Shoe Smack Down, A Farewell Tribute

In a visit to Iraq (why?) this week, lame duck president George W. Bush, got his comeuppance when an Iraqi journalist flung, not one, but two shoes at him, in protest.

It was beautiful.

In case you missed it you can watch it all here (the beauty of our instantaneous digital age):

What Now O?

It's certainly going to take a lot magic to fix what years of White House corruption and greed cultivated.

You'd be hard pressed to find political leaders who envy the task that lies ahead for President-elect Barack Obama.

Is there a magic potion to restore this nation's economy crisis? Unlikely, but Americans are hopeful. As this country preps for a grim holiday shopping season, so are the bill collectors.

I'm fixin' to do my holiday shopping online on Black (ha, ha 'Black') Friday, and it includes several sacks of coal for a select few.

Oooo-BAMA!

Thank you Democrats and bloggers. You finally got your sh%*t together!

Can you stand it? It's almost too much that a black man will be sauntering into the White House with his personal belongings...to run the show, and not to clean up after the Republicans.

I am amazed and grateful for voting today. Well worth the effort and the wait.

Soak it in America. It's official Barak Obama is our president and can take his rightful official dump in the White House crapper. First the Cosby Show, now this.
History books will be re-written for disillusioned children of color in this country. Thank God!

Let's push forward and see this throughout his term, in good times and in bad.

Ok, Oprah and Bill Cosby, we're ready for your address to a nation in awe. This is the "shock and awe" we can be proud of.

Now for the victory speech:

Econ-O-My

At the risk of sounding like a downer, today's report from the U.S. Deptartment of Commerce, reflects what we've been living for quite some time now--we aren't spending US dollars like we used to.

Historically, when the economy is shakey the average blue collar American does not respond with bold spending. Long gone is the dot-com bubble of the 90s where 20 and 30-somethings in the tech industry were generating six figure salaries right out of college, and credit card spending flowed like champagne.

According the U.S. Dept. of Labor report, unemployment is rising steadily and economic experts can't get a handle on which way the economy is going from one day to the next.

From the looks of things, it is not likely that Americans will go into thousands of dollars in credit card debt this holiday season, but that remains to be seen.

Just what will Black Friday yield this year? Will spending reflect the outcome of the presidential elections? Credit card bureaus, economy experts and political pundits are standing by.

One sure fire way to not get entangled in that web of intrigue is to not charge it. If you're not working, or living hand-to-mouth, don't spend what you don't have.

But if this post is raining on your parade, here is some pre-election/Halloween humor to pick up your spirits.

The Other Big "O"

The story of a vastly influential African-American fanning the flames of change in this country is not new.

What's new is that this ray of hope that we can now call nationalism can be linked to the Democratic party.

Not since JFK has there been such a collective consciousness and urgency to correct something that went horribly wrong in our U.S. government for two consecutive terms.

Let's not kid ourselves by thinking that somehow this economy will somehow miraculously recover overnight if Barak Obama is elected president.

Yes, we know there are tough financial times ahead, no matter who gets the presidential nod. Yes, we're aware that Obama will not answer the cries of every citizen in this country, nor does he pretend he will fill that void.

What we do know is that Obama's success story, on top of meeting a long awaited need for an American role model of color, has started to restore some degree of credibility for his party, despite years of Democratic figures "flip-flopping" and ceremoniously crumbling under the pressures mass media and public opinion.

The international stigma of "democracy" being a dirty word infested with double standard rhetoric, unexamined war crimes, and corruption, stands a chance for turn-around.

Fortunately, there seems to be a collective awareness (my un-scientific assessment) that Obama's hard work will not end with his nomination to the White House. He's still gotta PROVE he can run this country without its citizens kicking up a coup.

If you know any of Haiti's history, you'll know that Haitians are no strangers to revolt and physically removing self-serving presidents, even at the expense of their own socio-economic well-being. If you're appointed to that kind of position of power you MUST represent.

Are Americans sick and tired of being sick and tired? No matter what the outcome, I don't anticipate anything less than folks in the streets after this election.

And if you haven't seen it yet, you can check out Ron Howard (li'l Opie) and the Fonz (I didn't think he was around anymore) giving Obama his props.
Anyone hear from Bill Cosby yet?

Sarah Pain-lin

I'm confused by the following scenario:

Fact: Republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin was found guilty, last Friday, of unlawfully abusing her authority, by firing the Alaska's public safety commissioner.

Fact: The Bush Administration have exhibited numerous acts of power abuse in the White House, which consequently, was a major contributor to the recent surge in the collapse of major financial institutions and instability of our economy.

Opinion: Wouldn't Americans (including conservative Republicans) grasp by now that the epicenter of our economic demise and decline in national morale ARE corrupt politicians who continue to rule unopposed and from a place of privilege (that privilege being uncontested nominations handed over by the people)?

I'm amazed when I see convicted government officials like Sarah Palin still spreading her political "I love small town America" BS to crowds and potential voters still accepting this as a legitimate political platform...enough to hold a seat in the White House.

To quote someone in today's NY Times:
“She’s intelligent, she’s adorable and she has the audacity to speak her mind,” said Ray Gilson of Corapeake, N.C., who attended the Virginia Beach rally. “I’ve never loved a politician like I love her. I want her to be president someday.”

Um...wha...? So if Miss Sarah continues to kiss enough small town American babies and preaches enough "Gee-whizims" from their church pulpits, she's in?

It's that kind of unexamined rhetoric that got us 8 years of George W. Bush folks.

If anyone out there in the red states care to examine the unexamined, start with Palin's interview with Katie Couric on foreign policy. Then think about the possibly of Sarah Palin negotiating foreign policy with neighboring countries with a low tolerance for Americans:



And on a lighter note:

Disgrace On Your Face

In the wake of "The Incredible Shrinking Superpower" that is America, comes a social response to our economic woes.

Historical events like the World Wars, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Reagan Years gave rise to numerous social phenomena like Aryan ideology and Euro-centrism, women joining the work force, the Hippie, the Black Panthers, and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

Now that we are well deep into the economic consequences of the U.S. starting the never-ending illegal War in Iraq, two terms of a Dumb-ass President, the serial collapse of national banks and sub-prime mortgages, inflated gas prices, and the dreary prospect of the remote chance of voting into office the dastardly dim duo, McCain and Palin, how are New Yorkers reacting?

Well in Brooklyn at least, namely neighborhoods like Park Slope and Williamsburg, for every over-priced condo that's erected, there are 3 or 4 lame ass bars, where hipsters can anesthetize with an $8 glass of wine. That's one of the reasons why we got out of that vicinity and purchased a home in a section of Brooklyn that will remain undisclosed. Gentrification will eventually hit there too (and we'll gladly reap the financial benefits from it), but I'd rather not expedite it by exposing it in this forum.

The other visible social act of regression I've noticed, much to my personal amusement, is the steady rise of the handlebar mustache on the mugs of 20-30-something year-old men. Yes, the handlebar stache is here and it's Queer. Now speaking from the perspective of an urban gent who has plead guilty on several occasions for my own fashion NOTS, it is with a sense of familiarity that I can spotlight this latest urban grooming violation.
Over the past year I've enjoyed seeing the hip-hop thugs, wiggas, and skater boys walk (or trying to walk) around with their pant waistlines down to their knees as if it looks good and NOT at all GAY!? I even enjoyed seeing straight guys wearing the "skinny" pants and still try to pull off masculinity.

But seriously guys, if you are not a cartoon villain or over 65 years old, there is simply no reason to adopt the handlebar mustache and not expect me to laugh my ass off. That is some funny sh*T! I saw it on the F train just this morning on my way to work.

My assumption here is that this latest collective rebellious grooming trauma is linked to the steady decline of our country's economic stability. If my thesis rings true, may I humbly submit the following prescription for what ales you:

1. Vote November 2008
   
2. Check out a mirror after reading this, then try to tell me it aint funny
3. If you're getting some, ask your bed-mate if they really like the stache and are not ashamed of you
4. If McCain and Palin are elected, then KEEP IT. We will all need a good laugh.
   

If not there, then where?

Apparently, it's not just Park Slope Brooklyn Realtors quaking in their boots over the housing bust.
The tragic yet predictable consequences of urban sprawl and a once cocky U.S. economy has infected the housing situation outside the U.S.

Now potential home buyers in bubble-bursted zones can confidently clutch their check books a little longer and wait for housing prices to plunge to their desired purchase price. It's especially import for first time home buyers to know that this news, although not great for the overall U.S. economy, affords them some leverage when it comes to dealing pushy real estate agents trying to get them to jump on unreasonable asking prices. What hard working person in the U.S. wants to be tied down to an unmanageable mortgage for 30+ years in this country? Or in Europe? Not me.

Who knows where this housing jig will end up? I'm inclined to believe that the future is looking bright for those who are planning to live out their golden years in the comfort of a tropical third world country.

As I read more and more about foreclosed homes in New York City the idea sounds less far-fetched.

In Other News...Hunger in Haiti

It's unfortunate that Haiti has made news in the U.S. again because of it's devastation.
The usual standard western media coverage applies: Brief, Sensationalized, then Forgotten.

The only time the "world", that being U.S. mainstream media, notices is when there are large death tolls, pictures of extreme violence and the opportunity for the poorest nation in the western hemisphere to appear to the world to be a hopeless cause. Of course, if Haiti were to be sitting on an endless supply of untapped oil, an expedient rescue effort towards economic reform would be priority #1 for the United States government.

The irony with Haiti is that the parts of Haiti that experience the most corruption and civil unrest are the densely populated are cities like the capital, Port-au-Prince. Whereas the countryside (like Northern Haiti--Cap Haitian), for the most part, are quite peaceful and one can truly appreciate Haiti for what it is--a tropical island rich in history, art and culture.