Did President Obama Kill The Boogeyman?

What it look like folk? Its ya host Steez back with some more fo' ya. I STILL don't have the swine flu so go figure. Yo, don't forget that y'all can hit me up at fsteez44@gmail.com with questions for me or topics that y'all would like me to blog about in the chronicles. But on to the regularly scheduled blog. Shall we....

As you can tell by the title this post is gonna be a bit more political than the rest. I was hesitant to touch on this but a co worker who reads my blog suggested I go in...so in I am going. Yesterday marked President Obamas 100th day in office. So naturally people are evaluating his job so far. the evaluation process has been a little more rigorous than I've seen for anyother president in my life, for obvious reasons. So my co worker wanted to know how I think our leader has done. My answer? FUCKIN AWESOME!!!!!! He killed the boogeyman, what else can you ask for?

When I was thinking back on the lat 100 days, which have been tumultuous at best, I can't help but notice the progress made. Nah, not the bullshit you read in the paper. Not the drivel you see on the news. I'm talking about the expressions on everyones face. I don't see fear anymore. I'm not saying that the country is in any better shape now than it was the night Obama was elected. What I am saying is that people BELIEVE that it is. With reports of record stock losses becoming a bad memory, the war in Iraq taking a more positive turn, and a more transparent government body than we've seen in quite some time. People are starting to breathe easy. Until the swine flu made everybody wear a mask.

I'm gonna come right out and say that I don't believe this swine flu thing is what they say it is. Yeah I think that it exists, and yeah I think some people have gotten sick and maybe even died(though not in th U.S.). Basically I think the government was tooling around with a biological weapon to use(maybe on N Korea, Russia, or China) and things went awry. What I DON'T believe is this pandemic bullshit. With the symptoms being so mundane anyone on anyday could be feeling "swiney".

Point blank the government, mostly the right wing, NEED fear for any crazy agenda they want to push. Fear is their drug of choice and it produces a monetary high. But our president seems to have taken that fear out of the majority of the American culture, at least for the time being. Peep how things have been in the past few months. The government has been urging U.S. citizens to stay out of Mexico for a couple of months now, citing everything from the drug cartels kidnapping tourists, to their palsy relationship with Russia. Did we stay away? Fuck no. Or take the Somalian Pirate situation a few weeks ago. When they were asking different american crew captains why they sail through those notoriously dangerous waters, the answer was simple. They never attack americans.

While still shakey its apparent that our feelings of positivity, fearlessness, and invincibility are approaching pre 9/11 highs. How else can the powers that be do away with that? Make people believe that some shit that resembles the flu and/or the common cold(and is just as easy to catch) can kill you. Did anyone else peep last night that Fox was the only channel that didn't cover President Obamas speech live? Not only did my local Fox not cover his mostly positive and hopeful speech, they didn't even mention it. They were talking about...you guessed it the swine flu. Sly Fox indeed.....

I'm out.

Examining the Criminal Mindset

What it look like folk? Its ya favorite square blogger....the one and only Steez. Man spring officially kissed Philly this weekend. It was in the 90s, kids were out playing, niggas was on the grill, music was bumpin. Good times. Also I wanted y'all to know I'm opening up my email to y'all. So please feel free to email me your questions or things you would like me to discuss on this here blog. I don't really plan to give ADVICE but if you want a squares point of view on some shit I will hook you up. The email is fsteez44@gmail.com so hit me up. Uhhh okay I guess we gonna get into it. Shall we?

This post came to my mind just a couple hours ago. A friend of mine informed me that her brother was charged with burglary. The sad thing is that her brother JUST got out of prison less than a month ago.
I've never been a person that really understood, much less empathized, with the criminal mindset. I never hated on it either. It was what it was. But instances like the one I just spoke on are becoming more and more common. So I started wondering why. When I say why what I mean is looking into the mind of someone that is more or less a career criminal. I'm not gonna discuss WHY people do crimes. We know the social and economic reasons already.

One thing I've noticed, especially in the black community, going to jail is damn near revered. As recently as when I was a child being a nigga that went to jail made you a pariah. Now? Ya girl takes care of you and half the hood is waiting to throw you a party when you come back. I'm not saying that ex cons should be outcasts...but when you remove that negative stigma AND replace it with rewards its only natural for a person to find the act easier to cope with. Also when you look at some of the people that are involved in the never ending whirlwind of prison, they are people that aren't rewarded for much else EXCEPT surviving multiple jail terms.

Something else I noticed is the overly sympathetic view towards criminals. I'm aware that as black people we have a severe distrust of law enforcement and the judicial system, and rightfully so. But every nigga in jail isn't Huey Newton. Actually MOST of the dudes there deserve to be there. We have to get it out of our minds that "they" are always out to get "us". That's an archaic belief that we have to let go of. Yeah the law isn't on our side most of the time, but that doesn't mean make us all political prisoners. Because honestly that is enabling and in some cases motivating people to be criminals.

After examining these very rudimentary elements of criminal mindsets, I asked myself how does it stop. Quite frankly it doesn't. Crime will always be there. There will always be people that see that as their only option. We have to stop cosigning ignorance though. I know people make mistakes and should be forgiven. But to keep banging your head on the same wall? I can't ride with that. A lot of black men were never taught responsibility. What is more irresponsible than crime? So they inevitably put themselves in a position where they don't have to be responsible for anything. Its cyclical behavior. Plain and simple. We have to stop providing emotional, physical, and economic crutches for people that purposely cripple themselves.

I'm out

The Return to Innocence...In a Sense

What it look like folk? Starting square number L7 its STEEEEEEEEEZ!!!!!!! Thank you thank you, you're too kind. I'm back at y'all with some more of the chronicles. So I'm gonna get back to it since I don't have much to say outside of the topic at hand. Shall we?

So I was doing some facebook stalking recently. Instead of looking for high school people I haven't seen in a while I took it back to middle school. When I did this, a lot of names came to mind. Some I found. Some I didn't. But one stuck out....Kaylin...I'm not gonna drop her whole government on y'all. But this was a girl I spent most. Of my middle school years "chasing" after. I wasn't quite the suave square that is writing this right now. Most of my preteen advances were mostly weird jokes and wild antics. But I'm not really here to talk about that.

I was really thinking about the simplicity of those times. Especially in the dynamics of male female relationships. You tell a girl you like her, she says she likes you back. You hold hands until your palms sweat and make farting noise. Yo go home, hump your pillow and go to sleep. Or, you tell a girl you like her. She recoils in disgust, clowns you. You go home sulk, hump your pillow then go to sleep. Very uncomplicated stuff...and for better or worse you could hump a pillow. Now there is so much more in play. So much more at stake.

Seeing Kaylins picture took me back to the time when sex wasn't even a real possibility. Though I thought about it constantly. it was hard enough to TALK to a girl...involuntary erections played spoilsport to any fly thing you could think of. When I dedicated songs(all I do by troop) in my head. On some real Kevin Arnold shit ya know.

I'm not trying to really walk down memory lane, that's not my thing. But I couldn't help but think back to those simpler relationships...and how complicated we tried to make them. We as adults always wish we could "know then what we know now" ...but in a lot of cases what we didn't know is what made it beautiful...in a sense.

I'm out

Bathroom Rules for Men

Yeah I know folk I'm right back. But after several odd encounters with grown ass men in the restrooms at my job I thought that this was a must. Its gonna be short and sweet. Shall we?

1. If there are more than 2 available urinals and we enter the bathroom at the same time. DO NOT go to the one right next to me.

2. Eyes forward

3. Shut the fuck up. We can discuss the weather, sports, or anything else once the boys are back in the house.

4. If you finish before me and the sinks are in line with the toilets, unless its defective use the sink farthest away. Why make me pass by your bent over ass?

5. Cut out the fake hand washing. If your going to exert the energy to turn on the water, run your hands under it. I'm taking mental note, and if you aren't really washing don't ever try to shake my hand.

6. Stop OVER washing. You took a piss, you're not delivering a baby. If touching your tool for 8.5 seconds made you feel the need to bathe as though you just came in contact with radioactive waste? What I think doesn't matter. Consult a physician.

I'm Such a Geek

What it look like folk? Its the big square Steez droppin some more of these here chronicles. Not much been goin on since we last met up. My Easter weekend was pretty much wrecked by some kind of chest cold/ pneumonia/repiratory infection like demon that took me out of commision Friday afternoon. I wasted 12 bucks on some Mucinex. No lie that didn't do a damn thing for me. Then I whipped up the disgusting concoction of apple cider vinegar, honey, and warm water, like Gram used to give us. A vile swill indeed. But within the hour I felt the cold in my chest breaking up. So fuck you Mucinex!!!!! Thanks to our old broke relatives that came up with some of these remedies. Well I guess I should move on to the task at hand...shall we?

While everyone was out copping the new Jada album, I went a more geek-y route and conserved my limited resources for a greater treat(for me anyway) That's right the supervillain has returned. I just grabbed up DOOM(formerly MF DOOM) new album Born Like This. This is an album I've been waiting for for over 3 years. And boy was it worth the wait. This ain't an album review, so I won't bore y'all with the details. But if you lookin for some good underground hip hop, are a fan of his, or just want to try something new? Check ot my man DOOM. Note: Steez just realized that his new CD is still at home, therefore he cannot listen to it at work. A tear forms. Until he realizes that he copied it to his trusty G1 phone. CHUUUUCH!!!!

I just read something real cool. As most of you know I'm a gamer. I spend a significant amount of money on my hobby. Anywho I just saw a new "console" is looking to compete with Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.
The company is Rearden Labs. Their creation is OnLive(pictured above). Its basically a portable harddrive that you can go online and download games on, then connect to your TV and rock out. Of course the games are either purchased or rented. Online play will most likely be handled on regional servers to keep lag down. Meaning you will be able to play online but only against people in your local area. The controller that is offered gives players the ability to pause, rewind, and record their games(madden beatdowns just got a little more humiliating).

All in all I think this is a great idea. Though a price has not been set for the harddrive or the games, they will most likely be much cheaper than the alternatives on the market now(maybe comparable to the wii). Throw in the option to rent and its definitely a deal. While it most likely won't be as "cool" to have this as it is the other 3 systems, this could take the burden off the shoulders(and wallets) of parents. Also casual gamers who really my only buy a couple of games a year don't have to drop $600 to do so.

The one pitfall that I read in the Game Informer is that while 9 big name game publishers such as EA(responsible for Madden), THQ,and Ubisoft to name a few, have signed on the games being offered are ones that have already been release. Basically, when a new game releases it won't release that day on OnLive. Kind of a bummer. But honestly, most working adults don't buy games on the release date. But the question is how long do you have to wait? Also the aformentioned lag time and how itmay effect how you play and who you can play.

All in all, I don't think that this will catch on. But I do believe that this innovation will maybe spark the "next big thing" in home entertainment. Video games are still a growing medium. Some video game production costs rival major motion pictures, games and consoles are quickly becoming too expensive for both the player and the studios. Trimming of the fat isn't a bad thing. I'm looking forward to the release of OnLive and the gaming communities response. The future is here folks.

I'm out

Check out the OnLive at www.onlive.com

Tryna Make It In A Stupid World pt 3

Right back...What it look like folk. I saw this on my work and had to share it with y'all. This joint is located in downtown Philly at the fruit stand in the Gallery. I was gonna cut the dude some slack on account of him being a foreigner. But then I thought about the watered down smoothies(way too much ice) and how he watches me when I'm looking over the fruit and said fuck it....

Maybe it Wasn't Meant to Be

I failed. I'm sorry y'all. Just know that I tried. I'm tired now, gonna go home and play with my babies. Nah, I'm not having a Carlitos Way moment. I'm reflecting.

I was supposed to start the revolution. I spent years reading, remembering, and regurgitating DuBois, Newton, Garvey, Marley, Wu Tang, Gaye, Cooke, Christ, Gibran etc. All in hopes that I could leave my fingerprints in the same way that they did. That I could be someone that future generations would quote, equipping themselves for the everyday psychological war that IS being black in America. My words, both written and spoken, would be emblazened on the collective consciousness of the community at large. I would be the real life Dan Freeman.

But here I am. G1 in hand thinking of what should have....could have happened. Folk, I wanna tell ya, what coulda happen DID happen. But it all depends on where you where when it went down. I never got my Tommy Smith/John Carlos moment. So my black fist on the olympic podium became a t shirt and some so called jewels dropped on a street corner in the slums. Maybe the moment came and I was too high or drunk to step up. Maybe someone cut in line.

I'm here to say fuck a maybe. Fuck what you missed, its time to CREATE the moment. The time and space for a true revolution. I'm not just talking about some racial bullshit. I'm saying period. Recently I've been really contemplating some moves I wanna make(those close to me know what I'm speakin on) and its fuckin time. I've realized that I'm never gonna have enough time, space, energy, know how, experience to do a muthafuckin thing but talk. And franlky, I'm tired of talkin....

I'm out

Home Alone Musings

What it look like folk? I'm here all alone. Well not really. Butterbear went to Pittsburgh for an anime convention. So she took our girls with her. The girls are staying with my mom. So I'm here with the boys and we are having guy fun. I was gonna take them to the park but it was windy as hell today which made it feel a little colder than it really was. So we been in the house playing cars and watching different movies. Right now we are watching the Final Four. I got a cold tall can of bud ice, college hoops on the tube, and my boys. Life is good. I'm gonna take this post to share some things I've noticed since my time here alone. Shall we?

Conditioning is a muhfucka. I function as if Butterbear is here. Though I woke up sprawled oun in the bed, I could fall asleep until I was scrunched up on my little corner of the bed.

Home alone nudity = good times

I realize how much I talk when there is nobody to talk to.

It was cool to wake up and have my oldest son in bed with me...I guess he misses mommy and his sisters as much as me...an interesting exhibit of non verbal male bonding

I forgot how fun it was to just crash matchbox cars

Latenight stroking is a lot easier when you know nobody is gonna catch you

There is nothing more liberating than taking a dump with the door wide open...seriously folks, you gotta try it.

The house is spookily quiet when I get out of the shower

Man I hate silence....

My sons reaction to Bravestarr(80s saturday morning cartoon) was great

Blake Edwards seems like a sucka

Being drunk isn't as much fun when Butterbear isn't here for me to annoy

Bud Ice is actually a disgusting swill

I love my family.

Git 'Er Done

What it look likew folk? I'm back. And I'm happy to tellz y'all that the Baron is back. Parked right out front where he belongs. It was a helluva journey. And an expensive one.

Well it took about 5 minutes and 50 bucks to get my registration straight. Then it was time to deal with the bastards that towed my car. I got my gameface on. After a quick stop at the ATM(of course they only took cash). I strolled up to the window and spit a lil G. Dude knocked off a couple of the fees. I paid 279. With the extra dough ima get my mom a little something.

Well people its been a long ass day. And my back is tight from all the walking. My quads are sore from last nights jiu jitsu class...and I'm tired as hell. Ima lay my ass down and reflect on the fuck up that caused all this shit. I'm just glad everything worked out.

Victim of the Joke

What it look like folk? Its Steez once again. I'm not in the best of moods right now. You can find me somewhere between Pissedville and Downertown. So let's get into it. Shall we?

I am currently on the K bus on my way to who the fuck knows. Why? My car got towed yesterday. It was my fault. A situation with my registration that I took too long to try to clear up. But the city, strapped for cash, considered it prudent to come tow my shit from in front of my crib while I was at work yesterday. They also considered it wise to leave NO information as to where I could locate my vehicle. I actually had to call 911 to report it stolen to start getting answers. Then I spent all of this morning while at work harrassing different police dept facilities until I tracked down my ride. Now I find out that The Baron is being held hostage and the ransom is 3 hunnid and counting...PLUS what I gotta pay to straighten out my registration mess. I know, I fucked up. But hopefully I have this fixed within a day or two. Hustling up the money is the problem. My mom and brother came through with a good amount of paper(I don't know what I would do without them). So now I gotta dig up the rest.

I'm here at the spot clearing up the registration. It all went smooth. It smells really good in this place. I'm just thinking about some G I can spit at the tow spot to get my car back for less than 300 bucks. Wish me luck.