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Dear Barack Obama's Critics (Part 1)

I've yet to comment on anything regarding Barack Obama or his presidency. Over the past month, I've seen the news media (coughcoughFOXcoughnewscoughcough) rip President Obama a new one, not only for his health care reform, his economic plan, his overall disposition and most notably now, his take on the Henry Louis Gates incident. These next letters are dedicated to the critics, detractors, and (for the hood folk) haters of our 44th President. Let's start with the most recent run-in, his stance on the plight of Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates.





Honestly, everyone needs to back up off Barack about this. I shudder to think about what you all would think if Obama had defended Henry Louis Gates, the plumber, instead of the tenured Harvard professor. Obama's statement, was NOT out of line at all. If anything, (and I say anything in a nit-picking manner) what Barack said was mistimed. To me, it just seems like you are all looking for a reason to jump down the man's throat. He never made any snide remarks, kept his cool, used language that showed little bias, and, aside from his own race and friendship to Gates, had no reason to speak on the issue. Obama's statement was the right thing to do. For Glenn Beck to say that he is racist simply for making light of the incident is preposterous. Do you guys even know what racism is anymore, or do you just call it out when someone of a different race says something that doesn't sit well with you?

Barack's presidency is a miracle, yes. But the discourse on race and race relations in America has a long ways to go, with people like Glenn Beck still on the air waves. Seriously, how did no one else in that room not give him a dead arm for saying something so stupid? The worst part is that for every Glenn Beck in America, there are hundreds more without Ivy League degrees and political forums to give them clout, so their prejudice will go unnoticed and unchanged. Whatever the case, Barack shouldn't be crucified for criticizing the bad judgment of racist (that's where you should use the word, Glenn) police, nor should his opinion be lambasted when it was malicious in no way. I guess when your own dirty laundry is in the closet, it's easy to call someone out when they make controversial moves...

Stay tuned for the next letter about Barack Obama's critics...

A.R.C. Nike Dunk Hi Supreme TZ

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Maybe A.R.C. is reading my blog, because this is their second appearance this week. On August 1, ALife Rivington Club is releasing a high-top Tier Zero pair of Dunks. I really dig the design on these. The suede gives it a low key look, while the gum soles give the sneakers a unique flavor. The checker print on the back and the grey-ish laces and midsole mix up the monotony as well. These are definitely a sneaker for the fall with how toned down they are. They'll be released from 3-6 PM on this Saturday, and the first 100 people will receive a complimentary t-shirt (below) to go with it. My guess is, the line will be live from Friday night, so make sure you get your spot...

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Dear Hip-Hop (Remixers)

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I feel like I do this letter in my head at least once a day, but it really needs to be addressed. Why, when Jay-Z releases a new song, does EVERYONE and their mother feel the need to get on the track and release their own 'remix'? Are there no other beats available? Has every producer on the planet been struck with swine flu and left for dead? Whatever happened to good old a capellas? It just seems that whatever Hov puts his hand on, no matter how brazen it is, or how badly he gets outshined on his own song (on another note, that seems to happen A LOT), or how many DOPE, non-Jigga sanctioned beats come out, turns to gold. Jay-Z, while he is one of the greats, he is not immortal, nor should his words be the end all, be all of hip-hop. Some of these rappers are acting like little brothers instead of innovators, and it's a sad sight. No matter how many times Hov steps on feet and uses his name to push his agenda, people will still jock his style (Jockin' Jay-Z) and continue to push his own agenda for him. I guess this has turned into a letter about Jay rather than hip-hop. But in all honesty, I guess to some heads, Jay-Z is hip-hop...

The Census (7/15 7/26): Debriefing Session

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Okayyyyyy. So we have our final results for the long-ass, 2 week Census question. I'm gonna cut straight to the chase.

Which name is better?
Dear Whoever 85%

The Mailman Came 14%

Obviously, the winner by a landslide is Dear Whoever. A few people commented, saying that The Mailman Came is unique and personal, but the majority of you guys tended to go with the simplicity of Dear Whoever. With that said, Dear Whoever (feels good to say that) will have a new domain name in the near future. Make sure that you keep your eyes peeled for updates. I really, really, really appreciate the votes, the comments and the love you guys show my blog. I hope you enjoy reading it, because I enjoy writing it. Keep the word out there that heads need to open their mailboxes, because Dear Whoever is here to stay!!!

Neighborhood Newsletter

Hey what's up people? Today, instead of going in with the letters, I've decided to unveil the newest feature of Dear Whoever, the Neighborhood Newsletter. It's somewhat of a smorgasbord of links that have some significance, whether it's news, music, culture, technology, sports, humor, or just stupid shit. You'll find all of the random viral crap that you see on CNN late at night and the stuff that you laugh at other people for getting hyped over. It's a spot for everything interesting that wasn't letter-worthy. With that said, I urge ALL of my readers to shoot me any links you might find intriguing. Just know that Dear Whoever is going through changes. Stay tuned...

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If hate wasn't such a short word, people probably wouldn't have so much of it...

The 25 Most Emasculated, Disempowered Husbands


What’s Up Iowa?

Police: Fake officer tries to stop a real one

Weird Tape Effect

Professional Athlete Paydays Compared to Your Job

How Does Kidney Trafficking Work?

OJ Simpson: My Cellmate Wants to Kill Me

Should We Worry About the Death of Handwriting

Dear New York Knicks

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The match made in basketball hell...

Now, I'm not writing this because I aspire to someday be the GM of this illustrious organization. I'm not even writing this because I revile even the sight of James Dolan and his wack, rock band-having, overpriced ticket-selling, lack of basketball knowledge self. Hell, I could even care less about Donnie Walsh, no matter how long he's been in the game (I feel like he's already died, he's so old). What really set me off with you, New York Knicks, is the fact that you guys are going for broke, not even taking into account that maybe, just maybe there's a WHOLE SEASON in between this summer and the summer of 2010. I mean damn, do you really think LeBron is that serious about coming to New York? The man is 2 years removed from a Finals appearance, the reigning MVP, a few made shots from another Finals appearance, and just got the best center of the past 20 years as a sidekick. If anything, I'd think that going to New York would be like starting over again. Sure you got Jordan Hill, and Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, but where's the point guard? For God's sake, you guys had Nicholas Tskitishvili running the point during Summer League games.

To tell you the truth, I think both Walsh and Dolan are retarded. Nate Robinson and David Lee still aren't resigned, the Draft was a mild success at best, and we still have scrubs like Larry Hughes, Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries still on our roster. And all you can think about is LeBron in 2010? To the Knicks organization: GET YOUR SHIT STRAIGHT!!! Why are we going out and trying to get Andre Miller and Jason Kidd, when we should be getting younger and faster to integrate with D'Antoni's run-and-gun system? Why has the biggest move of the offseason been acquiring Darko "BUST-it-Baby" Milicic? Why is Cuttino Mobley with his malfunctioning heart (bless his soul) still on the roster? I guess you think that 2010 is the cure-all, but these are serious issues with the team. Sure, we've trimmed some of the fat in terms of the salary cap, but this isn't a roster that can compete. It's like we're taking old parts from someone else's wreck and trying to make our own. I know I'm not an expert, but I know a shitty team when I see one. And the way you guys are looking like right now, 2010 can't come soon enough; especially when you can make videos like this...

District 9



No, seriously, this looks ILL. Besides his stint with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I was never a fan of Peter Jackson, or his despicable hair. My opinion definitely looks like it's set to change with the looks of this new film. District 9 seems like it takes a realist's look at how alien life would be handled on Earth, which is a refreshing viewpoint considering the 20-plus years in film we've had of aliens coming just to wipe out human life. Even the aliens themselves in the movie look like they could exist. The whole prospect of this movie is what makes it look cool. The special effects of course will be top-notch, looking at Jackson's track record. The only thing that could bring this project down is bad acting. We'll see what goes down in District 9 soon enough. It comes out on August 14th and Dear Whoever will have updates on the film for sure...

A.R.C. Organic Sports Collection

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ALIFE, and their clothing brand ALIFE Rivington Club have been fucking up. Yes, I said it, they have been messing up with very lackluster releases, which have been few and far between. I know the allure of streetwear is limited runs, but their releases have been spotty as of late. They're looking to step back into the game with the Organic Sports Collection. These tees are all made from organic cotton and have a baseball theme to them. The shirts are cleanly designed and not too crazy like their past few releases, which is a good look for the Fall. Check out some more detailed shots of ALIFE's Organic Sports Collection...

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Alice in Wonderland



It seems like they're making a real concerted effort in Hollywood to bring back every childhood memory of the 80's and 90s, and put them in movie form. The motive is no different with Disney's "Alice in Wonderland". While I love that new generations are being exposed to some of the greater points of popular culture from my childhood, I can't help but worry that these new versions will bastardize what I grew up on. Only time can tell. Lord knows the film adaptations of Dragon Ball Z and Street Fighter were epic FAILs. But this new offering looks promising. Keep it posted on Dear Whoever for more exclusives...

Freestyle Friday



What's good people? It's Friday and you know I had to hit you off with some dope freestyles to treat your ears to. The first one is Wale on Tony Touch's internet show, and I must say, while his flow hasn't changed much, Wale seems to have refined his style. He has much more presence on the mic and you actually FEEL his lyrics now. Not to mention he goes in with the punchlines. The other one is from Charles Hamilton (cue the milk carton). That's right, Charles Hamilton. Dude has been ghost since his nice little string of PR mishaps. But he's back to go in over DOA (okay, this better be the last DOA ANYTHING!!) and actually goes off the top, unlike 99% of rap today. Regardless of what people say, I'm glad Charles is back at it. I hope he gets back on his bullshit and can make everyone remember why he was in XXL's Freshman 10...

Dear LeBron and Nike



So, after all that, after all of the speculation, and rumors and conspiracy theories, that it? That's the dunk that Nike supposedly didn't want everyone to see? That two-handed, lucky-he-didn't-get-his-shit-thrown dunk was the reason you guys were shook? Please. I know LeBron might not have had anything to do with trying to hide it, but still, he could have made it known what the deal was. And to Nike, you guys just revealed yourselves to be the ultimate swindlers and utterly foolish. That dunk wasn't that serious. It's not like dude hawked it on LeBron. It's not like he pulled something out of NBA Live and put it through his legs, around his back, did a windmill and had a cup of tea before dunking it. Sheeeeesh. If anything, LeBron and Nike should be more concerned with these dunks:

The 2nd Largest Fish Tank in the World



This is simply mesmerizing. If this is the 2nd largest fish tank, then what's the 1st largest? I really don't want to know. It's probably the size of Rhode Island. Whatever the case, just turn the lights down and check this out. The dazzling array of fish juxtaposed with that massive blue behemoth is something to behold...

Dear NFL and ESPN



Ben Roethlisberger was implicated this week in the rape and sexual assault of a hotel worker and is now facing criminal charges for it. My question to you, NFL, is: where is the firestorm of hate now? Where's Roger Goodell reprimanding his actions and the Pittsburgh Steelers dropping him like a bad habit? Where are the fines, suspensions and warnings? I swear, NFL, you are a modern-day plantation. The only difference is that there are white slaves that don't get treated like slaves. When Pac-Man Jones makes it rain in the club and his friends (not him) shoot people, Pac-Man gets suspended indefinitely. When Michael Vick heads a dogfighting ring, he gets suspended indefinitely. Why is it now, that when Roethlisberger, one of the poster children of the league, a two-time Super Bowl champion, steps out of line, Goodell's move is to 'look into it'?? There's no getting around the implications of this type of action by the NFL. Race clearly plays an issue and unless Goodell treats Roethlisberger in the same way he does any other person implicated in a crime, then he is contradicting himself and the spirit of the player conduct policy he so vehemently enforces. This brings me to the second culprit of Roethlisberger's fiasco, ESPN.

Now, I know we don't always like ESPN. They show way too much baseball and beat stories to death. However, it is really the only media outlet completely dedicated to sports, so we have to endure through it. We expect from ESPN fair and balanced coverage of ALL sports stories, so why is this happening:

via Philadelphia Inquirer:
"At this point, we are not reporting the allegations against Ben Roethlisberger because no criminal complaint has been filed," an ESPN spokesman told me. "As far as we know, this is a civil lawsuit that Roethlisberger has yet to address publicly."

ESPN, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Since when has an athlete's nondisclosure kept you guys from constantly reporting on whatever issue it was? This lawsuit was filed on July 17th, and unless I'm unknowingly blind and deaf, I haven't heard diddly squat about Big Ben on Sportscenter. It seems like there's a little bit of bias or some sort of foul play going on here. When Michael Vick goes to prison and Pacman Jones gets arrested, you can't turn on ESPN or go on ESPN.com without being bombarded with news, analysis or opinion on their respective cases. Why is Roethlisberger being kept from this same media crucification? Is his charge of raping a woman less severe than dogfighting or a shooting that an athlete wasn't even involved in? To me it just seems like you guys have a field day when reporting about the wrongs that black athletes commit, but have a hard time doing anything to soil the reputations of white athletes. The last time I checked, double standards have no place in fair OR balanced news reporting, sports included. To withhold information not only misinforms the public but makes you look bad as a network. I guess ESPN couldn't stand to make one of its cash cows into the bad guy, no matter how petty they look...

To both the NFL and ESPN, I say this: create your standards, and then STICK TO THEM. Wishy-washy player conduct rules and biased reporting don't make either of your entities any more highly regarded, and though I shudder to say the R word (racism, you idiots), it's becoming more and more evident as a black sports fan that there is a lot of it in the sports world...

The Mailing List: July 2009 (#1)

1. Funny People



Everyone seems to love Seth Rogen these days. Dude is making Jew-fro's the hot shit right now. Up until about a year and a half ago, I was on that same bandwagon. Until he reached a point where it looked like he was trying to be funny. Now, I'm not saying he's lost it, but 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno' and 'Observe and Report' were lackluster. It seemed like he was driving the whole slacker, pothead archetype into the ground, much like Will Ferrel did to the absent-minded, well-meaning idiot role (Land of the Lost was unbelievably wack). However, it looks like his mojo might be coming back with his latest role in Adam Sandler's 'Funny People'. Instead of playing the same role he's been playing, Rogen now seems to have a character and a personality, and we all know Sandler won't disappoint (he hasn't in a while). This movie looks like its gonna be a modest hit that's really funny, but no one will see until one of their friends says its funny. Be that friend. Go check 'Funny People,' and while you're at it, check these exclusive clips from the movie, which comes out on July 31...

Pac Div - The Deal Freestyle



These dudes are SICK! Even though I feel like I've heard some of these verses (who actually freestyles anymore??), the Left Coast MC's went in on BET's replacement for Rap City. I heard this shit comes on at like 3 in the morning? So much for BET playing music again...

Dear Diddy and Nelly



I know we all love to pay tribute to those who died, but don't you think you guys have taken it a little far now? I understood the remake of 'Nasty Boy' on "The Biggie Duets," even though tribute albums always suck. I understand Diddy's friendship (we don't even know how serious it was, people) with Biggie and that he made Diddy the man he is today. I even understand that Nelly needs a hit more than Ashanti needs to cut her sideburns. However, this is uncalled for. You all should be ashamed to put Biggie's voice on this, much less tarnish the song with your mediocre lyrics and lack of actual talent. It's a damn shame that both of you are bastardizing this man's sound and legacy so you can stay relevant. Seriously, Nelly you weren't even that serious of a rapper. The whole St. Louis wave died out when you decided to do a collab with Christina Aguilera, so why would you think this crap would bring you back? And Diddy, we already know what your deal is. No other man in the HISTORY of humankind has dick-rode his way to the top in as obscene a way as yourself. How many times are you going to use Biggie to advance your own name? I find it funny that as soon as Biggie died, you went from his personal cockholder to a star in your own right. I guess having another man's face on your money is the hot shit nowadays. Whatever the case, if this track is from"Last Train to Paris," best believe that shit will sell like a lead balloon. I hope you saved 1,000 stacks because the recession might be hitting close to home after dust clears from this bomb of a record...

Trey Songz - Best I Ever Had (Remix)



Trey Songz - Best I Ever Had (Remix)

Now THIS is a remix. There has been a host of remakes of Drake's smash hit "Best I Ever Had," but none have really caught my eye, either because the rapper or whoever was on the track was trying too hard. Trey laces the track effortlessly. It's seriously looking like Trigga Trey is set to take over R&B. He has the voice, the presence on tracks and the lyrics to do it. And if he keeps putting out fire like this, its a foregone conclusion as to who the next king of R&B is...

Dear Philadelphia

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Exact change and pockets that sound like Jingle Bells are a thing of the past...

via Philadelphia Daily News:
Philadelphia, the last major American city where transit riders line up to pay cash for tokens, is on the verge of getting a high-tech fare system that will make riding SEPTA as easy as using E-ZPass on the turnpike.

Or as easy as riding public transit in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Seattle, where smart cards have replaced tokens, and long lines for tokens, and discovering too late that you don't have exact change for tokens and the toll-booth attendant doesn't make change for tokens and you're stuck.
Welcome to the 21st century! What was once one of the biggest head-scratchers to anyone visiting Philadelphia from another big city has finally halted. By 2011, the Southeastern PA Transportation Authority (SEPTA) hopes to have replaced the outmoded tokens it should have been using since the turn of the millennium, with "a smart card, embedded with an "electronic-purse" computerized chip, fed by an online account". I for one am happy as a hippo for this one. Philly, since when has antiquarianism been the mark of a new city? The last time I checked, the Lancaster Amish weren't at the forefront of the world's advancement. Also, what was with the pricing? Which Einstein (or Franklin; I'll give Philly some shine) decided that $2.90 was an appropriate price for 2 tokens? It's like SEPTA wants to waste your time, making you find exact change and then fiddle with the little plastic bag they put the tokens in. Seriously, where was this thinking in Philly 12 years ago, when New York started using Metrocards? Not to say that every city can be the bastion of technological advancement that New York is (ahem), but this ridiculous. The real question about this move though, is, will jumping the turnstiles get easier or harder?

Cory Gunz - Heir to the Throne (Preview)



What's up people? Here's another Music Monday post. This time around we got Cory Gunz FINALLY getting ready to drop his new mixtape "Heir to the Throne" with the Gangsta Grillz man himself, DJ Drama. In this video for MTV (sorry for the shitty quality), he previews some of the new tracks off the mixtape, as well as gets himself some nice press. We all know he needs some face time after Lil' Wayne did him dirty by not keeping him on the album and single version of A Milli (we all know Cory MURKED Wayne on the track). Anyways, check the video, and make sure you keep it locked on Dear Whoever for more Music Monday drops...