Time is Short But...

School Sucks - My blogging is sucking as of late because of time constraints, I am left to do updates, so bare with me for a few weeks as I struggle in this damn statistics class, which I am failing as we speak.

I took the first test this past Monday & got a 50% on that bitch.  I am not giving up though!  If I have to take it again, at least I will have a leg up.  Stay tuned!!!

My New Whip - Last week before the trip to NYC, I picked up my new car & got rid of my gas guzzling SUV.  I did not get the Prius like I wanted because of the jacked trade-in drama (poor me)!  I winded up getting the Saturn Aura XE, which I liked from a far, I just wanted a hybrid. .  I got a great deal on the car, 2000 cash incentive, GM discount & the have me 10k for my car (Toyota tried to give me 8k).

After riding high for the last 6 years, I’m getting used to riding lower but I keep bumping my head when I get in & out.  The ride is very nice & super quite & ooooooooooooo, that new car smell is sexy enough to make me juice my draws.

Like most guys, I don’t like to read instruction manuals, which means that I am still figuring out shit.  Today I saw that I had lumbar support & automatic seats, this discovery made me smile.

One thing that I’m really loving on the car is the XM radio that it came with.  I discovered a really nice jazz station “Watercolors” & “The Move”, which is a nice house station.  My kids are digging the Disney station but it gives me a headache.

I Love Getting Packages – Who says money cannot buy you friends?  For 460 bucks, my new Nikkon 50mm f/1.2 lens will be my friend for life!  He arrived straight from Japan just at just the right moment yesterday & we have been having some fun.  This new friend will take some getting used to because he is a manual old school lens.

I meet this young guy in NYC last week and he had one on his camera & I asked to see it & he was like sure it I let him play with my 85mm f/1.8.  We swapped for about 30 minutes & I knew I had to have a 50mm f/1.2 for myself.  This lens is starting to get hard to find in the US especially new.  Stayed tuned for some kick ass night shots taken with this bad boy.

Politricks – Yesterday, when I was walking out of my office, my cell rung & it was from some weird number but I still answered.  It was a woman from the Obama campaign calling to tell me that they just opened up a campaign office in my area & she wanted to know if I would be interested in volunteering.  Like a fool, I said yes, with excitement, like it was him asking me himself. 

I go for the orientation next week, & I told her up front that I am not doing the door-to-door thing.  Since I am all ready pimped out for time, I will be limiting myself to helping out to 2-3 times per month.  Yes, I am caught up in an Obamafied state, but a brother has to watch his time budget.

Speaking of Obama, I ordered some campaign buttons 2 weeks ago & my shit better show up this week or I’m jumping the fuck off!

So today Ralph Nader put his foot in his “white speaking” mouth & said “… I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards..."

Honestly speaking, I feel what Nader is saying, he just said it sooooo very wrong.  And from my recollection, he is right, I have not heard anything comprehensive from Obama on these issues, but I also have not heard them from Nader or McCain.  Who ever becomes president will have to address issues in the Black community but he will also need to address the nation as a whole.  I just know that we will put a lot of stock into Obama to help solve our collective needs but we need to also look at the big picture.

Moving on, last week, while at dinner with blogging buddies, I asked them if they thought Michelle Obama would rock some corn-rows up in the White House if Barack got elected.  We all laughed but all said that she would.  What do you think?

The question that is circling my mind this week is, if Barack was elected, would he apologize for slavery if the issue came back up from Civil Rights groups or if it was reintroduced in Congress.  Actually, if I attend another town hall meeting & have the chance to ask the question, I will ask him myself.  It’s not a deal breaker for me but I want to know what he thinks.  I would also ask the same question to Turkey Neck McCain.  Thoughts???

Other Bullshit News - Is the Supreme Court out of their fucking minds???  1st, I think capital punishment needs to be in all states because some mutha fuckers just need to be killed for some of the shit that they do; point blank!!!  Today, them Supreme Court fools stated that it is unconstitutional to issue the death penalty to anyone convicted of raping a child, assuming that the child is not merked.

What about the child being damaged for life physically & mentally???

If anything tried to lay a hand on one of my daughters, it will be a scene out of John Grisham’s novel “A Time to Kill” jumping off up in this bitch!

Will someone shut Don Imus the fuck up!  I listened to his comment a few times over the last few days & his excuse is just not gelling.  I think he needs to get dropped off on 29th & Broadway so the “Niggas” that were about to beat my ass have a little talk with him.

Sad State of Affairs

What the hell kind of weed was OJ smoking when he admitted to killing his wife & her boo? That must have some good shit for him to slip up & expose the truth that we all know but love to deny.

Sad thing is that he cannot be retried, he is not the 1st person to get away with murder (well, maybe the 1st Black man to get away with murdering a white woman) & will not be the last. I wonder how his kids feel about him????

What the fuck took so long to get R. Kelly’s trial going??? In the last six years, that nigga released like 8 albums, made me “step in the name of love” countless times, he did 35 collabos & paid for 4 abortions. Honestly, why is this going to trial??? I saw the video when it was circulating & if that was not R. Kelly, maybe he was kidnapped & got into some “face off” type shit.

The (obviously willing) victim is now twenty-damn-three & is denying that it is her in the video. Can you say, the dick brainwashed her (she needs to talk to Alexyss) & she mos def got paid off.

The Detroit City Council is a step closer in getting Kwame’s delusional ass out of office. All I wanna know is what can I do to help!

In other news:

1st) Who made that dress?
2nd) Likeded is not a word!
3rd) Why does she have that big ass tattoo on her chest & that tongue ring?
4th) Why is this in the news, & who really cares?
5th) Last but not least, where is her momma. I would have said where are the parents but it is clear that there is no father around.
6th) Can't wait to see this featured on the Hot Ghetto Mess website.

In personal news:
- I got a Myspace message from my sister Baby today that stated “just left the doctors and my due date is 11-11-08 yes i'm having a baby”. OK, WTF!!!

1st) Why would you Myspace message that kind of news. This is worse that a text message. So impersonal!!! And why didn’t you just tell me this bittersweet news when you saw me Saturday?
2nd) Last week you called me because you were out of money & food until your current boo got paid & begged me to order you a pizza so yall grown asses could have something to eat. How are you going to afford another mouth to feed. Oh wait, I know food stamps. Duh!!!!
3rd) You don’t have a job now, have not had one for months, is this a sign of a life line system lifestyle?
4th) Why is my mom so excited about this new baby? Yes I know it is another grandchild who will be precious, but all I see is another bastard child who will be sharp as hell & living in the lap of ghetto luxury.
5th) My sister changes her boo more than she changes her panties. I started to ask whose it was but that just would have been too fucked up for me to even ask.
6th) Why do I have to have that one sibling that people talk about at the family reunion?

I love my Baby, but she makes the worst life decisions ever. I wanted to call her so bad tonight but all I would have to say would have been counter productive & a waste of breath. What’s done is done.

In political news:
- Will someone fucking take over Myanmar with an international coup. I really do not understand why the government over there is denying aid. I saw videos of all of the squalor & dead bodies floating around to this day. I guess if I was a Katrina victim, I would stop complaining right about now, or at least until the FEMA checks ran out.

- Hillary, you mos def can’t count & we all know you can’t budget. Drop the fuck out & have a BBQ with your hard working white supporters. How dare you insinuate that white Americans are the only ones that are middle class, hard workers etc. This is the exact reason your campaign is going down faster than Monica Lewinsky or Karrine Steffans in a room full of hot dick & nuts.

- George Bush, fuck pictures of your daughter's wedding cuz I don’t give a fuck!!! I wanna see my damn stimulus package check. I need some damn gas money bitch.

Post Jump Off: Hey Boo

Dear Blog,

I am back up in this bitch & I hope that I will not bore you with a little Bygbaby potpourri.  I told you that a lot has been going on so I will try to be as brief as possible

“Although inspired in part by a true incident, the following story is fictional but not really and does not depict any actual person or event but it really does but I can’t say.”

School & Making it Through
My last math test was a b-eye-itch!  I really did not study & felt half way confident that I would do ok to get a C because I was at the point of not giving a fuck, I just want this shit ova!  So this Monday’s class was results & I had my fingers crossed to get a C.  The instructors lands the graded test in front of me & I had a big fat 93%!!!  I was like, is this my shit???  I was so geeked but even more excited that I have one test left.  At this point, I am looking at getting a B out of the class.  It will be great if I can pull off a B+ because my GPA will stay just above a 3.0, which means that I get my transfer scholarship when I land at the EMU business school in the fall.

Yes, the last piece of my last sentence is right.  I am finally fucking done with community college after a very sporadic 7 years of classes here & there.

I found out Monday that I was eligible to graduate this May from WCC.  1st thing Monday am, I met with the assistant dean at the b-school of EMU who looked at my transcript & was like what the are you waiting for, you need to be here now!  We combed through my current credits & the requirements of the BA program & all I need is 15 classes to have a BA with a specialization in HR.  15 classes ain’t shit now, I am looking forward to knocking them out.  I am ultra excited & cannot wait to be on my way to a 4 year degree.

My family & were excited to hear my little news & that made me feel good.  Thx to all of my blogging friends ho have lifted me up during the last 2 years especially with the math drama!!!

So I will be going to the little graduation ceremony next month & mostly to show my girls that this shit matters.  Some time next month I also plan to have a little party to celebrate with my friends who tease me about being the oldest nigga in my classes.

To celebrate myself (and I do that so well), I am getting a Vaja messenger bag in dk brown with red trim.  I need a bag upgrade desperately because my Coach messenger bag looks like it was taken from an organized crack head!!!

Photos & Soul for Sale
Sunday before last, I uploaded 13 photos to iStockphoto & Wednesday before last 9 were approved & 4 were rejected.  I was pretty excited about that.  By Thursday, I was a whole ¢26 richer!!!  One of my photos sold & I was so geeked.

I’m using iStockphoto as a litmus  test to see if some of my work as commercial viability in the stock industry.  If things go pretty good, then I will step my game up & try to join a stock house.

Time & sales will tell, so stay tuned.

Gym Hot Mess of the Week
If you go to the gym, you are familiar with a lot of the hot mess that walks up in there.  I usually do a gym hot mess of the week based on some of the tacky shit that people wear, do & say.  Before yesterday, the Overbuff Muscled Headed Negro (I have names for them all) was my gym hot mess of the week.  He’s new & when I first saw him, I was like WTF is up with those huge blue jean MC Hammer pants.  The as I got closer to him, I was like what is that shit hanging off your face.  Well upon closer inspection, I saw that it was a single lock, at least 8 ft long that he had wrapped around his neck like some type of necklace.

Well, yesterday, the Overbuff Muscled Headed Negro was no longer the gym hot mess of the week.  The Long Faced Red Locked Fat Boy was the official gym hot mess of the week.  Yes, I am the Long Faced Red Locked Fat Boy & it is impossible for me to be beat for this weeks title!  Let me tell you why.

Yesterday morning before work, I packed my gym bag & cross checked to be sure I have everything; tight work out shorts, over shorts, t-shirt, socks, gym shoes, hair tie, pad lock, water bottle, & towel.  Once I verified everything, I hit the door.  So now it’s 645, I’m at the gym getting ready to change.  So I go through the bag & was like shit, where is my t-shirt, where are my socks????  Did that shit leap out of my bag this am???

So I was like damn, I’m happy that I wore a wife beater today, because usually when it warms up outside, I don’t wear undershirts.  Well at least my shirt problem was solved or so I thought.  Once I took off me shirt, I realized that I had on a beat up wife beater with a hole all up in the front & it was “a little” ill fitted & basically tight as hell.  I was like I am going to look nasty as hell with this janky shit on.

Ok so now I take my shoes off & saw that I had on a pair of wildly colored argyle socks that were slight moist (yuk).  So who was I going to walk out of the locker room looking like a crack head by the socks & t-shirt with partially wet socks.  Damn my feet felt nasty.

After an abbreviate workout, I left looking a hotter mess than I did when I hit the gym floor.  I need to double & triple check my bag before leaving the house now, because I do not want to be the winner of my own mind game.

I told Cousin Dee about this & we both died laughing!!! I think sometimes we have to laugh at ourselves to stay sane.

Price of Rice
Yesterday while working out at the gym as the hot mess of the week, I was watching CNN & heard several stories about rice shortages & rice rationing from US retailers.  That shit made me have a mini panic.  I called Suite Suzy & told her to stock us up on rice ASAP.  She was like, do you know how much rice I buy.  I was like no.  She was like 25lbs at a time.  I was like ok, get 50bls.  She was like, that is enough for 6 months, then I was like fuck it, get 75lbs.  She was like, are you crazy!  I was like, I do not want to be caught out there with out being able to have my Basmati rice or paying high ass prices.  She talked me down a bit but came home with 50lbs worth.

My next 8 food recipes will all involve Basmati rice, so stay tuned!!! LOL.

I’d Rather Homeless
Sunday, my sister Baby called me & told me that she was about to be evicted from her apartment if she did not come up with 390 bucks before her eviction hearing, which was today.  So I was like, sorry boo, can’t help! But lets talk about what options you do have, which were not many.

Bottom line is that she & her boyfriend, I mean current jump off are totally irresponsible.  I cannot offer finances to support losers who have chronic cash issues.  I felt bad because I do not want my nephew Bay Bay caught up in her ghetto drama but I cannot save someone who does not want to save their self.

Yesterday, I call Baby up to see how she’s doing & she was like, I’m fine, just busy packing.  I was like, so nothing panned out & she was like no.  How can two adults not come up with 390 bucks (Only an elitist would ask that type of question!!!)???

I was like, you know my door is always open to you & Bay Bay (notice, I did not say you boo!!!) without a doubt & she was like that’s OK, we will be fine.  So I was like, so where are you going to go & she was like, I don’t know.  I was like, Baby, come stay with me until you get your shit together.  She was like no & I was like, why not, then she was like, I cannot live with you, I was like what???  You cannot live with me???  She was like no.  I was like what, are you telling me that you would rather be homeless with your child then live with me.  She was like yes.  I was fucked up.

At this point, I had nothing else to say other tan good luck & talk to you later.

So now, I’m like, I must be fucked up, a horrible person, a bitch, the nigga no one wants to be around right,,,

Fast forward a few hours, I’m hurt by what Baby said to me & I had to consult with my inner circle.  So I called my mom, Suite Suzy, Cousin Dee & BFB (individually), & told them what jumped off.  They all were like fuck her, yes even mamma.  They all said you were ok when she wanted money!!!!

Fast forward a few hours more, & I get a call from Baby.  She called to ask me how much it was to go to NYC.  I broke down airfare & hotel & she was like ohhhh.  I was like, why are you moving there now?  She was like no, I’m planning for my B-day.  I was like, oh, OK.  & in my mind, I was like should you not be concentrating on getting a place to live???

After that, I told her she hurt my feeling & from there a fight ensured.  Bottom line is, she really is a loser.  I love her but she has some fucked up priorities & my hands are dusted & I am with a free conscious.  Just because I look like I have it going on, does not mean that I can just break people off change.  And even if I did, have all kinds of money, I still would not be all like here you go boo.

I have no idea hat my sister’s lifestyle means for Bay Bay…

Anyway, I am using my 400 bucks for my custom Vaja bag, not another niggas rent! Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.  Sorry Baby.

Car Troubles
I was so excited about my Prius but it is now dead & that’s because I’m not getting that bitch.  When the car came in, the dealership tried to fuck me over on my trade in & being fucked over is not something that I’m into.

So for now, I am saying fuck the environment & will continue to burn a whole in the ozone layer & my pocket with this damn SUV V6 engine.

Good thing I got them 4 damn tires.

Too Good to be True

Will somebody give him some tithes to shut him the fuck up!  Another great Billary support!!!

Bittersweet Cliché

Like most niggas, I am a day late & a dolla’ shoat’ with a Valentine’s Day wish. Actually I am always late with Valentine’s because I think it is a bunch of shit & another ploy to get people to spend needlessly.

When I think about it, all holidays are all about getting people to spend & spend. What ever happened to the sincerity of holiday meaning??? Shouldn’t we be telling the ones we love and care about how we feel often anyway. Why am I asking, who knows + I really don’t give a fuck.

Anyway I’m out this bitch, but before I go this is for all my niggas & bitches. (sorry I was listening to Lil’ John & the Easy Boys for the last hour).

Wait, I'm back & on another note: Did you see Jane Fonda on the Today Show this morning with Eve Ensler discussing the "Vagina Monologues"? I was ironing my pants getting ready for work when they were on & discussing the play etc. As you probably heard, during the discussion Jane broke & said CUNT.

“I was asked to do a monologue called ‘cunt’.” Jane Fonda 2008

At first, I was like did she just say CUNT??? Then I was like no, but then I was like, she had to had said CUNT. That shit had me cracking up all the way to work & made my day!!! I wonder what would have happened if she said PUSSY?????

Was the Pussy Worth It???

My mother always told me to never get my milk where I make my bread & I thought that was a pretty common sense thing to live by.

Well, I guess Detroit’s ghetto fly mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, was never taught that lesson by his mother, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. I am sure you know that Kwame is fucking his chief of staff Christine Beatty & has been for years. The two recently perjured themselves (lied about having a sexual relationship) on the witness stand during a trial where two former Detroit popo’s sued for a wrongful discharge & won 9 million mutha fuckin’ dolla’s.

Why does the city of Detroit have to pay for Kwame’s pussy getting escapades???

He really needs to step down & save his self from some of the national coverage that is blasting him for being a philandering lying as nigga! I guess, what is also tripping me out is that he has a house filled with young sons & a half way decent looking wife. What message is he sending those little boys & does his wife make him wear a condom? How embarrassing!!!

I am not up for breaking down all of the bitter details that are being pumped out by the media but I will admit that I’m enjoying every minute of it. I cannot stand Kwame & think he is the worst thing to hit Detroit since crack rocks.

He is always caught up in some shit and has been since his 1st term in office (now on his 2nd). I was shocked to fucking death when Detroiters put his ass back in office. Who in their right mind will elect a mayor with thug passion in his heart to represent them???

Anyway, I snapped this photo of Kwame a few weeks go, as he addressed international press at the NAIAS. As you can see, he is reaching for that blackberry because his jump off is trying to hook up at the Residence Inn!!!

2008 NAIAS Charity Preview Thoughts

I will post a link to my photos in comments when they go online.

A Real Friend Will...

The other day I had lunch with my old friend Biggie K to catch up on times. We had not seen each other in a few moths but email every now & then, usually little jokes & other bullshit email. So the week before last we set a date to and it was on.

So this past Wednesday, we meet at a local Italian spot, did the whole man hug & hand shake blah, blah, blah. The restaurant was really busy & we had to wait like 15 minutes before we were seated, so we just hung out & shot the breeze. While talking, I got a hot whiff of Biggie K's breath & was like damn (in my mind)! We were standing kinda close & the breath was on jam like nobody's business. It actually stanked so bad, I tasted it a couple of times.

I try not to talk with my facial expressions but in this scenario, I just could not help it. I think after I turned my face up a few times, he asked me why I was making so many faces. I played it off by saying my nose itched or something like that.

Now we are at the table laughing more & I had a glass of afternoon wine (really to help me get over that stank ass breath), which loosened me up a bit. As the meal went on, I finally blurted out Biggie K, yo breath is off the mutha fuckin hook! He looked at me like WTF. He then asked if that was why I was twisting my face up so early, & I admitted that it was. He then said, “man next time, let a nigga know, I'm happy that it is you & not one of my jump offs”.

I then told him to keep some mints on him at tall times from now on because his shit was dangerous & could potentially be sold to the government as nerve gas. To that we both laughed!!!

I guess the moral of the story is that a real friend will always tell you when you are fucked up whether it is stank breath, a fucked up looking outfit, a bad haircut, or a jacked up looking boy/girlfriend.

On The Block

Yesterday Cousin Dee & I went on our weekly photo expedition in and around Detroit. Usually our outing is structured but yesterday was pretty loose & for the part neither one of us were satisfied with what we captured when we recapped at the end of the day.

It was kind of fucked up because we usually have at least one money shot between the 2 of us but for the 1st time we were both losers.

Well my feelings on the money shot changed when I got home & loaded up my images to get a good look at what I had captured. So after combing through about 200+ pictures I found my money shot(s).

When I was driving down Alfred I saw a dilapidated structure & thought nothing of it until I got closer & saw a tree growing inside of it through missing windows. So I hit the brakes, jumped out the car grabbed my gear & got busy.

This structure seemed to be in the Twilight zone because just across the street from it is a home going though reconstruction & next to that was a brand new condominium complex. To the right of the building (an entire city block) stood nothing but overgrown grass, weeds, broken bottles and memories of what once was. To the left of the store on the other side of Beaubien sits the deeply depressed Brewster Projects.

This is the old Beaubien Party Store Located at the corner of Alfred Street & Beaubien (East Side Detroit). While I was taking my snapshots a toothless woman from the neighborhood approached me and said that she remembers when the whole street was lined with homes. She said that it was all row houses and in the 70's the neighborhood took a turn for the worst when families and houses started to disappear.

She blames Mike Illitch (property pimp) for the ubiquitous blight in the area today.

If you cannot see, you may need the latest Flash player.

New York City: I Don't Know Why I Love You

My post title is inspired by Gil Scott-Heron's "New York City" cut from his "It's Your World" album 1976.

“New York City, I don’t know why I love you
Maybe it’s because you're mine

Like so many others, I found it all to easy to stand off at a distance & criticize

But there ain’t nothing wrong with the city
Just some people been wrong there like every where else

New York City, I don’t know why I love you
Could be that you remind me of myself”

So I have been away for a few days on but now I am back up in this bitch with a vengeance & fully energized.

While I was out, I was in NYC on a lover’s getaway with my boo & now wife of 8 damn years. My 8th anniversary was last Thursday (07/12) & it was the best ever!

Suite Suzy & I always vacation for our anniversary & for the last 5 years we have been doing it in NYC. Yes I know, I know every year the same ole thing, right? Wrong! Each trip that we have had to NYC has been different from the others as we always discover new places, try different hotels, restaurants & neighborhoods, so it’s like we go on a different adventure in NYC every year.

This year we decided to go at a very slow & relaxed pace just kinda doing whatever happened & that is exactly what we did & it was fun being there without any concrete plans. Actually we had one plan that was confirmed & that was to hang out with Cluizel but everything else was up for grabs.

To spare you from all of the boring details, I’m just going to touch on trip highlights which made this trip one to remember.

Before I get into any of this I want to note that this year’s anniversary trip theme song was “Funkanova” (click to listen) by Wood, Brass & Steel. Every trip has to have a theme song!

The Highlights:

Meeting Friends:

• Daniel Marie – On our 1st night in the city we decided to go out for a few mojitos before dinner at the Bar in Victor’s Cuban Café (If you love mojitos, you have not had one until you had one @ Victor’s). So we perch at the bar near this seemingly quiet guy but soon as we placed out order, we found out that his ass was not quiet at all. The local bar fly introduced himself as Daniel Marie, who had a heavy European accent. He later revealed that he was from Geneva, CH & explained his fondness of yodeling.
  
  We actually sat and talked with Daniel Marie for over an hour & had some fun discussions on politics, the world cup (which I knew nothing about) & men pissing on toilet seats. We usually do not meet to many New Yorkers who engage in conversations especially in Manhattan so kicking it with Daniel Marie was really cool.
  
  
• Michelle aKa Cluizel – A little over a month ago we agreed to meet on my trip & I am so happy that we did! Cluizel is just as much fun in person as she is online. At first I was nervous cuz I never meet any online friends so to help present a clean image of myself, I decided not to be as ghetto as I am online, but that all went down the tubes after my 1st drink at the Negril Village, which is where we met for dinner. Cluizel, Suite Suzy & I turned that bitch out, laughing & talking more shit than a little bit.
  
  After dinner we hit the Village where the outing took a somewhat strange twist just before 9pm. We went to the village because the day before I purchased a new bead for my nipple ring & was having a hard time getting the new one in so I needed to go back the piercing parlor to have it put in. We get to the parlor, explain my dilemma & the weird sista working there hooked me up & minutes later my red new nipple bead was in place & I was happy. Once it was in Suite Suzy put me on the spot & requested that I show everyone my large nipple & nipple ring to which I was like no, because I was not sure if NYC was ready to see my nipple but the next thing I know, my shit was up & the nipple was out! The only thing running through my mind as my nipple was on display was OMG, Cluizel must think I am really out of my mind.
  
  Once all of the nipple drama was over, we all decided to get a genital piercing because they had a special & Cluizel demanded to go first, we were like ok! Just kidding, what of kind of people do you think we are??? After all of the nipple-based fun we decided to head to Times Square for some desert at Cold Stone Creamery one of my favorite places to be gluttonous. Shortly afterward we parted ways until the next time. Cluizel thanks for being you!!!
  
  Cluizel if you are reading, click here: mmmmmmmmm

Hotel, Leisure & Relaxation:

• Dream - Somehow I found out about this hotel and after I saw the website, I knew this would be the hotel to help make this trip over the top. Suite Suzy read a few reviews and they were not that great and I almost changed my mind but I said fuck it, let’s just do it.
  
  The Dream hotel had me hooked as soon as I hit the lobby and saw this huge saltwater fish tank, floor to ceiling & larger than life bronze statue of an Asian warrior with 2 bitches attached to him, one on either side. Unfortunately out room was not read yet so we had to kill like 4 hours so we had a little breakfast & ran a few errands to pass the time.
  
  It’s now about 130pm & we are walking into our room & it looked just like it did online. The bed was like floating on this blue light, there was a massive flat panel TV on the wall & bottom line is I was just like yes! This is what I am talking about! Because we had to get up at the ass crack of dawn to get our flight we were pretty tired especially when you factor in we got very little sleep the night before, so we decided to take a nap. Next thing you know, it was almost 4 hours later, then about 2 hours after that we get a ring at the door. I look out the peep hole & see a cleaning lady so I opened the door. She explained that she was there for turn down service & asked if we needed anything so we got a few extra towels & before she left, she gave us 2 big apples & wished us a good night.
  
  I had never been to a hotel that did turn down service before so it was a real treat especially on days we stayed gone for pretty much the entire day. The staff were all extra courteous & professional, with all this said, we will mos def stay at the Dream again!!!
  
  
• Washington Square Park - This is our park & a must do each time we go. WSP is always jumping with activity and I must say that the people watching some of the best if you are into people watching. It was just nice to be there sipping on a cold bottle of water, sitting under that shade having fun telling stories with my boo as life was happening around us.
  
  
• Chelsea Market - We found out about this place watching the Food Network & come to find out, this is where the Food Network is located. The Chelsea Market was busier that a beehive & filled with wonderful sights & smells. If you like baked goods, you would think that you died and went to heaven & if you are a diabetic, I caution you!
  
  This place almost has everything from a few grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries & little exotic boutiques to name a few. The Chelsea Market is the type of place that makes you want to live in NYC so you can go there everyday to get fresh foods.
  


• NYC Botanical Garden - OMG, you know I love flowers & all things botanical so this was a must do. Suite Suzy & I decided to visit Saturday morning & spend the afternoon there. This outing was soooooo beautiful not only because the flowers were breathtaking but also because Suite Suzy & I were slowly strolling through gardens spending some real time, which is hard to do any other day in our normal lives. Visiting NYC’s botanical garden seems like it is a real treat no matter what time of year you go because there is so much there.
  
  Shit we were there for about 4 hours and still did not see everything. So guess what, we have to put this on the agenda for a future trip.
  
  
• Central Park – When I walk through Central Park, I can hear Roberta Flack singing "That's The Time" in my head. Just something about that song makes me thing she is talking abot Central PArk in spring. Anyway, we took a little stroll through the park before we left Sunday & it again was beautiful! The only thing I do not like about areas of the park is the horses. I mean they are funky as hell almost so bad that if a gust of winds starts up, you can taste the smell.

Arts & Entertainment:

• Guggenheim - Our visit to the Guggenheim means that we have officially visited all of the “major” museums in NYC & I guess we saved the one of the best for last. The Guggenheim is featuring “The Shape of Space” exhibit, which is a pure orgy for the visual sense. The exhibit is very progressive & really seems like something that would be at the Museum of Modern Art, nevertheless it was awesome.
  
  Fortunately for the museum but unfortunately it is under massive exterior repair so we cold not get a good look at the legendary exterior façade designed by celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright
  

• Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix – It’s awesome, nuff said!
  
  
• Platanos & Collard Greens – OK, if you live in NYC r nearby & have not seen this yet, go get some damn tickets now & fuck seeing the Color Purple for now! Platanos & Collard Greens was off the chain it was so refreshing to see something that actually deals with real life scenarios that deals with the relationships of Africans in the Diaspora with a specific focus on Afro-Latinos & Afro-Americans. I will tell you, I am happy that I read the 5 part piece that the Miami Herald did recently on Afro-Latinos because it P&CG dealt with some of the issues presented in the MH.
  
  The one thing that turned me off at this event was some of the crowd. The play started @ 8pm & niggas were still walking in at 830 & someone in my row actually walked in 20 minutes into the 2nd act; OK why did they even bother even coming at all. Why come niggas can’t get no place on time???? Even people in the very 1st row were showing up late as hell. I will not even get into all of these grown assed men wearing hats in-doors!?!?!?!
  

  Hat Etiquette: Indoors, a man should always remove his hat, (particularly in a home, church, courtroom or restaurant) except:
  
  - in some public buildings or public places such as railroad stations or post offices
  - in the main parlor area of a saloon or general store
  - or while seated at the "lunch counter" of a diner or cafe
  - in entrance halls and corridors of office buildings, or hotels
  - in elevators of public or office buildings, unless a woman is present
  - if carrying packages, parcels or bags and both hands are occupied upon entry
  - if the man is an actor or performer and the hat is being worn as a part of a costume or performance

  
  From the website: “Platanos & Collard Greens is the hit romantic comedic play that tells the story of Freeman, an African-American man, and Angelita, a Latino woman, who are both forced to confront and overcome cultural and racial prejudices, while defending their bond from family and friends.
  
  Platanos will remind you of your family, your love and your life. Platanos is guaranteed to make you laugh, inspire you, and make you think!
  

Platanos has enchanted audiences of over 40,000 both Off Broadway in New York City and at over 100 colleges and universities in more than 17 states around the country.”

If it was not for Cluiziel, I would have not known about this production, so thanks again. Luckily, we were able to get like the last 2 tickets available for the Saturday night’s performance!

Good Eats:

• Chevy’s - If you like junk food TexMex, this is the spot. We love it & were bummed out when the closed the restaurant near is at home so we make it a point to go here whenever we are in NYC.
  


• Victors Café - This is some real Cuban & has never disappointed. They have the best pork chops on the damn planet! The pork chops are so good, we made 2 visits for dinner during out trip. These pork chops are so good, they will make you wanna bitch slap your great grand mother. Did I mention that they have phenomenal mojotos???
  


• Frank's Butcher Shop & Steakhouse - This was good little find for lunch while visiting the Chelsea. The portions were good & the prices were just right! I got a chicken club & Suite Suzy got a burger. Although the service was not the best, we do have this on our list to a spot to hit in the future.
  


• Negril Village - OMFG!!! This is one of the best restaurants in NYC. Again thanks to Cluizel, this was a great outing because a) the food was damn good b) the drinks were slamming b) the crowd was hip & chilled & c) the company was great.
  
  I ate like way too much but fuck it you only live once. Here is what I ate Codfish Fritters (app), Collard Green Wontons (app), Jerk Chicken (ent) & 3 caipirinhas; this is just my food. The bill was off the hook but so fucking worth it.
  
  This is mos def on the must visit again list!!!
  
  
• Norma’s - If you love breakfast, this is a must do. This shit ain’t cheap so you can’t go up in hear broke, shit French toast is 17 bucks! I feel bad saying that we go here so much on our visits that the staff fucking remembers us, maybe this is because when I go, I always show a little nipple for a discount. (ask to be seating in Kimberly's area, this sista is on top of her game & is always very nice to Suite Suizy & I!)
  

On our 5 day trip it may seem like we did a lot but we really did not do much for us. Anyway, I took many pictures but too tired now to sort through them all so stay tuned for some snapshots.

For our anniversary next year we decided to go somewhere else & right now we are considering Montreal, The Bahamas, LA/San Fran, San Antonio & Miami. We have a few months to make a final decision & I already excited! But we did decide to do NYC for one of our little side trips.

Peace,
Bygbaby

Ghetto Life: Why My Sister

The post title is inspired by Rick James’ “Ghetto Life” cut from back in the day. As a side note, I remember my mamma having this album cover ("Street Songs") hung on the wall above the red velvet couch like it was a piece of fine art. As a side note to the side note, I also remember using other album covers as if they were dust pans. This is old school ghetto, I wonder what poor folk without dust pans use now?

“When I was a young boy
Growing up in the ghetto
Hanging out on corners
Singin' with the fellas

Lookin' for the cute chicks
Trying to find a bit of fun
Looking for some trouble
Or anyone who'll give me some

I was young and crazy
In the ghetto
Didn't know what my life would be
In the ghetto
I was dumb and oh so lazy
In the ghetto
Something had a spell on me
In the ghetto

You wanna know what I'm talkin' bout?
Talkin' 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto Liiiiiiiiiiiife

You wanna know what I'm singin' 'bout?
Talkin' 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto Liiiiiiiiiiiife”

Today we went to my mamma’s for a family BBQ cook out, which I was looking forward to so that I could see my little nephew “Bay Bay”. The afternoon was pretty normal until my sister “Baby” asked me to come to her new apt to see where she lived. At first I was like why you do not have a lick of furniture, why do you wanna show that off. Then she was like so, I just want you to know where I live. So I said fuck it, let’s go then we (her, my little brother “Topot” & I) piled into my car & hit the streets.

4 minutes later we reached her new crib looking t nothing but white walls an air mattress & a crib. All the while we were there Topot & I kept asking her when the fuck she was going to get at least a damn couch for which she had no answer. Then all of the sudden she disappears comes back into the empty living room with a baby fur coat in her hand.

When I realized what it was, I was like what the fuck, is that a fur coat for Bay Bay? She proudly said yes it is. Then Topot & I were like OK, so your 1 year old baby has a mink coat & you do not have a lick of furniture? To that she quickly said, my boyfriend go this for him as a gift. At this point I was too through & I said let’s go back to mamma’s.

Once we got backed, we all joked & laughed & ate our asses off. About an 1½ after we got back, Baby was like I’m about to leave then she started packing up her stuff then she cleaned Bay Bay up & put him on a clean outfit. When we go to mamma’s Bay Bay was barefoot but when Baby got him dressed, he had on a new pair of icy white Air Force Ones & to top off everything, she put a navy blue doo rag on his little head. This made me trip out & ask her why her baby was so sharp but she had no damn furniture & why the fuck is he wearing a doo rag? I mean she had the boy looking like thug passion.

After seeing the shoes & doo rag, I was so disappointed & told her there is no reason for sweet little Bay Bay to be thugged out at the age of 1. Why be sharp in the streets & come home to nothing to sit on!?! She needs to pawn that damn coat & get a fucking cheap couch or at least one damn armchair.

From the looks of things at this point, my sister is contributing to this whole thing of parents thinking sagging pants, thongs, wife beaters, & low cut jeans are cute. What the hell is wrong with these young parents.

Bygbaby's 2007 BET Awards recap

Yes, I watched against my better mind & I must say that I was not let down by the show. When I say I was not let down it is because my expectations were as low as a pregnant ants stomach.

I really think BET needs to reevaluate what BET stands for; I mean how many Black people are really entertained by BET. I know I’m not. The lack of credible programming & constant run of tacky videos just does not stimulate me & I actually find it to be an insult on my intelligence.

While watching the show they ran some dumb ass previews of upcoming shows & I thought I was dying when I saw what they were going to be about, especially Hot Ghetto Mess. BET is trying to kill Black people. I implore you to turn that shit off with me!!!!!

So here are my final thoughts on the show.

What I loved:

• Jennifer Holiday & Jennifer Hudson’s performance although I am sick of this damn song
  
• The Diana Ross tribute, specifically speaking Erykah Badu’s rendition of Love Hangover. She tore that shit up & showed her ass. I actually did my bitch scream inside my mind
  
• The Public Enemy James Brown tribute performance
  

What I liked:

• Beyonce & Ciara shaking their ass, it took the focus off of their talent of thinking they know how to sing
  
• Nothing really else, well maybe some of the commercials
  

What turned me off:

• 50¢ like a mutha
  
• Mo'Nique’s space aged way too tight get ups. I swear I was waiting for a titty & or some back fat to pop the fuck out
  
• Lil’ Kim’s face
  
• The wack carpet Black carpet coverage
  
• Everything else!
  

Talkin' Bout Dick, Nuts & Pussy

I saw this shit on Crunk & Disorderly today & cracked the fuck up. I wish this show came on in my city because I would watch every damn episode.

This bitch woman of distinction is straight up going off on them educated hoes.

Have you ever heard of Alexyss Tylor? I am digging the southern accent & aviator hat.

Alexyss, you got it going on boo!

Ladies on this 2nd clip Alexyss talks about the powerful dick. Is what she is saying true? Have you ever had to slap anyone in the face because you got set off that right?

You can see more of Alexyss' videos on You Tube here. BTW, if you are fucking off @ work reading my blog, but on yo' headphones or close your office door.

Flavorlicious Ghetto Reality

After the “I love New York” Reunion show, I was anxiously awaiting the debut of VH1’s latest peep into Black buffoonery. Yes I am somewhat ashamed to admit it but I am talking about “Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School”.

Things got a little twisted last Sunday night when I realized that I would be missing an episode of “The Apprentice” so I decided to catch Charm School on a rerun. Luckily or maybe not, I was able to watch a few bits and pieces of CS between commercial breaks & what I saw was nothing less than shameful & tacky (why was I surprised?). Peep this, my eyes almost caught on fire when I saw Dara’s (aKa Like Dat) thong way up her ass while she was trying to make it over a rope wall. Some shit should not been seen on cable! Why do big girls, wear thongs anyway???

Fast forward one week and a day (yesterday), I was able to catch episode two in its entirety & a few times I found myself throwing up in my mouth but I think Schatar’s (aKa Hottie) shit & yeast stained panties took that cake! I mean she already looks nasty with a disastrous weave & over grown titties, now the world knows that she is walking around with a surprise in her panties.

As Suite Suzy & I watched, we certainly had some LOL moments, because there were some utterly funny & ridiculous moments that were almost too good to be true. Do these girls have any idea how dumb they look.

The grand prize is only 50,000 but I guess to someone who has jack shit, this will make a serious difference. Personally, making my ass look like America’s biggest loser for 50k just would not do. I guess if I was down & out ghetto then....

At one point during the first episode Mo’Nique (the shows facilitator/mentor) told the girls that while they were on the 1st & 2nd season of “Flavor of Love” that American was laughing at them & not with them. When she said that shit, I almost died because it was so true.

Them chicks (notice, I did not say bitches or hoes) were out of this earth stupid, ghetto, raunchy & gross. Wait, I need to separate one from the pack & that is my girl Courtney (aKa Goldie). She seems to be the only one on CS with common sense & some sort of pride + she is funny as hell & Suite Suzy & I happy to laugh with her & not at her unlike the others.

I have seen every episode of Flavor of Love & I Love New York, it’s doubtful that I will miss another episode of Charm School. Consider this my one ghetto addiction.

Are you watching???
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Players:
Flavor of Love Rejects: Season 1

• Hottie – Mentally Ill & looks like a damn fool by the head
• Goldie – I have no idea why she is on, she has common sense
• Pumkin – Media hungry ugly white chick
• Rain – Load ass mouth who needs to be slapped on GP
• Serious - Pretty girl but that’s about it
• Smiley - Crybaby with some mild retardation

Flavor of Love Rejects: Season 2

• Bootz – Buck mouthed ghetto weaver wearing hoe (sorry had to go there)
• Buckeey – Buck mouthed ghetto weaver wearing hoe (sorry had to go there again)
• Buckwild – Swear she’s not acting Black but actually offensive
• Krazy – Has grandiose delusions that she can actually sing
• Like Dat – Big girl who needs to learn how to act
• Saaphyri – A straight up hood rat ready to cut a nigga at a moments notice
• Toastee – Drunk porno star who looks like she has fetal alcohol syndrome

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About The Show:
Ever wonder what became of the girls that were so nasty, vicious and rough-around-the-edges that even Flavor Flav didn't want them? What are those girls going to do? Where are those girls going to go? Luckily for them, VH1 had just the place to send them, a little place called - CHARM SCHOOL.

Thirteen of your favorite breakout stars from "Flavor of Love" seasons one and two are back for some heated competition. Living as a group, learning as a group and out for themselves, these former Flavorettes will be rigorously trained in proper etiquette and manners before competing in challenges to determine their poise and grace under pressure.

Leading these ladies down the path of self-improvement is the singularly unique Mo'Nique. Headliner of the films Queens of Comedy & Phat Girls… (read more here)
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Charm School Ghetto Commandments:

1. Check Thyself Before Thou Wreckest Thyself (A fabulous woman is self-aware, and knows that her personality and behavior have an effect on those around her.)
2. Thou Shalt Goeth, Girl (A fabulous woman is a confident and powerful woman.)
3. Thou Shalt Show Some Class (A fabulous woman knows the rules of etiquette and social interaction.)
4. Thou Shalt Work What Thou Art Working With (A fabulous woman always looks her best.)
5. Thou Shalt Spit Mad Game With Style (A fabulous woman knows how to communicate effectively.)
6. Thou Shalt Mind Thy Money (A fabulous woman knows how to make, and keep her own money.)
7. Thou Shalt Payeth It Back (A fabulous woman gives back to the community.)
8. Thou Shalt Represent (A fabulous woman is media savvy.)
9. Unless Thou Can Play, Thou Wilt Be Played (A fabulous woman knows how to play the relationship game.)
10.Thou Shalt Be Fully Fabulous

Church Folk Need Lovin' Too

The sign above caused mad outrage from Parents of young children, Gays, Atheists, Buddhists & White Supremacists in my city. To protest they will stage a dildo burning on the churches lawn Friday night & the tripped out thing is that the local police dept has issued a permit for the orgy opponents to assemble. It's going to be a wild Friday night. Stay tuned for updates & pictures.

Cincinnati Dick Slinger

When I started reading this story, I almost spit out my drink because I was so shocked by this hot ass ghetto mess.

Not only is it a ghetto tale but it could very possibly be a HIV/AIDS tale. I mean you have 7 people in this story basically sleeping together & not using protection.

I’m surprised that Ricky has time for his “business” with all of his pussy dipping. I mean how many jump offs can a nigga have?

This is wrong, nasty & needs to be another wake up...
-----------------------------------------------------------
A dad, again and again, again, etc.
By: Sharon Coolidge

Ricky Lackey has six children on the way.

Don't call them sextuplets - they're each with different women.

When Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Melba Marsh asked Lackey during sentencing Friday on a charge of attempted theft how many children he had, the 25-year-old said, "None, but I have six on the way."

A stunned Marsh tried to clarify. "Are you marrying a woman with six children?" she asked.

"No, I be concubining," he said.

Prosecutors said Lackey is the expectant father of six children with six different women. The women all are expected to deliver in August, September and October.

Lackey's lawyer, Stephen Wenke, stopped his client from saying more.

Marsh said she wasn't sure how to respond, so she let the issue drop since it wasn't relevant to the proceedings.

Lackey, a music producer who told Marsh he was on the cusp of a $2 million deal that would net him $300,000 upfront, was convicted Friday on a reduced charge of attempted theft.

Prosecutors say the Avondale man defrauded U.S. Bank out of $3,975 by depositing empty envelopes into ATM machines, claiming they contained cash, and depositing bad checks before withdrawing cash on the falsely inflated balances.

Lackey has repaid the money, according to court records.

Marsh ordered no other sentence, because restitution had been paid.

As Lackey left the courtroom, a group of teenage girls there for another case appeared to know Lackey.

"Oh, there's Ricky Lackey!" one swooned.

Lackey shrugged the attention off with one word and a wave of his hand.

"Fans," he said. (Source | Cincinnati.com)
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Ghetto Definition Time:

According to the Urban Dictionary | Jump Off - A casual sex partner (aKa Booty Call).

Someone that you FUCK on occasion that you have no ties to. (Usually, one or both involved are married). Don't put any feelings into a jump off because you walk into it knowing that you can't get anything from it but a good FUCK! If you catch feelings, you will get hurt!!

"No, I be concubining,"

Let's Do Lunch

Today Cousin Dee & I had one of our Cousin Dates out and about in Detroit. We had nothing major planned outside of our delicious lunch at Eph McNally’s (our favorite sandwich spot). If I am at Eph McNally’s I am either with Cousin Dee or BFB & when I am alone, the host will tease me for dining alone. That’s how much we hit this spot up.

Anyway so after slamming down my Briggs Stadium (corned beef, scallion cream cheese & lettuce on pumpernickel) & some the worlds best bread pudding (with Irish Whiskey Sauce) we decided to go check out our girl Zana @ her shop Spectacles to shoot that breeze for a while. When you go to Spectacles, it is always hard to walk out of there without something but today I was able to resist but Cousin Dee feel victim to one of Zana’s good buys (Zana always says everything in her store is a good buy so we always joke about this).

After socializing for a while with other regulars we bounced so that I could go visit my good friend Famara Touray at his shop and to buy some of his wonderful natural African Black soap.

“Black Soap or African Black Soap comes from plantain skin, which is a natural source of vitamins A & E and iron & mixed with palm oil and palm kernels. The skin of the plantain is gingerly dried to a precise texture under the hot African sun. It is then roasted in a clay oven. The heat must be constant in order to achieve a particular color, texture & smell.

The roasting of the plantains determines the color of the soap. The longer the plantains are roasted, the darker the soap."

While on the way to Famara’s we spotted a woman DGWB (Driving Ghetto While Black) & fucking could not believe it. Earlier in the day we talked about how we (Black Detroiters) can drive around with ghetto ass cars with plastic duct taped rear windows bumpers fastened to the car with duct tape & twine & anything else. With all this said, I had to take the picture.

CD & I were both like it is wet as hell to here today so wherever she is taking that pissy mattress tom it gonna be wet & stankin’ even more. The mattress was obviously dirty but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

So now we are at Famara’s shop talking shit & having a good time laughing yada, yada yada & Famara breaks out with Tafari, did you see me in the paper this week? I was like no & he then whipped out the article, which was on the African Brain Drain & Migration to Detroit. The Detroit News interview Famara on the African migration as well as other prominent Africans in the area. I found the article to be excellent & I was shocked to read:

“More Africans have immigrated to the United States since 1975 than the total of number of slaves who were forced into bondage here over parts of three centuries, according to The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, in New York City.”

I get most of my African clothes from Famara who imports them from all over West Africa & I also get my Shea Butter from him as well for my Quench Essentials products. Famara & I have been friends for about 2 years now & we meet when I purchased my favorite indigo blue Dashiki from him at Detroit’s African World Festival. Over the past few months he got me hooked on the African Black Soap & it is so much better than any mainstream mass-produced soap IMHO.

Anyway, it was a good day full of shit talking, good food & laughter with friends.
-----------------------------------------------------------
African brain drain is gain for region
Gregg Krupa / The Detroit News

Touray Kunda came to Detroit from Gambia for business opportunities. He stayed because Touray Kunda Enterprises, his importing business, boomed.

"If business is not good back home, you think, 'Let me go to America, home of the immigrant,' " Kunda said.

After she finished medical school in Nigeria, Kehinde Ayeni, came for more post-graduate work. The psychiatrist stayed because economic and social circumstances in Nigeria made it impossible to find work.

"Most professionals still can't find jobs there," Ayeni said. "I believe many people migrate for the same reason."

African immigration to Metro Detroit is at a historically high level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, having grown by about 400 percent since 1990. The African brain drain is a brain gain for the region, observers say.

More highly educated than the general population or other communities of recent immigrants, Africans are influencing Metro Detroit professions, higher education, neighborhoods, religions and culture.

Evidence of a viable, expanding ethnic community is ample from growing congregations in churches and mosques, to grocery stores featuring African products, to immigration lawyers and social organizations established for Africans. (read more)

Related Article: The new African-Americans

Condo-licious

I had to post this shit because it had me cracking up! Maybe tomorrow when I watch it again, it will not be as funny because my slight buzz from my 1800 & Chambord Margaritas will be gone.

More on Crack & Mandatory Sentencing

I 1st heard about this story last week while listening to the News & Notes African American Roundtable w/Farai Chideya on NPR (so worth subscribing to the African American Roundtable Podcast). Anyway if you have been with me for a while, you know that Crack Heads get on my nerves to the 5th power & along with that I hate the people that help turn them into crack heads (fuck the law of supply & demand).

I think mandatory sentencing is totally racist on one hand & on the other, I see it as a warning to not fuck up & do some stupid shit like sale drugs & especially to your people who have so many social ills.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know that our men are filling up the prisons with fucked up sentences but who do we need to blame; the judicial system or the dumb nigga that saw selling crack (or what ever else) as a way out of the ghetto it a way to be hood rich. I say blame the nigga!

While I think it jacked that Blacks are punished 100 times more than whites for basically the same substance, I think we need to pull ourselves out of a ghetto drug induced haze both the drug dealer & the crack head.

"Crack is cheap. I make too much money to use crack. Crack is wack." Whitney Houston

FYI: I did this post while finishing a bottle of Chardonnay, so my thoughts may appear to be incoherent.

Bygbaby
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Commentary: John Conyers’ Upcoming Hearings on Crack vs. Powder Sentencing Promise to Be Provocative
By: Judge Greg Mathis

The House Judiciary Committee, under the direction of Congressman John Conyers (D – MI) will, in the next few weeks, begin hearings on the controversial mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Up first: A review of the sentencing disparities in cases involving crack and powder cocaine. In Conyers' 40-plus years in Congress, he has supported legislation to protect and advance civil liberties, ensure equal protection and access to the voting booth and protect women from violence.

Conyers is one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The Caucus was founded in 1969 to strengthen African-American lawmakers’ ability to address the concerns of Black and minority citizens. Conyers’ commitment to social justice is a welcome and much-needed addition to the justice system. His leadership should put a new face -- one that is fair and balanced -- on the American justice system.

At the height of America’s "war on drugs," mandatory minimum sentencing laws were put in place to punish dealers. The laws require judges to hand down set sentences to individuals convicted of a crime. Judges are not allowed to consider extenuating circumstances -- Was the individual coerced? Do they have any previous convictions? -- when sentencing. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, mandatory sentencing fails to deter crime and, as originally intended, the laws do not punish big-times dealers. Instead, mandatory minimums sent record numbers of people of color and women -- an overwhelming number of them addicted to drugs -- to jail, many of them for life, despite the nonviolent nature of many of their crimes.

The laws have been especially detrimental to black women. If caught acting as a courier for her drug dealing boyfriend, a woman would receive the same stiff sentence she would have had she actually sold the drug. As a result, the number of black women in America’s prisons has skyrocketed over the last 10 years.

When the penalties for drug possession were set, the punishment for crack was set higher because lawmakers believed crack was a more dangerous drug -- and associated with more violent behavior -- than powdered cocaine. Research has shown that there is no real difference in the potential dangers of crack or powdered cocaine. There is, however, a difference in the type of user that favors the two drugs: Because of its much-lower street price, crack is associated with poor, minority and urban users, while powder cocaine tends to be favored by more affluent users.

Over 80 percent of those convicted on crack cocaine charges are black. These nonviolent drug offenders would be better served by a drug treatment facility but are, instead, sentenced to long sentences -- overcrowding prisons and running up a prison expense tab that is now in the billions.

Conyers has long been a critic of mandatory minimums and believes that no distinction should be made between crack and powder cocaine during sentencing.

We only have to look at Congressman Conyers’ track record to know that the upcoming hearings will go beyond the surface and dive deeply into the issues, an important first step towards change. (Source | Black America Web)
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Check out:

My “Getting a Little Personal | Crackish Issues” post
The AA Roundtable discussion on this topic
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Law.com