Now, The Race Gets Interesting!

John Edwards has dropped out of the race. Now it's between Clinton and Obama. On the republican front, Rudy Giuliani has also called it a day and put his support behind John McCain. I believe Romney is still in the race.

Do you know what that means folks? It means that now, we've truly got a race and it just got very interesting. Stay tuned... let's see who is the last man standing after all of the smoke clears. If there wasn't so much at stake here, I'd almost call this fun!

Guest Columnist

Hey folks! I'm letting my good friend, Arthur "Old Head" Dunlap pontificate on this one. Check it out... if you are 40 or older, you will think this is hilarious!

"When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up (i.e. walking 25 miles to school every morning, uphill BOTH ways, and yadda, yadda, yadda. I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

Now that I'm over the ripe old age of 40, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You do have it easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And, I hate to say it but, you kids today don't know how good you've got it!

1. When I was a kid, we didn't have the internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in something called the "card catalog" .

2. There was no email. We had to actually write somebody a letter... with a pen and paper! Then, you had to walk all the way across the street, put it in the mailbox, and it would take a week to get there!

3. There were no MP3's or Napsters. If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself. Or, you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio. The DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!

4. We didn't have fancy crap like call waiting. If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal and that's it!

5. We didn't have fancy caller ID boxes either. When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, or whoever... you just didn't know. You had to pick it up and take your chances!

6. We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics. We had the Atari 2600 with games like "Space Invaders" and "Asteroids"... and the graphics were horrible. Your guy was a little square and you actually had to use your imagination! And, there were no multiple levels or screens... it was just one screen forever and you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died, just like LIFE!

7. When you went to the movie theater, there was no such thing as stadium seating. All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed!

8. Sure, we had cable television but back then, it was only 15 channels and there was no on-screen menu. You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on. And, there was no Cartoon Network either. You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning . Do you hear what I'm saying?! We had to wait ALL WEEK to watch cartoons!

9. And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove or go build a fire... imagine that! If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupid Jiffy Pop thing or a pan with hot oil and real popcorn kernels and shake it all over the stove forever like an idiot.

10. When we were on the telephone with our friends and our parents walked-in, we were stuck to the wall with a cord... a 7-foot cord that ran to the phone, not the phone base, but the actual phone. We barely had enough length to sit on the floor and still be able to twirl the phone cord in our fingers. If you suddenly had to go to the bathroom, guess what we had to do? Hang up and talk to them later!

Now, that's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled. You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!"

Well, he said a mouthful didn't he?

Say It Ain't So, Walter!

Walter Mosley

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a big fan of Black author, Walter Mosley. I have all of his novels but, the "Easy Rawlins" novels are my particular favorites.

Around 1990, someone told my wife about the author and his books as a recommended "must read" for me. However, it was only after I saw the movie "Devil in a Blue Dress" with Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle in 1995 that I really took an interest. After seeing the movie, I bought everything with Walter Mosley's name on it.

There are 10 Easy Rawlins novels and one collection of short stories to date... all of which I own. Upon reading the end of his latest book, "Blonde Faith", it appears that the famed detective meets an untimely end on a California Highway! (Oops, I do hope this "spoiler" doesn't discourage you from checking out this latest installment.) Say it ain't so, Walter! Please find a way to bring Easy Rawlins back for fans like myself.

Footnote: Check out my Walter Mosley bookcase on the sidebar and full-view page at Shelfari to learn more about his books.

Trivia: Former President Clinton stated that Walter Mosley is one of his favorite authors too.

Don't Get Excited Yet

It is certainly very nice and exciting to see that Barack Obama has won two primaries (Iowa and South Carolina), but it's only two states. There are 48 other states and he has to make a reasonably good showing in at least one-third of them to stand a serious shot at getting the Democratic nomination. So, too, does Hillary Clinton and John Edwards.

It's a long way to the White house and just beating Clinton and Edwards will most certainly not make him a shoo in... there is still those darn Republicans!!! McCain, Romney, and Giuliani are still very interesting and formidable opponents... and are yet to be reckoned with. When Obama gets to the point where he faces one of them, there will almost certainly be some mud slinging and negative campaigning. You can't have a Presidential election in America without it.

I'm very surprised that the only negative campaigning so far seems to be Democrats slinging mud at other Democrats. Republicans are very good at this and to their credit, I haven't seen any of it yet. You know how they do... bringing up all the non-issues (i.e. gay marriage, flag burning, Willie Horton, etc.) that get everybody all riled up and takes their minds off of the issues (thus, exposing how gullible we are to the world). When this starts and, it will, let's see how Obama handles himself. He hasn't been tested yet. These two little (state) victories are nice...but the real race hasn't really begun. Don't get excited yet!

World's Easiest Quiz

Here's something else that's fun. You only need 4 correct answers to pass this quiz. This should be a piece of cake!

1) How long did the Hundred Years War last?

2) Which country makes Panama hats?

3) From which animal do we get cat gut?

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?

5) What is a camel's hair brush made of?

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?

7) What was King George VI's first name?

8) What color is a purple finch?

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane?

Remember, you only need 4 correct answers to pass. Check to see how many you answered correctly below.

Answers to the Quiz:

1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years

2) Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador

3) From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and Horses

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November

5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? Squirrel Fur

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? Dogs

7) What was King George VI's first name? Albert

8) What color is a purple finch? Crimson

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? New Zealand

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane? Orange

What do you mean, you failed? Me, too! And if you try to tell me you passed, you are lying!

Embarrassing First Date

Okay, today I'm going to get away from the seriousness of the political and economic landscape that I have so far chronicled. Here is something light-hearted... check this out, if you didn't see it on The Tonight Show.

We have all had bad dates but this one takes the cake. Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize.

The woman explained that it was mid-winter, snowing, and quite cold. The guy had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a day trip, not overnight. They were strangers, after all, and truly had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon.

They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte. They were about an hour away from any place with a restroom and in the middle of nowhere. Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while. Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside the road or it would be the front seat of his car. They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down, and started.

In the deep snow, she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic, and indeed, was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt, despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation. However, upon finishing, she soon became aware of another sensation. As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered that her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem due to the extreme cold.

Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment, she answered her date's concerns about "what is taking so long" with a reply that indeed, she was "freezing her butt off" and in need of some assistance! He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She got the giggles too and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma.

Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal. Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free. So, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender. As the audience screamed in laughter, she took The Tonight Show prize hands down... or perhaps that should be "pants down."

And you thought your first date was embarrassing. Jay Leno's comment... "This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off!" Oh, and how did the first date turn out? The guy became her husband and was sitting next to her on The Tonight Show!

The Road To Manhood

My grandson is 2 years old today...

2 years down and 19 more to go!

A Final Word

Contrary to the way this blog may look, I have not yet endorsed a presidential candidate... it might be Hillary Clinton, it might be John Edwards, it might be Barack Obama. It could possibly be Romney? Okay, I was kidding about that one but, the point is, the spectrum is wide open. I'm still listening to everything and my mind is not locked on anybody just yet. I must say, this is the most interesting group of candidates (on both sides) that I have ever witnessed. That can only be a good thing.

An Interesting Obama Article

As Obama Rises,
Old Guard Civil Rights Leaders Scowl
by William Jelani Cobb

Photo (l-r): Rev. Jesse Jackson & Rev. Al Sharpton

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the term "black president" was synonymous with "president of black America". That was the office to which Jesse Jackson appointed himself in the 1970s, resigned to the fact that the actual presidency was out of reach. In 2003, Chris Rock wrote and directed "Head of State," a film about the first black man to win the presidency (it was a comedy). And in the ultimate concession, some African Americans have attempted to bestow the title of black president upon Bill Clinton, a white man.

In the wake of his strong showing in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Sen. Barack Obama has already permanently changed the meaning of that term. It is no longer an oxymoron or a quixotic in-joke. And this, perhaps more than anything else, explains his tortured relationship with black civil rights leaders.

The most amazing thing about the 2008 presidential race is not that a black man is a bonafide contender, but the lukewarm response he has received from the luminaries whose sacrifices made this run possible. With the notable exception of Joseph Lowry, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference veteran who gave a stirring invocation at Obama's Atlanta campaign rally in June and subsequently endorsed him, Obama has been running without much support from many of the most recognizable black figures in the political landscape. That's because, positioned as he is between the black boomers and the hip-hop generation, Obama is indebted, but not beholden, to the civil rights gerontocracy.

A successful Obama candidacy would simultaneously represent a huge leap forward for black America and the death knell for the reign of the civil rights-era leadership... or at least the illusion of their influence. The most recent example of the old guard's apparent aversion to Obama was Andrew Young's (photo left) febrile You Tube ramblings about Bill Clinton being "every bit as black as Barack Obama" and his armchair speculation that Clinton had probably bedded more black women during his lifetime than the senator from Illinois, as if racial identity could be transmitted like an STD. This could be dismissed as a random instance of a politician speaking out of turn were it not part of an ongoing pattern.

Last spring, Al Sharpton cautioned Obama "not to take the black vote for granted." Presumably, he meant that the senator had not won over the supposed gatekeepers of the black electorate. Asked why he had not endorsed Obama, Sharpton replied that he would "not be cajoled or intimidated by any candidate". More recently, Sharpton claimed on his radio show that the candidate's recent attention to issues of civil rights was a product of pressure from him.

Although Jesse Jackson is not entirely unfamiliar with the kind of thing that's happening to Obama (Coretta Scott King endorsed Walter Mondale over him in 1984), he also got into the act. He criticized Obama for not championing the "Jena Six" (the case of six young black men in Louisiana charged with beating a white classmate) vigorously enough. After Obama's Iowa victory, Jackson demanded that the senator bolster "hope with substance".

Taken as a conglomerate, Jackson, Sharpton, Young, and Georgia Rep. John Lewis represent a sort of civil rights old boy network, a black boy network, that has parlayed its dated activist credentials into cash and jobs. Jackson, a two-time presidential candidate, has become a CNN host; Young was mayor of Atlanta and sits on numerous corporate boards; and Lewis is essentially representative-for-life of the 5th Congressional District in Georgia . Sharpton is younger than the others but a peer in spirit.

To the extent that the term "leader" is applicable, these four men likely represent the interests of Democratic Party insiders more than those of the black community. Both Young and Lewis have endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton; Sharpton and Jackson have acted ambivalent, alternately mouthing niceties about Obama and criticizing his stances on black issues.

It may be that, because they doubt that he can actually win, the civil rights leaders are holding Obama at arm's length in an attempt to build their houses on what looks to be the firmer ground. And there are certainly patronage benefits should Clinton win. She owes black polls, starting with Rep. Charlie Rengal (D-N.Y.), who first suggested that the party endorse her for a New York Senate seat. Rengel has also lined up behind Clinton.

There is far more to politics, even racial politics, than skin color. Still it is counterintuitive to think that Lewis, whose political career began when he was bludgeoned in Selma, AL, fighting for black voting rights, is witnessing the rise of the first viable black presidential candidate and yet opts to support a white machine politician.

One of the most telling aspects of Young's YouTube commentary was his statement that he'd called his political connections in Chicago about Obama and was told "they don't know him". There are certainly reasons not to support Obama, but not having friends in common isn't one of them. Young went on to announce that Obama was too young and should wait until 2016... a curious statement considering that Young was apprentice to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was 26 when he launched the Montgomery bus boycott that eventually toppled segregation.

The cynical braying about Obama's prospects has not been confined to the liberal civil rights quarters of black America . The conservative commentator Shelby Steele argued in his book "A Bound Man" that Obama isn't perceived as "black" enough to win over African American voters.

In fact, Obama strategists have been struggling to convince black voters that Obama can actually win over white voters and be a viable candidate. Many blacks want to support a winner and hope that Obama will become more attractive to white voters, not less. Part of this disconnect is a generational divide, one that is apparent in Jackson 's own household. Following Jackson 's criticism of Obama in the Chicago Sun-Times, his son, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., wrote a passionate defense of Obama's activist credentials.

As polls show increasing black support for Obama, Jackson, Sharpton, and Young begin to look like a once-wealthy family that has lost its fortune but has to keep spending to maintain appearances. Obama's tepid early showing among blacks in the polls had more to do with name recognition and concerns about his viability as a candidate than with Jackson or Sharpton withholding their endorsement.

Ignoring Sharpton or Jackson is not the same thing as taking the black vote for granted. It is a reasonable calculation that neither of them can deliver many votes and certainly not enough to offset the number of white votes that their approval could lose Obama. Jackson and Sharpton might be holding out for a better deal in exchange for their support, but with Ophrah Winfrey and Chris Rock among Obama's list of supporters, they have little to bargain with.

If Obama makes a strong showing in the South Carolina primary, the first with a substantial number of black voters, it will become apparent that the black boy network has begun bouncing checks. The irony is that for generations of black "firsts", the prerequisite for entering an institution was proving that you were just like the establishment that ran it. (Think of Jackie Robinson's approach to the major leagues, or the host of "articulate Negro" roles in Sidney Poitier’s body of work.) Obama has been vastly successful by doing just the opposite: Masterfully positioning himself as an outsider. In the process, he's opened the door even wider for black outsiders. Too bad his predecessors refuse to help push him the rest of the way inside.

Jelani9@aol.com
William Jelani Cobb is an associate professor of history at Spelman College and
the author of "The Devil & Dave Chappelle and Other Essays."

Please Note: This article reflects the viewpoint of it's author and may
or may not necessarily be mine... I just posted it here on my
blog for comment, debate, and/or reflection. - Keith

And on Another Day...

Politicians and so called economic "experts" tell us that we (the American public) are "headed for a recession one day". The next day, we are told that we are "already in a recession". And on another day, we are told that a "recesssion is sometimes necessary and that it is our economy's way of straightening itself out." I guess if this is so, then we all should just sit back, ride it out, and we'll all be the better for it. Of course, in that time we could lose our job, house, car, and the shirt off our backs. And mind you, I have seen some shirtless and homeless people walking around! We'll all be better for it because the economy will straighten itself out. I'll try to remember that when I'm living under the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Truth be told, I don't know which politician or expert to believe on any given day and I don't put too much faith in any of them straightening things out anytime soon. However, I do follow patterns and it seems that the economy goes bad everytime an incumbant president is about to leave office. And somehow or another, it does manage to turn itself around during the next president's administration... thus, making that person look like an "economic genius". So, maybe I won't panic... maybe I'll just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

And on another day...

To Truly Honor Dr. King

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

If Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were alive today, he would be fascinated that a Black man is running for President and actually has a shot at getting the nomination. In 1968, the year of his death, this was unheard of and just not conceivable. No, we couldn't imagine Barack Obama yet... he was about seven years old then and it is doubtful that even HE could've imagined this time. But, this is not about Obama.

It is also unimaginable that young Black males kill other young Black males at a rate much higher than the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) did during it's hey day in the early 1900's when lynching was a "southern sport". If you watch HBO's TV show "The Wire" and other shows like A&E's "The First 48", it is astounding how little regard for life young black males have for each other. Every murder of a young black man is by another young black man. There is a cruel joke going around that the Ku Klux Klan has retired because young Black men are doing their job for them and at a much faster rate.

If we want to truly honor Dr. King, let's practice non-violence amongst ourselves. PLEASE, LET'S STOP THE KILLING!

An Open Appeal To Hillary & Barack

Click here to get blog badges for any presidential candidate!

It is 2008... Why are we still talking about race? The recent snipping and sniping by both the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama camps is reprehensible. I have heard that one or both of the camps is accusing the other of playing the "race card". I am appealing openly to both camps to please stop! Even the Republicans have not pulled it... so, why are these two Democrats doing it?

In 2008 , there are issues that affect all Americans, like the economy, the sagging housing market, gas prices, the continued war in the Middle East, education, the infra-structure of this country, and well... I could go on and on. Let's talk about the issues that we all have in common and not bring up the non-issues such as race and religion that tend to distract us from matters of importance.

I expect better than this of both camps!!!

People In The News

Spotlight on O.J. Simpson

Has O.J. Simpson finally lost his mind? (Some of you think he lost it totally in 1994.) I am hearing that he is now back in jail. Apparently, he attempted to contact one of the co-defendents in his case. Somebody say "Witness Tampering" or "Obstruction of Justice", please!

Clearly, none of Johnnie Cochran's legal savy was absorbed by him. If he is fortunate, O.J. will turn 61 years old this year. It is indeed sad to begin spending your golden years behind bars... but at the rate he is going, he might very well spend the rest of whatever life he's got left in the slam.

If my grandmother was alive and watching all of this foolishness, she would say... "That boy needs to go somewhere and sit down." INDEED!!!

The Best Years

Last night I watched my (soon to be two year old) grandson run up and down the hallway with wild abandon... laughing and screaming to the top of his lungs. I thought about how wild, wonderful, and fun the world must be to him right now. Everyday and everything is brand new to him... in a simple word, "fun". Remember when the world was fun?

Soon, my grandson will be called on to learn how to talk, read, write, add, and subtract. Sooner still, he'll be held accountable for his actions and he'll begin to leave a paper trail behind... (social security number, bank statements, utility bills, etc.). Soon and very soon, the world will not be as much fun. In fact, as he gets older, the less fun it will be... sad, but true.

I hope that my grandson enjoys this time the fullest. When I was just a little older than he is now, my parents always told me... "These are the best years of your life." Only now, do I truly understand what they meant.

Turning 50

When I turned 40, they said that "40 is the new 20" and I guess I beleived it... tried to live it even... (i.e. mid-life crisis), though I steadfastly denied it. Then, they said that "50 is the new 30". Oh, Yeah? Da Nile isn't just a river in Egypt! I'm a realist if nothing else... 40 is not the new 20 and 50 is not the new 30... 50 is just 50. If I want to tell myself anything about my upcoming 50th birthday that will make me feel any better, it's this... a lot of people started out with me... and a lot of them are taking what Tony Soprano so eloquently called a "a dirt nap" (i.e. they are dead) and I'm still here.

When I was a child I couldn't imagine the world we live in today... compact discs, dvds, cable TV, cell phones, instant messager, downloading music, personal computers, i-phones, blackberries, etc. I remember being seven and my science teacher telling us about the year 2000 (mind you, this was 1965 and she was talking about the year 2000). "In the year 2000, most of you will be in your mid-forties", she said. "FORTY?" I was only seven and to me, TEN sounded like old age!

Now, I'm finally in the last few months of my forties and 50, which I hadn't ever conceptualized, is on the horizon. I tell myself that it's just another day. Yeah, the things we tell ourselves so that we can cope.

Today's Best Quote

"Do what you have to do, so that you can do what you want to do."

Denzel Washington

Psychopath Test (Just 4 Laughs Or Is It?)

Read this question, come up with an answer, and then scroll down to the bottom for the result. This is not a trick question. It is as it reads. No one I know has gotten it right, including me.

A woman, while at the funeral of her own mother, met this guy whom she did not know. She thought this guy was amazing, so much her dream guy, and she believed him to be just that! She fell in love with him right there, but never asked for his number and could not find him. A few days later she killed her sister.

Question: What is her motive for killing her sister? Give this some thought before you answer.

[SCROLL DOWN]















Answer: She was hoping that the guy would appear at the funeral again.

If you answered this correctly, you think like a psychopath. This test was used by a famous American psychologist to determine if one has the same mentality as a killer. Many arrested serial killers took part in the test and answered the question correctly. If you didn't answer the question correctly, good for you. If you got the answer correct, please let me know so I can take you off of my email list (unless that will tick you off, then I'll just be extra nice to you from now on). Be sure to share the test.

Never Forget

General Dwight D. Eisenhower

It is a matter of history that when the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, found the victims of the death camps, he ordered all possible photographs to be taken and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead. He did this because he said in words to this effect: "Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses - because somewhere down the track of history, some bastard will get up and say that this never happened. "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

In memorial this week, the UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it "offended" the Muslim population which claims it never occurred. This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it. It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This email message is being sent as a memorial. In memory of the 6 million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians, and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved, and humiliated with the German and Russian peoples looking the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran, among others, claiming the Holocaust to be "a myth", it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets.

A New Day In Philadelphia?

Mayor-Elect Michael Nutter

Michael Nutter has been elected Mayor.

He's a Good Guy, a straight arrow, he means well.

George Bush is still in the White House.

The Economy is on the verge of collapse.

Housing has slumped.

Murders are still occuring in Philadelphia at one a day...

The Iraq war rages on...

There is NOT a new day in Philadelphia or the United States coming anytime soon!!!

Just thought you'd like to know that.

Message To The Sixers

Allen Iverson

This isn't going to be the "sports blog", but since that is one of my interests, from time to time I am going to imitate Stephen A. Smith...

Last night Allen Iverson returned to Philadelphia... but, not in a 76ers uniform... It's been a year and a month since he was traded to the Denver Nuggets... and since he's been traded... the 76ers have not posted a winning season or been even close to being in the playoffs... To add insult to injury... ticket sales have slumped since he left... Do you think we miss him? Just a little bit?Allen dropped 38 points on the hapless Sixers who lost to his Nuggets 109-96.

I am a guy who always sees the glass as half-full, rather than half-empty... The Sixers have an upside... they have a good young team that if kept together, will one day return Philadelphia to the elite of the NBA. For those of us like me, who may not have much time to wait for that (I was 25 in 1983 when the Sixers last won the NBA Championship and I'll be 50 in a few months) here is a note to the Sixers... Please, follow Boston's example and get one, maybe two veteren players WHO CAN PLAY right now... not two guys who used to be good that nobody wants anymore... (Chris Webber anyone?), mix them in with that young nucleus you have, and let's take an NBA title before I lapse into senility... PLEASE!

Who Woulda Thunk It?

Barack Obama Makes Victory Speech in Iowa

(click here to see the video)

I read in the newspaper today (Yes, I still read them!!!) that Barack Obama won the Iowa primary for the Democrats last night. In IOWA? IOWA?? IOWA??? DID YOU SAY IOWA???? Iowa has more voters over 60 than any other state in the union... (fact) and Iowa is a predominately white and conservative state... (not that there is anything wrong with that) I just never expected Obama to do well there. The fact that he did, speaks volumes about America today... It says that at least for now... people can overlook race and color and listen to what someone is saying... That may be politically naive... but, it gives me hope... that at last America is changing and moving beyond it's racist past. That's a good thing!

Un-Resolution

I have made a New Year's resolution not to make any New Year's resolutions. I never keep them anyway. Last year, I did manage to keep one... I paid off all of my credit cards... but I didn't lose any weight, didn't begin a physical fitness program and didn't save the amount of money I said I was going to save. One out of four is bad... This year, no resolutions... That is one that I will keep!

The Irony Of A Football Season Lost

Philadelphia Eagles

Happy New Year! The Eagles 2007 season is mercifully over... In the end...the record is 8 wins and 8 losses. I would like to think that the Eagles are better than their record. They lost several games by just a few points...One less mistake here, one better executed play there, and this team could easily have been 12-4 and in the playoffs. In my mind, The Eagles should have won against the Packers, won both Redskins games, beaten the Giants at least once, and possibly even bested the Patriots in that one game they played. (A game, I should add in which the team looked it's best all season.) It's all water under the bridge now....but, you know what they say...there is always...next year.