Dear Independence Day

Call me unpatriotic for this one. I don't care.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecues, fireworks and American flags!!! YEEEE-HAWWWW!!! It's the most patriotic time of the year. July 4th is your day. Independence Day. You're the superhero of holidays. Christmas makes most of the money, New Year's makes people feel the worst, and Columbus Day essentially has no purpose. But you... You, Independence Day are the fat, fun, always semi-inebriated member of the holiday family that everyone always looks forward to. You always seem to come on a sunny day. It's a wonder we don't celebrate you every month! I suppose therein lies the problem, I-Day.

America was built on the tenet of freedom, liberty and the right to a fair life based on hard work. Yet, all around me, I see the opposite. I see Latin Americans in Arizona being told how to live their lives and being accosted because they 'look' like illegal immigrants. I see fighting left and right over every issue known to man, whether it's medical marijuana, health care, gay marriage or the economy's direction. I see politicians lying, stealing and taking advantage of their positions. I see our country war-mongering overseas and destroying our natural world with oil spills and lack of environmental awareness. There's still rampant poverty everywhere in the nation, but we still have time to celebrate you, Independence Day. As long as we can funnel food, booze and fireworks into our systems, it's fine. No, I'm not saying we shouldn't celebrate you and feel good about the indenpendence of our country. We just shouldn't ignore the ills of our country under the guise of celebrating our independence.

Ironically, I'm writing this letter while in Canada. Even more ironic is the fact that I feel more unpatriotic writing this letter than I do being here. Is that a bad thing or not? After all, the point of you being a holiday is the freedom to write such a letter. Yet, I'm sure there's some Tea Party, gun-wielding, Confederate flag-donning hokie doing the same somewhere else, bashing the same things I am but on the opposite side of the spectrum. I suppose patriotism goes both ways as long as we wave the same flag, Independence Day. The founding fathers (including the ones who were doing all the work, ie: slaves) wanted it that way. Then again, a lot of the things they wanted didn't turn out too peachy. On that note, I'm going to go celebrate my 4th of July the Canadian way, whatever that is... *kicks back with maple syrup*

Freestyle Friday (7/2)

What's up people!?! It's Freestyle Friday and we've got two great ciphers for you to dig into. The first one is by Peedi Crack at Official Street Radio. He's rapping for well over 8 minutes and surprises everyone by rocking with an old school flow to some 80's beats that they threw on. Peedi might not ever blow up like we thought, but he can definitely go in on the microphone. The second one is by Big KRIT on Toca Tuesdays. I wasn't really sold on him before hearing this cipher. KRIT just reeks of vintage Southern hip-hop. I like how he rides a beat. His last mixtape is getting a download now. Check out both of these freestyles and keep it locked to Dear Whoever...

Dear CIA

For once, the papers aren't blowing it out of proportion...

via Newser:

Alleged deep-cover Russian spy Anna Chapman may have been following in her father's footsteps, says her British ex-husband. The Russian-born beauty "told me her father had been high up in the ranks of the KGB," Alex Chapman tells the Telegraph. "She said he had been an agent in 'old Russia.' Her father controlled everything in her life and I felt she would have done anything for her dad. When I saw that she had been arrested on suspicion of spying it didn’t come as much of a surprise."

Her father, Vasily Kuschenko, was "scary," says Chapman, who met the Russian diplomat when the couple visited Zimbabwe. "He didn’t trust anyone. He asked me why I had chosen a Russian bride and asked what business I had in Russia, and I said none." Kuschenko is now a high-ranking official in Russia's Foreign Ministry, according to unconfirmed reports in the Russian press. British intelligence agencies are trying to discover whether Anna worked as a spy during the years she lived in Britain.

Why is it that when one goes looking for trouble, something completely different hits them? America's been at it's war on 'terrorism' for almost 10 years now. We've spent well over $650 billion on the military and even more on 'intelligence,' mainly from you, the CIA. The war has failed... terribly. We've pretty much destroyed two countries and lost a lot of favor in the world, all while putting ourselves in crippling debt. And all that while, there were (alleged) spies living among us? It might be a little too early to jump to conclusions, yet the irony of the situation is hilarious. You're not even smart enough to sniff out the security breaches in the country, yet are halfway across he world trying to regulate. The fact that the alleged spies were from Russia brings up Cold War parallels, which is eerie. There may very well be unfinished remnants of the Cold War just waiting to be unearthed, much like this. Maybe you should have been intelligent enough to have had some intelligence on shady characters like Anna Chapman. Overextending one's reach never does the job, and you guys are on a different continent. This whole 'Russian spy' situation is looking like it's going to be much bigger than we think. Do yourselves a favor. Make sure the homefront is safe before we do anything abroad...

i-sound Transformable Earphones

Earphones are a necessary evil for those of us who want to take our music with us, but don't want clunky headphones to weigh us down. Earphones are cheap, provide good sound quality and are portable. Yet, one of my pet peeves about them is how easily that misshaped earphones can fall out of one's ear, or just provide bad sound because of their placement. The good people over at Yanko Design picked up a new way to create earphones, which puts a simple cord loop on the earphones so that they can wrap around your ears and hold the earphone in your ear. It's the simplest of tweaks, but it does so much for the design. It's a shame Sony or one of the big electronics companies didn't come up with this idea. This could easily replace those crappy molded plastic earphones that itch and make your ear hurt after a while. Check out some different views of the i-Sound Transformable Earphones...

Mickey Factz - Powder x Light Up Freestyle

Mickey Factz - Powder


Mickey Factz - Light Up Freestyle

Mickey Factz is back. There, I said it. He's back. The man was all but dead to me, music-wise since February, and now he's making it really hard for other rappers to get shine. The Bronx MC has been ripping you favorite beats for the past two weeks and this week is no different. He decided to take a stab at Kanye's 'Power' and the first line says it all: 'Everybody spits crack now / I got that powder'. The other track is a freestyle to Drake's 'Light Up' which does the beat justice. The main thing that Factz is doing better is his delivery. He's not trying to mix it up so much that he loses his appeal, and I think we'll see more of the same on his new mixtape 'I'm Better Than You,' coming soon. Check out both tracks...

Dear Officer Carey (re: Sean Bell shooting)

via The Gothamist:

A police officer involved in the 2006 shooting of Sean Bell, the Queens man who was killed in a barrage of police bullets hours before his wedding, is now suing Bell's estate. The Post reports, "Police Officer Michael Carey's lawsuit says Bell was boozed-up when he got behind the wheel of the car after his bachelor party on Nov. 25, 2006, and also claims the doomed groom failed to wear glasses or contact lenses despite having poor eyesight."

According to the suit, "[Officer Carey] suffered serious leg injury when [Bell] crashed into the vehicle he was riding in before Officer Carey ever drew his gun and fired a shot." The lawsuit is part of a federal counter-claim "in response to a wrongful-death lawsuit being pursued by Bell's fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, against him and the other four cops involved." (The cops were acquitted in 2008 bench trial.) Earlier this month, Carey's lawyer argued that his client should not be part of the wrongful-death lawsuit because Carey, who fired three bullets at one of Bell's friends, believed he and other police officers were in danger.

When one gets cleared of a crime, ala OJ Simpson in 1995 or Snoop Dogg in 1993, it's natural for them to lay low for a while; to keep their noses clean and not to make too much noise on the scene. The person basks in their newfound freedom and disappears, perhaps trying to piece their life back together after months, maybe years, of damage. Yet, for some people, getting off scot-free just isn't enough. I suppose that's your case, Officer Carey. You and two of your pigs comrades shot and killed a man (not even a black man, in case you want to call BS on the race card), and injured his friends, all of whom were unarmed. You claimed self-defense when he ran into your car with his while you were shooting him. Then, when put on trial, you get off on all cases without so much as a hiccup in the trial. To me, that would be a gift: to knowingly end another person's life and to not have to be accountable for it. I would just walk away and not even question what happened until I'd cleared my head.

You, on the other hand, aren't satisfied with just getting off on the murder wrap. You'd rather pour salt, lemon juice and 100-proof vodka into a gaping wound by essentially opening up the case again. Why are you now counter-suing for an injury you received 4 years ago? The man you were 'accosting' on November 25, 2006 is DEAD. He no longer lives. His family, friends and fiancée all live with the fact that you took his life from him, and took him from them. And now, you want their money too? Your leg is going to heal, if it hasn't already!! What about Sean Bell's life? You can patch up a leg. You can't breathe life back into someone. Officer Carey, I'm not sure if you're remotely remorseful about what you and those other cops did, but it sure doesn't look like it. For that, you ought to be ashamed. And the NYPD that you work for should be just as ashamed for harboring people like you. It's as if you don't want to put the case to rest, or better yet you can't. Whatever the case, let me take off my conspiracy theorist hat. We all know what you did was wrong. Apparently you didn't and think you should be compensated for taking a life. Way to protect and serve...

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

I remember exactly where I was when I saw the first Paranormal Activity. It was in a dark room, and my viewing partner and I were admittedly shook, trying not to frighten one another. Needless to say, the movie was a scary one, developing slowly but having you on edge by the end. In May, the director Oren Peli greenlit a sequel to Paranormal Activity. That means more 'found footage', more shaky cameras and more realistic horror. I think what made the first so good was how normal everything seemed in Micah and Katie's life outside of the fact that Katie was possessed by a vengeful demon. They lived the most normal of lives, but were getting yanked out of bed and scared shitless by said demons. I guess this time around, it's going to be more normalcy juxtaposed with supernatural experiences. The dog in the trailer was going nuts, and when animals start getting anxious, you know something crazy is happening. Okay, enough drooling. Check out the trailer and look out for Paranormal Activity 2, slated to release in October...

Neighborhood Newsletter (6/29)

Now we know why Charmander hated Ash so much...

The girl who must eat every 15 minutes to stay alive

Girl, age 19, explains why she needs botox to stay hot

Obama calls for bank tax as next step in reform

Why We Dream - Solving Problems While We Sleep

llinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Floated 'Senator Oprah' Idea

Businesses collapse waiting for claim checks from BP

CIA: We Have No Idea Where Bin Laden Is

Big Banks Laundered Money for Mexican Drug Gangs

Dear RIAA (re: Piracy)

5 years ago, I would've laughed.. Now I shudder, because it really could get this bad

via Information Liberation:

While they may never be able to truly defeat piracy and drive it from the lurking depths of the internet, copyright protection attack-dog organizations like the RIAA and MPAA have long dreamed of the day when they would no longer have to pay for their own copyright enforcement. Now that dream is on the verge of coming true, thanks to the Obama administration. After countless lobbyist dollars from the music and film industry and a brief "public review", the administration rolled out its vision to fight piracy yesterday afternoon. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden -- whose blunt speech has sometime left him in trouble -- did not mince words.

He states, "This is theft, clear and simple. It's smash and grab, no different than a guy walking down Fifth Avenue and smashing the window at Tiffany's and reaching in and grabbing what's in the window." The sound-byte comparing downloads to stealing jewels from New York City's finest jeweler quickly lit up the web. Bob Pisano, interim chief executive officer at the Motion Picture Association of America praised the VP, "It is especially critical that the United States has an effective framework for protecting creative content online and enforcing intellectual property rights in the digital environment."

According to the Obama administration, the RIAA, and MPAA, the world economy is pretty much doomed if we don't start prosecuting pirates at home and abroad. Without such a crackdown, businesses will go bankrupt the coalition argues. Biden states, "Piracy hurts, it hurts our economy."

The White House press release was full of buzz phrases, but short on details. It did however indicate that the U.S. government may increasingly monitor filesharing networks and BitTorrent sites and assist media groups in their prosecution/threat letter efforts. It speaks of improved "law enforcement efforts at the Federal, state and local level." The biggest effort, though, will be devoted to cracking down on piracy websites in the U.S. and overseas. The administration was short on details of how exactly it would convince piracy-loving nations like China to change their ways, but it did say it would try to do so by "being as public as we possibly can" about infringement.

This is a hard letter to write... As an avid music fan, I find myself always finding new music. The problem is when I want to own it for myself, and don't feel like dropping $14.79 (it's never on a round number, is it?). I remember in elementary school, we used to record over tapes, in middle school, we burned CD's, and in high school we used Kazaa & Limewire to download loosies. Now, I get my music through other means, that shall not be revealed at this time. Regardless, those three eras in my life were pervaded by something that is finally coming for its day in court: music piracy. You, the RIAA, have been waiting forever for the government to back you up on this whole copyright thing. To me, though, this has failure to adapt written ALL OVER IT.

RIAA, you never were down with the digital revolution, and now you're paying the price. When Napster first came out, and every person under 16, without a job and the subsequent funds to purchase music suddenly had said music at their fingertips, that should've been a sign for you. You should have seen it coming. The internet was young, and full of little loopholes and ways to impress your idea on a small population of users. Instead of innovating around this new technology, you tried to stifle it. You called every aging rock star who needed a booster check you could find, and made sure they spoke out about Napster and illegal downloading. When filesharing sites became the norm, rather than encourage music labels to embrace the new norm and try their hand at it, you had Congress fine teenagers millions of dollars for downloading a couple hundred songs. RIAA, you're the worst type of managing entity, because you only take action when you see your bottom line dropping. And it's sad, because the music industry is always going to be in a state of flux if you don't solidify it with fair and balanced rules on filesharing. Honestly, I think that you guys are lying about how much money you're losing. For all of the talk about how much piracy is messing with your wallets, I don't see you guys rushing to drop any figures or for your participating companies to drop any artists.

By all accounts, aside from yours, the music industry is alive and well. There is a vibrant and ever-expanding online presence from the music industry, with blogs, online publications and Twitter making big moves for artists and labels. Yet and still, you seem to focus more on what you're losing through music piracy rather than what you could gain through the new technology at your fingertips. There have to be at least two halves of an idiot in your entire organization who can find a way to placate the artists and labels being pirated, without discouraging fans or even making the problem worse. It's not that hard... If guys like Curren$y can be thriving in the industry without labels and your backing to keep their music private, why can you find a compromise or common ground that we can all agree on. No, I'm not going to say that illegal downloading and music piracy is right. However, of all the things to nitpick about and waste your time over, this should be at the bottom of the list. The fact that the government has to help you clean the mess up is even more indicative of your organization's inefficacy. To say that you're behind the curve is an understatement at this point. Then again, Obama does seem pretty serious about this new initiative. Guess I'll keep re-finding torrents until his boys come knocking on my door...

Pusha T - Dearly Beloved

Pusha T - Dearly Beloved

Coke raps are an acquired taste for many rap fans, yet most seem to agree (since Rick Ross' 'empire has crumbled) that the Clipse are the original Don Dadas of rapping about the white girl. Pusha T felt some type of way about the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, whether by pure conviction or some sort of connection to it. Either way, he decided to put his feelings on wax, which is never a bad look. Diddy - Dirty Money's (anyone else getting confused as to their identity?) Angels is quickly becoming a go-to track for freestyles, and Pusha did a number on it, talking about the drug-dealing complex that pervade black communities and his own triumphs in such a game. I'm not going to lie... I let off a few #EUGHCK's after hearing this. #EUGHCK #EUGHCK #EUGHCK

adidas Roundhouse Mid

I thought I'd grown away from rocking high tops, but these simply appealed to my eye like no sneaker I've seen floating around the interwebs the past month or so. adidas, along with having much fatter pockets due to the World Cup, is also riding high on a huge redesign of their whole aesthetic. Gone are the days of simple silhouettes and plain materials. Adi's company is on a whole new tip, and the Roundhouse Mid is a perfect example of that new direction. The black and white pebble leather and suede are minor touches that add some class, while the strap and high profile add a bit of edge. These bad boys should be hitting our shores soon, after already being available in Japan. Check out some closer flicktures...

Dear NBA Teams (re: Free Agency)

If last week's draft was the beginning of the Summer of Madness, then today is the calm before the storm. At 12 AM on Thursday, July 1st, 2010, the NBA will become a feeding frenzy. No one's team is safe. Everyone is grappling for position as the number one contender for a max-contract free agent. The prospects are alluring. LeBron James is enticing you guys to come to Cleveland. Chris Bosh is tweeting about where he wants to go and telling everyone about his travels. Joe Johnson and Dwyane Wade are having secret dinner meetings with everyone. Teams are already letting free agents know that they'll be contacting them. My question to you, teams, is as follows: Why is free agency supposed to be the end-all be-all of building a franchise?

Guys, take a look at basketball history. Remember those ridiculous dynasties in the 70s, 80s and 90s? Remember how the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics went back and forth as the best teams in the league? Remember how the Bulls pulled off two 3-peats behind Jordan and Pippen? Remember the Bad Boys of Detroit who had the repeat before them? What about the Spurs and Lakers of this past decade? What was the fabric behind all of those teams? What made those teams so good? I'll give you a second... Think about it (DING). The answer is continuity, NBA teams. Continuity, not high priced free agents was what made these teams great. The core players were the same in every championship run. Whether it was Zeke, Joe Dumars, Rodman & Adrian Dantley sticking together for 5 years before their two 'ships, or Shaq, Kobe & Company, or just Kobe & Company, or the Showtime Lakers, there have always been solid cores of players for every championship caliber team. Rather than exploding the team after every losing season (coughcoughKnickscoughcough), these teams stuck with the players they knew were doing the job, and then built around them. That's not the case today, teams.

When you look at all the players ready to make moves come Thursday, it's exciting, yet sad. There's no such thing as player loyalty or any desire for continuity. Even LeBron, aka Mr. Cleveland, is courting offers from potential suitors like it's a firesale. I suppose its a sad day when the NBA's supremacy becomes a high-stakes bidding war. Then again, are you teams engaging in the hype even positioning yourselves that well? The teams that usually contend already have their places in piece, and aren't worrying about integrating another star into their system. I don't know teams. You'd think that starting from the ground up, rather than trying to go fork overkill would be the best idea. Even so, the allure of signing one of the best players in the league is undeniable. Just make sure you remember a timeless Latin phrase: Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware)...

Curren$y ft. Mos Def & Jay Electronica – The Day

Curren$y ft. Mos Def & Jay Electronica – The Day

Group albums are a rarity these days in hip-hop. Child Rebel Soldiers with Lupe, Kanye & Pharrell was supposed to be out 3 years ago, we're waiting on another Wu-Tang collab and the rest of the rap world is content throwing out wack solo albums. That said, it's nice to see some of my favorites jump on a track together. Curren$y's 'Pilot Talk' is set to drop on June 30th, and I, for one, could not be more excited. Spitta's really grown as an artist as of late, refining everything from his metaphors and wordplay to his flow. I guess it doesn't hurt to have Dame Dash, Jay Elec and Mos Def in your corner for inspiration when those plane and weed references get old. Even so, I don't think he'll need a lot of help. The track is soooooo jazzy in the beat department, thanks to Ski Beatz, and reeks of blaxploitation films and great drums. I really hope Ski comes out of the woodwork with some of these unfinished projects. Regardless, check out one of the tracks off 'Pilot Talk'. Spitta lives!!!

Freestyle Friday (6/25)

Friday equals freestyles on this blog, and though a little late, we got two nice ones for y'all. The first one is by Vado on Funkmaster Flex's show on Hot 97. My jaw dropped when I heard this one. Vado must have spit about 120 bars during that cipher, all of which were pifftastic. 'The type to talk down to your boxer like Larry Merchant,' is one of the best lines I've heard in a freestyle, simply because of the reference and how easily he does it. Cam'ron is unleashing a beast on NYC rap, slowly but surely. I've been playing this freestyle nonstop since I heard it. Slime Flu drops on July 6th, so hopefully there's more of the same. The second one is a random cypher with the most random collection of MC's. Fat Joe, Fred Da Godson, Mickey Factz and some dude named Leader all freestyled and represented for the Bronx on Green Lantern's Sirius Radio show. Honestly, Leader was garbage and Joe was decent. Mickey gets some serious points for being the only one without a written, but in terms of pure bars, Fred rips EVERYONE. Was never really a fan of Fred, but I can't even front on the man now. Whatever the case, check both freestyles and keep it locked to Dear Whoever...

Neighborhood Newsletter (6/24)

Sorry, but it had to be done...

The Financial Burden of the Penny

French prisoner 'killed cellmate and ate his lung'

Michael Jackson's estate earns $250 million since his death

Google Plans Music Service Tied to Search Engine

40,000 Deaths a Year Due to Junk Food

Dating Site Launches Online Sperm and Egg Bank for “Beautiful People”

Did former NBA player Manute Bol invent the phrase "My Bad"?

Stem Cell Treatment Restores Vision

2010 NBA Draft Sleepers

Today, as far as I am concerned, is the beginning of a new season in the NBA. New rookies will replace the old ones, free agency and trades will mix the teams up some more, and the NBA landscape will be a completely different one than it was a week ago. In fact, besides the actual start of the season, the draft is one of the most exciting times of the NBA year. Yes I sound like a basketball junkie, but the NBA Draft doesn't come without its fair share of idiocy. It happens every draft in every sport. There's always this overwhelming hype that surrounds the act of picking a new player for a squad. That said, I'm kind of tired of it. Every year, basketball pundits talk about the top 10 picks in the draft like they'll be the best in the NBA 4 years from now, when that's almost never the case. As a matter of fact, I've yet to see a draft (other than 2003) that had dope players from 1 through 5. This year, we're going to take a look at the talent outside of the lottery picks, because while this is a mediocre year, there are some gems hidden in the draft pool. Check this year's sleepers out...

Paul George

This kid is NICE. I tried to find an NBA comparison to put with Pauly, and all I could come up with is a slightly less athletic version of T-Mac (pre-Houston). George just looks like he belongs on a basketball court, swooping in and scoring on you effortlessly. In fact, I'd say that Paul George might very well be the best player out of this draft in 5 years. I'm dead serious. He's got inhuman length and is a solid defender, though he needs to add some muscle (what NBA prospect doesn't nowadays?). Other than that, and a tendency to goof around more than Max at a Powerline concert, Paul George has All-Star written on his forehead...

Craig Brackins

Ten years ago, Craig Brackins would've been a top-10 pick. I say that to show that the NBA, and basketball are cyclical. Ten years ago, the likes of Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett & Dirk Nowitzki were the 'in' thing: big men who could play the guards game, but still bang around in the post. Now that those guys are in the twilights (the end for Sheed) of their careers, it's the big men like Dwight Howard, A'mare Stoudemire & Al Jefferson in the limelight. The latter of these two groups are the bruisers, the big men whose livelihood is in the paint, and that's it. It's for that reason Craig Brackins is going to be a good look in the NBA. He has a touch from 15-20 feet out that I haven't seen from a young big man since Dirk stepped onto the court with the bucks. Add to that the perfect size for an NBA power forward and solid footwork, and you've got your starter for the next 8 years...

Jordan Crawford

Jordan Crawford, Jordan Crawford... OHHHHHHH!!! You mean the Jordan Crawford that dunked on LeBron James, Jordan Crawford?? Yes, that Jordan Crawford. In addition to having a lot of fame on the internets for a certain video that Nike didn't want to be released, Crawford was a scoring machine in his lone year at Xavier. He averaged 20 ppg during the season and almost 30 during the tournament. I'd liken him to another Crawford (Jamal), with a less developed handle. Nonetheless, Jordan is a natural scorer who can come on to any team and provide instant offense. I just like watching him shoot. The form and elevation on his jumper are some of the best I've seen in this draft class. Doesn't hurt to have a dunk on LeBron on your resume before the NBA, either (then again, how many people can even say they've done that?)...

Dear General McChrystal

Yeah.. My pimp hand is to be reckoned with...

via The New York Times:

By the time he woke up Wednesday morning, President Obama had made up his mind.

During the 36 frenetic hours since he had been handed an article from the coming issue of Rolling Stone ominously headlined “The Runaway General,” the president weighed the consequences of cashiering Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, whose contemptuous comments about senior officials had ignited a firestorm.

Mr. Obama, aides say, consulted with advisers — some, like Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who warned of the dangers of replacing General McChrystal, others, like his political advisers, who thought he had to go. He reached out for advice to a soldier-statesman, Colin L. Powell. He identified a possible successor to lead the war in Afghanistan.

And then, finally, the president ended General McChrystal’s command in a meeting that lasted only 20 minutes. According to one aide, the general apologized, offered his resignation and did not lobby for his job.

After a seesaw debate among White House officials, “there was a basic meeting of the minds,” said Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff and a major player in the deliberations. “This was not good for the mission, the military and morale,” Mr. Emanuel said.

I never thought I'd be quoting 50 Cent to start out a letter. Then again, I never thought George Bush would get re-elected in 2004 and we all know how that ended. Yet, 50 sheds some great knowledge on 'Patiently Waiting':

You shouldn't throw stones if you live in a glass house / and if you got a glass jaw, you should watch your mouth

It's pretty sad that you're not a rap fan, General McChrystal, though even a blind man could've seen your termination happening after your comments in Rolling Stone against Obama's administration and their handling of the ongoing war in the Middle East. My question is, did you really think you'd be able to pull that off? I mean, seriously, Rolling Stone is one of the most famous magazines in history, read worldwide by millions of aging punk rock fans with their post-60s & 70s ideals of democracy and foreign policy. If there was any magazine not to bash the President and his people in, it was Rolling Stone. Also, what was up with how you were acting in the spread? You more or less personified every redneck to ever grace a voting booth in the interview. What kind of military representative begins an interview by giving the interviewer the finger? I thought we were past the whole MTV-age, shock value publicity stunts. Next, why would you call a dinner with a French dignitary gay? My man, you sound like a 12-year-old with a limited vocabulary.

I'm not going to lie though. I don't support the war. Obama should've had a better plan for exit, rather than leaving it up to the military to finish what they know they couldn't complete. That said, whining about it to the press doesn't do the military, or more importantly, you, any good. Making snide remarks about the boos on any other job will get you canned faster than tuna fish. Doing it with the President will likely have a WMD mailed to your front step. Okay, maybe not that serious, but you'll definitely have time to look out for it, now that you've been replaced. At the same time, I don't even feel sorry about you, considering how much movearound there is among the political ranks these days. You should have another gig in no time. Maybe this time you won't get drunk with your gun-wielding people and start mouthing off about stuff you have no business talking about...

The Green Hornet (2011)

Let's face it. Seth Rogen is no action star. He doesn't have the Hollywood leading man look, like a Brad Pitt or Leo DiCaprio. That doesn't mean he can't pull it off. In the same way Will Ferrell made ridiculous scenarios and non sequiturs in comedy movies hot, Seth Rogen is going to bring back the unlikely hero in the buddy action movie back. He did it in Pineapple Express with James Franco and, though there were a hell of a lot of plot holes, the chemistry between the two made the movie hilarious. Hopefully that's the case in Rogen's new film, The Green Hornet. The story is an old comic book tale (are we seeing the the comic book to movie genre start to sputter?) about a spoiled brat whose father's death inspires him to fight crime. That plot is tried and true, but from the trailer, it looks like it's going to be pretty entertaining. Add the crazy explosions and the fact that The Green Hornet is going to be in 3D, and you have next year's first blockbuster. Yes, next year. The movie doesn't drop until January 14, 2011; plenty of time for 3D to become twice as incredible (and expensive). Check the trailer...

Dear US Armed Forces (re: Warlord Funding)

You mean to tell me, those tanks, full of soldiers, guns and Western ideals need protection?? From who?

via The Washington Post:

The U.S. military is funding a massive protection racket in Afghanistan, indirectly paying tens of millions of dollars to warlords, corrupt public officials and the Taliban to ensure safe passage of its supply convoys throughout the country, according to congressional investigators.

The security arrangements, part of a $2.16 billion transport contract, violate laws on the use of private contractors, as well as Defense Department regulations, and "dramatically undermine" larger U.S. objectives of curtailing corruption and strengthening effective governance in Afghanistan, a report released late Monday said.

The report describes a Defense Department that is well aware that some of the money paid to contractors winds up in the hands of warlords and insurgents. Military logisticians on the ground are focused on getting supplies where they are needed and have "virtually no understanding of how security is actually provided" for the local truck convoys that transport more than 70 percent of all goods and materials used by U.S. troops. Alarms raised by prime trucking contractors were met by the military "with indifference and inaction," the report said.

It's funny that we're still at war, even though we still have no clue where Osama bin Laden is, and are being outdone by single men armed with nothing but samurai swords. It's even funnier, though, when the same people we're supposed to be fighting against are secretly getting aid from us. US Military, it's been almost 10 years since we started this war on terrorism. Though we've found and killed Saddam Hussein (for what reason, we still don't know), this war has cost us thousands of lives, the respect of the world community and billions and billions of dollars. Those dollars could definitely have been spent elsewhere (ie: healthcare, education, bailing us out of the recession), but instead are getting pumped right back into Afghanistan (where the war started) for protection! Really, Armed Forces?? You're paying insurgents and warlords for protection of convoys, when you guys are supposed to be protecting us? If that's the case, I might have to pick up a samurai sword myself, because I certainly don't feel safe.

This reminds me of the first Iron Man, when Tony Stark found out Stark Industries was selling their weapons to terrorists as well as the government. You, as the military aren't much different. Though you're not handing over Jericho missiles and heavy firearms, you might as well be. As much as $1.6 billion of the $2 billion you just give away is heading straight for the insurgents' wallets. If that isn't double dealing then I don't know what it is. Numerous political pundits have called this war on terrorism, this generation's Vietnam War, and for good reason.

1) We have no clue what we're doing there. At this point, our troops are fighting just to be fighting, not for any ascertainable or remotely achievable goal.

2) If the war was that serious, we would've accomplished whatever goal we set out to. Let's be honest, Afghanistan & Iraq are biddies compared to our military infrastructure. We could blow those countries up by pushing a button. That's not to say we should (I don't support the war, anyway). That's to say we've been misappropriating our time on something not worthwhile.

3) It's slowly bleeding our economy dry. I don't know if you guys noticed, but unlike World War 2, this war isn't helping us out. In fact, its taking a whole lot away. What's worse is that when the troops do come back, that's a hell of a lot of young Americans who won't have jobs anymore. I guess we could always start charging other countries for protection like the Afghans are doing.

Face it, Armed Forces, this war is about as useful as a front door made out of paper. We'd have been better off trying to find gold on Mars or researching stem cells, or... ANYTHING but this war. And to turn around and pay insurgents to do what you should be doing is just disgraceful. Hell, I might have to hire some insurgents to protect me, if you guys take this letter the wrong way. I'm not too worried though. If the war and your search for Osama are any indication of your effectiveness, you shouldn't be finding me for a while...

J. Cole - Who Dat (Music Video)

Is it just me, or does J. Cole have a knack for being subtle, yet dope in everything he does. Cole talks about women, but not in a bragging way. He curses, but it's all for a purpose. The kid from Fayettenam makes precise moves, which can explain the lack of leaks. Who Dat is the antithesis of most tracks out right now because it's not as glitzy as the rest, but still manages to throw heat rocks, with J. Cole ripping his bars. The video is no different. It actually reminds me of something from the late 90's, just rapping.. with cool stuff happening behind you. The explosions at the end tell exactly the story that J. Cole wants to tell: he got that flame (sounds weird writing that). Grammar aside, the video is tough...