D-the-VIP

HOLLYWOOD, WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:52:00 +0000

Enticed by the lure of Hollywood’s sign that is nestled neatly in a hill, lording over a town of tinsel that on a dime can turn to gold. Illuminating a block of streets embedded with star’s that bare the name of the human ones that currently or once walked among us. Their name’s sparking our imagination and our ingenuity, their footprints, handprints and autographs allowing us to see if our shoe size or hand size measures up, as if to measure up means to succeed. Hollywood: A land where the unimaginable is not only conceived but created! A land where a talking mouse, a war among stars, and the concept of reality makes the common person rich! We come from all over the world seeking our fortune in the fame that dances like sugar plums in the head of a child at Christmas. We, the creative souls, come as if pulled by a magnet to metal. "In Hollywood we trust!!!" We naively buy into the dream of making the impossible possible. We pack our hopes in boxes that guarantee success. We come in search of a promised land that recognizes true talent and ambition, only to run into a glass wall or glass ceiling, that separate US from THEY. Us, the outsiders whose skin color, hair texture, gender, weight, religion, or age doesn’t conform to what THEY, the Wizard’s in Hollywood’s own version of the Wizard of Oz, believe is ideal. Like Dorothy, we are mystified by the ugliness of a place that places a value on cruelty, Hollywood with her mask off, looks more like an old dame who has spent one too many times under the knife. Her grotesque features appearing beautiful from afar are unable to hide the ugliness of actions that mimic that of a bygone era up close. Thousands answer her call with the heart that the Tin-Man lacked, the courage that the Lion craved, and the fearlessness the Scarecrow needed, ready to navigate Hollywood’s yellow brick road not knowing that those qualities alone aren’t enough to tame the lion that roars, capture the horse with wings, or climb the mountains summit. For most, the Hollywood sign is a symbol of creativity, artistic expression, an embrace of differences the assumption of equality, Martin Luther King’s dream of the content of a person’s character or in the land of make-believe, the content of someone’s imagination, as fake and phony as the old dames enhanced façade. No longer mandated to make affirmative choices to correct non-inclusive actions, the Hollywood sign is no different than Jim Crow’s line. The bygone era of two Hollywood’s existing within one state are now two Hollywood’s that exist in two separate states. Now a city whose peach trees once bore strange fruit and red clay dirt tinged with the blood of folks with skin the color of molasses, beckon those whose dreams have been trampled by Hollywood’s ideal. What Irony? Atlanta: The town that would not allow Hattie McDaniel to attend the premiere for Gone with the Wind or even be listed in the program, is now the land of opportunity for those who bear the mark of a drop or more of blood that changes fair skin to French vanilla, caramel, café au lait, cinnamon, olive, mahogany, and ebony. Plessey vs. Ferguson, Separate but equal! A slap in the face of Martin Luther King’s dream, Hattie McDaniel’s first Oscar for an African American, Bette Davis’ performance as the only white actor in an all black ensemble for African American troops, The first African American Film Director Oscar Micheaux who dared to create and distribute his film’s independently both domestically and internationally in 1919, and Clark Gable’s refusal to attend the premiere of Gone with the Wind because Hattie couldn’t. In a scene from the movie Pretty Woman a man walking in Hollywood asks “What’s your dream?” My dream is to see Hollywood embrace differences, give opportunity to the talented no matter the hue, and truly become the beacon of creativity it was meant to be because at the end of the day, fear of the unknown keeps us apart building separate worlds will not bring us together. So I ask, Hollywood: What are you afraid of? ~d-the-VIP

~d-the-VIP

Bird in a Gilded Cage

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:33:00 +0000

I’ve often written stories that talk about the price of fame,
Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and now Whitney Houston, too many to name.
They have all suffered the consequence of a gift greater than most,
A gift that made people treat them like Kings and Queens on every Coast.
Sing song bird from your gilded cage,
Closed off from humanity,
You are who I say.
The King of this, the Queen of that, are the titles we’ve bestowed,
We, the fans who’ve watched you sang, dance, and hit every note.
WE love you we say,
as we watch the songbird inside its gilded cage.
You look out with eyes, that long to be free,
But we can’t let you go, for you are a rare species.
We love you so much that we want to know more,
Putting you in a gilded cage and closing the door.
A gilded cage has bars, much like a prison, despite being pretty.
A Prison serves to kill the spirit of men, who have done wrong,
Are we, the fans, unwitting players in the demise of these beautiful songbirds who no longer sing their songs?
Is there a lesson to be learned so we can protect the next rare species to come along?
Let’s throw away their gilded cages and our need to know more,
Let’s allow them the unfettered freedom to soar.
Because when you love something truly
You have to set it free,
Or wake up one morning to find that your songbird ceases to be.
It’s too late for Elvis, Michael, Whitney and the others,
But it’s not too late for those songbirds that are among us.
Let’s give them room to be a son, father, brother, daughter, sister or mother
Without the constant pry,
of our watchful eye,
that critiques every motive.
Soar high to the Songbirds who are now free from their cage.
I only wish we had known earlier the price of fame.
~d-the-VIP

9/11: A Strange and Bitter Crop!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:41:00 +0000

“Shan, you better hurry up in there you’re already late for work!” My mother shouted.

“I’ll be leaving soon” I yelled back from my throne, otherwise known as, the toilet! I always did my best thinking there.

“What are you doing? Hurry up. You’re as slow as Christmas” she said again.

I had been out until the wee hours of the morning working on my baby, a celebrity driven show that I was independently producing. Now, on this sunny morning, I sat on my "throne" replaying in my head the interview and how it should be edited.

“Shan, come here!”

“Oh, lord” I groaned. As long as I was home my mother wasn’t gonna give me any peace, although I wasn't doing anything but sitting in the bathroom staring into space. I wasn't even using the toilet I was sitting on.

“An airplane…” she yelled, but this time her voice sounded different.

“What?” I said as I unlocked the bathroom door and walked toward her bedroom.

“Hurry up you gotta see this!”

“See what?” I said again, as I rounded the corner to the bedroom.

I stopped in my tracks as soon as I saw her standing in front of the TV staring at the screen like, Carrie Ann, the little blond girl from the movie Poltergeist.

“Look” she said pointing to the TV.

Following her finger I looked at the screen. There I saw a hole in the side of a building with black smoke and papers billowing out.

“Oh my God, what happened?”

“A plane just hit one of the Twin Towers” she said as I watched the instant replay of the airplane slamming into the tower. I knew immediately she was talking about the Towers in New York City. They were a huge part of the Manhattan skyline and had unfortunately been attacked before.

“Oh man, the pilot must’ve gotten disoriented or sick, maybe he had a heart attack and the Co-pilot didn’t have time to react” I said in disbelief.

“This is a live shot of the towers. If you’re just tuning in, an airplane has hit one of the Twin Towers. We will keep you updated on…What is that airplane doing? Oh my god it’s gonna hit the other tower!”

While the news camera was focused on the tower that was burning, another airplane came into view and slammed into the second tower right before our eyes, black smoke, fire, and debris, roaring out. We both sat on the bed, I remember the silence we shared as the magnitude of what we were seeing finally started to take shape.

“Oh my God we’re being attacked! I gotta call Yagi!” I screamed and jumped up to get my cell phone.

I had known Yagi since 5th grade. Two people couldn’t be more opposite and still get along. We were Ying and Yang! She was as meek and mild as I was boisterous and blunt. She rocked afro-puffs like a true New Yorker, while I rocked straight hair like the quintessential Detroiter. I am the creative TV person who would rather wear the crazy patterns of Cavalli. She’s the strait-laced lawyer who would rather wear a navy, two-piece, Brooks Brothers suit. I’m tardy for the party, while you can set your clock by her, which meant that she was in her office located somewhere near the Twin Towers this fateful morning! How close? I did not know. I dialed her number quickly.

“All circuits are busy,” the recorded message said.

I hung up and dialed five more times only to keep hearing the same message.

“All airplanes are grounded!”

I had forgotten the TV was still on as I paced back and forth, phone in hand.

“People are jumping!” The announcer screamed.

This time I turned to see what looked like dolls falling from the gaping holes. I called Yagi for the sixth time.

“All circuits are busy.”

Where exactly did she say her damn office was? I stood up and started pacing, turning away from the TV once again.

“The tower is falling!”

At that moment I whipped around just in time to see the tower collapse like a deck of cards piled too high, making a perfect descent as if imploded on purpose, except, this was not on purpose! We watched helplessly as men and women who were once standing on the street, “safe from harm”, watching the towers in horror, now ran for their lives as metal, concrete and glass came crashing down.

I called Yagi again, this time praying I would get through. By the time the last tower crashed I’d received the same message about the “circuits” enough times to know I would not be able to talk to her that day, the circuits most assuredly on overload with people calling to inquire about loved ones. I only prayed that no news was good news, as I left my mother’s room to start getting dressed for work.

Like most folks on 9/1/1, I went to work in a daze, as every radio and television station replayed the events of that morning. There I learned the full scope of the attack. Not only had the Twin Towers been attacked but so had the Pentagon, and another airplane had crashed in a field, not too far away.

The Pentagon attack had raised concerns at work since Georgie, the guy who sat behind me, had left the day before to move his girlfriend to DC, just a block away from the Pentagon.

If we were a family at work, Georgie and I were brother and sister! I probably teased, and got on his nerves more than all his siblings combined! Now not only was I calling Yagi, but my supervisor and I took turns calling Georgie.

Late the following evening I finally got through to Yagi, luckily she hadn’t been directly in the fray. But for a long walk home, (from Manhattan to Brooklyn), she was ok. Earlier that day we’d gotten through to Georgie who was fine, his girlfriend, deciding to return to Detroit.

That night I listened to Billie Holiday’s song, strange fruit, the song juxtaposed the beauty of the south with the ugliness of lynching. In an unlikely twist of fate, the same ignorance, and hatred that fueled the deaths of so many in her time now fueled the deaths of so many in mine.

9/11 had proved that the world still had not learned that nothing ever comes from ignorance and hatred but a “strange and bitter crop.” ~d-the-VIP

Where's Waldo?: The Search for a Job!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:45:00 +0000

Looking for a job these days is more like looking for “Waldo” the outlandish, red and white hat wearing cartoon character from the cover of a 1980’s children’s book and cartoon called Where’s Waldo?. In both, your job was to find the main character Waldo amidst a page crammed pack with action. In some instances you’d get excited, believing that you’d found the proverbial “needle in the haystack” or shall I say “Waldo in the haystack”, only to lose that excitement when you discovered upon closer inspection that what you’d actually found wasn't Waldo but someone or something that mirrored his signature look.

For this generation maybe Waldo books and cartoon came out as an unlikely precursor for today’s job market. Searching for Waldo has been replaced with searching for a job and the odds of hearing the words “You’re hired” are just as elusive. The job market, unlike looking for Waldo does not guarantee success to the persistent. Instead they too find themselves in the same social services lines, food banks, and homeless shelters as those who were far less diligent. Unlike Waldo, the economy, is not a neatly packaged book or cartoon that guarantees success, no matter how persistent, educated, or diligent you are.

When A Lie Becomes the Truth!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:38:00 +0000

Happy Father's Day to all the men who bless their children with beautiful memories. My grandfather was one of my favorite people ever! He let me hang with him despite my inability to keep my mouth shut! lol! Here's one of the stories I wrote about just such an occasion. Enjoy!

When I was little my grandfather, affectionately known as Trap, either for his pool playing skills or his skill with the ladies, I forgot which one, and I were two peas in a pod! Wherever he went I’d go whether it was a worksite, (he was a master plasterer), or one of he and granny’s rental properties, or the record store they owned on busy Mack Avenue. Heck I even hung out with him and the fella’s at the bar next door to the record store while they drank brandy and talked about the fine ladies whose houses they’d worked on. “Man Mrs. Washington sure is some wasted vanilla” that meant she was light skin but she wasn’t cute. If she were a prime piece of chocolate that meant she was brown skin and good looking or “Fine” as they would call it. There I’d sit on the bar’s counter with my ruffled socks and shorts, t-shirt and pigtails munching from the bag of chips and drinking pop (We call it pop in Detroit but I think you guys may call it Soda), eating the bribe I’d received after promising my grandfather that I wouldn’t tell grandma where we’d been. Only to break that vow as soon as we walked in the door and she’d ask, “Where y’all been?” “Hanging with Mr. Jack”, I’d say, still munching on my chips and the argument between granny and granddad would begin. But not before granddad would bend down and say, “I thought you said you wouldn’t tell on granddad. That’s ok you’re still granddaddy’s baby”. Off I’d go upstairs to where my mom and I lived. That was our summer routine until one Saturday.
On this Saturday my mom and I were at the Laundromat. While playing near the door I saw granddad’s green caprice headed down the alley with a lady who wasn’t granny in the car. “Momma, look its granddad riding down the alley with some lady in the car” I’d said just in time for my mother to raise her head and get a glimpse of him. “That’s not granddad”, she’d said, “Yes it is!” I’d said. I’d been in that car enough to know it when I saw it. “That was granddad. I don’t know that lady but that was granddad”, at that point mother knew that she couldn’t convince me otherwise so she changed her tactic. “Ok that was granddad. You better not tell granny you saw him or you’re gonna get a spanking”, Wow! This was serious! I was gonna get a spanking for saying I saw granddad? “Ok, I said”, granddad’s bribes sure were better than mommas I remember thinking! Maybe next time I won’t tell on him. I continued to play as my mother finished laundry. Later that afternoon I’m riding my bike when my grandma stops me, “Have you seen granddad” she asked me. “Huh?” I say as I feverishly try to think of an answer. Shoot my mom always said not to lie because that was bad but then she also told me not to tell grandma that I’d seen granddad when I had, but she never said what to tell her if she asked.
So what do I say? If I say no, I’m lying and that’s bad but if I say yes I’m disobeying my mother and she’s already told me what my punishment would be. All the time that I’m thinking about what to say I’m squirming on my bike and scratching my head, “Shan, Look at me!” Shan is my nickname, “Have you seen granddad?” I couldn’t lie looking in my grandma’s face, “Yes I saw him riding through the alley with some lady in the car”. “What?” Maybe I should’ve left out the lady part but it all came out so fast I couldn’t stop it. “I saw him riding down the alley”, I repeated, this time I left out the part about the lady but grandma remembered because she ended by saying “With some lady in the car? I’m gonna kill him”. “Don’t kill him I said because my momma will know I told you what I saw and will spank me.” “Your momma’s not gonna spank you and I’m not gonna kill him but he’d better have a good explanation” she said as she walked away. I put my bike up. Riding it just didn’t seem like fun anymore especially with my stomach in knots now that I’d told grandma what I had been told not to. That night every time I heard the door open and close, I jumped wondering if my secret would be told. I wondered did granddad feel like this before we entered the house every time he told me not to tell. My stomach hurt, I was sweating, and my hands were clammy, “What’s wrong my mother had asked?” “Nothing” I said. Then the door opened and all we could hear was grandma yelling out the question, “What the hell were you doing in the alley with some woman”, I swallowed and looked over at my mother who looked at me with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth as she curled her fingers and snarled, “Come here”. “Didn’t I tell you not to tell grandma you saw granddad?” “Yeah you did but you also told me not to lie” I thought to myself. While granny and granddad were yelling downstairs I was yelling upstairs, I got that spanking momma promised, It turns out that granddad had taking a side job as a jitney, (a quasi transportation service provided at grocery stores), hence why he was driving down the alley with some unknown lady in the car. He didn’t tell grandma because he didn’t want her taking his earnings as she did his other paycheck. Granny was worse than the IRS when it came to money. I don’t think what I did that day was bad but I regret it because it marked the end of my innocence, so to speak. I knew from that point on that the truth was relative. People only wanted you to tell the truth if it was what they wanted to hear, not if it was in fact the truth. That day a lie ceased being the big bad no-no that it had once been. It had become just as viable as the truth and I began to use it at will!

EVERYBODY! Cross out the Word Negro on Your Census!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:18:00 +0000

In filling out my 2010 Census form I noticed that listed in the category of race is the word NEGRO. I'm appalled that any member of the Census Bureau would think that having NEGRO on the form was appropriate. To say it's necessary for older members of our society to know in which category they fit because 56,000 people, out of millions, actually wrote the word in during the 2000 census is RIDICULOUS!!!! That's like taking a census of everyone in Washington DC and because 5,600 people wrote Washington, Dumb Crap instead of Washington, District of Columbia, you mandate that all new maps list Washington as Washington, District of Columbia/Dumb Crap!!! Sounds ludicrous doesn't it? Just about as ludicrous as the census including the term Negro for members of society who are already asked to racially identify themselves when they get government issued ID or Driver's License. They do so without the ASSistance or "simplification" of the word NEGRO and "miraculously," they've been able to identify themselves correctly within the parameters given.

To include the term Negro was an egregious step backwards for the Census Bureau and the country and for that I say shame on Census Director Robert Groves and Nicholas Jones, Chief of the Census racial statistics branch and anyone else who believed that including the term NEGRO was necessary!!! It is truly a sign that although this country has come a long way in the 40-plus years since the Civil Rights Movement there is still a long way to go before the respect due is an automatic and not a question! In this time, I am reminded of an interview that I did with Professor Griff a member of Politically and Socially conscious rap group Public Enemy,(see video below). After asking him a question about the derogatory names and terms used in music, he said "It's not what you're called it's what you respond to!" I thought he had a point then and I think he has a point now.

Filling out the Census is important, so I will do so, but I'm crossing out the term Negro. I won't respond to that!!! I am urging EVERYONE, no matter the race or nationality to draw a line through the word Negro on the census form as well. Lets stand together as we did over 40 years ago and say together to the Census Bureau and anybody else in Washington, "This is Not appropriate or acceptable!" They do not have a "Consensus" when it comes to using the term NEGRO. Maybe if they get more entries with the word crossed out than written in we can finally bury this word once and for all!

d-the-VIP

I don't condone what Tiger did, but guess what???

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:05:00 +0000

I'm not a fan of Tiger Wood's as a person nor have I ever been! I've had the "pleasure" of being up close with Tiger and seeing first hand the arrogance that made him think he was invincible. I watched that same arrogance propel him to victory in competition. He is undoubtedly the greatest golfer to ever pick up clubs, even if he is not the squeaky clean "moral compass" most thought he was.

Tiger screwed up BIG TIME! He's embarrassed his wife, jeopardized his family, both physically and emotionally, and has most certainly disappointed his mother. To them he owes his apologies. They're the ones that he promised fidelity and respectability, not the the companies who have made millions from his endorsement, not the fans who have watched him play with passion and integrity each and every time he's stepped on the green, and certainly not the media, who "ASSUMED" he would be, "Mr. Clean",crowned him as such, and sat him on a pedestal reserved for our celebrated deity's, otherwise known as celebrities.

I don't condone what Tiger did, but guess what??? He's human! And as such he will make GREAT decisions and POOR decisions. But who are we to judge???? Who are we to say his public apology wasn't "good enough"? Who are we to constantly rehash his mistake and comment about whether his wife should stay or leave? Tiger's wife and mother are the only ones with the right to chastise him. God is the only one who has the right to judge him. The rest of us need to be thankful that our lives aren't subjected to the white, hot, spotlight of fame, because the scandal that could be dug up in some of our backyards, might make Tiger's situation look tame. We should all think about that before giving our commentary.

~d-the-VIP

Do Angel's Walk Among Us?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Do Angel's walk among us? I talked to a brilliant, sassy, classy, and savvy business lady today who is as vibrant as a ray of sunshine! She's full of life, full of energy, and a beautiful spirit both inside and out. By looking at her one would never know that she has the "big C"...Cancer. Although Miss Classy is stepping high today it took one chance encounter with an angel to save her life. After learning that her cancer had returned, (she had been in remission), not only was Miss Classy depressed but after spending a month in the hospital and returning home weak she'd decided that she'd had enough and that she'd give up her fight to live. Going to the grocery store to buy fruits and veggies for her mom who had been complaining that she needed some was probably gonna be one of the last things she would be able to do for her mom before she died. So, weak and newly released from the hospital, she went to the store filling up her basket with things her mother said she needed. At checkout, while the cashier totaled her bill, she realized that she had left her wallet and that she only had $2 and some change in her purse. She told the cashier how much she had and that she'd need to put her things back and come back later. The cashier then replied "You have enough your bill is only $2". When she looked at the cashier in confusion and repeated that she didn't have enough for everything the cashier repeated, "You got $2 and change your bill is only two dollars so you have enough. You take this stuff and go home, get some rest, and take care of yourself because you look like you don't feel well". Astonished and probably walking in a trance Miss Classy walked out the store groceries in hand. It was at that moment that she decided that she was going to fight for her life. If the cashier who didn't know her could be so kind to her, then life was worth living and she would fight to live it! Pep is indeed in Miss Classy's step nowadays! Although she's off to Chemo tomorrow she smiles brightly and laughs often. Why not? She's outlived all her "expiration" dates and is quick to say "You could go before me! Anything can happen!" When I asked whether Miss Classy ever saw that cashier again she said she had not even though she'd gone back to the store several times to find her. Ironically no one even remembers the cashier she describes. Whether the cashier was a good Samaritan or an angel sent by God we'll never know but what I do know is that one act of kindness can mean nothing to you but may change the course of someones life forever. Do angels walk among us? I believe they do, because I believe all of us have the capability of being some body's Angel!

~d-the-VIP

Michael Jackson gets the LAST LAUGH!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:31:00 +0000

Michael Jackson gets the last laugh as THIS IS IT,a movie/ documentary comprised of footage from the singers rehearsals for what he called his last concert, and what tragically became his last performance, hits theatres this week. This is it crushes rumors that the 50 year old superstar was noticeably emaciated, could not keep up with the dancing demands, had lost his voice due to some mysterious lung problems, was not coherent and leaves no doubt that Michael, NOT a body double, performed throughout this film. I was amazed at how great things looked, how great Michael looked, danced, and how great he sound. Having heard the rumors I don't know what I expected but what I saw left no doubt that This Is It was going to be one of the greatest concerts of all time. The flashes of brilliance, the glimpses of perfection, the love. It's at that moment that you truly realize the greatness of the man dubbed the "King of Pop". However, when Michael's calm, polite, voice would say "love", or "God Bless you" or "I love you" or "Thank you" after correcting someone, making a request, or changing something. It's at that moment that you realize what a great loss for humanity. I walked out the theater humming not a Michael Jackson song but rather a Janet Jackson tune,"Don't know what you've got til it's gone," but I did have a smile because Michael Jackson indeed got the last laugh as he proved once again that he IS the greatest entertainer of all time!

~d-the-VIP

Fax to Get Back: The Princess of Crunk about to be the MRS! And other News hot off the presses!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:02:00 +0000

The Princess of Crunk will soon have a permanent passenger to take on her "Fantasy Ride"! Word has it that Ciara Harris will soon be Mrs.Jackson! As in Mrs Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson as sources close to the couple confirm that rap's "Bad boy" mogul has asked the "Crunk Princess" to marry him. Quite a change of heart for a man who just last year denied rumors that he and Ciara were already married citing the high divorce rate as reason why he plans to stay single. If the sources are correct this comes after a two year relationship in which "50" showered Ciara with expensive cars including a Lamborghini and a Bentley. Wow! Congrats Ciara you definitely tamed a Tiger! First Jay and now 50! I wonder what Diddy is waiting on. LOL! Oh yeah, there's more wild oats to sow! LOL! Sorry I couldn't help it!

Congratulations are also in order to one of our favorite couples NBA Baller Carmelo Anthony and actress/model LaLa Vasquez, the two who have been engaged for 3 years and have a son, have set a wedding date and started planning their wedding. He already took B's advice and "Put a ring on it" it's good to see that he's going to add the paper with it. I'm sure it will be absolutely beautiful!

After last years tragedy it's good to see Jennifer Hudson smile again and apparently she has a lot to smile about as it seems that Jennifer and fiance, David Otunga, eloped secretly last month among family and friends just days before their son, David Jr. was born. Jennifer looks FABULOUS and is absolutely glowing check out these pictures taken recently. She also is all smiles because her sister who's son was killed last year is also pregnant! Good for y'all!

Terius "the Dream" Nash's ex-wife Nivea may be pregnant and alledgedly engaged to Lil Wayne but he's not crying over spilled milk as he and girlfriend Christina Milian are said to be engaged and expecting their first child. But mums the word on the pregnancy as they are announcing it at their upcoming engagement party! Also Congrats to the Dream in his new role as Executive Vice-President of Island Def Jam.

Congratulations to Taye Diggs and his wife actress Idina Menzel who welcomed their first child a baby boy named Walker.

Also, congratulations may be in order for Halle Berry who is rumored to be expecting her second child. This news comes on the heels of rumors that her first child was conceived via invitro-fertilization and not naturally as the actress has said. I say who cares how the baby was conceived! If you want my two cents on the subject with all the "twins" popping up in Hollywood it's crazy that somebody thinks that's news! That's like telling me that Joan Rivers had a face lift.

Told ya all gossip doesn't have to be negative! All of this was good news! Peace!
~d-the-VIP

Just a Minute to be Normal

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:34:00 +0000

So Many people cried. Okay if I'm being honest, I cried so I had to ask myself why? I mean lets be real! The closest I ever got to Michael Jackson was watching him on TV! Okay, I did have a poster, a Michael Jackson doll, and of course Thriller as a kid. But what caused me to shed a tear??? I mean it actually felt like I had lost a relative! I even caught an attitude when I heard what I perceived to be a negative comment on his death!" Am I upset because Michael represented an era in my life that his death signifies is gone forever? Or is it something deeper?

I admit it! I'm an "MJ" baby! He certainly was a huge influence. Who didn't rock the white socks, a glittery glove, a t-shirt with his picture, or, (if you were fortunate), have a Thriller or Beat It replica jacket? I remember even burning my cousins scalp with hair spray so that he could have the Michael Jackson part and curl, even though he had a fro, and no way of that mess curling! I also remember my friend returning from Europe and she and her dad telling stories of how people followed them around asking if "SHE" were Michael Jackson, despite the obvious, (she was a girl), and only 11, but hey, she did have a curl. So pervasive was Michael during that time that besides setting fashion trends with the color Levi's , Penny loafers, and aviator glasses. In business this soft spoken child-like man showed the shrewdness of any CEO. He taught my generation how to dream bigger! "Don't just want to sing the songs, write them!" "Produce them!" "Own your masters!" "Own someone Else's!" I remember how shocked I was when I heard Michael Jackson had bought the Beetles catalogue. I thought, a "black boy" from Gary Indiana had not only the funds, but the nerve and the audacity to buy one of "white pop cultures" most prized catalogues. If he could do that I certainly could do anything! Before him music videos were simply a band recorded singing. After, him they were stories and sometimes mini movies and any entertainer worth their salt never came with anything less! MTV went from relative obscurity to a household name after the debut of Thriller's video.

He made us wanna dance like him. He made us dress like him but in his music he encouraged us to find our own greatness! He told us to care about those who were less fortunate and that a change starts simply with the "Man in the Mirror". As I thought about it I realized that I wasn't crying because his death marked an end of an era but rather I was crying because that ended forever his opportunity to have the happiness that he had given so many of us! I was upset that he had given tirelessly of his talents, time, and money and we as a society greedily took, took, and took with out ever giving him what he so richly deserved. Just a minute to be normal. We never questioned what he saw or heard as a talent in the racially turbulent 60's that made him think a change of skin tone, hair texture, and nose shape was so very necessary. We weren't willing to believe that his desire to be in the company of small children was not for nefarious reasons but rather because by virtue of their innocence and their age they wouldn't act or treat him differently. We never considered what being a kid on the road with teenage brothers with raging hormones and girls willing to "swap" more than "candy" because of who they were would do to his psyche or his self-esteem. We certainly didn't factor in how he would process seeing those same girls claim to be pregnant weeks later. How do you have "normal" in a world were everybody knows your name? How do you build self-esteem when everybody wants something from you including those you love? How do you trust when time and time again people have "hung you out to dry?" Is it so surprising that he wanted to buy Joseph Merrick's, (the elephant man), bones seemingly one of the few people to ever walk the earth who could know the total isolation and sometimes desolation that he felt? A peek inside Merrick's novel will probably tell you more about Michael's feelings than even he was willing to admit.

Yes, he was treated like a King in every part of the world he visited but what happens when you just wanna be regular? There were no school buddies who liked him because they shared a love of something. There were no school dances to pass notes that said "Do you like me? Yes or No, check the box". There was no stolen kiss because you were simply a cute guy. There would never be an opportunity to go to the amusement park with strangers, share in their laughter, ride the highest ride without being noticed. There would never be an opportunity to take your kids to a park to thoroughly enjoy their antics. There would never be a normal life. At some point I guess I held out hope that as long as Michael was alive he would someday be able to have "normal". This week I cried because his death meant that would never be. I remember watching the TV show Fame. In it Debbie Allen would tell her dancers, "Fame cost and Right Here is where you start paying in sweat!" I know now that Fame most certainly costs and sometimes the price is far greater than sweat!
~d-the-VIP

Why you shouldn't watch the CW after the last episodes of The Game and Everybody Hates Chris!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:48:00 +0000

I'm PISSED!!!! The CW has decided to cancel Everybody Hates Chris and the Game, two of their TOP 10 shows while keeping shows that have less diversity and even fewer ratings. I understand that television is a business wrought with tough decisions but I would think cutting two of your top rated shows while keeping shows with low ratings would be ASININE!!! To add insult to injury CW's President Dawn Ostroff said that the shows were cancelled because the "CW would no longer carry any comedies in it's line-up." ARE you KIDDING ME???? Name one network that does not have a comedy on its roster? Hasn't she heard of the success of Friends, Seinfeld, and Cheers??? All of which were rated highly until their respective departures. What about the reruns of Sanford & Son, Good Times , and The Cosby Show all of which can be seen nightly on various networks! What about the fact that the the third top rated show of ALL TIME was a COMEDY!!!, (an I LOVE Lucy episode). So the excuse for her teams decision does not add up! Nor does it mesh with her stated planned demographic of women ages 18-35, as I am certain the Game, if not Everybody Hates Chris, attracts the audience she seeks and then some. Aren't most movies that target that demographic "romantic comedies" anyway??? So either Ms. Ostroff is "out of touch with reality" or she's grasping at straws in her effort to KILL these shows while "flying under the radar" of groups that promote diversity on television. What really PISSES me beyond PISTERITY, (Yeah I said that!), is the fact that the audience of color has been "ripped off", "taken for granted", and flat out "USED" AGAIN!!!! to support a fledgling network only to be tossed aside once it's garnered broader support!

As a relatively new network Fox aired, In Living Color, Martin, ROC, Living Single, and New York Undercover only to give these shows the "boot" once Party of Five, Melrose Place and 90210,(ironically the latter two have been revamped by the CW), "stepped on the scene". I feel comfortable in saying that Ostroff and her cronies are following FOX's blueprint sadly enough, right down to actually recreating their shows, with designs on revamping others, like Dawson's Creek and Ally McBeal. Its a shame that with all the talented, creative, people with fabulous show ideas Ms. Ostroff's team is too LAZY, too lackadaisical, or just too downright trifling to seek out newly created shows.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for business and making money and if Ms. Ostroff could point to that as a motivating factor for canceling the shows I wouldn't have a problem. But don't "ax" the shows and give me a "cockamamie" story to "legitimize" the decision. Next Ms. Ostroff is going to "pee" on stage, (YES I SAID PEE), and tell people it's raining!!! ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!!! After the last episodes of the Game and Everybody Hates Chris, I say we stop watching the CW. They've proven that our viewership doesn't factor in their decision making anyway, so why continue to support them! "Don't let Ms. Ostroff "pee" on your head and tell you it's raining!"

~d-the-VIP

For Those of you who want to write or call to voice your opinion
Dawn Ostroff, President
CW Network
11800 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 575-7000
(818) 977-5000

~d-the-VIP

Dhani Tackles the Globe: An Ambassador?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:05:00 +0000

NFL linebacker Dhani Jones is probably the most unlikely of ambassadors, or is he? Jones, a bow-tie clad, poetry writing "intellectual", is the antithesis of the stereotypical professional athlete. Now Jones's show, Dhani Tackles the Globe, is playing the unlikely role of ambassador for America and, in my opinion, ambassador for African American men! While movies, music, and even some video games depict and perpetuate a negative stereotype of African American men within the United States and abroad. It is the images reflections outside of the United States that go largely uncontested as most of the international consumer's of this entertainment have never actually met an African American Man. Dhani Jones is changing that fact one country and one game at a time!

On Dhani Tackles the Globe, Dhani's challenge is to learn each countries favorite pastime and participate in a match at the end of a week of intensive training. While matching Jones' "NFL worthy" athletic prowess against other sports is interesting. It's his immersion in each countries culture, dress, and edible delicacies, (Yes! He's eaten Bugs!), that really steals the show! Dhani's, enthusiasm and respect for the sport that he is learning and his gracious sportsmanship soon earn the respect of his new trainers and teammates and ultimately extend an "olive branch" on behalf of this "cocky country" called America. While his "chunky fro", playful manner, and eloquent speeches, introduce people, in America and Abroad, to an African American Man totally different from the "gangster", "thug", "killer", characters seen or heard in far too much entertainment. Dhani Tackles the Globe on the Travel Channel, Monday nights.

~d-the-VIP

DWB in Obama's America?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:34:00 +0000

I'm sure by now everybody has heard about Ryan Moats, the NFL player denied being by his mother-in-law's side during her final minutes of life, by an overzealous Dallas cop. While this stories tragedy is not typical. It has all the earmarks of stories that can be told by a majority of African American Men including the affluent and elite among them. It's called DWB, Driving While Black! The act of being stopped, detained, and/or searched for unprovoked and unfounded reasons. In the case of Mr. Moats, the officer in question believed it was more important to give him a ticket after witnessing him run a red light, (with hazards blinking), to enter a hospital parking lot than escorting him to his dying mother-in-laws bedside. Anybody watching the video of the incident can see that something was terribly wrong but even after hearing the Moats' repeated explanations, (an explanation immediately confirmed by hospital staff), the officer, who had drawn his gun, still believed writing a ticket rather than allowing Mr. Moats to be with his family was most important. Think this is an isolated incident? Think again! So prevalent and pervasive is this act that everybody from Blockbuster Superstar Will Smith to the late and great "Legal Eagle" Johnny Cochran has experienced it. Rapper and Music Mogul Jay Z even wrote about it in his song 99 Problems. In it he says:

Son do you know what I'm stoppin you for?

"Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low
or do I look like a mind reader sir I don't know?
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo?"

Well you was doin 55 in a 54!
License and registration and stop out of the car
Are you carryin a weapon? I know a lot of you are

"I ain't stepping out of sh*t all my papers legit"

well do you mind if I look around the car a little bit?

"Well my glove compartment is locked, so is the trunk in the back
And I know my rights so you gon need a warrant for that"

Aren't you sharp as a tack you should try out
For a lawyer and something somebody important or something

"I ain't pass the bar but I know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my sh*t"

Well we see how smart you are when the canines come

"I got 99 problems but a b*tch ain't one!"

"While most DWB cases never reach the attention of mainstream America nor have the tragic consequences of this case, this is still a prime example of what happens every day to African Americans across America. While I commend the Dallas Police Department for recognizing that their officer made a very poor decision. I wonder what they, and other departments, will do to ensure that this does not happen again. It frightens me to think of how close Mr. Moats and his wife came to being shot by an officer who had absolutely NO reason to draw his weapon. I'm reminded of Shawn Bell and Amadou Diallo and a list of other young African American men who were stopped and subsequently killed by police for unfounded or unprovoked reasons. This Dallas cops callous actions denied Mr. Moats the comfort of being by his mother-in-laws' side when she took her last breath. However, had he not kept his composure, this incident, could have quite possibly turned as tragic as the Bell and Diallo cases. Police are sworn to serve and protect us. My only question is, if they are here to protect us against criminals, who's here to protect us against them?

~d-the-VIP

Jay Z: 99 Problems Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hsC6txiySQ

ABC News Interview with the Moats:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=207187&cl=12730195&ch=243724&src=sports

TI's Road to Redemption is paved with a Heart of GOLD!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:06:00 +0000

TI: Road to Redemption is an absolutely fantastic show that MTV is currently airing! For those critics of Rap and Rappers this program shows the true heart of the average rapper labeled a "gangster" by society and music critics alike. In the show, Rapper, Clifford "TI" Harris, intervenes in the lives of 7 street hardened gang-banging, drug dealing, and gun-toting teens headed down the path of certain death. TI, himself, a graduate of the "school-of-hard-knocks, uses wisdom and insight gained from his years on the "other side of the law" to convince the "would be criminals" that their lives won't have the happy ending that is often reflected in movies or heard in music. It's his triumph over the same adversities that allow him to touch the core of these kids and change the trajectory of their lives. While the clock draws TI closer to his own personal day of "reckoning", (a 1 year prison sentence stemming from federal firearm charges), March 27th, I think something should be said for a person, rapper or not, who while recording an album and touring to secure his family’s financial stability in his absence, and completing 1000 hours of mandated community service, has chosen to use his celebrity and circumstance to change the lives of others. I'm sure there is no irony in the fact that 7 people were chosen since the number 7 represents completion. Presumably this is an indication that 7 "Sinners" who crossed paths with TI on his own personal journey of redemption have completed the negative chapters in their lives. It may be a coincidence that all 8 "Winners", (the kids including TI), are starting a new beginning since 8 is the number that represents new beginnings, but knowing the intelligence of TI, it's not. TI: Road to Redemption airs Tuesday.

T.I.'s Road to Redemption - MTV Shows

~d-the-VIP

Have you left a ripple in the pond of Life?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:04:00 +0000

Last Saturday, I met a young lady in her early 30's, who radiated a refinement born of her rich Nigerian Heritage, she was a high-powered New York finance executive with a fabulous Manhattan apartment. She had all the accouterments of success. We were talking about her move to South Africa, a move that would take her close to her homeland yet provide her with a new adventure. Today she died. A seemingly healthy young lady with everything to live for is no longer. And all I can wonder is if she knew happiness. I mean true happiness, the kind that comes from knowing ones self and being comfortable with "The man in the mirror". Living life to the fullest, with no regrets. Touching the people that you love and know in a way that is meaningful and beneficial to you both. I know she's never going to get married, never going to have children, never going to get to move to South Africa. But was she happy? Had she lead the life she wanted to lead? Did she leave the the legacy that she wanted to leave. Did she leave a ripple in the pond of life? Tomorrow is not guaranteed. If your number is picked tomorrow have you left a ripple in the pond of life?
~d-the-VIP

Where were the Questions???

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:41:00 +0000

I know the stimulus package has passed but is it just me or does it sound like a "Crock of Bull-sh*t" when the same politicians who co-signed all of Bush's crap, now have the nerve, okay, the audacity, (no pun intended), to scrutinize every twist and turn that President Obama suggests? Where the hell were the questions when after 911, the worst attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor, we invaded a country who had nothing to do with the attack under the false pretenses that they had weapons of mass destruction, only to have the world find out that we were wrong and worse yet feel that we are bullies just out for money. Where were the questions when it was learned that after 911, during the "NO FLY" mandate, President Bush allowed members of Saddam Hussein's family to leave the USA without being questioned? Where were the questions when it was discovered that some of the hummers being used by our troops in combat were not bullet/bomb proof and therefore were inadequate protection for our troops? Where were the questions when it was discovered that the families of our soldiers in combat were using their personal money to buy bullet-proof vests and other protective equipment because their loved ones were in battle without it? Where were the questions when Vice-President Dick Cheney's old company, Haliburton, the biggest profiteer of the war moved its base of operations outside of the US to Dubai to avoid US taxes? It's amazing how these same folks who gave $700 billion, "No-strings-attached"dollars, to the banking industry can find every question in the book for President Obama but couldn't seem to find 1 question for President Bush before sanctioning his requests. Some may say they've learned from their past. I think it's more likely that they are trying to protect their personal pockets since President Obama's plan to jump-start America's economy will finally affect those who have benefited greatly financially. Lets face it America's wealthiest families all have ties to Capitol Hill via a family member who resides in the House or the Senate or friends who do. I can't say I wouldn't ask questions either if, like ex-Vice-President Dick Cheney, I had to pay more taxes on my estimated $30-100 million Haliburton fortune! Just one question what's the difference between former President Bush/VP Dick Cheney and former CEO Richard S. Fuld, of Lehman Brothers? ~d-the-VIP

Does a Paycheck cover a Dream?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:13:00 +0000

This week my company laid-off a lot of people, I was one of the "casualties". My first reaction was relief! I hadn't enjoyed my job for years but I enjoyed my fellow employees and the security of a steady paycheck with benefits. I had talked about moving and pursuing my dream career for sometime now but had not made one step toward that goal. I had become complacent just like the "Lifers", the "lifers" were the folks who had been at my job for years but their eyes shone with their boredom. They didn't love the job anymore they just loved a steady paycheck! Unknowingly, I had become a lifer! So on the eve of my release I could be angry and sulk over the choices the company made or I could see my release as the blessing it is and walk through the door of opportunity that had just been opened. Willy Jolly a world renowned speaker says "a Setback is a Set-up for a comeback". My friend Karen always says that things happen in "Divine Order". By all accounts this was a Divine event. At the beginning of the year I said I would stop "Holding the purse". I have. Hello Opportunity!!!

~d-the-VIP

The Audacity of Hope!!!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:56:00 +0000

I don't know if Obama is Superman but I do know that he has given me a reason to believe that change is possible and hope is the equivalent of the proverbial "belief of a mustard seed". In him I see a brighter future and a better tomorrow. On Tuesday it will be my honor and privilege to stand with thousands of my fellow Americans and witness history being made as the first African-American takes the Presidential oath of office. I will be thinking of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech as that speech signifies the birth of a new nation. One that elects a President based on the "content of his character not the color of his skin!

Martin Luther King "I have a Dream Speech"

~d-the-VIP

"It was all a dream I used to read Word Up Magazine!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Notorious Trailer

The lives of most rappers are a complex dichotomy that juxtaposes who they are personally with who they are lyrically. Rapper extraordinaire Biggie Smalls alias the Notorious B-I-G was no different. The long awaited movie NOTORIOUS, based on the late rappers life chronicles his rise and untimely death but it doesn't portray him as a martyr to be mourned or a deity to be praised but rather showcases the witty, fun-loving, gritty, sometimes unsettling truth that was his life. Poet Langston Hughes once asked the question "What happens to a dream deferred" Christopher Wallace answered the question of what happens to a dream achieved! Notorious opens this Friday.

Juicy

Biggie Freestyle

~d-the-VIP

Are You Holding the Purse?

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:40:00 +0000

I have two quotes on my computer. One is by Marianne Williamson that says, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure! The other quote is by an unknown author that says "To get something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done, and sometimes you have to leave behind who you are to become who you're supposed to be!" My New Years Resolution in 2009 is to "stop holding the purse" and start "playing the game!" Life is too short to stand on the sidelines. Memories are created only if you make them. Goals are reached only if you strive to reach them. Are you ready to stop holding the purse?

d-the-VIP

The Secret Millionaire: Must Watch TV!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:39:00 +0000

This is the season of giving and Fox is leading the pack with what I believe is one of the best shows on television. It's called Secret Millionaire, (airs Wednesday's on FOX). This “reality” show takes multi-millionaires out of their luxurious surroundings and places them "undercover" for 1 week in some of America's poorest most underserved neighborhoods. The millionaires, most of whom, are used to traveling by private jet, driving expensive cars, dining in exclusive restaurants, wearing tailored top label attire, and blowing wads of cash on everything from dinners with friends to trips to Vegas, now have to live on minimum wage and decide which person or organization they'll give $100,000 or more of their own money to. It's a serious "reality check” for some of the millionaires who because they are self-made approach the experience with the idea that they are going to help encourage the people they meet to do better, reach higher, and go further. By the end of the show, however the people the millionaires have met and the situation's they’ve encountered change them forever. The check that they end up writing truly is a symbol of change on their part as there seems to be a renewed appreciation for what they have and also a commitment to continue to help those who are less fortunate. As a viewer you receive the gift of hope and a renewed belief in humanity and the concept that one person can make a difference.

~d-the-VIP

Birkin Bags are OUT! Black folks are IN!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:28:00 +0000

The hottest accessory at this years New York Society party is not the Birkin bag it's an African American! At least that's what one person working for a prominent PR firm responsible for planning New York's most exclusive parties, has confessed. According to "loose lips" a memo called "Diversified Holiday Guests" was sent out informing staff that clients are heavily encouraging the addition of African-Americans to their Holiday guest lists. It seems that the newly elected first families ethnicity played a huge role in the decision. To ensure that everyone knew who was "acceptable" to invite. The memo also listed, in order of desirability, the top 10 "most desirable" African American New Yorkers. Just in case you're wondering who made the cut. Here's the list:

1. Bonnie Morrison

Bonnie Morrison (PR)-Publicity Director for KCD renowned PR firm for fashion designers

2. Genevieve Jones

Genevieve Jones (Socialite)-I don't know if that title quite applies to her. Although she has been seen with a who's who list of New York society and is always immaculately dressed in the latest designer looks, it seems that she's from moderate beginnings, an Engineer father and homemaker mom from Louisiana. But don't cry for Genevieve she may soon earn her title as her jewelry line is coming out soon.

3. Maggie Betts

Maggie Betts (Socialite)- Her father is Roland Betts, developer of Chelsea Piers in New York. She is very good friends with the Bush Twins, apparently her father, a staunch democrat is GW's frat brother and the two families vacation together often.

4. Malcolm Harris

Malcolm Harris (Designer)-Creator of Mal Sirrah clothing line/brand used Youtube to promote brand. Is passionately campaigning for aid to Darfur.

5. Moises De La Renta

Moises De La Renta (Son of Oscar)-The only son of Fashion Icon Oscar De La Renta was adopted as an infant however we'll see if his pops great taste in fashion has rubbed off as he will unvail a ready to wear line called MDLR, (his initials)

6. Kehinde Wiley

Kehinde Wiley(Artist)-Very popular artist. Works sell for between $12-40, 000 uses Hip-Hop imagery in art.

7. Nicola Vassell

Nicola Vassell-(Deitch Gallery Director)-A Model from Jamaica she is formerly a writer for Trace Magazine and Vibe.

8. Rachel Roy

Rachel Roy-(Designer)-Best known for her marriage to Damon Dash former partner of Rapper Jay Z and co-owner of Roc-a-fella records, Roy recently announced a $4 Billion dollar deal with Jones Apparel Inc.

9. Jason Campbell

Jason Campbell-(Journalist)-Editor of fashion site the JCReport, Campbell held the sites launch party at the swanky W hotel.

10. Marc Baptiste

Marc Baptiste-(Photographer)-A celebrity and fashion photographer. Baptiste has worked for everybody from Vibe to Vogue.

Pretty impressive list. It's a shame Diddy didn't make the cut! Doesn't he run New York??? Well,there's always next year!

~d-the-VIP

Congress: Stop acting like Scrooge!!!

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:34:00 +0000

Does it seem like the government is being extra hard on the auto industry? Sure they deserve to be scrutinized, their poor planning, not just the poor economy got them in the predicament they're in, but the same could've been said for the banking industry. It seems that our government wrote a $700 billion dollar check with minimal fuss for the banking industry while picking apart every facet of the auto industry bailout. Is it a case of the importance or higher value placed on "white collar" workers versus "blue collar" workers? Is our government placing greater value on a banking community who preyed on the dreams of the ignorant by providing loans that they couldn't afford, essentially raping and pillaging millions, all for the benefit of their stockholders and corporate heads versus the car industry who were warned back in 1973, (after the oil embargo), that they should start investing in the research and production of more fuel efficient cars, but instead focused on building prettier more luxurious gas guzzlers? Maybe the governments’ hesitation is truly a case of learning from the banking bailout and wanting to ensure that the auto industry's CEO's don't walk away with $250 million dollars like Mr. Fuld of Lehman Brothers. I can't help but ask myself how many weeks will our government allow the families of auto workers to languish not knowing if their jobs will exist? How many Auto industry families have not bought holiday gifts because they are afraid to use money that they may need for necessities should the bailout not be approved, while our Congress and Senate members shop freely knowing that their jobs are secure? I agree that strict guidelines should be in place to ensure that the government is paid back and that no handful of people benefit royally from the bailout but I also agree that it's time for Congress to put aside the finger pointing and browbeating and roll up their sleeves to create a deal that both the government and the Auto Industry can live with! At least the government can be compassionate enough to come to an agreement by the end of this week so that families, holding their collective breath's until this deal goes through, can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their job's are a little more secure. It will give them just enough time to finally get into the spirit of the Holidays!

~d-the-VIP

Why I should be an SOBU Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (D-the-VIP) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:20:00 +0000

My blog should be selected to attend the SOBU because of the diversity of the topics written about and the diversity of the audience reading. While I’ve written about everything, from the Banking Bailout to the Real Housewives of Atlanta, the sometimes comical, sometimes serious but always interesting and intriguing blog appeals to readers from various ages, ethnicity's, and socio-economic backgrounds. In the blogging world that is quite rare. D-the-VIP.com is like radio back in the days when you could hear Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Shirley Murdock, and Duran-Duran all on the same station. The contributions I would make as an invited blogger would be significant. I'm smart, I'm witty but most of all I have my finger on the pulse of what's going on in and around the community. You want to talk about the recession? I'm ready, (especially since we're finally admitting we're in one! You want to talk about the astronomical foreclosure rates and the sub-prime loans that caused them? I'm ready! You want to talk lay-off's and the free trade agreement that helped get us there? I'm ready! And if you want to discuss rap lyric's and why Rapper's should censor their lyric's, I'm ready! I may not agree with you but one things for sure I will always have an opinion!