Cynique

Busy week-end, huh? Well, Wills and what's-her-name finally got married in a wedding that all of the network talking heads were gushing over. Me, I didn't think it was all that. Handsome Prince Charming? No. A dork who's losing his hair. A wedding dress that looked "off-the-rack" being worn by an anorexic groupie who got lucky. God Save the Queen, whose wedding outfit made her look like an ad for Agent Orange. Prince Charles has grown so old waiting for his Mum to step down that he looks more like her brother than her son. First TuPac. Then Biggie. Now Osama. Somebody snitched on him and Obama's gang did a drive-by. Look out, Gadhafy. You next, bro. America has shifted into it's "us" against "them" mode, viewing Bin Laden as being the quarterback of "their" team, who was taken out by the front line of "our" team as the streets become a stadium full of crazed fans chanting "USA"! Meanwhile al-Qaida has re-grouped, and is putting on its game face, beckoning for America to "bring it on". "The Donald" challenged Obama to a game of one-ups-man-ship and ended up getting his ace, - as in ass, - trumped at a press dinner. Then his Celebrity Apprentice show was interrupted by Obama's announcement just as Ne-Ne was coming out of her ghetto bag in a smack down with Star Jones. The NBA enters its second round playoffs minus a couple of favored teams. Bulls' skipper, Tom Thibodeau, wins coach of the year honors. Derrick Rose is on deck for MVP award. And Kobe Bryant is still hoggin the ball. Spring has sprung, The grass is riz I wonder where Da flowers iz?

1. Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. 2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list. 3. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. 4. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. 5. We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public. 6. War does not determine who is right - only who is left. 7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 8. Evening news is where they begin with 'Good Evening', and then proceed to tell you why it isn't. 9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research. 10. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station. 11. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks. 12. Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, 'In case of emergency, notify’: I put 'DOCTOR'. 13. I didn't say it was your fault; I said I was blaming you. 14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy. 15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman. 16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory. 17. I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness. 18. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice. 19. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with. 20. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away. 21. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure. 22. You're never too old to learn something stupid. 23. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. 24. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. 25. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. 26. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. 27. A diplomat is someone who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to the trip. 28. Hospitality is making your guests feel at home even when you wish they were. 29. I always take life with a grain of salt. Plus a slice of lemon, …. and a shot of tequila. 30. When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water. "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." ~ Jon Hammond

The NBA play-offs are proving to be very telling. Favorites can't take anything for granted. Even the Celtics cannot breathe easy. No team is safe from an upset. All the super stars are having their mental toughness challenged. This season, whatever team takes it all will be a true champion! The Indiana Pacers were a very good test for the Chicago Bulls. Beating them was a hurdle the Bulls have now cleared. Bring on the second round.

We Bulls fans will appreciate your moral support, Crystal. We need all the help we can get. NO need to waste your energy hatin on that chump Kobe. Send some good vibes our way.

Well, I hope the two games the Bulls stole from the Pacers were teaching moments. They'll never make it past the first round unless they show up for 4 quarters and stop turning the ball over. Is Rose destined to be like Jordan, who had to wait 8 years to win a championship ring? I'll be cheering him on from my grave. I feel like I should earn a paycheck for watching the Bulls games. The relief over an ugly win is not enough compensation. Go, Bulls! If it's not asking too much.

An event that deserves to be spoofed. Have all you ladies sent away for the replica of the engagement ring on sale for $19.99 everywhere you look? replay for best results

The Indiana Pacers were kickin ass but the Chicago Bulls snatched victory from the jaws of defeat! D. Rose is a ZEN Master. After visualizing himself making a basket, he finds the spaces where the defenders aren't, and energizes the image into reality. Oh, yeah. He got skilz. I know, I know. His teammates need to kick it up a notch. And they've got their work cut out for them but I'm just glad I'm still around to to witness another basketball phenom who wears a Chicago uniform. Obama was in town, hoping some of Derrick's magic would rub of off on him as he enlisted his apppearance at fund raisers. Obama couldn't call on Jesse Jackson's help because Jesse is being sued by a gay, former staff member who says Jackson harassed him and made him the pimp for Jackson's hoes. Chicago. You gotta love it.

Smooth Jazz at its best. http://youtu.be/peON5K7kOBE

I have a feeling that anybody who I said represented a consummate Democrat would be challenged by you because I gave you a definition of a Democrat and you ignored it. If you want me to name examples I would say Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, every black lawman in the Black Caucus. Again I ask, what is your definion of a Democrat? After you answer this then name a person who fits the definition. Other wise just acknowledge that you don't believe Democrats and Republicans any longer exist. Empathize is a variation of sympathize. Living vicarioiusly through someone is different because it implies that you envy that person . When you empathize with someone you feel sorry for them because you know what they're going through.

Surpise, surprise.

What is YOUR definition of acting like a Democrat? Anybody who identifies himself as a Democrat and does not follow the policies of Republicans can qualify as a Democrat. Over the years the lines have been blurred in regard to this abstract classification, but certainly Obama ran on what could be considered a Democratic platform in the tradition of FDR. After becoming elected, he often aligned himself more with the philosophy of Republican Ronald Reagan. What words would you use to describe people who "are willing to trust the president during dilemmas"? Blind faith? "Empathy" has nothing to do with "trust" in my application of it. I meant that it's about putting yourself in the president's shoes and commiserating with what it's like to be in deep shit.

Nothing "petty or petulant" about saying that Obama is "articulate and smart"; something I've always acknowledged. So how about you "gleaning what you can learn from other people's ideas." - the part of my "wisdom" which you omitted in quoting me.

What would we do if we didn't have carey to tell us that nobody is in the know but him. He, alone, has a hotline to the truth and no other possibilities except the ones he ascribed to should be examined or considered because all erudite Blacks are "uncle toms" who are being brainwashed, something he's too smart to have happen to him. He is not a reasonable man. Carey keeps asking if not, Obama, then who? It appears that if carey had his way, it would be him because he thinks he's omniscient. If he could find enough fools to follow him, he would aspire to to be a black messiah/dictator, turning his followers into robots. When it comes to this forum, however, a better role for carey would be the class clown, somebody who in lieu of intelligence resorts to school boy taunts and cyber graffiti. An example of how skewed carey's perspective is, is how he keeps grumbling about scorn being heaped upon Obama. What does anybody ever say about Obama except that he is a victim of circumstances over which he has no control. This is not scorn it's commentary, not unlacking in empathy. No body makes personal attacks on him or denies that he is articulate and smart. Engaging in an adult discussion is not about cloaking your responses in petulance and pettiness. It's about gleaning what you can learn from other people's ideas. IMO.

carey your exalted opinion of yourself is laughable. The only extraordinary thing about you is your delusion that you are something other than a simple person with befuddled opinions and an inflated ego. You fancy yourself an analysist. This is even more ludicrous. With your limited perspective and clouded perception you have no vision or wisdom or are you an original thinker. Who you really need to analyse is yourself and explore why you have such a desperate need to shut everybody up instead of learning from what they say. Instead, you want to manage people and whip them in line, foist your opinions on them. As for Obama, you are an apologist. Knock yourself out. What you are not, is a spokesman who possesses authority or power. Lastly, you are a liar. How have I spoken for you? Did I quote anything you said or twist your words? No, but that's how you attempt to deflect the truth about your tactic of defending yourself from what has not been done to you. This biggest put-down I could utter and the worst name I could call you is: "carey."

OH, puleeze. You don't even know whether or not I agree with this man whose credentials put a lightweight like you to shame. But I welcome the discourse. Something you can't deal with because you don't want anybody to burst your balloon. Your mind is so rigid that it cracks when somebody rains on your parade, which is already soaked with your crocodile tears. YOu got a lot of nerve chastising Troy for offering this forum for all points of view. His doing this offends you because your bladder explodes when somebody doesn't reinforce your bull shit. You're a disgusting numbskull who can't think past your big juicy snout. Oink Oink.

Shameful attack on religion?? Whose religion? I'm sure there are atheists and agnostics who support Obama. Jews are running his campaign. As ususal, Carey, you view things from you own NARROW perspective.

Blah, blah, blah. What you ran on and on and on about, Carey, could be summed up in a sentence. "Rudolph Lewis' opinion isn't aligned with mine, so he has no validity." Puleeze. You continue to chase your tail when it comes to debate. After admitting you didn't finish the piece, you lapse into your old ad hominen mode, launching personal attacks in an attempt to ridicule instead of rebut. Furthermore, you have no appreciation for an exchange of ideas and the exploration of historical context or the impact of myth on society so you dismiss what you don't understand. You had an opportunity to state your opinion on this subject but you weren't equal to the task because you are enslaved to the idea that "if you don't have anything good to say about Obama, don't say anything at all." You're all about repression instead of expression and you are intellectually-challenged, believing that because you're ignorant anybody who talks above your head is a fool. And the pitiful thing about you, Carey, is that you're an Uncle Tom and don't know it. The White Man completely controls your thought processes because you fear what he might think, naively believing that if negores keep quiet, ol Massa will not use their words against them. You under-estimate ol massa's ability attack without allies and that, in the big picture, truth is the winner. You have invested so much of yourself in Obama that nothing you say in his defense can be taken that seriously because it's all about begging for sympathy. This is a new century, "Toby", and there are many shades of blackness. That's the way it is, so get used to it.

Just in case this post by Troy got buried in the debate thread I am making it a separate one Two writers with two very different prespectives on President Barack Obama; read what they have to say and vote on which opinion most closely matches yours. http://aalbc.it/obamaprocon

The whole crux of your argument always seems to be, carey, that I owe YOU an explanation for not being slavishly devoted to a president who you think can do no wrong. I never ask you why you defend him because I don't give a damn about why you are beholden to blind loyalty. I call you dense because you cannot divest yourself of the mind set that you are the arbitrator of how black people should act and that anybody who veers from YOUR point of view has to be held accountable to you, and will be plastered with the labels you pin on them even as you boo-hoo about me calling you names. Or do you seem to realize that you are no different from the people who supported whatever George Bush did. Furthermore, you are over-stating my criticism of Obama. Get specific. What does the "record show"? All I really ever do is poke fun at him and the "silly" things he does and kid him about being a "house nigga". I rarely criticize his policies because I know that he is a victim of an inept staff and in a no-win situation. I noted that he, himself, seemed skeptical about being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize and I just conceded that Libya is a catch-22. I hate right-wing conservative Republicans and I loathe the Tea Party racists, so I'm on Obama's side by default, even if I am frustrated by how black problems are not being addressed. If this stance bothers you, - then it's too friggin bad.

OH stfu, Carey. I see you're up to your usual dead-end ploys, making personal attacks on people while rebutting arguments they have never made instead of addressing points they have made. Why didn't you take a shot at winning 50 bucks to justify Obama's intervention in Libya?? Surely you could come up with one of your classic examples of the emotional enslavement that prevents you from giving an intelligent assessment of anything that relates to your god and master Obama, the house nigga who field hands like you are in awe of. Your desperate challenge for me to come up with somebody who could do a better job than Obama is not something YOU have the authority to demand. You ain't nobody. Why do I have to answer to you? Whoever is president will always be subject to criticism by the loyal opposition who elected him, but your dense mind can't process this. If Obama runs again I will vote Democratic, and if I don't agree with his policies I will speak out.

What kind of religious hymns do those who don't consider themselves Uncle Toms prefer, carey? Gangsta rappers spittin about "JC"? Surely not ones in the same vain as poignant negro spirituals. The great Ray Charles was a fan of country music because he had an appreciation for any kind of songs with SOUL. I like all kinds of music, and I make no apologies for having eclectic taste.

Who'd have ever thought that we would be purveyors of ol country music, Troy? Just goes to show that music transcends race, culture, and time. Did you know that the "O Brother Where Art Thou" was loosely based on Greek nythology? Specificlly,"The Odessey".

All kidding aside, on the day after April Fools, I confess that this ol country church song struck a note in me when I first heard it in "O Brother Where Art Thou?" one of my favorite movies, a whimsical little film that took place during the era in which I grew up. Life was so much simpler back then...

What won't Lady GaGa come up with next??? What day comes after March 31st?

Come ooooooon, Xeon, you gotta give better rebuttals. We can't read your mind as to why you think Troy's comments have no merit. It seems to me that Gadhafi has become the new Saddam Hussein, - a bad guy who America thinks needs to be taken out. Opposing him are rebels who need the support of American firepower - a scenario that's all too familiar. Backed into a corner with a Catch 22 situation, having committed itself to preventing a blood bath, America will be left holding the bag, obligated to keep its word, ending up in another war should the coalition forces back off - which they just might do. De ja Vu......