Verbal Abstractions

Double Murder as children watch their parents killed. Hoke County North Carolina

2012-04-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8608934&rss=rss-wtvd-article-8608934

Trayvon Martin - My 2 Cents..What's yours?

2012-03-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

What happened to Trayvon affected many of us because we were touched with the senseless way he was murdered and the way it was handled by the local police department. It is my hope that Zimmerman will have his day in court since Trayvon never will. I can't help to think about my younger male brethren, nephews and cousins who are often stereotyped and placed in a negative light while they attempt to find their way in the world. It is up to us to lead them from boys to men. It is up to us to show them a love for God, the opportunity to follow their dreams and show them right from wrong.

While I am greatly humbled with the energy from people of all races and backgrounds who are speaking out on the injustice of this tragedy, it is my hope we can take this energy and tackle the disproportional number of Black and Latino males behind bars and the disparity in sentences they are granted for their crimes. Don't get me wrong, if you do the crime you should do the time, however our current model of building more prisons and cutting funding to schools and educational programs is not working. It is my hope that we can work to reduce the murders on our streets that comes from poverty situations and self hatred. If we are all Trayvon than we must not let his death be in vain and change our society. We must not let this effort die with him after the ending of this chapter is written.

Old Spice's manly man is marketing at it's best

2010-07-15T01:28:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you were actually looking forward to a commercial? How about willingly searching for a commercial? By now, you have seen at least one commercial from Old Spice, the men's deodorant and fragrance company where a confident, fit, shirtless and self-absorbed manly man asks women "Does your Man looks like me? No. Can he smell like me? Yes." The television commercials are a hit and the internet spots are popular as well. What was once a product deemed for the older clientele of manhood has now found new life with their new advertisements and it's marketing genius through social media sites such as YouTube and Twitter.

To read the entire article click here

Cavs owner not happy with Lebron

2010-07-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

To say Cleveland Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is not happy with the choice Lebron James made in the ESPN spectacle of announcing his intention to join the Miami Heat is an understatement. Gilbert's comments resonate as if his ungrateful child left his home and never bothered to thank him for the love and support he received.
Dan Gilbert is on record saying to The AP that it's "accountability time" for (Lebron) James. "He (Lebron) has gotten a free pass," Gilbert said in a phone interview with The AP. "People have covered up for (Lebron) for way too long. Tonight we saw who he really is."

Gilbert even went as far to say that Lebron quit on his team during this year's playoffs. "He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

Perhaps the most surprising statement Dan Gilbert gave is his proclamation of a championship for the Cavs before the Miami Heat will obtain one. "We will win a championship before (the Heat) do." Gilbert continues "It's not about him leaving, It's the disrespect. It's time for people to hold these athletes accountable for their actions. Is this the way you raise your children? I've been holding this all in for a long time."

To read the entire article click here.

Photo: AP/ESPN

Men united to march against crime in Vallejo

2010-06-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

When: June 12, 2010
Time: Meet at 7:30 am, March begins at 8:00 am
Where to meet: Vallejo side of Carquinez Bridge.

On Saturday June 12th, men are welcomed to join the "Stop the Violence" march that will begin in Vallejo and cross the "new" Carquinez bridge (connects Crockett and Vallejo - Hwy 80) in an effort to stand against violence in the City of Vallejo. There are currently two Carquinez bridges, the newly built bridge has a separate platform used for pedestrian traffic. This portion will contain the march.

Representatives from the city of Vallejo, civic groups, community leaders and faith-based communities are planning to attend the event. The "Stop the Violence" march is open to all Men regardless political views and spiritual beliefs.

According to the organizers, the goal is to have 1,000 men take a stand and march against violence in the city of Vallejo. The City of Vallejo has taken it's lumps in recent years. Most notably by becoming the largest city in California to file for bankruptcy. The City is also facing budget cuts to its police and fire departments , a high percentage of it's budget allocated to retirement costs, decrease in property tax revenue and according to reports, a crime rate higher than cities of a similar size in California.

Out of all of this Jonathan Bogard, a proud Vallejo resident received a vision for this march to address the issue of crime in Vallejo.

Mr. Bogard states: "Lately, I have been reading about alot of violence on our streets. Kids are anxious and angry. We need to give them hope. We need to give them jobs. They need positive activities. The march means hope and a chance to not be confrontational, but show the true agape love that Jesus would show. "

For more information on the "Stop the Violence" march please contact community organizer James Canady at jcanady670@aol.com. You can also write your questions below in the comments section and I will do my best to respond.

Al and Tipper, can marriage survive?

2010-06-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

When the reports surfaced of Al and Tipper Gore filing for divorce after 40 years of marriage, it was just another realization of not taking marriage for granted. It was also a realization of not making the following statements "Oh that will never happen to us...." and "Divorce is not an option" This is proof that in life you never really know what can happen.
You would think after that 40 years of marriage with your partner, you have seen just about everything and probably survived just about everything one can throw at a marriage (kids, infidelity, sickness, financial instability, bad habits, etc.). After all, there are many divorces finalized within the first five years of marriage and some divorcees are still paying off the wedding. Many have married for the wrong reasons and later realized they did not love the person they married. With the Gore's on paper married for 40 years, I don't feel the right to give advice but more so seek advice on not falling into the same situation.
To read the entire article click here.

Michael Steele's peculiar position

2010-04-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

Michael Steele is in a peculiar position. Well actually he already is in a peculiar position as Chairman of the RNC. The recent drama of inappropriate spending put the party of family values in bondage (pun intended) with a small portion of donations funding a night of voyeurism, freaky situations and partying. One may expect stories like this to come from the Democratic ticket however the embarrassment of this reality within the righteous right has caused quite a stir.

As an African American in the position of Chairman of the RNC, Mr. Steele has established himself as a pioneer within the party, an outcast to many in the African American community, an apologist to Rush Limbaugh and an embarrassment to many Republicans. Although he is a pioneer with the title of "First African American to head the RNC," it has become an achievement many African Americans find difficult to embrace. With an overwhelming majority of African Americans historically supporting the Democratic ticket, especially in 2008 as Barack Obama campaigned for President, the Republicans (especially Mr. Steele) did not receive much love speaking out against (then) candidate Obama from Democrats and particularly the African American community. Mr. Steele never received the kudos for being the first in his position as President Obama did when he took the oath of office. Grant it, the President of the United States is a position that overshadows the head of the GOP and the DNC, however Mr. Steele's nomination was considered by many as an afterthought and a weak attempt to show diversity within the party.

What Tiger's apology means to golf

2010-02-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

Few people in the entire world will ever give a pubic apology in the magnitude as Tiger Woods did on February 19, 2010. In recent history, other than former President Clinton and Kobe Bryant's apologies for their indiscretions, the forum for this indiscretion apology was greater. Greater due to the number of women involved and the shattering of his seemingly perfect public image.

First of all, if Tiger was just another pro golfer and not "the" golfer, the story of this magnitude would not have taken place. Case in point, the troubles John Daly has had throughout his career, was not covered in the magnitude as Tiger. In fact, Daly's troubles are a part of his legacy and gives ordinary people a public figure they can relate to. What increased Tiger's notoriety is developing himself as an indestructible figure on the golf course and a role model for millions of kids and weekend warriors at our local greens. Not to mention the endorsement deals and his foundation helped to cement his status not just in Golf, but in any professional sport. It is rare one person in any industry has such an impact. In this case, the sport of golf is under the giant shadow of Tiger Woods. Case in point, I bet many of you can not name three players that are participating in the PGA's Accenture Match Play Championship (without guessing) or remember the winner on the same weekend as Tiger's apology. However Tiger's public apology will be remembered for years to come.

To read the entire story click here.

2010-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read part one of this story read the story below first.

So who is to blame for this phenomenon of boys and men unfortunately wearing pants a few sizes too big?

Rappers and Rap Videos

It's too easy to blame Rappers and Rap Videos, however it is actually deeper than that. Boys and men in early rap videos had their pants up. You couldn't imagine Kool Moe Dee (pictured left) with those huge glasses and that tight leather outfit with his pants sagging. You might have been wondering what in the world Afrika Bambaataa (below) or Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were wearing back then, but their pants were by in large fitting. If anything Hip Hop artists of today are mimicking popular culture. Very few Rap artists today provide innovation with their musicianship and style of dress (yes that's a personal opinion). It is more so duplication on what the perceived image of a Rap artist should be and what trends are popular. Many kids today who admire various Rappers do emulate their style. However not all Rap artists should be lumped in the "all pants size too big" category. Artists like Common and Q-Tip provide the uniqueness to their craft and do not appear to follow the pants sagging crowd.

To read the entire article click here.

Men, you are looking like a fool with your pants on the ground, part one

2010-02-06T01:31:00.000-08:00

I admit, I am old school and don't understand the phenomenon of boys and even some men having their pants sagging below their waistline. At the risk of sounding like someone's grandfather, during the time of my childhood, if anyone had their pants hanging that low, an adult would have approached and said "Pull your pants up!" You would of also been a victim of wedgies by your classmates.

As I reflect on how sagging pants would have been perceived during my childhood, I soon realize based on the pants I was wearing, I may not have the right to talk about someone's sagging pants. As a child in the 70's, I may of had brown corduroy pants with orange and yellow vertical stripes (thanks Mom) and even more amazing a shirt to match, but you better believe those pants were my size and I had a belt to keep those pants up. Trust me when I tell you my Mother would not stand to hear of a report from anyone that her son's pants were sagging and his fruit of the loom logo with those men wearing grape, apple and banana outfits were exposed. In the 1980's, I may of had some knockoff Guess or Sergio Valente jeans, a fake alligator shirt, penny loafer shoes (with the penny in them) and a fake "members only" jacket to complete my preppy look, but you better believe I had a belt to keep those pants up and my shirt was tucked in. In fact, if I didn't have a belt, someone would say "Where's your belt?"

To read the entire article click here.

What is next for Michael Vick

2010-02-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Michael Vick has completed his first year back in the NFL. He was a seldom used feature in the Philadelphia Eagles offense. Vick was used for gimmick plays mostly but occassionaly called on to throw the ball. Admittedly with Donovan McNabb on your team, almost anyone would be a backup quarterback. A far cry from his days in "Hotlanta" as the face of the Atlanta Falcons franchise and NFL jersey sales that were unrivaled. His run and gun style even drew fans who would normally not have watched the Falcons unless they were playing their favorite team. Many were just mesmerized at his ability and just watched the Falcons to see what he would do. During his heyday, Vick drew a lot of "haters" who believed in the "traditional" stand in the pocket style of quarterbacking.
Michael Vick was the star of the league and had a salary to commensurate his popularity. All of that changed when he was convicted and sent to prison for his involvement in horrible acts of dog fighting and animal cruelty. It was Vick's involvement that shed light on a "activity" that is normally reserved for the underground. For someone with a future as bright as Vick and to be caught up in a low level activity such as dog fighting, it was hard for many to grasp. Those who thought dog fighting wasn't a big deal suddenly realized how cruelly animals are treated and the involved illegal implications that can lead to time in prison.

To read the entire article click here.

Your San Francisco Rumble is playing basketball to support efforts in Haiti

2010-02-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

The American Basketball Association (ABA) is alive an well and now playing at the Richmond P.A.L. gymnasium for a good cause. Several teams in the ABA have joined forces to play from February 1-6 to assist the Richmond High School Kiwins Club and Richmond P.A.L. to raise money for the relief effort in Haiti. As explained in my earlier article, the Kiwins Club is assisting with bringing awareness of this event and collecting donations for the Haitian relief effort.

Our local team, the San Francisco Rumble, will play on three days of this event. The ABA teams that are participating are at the Richmond P.A.L. gym are:

San Francisco Rumble

Compton Cobras
Hawaii Pegasus

California Sea Kings
Sacramento Heatwave

Clayton Showtime

Seattle Mountaineers

To read the entire article click here.

Richmond High students and pro basketball teams collaborate for donations to benefit Haiti

2010-02-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

Richmond P.A.L. (Police Athletic League) will host a series of ABA professional basketball games in their P.A.L. gymnasium the week of February 1-6, 2009. The location is 2200 McDonald Ave in Richmond. Proceeds from the games will be donated to the Red Cross for the relief effort in Haiti. Tickets prices range from $10 per individual game to $50 for the series pass. Corporate Sponsors are welcomed to advertise at the event.

Students from the Kiwins Club of Richmond High School are dedicated to make a difference in the lives of Haitians and are assisting with ticket sales, refreshments, collecting financial and clothing donations and canned food drives before and during the games. Richmond P.A.L. has teamed up with Sports Authority who is offering to send all donated shoes from this event to Haiti.

To read the entire story click here.

The rebuilding of John Edwards

2010-01-28T09:41:00.000-08:00

There are men who have cheated on their spouses. There are men who treated their spouses badly. There are men who didn't claim their newborn children. There are men who lied about....well....anything. If so many men have been through this predicament, why is John Edwards considered among the lowest form of mankind? According to a recent Time magazine article, John Edwards has the worst approval ratings the featured polling organization has ever seen. That's huge coming from the state of North Carolina that produced Jesse Helms, as the article explains. This sentiment crosses class, gender and political party affiliations. Even the hole Tiger Woods dug himself into doesn't appear as deep as John Edwards.

John Edwards went from a North Carolina Senator, to 2004 Vice-Presidential candidate, to two time Presidential Candidate to cousin Ray-Ray who you run away from when you know he is coming. The news just doesn't get any better for Ray-Ray with the upcoming non-flattering autobiography about his family's personal life.

To read the entire article click here.

2010-01-26T00:35:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday the men's fellowship department of Revival Center Ministries, in conjunction with the Moorehouse Foundation, gave back to the community in the true spirit of giving and fellowship by providing fine men's clothing free of charge. "We had about 350 people who turned out and we gave them the love of God through clothing." said Pastor Michael Moore of the Moorehouse Foundation. As stated in my earlier article, this was a great opportunity for men in need to obtain a free suit and quality men's clothing. Due to the overwhelming success of this event, the giveaway previously advertised for January 30th has been canceled.

To read the entire article click here.

Don't show her too much on the first date

2010-01-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

Seriously men, sometimes we try (or tried) to go all out to impress on that first date. It is like rolling the dice and not knowing what is going to happen. That doesn't mean the first date has to be McDonald's (perfectly fine if you are a teen) however make sure it is a place and location where you are both comfortable and get to know each other.
I caught a few episodes of the TV show Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo. Yes a reality show I digress. For those of you not familiar with the show, it is based on a matchmaker who has primarily millionaire male clients and assists them in finding the perfect partner. The matchmaker has no problem screening and interviewing females who wish to have the opportunity to date a millionaire. The matchmaker holds a mixer where beautiful ladies parade in front of and eventually talk to these men and finally the "lucky" ladies are chosen for a date.

To read the entire article click here.

MSNBC wasted an opportunity to discuss race

2010-01-19T02:38:00.000-08:00

If you missed MSNBC's "Obamas America: 2010 and Beyond" with Tom Joyner, you didn't miss much. If you have the program recorded on Tivo then my apologies in advance. The focus of this live town hall meeting was to discuss race relations in America particularly after President Obama's nomination as President of the United States. The panel included noted African Americans such as Fox News nationally syndicated radio host Stephen A. Smith and other esteemed educators and guests. This panel was moderated by MSNBC's Chris Matthews with co-host Tom Joyner, the nationally syndicated DJ of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. The setting was perfect as a town hall meeting on the campus of Texas Southern University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The day was perfect as we observed the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The town hall was "sold out" with thousands eager to listen and get involved. However the setting and location were the only major positives of this event.

To read the entire article click here.
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Free men's suits and more at Vallejo church

2010-01-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

Men, this is for you. You may have read my earlier article on purchasing a suit. Now here is your chance to obtain one for free! I know what you are thinking.. Yeah right! What's the catch? Nothing in life is free. What are you really trying to sell me? What organization do I have to join?

To read the entire article click here.

Wyclef Jean asks for your assistance with Haiti

2010-01-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Wyclef Jean, for those who don't know was a member of the popular Rap group the Fugees which featured (Lauryn Hill). The group was successful in selling millions of albums. Since that time he has garnered fame as a solo artist and a music producer.
Wyclef is also a native of Haiti who knows first hand the conditions of poverty in that Country. Wyclef is also a man who did not forget where he came from by providing humanitarian missions to Haiti. He has brought Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and others to Haiti so America's leaders can see the poverty first hand.
Now with the Haitian community faced with this unfortunate disaster from the Earthquake ,Wyclef through his Twitter page @wyclef is asking for us to donate $5 to assist the people and the relief efforts. Keep in many of us spend more than $5 on lunch. To directly assist Wyclef's established fund you can go to http://www.yele.org/ and donate with a credit card donation. You can also text "Yele" to 501501 and $5 (added to your phone bill) will go to relief in Haiti. You can also donate through the Red Cross, Mercy Corp, Unicef or Direct Relief

Gilbert Arenas indefinite suspension is no laughing matter

2010-01-07T23:03:00.000-08:00

To know Gilbert Arenas is to realize he is a practical joker and contains a larger than life personality. Although he could face potential charges for possession of a firearm, Gilbert was not known to be the menacing bad guy he is recently portrayed as. In fact, Gilbert was known as one of the league's good guys and its main showman. Ever since he entered into the NBA originally as a member of the Golden State Warriors and now the Washington Wizards, this 2nd round pick overcame the odds to become a prolific scorer, prolific personality and proved his worth which so many 2nd round choices aren't able to do. Gilbert continued to beat the odds as he came back from an injury which left him on the sidelines for the majority of the last two seasons. Now Gilbert, through his own actions, is facing the biggest obstacle of his career, an indefinite suspension and potential legal action.

To read the entire article click here.

Charlie Sheen and Chris Brown went too far

2009-12-30T01:55:00.001-08:00

Men, we all have them, the heated argument. The kind of argument that makes you want to knock you significant other's head off. The same person you love unconditionally knows what buttons to push to get you heated quickly.
When these type of arguments go too far, someone gets hurt and/or there is much to explain to the police. Such as the case with Charlie Sheen. Such was the case of Chris Brown. Such as the case of yourself if you do not realize your point of no return. No matter how good of a person you are, you can end up with a lifetime of regrets and apologies from a single fight.

To read the entire article click here.

Men of the world unite and build your man cave

2009-12-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

What's a Men's Issues Column without talking about a space where a man can be a man. Men need a place at home where we can relax and have some quiet time. We need a place where we can hang out with the boys. We need a place to make stuff, fix stuff and even destroy stuff. This is where the man cave comes to mind.

To read all of this article click here.

2009-12-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

Kwanzaa, meaning the "first fruits of the harvest," is a cultural holiday based on traditional African harvest celebrations. Kwanzaa is also a celebration of family, community and culture. The seven day celebration begins on December 26th and ends January 1st.
Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 and per the official website was established "as an African American and Pan-African holiday [that is] celebrated throughout the world. " Kwanzaa is not and was not intended to have the commercialization attached to the holiday as Christmas currently has. As many of us will attest to, the true meaning of Christmas is often forgotten as the gift of giving becomes the gift of paying off your credit card purchases. Kwanzaa is not intended to replace Christmas. A common misconception of Kwanzaa is the celebration represents a organized religion or political group. Kwanzaa does not manifest from an organized religion and is not intended to take the place of your faith, political party or affiliation.

Click here for the rest of the article.

Try a cultural new years resolution

2009-12-22T00:26:00.001-08:00

So you have a new years resolution. Let me guess, lose some weight. It is funny when attending the gym in January and seeing so many newbies in there. Once inside, many newbies seek no direction and fail to develop a workout plan despite the temporary dedication. By the time the month of March comes around, I finally have access to the equipment I had to fight for in January and February. Reason being is the dedication to the resolution faded away.
While not to discourage you on obtaining and maintaining a weight loss resolution, I would like to add another resolution that will enrich your mind while you work off those holiday pounds of turkey, gravy and your Aunt's peach cobbler (yum).
Make a cultural resolution in 2010. Take the time to understand and experience a new culture. One way to grow as a person is to make an attempt to understand what life is like in someone else's shoes. Doing this will heighten your appreciation for your fellow man and woman.

To read the entire article click here.

Snoop Dogg is among the hip-hop legends for shizzle

2009-12-18T18:11:00.000-08:00

Whether you love him or hate him, you have to admit Snoop Dogg is a legend in the world of rap music. Among the hardest achievements to have in the rap game is staying relevant and not becoming a "one-hit wonder". Believe it or not, Snoop Dogg has been in the business for the last 17 years. You can almost count the combined number of rap artists and groups on both hands who have that kind of "staying power". A legend in the music industry is hard to find. Rap legends are no different.
Below is a list from the author's perspective (in no particular order) of the legends in rap music who are making music today:

Click here to see the rest of the article.