Memorandum

Memo

to: Baby Boomers,

It is time for you to retire. Do you understand that because you fail to retire you are setting of a chain of economical issues that are sure to affect us for the next 20 years. Let me break it down for you because clearly you DON’T get it. (step 1 leads to step 2, etc.)

1. Economy: The bottom fell out during the years of the Bush. Stocks dropped. Spending stopped. Companies flopped.
2. Baby Boomers: You lost ½ of your 401k and retirement income so now you think you need to stay at work longer because 1) you need to build your money back up and 2) your 20 year old children are dependent on you because *GASP* they have yet to find a job post college and have thousands upon thousands in student loans.
3. Recent grads can’t find jobs because job opportunities are limited. Why are they limited? Because baby boomers won’t FREAKING retire. Now the few jobs that are available are taken by those with 10-30+ years of experience. In these trying times what HR representative would hire a recent graduate with intern experience over someone with 10-20+ years. (yes it’s true- Those with more experience are now competing in lower-end jobs because they are looking for ANYTHING that will help them pay the bills).
4. So Mom and Dad, here is the synopsis. The reason why your recent graduates stay at home longer, mooching off of you is because you and your MASSIVE baby boomer co-workers won’t MOVE THE HECK OUT THE WAY. Here’s my poem.

Ode to Old People

Baby boomers won’t retire

Recent grads can’t get hired

Recent grads stay at home

Recent grads default on school loans

Recent grads can’t buy homes

Banks can no longer function alone

Government decides to lends them money

Taxes go up for everybody

Economy won’t go up

Recent grads still out of luck

Recent grads apply at Target

While waiting for a better job market

Recent grads goes back to school

Pays more money like a fool

20 years now have passed

Baby Boomers depart in masse

Who is there to take their place?

My five degrees can’t replace

The work experience you’ve snatched away

Drake performes Live

Photo from MuchMusic

Man, all the cameras. I'm getting less and less excited about Drake and more and more concerned about the choas.

My Place and Sidelines Restaurants in the Washington Post

Struggling Restaurants Tap Into Md. Night Life
The crowd enjoys the music at My Place Sports Bar, but restaurants that transform into night spots have become an issue in the Maryland suburbs. (By Dominic Bracco Ii For The Washington
By Ovetta WigginsWashington Post Staff Writer Friday, May 15, 2009

Several restaurants in Prince George's and Montgomery counties have come up with an unorthodox way to stay afloat in today's economy: charge people to come through their doors.
With the new nighttime cover charges, restaurants are adding live bands, karaoke nights and pool tables to lure customers, said Kathie Durbin, chief of licensure, regulation and education for the Montgomery Department of Liquor Control.

"In this economy, people are trying to be creative," she said.

The restaurants are not breaking any regulations as long as they continue to serve food, Durbin said. The liquor control board routinely checks that restaurants, regardless of whether they provide entertainment, take in no more than half their revenue from alcohol sales, she said.
In Prince George's, restaurants with liquor licenses are required to receive liquor control board approval to offer new attractions. But some Prince George's residents complain that a handful of restaurants have essentially turned themselves into nightclubs. They are asking the county to provide better oversight.

"We have to find a better way of managing them," said Phil Lee, president of the Kettering Civic Federation.

Lee said that a nightclub crowd is different from a restaurant crowd and that nightclubs are more apt to breed violence. He cited a shooting this year at Sidelines Restaurant in Largo that left a man dead, linking the incident to a change in clientele.

Del. Michael L. Vaughn (D-Prince George's) said he is concerned that some restaurants have misrepresented themselves to the public.

"I've never been to a restaurant that charges a cover charge," Vaughn said. "I think we need to look at how we are doing things in this particular sector, set some guidelines and regulations."
Adrianne Goode, the owner of Peachez restaurant in Upper Marlboro, said she wants to start offering karaoke and a disc jockey. Currently patrons listen to live jazz music without paying a cover charge.

"The economy has really hurt us," Goode said. "A lot of people are not eating out . . . and on top of that, we are competing with D.C. venues. . . . We need to provide our clients [with] entertainment."

Franklin D. Jackson, chairman of the Prince George's liquor control board, said the board plans to hold public hearings in the next several weeks to discuss the operations of several restaurants, including Sidelines, My Place Sports Bar & Grill in Mitchellville, the Half Note in Bowie and Peachez.

Read the entire article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/14/AR2009051403990.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Hating on the Word Hater

Well since everyones seems to be currently voicing their opinions about being a "Hater" I thought i'd catch the wave and Re-post a blog I wrote on this subject over two years ago. Yes, yall are behind! lol/jk. Read a Very Smart Brothers' thoughts on the subject and then read mine.


I hate the term hatin." Just because you have an opinion about something that happens to be negative doesn't mean your a hater. Sometimes it's not even negative, it's just honest. We can't always have good opinions about something and everyone has different view points. Now it seems that if we don't preface our comments with, "I'm not hating but..." then we are cast aside with the rest of the "haters."

Shouldn't we be able to express our opinion be it, positive or negative, without being called a hater just because we don't like it. If a hater = someone who has a negative opinion, THEN where would the world be without hater's. We need both.

In that case:

Yes, I'm hating on George Bush and I can't wait till he's out of office
Yes, I'm hating on Kiamsha alumni who haven't once come back to mentor/help these kids
Yes, I'm hating on Rihanna's new song. WHO IS SHE? I just don't like it!! I'm not hating on the child. I could care less about her.

Yes, I'm hating on Usher and R.Kelly's new song. They could have done better. Point blanck, PERIOD. I'm not hating on them. I love both of them.

On the other hand......

I'm loving lupe fiasco's song "He say, she say" for shedding some light on the "absentee father" and its OBVIOUS affect on today's black youth. "Give them a fighting chance."

I'm loving those who have come back to help and be in the conference
I'm loving the fact that David has RSVP'd for the Saturday Academy Alumni program this weekend. I haven't seen him in a while. Now if we could just see John.
Posted by Deja~I~Am at 13:17

The answer to the question in women's heads

"yeah you cute but please don't let that go to yo head, cuz the ish that you won't do shawty anotha one will."

- My bruh

And therein lies the problem with our men. SMH. I'm through trying to rationalize them or explain what they really mean. Here it is in a nutshell.

You nasty bums are shallow. (and that was the nice version).

If you need further proof please read Demetria L. article in Essence this month. What a mess. Further proof, one guy said, "If your hip to butt ratio isn't on point, then I can't get into a serious relationship with you."

MISS ME WITH THIS NONESENSE

It's time for the brackets

THE BEST RAPPER ALIVE BRACKET!!!! Download your bracket at http://www.vibe.com/bestrapperever/downloads/BestRapperEver_Brackets.pdf/

I want to know who you have going all the way!!

Competition begins Monday, May 18! So hurry up and do this.

Weekend Warrior has fizzled

I can't get my mind around this weekend. so let me write it out.

Friday: NOTHING! Thank goodness. I don't want to go anywhere or do anything. I am pooped. Not necessarily tired, but just pooped. This would have been a great day to snuggle and watch movies with Ant.M. Oh well.

Saturday: My sister wants me to go back to Baltimore again for this model call. :-\ We'll see if I feel like going. At the moment, who knows. And then I have to go see CC dance at Towson for their fashion show. It's her last performance so i have to go.

Sunday: Church. Then, I'm supposed to go see KC sing up at Indulj. I have to make that as well.

Next weekend:
Friday: Coctails at the Spy Museum with Shannon.
Saturday: Drake Comes to town. Big Hooplah. A whole bunch of my Alpha friends are coming to town, so this may lead to some Sunday events as well.
ANTHONY COMES HOME.... HELLO!!

Next Next Weekend
Friday: Surgery
Saturday: 1. Sisters brunch at Cafe Promenade 2. Wedding rehearsal
Sunday......

GOSH. I'm pooped!

It isn't the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh--I really think that requires SPIRIT.

- Jean Webster, "Daddy Long Legs"

I'll love you when your hair turns gray girl; and i'll still want you when you gain a little weight, girl...

Musiq Soulchild provides the musical accompaniment for this post.

My friend went to visit his girl last night. She’s pretty. Medium to long hair, lighter skin tone and freckles. He was ghastly shocked, however, when she stepped out of the house, and the side of her head was shaved off, with a natural hawk sticking up in the middle.

Talking to him this morning really opened my eyes. I ranted to him, not to be one of those “brainwashed” black men who only like their light-skinned girlfriends to have long hair. In response, he simply asked me if I had seen her picture, which I’m sure he snapped for “evidence.” I had not but I was sure it couldn’t be that bad.

He sent it over and Gasp, her hair was drastically different. You could tell her motivation was the Cassie/J.Davey look (see below. For privacy reasons I will not be uploading her pic). I stared at it for a minute to see if I liked it. Honestly, I didn’t but I shot it off to j.a.c to see if maybe something was wrong with me. She liked it. “well she's a cute girl so that helps. she's wearing her hairstyle with confidence and sometimes no matter what the hairstyle looks like, confidence is all you need to rock it.”

So anyway, because I knew my guy friend, I spent the next 20-30 minutes trying to convince him NOT to stop talking to her. Our convo went something like this (snipet).

Me: some people think that looks good! I'm sure it will grow on you. I've gotta see it in person! It may look better. It may grow on me.
Him: i dont know bout that, its crazy
Me: don't be a jerk and stop talking to her. I will beat you up. I know you are not that shallow.
Him: lol ill see
Me: wow.. you really are that shallow.
Him: No I’m not
Me: you're lucky my work phone is not letting me call 240 right now for some reason. lol. You know I was about to call you!
Him: Good, cuz I don’t wanna hear it. LOL
Me: HA HAHAHAH. Here are some pictures of singer j.davey & cassie. Both rock the hawk
Him: lol and that’s where she got it from, they look a mess.
Me: well at least she's edgy. We gotta give her credit for that.
Him: if u wanna call it that. she just looks so different now.

And that’s when I finally got it. My friend is no different than every other guy out here who suffers from the “This is not what I signed up for” syndrome. For example when after two people get married, the woman begins to pick up weight, or stops updating her wardrobe, or seizes to wear makeup. Most men have serious problems with it.

I remember talking to MJ one day and he explained that guys have to be attracted to the girl and think she’s beautiful if they decide to be with her. There is no “well she has SWAG and that kinda makes her cuter.” NO, either she is or she isn’t. And if she isn’t, than for most guys, there is no need for a relationship.

My other friend DG said, “I don’t know why girls haven’t figured this out yet. Stay in the gym and get your hair done. It’s that simple. We don’t ask for much, but yall just don’t get it.” When I said, well we have a lot to do/pay for; nails, accessories, etc. He said, Ain’t nobody tell you to do all that. Men know that girls like a certain type of body, so what do we do? We go to the gym. It’s that simple.”

So, I say all that to say, if a women changes her look mid-relationship, this can potentially cause a serious problem. But should women while stating their wedding vows pledge to “love, cherish, and never change as long as we both shall live?” On the other hand, it is important to please your mate. What do we do.

What is your take on this conundrum?

("Just as long as your love don't change." - Musiq Soulchild fades out.)

How do you feel about Waterbording?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/03/AR2009050301739.html

Please share your comments.