Lil' P-Nut's Plan For World Domination: Phase II.

This kid just gets more and more obnoxious by the week, but he's getting around. Next stop: his own Nick Jr show.



BTW, I'm convinced the kid isn't actually 7, he's got one of those Gary Coleman things going on and is prolly like 15 already.

Give The Drummer Some...

The latest "viral" rage taking laps around cyberspace is a clip from last night's Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, a show I swear I didn't even know was still on. While the novelty of this clip[1] is likely to wear off soon, I'll give Jimmy Fallon, who was just as lousy on SNL as he is on this show, some credit for doing one thing right: hiring The Legendary Roots Crew as the in-house band.

Their ability to pull this off is much more impressive than watching Justin Timberlake[2] pretend to be Humpty Hump.



[1] Come on, the whole "white folks rappin' is funny" thing is sooo 92'. Fallon and Timberlake grew up on hip-hop just like I did. I wish this comedic staple would die a miserable death, like yesterday.

[2] All jokes aside, this guy definitely has a future in movies/TV. Why this hasn't happened yet is beyond me. Somebody needs a better agent.

Damnit, Eddie, Just Admit You Did It Already!!!

Yet another accuser goes public.



If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, it prolly effed' these young men. Just admit it already, Eddie! This will only get worse the longer you maintain your innocence.

Question: How is Eddie Long going to explain this one away?

Keep Your Greasy Hands Off My McNuggets!!!

As a naturally liberal guy, I seldom find myself siding with the Tea Party when it comes to issues of government intervention. Let's face it: a lot of what Uncle Sam does is to protect us from ourselves. Personally, I like the fact that inspecting meats, ensuring kids' toys don't contain lead, and granting Negroes the right to vote isn't something "left up to the States to decide". If that were an absolute in all cases, some of us below the Mason Dixon might still be pickin' cotton.

I'm just sayin'. Some things are better left to the government to decide.

That said, even I think bureaucrats go a bit too far sometimes. A recent case in The City By The Bay shows what happens when "progressives" take the whole "we know what's better for you than you do" ethos a bit too far.

A proposed San Francisco law that would ban toy giveaways with fatty fast-food meals is set to get its first hearing on Monday, as restaurant industry representatives meet with city officials to voice their concerns about the plan.

The proposal would make it illegal for kids meals to come with toys if the meals exceed limits on calories, fat, sugar and salt. It would also require meals that do come with toys to include a half-cup of fruit and three-quarters of a cup of vegetables.

The proposal would apply to all restaurants but appears aimed specifically at fast-food establishments such as McDonald's that include toys in kids meals. Supervisor Eric Mar, who proposed the ban, said the toys draw children to the unhealthy meals, which in turn can contribute to childhood obesity.

Restaurant industry officials say the proposal is an example of government regulation going too far.

This is the rare example where I'd happen to agree that regulation goes too far. While I agree with bans on things like transfats, completely eliminating a toy from a Happy Meal to discourage kids from wanting a burger and fries is just silly. The target demo for Happy Meals doesn't exactly make the purchasing decision on their own.

In short, if a parent wants to fatten their kid up on burgers and fries, they're well within their right. Unless someone can point to some direct correlation between Happy Meal consumption due to desire for a Backyradigans toy, and early childhood obesity (which I doubt), McDonalds is right and San Fran is dead wrong on this one.

Question: Should the gubb'ment keep its hands of your kid's Happy Meal, or is such drastic intervention needed to curb the childhood obesity epidemic? Can you cite any local examples of too much gubb'ment intervention?

Hearing set on San Francisco restaurant toy ban [SJMercNews]

Eddie Long's Accuser Finally Speaks.

I don't have time to add commentary to this. Watch and discuss below.



Bonus: Long finally fesses up.[1]



Question: What's your thought on the Eddie Long case after watching this? Does the young man appear to be telling the truth or is he a pretty good actor? Is this young man wise to speak to reporters without his attorney?

[1] Okay, not really, but admit it. You laughed.

Laugh Break: Rob Stapleton.

A funny set from an underrated standup veteran. As usual, cop the headphones.

Sharron Angle, You Ignorant Slut.

Yeah, I said it. Sharron Angle wants families with autistic kids and women taking maternity leave to foot their own bill.



"Autism" is no laughing matter, nor is it something worthy of "air quotes". It is a serious health epidemic now effecting about 1% of US kids and growing. Treatment for the various spectrum disorders can be as much as $50,000 a year. No parent with an autistic kid is trying to game the system, you ignorant b*tch, they're merely trying to get the same government assistance any other person with a disability would.

Likewise, no woman should be forced to choose between the financial ruin of taking unpaid time off to have a baby, and keeping her job. Maternity leave isn't something that should be "left up to the states to decide" you stupid floozy! Of course, Angle also once said that women who are victims of incest and become pregnant should just "make lemonade out of lemons" and have the baby anyway. This is really just par for the course with her.

And to think this woman's actually ahead in the polls right now. Jesus, help us all. Nevada, if you elect this ingrate to the US Senate, you deserve that you get.

Question: What the hell is wrong with this woman, and what the hell is wrong with Nevadans?

BV: I'll Admit It, Sarah Palin Officially Scares Me.

My newest post is over on BV now. Go in.

Caption This Photo.

AB.com's Completely Unsolicited Advice For Bishop Eddie Long.

So, Eddie Long showed up at chuuch yesterday, and defying all laws of Negro Common Sense, decided not to directly address the lawsuits he's currently facing. Not only did he not explicitly say "I did not f*ck them little boys!", he also pulled a classic Negro Jedi Mind Trick by flipping the script and making himself out as the victim of some vast media conspiracy. He also suggested that this was merely a distraction to keep people from voting in the November election.[1] It was a classic move from The Clay Davis Playbook Of Diverting Attention From Scurrilous Allegations. Take the heat off yourself by projecting the guilt onto a another party. It would be brilliant if we hadn't already seen the exact same play a million times already. Instead, it was merely predictable. And kinda pathetic.

Skip to around the 4:30 mark if you don't want to hear a pointless sermon.



Sorry, but pulling this sorta trick doesn't do anything to get the heat off you, despite the "clapping otter"-like response from the New Birth congregation. In the court of public opinion, which is quite honestly the only one that matters in a civil suit, this cat still looks guilty than a mug. Who is he getting PR advice from, The Obama Administration? This was truly a terrible way to say "I ain't do it!".

That said, I'm in the unpaid business of giving great advice. Check my resume if you need proof. So, I present to Bishop Long, AB.com's Completely Unsolicited Advice:

If You Ain't Do It... - Say you ain't do it. How hard is it to just come out and say "I ain't f*ck them little boys"? Seriously, your entire livelihood is your reputation. If you didn't do this, there's no lawyer who should be able to put a gag order on you. This is a civil case, not a criminal one. Even if you said something that came back to haunt you in court, it would only be a monetary loss, not a loss of freedom. Tell your lawyers to shut up, sit down, and let you tell the truth.

Everyone is worried about christian dior watches and the recovery of jacob & co watches, now our company offers you vacheron constantin watches & links of lodon chain, if you buy both, you get one free home equity loans box.

Fire Your Lawyers - Whoever's representing you must be a rank amateur. Are you sure this cat, the one who made a fool of himself on Tom Joyner last week, has even passed the Georgia bar yet? Bruh, fire this moron, raise a love offering, and go get yourself some good Jewish lawyers. Lawyer up correctly, and not only will you get off, but you could sue (and bury) your accusers for slander. Call TI! Call Robert Kelly! Call Orenthal! (okay, maybe not) Whoever repped them needs to be on retainer pronto.

Explain Those Photos! - Many people, yours truly included, jumped off the bandwagon when those extra zesty photos of you in spandex dropped last week. What's up with that, bruh? You need to explain this one away. Speaking of which...

Go On Larry King - This is a no-brainer. He's not the most aggressive interviewer, and he does a good job of coddling interviewees with easy questions so things don't get too thick. Don't even think about going on Oprah. Remove Barbara Walters from your caller ID. Martin Basheer too. And stay off black radio, you don't need to be getting drilled [||] by Roland Martin anymore. Find the right interviewer who'll allow you to tell your entire side of the story with the least amount of cross questioning. King's the man.

Stop Playing The Victim Card - Again, if you ain't do nothin' wrong, what is there to hide? Stop making this out to be something more than it is, and spinning this as an attack on New Birth, the Longfellows Academy, and (no, really, this happened) President Obama. Man up, take the hit, and explain what happened. There's no "conspiracy" here.

Tone It Down - When ballers and rappers are facing legal issues, they usually cut their cornows off, leave the ice at home, and start wearing Brooks Brothers. This effectively "softens their image" and makes them somewhat more of a sympathetic figure. Stop rollin' into church wearing floor length cream colored tunics! And please, for the love of all things precious, take that effin' rug off your head for Crissakes. You aren't foolin' anybody, we know you had that Jheri Curled Mickey Mouse jawn just last year. No 57-year old man suddenly grows back a head full of curly hair after a lifetime of male pattern baldness. Cut it out!

I'm not sayin' Eddie Long will beat them charges like Rocky if he follows my advice word for word, but it can't hurt. The longer Long allows the rumors and innuendo to build without speaking up, the worse this situation gets.

Question: What unsolicited advice would you give Eddie Long right now? What did you think of his sermon?

[1] N*gga Please.

Ashy Or Classy?!? - Katy Perry On Sesame Street?!?

While I vaguely remember hearing "I Kissed A Girl" a few times over the Gold's Gym sound system, I wouldn't know pop singer Katy Perry if she walked into my office right now and starting tapdancing buttnekkid. I do however, know a whole lot about Elmo. He's my 1-year old son's imaginary friend, and there's a piece of officially licensed Elmo merchandise in every room, bathroom, and under every sofa cushion in my house.

"We BEEN HAD Elmo!!!"

Anyways, if a pop tart mostly known for her homoerotic songs and def defying cleavage seems like a strange guest on Sesame Street to you, you ain't alone. The result has set off a debate about decency in children's programming on suburban cul de sacs and at Gymborees nationwide.

Katy Perry is just too much for Sesame Street. The show has decided to remove a segment she filmed after disapproving comments about the singer's not-entirely-kid-friendly attire.

Our company gives you versace watches unless you will pay the cost of cheap rolex watches and cheap tag heuer watches without any discount. You can get too designer jewelry with purchasing of cheap web hosting.

The segment -- in which Perry sings a toned-down version of Hot N Cold with Elmo -- was originally going to air on New Year's Eve, but the video made its way to YouTube this week and quickly attracted nearly a million views. But with those views came angry comments about Perry's outfit, which showed off her figure.

Sesame Street producers decided it was in the show's best interest to remove Perry's song from the broadcast. A spokesperson said that while they enjoy entertaining adult viewers, their first priority is children.

Here's the video, judge for yourself.



Personally I don't see what the big deal is about this video, or for that matter Perry, who seems rather pretty plain Jane to me. Is her plunging neckline perhaps a bit too much for a toddler show? Maybe so. Is she well aware of what she's doing here? I'm sure she is. Is this "Awww shucks, I totally didn't mean to give your kid a chubby by coming on a children's program with my tits out" act nothing more than a shrewd publicity stunt for Perry? Certainly.

But lets not pretend that children's entertainment is so clean and wholesome like it was back in the day. Any who has suffered thru neverending repeats of watched Shrek 8 million times and peeped all the double entendres knows what I'm talkin' about.

I wouldn't exactly call this one Ashy or Classy. I'm just gonna say it's "Neutral".

What say ye?

Question: Was this video in bad taste for a children's program? What other examples have you seen where the boundaries of appropriate children's program were being pushed?

Katy Perry too hot for Sesame Street [OttawaCitizen]

Worst Music Video, EVAR!?!?

Jesus, why even bother wasting the allowance your sister gives you every 1st & 15th your money on this turrible song and video? ECPI is for everyone. The cRap game ain't.



* Hat tip to Fresh.

Everyone is worried about cheap timex watches and the recovery of cheap guess watches, now our company offers you cheap panerai watches & pandora charms sale, if you buy both, you get one free online casino box.

BV: Defending Eddie Long's God-Given Right To Drive A Bentley.

Who says being a man of God means you can't push a nice whip? Not me.

Peep today's controversial post on AOL BlackVoices.

BTW, just in case you wanna bookmark it, all of my AOL posts are here.

Sarah "Moron" Palin Calls The President Hussein.

I'd like to add my typical pithy comment about this story, but it's a Friday, so I'm gonna let ya'll go in instead.

Sarah Palin and John McCain chastised their supporters in 2008 who used the president's full name – Barack Hussein Obama – in a derisive tone.

Now it appears the former Alaska governor did just that.

In an interview with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren Wednesday, Palin said the "lamestream media" is asking more questions about Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell's background than it ever did about "Barack Hussein Obama."

"Funny… that we are learning more about Christine O'Donnell and her college years, her teenage years, and her financial dealings than anybody even bothered to ask about Barack Hussein Obama as a candidate and now as our president," Palin said.

When a Florida sheriff who was introducing then-candidate Palin in 2008 also referred to the Democratic nominee for president as "Barack Hussein Obama," a Palin spokesperson quickly issued a statement condemning the remarks.

"We do not condone this inappropriate rhetoric which distracts from the real questions of judgment, character, and experience that voters will base their decisions on this November," the spokesperson said then.

Of course, referring to the president's full name is on its face not a slur. But critics of the usage have long suggested detractors who use the president's full name are doing so to suggest the president is something other than American.

Here's the video.



Okay you guys, have at it.

Question: Since we're using middle names to stoke fear/cast shade at folks, what made up middle name would you like to formally refer to Sarah Palin as from now on?

TRENDING: Palin calls Obama 'Barack Hussein' [CNN]

Waka Flocka Flame: Distinguished Scholar.

Waka Flocka Flame is the hottest rapper out right now. He also happens to be functionally illiterate, and maybe even a bit "burnt" from many adolescent years spent smokin' dippers.

He recently went on that paragon of intellectual discourse, BET's 106th and Park, and was asked his thoughts about education and voting. The results were definitely a Bottom 10 Moment In 2010 Negro History.



This would be really, really sad if I hadn't seen this kid's mother. So, it's merely really, really sad, but very understandable. This guy didn't have a chance from birth.

Dear Eddie Long: Just Come Clean, Already.

[Editor's Note: I was gonna hold this one till tomorrow, but I got a big piece on AOL dropping then, and this one's already all over the web, so here, have at it.]

I have no problem admitting when I might could be wrong. I'm married to a Black Woman, this is practically a survival mechanism for crissakes.

Earlier this week, when word broke that Bishop Eddie Long was being accused of sexual impropriety with minors, I naturally sided with the pastor. I don't know the kids, and the whole nature of the thing just screamed shakedown. I do sorta know Long, in a "friend in my head" way from watching hour upon hour of his televised sermons. So, when in doubt, I sided with the person I least suspected of being capable of such ratchetness.

That said, I'm officially not ridin' with Eddie Long no more. [||] Not after the latest development in this soon-to-completely-unravel chuuch drama. Why? Cause a 3rd accuser just came forward. And oh yeah, cause Eddie Long's got cellphone camera pics that just leaked, and they ain't cool. Peep em'. Or don't.Come on, bruh, really? The ole' muscle shirt and biker pants combo? Really?You just know this whole thing's gonna culminate in either some explicit photos of Eddie's Longfellow, or a sex tape. You just know it. These photos were allegedly presented as evidence by the guys accusing Long of longstrokin' taking advantage of them. Sure, they could be completely Photoshopped, but R. Kelly's sex tape coulda also been a Disney Pixar creation. In other words, I doubt it.

As a straight man, I gotta say this sh*t looks bad, bad, bad for Eddie.

I mean, come on Ed, really? In what parallel universe does a grown, crusty assed man take cell phone camera pics in a bathroom mirror, send them to another guy, and not think that sh*t looks suspect? Hell, these pics/poses would even be jive suspect if you sent them to your wife, let alone another dude.

So, just for the record, AB.com's stance on Eddie Long is officially suspect.

Question: After this latest development, does the likelihood that Long's innocent decrease in your eyes, or did you think dude was suspect all along?

Bishop Eddie Long Pictures Paint an Uncomfortable Image [AOLBV]

Sorry Mrs. Jackson: Like Father, Like Dumb Assed Son.

As a general rule of thumb, I don't cheat on my wife. Outside of the obvious reasons (love, kids, losing all your sh*t and having to move back in with Moms), I just don't quite understand how a guy with a real Day Job, family, and mortgage can even find time to live a double life. That's a awful lot of tracks to have to cover. Of course, not everyone shares my limited worldview, which is why (among other reasons) divorce attorneys enjoy a very charmed lifestyle.



As if getting his name tied up in Blago-Gate, and ethering any hopes of statewide office in the process wasn't bad enough, now it seems like Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr's long-rumored zipper problems are hurting his future career prospects.

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) said Tuesday he is “deeply sorry” for having “disappointed some supporters” regarding his relationship with a female “social acquaintance.”

But the congressman vowed to stay in office in the wake of a Chicago Sun-Times report that a major political fund-raiser has told federal authorities that Jackson directed him to offer former Gov. Rod Blagojevich millions of dollars in campaign cash in return for an appointment for Jackson to the U.S. Senate, to succeed President Obama.

Sources said Nayak also told authorities that Jackson asked him to pay to fly a Washington, D.C., restaurant hostess named Giovana Huidobro — described as a “social acquaintance” of the Democratic congressman — to Chicago to visit him. Nayak did so twice, according to the sources.

Jackson didn’t address Nayak’s allegation involving payment for those flights, which could raise ethical questions under the U.S. House of Representatives’ gift ban act.

But Jackson acknowledged knowing Huidobro and that the relationship was something he an his wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson, have had to deal with. Having a third party pay for flights at a congressman’s request and not reporting the value of those flights as a gift, if they were worth more than $50, would appear to be “something of value” under the House’s gift ban, according to an expert on the act.

Unless Huidobro’s visit was campaign-related, Jackson’s failure to disclose the gift on his campaign contribution reports does not appear to violate Federal Election Commission requirements, though, Clark and other experts told the Sun-Times.

Man, what can you say? Jesse apparently learned nothing from his own father's fall from grace, and more or less repeated the same thing. Jesse Sr. was never a US Congressman who had eyes on running for Mayor of Chicago, however. By no one else's fault but his own, let another young brother falls prey to the allure of the booty.

I know what you're thinking: so, how's this other chick, who Jesse Jr. essentially threw his career away for, look? I suppose he coulda done worse.

But no woman's worth giving up everything for.[1]

Jesse shoulda asked Kwame Kilpatrick about that one.

Or his Pops.

Question: Will Jesse Jr's Mayoral prospects suffer as a result of these allegations? Does this make his re-election to Congress in November less of a shoe-in? What makes a guy think he can fly his jumpoff from DC to Chi-Town using campaign donations and not get busted?

Rep. Jackson: I did nothing wrong but 'deeply sorry' over 'social acquaintance' [ChiSunTimes]

[1] Well, except for your wife, of course.

Ashy Or Classy!?! - Ice Cube's Rappin' OffSpring.

I still don't know how to feel about this new rap game/nepotism trend. Between Will Smith's kids, Reverend Run's kids, Lil' Romeo, Lil' Eazy-E, and Corey Gunz (yeah, I know), the results are mixed. Do you really deserve a record deal just because of who your Pops is?[1]

Ice Cube's always been a favorite of mine, the rare cRapper who could pull off a gangsta persona and not get called on bullsh*t, even though he's never caught so much as a traffic case, went to college on an architecture scholarship, and makes movies for tweens.

That's a pretty impressive feat. His sons, OMG and Doughboy, gettin' in the cRap game? Uh, not so much.[2]



Question: What do you think? Should Cube's kids pursue their cRap careers, or do they need to start reading those Everest College brochures a bit more seriously?

[1] Or in Eazy E and Peter Gunz case: "was".

[2] If you ask me, Cube murdered both of his kids on this track.

AB.com Guest Post: What's Up With Eddie Long?!?

[Very Long Editor's Note: When allegations of sexual impropriety by Atlanta-area megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long hit the streets (aka: Black Folks' Twitter) last night, the reaction divided into two camps. There were those (like me) who think this is an extortion attempt by a couple of shady characters to defame a very rich man. And then there were those who automatically assumed Long's guilt, and launched into a tasteless (but still funny) series of #EddieLongSaid tweets which made the pastor a trending topic. As someone very familiar with the Atlanta church scene, my friend The Uppity Negro is uniquely qualified to give his opinion on the topic. Show our guest some love you-know-where.]

Hot off the press from tonight, the latest in news to affect the institutional Black Church, both old and new, has been the lawsuit against Bishop Eddie Long of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church of Lithonia, Georgia.

The prominent pastor of a 25,000-member megachurch outside Atlanta denies allegations in a lawsuit that he coerced two young men from the congregation into a sexual relationship, his attorney said. Lawyers for the men, now 20 and 21, say they filed the lawsuit Tuesday in DeKalb County Court against Bishop Eddie Long.

The men who filed the suit were 17- and 18-year-old members of the church when they say Long abused his spiritual authority to seduce them with cars, money, clothes, jewelry, international trips and access to celebrities. B.J. Bernstein, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said that when the relationships started, the plaintiffs were past the legal age of consent in Georgia, which is 16.

President George W. Bush and three former presidents visited the sprawling New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in the Atlanta suburb of Lithonia for the 2006 funeral of Coretta Scott King, the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Long introduced the speakers and the Rev. Bernice King, the Kings' younger daughter, delivered the eulogy. She is also a pastor there.

Long was appointed pastor of New Birth in 1987. Then, the church had about 150 members. Less than four years later, the church had grown to more than 8,000 members. Athletes and entertainers claim membership at the church.

This seems to be yet another brick chipped away in already bruised and battered institutional Black Church. First Professor Eddie Glaude earlier this year essentially said the Black Church was dead. Then Steve Harvey rallied the black female church crowd with Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man and then Deborrah Cooper came back told black women that the black church was keeping them single. Not to mention the death of gospel legend Walter Hawkins, and the recent death that has shaken the black Pentecostal crowd of Bishop Kenneth Moales. Then this with Eddie Long has cause somewhat of a wall to ” come a’ tumbalin’ down.”

This is the same pastor who was the subject of U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley-R, Iowa and his tax investigation a few years ago. This is the same pastor who was the subject of Jonathan Walton’s Watch This! The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Televangelism the story of black televangelists in this country. This is also the same pastor who in 2004 marched down AuburnStreet in an effort to support George W. Bush and the Defense of Marriage Act and decried homosexuality.

And I found out through Twitter, of course. As I type, both #EddieLong and #EddieLongSaid are high trending topics.

Naturally, if this is true, this brings forth a plethora of issues concerning clergy and the members at churches. And this truly isn’t just a case concerning black churches. From the Earl Paulk situation at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, to Ted Haggard out in Colorado, to the Roman Catholic Church dealing with their priest abuse scandals being a global problem this is a situation that goes across the board. This isn’t even a situation dealing with homosexuality versus heterosexuality, but a case of properly addressing sexuality within the walls of the church.

Without going too deep on sexuality, we need to admit that the church probably could do a lot better with addressing sexuality with its members. It’s still a problem even amongst the most conservative groups for married couples to even talk about sex out in the open; many still act as if it’s something dirty and taboo. Let alone among more liberal groups, the general failure to understand sex between two consenting adults.

But, I guess that would require your average person to understand the difference between sex, sexuality and sexual intercourse.

Even in what our society considers the optimal way of having sex–between a man and a woman who are married–I know married couples who still blanche when they read the biblical passages of Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) and their sexually charged passages. And our churches don’t even want to entertain the idea of young teens having sex, unmarried persons having sex, and many churches still shun gay couples who are in committed relationships. This in the face of many churches being predominantly populated by women who often arrive at church with their children and no husbands or having never been married (because of course the black church is keeping black women single), and God-knows how many other sexual church stereotypes being fulfilled.

And we remain silent in the church.

However, my issue with Eddie Long isn’t a sexuality issue. As far as I’m concerned and information disseminated, I, along with most everyone else aren’t qualified to speak on it. My issue truly is a theological one. As Walton pointed out in his book, Long ascribes to this “kingdom business” (Walton 129-131). While it sounds good, churchy even, as far as I can see it, this theological train of thought is warmed-over ecclesiastical patriarchy straight out of the Roman Catholic church. Well, Walton places it much more within the Victorian era as far as familial and patriarchal values (171).

I think the patriarchal system of theology allows this to happen with clergy and their followers.

When the man is the head, it’s anything goes. Be it in the family or in the church. The man acts as the mouthpiece for God be it good or bad or indifferent. The same way parishioners take their frustrations with God out on figureheads of the church from the Pope, to Bishops, to pastors, to priests or even other lay leaders, is the same way parishioners are able to believe that their clergy can do no wrong. As far as this situation is concerned with Long, the hierarchy allowed Long to get close to these young men. While of course on the surface, this seems normal and maybe even encouraged because no one automatically assumes the worse, but this is when clergy are NOT supposed to take advantage of the situation. Long is well known for having his “spiritual sons” in the ministry with Long as their “spiritual Father.” However, there have been many instances that have been reported that this particular relationship has been exploited for the benefit of Long. Since I don’t dabble in rumors, I’m not here to say that this is verifiably true or not, just merely pointing to the fact that such situations create an atmosphere for nefarious activities to take place.

Warped socio- and politico-religious teaching is also at play surrounding this news about Long. There seems to be three camps at play here: 1) Christians who support Eddie Long, namely his parishioners, fellow inner circle clergy of course, and other random lay people and outside clergy who have been affected by his ministry in one way or the other; 2) Christians who view Eddie Long as a homophobe, a “prosperity gospel” preacher, those who don’t like megachurches in general, and just an overall charlatan pimping his congregation; 3) non-church goers who may or may not fall into the “spiritual, but not religious” category, who generally have an overall disdain for preachers and most church-goers, and this latest incident acts as a catchall for ALL clergy across the board and does nothing more but entrench their beliefs about “those hypocrites” who go to church in the first place.

Those in the first camp are of this idea that in a time like this Christians should be “covering the man of God.” At first, this sounds right, particularly as a soon to be clergy member or at least someone with one foot in parish ministry, but further thought renders it moot. At what level do we need to expose bad behavior? This “touch not my anointed, and do my prophet no harm” mentality gives clergy a carte blanche with the people. And we need to be honest that this line of thinking only extends to certain clergy members. Let’s be honest, this notion of “covering the man of God” barely extended to Jamal Bryant of Empowerment Temple AME Church and his sexual dalliances with his members and this same section of the neo-Pentecostal black church that is calling for the “covering” of Eddie Long were certainly no where to be found when Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ and his church members were going through the wringer submitting to public protests on the church property, news vans parked outside, metal detectors because of bomb threats and news reporters getting the Sunday bulletin and calling up members on the sick-and-shut-in list trying to conduct interviews.

It seems to me that the black church has attached mega-ministry with spirituality and the evidence of God’s “anointing.” That is to say, it’s easier to support someone in a mega-ministry or who we see on television whom we don’t know, versus the pastor up the street in our community whom we’ve interacted with on occasion–but they don’t have a mega-ministry. Ricky L. Jones in his book What’s Wrong With Obamamania? Black America, Black Leadership and the Death of Political Imagination said:

The black community, maybe more than any other, is affectively linked to churches and their pastors to the degree that criticism of either (no matter how rational) is often viewed as nothing short of an attack on God. Such loyalty may be degenerative as well as generative in that it has opened the door equally wide for the entree of many of the race’s greatest freedom fighters, as well as some of its most infamous demagogues. Unfortunately, black ministers (be that emancipators or collaborators in oppression) are often protected from secular intellectual confrontation by the almost certain ire of their flocks, which is heaped upon any critic who questions their leaders’ decisions and/or motivations.

The second group believes this supports their idea that the biggest homophobes are closet homosexuals. I think that’s bad logic, but that’s just me. Anything short of the alleged pictures and emails that the plaintiffs’ lawyer B.J. Bernstein claims she has, I’m really not ready to go so far as to believe that there was a sexual relationship at play, but again, that’s just me. But this second group also has major aught with Long for where he has come down on the side of social and political issues. These people are full of lay people who are still connected to the traditional denominational churches, on which they pride themselves. Clergy of other churches love to talk bad against Long for his perceived bad theology concerning “kingdom business” and of course they are convinced he’s pimping the people out of their money.

I mean, honestly, I agree with some of that.

I do honestly think it’s unconscionable to own a private jet, live in a multi-million dollar mansion, own Bentley’s and Rolls Royce’s and members of your church are taking public transportation to get to church on Sundays. But that’s just me. And that’s a charge I level with any mega-ministry. I think pastors would do a lot better for the larger community if they took that money and funneled it into church owned businesses that employed members of the church as well as the community from clothing stores, restaurants, and other ventures. I fail to see the future worth in buying up land to erect monuments to ourselves that do nothing but provide more parking for our larger and larger edifices, and provide space to hold various and sundry worship conferences–all creating a traffic jam on Sundays for other persons who don’t go to that church!

The third camp of people are the ones with whom I take what they have to say with a grain of salt. While they are entitled to their opinion, of course, in all fairness, in the back of my head I somehow don’t consider them qualified to speak on such issues. Admittedly it may be my own arrogance at play, but its almost equivalent to discussing the evils of the hip-hop culture in the inner city, but you live in some suburban enclave and you just found out that Black History month was in February just in 2010! *

These are the people who are the outsiders looking in on the situation. Some of them have been hurt by the church in the past and don’t want to have anything to do with it–and I fully understand. Others have just merely grown tired of the church foolishness over the years and slowly backed away–and I fully understand. Then there are those who suffer from the I’m-the-only-enlightened-one syndrome thinking that they’re more evolved because they don’t go to church (anymore). Sorry, but its really hard for me to have a conversation with some of these people, because they look down on me for having a faith system in which I believe. These are the people who have a tendency to stereotype all of the ills of religion on me without giving me a chance to talk.

What really is bothering me, and has been for some time is the level of misinformation and stereotypes that people are interpreting religious information. It seems as if people automatically fail to think critically it’s either “all church folk are hypocrites” or “you aint gonna talk about my pastor and my Jesus” type of people. No one takes the time to understand the nuances of theological rhetoric, the biblical canon, denominational history, or even general church history. Folks act as if mega-ministries are the devil–right along with storefront churches.

It’s just really appalling to me.

As this situation with Eddie Long progresses I encourage all of my readers to keep an open mind and let the facts present themselves; ultimately, to let truth itself be our guide. Understanding truth, and the ethics of truth isn’t an easy task however. The ethics of truth mean understanding the impact of the truth. In this light, we must be fair to Eddie Long and fair to ourselves. Yes, we need to call a spade a spade, but we ought not jump to conclusions either.

Let me be clear, I am not coming out in full support of Bishop Eddie Long through what I’m sure will be a public relations nightmare for both he and his church, nor am I casting aspersion on a situation that we only know about through mainstream media and only from the plaintiffs’ point of view. I am just merely saying that in this case, I’m quite sure the truth will come out, and both parties will be set free.

Question: Do you think people are too quick to pass judgement when stories of this sort arise? If Long is found to be not guilty, how (if at all) can he regain his reputation? Would people be as judgemental had these alleged victims been female?

Atlanta megachurch pastor Long denies sex claims [AP]

* A mixture of two true stories. I was once told by a white suburbanite that hip hop was from the prison culture and my cousin who works for a downtown hospital informed me that one of her Indian co-worker who was born in raised in NW Chicago suburbs didn’t know when Black History month was.

AB.com Hot Topics - 9.22.10

[Editor's Note: AB.com NewsBriefs is now Hot Topics.]

I'm busy today, here's the rundown...

A Bad Day For Obama - Call it what you'd like, but I can't help but think that Top White House Economic Advisor Larry Summers' decision to hightail it back to Harvard signals the start of a lot of Obama turnover. Depending on whom you ask, Summers was either underutilized by Obama, or simply didn't have the right answers to this economic disaster we're sitting in. Either way, this can't be seen as a good thing because nobody abandons a winning team. Not sayin' the ship's sinking, but this isn't a great sign. On the other hand, perhaps this is a repudiation of Obama's "just hire a bunch of ex-Clintonites and Ivy Leaguers" strategy.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Bother - Well, so much for that one. Never underestimate the power of GOP obstruction.

Say Goodnight To "The Dream Act" - I was honestly on the fence about this one too, and can't say I'm totally disappointed that it died with yesterday's Defense Spending bill. For once I side with the GOP. Something as important as this shouldn't be tucked away as a rider to pass something as critical as a defense spending bill. Should kids of illegal workers be able to become a citizen by merely signing up to attend some JUCO? Not sure that's the right idea.

Question: Will Obama and Co. miss Larry Summers, or do you say good riddance to such cronyism? What's your read on The Dream Act? Is DADT repeal toast?

Laugh Break: Corey Holcomb.

This guy is hands-down my favorite comedian out right now. Period. Be forewarned, the language and subject matter is not for the faint of heart.



In case you're wondering, yes, this is just an act. Holcomb is married with children.

Did This Sista Really Ether Obama?!?

Not that ya'll saw it, but yesterday there was apparently some townhall on CNBC, and a black female Obama supporter stood up and asked a question that has Conservatives frothing at the mouth.



Those at Fox News and pretty much every Conservative talkshow I scanned on my way to work this morning were looping this clip over and over without context, apparently to show how black folks have supposedly turned on The Beige One.



But is that really what happened? Of course not. Lets go to the full tape.



Call me nuts, but it seems like the woman gave a perfectly reasonable question, emphatically phrased so that it isn't dismissed. It also seems like the President gave a reasonable answer, emphasizing what he's done well, while taking the hit for what hasn't gone as well. The woman was congenial, and seemed to accept the President's answer. She didn't exactly toss a pot of hot grits at him, so I'm assuming they're still cool.

In short, it's probably the very same sort of conversation I'd have with the President had I been invited. I don't see how it somehow signals a loss of support in "the community", merely that black people also have valid concerns, and want to hold the President accountable. Likewise, he takes responsibility.

No harm, no foul.

Question: Did this woman call Obama out? If you could ask the President a question, what would it be?

Obama-bot to Dear Leader: “I’m Exhausted Of Defending You” [MichelleMalkin]

Disillusioned Obama Supporter: 'I'm Exhausted of Defending You' [The Fox Nation]

Town Hall Exchange Sparks Big Buzz [Yahoo! Buzz]

Ashy Or Classy?!? - Redbone Precious.

When actress Gabby Sidibe rose to prominence after her breakthrough performance in the movie Precious, many wondered what exactly could she do for an encore. It's not like there's a million and one other scripts about overweight, molested ghetto girls just floating around Hollywood. Would she somehow be able to capitalize on her fame, or would it ultimately prove fleeting?

Sidibe has managed to keep herself employed, playing a high school student on Showtime's The Big C, a show I really like, although he's really just playing a supporting role. She's also graced the covers of plenty of magazines, including the current issue of Elle, which is drawing some complaints.

In the world of American fashion magazines, women of color have notoriously been underrepresented, pretty much since the birth of print. Ditto the plus-size population, who go almost entirely absent from the pages of big-name publications, as if they don't exist. So it was a boon for both groups this summer when ELLE magazine announced that full-figured African-American actress Gabourey Sidibe would grace the cover of its 25th anniversary issue.

For its special October edition, ELLE produced four separate covers, each one meant to celebrate a different mid-20's female star--in addition to Sidibe, 27, it included actresses Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox and reality star/fashion entrepreneur Lauren Conrad. But here's where things got tricky:

While each of the other three (all oft-used, not to mention skinny and Caucasian) cover girls are shown off in full-body glamour shots wearing stylish clothes, Sidibe is cropped at the mid-chest, with a swath of ruched green fabric hiding her curvy frame. Plus, her skin appears to be lighter than in most photos of the actress we've seen, which has stirred reactions on the Web.

This is the first big fashion magazine cover for Sidibe, who became famous last year after an Oscar-nominated turn as an abused teen in the Oprah-backed film "Precious." Since then, she's received raves for her appearance on "Saturday Night Live" and a new role in the Showtime drama "The Big C." Similar claims about skin lightening were made in 2008 about the possible whitening of Beyonce's face for a L'Oréal Paris ad and in 2009 for an ad with Indian actress Freida Pinto. For their part, the folks at ELLE deny any dramatic lightening or retouching of their cover girl.

I wanna get all worked up over this one, but I really can't. Seriously, this is just what high fashion magazines do. They consistently present one ideal of beauty. When they make a rare exception, they still try and shoehorn the subject into that very same ideal of beauty. It just is what it is. Not that I'm much of an authority on the subject, but I do grocery shop, so I've got some point of reference.

Yeah, they lightened Sidibe's skin. They also slimmed down Kelly Clarkson and lightened up that Indian chick from Slumdog Millionaire. Everyone's eventually gotta be thin and pale, despite how much Photoshopping it takes. These are pretty much the rules.

Is it racist? Sorta kinda, I guess. Is it worth getting worked up over? Nah, not really.

Question: Ashy Or Classy?!? Did Elle magazine doctor up Sidibe's photo, and if so, is that racist or just standard operating procedure?!?

Was Gabourey Sidibe's skin lightened for the cover of ELLE? [Yahoo!]

AB.com (Finally) Makes It To The Big Leagues!!!

This is the post I've been waiting to write since... basically forever.

Ya'll know I've been on my blogger grizzly for nearly 4 years now. It's an often thankless task. Although I certainly love the comments and occasional perks, reality is blogging's really just a fun (albeit time-consuming) hobby. There's no money (other than ad revenue) to be made, no tangible reward for the ideas you spend hours formulating before finally putting them out in cyberspace. I've been cool with this, but somewhere in the back of my head, there's always been the desire to somehow turn this creative outlet into something more.

I'm happy to note that I was recently added to the roster of bloggers for the AOL BlackVoices family of sites, including BVOnMoney and TheBVX. If you're somehow clueless about BV, you might wanna get familiar. If there's a megasite that truly has the urban blogging game on lock, it would be BV, and I'm both ecstatic and honored to join the team. I'll be blogging about financial issues and politricks (as usual) initially, and if things go well I'll hopefully have the opportunity to branch out into a wider array of topics over time. Either way, it's a great (and sorta big) deal.

I know what you're thinking: What about AB.com?!?

You'll be happy to know that I have no intentions of abandoning this site. There'll probably be a marginal slowdown as I get myself up to speed with my 3 posts/week schedule over at BV, so be patient. In the meantime, expect shorter posts here as I try and balance all this, along with a tough new assignment on The Day Job, and of course, a wife and two kids. Where I'll find time for this I have no idea, but I thank you guys for your part in this. Without readers, and comments, there's no was this blog becomes an award winning site, and no way I end up with an opportunity to make some solid walkin'-around money courtesy of a multinational media conglomerate. So thanks for all that.

Additionally, I'd like to thank my wife for giving me the time and space to keep up this blog. I'd also like to thank my new bosses Alexis Stodghill and Tim Cornwell for the opportunity, as well as Laura and Abena at AOL for helping me get noticed. Finally, props to the homie (and new colleague) Mason Jamal for everything he did to help. Appreciate it.

My first post dropped Friday. Go peep that. I'll drop links here when new posts go up over there.

Write On.

- Jay

BV: Definitive Proof That All Men Are Pigs.

My first post is running over at AOL BlackVoices. Go in.

It's A Girl!!!

Before anyone jumps the gun, the answer is "no". AverageSis and I are no longer in the babymaking business. I would, however, like to extend a congrats to AverageNation™ charter member and frequent contributor EbonyGentleman (aka: Markus) and his lovely wife on the birth of a healthy 6 pound - 1 ounce baby girl named Genesis[1] over the weekend.

Wish the first time parents a hearty congrats, and offer your best first-time parent advice you-know-where.

Question: Other than hoarding money and learning to deal with sleep deprivation, what's your best new parent advice for EbonyGent and his wife?!?

[1] That's not baby genesis in the pic.

Sandra Bullock's Black Baby Talks... Again.

Funny as this is, what's even funnier is that the host of this show still hasn't learned how to pronounce the word "Bullock".



Best vacheron constantin watches & top class quality of women's watches are exceptional things, the shop having cheap cartier watches and thomas sabo packing, provides you a variety of best secured credit card set.

* Hit tip to ByronCrawford.com

AB.com Open Mic

Ya'll know the drill. I have a real Day Job, and sometimes they actually require me to do real work. Today would be one such day. I'm down here in Atlanta (shawty!), probably fighting for my professional life as you read this.[1] Needless to say, ya'll are on your own today.

Throw some topics at each other and see what sticks. In case you need some fodder, here goes.

Tea Party Won Big On Tuesday Night - How will this effect the November elections?

Obama's Indoctrination Speech: Take II - Did anyone even realize he gave a speech to school kids earlier this week? Where are all the folks who were basically accusing him of doing Nazi recruitment last year?

Adrian Fenty Gets Clobbered - DC's own "Obama" loses mayoral re-election bid.

Dow Continues To Soar - DJIA once again near 2010 high mark, pushing 11,000. Is it finally safe to check your 401K statement?

Reggie Bush Gives Back The Heisman - Should Vince Young, the runner-up, get it now?

I'll see ya'll Monday, if not sooner.

[1] Okay, that's hyperbole. But I've got a critical client presentation on the line Friday, so again, ya'll are on your own.

The GOP's "Stimulus Plan" For Black America: Rent-A-Slave.

I get forwarded some pretty wacky sh*t by readers and fellow bloggers all the time, and very few of these ideas make it past the cyber cutting room floor, onto AB.com. Sometimes I simply don't have any angle for a story, it's just that freakin' mind blowing. Thanks alot, RiPPa.



This would be one such story.

Several photos taken at the National Federation of Republican Women's Board of Directors meeting last week here in Charleston are creating a buzz online.

The FitsNews blog posted a number of photos that it claims were taken at the meeting last Friday night at the "Southern Experience" night at the Country Club of Charleston.

The photos show a number of people, including State Senate President Glenn McConnell dressed in Confederate clothes. One photo shows his standing between two black people dressed in period clothes.

I don't have the space (or stomach) for all the photos here, but you can go peep the rest at FitsNews.com.

Okay, I guess I do have something to say after all.

The obvious question is, is this the GOP's idea of fun? I mean, seriously, at what point does romanticizing the past get a wee bit old? You always tell black folks to get over slavery, how about ya'll get over this sh*t? Is this what the TeaBaggers mean when they say they want to "take our country back"? If so, I'm prolly gonna catch the next flight to Toronto. Lake Ontario's lovely at this time of year.

On the flipside, maybe we shouldn't be so hard on the fine colored folks in these photos. Yeah, if it talks like a jig, and walks like a jig, it prolly is jiggin'. But maybe there's another story here. These folks mighta really needed the money to pay their rent, and dressing up like runaway slaves could have spared them the indignity of sleeping on the streets, or God forbid, having to apply for unemployment and thus mooching off the gubb'ment teet.

So maybe we should thank the GOP for keeping more Negroes gainfully employed.[1] Perhaps Confederacy re-enactments are some weird stimulus package they've yet to unveil to combat double digit black unemployment.

Or just maybe these folks don't realize the joke's on them.

Question: What the heck is this GOP Party all about?!? If given the choice of not paying rent, and playing Uncle Remus for $200, which would you do?

How Republicans Party [FitsNews]

[1] Then again, if this was a true re-enactment, these folks didn't get paid at all.

Who Is The Most Hated Man In Sports?!?

I don't "hate" anyone. That's just too much energy to give off for someone who isn't paying a bill or changing a diaper. Still, there are some folks whom I strongly dislike, and Lebron James would be one of them.

No need to lie, I mostly dislike James for his childish on-court antics during his teams' epic first round playoff battles with the Wizards a few years back. But that's basic fandom, you aren't supposed to like a guy who is largely responsible for sending your favorite team home every Summer, and often does so with the aid of some very lenient officiating when it comes to calling travelling violations. So, all things considered, even after last Summer's disgraceful Lebron-A-Thon, I can only dislike the guy so much.[1]

Not all sports fans are made the same of course, and lots of folks do take sh*t rather personal. While I sorta understood the fury of Cavs fans that culminated in a rash of public jersey burnings and some billboards that weren't very nice to his mother, I think that sorta crossed the line. I mean, seriously, you're so angry at a player that you'll destroy your own sh*t that you worked hard to obtain? What part of the game is that?



Anyways, while Lebron's decision to take his assorted talents to South Beach may have made for good TV, it's been a PR disaster thus far.

Miami Heat guard LeBron James has a lot of work to do on his reputation. That’s at least according to the latest Q Score, released exclusively to CNBC, on Tuesday morning.

In January 2010, The Q Scores Company took a poll of the general population and found that 24 percent of people thought of James in a positive light, compared to a 22 percent negative opinion. Henry Schafer, executive vice president of the company, told CNBC that the average sports personality has a 15 percent positive score and a 24 percent negative score.

Schafer says that now only 14 percent of the general population see him as a positive figure, a 41.6 percent drop, while 39 percent view him in a negative light, a 77 percent decline. In fact, LeBron is now the sixth most disliked sports personality, according to The Q Score Company, behind Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant.

“Instead of his change to the Heat being seen as the best way he can win a championship, many have looked at it and how he chose to announce it as a selfish move,” Schafer said.

I find it rather interesting that the NBA is typically derided as a league of unlikeable primadonnas, yet this list is full of NFL players, and a golfer. Go figure. I also can't help but notice another common thread here. Did you also catch it?[2]

Whether this effects Lebron on court remains to be seen. He was one of the few players popular enough to get cheered in all 30 NBA arenas, but that surely will no longer be the case. Will now becoming universal villain effect his ability to execute in the crunch? Prolly not. It's also equally likely that he'll sell a lot more jerseys because folks love pulling for bad guys. He hasn't suffered endorsement-wise, and moving to a bigger market can only bring him more money. So, I guess if he can deal with getting booed, it's a wash.

Question: What athlete can you absolutely not stand? Do you think Lebron's popularity will ever recover from this? Are you equally shocked that Barry Bonds is no longer on the list?

LeBron's Q Score Takes Huge Hit [CNBC]

[1] Now that the Summer Of Bron landed him in the Southeast Division, I'll get to see him trample my team 4 times a year instead of the usual 3. Lovely.

[2] Five brothas and one Halfrican-American. I'm just sayin'.

Laugh Break: Kevin Hart.

True story. I saw this dude at The Comedy Store on Sunset about 10 years ago. I didn't even know who he was then, but he was the opening act (I think for Rickey Harris. Remember him?) and he absolutely KILLED! When he finished his set, he just came and sat down at the empty next table. I told him I enjoyed his set, chopped it up with him for a minute, and wished him luck. Little did I know that short guy with the big mouth would be the hottest comedian around a decade later.

Is It Really Sexism If She Was Sorta Askin' For It?!?

My televised sports watching seldom includes anything other than basketball, but I'm well aware of the sideshow of sorts that follows some female sideline reporters and assorted sports personalities. ESPN's Erin Andrews has gone from co-ed wet dream, to stalking victim, to Dancing With The Stars primetime exposure, to Good Morning America in less than a year. There are entire websites dedicated to Fox's Jillian Barberie and ESPN's Jenn Brown. And you know brothas just loooove them some Pam Oliver.

I've always been a bit puzzled with the antics of some (emphasis: some) of these "sideline reporters". You could argue that they're there to report breaking news (ie: injury updates), but there's no reason why the folks in the booth couldn't just as easily relay said information. And on some occasions, I've seen Andrews' attire on ESPN college basketball broadcasts as a wee bit unprofessional for someone who allegedly wants to be taken seriously as a journalist. Watching her cluelessly stand with a mic oh-so-close to her mouth while drooling college kids watch in awe, it's almost as if she's "in on the joke". That said, if you're gonna have a person doing this meaningless job, it might as well be somebody who comes across as attractive onscreen. Lord knows how many buffalo wings have been lost when Tony Siragusa pops up after a commercial break. I bet even Mrs. Siragusa would choose to see Erin Andrews if given the choice.

A situation is brewing in NY Jets camp right now that puts the issue of sideline reporters and sexism under a microscope.

NFL boss Roger Goodell was demanding answers Sunday night from Jets' players and coaches accused of subjecting a female sports reporter to sexist locker room conduct.

The good tiffany watches relax you when you buy precious items like versace watches or cheap casio watches. Our store, having thomas sabo earring, provides this product after availing the service of designer sunglasses.

As they prepare for their season opener Monday night, Gang Green is dealing with a burgeoning scandal over the treatment of Ines Sainz, a sports reporter for TV Azteca of Mexico, during a weekend practice.

Sainz, 32, a former Miss Universe contestant, complained she was bombarded with catcalls and boorish antics at the Jets' New Jersey training facility to the extent she wanted to "cover my ears."

Sainz went to the Jets' Florham Park practice field Saturday to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez. But while waiting for Sanchez, she was blitzed with reprehensible behavior.

Players and coaches seemed to intentionally overthrow passes in her direction, whistled at her, openly ogled her and blocked her path as she attempted to walk away.

Linebacker Jason Taylor reportedly volunteered for the passing drill in hopes of getting near Sainz. Defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman fueled the antics, tossing pigskins in Sainz's direction.

Nose tackle Kris Jenkins shouted: "Don't let her act like she doesn't know English. She speaks English."

As the harassment went on, Sainz avoided eye contact with players, tweeting, "I am in the locker room of the Jets waiting for Mark Sanchez while trying not to look anywhere!"

Sainz defended her appearance at the practice session, insisting she dressed modestly. "Jeans and a white button-up blouse [are] in no way inappropriate," she tweeted, while posting a photo of her attire.

I'll be honest, I hadn't ever heard of Inez Sainz until I looked up info for this story, and well, let's just say her typical sideline attire is a little too racy for me to post here on AB.com. If you'd like to see more of her, uhhhh, professional talents, just go consult The Google. Don't worry, the link, and the photos on the Google Images page are indeed very safe for work. I just don't wish to post them here, for many, many reasons.

I don't doubt for one second that Ms. Sainz's claims are 100% legitimate. Pro athletes have long had tension with female reporters, culminating in Alonzo Mourning's big kerfuffle in a locker room a few years back. Most leagues have well defined practices for when female (and male) reporters can be allowed in a locker room after players have dressed, but, well, you know how this goes. I'm sure those players were ogling Sainz on the field, making rude gestures, throwing the ball at her so she'd have to bend over and pick it up, and yeah, probably intentionally flashing her in the locker room. I don't doubt that for one second, and given the NFL's many black eyes regarding issues of sexual assault recently, this needs to be taken very seriously.

But come the heck on, lady! Who wears stuff like this in a testosterone charged environment and expects to not get ogled? How could anyone (male or female) take a person who wears this to a job that doesn't involve a pole or singles seriously? That Twitpic is the actual outfit she wore at Jets practice, BTW.

I'm definitely not saying that Sainz brought this on herself. Nobody deserves to be treated the way she's alleging she did. Period, point blank, end of story.

But much like a similar case of sexual harassment involving a NYC banker this Summer, I can't help but think that perhaps a bit of modesty might have gone a long way here.

Question: Should Ms. Sainz have dressed a bit more modestly for this job, or doe these NFL players need to learn to keep it in their pants? Is there a thin line between dressing sexy and dressing appropriately for a given job?

NFL looking into reporter Ines Sainz's claims of sexually suggestive comments made by New York Jets [NYDailyNews]

Sainz Defends Manner Of Dress In Covering Jets [SportsByBrooks]

Should Anyone Really Be Getting A Tax Cut Right Now?!?

Among the typical cultural battles being waged in advance of the November elections, an undercurrent of class warfare has also emerged in the form of whether or not to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. Obama, after months of ambiguous statements, seems to have made the final decision to let the Bush cuts lax for those making $250k and up, while keeping them in place for most of the rest of us. Naturally, the GOP, intent on defending their rich donors, thinks everyone should get a tax cut. And I'm wondering what's the real point of keeping anyone's taxes low right now.

Think about it this way: If we're really in as dire a deficit/debt situation as everyone intent on scaring us seems to indicate, we prolly need to do something now. Tax cuts, obviously, cost money. Their stimulative effect on the economy is always a point of contention. Obama's already pushing a freeze on non-military discretionary spending (why the military's always exempt is beyond me) and that'll make a small dent. But shaving $4 Trillion (!) off the national deficit over the next decade would make a huge dent. Of course, nobody's interested in doing this, because raising taxes is evil, and might I add, a very poor political strategy.

For all the handwringing about Obama's spending spree thus far in office, the effect of a decade of Bush's unnecessary tax cuts was far more devastating. At least we're seeing some tangible return on the Wall Street and Auto bailouts. That money, slowly but surely, is coming back with interest. Need I remind you just how effective Bush's tax cuts were in reviving the economy? The 00's were considered a lost decade. Check your 401k statement if you don't believe me. Flat. And BTW, Conservative Jesus himself, Ronald Reagan, repeatedly raised taxes during a recession. The result was 17M new jobs over his 8 years in office. Clinton did the same, resulting in 23M new gigs. Bush's 8 years in office lost us a total of 8M jobs.

I'm just sayin'.

Basic math says raising taxes on income over $250k/year by a mere 4% isn't gonna kill anyone. Theoretically, if you make $350k a year, the $100k overage is now going to be taxed at a 39% clip, rather than 35%. Which means you'll pay a mere $4,000 extra. Call me nutty, but if you're rakin' in a cool 1/3 of a million a year, you prolly drop four stacks on trivial sh*t all the time. This isn't putting you in the poor house with the rest of us. If it is then maybe you're too dumb to deserve your annual salary. Tighten the belt, make wiser decisions on spending, and rough it out like the rest of us.[1] It's a recession, ya' know.

While I obviously agree with the Democrats on this one, since the $700B the rich pay in taxes pales in comparison to the $3T+ going to the rest of us, this is hard to see as anything other than "Us vs Them" style politicking. As the the Republicans, could they be any more blatant in their desire to protect the caviar and Cristal lifestyles of those least vulnerable in the current economic climate? It's sorta sickening. Not everyone who earns over $250k a year is "a small business owner", and even those who own small businesses (and probably take a fixed salary) aren't exactly going to be "taxed into oblivion" if they're asked to pay a few thousand extra in taxes each year. Please, kill the nonsense.

One way or another, because I'm not rich, I'll probably get my tax cut next year, which is obviously a good thing. It goes without saying that I hardly think rich people need even more tax breaks and assorted loopholes, so I'm cool with this. But if we're serious about not leaving crushing debt to "out children's children", we might all need to take one for the team.

Question: Does anyone really need a tax cut if the deficit is as staggering an issue as said? Does it make sense raise taxes on the rich, but not everyone else?

Five myths about the Bush tax cuts [WashPost]

[1] Alhough I will be coppin' that new iPod Touch.