There’s been a lot of debate over Sarah Palin and whether she can “do it all” as a Vice Presidential mom. It’s become a hot topic over the last couple of days, but it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. My wife works and she has had this same discussion with other moms many times. Being the soft-spoken, politically-correct Democrat that I am, I tend to keep my mouth shut regarding the subject. But I do have my own opinion and after seeing Sarah’s speech I was inspired to write this little post.

Being raised in a Christian household, I was taught the Bible has the answer to any situation you can face. While it may not always give you the exact answer, through prayer and studying there’s enough to get you on the right path.

Here’s a post from gotquestions.org regarding women in the workplace. I heard a similar response in a family ministry Bible study my wife and I attended a couple of years ago:

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Interested in following the coverage of the Democratic National Convention from a blogger of color’s perspective? Check out the widget on the right sidebar. I’ll have it up this whole week. It will make keeping up with the credentialed blogs a little easier.

If you want to add it to your blog, go to pspauld’s Grazr page.

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 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.

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado August 25-28, 2008. Over the past couple of years blogging has taken off as a newer form of news media. The beauty of blogging is that you get all types of opinions from people with varying life experiences and point of views. You’re able to get something beyond the corporation-sponsored news articles and at times you get the story the big boys overlook.

This year over 100 bloggers were invited to be credentialed bloggers of the DNC. Of that number I believe seven are black bloggers. When I attended the the Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta, I had the opportunity to meet three of the seven in person (I already knew Shawn). In talking with Shawn, there are costs for the trip and they have to cover all expenses. If they worked for a major news company it would be all good, but this is coming straight out the pocket.

History is being made at this convention and I want someone who can relate to the black experience covering it. If you visit their blogs which I’ve listed below, you’ll see they are definitely qualified. So check them out and if you like what you see, send a couple of bucks their way. I haven’t done it yet cause I’m waitin’ on my check, but (in my best pastoral voice) I am putting my ??? dollars into the collection plate. Not the kind that jingles, but the one that folds. Holla.

Shawn Williams
Dallas South Blog
Donate

Gina McCauley
What About Our Daughters
Michelle Obama Watch
Donate

Pam Spaulding
Pam’s House Blend
Donate

I was watching some old DVR’d episodes of the Black Enterprise Business Report and ran across an interview with Alfred Edmond Jr. discussing black people and investing. He made some really good points and I wanted to share the video with you. I have more to say on this topic, but I wanted to save it for my Tuesday rant on personal finances.

Also check out the video below with Dr. Boyce Watkins on how to set up an investment club.

I thought the lobbyists and big corporations were supposed to run this country behind the scenes. I guess times are changing because claims are being made that Wal-Mart has been informing its employees about what could happen if the Democrats get in power. A report in The Wall Street Journal said the discount retailer, which has rigorously resisted being unionized, had held mandatory meetings with store managers and department supervisors in recent weeks warning if Democrats take power, they would likely push through the bill hurting workers.

Who says lobbying can only take place in Congress? Wal-Mart says it always informs its employees about legislation that could impact the company and the talks were nothing more than that. Note to Wal-Mart, when workers want to form a union, it’s probably for a reason. But like all large companies, they would just find a way around it. Unionization would just give them a reason to layoff people to increase profit. It’s the American way and they’re just doing what businesses do. Looking out for the bottom line. If it means some people have to be told how to vote, then so be it.

Earlier this month, the Electronic Village presented ‘The Arte y Pico Award‘ to this blog. I’m definitely honored because the Villager has one of the top black blogs out there and it is a testament to what online activism should entail. If you search my blog you will find a number of references to his site. He’s also one of the workshop presenters at the Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta this weekend.

Here are the rules of the Arte y Pico Award:

• You have to pick 5 blogs that deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
• Each awardee has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
• Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
• Each award winner should provide a link to the Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award

Here are five (5) blogs, in no particular order, that I think show Creativity, Fabulous Design, Interesting Material or Contribute to the blogging community:

1. Black In Business - JD is one of the first bloggers I’ve gotten to meet in person. His blog is full of good advice for business owners and he’s open and honest about his views regarding our society. I’m always interested in seeing what he’ll post next. A good guy and a good site.
2. Vanessa: Unplugged - Vanessa (I always want to call her V) has a blog that is very well written and designed. Her topics are right on point and most of the time we have the same views on things. I admire people who can write because it’s something I’ve been working on for a while. Another thing that got me hooked on her site was her commitment last year to blog every day for a year. That’s not easy to do!
3. Dallas South Blog - Shawn is a fellow Aggie, but that’s not why I selected his site. If you want to know what’s happening in South Dallas, this is the blog for you. This is another site that is well-written and he stays on top of the issues that black people need to be concerned about. Even if you don’t live in Dallas, his blog is one you should definitely check out. He will be an attendee at the Blogging While Brown Conference.
4. Black Web 2.0 - I like all things technology. This is one of the sites where I go to get my tech news fix when the need arises. Technology changes daily and there’s always something new to blog about. Angela and Markus are good at staying on top of the newest tech news and gadgets. When you visit the site you have to check out their podcast. They’ve gotten some really good interviews with some major players in the technology industry. They will also be presenting a workshop at the Blogging While Brown Conference.
5. Geeky Cyber Mom - Geeks are cool and so is this website. Anyone who carries a 4-port USB hub in their purse is alright with me. I “e-met” the Geeky Cyber Mom on Twitter. Her blog is fun to read and very informative. She also manages another blog and podcast called Tales of a Single Parent which is equally as good.

So this is my list of bloggers that deserve the award. I have more I’d like to add, but the award only calls for five. Visit their blog and let me know what you think. Thanks again to the Villager for choosing lil ol’ me.

This is a blurry photo (they won’t let you use a flash) of the United States Constitution. On my trip to Washington DC I made this visit a priority because the last time I’d seen it, I was about five years old. This document and is its amendments are what governs our country and as an American citizen, it’s up to us to make sure it’s properly followed. But how many of us have taken the time to read what it says?

Sure, when it was written, we (black people) weren’t included in “We the People”. We had no input on what it said and we had to fight so these same laws would also apply to us. But today, the wording in the Constitution does apply to us and it’s up to us to have at least a general understanding of what’s in it. So when you get a chance, browse through it. Those before us sacrificed a lot and we owe it to them to make sure we know our rights.

And yes, I will be reading through it also.

What is Photo Phenish?

Why Reverend Jesse why? So you really want to castrate the guy? Now that’s gangsta.

I respect the fact that Jackson has paved the way for Obama to be in the position he’s in, but this comment shows how fake people can be. But this isn’t this what American politics is all about? I’m sure Jesse’s not the only one who feels this way. He just got caught slippin’.

I’ve posted before how much I hate to see people say something they really believe and then apologize when the public questions their motives. If he disagrees with Obama on a certain issue, then he needs to stick by it. All he’s done is given the media another distraction to take away from the real issues. I’m glad to see they squashed it. Talk about an uncomfortable situation. Jesse you just lost your cabinet seat.

Here’s a link to a video on CNN showing Jesse trying to explain his comment. I didn’t buy it. The Youtube video below shows the actual comment.