Too Rich to Fail?

Budget shortfalls in many states have helped shine the spotlight on fiscal responsibility, but as we've seen in Wisconsin when there are political careers on the line rhetoric tries to muscle its way into the spotlight, too. There is no guarantee of objectivity left in commercial "mainstream" media in the U.S. anymore; the chase after "bottom line" success has also chased truth and journalistic standards into full retreat.

Now elected so-called leaders want to chase education into full retreat, too. With the full complicity of ratings-driven networks who will present any side of an issue if they make a buck today, the folks who can afford to pay as much for their kid to attend an elite private academy every year as the rest of us can justify for a graduate school have decided public schools and the people who teach them are no longer a priority.

"...in the derivatives market alone, $600 trillion is in play. That’s why the players, and the Chamber of Commerce, are lobbying so hard to be left alone..."

from "$6 Trillion in play: derivatives markets"
18 February 2011 at realitytax

We bailed out Wall Street bankers after the 2008 crash caused by years of risky business put our economy in a tail-spin, supporting their lavish lifestyles, sky-high salaries, and jaw-dropping year-end bonuses; in exchange they demand we reduce taxes on the ultra-rich while our bridges crumble, potholes proliferate, and we're reducing the modest paychecks and threatening the retirement benefits of public school teachers? In the land of opportunity? Seriously?


We've let corporations and lobbyists build a system where the rule is that some are not only being asked to pay less than their fair share, but they're also too rich to fail. What's next, taking away the collective bargaining rights that made this country great by building the middle class into the engine of the world's greatest economy? We can do better than this; on behalf of our children we must do better than this.

In 2009, "America’s top 25 hedge fund managers earned an average of $1 billion each — enough to pay for 20,000 teachers." Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich 3 May 2010

Political Correspondent Thomas Hayes is a former Congressional Campaign Manager; he's a journalist, photo/videographer, entrepreneur, and communications consultant who contributes regularly on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community, who incidentally stands in solidarity with the citizens and workers in Wisconsin refusing to let their Governor's self-created budget "crisis" and new spending priorities be re-cast as a reason to undermine contractual obligations and collective bargaining agreements.

You can follow Tom as @kabiu on twitter. Tweet

Interview: Dr Cornel West on Bishop Eddie Long, Immigration And Midterm Elections

It’s always enlightening to catch up with Princeton Professor and author Dr Cornel West . Many of us know him for his books ‘Race Matters‘, ‘Democracy Matters’ and ‘Keeping Faith: Philosophy and Race in America’ to name a few.

Cornel West always has some keen insight to loan and he’s good at breaking down complex issue for us to understand. He also comes from a place of love and compassion. He truly wants to see us do better.

We caught up with him the other day and spoke to him about his recent projects. Currently him and long time friend and fellow author/ activist Tavis Smiley are doing a radio show they just launched called Smiley and West.He also finished up his autobiography. He’s also doing some work on an academic book about Jay-Z

During our interview Dr. West spoke to him about his recent trip to Arizona. There he met with leaders in the Chicano & Mexicano community who have been on the front lines fighting the Draconian Law racial profiling, anti-immigrant law SB 1070.

During our convo we spoke about the oppression facing Black & Brown communities and how some have tried to hijack the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. West noted that some have erroneously asserted the Civil Rights movement was only for Black people when in fact it was a movement for justice that included all oppressed people.

A Conversation w/ Cornel West pt2

We continue our interview w/ Professor Cornel West who goes in on President Obama and his lack of policies toward poor people… Cornel talks about the public spat they had where Obama stepped to him and let him know he didn’t like what he said about him in a Playboy magazine interview..

According to Cornel, Obama was upset that he was being criticized for not being progressive. West felt Obama was out-of-order and wish the two could sit down and discuss the matter behind closed doors.

Cornel talks about the state of poverty in this country and why he’s been critical of Obama who he feels has been too cozy with corporate interests. He says he will not silence himself for Obama and that too many leaders bow down after getting a phone call from the White House.

Cornel also talks about the legacy of Dr Martin Luther King and challenges president Obama to be more King-like with his policies

We ask Cornel if folks should vote in the mid-term elections and whether or not Democrats have been too passive. He gives some keen insight as to how we should see the election and deal with groups like the Tea Party

We continue our interview w/ Professor Cornel West.. Here Cornel goes in on the Black church and how its been severely compromised. He also talks about the controversy surrounding Bishop Eddie Long.. Here he explains the difference between Prophetic and liberation theologies and the current wave of Prosperity Gospel teachings. He talks to us about what we as Christians and members of a Black Church should ideally be doing during these times.

Professor West also talks about the new album he’s been working on with funk legend Bootsy Collins.. He says he’s taking it to the next level..

Below is a link to the full podcast where you can also hear the dope songs Cornel has on his last two albums “Sketches of My Culture”, “Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations”. The songs feature everyone from KRS-One to Andre 3000 to M-1 ofDead Prez to name a few.

Here’s the link to the Full Interview…

Full Interview w/ Dr Cornel West

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Courtney Ruby: Oakland City Auditor Talks Origins, ABC Security Issue

Courtney Ruby. A search for a video interview or comment from the City of Oakland's elected auditor reveals, until today, nothing. This is the first, and to date only, full long-form interview with Oakland's City Auditor.

Because the Akron, Ohio native was new to long video interviews, and to video-blogging, this interview was one part 'getting to know her,' and the other part on the issues of the day: the ABC Security issue that comes before the Oakland City Council this evening, and her budget. In all, the video - made at the new eatery Disco Violante (great burgers) at 347 14th Street in Downtown Oakland, is about 24 minutes long.  And because the ABC Security issue is "hot," this will be blog post one on Courtney Ruby, with two other posts to come later in the week.

But, for those of you interested in ABC Security, let's start with Ms. Ruby's comments about that.

Click here for ABC Security comments in the video at the 14:45 mark.

ABC Security and Favoritism.

ABC Security is an Oakland company located at 1840 Embarcadero, not far from Quinn's Lighthouse and in Oakland Council District Five, politically helmed by the legendary Oakland Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente.

Ms. Ruby has alleged that ABC Security may have violated the law by donating to Oakland councilmembers before seeking an Oakland contract valued at $2 million.   Even though ABC was the fifth, and then sixth ranked company, it managed to secure the recommendation of the Oakland City Council.  (For note, ABC Security wasn't the only security firm to be accused of a "pay to play" action, Marina Security, was as well.)

The City's Auditor forwarded the issue to the Oakland Public Ethics Commission.  One of the councilmembers who benefited was Jane Brunner of District One, North Oakland, who said that her choice of ABC Security wasn't due to the donation, and that she would return the money they've donated toward her.

Moreover, both Councilmembers Brunner and De La Fuente wrote about their reasons for supporting ABC Security, stating that...

ABC Security is an Oakland-grown, minority- and woman-owned local business with a long history of hiring Oakland residents and providing well-paying, union jobs. ABC currently employs 213 Oakland residents; that's 87 percent of its workforce...Nevertheless, because it has thrived and has exceeded the city's definition of a small business, it wasn't awarded preference points under the city's current point system, nor was it awarded points for its 42 years as an Oakland business nor for employing 87 percent Oakland residents.

On the ABC Security issue, which begins at the 14:45 minute mark of the video, Courtney Ruby and this blogger didn't address Brunner's and De La Fuente's statements, and Ruby seemed eager to avoid any political finger-pointing.  How did the issue come to her?

"I knew that the contract was before the council from the (City Council meeting) agendas.  I knew that a contract had been let. I always watch the committee hearings, so I know what's going on in the city."  She said that there was "conversation" regarding one company that was rated number one and ABC, which at the time was rated number five.   So, Ruby made it a point to visit the next committee hearing to hear the "next level of discussion" on the security contract, and watched as council recommended ABC Security, even though their ranking had dropped by one to number six in the field of firms under consideration.

She was "alarmed" that a contractor would go through an RFP process and, even though the best company, Cypress (at 452 Tehama Street in San Francisco, CA) met all of the criteria, it wasn't the one selected by the Oakland City Council, and they would consider picking a firm that was six levels down in the competition. Councilmember Pay Kernighan (District Two) tried to make a separate motion to have both Cypress and ABC Security moved to full council level, but the motion failed.

That's the issue the full City Council, will here this evening.

If the Oakland City Council wanted to have only Oakland firms, the RFP should have been restricted to companies in the city limits. But the RFP process was so geographically broad, that didn't happen. The Oakland City Council should not go against the city's own RFP criteria process in this way. That's this blogger's take.

Stay tuned.

Davey D's Hip Hop Corner

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• Hip Hop, Album Reviews and Critics (via Davey D’s Archived Essential Hip Hop Articles)
• Hip Hop History: Respect those Who Came Before Us (via Davey D’s Archived Essential Hip Hop Articles)
• Stephanie Gadlin: Hip Hop’s (UNSPOKEN) Ten Commandments (via Davey D’s Archived Essential Hip Hop Articles)

Hip Hop, Album Reviews and Critics (via Davey D’s Archived Essential Hip Hop Articles) Posted: 13 Nov 2010 05:36 AM PST This article focuses on the role of the Hip Hop critic/ album reviewer. Its food for thought which I think still applies today.. is it about personal opinion or being a voice for a fan base who this... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Hip Hop History: Respect those Who Came Before Us (via Davey D’s Archived Essential Hip Hop Articles) Posted: 13 Nov 2010 04:19 AM PST As we continue celebrating Hip Hop History Month, here’s another vintage article from November of ’99. Here we run down a list of key pioneers from NY and Cali.. Wish I was a bit more... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Stephanie Gadlin: Hip Hop’s (UNSPOKEN) Ten Commandments (via Davey D’s Archived Essential Hip Hop Articles) Posted: 13 Nov 2010 03:23 AM PST In celebration of Hip Hop History Month, we wanted to bring back this classic article from writer Stephanie Gadlin which reflected the challenges facing Hip Hop back in 1999. Her piece was powerful... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

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Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, Oakland, Gets Hammered On Yelp

Well, now that Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe is open in Downtown Oakland, in the Fox Theater at the Uptown District, it's time to ask "How's it doing?" When this blogger visited the eatery it was the first day of official public service - not crowded and the food and service were good.

But the next week, Rudy's had an "official grand opening," complete with Mayor Jean Quan and other people who may not visit Rudy's regularly, but had to be there - and that included the media.

So now, with all the hoopla out of the way, Rudy's is a known place. What's the verdict on it?

One visit to Yelp.com, the online hub for reviews on food places, can help answer that question. The answer is that visitors and Oaklanders are excited that Rudy's is open, and they gave me a great little tour of the place in this video, too:



But where Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe gets rave reviews for its space, it gets panned for its service on Yelp. Here's a few samples from Yelpers:

New as they are, it's pretty expected that they're working out a few kinks. Seeing as how they're offering this sometimes sketchy neighborhood (I say this as I used to live 2 blocks away) a respite for liquor soak-me-ups until 1am, Rudy's is a blessing and I look forward to making it my post-bar asylum. Also, if you're looking for grub at 7am, you can find a home here as well.

On the first Saturday it was open, I went with a friend and their computer system crashed and they had to close for about an hour while they rebooted it. They can't work without a computer? But in any case, I used to work for a restaurant and I understand that they're still trying to get everything worked out so we left and got chicken and waffles instead.

The food was pretty average, and a decent price. Apparently our food was held up by a large fish and chips back up in the kitchen, which turned out to be more like fish sticks-although tasty ones.

This places does serve alcohol and I adore that they had the balls to move into downtown and are until 1am (thank you!!) so I can walk over before or after the bar and get a bite. What a novel thought. All in all, I will be coming back because this is what the neighborhood needed, meaning there is a demand and I see it consistently busy with 20 and 30 somethings (and families, a great place for kids, if that's your style).

Love the space. We had very attentive service. I didn't chose well off of the menu but that was totally my bad. Love that they had several good beers on tap and a FULL bar. I need to come back during the full breakfast or brunch menu.

And here's part of one review from a really steam-blowing, pissed-off Yelper named Eddy S:

Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe... can fail. BIG TIME!

I was told I was being too harsh but Im sorry, a Taco Bell has their shit together better then this place. If I had an option of zero stars, I would choose it. This isn't just some rant from an unsatisfied customer but a mere observation from a person who expected nothing more and nothing less from any other restaurant. Below is a list of reasons why I gave it a low rating.

1) Just after saying that it was his first day, the water boy spilled a full cup over my friends shoulder.

2) It took two waiters to take our order (Ok. maybe someone was in training... but the other should have been on point). They still came back and said they didn't know if we wanted our burgers medium or medium rare.

3) I ordered their BBQ Pulled Pork Burrito (yes, I know. Don't expect too much or anything really from a cafe serving a burrito but anything would have been better then what they gave me) I received pulled pork wrapped in tortilla with beans and rice on the side. No, seriously. Just pulled pork in a tortilla and beans and rice on the side. If I wanted to make my own simple burrito I would, at home.

If that's what you're gonna serve then fine, but don't have the audacity to charge $10 for it. Seriously?

4) My friend ordered a BLT with A and the only thing they forgot was the A... seriously?

5) Last but certainly not least, our bill came out to $95 and some change. We collected $50.00 in cash from our crew and asked to split the remaining on two credit cards.

One friend received a credit for $75.00 and the other a credit for $20.00. EXCUSE ME! Did you really think we were giving you a $50 tip on a $95 bill.... are you seriously effing with me?

It's sad to say that this is my very first YELP and it had to be in Oakland. I love Oakland and the Fox Theatre but if this is my choice for late night meals then I will easily stick to my last resort... chips and another beer.

Goodnight.

In short, Rudy's is experiencing "opening restaurant growing pains," but those are generally borne of trying to service a lot of people, which means it's busy, and probably crazy busy after 12 midnight. That's good news, for Rudy's and good news for Oakland's economy.

President Obama CBS 60 Minutes Interview On Osama Bin Laden In Full

CBS News 60 Minutes has the first, and perhaps for some time the only, full interview with U.S. President Barack Obama and just a few days after the successful raid, capture, and demise of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan last Sunday.

For that achievement, 60 Minutes is to congratulated. But it is to be flogged for an awful, illogical, and uncoordinated video effort that leaves it's 34 minutes of video interview on 60 Minutes Overtime on a website with an embed code that cuts the image in half, and a YouTube version that was split into three parts, and where the embed code is disabled.

In other words, I can have a half-assed version of the video on my website, or a click to the video on the CBS News website, or click to the YouTube videos, when what I want is just the embed code for the full 34 minute version.

Just because a brand does something doens't make it correct. In CBS' case, it was trying to gain traffic for its video ads, but the same ads could go on the YouTube version as well, and with the embed active, gain even more traffic from bloggers, like me, putting it on their sites.

So, I made this workaround:  each picture below is a link to that YouTube video at CBS News On YouTube.    CBS News, please stop doing this.

Now, about the Obama 60 Minutes interview.

The talk between CBS' Steve Kroft and President Obama, was one part highly informative, the other part complex dance.  It's Obama trying not to give too much information or gloat, versus Kroft asking questions that could cause the President to do both.   Obama wins.

Perhaps the most revealing part of the interview series is that the plan was finalized and approved just before the White House Correspondents Dinner, where President Obama looked comfortable, and took time to call out Donald Trump for his "birther" obsession.  Now I know why the President seemed so happy.

Also, it's clear President Obama's main concern was getting "our guys" out after getting Osama Bin Laden, more than any thing else.

Here are the videos, with a partial transcript and link back to CBS News:

Obama - Part One

Obama Part Two

Obama Part 3 - Final 

Partial Transcript, with remainder at CBS News:

STEVE KROFT: Mr. President, was this the most satisfying week of your Presidency?

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well, it was certainly one of the most satisfying weeks not only for my Presidency, but I think for the United States since I've been President. Obviously bin Laden had been not only a symbol of terrorism, but a mass murderer who's had eluded justice for so long, and so many families who have been affected I think had given up hope.

And for us to be able to definitively say, "We got the man who caused thousands of deaths here in the United States and who had been the rallying point for a violent extremist jihad around the world" was something that I think all of us were profoundly grateful to be a part of.

Watch part one, part two and part three of Steve Kroft's report.

KROFT: Was the decision to launch this attack the most difficult decision that you've made as Commander-In-Chief?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Certainly one. You know, every time I send young men and women into a war theatre, that's a tough decision. And, you know, whenever you go to Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] or Bethesda [Naval Hospital] and you see the price that our young people pay to keep this country safe, that's a tough decision. Whenever you write a letter to a family who's lost a loved one. It's sobering.

More here at CBS News.

NFL Preseason Football: Raiders at Cowboys, Seattle hosts Titans

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity since Super Bowl XLIV, the 2010 NFL Football Season is here. The teams this space is watching for this week are the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, and Tennessee Titans.

(Well, in truth, this space is going to watch them all to some degree.)

The Oakland Raiders come into the 2010 NFL Season a completely new team. Gone is Jamarcus Russell, who was such a promising talent at quarterback, but for a host of reasons, just didn't make it happen.

Instead, we have new Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson, who this blogger's a big fan of. Jackson is an excellent teacher, who's focus on football basics is well-meshed with his understanding of the best passing attacks ever. Hue Jackson may be the best teacher of the passing game, other than Andy Reid in Philadelphia, Mike Martz at Chicago and the Colts Peyton Manning and Tom Moore, in the NFL. It's going to be exciting to see what Jackson does with new Raiders Quarterback Jason Campbell.

In Seattle, former USC Head Coach Pete Carroll steps onto the field to coach the Seattle Seahawks. Say what you will about Coach Carroll, he's a legend, and what he does in the NFL at every facet of the game will be studied.

Mike Martz in Chicago

What will Mike Martz do for the Chicago Bears, is the other question of interest to this blogger. Of late, Martz has become a bit lazy in scheme development. His shifting of the tight end and flanker from one side of the formation to the other is expected. The misdirection routes are nothing new, any more.

But that's to this blogger; will NFL defenses be ready for the routine at Martz level? And has Martz been able to end some of Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler's bad habits, like aiming his long passes to a spot, thus always overthrowing his receivers? We shall see.

NFL Media has provided a great press release of the action to look forward to, starting tonight:

PRESEASON IN FULL SWING AS ALL CLUBS SEE ACTION THIS WEEK;
SEVEN GAMES ON NATIONAL TV

NEW MEADOWLANDS STADIUM OPENS MONDAY NIGHT WITH GIANTS FACING JETS (That's huge)

(Here's the rest from the NFL..)

PRESEASON IN FULL SWING AS ALL CLUBS SEE ACTION THIS WEEK;
SEVEN GAMES ON NATIONAL TV

-- NEW MEADOWLANDS STADIUM OPENS MONDAY NIGHT WITH GIANTS FACING JETS --

Everybody's playing!

All 32 NFL clubs will hit the field this week as the first full slate of NFL preseason action takes place, bookended by nationally televised games on ESPN on Thursday and Monday nights and five nationally televised games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on NFL Network.

"The preseason is an important time for us to evaluate players," says head coach SEAN PAYTON of the Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints. "We have a lot of players that we need to see in live action, so number one is evaluation. The number two thing is that it’s the first chance we get to play a game against another opponent. That carries a lot of weight."

A look at a few of the matchups in Preseason Week 1:

NEW YORK GIANTS AT NEW YORK JETS (Monday, ESPN, 8:00 PM ET): New Meadowlands Stadium will host its first football game when the stadium's two tenants - the New York Giants and New York Jets - face one another on Monday night, August 16, on ESPN.

Covering 13.5 acres, the 82,500-seat stadium is the only current facility to house two NFL teams. It offers an impressive array of amenities, including four massive HD video display boards, wider concourses, a myriad of food and shopping options, and the closest seats to the action in the entire NFL. The exterior of the stadium bowl, comprised of louvers and lights, will have the capability to change colors to reflect the home teams’ colors on gameday.

"With this stadium, we think that those on the field, and in the stands, will have the greatest place to play and watch the game in the country," says Giants President and CEO JOHN MARA. "It will be an extraordinary facility with a stadium design that will reward our fans for their enthusiasm, support and loyalty."

"Every aspect of a Sunday at the stadium will be radically different before fans even step foot inside," says Jets Chairman and CEO WOODY JOHNSON. "Once at the stadium, fans will enjoy enhanced tailgating opportunities and a new plaza filled with activities for fans of all ages."

The Giants and Jets will meet for the 42nd consecutive preseason. Last season, the Jets, who advanced to the AFC Championship Game, defeated the Giants 27-25.

This year's contest will feature the New York debuts of several players from both teams, including the Jets' LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON, SANTONIO HOLMES, ANTONIO CROMARTIE and JASON TAYLOR and the Giants’ ANTREL ROLLE and KEITH BULLUCK.

"I always wanted to live in New York and have the opportunity to play on this wonderful stage," says Tomlinson. "Obviously, now I have the opportunity and I’m excited about it."

CAROLINA at BALTIMORE (Thursday, ESPN, 8:00 PM ET): ESPN’s preseason schedule will kick off on Thursday night, August 12, when the Baltimore Ravens host the Carolina Panthers in a contest featuring two teams that love to pound the ball on the ground.
Last year, the Panthers led the NFC and ranked third in the NFL averaging 156.1 rushing yards per game. Led by running backs JONATHAN STEWART (1,133 yards) and All - Star DE ANGELO WILLIAMS (1,117), the team became the first in NFL history with two 1,100-yard rushers in the same season.

"There are a lot of football teams in the National Football League that would love to have the luxury that we have," says Williams. "Having two guys puts pressure on defenses and keeps them from knowing what to expect. The ability to keep defenses on their heels is something everyone wants."

The Ravens, who finished 9-7 and advanced to the AFC Divisional Playoffs a year ago, have also enjoyed success using multiple running backs. In 2009, Pro Bowl running back RAY RICE rushed for a career-high 1,339 yards and WILLIS MC GAHEE led the club with 12 rushing touchdowns. Led by All-Star fullback LE’RON MC CLAIN’s blocking, the Ravens ranked fifth in the NFL with 137.5 rushing yards per game.

"Willis, Le'Ron and I are not identical runners," says Rice. "We can all do things but we're different. The more good guys you have, the better it is."

NEW ORLEANS at NEW ENGLAND (Thursday, 7:30 PM ET): The New Orleans Saints take the field for the first time as Super Bowl champions when they visit the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Thursday.
"Each year you always look to improve," says Payton about the upcoming 2010 season. "There are benchmarks you look to accomplish and certainly all of us want to win another Super Bowl title. Those are goals that you set. You set those for your team. You also recognize how difficult the challenge is, especially having gone through that experience in the playoffs and Super Bowl. The goal is always to win."

Success has been no stranger to the Patriots, who won the AFC East last year. The club has won 112 regular-season games since 2000, the second-most in the NFL, and leads the league with four Super Bowl berths and three Super Bowl championships in the past decade.

"The Patriots are one of the teams of the decade," says Saints quarterback DREW BREES. "They've won three Super Bowls and they've been to the playoffs just about every year. Some would say they're a dynasty. That’s the type of organization that we're aspiring to be. We want to be a championship contender every year."
BUFFALO AT WASHINGTON (Friday, NFL Network, 7:30 PM ET): Head coach MIKE SHANAHAN and quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB will make their Redskins debuts on Friday night when Washington hosts the Buffalo Bills at FedExField.

"I'm looking forward to getting started, that's for sure." says Shanahan. "After being here for over six months and putting a football team together, you've got the draft, you've got free agency, evaluating your own football team, you're always waiting for the season. And now it's time to go."

For Buffalo, it will mark the first game as a Bill for head coach CHAN GAILEY.

"He's won everywhere he's been, and there's a good chance he'll do it again," says Buffalo general manager BUDDY NIX of Gailey. "This guy is the guy to get us back to winning and get us where we want to go."

AMONG OTHER INTERESTING GAMES THIS WEEK:

TAMPA BAY at MIAMI (Saturday, NFL Network, 7:00 PM ET): DT GERALD MC COY, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 draft, will see his first NFL action as part of the Bucs defense, facing off against a Miami offense led by QB CHAD HENNE and WR BRANDON MARSHALL, who was acquired via trade this offseason.

TENNESSEE at SEATTLE (Saturday, NFL Network, 10:00 PM ET): PETE CARROLL returns to the NFL sidelines as Seahawks head coach, hosting QB VINCE YOUNG and the Tennessee Titans, who won eight of their last 10 games to close out the 2009 season.

SAN FRANCISCO at INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, NFL Network, 1:00 PM ET): MIKE SINGLETARY and JIM CALDWELL begin their sophomore seasons with their respective teams. Singletary's 49ers feature a talented defense including All - Star LB PATRICK WILLIS and rookie S TAYLOR MAYS, while four - time AP NFL MVP QB PEYTON MANNING begins his 13th season with the defending AFC champion Colts.

DENVER at CINCINNATI (Sunday, NFL Network, 7:00 PM ET): Broncos head coach JOSH
MC DANIELS will continue to evaluate his trio of young QBs as KYLE ORTON, BRADY QUINN and rookie TIM TEBOW battle for a starting job against the Bengals defense (fourth in the NFL in 2009).

Washington Post's Eugene Robinson On President Bush: Says It All For Me

Eugene Robinson's column on George Bush's Monday press conference says what I have -- or would like to say -- in one place. What's chilling is that President Bush seems to think it's ok that over 3,400 Iraqi civilians have been killed. I'll bet it's not that simple. One of those 3,484 persons may have come from the United States. Perhaps they were eductated here and went back to be with their family. We don't know, or at least I don't know.

But Robinson's right. If President Bush cares nothing of these deaths -- of the passing of people -- then by extension it can be said he cares nothing about the lives of the soldiers he sends to Iraq.

One thing I know is the title's pretty funny; remember Brother from Another Planet? Maybe President Bush is blacker than he realizes!

Here's the article below, and a link back to the Post

President on Another Planet
By Eugene Robinson
Tuesday, August 22, 2006; Page A15

For a moment there, I was almost encouraged. George W. Bush, the most resolutely incurious and inflexible of presidents, was reported last week to have been surprised at seeing Iraqi citizens -- who ought to be grateful beneficiaries of the American occupation, I mean "liberation" -- demonstrating in support of Hezbollah and against Israel.

Surprise would be a start, since it would mean the Decider was admitting novel facts to his settled base of knowledge and reacting to them. Alas, it seems the door to the presidential mind is still locked tight. "I don't remember being surprised," he said at his news conference yesterday. "I'm not sure what they mean by that."

I'm guessing "they" might mean that when you try to impose your simplistic, black-and-white template on a kaleidoscopic world, and you end up setting the Middle East on fire, either you're surprised or you're not paying attention. But that's just me.

As for George Bush, what on earth is on his mind?

Even conservatives have begun openly assessing the president's intellect, especially its impermeability to new information. Cable television pundit Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, devoted a segment of his MSNBC show to "George Bush's mental weakness," with a legend at the bottom of the screen that impertinently asked: "IS BUSH AN 'IDIOT'?"

It's tempting to go there, but I'm not sure we'd get very far. While we have the president on the couch, I'm more interested in trying to understand his emotional response -- or lack of response -- to the chaos he has spawned.

According to the Iraqi government, 3,438 civilians were killed in July, making it the bloodiest month since the invasion. The president was asked yesterday whether the failure of the U.S.-backed "unity" government to stem the orgy of sectarian carnage disappoints him, and he said that no, it didn't. How, I wonder, is that possible? Does he believe it would be a sign of weakness to admit that the flowering of democracy in Iraq isn't going exactly as planned? Does he believe saying everything's just fine will make it so? Is he in denial? Or do 3,438 deaths really just roll off his back after he's had his workout and a nice bike ride?

"I hear a lot of talk about civil war" in Iraq, he allowed -- much of it apparently from his own generals, who have been increasingly bold in using the once-forbidden phrase -- but all that talk doesn't seem to penetrate very far. To the president, is all the bad news from Iraq just "talk" without objective reality?

Here's another line from the president's news conference: "What's very interesting about the violence in Lebanon and the violence in Iraq and the violence in Gaza is this: These are all groups of terrorists who are trying to stop the advance of democracy."

Now, whatever you think about George Bush's intellect, he knows full well that the Hamas government in Gaza was democratically elected. He also knows full well that Hezbollah participates in the democratically elected government of Lebanon, or what's left of Lebanon. And so he has to know full well that U.S.-backed Israeli assaults on Gaza and Lebanon -- even if you believe they were justified -- had the impact of crippling, if not crushing, two nascent democracies of the kind the Bush administration wants to cultivate throughout the Middle East.

He also knows that the Iraqi government has real sovereignty over only the Green Zone in Baghdad -- a fortress made secure by the presence of U.S. troops -- and assorted other enclaves where American and British troops enforce the peace. He has heard the leader of that nominal government praise Hezbollah and denounce Israel.

So when the president lauds democracy as the magic elixir that will cure the scourge of terrorism, is he really putting faith in his favorite mantra rather than his lying eyes? Is his view of the world so unchangeable that he dismisses actual events the way he dismisses mere "talk''?

Or is he just trying to hold on until January 2009, when all this will become somebody else's problem?

In his news conference, the Decider did make a couple of nods to objective reality. He admitted in plain language that Iraq had nothing to do with the Sept. 11 attacks and possessed no weapons of mass destruction -- in other words, that his rationale for this elective, preemptive war had no substance. And he acknowledged a certain occasional exasperation.

"Frustrated? Sometimes I'm frustrated. Rarely surprised," the president said. "Sometimes I'm happy. This is -- but war is not a time of joy. These aren't joyous times."

No, they're not.

Mother Jones' Editor Clara Jeffrey shows how far women still have to go (sigh!)

I saw this in the now-current Mother Jones mag and fortunately it was online. I'm going to reprint it below. It's said to note that for all of our "progress" much has not changed. I wonder how much of this is because we as a society-- men and women -- just can't seem to embrace real equality, and so the nation slows progress in this area. I think there have been advances, but we really need to start a national dialog on this issue. We need to review where we are, and why.

Limited Ambitions

News: Why Women Can't Win for Trying

By Clara Jeffery (editor)
January/February 2006 Issue of Mother Jones

Women make 80¢ on the male dollar, even accounting for time off to raise kids. If that factor is not accounted for, women make 56¢.

Over her career, the average working woman loses $1.2 million to wage inequity.

Since 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was signed, the wage gap has closed by less than half a cent per year.

In 1963, RFK withdrew his nomination to a club that had spurned a black official and formed a club that did not admit women.

3 board members of Catalyst--a workplace-equity advocacy group--belong to Augusta National Golf Club, which bans women.

One is the CEO of GE, which won a 2004 Catalyst Award, although the company has a below-average rate of female executives.

Companies with women in top jobs see 35 percent higher returns than those without.

74 percent of female executives have a spouse who’s employed full time. 75 percent of male execs have a spouse who is not employed.

42 percent of female execs over 40 don't have kids.

For full-time working fathers, each child correlates to a 2.1 percent earnings increase. For working moms, it is a 2.5 percent loss.

Every industrialized country except the U.S. and Australia has paid parental leave with a guaranteed job on return to work.

86 percent of guests on Sunday-morning political talk shows are men. So are 80 percent of the guests on The Daily Show.

Only 5 of 20-odd "thought-leader" magazines have ever had a woman as editor-in-chief. Two of those jobs were held by Tina Brown.

Only 24 percent of recent works in The New Yorker, the Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Vanity Fair, and the New York Times Magazine were written by women, according to WomenTK.com.

1/3 of those were articles on gender or family or were short stories or memoirs.

41 percent of Mother Jones' writers during the same period were women. This issue only 11 percent are.

Magazines that run lists of the best firms for women to work for often accept pay-to-play advertising or use self-reported data. Working Mother lists firms facing class-action suits for sex harassment and pregnancy discrimination. (Wow. This means most PR on this matter may be fixed!)

Working Mother recently found Allstate, American Express, and General Mills among the 8 best firms for women of color. At each, 30% of new hourly hires are women of color, but 0% of newly hired executives are.

Women over 65 are almost twice as likely to be poor as men.

Actresses over 40 account for 9 percent of movie roles. Actors over 40 account for 30 percent.

Anne Bancroft was 36 when she played Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate. Dustin Hoffman was 30.

Chances that a Best Actress winner portrayed a prostitute, a nun, or a mute: 1 in 8.

Since orchestras started requiring musicians to audition behind screens, the number of women hired has increased 20%.

40% of married professional women feel their husbands do less work around the house than they create.

Each teenage girl increases a mom's weekly housework by 1.5 hours, but leaves a dad's unchanged. A teenage boy adds 3 hours to mom's chores, and an hour to dad's.

Heavyset women get fewer promotions and face more job discrimination. Heavyset men do not.

Models weigh 23% less than average women. In 1986 it was only 8 percent less.

The above statistics were quoted in a press release for a Dove product whose adcampaign uses full-figured models but the use of which is claimed to reduce cellulite.

Asked to pick a partner for a relationship, college men tend to choose women in subordinate jobs. College women show no preference, nor, for a one-night stand, do men.

Men only earn 3/4 as many B.A.s as women. Some colleges now admit to practicing affirmative action for male applicants.

Only 1/3 of female Ph.D.s who get on the tenure track before having a baby ever do so.

31.5 percent of Iraq's parliament are women. Only 15 percent of the U.S. Congress are women.

15 African nations have a higher percentage of female legislators than does the U.S.

69 percent of men believe America would be better off if women occupied more top political jobs. Only 61 percent of women agree.

Among Republicans, that split is 52 percent to 34 percent.

Under Bush , the Labor Dept. has eliminated 25 publications on pay inequity and child care.

After a woman filed a sexual-harassment complaint against her Merrill Lynch superior, she circulated an article titled "Stop Whining," which warned that "constant complaining can cost you your job."

TSA Full Body Searches: The People Crying About Them Are Hypocritical

I find it funny that all these people are upset about full body searches and pat downs at the airport when just two months ago many of these same folks didn’t seem to mind when Muslim-Americans were complaining about being profiled and singled out for searches. It was just two months ago when the rhetoric was thick, the words hateful and very few of us ‘good ole Americans’ was the least bit concerned aboutionized radiation from body scanning machines or some college drop out turned TSA agent feeling up yours or your spouse’s private parts. After all many of us rationalized that ‘sacrifice was required’ when fighting the war on terror. Many of us emphatically insisted that in order to really fight terror successfully some of our freedoms would fall to the wayside.

Certainly I’m not the only one who recalls pompous sounding pundits on TV saying such things like; ‘We’ll if they have nothing to hide, they won’t mind being searched’,’We now live in extraordinary times which requires extraordinary measures to keep America safe‘ or ‘I think most people would rather be searched and profiled than be blown up’.

We really heard this type of talk a year or so ago when the Christmas Day bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had a failed attempt and GOP leaders went in on President Obama claiming he was soft on the war on terror. Many of them called for increased profiling and searches in order for us to be safe. They scoffed at the idea of people’s civil liberties being violated and said it was sign of weakness to give into the concerns voiced by organizations like the ACLUor CAIR.

Now that everyone is getting searched have things suddenly changed? Are we no longer willing to sacrifice our freedoms or do we just want ‘THEM’ (Muslims and ‘other suspicious folks’ ) to be searched and forced to do full body scans? How hypocritical is that?

Newt Gingrich

Wasn’t it just two months ago this country was up in arms about the proposed building of an Islamic Community Center (Mosque) near Ground Zero? Here we saw everyone from high-ranking political leaders like former House speak Newt Gingrich compare Muslims to Nazis to Texas lawmakers Debbie Riddle and Louie Gohmert warn us about ‘terror babies‘. We saw former NPR host Juan Williamsadmit that he ‘got nervous’ when he saw a Muslim passengers getting ready to board a plane.

These types of publicly expressed sentiments led to many of us further demonizing and marginalizing entire segments of our population which in turn left us being unsympathetic to what we now see and hear are similar concerns they expressed about ‘invasive’ searches.

Many of us turned a blind eye reports surfaced about all the Muslim Americans in addition to being profiled and searched were also increasingly being put on NO-Fly lists resulting in more than a few being stranded after being rejected from boarding. Many found themselves in legal limbo when trying to remove themselves or even find out why they were put on a No Fly list in the first place. Sadly some mean-spirited pundits celebrated these No fly list violations because the resulted in the unintended consequences of Forced Exile

With all this in mind, one has to ask the hard questions; are folks crying about TSA full body searches because they feel their constitutional rights are being trampled or are they concerned that they personally are being violated? We really need to be honest when answering this question. Whats really going on here?

Ron Paul just introduced the American Traveler Dignity Act

It’s interesting to note that two days ago (Nov 17th) Texas Congressman Ron Paul just introduced legislation called the American Traveler Dignity Act. He’s concerned that travelers are being subjected to humiliating conditions. He’s outraged. Here’s what he wrote

“Imagine if the political elites in our country were forced to endure the same conditions at the airport as business travelers, families, senior citizens, and the rest of us. Perhaps this problem could be quickly resolved if every cabinet secretary, every member of Congress, and every department head in the Obama administration were forced to submit to the same degrading screening process as the people who pay their salaries.” Perhaps the political elites would re-evaluate their position on the peeping and probing Toms at the TSA; perhaps they would be willing to support the Congressman’s legislation.

Paul wants the TSA and other law enforcement to be held accountable if they cross the line and that’s not only understandable, but appreciated. However, one has to wonder where was Ron Paul pushing a bill or all these outraged people when several years ago, Black women were aggressively being stripped searched at airports by custom agents. Back in 1999 when this was at its height, we were fighting the ’War on Drugs’ . The overwhelming majority of Black women searched were innocent, yet they were subjected to these invasive body searches. Their cavities were probed and their bowel movements were monitored. Pundits who supported this policy were insistent it was necessary to stop the flow of drugs. ‘We had to protect America’.. Does that sound familiar?

People weren’t outraged back then if anything, many were dismissive of the concerns expressed by African-American women who were made to feel totally violated and unfairly profiled. Sadly we heard the same retorts back then as we do now toward Muslims; ‘If-they-have-nothing-to-hide-why-complain’.

Senator Richard Durbin introduced the Reasonable Search Standard Act in 2001

There were lawsuits and alot of pressure put on airports screeners and custom agents. Eventually in 2001 Senator Richard Durbin introduced the Reasonable Search Standards Act.

Reasonable Search Standards Act – Prohibits U.S. Customs Service personnel from subjecting travelers to detention or searches based upon race, religion, gender, national origin, or sexual orientation, except when acting upon specific information that a particular traveler suspected of engaging in illegal activity is described by one or more of such characteristics.

Requires Customs Service personnel, before a pat down or intrusive non-routine search, to document reasons to support a belief that an individual may be carrying contraband in violation of Federal law. Waives such requirement with respect to anyone suspected of carrying a weapon.

The bill was read twice and referred to the finance committee, well see where Paul’s American Traveler Dignity Act bill goes.

Rodstarz of Rebel Diaz was recently searched & detained for 10 hrs at an airport

It’s a shame that many of us have short memories and selective ways in which we like to see laws enforce or who we show concern for when rights are violated. Sistas being jammed up at airports where we had dead silence and people siding with custom agents is one example. Now that we have this new war on drugs south of the border quite a few Brown folks are going through the humiliation. The popular Bronx-Chicago based rap group Rebel Diaz on a recent Hard Knock Radio show detailed what happened when they returned to the US from Chile. They were detained searched, questioned and made to feel violated when they returned from their native Chile. What folks are complaining about now is routine procedure in some communities

For folks who live in the hood, strip searches in public are not usual. belligerent cops ‘looking for drugs and weapons’ are always jacking people up, making them drop their pants in full view of others. In cities like LA, young teens have been made to strip in front of parents. Husbands and boyfriends have been subjected to watching their spouses and girlfriends be felt up and probed by police who turned a routine traffic stop into a nightmarish search.Parents have been made to undress or be felt up by cops looking for drugs and weapons in front of their kids.

The movie CRASH depicted a scene where the character played by actor Terrence Howard had to watch his wife get felt up by police. Many thought it was just a dramatic scene for the movie, but for those who live in the hood especially in places like South Central LA, what was shown on the big screen was as real as day. It’s all too commonplace. It’s a reality and indignation that many have endured for years. Speaking out about this and detailing this is often met with disbelief or outlandish justification where folks rationalize that folks in the hood are all criminal and deserve to be searched.

LA rap star and longtime activist Mykill Miers who actually works with at risk youth inside the system noted the other night over the years he himself has been subjected to such humiliating treatment on 4 different occasions.

In New York City pat downs and invasive searches was the hall-mark of the police serving under former mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In one year alone more than 500 thousand people were stopped and searched on the streets of NY, over 70% of those stopped were Black and Brown men. We certainly could’ve used a Dignity Act type bill then..

How are police searches in the hood connected to searches and pat downs at airports? Well to start have large numbers of citizens who are being subjected to searches that they find invasive and in violation of their constitutional rights. The overwhelming majority of those searched are obviously innocent. No weapons are found, no bombs are found, no drugs are found. Law makers insists such measures are needed to keep us safe and act as a deterrent. For the most part far too many of are willing to go along with this until they’re the ones made to drop their drawers.

Who should we be screening the thuggish looking Black guys who are Ice Cube & his crew or the Columbine shooters Eric Harris & Dylan Klebold?

As long as we have scapegoating caricatures that fits into our collective stereotypes like the Black thug, Mexican drug dealer, or a Arab terrorist, then we don’t mind the searches. In fact, as I mentioned before, we actually insist that they take place. But as soon as it things land in our direction we wanna have mass protests.

The bottom line is this, the constitution should apply to us all. If anyone has a hard time accepting that then they deserve this mistreatment they want imposed on others. It doesn’t matter how big your boobs are, how sagging your butt is or how small your ding-a-ling is. It doesn’t matter if you’re grandmother 80 years old or outstanding pillar in your community, if its ok to search Mr Muhammad, Ray Ray and Jose ‘to keep us safe’ then it’s perfectly ok to profile and search Mr and Ms Cleaver as well. After all, some of the worst terrorist this country has seen are those who are homegrown and blend in with the mainstream population. From Oklahoma City bomber Ti mothy McVeigh to American Taliban John Walker Lindh to Columbine shooters Eric Harrisand Dylan Klebold to members of the Ku Klux Klan.

If this really is about protecting our 4th amendment rights, then let’s be principled. Stop all invasive searches of innocent people everywhere, both at the airport and in the hood. If this country truly stands for freedom then let’s make sure it applies to all sectors of our society. Until then as long as innocent young Black and Brown men are being humiliated and strip searched in their own neighborhoods, and we’re advocating for Muslims to be singled out and searched then one should not show an ounce of sympathy or be concerned when someone cries out about being their junk being touched by a TSA agent at the airport.

As the loud mouth pundits like to say.. ‘If you have nothing to hide, why complain…’

Something to ponder

-Davey D-