Rapper Wiz Khalifa Sparks Controversy w/ New Song Called 'Huey Newton'

Pittsburgh artist Wiz Khalifa has been making a lot of noise as of late. Most recently him and rhyme partner Currensy did song called Huey Newton which has ruffled the feathers of more than a few people who feel like the Black Panther Party co-founder who fought tirelessly for the liberation of Black people is being disrespected.

The song in question has nothing to do with Huey or the Panthers. It’s about smoking weed and kicking it. Hence it left many wondering why name check Huey? Was it to bring controversy or was it a reflection of one’s ignorance where freedom fighters and civil rights icons are seen as fair game for dismissal, ridicule and attacks?

Outkast caused quite abit of controversy with their Rosa Parks song

When I heard the song, two things went through my mind. First was the controversy surrounding Outkast when they used the name of Rosa Parks, the mother of the Civil Rights Movement in the biggest hit single off the critically acclaimed Aquemini album.

Many felt it was a huge disrespect, including some of Park’s people who wound up suing Outkast for using her name without permission. According to her representatives, Ms Parks didn’t like the fact that the group used profanity in a song that in no way reflected what she had stood for.

Outkast felt they were being mis-understood. They claimed that they were paying tribute in an artistic sort of way. Parks’ name was used as a metaphor to lay claim that the group was putting others on notice that it was time to make way, ‘move to the back of the bus’ and make way for Outkast.

Many in the Civil Rights community wasn’t buying it. While many in the Hip Hop community questioned the motives behind a lawsuit. Was this really Rosa Park’s sentiments or her people trying to make a buck? The counter to that question and ultimately one of the basis for the lawsuit-was Outkast trying to make a buck off of Rosa Parks?

Eventually famed lawyer Johnnie Cochran got involved on behalf of Parks. The lawsuits were dismissed on freedom of speech grounds but Outkast wound up settling with Ms Parks. They shot her some money and agreed to do a few community benefits for her foundation.

The other thing that went through my mind were the recent name checks where iconic freedom fighters are publicly clowned.

We saw this two years ago when a young columnist from Ebony magazinenamed Jam Donaldson of Hot Ghetto Mess fame took shots at political prisoner and former Panther Mumia Abu Jamal. In her piece she stated;

Mumia Abu Jamal

“One day I’m like, ‘Free Mumia’ and other days I’m like, ‘That n***** probably did it.’ And I’m not afraid to admit it, and I’m not afraid to write about it.”

Donaldson’s remarks angered many of Mumia’s supporters who felt her flippant remarks in a respected publication like Ebony not only added but in some ways legitimized an already poisonous climate set by police department unions who had been on a mission to see Mumia put to death.

Donaldson noted that her remarks and take on things are a reflection of how many in her generation feel these days. They’re sarcastic and have no problem crossing what many in the past may have seen as sacred lines. In her case she saw nothing wrong with dissing a man who was fighting for his life on death row. A few years prior comedian Cedric the Entertainer saw nothing wrong with clowning Rosa Parks by calling her lazy in the movie Barbershop. Parks boycotted the NAACP image awards in which Cedric was appearing as a result.

Today an artist like Wiz Khalifa may see nothing wrong with naming a song after Huey Newton without reflecting his legacy. These are just names to people who now live in an increasingly disposable society.

Here’s a video to the song Huey Newton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu1kpwbx_fU&feature=related

Needless to say… the Huey Newton song got a quick rebuke from more than a few people including Minista Paul Scott of the Militant Mind Militia. Below is his video response where he goes in on Khalifa and Currensy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jo7rV5VTPA&feature=player_embedded

Lastly, weighing in on this is fellow Pittsburgh rapper Jasiri X who feels like situations like this can lead to teachable moments. He knows both Wiz and Paul Scott and feels that we should be building bridges and not causing further divisiveness.

Huey Newton

I agree with Jasiri X and I like the video he did in response to the song. At the same time one thing that all of us need to keep in mind is the importance of empathy. We need to walk in each other’s shoes. We need to keep in mind that each generation has heroes and sheroes they hold dear and sadly there are outside forces that routinely malign those leaders and important figures in our community. Hopefully all of us young and old understand this and don’t add to the attacks or in Wiz’s case neglect.

In my generation the icons were Chuck D, KRS, X-Clan, Minister Farrakhanand others who we rallied around. A generation before that, it was the Malcolms, Martins, Shirely Chisolms and Hueys.

The generations after mine came to admire Tupac, Biggie, Diddy. and later Jay-Z.

For today’s generation those figures don’t hold the same emotional cache. They have their own heroes. Is it Lil Wayne? Souljah Boy? Rick Ross, Beyonce? The best way to find out is to ask the young folks around you and build. Who are the heroes and sheroes for today’s generation?

Remember we are in a date and time where ethnic studies is being cut from college campuses all around the country and history text books are being re-written as we speak. Freedom fighters like Thurgood Marshall and Cesar Chavezare being removed and replaced with Newt Gingrich and Jerry Falwell. Community leaders are less and less known while pundits seen on TV and entertainers and music moguls have become the new Civil Rights leaders Should we be surprised if a Wiz Khalifa doesn’t hold a Huey Newton close to his chest in 2010?

-Davey D-

Here’s Jasiri X’s remarks:

I saw the controversy over the Wiz Khalifa and Currensy song calledHuey Newton, including the video response by Paul Scott of the Militant Mind Militia, and being that I know both Wiz and Paul I thought I should weigh in.

I certainly understand why the conscious community would be upset with Wiz and Currensy considering the subject matter of the song, but I just wanted to offer some perspective. I grew up in a very conscious household, however in my early 20s, I dropped out of college and spent most of my days smoking weed, writing rhymes and hustling to support my habit. I figured I was gonna be an MC so I was gonna have as much fun as I could on the way to the top.

Eventually, that lifestyle got old and by the grace of God I regained my conscious mind and began trying to use my talents and gifts to uplift humanity. Wiz grew up around conscious people and he’s one of the most mature young men I’ve ever met. Where he is now…experiencing the tremendous highs of living his dream…does not mean he’s going to stop growing as a person.

I don’t know Currensy, but I did find it interesting that Huey Newton was born in his home state of Louisiana.

I don’t think Paul Scott was wrong in expressing how he felt and his frustration with the state of Hip-Hop. Knowing Paul, I know he spoke out of sincere love for his people and a desire to see us do better. But, I felt like instead of creating more division, I could use this as a teachable moment, so I grabbed the instrumental and did what I do. Paradise recorded the session at James Webb Studios, we added a interview Huey Newton did with William Buckley plus one of his speeches and pieced together the video we called “The Real Huey Newton”.

One Hood,
Jasiri X

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHfotb2pwNI

Historic Non-Violent Prison Strike in Georgia Reaches Day 3

Former Black Panther Party chair Elaine Brown has been on the case keep[ing everyone up to speed on this historic Prison Strike in GA.. Click HERE to listen to interview

On Thursday morning, December 9, 2010, thousands of Georgia prisoners refused to work, stopped all other activities and locked down in their cells in a peaceful protest for their human rights. The December 9 Strike became the biggest prisoner protest in the history of the United States. Thousands of men, from Augusta, Baldwin, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith and Telfair State Prisons, among others, initiated this strike to press the Georgia Department of Corrections (“DOC”) to stop treating them like animals and slaves and institute programs that address their basic human rights. They set forth the following demands:

• · A LIVING WAGE FOR WORK
• · EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
• · DECENT HEALTH CARE
• · AN END TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS
• · DECENT LIVING CONDITIONS
• · NUTRITIONAL MEALS
• · VOCATIONAL AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
• · ACCESS TO FAMILIES
• · JUST PAROLE DECISIONS

Despite that the prisoners’ protest remained non-violent, the DOC violently attempted to force the men back to work—claiming it was “lawful” to order prisoners to work without pay, in defiance of the 13^th Amendment’s abolition of slavery. In Augusta State Prison, six or seven inmates were brutally ripped from their cells by CERT Team guards and beaten, resulting in broken ribs for several men, one man beaten beyond recognition. This brutality continues there. At Telfair, the Tactical Squad trashed all the property in inmate cells. At Macon State, the Tactical Squad has menaced the men for two days, removing some to the “hole,” and the warden ordered the heat and hot water turned off. Still, today, men at Macon, Smith, Augusta, Hays and Telfair State Prisons say they are committed to continuing the strike. Inmate leaders, representing blacks, Hispanics, whites, Muslims, Rastafarians, Christians, have stated the men will stay down until their demands are addressed, one issuing this statement:

“…Brothers, we have accomplished a major step in our struggle…We must continue what we have started…The only way to achieve our goals is to continue with our peaceful sit-down…I ask each and every one of my Brothers in this struggle to continue the fight. ON MONDAY MORNING, WHEN THE DOORS OPEN, CLOSE THEM. DO NOT GO TO WORK. They cannot do anything to us that they haven’t already done at one time or another. Brothers, DON’T GIVE UP NOW. Make them come to the table. Be strong. DO NOT MAKE MONEY FOR THE STATE THAT THEY IN TURN USE TO KEEP US AS SLAVES….”

When the strike began, prisoner leaders issued the following call: “No more slavery. Injustice in one place is injustice to all. Inform your family to support our cause. Lock down for liberty!”

Here’s the link to our recent Hard Knock Radio interview w/ Elaine Brown on this historic strike

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/65925

Here’s an article written by Bruce Dixon editor of the Black Agenda Report on the strike

GA Inmates Stage One Day Peaceful Prison Strike, Authorities React With Violence

http://www.correntewire.com/ga_inmates_stage_one_day_peaceful_prison_strike_authorities_react_violence

Bruce Dixon

In an action which is unprecedented on several levels, black, brown and white inmates of Georgia’s notorious state prison system are standing together for a historic one day peaceful strike today, during which they are remaining in their cells, refusing work and other assignments and activities. This is a groundbreaking event not only because inmates are standing up for themselves and their own human rughts, but because prisoners are setting an example by reaching across racial boundaries which, in prisons, have historically been used to pit oppressed communities against each other. PRESS RELEASE BELOW THE FOLD
The action is taking place today in at least half a dozen of Georgia’s more than one hundred state prisons, correctional facilities, work camps, county prisons and other correctional facilities. We have unconfirmed reports that authorities at Macon State prison have aggressively responded to the strike by sending tactical squads in to rough up and menace inmates.Outside calls from concerned citizens and news media will tend to stay the hand of prison authorities who may tend to react with reckless and brutal aggression. So calls to the warden’s office of the following Georgia State Prisons expressing concern for the welfare of the prisoners during this and the next few days are welcome.

Macon State Prison is 978-472-3900.

Hays State Prison is at (706) 857-0400

Telfair State prison is 229-868-7721

Baldwin State Prison is at (478) 445- 5218

Valdosta State Prison is 229-333-7900

Smith State Prison is at (912) 654-5000

The Georgia Department of Corrections is at http://www.dcor.state.ga.us and their phone number is 478-992-5246

This is all the news we have for now…

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Military Bans Flash Drives, CDs, etc.

The United States Military is no longer allowing any current member of the military to use any form of removable media (such as flash drives, removable hard drives, cds, etc). After being told this information by a member of the Marine Corps who wished to remain anonymous it was easy to find credible news sources which validated the claims made.

Editorial Cartoon. 2010 Universal Press Syndicate Copyright

CBS News reports that on December 3, 2010 a "Cyber Control Order" was issued by Major General Richard Webber, commander of Air Force Network Operations.

Wired Magazine reports that the Cyber Control Order:

Directs airmen to “immediately cease use of removable media on all systems, servers, and stand alone machines residing on SIPRNET,” the Defense Department’s secret network. Similar directives have gone out to the military’s other branches.

“Unauthorized data transfers routinely occur on classified networks using removable media and are a method the insider threat uses to exploit classified information. To mitigate the activity, all Air Force organizations must immediately suspend all SIPRNET data transfer activities on removable media,” the order adds.


The reasoning behind this is because of WikiLeaks. As CBS News confirms:



The move is probably in direct response to an earlier investigation that implicated former Army PFC Bradley Manning as the source of WikiLeaks' Iraq and Afghanistan war documents, leaked earlier this year. Manning later claimed he downloaded a trove of documents off SIPRNET onto a CD marked "Lady Gaga." Manning also claimed to have downloaded the hundreds of thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables recently leaked by WikiLeaks, as well as other unknown materials.

Manning worked in the intelligence operations of the 2nd Brigade in Baghdad. He was supposed to be examining intelligence relevant to Iraq, but defense officials said he was using his "Top Secret/SCI" clearance to download classified documents, CBS News reports.




So, this is how it begins. This just makes it seem like there is more that needs to be hidden; obviously to an extent to protect the country and the national security and troops there needs to be secrecy, but isn't there some information that after a period of time SHOULD be released? And by serving this country as a part of the military does that mean serving the GOVERNMENT or serving on behalf of THE PEOPLE?

Metrodome Roof Collapse: Roof Maker Recommended Replacing It This Year

At 5 am CST Sunday December 13, 2010, the roof of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome collapsed due to high winds and up to 24 inches of snow that collected on it overnight. The damage to the roof caused the cancellation of several events, and one, the Vikings game against the New York Giants, to be moved to Detroit.

While the disaster took the public, and thanks to New Media, the World, by surprise, featuring a dramatic video of the action as it happened, a document that is the meeting notes from the
"Regular Meeting of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission" Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 9:30 a.m this blogger obtained online and is linked to here reveals that the roof was inspected in April of this year by Birdair, the roof maker.   Before I continue, here is that video:



In a report to the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, which manages and obtains financing for the Metrodome, Birdair explained that the roof should be replaced, and that while it's outer fabric "is performing well as compared to the original fabric specification," the inner membrane "has exceeded its service life of 20 years."

The stadium is 28 years old and the roof has collapsed four times over that period, including Sunday's disaster.

This part of the Commission report is particularly troubling:

Birdair also noted the inner liner is dirty and has some holes in it. Birdair recommends monitoring the areas with holes to avoid large tears from enlarging. Birdair rated the inner liner’s condition fair to poor. In addition, Birdair noted some minor areas on the outer membrane that needed repairing. Those areas have been repaired by staff.

What this means is, taken as a whole with both inner and outer membrane conditions, the roof was not in good condition, and had "large tears" that could enlarge.  Apparently, under the weight of a tremendous snowstorm, they did.  Moreover, it's not clear to what degree the condition was worsening in the time between the inspection in April and the roof collapse of Sunday.

Finally, Birdair recommended roof replacement, stating "As in the prior inspection report of five years ago, Birdair suggests the Commission consider planning for replacement of the roof fabric." In other words, the roof has been in a state where it needed to be replaced for at least five years, and the Commission was aware of it.

Birdair also attached an estimated cost to replace the roof at $12 million to $15 million, and said that it took five years to plan and implement a roof replacement.

With all of that, staff of the stadium believed the "roof continues to have serviceable life and will schedule testing again in another four years." Or, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission was willing to just have the stadium operate with the roof in condition where it needed to have been replaced long ago.

Until Sunday's events, that is.  

Now, the stadium is arguably unsafe to be in, and even though work is underway to make the stadium ready for the planned ESPN Monday Night Football Game pitting the Vikings against the Chicago Bears, next week, given the events, will patrons want to watch the game under a roof that just collapsed the week before?

Stay tuned.

More Interracial Marriages in America Than Ever Before

The Pew Research Center reports that in 2008, 1 in 7 marriages, or 14.6 percent, were interracial or interethnic. Moreover, over one-third of those surveyed report that someone in their family is married to someone else outside their race.

That proves what this blogger has said before, that the American mainstream is diverse and to not approve of diversity is to fall outside the norm of what people think in The United States.

In other words, for all practical purposes, no one in their right minds cares about this stuff anymore. That's something to celebrate.

How to Pay for Unemployment Benefits: In One Easy Step!

So how do you pay for unemployment benefits in one easy step? The following is a guest post from Bud Meyers - graphics extraordinaire and founder of http://acompanyofone.org

[In fact Bud Meyers is responsible for the great graphics in this article here]

December 12, 2010 - Last year at this time the GOP had bitterly complained (as I did) that the Democrats were ramming Obama's healthcare plan down our throats. But now it's the GOP who wants to ram tax cuts for the rich down our throats! Both are equally costly to the deficit and it's the working-class Americans who will have to pay for it all, one way or another.

The "bosses" had generous increases in their incomes over the past 30 years. But had their "workers" also received an equally proportionate raise, there would be no deficit today. In fact, it would be just the opposite - we would have either an unbelievable and massive surplus, or at the VERY least, we'd have a perfectly balanced budget.

And all the social programs (such as Social Security, Medicare, and UI benefits) would all be 100% paid for (and even with a growing population base and many more retirees). We'd also have an infrastructure that needed no repairs at all. Because all along those workers (with their higher incomes) would have been paying more in income taxes.

And maybe there wouldn't have been all the fuss about the cost of Obama-Care. But the "bosses" gave themselves massive raises while wages for the "workers" remained almost stagnant, and didn't even keep up with the cost-of-living index. The rich got richer, the poor got poorer - the people had less to spend, the economy went into decline, the country fell. History repeats itself. It's the same old story, but our government leaders have either never learned, or were complicit with this mass re-distribution of wealth to the richest people in this country.

And it's still happening today, right now, at this very moment.

On Fox and Friends this morning Alisyn Camerota emphasized that some working-class Americans will get a tax cut of up to $1,000 a year if we kept the tax rate as it is, and extended the "Bush Tax Cuts" for everyone. ($1,000 a year = $19.23 a week).

First of all, nobody is getting any tax cut - we'd get a tax increase if "the Bush tax cuts" are allowed to expire at the end of the year - everybody's taxes will just go back to the previous tax rate. And some working-class Americans might see a little less in their pay checks.

And EVERYBODY in the media is ignorantly reporting that unemployment benefits are being "extended", and averaging working Americans believe this - but it seems it's ONLY the jobless that knows this to be patently untrue...only the funding for the present UI program is being "extended".

The GOP is trying to scare all of us poor working-class people by threatening us with an income tax Armageddon and a total collapse of the economy if all the tax rates aren't kept as they are, thus "extending the Bush tax cuts" for everyone is necessary for the survival of the American people and of the nation.

The GOP is saying that if you only raise taxes on the wealthiest 2% (i.e. the investment bankers at Goldman Sachs and AIG, or the CEOs of Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft), no jobs will be created and America's "weak" economy will go into a double-dip recession. But they had these tax cuts for ten years, yet instead they laid off people and out-sourced jobs until we had 15 million unemployed Americans. Just who are these supposed "job creators"?

The GOP complains that extending the funding for current unemployment benefits for 13 months (for those who still qualify) will only add to the deficit, as if extending tax relief for the wealthiest 2% for 24 more months (and denying the U.S. Treasury this additional funding) doesn't affect the deficit at all!

The GOP lies and claims this will affect all small business owners, when an alternative proposal was only to tax personal income a mere 4% above $1,000,000 a year. The average small business owner's personal income averaged less that $250,000 a year as of 2007, and business taxes are separate - as are corporate earnings. Business expenses such as expansion and inventories are not directly related to personal income taxes (And instead of the big corporate CEOs getting a 20% raise next year, they might only get a 15% raise. Boo-hoo!)

The GOP wants to convince you that allowing capital gains taxes to remain at 15% instead of going to 20% for the wealthiest 2% is good for America, but it's mostly the big corporations and stock traders who benefit from this. The "bone" that they threw at working-class Americans was to allow them a one-time exemption when they sell their principal place of residence without paying any capital gains taxes. The blackmail they use is your 401k plans and pension funds that rely on the value of stock prices. Big real estate tycoons like Donald Trump and big bankers and CEOs get most of the breaks with deferments, stock options, and other accounting tricks that most average working Americans don't enjoy. (And instead of big corporate CEOs paying 15% in taxes on their stock options, they may have to pay 20%. Boo-hoo again!)

The GOP thinks that it's fair and patriotic to allow the average working-class worker to pay an additional $19.23 a week in incomes taxes if those that are earning over $19,230 a week are taxed an additional 4% over that amount. And also, that 2 million Americans who still qualify for federal unemployment benefits should be cut off if the wealthy don't get what they want (hence, the term "hostage"). And the GOP won't even consider feeding 5.5 million Americans who have already exhausted all their unemployment benefits. For the GOP, that's a non-starter.

Yes, funding unemployment benefits does raise the cost of the deficit, and as the GOP as been bitterly complaining about, this MUST be paid for. I agree. So by NOT extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%, the added income to the U.S. Treasury will ensure that not one dime will be added to the deficit for unemployment benefits - for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own (BUT instead, for the fault of the wealthiest 2% in this country).

The current "compromise" isn't a compromise at all, it's another give-away to the wealthy - a continuation of the disparity of wealth between the haves and have-nots - a continuation of the massive re-distribution of wealth to the richest people in this country. Has anyone else but me noticed the Republican's giddy and upbeat demeanor since Obama had announced his proposal at his press conferences? It was as though they were in Las Vegas and had just hit a jackpot on a slot machine..."compromise" my ass!

How do we pay for unemployment benefits in one easy step? Easy!

All we'd have to do is just let the tax breaks for JUST the wealthiest 2% expire. Nothing is added to the deficit and no working-class Americans will have to pay any additional income taxes. Who knows, maybe even the 99ers might be able to get some relief and another chance at survival too....instead of ending up being either homeless or dead.

And another added benefit for the average working-class American: With the additional income from the wealthiest 2% (who haven't been creating jobs) Social Security and Medicare will also be saved, so the GOP won't need to raise your retirement age to 80 - essentially forcing you to work until the day you drop dead!

If the tax breaks for the rich are allowed to expire for those making over $1 million a year, then the next time you receive an unemployment check, you need not feel guilty or ashamed. You can look your friends, your family, and the GOP right in their eyes and tell them:

I leave you with the following food for thought - also from Bud Meyers:

The Make-Believe "Obama Compromise" The GOP only offered 13 months of continued funding for UI benefits (for those who still qualify) in exchange for 24 months of tax cuts for the very rich. (As an aside: Why not 13 months for them and for 13 months for us - - - to be equal and fair?)

The Dilemma Nothing was ever mentioned about the 5.5 million 99ers and "exhaustees". (Even though eventually everyone will have been incrementally swept under the carpet and soon forgotten.

The Cost $30 billion IS ADDED to the deficit to fund UI benefits (for varying lengths of time for 2 million people) over the next 13 months + another 150 billion in tax breaks that's NOT ADDED to the treasury to help pay down the deficit for the next two years = $180 billion more in debt.

The Solution If we just stopped extending tax cuts for the rich for only 2 years we would have the difference of $150 billion for UI benefits for the next 13 months AND enough to help the 99er and "exhaustees" (until the rich create jobs)

And doing all this WITHOUT ADDING ONE PENNY to the deficit!

So, why aren't we doing this?

****GREAT Question Bud and VERY WELL SAID as usual.......

Unemployed Alexandra Jarrin’s “Letters to Bernie Sanders” Campaign Makes National News

Unemployed Alexandra Jarrin’s “Letters to Bernie Sanders” Campaign made National News via CNN on Friday, as Senator Sanders spoke for nearly 9 hours on the floor of the Senate to stall passage of the Tax compromise bill. [Better known to the 99ers as the Obama “Bend Over”]

IMPORTANT NOTE: We love our President but we are disgusted that he caved-in to the very rich at the expense of millions of hurting Americans - left with no hope. The idea that the tax cuts for the rich, if continued another 2 years will create over a million jobs is ludicrous at best and the reality of the past 10 years, undoubtably destroys the credibility of such claims.

Unemployed and homeless, Alexandra Jarrin is asking 99ers, concerned Americans and all those who have also lost their job and exhausted all weeks of federal and state benefits -- to write to Senator Sanders, tell him their stories and thank the Senator for standing up to help the non-wealthy in America. The email address is: dearberniesanders@gmail.com

Ms. Jarrin is part of a hard-luck group of jobless Americans whose members have taken to calling themselves “99ers,” because they have exhausted the maximum 99 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits that they can claim. Ms, Jarrin was the topic of a New York Times article back in August 2010.

CNN unfortunately misstated that Alexandra Jarrin, a former client relations director is one of 1.5 million Americans who are expected to max out on their unemployment benefits this year. Fact is that at least 4 million and likely well over 5 million Americans have exhausted their UI benefits already in 2010 - but like the real unemployment rate - no government agency is willing to be honest about the numbers.

"I will hand deliver the letters every day until this is over," Jarrin wrote in an e-mail to 99ers earlier this week. "Whether I have one letter or thousands of letters, I will take them to the local office of Bernie Sanders and show him and his staff that we are standing up and asking him to speak up for all of us."

For Jarrin, the campaign is personal. She lost her job in 2008. She lost her unemployment benefits in March, now she is homeless and sleeping on her friend's couch.

"We just need jobs," said Jarrin. "And we need help until we get jobs." Jarrin says she's applied to "well over 3,000 places." (although CNN reported that incorrectly as only 1,000)



Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has vowed to delay passage of the proposed tax cut deal between the White House and Congressional Republicans. While the proposal would extend benefits for 13 months for those currently receiving unemployment insurance, it does nothing for those who have already run out of benefits.



"This recession was caused by the greed and recklessness and illegal behavior on Wall Street. How can I get by on one house? I need five houses, 10 houses. I need three jet planes to take me all over the world.
The immediate cause of this crisis is... it just gets me sick thinking about it, and that is what the crooks on Wall Street have done to the American people," said Sanders in his lengthly speech on the Senate floor, Friday.



Jarrin told CNN the number of letters she has received continues to grow. "I'm not going to stop as long as they come in," said Jarrin. "I'm going to print them out and take them up there."

Alexandra has continued to be a leader in the 99er movement, even though she herself has been homeless since July. Anyone and everyone who has not yet done so is urged to send your story or plea/demand for help for the UI exhaustees to be included in this so called Deal with the Devil.

Email dearberniesanders@gmail.com and please spread the word.

[Please use the donation button below to help Paladinette KEEP FIGHTING for the 99ers! Thank you.]

LSU Pizza Girl Reportedly Kicked Off Campus

The college woman now called "The LSU Pizza Girl" and who went off on LSU commissary staff over a Papa John's Pizza she asserted should be made a certain way, has been kicked off campus according to a posting on the forum for the Tigerdroppings.com website.

If you haven't seen the now famous video, you have to, before anything else makes sense. Here it is:



The video description tells the rest of the story:

She thought they were making her pizza wrong so she went nuts. She told them the cheese goes on before the meat, but they told her she was wrong. They offered to make it how ever she wanted it, and even offered to let her make the pizza herself. Her pizza was already coming OUT of the oven by the time she flips out.


She throws a sandwich, and two bags of chips at James


Then after he throws the chips back at her, she pulls out her phone, and says "I'm calling the police"

A poster named "Afreaux" (not the person's real name) explained that he or she actually met the LSU Pizza Girl, and learned she was kicked off campus:

Was waiting in line at the LSU post office, when she turned around and started talking to me.

She asked if I knew who she was, I smiled and said yes. She told me that she is now banned from living on campus Spring semester, so she was trying to change her mail arrangement since she won't be getting mail at the campus post office.

I asked her if she was going to drop out next semester, she wasn't sure. She said that Anderson Cooper was the straw that broke the camel's back. Now everyone sees her as a villain, and James as a hero. She then asked the postal worker if she knew who she was.

I wished her luck, and she held the post office door open, still talking about Anderson Cooper to no one in particular.

Without going into detail, one of the workers there said that everyone dreads seeing her in line. I then told the worker what to search for on Youtube to find the pizza girl video.

Apparently the woman was kicked off LSU campus, not just for the Pizza incident, but other episodes too.  The LSU Pizza Girl's now so famous, she has a listing in Urban Dictionary.  

In a way, this event may have been the best thing to happen for her.  Now that it's recognized that she does have some kind of mental / emotional problem, she can get the help she needs.

The Lord works in strange ways.

Yelp Hammers Oakland Parking Service

Yelp has become the go-to site for ratings on businesses of all types, including the "City of Oakland Parking Service System." That's everything from the Parking Department Office at City Hall Plaza, to the parking enforcement employees on the street, and everyone in between. The collective gets a nice "one-star" rating on Yelp. And the comments are something to read. Here's a sample:

Several weeks ago I received a parking ticket for parking at an expired meter in Oakland. When I went to pay it today, I was surprised to see another citation that was past due associated with my license number... Then I remembered: many months ago, I found a parking ticket on my car when I failed to move it for street sweeping. The next day, I tried to pay for said ticket, both online, and using the over-the-phone method. Neither worked. Several days later, I tried once more to pay the ticket, again to no avail. I was told several times that no such ticket existed in the system.


Now, I don't mind paying for the tickets, but I think it's ridiculous that a ticket would take more than a week to show up in the system and furthermore, I do not appreciate having to pay additional charges associated with "late" payment for a ticket that I tried in good faith to pay the day after I received it. I know other people who have experienced the same problem and I think it's time that Oakland stop jerking us around with opaque and vague parking policy.

Did I mention there are 97 Yelp reviews and 96 of them are bad? Here's another:

If I can, I would give them negative stars.
They are thugs, cheats, and this is proof of injustice of the highest kind in the most advanced country in the world - even in India things would not be this bad, and that's saying a lot since India is super corrupt.
Anyways, ticket was invalid, so I contested via US mail. Got another reminder, so contested via email. Got an automated response so I waited. Next thing I know I get a DMV hold letter from them. Also now the fine is doubled.
At this point, I am spending so much effort in this that it's not worth it, and I feel I should pay, but there's a voice inside me saying I should fight for justice and my rights.
Lesson learned - Oakland, I will NEVER eat in your city by choice, and if I do end up going there for my work related events I will park in a parking structure or take the BART.
You are an awful city - I feel for the people - they are stuck with an awful ,awful bureaucracy.
I am going to write letters to whomever I can.
You lost my business, Oakland. Big Time.

The Yelp Oakland hit parade continues:

I just got my registration renewal in the mail, and there is an unpaid parking ticket on it from april 09, lets not get into why it did not show up on october 09's renewal...in any case, I paid this ticket via check 24 hours after I received it. My bank printed out proof (for $5) that the city of Oakland did indeed cash this $30 check, way back in April 09. Nevertheless, it now shows up unpaid, and at triple value. DMV will not let me pay for my renewal until I either pay the $100 citation, or get it cleared by the Oakland Parking Assistance Center.


I have tried three times to reach them by phone, each call was an endless phonetree with no correct option, and in all attempts I ended up being on hold for 15 minutes plus before I gave up OR got disconnected on their end.


I cannot afford to take a day off from work to deal with this, I am poor and on a limited budget.


The DMV cannot help me...
I cannot figure out if there is a way to make an appointment...
There is nothing helpful online....
I am convinced if I go in person the wait time will exceed the metered parking nearby...


Does anyone have any answers for me?

This Yelper's claiming that the City of Oakland's not following a rule posted on its metered parking tickets.  You know.  The ones you get from the machines.  The Yelper reports:

Mark my words, this is not an opinion it is a fact. Those new permit machines, you know where you get a little paper permit and put it on your dashboard. Every one of them has a bright green sticker that says "For you convenience, unexpired permits for this machine can be used at (underlined) *any* metered space in Oakland."


If you buy an hour. Use ten minutes, then drive to another part of Oakland and park near an old sidewalk meter that is working, DO NOT USE YOUR UNEXPIRED PERMIT. Yes it is a metered space, yes, logically it counts as a member of the set that is designated by "any metered space in Oakland", but if you use your unexpired paper permit and don't feed the meter with coins, you will get a ticket.


If a lawyer is reading this. Please think about suing the city for this misleading information. They are obviously desperate for the money but they shouldn't use their position in power to bait and switch, it is deceptive.

And this Yelper called Alix Rosenthal at the Oakland City Attorney's Office and got the ticket dismissed:

I don't live in Oakland.


I almost never go to Oakland.


I especially don't go to Oakland in the middle of the night.


Yet over the course of the last two years I have received four parking tickets for parking in Oakland in the middle of the night. Tickets for my license plate, but with "Ford" listed as the make (I drive a Honda).


Their tickets say you can contest them via e-mail. However they just ignore the e-mails.


I'm getting tired of this BS. Getting ready to sue the City.


Update:


If you have a legitimate complaint I suggest calling the city attorney's office to try to get it straightened out. I spoke with Alex Rosenthal (city attorney's assistant) yesterday and I received a call from parking enforcement today to let me know that my ticket was dismissed.


The number is 510-238-3601.

Ok, Alex. Get ready for a flood of phone calls from irate Oakland Parking Enforcement victims!

Stay tuned.

Oakland, CA Parking: Still Predatory, Getting Worse

This is yet another email sent to this blogger about the Oakland Parking problem. From the way it reads, Oakland, CA's predatory parking practice (say that three times fast) is still with us.

Hello,
I am speaking out because this just started this past Tuesday.
Please see all the pictures and my letter to the Parking Citation place. thank you.There are 6 - 12 cars parked here 7 days per week. i have lived here for 6.5 years and NEVER gotten a ticket here until NOW. we all are getting tickets daily. Double Parking in a Culdesac? this is unjust. how do we fight this now? How sad that the City Of Oakland would stoop this low to get money. and calling the number to get help is a waste of time. Please let me know if you can help or what we can do. There are a few of us here in the neighborhood that are disabled. AND people who work and visit people at Highland Hospital park here. they also get tickets. hmm.. the parking people ONLY come once per day. WE ARE A NEWLY TARGETED NEIGHBORHOOD.

This is the letter of protest that was sent to the Oakland Parking Department. The name of the person was removed and the adress slightly altered to protect her identity.

Good day,


I am contesting the two tickets that I received December 8th and 9th, 2010


At the address: 1472 East 33rd street Oakland, California 94602


The area I live in is a Cull de sac; I and my neighbors park here.


I have never received a ticket for parking in the Cull de sac UNTIL


As of December 8th, 2010,


I have been parking in the Cull De Sac for 6.5 years and


never gotten a ticket here for anything including


"Double Parking “as of the above date, I received a $75 ticket for "double parking" @ 11:42am. December 9th, 2010,


I received yet another ticket for $75"Double Parking" @ 9:24am.


I am disabled and on crutches pending a knee replacement. ALL of us who park here received tickets! This just started. I called the number I was given on the ticket and I never spoke to anyone the first call I was on hold for 11 minutes. The second call..., I waited more than 30 minutes I spoke to a Cheryl who told me that there was nothing she could do and that I would need to write a letter and be very detailed and include pictures. I took pictures of the area and nothing is marked here at all. It's a Cull de sac.
Please see the included pictures of this area I am referring to with regard to this being a Cull de sac.


Thank you

With all of the yelling,...



...parking enforcement time rolled back from 8 PM to 6 PM, and threats of voting Oakland elected officials out of office, Oakland still has the same parking enforcement problem. The saying "If you like what you're getting, keep on doing what you're doing," applies here.

Cam Newton wins The Heisman Trophy

Cam Newton can smile and put all of the comments behind him; he's won The Heisman Trophy. The Auburn Quarterback won in what ESPN called "a blowout" over Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck, Oregon running back LaMichael James and Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore.

Cam Newton, shown below, leaving the Heisman ceremony, is now officially the best college football player in America.



This blogger has stated the reasons why Cam Newton should win the Heisman.

Here are more reasons, in video form:



Congratulations, Cam! You deserve it.