theCLog

Microsoft swapped out a black man’s head for a white man’s head because they felt the people of Poland would not be able to relate to a black person in a business meeting. I know that there aren’t a lot of Blacks in Poland, but that isn’t giving Polish people a lot of credit. They cite racism in Poland as the cause. Really. Perhaps it’s racism in the people making the creative decisions that is the cause? I suspect there’s no causal link between advertisers who dare to determine what people can and cannot imagine, and racism against blacks that is a mainstay in Poland. I guess the Microsoft folks never thought that this ad with a black person in it could send a message of equality. Instead they cater to the familiar — racism in advertising and society.

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OK, so the IAAF has asked the South African athletics federation to conduct a gender verification test on 800-meter runner Caster Semenya amid concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman. She’s 18 years old and they think she might be a man because of her incredible performance beating out the world champion. The judges don’t think that she’s cheating, just that she doesn’t know that she’s actually a man. This is the oddest coupling, pun intended, that I have ever heard. She will have to submit to a battery of test to prove that she is a woman. Something doesn’t sound right about this at all. If she has been competing as a woman her entire life, why question her gender now? I guess women can outrun each other but not discrimination.

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Enough with the hate already. Sonia Sotomayor is clearly qualified and is one of the most interesting Supreme Court Nominees in history. The Bronx. Princeton. Yale. Married. Divorced. Appointed by H.W. Bush. Promoted by Bill Clinton. Nominated to be the H.L.I.C. by the H.B.I.C. English. Spanish. Nuyorican. Boricua. What? I cannot wait to see what this phenomenal woman does on the court.

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Why exactly is the White House distancing itself from Wanda Sykes? Had they not heard her stand-up before? She dissed Rush Limbaugh, who continually disses and mocks President Obama, and she’s wrong? Okay. I’m going to need the Obama White House to man-up and to stop getting punked by Republicans, especially at White House events. She is funny, gay, liberal and always takes on the Republicans in her stand-up. Did they really think she was going to curb her enthusiasm for taking on Limbaugh and Cheney? The White House needs to get a sense of humor.

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I am tired of hearing about steroids and baseball. There is yet another tell-all book about A-Rod’s use of steroids out. This time it claims that he used as a teenager. Are you surprised? It is the actual demand for perfection from athletes that drives them to do stupid things like take steroids. Baseball is not, nor has it ever been the pristine sport that it pretends to be. If people were not so obsessed with athletes breaking records and performing above and beyond normal standards, then there would be less of a need to cheat or take steroids. No, I’m not blaming the fans, I’m just saying that our hands are not exactly clean in this scandal.

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Will someone please have a conversation with Kim Jong-Il before he blows himself up and then us. He’s clearly crazy or is he? If we can meet with our former “enemies,” Cuba and Venezuela, then we can chat with Lil’ Kim, who desperately wants some attention. If not a meeting, a conversation might work. Ignoring him is not working and he may just have to be dealt with, sooner rather than later.

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One of the most prolific and pioneering artists of the 20th century has died. Ernie Barnes was truly a renaissance man, having played professional football and becoming a world-renowned artist post-retirement. Most people remember him for his iconic painting that was part of the television series Good Times’ closing credits. “Sugar Shack” is one of his most famous paintings, making the cover of Marvin Gaye’s classic album I Want You (1976).  Barnes’ elongated figures and distinctive style will be missed.

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South Africa has barred the Dalai Lama from a peace conference in Johannesburg this week, hoping to keep good relations with trading partner China. Can we say absolutely crazy?

If you didn’t know before, you should know by now that China owns a whole lot of Africa, including South Africa. What’s crazy is that a man who is known for peace worldwide is being banned from a country whose system of Apartheid was upheld by trade practices with China. Further, South Africa just granted “minority” status to the Chinese so that they can benefit from empowerment programs. What does that mean? They are considered black and anyone that knows anything about South Africa knows that this is HIGHLY problematic.

Shame on South Africa for again upholding tyranny instead of using its cultural and economic capital to insist that democratic principles are upheld worldwide. Oh but that’s right, South Africa is a socialist country masquerading as a Democracy which is why this makes perfect sense.

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On Monday, New York State Sen. Hiram Monserrate was indicted on charges of slashing his girlfriend’s face with a broken glass in a fight in his Queens apartment building.

According to the New York Daily News, the grand jury charged Monserrate with three counts of felony assault on his girlfriend, Karla Giraldo and three counts of misdemeanor assault. The former Democratic city council member is to be arraigned this week. He faces up to seven years in prison, if convicted.

Why are we just hearing about this? While the entire world has been focused on the Chris Brown and Rihanna incident, a state senator allegedly slashes his girlfriend’s face and there has been very little about it outside of the state of New York. Why is this not national news?

While I am certainly not in support of Chris Brown, I find it interesting whom the media decides to put on
blast and whom they decide to protect. By the way, he still has not resigned. Just wrong. Dead wrong.

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It’s times like this that we remember that some pop stars are children.

Rihanna is sticking by Chris Brown, event though the entire free world has told her to leave. There is the old adage that a hard head makes a soft behind.  Well, it looks like this statement is applicable to Rihanna, pun intended.

Hopefully, she’ll get it together for her sake and ours, because I’m tired of hearing about it.

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