my newest cousins. Can you believe this little jerk doesn't like me? YET!? She's one of those stoosh "Imma play shy in front of company" types. But the one in the back is one of my favorite little girls in planet. Now its one thing to be ignored by the newbie (she'll come around sooner or later), but my fav was in another world bc as you can see, she was enthusiastically programming all her contacts into her new cell phone. This led to a very intriguing discussion btwn us about usage and habits of why a 12 old needs a cell phone. Which leads me to theory #5:


Theory #5: Everyone has cell phones

This might seem minoot, but technology impairs our memories. When I was in high school, I had about 40 numbers memorized at the tip of my tongue at any given time. Now, if you lose you phone, you might as well be in a tunnel on Mars. Pop quiz: without looking at your phone, how many phone numbers do you know by heart? PS, you parents or home phone doesn't count. Don't cheat...well it doesn't really matter bc if you are cheating, its pretty self evident that you failed this little social experiment.

I recall correcting a teachers spelling in high school and I always remembered him saying, "wait until you're out of school and have been using spell check for a few years" and I laughed at his warning. Now, how many ppl can get through a document without that red squiggly line? On top of the mental address book, I also had everyone's birthday memorized. These days, if I didn't sign into Facebook, you more than likely won't get a birthday greeting from me.

Kids do not need cell phones for the same reason students don't need calculators. I'm old school so as far as I'm concerned, until letteration starts popping up and your math class starts looking like some english class typos, you don't need a calculator. WHY? Bc you impair, or rather, stunt your learning growth in the embryonic stages of cognitive thinking. Let's be clear. 70% of what you learn up until grade 12 is utter bs and will be of no use to you in life. It's not the content thats important, its the methodology of learning. If you bifurcate the two and focus solely on content, sans the methodology, you birth a generation of droid who basically are programed with RAM (random access memory) and no hard drive (long term storage) mental computation.

I digress.

Why are cell phones problematic? Other than all the reasons I stated above? The brain is like any muscle, and lack of usage leads to atrophy.......after development. Lack of usage before development can lead to impotence if not paralysis (didn't I tell you guys I had no regard for the english language? It's misuse and mishandleage? - quote from my open mic slam days - TEEHEE!). I mastered 258 ways to cheat and not get caught without technology. Who knows what tomwreckery the youtes are doing these days?

I won't even touch on smart phones. When we have a generation that can't answer a questions with any critical discernment bc we've replaced "thinking" with "googling." Sad forecast. An armada of smartphone in the hands of dunce users.

Tiger should sing

Seriously. It's bad enough that this whole ordeal has visibly aged the man considerably (either that or his makeup staff bailed on him too) but now there's all this speculation and questions as to whether he will play again, will he compete at the same level, etc? My question is, why do we hold celebrities on such high pedestals first of all, second, why do we hold different types of celebrities to different standards?

My only guess in Tigers fatal flaw is that like everything else he does, Tiger went big. He's not the first man to cheat, nor celebrity......however.............the way the "cats" came out the bag was essentially similar to the difference btwn catching a homicide, vs. a serial killer. You'll get some time if you shot someone......but if we find 19 skulls in your fridge and 24 bodies buried in your back yard, the authorities kinda gotta make a statement. I mean ppl are accused of things all the time, but hardly with so much hard evidence: txt msgs, photo txts, voice messages "H, H, HELLO? THIS IS TIGER" has to be my favorite. Spit out your social security while your at it. If he was this sloppy, how did he not get caught sooner? His wife had to have known, but it gets kinda hard to cover up when have to file a police report bc you crash into a tree and your wife went upside your head with a 5 iron.

He should have sang. We forgive singers all the time. The way things are going for Brittany Spears, ppl tend to forget that not too long ago she was bald, showing her twat and endangering her child, make K-Fed look like father of the year. R. Kelly was "accused" of "allegedly" doing such n such with underage girls, but the trial seemed to delay every time he dropped an album. Chris Brown dropped "Crawl" and a few other songs and its like the photo of Rihanna, beat like she fought Floyd Mayweather, never existed.

Even politicians today don't have the immunity of singers and songstress'. These politicians would not have survived the career of Ted Kennedy, letting little things like "affairs" and "scandals" and "misappropriation of power and funds" slow you down or end your career. "Oh nooooooo. I cheated on my wife. I gotta quit now." BOOOO!!! WEAK! Or perhaps times have changed and Kennedy, in his prime, wouldn't last against today's metrics?

If Tiger Woods were to drop a song right now, and feature some of today's artists, (I'm thinking Chris Brown, Rihanna, Keri Helson, Nikki Manage, Drake, T-Pain), perhaps remake a classic, like "Redemption Song" (appropriate choice) over a hot beat....Tiger will be swinging the right clubs again in no time.

Are you suffering from "Recession Body?"

I've noticed a peculiar trend over the last year. All the ppl who I know to normally be health nuts, fit freaks, gym rats, diet natzis have all slipped and slacked off. Myself included. Could this be another adverse affect of the recession?

"Recession Body" Diagnosis:

• Are ppl spending less time in the gym bc they are spending more time at work?
  
• Second jobs?
  
• Job searching?
• Are more ppl packing on pounds bc they are home and out of work?
• Are more ppl canceling their gym membership to cut corners in an attempt to save money?
• Are ppl generally less happy, and thus unmotivated to work out?
• Are ppl just so stressed that they are drawn to worry about more pressing matters than their physique?

I had to give myself a stern reminder, my whole get it shape campaign was by no means cosmetically motivated. I actually went through some serious series of events and health issues (I'll stop there in the name of TMIatry) that made me undergo a serious life and health overhaul and think of my life/health in the long run.

The thought first occurred to me during Carnival bc number one, I was not content with how I looked (never again!) and two, a lot of ppl who normally take Carnival serious and go all out to get in shape for it.........for lack of a better word, fell off.

Well fortunately here are two great motivators for fitness: New Years, and the one currently upon us, WARM WEATHER!!! There's just something about warm weather that just makes ppl want to get naked. And with much skin exposed, comes much responsibility. The weather hit 60 in NYC last weekend and you would have sworn it was 80. Ride that momentum and let it take you out of your current slump. The economy may be in shambles, but must you be? If the country is on the up and up towards recovery, how about you?

June 15th 2009 - The Saddest Day EVER!!

A day that will forever live in infamy.

Last summer, I experienced many losses that will stain my heart for years to come. None of which as paramount as this. ............. to paint the picture of anguish and tornment (no its not a typo), I will seek the musical accompaniment of James Blunt. Press play then continue reading:



On June 15th, 2009, The Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Arts, (my alma mata) suddenly and deliberately closed the doors to its old school of engineering building forever....... and with it, my gym. Apparently the new bawla-ass building doesn't have enough space to allocate one to the gym. For 11 yrs, I've tried many "sports clubs," worked out in basement set ups, but the greatest most effective workout environment was my free-with-alumni card, Cooper weight room where I tested and exceeded my physical limits and carved my body to new definition. School was a very stressful time in my life and sometimes my only escape was to hit the gym, aka the dungeon, aka "the basement from Rocky" (as one of my friends dubbed it) for 10-15-30 minutes at a time. This is where I realized that 3 hours in the gym is ridiculous and how much damage you can do with 10-30 minute work outs, as long as you're consistent.

I've tried 4 major sports clubs and none of which gave me the results or enjoyment of my little hole in the wall gym. Don't need machines and lights n music, all I need is 4 walls, free weights, a few cables and benches and I'm good. I'm tired of dudes walking around the locker room booty-butt naked......who quite frankly have no business walking anywhere naked and really need to humble themselves. I'm tired of seeing ppl use the bathroom, not wash their hands and run back into the gym.....to touch equipment. I'm tired of laying on a bench with the sweat of a thousand asses. I'm tired of waiting in line to use the bench. I'm tired of random strangers who feel the need to tell you how much they USE to bench as if you care. I'm tired of "Mr. Fit", who looks like the most he's lifted since high school football was a tv remote, attempting to give me tips or correct my form. I'm tired of the social club that huddles around the benches and chats up a storm while I'm waiting to finish up my rep. I'm tired of the one person wandering around like he lost his keys, has no idea what to do in the gym, but feels the need to be there. I'm tired of never being able to find two 20lb dumb bells. WHY IS EVERYONE ALWAYS USING THE 20lb DUMBBELL!!??

This is the reason why there hasn't been a "Staying Motivated in the Gym" installment in so long, but I really need to break out of it. Fortunately, my disciplines have yielded some long term residual results. I'm not as Spartan-esque as I used to be, but for a person who has been without a gym for 9 months, I think I'm holding up pretty well. I attribute it mostly to my diet, but I see where I've faltered and I know what I have to do to get back. I checked the weather the other day, and the forecast was "GET YOUR BUTT BACK IN THE GYM!!"

Sidenote: I've been telling ppl for years, what you eat is WAAAAY more important that your workout and you could carve and trim down your core/mid section drastically just by changing your eating habits. If you haven't in a while, check out the SMITG series under "fitness" in the labels.

Favorite song in the world right now: Careful - Lil Bitts/ Satellite - DMB

At any given time I always have a hyper hype-up song and a slow smooth song that I consider my favorite songs in the world at that particular given time. It just so happens, that this week both of them happen to be both Soca, so in Socanese, that translates into "Road March Tune" and "Groovy Tune" (sometimes pronounced "chune." "CH" enunciation is also acceptable. I have a lot of very well educated friends, can't say "Tuesday" to save their infants life, its a cultural thing).

Hype up song - "Palance" by JW and Blaze
Every year there's a debate which song is going to win Soca Monarch or the Roach March for Carnival. This year, unquestionably, one song irrefutably mashed every Fete and the two days on the road in Trinidad Carnival. Palance in it of itself, needs its own blog. Seriously and truly (which essentially mean the same thing, but we like coupling them for literary theatrical purposes.......and yes we refer to ourselves in the pluralar from time to time - straight english language masacration.....and NO spellcheck! I wont capitalize "english" HMPH!....I digress) there is no video on youtube, google, msn or any other tube for that matter that will do justice to true Palancation. Much like The Matrix......"you must see it for yourself." The video comes about as close as you can get in 2 dimension, but MARK MY WORDS!!! YOU HAVE TO GO TO A SOCA FETE BEFORE 2O1O ENDS!! Bug you're west indian friends and tell em "I wanna go to a soca fete [pronounced fet]" they'll know what you're talking about. I wouldn't bother my Jamaican friends if I were you. There are very few that can tolerate soca for more than 15 minutes, if they do not absolutely abhor the music. You can try, you just may get a tainted view. So far, everyone I've converted to Soca, sans most Jamaicans, loves it.
I know a lot of ppl who blast "Eye of the Tiger" before work, meetings, presentations or the gym get them hyped and in the zone. I could easily press 300 lbs with this song in my ears.

I'll return to this video another post so we can discuss some of the blatant tomfoolery going on in this video.



Groovy "Chune" - "Careful "by Little Bitts

This song didn't really grab me in a fete or anything like that. It was more so one of those songs that sneak up on you during down time, either playing in a car or just on a cd while I'm at home blazaying or plotting world domination and various nefarious activities of the such. I literally woke up this morning with the single-minded intention of finding this song on one of my cd's and finding out who it was.



Official is cool, but I'm really feeling this unplugged version. She took it back to youtube webcam videos in messy bedrooms [sorry, but thats one of my pet peeves - if your going to do the whole set up of camera and computer, A:take the time to clean your room or B: throw the mess BEHIND the camera. My ex reminded me yesterday that I'm critical of details, yet within 2 minutes of seeing me for the first time in 2 yrs says "your shoe is scuffed" on the bottom front tip.........arse!].I love Little Bitts now. Her voice is so intoxicating to my ears. Nothing compares to raw vocals.

Sidenote: I had to really think long n hard to shape that last sentence bc I know the perverse would have had a field day.

Sidernote: I notice the sidenotes are starting to evolve into "insidenotes" as not to interrupt the thought or paragraph. I'mma have to start a "Save the Sidenote" foundation. Charitable contributions or in-kind donations are appreciated :)

Sidestenote: Honorable mention goes out to last weeks favorite song in the world right now, but I didnt post:

Why ppl invented "No Homo" and "PAUSE"

I agree that it CAN get ridiculous and out of hand sometimes [that's what she said! - which is essentially the same thing but its ok and accepted bc it's hetero and less urban] but there are many occasions when ppl just say some wild and easily taken out of context statements.

Sidenote: I love when these complete strangers proceed to tell me so definitively about myself. I thought sister Cleo was a fraud, but clearly this confident summmmmbitch knows me pretty darn well. I hate being told what to do! That'll more so turn me off from buying it.

Here's yet another comical infomercial courtesy of the "ShamWOW" guy. Listen to the comment at the 0:54 mark. I had to replay this one over and over for almost a good 2 minutes. You have to ask yourself, can these blatantly obvious innuendos be oversights of naivety, or is there some colossal inside joke that someone is rolling over laughing at somewhere? I'm inclined to think the latter.

Sidenote: Why do I always post so much on Thursdays? Hmmmmmm....

SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT..............CORRECTLY!!.....

Previously on "My $0.02"...........SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT!

Then...............SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT...............again.....

Sidenote: And you know the worse part about those summmmbitch kids? The mother didn't even move the car. I can understand you digging your car out bc you have to move it like most ppl did, but they just dug out the car, threw all types of snow on my sidewalk and driveway. They could have EASILY pushed it off of the car onto the streets. Ok, I've vented I'm over it.

I reread a couple of my blogs and the "shovel it" video that I posted doesn't sit well with me, so I could only imagine how it looks to an outsider who's not familiar with dancehall reggae dances. First of all, I must point out that he burns himself out pretty early with all that tertiary movement, rather, dances early on. By the time he gets to the "shovel it" he's visibly fatigued and his form and energy is a bit lacking.



In a quest to find the dance in true, proper form and energy, I checked on one of my favorite Dancehall Dance crews AMBUSH, and sure enough, Dweeble did not let me down. To ensure his lines were clean (lines are important to any dancer) he just explodes with the dance early before going off into his freestyle. Even throws a little crumping in there as an added bonus. Lets take a trip back to 2007:



And look at lil mamma over here getting in on some of dis hot fiyah! That's true dancery there, when everyone does the same dance, but puts their own (ok, maybe different but not their own) spin on it.



Ok..........I feel much better. Now I can lay my head down. I tried to get a clip from the dance crew RAVERS CLAVERS who invented di dance but its so old most clips are gone, and the others are take too long before they get into it. What do you guys think? Difference? Noticeable are do all the dances just look like boiling hot derriere on a Wednesday?

I need to get back into dancing.
"di ppl dem seh looooooove danciiiiing! unu fi looooooove danciiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!"

Spoke too soon!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It wasn't even two weeks ago....wait, actually it was exactly two weeks ago (it is Thursday, innit?) that I said:

"...Obama better just make a decision to just leave chicken alone for the next 3-8 years bc God forbid anyone captures a snapshop of that."

...And today, my friend sends me this (technically 2 days ago, I'm now posting it):

Courtesy of one of my favorite reads, The Huffington Post article................sigh. No words.

Sidenote: That originally was going to be the end of the post, then my inner RrChitect said, "ooh! ooh! oh I have a word or two" and he had his hand up, waving feverishly in that "teecha! teecha! pick me, pick me"-type motion.

Notice the leach paparazzi didn’t even wait for it to hit the table. We have no idea if he actually even ate the thing. They just saw a heaping platter of crispy, succulent, mamma's southern fried chicken passing our black president, carried by good ol’ healthy black “mammy” of a woman (lovely homegrown lady at that) and this photographer pounced on it like a $100 bill on the floor in a crowded NYC subway. They probably ran right out the dinner (this is literally the last photo on the slide reel) and said "GOTCHYA BITCH!! It was only a matter of time, but we got him! We got a headline!!

Obama Eats Fried Chicken Lunch Despite Cholesterol Problem (PHOTOS, POLL)"

Sidenote: I think the "despite...." was added after the photo made it back to the actual journalists.

Correct me if I missed something, but outside of having a beer with Jr, and a Japanese chef damn near killing his father, since when does what a president eat become news? Do they not know Obama works out more than any president in recent history?

A lot of my friends think I’m too extreme or paranoid but here’s a newsflash that you would like to think is not a concern, but is: RACE MATTERS! Ask any Arab, Indian or dark skinned Dominican who's taken a flight since 2001. No one will admit it, but every other race has stereotypes about black ppl. Some are out of ignorance, but some are from actual interaction, which unfortunately isn’t always the most pleasant. The comical genesis of all this commenced when a friend of mine innocently went inquiring about something on line. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT!! Google, “why” and wait a second. Look at the first 5 auto searches in the drop menu and tell me if anything strikes your eye that might provoke this topic.

I’m so over hearing “you’re the first black person I really got to know, so articulate, speak so well, I was surprised by your performance, not like other black ppl,” or any other variation of “compliment” when ppl realize that there are black ppl who don’t talk like JJ, Martin, Flavor Flav or someone out of a Tyler Perry story. I've even heard other black professionals say they rarely meet and work with young black ppl who conduct themselves or do business at the level of my associates and I. It’s all good intended so no offense taken; it’s just a constant eye opener that we will forever be scrutinized. Women have a different scrutiny, every other culture has one or two dozen, this is ours. And on the flipside, in my less cognizant and inglorious moments………………..I’ve confirmed a WHOOOOOOOOOOLE lot of stereotypes. Even on accident………….like sitting at a table as a platter of chicken happens to be walking by.

Stereotypes will be around just as long as roaches and rodents. Best combat I've found over the years is that when you're a "token," you have a moral obligation to be a shining star and dispel as much of the negative as you humanly can. Sorry, this is your burden whether you choose to carry it or not.

If I ever see him eating watermelon, he's not getting my vote in 2012 (jus a waitin on that watermelon image link to hit inbox, any day now).

[CENTURY BLOG] Previously on My $0.02......What you missed.

Update.

A of all, this marks my 100th blog, aka the "Century Blog!!!" Anti-Spoiler: I once saw an anime series where a character earned the nickname "Century Slayer" for killing 100 men in one fight when everyone was sure he was going to die and ! thought it was the coolest nickname in the world.

B of all, a couple blogs I worked on last month got A.D.D.'d, never completed and have since existed in limbo of "draft" bloggery. There are actually quite a few out there that are still in draft limbo that will more than likely be there for quite some time. The cool part is, it still posts the initial date that the blog was started regardless of when its published. Most readers just scroll down until they reach the last post they read and continue from there....and eventually txt me and complain about my lack of postation. So unless you go all the way through and beyond the last blog you read, here's a few that you may otherwise miss:

Thursday, January 28, 2010 Reasons why they invented camera phones: NOT THESE FOOLS AGAIN!!!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 Some Real Bawla-Ass Shit!!!

and.........

Friday, February 26, 2010 SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT...............again.....

Happy Bloggeration!!