The Obama "Forward" Campaign Ad.

As far as campaign ads go, this one isn't too bad. It lays out a compelling argument for the Stimulus package, Healthcare reform, credit card reform, Wall Street reform, DADT, the war on terror, and more.

I don't particularly care for the section showing Republican opposition. What's the point? Anyone with a brain knows this happened.



And oh yeah, unlike some of his competitors ads, this one looks diverse.[1] I'm sure this doesn't matter to some people, but it matters to me. So there.

As for the new campaign motto... "Foward"... well, lets just say that's gonna be sorta difficult to chant at rallies. I get the point ("progression", "the job's not finished but we're on the right track", etc.) but this just sounds too close to MSNBC's "Lean Forward" slogan to me. So basically, meh.

Question: What are your impressions after watching this ad?!?

[1] Trumpeting the Sotomayor SCOTUS appointment seemed a wee bit tacky, but hey, why pass up the opportunity?

The Obama Def Comedy Jam.

Not gonna lie. Some of these jokes bombed. Royally. Especially the entire "boy eats dog" part. And the "Young Jeezy" quote. {crickets}

Still, the President got in some really nice digs at all his foes, from Mitt Romney, to Newt Gingrich, to Rick Santorum. This is what you call throwing darts, conveniently masked with humor. Obama's comedic timing has also gotten dramatically better over time. Either his timing, or his writers.



#ShotsFired

Question: Does Obama have a future in standup, or should he stick to his Day Job as long as he has one?!?

AB.com Hot Topics - 4.26.12

Here's the daily rundown.

Newt Gingrich Announces He'll Finally Drop Out... Next Week - Wow, that guy has a lot of stones. He was technically out of the race around, oh, the Florida primary. Why he stayed in so much longer is a mystery to me.

Black Guy Scores Series Clinching Win In NHL Playoff Series - I'm not a hockey fan, at all, but I do like winners, so I've been sorta paying attention to the Caps/Bruins series, which reached a game seven last night. And in the end, wouldn't you know it, an AverageBro named Joel Ward scored the winning goal for DC. I'm not sure if that's any cultural milestone, but it sure made me a fan. Of course, this being America and whatnot, a million and one racist N-Word Tweets suddenly materialized to commemorate the occasion. Stay classy, Boston.

NFL Draft Is Today - I'm not even a big Redskins fan, but the media attention given to RGIII makes me wonder why exactly, the Colts aren't picking him first. Anyone hip to the NFL scouting game care to fill me in?

If I Wanted America To Fail... - Awesome pro-free market propoganda video goes viral.



Personally, if I wanted America to fail, I'd hand control back over to the same morons who ran it off the cliff in the first place.

Question: What do you think about these issues?

What Happened To The Blog, Bro?!?

As you can see, the blog's been a little errr, slow with updates this week. The reason's fairly simple: I'm getting my butt handed to me at work, which isn't leaving much time/energy for blogging once I get home. With our daughter just a few weeks away from making her grand entrance to the world, I'm trying to clear the deck on The Day Job so I can take a nice, extended break in addition to paternity leave. So yeah, I'm busy and whatnot.

This obviously means something has to give, and right now, that something is this blog. Until I get over the hump in a week or so, I suspect updates (other than the usual Open Mics) will be intermittent. I hope ya'll still stick around, because, as always, this blog's much more about you than it is me.

I'll be back. Sooner or later. Till then, carry on without me.

AB.com Link Dump - 4.24.12

I have a day job, a lovely wife, and 2 1/2 kids. Long story short, while I'd love to blog about every story of interest I come across, I simply cannot. That doesn't mean these stories aren't convo provoking though. So here's some links. Read the stories, and start your own threads in the comments section.

Two factors could decide the outcome in November. The rest is just noise. [WashPost]

Former aide says Edwards told him to seek money for pregnant mistress [WashPost]

CNN's Don Lemon Attacked For Saying Obama Admin Must ‘Take Responsibility’ For What ‘Happened On Your Watch’ [Mediaite]

Saints' alleged wiretapping under investigation [USA Today]

Police chief in Martin case remains under scrutiny [AP]

Van Jones: Obama Let Tea Party ‘Set Him Up’ By Being ‘So Bipartisan’ [Mediaite]
Colts Will Take Luck [ABC News]

Question: What do you think about these stories?!?

AB.com Open Mic Monday.

Busy today, so either entertain yourselves or weigh in on last week's threads. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Question: What's on your mind today?

George Zimmerman's Gruesome Head Injury, And How It Affects The Trayvon Case.

[Update: Zimmerman was just granted $150k bond. He'll be a free man very soon. Good for him.]

Well, turns out George Zimmerman seems to have had some sort of head injury after all. In fact, it looks like he caught more than a fair one.

On Friday, ABC’s Good Morning America offered an exclusive look at injuries allegedly sustained by George Zimmerman the night of his struggle with Florida teen Trayvon Martin — a struggle that ultimately ended in Martin’s death. Zimmerman, those close to him, and his legal team have maintained that the 17-year-old had knocked him to the ground and proceeded to bash the back of his head against pavement that February night in a Sanford, Florida neighborhood.

Previously released video of Zimmerman being escorted by the police for questioning had initially appeared not to show any injuries or blood on Zimmerman’s person. But, now, these newly-released images, taken shortly after Zimmerman shot Martin, show highly-visible streams of blood at the back of Zimmerman’s shaved scalp.

The person who took the photograph at the scene says a dazed Zimmerman asked him to call his wife and tell her he’d just shot someone. The photographer also claims to have seen gun powder on Martin’s hoodie, an indication that the shooting allegedly occurred at close range.

Here's the news story.



I'm sure those on the pro-Zimmerman side are going to jump for joy here, conveniently forgetting that he's not the victim, the dead 17 year old (and his parents) that he pumped a bullet into is.

I'm somewhat curious about why this information, which would probably be very important to a prosecutor, just keeps getting leaked to the press. It seems as if after the first couple of weeks of pro-Trayvon press, #TeamFreeGZ has been on the offensive, raiding the kid's school records, hacking his social media accounts, and putting out what would appear to be classified information, all in a concerted effort to somehow prove that "Trayvon was no angel, the kid had it coming". You can't help but think about how this all colors (pun intended) public perception, and makes the job of those who want to try Zimmerman so much more difficult.

It also makes what went down that rainy night in Sanford, FL so much more disgusting.

In the end, I really don't see how this changes the primary issue here: Zimmerman assumed an unarmed kid was a criminal, he pursued the unarmed kid with a gun, the kid fought back, and Zimmerman shot the kid. Period.

I doubt the state will get a Murder Two conviction, but damn if Zimmerman skates. I've predicted manslaughter all along, and that prediction doesn't change because of these photos.

Question: What are your thoughts on this latest development?!?

Does #TeamObama Need More Diversity?!?

Sometimes, rather than giving my own spin on a topic, I just like tossing it out there and seeing what ya'll think. This would be such a topic.

President Barack Obama’s team is looking to hire more African-Americans, a search that has stirred a debate among black Democrats about Obama’s record on diversity and its implications for his reelection.

Stefanie Brown, director of the campaign’s African American Vote program, wrote in an “urgent” March 21 email to contacts in the black community that “The Obama for America campaign is in the process of really staffing up in states around the country, and I need your help to find qualified, African American candidates for some of these positions.” The email, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO, notes that “this is a fast moving process and your (quick) support is greatly appreciated.”

The diversity push — and specifically the effort to hire African-Americans — isn’t just on the campaign side: In Washington, four officials from the White House personnel office and lobbying shop met Monday with chiefs of staff for members of the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss building a better pipeline for black staffers to move from the Capitol to the White House. An administration official emphasized that the White House reached out to the CBC, not the other way around, and said the meeting was coincidental to the campaign’s efforts.

The race to stock up on black talent is a welcome development among Washington’s African-American power elite — and one that critics say is three years late in coming. The cynical take, offered up by black Democratic sources outside Obama’s camp: The president and his aides have focused their attention on hiring more African-Americans because they are worried about black turnout on Election Day.

t’s not that anyone expects black voters to suddenly rush to Mitt Romney — they won’t — but African-American turnout could be pivotal in several swing states Obama won in 2008 that show signs of being more competitive in 2010 because of shifts among white independents. Florida, North Carolina and Virginia rank in the top 10 states in total African-American population; and Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan are in the top 15.

Exit polls show that roughly 1 million African Americans voted in the presidential election in North Carolina in 2008. Obama’s margin of victory: 14,000 votes.

The White House rejects the idea that opportunities have been scarce for African-Americans inside the White House during the first three-plus years of the administration. After all, the president, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, Attorney General Eric Holder, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and legislative affairs chief Rob Nabors are all black. There are at least two minorities in the upper echelon of the campaign: political director Katherine Archuleta and Michael Blake, who is deputy director of Operation Vote, the campaign’s effort to target demographic groups to expand the electorate. And Patrick Gaspard, the executive director at the Democratic National Committee, is black.

Since I've blogged about this repeatedly in the past, you can probably guess where I fall on this topic, but I'm going to reserve further comment for now. There's much more to this very lengthy story over at Politico, so you might wanna read at all before weighing in below.

Question: Is #TeamObama too lily white and Ivy League, or does diversity really not matter at this level of government?

AB.com Hot Topics - 4.18.12

Here's the daily rundown.

As many as 21 foreign prostitutes involved in Secret Service scandal [WashPost] - Hard to believe this whole thing could have been avoided had one officer just paid one hooker a measly $47.

Despite Excessive Pandering, Romney Still Trails Obama On Female Vote By Wide Margin [ChicagoTribune] - As I said last week, Ann Romney seemed to be a little too giddy to take advantage of Hilary Rosen's dumb statement, even going so far as to refer to it as a "birthday present" for the campaign. And that, is precisely how you flip a positive back into a negative. Quit while you're ahead. Milking victimhood is never good, unless, of course, you're Sarah Palin.

In Senate, Republicans Block Debate on 'Buffett Rule' [Post-Gazette] - Yeah, like that ever had a chance of passing. It didn't.

Holographic Tupac may go on tour with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg [HitFix] - Please. Just. Stop. Now.

Stocks rally: Dow back above 13,000 [CNN Money] - Positive signs for the economy after a rocky past week.

Ted Nugent Threatens Barack Obama [TheAtlantic] - I shouldn't give this ingrate any attention, but I do find it interesting that the Secret Service is looking into this.



What's much scarier than Nugent's screed is how attentive the audience is. Mind you, this is at an NRA convention. So uhhhhm yeah, get the Secret Service involved.

Question: What do you think about these issues?

Ashy Or Classy?!? - Tupac Resurrected For Hipsters At Coachella.

I'll be honest here: I was never the biggest Tupac fan. I don't have any particular reason, other than I really can't relate to Thug Life (I grew up in the country) and never found him to be a particularly fascinating lyricist. Still, I can say I saw him in person once while in college. I also saw Biggie. Watching those two living legends while they were still alive gives me some seriously good stories to relay to my kids.

Of course, Pac's untimely demise in the 1990's robbed an entire generation of the experience I had. But thanks to some very creepy technology, Tupac was resurrected this past weekend at the hipster-friendly Coachella music festival.

The biggest buzz at Sunday's Coachella music festival in California wasn't for a hot new DJ or indie-rock band. It was for Tupac Shakur, the rapper who died more than 15 years ago and "performed" Sunday night alongside Snoop Dogg and producer Dr. Dre.

Internet video of the Sunday evening show became an instant sensation on Monday morning. That response is helping push the possibility of a virtual Tupac tour in coming months.

The rapper's ghostly image was created by Digital Domain Media Group Inc., DDMG +12.29% the visual-effects house responsible for making the virtual versions of Brad Pitt that populated 2008's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." The movie won the Oscar for visual effects.

Representatives for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg plan to discuss logistics for a tour involving the two performers and the virtual Tupac, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

One option would be a tour in stadiums, involving other hip-hop stars, including Eminem, 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa. Alternately, they could stage a more limited tour, featuring only Dre, Snoop Dogg and the virtual Tupac, in smaller arenas.

A tour with the virtual Tupac is likely but not guaranteed, said the person familiar with the situation. The nascent plans could fall apart for any number of reasons.

If the tour were to proceed, it would take many months of creative and technical planning, this person added.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, #TupacBack!



Okay, no need to lie. Once you get beyond the ghastly nature of what's happening here, the actual effect itself is pretty awesome, and a true marvel of modern technology. CyberPac™ seems much more like a real person than the video game likeness he actually is. This is some pretty amazing sh*t. So yeah, that part is undeniably Classy.[1]

What's Ashy as hell is the idea of taking CyberPac™ on tour, all in the name of the bottom line. As a one shot deal (no pun intended) this is pretty awesome. But why not just let this die (no pun intended either) at Coachella? If Pac were still alive, would he really wanna be on tour with Wiz Khalifa? Ionno. Likewise, where does this end? Singin' "Hail Mary" and "Nothin' But A Gangsta Party" is cool, but what's stopping CyberPac™ from doing a duet with Katy Perry? Or Justin Bieber? Or David Guetta?

Hell, since this is all about money, why not have CyberPac™ guest host 106 And Park? Courtside at the Heat/Thunder NBA Finals Game 7? Shilling for Miller 64? Where does this all end? That's a mighty slippery slope. I doubt people would be so crazy about those ideas, so why not just put the genie back in the proverbial bottle?

So yeah, this is both Ashy and Classy? One time's fine. Just don't do it again, please.

Question: Ashy or Classy? What do you think of CyberPac™? Should we just let the dead be dead, or is this just another way to keep Pac's legacy alive? Who else would you like to see CyberResurrected™?!?

[1] Oddly, this video also reminds me of just how uninspiring a performer Pac was in concert. By contrast, Biggie was a lot more entertaining.

AB.com Open Mic Monday.

On the road again, so entertain yourselves. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Question: What's on your mind today?

What Hilary Rosen Should Have Said.

Since Democratic "Consultant"[1] Hilary Rosen stated that Ann Romney wasn't really qualified to consult her husband on economic issues because she "hasn't worked a day in her life" the other night, the rebukes have been swift and hard. I mean, seriously, I haven't seen a white woman get beaten up this badly since the last time I logged on to World Star Hip Hop![2]



Even worse was Rosen's subsequent comment that the "old fashioned" Mitt Romney doesn't "see women as equals". I'm actually somewhat surprised that this comment didn't gain more traction.

Still, Rosen's initial comment was hamhanded, poorly worded, and offered no nuance whatsoever. With both political parties waging a "War On Women!" and the GOP losing badly, this poorly timed gaffe gave the Romney campaign an opening, and boy, have they tried to milk it for all it's worth or what?



Hol', up. Did she say "Let me give a shout out to all the Dads"?!?

Just stop it already. Please. Kill it with the slang. It's inauthentic and you're veering dangerously close to having this happen.

I'm gonna keep it two hundred here. While Rosen's comment was turrible, ignorant, sexist, and completely lacking in common sense, the Romney campaign is playing with fire by throwing Mrs. Romney in front of any mic, camera, or computer around and having her play the victim role. She was on the butt end of a bad comment by a person not-even-related to the Obama campaign, but she's no victim.

And that's where Rosen messed up. She could have made a far better point by simply saying that Romney's wife doesn't have the same pressures as the single mother working two jobs to make ends meet, or the stay-at-home-Mom of a blue collar husband. No, "struggle"[3] isn't purely a function of financial means (namely, a lack thereof), but to say you've got a point of reference to most stay-at-home Moms when you've been outlandishly wealthy most of your married life isn't really genuine.

Most stay-at-home Moms don't have two Cadillacs, nannies, maids, chefs, vacation homes, hell, most don't even have two homes. The life of a mother with outrageous means like Ann Romney exists in a non-parallel universe to your typical stay-at-home Mom. You know, Moms like my wife, who don't have all the aforementioned luxuries that make the job a wee bit simpler.

None of this really matters of course, since political discourse circa 2012 isn't about nuance at all. It's about taking a soundbyte and fairly (in this case) or unfairly running with it for your own political gain. I can't blame Romney for this. Given how adamantly and immediately (without qualification) most Democrats (the President and First Lady included) condemned Rosen's comment, I suspect this one is out of the news come Monday morning.

Oddly, my biggest takeaway here is the difference in how Democrats and Republicans handle digs at politician's spouses. While I was encouraged to see the Obama campaign come to Ann Romney's defense, it just illuminates how comparatively classless (and silent) Republicans have been when the FLOTUS has been attacked, in far more demeaning, and definitely more frequent manners.

You know, for stuff like this. Or this. Or this.

I'm still waiting for the GOP to condemn these guys.

I'm not holding my breath.

Question: Was Rosen's comment stupid, or merely poorly worded? Why isn't Romney doing better with women voters? Is the Romney campaign playing with fire by casting Ann Romney as the victim?

[1] Not to be confused with Obama surrogate. She is in no way linked to the Obama campaign. Rosen was a notable member of the Hilary Clinton campaign in 08'. So yeah, she's a Democrat, but she's really little more than a CNN employee in the grand scheme of things.

[2] If you aren't familiar with those world famous Waffle House fights, you're gonna totally miss that one.

[3] I suspect the "struggle" she's speaking of is her ongoing bout with Multiple Sclerosis. That is indeed a struggle, no quote/unquote needed. But it really has nothing at all to do with parenting. Keep the two issues separate, please.

The AverageBro Show - Episode Five.

In this episode, AB talks about the Trayvon Martin case, Mitt Romney's strange appeal to win female voters, and takes some questions from the AverageBro Show MailBag. Music by Kanye West, Median, and Cash' Out.


As always, retweet and download responsibly.

George Zimmerman, Don't Drop The Soap Buddy.

Well, looks like they will charge him.

Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey plans to announce as early as this afternoon that she is charging neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, according to a law enforcement official close to the investigation.

It was not immediately clear what charge Zimmerman will face.

Corey said Monday that she would not bring the case before a grand jury, which was expected to convene this week. She said her decision to forgo the grand jury should not be viewed as a factor in determining whether charges will be filed.

Corey has indicated in recent weeks that she might not need a grand jury to bring charges against Zimmerman.

It will be interesting to see what Zimmerman is charged with. The fact that he's being charged at all prolly says he isn't necessarily covered by Stand Your Ground anymore. My guess is manslaughter, since you can't charge someone with First Degree Murder unless there was a grand jury first.

We'll see.

Question: What's your read on this?!?

The Real Victim In The Trayvon Martin Saga: George Zimmerman.

Again, I'm no lawyer, I just occasionally play one on the internets. But I've seen enough episodes of The Practice to know that clients are usually advised to not speak to the media when they're involved in a high profile case. Running off at the mouth could give potential jury members the wrong idea about you, and prolly sabotage your case when the time arises. Or in the case of George Zimmerman, if the time arises.

Sooner or later we'll find out whether or not Zimmerman is going to be charged with shooting Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. In the meantime, after weeks of watching the media tells Martin's side of the story (because, well, Martin isn't here to tell it himself), Zimmerman and his attorneys (with a little help from the Sanford PD) have been flooding the media with their own pro-Zimmerman accounts. And now, from an undisclosed location via a dial-up modem, Zimmerman's giving his own first person account. And by "account", I mean "PayPal".

George Zimmerman has created a Web site from hiding, offering one of his first public comments since he shot and killed Trayvon Martin last month.

On therealgeorgezimmerman.com, Zimmerman, 28, writes: “I was involved in a life altering event which led me to become the subject of intense media coverage. As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life.”

The purpose of the Web site, he writes, is to raise money for his legal defense and living expenses.

The simple Web site contains links to “The Facts” and “My Race,” both of which include only a few famous quotes and a note that says he cannot discuss the case further. Zimmerman’s attorneys have said their client wants to share his story but is fearful for his safety and possible criminal charges.

The site also has a photo album, featuring two photos of graffiti written in support of Zimmerman, as well as a contacts page and PayPal tab for donations.

Here's Zimmerman's message from his website.

I am the real George Zimmerman,

On Sunday February 26th, I was involved in a life altering event which led me to become the subject of intense media coverage. As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life. This website's sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries.

It has come to my attention that some persons and/or entities have been collecting funds, thinly veiled as my “Defense Fund” or "Legal Fund". I cannot attest to the validity of these other websites as I have not received any funds collected, intended to support my family and I through this trying, tragic time.

I have created a Paypal account solely linked on this website as I would like to provide an avenue to thank my supporters personally and ensure that any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment. I will also personally, maintain accountability of all funds received. I reassure you, every donation is appreciated.

Sincerely,

George Zimmerman

Let's be 100% clear here: Zimmerman is well within his right to put up this comically outdated website and shill for money. He isn't able to work right now, and I'm pretty sure that "I'm in the middle of an international news story" isn't an excuse that any mortgage company is going to accept. He still has to eat and pay bills. So yeah, he can ask for help, and I have little doubt that the legions of NRA members, John Birchers, and neo-Nazi groups are all lining up to make donations right about now. Assuming they know what PayPal is.

The really, really sick thing here is that Zimmerman has so much support via Conservative media and pro-gun camps that should he beat the rap here, this could actually be a come-up by the time all's said and done. Imagine the appearance fees he could demand to show up at gun shows? He could, in the end, actually get rich off this. Think I'm kidding? Google "Joe Horn".

Still, I can't help but wonder why Zimmerman didn't choose a more traditional method for raising money. Creating this Fisher Price™ My First HTML Web Page and painting yourself as a victim while showing zero sympathy (hell, zero mentions) to the real victim comes across as callous and insensitive to the family. Even worse is having your family members pen letters to Conservative blogs painting President Obama and Eric Holder as racist for not addressing the New Black Panther Party's threats against Zimmerman. Now that, my friends, is a losing proposition if there ever was one.

Not helping.

I won't be donating any money to George Zimmerman's PayPal commissary, but when the final tally comes in, I wouldn't be shocked to find out he's caked up. Good for him.

For Trayvon, not so much.

Question: Is Zimmerman well within his rights to shill for donations via the web? Is this "make me the victim" and "Eric Holder is racist" angle going to backfire? Is that a GeoCities web page?

Justice (Deferred) For Trayvon?!?

Seems like we'll have to wait a little longer to hear about the fate of George Zimmerman after all.

A Florida special prosecutor will not bring the Trayvon Martin shooting before a grand jury, her office announced today.

The grand jury is scheduled to be convened April 10, but will not hear evidence about the shooting of the unarmed black teenager by George Zimmerman, a white Hispanic neighborhood watch captain.

In making the announcement, special prosecutor Angela Corey said her office was continuing to investigate the Feb. 26 shooting.

“The decision should not be considered a factor in the final determination of the case,” her office said in a statement. Not using a grand jury leaves the decision whether to indict Zimmerman up to Corey. That decision could come as early as this week.

Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for the Martin family, said he was not surprised by the announcement, but was still hoping that Zimmerman would soon be arrested.

“The family has been patient throughout this process and asks that those who support them do the same during this very important investigation,” Crump said.

Ever since Corey was appointed special prosecutor on March 22 by Gov. Rick Scott, she has said that she may not utilize a grand jury.

I may play an amateur litigator on the internet, but reality is the extent of my legal knowledge begins and ends with reruns of Judge Joe Brown. Just keepin' it two hunned.

My uneducated read on this is that either:

A) State Attorney Angela Corey thinks she has enough evidence to charge Zimmerman and doesn't want to put this in the hands of a possibly biased grand jury.

or...

B) State Attorney Angela Corey doesn't have enough evidence to charge Zimmerman, and rather than send this to a possibly biased grand jury and inciting a riot, she'd rather allow the heat to die down a bit (skipping today's arbitrary date) and quietly announce her decision later.

Again, no real idea here. Someone somewhere mentioned that without a grand jury, it's not possible to find Zimmerman guilty of the most severe charge possible, which is first degree murder. I'm not sure that's even the correct charge here, but again, I'm no legal scholar. I'm sure those of you who spent tens of thousands of dollars on your juris doctorate will gladly chime in to clarify. Put that degree to work.

Despite what esteemed social commentator Young Jeezy says, I really, really, really hope the streets don't erupt if this one goes the way I'm fearing it might, and Zimmerman gets off scot free. Destroying your own neighborhoods in the name of justice is misguided and misdirected. It may feel good to steal a flat screen TV burn down a Best Buy, but the net result would only be more black men in jail. Or even worse, dead. Maybe we should just burn off the steam with Home Exercise Programs instead.

If you're really unhappy when the final verdict is read, lash out at the right person, the right way. State Attorney Angela Corey is, after all, an elected official.

Ballots, not bullets, folks. Ballots, not bullets.

Question: Play amateur legal eagle, and tell me what this decision by State Attorney Angela Corey actually means? Do you also fear black folks will act a damn fool if Zimmerman skates?!?

AverageNation™ Obama Approval Rating - March 2012.

Okay, it's AverageNation™ Obama Approval Rating Poll time yet again. Try saying that 5 times!
After an all-time low rating in our last poll, President Obama rebounded nicely this time. Then again, this poll presented the lowest number of total votes to date, so the results might be skewed a bit. Who knows?!?

Eventually I'll get around to compiling the 3+ years of poll results into a nifty graph, but much like other approval ratings, our general trend has been downward. Going into an election year, I'm wondering what ya'll need too see from The Prez, and what he specifically needs to do to get re-elected. Chime in below.

Question: Did you Approve of Obama's job performance or Not? Why?

AB On The Hip Hop Digest Show.

I had the opportunity this weekend to head to the studio and chop it up with my dudes Kurt G, DJ King Killa, and E. Green on The Hip Hop Digest Show. Also on this episode, my main man Leon X.

We shoot the breeze about Mary J. Blige's embarassing BK commerical, Diggy Simmons' strange beef with J. Cole, Young Jeezy's misguided comments on the Trayvon Martin case, and much much more. And oh yeah, there's some great hip hop too. The episode ends with one of my 10 favorite tracks of all time. Of all time.

As always, this show features (slightly boozy) adults using adult language, so cop the headphones already.

Hip-Hop Digest Show 214

AB.com Open Mic Monday

Returning from Spring Break with the fam, and digging myself out today. So entertain yourselves. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Question: What's on your mind today?

Ashy Or Classy?!? - Mary J. Blige Is Sangin' For Burger Kaing Fried Chicken.

I'm not a rich guy, nor am I famous. In some strange way though, I am an endorser of certain products because I run a blog that tends to attract advertisers. Advertisers with money. I don't need to remind you that we're in a capitalist society, and while I certainly do blog for the feedback, reality is my PayPal balance children cannot eat web hits.

"Get Money."

I often find myself conflicted when running ads for certain products/services here. I generally don't run an ad I find ethically troublesome. Yes, there are gambling ads here, but I play PowerBall, so whatever. I have been approached to run ads for items and services I don't agree with. From payday loans (no ma'am) to pRon (this is a SWF site, so no), I've had to turn away a fair amount of money for many reasons, but hey, it's not always about the money.

Which is why I'm wondering what the hayell Mary J. Blige was thinking.

“Crispy chicken, fresh lettuce, three cheeses, ranch dressing wrapped up in a tasty, flour tortilla,” Mary J. Blige sings in a new Burger King commercial that premiered on Monday. But after some controversy on Twitter the ad has disappeared from YouTube.

According to rumors, Blige earned an estimated $2 million for the ad. Other celebrities in the campaign (who’s videos are still live on YouTube) include soccer star David Beckham, Jay Leno and, in Spanish-language ads, actresses Salma Hayek and Sofia Vergara.

Award-winning campaign writer and producer Thembisa S. Mshaka also points out Burger King gave Blige the “short end of the chicken strip” making her “rude” and having her sell the unhealthiest item on the menu. (Other celebrities are pushing items with lower calorie counts.

In case you were wondering, no. I have no issue with Mary pushing fried chicken strips. I like fried chicken. Correction: love fried chicken. I also like running 5Ks. It balances itself out. Whatever. Mary seems to be in rather good physical shape for a 40something, so it's not like she's promoting unhealthy living or anything. So, basically, whatever. This isn't MC Hammer doing that coonish' typewriter dance for KFC popcorn chicken.



So I got no issue with the chicken.

Nope, my problem is the ad itself. To put it nicely, Mary both looks and sounds awful.



Aw-ful.

For someone who has always been critiqued about her inability to actually sing[1], Mary sounds alarmingly bad and off-key here. Why is she dressed up like Tina Turner in Mad Max? Why does she cut the manager off? Why is the manager dancing, as if this spectacle isn't already absurd enough? Why, why, why?

Well, okay, I know why. For two million bucks, I would dance in a fried chicken suit. Hell, I would rename this AverageChickenEatinGreasyLipSmackinBro.com for that amount of money. Sheeeit, I might do it for two stacks. Or racks. Or whatever the chil'ren is sayin'.

Still, Mary, you played yourself. This was unnecessary. Why not just re-release My Life or What's The 411? and spare your dignity and our eardrums. I suspect Mary got a whiff of the final edit, saw how bad this looked, and asked that it be pulled.

No doubt, this one's Ashy. And Greasy.

Question: Ashy or Classy?!? Is Mary's BK fried chicken ad worth the $2M? Why did the ad get pulled?

[1] Conveying emotion and pain through song (which Mary does exceedingly well) is not the same as being able to sing. Beyonce can't convey emotion, but she can sing.

AB.com Open Mic.

Folks, I'm busy as an indentured servant right about now. The blog's simply a lower priority. I'll be back to the usual steez soon, but right now, ya'll are on your own. So basically, write your own d*mn blog today. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Some stuff you might wanna talk about (or not)...

The Rick Santorum "N*gger" Tape - Did he say it or not? I don't think he did, but it's hard to imagine what else he really meant.

ABC Releases Video With Zimmerman Cuts - Does this change the dynamic of the Trayvon case? I say not.

Kentucky Wins The NCAA Title - I didn't watch and didn't care. Maybe you did.

GSA Spending Scandal - $7,000 on sushi!!! Those must be some amazing seaweed wraps.

Nike Releases New Nike-fied NFL Jerseys - Boy, I didn't know the Seahawks could look worse, but they do.

Mitt Can't Pull Away - Face it, Obama's a shoo-in.

Sarah Palin On Today Show - So, she's clearly admitting her disdain for the LSM is just a ploy to stay in the news and sell books. Shameless.

Question: What's on your mind today?

AverageBro.com Is Five Years Old.

[Editor's Note: I had planned a 5th anniversary edition of the AverageBro™ Show to mark this occasion, but hey, life happens. Here's last year's anniversary post with a few time-sensitive updates. The blog will be back to normal soon. If you want it even sooner, answer the question at the bottom of this post.]

My, time does fly.

Five years ago today, the blog you're reading came to life with an innocuous and poorly-written piece about my favorite team in all of sports. In the time since, AverageBro.com has opened a million and one doors for me. I've been able to do national radio shows, seen my work featured in national news papers, and of course, found a way to turn this into a profitable hustle. None of this would have been possible without you, the readers who essentially comprise the community better known as AverageNation™.

To commemorate the occasion, I'd like to share a handful of my favorite posts, in no particular order. Maybe you already saw these, if not, get familiar.

Drive-By Activism and The Jena Six

Non-Urban Dictates, Tavis, Tom, and Other Tales of Urban Lore

The Day I Officially Turned On Herman Cain.

People I Strongly Dislike: The Everest College Dude

The Strange Culture Of High Yella Hatred

Should Jay-Z Stop Using The Word B*tch?!?

Could Someone Please Tell Me What A "Real American" Is?!?

Memo To White America: No, You Can't Say The Word "N*gger". And Here's Why.

The Other Side Of The Hoe-Hop™ Game.

The AverageBro.com Broken English Hall of Shame

How Facebook Killed The Class Reunion. For Me, At Least.

Ladies, Wanna Find A Man?!? Let AB Tell You How.

An AB.com MultiMedia Exposé: Top 13 Debits To The Black Race

AB Goes To A TeaParty. Accidentally.

5 Phrases Black People Must Abolish If We Are Ever To Get Ahead.

If It Ain't Race, Then What Is It?!?

Is It Trickin' If You Got It?!?

AverageBro & AverageFam Live Blog The BET Awards 08'

AB's New "Man-Laws" For Young Black Males

Question: What's your favorite all-time AB.com post?!? What do you like most about this site? How'd you even end up here in the first place? Yeah, I know this is self-serving, but hey, it's my anniversary. Flatter Humor me.

The Worst Movie I've Evar Seen... Evar!!!

It was a $1 rental from RedBox. I was on the road. I was bored. Don't point fingers at me if you've ever paid to see a Tyler Perry movie. You don't know me, you don't know my situation.

But yeah, this "movie"[1] really, really, really sucked. Then again, I guess Angel Lola Luv "acting" >>>>> Angel Lola Luv "Gangsta B*tch" rapper.

Question: What's the worst ghetto straight-to-DVD film you've ever seen?!? [1] It's more like "hey, we rented this cool HD cam for the weekend, let's buy a case of brews and do something stoopid" than an actual "movie".