on the dig

I do not condone physical abuse.  Boyfriend to girlfriend, parent to child, teen to grandmother, domestic partner to domestic partner, it’s unacceptable and, without question, one of the most cowardly acts of insecurity in the history of humankind.  But I will say this:  Chris Brown is “sorry and saddened” and that’s a step forward.  Right? …

Well, it finally happened.  Congress approved Obama’s $787 billion dollar stimulus salvation.  I’m no political analyst or economist, but any amount of money, however packaged, could help out what I see as a deterioriating America.  Right?  In the last week, two friends lost long-term jobs, my downstairs neighbors—newlyweds—had to break their lease; a good friend…

Two Luzerne County, Pennsylvania judges admitted to taking money from juvie centers to hand out longer sentences to youth.  Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan collected payoffs from PA Childcare and Western PA Childcare for at least three years.  The companies that run juvenile detention centers allegedly receive state funds.  So the more juvies incarcerated,…

Lynn Nottage’s Ruined opened Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theater Club on Tuesday and it’s unanimous—it’s a hit and a gem.  Nottage, the MacArthur Genius Award recipient, has unearthed a lush story about present-day Congo women, the abuse they endure, and the peace they seek.  Ruined follows Mama Nadi [performed vibrantly by Saidah Arrika Ekulona] who…

I assume we’re all aware of Nadya Suleman.  She’s the single California woman who, with the help of an unnamed fertility doctor, gave birth six children and then, surprise, octuplets.  Well, the controversial doctor has been named.  You know, the man who put Suleman and her babies at risk of death so he could experiment…

Tim Alexander’s Diary of a Tired Black Man is one of those low-budget straight to DVD movies that promises to unleash rancor all across the genders.  Tired Black Man, starring NBC Heroe’s Jimmy Jean-Louis, doesn’t just probe into black female-male relationships, it digs into it with a sledge hammer.  The story follows a professional black…

The Big O promised to uphold Bush’s faith-based program.  Cue the conservative crowd: Screams and Hallelujahs.  However, the Big O promised to correct one glitch in the program—the ability of groups to receive federal aid and discriminate in hiring practices on basis of religion.  Cue the conservatie crowd:  Boos and hisses.  Cut to the National…

New York Times Tamar Lewin authored an interesting piece yesterday on black high-schoolers and their unwillingness to take the Advanced Placement [AP] exam.  As we know the AP program allows students to take university-level courses and if they pass the final AP exam they can earn college credit.  Lewin’s article points out that while Americans…

Gold medalist Michael Phelps was allegedly caught at a party using a bong and the View’s Whoopi Goldberg defended the use and confessed her history with smoking trees.  Now this could a perfect opportunity for me to comment on Phelps marijuana use or the so-called role model factor, or even Whoopi’s pride for admitting something…

Obama’s stimulus package, the bill he hopes will save the country from an economically dismal future, includes a “Buy American” clause. The clause instructs that U.S. steel, iron, manufacturing goods are to be used in construction work funded by the stimulus package. Well, it makes sense to me. I think. You know, considering it’s our…