I heard about this on the radio and wanted to post it, but I couldn’t remember the details. Just so happens a friend of mine works with AIDS Foundation Houston and sent me the link. The testing started yesterday, but there are other days and places you can go to get tested and a ticket. I’ve posted before about AIDS in the black community and it’s a problem that can be controlled.

For more information visit this link

The City Of Dallas, 979 The Beat, MLK Jr. Family Clinic, Dwaine Caraway and Rickey Smiley are teaming up to Fight the spread of the HIV Virus in the Dallas Metroplex. Over the Next five weeks we will get information out to the public on Free HIV Testing sites across the Dallas Metroplex and it’s our collective goal to get 3000 people tested. On September 14, 2008 at Dallas City Hall a “HIP HOP for HIV” Concert will be held at Dallas City Hall and all of the people that took the test during the testing drive will receive a free ticket to attend. THIS WILL BE A TICKET THAT MONEY CANNOT BUY!

To get a free ticket just take a “free - confidential” Hiv Test Monday through Friday at any of our testing sites listed below or at our four jumbo sites. After completing the test you will get one free ticket to the concert while supplies last. You can test this week at following locations. It’s the Hip Hop for Hiv Awareness concert brought to you by 97.9 the Beat, Your interactive Hip Hop Station!

HIP HOP for HIV Concert Artist Line Up
September 14, 2008

Bun B
Mike Jones
David Banner
Pleasure P
Young Berg
Day 26
Trap Squad Cartel
Prime Time Click

The 1st Annual Hip Hop for Hiv Awareness Concert…..
Dallas has the highest percentage of HIV positive
people in the state..So Stop playin’…
It’s time to get serious and get tested!

Know Your Status!
This is the ticket money can’t buy!

For all my Dallas folks, I received this in an email from Kane Lee.

DALLAS’ DEFINITION DJ’S TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH BACK-TO-SCHOOL GIVEAWAY

With school near its starting date, parents may feel more financial worries than the usual bills and groceries, but how they will pay for new school clothes and supplies for their children. However, Dallas-Fort Worth’s own Definition DJ’s will assist and give back to the Fort Worth community in their first official Definition DJ School Supply/Clothes Giveaway. The event will take place from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Da Spot Urban Wear located at 6442 Brentwood Stair in Fort Worth, TX on Saturday August 23.

Definition DJ Dre initially began an unofficial back-to-school giveaway each year until the group decided to take the event to the next level in 2008. In turn, the first annual official Definition DJ School Supply/Clothes Giveaway will continue to accomplish what DJ Dre started. The event focuses on the importance of school in the lives of youths, and it will extend donations of supplies and clothes to students throughout Ft. Worth.

Various independent record labels throughout the area donated money, clothes, and supplies for the students, including Madd Dawg Records and Major Money Entertainment. The supplies include pencils, notebooks, folders, and many more necessities to accommodate the students for a successful and hard-working new school year.

In addition to the DJ’s, 97.9 The Beat; 104.5; Casa 106; numerous major and local artists, Ozone Magazine; Unsigned Magazine; Block 2 Block Magazine; The Dallas Morning News; Dallas Observer; Fort Worth Weekly; Fort Worth Star Telegram; Fox 4 and KTVT 11; and local celebrities are set to make appearances in order to inspire the students on the significance of a good education. The invites and the confirmed include Trap Squad Cartel, S. Poe, Monty Wayne, UAN, Big Chief, Bossaliny, Gator Mane, Big Tuck, Fat Bastard, TBG’s, Lil’ Spain, Lil Will, J.P., Rhino Records, Stampede Records, She Ent., CNBC, Baby C, Jin Ent., and many more. They will also remain for autographs and photos. Stampede Records, Inc.artist include: Bloc Bleeda, DK..Mike Mike, Big Boy B.. Da Team, IBR headed by Ms. P, Julia and Tray..Free BoLeg…

Fun-filled activities will also be available throughout the entire event. A tent that includes a DJ and a dance area and an air bounce for the younger children will be set up, and free food and refreshments will be served while the supplies last.

The Definition DJs hope that this event will shed a new light on the kids on the importance of a good education, and that it will ultimately encourage them to remain in school.

### FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING:
S DOT ENTERTAINMENT
PUBLICIST-ALMOND SEALS
(254) 371-0783
S DOT ENTERTAINMENT
CEO- S. POE
(469) 272-7080
DEFINITION DJ JACK FRAUST (972) 891-5352)
DEFINITION DJ INQUIRIES CONTACT SWAY (214) 392-1876

I received all of these over email so I’m not sure of the source. Here are some pictures and the program from Bernie’s funeral service. Read through the program and check out all he’d done in his lifetime. The list is versatile and it shows his range as an actor and comedian.

I’m not sure how bad or how long he had it, but sarcoidosis is a tough disease to live with. My father-in-law had it and he told me how rough it was not being able to do the things he used to do. It pulls on the body and you’re in a constant state of trying to catch your breath.

The comedy world has lost one of the best. The family requests that donations be made at www.berniemacfoundation.org, which aims to find a cure for sarcoidosis.

Chicago Tribune Article

Bernie Mac Funeral Program

(more…)

For the past couple of days, I’ve been pretty drained and didn’t feel like blogging. I’m tired of politics and there’s nothing in the news that interested me. Until now. I saw this commercial linked on the NPR News & Notes website and had to blog about it.

Bill O’Reilly had Mr. T on his show to defend his Snickers commercial. Some people in the gay community thought it was offensive and it was pulled in Snickers’ Great Britain market. I’m not a big fan of Bill, but Mr. T is the man and I hate to see his name dragged through the mud. I grew up on the A-Team and he was tough guy who kept people in check. From the shows and interviews I’ve seen him on, he seems like a nice guy. If anything attack the Snickers marketing team for putting this together.

The million dollar question is, as a society have we become too sensitive when it comes to issues of race, sexuality, gender, etc? I’ve been watching this whole PC movement unfold and I don’t know if it makes things better or worse. Anything you say can be twisted and construed to mean something completely different than it was intended. Mr. T was obviously concerned about what people thought because he really didn’t mean anything by it. All he was only doing his job. I got ya back T!

What do you think? This is probably one of the funniest interviews I’ve ever seen.

I’m not a big Paris Hilton fan, but this was pretty funny. Whoever wrote this for her actually made her seem kind of smart. I think she’s on to something. A comprehensive plan…

Check out this video also.

On November 19, 2004, Ben Wallace drove to the basket for an attempted layup and was fouled particularly hard by Ron Artest. This wasn’t a foul early in the game to establish defensive tone nor was it a foul to send Wallace to the free throw line to win the game. Both teams are heated on-court rivals and Ben Wallace returned the gesture with a shove to Artest sparking a brawl that would eventually spill over into the crowd. The fallout from the infamous brawl would mean 9 players would serve over 146 games of suspension, several arrests, and the effectual DEATH sentence for the National Basketball Association. Many media outlets had already cited the “thug element” of the NBA as a major reason why NBA ratings and ticket sales were on the decline and pointed towards the “The Brawl” as simply the materialization of what that element represents. You know…things like tattoos, cornrows, players wearing $80K+ diamond necklaces to postgame interviews and highly sought after throwback jerseys. In a league where no less than 73% of the players are African-American common perception was that the league had been forever lost to a subculture that the “average season ticket holder” can’t relate to. According to a longitudinal study by The Harris Poll, professional basketball has lost chunks of market share among those polled from 1985 - 2008 with the largest decrease occurring between the years of 2002 and 2004. All this amidst a global campaign that focuses on bringing a high number of foreign players to the NBA that further reinforces the disconnect between the majority US demographic and the league.

Then, there was 2008…

It all began during the summer of 2007 when Kevin Garnett left the Minnesota Timberwolves to join Ray Allen from Seattle in Boston with Paul Pierce. Then, as the NBA Western Conference began to heat up before the trade deadline, Pau Gasol left Memphis for Hollywood to play with Kobe. To counter, Shaq left D Wade in Miami to play with Steve Nash in Phoenix. Add to that Jason Kidd going back to Dallas from New Jersey, C-Web going back to Golden State from retirement, and Damon Stoudamire and Kurt Thomas adding to the perennial all-star team in the SA Spurs. And all that doesn’t even take into account the B-level trades. At any given point during the Playoff run, only 5 games seperated the #1 and #8 seeds in the Western Conference playoff bracket.

Additionally, 2008’s NBA frenzy has been fueled by the Western Conference playoff run. At one point only one game seperated the projected #1 and #5 seeds in the West. There were also 9 teams with 44 or more wins. To add to all that, the Houston Rockets achieved the 2nd longest winning streak in NBA history at 22 games.

By the time the dust settled, the NBA had it’s masturbatory dream matchup between the Boston Celtics nee The Boston Three Party vs. the LA Lakers featuring the league’s MVP in Kobe Bryant. The two rivals each sported their respective conferences’ best records, and more importantly, two of its best media markets in a contest to see who can put on the best show that will keep the Commish from having to respond to questions about Tim Donaghy. Then on June 17th the Boston Celtics were again crowned NBA Champions; a full 22 years since their previous title. That game drew the highest ratings for an NBA Finals game in 8 years.

Detractors will point to the league’s perpetual drama now manifest in the Donaghy scandal. Tim Donaghy is a former NBA referee currently being prosecuted by the FBI on illegal gambling charges. The shockwave sent throughout the sports world of a league official fixing games resounded much louder than a league image issue. This strikes right at the heart of the legitimacy of the game, and basically marks the line between major league sports and the WWE. Common consencus is that this could usurp any and all momentum gained by this season’s unusual resurgence sending the NBA back into its own recession. There’s no argument in that David Stern is a genius (crooked or otherwise) and is smart enough to manipulate any publicity into good publicity for a league dying to maintain or regain the #3 sports position. Stern also knows that most hardcore NBA fans will return next season at least in TV ratings. His goal MUST be to put and keep fannies in the seat and he hopes that will be influenced positively by this Summer’s Olympic Team USA performance.

All in all, for every free minute of advertisement the NBA can get during the Summer Olympics, the Donaghy trial, and the Disney Sports Network’s uncomfortable infatuation with all things related to Boston that could translate into more season tickets sold across all NBA cities. After a season like this it would be a crime not to.

...or at least one who doesn’t wear a jersey. Still, he may be the best competitor, jersey notwithstanding. On Monday, June 16, 2008, Tiger Woods won his 3rd US Open on one bad knee and only months after surgery. In order to achieve the win, Woods had to persevere through excruciating pain to sink two eagles and a birdie on the 3rd day along with a 4th day marathon playoff round of 18 holes PLUS one sudden death par to bring in the eventual win. It was the stuff that defines a champion and gives evidence to why we immortalize athletes like we do. The up-and-down drama of Tiger’s play throughout the tournament played out like a film with all the dramatics of Tiger using his clubs as a cane intermittently on the course.

Tiger’s dominance speaks for itself:

#2 all-time majors winner trailing Jack Nicklaus by only 4 wins in less than half years of Nicklaus’ career

#3 PGA Tour wins all-time

#2 PGA Tour win streak

Named PGA Player of the Year 9 times

#1PGA Tour record for most consecutive rounds at par or better (52 rounds)

First golfer to win four PGA Tour events five times or more.

He’s only been out of the Top 5 on the Golf Money List ranking once. His first year on tour.

I think you probably get the point. He’s the best golfer around. What makes Tiger legendary is his unyielding desire to truly dominate his competition without relent every single time he steps onto a course. Even when he went through his “slump” in 2004 he still managed to win one PGA Tour event and finished 4th on the Money List.

With Tiger’s re-injury of his knee at the US Open, he will need to go through ACL surgery which will force him to miss the remainder of th 2008 season. Here’s to hoping a speedy recovery for Tiger post-surgery as he moves onward towards tying Jack Nicklaus.

It’s finally over. Last night the Boston Celtics annihilated the Los Angeles Lakers by 39 points to become the 2008 NBA World Champions. When the playoffs started this is exactly how I wanted it to go. The Lakers and the Celtics are basketball dynasties and it was only fitting that they would battle it out in the end. I watched most of the post-game coverage on ESPN and was extremely happy for the “Big 3″. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Finals MVP Paul Pierce put it all on the line from the beginning of the season to the end. You could feel their excitement during the on-camera interviews.

But I was even more excited for Doc Rivers. During the photo shoot with the NBA trophy, he said he didn’t want to touch it until it was actually his. Well now he’s got it and I’m sure he’ll enjoy it. The hard work and sacrifice has paid off. He said in an interview that it was hard to not begin planning for next year. Now that’s a coach on a mission.

History was made last night and due to a team effort a deserving group of basketball players are living their dream as champions. Way to go guys.

According to a Proclamation by the President of the United States of America made last year, the month of June is Black Music Month (I wonder what G.W. has on his iPod). This is a time where we recognize the outstanding contributions that African-American singers, composers, and musicians have made to our country, and we express our appreciation for the extraordinary music that has enriched our Nation.

I was watching VH1 Soul this weekend and they have some special programming this month highlighting the accomplishments of musical greats like Sam Cooke and Ray Charles. Black people have made major contributions to the music industry and the VH1 programming was very informational. Music plays an important role in black history and the sacrifices made by those before us should be honored.

If you have any other Black Music Month activities, you’d like to share feel free to post them in the comments.

History of Black Music Trivia Quiz

In a 10-5 vote, Dallas City Council decided that uninsured motorists who are stopped for traffic violations will have their vehicles towed and sent to the city tow yard. There’s been a lot of debate over the issue because a lot of people feel the black and hispanic communities will be affected the most. There’s also concern that the poor will be forced to choose among food, shelter and auto insurance.

I have mixed feelings on the ordinance. In my younger days, I had to get a hardship license and there were times when I drove around without insurance. I was very careful and knew the consequences if I got pulled over, but we were placed in a financial place where insurance wasn’t the priority and the money was needed elsewhere. While I don’t think the city council is targeting blacks and hispanics, I can definitely see how their communities will be affected the most.

On the other hand, I’ve had a car totaled by an uninsured motorist. As I staggered out of the car the person said “no insurance” and drove away (I was able to get a license number). It sucked because the car totaled was paid for and we ended up having to purchase another one, which added an unexpected expense to our budget. We had insurance, but only received enough from them to put a down payment for the other car. You can bet I was pissed about the whole situation, so part of me agrees with the council on their position.

Just note the uninsured motorist ordinance won’t go into effect until Jan. 1, 2009, so if you’re driving dirty you have time to get insured. Also note that while formal towing guidelines are being developed, the officer will have limited discretion on whether or not towing is necessary.