Thirteen Thursday Thoughts

“We’re having too good a time today. We ain’t thinking about tomorrow.”

Trayvon Martin (again)

This Trayvon Martin situation will not go away, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But it’s such a frustrating, aggravating, disheartening, and infuriating thing. Just when I thought this would be a quieter week, we get blindsided by Geraldo Rivera (1) making asinine comments. According to Rivera, “Trayvon Martin’s hoodie killed him as surely as George Zimmerman did.” I really don’t know where Geraldo gets off saying stuff like this. His own son was even disappointed in him. His logic is just so incredibly flawed to me. It’s like saying that a rape victim should blame the dress she was wearing. Don’t wear dresses or skirts, ladies. Just typing that feels stupid. Meanwhile, a police video (2) surfaced that showed George Zimmerman without any signs of blood or being attacked. This gives me more reason to be angry with the way the Sanford Police Department has handled this situation. Not to be overshadowed, The Daily Texan (3) ran an incredibly offensive cartoon earlier this week. Mind you, this is a student paper that is financed by student fees. The University of Texas just can’t seem to stay out of the news, and it’s not even football season. I’m all for people’s First Amendment rights and their right to express themselves, but those rights shouldn’t come at the expense of other people. I’m more upset with the editors of the paper than I am the cartoonist herself. How was that cartoon given the green light? What’s worse is that the editor tried his best to deflect the anger. #FAIL The statement was later taken down and replaced with a late apology. The damage has been done, though. Am I the only one who is just emotionally spent from all of this? This entire Trayvon Martin situation has reopened a huge wound in the flesh of this country. I have seen the absolute worst in some people, and it is so upsetting. I get tired of writing about racial issues every week on here, but they keep presenting themselves. I’ll have to go back and look at my Thursday Thoughts, but I don’t think there has been one without some instance of racism. It’s not like I even go looking for them. They find me. Just like this Hunger Games (4) foolishness.

Books

Speaking of The Hunger Games, I finished the book in about 3 days, and I loved it. I’ll be picking up the second installment of the series in the very near future. I’m happy I jumped on this bandwagon because it was very rewarding. The book itself is a whirlwind that refuses to let go of you or put you down. I’m sure I’ll find myself in someone’s movie theater this weekend to see the movie. I’m also getting REALLY excited about Eric Jerome Dickey’s new book, An Accidental Affair (5), which isn’t scheduled to be released for another 3 weeks. I realize I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, but I have thoroughly enjoyed his work over the years. Here’s a quick rundown of my favorite EJD books:

1. Cheaters
2. The Gideon Series (Sleeping With Strangers, Waking With Enemies, Dying for Revenge, Resurrecting Midnight)
3. Chasing Destiny
4. Milk in My Coffee
5. The Other Woman

Yes, I realize I’m cheating by putting four books in my number two spot, but this is my list, and I can never decide which one in the series I like the best.

Sports

Dennis Rodman (6) seems to be having problems again. This hurts me to hear because I was a fan of the troubled, enigmatic, defensive guru. Michael Jordan wouldn’t have gotten those last few rings without him. Supposedly, he’s broke, sick, and could be facing jail time for failing to pay child support. *sigh* I hope he can get his life together. Another basketball great, who I happened to write about last week, is part of a team of millionaires who purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers (7). That’s right, the other MJ, Magic Johnson, is now a part owner of the storied baseball franchise. This man has seriously bought up the city of Los Angeles. I’m really happy for him. Johnson has done very well for himself. It’s a stark contrast in money management when compared to the aforementioned Dennis Rodman.

I have one more basketball note. Skylar Diggins (8) is still playing. I don’t know what to say about it; I don’t know what to call it. I don’t typically watch women’s basketball. There is just something about watching Ms. Diggins in uniform. We’ve talked about this phenomenon on this blog. A few times. She is just that rare mix of beauty, athleticism, and feminism. That’s the best I can explain it. I’m hoping for a Baylor/Notre Dame championship game. No, I have nothing to say about the men’s Final Four (9) this week. It’s Kentucky’s title to lose. That’s that.

The Month of April

I’m very excited about the month of April. First, there are a flurry of movies coming out that I want to go see. Judge me if you want to, but I’ll be there at some point to see Titanic (10) in 3D. Call it nostalgia or something, but I have some strange desire to go see it. I hate Hollywood. They have somehow convinced me that owning the VHS and DVD of the movie aren’t enough to keep me from wanting to pay again to see it in 3D. I won’t take this $17 price tag sitting down. Also, for nostalgia’s sake, I’ll be seeing American Reunion (11) as well. I’m not expecting much, but it’ll give me a reason to watch the first three two so I can relive my high school and college days. I refuse to count those other American train wrecks that tried their best to ruin the franchise. Band Camp?  Naked Mile? Beta House? REALLY?!?!? 

My fellow Threader, MichaelYoungHistory, convinced me to run in a 10K run (12) in a few weeks. I still don’t know how this happened. I’m not nor have I ever been a distance runner, but I’m looking forward to participating in it with a couple other Threaders. I’ve been training and preparing myself for a grueling 6.2 miles. Pray for me. I’m not built for this.

Closing Thought

Once again, thank you to the loyal and new thREADERS who have supported our new Radio Show (13) endeavor. We’re all looking forward to seeing where it eventually goes. Don’t miss Monday night’s show on “Interracial Dating” with TP4, Justinfication, and MichaelYoungHistory at 10pm Central. If you want a refresher, it will be based on this gem from TP4. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/threadradio

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Gravity Night: Having Sex vs Making Love

Hello Threaders,

Check out the replay of our first episode of Gravity Night, The Thread Radio Show. Be sure to leave comments and keep the discussion going.

For some context on this discussion, check out our old blog on the topic.

We’ll have another show for you all next week. Thank you all for your support!!!

-TheKingsLaw

Listen to
internet radio with ThreadRadio on Blog Talk Radio

 

Tune in: The Thread’s First Radio Show Live Tonight!

Be sure to check out our first ThreadRadio show TONIGHT at 10pm Central/11pm Eastern! We’ll be discussing the difference between making love and having sex…if there is one. Join us! If you can’t listen tonight, we’ll post it here on the blog.

www.blogtalkradio.com/threadradio

-The Thread

 

Thirteen Thursday Thoughts

Another round of scatter-shooting, shall we?

Trayvon Martin

I suppose I’ll start off with a topic I didn’t give enough insight to last week, and that is this Trayvon Martin (1) situation. Through traditional and social media, more and more information has been shed on this tragedy, and it has honestly taken a lot out of me. As a male, it hits me hard because Trayvon could’ve been my brother, cousin, or nephew. As a black male, Trayvon represents the fact that we haven’t made as much progress as we’d like to think we have. As an American, Trayvon represents something our country is so afraid to confront when it comes to race. I’ve taken part in the #MillionHoodies movement (2) on Facebook and Twitter by posting a picture of myself in a black hoodie holding Skittles and Arizona Iced Tea. It was a bit of a social experiment in and of itself because my black friends and followers retweeted my picture, commented on, and liked it. Meanwhile, none of my white friends did. This is not merely a racial issue. It is an American issue, and while I’m happy that I’ve seen so many non-black people speak up and speak out against George Zimmerman and the Sanford Police Department’s total botchery of the investigation, it saddens me that by and large black people are the one’s taking up this issue. This is merely an observation. Maybe it’s just my friends, who don’t want to get caught up in it. Maybe they’re afraid that they’ll get chastised for asking questions. Maybe there is a disconnect. Maybe they’re ignorant to the many forces in play. I honestly don’t know. Maybe I’m just tired of bearing the burden of educating and bringing awareness to people who don’t look like me.

Sports

March Madness (3) has lived up to its billing. On Saturday, I watched my brackets go to ruins. Missouri and Duke both let me down. There were upsets galore, and once Missouri lost, I didn’t have much need to sit around and watch the rest of these teams beat my dead horse. We’ll see if I even watch as much action this weekend as I did last weekend.  With March in mind, I’m already sick of Tim Tebow (4). As if he didn’t get enough coverage this past season, I have to hear about this guy more in the off-season? Now he gets traded to The Big Apple? *sigh* We’ve seen what Linsanity did to that city; I’m scared of Tebowmania. On the other hand, Peyton Manning (5) made an interesting decision to pick Denver over some other possible suitors.  I’m in no position to make his decisions for him, but I would’ve picked San Francisco. There is more talent there, a better climate, and a better chance to get to a Super Bowl.  Once again, that’s just my opinion. I wish him the best of luck, though. I don’t think anyone could write a better book on how to stay relevant in the off-season than what the NFL is currently doing. The Super Bowl was almost 2 months ago, and the NFL has managed to stay in the news. Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, the Combine, Pro Days, Draft prognosticating, and Bountygate. I get that most of those are a staple of most off-seasons, but this year just seems different. At least it’s not another labor standoff like last year. Roger Goodell (6) dropped the hammer down on the Saints…hard. Like I said a few weeks ago, the bounty system that Gregg Williams instituted with his defense didn’t really bother me since that culture is instilled in players at a young age. I definitely wasn’t expecting Goodell to suspend Sean Payton, fine the team a half million dollars, strip theme of draft picks, and suspend Williams indefinitely, though. It seems harsh, but I don’t think there will ever be another bounty program. Lesson learned.

Random Stuff

Yahoo! released a list of the 10 Richest Colleges in America (7), and it sparked a few interesting debates. I took issue with the fact that Texas is the richest public school, and third richest overall behind Harvard and Yale, respectively. The numbers seem a bit misleading since the numbers used are The University of Texas System’s number and not UT as an individual institution. It still bothers me that tuition has reached record highs, and yet some schools are rich. I realize this is a complicated issue that isn’t black and white, but it doesn’t sit well with me. It’s definitely not something to brag about.

The LA Coroner released Whitney Houston’s (8) cause of death. Her death was an accident, but several drugs were found in her system. Marijuana, Xanax, cocaine, and Benadryl were all named in her toxicology report. *sigh* I figured her death was drug related, but it hurts to read it officially.

Entertainment/Television

I wrote about Snooki from Jersey Shore a few weeks ago, but now her fellow cast member, The Situation (9), is in the news. Allegedly, he has been getting treatment for a problem he has with prescription drugs…or alcohol. Who knows? Color me shocked. As much debauchery as we’ve seen from the cast, I’m surprised there aren’t more of them with some kind of issue. I’m throwing no shade and no judgment their way, but nothing that I hear about that cast  will surprise me. VH1 has another provocative show in the chamber. They’ve graduated from the NBA and are now entering Hollywood. I’ve expressed my sentiments concerning all these damn wife shows, but the train seems to be picking up steam. Hollywood Exes (10) is the next stop. This show will feature the ex-wives of Eddie Murphy, Jose Canseco, Will Smith, Prince, and R. Kelly. I have to admit, they found some heavy hitters. This will get messy.

I’ve never been an ardent viewer of The Voice (11) or Dancing with the Stars (12), but I found myself watching both of them on Monday. I’m a huge Cee-Lo fan, but his pick of Erin over The Shields Brothers really threw me off. Ugh. In my humble opinion, Erin completely butchered Tina Turner’s classic. I thought she sounded awful. The Shields Brothers added a nice twist to it, though. Was I listening to something different? We’ll see if I keep watching if I have to listen to Ms. Martin again. Meanwhile, Gladys Knight and Urkel Jaleel White blew me away with their dancing skills. I shouldn’t have been surprised, though. The Empress of Soul looked amazing by the way. Y’all want to come with me on a trip down Memory Lane, compliments of Family Matters and A Different World? Of course you do.  

Finally, the ThreadBlog Radio Show (13) is premiering this Monday at 11pm EST/10pm Central. The King’s Law, utpipeline, and myself will be revisiting a popular and controversial blog post from a while back. “Is There a Difference Between Making Love and Having Sex?” Tune into http://www.blogtalkradio.com/threadradio Monday night and join us. If you can’t tune in, we’ll post the episode here on the ThreadBlog.

-23

 

Thirteen Thursday Thoughts

“Beware the Ides of March…”

SXSW (South by Southwest) has taken the city of Austin by storm. Jay-Z (1) kicked off the musical festivities with a live-streamed set featuring an audience of American Express cardholders. Not exactly his target audience. After watching the performance again, I couldn’t help but notice just how bad the audience really was. It just lacked…something…everything. I’ve been to two Jay-Z concerts, and the energy is usually unreal. This crowd just seemed to be a bunch of wayfaring strangers who haven’t familiarized themselves with Mr. S. Carter. Something was just…off…with the whole thing. Yahoo! even alleges that the Jigga man forgot some of the lyrics to his own songs. You be the judge.

That same night, Oprah (2) brought Bobbi Kristina (3) out of hiding mourning and Magic Johnson (4) narrated his own documentary on ESPN (“The Announcement”). Yeah, I was inundated with stimuli demanding my attention. Fortunately, I managed to provide and divide my undivided attention to multiple places. Could anyone other than Oprah have done this much anticipated interview with the daughter of the late Whitney Houston? I doubt it. Oprah is one powerful woman. She had me flipping all through my guide to find where the hell OWN was. Once I found it, I sat back intently to see what has become of Bobbi Kristina since we last saw her at her mother’s funeral. I can’t imagine how hard it is to lose a parent and have to open your soul to the curious world. She held up well, though. One thing Oprah didn’t mention is this supposed name change. Apparently, Bobbi Kristina wants to be Kristina Houston. She doesn’t want her father’s name any more it seems. Oh. I guess she’ll settle for her father’s gap.

After watching the Oprah special, I watched ESPN’s “The Announcement”, which detailed Magic Johnson’s battle with HIV/AIDS. I thought it was really well done. Having Magic narrate it himself was kind of awkward, but it worked. The documentary did a great job of capturing the sadness, fear, ignorance, love, and hope that Magic encountered. Karl Malone didn’t do himself any favors. The only problem I had with the documentary is the fact that it largely ignored just how expensive it is to fight/treat HIV/AIDS. I have the utmost respect for Magic Johnson, and I’m happy that he has essentially been a medical miracle. However, it’s God’s grace and Magic’s magic money that has kept him alive in my opinion. That’s not a knock on him at all. He has certainly been fighting a good fight. I just worry for the overwhelming majority of AIDS patients who can’t afford that kind of treatment.

This week also gave me a chance to immerse myself in Bracketology (5). I have 3 brackets this year, and to be honest, I don’t like any of them. Kentucky is my de facto champion in two of them because I just don’t trust any of the other teams. I can poke holes in almost every team. I have already prepared myself for the almost inevitable destruction of all of my brackets. I suppose that’s the twisted beauty that is March Madness, though. Check out our Bracketology podcast here.

I need Dwight Howard (6) to get it together and make up his mind. He’s staying, he’s going; he’s going, he’s staying. He has played his hand all wrong. That is all.

I went to the movies again this week, which is becoming a bad weekly habit of mine. I finally got to see “Safe House” and hypothetically might have snuck into “Good Deeds” (7). “Safe House” was solid. Denzel was his usual good-acting self. The movie was entertaining, but didn’t blow me away. C+/B-. “Good Deeds”, though… *sigh* Tyler effing Perry. I have alluded to the fact that I’m not a big Tyler Perry fan, but I’m not here to bash him. He has found a niche. He stars in this one (as a man), which only means one thing: He’s the quintessential black male. See: “Why Did I Get Married?”, “Why Did I Get Married Too?”, “Madea’s Family Reunion”, etc. As a writer, his characters are just so damn simple. Within the first five minutes of the movie, you already know what you’re in for. There is no moral ambiguity in any of the characters. You know who’s good; you know who’s bad; you see who his love interest is; you see who his love interest will be; and you see the Good Samaritan plot within the first 10 minutes. It was just…blah. D.

In other black male news, The New York Times (8) featured an interesting debate this week. Here’s an excerpt:

The news for young black men is not good: they are disproportionately singled out for discipline in school, they are more likely to be stopped and frisked by New York City police officers, and according to Michelle Alexander in her book, “The New Jim Crow,” nearly one-third of black men are likely to spend time in prison at some point in their lives.

Would pulling back on draconian drug laws or legalizing marijuana be enough to fix this imbalance? What else needs to be done?

First thought: What else is new? Second thought: Hmm…

Hopefully, most of you have heard about this disturbing Trayvon Martin (9) story brewing in Florida. If you haven’t, here’s the situation and reasons behind the uproar. Like I have said in prior posts, I used to live in Orlando (very close to Sanford) so this hits close to home. It is truly a tragic situation that seems to keep happening all too often in this “post-racial” America. Now, I don’t have all the facts nor am I calling for some kind of race riot. What I do hope for is a thorough investigation because this whole thing smells of something foul. There is certainly a problem in Sanford and racial tensions are high. That’s never a good thing.

Don't look in his eyes.

I usually dedicate at least one of my Thursday Thoughts to something I read on Twitter. This week is no different. Touré (10), the novelist, journalist, and TV personality, tweeted, “Prince is the most important gospel artist ever… Look at the totality of Prince’s career: he talks about God & Christ far more often & passionately than he does about sex.” Not Mahalia Jackson? Not James Cleveland? Not Tramaine Hawkins? Oh. I’m a HUGE Prince (11) fan, but I wouldn’t call him a gospel singer. I’ll give Touré credit because Prince does have a host of spiritually infused songs. Look no further than tracks like “I Would Die 4 U”, “7”, or maybe even “Let’s Go Crazy” to name a few. Touré makes a compelling argument for Prince as a gospel singer by saying that he draws people in with sexual themes and such only to cryptically lace many of his songs with Christ/God as the subject. Evidently, even “Darling Nikki” has a reference to God at the end. He has a point. I still can’t call Prince a gospel singer, though. The fact that so many are unaware of the many Christian allusions Prince makes in his music leads me to believe the vast majority of his listeners didn’t hear the gospel. This is compelling nonetheless, though. *turns on “Purple Rain“*

I caved and purchased “The Hunger Games” (12) trilogy. The movie looks like an updated, futuristic “Gladiator”, but it seems very fascinating. I don’t like being out of the loop, and I missed the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” trains. I’m getting on this one.

Finally, “Love Jones” (13) turned 15 yesterday. Does that make anyone else feel really old? I remember when…nevermind. There’s no need of me inadequately using words to express what this movie means to me, so I won’t. You can always revisit my post with PrimeMeridian, though. Much love, “Love Jones“.

-23

 

2012 March Madness Podcast

Will Coach Cal finally get over the hump and cut down the nets? And if he does, will it actually count?

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year!!! Productivity will be at an all-time low as we use work time to fill out brackets and/or watch games as we try to avoid being discovered by our bosses (who are most likely doing the same thing in their office). March Madness is upon us! This year’s tourney brings with it unanswered questions, as every tourney does. Will there be another Cinderella run to New Orleans for the Final Four? Will we see another Butler (2 straight championship game appearances) or a VCU who went from First Four to Final Four? Will this year bring about the return of the dominance of college basketball’s superpowers like the 08 tourney? Which players will become household names and/or boost their draft stock like Derrick Williams did last year? Can Bill Self and the Jayhawks stop losing to teams we’ve never heard of? Could we get a Roy Williams vs. Kansas matchup, pitting him against his old school? Can Jim Boehim-lich Maneuver and Syracuse live up to its regular season record?

Its about that time to start filling out those brackets and joining office pools, but have no fear! We’re here to help! With the help of a few friends of The Thread (Ramon and Justin) The Big Socrates and I broke down the bracket just minutes after Selection Sunday. Enjoy! (And if you make some money off of our advice, we expect a 10% donation.)

P.S. This should come in handy. Here is a tv schedule for the play-in games as well as the first and second First, Second, and Third round games! Remember, every game is televised this year on CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV, so don’t miss any action! If you werent lucky enough to take Thursday and/or Friday off to enjoy the action nonstop (like I was able to do), for just $3.99 you can stream all of the action from your laptop, work computer, phone or table.

PSS: We reserve the right to change our respective brackets! After our discussion, I already feel shaky about a few of my picks!

“I do this for my culture”

-MichaelYoungHistory, The Big Socrates, Justin B. and Ramon R. 

 

Thirteen Thursday Thoughts

Let’s go get ’em…

The value of American men is declining (1) according to this article I ran across the other day.

“According to Department of Education data, in 1975, men earned about 60 percent of all college degrees. By 1985, there was equal distribution by gender. But by 2009, the pendulum had swung in women’s favor. Of the more than 3 million college degrees for the Class of 2009, women earned close to 60 percent of those degrees (1,849,200), or almost 149 degrees for every 100 degrees earned by men. By 2017, Department of Education forecasts suggest that women will earn more than 160 degrees for every 100 earned by men.

The future isn’t rosy in the employment arena either. As recently as 2008, around 3 million more men than women had jobs, but that difference was closer to 1.5 million by the end of 2011 (having flirted with parity at the trough of the recession in 2009, at which time 82 percent of all job losses were male), according to Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics stats.”

Well, isn’t that just peachy? You can look at this one of two ways. On one hand, women are making significant progress in society. On the other hand, men ought to get used to the taste of dust women are kicking up if these figures and forecasts hold true. Speaking of worthless men, Rush Limbaugh (2) opened his mouth again, and [REDACTED]. In other men news, have you heard about this mess brewing in California with the 41-year-old teacher (3) leaving his family and shacking up with his 18-year-old former student?? It’s really not the age difference that bothers me. It’s not even the student-teacher thing. This isn’t the first time nor will it be the last time that has happened. What bothers me is the fact that this man left his wife and kids to live with an 18-year-old. Furthermore, his oldest daughter is 17. #awkward These two can call this love and say they’re following their hearts all they want, but if I let my 18-year-old heart make these kinds of decisions, I’d hope someone would knock me upside my 18-year-old head. I want an update on this story in 6 months. I don’t see it lasting much longer than that.

It’s been a tough year for Peyton Manning (4) fans, hasn’t it? He misses the entire season, has 4 neck operations, the Colts enter the doldrums of the NFL, and have now decided to proceed without him. If I’ve learned nothing else about professional sports leagues and franchises, I have learned that business is business. Owners and GM’s are in the business of winning games and championships. It’s as simple as that. Players that spend their entire careers with one team are a rare breed and an endangered species. I applaud Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay for the class they displayed during the press conference. Class is a word I can’t use to describe this Bountygate (5) situation, though. It just won’t go away, and it annoys me more every day. Forgive me for not being surprised or outraged by the fact that someone was paying defensive players to deliver big hits and injure players. Don’t high school and college kids get helmet stickers for this kind of thing? Don’t we love watching brave receivers go up the middle only to get leveled by big, bad safeties? Don’t we get a kick out of watching videos like this? No? Okay, maybe that’s just me then. I’m not condoning this practice, but I’m not at all surprised by it. I remember when I was in the eighth grade and laid out a kid, and got accolades for it. Practice! He was a teammate. I think I just knocked the wind out of him, but people were lauding my efforts while he was still rolling around on the ground. This culture has been built over the years. I figured it was just a matter of time before someone put some money on it. I don’t like it; it’s cheap (figuratively speaking), but it makes sense. We get excited and replay a violent collision on our DVRs when we see a big hit followed by a guy who doesn’t get up. Now people act like this bounty thing is reprehensible? I won’t lie, once I found out the amount guys would get for a hit/injury (except for the bounty for Brett Favre), my initial thought was, “That’s it?” We’re talking millionaires here. My opinion.

I would say she looks good...sexy, if you will.

I don’t pretend to be the biggest NASCAR fan, but Danica Patrick (6) tends to intrigue me from time to time. It’s nice to look at her. However, she doesn’t take too kindly to being called “sexy” anymore. Oh. Well, excuse us, Mrs. Patrick. Your driving prowess and record of winning races don’t seem to be making news. Maybe because…YOU HAVEN’T WON ANYTHING! Yet you stay relevant. I keep seeing you scantily clad in GoDaddy.com commercials and swimsuit issues. I googled Mrs. Patrick, and this is what came up. “Pretty” isn’t the word I would use to describe the vast majority of those pictures. So, she doesn’t want to be called sexy? Then chill with the sexy pictures!

Ladies, I need your help. I have been a victim! I have had to replace more Jordan shorts (7) than I care to remember. The only reason I am bringing this up is because there have been a few conversations on my Twitter timeline about women’s need to take their man’s Jordan shorts and not give them back. I’ve also talked to quite a few women who proudly brag about their collection of Jordan shorts. I’ve even heard them called “trophies.” Why??? Those are not cheap! I mean, it’s cute and everything, but what is the fascination here? Is it merely comfort or is it more of a psychological thing? Please advise.

Big K.R.I.T. (8) dropped his third mixtape, “4eva N A Day”, on Monday. I’ve been a fan since the first time I listened to “K.R.I.T. Wuz Here”. I loved “Return of 4eva”. This effort, however, left some things to be desired. He stays true to his smooth, Southern sound, but there just weren’t many standout tracks to me outside of “Red Eye.” It’s a solid listen, but I wasn’t hitting repeat as many times as I did on his previous two mixtapes.  Like MichaelYoungHistory pointed out, the album is supposed to drop in June, so these probably aren’t the best songs we’ll hear from K.R.I.T. I hope he’s right.

As the regular thREADERS know, I am a proud Longhorn (and Knight). Needless to say, Sallie Mae (9) and I are in a toxic, tumultuous, long-term relationship. I found this video that provides a comical and realistic view into such a relationship.  Yeah, that about sums it up. More light was shed on the affirmative action/holistic review/race in admissions issue at Texas (10) that I wrote about a few weeks ago. Here’s an interesting article that provides an inside look into what’s going on in Austin. It also sparked some interesting debate and discussion.

Texas. Dallas, Texas. My hometown got another show. Not Dallas, not SWAT, not First 48, not Top Chef: Texas, not Storage Wars: Texas. This one appears to be on some Stepford Wives-type ish. “Good Christian Bitches Belles – GCB (11). WTF? I refuse to watch this show, but based on what I’ve read, it reminds me of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills/Orange County. FOH! How many damn “wives” shows do we need? OMG. Desperate Housewives wasn’t enough? Basketball Wives isn’t enough? Mob Wives? SMH. I’m hoping the ratings force ABC to divorce such poppycock. LOL.

On a more solemn note, #Kony2012 (12) entered my life on Monday through social media, and I must say that I’m very moved, saddened, and frustrated. For those curious or unaware, here is a link that details Jason Russell, Invisible Children, Joseph Kony, the sex slave trade, and the documentary itself. Here is the documentary, Kony 2012.

Finally, over on the Thread, we’ve been discussing a weekly radio show (13) for our friends, thREADERS, Twitter followers (@TheThreadBlog), etc. There are about 20 of us, and we’ve had a 5 year running conversation (hence the name, The Thread). Why not further open the doors to you? The idea spawned from a few friends of ours who have started their own radio show. We’re just looking for a different and interactive way to reach the hundreds of people who have supported us here. We’re not abandoning the ThreadBlog; we’re just trying to experiment with another avenue. Let us know your thoughts.

-23

 

The MisAdventures of Chuckie Brown: “Rough Morning”

So it’s Saturday morning… an opportune time to sleep in after a long week.

You set your alarm to wake you up just so you don't accidentally oversleep and miss out on such a beautiful day!

You wake up to a familiar smell... Pancakes and Bacon -- a Saturday staple. Nothing like waking up to a big breakfast.

 

Thirteen Thursday Thoughts

Let’s roll…

Tragedy struck America’s school system again this week. Another troubled teen entered into his school and took his depression and frustration out on his fellow classmates. Another school shooting (1) with an unhinged young man. Honestly, I’m not too sure how to feel. I mentioned over on the Thread that we as a people had become immune to this kind of violence now. That’s not to say that it doesn’t affect us in some way, but I look no further than the television coverage. I was watching CNN all day that day, and news of the shooting seemed like an inconvenience to the sweeping coverage of Primary Tuesday and soaring gas prices. Maybe this kid didn’t kill enough people that day. Just when the news vans and media were ready to leave Ohio and head back to Michigan and Arizona, another student passes. And then another. I’m saddened. I’m upset. I’m disappointed. I’m confused. We need to do a better job of talking to and taking care of one another. I tip my hat to Chardon High School, though. The school seemed to have the proper procedures in place to minimize such a spree. All reports suggest that this could have and should have been much worse. My thoughts, prayers, and condolences are with those directly affected.

On a much lighter note, let’s rewind to the weekend that was. Mary J. Blige (2) sang the National Anthem for the NBA All-Star Game. Like I said last week, I wasn’t going to watch much of the game, but Mary was singing. I love Mary. But uhh…I was not a fan of her rendition. When I think of the fact that Marvin sang on the same stage almost 30 years ago and gave us his classic version, I was expecting something much better than what I was given. She didn’t sully the song like Christina Aguilera or Carl Lewis, but she just did too much with it. Yikes.

Did anyone catch the NFL Combine (3)? It’s such a display of sheer and amazing athleticism. It’s also strangely reminiscent of a slave auction. *cue MichaelYoungHistory hanging and shaking his head* Now, I don’t want to compare it to the s-word (the inhumane and grotesque institution forever woven into the fabric of our country) as a whole, but the poking, prodding, and endless measuring of an overwhelming number of black males to determine whether or not he’s big, fast, smart, and strong enough for a wealthy white man is certainly worth a second glance. What do I know, though? A lot of these cats are going to go push their bodies to the limits, get paid, get rich…and (unfortunately) go broke. A lot…not all.

I also said last week that I didn’t plan to sit through the Oscars, so I didn’t. Through Twitter, I was alerted as to when the three awards that I cared about were presented. Octavia Spencer (4) walked away with the award for Best Supporting Actress, and I was elated for her. Although I’m not the biggest fan of “The Help” (Jay Howard Gatsby nailed my sentiments here), I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Spencer’s role and performance. Speaking of her roles, though, I genuinely hope that she uses this as a launching pad for her career. I looked at her list of roles and she has a hoard of nurse/maid/mammy-like roles. She’s too talented for any more of these. While I watched my fifteen minutes of Oscar coverage, I heard Billy Crystal (5) make a comment that managed to jerk me from the arms of celebration. In case you missed it, he said,  “I loved [The Help]…When I saw it, I wanted to hug the first black woman that I saw, which from Beverly Hills is about a 45-minute drive.” I don’t want to call foul here, but it seemed to be in poor taste. Perhaps it’s more of a jab at the world that is when you think about the fact that by and large, black people do not heavily dot the landscape of Beverly Hills.

Moving on…I already miss when Angelina Jolie (6) looked like this…

Healthy and stuff (c) Justinfication

…and not like this…

Ooh, Angie, baby, no...

Although I didn’t catch much of the Oscars, I heard about “Undefeated” (7), the movie that won Best Documentary. Being the curious person that I am, I set out to find it. First, I went to Blockbuster. There is actually one left of the dying franchise about 5 miles away from me. I asked one of the employees where I could find “Undefeated”, and the lady was so proud of the fact that she had the opportunity to lead me to where it was hiding. She brought me to this. *sigh* The next day, I found the movie showing at an obscure theater about 15 miles away, so I decided to make the trek to go see it. To my surprise, it was a private screening. All of this to see a damn documentary??? Just as I turned away from the box office in frustration, the nice young lady offered me a golden ticket to join the private screening. Bless you, ma’am! Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I had no idea Diddy (8) was an executive producer, either. I swear, that man finds the best ways to market himself and invest his money. Anyway, “Undefeated” reminded me slightly of “The Blind Side” since both movies are set in Memphis and deal with football. I won’t give away any more information, but just know that it was really good. Go check it out. I think it will be showing in more theaters this weekend. I hung around to see “Act of Valor” (9) as well. Since it was only $6.50 at this particular theater on this particular evening and I didn’t have to pay for “Undefeated”, I willingly paid instead of hypothetically sneaking in. Overall, I really liked this movie as well. Actual Navy SEALS were used in this movie, and I was really impressed by and grateful for our military. Much love, respect, and appreciation.

My ill-fated trip to Blockbuster that I mentioned earlier actually yielded some fruit as I was able to get my hands on the third season of “The Wire” (10). For those of you who haven’t been exposed to this show, you’re doing yourself a disservice. As long as you don’t mind the realistic, gritty, and often grisly glimpse into inner-city street life, you’ll love it. I was sucked into this black hole where productivity goes to die a few weeks ago, and I’ve been addicted like the junkies depicted in the show ever since. Ladies, if all of this doesn’t sound like something that interests you, *sings* Idris Elba is in it. You’re welcome. Can I get one more television-related thought out? Snooki (11) is reportedly pregnant! Umm…yeah. I figured we were due for an update on her body. Between her weight loss, boobs, UTI, and pregnancy, I feel like I’ve heard enough about her to be her physician. Well, congratulations and best wishes to her…and us. Another little Meatball rolling around. God help us.

*exhales* Clearly, I spent a lot of time in front of the big screen and my flat screen this past week.

Time for my obligatory mention of something Jeremy Lin related! *applause* This time it involves Ben & Jerry’s (12)! *applause* They thought it’d be a great idea to have a frozen yogurt paying homage to the newest NBA star! *applause* The frozen yogurt featured fortune cookies and an ethnic reference… *don’t applaud* Really??? How stupid can Ben and Jerry be? Did ESPN not teach you anything? If we don’t find a cure for Lin-sanity soon, this seemingly racial virus will become an epidemic.

Lastly, we’re in the month of March (13) now. Can you believe we’ve already gone through the first two months of 2012? March marks National Nutrition Month (whatever that means), American Red Cross Month, and Women’s History Month. Also, although I’m a day early, Happy Independence Day to my fellow Texans.

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