"It comes down to a black man or a woman." -S. Wilson

After the 2000 U.S. presidential elections were presumably rigged, it seemed like all Americans couldn't wait for 2004 to boot Bush out. Excepted when 2004 came along Bush won again. How could it be, even after the oh too true docu-movie Fahrenheit 9-11 by Michael Moore.

The reason though was a number of things, primarily the fact that his opponent John Kerry wasn't necessarily capable of being a president and then there was the fact that Bush had to remain to finish the war that he started.

Now in 2008 we know that Bush is out, because he can only serve two terms. The question is who is in? Or more specifically will America have a black man or a woman president.
Barack Obama, the son of a late Nigerian immigrant, has gone from being an underdog to almost a shoe in for the democratic presidential candidate. People want change and his Yes We Can slogan is endearing with voters. Hilary Clinton though has not been able to get back the expected lead she had in the beginning and may be counted out after the next set of preliminaries in Texas and Ohio if she doesn't display a win.

Some are saying that it is a lose lose situation. While Clinton may not be the political stronger candidate, Obama is a black man whose safty might be an issue.

However if no one has taken Bush out for his initiating the Iraq war thus killing thousands of American Soilders then Obama should be safe. It's sad though because who ever wins is going to have the difficult task of cleaning up the trillion dollar mess that was made in the last eight years. The word recession is being thrown around, although the current president denies it, and this could make the first few years in office hell for either Clinton or Obama. Either way the change needs to occur this year. The war needs to stop and the democrats will be the ones to do it.

As for the Republican, lead runner McCain won't be an issue as the majority of Americans are sick of Republics and feels he's too old (currently 71 years old).

So what would you rather (if you were American? It comes down to a black man or a woman.

School Debate Update

So I stand corrected, maybe a black focus school is exactly what is needed for the youths in certain communities. It's at least worth a try. I found myself agreeing with Dalton McGuinty's point that we do not need a black focus school and that we should promote togetherness. Bless his heart, he is a great guy but that's just the problem. He is an upper middle class, middle aged white male. What does he know about what is needed for the poor black youths that this school hopes to help?

He knows even less than myself and my friends who are privileged in that we were products of two parent homes and educated in the peel district. We lived in houses not in government subsides apartments. We had guardians not just a single mother who had to care for us and 3-5 of our siblings. The disparities are never-ending.

How dare we think just because we are minorities and we survived that these Toronto youths don't need assistance. They are usually not exposed to positive black role models and a black focus school can provide them with that.

That is now my stand the debate. Now we still don't know what the curriculum will entail but I'm sure if them employ people that actually want to make a difference, this school will have a big effect.

Thanks to those older people that shed light on my ignorance regarding the topic and I look forward to seeing the positive change this school will promote.

Winterlicious

Well the sixth annual Winterlicious event, where GTA's posh restaurants offer meal for a flat rate of $25 or $35 has started.

Now there is no shortage of choice for restaurants offering a Winterlicious menu but there is some misleading involved.

Some research should be involved when choosing a restaurant. Some restaurants aren't that posh and the service is not the best. Check online recommendations before choosing one.

While you research feel no pressure to make your decision in the two weeks before the event is over, there is a summerlicious too!

Amazing Events for Cheap

The GTA has it if you are willing to look for it. Years of living in Brampton made me think that the GTA had nothing to offer. I was tired of going to the downtown core to go clubbing. I was tired of clubbing period. So then I discovered theatre. But at $60 or more per ticket for those production I had to give up that pastime too.

But then I started networking and I discovered some really fun and different events and activities for really good prices. Like Winterlicious, a two week event where luxurious restaurants offer 3 course dinner for only $25-35! Go to www.toronto.com/winterlicious for more info and participating venues.

Also there are some spectacular gospel concerts put on by the House of Levi. The had Fred Hammond (in above picture) last September and just had a Martin Luther King Jr. day celebration featuring Hezekiah Walker. Early bird tickets are usually $10 and are well worth it. Sign up for their newsletter at houseoflevi.com.

There are also great culture events like Poet Tea which takes place every month. Last week it was at Knowledge Bookstore on 177 Queen Street in Brampton. It only cost $3 which was basically to cover the all you can sip herbal teas. It was a deep session with freestyling, poem recitals and even an information session on the event's featured herb, ginseng. Visit http://booity.googlepages.com/home to find the next Poet Tea Session.

With all those and so much more the GTA finally has the type of cultured, conscious and fun events that I've been looking for. And at such at decent cost.

BabyPhat, Applebottoms and Rocawear, Oh My!

There comes a time in every young, crazy and confused girls life when she looks at her closet and wonders what she was thinking. Even when she removes items like oh-so-tight jeans with rhinestones on the butt and jackets that barely cover her stomach from her closet, she is forced to see the horrible fashion trends everywhere, especially on young females.

It's not cute. But maybe it's an age thing and they too will realize that the Ghetto-boo name brands and styles aren't cutting it!

Poetea

It is said that if you ask, you shall receive. Bramptonites (residents of the city of Brampton, just outside of Toronto) have ask for more cultured events and now they got it.

Knowledge Bookstore (knowledgebookstore.com), on 177 Queen street West in Brampton, will be hosting a Poetry/Spoken Word session (with herbal tea!) on Saturday January 12, 2008 at 4:30pm. Additional info is below and check out http://booity.googlepages.com/home for further info on other Poetea Events.

Little Mosque in the City

With funny CBC show Little Mosque on the Prairie, it's easy for us to forget that the Muslim religion is one of serious traditions. Traditions that many immigrants hold true to and want their children to uphold. The problem with that is in our multicultural society, some Muslim children may not want to adhere to their parents wish for them to keep up their faith. The result? Usually they are denounced from the family. In worse case scenario we have what happened to 16 year old Aqsa Parvez.

After refusing to wear the Hijab, the young student was strangled to death by her father. It was an unintentional crime but nevertheless she died from her injuries. She was probably not the first Muslim to want to not follow traditions while living in our Canadian society but her story is most tragic.

While many are quick to judge and send there harsh criticism to her family and the Muslim religion it is important for us not to forget remember the precious life that was lost.

This Christmas!

This holiday we are surely in for a treat. Instead of only having one black movie to serve us for the year (usually provided by Tyler Perry), in this season alone we have three not including movies that big stars like Denzel and Will are starring in.

Tyler Perry blessed us with a feature movie production of his play Why Did I Get Married?, which debuted at No. 1 when it came out, and was followed a month later by an ensemble cast in Preston A. Whitmore’s This Christmas.

This Christmas came in No. 2 it’s opening weekend but brought it 18.6 million, 12.6 million less than Disney’s Enchanted. Keep in mind that it was shown in far fewer theatres.
This season will also bring us The Perfect Holiday starring Gabrielle Union with Morris Chestnut.

With these three gems plus American Gangster, I am Legend and The Great Debaters (with Forest Whitaker) out on Christmas day, this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for us!

A Black School?

Why are we even debating this? We are a multicultural society. Anything the does not promote us to live in harmony shouldn't even be considered.

I grew up in a post-minorities Brampton, I was the only black girl in all my class from grade 2 until 5 so needless to say the only things I learned about black history came from my family. I wasn't looking for my school to teach me about me and it made me more rounded to be in a school that wasn't all black. It's how the society works, we all work together so we should try to learn together.

The goal of this school hopes to curve the dropout rates of young black males but school is not the problem. These youths won't attend class more just because there are black history classes or black teachers. The issue with young black males (YBM) in the GTA is more serious than that. Programs, seminars, and community reach outs have been used to try and encourage YBM's to seek an education but have not completely solved the problem and a black school won't either.

Bottom line: A Black-focused School is just as a bad as a White Supremacy School and we wouldn't want that would we?

RIP Mrs. West

It was officially reported yesterday that Donda West, mother and manager of Kanye, died yesterday from surgery complications.

I don't want to report on the specifics because other sources have details. I just want to send my prayers to Kanye who lost not only his mother but sole family member and best friend.

May God bless all those who are grieving this tragic loss.

Dr. Donda West (1949-2007)

American Gangster (not jay-z's album)

Staring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe

Cameos: Cuba Gooding Jr., Idris Elba, Rza, Common, T.I. and a bunch of black character actors

Length: 2.5hrs

Overall: 7/10 (Denzel is great but not great enough to carry such a long movie

Note: Where else are you gonna see 3 rappers turned actors at their finest

When I first saw the American Gangster trailer (with Jay-z's Heart of the City playing) I wanted to see it so bad. I did some research on the real life person that the movie is based on, Frank Lucas and wanted to see it even more but in the months that I had to wait to watch it I saw more trailers and saw the premise of the movie change.

It started to look like it was more about Russell Crowe's character, Detective Richie Roberts. I assume that it was the producers attempt to make the film appeal to a wider audience which may have worked (the theatre that I went to had a variety of people, the majority black though).

Overall the story was riveting. It had some gruesome mob-style moments and in terms of 'gangster-ness' could be put just slightly below Scarface, who American Gangster mimics with it's posters.

The Cameos (listed above) were impressive. In the first minutes we are blessed with an appearance by Clarence Williams III, playing former Harlem boss, Bumpy Johnson. Not to mention seeing Rza, T.I. and Common (who has few lines). I haven't seen such good acting from rappers since Cube and Tupac flipped the scripted.

The only real negative was the two hours and half length of the movie and a couple of unnecessary sub-plots (including ones involving Crowe's character's former partner turn junkie and the sub-plot involving the demise of his personal life).

As with other movies I've seen I have to recommend that others go to see it. Washington was fantastic as a gangster (decades deep in his career and he is still bringing such talent to his roles) and the dynamic energy that various characters bring make the film interesting. Besides that, you don't want to be the only one out of the loop because every adult probably went to go see it....unless they are a Jerry Seinfeld fan and saw Bee instead.

updates!

Angie Stone says D'Angelo (her baby's daddy) needs to get his $#!t together (BV)

The fione Mekhi Phifer welcomes a new baby boy with his fiance (BV)

Tyra's gettin' her money right--has new deal to be in charge of a Warner Bros division that will see her writing and produce straight to DVD movies and TV shows amongst other things (BV)

DaBrat in jail for assaulting a waitress with a rum bottle (the victim's condition is still severe)

Kelis dropped from her label (BV)

Peace talks in Darfur (yahoo)

Loonie closes just above 1.07! The highest that anyone living has ever seen (Global News)

...for a review of Why Did I Get Married go to thefatstories.blogspot.com...

Oprah's Academy

So the teacher that sexually and physically abused girl's at Oprah's school has been charged.

I feel like the school JUST opened. And already scandals?

I'm sure the school's rep will bounce back. Oprah's goal to help these less fortunate girls is still one of the best ideas she's had.

Blackout

Apparently today was Blackout day--a national boycott on spending for African-American.

Media glutton Rev. Al Sharpton organized it as a peaceful demonstration in light of various injustice for blacks in the states such as the Jena 6 and Genarlow Wilson, who was recently released after being convicted and sentenced to 10 years for statutory rape ofa 15 year old when he was 17 in 2006.

I didn't hear about this until now. Although it doesn't apply to us it's interested to know that it's estimated that black people in the states spend around 2 billion dollars a day.

We'll see if this blackout will put a dent in the economy like Rev. Sharpton hopes it will.

I wonder if he forgot that Denzel's new movie comes out tonight...

We had a connection...didn't we?

What is up with people not asking for contact info after sharing a meaningful connection? I've seen my friends go through it and it sucks.

I've spend the last few weeks having good times with a colleague and he's changing branches now and hasn't even ask for a way for us to keep in touch.

Bob (real name withheld), if your reading this and you know it's you, holla at your girl! At least link me on facebook or something. Dang, I'm not trying to have your babies. I'm just saying can we be friends outside of work?

lol--