DarkStar Spouts Off

BET Awards

1. Joe Jackson pimped his record label when speaking about his dead son.
2. Joe Jackson said the world lost an ENTERTAINER not that he lost his son.
3. Jamie Foxx is ig'nance and no-class, personified.

That is all.

Revelation Song

Good morning.

Have a good day.

Michael Or Prince?

Back in the day when both were SMOKIN, the debate would be Prince or Michael Jackson? Who was better?

I'd say when it came to music, although Michael was around longer, Prince was on top because he wrote all of his songs and played all of the instruments.

HOWEVER....

Michael had to be way on top on the entertainment level. Prince could jam and rock and give one helluva concert, but M.J. was in a league all to himself. (Think of all the wannabes, even today cough*Usher*cough, cough*Chris Brown*cough*)

"Old heads" like me remember that it was Michael that caused MTV to play videos of Black artists!

People often say they are offering prayers for the family of someone who died, but in this case, the family needs it regardless.

Michael Jackson, R.I.P.

Let Me See If I Understand

Let me see if I understand this.

Your company loses BILLIONS of dollars and you take money from the government to bail your behind out of a jam. To get around bonus limits, you raise the pay of some employees, outside of "normal" pay period evaluation?

NEW YORK (AP) -- Citigroup Inc. is increasing base salaries for many of its employees -- reportedly by as much as 50 percent for some workers -- as it restructures its compensation program amid new restrictions on bonus payments.

The increased salaries will offset lower bonuses, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity because the plans have not been made public. The higher salaries are not the equivalent of annual raises, the person added.

Citi faces restrictions on bonuses as part of a new government compensation oversight plan because the bank received bailout funds from the Treasury Department.

By shifting the mix in compensation packages, it will allow Citi to pay most employees as much as they received in 2008 while adhering to bonus caps.

"Citi continues to examine ways to ensure its employee compensation practices are competitive in this very challenging market environment," Citi said in a statement Wednesday. "Any salary adjustments are not intended to increase total annual compensation, rather to adjust the balance between fixed and variable compensation."

You want to "retain good workers" but you lost about $30 billion dollars over the past year and a half?

And where are our, being the U.S. government, dividends since you can afford this type of raise?

Iran: Something I Was Reminded Of

I was reminded about the Shah of Iran and how the U.S. and Britian installed him into power in Iran, destroying an elected government in the process.

Will those who are against Obama's tactics towards Iran please comment on that piece of history and why Iran and the rest of the world is in this mess as a result of that meddling?

Perfect Gift For A "REAL FATHER"'s Day

Here's what I think the perfect gift for a REAL FATHER's Day present is, in order:

1. Respect from his family for doing his best to hold things down. He may not be able to do so all of the time, but showing the man respect for trying his best and maybe giving a little hug from his wife or his children -- boys can give dap -- saying they see he is doing his best, for THEM AND THE FAMILY.
2. The big chair. If he can't have the man cave, give him the big chair.
3. The remote; 'nuff said.
4. The big piece of chicken.

Happy Father's Day!

Quote

If you hear any noise
It's just me and the boys
Getting paid
Gotta get the bank

That's what I thought they were saying...

If you hear any noise
It's just me and the boys
Hit me
You gotta hit the band

Iran: I Don't Understand

I don't understand people's criticism of Obama for delaying comments about what is happening in Iran. Even if he said something almost immediately, the reaction of the leaders in Iran would still be the same. They really don't care what anyone in the U.S. says, and they know that our resources are taxed at this point, so there is not much we can do.

We have hot zones in Iraq and Afghanistan and our military on the DMZ between North and South Korea have to be protected and be given reinforcements given what N. Korea is doing. BTW, did President Bush do anything about N. Korea's nukes?

Yes, Iran is funding groups that are helping to keep things stirred up in Iraq, but so is Syria. I'd like to read the commentary about Syria causing a mess but the fact that they are backed by China may be the  reason the commentary against Syria is muted.

Oh yeah, who really rules Iran? Suppose the president of the country is tossed out, what happens then? I'd gather more chaos since the president of Iran, no matter how nutty, doesn't have the real power.

I've been critical of the Obama administration, but on this one, I'm not saying a damn thing because I don't see the alternatives being given as being viable. So, STHU!

Obama Killed The Fly

That's what the fly gets for ....

Entering the "no fly zone"!

Kid Didn't Graduate? Blame The Parent

I'm straight and to the point with what I have to say. As someone once said, I'm economical with words and try to get the most out of what I say. Here's an example.

It is a debate that has gone on for years in poor communities: do you blame the schools for the students' poor performance or do you blame their parents?

The mother of a one student who failed eighth grade says she got no warning her son was struggling. The school says she was notified, and other parents insist she did not do enough.

Tatianna Dennis' son, Tarrell, took his eighth grade photo complete with cap and gown, but the day before his grammar school's graduation, Tarrell learned he would not be marching down the aisle.

"I asked him why but he was so heartbroken, he couldn't really talk," said Tatianna Dennis.

Dennis says she had no idea her son was about to fail English; no written notices from Bradwell Elementary, she says, and no warning from his teacher.

Tarrell had failed English two times before, but Dennis thought he was doing better.

See this article? This isn't about a SCHOOL FAILING THE KIDS, this is about PARENTS FAILING THE KIDS. Just read it.

The Press

From The Constitution of the United States of America:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Among other things, this gives the press the freedom from government intervention of what it, the press, decides to cover and/or NOT COVER.

I complain about the coverage of the media, normally about how it covers the Black community or of interests to what I think are the Black community or about what interests me. While I want the press to be impartial and accurate, I know they have no real "duty" to be either.

It bothers me, A LOT, when they are neither but I know they have NO Constitutional role to be impartial and accurate. They have NO Constitutional requirement to be ethical. The Drudge Report "reports":

On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care -- a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm!

Highlights on the agenda:

ABCNEWS anchor Charlie Gibson will deliver WORLD NEWS from the Blue Room of the White House.

The network plans a primetime special -- 'Prescription for America' -- originating from the East Room, exclude opposing voices on the debate.

The Director of Communications at the White House Office of Health Reform is Linda Douglass, who worked as a reporter for ABC News from 1998-2006.

ABC News providing this coverage from the White House is not the issue as far as I'm concerned. The issue is there are no opposing views to this at the time or immediately following up when the Obama administration is proposing changes to the health care systsem that will affect the health of people and the economy.

Change for change's sake is not a good thing.

Whites Ain't Safe! Who Cares If Blacks Ain't Safe, Either?!?!?!

Whites ain't safe! Who cares if Blacks ain't safe either! That's all I can think about after reading Greg Kanes opinion article:

Whitey, don’t let the sun set on you in Bodymore, Murderland. That’s neither an official or unofficial slogan for Baltimore yet, but it’s not because some of our more dysfunctional citizens aren’t trying to make it so.

...

 

The overwhelming majority of those bodies are black ones, dispatched by black perps. But the few white bodies may end up giving Baltimore a notorious reputation as a city where whites just aren’t safe.

It's not safe for Blacks, but they don't matter? Kane is Black and still lives in the city, and has previously written about being a victim of crime, by Black people, in the city. But I don't recall something like the following line from Kane:

With leaders like this, would you, if you’re white, let the sun set on you in Baltimore?

How about asking that of Blacks in the city?

Damn.

Conservatives Are The Minority!

According to Gallup, liberals out number conservatives:

PRINCETON, NJ -- Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.

Wait, that says conservatives outnumber liberals? So why the title, D.S.?

I'm so glad you asked.

Rush Limbaugh and other conservative talking heads say if you are not conservative, you are liberal and that moderates are really liberals who stick their finger up in the wind to determine which way to go. So, following that line of "logic," liberals out number conservatives 56% to 40%.

Examples Of Why I Tune Out Occasionally

The following news items are why I occasionally tune out from the news:

Foreign Demand for U.S. Financial Assets Fall

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Foreign demand for long-term U.S. financial assets fell in April as both China and Japan trimmed their holdings of Treasury securities.

The Treasury Department said Monday that net purchases of stocks, notes and bonds obtained by foreigners fell to $11.2 billion in April, from $55.4 billion in March.

China, the largest holder of U.S. Treasury securities, trimmed its holdings to $763.5 billion in April, from $767.9 billion in March. Japan, the second largest holder of Treasury securities, reduced its holdings to $685.9 billion, from $686.7 billion a month earlier.

Durbin Cashed Out During Stock Collapse

As U.S. stock markets plummeted last September, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin, sold more than $115,000 worth of stocks and mutual-fund shares and used much of the money to invest in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

The Illinois senator's 2008 financial disclosure statement shows he sold mutual-fund shares worth $42,696 on Sept. 19, the day after then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged congressional leaders in a closed meeting to craft legislation to help financially troubled banks. The same day, he bought $43,562 worth of Berkshire Hathaway's Class B stock, the disclosure shows.

Hearing to Air VA Mistakes That Exposed To HIV, Other Infections

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - A congressional panel is pressing the Department of Veterans Affairs to disclose on Tuesday whether non-sterile equipment that may have exposed 10,000 veterans to HIV and other infections was isolated to three Southeast hospitals or is part of a wider problem.

"Somebody is going to have to take responsibility," said U.S. Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee, the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs' oversight and investigation subcommittee.

The subcommittee scheduled Tuesday's hearing in Washington to discuss mistakes involving endoscopic equipment used for colonoscopies and other procedures at its hospitals in Miami, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga. with top agency officials and to receive a yet-unreleased report by the VA's inspector general.

You Want Gov't To "Fix" Health Care?

You want the government to "fix" health care?

June 12 (Bloomberg) -- Health-care overhaul legislation being drafted by House Democrats will include $600 billion in tax increases and $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel said.

Democrats will work on the bill’s details next week as they struggle through “what kind of heartburn” it will cause to agree on how to pay for revamping the health-care system, Rangel, a New York Democrat, said today. The measure’s cost is reaching well beyond the $634 billion President Barack Obama proposed in his budget request to Congress as a 10-year down payment for the policy changes.

Asked whether the cost of a health-care overhaul would be more than $1 trillion over a decade, Rangel said, “the answer is yes.” Some Senate Republicans, including Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, say the costs will likely exceed $1.5 trillion.

I say leave it alone. This is the nonsense that is going to get our economy further in trouble and get Democrats kicked out, but the only hope then would be a "real" "third party" option.

BCPS vs "The People": The People Win One

Brian Morris resigned from the $175K job.

Former Baltimore school board chair Brian D. Morris, who was appointed to a high-level post in the school district this week, resigned Saturday after his hiring came under increasing public scrutiny about the process and his own financial problems.

Morris released a statement at 3 p.m. saying, "It disturbs me greatly that this matter has become a distraction to the public's appreciation for the enormous progress our school system has made under my tenure."

He said in the statement that he had notified schools chief Andres Alonso on Saturday morning that he had "rescinded my acceptance of the position of deputy CEO for operations. I encouraged him to do a thorough search and identify another highly qualified person to perform this important role."

This appointment was shady. Morris is part of the Baltimore Economic Council, which Martin O'Malley is indepted to in so many ways, political and especially financial. Many people are saying, and I have to agree, that O'Malley was probably the hand behind all of this.

Morris had resigned from the volunteer position he had held on the school board since 2003 on Monday and was appointed to the $175,000-a-year job of deputy chief executive officer on Tuesday at the regular board meeting.

The text of Morris' resignation.

This morning I notified Dr. Alonso that I have rescinded my acceptance of the position of Deputy CEO for Operations. I encouraged him to do a thorough search and identify another highly qualified person to perform this important role. I have spent six years working to improve the integrity and quality of the school system for our children and I believe we have taken great strides toward achieving that goal.

It disturbs me greatly that this matter has become a distraction to the public's appreciation for the enormous progress our school system has made under my tenure. I am very proud of my service on behalf of Baltimore's children, and I feel a sense of pride knowing how far we have come over the last six years. I will continue to be an advocate for our children as my record of service indicates. I look forward to determining the ways in which I can continue to serve the youth of this city.

The text from Alonso. You can read it at the link.

I think "The people" won one. Actually, I think the BEC forced the resignation because if people started following the money trail, they would be further exposed, only this time, the public would be paying attention.

Socratic Method

In order for the Socratic Method to work, you have to ask questions based on fact or valid assumptions and those questions have to be designed to lead to more questions with the intent of leading a person down the path to contradiction. But when you ask questions based on a faulty premise, then the Socratic Method breaks down because the focus then turns onto the ideas behind what is being asked instead of what is being asked.

I respect Cobb a lot, but he started putting for ideas based on partisan garbage and the Socratic Method just doesn't work in that realm. So, if the level of debate decreased, maybe it decreased because of the questions not the quality of those who commented.

Just a thought.

More On Baltimore City School Scam

So, the person you create a position for, who will be responsible for the millions of dollars budget, is in a personal financial mess? And HE is the one who got the school CEO hired? And the CEO is now the guy who created the position?

Brian D. Morris took a gamble when he led the city school board in the hiring of Andrés Alonso.

Not only was the leading candidate for school system chief executive an outsider from New York, he wasn't African-American, as parents, teachers and administrators were expecting.

And Alonso was demanding unprecedented authority from a board that had a history of micro-managing.

But Morris, the volunteer school board chairman and a young developer, pushed the board to make the hire, and then protected Alonso when the going got rough.

Yeah, this stinks to high hell.

Financial trouble you say?

Brian D. Morris, who resigned as Baltimore City school board chairman this week to accept a six-figure job overseeing school operations, has been the subject of dozens of lawsuits and bad-debt claims the past 15 years, including foreclosures, garnisheed wages, unpaid taxes and other cases involving his personal finances and business ventures, according to city court records.

The city school board hired Morris, 38, as a deputy CEO on Tuesday, giving him a $175,000 annual salary and oversight of all the school system's central operations, including finance.

Yet a review of dozens of court records by The Baltimore Sun shows a lengthy struggle to manage his own businesses and affairs. Bill collectors garnisheed Morris' wages and bank accounts, and tried to repossess his cars. Creditors won judgments against him for rent payments, medical bills and homeowners association dues. In one case, a potential business partner said Morris walked off with $12,500 intended for a new venture. In another, a couple said he rented them a house he didn't own and collected their monthly payments until the real owner ordered them to leave. At least two creditors say they plan to seek a portion of his school system salary to settle old debts.

A COUPLE PAID DUDE MONEY ON A HOUSE HE DIDN'T OWN!!!!!

[ UPDATE ]

To make this even MORE unbelievable, the Baltimore City Public School System sent out layoff notices a few days before this. LAYOFF NOTICES to about 80 people, and then turn around and give a financial goof and, if what the couple says is true, a THIEF, a $175K job created JUST FOR HIM!!!!

Bush Is A Socialist!

OK, President Bush is a Socialist!

Bank of America's chief executive Thursday for the first time said publicly that officials in the Bush administration and the Federal Reserve threatened to remove top executives of the bank unless the financial giant merged with the troubled Merrill Lynch for the good of the foundering economy.

Bank of America's Kenneth Lewis told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that the threat was not the deciding factor in the bank's acquisition of the nation's largest investment banking firm. But he added: "What gave me concern was that they would make that threat to a bank in good standing."

President Obama deserves some of the strong criticism he is getting for his administration's moves on the economy. President Bush MUST get the same criticism for this one.

Digital TV Switch

Just wait until people make the switch to receiving digital television over the air and realize during bad weather, they will get the "frame freeze".

I have DirecTv because I refuse to get Comcast and FIOS television isn't available in my area, although FIOS internet is available. From my prior experience, I knew that when the hard rainstorm hits, the DirecTv signal is lost. So, I have a digital television antenna that I use for backup. However, just like satallite, when the weather gets bad, you get the "frame freeze" with the digital signal. Yesterday during a bad rainstorm, the signal that stayed around was the analog signal.

Just wait until more people realize what happens with digital signals and the only backup is to get cable.

Death Of Capitalism

OK, this pisses me off. This is just the first step towards government controlling pay of the entire private sector.

Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee said Thursday the administration's efforts to hector the private sector into reining in executive pay might not go far enough.

The administration contends that excessive compensation contributed to the U.S. financial crisis, but rejects direct intervention in corporate pay decisions.

Instead, the administration plans to seek legislation that would try to rein in compensation at publicly traded companies through nonbinding shareholder votes and less management influence on pay decisions.

"I do differ with the administration in that hope springs eternal and their position seems to be that if we strengthen the compensation committees we will do better," said the committee chairman, Rep. Barney Frank, a Democrat.

Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat, said that instead of giving shareholders a nonbinding voice on pay, their votes should be binding on boards of directors.

This is the first step towards the march to regulate EVERYONE's pay, not just "CEO's". How many times have you heard people saying that "so and so occupations" shouldn't make more than "so and so occupations"?

This is some bullhist!

WBAL Race Baiting

On WBAL Radio, host Ron Smith has made a big deal about the killing of 14 year old Christopher Jones by gang members. I'm not saying it should not have been a major local news event, because it should have been, but Smith stated time and time again that it was race related because the people accused of the killing, at least the only person identified, is Black and Christopher Jones is white.

Christopher Jones was an innocent person caught in a battle between two gangs. Members of one gang saw him and attacked him, causing him to fall and hit his head. He later died. But race had nothing to do with it at all.

Now, we have a firebombing of a home that was supposed to be a retaliation. Take a look at the picture and then tell me if you think Ron Smith said anything about it.

Ron Smith and Greg Kane speak about racial issues on a regular basis. I wonder if it will be broached the next time Kane is on Smith's radio show.

Baltimore School Politics Is Straight Gangstah!

When a person on the volunteer government appointed school board, which everyone knows is ineffective and has actually done things that HURT Baltimore city public school students, leaves the board just as his time is up, and gets a NEWLY CREATED job that pays about $175K/year helping the Baltimore city school CEO, a position he used to oversee, then that is nothing but straight gangstah ish right there.

More later. I don't live in the city. I don't have kids in the city school system. But I'm fired up and PISSED

[ UPDATE ]

This is a bunch of straight up in your face graft.

The city school board hired its departing chairman, Brian D. Morris, last night for a newly created, high-ranking position based on the recommendation of schools chief Andrés Alonso.

Morris, a real estate developer who has served on the board for six years but does not have an academic or professional background in education, will become deputy chief executive officer for operations. He will be one of the highest-paid employees in the system, making at least $175,000.

Morris would report directly to Alonso, whom he pushed the board to hire and has vocally supported throughout the CEO's tenure. Morris' tenure with the board was to end July 1, when he would have reached the six-year term limit.

Morris said he would be in charge of ensuring that the systems of the district, from human resources to food services and building maintenance, work more smoothly. He said that he had resigned Monday and that he did not take part in the closed executive session before the meeting when personnel matters were discussed.

More later...

Sotomayor and New Haven

I think this is the best piece I've read concerning Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor and the New Haven firefighters ruling. I still think it misses an important line threading, but it's a very good piece.

Under federal anti-discrimination law, employers (here, the city of New Haven) can be found liable for discrimination even in the absence of evidence that they intended to discriminate. If an employment practice (here, a test) appears neutral but has a "disparate impact" on minorities -- if it is "fair in form, but discriminatory in operation," in the words of a 1971 Supreme Court ruling -- the employer must justify the need for the practice. (Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote for a unanimous court.) Even then, the employer could be subject to liability if there is a less problematic alternative.

It seems odd to penalize employers without proof of discriminatory intent, but the theory behind disparate impact is that it serves to root out hidden or inadvertent bias. In any event, you can disagree with this approach -- but it's the law, and Congress has since acted to codify and strengthen disparate-impact analysis.

Federal guidelines warn employers that if they use a test that produces a serious adverse impact on minorities, their use of the results in hiring and promotion will be considered discriminatory unless they recheck the test's validity. In addition, employers are encouraged to comply voluntarily with anti-discrimination law rather than risk being sued.

Fast-forward to the New Haven case. Black firefighters' pass rate for the exam was half that of whites -- a severe disparate impact. The city refused to grant promotions based on the test because, it said, it feared a disparate-impact lawsuit: No blacks scored high enough to be eligible for promotions. Instead, it was sued by disappointed white firefighters who argue the city violated federal anti-discrimination law and the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by taking race into account in discarding the test results.

...

The paradox at the heart of Ricci v. DeStefano is that federal anti-discrimination law requires employers to examine the racial implications of their hiring and promotion procedures. Yet the law and the Constitution could also expose them to a claim of intentional discrimination if they view results through a racial lens and take action accordingly.

I am a supporter of affirmative action, but I think the New Haven case crossed the line.

However, I think the case is not about what was "fair", as in was it "fair" to the white fire fighters to throw out the test and the results, but was the city legally correct to take that line of action once the results of the test was known.

LG LCD Television Conclusion

In March, I wrote a post saying don't buy an LG LCD television, and I still state the same thing.

Here is a more detailed listing of what happened.

In January I brought the LG LCD television from Circuit City. I registered the television for the warranty, even though I thought that was a waste of time. After all, LG is a "big brand name" and I "knew there would be no problems" with the television.

In February, the television video went black but the audio was still around. We called LG for support and they determined they had to send someone out to look at the television.

A company that handles LG warranty work came out. The serviceman looked at it, called into LG and ordered a video board.

He came out again, installed the video board but LG sent the wrong board.

He came out again, 2 weeks later, installed the video board but it didn't work. He said he was ordering the main controller board.

He came out again and put in the board but that didn't work either.

We called to complain and they said they were going to send someone out again. At this point, that wasn't good enough and we told them so. We wanted our money back. They said that wasn't possible. The warranty states they will replace the television with a refurbished model but they still needed paperwork from the company that did the servicing.

When they called to say they had the paperwork, I answered and said it was now June, and we still do not have a working television. In that time, I told them, that we got a house ready for sale, brought a "new to us" house, sold the other, and refurbished the "new to us house." This started in February and it's now June. A refurbished television was not good enough. I was told that if, AFTER REVIEW(!), we had good grounds, we would get a new television instead of a refurbished model.

Below is what I remember saying:

"I don't want a new LG television, because quite frankly, your televisions stink. When a new model stops working after 1 month, you have quality control issues. Not only that, but I went online and saw your knowledge base which has this issue as the number one issue on the knowledge base under this problem. Next, I went to technical forums and I found out I'm not the only one with this same problem. OBVIOUSLY, your company manufactured a poor product.

"Here's the situation. Maryland has a lemon law that covers cars and products above a certain price. I believe the television is covered under the lemon law that states I have to give you 3 tries to fix the problem before I can request my money back. Your warranty person has been out 4 times, with 3 service fixes that failed.

"If I don't get my money back, I'm going to send a letter, with screen shots of the LG knowledge base and URL and screen shots of the technical forums that show LG has a problem with the televisions, to the Consumer Protection Division of the States Attorney's Office of Maryland. I'm also going to give the gory details of the failed services.

"I happen to be a little tech savvy. I have a blog account that has one more blog that I can create. I will create a blog that gives the details of the LG television, open it up to comments, hunt around for other LG complaints and post it there. The blog will be indexed by Google.

"I also happen to have Pre-Paid Legal, and if necessary I will contact them to see if it can go to another level, including the option of class action lawsuit."

The outcome is, we ship the television back to them, at their expense, and I get the money back, with the taxes paid.

Don't buy an LG television!