Jack & Jill Politics

Wow over 30 million people watched MJ's Homegoing!
http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/ente...

Of course they just had to add 2 million more watched Princess Di's but come on-over 30 MILLION!!!

I'm willing to be that more than that actually watched, you also have to remember there were some people listening on the radio, and then all of the people gathered in their local town squares watching.

it's a different time; folks weren't watching livestreams or TIVOing in '97. no doubt millions more watched it.

AFTERNOON OPEN THREAD IS UP!!

I don't recall what has happened the last few times when PBO has left the country but it seems that the media goes into hyper drive with domestic issues when he does. And then when he's at home, the media whips up foreign policy problems. The frenzy just feels a little manufactured to me.

This could very well be a coincidence but recently all the reporting was that Obama is bailing on the public option and then they ask him and he states otherwise and then people (except for Ed-go Ed!!) move on.

here is the transcript.

http://www.mediamatter.org/mmtv/200907080028

Anyone who has been part of the J&J family for more than 6 months knows that in November I effectively proclaimed myself the last of the Obamicans in that I would not criticize him--until there was real reason. I've refused to join the chorus of "oh know he didn't" everytime he makes a decision that doesn't fully comport with our pro-Black or "progressive" ideals. All that said, listening to Colin Powell's recent comments expressing concern about the President's seeming lack of focus on the economy and now Joe Klein expressing similar concerns, I have to admit the tape on mouth is starting to lose its adhesive. Both of these men admire the President and still support him, even believe he can be one of the greatest presidents, if not the greatest, so please save the criticism that they are out to get him. They are giving him damn good advice that he would be smart to listen to.

It's not that I've lost faith in the President. I HAVE NOT!!! But he's not giving me reason to trust he has an effective plan in place to deal with this economic crisis. Point blank, he doesn't look like he's on his grind. He's clearly trying to distract himself from the economy by immersing himself in foreign affairs when he doesn't have to. Secretary Clinton and his foreign policy team are more than capable. I still believe that most Americans are willing to give the President time to get us out of this mess, that he didn't create, but we need to see him with his sleeves rolled-up and head in the books so-to-speak. As the kids like to say, where's the hustle?

This trip abroad could not have come at a worse time, on the heals of a worse than expected jobs report and Vice President Biden not being able to keep his fuckin' mouth shut (I'm taking bets he won't be on the ticket in 2012). This should be his last trip of the year. His focus should be exclusively on domestic matters.

He's allowed the GOP to gain real traction on deficit spending criticism, and he's losing control of the health care debate. He's allowed Rahm and Biden, two creatures of Congress, to persuade him to give Congress too much control of his signature policies. It's time for the President to take control of this shit!

Joe Klein sums it up best...

"Barack Obama has been President for six months now, and we are beginning to learn a few things about how he does business. The most surprising of these is that he is a vehement traditionalist, a small-c conservative, despite his opponents' best efforts to paint him as a radical. In foreign policy, this has meant a return to traditional diplomatic devices — treaties, alliances, negotiation, a global strategic vision — after the ad hoc, go-it-alone bellicosity of his predecessor. No less a high priest than Henry Kissinger recently called Obama a "chess player," which is high praise in the world of diplomacy. In domestic policy, however, it has meant an undue respect for the institution of Congress, a sclerotic body badly in need of creative leadership. This is leading Obama into trouble."

I believe your anxiety stems from a bombardment of negativity. The talking heads, (legitimate or not) are giving you pause as to the effectiveness and capability of the president to lead this country. No president, (and a Black one) in our lifetime has encountered such a governmental and economic disaster. The president is doing well under the circumstances; he has an excellent team of people working with him. If the American people will pull together and demand the lower government cooperate by taking the stimulus money and using it as it was intended people will begin to see and feel some relief. I don’t expect the president to work on the economy only; GWB left America in bad standing through the world. I tell you NMP1,I don’t feel stressed and upset with Obama as I was with GWB. Maybe I am naïve, but I think we are in good hands.

NMP, I'm one who believes that short-term inaction can sometimes have long-term consequences. I am one who has long said that President Obama--my political hero--arrived at the White House and began to conduct Washington's business. But I hired him to arrive at the White House and handle that bizniss!

Consumers, middle-class families, and small businesses are sliding into the abyss. But Wall Street and Madison Ave. needed bail outs (so that they can quickly return to corruption as usual) and they got them. Public transit and infrastructure crumble by the day. And a second tidal wave of foreclosures--this time it's the folks with *good* credit--is on its way.

From time to time, the President is going to have add a little pimp to his game. And instead of sitting politely at the chess table, turn that muthafka over and put a hurtin' on all the cheaters.

There are times when we'll need our President to be a gentleman AND a gangsta. Because sometimes, short-term inaction has long-term consequences.

You're accusing PBO of "short-term inaction?" You're just being euphemistic, right? You're really saying that the President is "slacking" in a nice, corporate way.

Short-term inaction = slackin = slowful = Sleep'N'Eat...what an interesting way to describe an African-American male.

As far as i'm concerned, Barack Obama is the Hardest-Working Man(Person) in American Politics that i've ever seen.

Et tu, NMP1?

I feel the anxiety too; I wish there was a secret bullet/pill for the mess the country is in right now. But the analogy of the US government being a cruise liner and not a speedboat remains.

I totally agree: PBO is a "chess player," whereas the last president played Tic-Tac-Toe for 8-years-straight. Chess takes time and strategy. But the real problem is that the country is still "use" to playing Tic-Tac-Toe, expecting quick results in Iraq, New Orleans, and now the broader economy.

The American people are still use to being sold lies again and again, and buying the bullshyt.

Instant gratification got us here. Instant gratification will NOT get us out of here. We need an enduring economy borne of innovation and discovery. We need industries that cannot be wiped-out-overnight, and guess what, it's going to take more than six months to build these industries. We're not going to wake up tomorrow morning and see electric vehicles all over the place.

Lastly, we live in a global economy. When America hurts, the world hurts. The Age of Unilateralism and America-Going-It-Alone ended on 1/19/2009. President Obama must engage on foreign issues so that when (if) things get better, we will be able to focus on selling our shyt abroad.

Love ya, Webb!

You do, of course, realize the G8 part of the trip was scheduled and is necessary for PORUS to attend. Also the trip to Russia included signing an historic agreement to reduce the number of nuclear weapons. I eceived a e-mail form OFA yesterday to press my congressman and Senator for health care reform with a "robust public option." So he has not turned it over to Biden. Have you done your aprt by calling your Senators? I believe your premise is wrong and Joe Lein is a writer, with no elected office on his resume. He may not know waht he is talking about.

Obama gets more animated about foreign policy than he does about economic policy. I saw this during the primaries. If you compared his proposed plan in dealing with the economic crisis to that of HRC and John Edwards, one would have noticed that Obama's was the least ambitious. Both Hillary and Edwards proposed a foreclosure moratorium for one year and a freeze on interest rates. If Obama had done this at the beginning of his Presidency then the foreclosure crisis would have been abated and would have contributed to the increase in the unemployment numbers.

I'm right there with you.

Those last two lines sum it up WELL.

this makes a lot of sense, and I hear you.

Now y'all know how I feel when I have to point out shyt like this.

Too much of anything leads to IMBALANCE.

We don't call him out or challenge him - business as usual.

We challenge - HE RESPONDS. And that should be what we want most of all.

ok really...this is becoming quite ridiculous. I don't know whether to laugh or throw something.
Did you know the reason why Americans are not pure is because they keep marrying other species and ethnics. Peep the vid...courtesy of those great minds at FOX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqbL9-HzxH4&eurl...

Americans = White

Other Species = Minority

and i thought all us Humans were one species
see if it wasn't for Fox we wouldn't know these things

What is the other "species" that Americans marry?

Gawd he is stupid....damn damn DAYUM...he is just SIMPLE.

Well you know you got women up in the Northeast taking bubble baths and drinking champagne with their pet chimps. Maybe that's what he means???

BWA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*dead*

they aren't so smart.

is this old news?

On Wednesday, Shay—a 38-year-old Army veteran, mother, and event planner from Louisiana who has been endorsed by her governor, Bobby Jindal—was holding court on her Facebook page, initiating a political conversation by posting that “WalMart just signed a death warrant” by “endorsing Obama’s healthcare plan.” At 1:52, a friend named listed as Eric S. Piker, but whose personal page says his actual name is Eric Pike, wrote “It’s the government making us commies... can’t even smoke in my damn car... whats next they going to issue toilet paper once a month... tell us how to wipe our asses...”

Two minutes later, Piker posted again saying “Obama Bin Lauden [sic] is the new terrorist... Muslim is on there side [sic]... need to take this country back from all of these mad coons... and illegals.”

Eight minutes after that, at 2:02, Shay weighed in on Piker’s comments: “You tell em Eric! lol.”

http://www.tdbimg.com/files/2009/07/05/img-arti...

When will these idiots learn not to post their racism on Facebook for all the world to see?

probably about the same time they learn to stop being racist...never. if you're a racist idiot, you're probably just generally an idiot; i'm not sure how much these folks can learn.

will the repubs ever learn that technology is not their friend?

perxactly.

Today's Conversation:
Cinderella - Guerrilla Training Manual for African-American Women http://tinyurl.com/lkuvm5

H & F
Thanks for the article. I'm always looking through various media for idea on raising, uplifting, empowering etc. my daughter. Don't recall if you've been part of the various bruhahas here with Lisa/Blackwomenblowthetrumpet or not, irrelevant. Just thinking that this article was along those lines of reclaiming yourself, actualization etc. Does this make sense? Hope so. Thanks again

@TyrenM

I am not sure what you are referring to when you mention "various bruhahas here with Lisa/Blackwomenblowthetrumpet" but allow me to offer the facts....

There HAVE NOT been "various bruhahas". Allow me to offer the true FACTS for those who are reading and who may erroneously think that your "various bruhahas" remark is based on fact...

I offered comments on the ONE post "Our Kind of People Are Speaking Again" ONLY when WordSmith was "claiming" (DECEITFULLY) that my blog bashes Michelle Obama. This is completely false.

WordSmith then attempted to produce "proof" for the audience.
Even THAT step was deceitful because it only PROVED that my comments on the Obamas are constructive and thought-provoking and it also PROVED that quality writing and quality discussion is occurring at my blog forum.

It is quite revealing that when WordSmith CLAIMED TO BE seeking facts and truth.... she did not bother to tell the audience that there were TWO posts at my forum about Michelle Obama...

She did not bother to provide any excerpts of THOSE TWO posts and yet the discussion was about Michelle Obama? Sooo interesting.

If a person CLAIMS to seek truth and want to give the facts then that person will offer the posts that were ABOUT MICHELLE... rather than choosing excerpts to reinforce deceptive perceptions!

I called out that scam. I also presented links to the two posts that were actually ABOUT Michelle... since the audience seemed soooo deeply interested in what I had written about Michelle.

It was interesting thought that no one was visiting my forum to read the post that were about Michelle. This reveals that they really WERE NOT deeply interested in the evidence.

I should mention, TyrenM, that CORRECTING erroneous information about my blog forum IN ONE DISCUSSION here at JJP constitutes "various bruhahas here" ...but you are certainly entitled to state your own perspectives.

I am entitled to offer the facts.

My forum focuses on The Four Stages of Self-actualization For Black Women and insists upon collective introspection.

Dear Lisa,
Good afternoon. My reply to heartsandflowers was regarding uplifting of black women/girls. Being the father of a young black daughter, I constantly seek out ideas along those lines. That's where you come in. My post wasn't about revisiting the day long back and forth with Wordsmith etal, it was about listing your blog as what I believe to be along the lines of places that are about empowering, uplifting black women.
Since you monitor computers at BWBBT, you know I visit (or try to) weekly. Since you don't allow male commentors except your chosen, I can't speak to you directly. Your blog, your choice.
My using brouhahas in the plural offend you, typo. My bad. In the year I've been reading JJP and BWBBT, i've seen others who disagree with you. Again that's not what my post was about. It was intended to list BWBBT as an educational place to think (OK, in my mind) think, reflect, see how my choices affect my daughter and change myself for the better. You state its not for me. For women. I get that. I take what I need and leave the rest. Thank you and keep on keepin on.

Thanks. We all don't agree all agree on certain key issues but uplifting black women and girls is what I'm trying to do!

Wow.

Barbara Walters' Spy Cam at Jackson Memorial

Posted Jul 8th 2009 1:05PM by TMZ Staff

If everyone were to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, Barbara Walters would too.

During last night's "20/20" Michael Jackson special, Walters showcased footage shot by an ABC producer sitting next to her at the memorial. The video captures Katherine Jackson and Michael's kids two rows in front of Barbara watching the service -- despite the fact that tickets to the event clearly state "no camera/video/recording."

Barbara Walters' Spy Cam at Jackson Memorial Click to view!An ABC source tells us Barbara's producer decided to shoot video because "once inside the Staples Center it was quite obvious to our producer that plenty of people were shooting video."

Calls to AEG (which threw the event) were not returned.

http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/08/barbara-walters-s...>

no respect what so ever
anything to get a damn story
she should have just kept her old azz at the memorial service
she ain't got long until hers comes

Except when she gets hers, only ABC will care.

Not an ounce of respect. That old witch. Saaaaaa>>lap

She wanted to capture on video anything that would give juicy gossip about those little white kids with black folks.

and thats the main thing
they don't wan't those kids
with black folks

trying to find something to talk about
but those kids will be fine
they had a father who loved them
and they have a family who love them
and if them kids wasn't comfortable
with the Jackson family
you would have noticed it

I hope that old witch caught Prince Michael laying his head on Janet's shoulder as she was holding Paris in her arms....but I am sure Barbara Wawa won't show that.... that would look like the kids love the Jacksons.

Um, maybe those people were the networks and news agencies providing a live feed so people around the world could see the funeral.

Of course, I'm not surprised Baba Wawa would disrespect a black funeral since she found no problem with disrespecting a black family by boasting about her affair with Sen. Brooke.

Just triflin.

What was the producer hoping to get? Did he think he was going to catch lil Paris whispering in Mama Katherine's ear that she doesnt know who this "Michael Jackson" person is? What?

Rep. Peter King On "O'Reilly" - Stands By MJ Comments
Invokes Bob Herbert’s NT Times article to back up his point.

Of course BillO tells King he’s not a racist, and of course King pulls his Catholicism card

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tOt2XSFkOU

Al Sharpton on "O'Reilly" - Peter King "Reckless, Irresponsible"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXX3yxmfUQs

In other words - some of my best friends are black (see Bob Herbert as proof).

Invokes Bob Herbert’s NT Times article to back up his point.

Not surprised. This is what they do: Use a black person's comment(s) to justify their racist rants, as if that black person is the authority of all things black.

That is exactly what these coons get paid to do.

Yet Bob Herbert was quick to come to Joan Walsh's defense when Dick Armey
dissed her.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0109/...

Now, wasn't Bob so gallant comimg to the white damsel's side.

wellz naw sepia, you's know mister bill need ta tell us'n who's ta like, who's ta not like, who's bad, who's guud, cuz we's cant be trussed wit no stuff like dat. we's dont know no betta. mister bill knows whuts guud fo us.

GIMME MY MUTHAPHUCKING ICE TEA, BIOTCH!

BWA HA HA HA HA

LOL! BillO the PSCYHO!

well if BillO tells you you're not a racist, then it's obviously settled.

Melissa Harris-Lacewell's column wonderfully describes the tradition of Black Funerals while looking back on the service held for MJ.

"African-American death rituals have long been celebratory as well as mournful. As a marginal people whose collective identity is rooted in struggle, death is celebrated as a release from pain, inequality and torment. As a deeply religious people, death is celebrated as an opportunity for reunion with God."

It really is a must read.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-...

Why not the Q Dogs?

I see Bubba more as a Kappa. I'm not sure of their national reputation, but when I went to Rutgers back in the day the Kappas were considered the "pretty boy/playa" fraternity (LOL).

I see Bill Clinton as a white privileged asshole who used black folks for 8+ years, who doesn't deserve the time of day from black folks. After the crap he pulled last year, I don't know why any black organization would want to honor him.

Guess he feels by joining a Black Frat, he'll get back his honorary Negro Card.

I THINK NOT. <<<side eye>>>

I was scratching my head saying the same thing when I was reading this. I just don't get it!

Go Sepia!

Lay it down!

I just shared this with a friend who's a Zeta...she's not happy.

Keep on telling it, Sepia.

yes
and that first black president stuff really irked me
they didn't give him that title because of anything positive

He's white they are weak-willed still seeking a white man's approval.

Racism, discrimination widespread inside HFD?
07:54 AM CDT on Thursday, July 9, 2009
Jeff McShan and Jeremy Desel / 11 News - 4 Raw Videos

HOUSTON -- Just one day after racist and sexist graffiti was found written outside the women's quarters at Fire Station 54, an emotional Fire Chief Phil Boriskie addressed another racist incident.

It happened just before 7 a.m. Wednesday.

“I am mad as hell,” said Chief Boriskie. “The good men and women of the Houston Fire Department don’t deserve this.”

The racist message, which included the "n" word, was broadcast over the firefighters’ radio system and lasted seven to eight seconds.

HFD strongly believes someone from the outside is responsible. They think someone hacked into their frequency,

“We have referred this to the OIG for a complete investigation,” Fire Chief Boriskie said.

Whether the message originated from the outside or not, several women, who either currently work for the fire department or have since retired, say they are not surprised by the recent incidents.

“I mean, let’s be real. I didn’t come in with a blind eye to where I was working. I am at a place where it is a majority of white males,” said veteran female firefighter Vantrece Williams.

Williams says she's been harassed, but nothing was ever done about it. Mainly because she says many firefighters won’t speak out when they witness something bad taking place.

“If we want to continue being on TV with the negative images, then we just continue to be quiet,” said Williams.

11 News heard allegations of women firefighters being groped by their male co-workers, and an allegation of a male firefighter masturbating over a female co-worker while she was trying to sleep in her bed.

“You see it. It gets to the point, because nothing happens, that you have to pick your battles,” said Williams.


http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou0907...

Lord Have Mercy! This is maddening. How long, Lord?

Sheer psychopaths. And I don't believe for one minute someone hacked into their system. Broadcasting "nigger' was intentional.

It's disgusting, jacking off on female peers while they are sleeping.

Fire Chief Boriskie better do more than "get mad" and Williams needs to take legal action against the department for these demeaning and racially charged acts.

one of the many pearls of wisdom comment on the article.


JMAN 2 hours ago wrote:

Why don't the black people quit looking for special treatment, quit having kids that you have no intention of fathering and quit acting so ghetto, quit being racist against all other races but your own. Then maybe we can move to the next step of ending racism. You don't hear all the other races whinning about racism all the time. Even though there seems to be more racist blacks then whites or any other skin color. I can't tell you how many times I have heard white men reffered to as pecker woods or white boys but we just laugh it off and realize your ignorance. We don't run to the media and other outlets saying blacks are racist against whites. I believe reverse racism is the new racism. How many whites do you see creating white only TV stations, unions, affirmative action, ect...Obama is proof that whites are no longer a racist race. More white people voted for him then black people. The only person you can change is yourself.

This is a standard post from the numbnuts. I've seen this exact post on many a forum. It doesnt matter what the article or column is about, this is the standard post you get from the wingnuts. The article could be about astronomers discovering a new star and you'll get this post in their somewhere.

It is a standard post, yes. I've seen it on many a forum too...including this one:

"More of the damn same. Drop out of high school. Have kids you can't afford. Call each other nigga. Rob a liquor store. Go to jail. Get out and go back to to selling drugs. And then have the nerve to ask the President to do something for you. How about doing something for yourself? Too many blacks in America have a welfare mentality. Those stories have happened to people across America no matter the color. Stop looking for a handout."

TAG60's quote adds the "Anti-black racism won't go away until blacks stop complaining about it" meme.

And sometimes they get creative and add something like "listen to Bill Cosby!"...(but what they really mean by that is listen to Heathcliff Huxtable because you know, they like him)...or they'll throw in a dig at Al, Jesse or Farrakhan..or maybe all three.

There must be a form file somewhere and they just copy and paste this stuff.

Some of them say that because they perceive Cosby as flogging black people on behalf of whites. I've run into a few people online who've pulled the "Cosby card", and I directed them to Coates' Atlantic profile-the one in which Cosby exclaims "This is how we lost to the white man!!" They couldn't handle it. They said it was a lie, and he didn't actually say such a thing.

Pat BuKKKlanan spews this drivel on MSNBC everytime the word "racism' is mentioned.

He damn sure does...each and everytime.

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

That reads very much like the "pearls of wisdom" we see from one or two people on this blog.

The "standard comment" is classic Pat BucKKKlanan speak.

This was posted on the Philly paper website commenting on the pool story:
if you want people opinins of blacks to change. then you should change how you behave. get and education and take respocibility for your actions if you want people opinins of blacks to change. then you should change how you behave. get and education and take respocibility for your actions

I'm sure ANY of those kids could spell better than this douchebag.

Perfect. But then, that person really doesn't have to know how to spell, does he/she?

sad, but true.

Yu'll understand that regardless the behavior - the racism and misogyny go hand-in-hand.

Of course that 'broadcasting' was intentional. Someone breaking into their frequency. I don't know, Kenneth, whaddya think? Shall we USE that fucking excuse no matter how lame it sounds?

.
.

Kenneth says, 'yes.'

smh

House Resolution Would Memorialize Jackson
It'll be interesting to see how the votes shake out on a House resolution offered by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) to honor Michael Jackson.

Speaking today at the pop icon's funeral, Jackson Lee (who is no relation to the late singer) held up a copy of her resolution and said it will be debated on the House floor. The measure will hail Jackson as "an American legend, a musical icon and a world humanitarian," she said.

The lengthy resolution, which includes 44 separate "whereas" clauses, chronicles Jackson's career and accomplishments from his days as a baby-faced member of the "Jackson 5" to his rise as the "King of Pop" with such explosive hits as "Thriller," "Billie Jean" and "Beat It."

The measure also notes some of Jackson's more obscure humanitarian work, including these clauses:

Whereas in December 1991, Michael's office MJJ Productions donated more than 200 turkey dinners to needy families in Los Angeles;

Whereas, on April 9, 1984, David Smithee, a 14-year-old boy suffering from cystic fibroses was invited to Michael's home, in response to a dying request to meet Michael. David passed away 7 weeks later;

Whereas on December 1993, in conjunction with the Gorbachev Foundation, Michael Jackson airlifted 60,000 doses of children's vaccines to Tblisi, Georgia;

Whereas in 1994, Michael donated $500,000 to Elizabeth Taylor's AIDS Foundation.

Jackson Lee's resolution goes on at great length to list many other of Jackson's good deeds before finally concluding:

Whereas we today mourn with and send our condolences to the children that Michael Jackson left behind: Prince Michael, Paris Michael, and Prince Michael II and his mother, father, brothers, and sisters: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) recognizes Michael Jackson as a global humanitarian and a noted leader in the fight against worldwide hunger and medical crises; and

(2) celebrates Michael Jackson as an accomplished contributor to the worlds of arts and entertainment, scientific advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and global food security.

As of this afternoon, the resolution did not yet appear on the House floor schedule. But rest assured that when it does come before the House for debate, Congresswoman Jackson Lee will ask for a recorded vote. And we fully expect Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), who this week lambasted Michael Jackson as a "pervert," a "child molester" and a "pedophile," will happily lead the Nay column.

"We would vote against it," King's spokesman, Kevin Fogarty, told us today.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2009/07...

See, THIS SHYT is why I have to stay on the CBC's ass! Sheila Jackson-Lee, one of the WORST members of the CBC, can never be found for meaningful shyt - but she can take her wanna-be diva ass and expend what lil' capital the CBC has on shyt like this.

I love Mike, and will miss him dearly, but the reality is, she could be beating down for universal health care, fix ish still left by Katrina, and help audit the damned Federal Reserve...but NOOOOOOOOOOO, she wastes time on resolutions.

SMH....

If I'm not mistaken, Nancy Pelosi stated today at press conference, she didn't think there needs to be a resolution! So here we go...

In other words - she'll just DO IT. No need to go thru all the red tape, then?

but obviously all the other symbolic resolutions that the house passes on a daily basis are definitely needed.
like i said below:
"democrats will be afraid to appear to endorse the oft referred to 'tragic 'elements of his life."
Ms. Nancy is just the first in what will be a long line of posturing fools, because this is the kind of story that the media eats up. shortly they'll be asking the president for his opinion on what the house should do; you know, because he's black.

I'm waiting to see who will be the first numbnut to ask about it in the press briefings with Gibbs.

You Nailed it, Moja!

Bingo!, moja31.

i see all kinds of bullshit posturing coming out of this one, there was already some talking head chatter about it right after the memorial .
the wingnuts are already up in arms, and their favorite congress people will accordingly pretend that they don't vote on these kinds of resolutions all the time, and feign their offense very loudly. democrats will be afraid to appear to endorse the oft referred to "more tragic elements of his life," and most of the CBC will probably defend the resolution (except those who feel he hated being black).
somewhere along the way, Al & Jesse will be called up by the networks for a comment, and obviously they'll comply. and on and on, you can fill in the rest.
i hope it doesn't happen this way, but i won't hold my breath. our elected officials just can't help themselves; anything that can get blown up into some opportunity ripe for posturing, will.

I could see a vote on a Michael Jackson tribute becoming a hot potato or southern legislators in particular. even though many of their constitutents R MJ fans.

Murdoch papers paid £1m to gag phone-hacking victims
News of the World bugging led to £700,000 payout to PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor
Nick Davies
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 8 July 2009 17.33 BST
Article history

News International has always maintained it had no knowledge of phone hacking by anybody acting on its behalf.
Murdoch told Bloomberg news last night that he knew nothing about the payments. "If that had happened I would know about it," he said.
A private investigator who had worked for News Group, Glenn Mulcaire, was also jailed in January 2007. He admitted hacking into the phones of five other targets, including the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor. Among the phones he hacked were those of the Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes, celebrity PR Max Clifford, model Elle MacPherson and football agent Sky Andrew.

News Group denied all knowledge of the hacking, but Taylor last year sued them on the basis that they must have known about it.
In documents initially submitted to the high court, News Group executives said the company had not been involved in any way in Mulcaire's hacking of Taylor's phone. They denied keeping any recording or notes of intercepted messages. But, at the request of Taylor's lawyers, the court ordered the production of detailed evidence from Scotland Yard's inquiry in the Goodman case, and from an inquiry by the Information Commissioner's office into journalists who dishonestly obtain confidential personal records.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/08/mur...

By Robin Givhan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 9, 2009

ROME, July 8 -- First lady Michelle Obama has a singular designation during her short stay in Italy while the president attends the G8 Summit in L'Aquila. She is the "spouse."

This designation comes with advantages such as an outdoor luncheon catered by renowned chef Heinz Beck and served at a table draped in ivory tulle on a terrace overlooking one of the world's most ancient cities. It means a private tour of the Capitoline Museums with their paintings and bronzes and the famous sculpture of Romulus and Remus -- symbols of Rome -- being suckled by a wolf. It includes having an advance staff that has taste-tested the variety of gelati the city has to offer so that her daughters will not have to suffer through any unpalatable sweets. (They chose well. Sasha and Malia Obama visited Giolitti, one of the best ice cream parlors in Rome.) And a G8 spouse never ever has to sit in traffic.

But "spouse" also means moving through the day as an object, as an emblem to be photographed and studied. It means politely making small talk and deftly avoiding the Italian imbroglio of the day: the head of state's operatic marital discord. Since the summit began Wednesday, the luncheon -- the G8 spouses luncheon -- was the first big outing for the wives, along with several other female Italian officials. It was hosted by another spouse -- the wife of the mayor of Rome, Isabella Rauti Alemanno.

Afterward they posed for a group portrait. They gathered, mingling and chatting, in one of the museum's atria -- a location ostensibly chosen so they could view the statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback. But none of the women really seemed to notice that three-story sculpture in the room. They also didn't react to the two stooped elderly guardsmen who flanked the grand equestrian monument, even though they were dressed in gold velvet britches and cranberry-colored military coats adorned with gold braid and epaulets. The real purpose of the moment was the group portrait. It would mark the occasion but it also had the women lined up in a single, shoulder-to-shoulder row as if they were awaiting Bert Parks to announce Miss Congeniality.

There is more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...

The theme of this article is "Look, Michelle knows how to act."

Thank god for Town...

If News Corp. is doing this oversees, there's no telling what they're doing in the U.S.!

Inquiry Begun on Hacking Cases at Murdoch Papers

By JOHN F. BURNS and ALAN COWELL
Published: July 9, 2009

LONDON — Britain’s most senior police officer said Thursday he had ordered a preliminary inquiry into reports by The Guardian newspaper that Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper subsidiary paid about $1.6 million to settle court cases involving allegations that its reporters worked with private investigators to hack into the cellphone messages of numerous public figures.

Among those whose cellphones were tapped or hacked into were the former deputy prime minister and at least one other cabinet minister, The Guardian reported.

The Guardian’s report was denied by Mr. Murdoch, whose News Corporation owns the Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States as well as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post. Bloomberg News quoted Mr. Murdoch as saying on Wednesday that he was not aware of any payments made to settle legal cases in which the company’s reporters in Britain might have been involved in criminal activity.

“If that had happened, I would know about it,” he said.

On Thursday, Sir Paul Stephenson, the head of Scotland Yard, said he had assigned an assistant commissioner, John Yates, to “establish the facts” about the case “and look into the detail,” according to the Press Association news agency, quoting Sky News, which is also part of Mr. Murdoch’s media empire.

“I think we have got a track record of doing exactly what we are supposed to do,” Mr. Stephenson was quoted as saying. “If we need to investigate, we will investigate. We will do the right thing and do what we have to do to investigate crime wherever it exists.”

Mr. Yates is a senior officer named in April as the head of counterterrorism at Scotland Yard. He achieved prominence earlier when he conducted a lengthy, but inconclusive, inquiry into allegations that the ruling Labor party traded honors for political donations.

The Guardian report could not be independently verified. The newspaper cited an unnamed “senior source” at Scotland Yard as saying that staff members at News International, the Murdoch subsidiary that owns four major newspapers in Britain, including The Times of London, The Sunday Times and two tabloids, The News of the World and The Sun, had used private investigators to hack into “thousands” of cellphones to obtain confidential personal data, including tax records, social security files, bank statements and itemized telephone bills. It cited another source “with knowledge of the police findings” as saying that the investigators had tapped “two or three thousand” cellphones.

The Guardian article, citing those sources, said that the targets of the hacking included John Prescott, who was deputy to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, and a cabinet member, Tessa Jowell, as well as lawmakers from all three of Britain’s major political parties. Accessing stored phone messages covertly is illegal in Britain, except for the police or intelligence agencies acting with a warrant.

“I find it staggering that there could be a list known to the police of people who had their phone tapped,” said Mr. Prescott on Thursday. “I’m named as one of them. For such a criminal act not to be reported to me, and for action not to be taken against the people who have done it, reflects very badly on the police and I want to know their answer.”

The Guardian said Scotland Yard files also showed that the newspapers had used private investigators to approach government agencies, banks, phone companies and other agencies that, the paper said, were conned into handing over confidential information on politicians, actors, athletes, musicians and television presenters, all of whom are named in the files. The Guardian said the files named 31 reporters working for The News of the World and The Sun in connection with the operation.

In the past few months, Britain has been rocked by scandals related to the use of expense accounts by members of Parliament, but The Guardian did not explain how or if the information it obtained was used, or if it had any relation to the scandals.

The Guardian article caused an immediate uproar, with demands from politicians and others for the government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown to order a police investigation and to explain why earlier police inquiries had not resulted in any action against the Murdoch-owned papers.

Simon Hughes, a prominent lawmaker for the Liberal Democrats, an opposition party, who was among those named by the paper as having had their cellphone messages tapped, said that if The Guardian’s story was accurate, those responsible should be “severely punished.” He told the BBC that The Guardian’s revelations amounted to “a very big warning bell” of the damage that could be done by exploiting the possibilities of “the new data-centered age.”

The Guardian cited no sources for its claim that News International, the Murdoch subsidiary, had paid £1 million, about $1.6 million, in damages and legal costs to three people involved in professional soccer in Britain, including about $1.1 million to Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association.

The Guardian said the financial settlements in Britain were accompanied by clauses that prevented the people receiving the money from speaking about the cases. Such confidentiality clauses are common in many settlements. It said the settlements arose from disclosures that emerged from a trial of two private investigators working for the Murdoch-owned News of the World who served brief prison terms after being convicted in 2007 for hacking into cellphone messages.

One of the men convicted, Clive Goodman, was found to have accessed more than 600 messages on cellphones used by members of the royal family. The other man, Glenn Mulcaire, a former professional soccer player, admitted that he had hacked into the cellphone of Mr. Taylor, head of the soccer association, as well as those of the model Elle Macpherson and Max Clifford, a public relations agent.

In documents submitted to the High Court in London during the trial of Mr. Goodman and Mr. Mulcaire, executives of News International said The News of the World’s editors and reporters had not been involved in any way in the phone tapping.

But the controversy stirred by The Guardian could reach into the highest ranks of Mr. Murdoch’s empire. Several senior executives at News International or The News of the World were named by The Guardian as having denied knowledge of the tapping during the Goodman-Mulcaire trials.

John F. Burns reported from London and Alan Cowell from Paris.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/world/europe/...

OK I have to admit I thought about a tattoo for a while. Went to a place with my BFF (who has like 5) but once confronted with the selection, there was nothing I could commit to PERMANENTLY marking onto my body. However, I think this is pretty cool-looking:
http://www.mediatakeout.com/2009/33992-another_...

OMG! Who is this Steven A. Smith, journalist? He's on MSNBC and is calling the Obama administration inept because of the employment numbers increasing. He's black and where has he been the past 25 years?

He's been a sportswriter/sportscaster but this ain't no ballgame.

um, haven't I been complaining about this for awhile now? All the Black folks I CAN'T SEE on tv, but this CLOWN is everywhere!

you mean, "Screamin' A" Smith, don't you?

Any man dating a woman known as "Superhead" has long lost my respect as a journalist or anything else.

Um...that's why he's on TV...'cause he's a CLOWN

LOL..he's the new lil wayne of political shows.

EWWWWW!

Yes!

OMG! Who is this Steven A. Smith, journalist?


Another black boot-licking hanky head that MSNBC has bought!

Saaaaaaaaa>>lap

they really will put anybody on the air to talk shit about obama huh? what the hell does stephen a. smith know about economics?

Bout as much as he knows about anything else, which aint damn much.

Smith has always been a joke going back to his days at the Inky. But he's a know-it-all loudmouth, which is the only qualification you need these days to be a pundit.

Wishful thinking:

I wish his azz was one of the unemployed after he left ESPN

It is a straight conspiracy...you mean to tell me they could not have found ANYBODY else to be a commentator other than this loud-mouth mofo....

That's it, I'm writing somebody today....all these great minds on JJP alone could wipe the floor with some of these folks they are giving a microphone to these days....please, someone call a black political blogger like now already ....and then I thought about it....they would rather keep Black commentators "Palinized"....they ain't ready for knowledgeable Black folks talking about politics the way it should be discussed....they are still in shock over Obama getting elected

Preach.

Black opposition to Obama is lucrative.

C.R.E.A.M.

Keep saying that, Sepia!

There it is!!!!

Yes....whoring to a whole 'nother level....dollar, dollar bill y'all.

Sessions Uses Sotomayor as a Pawn in His Lifelong Crusade Against Civil Rights
In 1986, an ambitious young United States Attorney named Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III was denied a seat on the federal bench because of his own deep seeded hostility to the very notion of civil rights. As a federal prosecutor, Sessions conducted a tenuous criminal investigation into voting rights advocates that registered African-Americans to vote-an investigation that culminated in an unsuccessful prosecution against a former aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He once quipped that he "used to think [the KKK] were OK" until he found out some of them were "pot smokers;" and he routinely referred to an African-American attorney who worked for him as "boy"--even once warning that attorney to "be careful what you say to white folks" after Sessions overheard him chastising a white secretary.
Read More
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-millhiser/ses...

Bill Clinton on the GOP hypocrisy about healthcare costs:

Taking the stage to a roaring applause, Clinton said that he found current Republican complaints about Obama's economic policies, specifically the stimulus package, to be "fastidious" and "hilarious."

"The members of the other party say they are not for the stimulus, or health care reform, or fighting climate change because it costs money and they really would hate to put that debt on our grandchildren," he said. "In the last eight years I saw the surplus I left, which would have taken you out of debt, even with the 2001 recession, by 2013... I saw it blown away and the debt doubled. And in the 12 years before I became president they quadrupled the debt."

"These same people," he added, "it didn't bother them a bit to put a burden on our grandchildren to pay for a millionaire's tax cut. But if we are helping some poor person go to work, or helping some young person go to college, that is unacceptable... I'm not saying we don't have to worry about the debt. We do. It is a problem. But it is a problem that will have to be addressed after the economy grows again and we start generating revenues."

www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/08/bill-clinton-...

This is horrible. Tasering needs to be ban.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/08/new-me...

Isn't the Federal Reserve Bank a private entity?

Bury the Never Ending Myth of Jackson as Child Molester

Websites, blogs and chatrooms pulsed with garish cracks about it. Legions of commentators and news reporters snuck it in every chance they got. More than a few of Michael Jackson's fervent admirers and supporters made a dismissive reference to it. Even President Barack Obama in a cautious acknowledgment of Jackson's towering contributions to American music and artistry still made reference to the "tragedy" in Jackson's life which was a subtle nod to it. And New York Congressman Pete King skipped the niceties and flatly said it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchi...

Mike didn't help his own case when he admitting to sharing his bed with young boys AFTER the first case. I do not believe MJ ever molested a child; I think MJ was asexual and didn't have sexual interest in anyone, let alone a child. BUT it's not healthy for adults to be hanging around children like that. It didn't help when family members like LaToya were telling the press that he was guilty.

Again, I don't believe he ever harmed a hair on a child but whoever was helping him with PR didn't do him any favors by letting him do that interview with Martin Bashir, which led to the 2nd set of charges. I believe it was over for MJ after that trial. IMO he died then, not on June 25.

I don't think he hurt any kids either Town. But, as Ice Cube said "You musta split your wig, to let mJ babysit your kids. They need to throw the momma in jail. That n old as hell."

Part of the reason why people think Michael he was a child molester because he openly he admitted that he slept with young children. That is unacceptable. My mother used to tell me as black man I need to keep myself out of situations where I'm perceived that I'm doing wrong because people are going to assume I'm doing wrong. Mike was the greatest entertainer that ever lived and I'm not going to yell child molester but the fact that he slept with young children and didn't realize or didn't care how that would be perceived is shocking.

When MJ admitted that on national television, my opinion that he really did see the world through the lens of a 10 yr old strengthened. Any middle-aged man, of any race, that doesn't know that saying you share your bed with little boys will be recieved as a sexual thing and thus shouldn't be said doesn't get it. MJ didn't get it, but I dont' think he ever touched a boy inappropriately. There was nothing about him, otherwise, that suggested he might.

These are my thoughts exactly! After all, a true pedophile would never make a statement such as this.

I think perhaps more than anything those statements showed how out of touch he was with the increasing sexualization of our society and children.

Also I hear someone say that he thought of himself as Peter Pan figure.

Well, there are tragedies in MJ's life w/o all the accusations. I'm not so sure that BO was referring to the charges. To me, it's open-ended. And, knowing how careful and cautious BO is, it just may include the abusive childhood and press hounding that he faced.

The biggest tragedy of MJ's life is he never had a childhood.

Gotta give it to Earl. He's on point with this one. I hope Bob Herbert reads it.

It's interesting that when you ask people why they think MJ is a child molester, they can never give specifics. It's always some bullshyte generalization of court details like Herbert saying, "One case of alleged pedophilia against Jackson, the details of which would make your hair stand on end...".

Instead of asking why MJ settled, they need to ask that question of the parents who accused him of molesting their children.

EXACTLY! I always said if it were MY child, there'd be no amount of money I'd settle for. Not to mention why a civil suit? Why not a criminal charge?

I always said if he was innocent, he should have told that kid's parents he would see their asses in court.

No parent who has a child who was a vic of child molestation, will be willing to put their child through the ordeal of a public trial unless they were DAMNED SURE the perp was caught.

Mike was asexual - I don't think he had any interest in men or women.

I also believe that during his supposed childhood, Papa Joe had those boys performing in some serious dives - strip clubs, juke joints - how do we know some pedophile didn't get a hold of Mike and molested HIM back then?

I agree - after the first allegation, it was like homeboy up and died right there, in 1993. He physically died on June 25th - but his spirit was long gone.

I'd settle for nothing less than, at
minimum, putting a bullet in someone's ass.

Good Morning.Your Thursday jam.Enjoy
Energy To Burn-B.T. Express
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOsMvUsgDPw

That's right, I'm dancing in my chair. Got one hand in the air whilst I type with the other (LOL).

You're really spoiling us.

thanks