Holding The Strain

The power of a legacy...

2012-01-05T00:56:00.004-05:00

If I had known this, there's a good chance I wouldn't have become a comedian. Until I lucked into a comedy club at age 20, just on a whim, I assumed I would pick up things for White people for the rest of my life. If I had known this, it would have taken away the inevitability that I was gonna be nothing.- Chris Rock, upon learning that his great, great, grandfather fought in the Civil War and

mASS in de place!

2011-06-17T16:04:00.009-04:00

I have now lived in mASS longer than ANY other place and it's about time I started showing it some love:1. Spring-Summer-Fall. Who has a better stretch of 3 seasons? This year, our Summer has been averaging temperatures between the late 50s and mid 80s for the most part.2. Professional sports teams. Over the last 10 years the Pats, Sox, Celts, and Bruins have all won at least 1 championship.

Getting in shape

2009-08-27T13:13:00.006-04:00

The older I get the harder it is to get in shape. And not incrementally harder either, exponentially harder. So for the last 4 months I have been weight training, walking, jogging, and over the last 3 weeks I ran in THREE 5K races all in an attempt to get back to a reasonable shape (round not included).Look, 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) is a lot harder than it sounds. Oh don't get me wrong, the

Microsoft Communicator in the Workplace

2009-07-07T20:58:00.007-04:00

So I'm sitting at my desk at work on the day of the Michael Jackson memorial and I get an instant message from the resident slacker at my job via Microsoft Communicator (basically Instant Messenger for the Workplace).Slacker: Did you moonwalk to your office this morning?Troy: Shh-mon!Slacker: And did you start your day with a beat-it?Troy: Ha! Nope, but I am gonna end it with a thriller.Slacker:

It's been a while

2009-06-02T19:12:00.004-04:00

What can I say? Not even a good excuse for why I haven't blogged. OK, I have been hitting the gym but that isn't the reason. I have been living more in the real world and less in the virtual world but that still isn't the reason. Writer's block? Possible. Just straight up lazy and lacking any stick-with-it-ness? Highly probable.Things I have been doing with myself since we last spoke:1. Switched

Hitting HENRY hard

2009-04-16T11:33:00.010-04:00

As a proud member of the Ways & Means Committee I was called in and instructed that my blog entry on HENRY was a slap in the face of my membership. As a result, here is my attempt to rectify the situation.Here is how a single filer (HENRY) who makes above the $75K-phase-out-to-$95K-cutoff can still take advantage of the $8K tax credit for first time home buyers who buy a home between 1/1/09 and

Tough economic times

2009-03-07T09:08:00.005-05:00

Friday morning during a super-A$$ economy with annual shareholder meeting taking place in the coming week you wake up as normal to get ready for work. The phone rings. It's a co-worker who is actually off today because of the required 10 days off per fiscal quarter due to the economic downturn. They ask you if you are already at work and you say that you are on your way. They claim that they just

Who is HENRY?

2009-02-03T17:55:00.005-05:00

H-E-N-R-Y = High Earner Not Rich YetWell, it all depends on your definition of high earner because I would definitely not put myself anywhere near there. But in either case, this isn't about me. This is about all the folks who graduated from college with lots of student loans and a "high paying job." What exactly is a high paying job? If you ask the IRS that would be anything above $55K which is

Redbox + iPhone = Obvious Winner

2009-02-03T16:54:00.008-05:00

Every once in a while I have to throw someone a bone. And today I toss one out to Redbox who has been very good to me over the past 8 or so months. A Redbox app for the iPhone is so blatantly obvious I feel as if it has already been done but no one told me. Look, I will just walk you through one quick scenario where having a Redbox app on the iPhone is sheer geinus.Redbox-Iphone App Scenario:

Troy at the Theater

2009-01-06T20:08:00.011-05:00

Folks have been asking me to do movie reviews and some others have been emailing/texting asking if I have seen Slumdog Millionaire so I figured I would kill these and other related topics with one blog entry.First off, I must have been singing the praises of Da Box way too much. Everytime I go to my local Redbox lately there is a line. All my Redbox using friends claim that there are lines at

We thought Chris Rock was joking...

2009-01-06T19:25:00.005-05:00

Remember when Chris Rock said the following in Never Scared?Oprah is rich, Bill Gates is wealthy. If Bill Gates woke up tommorow with Oprah's money, he'd jump out a fvckin' window and slit his throat on the way down saying, "I can't even put gas in my plane!German tycoon Adolf Merckle commits suicideBy Markus Nagle Markus NagleBLAUBEUREN, Germany (Reuters) – German billionaire Adolf Merckle has

Back and forth with Movie Snob 2

2008-11-19T17:57:00.013-05:00

So it was another Redbox Monday (free 1 day rental) and I was on my way to my nearest Redbox location when I received a text from the Movie Snob asking me for a recommendation. I thought to myself, "This must be a trap since the Movie Snob doesn't regard my opinion when it comes to movies." But in any case I played along especially since I had no clue what to get myself. In the end, he gave me

Doom & gloom entry

2008-11-14T13:46:00.007-05:00

I started off the year by calling the economy "a$$". I have argued since the 2nd half of 2007 that the bailouts would only prolong this a$$ economy. While it is real hard to say with any certainty what will happen when a new Congress and President lead the country in 2009 I have to admit that even if they did everything right I still have a good chance of being right on this new prediction.

So, Obama won

2008-11-06T16:59:00.009-05:00

And what does that mean to someone who is a conservative like myself? Well, guess what? He made a blanket call to us conservatives post election and said the following in his unique Obama voice:I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid. You're afraid of us. You're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I

WiFi & coffee using loose change?

2008-10-21T17:57:00.007-04:00

Of course, I had to make it a 9 (my favorite number) step process:Label an old empty jar, "WiFi & coffee"At the end of every day, dump all your loose change into the "WiFi & coffee" jarAfter you have built up about an inch or two of loose change in jar, locate your nearest Coinstar that converts your loose change to a Starbucks cardConvert your loose change to a Starbucks cardRegister for your

Too busy for a posting?

2008-10-06T17:10:00.006-04:00

You know, sometimes it is what it looks like. My friends, I have been too busy watching my investments evaporate to post. I have been too busy making sure that I am well suited to weather this economic storm that we are in. But I figured I could at least take some time to pat myself on the back for equipping you to handle these uncertain times.Here was my attempt at leading by example in 2008:1.

The Giant Pool of Money

2008-09-17T15:39:00.004-04:00

So every day some new development happens on Wall Street and folks are asking for my opinion. Look, I gave my opinion this time last year when the bailouts were in the form of interest rate cuts. But nobody listened then so why would they now? And what good is my opinion now anyway? It would be the equivalent of saying the ship is sinking at the point of total submersion.In any case, here is my

F-R-E-E that spells free...

2008-08-22T15:31:00.005-04:00

Even better than that little jingle that is now STUCK IN YOUR HEAD FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR DAY is the following deal that will make you sing it with pride.Free credit score monitoring from Trans Union for 6 or 9 months depending on your preference. While I have never been a big fan of class action lawsuits this one is somewhat acceptable in that you get a service that may be of great use to you

Back & forth with the Movie Snob

2008-08-12T18:18:00.008-04:00

So after receiving my free movie code from Big Red yesterday I couldn't decide on what movie I should get. So I went on to the website and figured I would just get the highest rated movie that they had available using ratings from Da Flix. And as I suspected some touchy-feely movie was the highest rated. But what surprised me the most was that a friend of mine who THINKS he is the biggest movie

AT&T's iPhone vs. Sprint's Treo 700p

2008-07-31T15:31:00.004-04:00

So I made the switch to the AT&T iPhone by Apple from Sprint's Treo 700p by Palm. Here is what I like and don't like regarding the switch.Things I don't like:1. Battery life SUCKS! And this is with 3G turned off.2. Why are they intentionally restricting me?2a. Can't text to an email address.2b. Can't send pictures using text.2c. No cut & paste. (I know, next update...blah, blah, blah)2d. Can't

Canceled cable. Now what?

2008-07-30T20:28:00.004-04:00

So as you know I cancelled my cable earlier this year. But this was when I was taking 2 classes and the NFL was quiet so I really didn't even have time to notice. Now it is summer and I only did a 1-week class (Poland trip) so now I have tons of free time and there aren't really that many good DVDs out. (BTW, my Flix account has been on hold due to Redbox.com and will most likely remain on hold

Why study finance? Why Brandeis?

2008-07-21T12:08:00.008-04:00

For those that have been wondering why the hell I am taking grad classes yet again in an attempt to gain yet another master's degree (MS in Finance) I offer the following video that displays Brandeis professors breaking down the mortgage crisis. Most specifically, the Global Economics class that I took last Fall and the World Financial Centers class that took me to Poland less than two weeks ago

Dining out deals

2008-07-13T11:10:00.004-04:00

Cheesecake FactoryOn Wednesday, July 30, in honor of their 30th year anniversary Cheesecake Factory restaurants nationwide will offer every delicious slice of our more than 30 varieties of cheesecake for $1.50 per slice to pay homage to the price they charged when they first opened in 1978. I got this through word of mouth and the only reference to it online I found was here.Morton's The

Going BROKE in Poland

2008-07-06T06:41:00.007-04:00

Here I am in Warsaw, Poland for school going BROKE. Hey, I guess the best way to learn about world finance is to go broke in a foreign country. Hands on learning at its best!And yes the dollar has been rising against the zloty and the euro since my departure from Boston on Friday but it has not been rising fast enough. Plus, I really don't think the Poles care because they are intent on taking

3G iPhone Service Plans

2008-07-01T13:40:00.008-04:00

So ATT finally offered up the details regarding the service plans for the new 3G iPhone. And all I have to say is, SET AH THIEF!Hey, currently I have Sprint and while I would be the first to say their customer service sucks I also have to admit that they are very affordable. So why am I switching to ATT because of the 8 Gig 3G iPhone only to be ripped off with an unconscionable 2 year agreement?

Cheese + cake + factory

2008-06-19T21:30:00.009-04:00

Equals the nationally preferred restaurant among Black females in my humble opinion. Why? I honestly don't know. I never knew they liked cheesecake that much. Matter of fact, I don't think they do. I mean, I never see them indulging in cheesecake in numbers to indicate that it is the cheesecake that attracts them to this establishment in droves. Personally, I think it is a combination of the

Motorcycle madness

2008-06-14T09:25:00.006-04:00

That time of the year again when I start thinking that I need to get a motorcycle. And this time I have the perfect excuse, gas prices.But since I don't know how to ride to the point where I am comfortable on government roads I will have to take a class and test. Let me break down the total cost to see if this really makes sense:Motorcyle permit: $30Motorcycle class & test: $275Motorcyle: <=

The Belmont Stakes

2008-06-08T13:52:00.005-04:00

Drove all the way from mASS yesterday to the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, NY. Over 4 hours and roughly 200 miles later I arrive smack dab in the middle of what America is all about: diversity. Folks from all walks of life came together somewhere around the number of 100K to see Big Brown vie for the Triple Crown.The way the whole establishment is setup you cannot help but to get caught up in the

Sticking with it

2008-05-29T16:58:00.005-04:00

That life is really about sticking with it. Whatever it is. Set your goal, make a plan on how you will accomplish it and the rest is just implementation. Yeah, it may take a little longer than you planned. Yeah, it may be harder than you estimated. And yeah, there are times when you won't make it. But trust me, if you do this a lot, you will succeed a lot. Plain and simple.Every once in a while I

Time to get back into shape...

2008-05-21T07:16:00.004-04:00

Yep, got up this morning and hit the gym. I mean I hit it. Hit it like it stole my lunch money. And I will keep hitting it until I get my lunch money back. See what had happened is that on my recent vacation to St. Thomas I sort of stood out at the beach if you know what I mean. Hey, I'll be honest with you and sum up my day at the beach in 5 words: GUYS SHOULD NOT HAVE BREASTS! (aka "man-boobs"

Did someone say free?

2008-05-15T14:54:00.003-04:00

So of course me being the cheap bastard that I am was all over McDonald's FREE southern styled chicken sandwiches (assuming you buy a drink) today. And both times I was presently surprised. And no, it didn't have anything to do with the chicken.For breakfast I did the small coffee which was enough to get me my free chicken biscuit that tasted a bit dry and left my stomach feeling somewhat funny.

School over, donkey turnover...

2008-05-08T16:45:00.004-04:00

Hell yeah! I remember singing that when I was a kid. Don't know what it means but every year around this time I would sing it at the top of my lungs. And I sing today my friends.Had my last final exam for the semester last night in Financial Accounting. Tough stuff, most especially when you aren't allowed to bring any notes (cheat-sheet) to the exam. I mean, who the hell gives you

Call me psychic

2008-05-03T18:34:00.003-04:00

Trust me, I saw this coming 10 furlongs away. The second Hillary Clinton started comparing her campaign to win the democratic nomination for President to Eight Belles (only filly in the field) chances in the Kentucky Derby I knew this would only end tragically. I started praying for that poor horse immediately. Unfortunately, the spell of Hillary was too much to overcome. So what happened to

"Never busted. Busted is what you see!"

2008-05-02T15:46:00.009-04:00

Hey, I have heard worse. Growing up in my neck of the woods, I have heard guys go so far as to say, "if she (girlfriend/wife) doesn't come over and touch me AND I acknowledge her then it wasn't me." DAMN!Still confused about what I am talking about? Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit is what I'm talking about. Man, you know how I could just tell that dude was lying like crazy? He got all fancy

Back from vacation...

2008-04-30T22:22:00.006-04:00

And I just wanted to check in with you and show you a pic or two of what I was enjoying on my trip back home to St. Thomas, VI. Right now I am swamped trying to get back to my normal routine but wanted to ensure that I touch the following topics in the coming blogs so much I am going to put it out there so you can hold me to it.Pending blog topics1. Inflation (rice, gas, etc.)2. Politics (primary

Go tell my enemies...

2008-04-22T11:16:00.006-04:00

...that I'm on the Rock. Mavado got on it, then Jay-Z heard and got on it ASAP, and not to be outdone, Sen. Obama heard and got on it for the Easter Weekend. I mean, we both knew it was just a matter of time for me right?I'm on the Rock (St. Thomas, VI)!I'm on the Rock, on the Rock....St. Thomas-V-I, St. Thomas-V-I....Jehovah guide me, I'm on the Rock....Go tell my enemies, I'm on the Rock....

Morton's, it's not just salt anymore

2008-04-14T17:03:00.003-04:00

Up until this past weekend, I have lived my life visualizing the blue round cylindrical shaped container with the girl holding the umbrella whenever someone mentioned the word, "Morton's." And the funny thing is that up until the writing of this blog I never noticed that they don't use the possessive, it just says, "Morton Salt." In any case, I no longer associate the name Morton with salt after

Taxes

2008-04-12T00:04:00.004-04:00

I am willing to lobby hard for anyone who simplifies the tax code. I mean, why all this crap of deductions, exemptions and subtract the lower of line 8 or 9 from line 10?? What is that crap about? You would think with the all the advances in tax preparation software, online tax portals, e-filing and the simple fact that I have been doing this for a very long time now the process should be easy

Late lunch today...

2008-04-10T14:51:00.004-04:00

Nothing special really, was just busy with some stuff and ended up leaving for lunch at 2pm. And you know what, not that I work in the city or anything but everything was just more calm, cool, and collected just like in the movie I Think I Love My Wife with Chris Rock. Of course I have to admit that today is the best weather (71 degrees and sunny) day we have had for 2008 in mASS. BTW, that movie

The Meeting: Mary & Jane

2008-04-08T15:03:00.009-04:00

The time has come for me to REALLY introduce these two. I have known them for a very long time and I am convinced that even though they meet, talk, & interact with each other ALL THE FREAKING TIME they have never truly met. These two are single heterosexual females in the 25-35 age group who happen to be in my Friends & Family network: Mary & Jane.MaryThe best way to sum up Mary is to say that

Full disclosure

2008-04-06T15:26:00.010-04:00

I'm being objective when I say that I think I am probably the most objective person you have ever met. You feel me? :) And to prove my objectivity to you I will list my corporate biases:1. American ExpressLove the company but I love the Chairman/CEO even more. My favorite & most used credit cards have all been American Express. For example, in 2007 my card of choice was the JetBlue Amex of which

Great explanation of subprime mess

2008-04-04T15:05:00.003-04:00

Sometimes the most honest truth is found in comedy. The following comedic video is a very accurate explanation of the whole subprime mess. Not only that, you have to give these guys their due since this video was made in October, 2007 YET they manage to reference all the key players such as Bear Stearns in the video. However, like my Mom always says, "If you say one, you say two." So I have to

Free Black Chiney CD

2008-04-03T19:45:00.003-04:00

Did someone say FREE? Yes I did. After getting scooped to the freely available latest Black Chiney CD I have been enjoying it tremendously for the last few days. The least I could do is pass the blessings on to YOU.The Black Chiney Show - Black Chiney Vol. 8.9I must admit though that the download server is relatively slow but free is still FREE. And of course, this is some hardcore dancehall so

Child support is a killer!

2008-04-01T15:03:00.004-04:00

Sounds crazy right? Well, according to the Associated Press, 39-y-o Sean Levert, a third of the 1980s R&B trio LeVert and son of lead O'Jays singer Eddie Levert, died after falling ill while serving a jail term. Why was Sean Levert in jail? Well, it appears that Sean has 3 kids aged 11, 15, and 17 who he has not been supporting to the tune of $89K. Sean, who was sentenced to serve 22 months last

31 days, 31 blog entries...

2008-03-31T21:19:00.004-04:00

I'm actually proud of myself. There were times I didn't think I could do it. There were times I didn't see the benefit of doing it. Some may argue they still don't see the benefit. :)But hey, I did it. There are 31 days in the month of March and I blogged 31 entries. They can't take that away from me, singing on my soapbox now, no they can't ever take that away from me.But this entry wouldn't be

Just what the doctor didn't order...

2008-03-31T11:24:00.006-04:00

As you remember, I jumped all over Boston's Restaurant Week by hitting up 3 haute steak houses. Well, my cholesterol levels were jumping for joy when Restaurant Week was over. Well, guess what? Morton's The Steakhouse has a nationwide deal for you (PEOPLE NOT PRESENT) and me. I am so all over it. It isn't as good as the deals I was pulling in Restaurant Week but it is a better deal than I'm going

Redbox.com

2008-03-30T21:19:00.005-04:00

Everybody knows I am down with Da Flix (Netflix.com). So why would I blog about Redbox.com? Well, for one there is a Stop & Shop grocery store carrying the Redbox machine within walking distance from my house that is open late. This means I can drop in on my way home, grab a DVD and return it the next AM for $1. Yep, $1 single dollar plus tax if you return the DVD in less than 24hrs. So far I

Classmates, Hi5, Facebook, LinkedIn?

2008-03-29T20:07:00.014-04:00

How many of these things should I be signing up for? I am starting to get overwhelmed by this stuff. You have to sign up, update profile, add friends, accept friends and then for the rest of your life you have to keep accepting friends of friends and deleting spam. So far, I have:1. Classmates.com (signed up YEARS ago)2. Hi5.com (signed up YEARS ago)3. Facebook.com (just signed up this week)4.

Short story for any time...

2008-03-27T19:02:00.008-04:00

In my quest to find a definition for the term, "COWBAWLING" which I used recently in my post, Ways & Means Committee I ended up stumbling on this GREAT short story which had me laughing as I read it. I even ran the story by my network first to get their take on it. They loved it.Here you go, enjoy:Kei Miler - Read Out Sunday

Ways & Means Committee

2008-03-25T22:50:00.004-04:00

As a recent inductee into the Ways & Means Committee I am personally extending a membership invitation to YOU just as it was bestowed unto me.Charter:To find WAYS and MEANS to accomplish individual goals.Membership pledge:As a member of the WAYS and MEANS Committee I will find the WAYS and MEANS necessary to accomplish my personal goals. I recognize that when one door is closed it is a much

My most prized assets

2008-03-25T20:48:00.007-04:00

It's about time I divulge something personal. Been on this blog for almost a month now and you have no idea of what matters most to me. How could you even claim to know me or begin to make my blog a daily part of your life if I am keeping you ignorant of my most prized assets? Drum roll please:1. My health2. My Friends & Family3. My educationThat list, my friend, took years of introspection,

Telling it like it is...

2008-03-25T19:23:00.004-04:00

I don't want to just fill up this blog with a bunch of YouTube videos but how could I resist this one? I mean, have you ever seen honesty so refreshing?"Ooh Girl!" - An Honest R&B Song

Obama is on the Roc(k)!

2008-03-24T21:06:00.009-04:00

I don't blame Sen. Obama. Easter Sunday and everyone is looking for a photo of him entering, attending, and leaving Trinity United Church of Christ. Well, keep looking because you won't find him there. Matter of fact I know where he is and what he is doing. He is on the Rock (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands).And he is singing along to "On the Rock" by Mavado ft. Jay-Z.What? You seriously don't believe

Invest in YOU

2008-03-21T15:09:00.006-04:00

For those who aren't shored up in their savings/investments, do so. For those who are shored up, three words: INVEST IN YOU.This is the time. Whether it means laying the groundwork to start your own business, taking classes part-time, and/or enrolling in a gym, THIS is the time. YOU absolutely have to exit this down cycle a better person than YOU were when YOU entered it. We all know that YOU

Cost of high living...

2008-03-21T14:37:00.009-04:00

Funny that I write this post just after I reviewed 3 high priced steak houses. Laughable, to say the least. But it underscores the point that I am trying to drive home. And I won't act as if this was an original thought on my part so let me give you the quote that I always remind myself of constantly:What some people mistake for the high cost of living is really the cost of high living.- Doug

Restaurant Week in Boston

2008-03-19T21:58:00.013-04:00

This Friday (3/21/08) will be the final day of Boston's Restaurant Week and boy did I enjoy it. Normally, I don't even attend. I mean, I don't cook so every week is restaurant week for me. But this year I took the opportunity to attend not 1, not 2, but THREE steakhouses. Now, restaurant week is a GREAT DEAL when you use it at one or all of the below places. Both the dinner ($33) and lunch ($20)

SuperWHAT, SuperWHO? SuperDelegate!

2008-03-19T17:42:00.010-04:00

Hey, I know an electoral college when I smell one. Yeah, it's kind of ironic that the Democratic (equality) party would hand out "super powers" to a select few (~800). It is estimated that one Democratic superdelegate vote is the equivalent of 10,000 you or me votes. Yeah, that select ~800 is comprised of Democratic party leaders (including both Obama & Clinton) and officials who account for 20%

Poetry for the current times...

2008-03-18T20:53:00.008-04:00

Buying Happinessby DeanAll I ask is for the chance to prove,That happiness, money can’t buy.Just ask Warren Buffet or Bill Gates,Or any other filthy rich guy.They found it out on their own,From being filthy rich.They didn’t learn it from TV or booksOr hear it from some broke-a$$ b????.I want to know what it's like,To be filthy rich like those boys.I want to have the big bank account,And be on TV

~46 weeks and $22B+ lost...

2008-03-16T21:31:00.011-04:00

WOW! By my screwy numbers Bear Stearns (BSC) traded at a 52 week high of $159.36 on 4/25/07. Roughly 46 weeks later Chase is buying it for $2/share?? How could that be? Didn't this thing trade at $30/share on Friday (3/14/08)? What about the shareholders? What about the employees? It is said that one-third of the company is employee (14153) owned. Someone tell me my math is bad here, PLEASE.Date*

Sticking to the script?

2008-03-16T14:23:00.020-04:00

Silly me. I really don't know what I was thinking. In the middle of what was supposed to be a happy conversation but quickly became heated because I didn't offer congratulations to HER at the exact time I should have, I said it. I actually fixed my mouth to utter the words, "Look, if you already have in mind exactly what you want to hear and when you want to hear it why don't you email me the

Tax return choices...

2008-03-11T16:17:00.010-04:00

If you are one of the lucky few out there who will be blessed with a big tax refund and would like to know what are some of the best options during a recession like economy then here are some top choices:1. Shore up your short term reservesNormally, this would be #2 but in an economy like the current one, having some reserves is a pretty good idea. How much you say? Personally, 3 months salary

Cancel cable?

2008-03-11T10:50:00.008-04:00

I know what you're thinking, "He can't be serious." Watch me.Come on, it isn't like it is that hard to do when you have broadband internet. Between Netflix, Newsleecher, and Hulu I will be more than alright.Currently, some friends of mine are all hyped up debating between plasma or LCD HDTVs, Blu Ray or HD DVD, Comcast or DirecTV when the real challenge going forward will be how fast is your

Hell yeah, money do me something!

2008-03-08T16:36:00.006-05:00

That was the retort I gave my Sister when she inquired, "Money do you something?" with her smart self. I mean, she has known me before I knew myself. How could she not know all that money has done to me?Look, me and money have serious issues. Some things were said and some things were done between us that I would rather not revisit right now if you know what I mean. Some of these things go so far

Will Verizon buy Sprint?

2008-03-08T14:08:00.008-05:00

Short answer: Probably not.But I think they should. Here's why:1. They both use CDMA.2. The longer Sprint sits around like a wounded duck the more AT&T steals their customers via the sleek and sexy iPhone. And if you think AT&T is stealing Sprint's customers now, wait until the 3G iPhone hits the streets.3. The price war being waged by Sprint ($99 unlimited plan) will prove extremely costly for

Brick walls are there for a reason...

2008-03-08T12:20:00.007-05:00

OK, by now you have probably heard the above title if you are clued in. If you haven't, it is coined by Randy Pausch a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Yeah, pancreatic cancer has been a real killer prior to Patrick Swayze going public with his diagnosis.So what is the reason for brick walls being there? Well according to Prof

Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics

2008-03-06T11:06:00.006-05:00

According to this article on CNN, 1 in 9 Black men between the ages of 20 and 34 is behind bars. If you are a Black male in that age group and you aren't behind bars reading this then large up yourself. If you know someone in that demographic who isn't behind bars large him up. My email addressbook is filled with folks who fall into that demographic but aren't behind bars. Who says you

Gone too soon...

2008-03-05T17:51:00.005-05:00

Whaddup? Y'all good? Brooklyn in da house? I'm glad. - Rasheed ThurmondThis cat was the best upcoming artist in the game in my humble opinion. First of all, he had a voice that commanded attention and yet made you feel that you were with a friend. He also brought facial expressions and body language to his routine that were impressive to say the least. His attention to life's details whether it

Do you use your left hand or right hand to wipe?

2008-03-04T21:55:00.007-05:00

Remember that stupid question from childhood?Incorrect answers: left hand, right hand.Correct answer: I use toilet paper.In any case I got your attention and I amused my Favorite Niece (yeah, Ms. I-Want-My-Name-Big-and-Broad). Two birds, dead!Moving right along...At most, 10% of the population is left-handed but three of the last 4 US presidents are left-handed. What does that mean? Well, if you

Will we ever make it back?

2008-03-04T11:29:00.011-05:00

As you probably guessed by now I am from the islands, better yet a West Indian. And yeah, I did come to the States for the sole purpose of getting an education. Yeah, you can say I fell for the song and dance. What? You didn't know it was a song and dance. WOW! Here, let me break it down for you.The Song and Dance Roughly 15 years ago or so on a warm island far, far away from HERE I was docking

Ant & Grasshopper

2008-03-03T16:40:00.007-05:00

If you have been on email for some time then you have seen the tired and true "Ant & Grasshopper" story time and time again with all the fancy new twists depending on the political message the original sender is trying to get across. If you haven't or need a refresher here is the a quick synopsis.Summer:The Ant is a hardworker. During the Summer he is busting his a$$ in the heat building his

Celebrity endorsements

2008-03-02T16:30:00.003-05:00

Obama has will.i.am and Hillary has Jack Nicholson. I must admit I am a much bigger fan of Jack Nicholson. So does that mean I vote Hillary?? Alright people, lets get serious. Educate yourselves on the issues that matter to you and find the candidate that is more aligned with what you believe. If none exists then enjoy the celebrity endorsement videos for what they are: entertainment.So far I

Large up St. John, VI

2008-03-02T16:18:00.005-05:00

St. John, VI has always been my #1 recommendation for folks visiting the Virgin Islands. It has always been kind of hard to articulate what exactly I like about it when you consider that most of the Caribbean has great beaches. I don't know, I just like to snorkel so the crystal clear waters and underwater snorkel trail on Trunk Bay does it for me. But for those among us who still want more

I want an iPhone

2008-03-01T21:47:00.001-05:00

There! I said it. I'll say it again. I want an iPhone. Now, the question becomes how do I get one. Oh yeah, I cough up either $399 for the 8GB model or $499 for the 16GB model. You know my cheap a$$ is stressing about that. :)But seriously, it isn't the up front costs that have me so much down in the dumps. It's the fact that the current one on the market isn't 3G. I mean, I am on Sprint today

Game show gall...

2008-03-01T21:38:00.001-05:00

First off, are these shows even real to begin with? Well, one more reason for me to cancel cable. Even Flavor of Love now isn't as good as it once was. But this latest game show from Fox (you know, Fair & Balanced) did prompt a good friend to call asking me if I had heard about it. Now, you and I know that the folks who should be on this show won't be on this show. This is why I have to wonder if

Back & forth with my niece

2008-03-01T20:59:00.001-05:00

Recently a niece of mine sent me the following Richard Simmonds video that I really enjoyed.Now what is listed below is the back and forth that my niece and I had regarding the spelling of my last name in her email to me with the video.Me:Give me ONE good reason why you of all people should be spelling my name with an 'e' at the end? Just ONE.Niece:Hello Uncle, I would just like to say that in my

My first entry...

2008-03-01T20:15:00.002-05:00

Finally, after 11 years of email I have decided to go ahead and get a blog. I know, you are wondering, 'WHY?" Well hell, it has been something I have thought about doing for the last two years or so but finally decided to get up off my a$$ and get started. Also, throughout the years a number of friends have always said that I need to capture all the bullshite that I spew somewhere so that it can