The BIG Payback

Something foul is coming out of New Orleans and it’s not the left over gumbo. Apparently some homeowners will have to payback thousands of dollars in grant money due to a mathematical error. Now I know this a lot of stuff to chew on so I’ll break it down for you. The homeowners were not just regular homeowners that went to a bank for a home improvement loan. They were Katrina Victims that were trying to rebuild their lives. They were recipients of a federal grant from The Road Home program to rebuild homes. Now keep in mind the government doesn’t give anything away for free. They told me that I could live overseas and I jumped at the opportunity. The catch was that I had to work long hours and carry around an M-16 in inclement weather. But I digress…. The mathematical error comes in to play when the contractor that supplied the homeowners recalculated the amount to include insurance money and other government aid. I guess they used the “Fuzzy Math” model that President George Bush uses. I always wondered what kind of math was used at Ivy League Schools. Because of the miscalculation some people received more money than they were suppose to. ICF International, the contractor in question, agreed they rushed to give out the money. Now they want to collect from the “over paid” homeowners. Now some people reading this will use the old Republican Line “why didn’t they read the contracts”. For once in our capitalistic lives, can we give someone a pass? It’s bad enough we didn’t do anything for them the first time but now this? The sad part of this is that the federal funds are only $11 Billion dollars. You want to know where the rest of the money is? I have two words for you: THE WAR.

Women’s History Month – March 1st – 31st

Since it flew by with the quickness, I hope the record companies learned something -

PSA - stay away from the cheese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heard of “Mexican Brown” but this is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Election 2008 Humor

Hillary, Eleanor Roosevelt you are not.

It’s a sad affair when a comedian outs a presidential candidate for being a liar. Sinbad, who hasn’t been seen since the 90’s, popped up to call out Senator Hillary Clinton on her “Mission to Bosnia”. We now know that Senator Clinton has lied repeatedly about facing sniper fire from “unseen forces”. St. Hillary is doing all she can to win this election. She has taken the phrase “By Any Means Necessary” to a whole new level. I guess the next thing she will say is that she invented the internet.

Lebron’s big spread

I don’t read Vogue but I’m looking at the cover and Gisele Bundchen doesn’t look all that great.

Texting in the name of love

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, “The Ladies Favorite Superdelegate", was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice due to a contradiction in a sworn court testimony. His woman on the side, former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty, was also charged for the same thing. Reading from my Legal Aid for Dummies book: Basically the two lied about having sex with each other.

They probably would have never been caught if Kwame had not texted Christine on his city-owned phone. For a guy that calls himself the “Hip Hop Mayor” he sure is dumb. Season 5 of The Wire showed you that text messages could be tapped.

Family Reunion

The wife and I were watching this show on TV One called Family Reunion. Since I'm on my life time boycott of BET (Black Embarrassment Television), I am glad that TV One is still around. With the Black Family Channel now defunct, there are only 2 channels left that can provide quality programming. Oh my bad! There is only one channel that’s left (I forgot about my life time boycott).

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has a message for the citizens of Detroit:

Congrats To Angela Bassett!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote of the Week

I know that a woman president would change the course of history, too, and many might even argue that gender is far more of an albatross than race. That just hasn't been my experience. I know Gloria Steinem might not agree with my decision to be swayed by Obama's poise, intellect, beliefs and yes his color. But like my grandmother before me, I can't afford the luxury of fighting two battles when one is so clearly a matter of life and death.

- Allison Samuels

Supreme Court 7 - 2 decision in Louisiana death penalty case

But I know that the vote of nine out of 10 black Americans for the Democratic Party or for leftist kinds of policies just is not reflective of their opinions.
~ Clarence Thomas

Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia were against today's decision (NO BIG SURPRISE) involving an African-American juror that was unfairly excluded from a murder trial.

By no means am I advocating letting a murderer roam the streets all willy nilly waiting on his next victim. I have a problem with a justice system that dismisses jurors based on bias. Just because the accused is a black man doesn't mean that the juror can't use sound judgement in the case. Please note that all black people are not a monolithic race that follow in lock step.

***For further reference look no further than Clarence Thomas.***

I always knew Dick Cheney was gangsta!!!

Today Vice President Dick Cheney told us how he really felt about opposition to the war. My brother in-law calls him Darth Vader. I call this Gangsta.......

R.I.P. to Ivan Dixon

I was saddened to hear the news about the passing of Ivan Dixon. Mr. Dixon was on one of the great American comedies, Hogan Heroes, playing the role of James “Kinch” Kinchloe. He also directed the classic underground film "The Spook Who Sat by the Door." Don’t expect any remakes with Will Smith playing the main character. Hollywood is afraid to make movies like that. I can only hope that his body of work will be remembered as the years go by.

His honors include four NAACP Image Awards, the National Black Theatre Award and the Paul Robeson Pioneer Award from the Black American Cinema Society. He was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Directors Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild of America and the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

Obama, The Body of Christ and me

Boy I love the black church! I love the elders that give out candies they keep in their purse. The fashionable hats and fly suits. The sermons that talk about overcoming the struggles of life and the ability for redemption from mistakes. Now that I am older, I get to stand outside with the older black men and talk about life. I watched my father do it and now I am involved in the fellowship of men. It is like a rite of passage.

I wonder if Barak Obama feels the same way? You have to feel for a black man when he has to defend the black church. It's hard to defend your home, family, and existence. Now this is the part where people say “what?” The Rev. said inflammatory and un-American things. If Obama goes to this church he must hate whites, Jews, dogs, apple pie and Jessica Simpson (can't get anymore America than a girl that dates a professional quarterback and thinks that buffalo wings are made from real buffalos). The reality of this situation is that there are two Americas, one white and one black. What white folks saw when Rev Jeremiah Wright was preaching was an introduction into the black America. The preaching that is being played every hour on the hour on television is not shocking to black folks. You can hear the same talk during family functions, the barbershop and any places where 3 or more black folks congregate. After watching Rev. Wright preach his "liberation" style, I can see why some white folks might be upset. It was a critique on our government that didn’t pull any punches. It cut to the very fabric of American society by speaking to our sense of right and wrong. Many blacks, not all but most, have dealt with racism and its negative effects. Rev Wright was preaching to people that have experienced the daily struggle of being black. It is the same talk that you hear in Jerry Falwell’s church, and Pat Robertson’s church, but the congregation looks different and the sermons have a different spin. Those church members have struggles with the social ills they perceive that are destroying America. Those church members go to church Sunday after Sunday and they never get called out for being hate mongers or racists. You can no more condemn Obama than you can John McCain for John Hagee who is linked to the Republican Presidential Nominee. So Obama can explain to his pundits about Rev. Wright, Winky Wright, Betty Wright, The Wright Brothers for all I care but leave the black church alone. Don't judge my church by the actions of one man. Black churches played an important role in the Civil Rights movement. They’ve helped the poor, elderly and our youth. Who else has taken the time to look out for the "least of these"? The current Government that is too busy fighting wars and bailing out Wall Street Businesses.

Instead of fighting over what was said, let’s talk about why it was said. Let us turn this into a true discussion on race and equality. Until then, I will be enjoying my vacation Bible School, revivals, hymn choir anniversaries and thanking God for the butterscotch candy that I get from the elders.

Okay, we get it Hillary..... it's St. Patricks Day

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP