Don't Sleep on Don Cheadle

Seriously, who in Hollywood is more underrated as an actor than Cheadle? All the guy does is turn in great performances and still is never talked about as one of the elite actors in the business. As a matter of fact, you'd be hard pressed to find someone as versatile and capable as Cheadle period. I just watched his latest film Traitor the other night, and though the movie wasn't necessarily great (3 out of 5 stars), Cheadle was his usual self and played his role perfectly. He was widely heralded for a period of time after his work in Hotel Rwanda and has also done his fair share of blockbusters (Oceans Trilogy, Crash, etc.), but his name never remains in the conversation of the greatest actors of our generation. The fact that he can play a hilarious and complicated D.C. radio phenomenon (Talk To Me), an undercover Muslim terrorist (Traitor), a cold blooded killer from the South (Devil in a Blue Dress), all equally brilliant is really saying something. Don Cheadle refuses to be type cast and whenever he is on screen you never see someone acting because you believe his roles so much. Shout out to Cheadle.

Why Does U.S. Continue to Back Israel/AIPAC?

Seriously, why? I ask myself this every time there is news of the Israeli government "committing atrocities like they got immunity" (yes I just dropped Jay-Z in the first sentence of a political post, hereby eliminating any credibility one may have given me), against the Palestinians. When the region, and the world for that matter, turns to U.S. it continually shows a pro-Israeli bias and refuses to even examine the other side of the coin. I grew up with a Jewish mother, I respect what Israel means to the Jewish population of the world, but at some point enough is enough. Here is my basic opinion on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict: First of all, when Bush insisted on fair democratic elections in Palestine and the Hamas leadership group won, President Bush tried to deny the legitimacy of their authority. As much as I agree that Hamas is generally an evil, bigoted, organization, they won the election. Second, I have to say, I can see where Palestinian "terrorists" come from. Ask yourself this question, if your mother or your girlfriend or your brother or cousin or uncle was killed in a "war-strike" from Israel, how would you feel about the Israeli government? Just because they call it an act of war, why is that better than firing a missile at Israel? How is that, being a terrorist organization, but when Israel thrashes thousands of Palestinians, it is warfare? Terrorism is a type of warfare. And, it's the only way that angry Palestinians can seek revenge for the bloodshed caused by Israel. It then becomes a vicious circle where Israel fires back, and pounds Hamas with missiles, causing more resentment in the region. The question though, is why do U.S. politicians allow AIPAC to influence them in such a way that no matter the situation, the United States backs Israel? I wish I had the answer. Despite, most of the world pressuring Israel to lay off Hamas, the U.S is currently doing their typical blind pro-Israel song and dance. If you're expecting a change in the way business is done from the U.S. point of view when Obama enters office, think again, Obama has been a staunch Israel-supporter from day one and has surrounded himself with even more pro-Israel advisers (i.e. soon-to-be Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel). I'm sure people more knowledgeable about this will want to puke after reading my elementary analysis, but it is what it is. There's a comment section, enlighten me...

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

So many movies so little time. Here's a list of all the movies I had planned to see over the holiday season:

Changeling (w/ Angelina Jolie)
Curious Case of Benjamin (w/ Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett)
Doubt (w/ Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Meril Streep)
Milk (w/ Sean Penn)
Revolutionary Road (w/ Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet)
Seven Pounds (w/ Will Smith)
Valkyrie (w/ Tom Cruise)
The Wrestler (w/ Mickey Rourke)

...and I probably left some out. The starts have really come out in a magnitude of different roles this year and I couldn't be more disappointed that I've only seen one of the aforementioned. I have probably crossed 'Seven Pounds' off my list, after getting panned, but what other time of year can you say you have so many choices that you don't even consider what many call another brilliant performance from Mr. Smith. I'm going to try and hit the movies hard the for the next few weeks and see the movies that will have a shorter theater-shelf life first and move that way. Hopefully, I'll get to see all these before they go to DVD.

On to Benjamin Button, though. First of all, Brad Pitt is underrated. Don't get me wrong, he is a mega star, heart throb of all teenage girls, and married to Angelina Jolie, as an actor though, still underrated. The Assassination of Jesse James was a great movie and Pitt carried it through its lulls in action. My only question to him is why he is doing such long movies lately (with the exception of that piece of garbage Burn After Reading), I mean I'm all for long movies, but they better be damn good to overcome the inevitable boring stretches. I don't want to spoil this particular movie, so I'll tread lightly considering most people may have chosen other options to see in theaters first, but the story as you may have gathered from the previews centers around Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), who was born as an old man, but grew younger into a little boy and his relationship with Daisy (Cate Blanchett), as they struggle to cope with a relationship where one is growing older while the other only gets younger. The movie is brilliantly acted, and paced perfectly, exploring each phase of Button's life with a near-perfect amount of time devoted to all parts. Granted, this causes the run-time to span nearly three hours, but the lulls are limited. I'd give it 4.5/5 stars and a definite recommendation.

Fed Cuts Interest Rates

Haven't been that heavy with political talk here recently (I'm sure it bores 1/2 the people who even bother to read my hack blog posts) and I've been meaning to address this for a while, so today when the fed cut interest rates to a point between 0 and .25 percent, I figured it to be the perfect opportunity. The cut in the interest rate is going to do nothing for people who are already locked into fixed mortgage rates (i.e. your standard 25-30 year mortgage rate), but it will free up some cash for those with prime mortgage loans. This is really just an attempt to help infuse some cash into the sinking economy, by freeing up funds from people's mortgage payments. The problem, from what I can gather with my limited knowledge on the economy, is that people with prime rates are already broke or they would have taken on a fixed mortgage rate, which at the time most any economist would have advised. Am I right? As for those with the sub-prime rates, I hate to harp on this again, but hello, they should have never been given the loan in the first place. But, because lenders were banking (npi) on the fact that housing values would increase by 10% each year, they knew that they could use a borrowers home as a bargaining chip in case they defaulted on their loan. In other words, if someone doesn't pay back the loan, the lender can simply take their house from them, and use the raised value of the house as a form of interest payment upon re-selling the home. However, when the housing market crashed, people defaulted on their loans (as they tend to do when they have credit ratings so poor that they qualify for sub-prime loans in the first place), the borrowers had no way of re-paying the loans. I admire what the fed is doing doling out all this cash, and I was listening to an interview with Whitney Tilson(a leading economist, warning of a second housing crisis looming), who claims that we are only 1/3 of the way through the recession and the worst is still yet to be seen. I am wondering how we can infuse money into the economy by cutting interest rates, if you aren't in an adjustable interest rate loan and you can re-finance. The only way I see this being a possibility is if you can somehow cut the fixed rates, saving potential US consumers hundreds of dollars per month, which would inevitably be injected into the economy. I literally have no clue what I'm talking about and can only make very general statements about this, but hopefully someone can leave a comment and school me on what is happening and what ideas are being floated around to change things.

Pro Bowlers Announced (Four Redskins Make Team)

How did any Redskins make it, is the question... only one is a starter, FB Mike "Hands" Sellers. The others as reserves are Chris "Thimble in my pants, fumble in the first quarter" Cooley, Clinton "I'm a Donk" Portis, and Chris "I always make it, despite mediocrity" Samuels.

Other surprises to me are Peyton Manning as the starting AFC quarterback and the complete snubbing of Dolphins QB Chad Pennington. Despite the fact that Manning has the 10th best passer rating in football, while Pennington touts the 4th best.

Here are your complete rosters:
NFC:
Starters Listed First
Quarterback... Kurt Warner, Cardinals; Drew Brees, Saints; Eli Manning, Giants
Running Back... Adrian Peterson, Vikings; Michael Turner, Falcons; Clinton Portis, Redskins
Fullback... Mike Sellers, Redskins
Wide Receiver... Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals; Anquan Boldin, Cardinals; Steve Smith, Panthers; Roddy White, Falcons
Tight End... Jason Witten, Cowboys; Chris Cooley, Redskins
Tackle... Jordan Gross, Panthers; Walter Jones, Seahawks; Chris Samuels, Redskins
Guard... Steve Hutchinson, Vikings; Chris Snee, Giants; Leonard Davis, Cowboys
Center... Andre Gurode, Cowboys; Shaun O'Hara, Giants
Defensive End... Julius Peppers, Panthers; Justin Tuck, Giants; Jared Allen, Vikings
Defensive Tackle... Kevin Williams, Vikings; Jay Ratliff, Cowboys; Pat Williams, Vikings
Outside Linebacker: DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys; Lance Briggs, Bears; Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers
Inside Linebacker: Patrick Willis, 49ers; Jon Beason, Panthers
Cornerback: Charles Woodson, Packers; Antoine Winfield, Vikings; Asante Samuel, Eagles
Safety: Nick Collins, Packers; Adrian Wilson, Cardinals; Brian Dawkins, Eagles
Punter: Jeff Feagles, Giants
Kicker: John Carney, Giants
Returner: Clifton Smith, Buccaneers
Special Teamer: Sean Morey, Cardinals

AFC
Starters Listed First
Quarterback: Peyton Manning, Colts; Brett Favre, Jets; Jay Cutler, Broncos
Running Back: Thomas Jones, Jets; Chris Johnson, Titans; Ronnie Brown, Dolphins
Fullback: Le'Ron McClain, Ravens
Wide Receiver: Andre Johnson, Texans; Brandon Marshall, Broncos; Reggie Wayne, Colts; Wes Welker, Patriots
Tight End: Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs; Antonio Gates, Chargers
Tackle: Joe Thomas, Browns; Jason Peters, Bills; Michael Roos, Titans
Guard: Alan Faneca, Jets; Kris Dielman, Chargers; Brian Waters, Chiefs
Center: Kevin Mawae, Titans; Nick Mangold, Jets
Defensive End: Mario Williams, Texans; Dwight Freeney, Colts; Robert Mathis, Colts
Defensive Tackle: Albert Haynesworth, Titans; Kris Jenkins, Jets; Shaun Rogers, Browns
Outside Linebacker: James Harrison, Steelers; Joey Porter, Dolphins; Terrell Suggs, Ravens
Inside Linebacker: Ray Lewis, Ravens; James Farrior, Steelers
Cornerback: Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders; Cortland Finnegan, Titans; Darrelle Revis, Jets
Safety: Ed Reed, Ravens; Troy Polamalu, Steelers; Chris Hope, Titans
Punter: Shane Lechler, Raiders
Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots
Returner: Leon Washington, Jets
Special Teamer: Brendon Ayanbadejo, Ravens

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Eleven

Episode Eleven coming soon in its usual format, for now though, you can listen to it on this link. I'm looking for a new mp3 splitter to cut it down... as for this episode, the first 10 minutes or so is the show before us who ran too long, so skip past that nonsense...

http://wmucradio.com/stream_ripper/wmuc2/fri/I_Need_to_Decompress_at_Times_2200_2400.mp3

Bend the Rules in Illinois

"When the president does it, that means its not illegal" - Richard Nixon

Look sometimes you just have to make a move for the good of the country, even if it means bending the rules. Why doesn't Bush just make an executive decision, it's not like hes been a stark constitutionalist throughout his presidential tenure anyway. In a state where political corruption runs wild such as Illinois, why all of a sudden are we following the rules to the letter of the law? Why is disgraced governor Rod Blagojevich still in a position where he could lawfully give away the vacant senate seat? That's a complete joke. I think we all know that he is unlikely to do so, but so what? It's called making a statement, strip him of his powers, or at least suspend those powers until he is finally found guilty in trial. I believe in innocent until proven guilty, but you saw the transcripts from the phone calls. That's proof, whether it's been made official in the court of law is not really important right now, what is important is that we establish the fact that Rod Blagojevich is a clown and he should be stripped of every gubernatorial power he has until this is all finally settled.

What a Debacle

In Germany there is a 16-year old "female" by the name of Kim Petras, who four years ago at the age of 12 underwent a sex change to become a chick. This dudes name was Tim, now he is Kim, but the worst part about all this is that this Tim character is blowing up in Germany becoming a pop star. There's something unnatural about this and frankly I don't know its such a good thing to be trotting this shim out in front of a bunch of little kiddies. Not only that, but what kind of parent gives or allows their 12-year old son to have a sex change. No 12 year old is mature enough to make that kind of decision or realize whether or not that decision needs to be made. It's actually a disaster. Anyway, that's for each person to decide, here's a picture of T(K)immy's album cover:

Breaking News: Politicians Are Corrupt!

Is anyone really surprised by the news that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been arrested and is now in custody for seeking monetary bribes in exchange for appointment to the U.S. Senate. Basically what happened here is that when Barack Obama officially leaves for the white house there is a vacancy in his senate seat, that seat in Chicago has been a hotbed of activity and is one of the most coveted positions in the U.S. political landscape. Chicago, and that district in particular, has become a landing strip for some of the democratic party's most prominent rising superstars. According to state law Blagojevich is the one who has complete authority in choosing Obama's replacement, and thus, used that as leverage to extract bribes. Honestly, though, is anyone surprised by this? The guy is a complete clown, but hello, he is a politician. He is scum. He is out for self. This should be huge news and it is, but this shouldn't shock anyone, it certainly doesn't shock me.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Ten (Part Two)

In part two we continue our discussion of the perfect date and also discuss Plaxico Burress.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4G3M%20E10%20P2.mp3

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Ten (Part One)

In episode ten we talk about the perfect first date, nude cell phone pics, and gun laws.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4G3M%20E10%20P1.mp3

Friday Night Lights, Fink, and More

If you don't watch Friday Night Lights you might be a little bit clueless. It's probably one of the most slept on shows out there right now, it generally appears on NBC and is returning for a 3rd season on January 16. If you are lucky enough to have Direct TV, though, they are already airing the 3rd season. If you aren't that lucky it may or may not be in your best interest to click here (<-- clickable). I'm just saying. The first two seasons are all available at Hulu, click here for the link. It's a dope show, the football scenes are surprisingly strong, but it's also a perfect "date night" television show. In other words, something that you and your girl would both enjoy. Or, if you a girly man like I am, you might just be in heaven. So, check it out.

I was watching the show though and they were playing some pretty good tunes from this English singer/songwriter Fink. I'm probably years late on this dude but he rocks a little bit. Usually I link you to rap or soul music, but my interests are wide ranging. Give this guy a listen:


Anyway, thanks for staying with me here at the blog everybody. Also, if you get a chance remember to check out my new website http://www.MyWayOrTheParlay.com, we've been pretty hot the last few days, including a 4-0 night yesterday evening. So, give us a chance over there, but I'm going to keep it strong here at the blog, too. And one more thing, we need to cheer up a little bit. I know I'm a cynical pessimist just like everyone else, but god damn if enough isn't enough already. I know its cold, wet, and windy. I know the economy sucks. But, the holidays are practically here and it's time to just put all that to the side for a little bit, I'm not saying we ignore the problems in our lives, but let's stop feeling sorry for ourselves and crying all the time. Everybody has problems. Go see a movie. Don't put your whole life on facebook. And that's all I have to say tonight. Peace.

Starting a New Project

The Skins got creamed and if we don't beat Baltimore the season is over. That's all I have to say about that, and truthfully, I don't feel like talking about the Clinton as secretary of state news because I've already addressed that a number of times, so I'm going to take this time to let you all know about a new project I'm going to be working on. Well, not really new, but sort of. As many of you know I'm big into sports betting and the science behind why teams are favored by however many points and then trying to "beat vegas" with a number of hair-brain teasers and parlays. About a year ago I started up MyWayOrTheParlay.com, but it had a very limited run after I had some trouble with the webmaster and the site eventually died. I recently regained the licensing rights to the domain name though, and I am bringing the website back, probably under the same URL, though I may begin using OurWayOrTheParlay.com because I don't plan on being the only person giving betting news/advice/tips/etc. Anyway, I just thought I'd give you all the heads up that I'll be working on that for a while so the posts here might come a little slower than usual. Peace.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Nine (Part One)

In part one we talk about the Terps/Vermont hoops battle and more

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4G3M%20E9%20P1.mp3

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Nine (Part Two)

In part two we discuss overrated celebs and more

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4G3M%20E9%20P2.mp3

What About "Change"?

Fresh new faces, fresh ideas, eh' Mr. President Elect Obama? Look, I know that every time I doubt something that the Obama team does, I end up being wrong and Obama ends up being right, but something just seems off about this. The entirety of Obama's staff is shaping up to be Clinton administration people and though the Clinton administration was very successful, times have changed and that is why the American people voted for Obama and not, well, Clinton. Let's take a look at some of the names Obama has selected and see where they fit in, relationship-wise, to the Clinton administration.

Rahm Emmanuel, the future White House Chief of Staff, is a long known Clinton supporter since his first day on the political scene. In 1993 he served as one of Bill Clinton's chief advisers, he remains quite close to Bill and also helped in support of Hilary's recent run for the White House.

Bob Gates, future Defense Secretary, has no real ties to Clinton but is certainly not a change because he recently served under a guy, maybe you've heard of him, George W. Bush, in that exact same role.

Eric Holder, I talked about a little in a previous posting, as he was named as Obama's Attorney General, and while it is change in that he is the first black person to be named to that position, he too has close ties to the Clinton admin. as he served for Bill Clinton as Deputy Attorney General.

Hillary Clinton, the likely Secretary of State, has close ties to the Clinton's as well, mostly in that, well... she is one. I've talked already about why this is a terrible choice, mainly because of her differences with Obama in foreign policy, in regards to talking and meeting with foreign leaders with(out) preconditions, her lack of judgment on the war in Iraq, so on and so on, and I also mentioned the possible political ramifications of this choice in the long run.

Look, here is the bottom line, when you deal with the Clinton's and Clinton people you end up dealing with politics instead of real world issues. Yes, Bill Clinton's presidential era was a damn good one, but it was not without drama and politicking going on all the time, Obama said he was going to bring change to Washington and I simply don't see how it is possible when he is bringing in the same faces and names from the Clinton era. I understand it is hard to strike a balance between new people and experienced council, but I do think it is important for Obama to put a stamp on his own era in history.

Frost/Nixon Looks Excellent

Geeks like me are real antsy for this movie because, hello, it's going to be sick. Even though the screen writer, Peter Morgan is overrated you might remember his crown jewel "Last King of Scotland" and if you're like me, you might too remember that it was a pathetic movie. But, Ron Howard - a former oscar winner - is a sick director. The movie is basically a re-creation of one of the most intense on-air interviews in American history between former president Richard Nixon and journalist David Frost. It also gives you a lot of the behind the scenes stuff that went down to booking the interview and all of the negotiations that went on beforehand. I love journalism, I love politics, and I love awkward/heated interviews. Comes out December 5th and I absolutely cannot wait.

Obama Selects Attorney General

Eric Holder. Whoever that is, will become the first black head of the justice department. The only place we - and by we I mean me - have ever heard Eric Holder's name before is in passing when he was one of the chairs in the Obama vice president selection committee. I've done some homework though and it turns out Holder has close ties to Bill Clinton's administration where he served as D.C.'s U.S. attorney and later the deputy attorney general for the Justice Department, which is the position just beneath the one he is about to accept. According to everything I have read he has all of the right credentials for the job and could restore some much needed order to a department that has been out of hand recently, see Alberto Gonzales.

Hillary Clinton Being Considered for Secretary of State

Secretary of State is a HUGE job, its the top post at the state level, and there is no question that she is amply qualified for the job. Clinton did everything possible to help Obama win the election after the primaries, but let's not get it twisted, as a political opponent, she is a SNAKE. Obama has to be very careful giving her that kind of power, because she will inevitably, be making a run at him 4 years from now and he needs to make sure he can keep her in check. There's a lot of speculation out there that Clinton would try to almost railroad Obama's presidency at every avenue possible. I don't see why Obama won't just give the job to John Kerry, he is the most qualified person for it, he gave Obama his start in politics, and would never flip on him. Maybe Obama is worried about leaving Clinton in the senate, but the reason he elected Rahm Emmanuel to Chief of Staff is because he can keep people like Clinton, and the rest of the democratic party members, in line.

Redskins Drop Another Winnable Game; 6-4

Washington was winning that game last night with 5 minutes left and should have won the ballgame, were they able to put together any type of drive and finish it. Look I don't want to take anything away from the Cowboys, they played very well in certain areas (running the ball), and their pass rush was great. But, I feel like the pass rush is more a victim of the Redskins inability to protect for Jason. Run blocking we are strong. Pass blocking terrible. I feel like our defense did a phenomenal job throughout the game and the playcalling/offense really let the team down.

0-3 in primetime games.

Everyone in the city wants to write the Skins off, but I'm not so "what have you done for me lately", we're 6-4 and basically tied with Dallas, except that our conference record is 1 game better (although its too early to start looking at that). I'm not writing the team off, don't bury us, but we gave Dallas life now. Next week is critical for Washington, we need to win @ Seattle.

I'll have more on the game later. Peace.

Tonight is Colossal

The Redskins don't necessarily have to win tonight to mathematically be in good shape for the playoffs, but as far as the mentality of a football season goes, its a huge game. It's a gargantuan game. It's monumental really. Is Tony Romo going to be the spark plug Dallas needs to turn them around, or can Washington hit them with a hay maker tonight and prove that even with Romo, their team isn't good enough. Will the Washington home field advantage actually help the team tonight? Will Portis play? If, yes, and as of 6:20 PM it appears he'll be on the field, then what kind of role will he serve? Can Campbell rebound from a mediocre performance? What will Jim Zorn have for the Cowboys defense with 2 weeks to prepare. With the Eagles tying early today, in a game that seemed like an easy win, the Redskins have a golden opportunity to solidify themselves in the playoff mix. I pray to god they capitalize on it. Beat Dallas. Hail to the Redskins. Let's get it.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Eight (Part Two)

We relive some Music from the 90's and continue talking about broads

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4G3M%20E8%20P2.mp3

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Eight (Part One)

We talk about hot chicks most of the show, we mention Steve being fired, and touch on sports for a bit

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4G3M%20E8%20P1.mp3

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Eight (Behind The Scenes)

Here is a take of Kyle and me going at it in between the first break. Enjoy.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Seven (Part One)

Steve returns to the show and tries to make it all about Steve

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4Guys3micsEP7%20pt%201.mp3

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Six (Full)

Featuring Kevin Anderson, we talk about pointless jobs, Redskins, and more.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/I_Need_to_Decompress_at_Times_2200_2300%20new.mp3

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Seven (Full Episode, download/stream)

The Seventh installment of Four Guys Three Mics, we talk Obama, Palin, grasping at hotties, and more.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5104515264bd01e5/

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Seven (Part Two)

The Seventh installment of Four Guys Three Mics, we talk Obama, Palin, grasping at hotties, and more.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4Guys3MicsEP7%20pt%202.mp3

Rockets @ Blazers Incredible Ending Last Night

And who says the NBA regular season is boring?

Here (<-- Clickable) is the link for the HD version, if you want the full effect, if not here is the mediocre quality version:


Basically, the Blazers, Brandon Roy made an incredible game winner with 1.8 seconds, only to make a bone-headed foul on Yao Ming who was able to convert on an And-1 and put the Rockets up by 1 point with 0.8 seconds remaining. Brandon Roy rectifies his mistake by putting up a fade-away DEEP three pointer for the win. Just a magnificent finish to a game.

Four guys Three Mics News

As everybody knows it's Friday and that means another edition of Four Guys Three Mics, but instead of being on from 10PM-11PM, we will now go a second hour up until midnight. So, the same start time that you're used to, but we are now a 2 hour show. I will update this post later tonight with the podcast version of the show, but if you can tune in live we'd appreciate it. As a refresher, here's how to listen:

Go to http://wmuc.umd.edu, look to the left under the first tab "Listen Online", simply click WMUC2 (either HQ or Lo-Fi, either works) and the show will open up in one of your media players (WMP, Itunes, etc.), kick back, maybe even turn on your xbox, put the volume on mute, and enjoy.

The Night of the Election - How I'm Feeling

I am by no means a gifted enough writer to put into words the emotion that has overcome me tonight as Barack Obama won the presidency of the United States, but I will give it my best shot. To be a part of the generation that elected the first black president into office enthuses me more than you could ever know. If you are reading this I’m sure you know my political leanings, I am very liberal and have been pretty vocal about my stances on politics for the past couple of years now, but this is bigger than just domestic/foreign policies. This is the affirmation and a new chapter in racial relations in the United States, even the most pessimistic can never deny the fact of what just happened tonight. This is a surreal moment in time and has not even really sunk in yet that our president elect is Obama. People were celebrating all night, in Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., outside my College Park window, and God bless them, but not me. Tonight, I just sat and watched and reflected and tried to soak it all in. Then Obama came on and put into words everything that I was feeling but could have never orated. I don’t need to remind any of you what a great speaker he is, but make no mistake about it; he captured the essence of what just happened better than anyone ever could. So, if you were part of the raucous celebration and missed it, enjoy…

The 44th President of the United States of America; Barack Obama

11:00 PM EST, NBC News has called it, Barack Obama is our president. This is one of the greatest moments of my life, I'm sitting here in my dorm with goosebumps running up and down my arms and legs. Probably one of the most monumental occurrences in the history of our country, I honestly can't believe what I'm watching. Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois is going crazy right now, I wish I had the words to describe how I'm feeling at this exact moment, but I'm not that gifted of a writer. A simple message of hope and change, that's what this campaign started as and it grew and grew and grew across cities and towns all across the country. This campaign was never about Barack Obama, it's about all of the people who never had a voice in the decision making. I am on cloud nine right now, this is the most proud I have ever been to be an American citizen. Surreal.

I Just Baracked the Vote

Just getting back from the voting booth and I have to say it went off without a hitch. No lines, no wait, no issues, I was in and out. Obama got my vote and I've got to tell you I do have a sense of accomplishing my civic duty, for as much as I protested against the stupid voting policies in this country, I'm glad I got out and made my opinion heard. It's also really good to know that no matter what, my vote was a part of history, because make no mistake about it, this is going to be a historic night. So, I hope you all did, the results should be coming in pretty soon now, so things should heat up quickly. It seems like this election so far has been free of any major disasters, which is good, but there is still a lot of time to go.

The Day of the Election - Getting Ready to Go Vote

Its almost 3:00 now and I'm getting ready to go punch the ticket for Obama. Today has been rather uneventful as expected, in fact most political pundits/veterans will tell you that election day is usually pretty boring until the results start to pour in. There's really nothing to talk about, the candidates have made their pleas and now its up for the public to decide, that's it. I did find it interesting that Sarah Palin wouldn't say who she voted for, consider SHE IS ON THE MCCAIN TICKET, but she has been pretty clueless throughout, so I can't say I was surprised by her dubious answer. Tonight should be fun and I'll check in after I vote and as the results come in, I hope everyone is getting out and voting. Peace.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Six

Episode Six featuring Kevin Anderson, the possible new 4th "Guy". Jason, Kyle, and Nikolaj interview Kevin as we delve into lifehood jobs and much more.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/I_Need_to_Decompress_at_Times_2200_2300%20new.mp3

Palin Has Gone Rogue

So for the past few weeks now it has been obvious to everyone with a political pulse that Governor Sarah Palin has distanced herself a bit from John McCain. Not in the sense that she is trying to submarine the campaign, but she is also making sure that she is seen as a strong base-republican, gearing up for a possible presidential run in 2012. Here's why this is perfect for Obama supporters, and it's not just because Palin is prematurely accepting defeat, but it's because it re-affirms how weak the current crop of Republican candidates for next election season is. If Palin and Romney are really the top candidates the GOP is going to trot out then they are in trouble. As for Palin and her distancing herself from McCain, today one of McCain's advisers called Palin a quote, "whack job". The spin from Senator McCain, "when two mavericks join together they're bound to bump heads once in a while". That's not doing the trick for me, McCain knows what's going on here, and it really makes you wonder what would happen if McCain somehow pulled off the win? Could Palin and McCain co-exist? I doubt it. Luckily for McCain, and apparently unbeknown to Palin, she wouldn't have very much power at all except in a tie breaking senate role. It actually means that McCain would probably just cast her aside and try to keep her from making any major gaffes and embarrassing the nation.

One Week Away

In exactly seven days, Barack Obama should be our next president. It's been a long, tough, exhausting journey and I can't believe that everything finally seems to be coming to fruition. As an Obama supporter from the get-go I am ecstatic to see the polls leaning so heavily in his favor right now. A week is a long time and anything can really happen when the polls open up, will the young voters show up? Will black voters show up? Will old voters show up? Will red states turn blue? Will blue states turn red? All those questions remain unanswered, but from every indication it looks like Obama in a landslide. My prediction is that Obama will carry all the states Kerry took plus Florida and Virginia, I think McCain has a decent shot at Ohio, though. In other words, it might be a little closer than the polls suggest, but I feel like everyone is so ready to end this election and I really hope that people just show up for Obama one more time and give him record numbers at the voting booths. I hope to see voting numbers go way up this year because that bodes incredibly well for Obama. Anyway, I'll have a lot of stuff for you guys this week, I have an NBA preview on the way tomorrow (it's almost finished), I'm going to have a ton of election news and opinions, and of course Skins/Steelers monday night football previews. Go Obama! If you live in Virginia, get your ass out to the voting booths, don't let the GOP steal this like they did the last two election turns.

To Be Fair

With all the talk about Sarah Palin spending roughly $150,000 in wardrobe over the course of the campaign, I'm sure everyone is wondering why I haven't come out and clubbed her yet. For one, its too easy with Palin. But also, I just don't think its that big of a deal, its not as if Palin was hanging with some girlfriends on Rodeo Drive going on a shopping spree. I can guarantee you it was the campaign advisers who sent proxies out people to buy her clothes they felt would benefit the cause. Like it or not, that is not an unheard of technique. Plus, this is a multi-million dollar campaign, $150,000 is just a drop in the bucket, if that. Now, many haters would argue that other republican candidates could use that money to win their state-wide races, but you know what, that's not John McCain and Sarah Palin's main concern right now. Let's not get carried away with the Palin bashing, when it's on the issues, I'm all about it, I've been an enormous critic of her, but this is a bit of a joke.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Five

Nikolaj, Kyle, and Jason get into various topics including Iron Man 2, Deaf Women, and Fast Food

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/I_Need_to_Decompress_at_Times_2200_2300.mp3

Album Review: The Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind

Two album reviews in one day? I know right. Like I told you from day one of the blog, my passions are radio, sports, politics, and rap/soul music, sometimes one more than the other and then the next day the other more than the previous if that makes any sense. For those of you who have been keeping up with the blog, which I appreciate more than you could imagine, you understand that sometimes I get in zones where I talk straight politics, sports, or promote my radio show, but I realized I've kind of been "off" music for a while. Funny considering the name of the blog, yes? I guess nothing has inspired me lately and the "Evolver" review (below) and this album I'm about to review for you all is sort of only reaffirming my thoughts that music is dead right now. Music has been dead in my life for a while, it temporarily revives itself when guys like Jay-Z, John Legend, Kanye West, Oddisee, Kev Brown, Eric Roberson, and the likes release their albums, but even lately that isn't doing the trick. Maybe I'm alone in that sentiment, maybe I'm not. Anyway, as for this album, the second from Foregin Exchange, we see rapper Phonte embracing a new role; that of a singer. While I do respect him as a singer I don't know if it was wise of him to take on that aspect of his talents for the entire album. It didn't really work for me. Not that it wasn't a good album, the songs were fine, they were just a little boring. The album would actually be perfect, I was thinking, if you played it in the car on a first date or something like that. As a whole, though, it was almost as if you were waiting the entire time for Phonte to just rip into one of these tracks with a rap, but it never really comes and you feel shortchanged at the end of it. The production from Nicolay was top of the line for a soul album, but if Phonte wasn't going to rap that much he should have maybe considered some features like they had in "Connected". I kept thinking how perfect the guys from Low Budget would be on a lot of those tracks, especially Oddisee.

Album Review: John Legend - "Evolver"

John Legend's highly anticipated third album, "Evolver", is due to hit stores October 28th, luckily though, I was able to give it a listen in advance. Now, to preview this a bit, without tipping my hand too much, Legend is coming off "Once Again", his sophomore album which was critically acclaimed and definitely ranks as one of my favorite albums of all-time. His debut album, "Get Lifted", is not to be undersold either. Legend has built himself a niche as a current soul/funk artist who bridges the gap from new to old and "Evolver" is given lofty expectations. I generally have a rule of 3 for artists, that is, if an artist drops his or her first three albums and they are all dope then this person is a classic artist. A recent example is Kanye West. Unfortunately, in my eyes Legend came up a bit short on this album, luckily for him I already consider him a classic artist after "Once Again" (not that he cares).

Alright, here is my issue with the album: Where are the standout songs? There isn't a single standout on here, and that's not because they are all indistinguishably great, it's because they're all mostly filler. There are songs I would listen to again, such as "Everybody Knows", but no songs that I would listen to over and over again. It seems he went a little to modern-stream and abandoned his Stevie Wonder-esque roots. There's nothing wrong with evolving (no pun intended) as an artist, but Legend has been performing music for too long to think this is the best quality he can put out. I mean seriously, John, where is the piano? Let your voice do the talking, you were pumping way too much bass in my ear, I'm not really feeling that. It is possible he peaked as an artist, which is very distressing to real soul music fans because there are few truly great artists left to look forward to. I fear we may have seen the best of Legend and while the album isn't terrible, perhaps a more suitable name for would have been "Devolver". I'm just saying, man.

Remembering Sean Taylor

I cannot believe it's been 11 months now since Sean Taylor was murdered in his home, I don't think I was blogging when it went down, but it was one of the single most tragic things that's happened in sports. Looking forward to the Lions game as the boys try and go 6-2, I look back to what the duo of Taylor/Landry could have been, had the evens of last November 27th never taken place. R.I.P.

The Powell Endorsement

I know this news came to the surface over the weekend, but I really wanted to gather my thoughts on the endorsement before I shared my views. It's one of those things where, to me, Colin Powell is a bit of a clown and one of the main reasons we ended up in Iraq war and his (as well as many others in Washington) line about having "misinformation", simply doesn't do the trick for me. I don't necessarily find his nomination surprising, but at the same time I don't find it un-surprising. Rush Limbaugh, who seems to be getting a lot of run on my blog lately, is claiming that the endorsement is "completely about race". In a sense he is right, but not in the sense that he thinks it is. Colin Powell, as he told eloquently on Meet The Press is clearly not happy with the way the McCain campaign has tried to paint Obama as a dangerous outsider. This also sort of touches on my previous post. But, really the reason for this blog is because Powell said something on MTP, that I have been saying for months upon months now. Here is his quote:

[Barack Obama] is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?

Powell goes on to talk about Muslim children in this country who may aspire to be president one day and how in this country it is wrong to send a message that they can not be. Bill Mahrer said today on Hardball With Chris Matthews, and I completely agree, that if you are not a Christian you have zero chance of success in mainstream American politics. Even Barack Obama talks a lot about his faith and to me that is simply wrong. Secular politics is the only form of successful politicking in my book. Also, if you are going to hit so hard on your Christianity Mr. John McCain, than why not practice what you preach? Would a true Christian really have one of their running themes throughout the debate attacking Obama for "wanting to spread the wealth around". Hm. Seems like something a Christian would be in favor of, doesn't it? Anyway, to get back on track with the Powell endorsement, I don't think his endorsement will really swing any votes, I just wanted to dispell the ignorance going around that Powell is somehow making a blindly racial presidential endorsement. He is not. Now, by this same token, I have a hard time believing he agrees with Barack Obama on all the issues, or even most of the issues, but I do believe that Colin Powell has faith in Obama as a man and decision maker who can lead our country out of tough times. He also knows that McCain, and he points to his nomination of Sarah Palin, is trying way too many political tricks and playing way too many games at such a serious time.

I'm Boycotting Iron Man 2

Today we find out that Terrance Howard is getting the boot from "Iron Man 2", a role in which he was supposed to have have a lot of screen time evolving into the character of War Machine. I don't know nearly as much as all the comic nerds out there, but it just gets me salty that they would get rid of a guy like Howard and blame it on money. Iron Man made so much money in the box office and DVD sales, I don't want to hear anything about finances from them. I love their replacement choice, Don Cheadle, and if he weren't getting the role because of Howard's absence I would be thrilled, but this is just another instance of Hollywood trying to screw over black actors. Sorry to say it, but it happens time and time again, they think they are just interchangeable commodities. I'd like to see them try and pull this kind of sh*t with Clooney or Pacino. Here's Howard's take on what went down:

"It was the surprise of a lifetime. There was no explanation, [it] just up and vanished. And I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money... but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes."

What a shame.

The "Real" America

I was reading the Post online today and noticed E.J. Dionne make a truly great point about right wing politicians, Sarah Palin in particular, always labeling certain parts of America as the "real" America. Dionne, made the basic point, but either was either afraid or unwilling, to call this what it is: societal warfare. It is but another brush stroke on the canvas of the McCain campaign attempting to paint Obama and others like him as not only, un-American, but anti-American. To quote Governor Palin, who believes "that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation.” Palin makes the implicit implication that those who don't live in those small towns she is referring to, who just so happen to be, black, latino, non-christian, gay, etc. are not "real" Americans. She is pitting those people against outsiders as a tactic of instilling fear into voters who are afraid that their lifestyle will be fundamentally changed for the worse. All of those people she is excluding go to war for the country, pay taxes to the country, vote, participate politically, etc., but I guess because they're not white and Christian they aren't really "for" America. Pfh.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Four

The 4th installment of Four Guys Three Mics includes "Testo Esco", Maryland Madness, Not Repping the Terp, and more.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/In2dat4.mp3

Now available on iTunes.

McCain and Obama trade Zingers

Last night John McCain and Barack Obama roasted each other at the Alfred E. Smith Foundation Dinner. I give the nod to McCain for better zings, but they were both very funny. Take 10 minutes from your day and watch it, sometimes you have to laugh about politics.

The 3rd, and Final, Debate Reactions

I have to say, I'm glad this election is coming to an end, it seems like I've been knee deep in Obama/McCain news forever now and it will be good to finally have an outcome. I can say that especially because, Real Clear Politics shows Obama ahead nationally from anywhere between 6 and 14 percentage points. He also has slight-to-moderate advantages in every single swing state. Obviously 18 days is a long time and anything can happen in that time frame, but even the staunchest McCain supporters would admit that it's a real uphill climb for him. Which brings us into why last night was so important for the McCain campaign; it was his last chance to make his case, nationally, why he should be president. McCain came out firing from the get-go last night and went at Obama on everything people expected him to, Bill Ayers, the economy, ACORN, etc. McCain was more passionate than he had been in every previous debate, but he still failed to unnerve the ever-cool Barack Obama, who merely smiled away McCain's attacks. You could tell toward the end of the debate John McCain became frustrated that he was unable to bait Obama into irritability. Give McCain credit though, for the line of the night, saying to Obama that he is "not George Bush", and had Obama wanted to run against Bush, he should have done so "four years ago". Obama counter-punched though telling McCain that, he would have to excuse him if he sometimes confused him with Bush, because they are so lock-step when it comes to their economic policies. I am sure many democrats were a bit disappointed, initially, when Obama failed to deliver a knockout blow to McCain, especially given several opportunities, including a chance to blast Sarah Palin. Obama, though, has set his mind on running out the clock and preserving his lead, for which I can't blame him. He is up by so much in the polls, it would be foolish of him to do anything that could potentially alienate voters. A Fox News, of all places, focus group scored the debate in favor of Obama, as did every other major news networks focus group. So, the Obama campaign and message seems to continue to resonate with undecided voters across the board. It's hard to say who "won" the debate, but here if you look at it from the perspective of who did more to help or hurt their campaign, you have to give the edge to Obama because he is winning so handily and McCain did nothing to fundamentally change that. So, despite McCain's relatively strong outing, Obama won the debate, despite being slightly underwhelming, simply by having a "solid" outing and delivering cool, calculated, responses.

ACORN? Don't Waste My Time...

The McCain campaign is really grasping at straws here with the new ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) controversy. For those of you not in the know, ACORN is essentially a voter registration group which is generally involved in registering voters who fit in the categories of either young, poor, minority, or a combination of the aforemetinoed. Essentially, Sarah Palin has called into the Rush Limbaugh radio show and charged claims of voter fraud against ACORN and insisted that they are trying to steal the election for the democrats. First of all, let us make one thing clear; there is a difference between voter fraud, which the republicans committed in 2000 when they disenfranchised black voters in Flordia and voter registration fraud which is happening with ACORN, as the people assigned the task of registering voters are just filling out sheets registering people who don't exist in exchange for a paycheck. Obviously, this is not a good thing, but it has ZERO effect on actual voting. In other words, if an ACORN employee fills out a registration card for Mickey Mouse, is Mickey going to show up on election and cast his vote for Obama? I don't think so. Unfortunately, the verbiage that Palin is using will likely cause the uninformed, and now misinformed, public to think Obama is trying to steal the election visa vie fraud. Just another feeble attempt by John McCain to call Barack's character into question. By the way, remember when John McCain was the keynote speaker at an ACORN sponsored event just 2 years ago? Now all of a sudden, Obama is the only one with ties to the organization? Please. This is a non-story because it will have no effect on the outcome of the election.

Four Guys Three Mics - Episode Three

Full Episode this time and featuring guest Matt Brailsford. We talk PC vs. Mac, Porno, Redskins and much more.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/3/1044633/4%20Guys%203%20Mics%20-%20Show%203.mp3

Epsiode Two - Four Guys Three Mics

"The Lost Episode" -- We had recording issues, so we only managed to get 23 minutes of action for you guys. Regular podcasts resume next week.

Download it on iTunes, or stream/download here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/199174841e940c10/

Palin/Biden Debate -- Initial Reaction

Alright, I'll give Palin this much, she didn't embarrass herself. I will say that I had trouble following some of her ramblings, and she was very, very scripted, but she delivered the lines without any major gaffes. Problem is, when a candidate is down like her running mate is, just not embarrassing yourself is not good enough. My main problem with Palin is still that she does not answer key questions with direct answers, especially on issues she doesn't feel comfortable with, and those issues are alarmingly abundant. Joe Biden was sharp, detail oriented, and skillful in not coming off as the big male bully, pushing around the new female on the block. Biden did not shy away from any questions and offered real political analysis on each issue, he also successfully linked McCain and Bush on a number of issues. I wish he would have blasted Palin, but I see why he didn't and frankly, I can not blame him for being slightly reserved in that regard. So, if you consider Palin not being a total buffoon a success (and if you do, I hate to break it to you, but, you yourself are the buffoon), than sure Palin won. If you look at the issues and who offered better answers and more pragmatic solutions to the problems facing our nation, Biden destroyed her.

As of 11:30 PM CNN's unscientific online poll shows the viewer breakdown, as:

Sen. Joe Biden 72% 71588 votes
Gov. Sarah Palin 25% 24864 votes
Neither 3% 3060 votes

Take that for what it's worth.

Palin Stumbles Again

Well, this sets up my Joe Biden post even more... it's time to finish this clown off. First her interview with Charlie Gibson was a complete and utter disaster, now Katie Couric's interview exposed Palin even further. What an absolute train wreck this woman is. If you were to print her interview at full out onto a transcript it would literally be incomprehensible. Here is a short clip of her failing to name a single supreme court case she disagreed with aside from Roe V. Wade, which every high schooler could name. Even the most loyal McCain supporters have to be wondering now if this was the right choice, she was a spar kplug at first, but like I said from day one, America builds you up and tears you down. I guess your boy was right, afterall. Enjoy:



Now, here it is in contrast with Joe Biden being asked the same questions:

Episode One - 4 Guys 3 Mics (Now on iTunes)

Our podcast should now be available for download via itunes, search for us under: Four Guys Three Mics.

Joe Biden, Be Merciless

Tomorrow night is the moment Obama supporters have been waiting for since McCain picked Palin as his running mate. Joe Biden and Sarah Palin will go head to head in a debate live on CNN, the topics will be long ranging, spanning foreign policy, which Palin claims to have experience in, and especially hitting the economy hard. McCain strategists will obviously spoon-feed her answers to every single question, but if Biden can catch her off her toes once, he needs to finish her, right then and there for everyone to see. Palin is an unqualified gimmick, and this is the time for Biden to knock her off her block, and effectively give McCain a major blow. For someone already running 8% behind Obama, a hit that could potentially come visa vie a disastrous appearance by Palin in her first debate, would be devastating. I personally cannot wait.

Senate Voting on Rescue Plan Tomorrow

So, here we go again, let's see if we can get this thing through once and for all. Basically, what we just witnessed was the members of congress propose a bill that is essentially the exact same, with a few new provisions, as a way of posturing as re-election nears. Now, instead of letting their opponent throw them under the bus for watching the economy crumble and then thoughtlessly proposing a bailout plan, they can say "I fought to reject a bailout plan until it met my requirements to help the American people", or some garbage line like that. So, lets get real here, this is the same bill with more fluff, and I'm not falling for it. Neither should you...

House Rejects Bailout Bill

What the heck is going on here? The markets have plunged in lieu of the House rejecting the proposed $700 billion bailout plan. At first glance this seems to be all about selfish politicians watching their own backs trying to make sure they stay in office. They obviously don't care about the American people, they can say this is about being judicial and fair and not bailing out the richest of the rich, but we all no practically, the bailout is a necessity. These politicians saw that a mere 20% of American's favored the proposed bailout and realized it would serve as a serious black mark on their resume come time for re-election. Good job McCain, I can see you really made a difference suspending your campaign, you really went and hammered away in Washington, showing that valuable leadership you have. Oh wait, thats right, you did nothing, and now the latest Gallup poll shows you trail Obama by 8%. So message to all you republicans in the House of Reps, you better have a damn good proposal to replace the plan you just voted against, or we are going to be in serious trouble here, these are dangerous times to be playing political games. Very dangerous.

Movie Review: Miracle at St. Anna

Alright, let me just start by saying I'm a huge Spike Lee homer, I love everything he touches, along with Edward Burns, he is my favorite director. I'll then point out that RottenTomatoes currently has given it a 27%, which for those unfamiliar with the site, is abysmal. Well guess what, screw Rotten Tomatoes. I give this movie 5 Stars out of 5. First of all, the cast was impeccable, Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Omar Benson Miller, and Laz Alonso gave stand out performances. Joseph Gordon Levitt, John Turturro, and John Leguizamo made appearances, as well. I don't want to get too deep into the plot because it has so many twists and story lines, but essentially the World War II epic focuses in on four black soldiers trapped in a small Italian village, surrounded by enemy German troops. Spike Lee masterfully directed the story and introduced us to a ton of unique characters, he finally gave a black perspective in a World War II film and he did it to near perfection. The movie was a bit long, coming in at 2.5 hours, but to me the time flew by. Go see this movie now, get the large popcorn and soda to last you through the movie, kick back and enjoy, this is film making at its core. This is the best movie I've seen all year, it pummels Batman, and that's the truth ruth.

Episode One - 4 Guys 3 Mics

Episode one is officially in the books, it may not be the best technical radio you've ever heard, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. Download/Listen here:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/1952394664f19b08/

This edition of the show features an attempted show hijacking by Steve, some Obama/McCain talk, a couple campus news stories, and even some sports talk sprinkled in. Enjoy.

Oh, and here is a video diary of the night's events:

McCain Is Shook

John McCain is trying to back out of the debate Friday night. Not acceptable, says Barack Obama, and rightfully so. Here's the backstory, McCain is basically putting a halt on his campaign, "to focus" on the current economic crisis, which in my opinion is basically code for, I'm losing, I'm tired, and I'm at a loss for what to do next. So, put a halt to your campaign, fine, but don't try and weasel your way out of a debate and cost the American fence straddlers a chance to hear your views right next to Barack Obama's views and let them see who the better candidate is. McCain, the time is now, you've known it was coming, step up to the plate and take your beating like a man.

If You Put a Gun To My Head

I would say yes the financial bailout is necessary. I know in my last blog about the economic crisis I tiptoed around my opinion, and I still firmly will say that my economic background is very limited and I only have an elementary understanding of what is actually happening right now. But, from what I have gathered the $700 billion bailout - largest since the Great Depression - has to happen. I understand that in theory we probably should make these greedy millionaires pay for their mistakes, but the repercussion of doing so seem to be too high, the stakes are too high to send messages right now. Sad as it is, those in the billionaire boys club are going to get off freely, but it has to happen, I'm not a socialist or anything like that, but you just have to be realistic sometimes and accept that this has to happen.

A Lesson in Subtle Racism

I was thinking today about the word "wigger" and for the most part, what I was wondering was, do people who use this word realize that they are being incredibly racist? For one thing, lets break the word down and ask ourselves what does wigger mean? Well, most people say "a white person who acts black". Before, I address that foolishness, let's literally look at the word at it's core: Wigger = White + N***er. Essentially, you are just people calling people a shortened up version of White N-Bomb. If you won't say the elongated version in a derogatory manner, don't say a shortened version, its that simple. Secondly, when people would counter and just say, oh its just a common term for people who try to act like they're black, but really aren't. Well, retard how do you act black, I often ask? By using language patterns that come off as uneducated? Do you realize what you are implicitly calling all black people, by saying things like that? Wake up to reality you idiots and dead this word.

Largest Financial Buyout Since Great Depression

Today, George Bush and his financial advisers have proposed a bill seeking that congress allow the government to buy $700 billion in bad mortgages. I wish I had more knowledge of the economy to say if this is a good or a bad thing, but I would like to take this opportunity to echo the sentiments of Ron Paul. While, I generally think Ron Paul is a clown and his radical supporters are delusional, I certainly agree on his slogan that American's need to gain a better understanding of the economy. When we, myself included, continue to let what other people tell us about the economic future and present of the nation stand as truth, we are doing ourselves a disservice. I know I am going to make a concerted effort, not just to continue to take economics courses in school, but to also read as much information about the economy as possible. I understand that this particular crisis is a once in a lifetime occurrence,but I do believe that the methodical meltdown of the U.S. economy is a problem and that if all citizens of the United States spent a little less time deciding who gets to enter the country and a little more time figuring out what the hell is going on with the finances and the trillion dollar deficit, we would be in better shape. This has nothing to do with which party you affiliate with, your socioeconomic background, your religion, or anything, it has to do with your fundamental responsibility as an American to pay attention.

Hilarious E-Mail Going Around

My mom actually put me onto this:
-----

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....


* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.

* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.
----

Obama Seizes Momentum -- Again

As I predicted weeks ago, the Palin Express Train would soon run out of steam, and I give her and the McCain campaign all the credit in the world. They made a splash and rode the momentum for a long, long time, much longer than a Mitt Romney momentum would have taken then, but, unfortunately for them, Palin's time on top has come to an end as questions about her legitimacy as a candidate finally need to be answered and the McCain campaign is wisely putting her in the background more and more. Obama appears to have weathered the storm, as he still leads the electoral college polls, and while it is still early Obama is looking to capitalize on the momentum he has re-captured. Today, he came out swinging. (The following quotes, and more from today, can be found here)

"By favoring both greater regulation and less", Obama said, McCain "can't decide whether he's Barry Goldwater or Dennis Kucinich."

"On Monday, he said the economy was fundamentally sound -- and he was fundamentally wrong. On Tuesday, he said the government should stand by and allow one of the nation's largest insurers to collapse, putting the well-being of millions of Americans at risk. But by Wednesday, he changed his mind," Obama said.

"He said he would take on the ol' boy network, but he seemed to forget that he took seven of the biggest lobbyists in Washington from that network and put them in charge of your campaign," Obama said.

"Well, I have a message for Senator McCain: You can't just run away from your long-held views or your life-long record. You can't erase twenty-six years of support for the very policies and people who helped bring on this disaster with one week of rants."

Why Does This Type Of News Only Surface From the McCain Camp?

Tsk. Tsk. I can't say for certain that John McCain or members of his campaign are directly responsible for the following story, and there is no way, even if they were (which I believe they were), there is no way they would ever let themselves be tied to something like this. Basically, what the Boston Globe is reporting, are your typical push-polling efforts. According to the article,

Jewish voters in Florida and at least one other state are being targeted by a telephone survey tying Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to Palestinian causes, an advocacy group alleged Monday.

In other words, people are posing as pollster's but asking question that are designed to sway the voter for or against a candidate. Most often, as in this case, they are meant to pit you against a certain candidate. I suggest you read the article and then wonder why you never see any of this foolishness out of the Obama camp.

Dow Plummets: GOP Continues to Play Games

As I'm sure many of you know, the Dow was down 504 points yesterday after Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch went down, in other words, the stakes of this upcoming election went up. Enough of these little games the GOP has been playing, no more slandering Obama with lies and trying to paint him as an elitist candidate. Let's talk facts here for a minute. John McCain supports, and has supported for years, these hands-off policies that have allowed the economy to wreck itself, wake up, if there was more government regulation these clowns would have never been able to lock people into these loans in the first place and we might not be in the situation we're in to begin with. Not only that, but if you're going to call Obama an elitist, at least explain how your tax plan, which offers no tax cuts for paycheck to paycheck Americans would better serve the "non-elite", than an Obama plan that does. It's time to stop playing games and start being realistic about the situation. McCain is on some D'evils type stuff right now...

"I can't be held accountable, D'Evils beating me down, boo
Got me running with guys, making G's, telling lies that sound true"

The Best of Raphael Saadiq by DJ Uncle Q

This was originally uploaded by Peter Rosenberg, on his website, it's a Raphael Saadiq mix, done by Rosenberg's former mid-day co-host at WJFK. I wanted to post it here for my few readers, because I think they would truly enjoy it, perfect music to play in the car on a first date, or a special occasion with your chick. For those of you unfamiliar with Saadiq, he was formerly the lead singer of Tony! Toni! Toné!, and is now embarking on a solo career as a true neo-soul artist. His new album, "The Way I See It" just dropped today, so I haven't had a chance to check it out, but if it's anything like what we're used to, it should be dope. Enjoy this mix, courtesy of Daryl "Uncle Q" Francis, one of the realest guys to ever bless the mic in D.C. talk radio.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/1861257297c34075/

Movie Review: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

So, this movie comes out October 3rd and I'm pretty sure I'm not legally allowed to review it, but I'm going to anyway, because this thing was exactly what I hate about Hollywood. The movie stars Michael Cera (Juno, Superbad) and Kat Dennings (Charlie Bartlett, 40 Year Old Virgin), and the plot centered around these two indie rock scene high school seniors breaking free from past flings and seeing their own romance bud on a wild night, as they set forth to find where this mysteriously fleeting "Where's Fuzzy" concert is being held. Bla bla bla. We've seen all this before, and frankly I wasn't impressed then, and I sure as hell am not impressed now. Essentially, this was a complete rip off of "Juno", a movie that garnered a lot hype and won the Golden Globe's Best Picture award. Critics praised "Juno" for its great dialogue, witty script, and flawless acting job, but in my opinion, "Juno" was just more of the same garbage that Hollywood has been calling sophisticated fun for the past two or three years. Basically, its no longer funny nor cool to scream and shout and run into things, rather you have to be edgy and dry all the time. There's nothing wrong with a dry humor, I personally prefer it to Ben Stiller slapstick, but to just throw together something and expect me to buy into just because the in-the-know artsy film people say it's the new comedic genre for true film fans is a joke. I give this movie a solid C+, it was decent, but, there was nothing groundbreaking here, nothing original, it was basically a terrible blend of "Juno" and "Superbad". I just wasn't buying it. I like Kat Dennings, I like Michael Cera, I hated this movie. Save your money.

The American Dream?

As we well know, a state is the physical boundary that defines the legitimacy of a country, it is a legal entity defined by a sovereign government, a human population, and is recognized by other countries. A nation, though, is a congregation of people with a shared sense of belonging and community. It is directly tied to an emotional connectedness with others in your "nation", those others often share similarities in race, culture, ethnicity, or language. A nation is essentially an imagined community, that may or may not transcend state lines (i.e. Nation of Islam). Then, there is the nation-state, and while no country fits this definition in it's purest form, some countries, Sweden for example, are quite close. A nation-state would require an entire nation of people to be the only group within a state. America is not a nation-state in that sense of the word, but it prides itself on it's "melting pot" mantra. What makes America, in the eyes of most American's at least, the greatest country on earth? Most would answer, the ability to be anything you want to become, or rather, the idea of "The American Dream", that if you work hard you can become whatever it is you want to become in this world. Well, I've got news for you, the American dream is a crock. The fact that we continue to sell pipe dreams to these kids, that anyone can be a doctor or a lawyer, is only handicapping the mentality of people, who conclude their life with an inevitable disappointment after falling short of the lofty goals that American politicians and figureheads lay out in front of them when they are children. It's easy for arrogant college students to say that if people work hard, like they did, they can wind up in a college classroom well on their way to a successful life. Now, don't get me wrong, wealth is not always the best way to measure success in life, but, for the time being we will define a successful life as getting the job you desired, being adequately compensated for that job, and having a fair crack at achieving your dreams. Unfortunately, what many fail to realize is that when you, your parents, and your parents parents, dating all the way back to the first World War, were systematically and institutionally set up for failure, it is not so easy to pull yourself up from your bootstraps and become a success story. Sure, you can find examples of successful individuals who came from the worst situations you could imagine, but, the reason we know so much about them is because they are exceptions to the rule. Take a walk down Southeast, Washington, D.C. and talk to the people you see. Ask them, why they didn't just work hard like all of the American heroes we read about, ask a woman who works three manually taxing jobs to support a family why she didn't just work harder and become a dentist. Go ahead. See what kind of responses you get. You people need to wake up and realize what's going on in the world around you, stop basing your knowledge of everything in life on what you see in movies and base it around what actually happens in the real world. Stop telling kids that they can be whatever they want, instead tell them about the obstacles they will invariably face, and if you can, throw some knowledge their way about how to get around those obstacles. I could go on forever, about this, but you get the point.

Roger Ebert With Some Realk Talk

Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times, kept it real funky today in an article about Sarah Palin, drawing comparisons of her to an American Idol contestant. Here is a link, and here are the highlights:

I think I might be able to explain some of Sara Palin's appeal. She's the "American Idol" candidate. Consider. What defines an "American Idol" finalist? They're good-looking, work well on television, have a sunny personality, are fierce competitors, and so talented, why, they're darned near the real thing. There's a reason "American Idol" gets such high ratings. People identify with the contestants. They think, Hey, that could almost be me up there on that show! My feeling is, I don't want to be up there. I want a vice president who is better than me, wiser, well-traveled, has met world leaders, who three months ago had an opinion on Iraq. Someone who doesn't repeat bald-faced lies about earmarks and the Bridge to Nowhere. Someone who doesn't appoint Alaskan politicians to "study" global warming, because, hello! It has been studied. The returns are convincing enough that John McCain and Barack Obama are darned near in agreement.

I would also want someone who didn't make a teeny little sneer when referring to "people who go to the Ivy League." When I was a teen I dreamed of going to Harvard, but my dad, an electrician, told me, "Boy, we don't have the money. Thank your lucky stars you were born in Urbana and can go to the University of Illinois right here in town." So I did, very happily. Although Palin gets laughs when she mentions the "elite" Ivy League, she sure did attend the heck out of college. Five schools in six years. What was that about?

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I'd like to pile on Palin a bit more, as well. Why is that when conservatives and their pundits alike (Bill O'Reilly in specific), love to attack people like Lynn Spears when their daughters become impregnated, blaming the parents for terrible guidance, yet when Sarah Palin's daughter becomes pregnant it is a "family issue" that shouldn't be highlighted. I applaud Obama for not mentioning it, but that doesn't mean the media should refuse to, as well. Give me a break.

The Honeymoon Will Soon End

As I blog this, I'm watching Palin give another solid speech and people are eating out of the palm of her hand, right now. The media is building her up big time, but isn't that what they do? They build you up and then they tear you down. Palin is going to have a huge fall and she's going to bring McCain down with her. Her record is now being examined, can she stand the scrutiny? That remains to be seen, she hasn't been tested yet, but there will be plenty of that, so patience is key with Obama. Keep hammering away at McCain as more of the same and let Biden take care of Palin when the time comes. And yes, that time will come, I'm so looking forward to it, too.

Update: Here is a perfect example of the unraveling Palin will eventually be victim to. Her total ineptitude and "deer in the headlights" look is as clear as it comes, in this ABC interview:

Just When You Think McCain Has Hit Rock Bottom, He Sinks Lower

Before, you watch this latest McCain advertisement, realize that I understand what happens in political campaigns. I understand that politicians often throw out blatant lies and slander their opponents in a no-holds-bar style candidacy. I know the rules of the game. At some point, though, you have to have some dignity, not only for your opponent, but for yourself and for your own credibility as a human being. The ad you are about to watch essentially claims that Obama for teaching kindergarten children about "sex before they learn how to read". Now, obviously McCain knows this to be a lie, in fact, the legislation he is referring to is one that teaches children in elementary school awareness about sexual predators and your general, watch out for strangers message. It's one thing to lie about Obama's proposed economic plan, which I have laid out and defended in numerous blogs, it's another to take this kind of a cheap shot. Anyway, it actually made me laugh out loud at how ridiculously obsessed over getting into office McCain is, he will literally stoop to any low point to beat Obama. Enjoy...

Fantasy Trade Alert

Today I solidified my starting lineup by swinging a trade to land Antonio Gates, one of the premiere fantasy tight ends of the last decade. In exchange I sent my backup quarterback, Kurt Warner, and waiver wire fodder Hank Baskett, to a team sorely needing quarterback help after his starter, Tom Brady, was lost for the season and his backup, Vince Young, is out for 3 weeks. That's what being a fantasy owner is all about, you find a team that needs help sorely at a given position and then pry away the player from them you most need. I also picked up Chad Pennington to back-up Ben Roethlisberger. After week one, I'm 1-0 heading into a matchup against a team that failed to reach 60 points last week (as opposed to my 97 - second highest in the league), needless to say I'm feeling confident about my season.

Straight [B]alk Express

I'm reading the Washington Post this morning and I'm asking msyelf, why does John McCain continue to say he is on the straight talk express and then tell blatant lies about the difference between his and Obama's tax plan? Good article, if youre interested, but in a nutshell, if you are in the top 1% of earners in America and do not care about essentially donating money by way of tax, to a cause greater than yourself, then you would be wise to vote McCain. Under Obama's plan, there are going to be tax cuts for many lower-tier earners in America and increases for the wealthiest Americans, which many economists would argue decreases their ability, or incentive rather, to create jobs. It also, may be said that such increases limit the willingness of top earners to take risks in the economy, which directly correlates with the aforementioned hesitance to create new jobs. On the other hand, some economists, would also argue that the tax breaks for lower income Americans would result in less government borrowing, which would effectively lower the interest rate and generate more private investment. Basically, you will potentially see a lower budget deficit than you would under McCain's plan. Also, you simply need look no further than the Clinton administration which saw a mass growth in jobs, despite a plan extremely similar to Obama's, to realize that such a tax plan doesn't necessarily correlate with insular job growth. What is most frightening, and is keenly pointed to in the article, is that McCain once OPPOSED the Bush tax cuts and now is essentially proposing an identical plan. So, we ask ourselves why is McCain turning back on his "maverick" principals, that once made him an admirable politician? Perhaps, he realizes he is getting old and that this is his last chance to make a mark in politics and he knows the only way he can do that is to fight, scratch, claw, sleaze, and lie his way into office. I used to think highly of John McCain, but this is not the John McCain of 2000, and that is sad. I truly hope Barack Obama maintains his integrity and never falls victim to what McCain has recently succumbed to.