Critical Noir: Songs of Redemption?

Is Jadakiss’s "Why?" evidence that hip-hop is finally living up to it’s revolutionary potential or is the song’s success just another example of election year marketing?

Magic on the "good ol boy" circuit

Magic Johnson Helps Nascar Broaden

Yeah, life is reeeaaaal good in Iraq.

Car Bombs Kill 34 Children in Baghdad

Republicans for Obama

What is more important the message or the messenger?

I can't agree with anything Alan Keyes says but I give the guy complete props for sticking to his guns no matter what. Which is more than I can say for the Republicans for Obama.

More Salma news

Banditas

Does it get any more beautiful?

Salma Hayek is returning to her telenovela roots with a one-hour project for ABC, an American version of the phenomenally successful Latin American soap opera 'Betty La Fea.'


Full story

O'Reilly is a bonehead!

For the record: Viewers of Jon Stewart's show are more likely to have completed four years of college than people who watch "The O'Reilly Factor," according to Nielsen Media Research.

Buuuce says...Bush had been "fundamentally dishonest"

US musicians begin anti-Bush tour

Culture clash?

Africans aren't Americans...

Attempts (by Nigerian football officials) are gathering pace to stop young Nigerian footballers from wearing hair braids, dreadlocks and earrings.

Acting White

Essayist Clarence Page talks about the ramifications of using the term "acting white" and about taking personal responsibility.

Liar, liar!

This came down the pike on Sunday.

Many of President Bush's assertions about progress in Iraq

New Music

Haven't bought much recently but I did pick up one record that will surly be on my Top 10 this year:

Buddy Miller - Universal United House of Prayer

Makelele ends France career

"My future is with Chelsea"

Brazilian gov't sticking it's nose in...

Brazil's football politics:

In August they played a friendly in war-torn Haiti - an event clearly linked to the government's United Nations objective.

The likes of Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho Gaucho all turned up for the game.

But Milan and Bayern Munich refused to release their players.

They were within their rights to do so; they have an agreement with the Brazilian FA whereby they have no obligation to release players for friendlies outside Europe.

So five players were missing - All were axed for the games against Bolivia and Germany earlier this month.

China's boom has increased rewards to crooked officials.

The Communist Party's Central Committee has issued a policy paper calling corruption "a life and death struggle" for the party.

Poor, poor pitiful Alan.

A Chicago Tribune poll published today shows that Keyes has about 17% support -- down 7 points from a similar poll last month.

Brother loses claim to Jimi Hendrix estate

The haves & the haves not within a family

Warren talks about the past, present & future of the Mule

When Woody passed, Matt and I kind of made the decision to add a member at that point because we didn't want to put ourselves or the new bass player or the audience under the pressure of constantly comparing the old to the new. We thought it was time to open up a new chapter.

CD Chivas USA

Expansion Team #1

The Fantastic Four Revealed

Woohoo! Jessica Alba in tights!

Full Size

I missed this! Damnit!

The beautiful, (but much too young for me) Miss Jessica Alba Turns Invisible

Shawshank Redemption tops Oscar failure poll

best films never to have won an Oscar include:

1) The Shawshank Redemption
2) It's a Wonderful Life
3) ET the Extra-Terrestrial
4) 2001: A Space Odyssey
5) The Great Escape
6) The Wizard of Oz
7) Some Like It Hot
8) The Color Purple
9) Raiders of the Lost Ark
10) Psycho

In the Senate we trust

I always thought Arianna was interesting when I would see her on Politically Incorrect but that she is no longer a conservative, I think I'm in love. ;-)


The nation's future also depends on the outcome of three Senate races, which the Democrats could sweep.

At salon.com you either pay for a subscription or you click on an ad to see the entire article.

Happy Birthday Mom.

80 years ago today: Frances Aileen Wright Sanders was born in NYC.

I miss you.

Proof: Money is the root of all evil

Men break into lotto winner's home with body inside

It's about time we had something like this!

Crowds witness opening of historical treasure

National Museum of the American Indian

Kerry's "Top 10 Bush Tax Proposals" are:

10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.
9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.
8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.
7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.
6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.
5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.
4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.
3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.
2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it "nuclear" instead of "nucular."
1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.

Read more about Kerry on Letterman.

Year of the Soprano

With 20 nominations this could be Emmy year for 'Sopranos'

UEFA Rankings

UEFA Club Competitions Associations' Coefficient Ranking

• ESP
• ITA
• ENG
• GER
• FRA
• GRE
• POR
• HOL
• SCO
• TUR
• BEL
• CZE
• SUI
• UKR
• ISR
• AUT
• POL
• RUS
• SCG
• NOR
• BUL
• CRO
• SWE
• DEN
• SVK
• ROM
• HUN
• CYP
• SLO
• FIN
• LAT
• MOL
• GEO
• BHZ
• LIT
• ISL
• MKD
• BLS
• IRL
• MLT
• ARM
• WAL
• LIE
• ALB
• EST
• NIR
• LUX
• FAR
• AZE
• KZK
• AND
• SMR

UEFA Anti-Racism Plan

10 Point Plan:

1. Issue a statement saying the club will not tolerate racism, spelling out the action it will take against those engaged in racist chanting. The statement should be printed in all match programmes and displayed permanently and prominently around the ground.
2. Make public address announcements condemning racist chanting at matches.
3. Make it a condition for season-ticket holders that they do not take part in racist abuse.
4. Take action to prevent the sale of racist literature inside and around the ground.
5. Take disciplinary action against players who engage in racial abuse.
6. Contact other clubs to make sure they understand the club’s policy on racism.
7. Encourage a common strategy between stewards and police for dealing with racist abuse.
8. Remove all racist graffiti from the ground as a matter of urgency.
9. Adopt an equal opportunities' policy in relation to employment and service provision.
10. Work with all other groups and agencies, such as the players union, supporters, schools, voluntary organisations, youth clubs, sponsors, local authorities, local businesses and police, to develop pro-active programmes and make progress to raise awareness of campaigning to eliminate racial abuse and discrimination.

Ruud boy beats the Law

Ruud van Nistelrooy has now taken over Denis Law's Old Trafford throne

Nicky Butt should know better

Butt waits on Uefa ruling and possible 3 international game suspension!

Hell Yeah!

Less talent, more skin at pageant.

Wish I could go.

Jimi Hendrix memorabilia on show

Hip-hop artists spread the word

Global hip-hop speaks out

Check it out for yourself.

Rick, Rick, RICK!

Funk singer Rick James died of a heart attack that may have been brought on by at least nine drugs that were found in his system, a US coroner has said.

Is 'South Park' the best religion show on TV?

Three experts on religion and pop culture discuss how shows like 'Joan of Arcadia,' 'Buffy' and 'The Simpsons' talk about faith.

Buddhist Thought of the Day, #2

Real peace [is] not just the absence of violence or of war. A mere absence of war is not genuine, lasting world peace. Peace must develop on mutual trust.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Buddhist Thought of the Day

All the faults of our mind - our selfishness, ignorance, anger, attachment, guilt, and other disturbing thoughts - are temporary, not permanent and everlasting. And since the cause of our suffering - our disturbing thoughts and obscurations - is temporary, our suffering is also temporary.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Welcome to W's version of Democracy & Freedom!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A highly classified National Intelligence Estimate assembled by some of the government's most senior analysts this summer provided a pessimistic assessment about the future security and stability of Iraq.

The full article

4th Season for the "Dead Zone"

22 new episodes have been ordered; series to resume production this November.

New England Review

New England was fun. Tara has a great big family and I met most of them! Her friends from college were very cool too.

Day1: Great flight to Providence, next was the drive to Hartford, CT. We arrive at the Scofield burial plot an hour late but everybody was so nice. It was a lot of Rich's friends from high school & college.

It made me think about who would be at my funeral. Will I have high school & college classmates? How will they remember me?

Cousin Steve was there with his wife and sons (4 of them). After a really nice service by Bonnie we went to a Pizza joint that was actually a little of everything... some pasta, some Greek, some New Orleans. That was fun, I spent most of it talking to Steve's sons...really great kids!

We drove back towards the airport to pickup Bonnie's car so she could go on to the Cape and we could head to Elizabeth's place. We got there and hung out for an hour or two before we went to bed.

Day2: We all hung out some more before heading to Wellesley. I'm telling you, this is a fun group of really smart people. We arrived at Wellesley and hooked up with Pauline (the last of the bridesmaids for me to meet). Tara has completely outdone me. I don't have any guy friends nearly as attractive as the women Tara will have as bridemaids. Oh well, that sucks for the women! We guys will have a blast with all the eye candy... (not to say that these women are just good looking...they are all very smart and very funny!)

Wellesley was cool. It's a beautiful campus and, of course, the women were all about

"I remember when this was this and that was over there and what have they done to the?" "Jai, this is where we and did Tara tell you about the time..."

We all parted ways and Tara and I headed to Foxboro for the Men's National Soccer Team vs El Salvador game.

The game was CRAZY. US scored at about 8 min - we missed it - a Salvadoran player and their coach were thrown out at about the 25 min mark. There were tussles and a lot of fouling. The crowd was probably 2/3 Salvadoran and a lot of them were getting thrown out too! I saw DeMarcus, Tim Howard, Cobi, Landon so I was happy. My big disappointment was that I didn't get enough photos. I only got one side view of DeMarcus.

This has been a good Soccer Summer for me. I've seen both National Teams play and two Division 1 level teams (UAG Tecos & LA Galaxy).

From there we drove to Cape Cod. It was night so I didn't get to see much. The motel gave Bonnie the wrong key for our room, so we almost walked in on somebody but fortunately Tara is very particular and decided to check-in first which saved us the embarrassment of walking on who knows what... It's a very interesting little motor lodge, very kitschy. The bathroom, for example, had teal toilet with a white toilet seat, a teal sink and a teal tub. Apparently it has an hourly rate kind of history (if you know what I mean).

Day3: This was the day at the beach. Literally. We went to Tara's Uncle & Aunt's house which is right on the beach and it was a blast of a day. We hung out, we ate. I met all sorts of relatives (3 generations worth). Everybody is a character, but what family isn't filled with characters. I walked on the beach, we watched a guy on a parasail and the kids flew some kites. Finally we put the rest of Rich's ashes to rest in the ocean and sang "One". After, some lobster and tennis we headed back to our seedy travelodge.

Day4: Monday we got up early to eat breakfast with the family. We went to this little restaurant where it seemed like we took over the place, there were close to twenty of us and everybody was laughing and talking. The breakfast was good - nothing to write home about but nothing terrible. From there Tara & I drove to Boston...off to see my cousin, Dorice. Interestingly enough, she was the original focus of the trip but that's not the way it worked out. We hung with Do for a short while and then trotted to Boston. It was a beautiful day and we really wanted to take advantage of it. We went to Harvard Square, Harvard, MIT and Boston Commons, as well as the very interesting and poignant Holocaust monument. We ate and wandered, hooked up with one of Tara's childhood friends and ate again. Made it back to Medford (right next to Tufts campus) in time to watch some tennis - Tara has turned me into a fan.

Day5: Back to the airport but not before Dorice took us on a wild goose chase to find IHOP. Service sucked but breakfast was filling and then it was off to Providence, RI one last time. The airport was no problem, we met Bonnie & the gate and after about 5 minutes in the air we all zonked out.

I want to go back to New England for a more relaxed trip. This just was filled with too much. I want to do Boston history. I want to go to the Green Mountains of VT (one of three states we actually didn't see). I want to who knows what else. Since I am joining this New England based family I know I will be going back. Tara, thanks for the new experiences and acquaintances.

I wanna be sedated.

Johnny Ramone dies at 55

boombastic :: free and funky internet radio

Radio for days!

Any of us who had student loans could've told you this!

American colleges flunk on affordability

Now, this is what I'm talking about!

Jessica Simpson to play Daisy Duke

Maybe we should try this...

China executes bank employees in fraud crackdown

On this Day:

Famous Births:
1849 - Ivan Pavlov, Russian physiologist who studied dogs' responsiveness.
1879 - Margaret Sanger, birth-control advocate and founder of Planned Parenthood.
1921 - Constance Baker Motley, first African-American woman to be appointed a federal judge.
1955 - Steve Berlin (Los Lobos)
1973 - Nas


Famous Deaths:
1901 - Pres William McKinley dies in Buffalo, of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin.
1927 - Isadora Duncan dies as her scarf became entangled in her car's wheel
1982 - Grace Kelly princess of Monaco, dies at 52 in a car crash

In music history:
1737 - Composer Johann Michael Haydn was born.
1985 - The MTV Awards are held for the first time. Bette Midler and Dan Aykroyd co-hosted the show.
1994 - The Temptations receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1995 - Earth, Wind and Fire received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In World History:
1321 - Dante Alighieri dies of malaria just hours after finishing writing Paradiso.
1716 - 1st lighthouse in US lit (Boston Harbor)
1752 - England & colonies adopt Gregorian calendar, 11 days disappear
1791 - Louis XVI swears his allegiance to the French constitution.
1812 - Napoleon enters Moscow
1814 - Francis S. Key composes "The Star-Spangled Banner"
1886 - George K Anderson of Memphis, Tennessee patents typewriter ribbon
1899 - In New York City, Henry Bliss became the first automobile fatality.
1901 - U.S. President William McKinley died of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin. Theodore Roosevelt, at age 42, succeeded him.
1930 - Detroit Lions (as Portsmouth Spartans) play 1st NFL game, win 13-6
1948 - Groundbreaking ceremony for the UN world headquarters
1959 - Luna II, a Soviet space probe, became the first man-made object on the moon when it crashed on the surface.
1960 - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded. The core members were Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
1963 - Mary Ann Fischer gave birth to America's first surviving quintuplets.
1972 - "The Waltons" premiered on CBS-TV.
1975 - Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton becomes the first native-born American saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
1978 - "Mork & Mindy" premiered on ABC-TV.
1987 - Tony Magnuson cleared 9.5 feet above the top of the U-ramp and set a new skateboard high jump record.
2001 - Nintendo released the GameCube home video game console in Japan.

Happy Birthday To Me.

9/14/1967 9am. I saw the Sun for the first time (or at least I hope the Sun came out that day).

How to Handle the "Ugly American"

Thais to publish etiquette guide

One more example of why Colin won't be there if Bush wins again

Colin Powell described neo-conservatives in the Bush administration as 'fucking crazies' during the build-up to war in Iraq.

See, I noticed before the war in Iraq that the Dept of Defense was getting a lot more airtime than the State Dept. I realized then that this was not an administration of diplomacy. Slowly but surely Colin started saying things that sounded way out of step with the rest of the cabinet, finally recognizing that Colin didn't seem to like his job too much.

I really wish he would come out b4 the election and say something... people respect him and I think it would mean something to the "swing" voters to hear from him.

Oprah, Oprah, Oprah!

Oprah. Honey. Can't you find something better for your audience than a Pontiac...? ;-)

Telling black America's 'other' story

Toni Morrison's new novel,

Love, examines, through various women in love, the political situation in the black community as the debate raged around desegregation and the civil rights movement.

In particular, it examines the opposition from some African-Americans to desegregation, as it had potentially devastating consequences for their businesses.

The Rest of the article is here.

Decisions

I have some quality of life decisions that I have to make.

How do I develop and maintain the discipline to do that?

Love's Refugees

I guess it's not just in the USA?!?! Shame, huh?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Immigration and marriage laws send culturally mixed couples into exile.
By Jeffrey Fleishman
September 6, 2004

COPENHAGEN — The train is sleek and fast that each night carries Christina Reves away from her country and toward her husband. It races through Denmark's scattered marshes and clicks over a bridge and across the water, stopping 35 minutes later in Sweden.

Reves, a Dane, is married to Walid Badawi, an Egyptian. The couple — and more than 1,200 like them — will tell you that love knows no bounds until it encounters Danish immigration laws. This nation is increasingly anti-foreigner, and its strict marriage regulations are sending hundreds of culturally mixed couples into exile each year.

"I cross what is known as 'Love Bridge' every night to Sweden, and we joke that we're love's refugees," said Reves, who is training in Copenhagen to be a real estate agent.

"I feel betrayed and sad. It's not just the rightist politicians. It's the Danish people too. We've become very small-minded. We're such a rich country, but those of us who married foreigners can't share it with our spouses."

Read the rest here. (free subscription required)

Kevin Garnett

The McQuillans are ready to bag groceries, do PR and anything else that Kevin Garnett might require. Members of that Plymouth, MN, family had their second incredibly kind, memorable encounter with the Timberwolves' MVP recently.

Peg McQuillan was shopping with her kids Abby, 10, and Alec, 8, at Lunds. Alec noticed a very tall man. 'Mommy do you think that's a basketball player?' Alec asked. I said 'I don't know, honey. He said 'May I ask him?' While K.G. was in the checkout line, Alec approached with questions, starting with a polite request for a name. Kevin, came the reply. "Garnett!?" Alec asked, whose eyes widened. "Abby and Alec asked for his autograph. The whole store is watching. You can't miss this man," said McQuillan. "He said, Let's go over here and sit down." The kids followed K.G. to a stand of Leeann Chin tables. "Kevin Garnett and my two kids, sitting at a table. And he's asking them where they live, if they play basketball, where they go to school.

He's like so sweet to them," said McQuillan. "I thanked him and said, 'You were equally sweet to my other son, [Jay, now 13] outside Circuit City.' He said, That's cool. That's what I get to do.' He's just such a gentleman."

A little mean but funny.

To show support for our presidential candidates, whomever they may be . . .

If you support the policies and character of John Kerry please drive with your headlights on during the day on Friday.

If you support George W. Bush please drive with your headlights off that night.

Exciting news if you are an Anthro geek!

Divers making dangerous probes through underwater caves near the Caribbean coast have discovered what appears to be one of oldest human skeletons in the Americas, archaeologists announced at a seminar that was ending on Friday.

Paging Dr. Carter, Dr. Carter to the ER!

What am I gonna do on Thursday nights? Wyle:

I'm leaving 'ER' after season

Personality Disorder Test

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid:	Low
Schizoid:	Low
Schizotypal:	Moderate
Antisocial:	Low
Borderline:	Low
Histrionic:	Moderate
Narcissistic:	Moderate
Avoidant:	Low
Dependent:	Low
Obsessive-Compulsive:	High
-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! --

Soldier, statesman ... rocker?

The Electras!

So Sad, so very sad.

Music of Black Origin (Mobo) nominations withdrawn b/c of their hateful lyrics.

Joss Stone and Sir Mick ...

have recorded "Lonely This Christmas"

1st gen of British imitators with the new gen.

What Color Are You?

YELLOW You are very perceptive and smart. You are clear and to the point and have a great sense of humor. You are always learning and searching for understanding. Find out your color at Quiz Me!

Cobi! Cobi! Cobi!

Cobi Saves U.S. With Late Goal to Tie Panama 1-1

2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying

North, Central American and Caribbean Zone Standings

I was there!

My first US MNT game and what a crazy-ass game, players & coaches ejected, near brawls, an early goal that we missed cause we were in the parking lot!

Ching, Donovan Lead U.S. Past El Salvador 2-0 in World Cup Qualifier in Foxboro

I was up close and personal to Cobi & DeMarcus. Tim Howard was the keeper. Clint Mathis, Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra were all there!

Jesus wouldn't vote for Obama

The king of hot button political speak! Keyes says Jesus wouldn't vote for Obama.

Free subscription necessary.

How did alt-country become musical roadkill?

Bad marketing and unrealistic expectations led to genre's quick demise.

Buddhist Thought of the Day

If you can cultivate the right attitude, your enemies are your best spiritual teachers because their presence provides you with the opportunity to enhance and develop tolerance, patience and understanding.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Weekend Trip

Tomorrow Jai & the Johnson Family are off to the great Northeast!

Tonight I am thrust into the madness that will be part of my life, a madness called a famliy - a family of more than one child and two adults, like the family I have always had.

It's noisy and hectic, lots of voices and lots of opinions and lots of feet, etc. etc.

What am I getting into?

Can you imagine??

Internet access anytime, anywhere. This is a great draw for business, students and tourists.

Philadelphia mulls wireless society - Sep 1, 2004

I'm FREEEEE!

20-year-old woman accusing Bryant of rape had decided not to participate I wonder what happened? Was she lying? Was she threatened? Was she told she'd get more out of the process if she won the civil suit? Did she have a change of heart? I wonder what happened?

Have you registered to vote?

Declare Yourself - Register to Vote

Zell Miller is GOP's pit bull

This guy scared me. I saw maybe 6 minutes and I didn't know what to do, I wanted to turn it off b/c he scared me but I couldn't b/c he scared me. It was possibly the craziest political thing I've ever seen. Zell sounded like one of those snake handler preachers. He was pulling out things like:

I have knocked on the door of this man's soul and found someone home...

Zell Miller is GOP's pit bull

The whole speech.

Carlito

Carlos Santana speaks about the world like a benevolent visitor from outside.

A word from the RNC

'Blessings of Liberty Are Within Reach of Every American' is the title of the speech Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, a long-time Republican and the first black person elected to statewide office in MD made at the RNC last night.