Archive for March, 2008

Keynote Speakers : Barack Obama

"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union."

Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America’s improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.

The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation’s original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.

I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren’t simply controversial. They weren’t simply a religious leader’s effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country - a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.

[in its entirety]

Japanese Show of the Week #12

So you thought last week was ridiculous? Well, my ninja, please! There are actually multiple shows based around this same concept. Warning: not the work-friendliest post ever. This is somewhere in between hilarity and water-boarding, at best.

You people still haven’t told me about the naked ladies and pigs thing yet. I KNOW some of you out there reading this have an opinion on that.

Jeepers Creepers

Um… happy Wednesday? I almost tagged this one "not ninja-worthy" but then decided that I don’t know how I feel about it.

[Almost also tagged this one "grub" -ed.]

CONCORD, N.H. — A mummified baby that a family held onto for decades, believing it was a long-lost relative, was buried Tuesday, but the family said they didn’t get the closure they hoped for because by the time they arrived at the cemetery, it was already buried.

Jennifer Arizmendi and her family have believed for years that the mummified baby they called Baby John was one of their relatives. But after nearly two years of fighting to keep the remains, the state ordered them to give it up.The family said they were told to arrive at Blossom Hills Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. for the burial."They said he was already buried before we got here, and we were completely on time," Arizmendi said.Arizmendi said the cemetery told her the burial had to be done early because another burial was planned."At first I believed the excuse and thanked them for burying him, but then I saw the officers in the cemetery," she said.Arizmendi said police officers were near the gravesite and only stepped aside when she and her family approached, never leaving them alone.

[LINK]

Fun With Photoshop

Who needs reality?

Samsung accused of $64m art fraud

LONDON. Over $64m from a slush fund set up by Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung, was allegedly used to buy art for his wife Ra Hee Hong Lee who is director-general of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, according to the Korean corporationa€™s former house attorney. None of the art has been exhibited in Korea and its whereabouts is presently unknown. Samsung denies the allegations.

Kim Yong-chula€™s allegations focused particularly on the acquisition of Roy Lichtensteina€™s Happy Tears, 1964, which sold at Christiea€™s New York in 2002 for $7,159,500, a record price for the artist at the time. [full article]

Swivel Data

Did we ever mention that we love swivel?

Sources: National Retail Federation (http://www.nrf.com/modules….)

46 percent of people are set to celebrate the luck o’ the Irish, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. The traditional holiday is very popular among the young (and the young at heart); 71 percent of people ages 18-24 plan to celebrate. This graph shows how people plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year. Nearly one-third (30.6%) will celebrate St. Patricka€™s Day by attending a party at a bar or restaurant. In addition, one in five will attend a private party (18.4%) or make a special dinner (33.7%). Others will celebrate the holiday in smaller ways by wearing green (82.5%) and decorating their home or office (23.6%). The amount consumers plan to spend on the holiday averaged out at $35.04 per person this year. Young adults plan to spent $42.40 per person. a€"Natalie

Well, we do.AA They obviously left out one oh-so-important metric.

2 Pac and JMJ: New Evidence

We learned from the good people over at highbrid nation that new information surfaced about the shootings of 2pac and JMJ that pretty much rocked the rap world.AA They will in turn host a live chat about the subject, TODAY at 1:00PM.AA Whether that is EDT or PDT I don’t know; you’ll have to verify for yourself.AA Sounds like "Fittay" is up to his old tricks. Check out the report:

This morning the LA Times published the finding of investigative reporter, Chuck Philips that alleges B.I.G. and Sean Combs (Puff) knew that Tupac Shakur was to be set up in the 1994 Quad Studios shooting in Times Square. (This of course is the first time Tupac was shot and not the drive by shooting in Las Vegas which would eventually take his life.) Phillipsa€™ describes the shooting as a€oea source of fascination and frustration to law officials and fans.a€A There is no evidence the Bad Boy duo knew that Pac would be shot.AA But Pac always insisted that friends of Sean a€Diddya€™ Combs were behind the incident and the new info uncovered by Phillips supports his claims.

The Times report is extensive and indicates that Phillips has been at this for some time.AA Theya€™ve publishedAA a pdf file of an FBI informanta€™s testimony who has corroborated all of his findings.AA There is also an interactive timeline that takes you from the shooting until incidnets that have occured very recently including the murder of Jason a€oeJam Master Jaya€A Mizell.AAAA The Times will host a live chat tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. where visitors can ask him questions about the report. [VIA]

Nineteen-Ninety-Now #1

Yet another new feature.AA We just don’t stop with the realness.AA This week is the ghetto-blaster hall of fame - meaning some of ya’ll need to step up your cassette game.

This site… awesome.AA ‘Nuff sed.AA (… most sites with black backgrounds are ill, if you haven’t noticed.)

Check it out, you SUCKAHH.

Grocery Eats

My 3 eggs, steak, potatoes, bacon, onion rings, and oysters order crushed it in sheer magnitude, but lacked in the ingenuity department.AA +1 Bliz
[LINK]

This has to be the most hood food blog to ever exist.AA Big props.AA Like my man T said, don’t read this while eating necessarily.AA I think the excerpt explains it all.AA Peep it.