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  • Economy Fails, Legalize Marijuana

    California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was recently asked if his state should legalize pot and tax its proceeds. His answer was sweet and simple: Let’s talk about it.  Apparently, recent polls suggests 56 percent of Californians give the thumbs-up for legal marijuana use and with a state literally about to fall into the ocean, economically, well,…

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  • Animated Black TV or Real Black TV – Which is more Profitable?

    This may not be incredible news, but it’s certainly worthy news. Fox has ordered two seasons of The Cleveland Show.  Mike Henry’s brainchild is a spin-off of The Family Guy.  The Cleveland Show will follow the animated Cleveland Brown to Virginia where he settles down with a high school sweetheart and a collage of other…

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  • A Belated Farewell to Painter Ernie Barnes

    I couldn’t sit with myself if I didn’t offer an official farewell to painter Ernie Barnes.  The prolific and talented painter passed away Monday.  I don’t know about you, but I grew up watching reruns of Good Times and gazing at the cover of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You as my parents listened and grooved…

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  • Disney's First Black Princess and Near-White Suitor

    Disney’s The Princess and the Frog won’t be released until December 11, but there’s already drama.  Princess Tiana, played by Dreamgirls’ Anika Noni Rose, is a young girl living in New Orleans’ French Quarter during the Jazz Age.  Of course, she has to kiss a frog on the lips in order to break the spell…

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  • A Plane, A Photo Shoot, A Furious Obama

    I agree with President Obama as well as NYC Mayor Bloomberg about the recent flyover in lower Manhattan.  That was one of the most idiotic and senseless government-approved decisions in quite some time.  A photo shoot of a Boeing 747 near the site of 9/11?  It doesn’t get any more heartless than that.  Louis Caldera,…

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  • Gold Teeth and Other Stereotypes

    A 152-foot mural goes up at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis and city residents go crazy.  Why?  It’s a 152-foot mural of an 80 year-old black woman sporting a gold tooth.  The mural also depicts several other people of varying ages and races, but the gold tooth stands out like a sore… stereotype.  [Yes, I’m…

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  • The Swine Flu Scare

    Experts say the Swine Flu is among us.  Travelers home from recent trips to Mexico are concerned.  Schools from Ohio to NY to Texas are closing down.  How safe are we?  The World Health Organization advises that this new strain of Swine Flu could become a pandemic.  China has banned the import of live pig…

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  • Climate Change and its Impact

    It’s Friday.  It’s actually unseasonably warm and sunny in the BK [that’s Brooklyn for you non-urban snobs].  I wanted to blog about the 1500 Indian farmers who committed mass suicide after their failed crops [due to climate change] sent them into debt.  I also wanted to blog about the Eskimo village that was flooded [due…

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  • White Directors, Black Success

    Yesterday the New York Times published an article by Patrick Healy about white directors trumping black ones.  This is not a new conversation, but with the recent successes of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone as well as Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer-winning Ruined—both directed by white directors—it appears the issue has resurfaced with fire. Bartlett…

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  • Earth Day Dos and Don'ts

    It’s Earth Day and I’m keeping things real simple.  I plan to spend the day near Prospect Park.  In fact, I plan to go the Botanical Gardens and stand in wonder at the cherry blossoms [I may be too late for that, but it’s the green thought that counts. Right?].  Better yet, I advise all…

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