Post Game

That's done...it's over...I had to swing a second episode...I don't plan making another appearance in that forum.

Many have asked how do you feel? That's a hard question to answer per se, don't wanna be over-confident ya know, but I felt better walking out of this BAR exam than I did the first one. So....you know, it's in God's hands now. I did what I did. So ready to move forward, been in neutral a little too long for my liking.

Thanks to everyone that offered encouragement, gave mental support(the folk that answered their phones at 3 a.m.), or dropped off some Tupperware and foil over the past few weeks. It means more than you know...trust. Thank you!

In other news.....

Not to long ago I was listening to a lecture about What Makes a Man. I was nodding my head in general agreement as the speakers addressed the issues surrounding being a man. That is until one of the speakers said "there is no reason for a grown man to come home and play video games." I was like hell naw, why this cat gotta be throwin stones? What made it worse, were the many women in the audience that gave this nutjob a standing ovation. Of course my instincts told me to stand up and boo and tell them chicks to get in their places and have a damn seat. However, given my surroundings, I chose to stay in my seat and protest silently.

Women just don't understand the power of the PS2/XBOX. They don't. And does the fact that we can spend endless hours on the system (without moving) make us any less of a man? I think not. Heck, video games is what we did growing up. Old cats don't play video games cause they didn't grow up with them. So these old cats can't pass judgment judgment, I don't talk about them and their Stacy Adams. You know those shoes old dudes put on with their suits when they swear they are clean. I mean I accept them, so why ya'll gotta hate? Does it make us any less of a man because we choose to spend endless hours glued to the T.V.?

As I glance towards the sistas. Ya'll really be on that haterade when it come to video games. Hiding the joysticks, see, even the name tells you something, "JoyStick" come on. Where was I? Oh yes, hiding the games, holding them as hostage to annoy us. That aint even kool. Now I will admit, sometimes we can kind of overdo it. I have a best friend whose marriage fell apart cause of the Playstation. Heck, I guess I was an accomplice to it all and didn't even know. I would get to his house about 4 p.m., and he'd have the Madden ready to roll. Wife comes home bout 5 p.m., to a sink full of dishes, garbage falling out of the can, and kids walking round the house talking bout being hungry. And where are we? In the living room on the Playstation in our own little world. We would often remain their, glued to the T.V. late into the night as if neither of us had other responsibilities. This went on for weeks. A few times I sensed his wife with a little attitude, and I do think I tried to hint to him, maybe he should you know, do some chores or whatever it is married dudes do when the wifey gets attitudinal. But it didn't register, to either of us. That is until the night, while my boy was taking a bathroom break, his wife walked in the living room, and gave me one of those ugly looks, you know, that look that only sistas can give that makes the hair on your neck stand up. At that exact moment, I knew he was in for it, and that I might need to find me a new Playstation buddy.

But, you know ya'll I look at it like a glass half full rather than a glass half empty. Some of ya'll be complaining about your significant other never being at home, but at least if you buy him a PS/2, and some good games, you know where he will be. You won't have to worry bout him clubbin, and being out late at night. He is right there in the living room. You ladies should embrace the PS/2, look upon it as a good friend. Though its true that when we hold that joystick, we kind of forget that you exist, we often act like we don't hear you when you call our name or didn't hear the phone ring when you called or even notice you when you walk in front of the tv every two minutes. So what, look at the big picture, you know where we are and who we wit....You know...think about it.

This song been in the back of my mind for some reason. Hmmm.

Be back...

Charge...

So I've gone deep cover for the last two weeks before my exam. Decided to come out for a little air. I find myself fairly calm. No particular reason why. Could be the extra prayers, could be the fact that I walked the path already and know what to expect. That doesn't give me a reason not to continue to prepare as if it was the first time. It's kind of funny how some of my U-T law buddies are calling asking for tidbits of advice as if I am like the God-Father of the BAR or something. I mean dude, I only took it once, (and don't plan on taking it again.)

When others found out I missed passing the exam by an essay, most of the attorneys were quick to admit that they too had to take it two, three, and in once person's case six times. In fact, one of my judges was like, Spike, no need to stress, I took the darn thing twice too, so don't feel bad. Yea...ok...

You know, it wasn't even a matter of feeling bad, well actually, I am not quite sure what the exact emotional feeling is. One could take it as a failure, as disappointment, as embarrassment or an array of other not so feel good emotions. I will admit it was tough going home and looking the fam in the eye in discussing the exam or when close friends inquired about the BAR, having to acknowledge aloud not passing my first time. They were like you dumb azz....syke...(my friends may be cruel, but not that cruel.) You know I was suprised to receive a warm e-mail from a friend I had a falling out with who sent kind words of encouragement when they found out.....thanks if I did not say so back then.

Some could get all spiritual about it and be like it was not in the lord's plan at that time.

Some could get all militant and be like that damn exam be discriminating against minorities. They (whoever that may be?), know who they want to pass. Yea someone actually said that ish. I may be militant at times, but I aint that stupid. There are too many colored attorneys in this city to even try and advance that argument.

Some could be just like funk it, it wasn't meant to be, and move on with life, never looking at another exam.

But some could, still be feeling that fire burning deep in their soul, to make a difference. Sometimes that alone, is motivation enough for one to lift their head up and move on, forgetting past failures. It's not easy isolating oneself from the day to day grind, to sit in a room wit nothing but books and a pack of skittles and Full Throttle for days on end. But you gotta do what you gotta do. I no doubt am prayerful that I benefit from this preparation. What, this too shall pass right? Well I pray that in passing, I pass.

Don't plan on blogging for a minute after this. So, if you are sitting for the BAR, much love to ya, you know how to get at me. If you aint, and u gotta a prayer for me and the crew, you know where and how to send it, if you got some skittles or a Full Throttle, and wanna donate to the cause, yea get at me! Till then Peace!

Nawlins

One can't forget about the victims and the devastation that still exists in New Orleans. I took a slow tour of the Ninth Ward which was all but wiped out by Katrina. It's absolutely disheartening to see the destruction. It was like a ghost town, with very few residents who returned to repair their property. Most of the remaining homes are simply to damaged to repair and most of the lots now sit empty with overgrowth.

I find it interesting that the government has failed to disperse the funds that were pledged immediately after Katrina to help the victims. "Allies offered $854 million in cash and in oil that was to be sold for cash. But only $40 million has been used so far for disaster victims or reconstruction, according to U.S. officials and contractors. Most of the aid went uncollected, including $400 million worth of oil. Some offers were withdrawn or redirected to private groups such as the Red Cross. The rest has been delayed by red tape and bureaucratic limits on how it can be spent." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801113.html

Here is another good read on the rebuilding of New Orleans. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1564358/20070709/id_0.jhtml

P.E.

Me rocking my Omni-Peace shirt wit Chuck D of Public Enemy

I was on summer break just arriving in Riverside, CA, to visit my best friend Zee and his family for a week or two. I had just gotten off of the bus, when Zee scooped me up with some loud rap music booming from his speakers. It went a little something like this...

Back-caught you lookin' for the same thing It's a new thing-check out this I bring Uh-oh the roll below the level 'Cause I'm livin' low Next to the bass (c'mon) Turn up the radio They claim that I'm a criminal By now I wonder how Some people never know The enemy could be their friend, guardian I'm not a hooligan I rock the party and Clear all the madness, I'm not a racist Preach to teach to all 'Cause some they never had this Number one, not born to run About the gun I wasn't licensed to have one The minute they see me, fear me I'm the epitome-a public enemy Used, abused, without clues I refused to blow a fuse They even had it on the news Don't believe the hype

I think I made Zee replay that track four or five times before we let the rest of the cd play. There was a message in the music, and I was listening. There was a certain level of consciousness all mixed in between the tight beats and scratches. From that moment I was a P.E. fan, awaiting each new cd they dropped along with whatever new message they. The music video I play on this blog, Shut Em Down is by P.E. if you hadn't noticed.

I like Nike but wait a minute The neighborhood supports em so put some Money in it Corporations owe Dey gotta give up the dough To da town or else We gotta shut 'em down

To me Public Enemy symbolizes the good of hip hop, or should I say was the good of hip hop. There are some today with such messages, but you have to look high and low to find them, cause they are certainly not getting the air play or the attention that they probably deserve. Even though P.E. never really got much play on the radio, they found ways to get their message out to the youth. Everything today is either bling or booty, so predictable, so boring.

So I got the chance to check out P.E. in full effect with all of its members, minus Terminator X, this past weekend. Chuck, Flav, Professor Grif and the S1-W's all rocked the spot. It was one heck of a performance, talk about an ol school party, much love to PK for making it happen.

Pubbin

I saw this logo and had to have one. And no....not in a damn tank top.

So after doing a little research I found the creator of the logo. OmniPeace. OmniPeace branded products unite people throughout the world in an effort to end extreme poverty in Africa by 2025. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of these products are donated to Millennium Promise. MILLENNIUM PROMISE is a non-profit organization founded by economist and global anti-poverty crusader, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs. Their goal is to end extreme poverty by 2025. Their mission is to work village by village in Africa, to empower the poor with the skills and tools they need to pull themselves out of poverty and become self sustainable after 5 years. A worthy goal I believe. And yes, I found me a shirt. For more info, visit, http://www.omni-peace.com/

Da Fourth

And they say justice is blind. But if your homeboy is the president, and your homeboy feels your sentence is too harsh, he can commute your sentence. Even if your sentence just happens to fall within the federal sentencing guidelines. Must be nice to have friends that can feel your sentence is to harsh and get you out of going to jail. There are a lot of jiggas behind bars longing for a friend like that.

Mr. Olbermann breaks it down.

And to think we impeached Bill for lying about getting a little dome...Last I checked, no one got killed over that lie.

Supreme Madness

"You’ve got to be kidding me…. It is not often in the law that so few have so quickly changed so much." Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer referring to conservative Justices Roberts and Alito pulling the Supreme Court to the right for many recent decisions.

"The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." Chief Justice John Roberts Chief Justice Roberts in his opinion in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, No. 05-908.

I haven't quite formulated a response to Justice Roberts statement, but at first glance it seems like an honest to goodness statement doesn't it. But, I think it is the kind of response that is often made when it appears that whites have somehow been victimized by their own race? Wait, is that an oxymoron? No, that statement does not make me racist either. I simply to not quickly accept the notion that some whites are the victims of discrimination. You can challenge me on that if you'd like, would make for an interesting discussion. I haven't quite rapped my finger on that case, where a white parent sued because she had to send their child across town instead of the school in their neighborhood, the School Boards position was that it was simply promoting racial integration in its schools by. The court essentially held that race cannot be a factor" in K-12 decisions. It's a deep case.

You be the judge, how would you have ruled? What were your educational experiences like? Were you the only black in a class full of whites, or the only white in a class of full of blacks? Was your education enhanced by being around people different from yourself? I suspect neither of the five justices who reached this decision was either of the above, oh...well uh besides Clarence, but that my friend is a whole nother post. Or is this court openly pissing on Brown vs. The Board of Education? Two articles with differing opinions, do enjoy. Supporting the decision, http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=28994 and against the ruling, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/opinion/29fri1.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

If you have the time, here is the actual opinion, http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/05-908.pdf

Too busy, then watch the video analysis of the opinion. You will get a great overview of the case and the impact it had on whites.Must see, http://www.crooksandliars.com/Media/Play/18836/1/CNN-Toobin-SupremeCourt-Education-06-28-07.wmv

It one term, the Court has managed to severely curb local efforts to promote racial diversity in schools, upheld a right-wing ban on a necessary medical procedure for women, curbed students’ free speech rights, crippled Congress’ ability to keep corporate money out of political advertising, prevented taxpayers from challenging the constitutionality of Bush’s faith-based initiatives, made it almost impossible for women to prevail on claims of long term sex discrimination and their azzes aint dying no soon so they’re just getting started. I blame the weak Democrats that confirmed the latest two nuts. That's a whole nutha story though. For more of an in depth analysis of the madness they have created, here ya go, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/washington/01scotus.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I've been getting a bunch of e-mail on my prior post about black men being weak. Looks like sista's think we are weak on a host of issues.

I was looking at the photo of the Justices and noticed Clarence. Ice Cube then pooped into my mind. So I end with one of his quotes, yes, I've stooped to quoting Cube. "Stop selling out your race - And wipe that stupid-ass smile off your face - Jiggas always gotta show they teeth - Now I'm a be brief - Be true to the game."