That's Entertainment!

I could not resist......It's a celebration!

He tried to kill my daddy!

Watch out!!

Good Deed in South Africa

Oprah has opened a school in South Africa for young girls. Its actually a private Leadership Academy, and Oprah personally selected the kids who will attend when it opens in January, 2007. She paid for everything, structure, books, uniforms, everything. Wish I could do it like that......She has spend 40 million so far. Read the article, http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/Africa/08/26/btsc.koinange/index.html or better yet, watch the video. http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/world/2006/08/25/koinange.oprah.africa.school.affl&wm=10

I'm deep in books, trying to learn how to pick a jury.......

Wasted Money

According to the National Priorities Project, Taxpayers in Tennessee's Congressional District 9 (Ford Jr.'s district who in fact supports the War) will pay $499.5 million for the cost of war in Iraq. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

187,954 People with Health Care or

10,371 Elementary School Teachers or

68,826 Head Start Places for Children or

194,758 Children with Health Care or

5,362 Affordable Housing Units or

70 New Elementary Schools or

112,249 Scholarships for University Students or

10,204 Music and Arts Teachers or

14,159 Public Safety Officers or

609,119 Homes with Renewable Electricity or

6,568 Port Container Inspectors

Wanna check what your hood is paying, click the link http://nationalpriorities.org/

Swinging Through

I forgot to mention watching a good discussion between Michael Eric Dyson and Juan Williams. We all know Mr. Michael (Where is my Dictionary) Dyson. Juan Williams is a journalist at Fox and I believe he has a segment on NPR. I like Juan on most days, tend to agree with him from time to time. Anyway, these two cats go at it, discussing Mr. Williams new book "Enough", it's a nice debate with some fireworks about the State of Black America and Bill Cosby and the many comments he has made recently as well. http://www.booktv.org/ram/Afterwords/0806/arc_btv081206_4.ram

One Week Down

I made it through my first week of classes, well all but the next hour and a half..........what's the saying about law school, first year = scare you to death, second year = work you to death, last year = bore you to death. Oh how true......

Well clearly after the first week, I have my work cut out for me. I don't know which will be worse, working on my Seminar paper, or my legal clinic. Sounds like we gonna be working our tails off. It's one thing to sit in class for a few hours learning theories of law and blah blah blah, its another to actually work on a real legal matter for a real person. Then you are getting a grade on how you represent and handle those matters.

What do I want to write about in my Federal Discrimination seminar? It's gotta be something I can flow on. Let's see..........Affirmative Action issues.......naw.....Gay Rights........negative......discrimination in housing......boring........Voter disenfranchisement.......possibly..........Reparations.....oooh controversial......let me marinate on that one...............Post 9/11 discriminatory issues.........maybe..........Any suggestions?

Let's see, shall I get gas when my tank is at half a tank or on empty? Does it even matter?

Why am I on day two of cleaning the trunk of my car? Old books and notebooks, cd's, tennis shoes, Red bull, coffee mugs (I don't even drink coffee) a pillow (where did this come from?) I might be getting better gas mileage out of my car when I am done cleaning the trunk. My cousin said I was living out of my car, I'd rather call it, the Mobile Library.

What's up with all the folk rocking Mohawks?

No...I don't have Myspace....or Facebook......good Lawd.

The local Shelby County Democrats need a massive enema....

Man.....class aint over yet.......good God.....look up, act like you into the lecture.....go on raise your hand......interject something....Shake your head, no, no nod your head....give some eye contact....bye....

T.V. Time

I got a chance to check out When the Levees Broke, over the last two nights. It was a very well done documentary. It brought back some of the memories I had as I watched the events unfold before me, at that time I felt powerless, unable to do anything of substance to help the people I saw on my TV screen. There are so many victims, not only the dead, but those who survived. Here is what stands out most for me.

The mother of the five year old girl who drowned and whose body was found in April. I remember watching the news back then when the child's body was discovered. That young mother had to deal with months of wondering, hoping that her child might still be alive. Back when the news broke, I wondered where the child's family was. So to see that child's mother and the visible pain she was stung, very sad.

The older man whose mother died while at the Convention Center. First, he had to roll her into a storage room when he discovered she had died. Then when the building was being evacuated, he was unable to go back to the room to pay his last respects to his mother or to at least make sure her body was as he had left her.

The young man who went to search his family home for his mother. He was advised the home had been searched and no body was inside, so he concluded that perhaps his mom left in time and made it out. He decided to search the home, but water was still present in the home and he did not find anything. He decided to have the home searched one more time, and at that time, his mother's body was found under the refrigerator. She had drowned to death. To watch him search for words to describe the experience was tough.

Bodies are still being found, and no official body count has been produced. In fact a great deal of bodies are still being stored in trailers for identification. A quote that hung with me was "Where is my government?" I really do not think race played a part per say, in the response of the government, but, it is perplexing, extremely perplexing about the response of FEMA, and the federal government as a whole. I speak of at the time of Katrina and to date. We are spending billions, no I misspeak, we are blowing the bank in Iraq, but our own people here are treated like, if I may.......refugees.....Haitian refugees....I know you know our policy on Haitian refugees...but.....(LOSS OF WORDS) yo, these are Americans. Your average American knows more about the JonBenet suspect than the continued suffering in Louisiana.

I'd like to know who knew whether the levees were capable of withstanding such a storm, what they did to address it, why wasn't anything done to improve them, did anyone ever talk about improving them? It seems like everyone, local and federal remained silent. One can't say the technology does not exist to make viable levees, just look to the Netherlands and their levee system. We've got the money, oops had the money, its being spent you know where.

Insurance Companies - Whew...they have been screwing people for years, none more so than Katrina victims. Well uh, is your damage hurricane related or water related? Oh, water related.....we aint paying. But I have Hurricane insurance? Yea, we gonna pay for your wind damage, but since the water level topped your house, its apparently water damage, if you don't have a separate flood insurance policy, you assed out. There was a 80 year old man who had both flood insurance and home owners insurance for 50 years or more. The insurance company after determining what damage after doing what they do deducting things, cut the man a check for a little over $1000.00. Whole house destroyed...........Insurance Companies, can't live with them, can't comfortably without them.

I wish the documentary was not aired on cable. It was a very well put together film. A lot of people really need to see the struggle and the pain. I am sure someone will make a bootleg though. I know I complain and moan about my day to day life, but there is always someone whose struggle is worse than my own. I mean I know that, but still need reality to smack me from time to time. It could have been me or you in their shoes. All things unfold by the will of God, period, sometimes you want to ask why, why must people suffer like this? Why does a five year old have to die like that? Can't question God though. Maybe it is a test, a test for those of us who survived, how we learn from such a tragedy and what it is we do, to help others and to help prevent such tragedies from occurring again. Glancing over at the weather channel, I see a storm brewing in the Atlantic. Will history repeat itself?

A Precious Moment in the Library

Making the drive to campus this morning, I was kind of in a trance. I mean besides my usual mental complaints about Memphis drivers, my frequent glances at my gas meter (I dunno why I looking at it), I was going over in my head how I want my weeks to unfold. By now, I should be used to having a full week. I really should, though I always think each semester, my schedule would get lighter. That is surely not the case. I must admit though, that my class schedule is love, only two morning classes at 9:00, but the rest of my classes are in the evening. Nonetheless, my class workload seems to always increase. I've got a legal clinic that requires 10 hours of office time, not to mention regular reading for my other classes. Time is kind of short around here. I do want to work, no, let me re-phrase, I need to be earning a part time check somewhere in the mix, but there is really no part time anywhere in my schedule. May I was your car?

Why is it that every fall, I crack the screen on my freeking Palm Pilot? I just don't get it.....and the messed up thing is that it has happened the same way each time, one of my darn books, somehow gets on top of it and cracks it. It happens even though, the protective cover is in place. Anyone gotta spare Palm a brotha can take off your hands?

My locker looks like the little Candy Store next door in the old neighborhood. I've got candy, Nerds, Skittles, Starbursts, Soda (uh Gingerale), Hawaiian Punch, Chips, Chronic, and Grey Goose........did I slip those two past you? Anyway, maybe I can be the Candyman over here and make money that way.........

Don't forget to check out HBO tonight......

Your president had a press conference this morning, my little sister could give a more informed press conference than that nut.

I am supposed to be writing a paper on how I will exhibit professionalism as an attorney. Hmmm, lets see, never return calls, I do that pretty well now. Be late for appointments. Oh, forget about scheduled appointments, that's a good one. Gossip - attorney client privilege? What's that? Don't show up on court dates. Spend clients money. Wait....I am supposed to discuss how to be professional. My bad....

Snakes in a Plane - You bet not go see that mess, is Samuel Jackson that hard up for a role?

I have not read a newspaper in four days, what in the heck is wrong with me?

Local Democratic party is quite lame. Time for a overhaul of the leadership.

LeMoyne-Owen, hmmmmmmmmmmm, I'll get back to you on that.

Why does my law school have only one black faculty member and the one, hmm...hush yo mouf? And, no the legal methods adjuncts do not count. I betta hush fo I gets in troubles....

Back In The Saddle

Whew, its freekin hot out here.............yea, I am back in the south.......

I volunteered at school as an orienation leader, so I spent my first full day at school. I guess I could not wait to get back in the building, (That's a lie).

Its always kool meeting all of the new students eager to begin their legal studies. Shaking my head, if they only knew.......

I do like to take the opportunity to meet the new African American students during orientation. I remember when I was at my orientation, I noticed how few blacks participated in orientation. We were kind of deep today, I was joking with a classmate today when I stated we had half of the black males (4 of us)of the law school present at orientation. Of course I was joking as there are actually eleven of us in all three classes. Yep, just eleven in there entire law school that has a student body of at least 300 or more students. I think the new class has about four/five black males. Why so few bruh's representing at U-M, I guess that's a rant for a different day.

I gotta get my head right for this semester. I must be a little more disciplined, organized and about my bizness.

The movie of the day is "The Siege", starring Denzil Washington. It's been out for a hot minute, but it was so on point regarding terrorism, torture, and detainment of Arabs in the so called war on terrorism.

Still no phone........

BN, tell me, should I make that call?

Damn, miss those home cooked meals already, dinner tonight, turkey on white, wit Bar-B-Que chips, so yummy, so low budget......

Do I Have to Go Back?

It's official, my summer is over. The best summer of my life thus far has come to an end. It started off with a week in San Diego, six weeks in London, Rome and Barcelona, and ended with 12 days in back in San Diego. Lots of memories created over the short summer. Now it's back to the regular grind in the classroom. I am excited about the prospects of graduating in December, but I am dreading returning to a City that I once loved. Seems like a lot of ish is going on in Memphis, heat, black on black crime, election issues, and country azz folk. Dayuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmm.......can't graduate if I dont come back............

I love my family! It's tough being all the way in Memphis, missing all of the little outings with my sisters, (even though they dissed me at the Charger game), nonetheless, I often miss not being around them. Especially, the weekends at the Cheesecake Factory!

Gosh, home cooked meals, great home cooked meals. I don't know if my mom cooks like this year round, but she's been like a mad chef around here. I can't help but appreciate the love within the meals, lord knows I don't eat like that back in Memphis. Regardless of the cooking, I appreciate all the love and support she gives, she definitely has my back..

Then there is Mr. Atlas himself, rocking the Rambo headband.

There would have been no London without him, heck there may not have been any law school without him. I generally spent my days here with him at the shop.

I probably don't call him enough on the phone, when in Memphis, I left him with all my sisters to bond with....oh yea, he does have his ace though.

My sisters and family friends, gotta enjoy such moments.

I did get a chance to travel around on San Diego's trolley line which goes all over the city, I wish Memphis would step up to the plate with something similar.

Oh well, no more of these days.....I sure am going to miss them.....

Set Your DVR

Just giving you a heads up on quality T.V. time. Spike Lee's (no, not Spike Zee) documentary on Hurricane Katrina and its impact on the citizens of New Orleans. His movies generally give folk something to talk about, I am interested in seeing what his his take is. To find out what time it will playing, click on, the link, http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whentheleveesbroke/index.html

Charger Time

I got a chance to go the Charger game last night. It had been a long time since I watched the team play live. I ended up grabbing a $75 ticket from a scalper for $40 so that worked out well. San Diego being a military town, I guess its impossible to escape for any moment the issues I have about our so-called war in Iraq. Halftime of the game consisted of 300 youth, taking there enlistment oath. Any other time, I would be applauding them for their desire to serve their country, but my thoughts could not escape that fact that for some of those kids, as little as 90 days, separated them from taking the oath, and being shipped to Iraq. Dang, can't I just go to the game without the realities of life punching me in my arm? Little man wanted to chat it up with me the entire game.......

Open Your Bags Please, Part II

I swear,(really)I had not done my morning reading as I was letting go of some thoughts. So I was sitting here a couple of hours later reading my daily pub's when I hit Eugene Robinson's op ed piece in the Washington Post. Here ya go......http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001312.html

Open Your Bags Please

I don't know what to think about the current terror alert. These alerts always seem to come at some opportune time. I am thankful that I left London when I did though, because it would not have been pretty standing in those long security lines.

When I stand back and look at this whole terrorism thing from afar, my question becomes why do these folk despise us so? Why do they want to harm your average American? In London, whites, I am not even talking about ethnic people or Arabs, but British white folk (I can't tell you how many high fives I got from white dudes when they learned I was not a Bush supporter)despise Bush over his foreign policy, and they lump most Americans in the same boat because it was us who re-elected the NUT. That being said, if the British whites despise our current government, how does one expect Iraqis, Lebanese and whoever else fits the terrorist profile when it comes to their hate for America? Collateral damage, we have heard that term when it comes to when our military accidently kills innocent civilians, those folk are collateral damage. So I guess the question becomes, how do you and I feel when we become potential collateral damage for terrorist? Shit don't feel too good does it?

Bottom line is as long as our foreign policy continues status quo, we will continue to create enemies and potential terrorists. Lets go to the source, we seem to be playing defense on this whole terrorism game, lets go to origin of what is causing these folk to go to great lengths to harm us. Doesn't anyone wanna know why? So long as we continue on this path, we will soon be required to strip down, change clothes and wear pre-approved clothes when we travel, (I wanted to say fly naked but I think you get the point.) I dare suspect that this is just the first of many Red Alert days...

Then as I sit here looking in my monitor, I glance up, and some fool on CNN is showing us exactly how to make a damn liquid bomb on a plane. WTF? Ain't gotta look that s@#$ up now.....Bombmaking made easy - CNN.

Oh, I did change the music yesterday, that's the result of listening to that Malcolm X tape, I just could not resist it. I guess I will let it play another day or two, so cut your speakers down at work......

Vote? Whateva...

I was marinating on the recent election results in Memphis and Georgia, and in particular, my generations voter apathy. A part of the civil rights struggle was gaining the right to cast a vote . To be able to show up and vote without being harassed, without being turned away because of some false technicality and to have that vote counted. Folk took much abuse just to exercise their rights. I don't have the numbers before me, but based on the little reading I do, there is no doubt, that a large majority of blacks, 18-35 don't give a hot damn about voting. Most say it does not matter, the powers that be are gonna do what they want to do regardless. That's true on one hand (electoral college bs), yet untrue on another especially on the local level. However, there is power in numbers. Won't you agree? But damn we're talking bout colored folk, we can't agree on ish, well maybe on bullshit like who the greatest baller is, or who the greastest MC is, but never anything on substance. Do we even remember the blood, sweat and tears given by those before us just for such rights, the little girls killed in church, the mothers and sisters attacked by dogs, and beat on by red necks because of their fear of our prospective unity raising us from our situation at that time.

Here are some reasons I think we don't vote.

The lack of choice in candidates. But I blame that on those who in fact vote. We tend to vote for a name and not on the issues, partly because we are too lazy to learn the issues and determine what candidate best represents our view on the issue. When we vote on name, we simply recycle the same ole representation and prevent fresh blood to step up to the plate and represent.

Lack of interest - We have people making decisions on how we live, how money is spent, how money is disbursed, how we educate our children, how we go to war, who we support in war, how can one not care?

Lazy - Can't use work as an excuse, most get an hour to vote, you can even early vote. Fifteen minutes on one day every two years aint gonna hurt nobody. We would rather sit at home and watch the game, BET, play playstation, or stand on the corner with our homies sippin 40's complaining about how high gas is than go and select someone to represent ones own interests.

I really think that education plays the biggest part in voter apathy. We just don't know the issues, and don't know how to take an issue, look it in and out, and then take a position on that issue. Some simply don't know how to do the research to help form an opinion. So when that person does go to the poll, they are unarmed with the facts, and end up often voting against their own interests.

I wish the NAACP and the Urban League would address voter education, do more than just register folk to vote. Educate voters on why they are actually casting a vote. Educate them on the impact of how voting one way or another impacts theirs and others lives. The bottom line is we have forgotten the struggle. Someone care to start a non-profit with a brotha?? If we figure out how to get colored folk to the polls, we will be millionaires......

Anyway, if you have time, and a quiet room, click on this link, it's a very deep speech about the Ballot or the Bullet. My how some of the issues touched on exist today. The state of the black community, war, liberation and other issues. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/malcolmxballot.htm

Mo Politics

I'm glad to see Lieberman lost the Democratic primary in Connecticut last night. He's supposed to be a Democrat, but he acts and talks like a Republican, kind of reminds me of Ford Jr. It's the first time in 13 years an incumbent has been defeated in a primary. Now, he is going to run as an Independent. Doesn't he get it? Good riddance BUSTA.

On a sour note, Cynthia McKinney, a very outspoken Democrat out of GA., was defeated in her primary race. Her base just did not get out and support her. Read more about her struggle in Congress and the desire by a few to take her out.....http://www.blackcommentator.com/193/193_cover_mckinney.html

I got my grades back for the summer program, damn I need to transfer to Southern!!

Oh, I hear some folk have been calling my phone, I won't be activating it until next week sometime. Shoot a brotha an e-mail till then. Peace....

Blogger Awards

I got an e-mail today about the 2006 Black Weblog Awards, first I had heard of it. Anyway, I can't nominate myself for any of the categories listed, so if you think my spot is worthy of a nomination, you can click on the link provided. Thanks. http://www.blackweblogawards.com/vote/

Morning Reading

It just gets harder on poor folk, "Maine's welfare agency, she heard, was offering help for poor parents to go to college full time. With the state paying for day care and $513 a month in living expenses, Riordan, 37, has been on the dean's list every semester at the University of Southern Maine, expecting to graduate and start a social work career next spring. But this summer, her plans - and Maine's Parents as Scholars program - suddenly are on shaky ground; under new federal rules, studying for a bachelor's degree no longer counts by itself as an acceptable way for people on welfare to spend their time." Read the article, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/06/AR2006080600879.html

This is a story I am continuing to follow, one which I have talked about in the past at length. The more I read it, the heavier my heart gets. The girl was just fourteen. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/lat-080706iraq,0,6948149.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Find me a darn bus pass, http://http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/07/AR2006080700131.html

I guess the election day dust has settled in Memphis. Congrats to those who won. I do though have to say that the Democrats in Memphis need to tighten up, that or its candidates need to stop with the selfish or big head syndrome. I am referring to the three black female attorneys who ran against the one white candidate for Juvenile Court Judge. Yes, it was your prerogative to run for the seat, but common sense tells you, if all three remain in the race, you will split the black vote three ways for sure. That's dumb, what the hell were ya'll thinking. Couldn't you have met or something, two of ya'll should have dropped out, period. Egos, I tell ya. I think who ever committed to running first should have had the backing of the other candidates, you snooze you lose, that's if you want to see a member of your party in the seat.

Congress, 16 mickey fickeys in the race, at least 12 of them colored. I don't even feel like going there. Egos. Cohen should be fine in Congress, but it you are mad that a white jewish guy is representing the City's blackest district, guess what, aint no one to blame but you colored folk that had no chance of winning but remained in the race. Just selfish, I tell ya...all ya'll that stayed in the race so yo folk could cast a vote for ya, cause those are the only folk that voted for ya. Now there were at least three to four credible candidates, but damn, 16 folk?

Hanging With Da Chargers

I am so happy football season is about to begin. I was tortured all summer with European Football aka Soccer. The WorldCup Soccer Championship was in full gear, and those folk over there were totally obsessed. When Italy beat France to win the championship, people were running down the street with their Italian Flags draped around their necks, the French fans to scrap with the Italians, folk were hanging outside of the apartment windows banging pots and pans together, people in cars honking their horns. I have never seen anything like that in my life. Most football fans here don't get that darn extreme, I mean we rep our teams, but not to that crazed extent, well there are those crazy Raider fans.

I've been a fan of the San Diego Chargers practically all my life. Since a child, I have been reppin the Chargers, even when they stunk, and there were quite a few stank years, I still remained on the bandwagon. The past few years though, we (see how I rep) have been a pretty solid team. Anyway, training camp started about a week ago so I had to go check them out, see what they are looking like. My middle sister and I got the chance to go yesterday, I did not think she would enjoy it, but she had a pretty good time.

I got a chance to holla at a fellow Memphian and former Melrose High Golden Wildcats /Uni of Tennessee Volunteers football player Cedric Lott, and Jackson State Tigers baller Cletis Gordon. Both guys seemed talented, I hope they make the team.

Steve Foley, this dude is a beast. LaDainian Tomlison, the best running back in football Markus Curry Marques Harris Stephen Cooper Clinton Hart Igor Olshansky Shaun Phillips Lorenzo Neal, best fullback in the league. Darren Sproiles

Sister and I are going to the Charger v. Green Bay Packer game next Saturday, YES!!!

"Moments in Love" the Video

Ok, I know everyone knows this song when they hear it, I think it is one of the tightest instrumentals. But the video, the video, I don't know what to say about the video.......well besides it being extremely lame.......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIcmIhOesaI&search=art%20of%20noise

Decision Day

Today is election day in Tennessee, I wonder how many of my peers have either early voted or will be voting today? The ballot is extremely long, actually too dang long. It took three days for me to complete my ballot. Seriously, I voted absentee due to my trip so, I would wait until late at night, when I could not sleep and worked on my ballot. It was like counting sheep, lights out.....

The bulk of the ballot seems to be selecting Appellate Court Judges, both criminal and civil. At first I was going to just vote yes to all of them, actually I did, then, I started marinating on the fact that I did not know who these folk were, and recalled a few Appeals court rulings that I took exception too, plus the fact that I was bored as hell in my dorm room, so I decided to look these people up.

I wanted to know what they looked like (if I recall out of all those Appeals Court Judges, only one was a brotha, no sisters and no more than 5-6 woman.) I wanted to know where they went to undergrad and law school and what civic groups they belonged to. Did it help me any? It did, to be honest, I could somewhat tell, based on the type of organizations they belonged, and even church affiliations, who might be my type of judge. My analysis could be flawed, but it was the best way I could get a feel for who they were, plus I was not bored enough to start looking up opinions. I think I could tell who were the liberal judges and who the conservative folk were. So based on that, and my gut, I cast a yea or nay vote for each judge. Oh, I can't lie, appearance did play a minor part in my analysis but not much.

Congress - Whew, I got frat running, personal acquaintances, social acquaintances, mentors all in the mix. I have been marinating on this vote for a long while. Was I to be loyal to my frat brother (Stanton), would I follow my very early prediction that the right woman could win before (Tinker) got in and support a woman, would I vote for established leadership (Bolton/Cohen), or could I support one of the other political newcomers? Early in the campaigns while I was in Memphis, I appeared at a lot of different events for each of the candidates, because truly, I wanted to genuinely support those folk. I felt weird because I know people were like he's trying to play sides, or that fool spying on my camp, but it really was not like that. I was invited to alot of things, scheduled on the same day, and I did my best to show up. I am glad I was in London during the thick of the elections, cause I am sure I would have been pressured into doing some campaign work for one candidate. In the end who did I vote for? Get closer to your monitor....can you hear me? No? Good. Toughest vote on the ballot.

Local criminal and civil judges - I think I made it clear I was supporting Carlee McCullough (u should too) for Chancery Court. I worked with Carlee for two years while with the City. The woman is extremely bright, confident, and her educational and professional experience is impressive. When she advised me she was running, there was no doubt that I was going to support her. Her opponent and others have been trying to hate on her based on who she was married to, her age, her experience as an attorney and whatever bs they could come up with. Bottom line, she will be a make a very competent Chancellor, I hope other voters share my opinion. Other incumbent Judges or candidates I think worthy of mentioning are Judge Gwen Rooks in criminal, Judge Bailey, Judge Stokes in Circuit Ct. I do hope those other candidates that I know personally pull off victories.

Senate - I still have beef with Harold Ford Jr., strictly based on his voting record. I know he voted half the way he did to show those in East Tennessee that he was not your average liberal democrat. That is the only way he will win is if he abandons his base, which he did oh so long ago, and gets support from those in Nashville and on up the road in Knoxville and those other backwater towns.....I hold the hope that if he indeed becomes my Senator, he will wake up and get with the program and become a Democrat once again.

Sheriff - I gotta roll with Reginald French, I think he deserves a chance. Lets see all those clerk spots, I could care less, but I do hope that Sondra Becton pulls off a victory, along with Steve Mulroy (One of my professors) running for County Commissioner and my old classmate Errol Harmon who is running for a State Representative position.

I am probably forgetting about some positions, but I wish all of the candidates I have supported good luck. I do expect a lot from them once they are in office.

If you are reading this and you are from Memphis, I hope you exercised your right to vote. If you have not, I think you have until 7:00. I am not gonna give you an old civil rights lecture on what it took for us to get the right to vote, just do it. Do it! Get up! Go, the clock is ticking........

Pics.....

Ok, looks like the Barcelona pics were taken with low batteries, so the pic size is super small, you can barely see the pictures, so here are the rest.....most are of London, our final reception and misc. party pics.

That's not what it looks like......

London Sights Buckingham Palace Studying

Partying

Miscellaneous

Oh, we did have classes too